Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 172: Could It Be a Heavenly Spirit Root?

Ye Chen, participating in the Divine Will Assembly, was unaware that An Miaoli and her niece had already assessed him and deemed him unworthy of the championship.

Even if he had known, Ye Chen wouldnʼt have cared. Apart from the final dayʼs championship, a cultivator only had one match per day. After stepping down from the arena, Ye Chen was met with Caidieʼs eager gaze as he prepared to continue his business.

Given that it was the time of the Divine Will Assembly and many cultivators were in Divine Will City, it was an excellent opportunity to fetch good prices.

However, as Ye Chen was leaving the area of the Conclave, his system, which frequently pinged upon arriving in Divine Will City, chimed again.

Ye Chen didnʼt pay much attention initially. There were many female cultivators in Divine Will City; encountering a compatible one was normal. But when Ye Chen saw the multiplier, his body involuntarily halted.

”Li Feihuang: 300 times!”

My goodness... three hundred times? Could it be real?

Up to now, the highest multiplier Ye Chen had encountered was with his master and An Miaoli. Both were Earth Spirit Roots, but they only reached up to two hundred times.

What level was this Li Feihuang? What merits did she possess to have a three hundred times multiplier? Could it be a Heavenly Spirit Root? But if it was a Heavenly Spirit Root, wouldnʼt three hundred times be too low? Or could it be an Earth Spirit Root but she was just more beautiful, hence the three hundred times? But how beautiful would she need to be?

Ye Chen didnʼt understand, but that didnʼt stop him from looking ahead. In the distance, a female cultivator with a badge pinned on her chest was walking towards the direction of the Divine Will Assembly. Clearly, she too was a participant in the Conclave.

After one glance at her, Ye Chenʼs brow furrowed slightly. The female cultivatorʼs appearance was utterly ordinary, and her physique nondescript. The phrase ”plain and unremarkable” suited her perfectly, making her the kind who would be lost in a crowd.

Ye Chen immediately concluded that this woman must have altered her appearance. Otherwise, with such looks, a three hundred times multiplier would be plausible only if she possessed a Heavenly Spirit Root.

Ye Chenʼs eyes subtly shifted, his Heavy Pupils seeing through all deceptions. Suddenly, the vision of the female cultivator transformed completely. Her originally unremarkable figure now appeared curvaceous and striking, combining the best features of Lu Jing and his senior sister, Yao Xi. She was perfection personified. Her face, too, was unbelievably beautiful.

Most importantly, the female cultivator also sported red hair. Combined with her haughty and indifferent demeanor and her regal aura, she resembled an empress or a phoenix.

Noticing Ye Chenʼs gaze, the female cultivator frowned and glanced at him. She continued on her way without stopping.

Ye Chen did not rush to do anything. He pondered silently. This Li Feihuang was indeed extraordinary, but she was not prettier than his master or An Miaoli.

Considering her rare crimson hair, it was clear. She likely had an Earth Spirit Root but possessed some unique bloodline or constitution that granted her the three hundred times multiplier. This Li Feihuang, having disguised herself to participate in the Divine Will Assembly, surely had a backstory.

However, Ye Chen wasnʼt interested in wine or stories. He cared only about the multiplier. Ye Chen had been contemplating whom to give the direct disciple slot to if he won first place at the conclave.

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Now, it seemed he had found a suitable candidate. He wondered what rewards the Divine Will Sectʼs direct disciple slot might yield with a three hundred times feedback. Could the system possibly make him the sect leader of the Divine Will Sect?

Ye Chen mused happily, his mood uplifted as he continued his business with Caidie.

As for why he didnʼt approach Li Feihuang? Ye Chenʼs Heavy Pupils had revealed her noble aura, indicating her extraordinary background.

Moreover, her deliberate disguise meant she did not want her true identity recognized, indicating wariness of the outside world. Approaching her suddenly, hoping to make friends, would likely only push her away. So, there was no need to hurry. Slow and steady would be best.

...

In the following days, Ye Chen participated in the competitions daily, defeating his opponents. Afterwards, he went on to sell his goods and shop. His generous spending made Caidieʼs eyes sparkle with increasing admiration, and she found herself increasingly unwilling to part with Ye Chen at night.

In his spare time, Ye Chen also watched several of Li Feihuangʼs matches. Her mastery of fire-based spells was sublime. Even a simple Fireball spell in her hands was tremendously powerful, and she resolved her battles quickly. This only confirmed Ye Chenʼs suspicion that Li Feihuang, besides possessing an Earth Spirit Root, must have some special trait or bloodline related to fire.

As the days passed, the final day of the Divine Will Assembly soon arrived. The top ten finalists were officially announced, and the excitement of the conclave reached its peak. Those who made it to the top ten were all prodigies—some from Golden Core families, some from major sects, and even a few talented loose cultivators who swept through their opponents on the platform, causing astonishment.

However, among these individuals, Ye Chen was the most surprising. No one expected that Ye Chen, with only a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, would make it into the top ten. He was the only one at this stage.

It was truly incredible.

Even An Yuyi, upon seeing Ye Chen, felt a secret shock. An Miaoli nodded in acknowledgment, ”This Ye Chen truly is extraordinary. No wonder the Green Cloud Sect sent only this mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to participate. If Ye Chen wins first place, itʼs unlikely weʼll be able to exchange the slot for the Divine Will Pool. After all, being only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, he needs the pool to enhance his cultivation.”

An Yuyi, observing Ye Chen on the platform, felt that the image of Ye Chen in the secret realm could not align with the figure she saw now. How could Ye Chen be so strong?

However, when her aunt praised him, An Yuyi quickly retorted, ”His entry into the top ten was just luck. The others are all prodigies nurtured by their families or powerful cultivators. Their strength is roughly equivalent to our Divine Will Sectʼs direct disciples at the later stages of Foundation Establishment.

”The reason they didnʼt join the Divine Will Sect earlier is because of the limited number of direct disciple slots. Being an ordinary disciple at home would be more beneficial than being a direct disciple. Ye Chen definitely isnʼt their match.”

An Miaoli remained silent, her serene, water-like eyes quietly observing Ye Chen as he ascended the platform.

Ye Chenʼs opponent was a prodigy from a family with a Golden Core powerhouse. The opponent looked at Ye Chen, gave a light smile, and nodded politely, ”Greetings, Fellow Daoist!”

Ye Chen returned the gesture with a smile and a bow. As the Divine Will Sectʼs official gave the signal, both competitors made their moves.

Ye Chenʼs opponent was a sword cultivator and showed no underestimation of Ye Chen, despite his being at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. Clutching a top-grade magic sword, his initial attack was a tempest of wind and thunder, with countless bolts of lightning resembling great serpents attacking from all directions, forming what seemed like a domain of thunder.

The sight was awe-inspiring. The top-grade magic sword transformed into a streak of light, hidden within the rolling thunder serpents, ready to deliver a fatal strike at any moment.

This display astounded the audience, as this sword cultivator had defeated previous opponents with this very spell, making him one of the favorites predicted to win the championship.

And there stood Ye Chen, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who had made it to the top ten, indeed a prodigy in his own right. Yet facing such an opponent, no one believed Ye Chen could win.

But the next moment, an even more intense explosion erupted. The thunder domain burst apart instantly. An unharmed Ye Chen flicked away the flying sword that had been sneaking up on his side, and in the next instant, he was already in front of his opponent. With a single palm strike, he sent his opponent flying backward.

The entire arena fell silent...

An Yuyiʼs brow furrowed even tighter, her eyes filled with disbelief. An Miaoliʼs brow glinted with a red light, her expression thoughtful. And Li Feihuang, who had changed her name and disguised her appearance, now looked at Ye Chen on the platform, her indifferent expression gaining a hint of interest...

After a long pause, the voice of the official finally echoed throughout the conclave venue: ”Ye Chen wins!”