Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 221: As Expected, We Need Aunt to Come Along!

Though it wasnʼt her fault, the fact that her nieceʼs beloved admired her instead left An Miaoli with a twinge of guilt. Seeing that An Yuyi harbored no resentment toward her eased her mind, but her nieceʼs stubbornness was giving her a headache.

Gently stroking An Yuyiʼs head, An Miaoli tried to reason with her. ”The cultivation world is vast beyond measure. Just in our Great Yan Continent, there are near-infinite cultivators. The entire immortal realm is even grander. Youʼre still young, Yuyi. Youʼll meet countless people in the future. Why cling to this?

”If itʼs just unwillingness, thatʼs even less reason to hold on. You know, nine out of ten things in life donʼt go as we wish. Even ancient immortals faced unfulfilled desires. Some, after death, had their obsessions twist into unspeakable horrors. If even immortals canʼt escape this, how can you? If something canʼt be forced, donʼt force it. Let it go.”

An Miaoli counseled patiently, even citing immortal legends to make her point.

But An Yuyiʼs face was set with defiance. ”I will force it!”

An Miaoli was speechless, sighing heavily. ”Whatʼs your plan, then? Go find Ye Chen? A manʼs heart, when hardened, is colder than an iceberg. Youʼll gain nothing, and he might not even see you.”

An Yuyiʼs eyes sparkled with hope as she looked at her aunt. ”I know I canʼt do it alone. But if you come with me, Aunt, Ye Chen will definitely meet me!”

An Miaoliʼs eyes widened in disbelief, staring at her niece. Her too? Ridiculous! Even though it was her beloved niece, An Miaoliʼs face flushed with anger. ”Do you hear yourself? Besides, Ye Chen doesnʼt even like you! Youʼre still not giving up?”

Her voice grew cold by the end.

An Yuyi, tears brimming, nodded. ”I know. But what can I do when the man I love loves someone else? Especially when that someone is my dearest aunt. What choice do I have?”

Her words struck An Miaoliʼs heart, stirring a wave of guilt. She pulled An Yuyiʼs head into a tight embrace. Her niece was the one suffering most, loving someone who loved her aunt instead.

”But even if I agreed, what would seeing him accomplish?” An Miaoli sighed.

An Yuyiʼs gaze was resolute. ”Just seeing him would make me happy. Water wears through stone—someday, heʼll accept me.”

An Miaoli was at a loss for words.

What An Yuyi didnʼt say was that Ye Chen being with her aunt was still better than him being with Li Feihuang. If Ye Chen became her uncle-in-law, sheʼd have chances to see him often. Whoʼs to say she couldnʼt win him over eventually?

...

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The day after the Divine Will Cave Heaven closed, Ye Chenʼs routine remained steady. He spent his time browsing the city for gifts suitable for his systemʼs feedback mechanism or cultivating in peace.

Gifting hadnʼt taken a backseat either—he knew the upcoming Heavenly Evolution Pavilion auction would feature the rare Eternal Cosmos Sutra fragment, a treasure too valuable to miss. Though he had plenty of spirit stones, preparing thoroughly was essential.

In Divine Will City, finding female cultivators with hundredfold feedback multipliers was rare, but those with thirty to fiftyfold multipliers were common enough. These women were wary, often ignoring strangersʼ advances, but none refused Ye Chenʼs gifts. Some even tried to get closer, hoping for more than a casual exchange.

Today, the systemʼs cooldown had just ended, and Ye Chen was about to head out to find a suitable recipient for a gift. But before he could leave, he sensed visitors approaching. A quick scan of their auras told him who they were: An Yuyi and her aunt, An Miaoli.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Had An Yuyi tattled, bringing her aunt to settle the score? He wasnʼt fazed. An Miaoliʼs arrival was perfect—her two-hundredfold multiplier far outstripped the random cultivators in the city.

Without waiting for them to announce themselves, Ye Chen opened the courtyard gate and invited them in with a warm smile.

His enthusiasm only deepened An Yuyiʼs conviction that Ye Chen was smitten with her aunt. When she came alone, he barely acknowledged her, but with her aunt present, he welcomed them before they even spoke.

An Miaoli, sensing his warmth, sighed inwardly. A suspicion crept into her mind: was Ye Chen doing this on purpose? Had he deliberately treated her niece coldly and given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng to provoke An Yuyi into confronting her, forcing her to come here? If so, his tactics were alarmingly cunning.

...

The three settled into the courtyard for a casual chat.

To Ye Chenʼs surprise, they didnʼt come with accusations or even mention the Phoenix Blood. Instead, they engaged in light conversation. However, he could sense that An Miaoli, with her flawless beauty and near-perfect poise, was noticeably distant. She barely spoke, leaving An Yuyi to carry the conversation.

This left Ye Chen puzzled. Hadnʼt he told An Yuyi to ask her aunt? Did An Miaoli not clarify that he didnʼt like her niece? What was going on?

But Ye Chen wasnʼt one to dwell on mysteries. Whatever their deal was, it didnʼt matter as long as it didnʼt interfere with his gifting plans.

After chatting for a bit, he produced a translucent jade pendant imbued with spiritual energy and offered it to An Miaoli. ”I came across this pendant recently. It calms the mind, purifies internal impurities, and nurtures the five organs. If worn during a breakthrough, it can ward off heart demons. I already have something similar, so Iʼd like to gift this to Senior An.”

An Miaoli eyed the pendant, resisting the urge to frown. It was clearly useful for her niece, who was nearing her Golden Core breakthrough, yet Ye Chen insisted on giving it to her instead. She had no desire to accept it—she wanted no further ties with him.

But An Yuyiʼs eyes lit up. She was certain Ye Chen had chosen this gift for her, even if it was indirectly through her aunt. It was still his thoughtfulness, and she wanted anything he offered. Noticing her auntʼs reluctance, An Yuyi tugged at her sleeve under the stone table, her eyes pleading pitifully.

Unable to resist her nieceʼs gaze, An Miaoliʼs ethereal, fairy-like face showed a flicker of hesitation. Finally, she nodded, her slender hand accepting the glowing pendant. ”Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye,” she said coolly. ”Iʼll send a return gift later.”

In Ye Chenʼs mind, the system chimed with a two-hundredfold feedback notification. He couldnʼt help but smile. No critical hit, but a two-hundredfold multiplier was leaps and bounds better than the wild cultivators outside.

His genuine, heartfelt grin only deepened the two womenʼs convictions about his feelings. An Yuyi, in particular, resolved to never visit Ye Chen again without her aunt in tow.