Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 360: I Suspect Youʼre Mocking Me!

Lin Qian silently wished Gu Yunyun well in his heart. He resolved to bury his feelings, ensuring they wouldnʼt trouble her. As an outsider who had wrested the sect leader position from the Dugu family, Gu Yunyun would surely face resistance. Lin Qian vowed to support her wholeheartedly when the time came.

But now, seeing the Fourth Holy Son striding toward him, Lin Qian froze, then gave a bitter smile. He understood. Having oneʼs beloved coveted, even pursued, was intolerable for any man.

With the Heavenly Intention prodigy dealt with, Ye Chen was likely coming to settle scores. Lin Qian sighed inwardly, preparing to apologize first. Though heʼd never overstepped, Ye Chen was the man Gu Yunyun loved. Arguing would only risk her happiness, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Whatever Ye Chen said or did, Lin Qian would bear it silently. As long as Gu Yunyun was happy, what was a little grievance?

…

As Ye Chen approached, Lin Qianʼs junior sister paled. Sheʼd seen Ye Chenʼs terrifying strength firsthand. Sheʼd also overheard a well-informed elder whisper that the Fourth Holy Son was obsessed with women and fiercely possessive.

Any male disciple who dared step foot on his Holy Son Peak would have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from the Holy Land. Lin Qianʼs pursuit of Gu Yunyun must have irked Ye Chen, who had even mocked him earlier with a ”good person” jab. Even in the Sword Sect, where Ye Chen might not kill, Lin Qian would likely suffer severe injury, perhaps even lose his path to the Dao.

Braving her fear, the junior sister stepped in front of Lin Qian. ”Holy Son, my senior brother truly meant no offense to the sect leader. He only wanted to ensure her safety and help her, with no overstepping intentions. Please, Holy Son, show mercy and spare his life. If you agree, Iʼll fulfill any request you have, even if it means becoming your servant without complaint.”

Lin Qian, shielded behind her, was stunned. In that moment, he realized heʼd overlooked too much for too long. He opened his mouth to tell her to step aside and not get involved.

Ye Chen, watching her actions, wore a bewildered expression, as if a question mark hung over his head. He was genuinely puzzled. What kind of reputation did he have out there? Itʼs not that serious… In the cultivation world, he saw himself as firmly neutral-good, not some bloodthirsty maniac who killed at the drop of a hat.

Unfazed by the misunderstanding, Ye Chen smiled at the female cultivator. ”Fellow Daoist, youʼve got it wrong. Lin Qian helped my master join the Sword Sect as a guest elder, giving her this opportunity. Iʼm grateful to him—how could I be angry? This token is useless to me, so I planned to give it to Fellow Daoist Lin Qian as a thank-you. But since youʼve stepped forward, Iʼll give it to you instead.”

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The junior sister stared at Ye Chenʼs gentle smile and the secret realm token now before her, stunned. She hadnʼt expected Ye Chen to not only harbor no grudge but to express gratitude with such a lavish gift. The Sword Sect elders, who had been quietly frowning, broke into smiles.

Even though Ye Chen was the Heavenly Evolution Holy Son with boundless potential, they couldnʼt allow him to kill within the sect—they would have intervened. But his clear distinction between gratitude and grudges impressed them. The sectʼs ancestral elders nodded in approval, deeming Ye Chen worthy of a deeper alliance in the future.

Lin Qian, meanwhile, was speechless, overwhelmed by the turn of events.

After her initial shock, the junior sister stepped aside, beaming with excitement. ”In that case, Holy Son, please give the token to my senior brother.”

Though Ye Chen dismissed the Sword-Devouring Spirit Body, for cultivators without a special physique, it was a treasure. For sword cultivators especially, it could amplify the bodyʼs counter-damage to devastating effect.

A thousand years ago, a cultivator with this physique had, without drawing a sword, worn down a formidable enemy through sheer retaliation. Its power was undeniable. If Lin Qian gained it, he could ascend to new heights.

Lin Qian, however, quickly refused. ”Holy Son, I only did what was right. Please take it back!” He had his pride. He could accept being outshone by Ye Chen and quietly wish Gu Yunyun well, but he couldnʼt take Ye Chenʼs gift.

Ye Chen didnʼt hand the token to Lin Qian or heed his refusal. Instead, he flicked it toward the junior sister. ”Since Iʼve given it, thereʼs no taking it back. But who you choose to pass it to is none of my concern. Understood?”

The junior sister caught his meaning. Lin Qian wouldnʼt accept it now, but she could hold onto it and find a way to give it to him later. In that moment, her view of the Fourth Holy Son transformed. He was nothing like the rumors—fair in his dealings, generous, and remarkably adaptable. Clutching the token, she bowed sincerely.

”Thank you, Holy Son! Youʼre nothing like the rumors say. Youʼre truly a good person!”

Ye Chen: …

Glancing at her, he half-suspected she was taking a jab at him on Lin Qianʼs behalf. Heʼd meant it sincerely when he called Lin Qian a good person, with no mockery intended. Surely, she was praising him genuinely too? But when the systemʼs prompt echoed in his mind, all doubt vanished.

”Congratulations, Host, on successfully gifting the Sword Qi Secret Realm Token…”

”Feedback in progress…”

”500x feedback multiplier…”

”Detecting significant emotional fluctuation in the recipient…”

”Triggering top-notch critical hit reward!”

”Reward: Indestructible Scripture!”

”The Indestructible Scripture: A supreme body-refining technique. At its peak, it grants an undying, indestructible body, immune to myriad laws and unyielding to time. Even if spiritual consciousness is destroyed, the body may, over eons, regenerate consciousness and revive.”

The Indestructible Scripture? Ye Chenʼs eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the system prompt, then at the junior sister. Now, he was certain she wasnʼt mocking him—her praise was heartfelt.

A top-notch critical hit proved it. Why the critical hit? Likely because sheʼd feared he was coming to punish Lin Qian, only to receive a gift instead. The emotional swing triggered the ultimate reward.

The Indestructible Scripture was an unexpected boon. The Heavenly Intention Holy Sonʼs avatar alone had injured him with its terrifying offensive power. With their enmity sealed, Ye Chen would inevitably face the Holy Sonʼs true body. He needed to bolster his physical defenses, and the Indestructible Scripture arrived at the perfect moment.