Immortality Starts With Investment

Ye Chen had long mastered the Array Secret to perfection, reaching the absolute pinnacle in the art of artifact refinement. He had also prepared all the necessary materials to repair the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot ages ago. Only his relentless cultivation had left him no time.

Now, with Luo Bingling immersed in training and Yao Yuezhi secluded to plant the Myriad Woods Spiritual Root, he finally had the chance to work on the chariot. But barely a day into the repairs, the graceful and alluring Aunt Yan arrived.

With no other choice, Ye Chen let her join him. The Heavenly Emperor’s War Chariot had fallen from Extreme Dao weapon to mere Dao weapon status and required a complete overhaul. Its headlights had grown too dim as well, so they needed serious upgrading.

As for the chassis, though severely damaged, top-tier immortal materials and divine alloys would suffice. Three more days passed in this manner. The system cooldown ended once again.

Yao Yuezhi remained in seclusion, and Aunt Yan lacked gifting eligibility. During breaks from repairs, Ye Chen presented Luo Bingling with a Nine Nether Lotus he had acquired at the auction.

In an instant, an eight-thousand-fold feedback reward arrived. The cooldown shrank to just one day. It made Ye Chen feel that his little cultivation maniac had suddenly become rather fragrant.

Luo Bingling had been lost in the ecstasy of cultivation. Never in her life had she experienced such rapid progress. She truly hated to pause even for a moment.

Yet touched by Ye Chen’s gift of such a precious spiritual plant—and fresh from savoring certain delights—she wished to repay him in kind. But when she followed Ye Chen out of the small world, she spotted Yan Wenwen. The woman looked weary from assisting with repairs yet radiated a glowing satisfaction as she reclined against the chariot seat.

Luo Bingling recognized her immediately and narrowed her eyes. This woman had actually developed such a relationship with her man? So old, and still so shameless.

Hostility flooded Luo Bingling’s heart. She understood Ye Chen’s nature, but raised under the War God Clan’s teachings, she remained deeply influenced by their monogamous traditions. Even An Miaoyi—the only one who had never splashed water on her—earned no fondness. All were treated as enemies.

Yan Wenwen felt no offense. She merely watched with amused interest, pondering how introducing Yan Ruyu in the future might produce a similar scene. How entertaining that would be!

But in the next instant, her eyes widened. Touching the strands of hair plastered to her forehead, Yan Wenwen quickly realized what had happened. She narrowed her beautiful phoenix eyes. This ignorant young upstart actually dared to provoke her outright?

...

Half a day later, the three of them furrowed their brows in unison. The ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled. No—it wasn’t just the cave abode. The entire Myriad Races Immortal City quaked. A vast, majestic voice boomed from above, echoing into every corner of the city.

”The protective grand array of Myriad Races Immortal City has malfunctioned, suspected to be deliberate sabotage...”

”Repairs will take one month. To preserve the confidentiality of the array’s core and prevent outsiders from learning its secrets, all non-myriad-races cultivators must depart within one hour!”

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”Defiers will be executed without mercy...”

The voice carried the overwhelming might of a saint, nearly forcing ordinary cultivators to their knees. Everyone burned with curiosity: why had the city’s protective array suddenly failed?

Inside the cave abode, however, Luo Bingling and Yan Wenwen both narrowed their differently enchanting eyes. They had already guessed the truth. This was a ploy to force Ye Chen out of the city.

A cold smile curved Luo Bingling’s lips. She activated a transmission talisman, informing her clan elders to send more forces—so the War God Clan could claim a larger share of the spoils.

Yan Wenwen gazed at Ye Chen with worry. ”I had hoped you could stay in Myriad Races Immortal City indefinitely. No one would dare break the rules and act against you here. Once Ruyu returned, she could escort you safely back to the human immortal city—utterly foolproof. I never imagined they’d resort to such shameless tactics to drive you out.”

Ye Chen merely smiled. After disentangling himself from the two women—one reluctantly, the other lingeringly—he rose leisurely. ”It seems I’ll have to leave a bit early.”

Though he hadn’t finished gifting everything to Yao Yuezhi, fairness demanded balance. He could deliver the rest to Lan Nuo instead. Her multiplier was only four thousand, but she possessed a cave heaven, and a max critical hit from her would still be formidable. She was perfectly suited for gifting as well. Leaving now and harvesting some origin along the way suited him fine.

Straightening his immortal robe, Ye Chen glanced at the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot, now more than halfway repaired. One final step, and it would reclaim its Extreme Dao weapon glory. But that would have to wait.

At that moment, Yao Yuezhi’s family arrived in haste. Having deduced the truth themselves, they seethed with anger.

”Brother, I’ll stay by your side! With my current strength, fighting ten alone isn’t impossible!”

”Son-in-law, fear nothing. The Heavenly Demon Clan repays kindness without fail. Even if it costs my life, I’ll protect you completely!”

”Brother-in-law, my power may be meager, but I won’t retreat a single step.”

”It’s a pity the ancestor harbors resentment over the Undying Celestial Emperor affair...”

Their loyalty warmed Ye Chen’s heart, drawing a soft laugh from him. He gently patted Yao Yuezhi’s head. ”No need for any of you. Stay in the city and cultivate well. They’re just a pack of worthless chickens and stray dogs. If they manage to scratch me, I’ll count it their victory.”

Ye Chen had endured far too many sieges. Especially during his Mahayana tribulation, when the Heavenly Emperor—busy elsewhere—had summoned a horde of imprints to assail him.

Treasure Techniques of the Vicious Ten, imprints of ancient True Immortals—everything had come out. By comparison, these myriad races prodigies—who had once hidden from him at his peak—were utterly beneath notice.

Yao Yuezhi remained skeptical. ”Brother, don’t push yourself. Last time at the auction, your body was a little...”

Ye Chen’s lips twitched. Hadn’t he explained already? He truly wasn’t like that normally. Last time had simply been overexcitement.

Without further words, he took her small hand. Channeling just one percent of his cave heaven power, he unleashed it...

Yao Yuezhi had grown terrifyingly strong. Yet under the surge of merely one percent of Ye Chen’s cave heaven force, her body softened instantly. Her eyes glazed over, and she nearly collapsed backward. When she recovered, disbelief filled her emerald pupils.

”Brother, you...”

She was genuinely stunned. Her current Demon Spirit cave heaven was hundreds of times more powerful than before it was shattered.

At times, Yao Yuezhi even felt her cave heaven might already be the greatest under heaven. Yet beneath Ye Chen’s cave heaven force, it felt like a fragile skiff, liable to capsize at any moment. This was beyond absurd.

Ye Chen smiled faintly. ”I told you—what you absorbed before was just a drop in the ocean. Believe me now?”

Yao Yuezhi nodded mechanically. Having experienced the outburst firsthand, she certainly believed. But confusion flooded her heart. Even after losing so much to her, he remained this ferocious. How terrifying had he been before the absorption?

Forget the Heavenly Emperor’s son or the Ten-Crown Champion. Even the reborn Undying Celestial Emperor, at the same realm, could never compare.

At this thought, Yao Yuezhi almost felt a twinge of pity for the prodigies about to besiege him.

...