Immortality Starts With Investment

Gu Yunyun spoke with earnest sincerity. Her heart already belonged to another, and her words carried no trace of deception. She left Lin Qian no room to delude himself further. The members of the Sword Sect couldn’t help but nod in approval. She could have easily lied to gain an ally, yet she chose to refuse. Such integrity was truly admirable.

But Dugu Yue’s discontent only grew. Why did this woman always outshine her? The elders favored her. Even Dugu Yue’s own kin had poured everything into forging Gu Yunyun’s sword heart, granting her the Dugu Sword Intent—a lifetime’s culmination—and even offering her the position of sect leader. Why her?

”Have you said enough?” Dugu Yue’s voice, thick with killing intent, turned cold. ”If you’re done, let’s begin!”

Gu Yunyun’s expressionless calm stood in stark contrast. The elder overseeing the battle prepared to activate the arena’s formation. But at that moment, Lin Qian spoke again, his eyes brimming with desperation.

”Gu Yunyun, it doesn’t matter if you have someone else in your heart. I just want to help you. If I meet him in the future, I’ll explain everything clearly. I swear I won’t let him misunderstand you.”

No one expected Lin Qian to speak again. His words were so humble they seemed to grovel in the dust. His junior sister’s eyes reddened with tears. Was this still the spirited senior brother she knew?

Gu Yunyun hadn’t anticipated Lin Qian’s persistence. Her brows knitted slightly, but she chose to ignore him. Turning to the elder in charge of the arena, she nodded. ”Elder, please proceed.”

Lin Qian opened his mouth to say more, but a ferocious aura erupted, flooding the entire Sword Sect. A brilliant golden light surged forward, streaking straight toward the arena. The sect members frowned, and even Ying Tianjing, who had been watching the drama unfold with detached amusement, raised an eyebrow, a hint of gravity flickering in his expression.

In a few shimmering flashes, the golden light settled on the arena. Beside Gu Yunyun stood a tall, striking male figure. A Sword Sect elder was about to shout in anger, his flying sword already humming with energy. But then he saw the faint golden robe adorned with a yin-yang fish emblem, and his words caught in his throat.

In the vast Great Yan Continent, only one faction used the yin-yang fish as its mark: the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. And only the Holy Son of Heavenly Evolution could wear a yin-yang fish robe outlined in solar gold. So… the newcomer was a Heavenly Evolution Holy Son?

…

Gu Yunyun turned her head in stunned disbelief, her gaze locking onto the familiar face beside her. Her eyes brimmed with incredulity.

Amid the shocked, fearful, and disbelieving stares of the Sword Sect crowd, the man casually took her delicate hand. In front of everyone, Gu Yunyun instinctively tried to pull away, but Ye Chen held her firmly.

With a light chuckle, Ye Chen spoke. ”Master, I’ve finally found you! Don’t run off without telling me again, okay? I’ve missed you so much.”

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Gu Yunyun’s heart fluttered with shyness as he held her hand. Seeing Ye Chen appear so suddenly, she had a thousand questions swirling in her mind. But his words softened her, and her eyes reddened with emotion. She nodded earnestly, promising it wouldn’t happen again.

Ye Chen gazed at his master. Reunited after so long, she was still the same—commanding yet breathtakingly beautiful. Joy surged within him. No, she wasn’t entirely unchanged. There were differences. The system chimed with a notification: ”Gu Yunyun: 800x!”

Ye Chen’s eyes widened in surprise. His master’s multiplier had soared to 800. She had once been an Earth Spirit Root with a mere 200x multiplier. Was this so-called Sword Heart Clarity really that powerful? Regardless, her elevated talent was a blessing. His smile grew brighter. ”Master, you haven’t taken on another disciple while I was gone, have you?”

Gu Yunyun looked at Ye Chen’s beaming face. Her usually stoic, emotionless expression softened, the corners of her lips curling into a gentle smile, like spring blossoms in bloom. Her eyes glowed with warmth. ”A disciple like you is more than enough for me to handle. Why would I take another?”

…

Lin Qian, who had been clinging to a faint hope, felt his heart shatter. He watched Gu Yunyun’s smile—radiant as peach blossoms—and the way her hand rested in that man’s grip. A bitter laugh escaped him. He had always thought she never smiled. Now he realized she simply never smiled for him.

But perhaps this was for the best. He was too weak. Even against the legacy disciple of Heavenly Intention Holy Land, he had little confidence. At best, he might only hold him off. But this young man beside Gu Yunyun, dressed in the robes of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land’s Holy Son, was different. Despite his early Nascent Soul cultivation, Lin Qian didn’t need to guess his identity. This was the Fourth Holy Son, renowned across the Great Yan Continent for his Heavy Pupils—a prodigy who had defeated Yao Gu.

He could protect Gu Yunyun. For Lin Qian, that was enough. As long as she was safe and happy, he could find peace.

At that moment, Lin Qian noticed the Fourth Holy Son looking at him, and a wave of nervousness washed over him. In the cultivation world, pursuing another’s dao companion was a grave taboo—one that could easily lead to a life-or-death confrontation.

More than that, Lin Qian feared Ye Chen might misunderstand his intentions toward Gu Yunyun. He hurriedly opened his mouth to explain. ”Holy Son, it was all my one-sided—”

But the Fourth Holy Son waved a hand, his face bearing a warm, friendly smile. ”I overheard some things on my way here. No need to explain. In fact, I should thank you for trying to help my master. You’re a good person.”

Lin Qian froze, stunned. He hadn’t expected such a top-tier prodigy like Ye Chen to be so approachable. Not only did Ye Chen not blame him, but he even expressed gratitude and called him a good person. Relief flooded Lin Qian’s heart, but with it came an even deeper bitterness. He managed a strained smile. ”Holy Son, you’re too kind.”

…

Ye Chen, of course, wasn’t angry. With a master like Gu Yunyun, it would be stranger if she didn’t have admirers trailing her. It was hardly worth making a fuss over. Gently releasing her hand, he spoke softly. ”Master, we’ll catch up later. You don’t need to do anything. Leave the rest to me.”

Gu Yunyun blinked, caught off guard. Since joining the Sword Sect, she had been favored by the Grand Elder and spent her days in seclusion, refining the sealed sword intent within her. She hadn’t heard of Ye Chen’s exploits. Though she was astonished that he had become the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land’s Holy Son and reached the Nascent Soul stage, she noted he was only at the early stage, just like her. Facing two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators—one of whom was the Heavenly Intention Holy Land’s prodigy, far from an ordinary opponent—Ye Chen’s plan to fight them both alone seemed far too reckless.

”I’m confident my strength is no less than Dugu Yue’s. We should fight together,” Gu Yunyun said earnestly, unwilling to let Ye Chen take such a risk alone.

Ye Chen glanced at the narrow-eyed female cultivator, Dugu Yue, who seemed visibly flustered, and then at Ying Tianjing, clad in a white robe, his chin raised arrogantly as he sized Ye Chen up. A faint smile curved Ye Chen’s lips as he spoke softly. ”Don’t worry, Master. I’ll be quick.”