Immortality Starts With Investment

Behind Ying Tianjing, divine light shimmered, forming a vision of an azure dragon swimming in a sea of thunder. The vast ocean, woven entirely from lightning, churned with a colossal azure dragon rising and falling within it. Its fearsome eyes locked onto Ye Chen, radiating immense pressure.

The sea roared with crashing waves, exuding an overwhelming aura that pressed heavily on the Sword Sect cultivators outside the arena’s formation. Their pupils constricted as they beheld the spectacle.

”This is a vision only a true prodigy can manifest.”

”Not just that—the Azure Dragon Thunder Sea is extraordinary on its own, and combining them makes it even more terrifying. This is a top-tier vision.”

”Too frightening. The prodigy was too careless earlier. Now, with his full strength unleashed, this will be a real clash of titans.”

”The Fourth Holy Son has Heavy Pupils—an unparalleled talent. Their battle could drag on, and its shockwaves might rival those of a Deity Transformation cultivator. Can the arena’s formation hold?”

”No matter. The Grand Elders will stabilize it.”

The Sword Sect members were awestruck by Ying Tianjing’s Azure Dragon Thunder Sea vision, marveling at the might of a top prodigy. Yet, the Fourth Holy Son’s earlier display had been equally staggering. Both were peerless talents. Ye Chen’s Heavy Pupils gave him the edge in potential, but Ying Tianjing’s higher cultivation tipped the scales. No one could predict the outcome.

…

Ye Chen, stared down by the azure dragon, felt nothing. Ying Tianjing’s earlier words, however, had opened a new perspective. Ye Chen had always thought Holy Land prodigies fought like children playing house—protected by their Protectors, who’d swoop in to save them if things went south. It made such battles dull, and Ye Chen had little interest in them. But Ying Tianjing’s call to his Protector to block Elder Mo while threatening to kill him sparked a revelation. So, it could be played like this?

Though he couldn’t see Elder Mo, Ye Chen asked, ”Elder Mo, if I kill this guy, Heavenly Intention Holy Land’s old monsters won’t come after me, right?”

Elder Mo’s voice echoed in his mind. ”As long as no great powers interfere, it’s fine. When prodigies fight to the death, Protectors block each other to prevent rescues. It’s not unheard of. The older generation is forbidden from retaliating—every Holy Land has its ancestors. If you kill my junior, I’ll kill your kin, and it ends in mutual destruction. But while I can’t act, your peers can seek revenge freely. That Heavenly Intention Holy Son is your contemporary.”

Ye Chen grinned. Now that was interesting. As for Ying Tianjing being the Heavenly Intention Holy Son’s younger brother? No issue. Ye Chen had his eldest senior brother, whose strength was beyond question. Every time they’d met, Ye Chen’s Heavy Pupils revealed his senior brother was just an avatar—each one blindingly powerful. The real body? It’d probably outshine the sun. So, Ye Chen wasn’t worried.

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After so long apart, reuniting with his master felt different—she seemed even more commanding. Ye Chen was eager to get closer, to see if she’d truly grown ”weightier.” With a light chuckle, he faced Ying Tianjing. His True Dragon Imperial Qi surged, and the True Dragon Treasure Technique roared to life.

No more chatter. Ye Chen launched forward.

Bathed in his thunder sea, Ying Tianjing’s pupils turned azure, like an ancient thunder god. Seeing Ye Chen dare to attack first, he sneered disdainfully. With a wave of his hand, endless lightning erupted, amplified by his vision.

The thunder was far more terrifying than before, its destructive force multiplied. The azure dragon in the thunder sea, vivid and lifelike, unleashed a wave of dragon might, charging out as a bolt of azure lightning toward Ye Chen.

In an instant, it seemed Ye Chen would be overwhelmed.

High in the void above the Sword Sect’s sky, two figures sat sipping tea. An old man with snow-white hair and beard faced Elder Mo. Elder Mo was in his element, even lighting incense for ambiance.

But the old man had no interest in tea or Elder Mo’s nostalgic ramblings. Every glance at Mo brought back memories of nearly being beaten to death by him—multiple times. If not for his quick escapes, he’d have been long gone.

Even now, with Mo’s celestial platform shattered and his cultivation fallen to early Unity Realm, a step below his own, the old man still lacked confidence. He just wanted the fight below to end so he could leave and stay far from this menace. Who won or lost didn’t matter.

But then… Ying Tianjing, humiliated, suddenly declared his intent to kill and even demanded the old man hold off Heavenly Evolution Holy Land’s Protector.

Have you lost your mind? The old man thought. All this for a woman, just to go through the motions, and now you want a fight to the death? And you expect me to hold off Mo? Back in his prime, Mo was no less formidable than your brother. What am I supposed to use to restrain him?

Elder Mo, hearing this, grinned at the old man. The old man’s mouth twitched. ”The kid’s young and reckless. How about we call it quits, and I take him back?”

Mo shook his head. ”Youngsters need to see some blood. Let them fight. You don’t need to stop me, but you’d better stay put too.”

Seeing Mo’s calm confidence, unworried about his Holy Son, the Heavenly Intention Holy Land elder felt a growing unease. This guy never acted without certainty.

Back in the day, he’d even dared to kidnap a divine maiden from a Central Continent immortal family. His only setback was the shattered platform, which had delighted the old man for years. Mo’s faith in Heavenly Evolution’s new Holy Son was clear, and he wasn’t rushing. But the old man was getting anxious.

”Ying Tianjing is the Holy Son’s blood brother,” he pleaded. ”Our Holy Son has the purest Heavenly King Sacred Blood Body in nearly a hundred thousand years—Heavenly Intention Holy Land’s undisputed top prodigy. He’s breaking through to Unity Realm as we speak. If Ying Tianjing dies, the Holy Son will be furious. Even you might not survive. You’re not the man you used to be. For people like us, with no hope of the immortal path, why stir up a deadly enemy we can’t handle?”

He urged earnestly, hoping to avoid a fatal escalation. Things could spiral out of control.

But Mo shook his head lightly. ”Haven’t you figured it out? Call Ye the Fourth a name, and he won’t care. But have designs on his woman? That’s a death sentence. You don’t know, but Ye Chen’s Holy Son Peak has no male cultivators—just female disciples. And this kid’s possessiveness is off the charts. Take that lovesick Lin Qian. Ye Chen didn’t curse him out, but the moment they met, he threw out a snide ’you’re a good person.’ When he’s cozying up to female cultivators, he specifically tells me not to look.

”I agreed, and he still doesn’t trust me. He got some insane formation—Unity Realm spirit sense can’t penetrate it, maybe not even the Mahayana Realm. The resources for that? All to keep me from catching a glimpse. That’s how absurd his possessiveness is. So, give it up. Your prodigy’s done for. But don’t rush off. Stick around—maybe you can salvage something for your Holy Son to remember him by.”