Immortality Starts With Investment

Lin Qian silently wished Gu Yunyun well in his heart. He resolved to bury his feelings, ensuring they wouldn’t 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 one’s 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 he’d 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 Qian’s junior sister paled. She’d seen Ye Chen’s terrifying strength firsthand. She’d 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 Qian’s 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, I’ll 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 he’d 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? It’s 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, you’ve got it wrong. Lin Qian helped my master join the Sword Sect as a guest elder, giving her this opportunity. I’m 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 you’ve stepped forward, I’ll give it to you instead.”

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The junior sister stared at Ye Chen’s gentle smile and the secret realm token now before her, stunned. She hadn’t 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 couldn’t allow him to kill within the sect—they would have intervened. But his clear distinction between gratitude and grudges impressed them. The sect’s 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 body’s 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 couldn’t take Ye Chen’s gift.

Ye Chen didn’t hand the token to Lin Qian or heed his refusal. Instead, he flicked it toward the junior sister. ”Since I’ve given it, there’s 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 wouldn’t 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! You’re nothing like the rumors say. You’re truly a good person!”

Ye Chen: …

Glancing at her, he half-suspected she was taking a jab at him on Lin Qian’s behalf. He’d 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 system’s 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 Chen’s eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the system prompt, then at the junior sister. Now, he was certain she wasn’t mocking him—her praise was heartfelt.

A top-notch critical hit proved it. Why the critical hit? Likely because she’d 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 Son’s avatar alone had injured him with its terrifying offensive power. With their enmity sealed, Ye Chen would inevitably face the Holy Son’s true body. He needed to bolster his physical defenses, and the Indestructible Scripture arrived at the perfect moment.