Immortality Starts With Investment

The small world wasn’t suitable for a breakthrough, so Ye Chen shifted out of it. He stepped out of the cave, intending to find a fated person to bestow a gift upon. But the moment he emerged, he saw Mo Yuzhu waiting outside.

”Holy Son,” she said, ”today is the day Ascension Peak opens its gates.”

Ye Chen nodded, realization dawning. ”In last year’s Holy Land competition, our Ascension Peak secured seventh place.”

”That’s right,” Mo Yuzhu confirmed. ”Because of that, even more prodigies have come to our gates this year—two thousand in total.”

Ye Chen smiled at the news. Heavenly Evolution Holy Land boasted a hundred peaks, and for his disciples to push Ascension Peak into the top ten was no small feat. More striking was the visible progress of the female disciples who joined. Their cultivation didn’t just improve—they advanced in every aspect. From spiritual artifacts to techniques, they wielded the finest treasures and mastered the best methods. Their combat strength had skyrocketed, far surpassing what it was before they joined.

Take Mo Yuzhu, for instance. Though only at early Nascent Soul and recently broken through, she could defeat mid-Nascent Soul disciples from the Holy Land. Or He Jiu, at early Golden Core, who crushed late Golden Core opponents to claim the title of first in her realm. Other disciples of Ascension Peak were no less impressive, dominating their peers in the same realm with ease.

This performance left countless spectators in awe. Crossing realms to defeat opponents wasn’t unheard of in the outside world, but this was the Holy Land, where every disciple was already a cut above. To overpower others here spoke volumes about Ascension Peak’s extraordinary nature.

Some prideful female disciples had once scoffed at joining, dismissing the peak as the Holy Son’s harem. But now, seeing such remarkable growth, they couldn’t hold back. If such progress was possible, what did it matter if they became part of the Holy Son’s inner circle? Purity was a small price to pay compared to strength and cultivation.

This year, the number of female disciples applying to Ascension Peak reached an all-time high. But they had missed their best chance. Ye Chen didn’t demand unmatched strength from his peak—only that it avoid ranking last, which could jeopardize his future bid for the Holy Lord’s position. If he could maneuver for the seat, he’d compete with his senior brother. Bonds aside, some things were worth fighting for. Then, he could pass the title to the First Holy Maiden, perhaps even securing himself a shot at becoming the Lord of the Immortal Realm.

With Ascension Peak now firmly in the top ten, Ye Chen was fully satisfied. Going forward, recruitment would only grow stricter. Unless a candidate had exceptional talent or astonishing potential, they could forget about joining.

After a long while, Ye Chen selected a single female disciple. She possessed an Earth Spirit Root but boasted an extraordinary physique, with a total multiplier reaching seven hundred. He bestowed upon her a gift that sparked envy in the other disciples. With a sweep of his gaze and a casual wave of his hand, Ye Chen drifted back to his cave, ready to enter seclusion.

Of the two thousand candidates, many were either not pure, triggering no response from the system, or had multipliers too low for Ye Chen to even glance at. So, from the entire crowd, he chose only her.

As he departed, countless female disciples of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land stood crestfallen, their hearts heavy with regret. Had they known it would come to this, they would have rushed to join Ascension Peak the moment the Holy Son entered the Holy Land. But there were no second chances in this world. Some opportunities, once missed, were gone forever.

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Take Mo Yuzhu’s friend, for instance. She spent nearly every night wallowing in regret, kicking herself for not following Mo Yuzhu onto the stage. If she had, wouldn’t she too have received the Holy Son’s countless treasures and easily broken through to Nascent Soul?

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Ye Chen paid little heed to the ripples his actions caused in Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. After giving his gift, he planned to return to seclusion. Breaking through to late Nascent Soul wouldn’t take long—perhaps ten days or half a month. Once that was done, he’d begin preparing for the eventual leap to the Deity Transformation stage.

On his way back, he spotted a familiar figure: Lin Qian’s junior sister. She had already joined his Holy Son Peak, and it was she who had brought news of their master’s ascension to a Heavenly Spirit Root.

Ye Chen couldn’t help but feel a touch of exasperation. He hadn’t meant to poach anyone. During his year at the Sword Sect, he’d deliberately kept his distance from Lin Qian’s junior sister, avoiding any gifts to prevent misunderstandings. Yet here she was, chasing him all the way to the Holy Land. Wasn’t this just tarnishing his reputation?

Oh well, being too outstanding was its own kind of burden.

Still, he didn’t shortchange her. When she arrived, he gifted her a top-tier spiritual treasure, a flying sword personally crafted by an elder of the Holy Land’s Artifact Peak. The system’s critical hit transformed it into the heavy sword once wielded by Dugu Bubai.

Ye Chen couldn’t help but grumble—Dugu Bubai really left nothing for his successors. Shaking his head, he passed the mysterious iron sword to An Yuyi. Overnight, she became a heavy-sword-wielding, youthful-looking fairy, her figure just a shade less striking than her master’s, the contrast only adding to her charm.

After giving a few brief instructions, Ye Chen returned to his cave and began his formal seclusion to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

Meanwhile, beyond the borders of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, the cultivation world was abuzz with momentous news. First, a grand auction was set to take place in White Emperor City, showcasing treasures so extraordinary that even Holy Sons and Holy Maidens would vie for them. The event promised to be a spectacle, drawing cultivators from across Great Yan Continent to witness it.

Second, the Divine Maiden of the Heavenly Desire Sect was slated to make her debut in White Emperor City. This sparked endless speculation about her peerless beauty, with many eager to catch a glimpse of her allure.

Beyond that, Yi Qingwu, the Holy Maiden of Heavenly Intention Holy Land and widely regarded as the foremost female cultivator of Great Yan Continent, was also expected to attend. Rumor had it that the auction held a treasure she sought. Her presence stirred even greater excitement. Among this generation’s Holy Maidens, Heavenly Evolution’s was reclusive and rarely seen, while the Yao family’s had been suppressed by Yi Qingwu and perished in the Endless Sea.

Though the Yao family had chosen a new Holy Maiden, she lagged far behind the top-tier prodigies. Thus, Yi Qingwu stood unchallenged as the leading female cultivator of her era, naturally drawing all eyes. Many flocked to White Emperor City just to glimpse her radiance.

Gossips also speculated whether the Heavenly Desire Sect’s Divine Maiden could rival Yi Qingwu in beauty. Alongside these two, other renowned prodigies were expected to join the festivities, making White Emperor City the epicenter of excitement in the days to come.

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Amid this clamor, ten days passed quietly. The gates of Ascension Peak’s Holy Son residence swung open. Ye Chen emerged, his posture tall and commanding, his eyes deep as if they held an entire world within. Feeling the surging power coursing through his body, a faint smile curved his lips. His cultivation had officially broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

With the Enlightenment Tea Tree’s aid, even reaching the Deity Transformation stage wouldn’t take long. Thanks to the system’s rewards, he had no need to venture out—everything he desired came to him effortlessly. His plan was simple: stay low, cultivate in seclusion for a few decades, then emerge to behead Heavenly Intention’s Holy Son and stun the world.

But just as Ye Chen was plotting his path of quiet growth, a streak of light shot toward the Holy Son Peak…