Immortality Starts With Investment

Ye Chen was unaware that the fiancée had already prepared the Movement Secret for him. Standing above the Endless Sea, he spent his days sifting through the yields of the Great Yang Dynasty ruins, occasionally studying the half-stone tablet he’d obtained from Yi Qingwu. It indeed contained half of the Battle Secret.

Ye Chen wasn’t stingy. He shared it with his Senior Brother and the Holy Master, letting them record it. His Senior Brother couldn’t offer immediate feedback, but investing in him promised great returns. The Holy Master, having previously given Ye Chen a Thunder Emperor Treasure Technique that helped him complete the full scripture, deserved this gesture of goodwill.

A week passed as they studied it. Last time, Ye Chen’s gift to Yi Qingwu had yielded a bronze ancient coffin. Now, with the system’s cooldown complete, he approached Lin Qingtan, who was monitoring the Tang Valley seal. Smiling lightly, he presented the stone tablet to her.

”Elder, your constitution has delayed your cultivation too long. You were the first to join my Holy Son Peak and support me. This is for you, to help you catch up on your cultivation path. The tablet itself is a treasure, amplifying the power of your techniques and laws. Plus, it’s inscribed with half of the Battle Secret.”

Ye Chen studied Lin Qingtan as the mist cleared from her face, revealing delicate features marked with black runes. He wasn’t lying—despite the abrupt black patterns, she was striking. In his past life, such natural runic markings would’ve thrilled tattoo enthusiasts, easily amassing millions of followers.

Lin Qingtan’s eyes widened at the tablet. She knew its value. When Yi Qingwu lost it to the Holy Son, her panic had been evident. The Nine Secrets were legendary, pinnacle techniques of the human path. Even half a secret could stir the hearts of countless great powers. That the Holy Son would gift her such a treasure was beyond her expectations.

She waved her hand to refuse. Asking for the Great Yang Immortal Scripture before had already tested her pride. How could she accept something so precious now? But Ye Chen gave her no chance to decline. With a flick of his finger, the tablet, radiating an aura of slaughter, floated before her.

”Take it. You’re the only Deity Transformation Elder of Ascension Peak. When I’m gone, you’ll guard the disciples. The stronger you are, the better. Consider it a perk of Ascension Peak—no need for burdens.”

Lin Qingtan couldn’t refuse after that. Gratitude surged within her. The Holy Son, seeing her true face, showed no trace of disdain. Known for gifting treasures to beautiful female cultivators, his gesture now might be to boost her confidence, to ease her insecurities. His kindness warmed her heart, cracking the icy shell her constitution had forged over years.

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Before, she’d been willing to offer herself to Ye Chen for the Great Yang Immortal Scripture. Now, a flicker of genuine devotion stirred within her.

”Thank you, Holy Son!”

Lin Qingtan, sensing Ye Chen’s unwavering gaze, accepted the stone tablet obediently. A smile flickered on Ye Chen’s lips as the system’s voice echoed in his mind.

”Congratulations, Host, gift successfully given…”

”Gift: Fragment of the Battle Secret!”

”Thousandfold feedback activated!”

”Detected significant emotional response from the recipient…”

”Critical reward triggered!”

”Feedback: Complete Battle Secret!”

”Feedback: Primordial True Immortal’s Insights on the Battle Secret!”

”Complete Battle Secret: Created by the Primordial True Immortal, it can simulate any attack, evolving myriad offensive divine techniques. Among the Nine Secrets, it reigns supreme in assault!”

”Primordial True Immortal’s Insights on the Battle Secret: …”

Ye Chen’s face lit up. He’d hoped the half-secret might yield another of the Nine Secrets, but that was wishful thinking. The gap between a fragment and the complete scripture was vast, far beyond a mere thousandfold difference. Obtaining the full secret was already a critical success, not to mention the Primordial True Immortal’s insights.

The Nine Secrets were profound, notoriously hard to master, requiring immense time. As the creator, the Primordial True Immortal’s insights allowed Ye Chen to grasp the Battle Secret instantly. He could boldly claim no one in the cultivation world understood it better. It saved him countless hours of study—a massive gain.

His gaze softened as he looked at Lin Qingtan, eager to see what rewards gifting her the Great Yang Immortal Scripture would bring once the Tang Valley seal opened.

Lin Qingtan, overjoyed yet tinged with lingering self-doubt, still believed the Holy Son’s gift was to comfort her. But his warm, intense stare, as if beholding a rare treasure, stirred her heart. A shy ripple spread within her. Did the Holy Son truly admire her, untroubled by her demonic runes?

Her mind spun, but a smile crept onto her face. Her Holy Son’s affection seemed genuine, not forced. Once, many prodigies in the Holy Land had pursued her, but after her Deity Transformation breakthrough revealed her constitution’s flaws, their fleeting discomfort pushed her away, sealing her heart and veiling her face in mist. Now, because of her Holy Son, warmth returned to her.

The Tang Valley showed no signs of opening. Ye Chen sat cross-legged, delving into the Battle Secret. With the Primordial True Immortal’s insights, it wasn’t study but absorption. In an instant, he mastered the coveted secret. It could evolve any technique, transforming ordinary methods into miraculous assaults, amplifying their destructive power.

Techniques like Ye Chen’s Heaven-Destroying Hand or other immortal scriptures’ attack spells gained potency. Some, however, couldn’t be enhanced—like the Great Emperor Scripture, unrivaled in assault, or Ye Chen’s True Dragon Treasure Technique. Though both were renowned for their offensive might, they followed different paths. The True Dragon Technique’s power was self-contained, unable to bolster other spells, while the Battle Secret could. Each had its strengths.

Ye Chen quietly compared them, hoping one day to merge the two. If successful, their combined destructive force would be unparalleled.