Immortality Starts With Investment

Ye Chen had never truly intended to hand the crystal over so easily. Saying he wouldn’t return to the Heavenly Emperor Hall was merely polite—a subtle test. If the old man had still acted like his former petty self, ready to discard him the moment his usefulness ended, Ye Chen would have turned around and settled the score without hesitation.

But now?

He was quite satisfied with the elder’s change in attitude. Though the old man had screwed him plenty in the past, considering he had a 7,000-times daughter, Ye Chen was willing to be magnanimous. If the real Heavenly Emperor’s heir had been a man, well… let’s just say the father-son pair would have met a very different fate.

Ye Chen offered another courteous remark.

”Won’t it be inappropriate if I stay at the Heavenly Emperor Hall for too long?”

The elder inwardly wanted to slap his past self even harder. His previous attitude had been truly abysmal. No wonder Ye Chen hesitated to come.

”You must come. From now on, the Heavenly Emperor Hall is your home! Take this jade talisman. The palace often changes location, but this will always show you the latest coordinates. Come whenever you wish!”

The golden-robed elder pressed the jade talisman into Ye Chen’s hand and pulled him aboard the immortal ship.

Ye Chen looked down at the talisman in his palm and felt an oddly familiar sensation. In his previous life, when accessing certain ”special” websites with constantly shifting addresses, they had similar programs that automatically updated the latest link. The Heavenly Emperor Hall was surprisingly ahead of its time.

…

Their interaction did not go unnoticed. The surrounding cultivators wore complicated expressions. Those who had lost Saint Kings in the recent chaos couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The Heavenly Emperor’s heir clearly possessed immense fortune—killing him would be no easy task. Better not to provoke him again next time.

As for revenge? Utterly impossible. The Heavenly Emperor Hall alone outclassed most major forces. Not to mention the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, whose list of allies kept growing.

The Central Continent’s Lan Family, for example. Under such circumstances, revenge was laughable. Yet watching Ye Chen’s actions just now, they truly found it absurd. It had already been confirmed that Ye Chen was only a false Heavenly Emperor heir. He had come here clearly to fight in place of the real one.

After risking life and limb in a deadly battle, finally slaying the enemy and obtaining such a supreme treasure, only to voluntarily offer it to the true Heir?

This was pure unpaid labor. All sacrifice, zero reward!

The Heavenly Emperor’s heir’s obsession with women had reached new, incomprehensible heights. Every time, he surpassed their wildest expectations.

On the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land’s side, Feng Baiyu had not boarded the ship. He had only asked a few ancestors to accompany Ye Chen. The golden-robed elder had personally transmitted a message, assuring that he would escort Ye Chen back to Great Yan Continent himself.

In that case, Feng Baiyu figured he might as well bring along more allies. Ye Chen’s talent for making enemies was growing stronger by the day. This time,e he had nearly wiped out every Saint King the myriad races had stationed in the Immortal Path. Even the human side had lost more than ten Saint Kings.

Grudges had piled up high. With so many enemies already, it was only natural to cultivate as many friends as possible. Otherwise, Feng Baiyu worried that one day Ye Chen might be besieged and killed by a coalition of major powers.

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Just as Feng Baiyu and the elders were exchanging pleasantries with nearby cultivators, planning to visit one of their clans, A figure arrived—his head crowned with a divine wheel that shone like a miniature sun.

It was Eldest Senior Brother Hua Yunfei.

”I rushed here as soon as I received the news. Is Junior Brother alright?”

Hua Yunfei asked with visible concern.

Feng Baiyu shook his head, the corners of his mouth curving upward.

”A little trouble, but nothing serious. The Celestial Prince’s incarnation has fallen. As for Ye Chen—I’m certain he’s faking it! I know his personality too well. If he were truly gravely injured, he would have found a hiding spot to recover immediately. He wouldn’t strut around letting a pack of Saint Kings tail and ambush him, then casually chat with some old man afterward. I’m guessing he’s just playing the pity card to get closer to that Chaos Body!”

Hua Yunfei let out a relieved breath. A warm smile spread across his handsome, radiant face.

”Junior Brother Ye has always been like this. Even if he reaches Mahayana, he’ll probably stay the same. One can only say he has never forgotten his original heart, and thus he will achieve his ultimate goal!”

Feng Baiyu shot him a sidelong glance.

”You certainly know how to phrase things. Lusting after women is lusting after women—don’t dress it up as ’never forgetting his original heart.’”

Hua Yunfei laughed heartily, then asked about the matter that concerned him most.

”What about Junior Sister Dantai now? Did Ye Chen mention anything?”

Feng Baiyu shook his head.

”Ye Chen didn’t bring it up…”

He and Ye Chen had exchanged voice transmissions earlier. Neither of them had mentioned Dantai Xuan. It wasn’t that they couldn’t be bothered—it simply hadn’t crossed their minds.

Hua Yunfei showed no disappointment at the answer. His junior brother was exceptionally reliable. There was no way he would toss Dantai Xuan into the furnace and forget about her. Perhaps she had already begun cultivating the secret method, working to eradicate that Supreme Will. He could simply ask Ye Chen the next time they met.

…

In the seventh realm of the Immortal Path, Yan Ruyu, having just entered the Great Saint realm, stood calmly near the teleportation array, shrouded in seven-colored divine light. She stabilized her cultivation while quietly awaiting the Celestial Prince’s arrival.

Though she did not know why he had fixated on her, she paid it little mind. She had once heard from the clan’s ancestors: The Celestial Prince had slumbered for a million years precisely to elevate his aptitude. Now, his talent had undoubtedly reached a terrifying level.

Yet Yan Ruyu remained unperturbed. She had absolute confidence in herself. As long as she could break through the limitations of her bloodline and gather the nine-colored divine feathers, she could even surpass ordinary Immortal Bodies.

In her heart, she considered the Celestial Prince far inferior to the Eight-Crowned King, Ye Chen, and others. He possessed shocking aptitude but lacked true ambition. Rumor had it that when the Celestial Prince first emerged, the Undying Celestial Emperor had been extremely pleased and offered him two paths.

One was to live in obscurity, rising through his own hard work and struggle. The other was the path of a pampered prince, surrounded by endless treasures and resources with no need for hardship. In the end, the Celestial Prince had refused to endure difficulty and chosen the second.

Yan Ruyu had also heard a deeper secret. After his defeat back then, the Celestial Prince had not been limited to slumber as his only option.

The Undying Celestial Emperor had again presented two choices: One was to be brought to the Immortal Realm, his cultivation stripped away so he could start anew—breaking through destruction to achieve rebirth and soar together. The other was to slumber for a million years and elevate his talent.

Once more, the Celestial Prince had chosen the easier path.

The Heavenly Emperor himself had once remarked that the Celestial Prince feared hardship, that his Dao-seeking heart was unsteady, and that he fell far short of other rivals. That was why Yan Ruyu had felt no fear facing the Celestial Prince’s incarnation.

Yet after waiting a full week, the Celestial Prince still had not appeared. Instead, the Great Saints who later entered the seventh realm through the teleportation array reacted strangely when they saw her.

Several female cultivators looked at her with open envy and jealousy. Even a few human Great Saints—who had long harbored resentment toward the myriad races—did not show hostility. Instead, they nodded with genuine goodwill and smiles.

All of it left Yan Ruyu increasingly puzzled. Though her appearance was flawless and jade-like, most cultivators at this level were indifferent to physical beauty. Why did everyone seem so unusually focused on her?

Soon, members of the Peacock Clan arrived in the seventh realm. They informed her of what had transpired outside.

Yan Ruyu’s eyes—veiled beneath the seven-colored divine light—widened slightly.

”Ye Chen… came to the Immortal Path for my sake and intercepted the Celestial Prince?”