ISWI Chapter 683-687

Chapter 683: Waiting for an Origin Delivery!

The monkey never expected that the Heavenly Emperor's heir would so casually pull out the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod. Feeling the terrifying supreme dao might pressing down from above, it immediately grew excited and reached out to grab it. Yet Ye Chen looked at the monkey with a strange expression and withdrew the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod.

"You're just going to reach out like that?"

The monkey froze for a moment. But it wasn't stupid. It quickly understood Ye Chen's meaning and spoke up at once.

"Our Holy Prince said that this artifact originally belonged to our Victorious Fighting Ape clan!"

Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh. The guy had really come empty-handed.

Ye Chen immediately put away the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod, glanced at the monkey, and couldn't even be bothered to speak. He turned and prepared to leave.

Seeing Ye Chen's actions, the monkey spoke seriously.

"Our Holy Prince said that if you, the Heavenly Emperor's heir, do not voluntarily return it, he will come personally to take it! Our Holy Prince is the son of a Quasi-Immortal. Back then, his father was only one step away from achieving immortality. The Holy Prince's talent far surpasses his father's by countless times. He has now reached the peak of the third heaven of the Mahayana realm—a peak King! If the Holy Prince arrives in person, the scene might become quite unsightly. Heavenly Emperor's heir, you wouldn't want your invincible reputation to be shattered just like that, would you?"

Hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes instantly lit up.

The son of a Quasi-Immortal? That origin source must be incredibly powerful.

Ye Chen had been worrying earlier that he had been too dominant, scaring everyone off so no one dared come deliver their heads anymore. Yet in the blink of an eye, here one was.

If this monkey wasn't bragging... a Quasi-Immortal who had been just one step from immortality must have had heaven-defying talent. And his son was even greater. That origin source might be stronger than all the previous ones combined.

"Where is he?"

Ye Chen asked proactively. It was mainly because the Primordial Chaos Supreme Body was simply too outrageous. After cultivating for so long, Ye Chen had deeply experienced just how formidable it was. He couldn't wait to actively seek out targets, harvest them, and trigger the gift critical strikes to increase the completeness of his Body.

"Our Holy Prince is currently in the third realm of the Immortal Path!"

The monkey declared proudly.

Ye Chen immediately frowned. The Immortal Path again. Going there and back would waste a lot of time. His cultivation speed was so fast now, and he had already prepared the divine materials needed for his breakthrough to the King realm. In that case, it would be better to stay in the holy land and develop steadily. He could just wait for that monkey to come deliver his head himself.

Besides, acting too aggressive or eager wouldn't be good for harvesting enemy origin sources in the future. So, he would wait for the monkey to come. When the time came, he would even hold back a little. Fight for a few days and nights, making it look to outsiders like a hard-fought victory. That way, more people would dare to challenge him in the future.

With that thought, Ye Chen waved his hand.

"In that case, have your Holy Prince come here personally!"

As his words fell, Ye Chen no longer bothered to look at the monkey and drifted away gracefully. The monkey wasn't surprised by Ye Chen's reaction. In fact, the Victorious Fighting Ape clan had planned all along to use Ye Chen to establish their prestige and forge the Holy Prince's invincible reputation.

After all, a genius like the Heavenly Emperor's heir would never be easily intimidated. But the monkey had absolute confidence in their Holy Prince. His talent didn't merely surpass his father's—it could stand shoulder to shoulder with the ancestor of the Fighting Ape clan, the Victorious Fighting Emperor. He had inherited every bit of a Sacred Buddha's gifts. With such talent, he was destined to achieve immortality in this era and sweep away all enemies. Even the Heavenly Emperor's heir was nothing more than a worthless chicken or a fragile tile!

Thinking of this, a smug smile appeared on the monkey's face. It glanced disdainfully at the gates of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Then it departed with a thunderous boom.

...

Meanwhile, on Ye Chen's side. He didn't pay much attention to that Holy Prince. Just another fool coming to deliver his origin on a platter. However, after the incidents with the Dao Cauldron and the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod, Ye Chen discovered a new way to fish for prey. He could reveal some supreme Extreme Dao Weapons and deliberately let them be known. That way, if the descendants or heirs of their original owners were still around, they would surely covet them. Those who came with sincerity could trade for them.

Ye Chen could launder the Extreme Dao Weapons that couldn't trigger gift criticals, reaping massive benefits. As for those like the Holy Prince who wanted to seize them by force, Ye Chen would feel no psychological burden harvesting their origin sources. This way, he could focus on cultivating in peace while waiting for enemies to come knocking.

Luo Bingling was still in seclusion. Senior An and Elder Lin hadn't entered seclusion yet either. Without Senior An, An Yuyi's appeal was somewhat lacking. So, midway through, Ye Chen took some time to visit his fiancée and sparred with her for two weeks.

What shocked Ye Chen was this: His fiancée seemed to think that without Luo Bingling present, things weren't stimulating enough. This time, she actually took out the soul of the Heavenly Intention Holy Son and offered it to him as a gift.

Ye Chen truly hadn't expected that the Heavenly Intention Holy Son's soul was still intact. But he didn't have such outrageous fetishes. Calling out a few times could be considered a bit of fun, but having a man standing on the sidelines—no, even a man's soul—was unacceptable. So he directly rinsed the Heavenly Intention Holy Son's soul with Yellow Spring water. After washing away its consciousness, he tossed it into the Human Emperor Banner. Then, with fierce intensity, he pinned his fiancée down in the Yellow Spring water, suppressed and "educated" her thoroughly before drifting away.

Just like that, half a year passed in a flash.

Inside the Holy Son's residence, Ye Chen's aura suddenly surged! Divine light flowed across his body, as if a god had descended. When he opened his eyes, a hint of a smile appeared in his profound pupils, deep as a starry sea. He had reached the mid-stage of the second heaven of the Mahayana realm. To advance a small realm in just half a year was absolutely astonishing and world-shaking.

But just as Ye Chen planned to stabilize his realm and continue his seclusion, the entire Holy Son Peak shuddered violently. Then, the spiritual Qi of the entire Heavenly Evolution Holy Land converged, forming a massive vortex in the sky that poured into a certain spot on the peak.

At the same time, a terrifying aura began to rise. It carried an overwhelming momentum, as if a sovereign was gazing down upon the world.

A smile curved Ye Chen's lips. Such a huge commotion—it was clearly Luo Bingling breaking through to the King realm. A newly formed cave-heaven would naturally devour and exhale the world's spiritual Qi. Judging by the disturbance caused by her breakthrough, the cave-heaven she had forged was definitely enormous in scale.

The deeper the accumulation, the larger the cave-heaven. The larger the cave-heaven, the stronger the power. From this, it seemed the Minor Space Technique had indeed been remarkably effective.

Ye Chen waited patiently.

Three days later.

The phenomenon of Luo Bingling devouring the world's spiritual Qi finally ceased. Moments later, accompanied by a satisfied, light hum that echoed through the air.

Luo Bingling emerged from her cave abode, clad in golden armor that gleamed brilliantly, her purple hair flowing wildly, her perfect slender waist accentuated. She appeared radiant and exhilarated.

Previously, despite being a full major realm above Ye Chen, her combat strength had been far inferior, leaving her somewhat frustrated. Now, having broken through to the third heaven, her power had multiplied countless times. Her cave-heaven's scale was outrageously vast—no smaller than those of the divine sons in her clan. If she faced Ye Chen now, she could absolutely fight him on equal footing.

Thinking of this, Luo Bingling grew even happier. But when she caught sight of Ye Chen standing there with a smile on his face, her eyes widened in shock...

"You... how are you already at the mid-stage of the second heaven?"

Staring at Ye Chen's current cultivation level, Luo Bingling was utterly dumbfounded...

Chapter 684: Stasis Secret!

At this moment, Luo Bingling was truly stunned. The joy she had felt from her perfect breakthrough to the third heaven and achieving the King realm had mostly vanished. Because Ye Chen's cultivation speed was simply too outrageous. She had entered seclusion first.

Ye Chen had probably spent who-knows-how-long fooling around with women before starting his own seclusion. Yet by the time she emerged, he had already reached the mid-stage of the second heaven!

But in the next instant, her emotions shifted from shock to delight. Such rapid cultivation speed could only be achieved with the Dao Cauldron. So the Dao Cauldron was definitely in Ye Chen's hands—confirmed. And that wasn't all. Ye Chen had been able to produce multiple Dao Charm Pills. Those pills required leaves from the Enlightenment Tea Tree as their primary ingredient.

What did that mean? The Enlightenment Tea Tree was most likely in Ye Chen's possession as well. Both were divine objects capable of accelerating cultivation. With both combined, his speed suddenly didn't seem strange at all. If she could obtain both... she would have no weaknesses left. She could suppress the divine sons of her clan and contend for the chance to achieve immortality in this era.

"Did the Minor Space Technique and the Space Divine Stones help?"

Ye Chen asked curiously, wondering if the two had any synergistic effects. After all, he had a full four thousand Space Divine Stones in his possession.

Hearing this, Luo Bingling smiled and nodded. Her purple hair danced as she spoke.

"The Minor Space Technique is already profound enough. Adding Space Divine Stones does provide some benefit, but it's negligible—the increase is minimal. My cave-heaven now spans ten thousand li in both length and width. That's almost entirely thanks to the Minor Space Technique."

When she mentioned the scale of her cave-heaven, a proud look appeared on Luo Bingling's face. The size of a cultivator's cave-heaven was extremely important. A cave-heaven could devour and exhale the world's spiritual Qi, allowing the cultivator to progress faster. It could also house all sorts of spiritual plants and treasures. The higher the spiritual Qi concentration within, the more it could nourish the owner and further accelerate cultivation.

In battle, cultivators could unleash the power of their cave-heaven to suppress enemies. It vastly amplified what had once been mere domain effects in every aspect. But once formed, a cave-heaven could never be expanded again. Therefore, the larger the cave-heaven upon breakthrough, the greater the long-term benefits. A cave-heaven ten thousand li across in both directions was already unimaginable. It would grant Luo Bingling tremendous advantages in her future cultivation.

Ye Chen listened and nodded. As long as the Space Divine Stones were useful, that was enough. As for the effect being negligible? A bit wasteful? That wasn't a problem at all. He had far too many Space Divine Stones on hand.

...

Now safely within the holy land, Ye Chen had little interest in Luo Bingling. After all, a four-thousand-fold critical strike that couldn't trigger was far inferior to a one-thousand-fold that could. On his own Ascension Peak, there were even female cultivators who offered one thousand five hundred times.

So after a brief chat, Ye Chen offered his congratulations and returned to seclusion.

Luo Bingling, who had been subtly twisting her waist in hopes of summoning Ye Chen's hands, froze in place.

What was going on? How could Ye Chen suddenly show no interest in her waist?

This caused Luo Bingling—who deeply coveted the Dao Cauldron and Enlightenment Tea Tree—to furrow her brows tightly. Was it because she hadn't repaid him like Yi Qingwu? But last time, she had practically delivered herself to his mouth. He was the one who hadn't taken the bite!

Luo Bingling pondered this with a deep frown. However, having just broken through, she still needed time to stabilize her cultivation. Moreover, now that she had reached the King realm, her clan would send a batch of top-tier spiritual herbs and flowers to plant in her cave-heaven, enriching its spiritual essence. So she decided she would settle everything first, then properly strategize how to win Ye Chen over. With her strength and charm, it absolutely wouldn't be difficult.

...

On the third realm of the Immortal Path.

The Holy Prince of the Victorious Fighting Ape clan still sat calmly atop the divine peak. At that moment, the monkey who had recently met Ye Chen had hurried back. It lowered its head in reverence and reported.

"Holy Prince, that Ye Chen refuses to return our clan's sacred weapon. He also said he would wait for you to go to him. His attitude was utterly fearless!"

The monkey did not exaggerate—it knew its Holy Prince had a fiery temper. The previous Holy Prince had merely shown a hint of displeasure when the Quasi-Immortal's son revived and seized all the resources. He hadn't dared say anything, only letting his expression sour. In response, the Quasi-Immortal's son had slapped his head into pieces with a single palm. Monkey brains had flown everywhere, and he had barely been saved. The monkey was terrified that if the Holy Prince grew angry, he might get a staff to the face.

Hearing the report, the Holy Prince's stern, face showed no expression. He merely nodded calmly.

"Since he doesn't know how to cherish the opportunity, I will go to him personally later. This fellow can be considered the foremost genius of the human race in this era. He is worth my personal attention! By killing him, I will suppress the prestige of the human race.

"In this lifetime, I will surely achieve immortality. Once I do, I will slaughter every human holy land and aristocratic family. Any human whose cultivation exceeds the Mahayana stage must die! This era, I will not only become an immortal—I will also force the human race back to the lowly position it occupied in history."

The Holy Prince spoke in a flat tone. Yet the monkey below him listened, and its eyes instantly lit up. Most of the myriad races had long been dissatisfied and yearned for a counterattack. If this truly came to pass—if the human race could once again be reduced to slavery—it would be utterly exhilarating.

...

But at that very moment, the divine peak trembled, and golden light burst forth. Amidst the surging mighty aura, traces of an ancient ruin leaked out. Such a commotion immediately drew numerous Kings from the third heaven, their eyes filled with eager excitement.

"Those symbols—they must belong to the ruin of Saint Boyin!"

"Saint Boyin is said to have obtained half of the Stasis Secret back then. His mastery of time laws reached the absolute pinnacle. Rumor has it that the time flow within his cave-heaven could be accelerated up to a thousandfold!"

"The Stasis Secret is the most mysterious among the Nine Secrets. Like the Foresight Secret and the Movement Secret, it involves time—but the Movement Secret governs speed, the Foresight Secret allows foresight, while only the Stasis Secret truly influences and controls time itself!"

"It's said that the complete Stasis Secret can slow or hasten an enemy's actions, even manipulate their personal time, trapping them forever in a state of grievous injury, unable to heal."

"Moreover, if all Nine Secrets are united, they can sublimate into arts beyond immortal techniques. With each secret layered upon the others, one could even traverse space-time directly. Alas, not even the Heavenly Emperor managed to gather them all..."

"A bloody storm is sure to follow!"

The onlookers buzzed with discussion, their voices filled with awe. Among the Nine Secrets, the Stasis Secret was indeed the most enigmatic. Obtaining it would bring boundless benefits for breaking through to the fourth heaven of the Mahayana realm. Many cultivators at the peak of the third heaven grew immensely tempted and drew closer. They waited for the ruin to open.

But right then, a majestic voice rang out.

"All of you, get lost. None of you are worthy of touching this dao lineage..."

The Holy Prince, who had long received word and been waiting here, rose calmly to his feet. It was a simple movement, yet the void twisted and collapsed in waves around him. One could see just how terrifyingly powerful his physical body was. His words were even more domineering—he intended to claim the entire ruin for himself. However, on the Immortal Path, who present wasn't a heaven's chosen? A mere monkey dared to act so overbearingly.

Immediately, a former human genius at the third heaven of the Mahayana realm gripped an Extreme Dao Weapon and shot forward with a thunderous roar.

"A trifling Victorious Fighting Ape—your clan was nearly exterminated by the Heavenly Emperor back then. And now you dare act so arrogantly?"

In the next instant, the man struck fiercely, intent on suppressing the Holy Prince.

The Holy Prince coldly lifted his gaze, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth...

Chapter 685: Ye Chen Was No Fool!

The human genius who had attacked possessed an unparalleled, ferocious aura. His black hair whipped wildly as he wielded an Extreme Dao Weapon shaped like a jade gourd. He hurled the gourd forward. It instantly swelled to the size of a mountain, its mouth resembling a black hole that unleashed swirling black winds, intent on devouring the Holy Prince. The winds were extraordinarily violent—top-tier astral gales.

Even onlookers far away struggled to steady themselves, feeling as though their divine souls might be sucked in. This drew sighs of admiration from many. This man's Extreme Dao Weapon was truly terrifying. News of the Holy Prince's emergence had spread far and wide. He had yet to truly fight anyone until now. Everyone was deeply curious about the strength of this Quasi-Immortal's son.

Facing the oppressive jade gourd bearing down on him, the Holy Prince let out a cold snort, clearly not taking his opponent seriously. He didn't even raise his black staff. His body radiated brilliant golden light as he charged straight toward the black-hole-like gourd opening. In the next instant, he plunged directly into the gourd.

A cold smile appeared on the human genius's face. Though his Extreme Dao Weapon was only low-grade, it had refined countless types of astral winds, combined with stellar divine sand. It possessed an unimaginable power of annihilation. Let alone a King—even a Semi-Saint who carelessly entered might suffer grievous wounds and struggle to escape. The myriad races truly were fools.

But in the next moment, the human genius's expression changed. The onlookers all widened their eyes in shock. Thunderous muffled booms erupted from within the gourd. It sounded as if it were being hammered from the inside. The mountain-sized gourd shuddered violently.

The human genius's face turned icy. He opened his mouth wide and spat out another brilliant stream of stellar sand into the gourd. Then he sneered.

"This gourd of mine was forged from Yellow Spring Divine Jade—a Nine Heavens divine jade—supplemented with Phoenix Immortal Gold. Even a Semi-Saint could not shatter it, and it can restore itself instantly. Once inside, don't dream of coming out..."

But before he could finish speaking, a sharp crack rang out. A massive fissure split across the enormous jade gourd. Before the human genius could react, the terrifying jade gourd exploded into fragments. Amidst countless stunned gazes, the Holy Prince burst forth from the endless divine sand and astral winds, appearing right before the human genius. The sand and winds hadn't harmed the Holy Prince in the slightest. Not even a single golden hair had fallen.

In the human genius's incredulous expression, the Holy Prince threw a punch. The human genius immediately tried to retreat explosively, desperate to dodge the blow. His speed was astonishing, yet he was still grazed. And merely being grazed caused his body to explode in a shower of blood that stained the sky.

The Holy Prince of the Victorious Fighting Ape clan was this divine and valiant? He had shattered an Extreme Dao Weapon with pure physical strength?

Under the watchful eyes of all, the Holy Prince opened his mouth and inhaled. The former human genius shrank rapidly and was sucked into his maw. Blood sprayed out.

The onlookers felt chills run down their spines and hastily retreated. The scene was far too brutal. Ever since the human race's rise, few from the myriad races dared to devour humans anymore. The area fell deathly silent. No one else dared step forward.

The Holy Prince's lips were stained with blood as he coldly overlooked the crowd. The onlookers retreated further. They sighed inwardly—the rumors were true. This man's talent was truly supreme. No wonder even a Quasi-Immortal had marveled at him and sealed him in a precious divine source.

Seeing no one else dared challenge him, the Holy Prince returned to the summit of the divine peak to await the ruin's opening. But before closing his eyes, he spoke calmly.

"The ruin may take another year to open. Go inform Ye Chen: before I set out, if he delivers our clan's sacred weapon to me, he may be spared death. Otherwise, after I obtain the Stasis Secret, I will visit him to suppress him—before I enter seclusion to break through to the Semi-Saint realm."

These words caused another uproar across the field. The Heavenly Emperor's heir would obviously never submit. So, once the Holy Prince acquired half of the Stasis Secret. He would surely head to the Great Yan Continent to seek battle with the Heavenly Emperor's heir. Given the terrifying might the Holy Prince had just displayed. It would undoubtedly be a world-shaking battle.

...

The events on the Immortal Path spread throughout the entire cultivation world in the blink of an eye. In the Myriad Races Immortal City, ever since his crushing defeat last time, Yao Yuekong had completely given up. He no longer went to the Immortal Path. Instead, he lingered in the immortal city every day, eating, drinking. At that moment, he was drinking with a few friends from the myriad races. Upon hearing the news, he immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't this guy trying way too hard to act tough? And he's going after Ye Chen? Isn't that just rushing to his own death?"

Yao Yuekong had personally experienced Ye Chen's terror. The most outrageous part was that, on that day, he felt Ye Chen hadn't even used his full strength. Back then, Ye Chen had already been at the late stage of the first heaven of the Mahayana realm. Now, he was likely at the second heaven. Though the gaps between realms grew larger the further one progressed...

Yao Yuekong truly didn't believe anyone could be Ye Chen's match. His friends, however, didn't share that view. After all, the Holy Prince was the son of a Quasi-Immortal. Even a Quasi-Immortal had praised his astonishing talent—that couldn't be false. His gifts might genuinely rival the Heavenly Emperor's heir. Add in his cultivation advantage...

They felt it wouldn't be a problem. They all thought Yao Yuekong's dao heart had been shattered by Ye Chen, which was why he saw him as invincible. But since they were friends, they didn't embarrass him. After humoring him for a bit, they each went their separate ways.

Yao Yuekong also returned to his clan's territory. He happened to run into his younger sister.

Yao Yuezhi had heard the news too. Her eyes lit up.

"The Stasis Secret—one of the human race's supreme space-time arts. Even just half of it would greatly enhance my comprehension of time laws. What a pity. The Victorious Fighting Ape clan has poor relations with our clan! If I went to seize it, I wouldn't fear them, but I might not win decisively. I could end up paving the way for someone else."

The Victorious Fighting Ape clan was a classic faction among the myriad races that sought resurgence. They had always dreamed of returning to the era when the myriad races dominated. Of reducing the human race to slavery once more. The Heavenly Demon clan, by contrast, was more pragmatic. They belonged to the coexistence faction. They had emerged earliest and maintained cooperative ties with many human powers.

"Brother, do you think the Heavenly Emperor's heir can beat the Holy Prince?"

Yao Yuezhi tilted her little head thoughtfully as she asked.

Yao Yuekong nodded upon hearing this.

"I think Ye Chen will win!"

After saying that, he glanced at his sister and spoke earnestly.

"Ye Chen is truly terrifying. Up to now, no one has ever seen him fight a hard battle. So it's best not to provoke him. If you don't like him, just avoid him in the future—but never make an enemy of him."

Yao Yuezhi's beautiful eyes flickered with thought. She shot her brother a playful glare.

"Brother, Ye Chen is the dao companion you chose for me. How could I ever provoke him? On the contrary, I'm going to cheer for my future dao companion. Ye Chen spared you for my sake. Asking him to let me study the Stasis Secret as a betrothal gift isn't too much to ask, right? At worst, I'll just stay by his side from now on."

The corner of Yao Yuekong's mouth twitched...

Their ancestor was far too pragmatic. He believed their generation truly had no chance at immortality and wanted to back the Undying Celestial Phoenix clan instead. The so-called Undying Celestial Phoenix was a type of ancient phoenix with extremely high status. Even among the myriad races, they were considered nobility.

The Undying Celestial Emperor's son had an even more terrifying background. Though he hadn't formally awakened yet, many races had already pledged allegiance. So the ancestor genuinely wanted to marry his sister off to him. But judging by her demeanor, she clearly wasn't willing.

Yao Yuekong, however, felt his sister was being far too optimistic. Ye Chen wasn't an idiot. The Stasis Secret was incredibly precious. Even if he obtained it, how could he possibly share it freely? Let alone offend the Undying Celestial Phoenix's lineage over a woman! Only a fool would do something like that.

Chapter 686: The Holy Prince Was Surprisingly Decent!

In the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, the overwhelming thunder tribulation finally came to an end.

Ye Chen drifted gracefully into the high sky. The tribulation clouds dispersed. Senior An's ethereal, immortal-like figure emerged into view. Ever since obtaining the Seven Extremes Immortal Body, her aptitude had soared tremendously.

During this Mahayana tribulation, Ye Chen had personally witnessed humanoid beings flashing within the tribulation clouds, clashing fiercely with her. This only heightened his anticipation for the brilliance Senior An would radiate once he gathered all twelve immortal roots and completed her Seven Extremes Immortal Body.

Ye Chen felt that, in the future, Senior An might even break through the ten-thousand-fold threshold. If that happened, she would become the first female cultivator by his side to surpass ten thousand times.

"Congratulations, Senior An, on breaking through to the Mahayana stage!"

Ye Chen held An Miaoli's jade-like little hand and smiled lightly as he spoke.

An Miaoli smiled upon seeing him as well. She knew better than anyone how she had reached her current cultivation. Without Ye Chen, forget reaching the Mahayana stage—she might have one day been completely replaced by the remnant soul of the Seven Extremes, losing herself forever. Thus, even though many onlookers had gathered due to her tribulation, An Miaoli felt no shyness at all. She asked softly.

"I've been in seclusion for so long. Has your Nether Poison flared up again, fellow Daoist Ye?"

Ye Chen immediately laughed and nodded earnestly.

"The suffering from the Nether Poison has been quite unbearable for me! I must trouble Senior An for aid once more..."

An Miaoli pulled Ye Chen along as they flew toward his cave abode. Without looking back, she said.

"It's no trouble. Fellow Daoist Ye has been tirelessly collecting immortal roots for me—the effort has been immense. It's only right that I help dispel the poison for you. As long as we have clear consciences, that's enough..."

As they spoke, Ye Chen and Senior An entered the Holy Son's residence. But at that very moment, Luo Bingling followed them in.

Seeing her, Ye Chen immediately frowned. Senior An claimed to have a clear conscience, but that was only when it was with her niece. With an outsider present, it might affect Senior An's performance. So Ye Chen prepared to shoo her away at once.

Yet Luo Bingling acted as if she couldn't read his expression and squeezed inside anyway. She was feeling rather anxious. It had been so long since she emerged from seclusion, and not only had her relationship with Ye Chen failed to grow closer. He had even stopped giving her the weekly Dao Charm Pills he used to provide.

This caused Luo Bingling to reflect constantly, wondering what she had done wrong. The Dao Cauldron combined with the Enlightenment Tea Tree was simply far too alluring to her. On top of that, she had already given so much—the gems at her waist had developed a patina, her little feet had grown accustomed to that sticky sensation, and she had even let Ye Chen see everything.

After investing so much, she had only received some Dao Charm Pills in return. How could Luo Bingling possibly accept that? So she resolved to learn and improve herself.

When that Elder Lin—who was covered in demonic patterns and exuded a bewitching aura—had emerged from seclusion earlier, Luo Bingling had observed from the sidelines. She wasn't willing to engage in real combat with them. But those ever-changing demonic patterns had seemed rather intriguing. She had already sent a message to her clan, requesting a technique that could simulate something similar. But it would take some time to arrive.

As for this An Miaoli, who always presented herself as an ethereal immortal maiden, she clearly still carried traces of primordial yin energy—yet Ye Chen treated her with extreme importance. He had appeared deeply worried during her tribulation. So Luo Bingling wanted to observe their interactions. Perhaps it would give her some inspiration.

Ye Chen glanced at Luo Bingling and spoke to Senior An.

"Senior An, please wait a moment. I'll have a few words with her first and send her on her way."

Luo Bingling was useful, but not that useful. Ye Chen naturally wouldn't hold back. But what Ye Chen hadn't expected was that An Miaoli glanced at Luo Bingling a few times before shaking her head calmly.

"It's fine. I'm only helping dispel the poison—there's nothing improper about it. If she insists on staying, then let her."

As she spoke, An Miaoli gave Luo Bingling a cool nod. It wasn't warm, but it held no trace of hostility either.

In An Miaoli's view, Ye Chen insisted on waiting until he collected all the immortal roots before they could bear children together. Though he often came to her for poison dispelling... This slow, teasing method of dispelling could never compare to the joy of true, unrestrained combat. So if Luo Bingling wanted to watch, let her watch. It might even help satisfy Ye Chen on her behalf.

Luo Bingling hadn't expected this woman—who always pretended to be so ethereal and immortal—to seem quite friendly. Yet her heart remained utterly unmoved. It was all an act. None of the women around Ye Chen was any good—except herself. That one surnamed Su, and the one who had killed her fiancé, had both splashed her full in the face. And that one surnamed Lin wasn't much better either. Fortunately, she had dodged quickly and only gotten her arm damp. This An Miaoli probably wanted to make her look just as pathetic. This time, she absolutely wouldn't let herself get distracted or dirtied.

But soon, Luo Bingling was stunned. After entering the cave abode, An Miaoli barely spared her a glance. She simply sacrificed a pair of white spiritual silk dao artifact gloves and focused entirely on the task at hand. The entire process was gradual, gentle, and devoted. Whenever their eyes met midway, there was no provocation or gloating—just cool detachment. The two of them progressed like that—from showing mercy with hands, to using both hands and feet, to a battle of lips and tongues, to interlocking in perfect harmony.

Only after a full week did An Miaoli finally depart to stabilize her cultivation in her own cave abode. Before leaving, she even nodded politely to Luo Bingling.

Luo Bingling realized the woman truly hadn't intended to splash her at all. Perhaps she wasn't as bad as the others. But she didn't dwell on it. She wasn't actually here to become one of Ye Chen's women—why bother with sisterly bonds? So she ignored An Miaoli's goodwill completely.

Yet through this week of study, she had finally uncovered the secret of why Ye Chen never made the first move with his mouth. She had discovered the pattern. It was always the other person who acted first—and consumed—before he would respond.

This filled Luo Bingling with disdain. Pure male chauvinism. In the War God clan, they had always upheld equality between men and women, with strength as the only measure. For the human race to still cling to such nonsense—it was truly trash!

Understanding was one thing. But now Luo Bingling hesitated deep inside. If Ye Chen were the one to act while she stood aloof and superior, she could accept it without issue. But for her to take the initiative while he stood lofty and superior. And he was merely a human, at that. The very thought made her shudder with revulsion and nausea.

Yet Ye Chen's breakthrough speed was so astonishing. Even the Dao Cauldron alone might not explain it fully. If she could obtain both treasures, she could shore up her weaknesses and harbor real hope of achieving immortality.

Moreover, she had already sacrificed so much. Giving up now would be an even greater loss. Her slender waist and little feet had already paid the price—not to mention an entire bottle of Yellow Spring Water. As long as her pristine virginity remained untouched, as long as she could achieve immortality... everything else was negotiable!

At once, Luo Bingling adopted an expression of grim resolve. She turned her gaze to Ye Chen, who lay there lazily after the poison dispelling, his mind seemingly wandering elsewhere. But just as Luo Bingling steeled herself and prepared to follow An Miaoli's exact steps and take action, the restrictions around the Holy Son's residence stirred. A transmission talisman fluttered inside.

Ye Chen picked it up and scanned it. A smile immediately curved his lips.

"Not only coming to deliver an origin source, but also bringing a fragment of the Stasis Secret? This Holy Prince—he's actually quite a decent guy!"

Chapter 687: The Holy Prince Arrives!

Originally, Ye Chen had been a little resentful that the Holy Prince was taking so long to show up. Now that he learned the other was busy searching for one of the Nine Secrets on his behalf, he immediately expressed understanding. The Holy Prince wasn't unwilling to deliver the gift—he was simply too occupied. Being busy was good!

Ye Chen had always held high expectations for the Nine Secrets. The Healing Secret, the Battle Secret, the Movement Secret, and the Armament Secret had all brought him enormous benefits. Especially the Armament Secret—it allowed him to fully master any Extreme Dao Weapon the moment he touched it.

As for the Healing Secret, that divine healing art, he rarely needed it. After all, he was injured so infrequently, and his recovery was astonishing. Often, his wounds healed before he even activated the Healing Secret. Yet the power of the Healing Secret spoke for itself. This alone showed how precious the Nine Secrets were. Add to that the legend that fully comprehending all nine mysteries and uniting them would grant boundless might.

It left Ye Chen particularly eager to obtain the remaining four secrets. Now that the multipliers from the people around him had risen significantly. If he gifted away the fragment of the Stasis Secret, it might directly trigger feedback of two or three other Nine Secrets. The harvest would be immense.

Therefore, Ye Chen looked forward to the Holy Prince's arrival with exceptional anticipation. At the same time, he made a decision: he would grant the Holy Prince the treatment of a prolonged battle. Not a one-hit kill. He would give the Holy Prince a bit of fighting pleasure. Consider it a thank-you gift for delivering both the Stasis Secret fragment and a powerful origin source!

...

While Ye Chen pondered over the transmission talisman, Luo Bingling, upon hearing of the Holy Prince's impending arrival, didn't take it seriously. She believed Ye Chen should be able to defeat him. But if he couldn't, that would be even better—she would have a chance to help. Her cave-heaven was so vast, and its power was incredibly strong. She had long wanted to find someone to fight properly.

But those were minor matters. Closing the distance with Ye Chen was the real priority. Luo Bingling began formally imitating the steps An Miaoli had taken earlier. She started wielding the spear.

Seeing Ye Chen's expression respond favorably, she suppressed the disgust in her heart, furrowed her brows into a deep crease, narrowed her eyes, and slowly lowered her head.

Ye Chen watched the scene, inhaling sharply while raising an eyebrow. Luo Bingling was far too eager to improve! Yet he didn't reject her outright. He let her proceed.

An hour later, Luo Bingling was retching violently off to the side.

Seeing this, Ye Chen chuckled. He gently patted her slender waist.

"It's fine. If you can't handle it, don't force yourself. I'll be cultivating next anyway. We can try again another time!"

A long while later, Luo Bingling left Ye Chen's cave abode feeling somewhat defeated. She had still underestimated her revulsion toward humans. She truly couldn't swallow it down. But fighting spirit burned brightly in her eyes. This time had already been great progress.

A few more attempts, taking in a little more each time—and eventually, she would manage it all. Then her status would surpass that Yi Qingwu's. After pushing a bit harder, she could overtake An Miaoli. She would finally earn Ye Chen's full trust and gain access to the Dao Cauldron.

In short, though Ye Chen was harder to conquer than she had imagined, this step-by-step strategy, gradually raising her position, actually gave Luo Bingling the thrill of leveling up. It filled her with soaring determination. She believed obtaining the Dao Cauldron was only a matter of time.

...

In the days that followed, Ye Chen continued to remain in the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, engaged in calm and steady cultivation. Nearly every day brought visible progress.

This made Luo Bingling's eyes grow brighter and brighter. Her own improvements accelerated as well. From initially spitting out even a single drop, to managing half, to nearly finishing it all...

Now, Luo Bingling was training herself to finish without retching afterward. The biggest obstacle was her deep psychological resistance. As a member of the War God clan, she truly looked down on the human race. She didn't even regard them as equals. In her mind, the status difference between the War God clan and humans was roughly akin to that between humans and dogs.

Yet on Ye Chen's side, his interest only grew. He could clearly sense her disdain. But watching her force herself to persist despite it filled him with a unique sense of conquest. It was utterly intoxicating.

And so, another year passed.

Ye Chen's cultivation advanced to the late stage of the second heaven of the Mahayana realm. It was also on this very day that Luo Bingling achieved her own epic breakthrough. Through constant self-hypnosis that it didn't matter, she finally completed the act fully for the first time. Afterward, she proudly opened her mouth for Ye Chen to inspect. Then, with a twist of her slender waist and a lift of her chin, she signaled that it was his turn next.

Ye Chen found it rather amusing. He hadn't particularly wanted to. But considering her dedicated progress over the past year, he figured she deserved a little reward—some encouragement. Otherwise, she might slack off later.

So Ye Chen lowered his head as well. Soon, his brows shot up in mild surprise. The taste was unexpectedly reminiscent of the purple cherries from his previous life. Tart yet sweet, with quite a distinctive flavor...

Luo Bingling had started out tense, her face full of disgust. But quickly, her eyes brightened. Not only did her furrowed brows relax, she even leaned proactively toward Ye Chen...

...

On the third realm of the Immortal Path.

Shocking news spread.The ruin of Saint Boyin had opened. A half-fragment stone tablet inscribed with the Stasis Secret emerged, drawing over twenty experts from the peak of the third heaven of the Mahayana realm into battle. There were former—and even earlier-generation—human geniuses.

Genii from the myriad races as well. And several ancient prodigies who had awakened from a divine source. The fight was exceptionally fierce. The heaven's chosen clashed in a chaotic melee.

The Holy Prince, in particular, faced encirclement from human geniuses. After all, he had dared to devour a human in public, incurring the wrath of many human factions. They sought to suppress him. But to everyone's astonishment, the Holy Prince was simply too ferocious.

Wielding his black staff, he swept through all opposition like a war god. His physical body was nearly invulnerable to all techniques. Even when wounded, he recovered in the blink of an eye. He grew stronger the longer he fought, leaving everyone sighing that the Victorious Fighting Ape clan was truly born for war.

Yet what shocked people most was the Holy Prince's talent. His eyes radiated golden light, displaying might no less than that of Heavy Pupils. In this battle, a full six human geniuses perished. The surviving experts felt their hearts palpitate and withdrew one after another.

A trace of blood lingered at the corner of the Holy Prince's mouth, making his monkey face appear even more menacing. He did not immediately seize the half-tablet. Instead, he swept a cold laugh over the surroundings, his golden pupils brimming with battle intent—as if he craved another great fight.

Onlookers marveled at the intensity of his fighting spirit.

In the end, the Holy Prince took the half-tablet bearing the Stasis Secret and casually stored it away. Then, with surging battle lust, he declared.

"Since the Heavenly Emperor's heir refuses to come, I will go to him! Human geniuses? Mere ants, nothing more! Back then, the Heavenly Emperor defeated my ancestor. Today, I shall defeat his heir."

In the next instant, the Holy Prince thundered toward the teleportation array of the third realm.

The entire field erupted in uproar.

Clearly, the Holy Prince was leaving the Immortal Path to seek out the Heavenly Emperor's heir. And when news of the Holy Prince's battle achievements—and his intent to challenge the Heavenly Emperor's heir—spread. The entire cultivation world was thrown into an uproar...