ISWI Chapter 626-627

Chapter 626: I Was in Seclusion, Not Dead!

In the following days, Ye Chen followed a steady routine: cultivating, lecturing, and gifting treasures. Holy Maiden Peak grew crowded with disciples, even attracting elders below the Mahayana Stage to his lessons. Though brief, his teachings were profound, each word a gem. Over two months, the female disciples' gazes toward him grew brighter.

But the male disciples noticed something off. They were relegated to the back during lectures, never chosen for questions. Even when top-tier male cultivators volunteered for Holy Maiden Peak, none were selected. Ye Chen was discriminating against them!

Their discontent festered. They gathered, grumbling that Ye Chen only had eyes for women and would meet his end on their account. Some accused him of using Heavenly Intention Holy Land to build a harem, just as he'd supposedly done at Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Others darkly speculated he was sowing discord between genders to fracture the Holy Land.

Female disciples, overhearing, fiercely rebuked them. To them, Ye Chen surpassed the Heavenly Intention Holy Son. A harem? If true, their only thought was: such a golden opportunity! Sign me up first!

…

One day, two months later, in Yi Qingwu's secluded cave abode, she slowly opened her eyes. The great moon behind her glowed brighter, now wreathed in chaotic qi, lending her an ethereal, divine aura—like a true Moonlight Divine Maiden, mysterious and radiant. Her presence had elevated.

A smile curved her lips as she glanced aside, only to frown. Ye Chen was gone? Had he left, unable to wait? Her joy dimmed.

But when she extended her spirit sense, her brow furrowed further. Holy Maiden Peak, once serene and quiet, was teeming with people. Ye Chen's aura was among them. Her heart tightened. Had he done something to provoke the crowd's anger? Even the Mahayana Stage elders were present.

Without hesitation, she flew out. If Ye Chen had clashed with her Holy Land and was in danger, she'd stand by him without question.

Yet, reaching the bustling mountainside, confusion clouded her beautiful eyes. The scene wasn't what she'd imagined. Over ten thousand disciples gathered, including familiar elders, seated among them. Ye Chen hovered in the air, his voice like a divine melody, resonating with all. Listening briefly, Yi Qingwu realized he was lecturing—each word profound, accessible, and piercing the essence of the Dao. Even she was drawn in.

But the lecture ended quickly, leaving her unsatisfied, a flicker of frustration in her clenched teeth. As Ye Chen began selecting disciples for questions, a smile softened her stunning features. She'd overthought it. Ye Chen wasn't at odds with her Holy Land—he was building rapport, earning the favor of disciples and elders alike.

All for her. Before her seclusion to refine her origin, she'd asked him, for her sake, not to clash with Heavenly Intention Holy Land. Clearly, Ye Chen, who loved her deeply, wouldn't put her in a difficult spot.

But soon, her phoenix eyes narrowed, a chill creeping in. Ye Chen was choosing only female disciples to answer—each one strikingly beautiful. One tall and graceful, one fiery, another brimming with allure. Was he deliberately guiding the pretty ones?

Yi Qingwu had intended to fly over immediately but held back, watching from a distance, lightly biting her lip, lost in thought. Soon, the one-on-one Q&A ended. The disciples and elders outside Holy Maiden Peak bowed respectfully to Ye Chen, chorusing, "Thank you, Holy Son, for your teachings!" before dispersing.

Yi Qingwu felt dazed. Two months in seclusion, yet it seemed like a lifetime. Ye Chen, once a name reviled in Heavenly Intention Holy Land, now seemed revered as its Holy Son—more respected than Ying Tiansheng ever was. How much effort had he poured in for her sake? The chill in her eyes melted, replaced by warmth.

But as the crowd thinned, over twenty female disciples and several female elders lingered, flocking to Ye Chen's side.

"Holy Son, I heard you like sweet water. This is made from fragrant spirit fruit I picked from the back mountains. Try it!"

"Holy Son, with the Holy Maiden in seclusion, don't you feel lonely?"

"Holy Son, my cave at Holy Maiden Peak feels eerie, with strange water sounds at night. I'm scared. You're so powerful—could you check it tonight?"

"Holy Son, I'm stuck on a cultivation issue. If you could visit and guide me, I'm sure it'd be resolved completely."

Hearing their words, Yi Qingwu's gentle gaze turned icy, her teeth grinding. She'd been in seclusion, and Ye Chen had recruited disciples for her? Kind intentions, perhaps, but why only women? All of them beautiful, curvaceous, or delicate—each a sight to behold. Even the elders were among the Holy Land's renowned beauties. Was this for Holy Maiden Peak or Ye Chen's personal harem?

After every lecture and gifting, Ye Chen lingered with the female disciples, supposedly guiding them and managing the peak for her. Nothing more. No "thorough breakthroughs" or the like—just guidance.

But suddenly, Ye Chen sensed a chilling stare. His spirit sense swept out, and a system prompt sounded in his mind. His smiling demeanor toward the female disciples turned stern. "Why aren't you cultivating? What are you all doing here? I've said before, I'm not that kind of man. My heart belongs only to Qingwu! I'm going to her cave to accompany her. If you keep this up, I'll expel you all from Holy Maiden Peak!"

His sudden seriousness startled the flirtatious female disciples. He rushed toward the peak's summit as if a second's delay from Yi Qingwu would break him. They were stunned. Last time, he'd spent hours reading their palm lines to predict their immortal paths until nightfall. Why the change?

Then, someone glanced up, spotting Yi Qingwu's cold expression in the sky. Silence fell. The Holy Maiden had emerged from seclusion. Panic surged—they felt like mistresses caught by the wife.

Yi Qingwu glanced at the female disciples, suppressing the urge to expel them all, and drifted back to her cave. She'd only been in seclusion, not dead! Two months, and Ye Chen had already started a harem. Utterly outrageous!

Chapter 627: The Divine Maiden Cauldron!

When Yi Qingwu returned to her cave abode with a cold smirk, she found Ye Chen staring at her, a mix of shock and delight on his face. "Qingwu, you're out of seclusion! That's wonderful. You have no idea how much I've accomplished while you were in retreat. If you knew, you'd be thrilled. Most of the disciples and elders of the Heavenly Intention Holy Land have accepted me. There'll be no obstacles to us becoming dao companions in the future."

Ye Chen spoke with such conviction that it almost seemed genuine.

Yi Qingwu's lips curved into a sly smile. "Are you talking about how you handpicked beautiful female disciples and elders to join my Holy Maiden Peak to build your harem? Or how you read their palms, purified their water sources, and offered 'late-night guidance'? If I stayed in seclusion for another year, would I come out to find myself raising your kids?"

Ye Chen looked at her with mock pain. "How could you think of me like that? Everything I did was for our future! As for only recruiting female disciples, it's because I love you so much that I can't stand another man on Holy Maiden Peak…"

Yi Qingwu laughed, watching Ye Chen spin his tale as if it were the truth. She wasted no more words. Striding forward, endless moonlight coalesced behind her into four ribbons, binding Ye Chen's limbs and anchoring them to the cave's ceiling.

Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "I was in seclusion for just two months, and you couldn't wait to stir up all this trouble! Looks like you've got too much energy. I didn't satisfy you enough!"

Though Ye Chen's limbs were bound, he could break free easily. But this wasn't the time for that. He had to humbly accept his punishment.

Soon, though, Ye Chen started to panic. The fiancée seemed determined to drain him completely this time. This was dangerous. But who could resist loving their fiancée? He could only grit his teeth and endure.

Still, Ye Chen felt a twinge of regret—The fiancée was missing a whip… He'd already given out this week's gifts. He'd have to wait until next week.

…

After a week of endless torment and suffering, the system's cooldown finally ended. Ye Chen let out a long breath, his wrist trembling slightly. The moonlight ropes shattered.

Yi Qingwu stretched her slender neck, sneering. "What, drained already?"

Ye Chen nodded, then shook his head. "Halfway, maybe… but I suddenly thought of a gift for you, Qingwu."

With a wave of his hand, a divine whip forged from starlight appeared in his palm. "This feels perfect for you. You're about to break through to the Mahayana Realm. This whip suits you perfectly! I'll seal it with a secret technique so you can wield it like a mortal whip for now. Once you reach the Mahayana Realm, you can easily unseal it!"

Yi Qingwu gazed at the divine whip, a faint smile breaking through. During the previous battle, onlookers had gossiped that Ye Chen was hoarding treasures to give to other female cultivators. Clearly not. Ye Chen just wanted to spend more time with her, revealing his gifts bit by bit.

Knowing he already possessed the Heavenly Emperor Sword and the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod of the Victorious Fighting Ape Clan, Yi Qingwu didn't hesitate. She grasped the whip, giving it a light flick that cracked through the air. Holding the Star River Divine Whip, she radiated a unique aura…

Ye Chen immediately wanted to be "punished" by the fiancée again. Raising his hand, he bound his own limbs willingly…

Yi Qingwu froze, glancing at the whip in her hand, then at Ye Chen's eager, excited expression, utterly baffled. Who knew the Heavenly Emperor's heir was like this… but…

After a moment's hesitation, Yi Qingwu tossed the whip aside. Moonlight swirled behind her, binding her own limbs. She didn't look at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen waited, but nothing happened. Glancing at the fiancée, he was stunned for a moment before breaking into a grin. Compared to wielding a whip, the fiancée seemed to have an even more extraordinary wail. What could he do about it? Spoil her, of course!

As the crisp yet gentle sound of the whip echoed, the system's notifications rang incessantly in Ye Chen's mind…

"Congratulations, Host, for successfully gifting!"

"Gift: Low-grade Extreme Dao Weapon: Star River Divine Whip!"

"Four-thousand-fold feedback in progress…"

"Detected: Host's gifted item…"

"Triggered critical reward."

"Feedback: Supreme Extreme Dao Weapon: Divine Maiden Cauldron!"

"Feedback: Immortal Artifact: Dao Cauldron!"

Seeing the system's feedback, Ye Chen's eyes lit up, his grip tightening slightly. The fiancée was impressive. A buy-one-get-one feedback deal. An immortal artifact was within expectations. But an additional supreme Extreme Dao Weapon? That was a pleasant surprise.

Indeed, high multipliers were king. As expected, the fiancée's multiplier had risen from 3,500 to 4,000, despite the gift's purer and more abundant origin. The increase was smaller than last time.

Clearly, the higher it went, the harder it became. Achieving the Acquired Chaos Body would take time. But Ye Chen didn't mind—he welcomed it. This meant he could keep gifting origin, improving his own physique.

The Acquired Chaos Body was tough to attain, and the great herbs nurtured by the Alkaid Holy Son weren't limited to the Heavenly Intention Holy Son and the third-generation Star River King Body. There were plenty more.

If Ye Chen encountered any he disliked, he could harvest them. Even Alkaid himself was a great herb in Ye Chen's eyes. In the future, with the right opportunity, he'd toss him into the Devouring Heaven Demon Jar. The benefits would be substantial.

Next, Ye Chen examined the two treasures from the system. First, the Divine Maiden Cauldron. The name alone sounded dubious. And when Ye Chen saw its details, he was stunned…

It was indeed dubious. This supreme Extreme Dao Weapon specifically countered female cultivators. Once sucked into the cauldron, they were at its mercy.

The Divine Maiden Cauldron wielded the Law of Human Desire. Even the purest Divine Maiden or Holy Maiden would transform inside…

Its reputation was infamous, notorious across history. It was the sect treasure of the long-extinct Human Desire Sect.

Initially, things were fine. But a prodigy of the sect, despairing at his failure to ascend to immortality, went mad, using the cauldron to capture numerous Divine Maidens and Holy Maidens, sparking outrage.

The sect was annihilated by a coalition of forces. The Divine Maiden Cauldron vanished. It reappeared during the Heavenly Emperor era, used by the Emperor to capture pursuing Divine Maidens and Holy Maidens. He didn't do anything nefarious, merely auctioning them back to their factions.

Still, the major powers were furious, and female cultivators lived in fear. In the end, they united, scheming to destroy the Emperor's cauldron… making the Divine Maiden Cauldron a thing of legend. And now, it was in Ye Chen's hands.

Ye Chen felt helpless. He was an upright man—why would he need this? The cauldron's infamy would ruin his reputation. With his resources, he didn't need such tactics.

So, Ye Chen resolved firmly. Even if he died, even if he leapt from the highest peak of the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, he'd never use this cauldron—not even once!