ISWI Chapter 381-383

Chapter 381: Yi Qingwu

"Grandfather, is Yi Qingwu really that formidable? The greatest female cultivator of our generation?" He Jiu, in her early twenties, was brimming with curiosity about the outside world. She had little interest in the Heavenly Desire Sect's Divine Maiden but was deeply intrigued by Yi Qingwu, the so-called foremost female immortal.

Elder He's eyes flickered with reminiscence. "I've never met Yi Qingwu, but judging by her grandmother's grace back in the day, she's bound to be exceptional."

At this, Ye Chen's interest piqued. Was there a story between Elder He and Yi Qingwu's grandmother?

He Jiu's eyes sparkled with gossip. Elder He, unfazed, gave a carefree smile. "Back when I roamed the cultivation world, I was considered a prodigy of my generation. During an expedition to some ruins, I met Yi Qingwu's grandmother and was utterly captivated. When she unleashed her Broad Cold Immortal Physique, with a grand moon above her head and endless moonlight streaming from her back, she was like a lunar fairy. I was smitten.

"Despite the strained relations between our Holy Lands, I didn't care. I followed her for over a decade, using the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Scripture to divine secrets for her, even suffering backlash and spitting blood just to aid her cultivation. But in the end, she chose someone else. It broke my heart to realize I'd been used. I returned to the Holy Land and never saw her again. That was over two hundred years ago. Yet, thinking back now, I still feel a touch of nostalgia. And soon, I'll see her again—I'm even a bit nervous."

Elder He spoke candidly of his past with Yi Qingwu's grandmother. Ye Chen understood now: she was his unattainable white moonlight, the one that got away.

This wasn't good news. Ye Chen knew better than most the power a white moonlight held over a man. If Yi Qingwu came after him, would Elder He, lost in memories of her grandmother's beauty, get swept up in old feelings? Would he, in a moment of rekindled passion, side with her and suppress Ye Chen?

Glancing at Elder He, Ye Chen ventured, "It's admirable that you can speak so openly about it now, Elder He. It seems you've moved on—congratulations!"

Elder He sighed, gazing at the sky. "Moved on? I never even picked her up to let her go. But talking about it now makes me want to see her again. I heard her husband failed a breakthrough and died fifty years ago. Maybe I still have a chance."

This was bad—Elder He was unreliable. But his combat strength wasn't exceptional. Even if he lost his senses, Ye Chen's protector, Elder Mo, should keep things under control.

...

White Emperor City was already the liveliest immortal city in Great Yan Continent, frequented by prodigies due to the treasures from the Central Continent. Now, with the auction and the Heavenly Desire Sect's Divine Maiden debuting, it was buzzing with excitement. Prodigies from various sects and great families—each a standout of the younger generation—gathered, their discussions filling the air.

Today, an enormous skyship descended directly above the city's center, drawing gasps and awed stares from countless cultivators. Most factions had to stop at the city gates, but a Holy Land could boldly dock at the heart of White Emperor City.

A figure radiating overwhelming presence stepped off the skyship. The man was imposing, his vitality surging like a tidal wave, black hair whipping wildly in the wind, exuding a carefree aura. Standing there, his battle intent blazed, so intense that ordinary cultivators felt their eyes sting and tear up just by looking at him.

Exclamations erupted in White Emperor City. "It's Yao Gu!"

"The Yao family never relies on numbers—just two or three heirs per generation."

"Yao Gu feels even more terrifying now. Has he broken through to Deity Transformation?"

"Tch, he's barely forty and already reached Deity Transformation? That's insane."

"Even if it's not a Holy Son, Yao Gu's no slouch. He was only slightly weaker than the Fourth Holy Son back then. Now, with Deity Transformation, he might even surpass him!"

Yao Gu, with his extraordinary physique, smirked at the chatter. Having broken through to Deity Transformation, he was brimming with confidence. This trip, he vowed to tame the Heavenly Desire Sect's Divine Maiden and settle an old score with Ye Chen, the so-called Fourth Holy Son.

Ye Chen's combat prowess was formidable, but Yao Gu was now in the Deity Transformation realm. If the gap between minor realms was one, the gap between major realms was five, even ten.

As a prodigy himself, Yao Gu's breakthrough brought an even greater boost. Against such a chasm, what could Ye Chen's Heavy Pupils do?

Still, his protector had advised him to befriend Ye Chen, so Yao Gu wouldn't challenge him publicly to save him some face. He'd wait for a private moment to crush him.

...

As the Yao family's skyship faded into the void, another arrived. A staircase of divine lightning unfurled from the sky, and a graceful figure cloaked in moonlight descended. Her face was obscured, only her flowing azure hair visible, yet her presence captivated all. Even without seeing her features, her perfection was palpable. The moment she appeared, the world seemed to dim—sun and moon paled in her radiance. No beauty could compare.

White Emperor City fell silent. Yi Qingwu had arrived.

Everyone marveled. Truly, she was Great Yan Continent's foremost female cultivator, stunning all without even revealing her face. What would her unveiled beauty be like? Hearts raced with anticipation, yearning for a glimpse. But like a lunar goddess, she glided ethereally into Heavenly Intention Holy Land's palace and vanished.

After her departure, hundreds of Heavenly Intention disciples disembarked, each exceptional, sparking awe. "Fairy Yi really came! If I could see her face, I'd die content!"

"Jealous of Heavenly Intention's Holy Son!"

"Who's better-looking, Fairy Yi or the Divine Maiden about to debut?"

"How dare anyone compare that Heavenly Desire Sect woman to our fairy?"

"Yao Gu's here from the Yao family, and Heavenly Intention brought Fairy Yi and two legacy disciples. Who's Heavenly Evolution sending?"

"If it's that Fourth Holy Son, things will get interesting."

"No way. Fairy Yi's too noble to bother suppressing Ye Chen, but if he shows up, it's a provocation. With her strength, she'd never let him off."

"Yeah, and Yao Gu's at Deity Transformation now. He'd probably fight him too."

"Shame. I wanted to see the Heavy Pupil prodigy in action."

The crowd speculated that Heavenly Evolution would send their Second or Third Holy Son, lamenting the missed spectacle.

...

Soon, another skyship descended over White Emperor City. A handsome man in a yin-yang fish robe stepped out, a smile on his face, followed by dozens of Heavenly Evolution disciples. They walked down from the sky.

The city fell into stunned silence. The onlookers were shocked. Heavenly Evolution's top prodigy was none other than the Fourth Holy Son? The one who killed Heavenly Intention Holy Son's brother and destroyed his avatar, knowing full well Yi Qingwu would be here—yet he still dared to come to White Emperor City? Was he fearless or just reckless?

Chapter 382: Ye Chen, Lend Me Your Car for a Few Days!

Soon, the crowd made a new discovery, gasping in astonishment once more. The Fourth Holy Son's cultivation had reached the late Nascent Soul stage! Just a few years ago, during his battle with the Heavenly Intention Holy Son's incarnation, he was only at the early Nascent Soul stage. How could he have broken through so quickly?

"I'm a cultivator too—why haven't I progressed this fast?"

Under the shocked gazes of countless cultivators, Ye Chen led the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land disciples calmly toward their designated residence. He sensed several hostile stares fixed on him.

Pausing, Ye Chen leisurely turned his head. Two disciples from the Heavenly Intention Holy Land stood at a distance, glaring at him coldly. Their robes resembled those worn by Ying Tianjing, the Heavenly Intention Holy Son's fallen brother. Their cultivation was profound, both at the Deity Transformation stage.

Ye Chen glanced at them, then scanned their surroundings. No system prompt sounded. Nor did he spot Yi Qingwu, the Heavenly Intention Holy Maiden, famed as the Great Yan Continent's greatest female immortal. A twinge of disappointment hit him. He was about to move on when he noticed the two disciples still staring, their eyes brimming with provocation despite their silence.

Ye Chen stopped in his tracks. Chaos qi swirled in his eyes, his pupils deepening like a starry river, as if they could swallow souls. The two Heavenly Intention Holy Land disciples, both at the Deity Transformation stage, were caught off guard. Their souls were momentarily ensnared.

Though they quickly stabilized themselves with a secret technique, they had already lost a wisp of their soul essence, their faces paling. Their gazes toward Ye Chen now carried a hint of wariness.

Ye Chen didn't bother saying anything more. With a wave, he led his disciples away, vanishing from sight. Though the exchange was brief, countless onlookers had witnessed it. They were utterly stunned.

The Fourth Holy Son's talent was astounding. In a single glance, he'd made two Deity Transformation-stage legacy disciples suffer a small loss. The Heavy Pupils bloodline was truly fearsome.

Even so, the crowd remained skeptical about Ye Chen's chances. After all, the Heavenly Intention Holy Maiden, Yi Qingwu, was present. Her Broad Cold Immortal Body might not have the same renown as the Heavy Pupils, but its combat power was no less formidable.

Moreover, Yi Qingwu was at the peak of the Deity Transformation stage. The gap between her and Ye Chen was an entire major realm. If Yi Qingwu made a move, no matter how powerful his Heavy Pupils were, Ye Chen would surely be suppressed.

In short, the cultivators of White Emperor City were buzzing with excitement. They speculated eagerly about when Yi Qingwu would confront Ye Chen. They also wondered if Yao Gu would challenge the Heavenly Intention Holy Son again to wash away his past defeat.

…

Arriving at the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's residence, the disciples were buzzing with excitement. Though the auction was still half a month away, White Emperor City was already teeming with activity. There was plenty to see, including the cultivation world's largest open market.

Many cultivators would display their treasures during this time, either selling them outright or bartering for other goods. The disciples were eager to explore, and Ye Chen waved them off, letting them wander freely.

He, however, planned to return to his courtyard and cultivate beneath the Enlightenment Tea Tree. The divine maiden hadn't yet appeared. His so-called fiancée was nowhere to be seen. With the auction still weeks away, he figured he might as well focus on his cultivation.

But he'd barely taken two steps when a servant from the residence hurried over, bowing respectfully. "Holy Son, Yao Gu, the prodigy from the Yao family, has come to visit and requests an audience!"

Yao Gu?

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

The nickname "Ye the Fourth" that had spread through the cultivation world? That was definitely this guy's doing. Calling him "brother-in-law" to his face but "Ye the Fourth" behind his back, huh?

Still, Ye Chen waved a hand, instructing the servant to bring Yao Gu in. He wanted to hear about his senior sister, Yao Xi. Had she awakened her Primordial Spirit Body? How was she faring in the Yao family? Once things in White Emperor City wrapped up, he might pay a visit to the Yao family to check on her.

As he mused, a burly figure strode into the courtyard, radiating smug confidence. A powerful aura unique to the Deity Transformation stage rolled off him. It was Yao Gu.

Spotting Ye Chen, Yao Gu's lips curled into a grin. "Ye Chen, the Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maiden will make her debut in three days. But with Yi Qingwu in the city, I'd suggest you stay put—unless you want a beating. Lend me your war chariot for a bit. With that chariot, I'll take the divine maiden for a spin in the skies. Who knows? I might just win her heart.

"Don't worry, I won't mess it up. And if I do, I'll clean it myself. Back in the day, the Heavenly Emperor got away with borrowing stuff for free. I, Yao Gu, am just following in the footsteps of the ancients! Since my brother isn't here, this generation's divine maiden is mine for the taking."

Yao Gu's voice boomed with bravado. Ye Chen couldn't help but chuckle. Who did this guy think he was, comparing himself to the Heavenly Emperor? Last time they met, Yao Gu was all "brother-in-law" this and that.

Now, a few years later, he'd dropped the pleasantries and was calling Ye Chen by name? Just because he'd broken through to Deity Transformation, he thought he was hot stuff?

For the sake of Yao Xi, Ye Chen couldn't be bothered to argue. He asked calmly, "How's Yao Xi doing? Has she awakened her Primordial Spirit Body? What's her cultivation level now?"

Yao Gu, clearly uninterested in answering, waved off the question with a scowl. "Ye Chen, I'm talking about borrowing your chariot. Some friends asked me what happened to that chariot from before. Could I tell them it got smashed? Of course not! I said I upgraded to a new one. Tonight, when we're drinking, I'll show it off. The last one got wrecked, but for the sake of the Holy Maiden, I let it slide. Just lend me the chariot for a while, and we're good."

Ye Chen burst out laughing. This guy had the nerve to demand compensation for a chariot? He recalled their last encounter—Yao Gu could barely string a sentence together until Ye Chen had knocked some sense into him. Apparently, the lesson hadn't stuck.

White Emperor City had rules against fighting within its bounds, but the private residences of holy lands and major sects were exempt. As long as the commotion didn't spill outside, anything could happen within the array-protected grounds.

"And if I don't lend it to you?" Ye Chen stood up, grinning.

Yao Gu's brows furrowed, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Ye Chen. The pressure of his Deity Transformation cultivation surged like a tidal wave, bearing down on Ye Chen.

"Ye Chen, I broke through to Deity Transformation using the Void Visualization Diagram left by my ancestor, infused with a trace of his true intent. Not to mention, my Void Scripture has reached major completion, and I wield immortal techniques with ease. The me of today is not the me of the past.

"For the sake of our Holy Maiden, I'd rather not fight and suppress you. After all, White Emperor City is crowded, and I should let you save some face. But if you insist on being stubborn, don't blame me for settling old scores."

As he spoke, Yao Gu slowly rose into the air, divine light radiating behind him. A massive, hazy figure loomed at his back—the Heaven and Earth Manifestation, a divine ability unique to the Deity Transformation stage.

Together, Yao Gu and his towering projection looked down at Ye Chen, their voice like rolling thunder. "Ye Chen, I advise you to think carefully…"

Chapter 383: Brother-in-Law, I Was Wrong!

Save me some face? You're a real nice guy, aren't you?

Ye Chen could tell Yao Gu wasn't all bad. Just a bit dim-witted and prone to getting cocky. Being ordinary wasn't a fault. Confidence wasn't either. Ordinary and confident? Perfectly reasonable. But arrogance? That's where he crossed the line.

Ye Chen didn't rush to act. Instead, he asked, puzzled, "I took down the Heavenly Intention Holy Son's incarnation. You really think you're stronger than that? Besides, you're not the only one who's broken through. I'm at late Nascent Soul now—two minor realms ahead. With my Heavy Pupils, what makes you think you can take me?"

Ye Chen genuinely couldn't wrap his head around it. Normally, he wasn't one for chatter, but he couldn't help asking a few more questions.

Yao Gu smirked, brimming with self-assurance. "Nascent Soul, whether early or late, is still Nascent Soul. Deity Transformation is a different beast. My nascent soul transforms into a divine soul, awakening the Heaven and Earth Manifestation divine ability.

"Deity Transformation cultivators aren't even in the same league as Nascent Soul ones. Your Heavy Pupils are impressive, sure, but they're not invincible. My clan's Void Immortal Scripture has techniques to counter them.

"As a Yao, do you think I'd let the same trick beat me twice? As for the Holy Son's incarnation? Just a wisp of divine will. It didn't even have the Heaven and Earth Manifestation. How strong could it be? If it were me, I'd have handled it with ease."

Ye Chen: "…"

Logical, convincing, and hard to argue with. If it were anyone else, Yao Gu's words might hold water. Too bad he was up against Ye Chen.

With no counterargument, Ye Chen didn't bother talking. A beating would do the trick. Chaos qi radiated from his eyes, flooding the surroundings.

In an instant, a pure land formed around Yao Gu, enveloping him completely.

Yao Gu sneered. "Asking for trouble! I didn't want to step on you to climb higher, but since you're begging for it, don't blame me for crushing you."

Boom!

The shadowy figure behind Yao Gu materialized, turning from illusion to reality. The void around it began to collapse. A terrifying aura flowed like something tangible. It was as if an ancient immortal, hundreds of meters tall, was awakening to descend upon this world.

This was the Heaven and Earth Manifestation. This was what made Deity Transformation cultivators truly fearsome. The Heaven and Earth Manifestation, powered by the divine soul, harnessed the forces of heaven and earth to create an overwhelmingly terrifying entity. Its appearance multiplied a cultivator's destructive power exponentially.

As the shadowy figure solidified, it held an array diagram—Yao Gu's Nascent Soul phenomenon. With his breakthrough to Deity Transformation, it too had turned from illusion to reality, growing even more formidable.

Yao Gu's Heaven and Earth Manifestation brandished the array diagram, unleashing beams of divine light, each capable of obliterating a peak Nascent Soul cultivator. He aimed to shatter the pure land created by Ye Chen's Heavy Pupils.

Yao Gu laughed maniacally, waiting for the pure land to crack. He was ready to crow to Ye Chen: Heavy Pupils? So what? I, Yao Gu, bow to no one!

But in the next moment, Yao Gu fell silent. His divine light barraged the edges of the pure land, yet the chaos qi swirled and neutralized every blow. The void-shattering power of his array diagram was rendered useless within this pure land. Yao Gu panicked.

Ye Chen, meanwhile, had seen enough. Deity Transformation did have some tricks up its sleeve. This Heaven and Earth Manifestation? It reminded him of piloting a giant mecha from some anime in his past life. Pretty impressive.

But Yao Gu? He was just too weak. It felt like a waste to even use his Heavy Pupils on him.

Ye Chen transformed into a Kun Peng, instantly entering the pure land. With a wave of his hand, several true dragons materialized.

Yao Gu snorted coldly. "Can't break your Heavy Pupils? Fine, I'll still crush you!"

He positioned himself at the brow of his Heaven and Earth Manifestation manifestation and clashed with Ye Chen, intent on teaching him a lesson. With a sweep of his massive hand, he shattered all the true dragons. But the moment they collided, the colossal Heaven and Earth Manifestation staggered, nearly toppled by the impact.

Yao Gu couldn't believe it. Why were Ye Chen's True Dragon Treasure Technique so much stronger than before?

And soon, his shock deepened. It wasn't just the True Dragon Treasure Technique that had grown more formidable. The True Phoenix and Kunpeng Treasure Techniques Ye Chen had used before were now even more terrifying. Their mystical power made Yao Gu feel as if he were battling ancient mythical beasts. The pressure was immense. How had Ye Chen's Ten Vicious Treasure Techniques progressed so rapidly? It felt like it was nearing major completion.

"How the hell did Ye the Fourth train the Ten Vicious Treasure Techniques? Did the Vicious Ten themselves show up to tutor him?"

What frustrated Yao Gu most was Ye Chen's occasional blasts of mysterious lightning.

The lightning was terrifying, piercing straight through his Heaven and Earth Manifestation and striking his true body. His defensive techniques couldn't fully block it. Even a sliver of lightning that slipped through left him scorched and rattled. If his physical body weren't so robust, he wouldn't have withstood it. Even so, his body trembled now and then.

Since when did Ye Chen master lightning techniques?

Yao Gu was starting to panic. Had he been too arrogant earlier? Ye Chen was, after all, his Holy Maiden's partner—practically family. He should've been more polite. But the panic was fleeting.

Yao Gu quickly regained his confidence. He was in the Deity Transformation stage, his divine soul linked to the heavens, his spiritual power recovery far surpassing Ye Chen's Nascent Soul capabilities.

Ye Chen's Ten Vicious Treasure Techniques was powerful, but they had to be spiritual power-intensive. In a prolonged fight, Ye Chen would never outlast him.

Ye Chen's Kun Peng speed kept him untouchable. But so what? Yao Gu could afford a hundred mistakes. Ye Chen only needed to slip up once to be suppressed. The advantage was his!

Soon, Yao Gu seized his chance. From his brow, he unleashed a Void Flower, its nine-colored divine light surging, briefly freezing Ye Chen's movements.

In that same instant, the Heaven and Earth Manifestation beneath Yao Gu threw a blazing punch, its fiery light threatening to split the world in two.

Ye Chen, momentarily stalled by the Void Flower, took the full brunt of the blow.

A grin spread across Yao Gu's face. The fight was over. He hadn't gone all out, but that punch carried eighty percent of his strength—enough to leave Ye Chen gravely injured.

But in the next moment, Yao Gu's expression froze. His Void-Splitting Dual Realms Fist had been blocked. This was a supreme technique from the Void Immortal Scripture!

Yet Ye Chen, with arms braced in front of him, hadn't even been knocked back. He stood there, effortlessly blocking the strike. No matter how closely Yao Gu looked, he couldn't find a single injury on Ye Chen's body. Forget coughing up blood—there wasn't even a noticeable mark on his arms!

What was going on? Ye Chen's been training a top-tier body refinement technique too? His physical body is this strong now? This was absurd!

In that moment, Yao Gu's inflated ego deflated rapidly.

A stiff, awkward smile spread across his face. "Brother-in-law, I was just kidding earlier. My sister's doing great in the Yao family. As for the chariot, forget the compensation! We're family—who cares about small stuff like that? Brother-in-law, calm down!"