ISWI Chapter 298-299

Chapter 298: Five-Colored Spiritual Peach Tree

An Yuyi, now much more well-behaved, made a point to inform Ye Chen before setting off. She didn't mention her quest for the spiritual peach tree, only saying she had a sect mission.

Ye Chen didn't think much of it. He casually handed her an array disk, a reward from a previous gift. Once activated, it could withstand attacks from a peak Nascent Soul cultivator for a full day, offering formidable defense. With An Yuyi at the peak of late Golden Core and already quite capable, combined with the ancient transmission talisman, she'd be safe enough to hold out until he could rescue her if danger arose. No big deal.

Ye Chen returned to refining his spiritual sense, sensing he was nearing perfection.

An Yuyi, warmed by his concern for her safety, felt her heart flutter. Seizing the moment, she launched another "sneak attack," clinging to him playfully before sashaying away with a satisfied sway of her striking figure.

...

She deployed a flying boat, boarding it with the mid-Golden Core female elder from Spiritual Plant Peak. They glided toward the depths of Divine Will Mountain.

"Yuyi, weren't you just early Golden Core a while ago? How did your cultivation skyrocket so fast?" The elder, sensing An Yuyi's aura, was visibly shocked.

An Yuyi grinned proudly but kept her wits about her, replying cryptically, "My aunt found me an opportunity."

The elder's envy was palpable. "If you strike it rich, don't forget me! If you come across another chance like that, you've got to hook your sister up!"

For most cultivators, advancing was a grueling slog. Take the Magic Peak Master, who recently announced a do-or-die seclusion for his Nascent Soul breakthrough. He'd reached Golden Core at 150 and only hit its peak at 270—a stark reminder of the immortal path's hardships. This was the reality for most.

Basking in the elder's admiration, An Yuyi felt elated. All of this was thanks to Brother Ye Chen. But the more she learned about him, the more a sense of insecurity gnawed at her. His excellence was almost unimaginable: a personal small world with thirty-six floating peaks rivaling a Holy Land, a Star Pool that boosted Golden Core cultivation, a Soul-Swaying Mountain that could elevate spiritual roots to Heavenly Spirit Root, and mastery of both the True Dragon and True Phoenix Treasure Techniques. He was no less impressive than a Holy Land prodigy.

Such a man was irresistibly magnetic to female cultivators. Take Li Feihuang, likely scheming from the Great Chu Empire. An Yuyi's sense of crisis was acute. She'd initially thought her aunt could step back, but now she reconsidered. It was better to keep her aunt in the game. Together, they'd be unstoppable.

Lost in these thoughts, An Yuyi ventured deeper into Divine Will Mountain.

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

When the flying boat came to a halt, An Yuyi surveyed her surroundings, closing her eyes to sense the mark she'd left last time. She nodded. "This is the place!"

With that, she drifted downward, soon landing on a small hill. The elder from Spiritual Plant Peak followed closely behind.

Among countless towering ancient trees, An Yuyi quickly located a small tree, barely a meter tall, shimmering with spiritual qi. Its branches were lush, each leaf a vibrant jade-green, glowing faintly. The mere scent of its leaves was refreshing, uplifting the spirit.

"Peach leaves green as jade, a trunk bearing only nine main branches, each with nine smaller branches, and each smaller branch bearing nine leaves. When mature, it blooms with five-colored peach blossoms, eighty-one each year, yielding eighty-one fruits," the elder mused. "It really is a Five-Colored Spiritual Peach Tree. Yuyi, your luck is truly heaven-defying! These peaches can purify spiritual power, even benefiting Golden Core cultivators slightly. A single fruit could fetch fifty high-grade spirit stones—four or five thousand annually!"

The elder, surnamed Lin, gleamed with excitement. "Yuyi, this tree won't mature for another decade and requires significant resources. You're not a spiritual plant cultivator, so it'll be a hassle to maintain. Why not sell it to me? I'll offer thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones. Give me three days back at the sect, and I'll have them ready for you."

For a spiritual plant cultivator like her, this tree promised a fortune. With a lifespan of two thousand years, its yields could sustain a Golden Core family's legacy indefinitely.

An Yuyi shook her head. "Sorry, Elder Lin, but this is for Senior Brother Ye Chen. However, the five hundred high-grade spirit stones I promised you will be delivered as soon as we return to the sect."

Elder Lin's face fell, tinged with envy. "Such a precious treasure, and you're just giving it away? You're too generous, Yuyi!"

An Yuyi smiled but shook her head inwardly. While the peach tree was valuable, it paled compared to Ye Chen's gifts. The Star Pool, for instance—if priced at a million high-grade spirit stones per use, Nascent Soul families would still grit their teeth to secure a session for their prodigies, saving decades or even centuries of cultivation. Its value was incalculable.

Then there was the floating peak, the True Phoenix Treasure Technique, and Ye Chen's promise to let her use Soul-Swaying Divine Stones to reach a Heavenly Spirit Root. Compared to his generosity, this Five-Colored Spiritual Peach Tree was little more than a weed.

Spiritual plants were delicate, and transplanting them required a skilled spiritual plant cultivator to avoid damaging or killing them.

Elder Lin circled the Five-Colored Spiritual Peach Tree cautiously, casting a series of spells and embedding several talismans into the soil. She worked meticulously for half a day before finally raising her hand. "Rise…"

The tree lifted from the earth, its intricate, sprawling roots intact, not a single one severed. With a flick of her finger, Elder Lin shrank the tree and carefully placed it into a prepared jade box, sealing it quickly. She turned to An Yuyi with a serious tone. "This box will keep the tree viable for a month. Transplanting it will also require spiritual planting techniques. I suggest you call on me when the time comes."

An Yuyi accepted the jade box carefully, nodding. "If I need help, I'll definitely trouble Elder Lin."

But it was mere courtesy. The tree was destined for Ye Chen's small world—how could she let an outsider know of its existence? Besides, Ye Chen had studied spiritual planting, having received third-grade insights personally sourced by her aunt. It should be fine.

Just as An Yuyi, satisfied and ready to leave with Elder Lin, her brows furrowed. Her magical robe activated instantly, radiating battle intent. A flying sword rose behind her, brimming with killing aura.

Elder Lin jumped, her face paling. "Yuyi, it's just five hundred top-grade spirit stones for my help! You don't need to kill me to keep it quiet! I'll waive the fee, alright?"

An Yuyi didn't respond, her icy gaze fixed on the distance. "Who's there?"

Realizing the situation, Elder Lin pulled out her magical tool, warily eyeing the same direction.

At that moment, a young man in ornate robes emerged from the void, his expression smug. His faintly sinister eyes landed on An Yuyi's youthful, charming face and striking figure, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"To detect this Young Master's presence—impressive," he said. "This trip to the Divine Will Sect has been fruitful. Not only did I secure Ancestor Lei's legacy, a low-grade Heavenly Nascent Soul technique, but I also stumbled upon a Five-Colored Spiritual Peach Tree to bolster my clan's foundation. And now, a late Golden Core cauldron to aid my smoother Nascent Soul breakthrough. Truly, the Heavens favor me!"

An Yuyi's eyes turned frigid at his words.

Chapter 299: Protector

"This late Golden Core cauldron, brimming with virgin aura, vibrant blood qi, and perfect spiritual power—what a harvest! This is the greatest treasure of my trip!" The man's lecherous gaze roamed over An Yuyi, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

An Yuyi's expression grew colder.

Elder Lin, who had retreated half a step behind An Yuyi when the man appeared, trembled with indignation. Am I invisible? Is this cultivation world even fair anymore?

Before the man could continue, An Yuyi's flying sword slashed out, crackling with starlight divine thunder, moving with blinding speed. In an instant, it aimed for his neck.

The man's face shifted slightly. Blue flames erupted from his body, his aura surging. As the sword struck, his figure vanished, reappearing a hundred meters away, his eyes gleaming with interest. "A mere Nascent Soul sect like Divine Will Sect has an elder as capable as you? That's unexpected."

"Listen well," he declared. "I am Han Feng, Young Master of Heavenly Nether Sect! Submit to me, and I'll grant you the position of concubine. When I harvest you, I'll spare your essence. If you perform well, I'll bestow upon you Heavenly Nether Sect's supreme heart-refining technique, giving you a chance to form an Immortal Nascent Soul. But if you resist, I'll annihilate the entire Divine Will Sect!"

His smile remained, but his eyes turned chillingly sinister with his final words.

Elder Lin's face paled at his identity. Heavenly Nether Sect was a major power in Great Yan Continent, half-righteous, half-demonic, with a Deity Transformation ancestor at its helm. Known for their vindictive nature and penchant for wiping out entire clans, the sect's name struck fear into cultivators' hearts.

Yet, Heavenly Nether Sect was far from Divine Will Sect, even beyond the Great Chu Empire, at the very edge of Great Yan Continent. The two had no dealings. Why was their Young Master here?

An Yuyi's eyes, however, burned with even greater killing intent. His high status only meant he had to die—and his body destroyed to erase all traces. Her hands formed seals, unleashing a barrage of terrifying starlight divine thunder, chaining together like locks from all directions, leaving Han Feng no room to escape.

Han Feng's gaze turned icy. The blue flames around him roared, their eerie, nether-infused heat seeming to burn through anything. As the thunder struck, the flames met it head-on, colliding with a deafening boom. The shockwave rippled outward, uprooting countless trees with its gusts.

Bathed in blue fire, Han Feng strode through the chaotic energy, reaching for An Yuyi with a palm strike. She countered, her feet sparking with divine thunder as she dodged, retaliating with another torrent of thunder.

The two clashed fiercely, locked in a deadlock.

Elder Lin, a spiritual plant cultivator unsuited for combat, retreated far back. Watching the battle's shockwaves, her eyes widened in awe. The power was staggering—a single graze would leave her gravely injured. But what shocked her most was An Yuyi's strength.

Once a middling direct disciple, how had she grown so formidable in just a few years? To hold her own against Heavenly Nether Sect's Young Master? It was unthinkable. Her strength was nearly on par with her aunt's—absurdly impressive.

On the battlefield, An Yuyi's eyes blazed with fighting spirit. Her heart swelled with gratitude toward Ye Chen. Her current strength was entirely thanks to him. The powerful techniques her aunt had taught her? Gifts from Ye Chen. The Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core that perfectly balanced her star and thunder spiritual roots? From Ye Chen. The treasures that boosted her power and tempered her foundation, the top-grade spiritual artifact she wielded, even her late Golden Core cultivation—all were his doing. He had propelled her into the ranks of geniuses, enabling her to hold her own against the Young Master of Heavenly Nether Sect, perhaps even overpower and kill him.

She hadn't yet unleashed her trump card: the True Phoenix Treasure Technique.

As Han Feng charged again, wreathed in nether flames and moving with blinding speed, An Yuyi seemed unable to dodge, prompting a cold smirk from him. But at the critical moment, she opened her mouth, unleashing a terrifying phoenix cry laced with radiant light, blasting toward him.

The attack was too close for Han Feng to evade, striking him head-on. The sonic wave was devastating, capable of shattering flesh and blood, trembling the very void. His robes disintegrated, but at the last second, his blue flames deepened, boosting his aura and speed. He retreated dozens of miles in a flash, barely surviving the blow, though his clothes were tattered and his neat hair now a mess.

His face darkened as he glared at An Yuyi. "True Phoenix Treasure Technique?"

An Yuyi remained silent, inwardly shocked. Even her phoenix cry hadn't killed him. This Heavenly Nether Sect Young Master was stronger than she'd anticipated.

"Excellent. The Heavens truly favor me!" Han Feng sneered. "Your True Phoenix Treasure Technique is powerful, and soon it'll be mine!"

His blue flames surged, shifting to an inky black, their intensity multiplying. Enveloped in dark nether fire, he resembled a nether god, with eerie shadows writhing behind him, evoking the underworld itself. His aura was several times stronger than before.

Elder Lin, now dozens of miles away after crushing a distress talisman, trembled at the sight. She recognized this as Heavenly Nether Sect's infamous Nether Flame Triad Transformation.

By harnessing three types of nether flames, a cultivator could undergo three transformations, each stronger than the last. With high-quality flames, the third transformation could amplify strength exponentially, enabling short bursts of overwhelming power to crush any opponent.

An Yuyi appeared stunned, her eyes wide with panic, seemingly overwhelmed.

Han Feng smirked, launching a massive nether flame hand toward her. But in that instant, a talisman appeared in her hand, activated in a flash. A terrifying divine thunder, so powerful it seemed to crush the void, erupted from her, targeting Han Feng. His expression shifted. The nether flames faltered, locked down by the thunder, and for the first time, he felt the specter of death.

An Yuyi's lips curved into a graceful smile. This talisman, another gift from Senior Brother Ye, could harm Nascent Soul cultivators. Han Feng, despite his strength, was only late Golden Core—he was doomed.

But at that moment, a massive hand emerged from the void, seizing the divine thunder. The lightning writhed like a serpent, unleashing torrents of electric light as if to destroy the heavens, but it couldn't break free. Moments later, it dissipated.

Han Feng's lips curled into a triumphant smile.

An Yuyi's face paled, her pupils constricting as she stared at the black-robed elder in the void. His calm presence and billowing robes exuded an aura that instilled fear just by looking at him.

"A protector…" she realized. "A Nascent Soul protector, at least mid-stage!"

His ability to nullify the divine thunder confirmed his strength. Without hesitation, she turned to fly toward Elder Lin, transmitting a message for her to close the distance.

But Elder Lin, paralyzed by the sudden appearance of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, panicked. Seeing An Yuyi approach, she turned and fled, unwilling to risk being caught in the crossfire.

An Yuyi sighed, halting her movement. Instead, she activated the array disk Ye Chen had given her before she left, pouring spiritual energy into it to trigger its defenses.