ISWI Chapter 485-486

Chapter 485: I Really Just Want to Farm Immortal Roots!

For the past year, Ye Chen had been tirelessly collecting rare herbs. Rare herbs were hard to find, but compared to immortal roots, they were far easier. With enough spirit stones, treasures, and Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's vast network, Ye Chen acquired top-tier herbs like Blood Jade Bone Ginseng and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone.

He didn't rashly gift these to the female cultivators around him. He waited for the perfect moment. None of his companions was injured, so gifting herbs wouldn't trigger the maximum critical hit needed for immortal root feedback. Thus, he kept tabs on the outside world, having people search for news of injured female cultivators.

Half a year ago, a Deity Transformation female elder from Clumsy Peak was poisoned by a terrifying ancient toxin while exploring ruins. Half her body was corroded to bone.

The Medical Peak elder declared that only a Blood Jade Bone Ginseng could cure her; otherwise, it'd take a century to purge the poison, during which her cultivation would plummet, effectively ending her immortal path.

Many pitied her, but Blood Jade Bone Ginseng was nearly extinct, unobtainable even by the Holy Land. A supreme herb for healing physical injuries, it could restore a near-dead body with a single dose. Its value was akin to a cultivator's life. Even if someone had it, they wouldn't give it to a mere Deity Transformation elder—her worth paled in comparison.

But upon hearing the news, Ye Chen visited Clumsy Peak the next day. Without hesitation, he presented the Blood Jade Bone Ginseng he'd acquired at great cost. In the elder's disbelieving gaze, he helped her refine it.

By noon, her half-skeletal body was fully restored, returning to its former radiant, voluptuous beauty. She wept, kowtowing in gratitude. After Ye Chen left, she promptly resigned from Clumsy Peak, flew to Immortal Ascension Peak the next day, and requested to join Ye Chen's harem peak. He personally welcomed her in.

The incident became a legend in Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. People marveled at the Fourth Holy Son's generosity. A Blood Jade Bone Ginseng? Even Mahayana cultivators would treasure it.

Yet the Fourth Holy Son gave it to an elder with little prior connection. Rumors spread that he fancied her, especially her "generous" figure, and gifted it to win her over. Even so, his magnanimity was undeniable. Lustful male cultivators were common, but how many would part with such a treasure?

Six months later, another incident arose. An elder's prodigy daughter, while practicing a top-tier secret technique, birthed a heart demon, causing her to go berserk. Her meridians and dantian collapsed, severing her immortal path.

The news saddened many. She was a rare talent with a Heavenly Spirit Root and Ice Marrow Star Body, a renowned physique with potential for the Unity Stage. To fall so early was tragic. Her father, devoted to her, frantically sought solutions, learning that a Ninth-Grade Purple Cloud Mushroom could repair her dantian, mend her flaws, and restore her immortal path.

The Ninth-Grade Purple Cloud Mushroom was even rarer. In the past thousand years, it appeared only once in Great Yan Continent, as the finale item at an auction half a year ago. It was won by the Fourth Holy Son. The elder immediately sought Ye Chen's help, offering a slave contract to serve him for life, just to save her daughter.

Ye Chen, upon hearing this, lifted the elder up. Without hesitation, he visited the female disciple. In front of everyone, he presented the Ninth-Grade Purple Cloud Mushroom as a gift. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, the Fourth Holy Son drifted away, leaving no trace behind. The disciple's family wept in gratitude.

This shook the entire Holy Land, with people marveling at the Holy Son's generosity. Her beauty, enhanced by her unique physique, sparked talk. Some wondered if the Fourth Holy Son had taken a liking to her. Sure enough, half a month later, after recovering, she joined his harem peak.

…

The Holy Land buzzed with talk. The Holy Son was insatiable for women, spending such rare treasures for them. With a mountain of consorts already, his appetite seemed boundless. Outrageous.

But outsiders didn't know: these two rescues—by the female elder and disciple—yielded two immortal roots for Ye Chen. One was the Vermilion Bird Undying Herb, a supreme medicine for physical injuries. Every century, it bore ten fruits, healing any physical issue—curses, unhealable wounds, even law-related damage—restoring the body fully while boosting its strength.

The other was the Qilin Undying Herb, a cultivation marvel. Cultivators faced countless mishaps and hidden injuries that could end their path. Its Qilin-shaped fruits, ten every century, resolved nearly all cultivation issues. For example, Lin Qingtan's physique-related cultivation block could be fixed with one fruit. Its power was evident.

In just a year, Ye Chen gained two more immortal roots. With the original three, he now had five—nearly half of the cultivation world's twelve. With continued effort, he might gather all within a decade.

But there was a downside. His Ascension Peak grew crowded. His reputation turned odd. He genuinely only wanted to gift for feedback. The curvy elder or the cool, first-love-like disciple? He had no designs on them.

Yet, after gifting, they flocked to his peak. Rejecting them felt wrong; accepting them made him seem lustful. It frustrated Ye Chen.

I'm not that kind of guy!

As he pondered how to farm more immortal roots, Feng Baiyu spoke. "The Heavenly Emperor Hall is waiting for your response."

Ye Chen snapped back, replying without pause. "Tell them this Heavenly Emperor's heir lacks rare herbs and treasures. Have them send something good, quick."

Chapter 486: Feng Baiyu's Approval!

"Holy Master, does the Heavenly Emperor Hall have life-extending herbs or medicines for origin injuries?"

The Hall wanted to freeload off him; Ye Chen would freeload right back. His system was powerful, but gifts needed to align with desired feedback. For life-extending immortal roots, life-extending herbs were ideal, but they were nearly mythical in today's declining cultivation world. Herbs for origin injuries, like Elder Mo's shattered Immortal Platform, were equally rare. Neither Vermilion Bird nor Qilin Undying Herbs could help; different immortal roots were needed.

Feng Baiyu raised an eyebrow. "The Heavenly Emperor gathered many treasures back then, and the Hall surely has some. Planning to go to Central Continent, show off, and demand them?"

Ye Chen grinned. "Nope! Tell them my dear old sect leader is dying, and I'm heartbroken, staying by his side until the end. Also, Elder Mo, who's always protected me, has a shattered Immortal Platform and is gravely injured—I'm guarding him too. As for the provocations against the Heavenly Emperor's heir, I'm furious but too busy. Unless the Hall sends herbs to resolve these issues, I'll bow to the world, admit defeat to the Heavenly Demon Body, and avoid battle."

The Hall's urgency showed they cared about the Heavenly Emperor's reputation. But Ye Chen didn't care. He had no real tie to the Emperor—just his system's power. Why should he care about their reputation? Only fools would slave for them. To leave Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, they'd need to offer something first.

Feng Baiyu nodded. "Smart. Get the benefits first, or it's a loss. But the Heavenly Demon Body is formidable—late Unity, nearing Mahayana. Fighting it now is too risky."

Ye Chen smirked. "Don't worry, Holy Master. I won't go to Central Continent until the immortal path opens. As for the Heavenly Demon Body, let someone else deal with it."

Feng Baiyu blinked, then looked at Ye Chen with approval. "You're planning to freeload?"

Ye Chen smiled faintly. Of course. The Hall shamelessly freeloading off him, even pressuring him now? Utterly brazen. He felt no guilt freeloading back—his heart was clear.

Feng Baiyu was pleased. The next leader of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land should be this shameless.

…

Days later, Feng Baiyu announced seclusion to break through to Mahayana, causing a stir. Mahayana was the cultivation world's true peak, standing above billions. His breakthrough would vastly boost Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's strength.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen stayed in the Holy Land, cultivating. His progress was meteoric. Just over a year after reaching mid-Deity Transformation, he showed signs of breaking through again. In one or two years, he could hit late Deity Transformation. Such speed would shock the world—most cultivators couldn't even match it in the Qi Refining stage. This was thanks to the Fusang Divine Tree and Laurel Immortal Tree's potency, plus the miraculous Yin-Yang Dao Sea and Great Yin and Great Yang Immortal Scriptures. With these absurd boosts, Ye Chen was poised to shatter Deity Transformation records effortlessly.

...

Central Continent buzzed with excitement as prodigies multiplied. Daily battles between prodigies drew gasps from countless onlookers. Physiques, long debated for their strengths, were now tested in real combat, sparking intense interest.

The Heavenly Demon Body struck once, shattering a same-realm King Body with a single blow. The Heavy Pupil emerged, nearly invincible in its realm, effortlessly defeating peers. This generation's Heavy Pupil bearer, a peerless beauty, publicly challenged the Heavenly Emperor's heir to a spar.

Yet the Heavenly Emperor's heir, constantly mentioned, never appeared. Many frowned, convinced he was dodging battles. Was this generation's chosen heir truly lacking?

Deep in the endless void, a grand, ancient hall floated, as if for millions of years—the Heavenly Emperor Hall. Inside, several elders fumed at Ye Chen's message relayed through Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Unaware of the true-false heir issue, they were outraged.

As the Heavenly Emperor's heir, possibly his descendant, he dared to haggle and threaten to admit defeat to uphold the Emperor's legacy?

Infuriating. Some even questioned if they'd chosen the wrong heir—his talent was undeniable, but his character seemed deplorable.

In the Hall's depths, a gold-robed elder narrowed his eyes. Unlike the others, he knew the truth—he'd orchestrated Ye Chen's designation. He'd assumed Ye Chen, having received part of the Emperor's legacy, would embrace the title with pride.

Instead, Ye Chen was unmoved, demanding benefits and threatening to concede if none were given. No Heavenly Emperor's heir, across generations, had ever admitted defeat or avoided battle. If Ye Chen did, the Hall's reputation would suffer greatly.

The elder's face darkened. "This boy is unworthy! A waste of the Emperor's legacy!"

Nearby, a purple-gold dragon, clutching image stones, drooled. "Tch, this fairy's stunning… Jade Pool's heir, huh? The Jade Pool Holy Maiden from the Emperor's era beat me. Now's my chance for revenge—a hundredfold!"

Wiping its mouth, the dragon turned to the elder. "This Ye Chen's so shameless, talking about surrender as a prodigy. Just like the Emperor back then. Aren't you worried he's really the Emperor's son? If the Emperor returns and learns what you've done, he'll kill you! Even if he's not, with this audacity, if he grows strong, he'll hold a grudge. Why provoke him?"

The elder shook his head. "No one knows better than me—the Emperor left no heirs. As for revenge? He'll have no chance. The true heir will crush all foes and ascend alone."

His eyes gleamed with confidence, gazing at the Hall's deepest recess, where boundless chaos qi swirled. The true Heavenly Emperor's heir was in seclusion there.