ISWI Chapter 409-410

Chapter 409: You Don't Want the Holy Son to Be Beaten to Death, Do You?

Though the gift wasn't accepted, Ye Chen was relieved to learn the fiancée only refused due to a misunderstanding and intended to claim it herself later. He wasn't in a rush—his lifespan was long. As long as she still desired the fragment, it was a minor issue.

Listening to her voice on the recording stone, he nodded in satisfaction. Her voice was indeed enchanting, even laced with threats, soothing like a spring breeze, almost intoxicating. It made him even more curious about this 2,500-times multiplier fiancée.

How would she come for it? Would she try to seize it alone? Or bring the Heavenly Intention Holy Son along? If she came alone, he'd simply hand it over. If she brought the Holy Son, he'd have his senior brother suppress him while he quipped, "Holy Maiden, you don't want the Heavenly Intention Holy Son to be beaten to death, do you?"

That should trigger a critical hit, right?

So, Ye Chen stowed the Moon Laurel Tree fragment. After thanking the manager, he leisurely awaited the next auction lot, unfazed by the rejection, showing no hint of embarrassment or displeasure.

…

Meanwhile, Fan Qinghe, who'd been sulking, expecting Ye Chen to coax her, felt a bit embarrassed as he ignored her. She'd been sitting with her back to him, her full-moon figure turned away.

But upon hearing Yi Qingwu reject the gift and accuse Ye Chen of underhanded tactics, threatening to take it back later, Fan Qinghe's mind clicked.

So that's it. Ye Chen wasn't being fickle, lusting after Yi Qingwu while with her. Nor was she inferior to Yi Qingwu. He was deliberately messing with Yi Qingwu's mindset—from the bidding to the gift. No wonder he showed no reaction to the rejection.

Fan Qinghe turned back, her peach-blossom eyes gleaming as they fixed on Ye Chen. Using a treasure worth two million spirit stones as bait to unsettle an enemy? That was an unprecedented move.

She didn't find his tactics despicable—on the contrary, she saw them as grand and bold. Spending two million just to toy with an enemy's mind? How generous would he be to those close to him? As her protector, he'd surely spare no effort to support her.

With this realization, Fan Qinghe sidled back to Ye Chen, her alluring, amber-hued figure pressing close as before, tucking his arm against her.

Ye Chen glanced at her calmly. "Done throwing a tantrum?"

Fan Qinghe pursed her full, vibrant lips, leaning close to his ear, her breath teasing as she cooed, "When did I throw a tantrum? I just wanted the Holy Son to comfort me… All I wanted was a gesture. But when you're so cold, I find myself liking it even more…"

Ye Chen didn't know why she'd suddenly warmed up again. But her talk of wanting a "gesture" made his mouth twitch. For most women, that "gesture" carried a lot of expectations.

Just then, an auction lot concluded, and a new item was brought to the stage.

Ye Chen could feel Fan Qinghe's soft, supple body tense beside him, her grip on his arm tightening. Clearly, she cared deeply about this auction item.

Glancing at it, he smiled. The visualization diagram.

The Heavenly Evolution Holy Land had its own diagrams, of decent quality. One depicted a true dragon from the Vicious Ten, another the Heavenly Evolution Ancestor, both retaining enough dao charm for several uses—treasures coveted by ordinary cultivators.

But Ye Chen found them lacking. He wanted something better. This replica of the Queen Mother of the West's back, though not the original, was impressive.

Fan Qinghe's evident desire for it made it a perfect target.

With her 1,500-times multiplier, a critical hit should yield what he wanted.

"This is a portrait of the Queen Mother of the West's back! Though confirmed as a replica, it contains a trace of her dao charm. It's sufficient for one Nascent Soul cultivator to visualize, capturing that charm to enhance their primordial spirit's grade and amplify their Heaven and Earth Manifestation upon breaking through to Deity Transformation. It may even allow insight into some of Jade Pool Holy Land's peerless legacies…

"We've verified this is the work of a Jade Pool Holy Land sage from centuries ago. Jade Pool Holy Land won't pursue its circulation, so bidders need not worry! The starting bid is 100,000 top-grade spirit stones. Each increment must be at least 500 top-grade spirit stones."

The last rule was added after Ye Chen's stunt with the Moon Laurel Tree fragment. Originally, there were no restrictions, but no one would dare add just one spirit stone—it offended both competitors and the auction house.

Ye Chen's move prompted the new rule. The diagram's reveal caused a stir. Though the crowd dismissed the auctioneer's exaggerated claims—gaining Jade Pool legacies so easily would've made it far pricier—they were still eager.

When bidding began, offers came fast and fierce.

The Deity Transformation stage was critical for cultivators. A higher-grade primordial spirit paved a smoother immortal path, and the diagram influenced the Heaven and Earth Manifestation's potency.

Stronger diagrams meant stronger manifestations, boosting combat power and future Unity-stage breakthroughs when merging with the body.

This diagram, imbued with the Queen Mother's dao charm—the foremost female immortal—held immense appeal, especially for female cultivators. In Central Continent, while the strongest Holy Son varied, the Jade Pool Holy Maiden was almost always the top female cultivator each generation, underscoring the Queen Mother's legacy's might.

This diagram was ideal for female cultivators breaking through to Deity Transformation. Major factions and powerhouses were eager to secure it for their juniors, driving intense competition.

Bids rose by 10,000 spirit stones at a time, rapidly climbing to 800,000 top-grade spirit stones.

Fan Qinghe's mouth twitched. Though the Heavenly Desire Sect valued her highly, it couldn't compare to a Holy Land. Her master and sect had provided one million spirit stones, but with this fervor, it wouldn't suffice. The price would likely soon exceed a million.

She glanced at Ye Chen, pinning her hopes on his wealth. He'd already spent two million, but she sensed he had more.

Just then, a celestial voice rang out: "900,000 top-grade spirit stones."

Fan Qinghe frowned slightly—it was Yi Qingwu. But Yi Qingwu was already at late Deity Transformation—why bid on the diagram?

Ye Chen's eyes lit up. "She didn't want the Moon Laurel Tree fragment earlier. Now she's bidding on this diagram. Perhaps she'll accept it as a gift."

Hearing this, Fan Qinghe's enchanting face froze.

Seriously?

Chapter 410: Is the Holy Son Here to Sweep the Auction?

Fan Qinghe was now thoroughly baffled by the Holy Son before her. When Ye Chen mentioned gifting the diagram to Yi Qingwu, his expression showed genuine excitement. She couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

This uncertainty weighed on her, not just about whether she'd secure the visualization diagram, but whether she could truly tame this man.

What if Ye Chen wasn't sincere? What if, like the Heavenly Emperor, he aimed to freeload and had a way to counter the divine seed? What would she do then? Could she choose someone else?

If Ye Chen didn't exist, she might settle for another prodigy. But he did exist—peerless in talent, astonishing in combat, and wielding resources beyond even a Holy Land's reach. This suggested he'd inherited some extraordinary legacy, possibly even the Heavenly Emperor's, as rumors claimed. Where else in the world could she find a better protector?

With Ye Chen, she had a shot at immortality. Faced with the chance to choose him, settling for someone else out of fear would leave her with lifelong regret.

For the first time, Fan Qinghe felt a rare confusion, glimpsing the anxiety that plagued generations of divine maidens. Should she choose the one most likely to ascend to immortality, yet hardest to control? Or settle for someone she could dominate, but who offered no path to the immortal realm?

Ye Chen's shift in attitude distracted her from the ongoing auction. She stopped her playful gestures, her amber-hued, honey-like body pressed against his arm, lost in quiet thought.

…

"One million five hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones."

When Ye Chen's voice rang out again, Yi Qingwu, in her booth, narrowed her eyes. His wealth was truly staggering. After spending two million on the Moon Laurel Tree fragment, he could still bid one and a half million more.

The Queen Mother of the West visualization diagram was clearly out of her reach. Though already at Deity Transformation, she admired the legendary first female immortal and hoped to gain insights from the diagram.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Proud as she was, Yi Qingwu disdained petty tactics and refused to let Ye Chen rattle her. She stayed silent, letting him claim the diagram.

As the auction moved to the next item, another treasure caught her interest for her cultivation. She bid again… But soon, her brows furrowed.

The moment she spoke, Ye Chen raised the bid! Was he still targeting her? He'd already spent three and a half million spirit stones—an unimaginable sum. Even as the rumored Heavenly Emperor's successor, his resources couldn't be limitless. How much more could he have?

After a few bids, reaching her limit, she backed off, letting Ye Chen take it. She remained calm, serene as a Moon Palace goddess, unruffled.

Ye Chen's spirit stones weren't infinite. Spending hundreds of thousands or even millions repeatedly couldn't last forever. But soon, her smooth, moonlight-like forehead creased tightly.

Ye Chen had snatched two more treasures from her with high bids. Every time she bid, he countered, determined to ensure she left the auction empty-handed. By now, he'd spent at least six million top-grade spirit stones. It was staggering.

How many spirit stones did he have? Even with a grand inheritance, could he keep spending like water without running dry?

Cultivation wasn't just about talent—it was also about resource management. Using resources wisely was a fundamental lesson for every cultivator. Even for Holy Sons and Holy Maidens, resources were never truly sufficient.

The higher one's cultivation, the greater the consumption. Some Deity Transformation cultivators, even decades after breaking through, couldn't afford a single dao weapon.

Mahayana cultivators might spend centuries unable to gather materials for an Extreme Dao weapon, settling for ordinary Dao-grade ones. Even Holy Sons and Holy Maidens of great sects faced moments of scarcity.

Yet Ye Chen, with such vast wealth, squandered it for fleeting satisfaction. Utterly foolish.

Still, Yi Qingwu remained relatively calm. Besides the Moon Laurel Tree fragment, her two most desired treasures were later in the auction. By then, Ye Chen's resources would surely be depleted, unable to compete as fiercely. So, she closed her eyes again, her body radiating lunar essence, waiting patiently.

…

Time ticked by.

The auction hall buzzed with gasps and exclamations.

Ye Chen made no effort to conceal his actions, drawing countless gazes toward his booth. One thought dominated the crowd's minds: the Fourth Holy Son was insane. It wasn't that they were inexperienced—his actions were simply too outrageous.

At first, he only targeted treasures Yi Qingwu bid on, snatching them away. That was understandable—rumored to be the son of the Heavenly Dao, he likely had vast resources, and targeting his rival, the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, made sense.

But then, he didn't stop there. Even when Yi Qingwu didn't bid, Ye Chen kept going, undeterred by competitors driving prices sky-high. He never backed down. Of the over eighty items auctioned, he'd claimed twenty-seven.

Some cultivators present had lived for millennia, yet they'd never witnessed such a spectacle—not even in historical records. Even the Heavenly Emperor paled in comparison.

The Emperor, a Source Heaven Master skilled in an ancient art for locating spirit stone veins, had once found an extreme-grade vein and used it to buy treasures under a false identity, sparking several wars. But even he hadn't swept an auction like Ye Chen, practically hauling a sack to collect treasures. It was staggering.

Many calculated that, in this single auction, Ye Chen had spent nearly twelve million top-grade spirit stones. A sum so vast that even struggling Holy Land-level factions might hesitate to produce it. Was the Fourth Holy Son truly the Heavenly Dao's son? Had he unearthed an extreme-grade spirit stone vein?

Most dismissed the "son of the Heavenly Dao" rumor, instead believing one thing: Ye Chen was the Heavenly Emperor's successor. Given the Emperor's recorded habits, leaving a few spirit stone veins in his inheritance was entirely plausible.

The hall was abuzz with shock.

In Yi Qingwu's booth, as yet another treasure she coveted was snatched by Ye Chen, even her refined composure faltered. Beneath her skirt, her fists clenched tightly.

This is too much—far too much!

The more she thought, the angrier she became.

Think you're untouchable with all those resources?