ISWI Chapter 400-402

Chapter 400: I Cough When I Drink Other Teas!

Fan Qinghe was confident, but not blindly so. No prodigy, not even someone like Zhang Pengfei, would willingly sacrifice everything for another. How much less likely was an unparalleled prodigy like Ye Chen?

Coupled with his notorious reputation for being a womanizer, Fan Qinghe concluded: Ye Chen was a freeloader, driven by lust. He only wanted to take without giving. As for the Diamond Ring, refined with five types of immortal gold? It was undeniably precious, and it thrilled her. But for Ye Chen, it was likely trivial.

Not out of arrogance, but Fan Qinghe knew that if she wished, countless great powers in the cultivation world would offer treasures of equal value just for a chance to get close to her.

So, this didn't prove Ye Chen wasn't here to freeload. But she wasn't afraid of freeloaders. She feared he might lack the courage to try. In scams, it's always the freeloaders who get hooked. Those too cautious to even attempt are rarely fooled.

Fan Qinghe took out a glazed jade cup, gracefully bending to pour tea for Ye Chen. Her white dress wasn't tight, but her movement was endlessly alluring, captivating beyond measure.

Ye Chen caught a fleeting glimpse of something, gone too quickly to discern. Even without using his Heavy Pupils, he hadn't seen clearly—a testament to Fan Qinghe's skill.

"Please, Holy Son, have some tea. Are you familiar with our Heavenly Desire Sect's Nirvana Scripture?"

Her voice carried a delicate fragrance as she sat across from him, propping her chin on her hand, her sparkling eyes fixed on him.

Ye Chen glanced at the tea and shook his head. "I'm not used to drinking spiritual teas other than Enlightenment Tea. They make me cough."

Fan Qinghe, about to say something, was thrown off by his words. Enlightenment Tea? That legendary tea had vanished a million years after the Heavenly Emperor's era. Even Mahayana stage cultivators might never taste a single leaf in their lifetime.

Even if Ye Chen had somehow obtained one and tasted it once, how could he claim other teas made him cough? Her emotions grew complicated. She understood men loved to boast in front of women they fancied, often unaware of how awkward it sounded.

Once, a Unity-stage powerhouse had embarrassed himself bragging before her sect leader. As a proper woman, she knew not to call him out. Instead, she had to play along, ensuring he didn't lose face.

Her eyes lit up. "The Holy Son truly lives up to his reputation as heaven's favored. To have obtained a treasure like Enlightenment Tea, long extinct. Having tasted such a divine tea, all others must seem ordinary. It's a treasure that can spark enlightenment, after all. It's a pity this humble boat only has this tea. Please forgive me, Holy Son!"

She gave him face, her tone full of admiration.

Ye Chen smiled lightly and flicked his finger. Five leaves, each a different shape and color, glowing with radiant light, floated before Fan Qinghe. Their mere presence made the entire boat's atmosphere ethereal.

Fan Qinghe, sensing their aura, stood abruptly, her curvaceous figure trembling with shock. She couldn't help it. The five leaves bore vivid images—a small cauldron, a divine emperor, an immortal, a divine bell, mountains and rivers—each imbued with unique, precious dao charm, exuding an intense aura of enlightenment. These were unmistakably Enlightenment Tea leaves. And Ye Chen had produced five?

Fan Qinghe was genuinely stunned. Enlightenment Tea leaves were increasingly rare, their value skyrocketing. No one knew if any remained in the cultivation world. At auction, a single leaf could easily fetch a top-grade mysterious treasure. Their worth was incalculable.

Yet Ye Chen casually presented five? Could the Heavenly Emperor have hidden an Enlightenment Tea tree? Was Ye Chen his secret heir, awakened in this era?

Could he really have drunk so much Enlightenment Tea that other teas made him cough—not just bragging?

Fan Qinghe's breathtakingly enchanting face couldn't hide her shock. Seeing her astonished expression, Ye Chen gave a faint smile. His earlier words were, of course, a boast. He didn't drink other spiritual teas, nor did he rely on Enlightenment Tea leaves. Their effects paled compared to cultivating beneath an actual Enlightenment Tea tree.

Fan Qinghe had already proven her worth, making Ye Chen eager for the future multipliers and rewards she could bring. In this situation, he didn't mind tossing out a few Enlightenment Tea leaves—useless for feedback—to heighten his allure and unsettle her.

To win a woman, the key was to stir her emotions. Only then would there be an opening. It's why, back in school, pretty girls often fell for the bad boys.

…

The five Enlightenment Tea leaves left Fan Qinghe momentarily speechless. Her mind raced, unable to pin Ye Chen down. Did he truly possess an Enlightenment Tea tree and casually give her a few leaves? Or did he only have these, pretending generosity by offering them all?

If the former, he was still aiming to freeload. If the latter, he might genuinely be smitten. But this Fourth Holy Son was too enigmatic—she couldn't discern truth from pretense.

Regardless, her interest in Ye Chen grew hotter. His astounding talent made him a prime choice in the Great Yan Continent, perfect for amplifying her Nirvana Scripture cultivation. With his resources and destiny, if he fully supported her, her chances of ascending to immortality would soar. So, true or not, she had to conquer him.

"Thank you, Holy Son!"

Her voice dripped with charm, her eyes sparkling.

Ye Chen smiled. "Didn't you want to discuss your sect's Nirvana Scripture? I've long been curious. Please, fairy, enlighten me."

Fan Qinghe nodded lightly but didn't speak immediately. Instead, she picked a spiritual fruit from the table's platter, gracefully peeling it and naturally feeding it to Ye Chen. Despite this being their first meeting, her intimate gesture felt effortless, as if it were meant to be.

Ye Chen didn't refuse. As her jade fingers withdrew, their soft tips brushed his lips. Whether intentional or deliberately accidental, it sent a sweet sensation through him. He raised an eyebrow at her, thinking to himself, "This woman is truly made of honey." He wondered if every part of her was just as sweet.

Despite her overtly flirtatious action, Fan Qinghe's expression turned serious as she began discussing the Nirvana Scripture, engaging Ye Chen in a discourse on the Dao. If an ordinary man faced this, he'd already be overthinking, wondering what she meant.

Ye Chen couldn't help but marvel. Fan Qinghe was indeed a born enchantress, naturally captivating.

Chapter 401: Divine Maiden, I Believe You!

"Divine Maiden, you should store the Enlightenment Tea leaves first. It'd be a pity if their dao charm dissipated!"

Fan Qinghe wasn't shy about accepting gifts, but she was playing a bigger game, aiming to reel in even greater rewards. She didn't want to appear too eager.

Ye Chen's initiative gave her a graceful way to accept without seeming overly eager. Caught off guard but grateful, she thanked him again and carefully stored the five leaves.

Five Enlightenment Tea leaves would greatly aid her future cultivation. The Fourth Holy Son is so considerate, she mused, resuming her explanation of the Heavenly Desire Sect's Nirvana Scripture.

Ye Chen, however, wasn't being particularly considerate. The Enlightenment Tea leaves had a tranquilizing effect, subtly influencing those nearby even without brewing.

Fan Qinghe's every move radiated allure, each gesture like a dance. Ye Chen relished the heat of her charm and didn't want the leaves' calming effect to dampen it. With the leaves stored, he continued to admire her openly.

Fan Qinghe didn't mind his gaze. In fact, she'd "unintentionally" make subtle movements, showcasing her stunning figure and captivating aura.

"The world claims our Heavenly Desire Sect's Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture is a demonic technique that ruins its practitioners, but that's a misunderstanding. At its core, it benefits both parties.

"The Nirvana Scripture does absorb everything from the recipient, starting with their spiritual sense, across four enlightenments. But this absorption causes no harm. It even leaves behind a seed. As long as the recipient cultivates diligently, they can break through their former limits, achieving greater heights.

"For example, five thousand years ago, one of our divine maidens chose a disciple as her protector. During the first nirvana, she absorbed most of his spiritual sense. The world thought he'd be crippled. But in losing it, he gained deeper insights, recognizing flaws in his prior spiritual sense cultivation. With this understanding, he re-cultivated, and his spiritual sense surpassed its previous limits several times over, achieving Deity Transformation and forging a supreme primordial spirit.

"The same applied to his bloodline, talent, and cultivation later on. As long as that seed remains, loss isn't the end—it's a chance to transcend limits. Take the Heavenly Emperor. His Supreme Heart swept the cosmos. But before he cultivated, he didn't have a supreme heart—only a Supreme Bone. And it was dug out.

"Yet, at the Mahayana stage, he discovered a seed left behind where the bone had been. From it, he forged the mightier Supreme Heart, ascending to immortality and dominating all other true immortals with it…"

Fan Qinghe earnestly cited examples of breaking and rebuilding to support her claims.

"So, the Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture is no demonic technique. While our divine maidens gain enhancements and absorb everything from their protectors, we're also paving their path to immortality. In the end, both ascend together as an immortal couple. Sadly, too few understand this, and even fewer can achieve it. This has caused our sect to suffer countless unjust accusations…"

By the end, her large, luminous eyes gazed at Ye Chen with sorrow, heart-wrenching.

Ye Chen nearly laughed. Her explanation almost sounded reasonable. So, the protectors drained by the Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maidens should thank them?

The catch? Not everyone was the Heavenly Emperor, capable of growing a Supreme Heart from a seed after losing a bone.

Most top prodigies couldn't manage it. Using rare exceptions to whitewash the truth—only a Heavenly Desire divine maiden could pull that off.

He smirked inwardly but nodded earnestly. "I see. It's shameful that those too weak to seize the opportunity blame your sect instead. True champions reflect on their own failings. Only cowards point fingers at others."

Fan Qinghe was momentarily stunned, unsure if Ye Chen was being sarcastic. He was too agreeable. Still, she pressed on. "The Holy Son speaks truly. For us Heavenly Desire divine maidens, our protector is our dao companion. After each nirvana, when we absorb from our protector, we pour everything into helping them recover, aiding their continued cultivation.

"Even if their path truly ends, our divine maidens never abandon them. We stay by their side until the end, even dying together. In our entire lives, we never wrong our protectors. Without love, treating them merely as cauldrons, how could we do this?

"Yet the world still slanders us, filled with prejudice. Today, at my debut, I felt so many unkind gazes, especially from men, all doubting me. I fear that if I meet a man I truly love and give my all, he'll always suspect I have ulterior motives. This fear might even birth a heart demon. Holy Son, right now, I wish I could abandon my divine maiden status, become an ordinary female cultivator, and stay by my beloved's side…"

By the end, her luminous eyes shimmered with tears, gazing at Ye Chen as if conveying deep feelings, hinting that her beloved was right before her.

Ye Chen sensed her emotions and mentally applauded. Her acting could've made her a superstar on his old world's screens. Her words were technically true. They did help protectors recover after draining them—but only to drain them again later.

If a protector's cultivation couldn't progress, the divine maiden's subsequent nirvanas would yield poor results, leaving her unfulfilled. As for staying with a crippled protector until death? Also true.

But Ye Chen saw it as a reputation management tactic. Male cultivators weren't fools. If a divine maiden drained you and then ran off with someone else, even the most devoted simp would hesitate.

But a reputation for lifelong devotion offered emotional value. Protectors would be braver, more willing to sacrifice. Even if drained to ruin, the divine maiden would stay by their side—a psychological comfort, a safety net. Like gacha games in his past life: no one played without a pity system.

Though he saw through it, Ye Chen's face showed only heartache and understanding. His eyes locked onto hers with deep affection. "Why should the divine maiden feel this way? Even if you stand against the entire cultivation world, I'll be by your side, never wavering. I'm willing to be your protector, to walk the immortal path with you… Divine maiden, please cast your technique on me!"

His final words sounded like a proposal, his hands tightly grasping hers, conveying unwavering resolve.

Fan Qinghe froze.

Why would I need to stand against the entire cultivation world?

Chapter 402: I Only Feel Heartache for the Divine Maiden!

Fan Qinghe's delicate hand was naturally held by Ye Chen, and she felt no resistance. Her soft fingertips even lightly brushed against his palm. This was because she was genuinely pleased with him. If Ye Chen were to become her protector, they'd share even deeper intimacy through dual cultivation.

A mere touch like this was nothing. Otherwise, with her cultivation, how could anyone so easily hold her hand? But her thoughts weren't on this moment. She was pondering Ye Chen's words. Finding a suitable protector was no easy task for a divine maiden.

Those who threw themselves at her without hesitation were mostly mediocre. Draining them dry would yield little benefit. Only top-tier prodigies could significantly enhance her spiritual sense, origin, talent, and cultivation through the Nirvana Scripture. But convincing such prodigies to willingly become a cauldron was incredibly difficult. It required prolonged maneuvering and careful manipulation—building emotional bonds, making them lower their guard, and ultimately surrender willingly.

The process was far from the simple seduction outsiders imagined. Most men were willing to pay a price for a woman's affection, but giving up everything? That was a hard sell.

Many past divine maidens, despite their enchanting allure, saw their targets waver at the critical moment, fleeing in fear and leaving the maidens' efforts in vain. In the end, those maidens had to resort to the Path of All Beings, tasting the lips of countless men, sinking into a sea of desire for the rest of their lives.

Fan Qinghe was very satisfied with Ye Chen. His talent was peerless, possibly surpassing even the three titans. But the greater the prodigy, the harder they were to tame. She'd prepared herself for a long game of tug-of-war with him, knowing nothing in this world came easily.

Yet, unexpectedly, Ye Chen agreed so readily. He even offered to let her plant the seed right now. Fan Qinghe couldn't help but wonder: did he actually believe everything she'd said? His quick agreement made her hesitate.

The Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture allowed a divine maiden to condense only one divine seed in her lifetime. Once planted in a protector's sea of spirit sense, it forged a unique bond, enabling subsequent nirvanas and deeper influence over them.

But if the protector, after receiving the seed, used some mysterious method to suppress it and refused further nirvanas, the divine maiden would be the one controlled. She'd either be forced onto the Path of All Beings, sinking into debauchery, or her cultivation would stagnate forever. Neither outcome was acceptable to Fan Qinghe. So, she grew wary.

Ye Chen's eager acceptance—could he have some countermeasure against the Nirvana Scripture?

…

"Why does the divine maiden hesitate? Is my talent still not enough to meet your requirements for a protector?" Ye Chen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fan Qinghe gave a gentle laugh, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with charm. "Of course, I know the Holy Son's sincerity. As for your talent, it's peerless in this world. In my eyes, even Hua, Ying, and Yao combined couldn't match you. That you're willing to be my protector fills me with joy.

"But as a Heavenly Desire divine maiden, I'll give everything to my protector in the future, opening my heart completely. My protector and my future are deeply intertwined. But if I'm betrayed or deceived, I'll lose everything, sinking into the mortal dust. That feeling of powerlessness terrifies me. This choice is too heavy for me. So, please forgive me, Holy Son. It's not that you're not exceptional enough—it's just that I'm too afraid. You won't blame me, will you?"

Her eyes glimmered with fear of the future, her stunning face radiating vulnerability. Such a woman could do anything and be forgiven.

Ye Chen, of course, chose forgiveness. Without hesitation, he said, "Why think that way, Divine Maiden? How could I blame you? I only feel heartache for you!"

Whether she was stringing him along, keeping her options open, or genuinely afraid, Ye Chen understood. He wasn't mind. He wasn't impatient. He'd just given a gift, and the system was on cooldown. The next gift would be a week away anyway.

…

Fan Qinghe's eyes blinked, her thoughts swirling. Honestly, she couldn't quite read Ye Chen. So, she wouldn't cast the technique or plant the divine seed in his primordial spirit yet. But she wouldn't give up on him either.

She was confident. Whether Ye Chen's feelings were genuine or feigned, she'd unleash her full charm to conquer him completely. Once conquered, his intentions would become true, no matter how they started. Then, she could boldly refine him into her cauldron to fuel her cultivation.

Her eyes sparkled with gratitude. "Holy Son, you're so kind! I'm truly moved by you. Your heroic figure in battle is etched deep in my heart. If you became my protector, I'd feel so secure. But the world is full of rumors about you, making me uneasy, lacking a sense of safety.

"So I'd like to understand you better. And please, Holy Son, consider being a protector seriously. The Nirvana Scripture can broaden your immortal path, but breaking and rebuilding is no easy feat. Supreme talent and unyielding resolve are both essential. Without them, you might not progress further.

"So please, think carefully, Holy Son. If you ultimately choose to walk away, I won't blame you—I'll understand. Then, I'd abandon the Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture, leave the Heavenly Desire Sect, and find a quiet mountain to live out my days."

Her gaze drifted, her words dripping with sincerity. Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Applying pressure now, huh? Claiming insecurity, needing more understanding before deciding—classic tactics for stringing someone along. She was playing the long game, coaxing him to shower her with gifts and devotion to prove his love.

Though he saw through it, Ye Chen didn't mind her tactics. For him, if gifts could solve it, it was no issue. The more he gave, the more he'd gain. So, in the time that followed, Ye Chen genuinely engaged in discussing the Dao with Fan Qinghe.

But during their chats, he'd "casually" flex his prowess. Mentioning an immortal gold? He'd show her a sample. Talking about a lost, powerful Treasure Technique? He'd demonstrate it with a flick of his hand.

Referencing golden cauldron-shaped Enlightenment Tea leaves? He'd pull out a dozen from his storage ring, riffling through them to "check" if he had it. Her eyes gleamed with every display.

But this time, Ye Chen only showed off—he didn't gift or teach anything. As the saying goes, good things are for showing women, not giving. Only then would she become more proactive…