ISWI Chapter 398-399

Chapter 398: The Genuine Fourth Holy Son!

The Fourth Holy Son obliterated the Little Roc King, Zhang Pengfei, with a single strike. He forcefully suppressed two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples, compelling a Heavenly Intention Holy Land powerhouse to intervene and save them. He presented the divine maiden with a greeting gift refined with five types of immortal metal. Any one of these feats alone would have been shocking.

All three together sent White Emperor City's cultivators into a frenzy. They'd known the Fourth Holy Son was strong, but never imagined he could be this strong. At the Nascent Soul stage, he'd defeated two mid-Deity Transformation prodigies single-handedly, with ease to spare.

The onlookers believed he'd won too effortlessly, clearly holding back trump cards. Thus, the cultivation world's doubts about his realm were swept away. The Fourth Holy Son had proven he could crush prodigies across realms.

Many now believed he wasn't just the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's Fourth Holy Son but the Fourth Holy Son of all the Great Yan Continent. Among his peers, only Hua, Yao, and Ying surpassed him. No one else could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ye Chen. His title was well-earned. As for him boarding the jade boat to meet the divine maiden and discuss the Dao all night, that was merely an amusing anecdote.

If an ordinary person spent such a fortune just to discuss the Dao and get close to the divine maiden, they'd be labeled a reckless simp. But when the Fourth Holy Son did it, it was seen as the flair of a prodigy. No one believed he'd become a cauldron for the Heavenly Desire divine maiden. They assumed he was emulating the Heavenly Emperor, aiming to freeload off her.

After all, what prodigy would allow themselves to be a cauldron, sacrificing everything for another? Even with rumors of his devotion to women, he wouldn't gamble his future. And the Heavenly Desire Sect, burned so many times, now kept top prodigies at arm's length.

The divine maiden might genuinely only discuss the Dao with Ye Chen, not taking things further. She might not even choose him as her guardian. So, most believed that after today, Ye Chen would have little to do with her. He'd continue his meteoric rise, perhaps one day catching up to the three titans and firmly securing his place in the top echelon of this generation's prodigies.

That night, all of White Emperor City buzzed with talk of Ye Chen's prodigy status. They discussed the unearthed stories of his past. Like his Ascension Peak, which only accepted female disciples.

Initially, the world mocked him, thinking he was obsessed with women. But after tonight, opinions shifted. The Fourth Holy Son liking women? His Ascendant Peak only taking female disciples made perfect sense.

These disciples would keep him in high spirits, benefiting his cultivation. His unabashed love for women was now seen as natural candor, a sign of a clear, unburdened heart.

Everything Ye Chen had done was now being justified by cultivators. They argued his actions all had their own logic. After all, how could a figure like the Fourth Holy Son ever be wrong?

…

In White Emperor City, within the grand palace of the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, a storm was brewing.

"Two against one, and you still nearly got yourselves killed? Have you been cultivating into a dog's stomach all these years? Once matters in White Emperor City are settled, your titles as legacy disciples will be stripped. The Heavenly Intention Holy Land cannot afford this disgrace. And both of you will be confined to the Yin Demon Cave. Until you reach the Unity stage, you'll never see the light of day again."

The two rescued Heavenly Intention legacy disciples stood in the hall like lowly subordinates, berated by a majestic voice. Their faces were ashen. The Yin Demon Cave was a forbidden area within their Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, unfit for cultivation. Being confined there was a severe punishment. They wanted to argue, to explain.

Ye Chen was simply too outrageous. Who could've imagined a Nascent Soul cultivator so terrifying? Even a reborn Heavenly Emperor might pale in comparison. If they'd known, they wouldn't have gone to see the divine maiden's debut, let alone come to White Emperor City.

They opened their mouths to speak but, after a moment's hesitation, gave a bitter smile and stayed silent. Their Holy Land prided itself on embodying the will of heaven. Its elders' words were final.

No amount of explanation would help. They could only accept their fate. Surviving was already a stroke of luck. Their savior was none other than the protector of Holy Maiden Yi Qingwu. As mere legacy disciples, they had no such privilege. Only Ying Tianjing, the Holy Son's younger brother, received special treatment.

Seeing them silent, Yi Qingwu's protector snorted coldly, too lazy to say more.

Yi Qingwu herself sat high above the hall, bathed in moonlight, her stunning face showing neither joy nor sorrow. She slowly opened her eyes, her voice like a celestial melody, gentle as a spring breeze. "No need for such measures. Ye Chen has proven his talent, rivaling even our Holy Son. They're no match for him, and it's not their fault. His Heavy Pupils are terrifying, and his comprehension is equally so. His mastery of the True Dragon Treasure Technique has advanced far beyond before.

"And his physique is peculiar—I suspect it might be one of those legendary top-tier defensive constitutions. So, after the auction here concludes, I'll personally take action. Initially, I planned only to suppress him, but now I'll cripple him immediately. Cut off his path of growth. Then, all his glory will fade into yesterday's flowers, and the Heavenly Intention Holy Land's tarnished reputation will easily recover. Please, Elder, show mercy and spare my two junior brothers."

Yi Qingwu hadn't been at the Pure Moon River, yet she seemed to know everything. Hearing the Holy Maiden plead for them, the two legacy disciples were deeply moved. The divine maiden was enchanting, but their Holy Maiden was the true goddess.

The protector nodded calmly. "Then they'll only lose their legacy disciple titles—no Yin Demon Cave."

Thanks to Yi Qingwu's words, they were spared. The rollercoaster of emotions nearly brought them to tears. But at that moment, an aged voice rang out. "Qingwu, you're still not decisive enough. Crippling him isn't foolproof. A monster like this must be killed outright to eliminate all threats. This generation's immortal path may be this world's last."

"Hua Yunfei is already formidable—I suspect he carries the legacy of that ancient immortal. If Ye Chen is allowed to grow… The Heavenly Evolution Holy Land will become a major obstacle on you and the Holy Son's path to immortality, causing endless complications. So, if there's a chance to kill him, you must not hold back. Because this concerns immortality. Your ascension isn't just about you—it's the only hope for us old relics to reach the immortal realm."

The aged voice was resolute.

Yi Qingwu nodded lightly. "I'll heed Grandma's teachings!"

The two legacy disciples' eyes widened. Their Holy Land had already sent two Unity-stage elders to assist the Holy Maiden against Ye Chen. Now another had arrived—her grandmother!

Three Unity-stage powerhouses. Their Holy Land was taking Ye Chen this seriously? Amid their shock, a sense of satisfaction stirred. With this, Ye Chen was as good as dead!

Chapter 399: I Want the Finest Cauldron!

"Gift successfully delivered…"

"Gift: Top-grade spiritual treasure, Diamond Ring replica!"

"1,500-fold feedback in progress…"

"Detected that the gift is extremely significant to the recipient…"

"Critical hit reward triggered."

"Reward: Extreme Dao Weapon, Diamond Ring!"

The system's prompts echoed in Ye Chen's mind. Even as he stepped onto the jade boat, enveloped by Fan Qinghe's intoxicating fragrance, close enough to feel her warmth, with mist cloaking the boat in an intimate, tantalizing atmosphere, his focus remained on the feedback.

He was thrilled. The system had actually rewarded him with the original Diamond Ring? His efforts to infuse it with various immortal metals had paid off.

In the era before the Heavenly Emperor, a Moral Heavenly Venerable had ascended to immortality. He rarely fought, favoring tranquility and non-action. But when he did, he was terrifying.

His One Qi Transforms Three Purities technique swept through all opposition, hailed as the most astonishing avatar technique in cultivation history. Each avatar matched his true body's strength. Each operated under a different alias, roaming the world and earning immense fame across various continents. Only after his ascension was it revealed that they were all the Venerable's aliases.

Before his ascension, his primary weapon was a divine ring called the Diamond Ring. Its power was boundless—capable of offense, defense, suppression, and protection. Truly versatile.

Later Diamond Rings were all replicas modeled after it. According to records, the Venerable didn't elevate the Diamond Ring to an immortal artifact upon ascending. Instead, he abandoned it, crafting a whisk instead. The Diamond Ring's whereabouts became unknown—until now, when the system's critical hit delivered it to Ye Chen.

Gazing at the Extreme Dao Weapon floating in his inner world, Ye Chen was filled with awe. Nascent Soul cultivators used spiritual treasures. Deity Transformation cultivators wielded mysterious treasures. Unity-stage cultivators could imbue dao marks, using more powerful dao weapons.

Only at the Mahayana stage, the final step before the Immortal, did one use Extreme Dao Weapons. The term "Extreme Dao" alone hinted at their extraordinary power.

Like the Dugu Wooden Sword before it, the Diamond Ring required Mahayana cultivation to wield freely. Without that, even possessing it, one couldn't use it casually. Only a top prodigy's foundation could barely use it as a trump card in life-or-death moments.

Ye Chen's mind sank into his inner world, sensing the Diamond Ring's might. Compared to the five-colored immortal metal version he'd gifted, the original was exponentially more terrifying. Silver in color, it exuded strands of mysterious qi.

Ye Chen tried to interact with it but quickly gave up. Even with his vast spiritual power, he couldn't stir it. His spiritual sense couldn't penetrate it. Only by exhausting every ounce of his power could he perhaps make it quiver slightly. But even that would be devastating—enough to obliterate most Deity Transformation cultivators with a single tremor.

This reward was a massive windfall. However, after learning about the Moral Heavenly Venerable, a suspicion crept into Ye Chen's mind. His senior brother's avatars were so formidable—could he have inherited the Moral Heavenly Venerable's legacy?

Ye Chen had always assumed it was the Heavenly Emperor's, given his avatar techniques. But compared to the Heavenly Emperor's recorded domineering, world-shattering style, his senior brother was calmer, his dao more natural.

Now, it seemed plausible he'd received the Moral Heavenly Venerable's inheritance. That would explain the Enlightenment Tea Tree leaves left behind. The Moral Heavenly Venerable was famously fond of tea. Leaving a few leaves in his legacy was perfectly fitting.

…

Ye Chen's suspicion was fleeting, quickly set aside. His senior brother was an ally—there was no need to pry into his secrets with such curiosity. His attention now turned fully to Fan Qinghe. At this moment, she was radiant, glowing with an ethereal allure.

Standing so close, Ye Chen could not only admire her voluptuous, wild figure but also feel the enchanting aura emanating from her very being. In her presence, it was nearly impossible for any man to stay composed.

For their first meeting to yield such a divine reward from the system—Ye Chen was thoroughly satisfied. And this was just the beginning. From what he knew, the Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maiden practiced a peculiar technique. By partnering with male cultivators, she could undergo nirvana-like transformations, enhancing her aptitude. The higher the male cultivator's talent, the greater her improvement.

A 1,500-fold feedback wasn't particularly high, but if he became her guardian, the future multipliers would be unimaginable. And Ye Chen himself would reap even greater rewards. Given Fan Qinghe's unique needs, these rewards might directly enhance his own being, rather than mere treasures or techniques. This prospect thrilled him.

So, without hiding his intentions, Ye Chen sat before her, his eyes gleaming with admiration. He had no interest in playing the gentleman or slowly building affection. He would conquer her with his strength and wealth.

…

Fan Qinghe noticed Ye Chen's momentarily stunned, delighted expression, stirring complex emotions within her. She couldn't read him. Based on his earlier performance, he was a man of resolute will. How could he be so easily captivated by her presence?

Either he was pretending, aiming to emulate the Heavenly Emperor—conquering her as the Emperor had done with her predecessor, only to leave after taking what he wanted—or he was genuinely enthralled, letting his guard down in her presence, revealing his true nature.

Which was it? She couldn't tell.

This uncertainty left her conflicted. As a divine maiden, the most critical factor in choosing a guardian was control. If she couldn't dominate her partner, it would all be for naught.

The Heavenly Desire Sect had seen several divine maidens fail, becoming stepping stones for others, precisely because they overestimated their ability to control their partners.

The cultivation path of a divine maiden was fraught with difficulty. Choosing a top-tier prodigy as a guardian was necessary to reach the highest realms, but such prodigies were often too monstrous to subdue. The choice was agonizing.

Yet, gazing at Ye Chen, her radiant eyes sparkled like stars. Her heart brimmed with eagerness. She always sought the best. Now at the peak of Nascent Soul, she could finally begin cultivating the Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture. Naturally, she needed the finest cauldron. Only then could she reach the pinnacle.

Ye Chen's talent far exceeded her expectations, stirring her heart. As for controlling him? Fan Qinghe was confident. With effort, she could surely make Ye Chen her devoted cauldron, willing to sacrifice everything to help her ascend the immortal path.