ISWI Chapter 395-397

Chapter 395: Which Demon or Monster Dares to Object?

Ye Chen paid no mind to the shifting atmosphere around him. He was unaware of Yao Gu's resolve to be a good brother-in-law. Nor did he care that the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples had stepped aside. His gaze was fixed on the sky, where, amid the blood mist, a faint flicker of spiritual energy glimmered. After a while, a body began to slowly reform.

The crowd erupted in astonishment. That body belonged to none other than the Little Roc King, Zhang Pengfei. Beaten into a mist of blood, his primordial spirit nearly shattered beyond recovery—yet he was still alive?

The onlookers marveled at the sight. As for Zhang Pengfei himself, his reforming body gazed at Ye Chen with eyes full of terror and pleading. He knew that even if he survived and reconstructed his body, he'd still be swatted down by Ye Chen with ease. But Ye Chen merely glanced at him before calmly turning away. He didn't spare him another look.

Zhang Pengfei was a prodigy, perhaps saved by some treasure or a peculiar life-preserving technique. But Ye Chen could easily see—his foundation was cracked, his primordial spirit still shattered and teetering. Even if he recovered, even given time to heal, he'd likely fall short of an ordinary Deity Transformation cultivator. His path as a prodigy was finished. He wasn't worth another glance. So, Ye Chen let him go, watching as Zhang Pengfei fled toward the city's edge.

Turning, Ye Chen's eyes met Fan Qinghe's on the jade boat. Her eyes sparkled with unparalleled brilliance, as if beholding the most perfect feast.

Ye Chen smiled faintly. Fan Qinghe smiled back. Her captivating face grew even more alluring, her crescent-moon eyes still seeming to beckon. Their exchanged glances and subtle smiles were like a private dance, as if the world around them had faded away.

Yet no one dared voice a complaint. A consensus had formed: Fan Qinghe, the divine maiden, belonged to the Fourth Holy Son. A perfect match of talent and beauty—who would dare object?

At this moment, Ye Chen knew he could board the jade boat. But he didn't. Instead, he turned his gaze to the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples who'd retreated to the side.

Ye Chen usually avoided pointless fights and scoffed at prodigy battles for fame. But since he'd revealed his edge today, he'd sharpen it to its fullest. He'd deal with everyone who needed dealing with. This would spare him future hassles. No need for these two to reach late Deity Transformation and think they could challenge him again.

The Heavenly Intention legacy disciples were among the top prodigies, just below the likes of Hua Yunfei and the other titans. Suppressing them would grant him true peace.

So, to everyone's shock, Ye Chen raised his hand and unleashed a punch. Thirty-six golden True Dragons, vast as mountain ranges, roared toward the two legacy disciples.

The crowd gasped. The two legacy disciples had already backed off, yet the Holy Son was still attacking? Was he a battle maniac?

But those familiar with the Fourth Holy Son's stories thought deeper. They knew he wasn't bloodthirsty. Nor was he petty. Take the Green Cloud Sect incident: a nobody named Fa Zhen had provoked him, yet Ye Chen spared him. After rising, he'd even gifted Fa Zhen treasures, grooming him to become a Golden Core cultivator and the next sect leader. Such acts proved the Fourth Holy Son's broad-mindedness.

But his possessiveness and protectiveness over women were unmatched. For a demonic sect woman, he'd fearlessly killed a Golden Core sect leader while still at Foundation Establishment. For the honor of the Great Chu princess, he'd stormed the Great Chu Dynasty and slain the Champion King for her throne in front of everyone. And the destruction of the Heavenly Intention Holy Son's avatar? Common knowledge. It all started because a Heavenly Intention legacy disciple had threatened to capture Ye Chen's female master and offer her to someone else.

The two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples had clearly backed off, yet the Fourth Holy Son still chose to strike. It was hard not to wonder if Ye Chen already viewed the divine maiden as his exclusive prize.

The legacy disciples' earlier covetous glances must have provoked his displeasure, prompting this attack. Prodigies, backed by great powers, had access to more intelligence about Ye Chen. Now, their minds raced with speculation.

The prodigies still on their boats, already devoid of any intent to compete, sat even more rigidly, not daring to move. They feared the Fourth Holy Son might think they still harbored ambitions.

Yao Gu, recalling how openly he'd shown his desire for the divine maiden, felt a pang of panic. Was merely stepping back enough? Perhaps he should sincerely apologize to his brother-in-law later?

…

The two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples were both shocked and enraged. They'd already yielded, yet Ye Chen dared to attack? This was too much!

"Ye Chen, do you really think we're afraid of you?"

"Even as a prodigy, you're far from our match. Stop now, and there's still room to maneuver, or we'll make you lose all face!"

They roared in fury. Yet the thirty-six golden True Dragons charged forward relentlessly. Their anger boiled over. In that moment, their eyes blazed with battle intent. Their earlier retreat, though a loss of face, could be excused as caution or weighing the odds since no fight had occurred. It wasn't too humiliating.

But now that Ye Chen had struck, if they retreated again, it would be true cowardice. It would shame the entire Heavenly Intention Holy Land. Back at the sect, they'd face punishment, likely losing their legacy disciple titles. They couldn't retreat—there was no way back.

Exchanging a glance, their eyes showed no fear. Ye Chen was strong, but not invincible. He wasn't even at Deity Transformation, lacking a Heaven and Earth Manifestation. Together, they were confident they could defeat him. It wouldn't be a glorious victory, but since Ye Chen had initiated the attack, they had no choice.

"Boom, boom, boom…"

The heavens shook. Two terrifying, invincible Heaven and Earth Manifestations were summoned, rising above the Pure Moon River.

The two legacy disciples stood atop their manifestations' brows. Their manifestations' aura far surpassed the Little Roc King's. One was humanoid, clad in lightning armor, like a thunder lord descended, inspiring instinctive awe as if facing a heavenly tribulation.

The other was beast-shaped—not modeled after an ancient beast but a mythical thunder beast conjured by cultivators' imaginations. It had a dragon's head, phoenix claws, a qilin's tail, and golden wings resembling a Kun Peng's. Though not real, its combined form stood in the void, its ferocity rivaling the true Ten Beasts.

One manifestation unleashed a lightning bolt, sealing the heavens. The other's beast opened its maw, spewing endless thunderous liquid. Their attacks collided with the thirty-six True Dragons, and in a blink, both sides vanished into nothingness.

The onlookers marveled. The Heavenly Intention legacy disciples' combat strength was indeed far beyond the Little Roc King's…

Chapter 396: Half the Goal Achieved!

Whether it was the sword-marked disciple or the fan-wielding disciple, neither dared to underestimate Ye Chen. They unleashed their full power, determined to suppress him.

Everyone expected an earth-shattering battle, perhaps only slightly less intense than the clash between Hua Yunfei and the Heavenly Intention Holy Son. But it would still be a rare spectacle.

Yet what followed far exceeded anyone's imagination. The Fourth Holy Son's performance was simply too astounding. His True Dragon Treasure Technique reached the pinnacle of offensive power. The legacy disciples' supreme techniques and manifestations couldn't withstand it, easily pierced and shattered. Each strike dealt them heavy blows. When had the Holy Son's True Dragon Treasure Technique become this formidable?

But that wasn't all. The legacy disciples wielded an array of techniques, relying on their Heaven and Earth Manifestations and their tangible phenomena to unleash infinite wonders. Sealing the heavens, suppressing the void, obliterating souls—each Divine Ability was terrifying, capable of crushing any Deity Transformation cultivator.

Yet these techniques were useless against Ye Chen. They were either effortlessly dodged with his Kunpeng speed or tanked directly with his physical body. Even the most destructive divine techniques posed no threat to him. If they managed to graze him, he recovered in the blink of an eye.

So, despite two mid-Deity Transformation cultivators ganging up on a mid-Nascent Soul Ye Chen, the scene everyone witnessed was the opposite. It was Ye Chen chasing down the two legacy disciples. Even seeing it with their own eyes, the crowd could hardly believe it. Could a Nascent Soul cultivator really be this strong?

…

The two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples were the most incredulous. They'd been confident that together, they could defeat Ye Chen. But after just a few dozen breaths of combat, they began questioning reality. Top-tier cultivators didn't fight like low-level ones, trading blows methodically. A single thought unleashed a barrage of techniques.

Yet in these brief moments, they realized Ye Chen had almost no weaknesses. They couldn't harm him, let alone suppress him. What terrified them most was their pride—the Heavenly Intention Thunder Techniques, capable of shattering anything, akin to a heavenly tribulation. Not only did they fail to injure Ye Chen, but he somehow turned their own thunder against them, using it to attack.

This was beyond comprehension. Only someone with a thunder dao far surpassing theirs could do that—like their own Holy Son. But how could Ye Chen manage it? Could it be… the Thunder Emperor Treasure Technique?

As they grappled with the thought, Ye Chen charged forward, gripping divine thunder. The terrifying aura made their pupils shrink. How did Ye Chen have the Thunder Emperor Treasure Technique too? Mastering any Treasure Technique required immense time. How could Ye Chen have the time to master so many? Baffled, they were bombarded by Ye Chen's divine thunder, pushed to the brink of ecstasy and agony.

The scene left the crowd in utter shock. The Heavenly Intention Holy Land, renowned for its thunder dao, had its legacy disciples pummeled by an outsider's thunder-based Treasure Technique? This was absurd.

The two legacy disciples had no fight left in them. Their spiritual power was inferior. Their techniques' power was outmatched. Their physical bodies were weaker. Even their proud Thunder Dao was surpassed. What was there left to fight for? They immediately sought to flee the battlefield.

Ye Chen was too monstrous, reaching an unprecedented level of power for a Nascent Soul cultivator. Losing to such a prodigy wasn't shameful. Let their Holy Son and Holy Maiden deal with him.

With a shared thought, the thunder beast, modeled after various mythical creatures, roared and spewed a thunder pool. After unleashing it, the mountain-sized beast withered by half, showing the immense cost of the move. The thunder pool rumbled, poised to explode. They didn't expect it to harm Ye Chen—just to buy time for their escape. The thunder pool was terrifying, its rolling liquid brimming with danger, ready to detonate.

The onlookers instinctively retreated, fearing involvement.

Facing the thunder pool about to erupt, Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged. From his brow, he summoned a five-colored divine ring.

Boom!

The ring soared into the sky, emanating a strange power that instantly sealed the thunder pool. The two legacy disciples' faces paled at the sight. They couldn't fathom where Ye Chen had obtained such a divine artifact.

Without hesitation, Ye Chen refined the thunder pool with a thought. The five-colored divine ring in the sky trembled, shaking the very heavens. Everyone could tell it was a top-tier treasure. But no one was surprised.

The Fourth Holy Son's reputation as the "son of the Heavenly Dao" was as widespread as his devotion to women. It'd be stranger if he didn't have such treasures.

The five-colored divine ring seemed capable of shaking down the stars themselves. Radiating a terrifying aura, it shot toward the two legacy disciples. Halfway, it expanded to the size of a full moon, like a grinding wheel, menacing as if it would pulverize them into oblivion. The legacy disciples, gripped by terror, unleashed every technique they had to resist.

But the ring's material was too extraordinary—nearly indestructible. In the next moment, their Heaven and Earth Manifestations shattered under its strike. Half their bodies exploded from the impact, and they plummeted into the Pure Moon River, sending water spraying everywhere.

At that moment, all of White Emperor City fell silent. Above the Pure Moon River, only Ye Chen remained. No one had expected the Fourth Holy Son to win—let alone so effortlessly.

It was beyond belief. Ye Chen lowered his head calmly, contemplating whether to finish them off. But a massive hand descended from the sky, scooping up the two legacy disciples.

A majestic voice boomed, "Since the victor is decided, let it end here!"

Clearly, a Heavenly Intention Holy Land powerhouse had intervened, unwilling to let their legacy disciples die. Elder Mo's voice whispered in Ye Chen's ear, asking if he should intercept.

Ye Chen couldn't help but chuckle. His protector was a chaos-stirrer at heart. Most protectors discouraged their prodigies from making enemies, but Elder Mo didn't care.

Ye Chen even sensed a hint of eagerness in his voice. It left him speechless. Elder Mo was probably no saint in his youth either.

Still, Ye Chen shook his head, signaling Elder Mo to stand down. No need. Tonight's main goals weren't just combat but gifting and establishing dominance. He'd achieved the latter.

Unleashing the five-colored divine ring was for the gifting. He'd deliberately used the two disciples to showcase the treasure's power, ensuring Fan Qinghe would value it and trigger a critical hit.

A perfect plan. The five-colored divine ring was the Diamond Ring he'd bought earlier. Why had it changed from silver to five-colored? Naturally, because Ye Chen had upgraded it!

Chapter 397: Please Board the Boat!

From Ye Chen's initial strike to the legacy disciples' counterattack, to him unleashing the divine ring and shattering their bodies, followed by the Heavenly Intention Holy Land's powerhouse intervening to whisk them away—it all happened too quickly.

Even after dozens of breaths, the onlookers were still dazed. The battle was over just like that? Two top-tier mid-Deity Transformation legacy disciples, working together, defeated by the Fourth Holy Son?

Even though it unfolded before their eyes, it left everyone questioning reality. Their gazes toward Ye Chen were filled with awe. They believed he'd shattered the limits of what a Nascent Soul cultivator could achieve. Even legendary true immortals from ancient times might not have matched Ye Chen at this stage.

Terrifying. One of a kind.

Their eyes then shifted to the five-colored divine ring still spinning in the sky, radiating its vibrant halo. Many understood that the ring's ability to destroy the legacy disciples' bodies stemmed from Ye Chen's own overwhelming strength.

Yet, staring at the ring, they couldn't help but marvel. What kind of supreme treasure was this? An ancient inherited artifact, perhaps? It was merely a top-grade spiritual treasure, yet it felt stronger than the mysterious treasures used by Deity Transformation cultivators. Its power seemed to approach that of Unity-stage dao weapons.

Some in the crowd, who'd witnessed Ye Chen's clash with Zhang Pengfei and his lavish purchase of the Diamond Ring, found the five-colored ring eerily familiar. Aside from the color, it was nearly identical in shape to the chakram. Its functions also matched the stall owner's description.

The main differences were its amplified power and the shift from silver to five colors. Could the Holy Son have refined it again with rare treasures after buying it?

Amid the crowd's curiosity, Ye Chen waved his hand, shrinking the divine ring to hover above his palm. He then turned to Fan Qinghe on the jade boat, who, in her shock, had paused her music. Her peach-blossom eyes flickered with astonishment, excitement, and a hint of hesitation.

Smiling lightly, Ye Chen spoke loudly, "A few days ago, while strolling through White Emperor City, I saw a bracelet I thought would make a fitting gift for the divine maiden. But its single silver color seemed too plain, unworthy of highlighting the divine maiden's radiance. So, I added a touch of dragon-patterned gold, phoenix-blood crimson gold, immortal-tear green gold, purple-veined divine gold, and eternal blue gold, re-refining it into its current form. Does the divine maiden like this gift?"

With those words, he flicked his palm. The five-colored divine ring floated toward the jade boat, stopping before Fan Qinghe.

The crowd erupted in an uproar, louder than when Ye Chen defeated Zhang Pengfei or the two legacy disciples. The story of the Fourth Holy Son's market appearance had spread widely. Everyone knew he'd spent fifty thousand top-grade spirit stones on a treasure infused with a trace of Great Luo silver essence. That was already astonishing. But to think he'd added five types of immortal metal afterward?

Immortal metal!

Materials used in immortal artifacts are priceless beyond measure. Where did the Holy Son get so much of it? And to lavish it on a mere top-grade spiritual treasure? No wonder the five-colored divine ring was so terrifyingly powerful.

With that much immortal metal, even a basic magic tool would become a rare treasure. The Holy Son, dubbed the "son of the Heavenly Dao," having such wealth wasn't unthinkable.

But… a Diamond Ring infused with so much immortal metal could not only ascend to a mysterious weapon or dao weapon but potentially even an extreme dao war weapon in the future. And the Holy Son had refined such a boundless treasure just to give it to the Heavenly Desire divine maiden, Fan Qinghe, as a greeting gift? As a bracelet?

This was too outrageous, too extravagant. It was hard to accept. Everyone knew the Fourth Holy Son was generous with women, but this was too generous. The crowd buzzed, marveling at Ye Chen's lavish gesture.

On the jade boat, Fan Qinghe stared at the bracelet shimmering with five-colored divine light, momentarily dazed.

Truth be told, despite her confidence in her allure, she knew her debut would captivate countless prodigies, making them fall head over heels and offer everything. But she hadn't expected the renowned Heavenly Evolution Holy Son to value her so highly. Not only did he crush all rival prodigies, but he'd prepared a treasure of unimaginable value well in advance.

Gazing at the Diamond Ring, now refined into five colors by Ye Chen, her eyes, brimming with charm, flickered with enchantment. To be so cherished, even for someone like her, who believed she could toy with countless men, sent her heart racing. The divine ring, infused with five types of immortal gold, held an irresistible allure. She longed to wear it on her wrist.

Despite the voice of a sect elder in her mind, urging her to tactfully decline Ye Chen's gift and withdraw to select a more suitable candidate later, she hesitated only briefly. Then, she reached out, gently grasping the five-colored divine ring and slowly slipping it onto her right wrist.

It was a simple motion, but in Fan Qinghe's hands, it was as graceful as a dance, breathtakingly beautiful and utterly captivating. Once the ring was on, she shook her wrist lightly, tilting her head and blinking her peach-blossom eyes, smiling brightly at Ye Chen. "Your Highness, the Holy Son, does it look good?"

Ye Chen smiled back, his mood visibly bright. His smile was radiant, genuine. Without hesitation, he replied, "It looks good."

His words were simple, direct. But Fan Qinghe, sensing the joy radiating from him, knew those two words were heartfelt. That was enough. Moreover, Ye Chen's earlier display in battle had left an indelible impression. A prodigy of his caliber was rare in the world.

For Fan Qinghe, his appeal was immense. She gently raised her hand, and the waters of the Pure Moon River surged, forming a staircase-like water bridge connecting her to Ye Chen.

"The Holy Son's sincerity leaves this humble one with no way to repay you. If you don't mind, please board the boat. I'd like to brew tea, play music, and discuss the Dao with you…"

Clearly, the slot to board the boat for this generation's divine maiden had been claimed by Ye Chen. No one in White Emperor City could object. His combat prowess was too astounding. Among his peers, perhaps only the three titans could claim to surpass him.

And in terms of wealth? The extravagant gift he'd prepared for their first meeting was unmatched. If even the Holy Son wasn't worthy to board, who could possibly qualify?

As for Ye Chen himself, hearing the system's prompt in his mind, he grew even more pleased with the amber beauty, Fan Qinghe. He was increasingly eager for the moment when she'd aid his cultivation. So, when the water bridge formed before him, he didn't hesitate. With confident strides, under countless gazes, he boarded the jade boat.

Ye Chen, handsome and heroic, stood beside the enchanting divine maiden on the deck—a perfect match, like an immortal couple. Soon, the jade boat was shrouded in mist, obscuring it from outsiders' view. It sparked endless speculation. And Ye Chen's deeds today spread rapidly…