ISWI Chapter 391-392

Chapter 391: Do You Want to Be a Coward Your Whole Life?

As Ye Chen pondered, someone shot up from their boat, flying toward Fan Qinghe, shouting, "I wish to discuss the Dao with the divine maiden. Divine Maiden, I, Han Xiao, the eldest young master of the Han Clan, wish to discuss the Dao with you and ascend the immortal path together!"

A figure shot up from a boat, hurtling toward the jade boat.

Hearing this, Fan Qinghe, her amber skin glistening under the moonlight with a soft, radiant glow, smiled. "So it's Young Master Han. Your Nether King Technique is said to be unrivaled across the cosmos. This humble one has long heard of your fame. Meeting you now, you truly exceed your reputation. Young Master, your presence is dazzling, your talent extraordinary…"

Fan Qinghe spared no praise, her voice so enchanting it melted into the bones, an absolute delight to hear. As she spoke, she reached out, plucking strands of moonlight. Using the moonlight as strings, she began to play.

A melodious tune filled the air. A beauty in a white dress playing moonlight under the night sky—such a scene was inherently elegant and brimming with immortal charm. Yet, in Fan Qinghe's hands, it carried an added layer of allure. The quickening rhythm of her music seemed to urge everyone onward.

…

Han Xiao drew closer to the jade boat—and to Fan Qinghe. Gazing at the shimmering glow of her skin, he felt he was beholding the most beautiful woman in the world.

But at that moment, a cold snort rang out. The Heavenly Intention legacy disciple with the sword mark on his brow spoke calmly. The sword mark seemed to come alive, unleashing a sword-shaped divine thunder.

It struck Han Xiao, sending him crashing into the water.

The legacy disciple rose calmly. "A third-rate clan like the Hans dares to discuss the Dao with the divine maiden? Laughable! It should naturally be me."

The fan-wielding legacy disciple started to stand as well.

The sword-marked legacy disciple cut in, "Senior Brother, didn't you say three days ago in front of the Holy Maiden that you scorned such things? So, I'll go instead."

The fan-wielding legacy disciple's mouth twitched.

'Didn't you say the same thing? How was I supposed to know the Heavenly Desire divine maiden would be this captivating?'

Their Holy Maiden, Yi Qingwu, was undoubtedly stunning, but she was the fiancée of their Holy Son. Sure, that made her even more thrilling to think about. But Yi Qingwu would never spare them a glance. And they didn't have the guts to pursue her.

The divine maiden, though? She was different. So unique, she ignited desire and a craving to possess her. As for the danger? With their resolve, they were confident they could subdue her.

The Heavenly Desire Sect's Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture planted a demonic seed in the cauldron, gradually leading them to ruin. In the end, before achieving immortality, the cauldron would offer everything to the divine maiden.

But if one's will was strong, indifferent to feminine charms and unshaken by temptation, they could use clever techniques to reverse the dynamic, making the divine maiden aid their cultivation instead.

The Heavenly Intention legacy disciples were brimming with confidence. They believed they could achieve this. When that time came, the divine maiden would be their plaything.

So, the fan-wielding legacy disciple wanted to compete with his junior brother. Both believed only they were worthy of vying for her. The others? Not even worth mentioning.

Yao Gu, for instance—decent talent, but only early Deity Transformation. The rest were just prodigies from lesser factions, hardly notable. The only exception was Ye Chen, with his high status.

But Ye Chen's talent was too great, and his cultivation was only at Nascent Soul. The Heavenly Evolution Holy Land would never allow him to take such a risk. And as a top prodigy, Ye Chen likely wouldn't lower himself to chase a divine maiden. So, everyone else here was trash. Only one of them deserved to be the divine maiden's guardian.

…

Ye Chen gazed at Fan Qinghe, who was strumming moonlight as her strings. Fan Qinghe was looking back at him. Her alluring peach-blossom eyes, always seeming to smile and encourage, studied Ye Chen with curiosity. Upon closer inspection, there was even a hint of admiration in her gaze. It was as if she were eagerly awaiting Ye Chen's move.

Ye Chen smiled. Fan Qinghe was a master at playing with hearts. But as her celestial music grew more urgent, Ye Chen grew tired of watching these weaklings squabble. Time to settle things with one blow, board the boat, and present his gift. Let Fan Qinghe take whatever she wanted. No need to haggle—he'd offer it all.

So, under the shocked gazes of the crowd, Ye Chen threw a punch directly at the boat carrying the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples. His combat strength was terrifying.

The punch shattered the boat, sending a curtain of water spraying into the sky. The two legacy disciples dodged at the last moment, glaring at Ye Chen with fury. They hadn't expected him to take the initiative—and to target both of them at once.

"Ye the Fourth, you're playing with fire!" the fan-wielding disciple said coldly.

The sword-marked disciple narrowed his eyes, radiating icy hostility. They'd come for Ye Chen, true, but now they were reluctant to act. The divine maiden was too captivating. Suppressing Ye Chen was just a task to curry favor with their Holy Son and Holy Maiden.

But winning the divine maiden? That was personal fulfillment. They knew which mattered more. But now that Ye Chen had provoked them, they couldn't ignore it. If Fan Qinghe thought they were scared of him, that wouldn't do. So, they'd suppress him. Crushing the Fourth Holy Son would surely prove their talent and earn the divine maiden's admiration.

Ye Chen glanced at the two but didn't rush to strike again. Instead, he calmly turned his gaze to the Little Roc King, Zhang Pengfei. Zhang Pengfei froze under Ye Chen's look, startled. Then it hit him.

Oh no!

Did the Fourth Holy Son recognize him? His earlier impulse to reveal himself just to catch Fan Qinghe's eye had been fleeting. He'd quickly sobered up, realizing it was a reckless move.

For a woman? Not worth ruining his future. He'd planned to just sneak a few more glances at Fan Qinghe, then wait for the battle to unfold, targeting whoever was too injured to recover quickly.

Tomorrow, he'd challenge them in his true form, stepping over them to boost his reputation. Ideally, the Fourth Holy Son would be the one injured. With his soaring fame and Heavy Pupils, Ye Chen was a prime target. Defeating him would skyrocket Zhang Pengfei's prestige.

But just as he was plotting, Ye Chen's gaze locked onto him. Zhang Pengfei panicked—truly panicked. He'd lied to his partner, saying he was off to comprehend the Sword Intent of the Four Seasons outside the city, preparing to challenge a rival in a few days. If she found out he was here, he was done for. A pleading look flashed in Zhang Pengfei's eyes.

Ye Chen gave a faint smile, gesturing for him to relax. Zhang Pengfei exhaled in relief, thinking the Fourth Holy Son respected the unwritten rules of the martial world. But the next moment, he froze.

"Little Roc King, if you admire beauty, you should stand tall and proud. Why hide your identity, skulking in the shadows? As cultivators, we should be fearless and charge forward! Do you want to be a hero for a moment or a coward for a lifetime? Raise your head, look at me, and answer—come fight me!"

Ye Chen's voice boomed, piercing the Pure Moon River's formations and echoing across half of White Emperor City. The city erupted in an uproar.

Zhang Pengfei shuddered, his eagle eyes glaring at Ye Chen with venomous killing intent.

…

On the jade boat, Fan Qinghe watched the brewing battlefield, her lips curling into a smile, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons. Her delicate hands, strumming moonlight, moved with increasing lightness. A group of men fighting to the death for her—what a thrilling sight! And this Fourth Holy Son was so intriguing!

Fan Qinghe had naturally heard the tales of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's Fourth Holy Son. No woman could resist taking an interest in such a prodigy. She'd assumed Ye Chen was just here for the spectacle. But she hadn't expected him to step up. And in such a domineering way.

No patience for dawdling, he'd struck first at the strongest present—the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples. Despite the vast gap in realms, he showed every intention of taking them both on. His prodigy aura was unmistakable.

But he didn't stop there. After shattering the legacy disciples' boat, he turned and exposed the Little Roc King, Zhang Pengfei. Now Zhang Pengfei had no way out. Was this a plan to fight three at once? A late Nascent Soul cultivator against three Deity Transformation powerhouses? That was beyond confident—it was downright reckless. Even with Heavy Pupils, it was a massive gamble.

But Fan Qinghe loved it. After all, the battles on the Pure Moon River were all for her. The Fourth Holy Son was clearly aiming to crush every rival vying for her before her song ended. Her radiant, seductive peach-blossom eyes glinted with a peculiar light. She couldn't resist, her small tongue lightly tracing her red lips.

Sadly, everyone's eyes were on Ye Chen, missing the moment—otherwise, their blood pressure might've spiked.

Strumming moonlight, Fan Qinghe's amber hands moved faster, the song's tempo growing more frenetic. And that wasn't all. With a wave, she dispelled the mist conjured by the arrays along the riverbanks, which had blocked outsiders' views and probes. As the Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maiden, her debut wasn't for just anyone to witness. Only a select few, the most esteemed, could see her, enhancing her perceived value.

But now, the Fourth Holy Son was about to take on three opponents to board her jade boat and discuss the Dao. Such a shocking spectacle deserved to be seen by the outside world.

Win or lose, this battle would cement her as the most awe-inspiring divine maiden in the Heavenly Desire Sect's history. Her amber, fox-like face glowed with increasing delight at the thought.

…

Outside the Pure Moon River, the crowd was restless, scratching their heads in frustration. Who wouldn't want to see the Heavenly Desire Sect's most outstanding divine maiden in ten thousand years? Especially that "amber" business—what exactly was amber-colored?

Yet, despite being so close, the array blocked their view, driving them mad. Even as the divine maiden's debut began, they refused to leave, hoping for a final glimpse. Soon, a voice rang out, startling them.

"The Little Roc King is here too?"

Zhang Pengfei's rise by cozying up to the Sky Roc Sect's grand elder's daughter and becoming her partner was common knowledge. Top-tier prodigies like those with Heavy Pupils were rare in the cultivation world. But the next tier down? Not so scarce.

The Sky Roc Sect once had another prodigy who outshone Zhang Pengfei. Yet, due to the grand elder's influence, they chose to heavily back Zhang Pengfei. His presence at the Pure Moon River was, without a doubt, a betrayal.

Sure enough, a surge of killing intent erupted in White Emperor City. A furious female voice roared, "Zhang Pengfei, you're dead!"

Hearing it, the crowd silently mourned for him. But they were also curious—who was bold enough to offend Zhang Pengfei so thoroughly? Was it a heated rivalry over the divine maiden? Just how stunning was this generation's Heavenly Desire Sect divine maiden to cause such chaos?

Chapter 392: That's Just Too Much!

The crowd grew increasingly anxious, desperate to know what was happening inside. Had a victor already emerged? Had someone boarded the divine maiden's jade boat?

Amid their curiosity, the seemingly thin but impenetrable mist shrouding the Pure Moon River began to dissipate. In the blink of an eye, it melted away like spring snow. The scene on the river came into view. The moment it did, a wave of gasps swept through the crowd.

Atop the jade boat, the Heavenly Desire divine maiden was breathtakingly alluring. A single glance left countless mouths dry. The cultivation world was filled with countless beauties, but finding another like this generation's divine maiden, Fan Qinghe, was near impossible.

This woman seemed to exist solely for men. Many felt that seeing her even once was enough to leave this life without regrets. No wonder the commotion inside was so intense. A vixen like her was absolutely worth such chaos. But when the onlookers outside saw the scene on the river, their shock deepened.

The river's surface was littered with fragments of broken boats. In the sky, the two legacy disciples from the Heavenly Intention Holy Land radiated the oppressive aura of mid-Deity Transformation cultivators. The surging pressure stilled the river's waves, turning the entire space into a mirror-like calm. Both glared furiously at the Fourth Holy Son. Clearly, a conflict had erupted. It seemed the Fourth Holy Son had struck first, aiming to take on both at once.

But that wasn't all. The Little Roc King, Zhang Pengfei, stood on his boat, his face dark. His eyes glowed like molten gold, and behind him sprouted two wings, each feather like a peerless flying sword, radiating sky-piercing sword intent capable of cutting through anything. He, too, was glaring at the Fourth Holy Son of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land.

Some in the crowd, who'd been at the market street that day and heard Ye Chen speak, now realized it was he who'd exposed Zhang Pengfei's identity.

What was going on? Was the Fourth Holy Son really planning to suppress everyone single-handedly?

That seemed impossible. No matter how strong he was, he was only at late Nascent Soul. His opponents included two mid-Deity Transformation cultivators and one early Deity Transformation—all prodigies with combat strength far exceeding their realms. How could the Fourth Holy Son be so reckless as to make so many enemies?

Yet, the fact that he was diving into the fray for the divine maiden suggested he was aiming to emulate the Heavenly Emperor, subduing her to aid his cultivation. Whatever the reason, the crowd was in an uproar. They'd expected plenty of prodigies to show up for the spectacle, but few to actually join the fight.

Now, not only was the Fourth Holy Son involved, but so were the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples. And the Little Roc King likely had the same goal. Other prodigies, like Yao Gu of the Yao Clan, weren't even watching the sky's brewing battle, their eyes glued to the divine maiden. Clearly, he might jump in later too.

The scene left everyone in awe. This generation's divine maiden was simply too extraordinary. Even holy sons and legacy disciples were casting aside their status to compete.

Yet, looking at Fan Qinghe, it felt entirely justified. The Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maiden, Fan Qinghe, truly had the charm to upend the world. Even emotionless, Dao-focused elders might waver at the sight of her.

With such a spectacle, the crowd around the Pure Moon River grew larger. They watched Fan Qinghe delicately pluck moonlight, producing celestial music. They watched the brewing battle, eager to see who would strike next. And who would ultimately board the jade boat to discuss the Dao with the divine maiden, becoming her guardian and companion in her travels.

…

Under the gaze of countless onlookers, Zhang Pengfei's eyes blazed with fury as he sensed his partner's rapidly approaching aura. He was doomed. Either the grand elder would forsake him, cutting off his resources and demanding he return what he'd gained, or he'd have to grovel to appease his partner. But her peculiar tastes made even the thought of it chilling.

His anger toward Ye Chen surged. All he'd done that day was save face by revealing Ye Chen's identity to avoid looking like he'd been scared off by a nobody. And earlier, he'd only thought about stepping on Ye Chen to boost his fame. He hadn't done anything—just thought about it! Yet Ye Chen was pushing him to his death. Utterly despicable.

Zhang Pengfei was sharp, realizing his best move was to defeat Ye Chen and prove his worth. If he could beat Ye Chen, he'd rise to the top tier of prodigies, just below the likes of Hua, Yao, and Ying. Even the Sky Roc Sect would have to reassess him, perhaps elevating him further.

So, he locked eyes with Ye Chen, his voice icy. "Ye the Fourth, I've long heard your Heavy Pupils are terrifying, holding the power of destruction and sealing all in the world. Today, I want to test them."

With those words, Zhang Pengfei's wings flared behind him. He soared into the sky. In the next moment, a colossal Sword Roc, as vast as a mountain, materialized. It was like an ancient beast reborn, coldly surveying the world. Its sword intent seemed to shake the heavens.

Zhang Pengfei stood at the roc's brow, his battle intent surging, showing no fear of Ye Chen's Holy Son status.

The onlookers were stunned.

"Zhang Pengfei's Sword Roc Body has clearly awakened to a profound level. His Heaven and Earth Manifestation is almost identical to an ancient Sword Roc—terrifying!"

"That sword intent stings my eyes just looking at it, making them tear up. I can't see clearly!"

"He may have risen through a woman, but his effort and talent are undeniably top-notch."

"The Holy Son has Heavy Pupils, but he lacks a Heaven and Earth Manifestation. He's at a disadvantage here."

The crowd buzzed, marveling at Zhang Pengfei's strength, eagerly anticipating the clash.

Zhang Pengfei knew his future hinged on this battle, so he unleashed his full power without hesitation.

Yet, despite being called "Ye the Fourth" to his face and facing the terrifying Sword Roc manifestation, Ye Chen's expression remained calm. No anger, no fear, no concern. He glanced at the Sword Roc from top to bottom, not lingering for even a moment. Then he turned to the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples.

Having unleashed his Heaven and Earth Manifestation, only to be so blatantly ignored, Zhang Pengfei was livid. His Sword Roc manifestation spread its wings, head raised, exuding ferocious intent, ready to soar and strike Ye Chen.

Ye Chen still paid him no mind. Instead, he spoke calmly to the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples. "Both of you, come at me together."

Two days ago, Ye Chen had considered Yao Gu's words about the Heavenly Desire divine maiden avoiding top prodigies to prevent being freeloaded like the Heavenly Emperor. He'd wondered if he should play the pig—fight just barely enough to win, making it look like a close call, as if he'd only prevailed by luck. That might convince the world his reputation was earned, perhaps luring the divine maiden into taking the bait. But he quickly found the idea dull.

Why bother?

With his system, he could be direct and brutal. He could shower her with gifts until she surrendered.

Why play the pig?

Besides, most women admired strength. They'd fall for the powerful, even harboring ambitions to conquer them for immense satisfaction.

So today, Ye Chen wanted to end this swiftly. And make his name resound. The Heavenly Intention Holy Son might qualify as his rival, but the rest? They were just wasting his time.

After this battle, he'd ensure the likes of Zhang Pengfei would detour around him, not dare to leech off his fame.

Today wasn't just about claiming the divine maiden to aid his cultivation. It was about cementing his legend across the Great Yan Continent. He wanted the world to look at him with awe, not trouble him with challenges.

Ye Chen's words sent a shockwave through the crowd. The Holy Son was demanding that both Heavenly Intention legacy disciples attack him together? That was outrageously arrogant. It was understandable that he didn't see Zhang Pengfei as a threat.

After all, despite lacking a Heaven and Earth Manifestation, Ye Chen had Heavy Pupils. Defeating Zhang Pengfei across realms wouldn't be too shocking. But the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples were no pushovers. They were only a step below their Holy Son, and both were at mid-Deity Transformation—higher than Ye Chen's realm. Even with a bloodline Divine Ability like Heavy Pupils, this was too brazen. He'd pay a price. Had the Fourth Holy Son lost his mind, trying to show off for a woman?

…

Zhang Pengfei's fury reached its peak. This was humiliation. He could bear it no longer.

High in the sky, the two Heavenly Intention legacy disciples, who hadn't taken Ye Chen too seriously and were more focused on scheming how to secure the sole chance to board the jade boat, heard his words.

The sword-marked disciple sneered. "Suppressing you? I'm enough on my own. Why would I team up with this woman-clinging trash?"

The fan-wielding disciple scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at Zhang Pengfei. "Utterly repulsive!"

The Heavenly Intention Holy Land always claimed to embody the will of heaven, holding themselves above others. Aside from their own Holy Son and prodigies from other holy lands, they regarded most sect prodigies as mere rabble. Their words spared Zhang Pengfei no face.

The scene fell silent. The onlookers couldn't help but feel secondhand embarrassment for Zhang Pengfei. Ignored by the Fourth Holy Son. Scorned by the Heavenly Intention legacy disciples. Despite being a prodigy with a terrifying Heaven and Earth Manifestation, he somehow seemed… pitiful. If the crowd put themselves in his shoes, they'd probably never show their face again after today.