ISWI Chapter 162-163

Chapter 162: Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed

Seeing Ye Chen's straightforward answer, An Yuyi thought about Ye Chen's strength and his retreat before entering the lotus garden. She believed him. After all, Ye Chen's power was unremarkable, lacking any indomitable momentum.

Facing the bullying from Fang Xi and Pei Ling, he had been angry but dared not speak out. Such a cultivator, who always tries to curry favor, indeed, he shouldn't have the courage to stealthily take what she wanted. So... it was likely that the Boundless Demon Sect had destroyed or taken away the Blood Sea Lotus before they left.

Thinking this, An Yuyi sighed, "The Blood Sea Lotus is a nearly lost spiritual plant, said to be rare even in ancient times! The Blood Sea Lotus produces a seed every fifty years that can enhance a cultivator's spiritual root. A ninth-grade spiritual root might evolve into an attribute spiritual root upon consumption. And a single attribute spiritual root might even awaken as a dual attribute spiritual root. The chance isn't one hundred percent, but the probability is not low. I have dual attribute spiritual roots myself, but my Star Spiritual Root is stronger, while my Thunder Spiritual Root is weaker, causing an imbalance... If I could obtain the Blood Sea Lotus, I could correct this, but alas, it was all for naught!"

By the end, An Yuyi was quite despondent. After all, there were many talented disciples in the Divine Will Sect, and the competition was fierce. Even as a bearer of dual attribute spiritual roots, her cultivation time was too short to compete with those in the later stages of Foundation Establishment, vying for opportunities within the sect.

But the Divine Will Pool opens once every ten years, and it would be accessible by the end of this year. If she missed this opportunity, she would be continuously behind, making it even harder to compete with other talents. She had hoped to rectify her spiritual root issue with the Blood Sea Lotus seed, perhaps even aiming for the top ten this year. Now, that seemed difficult.

An Yuyi walked down the mountain, disheartened.

Ye Chen, however, raised his eyebrows and followed. This Blood Sea Lotus seed indeed had some substance. But what about his own golden lotus seed?

Ye Chen casually asked, "Apart from the Blood Sea Lotus, are there any other treasures that can enhance spiritual roots?"

An Yuyi couldn't be bothered to speak. She knew that Ye Chen's talent was definitely subpar. And cultivators with poor spiritual roots were always eager for treasures that could enhance them. But such things were not easy to come by.

She simply took out a jade slip from her storage ring and threw it to Ye Chen: "This is some information from our Divine Will Sect about the Blood Sea Lotus and other treasures that enhance spiritual roots. Take a look."

Ye Chen, curious, immediately sent his spiritual sense into it. Instantly, text and images flooded into his mind. The jade slip recorded many treasures that could enhance spiritual roots. But most were extinct.

However, Ye Chen's eyes lit up when he saw a golden lotus seed. It was identical to the one he had obtained.

"Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed… If the Blood Sea Lotus is fed with python blood and irrigated with the heartblood of an Earthheart Python, it might mutate, merging multiple plants to form a mutated Blood Sea Lotus… Every five hundred years, the mutated Blood Sea Lotus produces a fruit, yielding the Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed. Consuming the Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed may elevate one to an Earth Spiritual Root!"

Seeing this, Ye Chen's eyes sparkled. No wonder the guardians in the lotus garden had changed from a demon wolf to the Earthheart Python. It seemed the Boundless Demon Sect wanted to induce a mutation in the Blood Sea Lotus. And this Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed could even help cultivators elevate to an Earth Spiritual Root.

Although it was only a possibility, it was still far more powerful than a normal Blood Sea Lotus Seed. If he gifted this Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed to his master, the reward he could receive might even elevate to a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

At this moment, Ye Chen was truly elated. This trip, indeed, had not been in vain.

...

Having committed all the information to memory, Ye Chen returned the jade slip to An Yuyi.

An Yuyi was despondent. Ye Chen, on the other hand, was in high spirits. Neither wanting to speak, they simply continued down the mountain. Perhaps due to the Earthheart Python's rampage, a wide path had been cleared through the Bewildering Forest.

The two easily made their way out of the forest, exiting through the entrance they had found.

However, Ye Chen suddenly stopped and said, "Wait for me a moment, I need to do something…"

As he finished speaking, Ye Chen turned back and headed towards the Bewildering Forest.

An Yuyi, uninterested in asking what Ye Chen was up to, remained lost in her thoughts.

Ye Chen reached the Bewildering Forest and unleashed several bursts of Myriad Star Fire.

Instantly, the blood-red trees in the forest wailed as numerous vines tried to extinguish the flames. But the more they touched the fire, the more intensely it burned.

Satisfied with the spreading fire, Ye Chen nodded contentedly and left discreetly, having done his part without seeking fame.

...

"Did you set a fire?" An Yuyi, sensing the disturbance, looked puzzled at Ye Chen. She couldn't understand why Ye Chen would burn the Bewildering Forest.

With a just and serious face, Ye Chen replied, "The formation has been opened by us, and disciples from the Green Cloud Sect will surely come to explore. The Bewildering Forest is dangerous, and to prevent disciple injuries, it was best to burn it down."

An Yuyi was silent, unexpectedly finding that Ye Chen was quite considerate of his sect.

...

When they first entered the ruins, they were slow in finding the entrance. Now, leaving was much quicker. In just two days, the two left the ruins, seeing the light of day once more.

Over the past few days, An Yuyi had been pondering how to enhance her strength without the Blood Sea Lotus Seed. She must secure a spot in this year's Divine Will Pool. Otherwise, she would fall behind step by step.

An Yuyi's gaze shifted to Ye Chen. Though Ye Chen's strength was average, his alchemy skills were indeed exceptional. He could even produce top-grade True Intent Pills, which were very beneficial for cultivation enhancement.

Moreover, top-grade Clear Meridian Pills could remove all impurities from one's spiritual energy. If she had enough of them, she could use methods to rapidly increase her cultivation that might otherwise have lingering adverse effects, cleansing afterwards with the Clear Meridian Pills.

After leaving the ruins, An Yuyi turned to Ye Chen and asked, "Fellow Daoist Ye, do you still have any top-grade True Intent Pills and Clear Meridian Pills?"

Ye Chen nodded in response, "Yes, I do!"

An Yuyi immediately showed delight: "I need more of these two types of pills..."

Ye Chen nodded again: "Of course, I have as many as you need..."

An Yuyi's eyes brightened even more.

Ye Chen paused for a moment before continuing: "In consideration of Elder An, I'll give you a discount. Ten True Intent Pills per bottle, I'll charge you two top-grade spirit stones. Ten Clear Meridian Pills per bottle, I'll charge you three top-grade spirit stones. How many do you want?"

An Yuyi's eyes widened in surprise. She has to pay with spirit stones? Weren't you giving them to me before?

Seeing An Yuyi's expression, Ye Chen also looked surprised: "Aren't you looking to buy, Fellow Daoist An?"

An Yuyi was obviously expecting Ye Chen to give them to her. After all, she had always thought that Ye Chen, who was known to ingratiate himself, wanted to cling to her status as a direct disciple of the Divine Will Sect. That's why he had given her Soul Nurturing Stones and pills before. But why wasn't Ye Chen offering them for free now?

Now that Ye Chen had put it that way, An Yuyi felt embarrassed to say she wouldn't buy. It would seem like she was expecting a free ride.

"I'll buy... two bottles of each!"

An Yuyi had about ten top-grade spirit stones in her storage ring. For someone in the Foundation Establishment phase, this was actually a substantial amount of money. But that was all she could afford.

Ye Chen happily accepted the spirit stones and handed over the goods. Then he casually threw out his flying boat: "Since this task is completed, then, Fellow Daoist An, see you next time..."

With those words, Ye Chen left swiftly and decisively. In the blink of an eye, his figure had already reached the horizon.

An Yuyi was stunned to see Ye Chen leave so quickly...

He left without any hesitation? Wasn't he quite enthusiastic towards her before?

She generally disliked the distraction of controlling a flying boat. She had initially thought about asking Ye Chen to escort her back to the Divine Will Sect. Why did he leave on his own? And then it dawned on An Yuyi; when Ye Chen first met her, he used to call her Fairy An. When did it change to Fellow Daoist An?

Chapter 163: This Is Your Loss…

An Yuyi was indeed perceptive. She quickly figured out the reason behind Ye Chen's change in attitude. It must have been because she hadn't spoken up when Fang Xi and Pei Ling targeted Ye Chen during their journey. But how could he blame her?

On one side was a direct disciple from her own Divine Will Sect, and on the other, Ye Chen, a lower sect cultivator. Who would risk creating a rift with their sect mates for someone like Ye Chen?

Moreover, she had gone through considerable trouble to enter the Bewildering Forest and even saved Ye Chen's life, getting injured in the process. After doing so much, Ye Chen still acted this way. Ye Chen truly did not appreciate her efforts.

However, as a distinguished direct disciple of the Divine Will Sect, with a promising future and potential for Golden Core advancement, it was Ye Chen's loss for being so unwise.

An Yuyi scoffed. Launching her flying boat, she headed towards the Divine Will Sect. She quickly put Ye Chen out of her mind.

In An Yuyi's view, she and Ye Chen were simply from two different worlds. Their meeting had been due to her curiosity alone. They would likely never meet again. She would do better to focus on the matters concerning the Divine Will Pool.

...

Flying high in the sky, Ye Chen felt elated.

Accompanying An Yuyi on this mission had indeed been highly profitable. The value of the Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed was immeasurable.

Gifting this to his master, he would no longer be seen as a third-grade spiritual root failure. If not for the two-day cooling period remaining, Ye Chen would have been eager to fly straight back to his sect.

Upon returning to his base, Ye Chen noticed that many elders and disciples were present—some areas were crowded.

This piqued Ye Chen's curiosity. Considering the abundance of treasures in the ruins, they usually explored the ruins actively. Except for those injured or resting, most elders and disciples didn't stay long at the base. Why were so many here this time?

However, Ye Chen didn't bother to ask and flew directly to the summit Magic Peak Master's residence to pay his respects.

"Fellow Daoist Ye has returned. Did the fellows from the Divine Will Sect not come back with you?"

Magic Peak Master greeted Ye Chen cordially upon seeing him. Not to mention anything else, in terms of cultivation level, they were now only a minor realm apart. Thinking back to four years ago when he watched Ye Chen overpower his own disciple, Magic Peak Master felt somewhat sentimental. Not to mention, Ye Chen had connections with the elders of the Divine Will Sect.

Ye Chen immediately chuckled and shook his head, "They went back directly."

The Magic Peak Master wasn't surprised. People from the Divine Will Sect always considered the outside regions to be backwaters and preferred not to linger.

"Your contributions during this mission to assist our sect will be recognized and rewarded within a month," the Magic Peak Master mentioned.

Then, suddenly remembering something, he asked, "By the way, a Golden Core Earthheart Python suddenly appeared in the ruins these past few days. Do you have any idea about that?"

The sudden emergence of a Golden Core demonic beast wreaking havoc in the ruins had the Magic Peak Master suspecting it was the work of Divine Will Sect's direct disciples.

Ye Chen was taken aback, suddenly realizing why there were so many people at the base all at once. It turns out they were all scared back.

The Magic Peak Master continued, "Fortunately, that Earthheart Python headed towards the exits near the Misty Sect. Our disciples weren't much affected. However, I was leading a few elders at the time, competing with the Misty Sect for a cultivation technique, when we happened to encounter it. If not for good luck, with the Misty Sect's elders closer to the Earthheart Python, I and a few other elders might not have made it back.

"Elder Li even lost an arm and rushed back to the sect to seek healing. Was it those direct disciples from Divine Will Sect who caused this? These upper sect direct disciples never consider the consequences of their actions on lower sect territories... Now with a Golden Core demonic beast in the ruins, how are we supposed to continue operations there?"

By the end, the Magic Peak Master was visibly shaken and quite displeased with the direct disciples of Divine Will Sect.

Ye Chen's mouth twitched.

Without hesitation, he passed the blame: "Yes, it was them who let loose the Earthheart Python."

Ye Chen decided that after he delivered the Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed to his master, he would visit Elder Li. He planned to bring some medicinal pills as compensation. Although he couldn't be blamed for the incident, he felt somewhat responsible.

Ye Chen asked the peak master for leave, stating that he needed to return home for a while. The Magic Peak Master agreed readily. After all, the ruins were now inaccessible. He was already in contact with the sect about whether to withdraw everyone.

Ye Chen bid farewell to Magic Peak Master. Upon returning to the courtyard, he saw Yao Xi. Having not seen her for a full month, Ye Chen's eyes lit up instantly. He swiftly pulled Yao Xi into the room, closed the door and windows, plunging the room into darkness.

"Senior Sister Yao, I have something precious to show you!"

Hearing this, Yao Xi's cheeks flushed immediately. What sort of lewd talk was this? Had Ye Chen finally lost his restraint?

Blushing, she lowered her head, "But it's still daytime..."

"What does daytime have to do with it..." Ye Chen said, puzzled.

"Look at this Soul Nurturing Stone, it's truly top-notch. How pure is that green sheen! And the natural patterns on it are cast in green light on the wall, creating a unique charm. Senior Sister Yao, please take it..."

Yao Xi looked at the green, oily Soul Nurturing Stone thrust into her hands. Her pretty face was full of confusion as she stared at Ye Chen.

You dragged me into your room in broad daylight, shut the doors and windows tight, just to show me this stone? Although the Soul Nurturing Stone was indeed a treasure, didn't you know what I was really hoping for?

Yao Xi rolled her eyes at Ye Chen in a mix of coyness and irritation, "I don't want it, you keep it..."

Although she appeared a bit angry, Yao Xi knew about Ye Chen's deal to exchange for the Soul Nurturing Stone from the elder. Now knowing that Ye Chen had prepared it for her, her heart felt sweet.

Yet, Ye Chen was too much, too grating. His actions made Yao Xi feel sweet, yet simultaneously a bit annoyed.

Ye Chen gave a slight smile and suddenly scooped Yao Xi into his arms, "Then let me show you another one…"

The next morning, Ye Chen stepped out refreshed and invigorated.

Behind him, Yao Xi appeared charming yet resentful.

"Don't be mad, I need to return to the sect for a bit! I'll be back in a week."

Ye Chen kissed Yao Xi's cheek and smiled as he said goodbye.

Yao Xi glanced around, her pretty face blushing. She wasn't really that angry anymore. Though he could be irritating, Most of the time, his company was quite pleasant.

After bidding farewell to Yao Xi, Ye Chen launched his flying boat and swiftly departed. He was heading to the Green Cloud Sect to meet his master.

Carrying the Blood Sea Golden Lotus Seed, a treasure capable of enhancing spiritual roots, Ye Chen was eager. He even found the cooldown period too long. He wondered if there was a way to upgrade the system. If it could be triggered once a day, wouldn't he soar to new heights?

...

At the Green Cloud Sect, Gu Yunyun lay in a small pond, gazing at the clouds rolling across the sky. She was slightly distracted. It was she who had sent Ye Chen away, hoping that time would dispel some of his inappropriate thoughts.

Yet, it was she who felt uncomfortable with the adjustment. Each night, she couldn't help but use her spiritual sense to scan Ye Chen's courtyard, longing to hear his voice. She often found herself recalling how Ye Chen, feigning nonchalance, would present her with painstakingly crafted top-grade elixirs.

Having lived alone on Sword Peak since childhood after her master left, she thought she had grown accustomed to solitude. But in just a few years since Ye Chen's arrival, She found herself unaccustomed to being alone again.