ISIW Chapter 275-276

Chapter 275: You Must Accept What I Give You

The Champion King was dead. The struggle for the throne had ended in a way no one could have predicted. The clan elders glared at Ye Chen, their eyes blazing with murderous intent. But Li Feihuang, witnessing Ye Chen's relentless actions despite their protests, let out a soft sigh.

She stepped forward, positioning herself before the elders, and spoke calmly, "The contest for the throne is over. Elders, please announce the results."

The elders gritted their teeth. "He killed a member of the Li family! How will you explain this to the Ancestor?"

The Li family was the very foundation of the Great Chu Empire. Anyone could die—except a Li.

Li Feihuang's eyes narrowed slightly. "You elders altered the ceremony's timing to favor the Champion King, and I overlooked it, letting bygones be bygones. As for this matter, let it end here. When the Ancestor emerges from seclusion, I will explain it myself."

The elders' expressions shifted. They had undeniably sided with the Champion King, pulling strings behind the scenes. Li Feihuang's willingness to let it pass was a relief. After a moment's hesitation, they bowed to her. "We will follow the Royal Lady's arrangements."

One elder ascended into the sky, his voice booming like thunder: "Royal Lady Li Feihuang, with extraordinary strength, wise leadership, and the favor of the heavens, is hereby declared the next Emperor of Great Chu. The coronation will take place in one month."

The city erupted in an uproar. Ye Chen had killed the Champion King, and no one was holding him accountable? Could it be that the Royal Lady had ordered it? Rumors swirled that after her father's death, Li Feihuang had fled in disgrace, enduring countless hardships and harboring a deep hatred for the Champion King. Conspiracy theories multiplied.

But regardless, the matter was settled.

The Wang family was beside themselves with joy. Their loyalty had secured them a monumental reward. The other families, however, wore grim expressions, already scheming how to curry favor with the new emperor through gifts.

Among the onlookers, the cultivators buzzed with talk of Ye Chen's strength. It was staggering. A mid-Golden Core cultivator had slain the Champion King, someone capable of contending with Nascent Soul experts. Most astonishingly, Ye Chen had made it look effortless, barely lifting a finger beyond commanding the chariot.

...

Li Feihuang glanced at Ye Chen, signaling for him to follow her into the Great Chu Palace. Once inside, the trembling attendants were dismissed with a wave of her hand. She turned to Ye Chen, her expression grave.

"Ye Chen, you went too far. I know you did this for me. The Champion King would never have submitted after my ascension, defying my orders and undermining my authority. That's why you went to such lengths to kill him. But now the world will think I ordered it, staining my name with the crime of kinslaying! When the Ancestor emerges, how am I to face him? And the entire royal clan watched you kill him—how will they see me now?"

Ye Chen blinked, bewildered.

I killed the Champion King to avenge Su Yuxuan, not to secure your throne. Was that my reasoning?

He gave a faint smile. "No matter. Once this is over, I'll leave. Your Highness can pin everything on me."

Ye Chen's solution was straightforward and blunt. He had no intention of lingering in the Great Chu Empire. Once he claimed his rewards, he planned to leave without looking back.

Li Feihuang, however, was stunned by his words. She gazed at him, complex emotions flickering in her eyes. The dust had settled, and her ascension to the throne was imminent—a time to divide the spoils.

Ye Chen, with his unmatched strength and immense contributions, deserved the largest share. Yet, the one who had given the most was ready to walk away without a second thought?

He sought no reward, willing to face eternal ruin just to aid her, without a trace of regret. Despite his formidable power, he humbly placed himself beneath her, handling all the dirty work she couldn't touch.

How could she, as an emperor, let such a loyal vassal down? No matter the obstacles, no matter the infamy she might bear, she resolved to ensure Ye Chen held a high position and remained in the Great Chu Empire. When the Ancestor emerged, she would plead her case.

Looking at Ye Chen, she spoke with unwavering resolve. "You don't have to leave. As an emperor, I must reward and punish justly. In the future Great Chu Empire, there will always be a place for you. And among the empire's top families, the Ye family will have its rightful seat."

Ye Chen's mouth twitched. "No need for that, right?"

Li Feihuang's gaze was resolute. "What We give you, you must accept!"

You're already calling yourself 'We' like an emperor?

Ye Chen was speechless. Li Feihuang was putting on quite the act, channeling the domineering aura of a CEO from his past life. These types always have a screw loose, he thought. Unwilling to argue further, he decided he'd grab his rewards and leave. Who could stop him?

The battle for the throne had concluded. As the next emperor, Li Feihuang had a mountain of tasks to attend to. Ye Chen, meanwhile, inquired about when he could claim his treasures. They weren't immediately available—there were formalities to complete. In a week, the Nether King's Gall and a slot for Imperial Aura Infusion would be delivered to him.

This suited Ye Chen just fine. The timing was perfect: the Nether King's Gall would enhance Su Yuxuan's spiritual root, amplifying its potency, and the Imperial Aura Infusion would maximize her gains. Ideally, he'd pass these to the Old Granny for even greater benefits.

As for the Champion King's chariot, though impressive, Ye Chen had noticed its many damaged arrays after using it. Once sealed with the souls of the Four Spirits, it now held only two, both weakened to a pitiful state. It was time to trade it for something better.

Then there was the Champion King's Golden Core. Ye Chen had taken it on impulse, driven by the memory of the Champion King forcing Su Yuxuan to self-detonate her own core. But now, it seemed rather useless. He'd ask the Old Granny if she had any need for it—perhaps it could yield something valuable.

With the struggle for the throne concluded, Ye Chen did not return to the Wang family. As for Su Yuxuan, he felt she didn't need his immediate attention. Sure enough, he had barely settled into the inn when a knock sounded at the courtyard gate. Moments later, a lithe figure in a white dress, barefoot and graceful, threw herself into his arms.

The air filled with her delicate fragrance.

"Senior Brother, you tricked me again! I cried all day because of you…" Su Yuxuan's voice trembled, her tear-streaked face looking up at him with a mix of relief and reproach. "But seeing you unharmed puts my heart at ease. Still… what's the deal with your Golden Core?"

She gazed at him, her expression pitiful yet curious. How could Ye Chen, who had supposedly given her his Golden Core, stand before her unscathed?

Ye Chen gently stroked her hair, his voice calm. "To break is to build anew. After giving you my Golden Core, I suffered a backlash—my dantian withered, my immortal path severed. But in that moment of despair, I sensed a seed within my dantian. I poured all my focus into it, and in the end, my Golden Core was reborn from oblivion, stronger than before, its quality elevated to new heights."

He paused, then added, "Losing my Golden Core wasn't the end. For a true prodigy, the original core can be a limitation."

Su Yuxuan nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling. "I believe you, Senior Brother! You're amazing!"

But nearby, Manjusaka's soul form let out a derisive scoff. "What, so you've reborn a Seven-Color Golden Core? Comparable to the Chaos Ancient True Immortal now?"

Ye Chen shook his head solemnly. "A Seven-Color Golden Core? Even a Nine-Color one wouldn't suffice. My current core is a Chaos Core, capable of encompassing all the laws of heaven and earth."

Manjusaka rolled her eyes, refusing to even glance at him. A Chaos Core? Never heard of it. Men were all the same—liars, spinning tales with every breath. Unless they were dead, not a single one was trustworthy.

Chapter 276: Another Critical Hit from Granny

In the days that followed, the Great Chu Empire was abuzz with activity. Countless cultivators gossiped about the shocking events of the throne dispute. It was simply too astonishing—killing the Champion King in the capital, after he had surrendered, was outrageously bold. Even more staggering was the lack of consequences, not so much as a slap on the wrist.

Ye Chen's name quickly spread through every street and alley of the empire. Yet, for the entire week, he remained holed up in the inn. Aside from his daily cultivation, he indulged in the little demoness's heartfelt gratitude.

On this particular day, heavy rain poured over the capital. Su Yuxuan nestled in Ye Chen's arms, gazing at the curtain of rain outside.

"Senior Brother, you're so naughty… I love it," she teased. "Look, Senior Brother, it's hailing! That hailstone is huge—it's like the Nether King's Gall I've always wanted!"

She giggled, then added, "I don't really need the Nether King's Gall, but my Blood Spiritual Root has too many hidden flaws. Without upgrading it, I might not survive the heavenly tribulation when I try to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Senior Brother, you're so amazing—your Golden Core is so strong, and you've boosted my strength so much. My tribulation is going to be terrifying, isn't it?"

Ye Chen's lips curved into a wry smile. All week, Su Yuxuan had been dropping hints about the Nether King's Gall from every angle, to the point where he half-considered digging out his own gall to give her.

Nearby, Manjusaka's soul form materialized, her hazy figure staring quietly at the rain, lost in thought. She listened to Su Yuxuan's chatter with a faint air of exasperation.

Then, a knock echoed through the rain. "Fellow Daoist Ye, I am the Master of the Imperial Household of Great Chu," a voice called. "By order of the Royal Lady, I've come to deliver your rewards."

Ye Chen's eyes lit up. The courtyard gate swung open, and a man at the late Golden Core stage glided into the pavilion. The rain parted above him, not a single drop touching his robes. He bowed respectfully, presenting Ye Chen with a token and a wooden box.

"The Nether King's Gall you requested is in the box," the man said. "This token grants entry to the palace for the Imperial Aura Infusion. You may use it yourself or pass it to a junior. However, it's only effective for those at the Golden Core stage. Foundation Establishment cultivators can't refine the imperial aura—their meridians would collapse. As for Nascent Soul cultivators, the effect is negligible."

Su Yuxuan's eyes sparkled at the sight of the Nether King's Gall. Her Senior Brother had truly chosen it for her, no doubt. Though he hadn't promised her anything outright over the past few days, he had clearly been planning this all along. Senior Brother is just too good to me, she thought, resolving to properly "thank" him tonight.

After the Master of the Imperial Household departed with a respectful bow, Manjusaka's soul form reappeared. The Nether King's Gall was pitch black, not a true organ from some underworld monarch but named for its resemblance to a gall and its origin in places brimming with netherworld energy. Manjusaka examined the wooden box and nodded, confirming it was genuine.

Su Yuxuan, instead of reaching for the box, clung to Ye Chen's arm, her voice dripping with honeyed sweetness. "Senior Brother, I really want it…"

Ye Chen smiled faintly and handed the Nether King's Gall to Manjusaka. "Then I'll trouble Senior to help Yuxuan enhance her cultivation."

If the middleman could amplify the benefits, naturally, the treasure should go to them. Though Manjusaka barely acknowledged Ye Chen, she couldn't deny the importance of the Nether King's Gall for Su Yuxuan. It was an exceedingly rare treasure, one even she had only encountered once before—a dream prize for any blood path cultivator. Refining it, however, was no simple task and required her assistance.

Holding the jade box, Manjusaka's emotions grew complicated. The Great Chu treasury held many treasures that could benefit Ye Chen, yet he had unhesitatingly chosen the Nether King's Gall. Though it appeared to be for Su Yuxuan, her eventual elevation to a Nether Spiritual Root through this treasure would enable her to cultivate the Nether King Purgatory Technique and pursue an opportunity tied to Manjusaka's own chance at rebuilding her physical body—a matter of immense importance.

For all these reasons, Manjusaka's view of Ye Chen grew increasingly conflicted.

Ye Chen, however, wasn't fazed by her cold demeanor. After all, this was the same Granny who had once triggered a "critical hit" by granting him a Chaos Core. A little indulgence was warranted. The only question was… would there be another critical hit this time?

"Ding…"

"Congratulations, Host, for successfully gifting an item."

"Gifted Item: Nether King's Gall!"

"Five-hundredfold feedback in progress…"

"Detected… Critical Hit Reward Triggered!"

"Reward: Soul-Swaying Mountain!"

"Soul-Swaying Mountain: An ancient divine mountain that produces one hundred Soul-Swaying Divine Stones annually. Using a Soul-Swaying Divine Stone can slightly enhance spiritual root attributes. Repeated use can elevate a spiritual root to the Heavenly Spiritual Root level!"

What the—?!

A critical hit?

Ye Chen's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't held high hopes for gifting the Nether King's Gall. For one, he hadn't expected a critical hit. For another, his own spiritual root was already at the Heavenly level, so treasures that enhanced aptitude were of little use to him. Any rewards would likely be for his senior sister, his maid, or his master.

But to his astonishment, the system had delivered an ancient divine mountain. The Soul-Swaying Mountain could churn out spiritual root-enhancing divine stones every year. Sure, each stone's effect was modest—perhaps enough to raise a third-grade spiritual root to fourth-grade, nothing compared to treasures like the Blood Sea Lotus Seed or the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core. But the key was quantity and consistency: one hundred stones a year, usable repeatedly. Given enough time, even a first-grade spiritual root—total dud could be elevated to Heavenly status.

With this mountain, everyone close to him was guaranteed at least a Heavenly Spiritual Root. And if he didn't need the stones, selling them would rake in a fortune. Calling the Soul-Swaying Mountain a never-ending gold mine was no exaggeration.

But that wasn't all. An ancient divine mountain could stabilize space, making spatial fragments more robust and increasing the rate at which they absorbed spiritual energy from the outside world. By placing it in the small world he had recently acquired, Ye Chen could make that nascent realm more stable. In time, it might evolve into a self-sustaining world, no longer just a fragmented space.

The system, ever intelligent, directly deposited the Soul-Swaying Mountain into Ye Chen's small world. With a thought, he carefully surveyed the realm, selecting an optimal spot to place the mountain. The small world's spiritual energy was already at half the density of the outside world. When the ten-thousand-meter-tall Soul-Swaying Mountain settled into place, the entire realm subtly shifted, growing more mystical.

Ye Chen was thrilled. Once he returned to the Divine Will Sect and transferred the spiritual plants and beasts Sun Ye had acquired into the small world, its spiritual energy density would increase further. Then he could head to the Green Cloud Sect to bring Lu Jing and the others in. If he could later secure a spiritual vein or a treasure capable of aggressively drawing in spiritual energy, his small world would truly become a paradise, a blessed land of its own.

Grinning ear to ear, Ye Chen's gaze softened as he looked at Manjusaka. This Granny, even as a mere soul, was proving incredibly reliable. Once she regained her physical body, wouldn't she be unstoppable?

He spoke up eagerly, "Senior, what do you need to reconstruct your body? I'll help search for it."

But Manjusaka shot him a cold glance, her earlier complex emotions replaced entirely by disdain. Ye Chen's gaze was far too fervent. And the way he always asked if she was around when he was being affectionate with Su Yuxuan… Now he was so enthusiastic about helping her restore her body? Was Ye Chen… interested in her?

Clinging to Yuxuan every day and still having thoughts about her—a soul without a physical form? What was this guy planning?

Scumbag. Men truly were no good.