ISWI Chapter 272-274

Chapter 272: Nice Chariot! Mine Now!

Su Yuxuan awoke slowly, her hair disheveled, her pale face evoking pity. "Where's Senior Brother?" she asked, scrambling to her feet.

Manjusaka's voice was calm. "He left his Golden Core and departed."

Su Yuxuan's eyes reddened instantly.

Manjusaka's tone turned stern. "No time for tears. While you were unconscious, I fused the five-colored Law Core into your dantian and imparted the refining technique into your mind. Start now. The sooner you refine it, the higher its final grade. You don't want Ye Chen's core to drop to a mere ninth-grade, do you?"

Tears streamed down Su Yuxuan's tender cheeks, but she closed her eyes and began refining. Manjusaka watched, anxiety gnawing at her. What if the Law Core degrades to a standard Golden Core? It was a core of immortal potential—falling to ninth grade would be a travesty.

Soon, her eyes brightened. Su Yuxuan's aura, weaker than a Foundation Establishment cultivator's post-detonation, surged dramatically, swiftly matching her pre-explosion peak. Yet it didn't stop, climbing relentlessly. By dawn's first light, her aura stabilized.

Manjusaka's heart raced. Su Yuxuan's strength had multiplied tenfold, rivaling her own in her prime. She'd clearly forged a Law Core—but how many colors remained?

Su Yuxuan opened her eyes, tears still falling. Manjusaka asked urgently, "How many colors?"

"Three," Su Yuxuan whispered.

She felt an unprecedented power, her vital essence fuller than ever. Even against Champion King now, she believed she could hold her own. This strength stemmed from the core in her dantian—once Ye Chen's, now hers, reduced from five colors to three.

"Three colors!" Manjusaka's voice brimmed with delight. A three-colored Law Core paved a smooth immortal path, surpassing Su Yuxuan's original potential. What seemed a dead end after her core detonation had become a miraculous turn. The stronger Su Yuxuan grew, the better Manjusaka's odds of restoring her own body. How could she not rejoice?

But Su Yuxuan's tears flowed unchecked. "It's three because Senior Brother's heart and eyes helped me." His heart still beat within her, his eyes still saw through her, selflessly aiding her core's integration. Yet he, having lost his core, was now a broken man.

Manjusaka fell silent, guilt deepening. Had she known Ye Chen's true character, she'd never have spoken ill of him. He's different from other men.

…

Su Yuxuan sprang to her feet, barefoot, and rushed toward the door. "I'm going to find Senior Brother!"

Manjusaka frowned. "He said not to look for him. He doesn't want anyone seeing him weak."

Tears surged in Su Yuxuan's eyes, but her face set with defiance. "I don't care! Senior Brother's lost his core—his lifespan's barely a decade. I'll stay by his side until the end. That Li Feihuang will abandon him once she learns he's crippled. I'll capture her and make her his servant. After he passes, I'll bury her beside him. Wang Lun's been eyeing Li Feihuang, daring to steal Senior Brother's woman—I'll drown him in a pool! And Champion King must die. If he hadn't forced me to detonate my core, Senior Brother wouldn't have given me his. I'll wipe out his entire clan to accompany Senior Brother in death."

She turned to Manjusaka. "Master, give me ten years, okay? After Senior Brother's gone, I'll help you rebuild your body."

Manjusaka fell silent. She knew Su Yuxuan was unswayable. Besides, Ye Chen's actions had earned her respect. Eight thousand years I've waited—what's ten more? She nodded, saying no more.

Su Yuxuan flung open the room's wards and strode out. With Ye Chen reduced to Foundation Establishment strength, he couldn't have gone far. Her blood spiritual root, tied to him through their intimate bond, would guide her.

But as the wards parted, the roar of the outside world hit her. She froze, looking up. On the colossal sky arena, Ye Chen stood tall, radiating an invincible aura. Across from him, Champion King loomed atop his war chariot, imperious and commanding.

Su Yuxuan's tears halted. Dazed, she muttered, "Master, did Senior Brother really give me his core? Why does he… not look like it?"

Manjusaka, sensing Ye Chen's vibrant aura, was equally baffled. "It doesn't add up. But I severed the core's connection myself."

The two, prepared to spend Ye Chen's final years with him, stared at the sky, their eyes filled with existential doubt. Something's seriously off.

…

High above, Champion King had arrived, his invincible presence overwhelming. No one dared mention his tardiness. The elder sealed the arena and retreated silently.

Atop his bronze chariot, scarred and ancient, wreathed in endless flames, Champion King stood with a long spear, his wild hair dancing like an ancient celestial emperor. His terrifying aura nearly forced the crowd to their knees. The capital fell silent, awestruck by his unparalleled might.

His cold eyes swept over Ye Chen, voice booming with supreme arrogance. "Kneel and submit, and I'll spare your life."

Ye Chen's fists clenched.

I hate when anyone but me acts this cocky. But that bronze chariot? Pretty cool. Mine now.

…

Ye Chen unleashed a fist, and a dragon-like force, vast as a mountain range, roared forth, aiming to blast Champion King off his chariot.

Champion King's eyes flickered with surprise. His star-like gaze shimmered with cosmic cycles, divine radiance bursting around him, threatening to engulf the entire sky arena. The bronze chariot's divine flames surged, conjuring visions of a Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise, their dual spiritual energies swirling protectively around him.

Without lifting a hand, Champion King stood calm and aloof, watching the colossal dragon charge. The crowd gasped in awe. To face such a ferocious attack without flinching, Champion King was truly invincible.

Visiting experts from major factions were stunned. One exclaimed, "Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise phantoms! That's the Four Spirits War Chariot of the Northern Emperor from eight thousand years ago. Champion King inherited his legacy!"

"The Northern Emperor dominated his era, crushing countless factions. Even Holy Lands tread carefully around him," another added. "That chariot, bathed in the blood of great powers and forged with the souls of four spirits, was unmatched in offense and defense. Even with only two spirits remaining, no Golden Core can breach it."

"With the Northern Emperor's inheritance and this chariot, few Golden Cores in the Holy Lands could rival him. No wonder he repelled a Nascent Soul!"

The crowd, enlightened by these revelations, grew even more convinced of Champion King's supremacy. The throne contest seemed decided—Li Feihuang's Moon Phoenix Body stood no chance.

But in the next moment, their jaws dropped. Ye Chen's mountain-like dragon tore through the divine radiance, shredded the chariot's dual spirits, and slammed into Champion King's towering frame. His face twisted, his armor shattered, and he was hurled off the chariot, crashing across the arena.

The invincible Golden Core Champion King, knocked from his chariot? The capital fell deathly silent, disbelief etched on every face.

Ye Chen frowned. What's he playing at? Like Li Feihuang, Champion King's confidence was absurd. A Great Chu royal family trait?

No patience for games, Ye Chen reached for the bronze chariot.

Better secure it now, so I don't accidentally wreck my new ride when I kill him.

…

Chapter 273: Ancestor, Save Me!

The bronze war chariot thrummed with an almost sentient vitality. Sensing Ye Chen's massive hand reaching for it, the chariot surged toward the Champion King with desperate speed.

But in the face of Ye Chen, its spirited nature was futile. With a single grasp, Ye Chen seized the chariot and refined it in an instant. Then, stepping onto the chariot, he cast a cold, commanding gaze down at the Champion King.

The entire city fell silent, stunned by the spectacle. The arena battle had barely begun, and the Champion King's chariot had already been stolen?

...

Earlier, the crowd had been awestruck by the Champion King's ferocious presence. When word spread that he bore the inheritance of the Northern Emperor, even Li Feihuang's face had paled. The Wang family, too, felt the shadow of doom looming over them—annihilation seemed imminent. Who could stand against such a Champion King?

Yet, in the next moment, under the gaze of countless onlookers, the Champion King was sent flying. His armor shattered, a bloody gash torn into his chest, narrowly escaping death itself. And now, his chariot had been seized. In the blink of an eye, victory and defeat had been decided.

The unbelievable scene left everyone staring at Ye Chen with disbelief. Li Feihuang, in particular, was shaken to her core. She had always believed Ye Chen was slightly beneath her in skill. Yet now, he had defeated the Champion King with a single blow?

...

"That's the True Dragon Treasure Technique—the Dragon Fist!" exclaimed a guest from the Great Chu Empire, one of many well-informed representatives from various factions. Their shocked realization sent a ripple of gasps through the city. The Ten Vicious Treasure Techniques were among the world's most supreme divine arts. Even mastering a single form could elevate a cultivator's combat prowess to extraordinary heights.

To think Ye Chen possessed the True Dragon Treasure Technique! No wonder his offensive power was so terrifying. The crowd erupted in waves of astonishment. Seeing the Northern Emperor's inheritance was already a marvel, but now witnessing the True Dragon Treasure Technique—even just one form—was an eye-opening experience.

...

But the focus soon shifted back to the Champion King. His shattered armor and bloodied chest were now wreathed in the ethereal form of a Moon Phoenix, its wings scattering radiant moonlight. Flames surged across his body, and in the blink of an eye, his wounds healed completely.

Li Feihuang's pupils constricted in shock. The Champion King possessed the Moon Phoenix Body? His rapid recovery was the work of its Nirvana power. But how could this be?

Ye Chen was far stronger than she had ever imagined, and the Champion King was proving to be exponentially more powerful than she had thought.

The realization hit her like a thunderbolt: The weakest one here… has always been me? Her eyes dimmed, her spirit reeling from an unprecedented blow.

"Steal my chariot? You deserve death!" the Champion King roared. Despite being blasted away and having his chariot refined by another, his expression remained cold and indifferent. His eyes flickered, countless stars seeming to rise and fall within them as he stared at Ye Chen, intent on piercing through his every secret.

The onlookers gasped at the sight. "That's the Martial Truth Eye!" one exclaimed. "It can suppress enemies, see through their every weakness, and dismantle them with ease."

"It's one of the Northern Emperor's most fearsome techniques. To think the Champion King has mastered it!"

"With the Moon Phoenix Body and the Martial Truth Eye, the Champion King is terrifying. This battle's outcome is far from decided!"

"These are the heights of true prodigies? We're all at the Golden Core stage, yet I feel I couldn't withstand a single move from either of them."

But the crowd's awe lasted only a moment. In the next instant, the Champion King's eyes, fixed on Ye Chen, burst apart, dissolving into a mist of blood.

The Martial Truth Eye—destroyed? Had the Champion King practiced it incorrectly? The spectators were dumbfounded.

Yet the power of the Moon Phoenix surged around the Champion King, and his eyes swiftly regenerated. For the first time, however, his stoic face betrayed a flicker of shock.

Ye Chen smirked coldly. Such divine vision techniques, meant to pierce through illusions, grew costlier the stronger the opponent. And Ye Chen? His Heavy Pupil alone was beyond the Champion King's ability to fathom, let alone his other assets—his Innate Supreme Heart or Chaos Core. To peer at him with a mere Martial Truth Eye was tantamount to suicide.

With a flicker of thought, Ye Chen's body radiated chaotic energy, his presence both divine and demonic, unshakable and impossible to meet head-on. The bronze chariot blazed with divine fire once more, streaking through the sky like a falling star, hurtling toward the Champion King with crushing force.

Its aura was utterly terrifying. In Ye Chen's hands, the chariot was even more fearsome than when the Champion King had wielded it.

The Champion King's face darkened as he stared at the ancient chariot bearing down on him. That's mine! Gripping his long halberd, he thrust it skyward, its killing intent so fierce it seemed capable of piercing the heavens, intent on bringing the chariot down.

But Ye Chen merely pointed a finger. A massive dragon roared forth, surging toward the halberd. That weapon, forged in ancient battlefields, shattered into countless fragments upon impact.

In the instant the halberd broke, Ye Chen's chariot thundered forward. The chariot, imbued with extraordinary power, struck the Champion King's towering frame, cleaving his body in two. Blood and flesh sprayed across the arena.

Silence gripped the crowd once more. No one had expected the Champion King to fall so utterly. Stripped of his chariot, his body broken by his own weapon, this scene was nothing short of gruesome.

The onlookers gazed at Ye Chen with profound awe. The Champion King had been terrifying enough, yet in Ye Chen's presence, he seemed like a mere plaything. Who was this prodigy? Only at the mid-Golden Core stage, yet already invincible?

Ye Chen stood atop the chariot, high above the firmament, his cold gaze fixed downward. The Champion King, remarkably, was still alive. His Moon Phoenix Body activated, knitting his sundered body back together, on the verge of full recovery.

But Ye Chen let out a chilling laugh. The chariot, like a blazing meteor, roared down once more. In the blink of an eye, the Champion King's body was shattered again, cleaved in two.

Ye Chen guided the chariot back to the heavens, his icy stare unwavering. The crowd erupted in shock. It was clear to all: Ye Chen wasn't rushing to defeat the Champion King—he was tormenting him.

The Champion King's face darkened to a grim extreme, his eyes burning with murderous intent as he glared at Ye Chen. He could sense the vast chasm between them. The Nirvana power of his Moon Phoenix Body wasn't infinite; it was nearly depleted. At most, he could regenerate once or twice more. There was no chance for a comeback.

The Champion King, who had never known defeat, now faced his first loss so abruptly. Frustration gnawed at him, the reality unbearable. But with no other choice, he spoke decisively: "I surrender."

Those three words sent a wave of gasps through the arena. The Champion King had yielded. The throne of the Great Chu Empire was decided.

The Wang family erupted in ecstatic relief. Not only had the looming threat of annihilation vanished, but they now stood to gain immense favor for their loyalty. Among the four great families, only the Wangs had stood by Li Feihuang. With her ascension, their rise to prominence was assured.

Li Feihuang herself, however, was stunned. Her exquisite face clouded with disbelief. She hadn't even stepped into the arena, yet the throne was hers? The suddenness of it all was overwhelming.

And it was all because of Ye Chen. Her gaze drifted toward him, but her expression shifted as she noticed his next move. A furious shout from the royal clan elders rang out: "Stop!"

The crowd gasped in unison. Only Su Yuxuan, watching from the Wang residence, broke into a radiant smile.

For even after the Champion King's surrender, Ye Chen showed no sign of stopping. Like a falling star, he drove the chariot downward once more with thunderous force.

The Champion King's face twisted in shock. He hadn't expected Ye Chen to strike again after his surrender. This was the Great Chu Empire—did Ye Chen have a death wish? But Ye Chen's killing intent was unmistakable.

With no other recourse, the Champion King roared in desperation: "Ancestor, save me!"

Chapter 274: Let the Younger Generation Handle Their Own Fate!

"Ancestor, save me!"

The Champion King, who moments ago had radiated invincible might, now cried out in panicked desperation. The crowd felt a strange mix of emotions at the stark contrast. The shift was jarring, to say the least.

But Ye Chen's audacity was staggering. To think he would dare to pursue the Champion King's death in the heart of the Great Chu Empire? It was recklessly arrogant, bordering on foolish. After all, the Great Chu Empire had its Ancestor—a mid-Nascent Soul stage powerhouse. He was in seclusion, not dead. With his descendant facing a life-or-death crisis, he would surely intervene.

Even with Ye Chen's mastery of a True Dragon Treasure Technique and his unrivaled strength among Golden Core cultivators, the absolute gap in cultivation realms made him no match for the Ancestor. If he stopped now, there might still be room for reconciliation.

The clan elders roared in protest. Li Feihuang, frowning, sent a mental transmission urging Ye Chen to halt. But Ye Chen ignored them all. The chariot, like a blazing meteor, thundered down again, smashing the Champion King's barely reconstituted body back into two pieces.

The Nirvana power of the Moon Phoenix Body was not limitless. This time, the Champion King's recovery was agonizingly slow. One more strike, and he would fall for good. He gazed desperately toward the depths of the Great Chu Palace, praying for the Ancestor to emerge from seclusion.

...

Deep within the Great Chu Palace, an old man with white hair and a dragon-embroidered golden robe stood, his presence radiating imperial majesty. His brows furrowed slightly. Unless he was breaking through, his seclusion was not absolute—he remained aware of the outside world. He had known of the turmoil in the Great Chu Empire but had chosen not to interfere unless it threatened the empire's legacy.

But now, hearing the Champion King's pleas, he could no longer remain idle. For years, the Li family had ruled Great Chu with an iron law: no Li family member could be killed. Yet here was someone, in full view of the masses, attempting to slaughter the Champion King.

If the Champion King died, what would the outside world think of the Li family? It would sow dissent within their ranks. Moreover, the old man was aging. Rumors of his impending death had already stirred restless ambitions among other factions. This Ye Chen might even be a pawn sent by external forces to test him.

He had to act—to show the world that the Li family was untouchable. And to make Ye Chen understand that no matter how powerful a Golden Core cultivator was, they were still just that: Golden Core.

The old man rose calmly. His deep, weathered eyes flickered with the rise and fall of countless stars as his gaze pierced through the seclusion chamber, through the grand halls, through the Great Chu Palace, and locked onto Ye Chen. He wanted to see which faction dared to stir trouble.

But as his divine vision focused on Ye Chen, Ye Chen seemed to sense it. His own eyes turned toward the palace depths, mist swirling within them as his Heavy Pupil activated…

In the next moment, a muffled groan echoed within the seclusion chamber. Two trails of blood tears streamed from the Ancestor's eyes. Slowly, he withdrew his gaze, a sudden realization dawning on him. Perhaps his earlier impulse to intervene had been rash and unwise.

He decided that, for now, his priority should be breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage. The squabbles of the younger generation were beneath his concern. Let them have their fortunes and fates. As for the rumors of his impending death stirring unrest among external forces or dissent among Great Chu's families? It didn't matter. He could deal with them later, rooting out the troublemakers in one fell swoop.

With that, the Ancestor sat cross-legged, shutting out all external noise. He focused entirely on his cultivation, striving toward the late Nascent Soul stage.

...

"Ancestor, save me!"

On the battlefield in the sky, the Champion King's wail rang out again. His body, once more shattered into two, struggled to mend itself. The Nirvana power of his Moon Phoenix Body was nearly exhausted, his recovery now painfully slow, like a crawling snail. If this continued, he would truly die. Why hadn't the Ancestor come?

The clan elders and onlookers below were equally baffled. Why was the Ancestor still in seclusion? But then, a realization struck. The elders' eyes lit up, their voices brimming with newfound confidence as they roared, "Ye Chen, the Ancestor must be breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage! Stop now, and you may yet be spared. Otherwise, you'll face eternal ruin!"

The crowd buzzed with excitement. The Great Chu Ancestor clearly wasn't nearing death. For Ye Chen to act so brazenly while the Ancestor remained absent could only mean one thing: he was in the midst of a breakthrough to the late Nascent Soul stage.

High atop the chariot, Ye Chen frowned, puzzled. Moments ago, he'd sensed a powerful presence from the palace depths—an old man with an aura stronger than almost any he'd encountered. It had to be the Great Chu Ancestor. Ye Chen had braced for the old man to intervene, but… nothing? Why hadn't he appeared?

Not that it mattered. The Champion King had to die. If the Ancestor showed himself, Ye Chen would simply confront him and ask, What are you staring at? A mid-Nascent Soul cultivator was formidable, no doubt, but Ye Chen had confidence in his own strength.

And so, under the countless gazes of the onlookers, the chariot plummeted once more.

The Champion King roared in terror and fury, "The Ancestor is about to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage! You dare kill me?"

The crowd erupted in shock, but Ye Chen paid no heed. The chariot crashed down with devastating force. In an instant, the Champion King's body was torn asunder, shattered into pieces.

Ye Chen reached out, seizing the Champion King's Golden Core in one swift motion. Then, with a flourish, he drew out the Human Emperor Banner and refined the Champion King's soul into it.

The sequence was seamless, executed with fluid precision. With that, the Champion King was utterly vanquished.

The entire arena was struck dumb. He… actually killed him? Not only had Ye Chen killed him, but he'd also extracted his Golden Core and refined his soul. It was as if the Great Chu Empire meant nothing to him.

The faces of several Great Chu clan elders twisted in rage. Li Feihuang's expression darkened ominously. A deathly silence blanketed the crowd; no one could find words.

Only in the Wang residence did a clear, bell-like laugh ring out. Su Yuxuan watched the scene unfold, her face alight with delight.

But beside her, Manjusaka's expression was stormy. It wasn't surprising that Ye Chen could crush the Champion King—after all, he was a prodigy who had cultivated a Law Core, far beyond the Champion King's league. But this also meant Ye Chen had been deceiving them last night.

How could someone whose Golden Core had supposedly been extracted still fight with such ferocity? He must have used some trick. Manjusaka recalled her guilt from the previous night, how she'd apologized to Ye Chen, who had feigned a pale, weakened state, even coughing up blood and claiming he disliked being seen in vulnerability. She had been completely played.

Her soul trembled with indignation as she spat, "Men truly are no good!"

Seeing Su Yuxuan bouncing with joy, her face full of admiration, Manjusaka snapped, "What's there to be happy about?"

Su Yuxuan giggled softly. "Sure, Senior Brother tricked me again… but so what? I gained a Tricolor Law Core, which will carry me further on my immortal path. And as I grow stronger, I'll be able to help you more, Master, to restore your physical body sooner.

"Everyone got something out of it. So what if Senior Brother fooled me a little? Compared to watching him weakened, his lifespan nearly spent, his immortal path severed, I much prefer seeing him out there, dominating all challengers, standing above the world. Besides, isn't he avenging me right now? The way he extracted that Golden Core… so dashing!"

Her words left Manjusaka momentarily speechless, the corner of her mouth twitching. The logic was sound, but seeing Ye Chen still made her seethe.

Men—truly no good!