ISWI Chapter 244-245

Chapter 244: What a Pity Golden Cores Can't Be Gifted

Over the past year, Ye Chen confirmed three key things.

First.

Once a gift was given, taking it back to regift it to someone else wouldn't work. The system wouldn't provide a second reward. Instead, it would issue a stern warning: "Please don't exploit bugs!"

It happened when Ye Chen gifted a Phoenix Stone to a direct disciple in the late Foundation Establishment stage at Quiet Wonder Peak. After giving it away, no reward came. The stone, worth tens of thousands of top-grade spirit stones, was essentially given for nothing. It was the first time since Ye Chen transmigrated that he'd been taken advantage of.

Watching the female cultivator squat on the ground, crying with joy, he couldn't bring himself to ask for it back. Fine, let it go. With the system at his disposal, he wasn't short on resources. He'd just consider it an act of charity.

From that moment on, Ye Chen became something of a celebrity at Quiet Wonder Peak.

The second realization.

Ye Chen confirmed that Li Feihuang had truly gotten too full of himself. Over the year, Heavenly Evolution Pavilion held another auction. One of the items was a top-tier fire-element robe, crafted by an elder of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Made entirely from the finest fire-element materials, it was a game-changer for cultivators who specialized in fire techniques, boosting their combat power by thirty to forty percent.

Naturally, such a remarkable robe sparked a frenzy among Golden Core cultivators. Ye Chen spent a whopping seventy thousand top-grade spirit stones to secure it. After winning it, he personally delivered it to Li Feihuang.

When Li Feihuang examined the robe, her eyes lit up with obvious delight. Ye Chen waited eagerly for the system's five-hundred-fold critical reward. But… nothing happened. No critical hit. Instead, he received five hundred top-grade spiritual artifact robes and a casual promise from Li Feihuang: "I'll repay you in the future."

In that moment, Ye Chen understood completely. Li Feihuang was too arrogant. She believed the throne was already hers, that once she ruled Great Chu, she could repay him effortlessly. She'd lost her sense of gratitude. Even when given a gift she loved, it no longer triggered a critical reward.

After that incident, Ye Chen stopped paying much attention to Li Feihuang. He occasionally sent her basic materials for the five-hundred-fold reward, but his focus shifted to An Miaoli. After all, if the empress wouldn't trigger critical rewards, she wasn't worth his effort.

The third discovery was related to his Five-Color Golden Core.

In his spare time over the past year, Ye Chen often visited the library of the Divine Will Sect to pore over various texts. The Divine Will Sect, as expected of a Nascent Soul sect, had a collection far richer than that of the Green Cloud Sect. Among the texts, Ye Chen found a few ancient books mentioning the Five-Color Golden Core.

One book described how, when the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal broke through to the Golden Core stage, his core radiated a seven-colored light, exuding boundless grandeur and profound mystery.

The author, claiming to be the True Immortal's junior brother, had the rare privilege of meeting him after he ascended to immortality. He respectfully asked about the wonders of the Seven-Color Golden Core, wondering if it was merely stronger than an ordinary core.

The Chaotic Ancient True Immortal replied, "Before ascending, it's just a matter of denser and higher-quality spiritual power—dozens of times stronger than a ninth-grade Golden Core, with greater combat strength and a higher-grade Nascent Soul after forming it. But after ascending, its true profound potential becomes clear. What a pity it's only seven colors. If I had achieved the ultimate Divine Light Golden Core, my path as an immortal would have stretched even further."

The description was brief, just a few lines, but it left Ye Chen lost in thought for a long time.

From the True Immortal's words, it was clear that the more colors a Golden Core's divine light had, the better. Not only did it make one stronger in the present, but its significance after ascension seemed even greater. Even a figure like the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal, who could dominate an era, regretted having only a seven-colored core instead of nine.

This realization stirred mixed feelings in Ye Chen. His own core had only five colors—two fewer than the True Immortal's. It made sense, though. Compared to a peerless genius like the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal, who could suppress an entire era, Ye Chen's aptitude was somewhat lacking.

Still, Ye Chen had always pursued perfection in his cultivation journey. Now, knowing his Golden Core wasn't the best, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. If only he could give away his Golden Core and trigger a critical reward for a better one…

He'd heard of cultivators having their eyes or bones forcibly taken, but a Golden Core? He'd never heard of it being useful to anyone else. So, the idea of getting a better one through the system was likely a pipe dream.

All he could do was strive for perfection in the next stage of his cultivation, minimizing the impact of his less-than-perfect Golden Core on his future ascent to the immortal path.

…

"Elder Ye, thank you so much for sharing your alchemy insights last time. I've finally refined my first batch of third-grade pills! If you have some time, why don't you visit my cave abode? I have a jar of Spirit Monkey Wine—perfect for expressing my gratitude."

A Golden Core elder from Quiet Wonder Peak spotted Ye Chen and immediately expressed her heartfelt thanks, warmly inviting him to her abode.

Ye Chen smiled and politely declined. This elder had an attribute spiritual root, yielding a fifty-fold reward. Beyond that, she was already a second-grade perfected alchemist. Six months ago, Ye Chen had gifted her Guhe's alchemy insights, which triggered a critical reward: the insights of a third-grade perfected alchemist.

Beyond alchemy, Ye Chen had also gifted insights into the other six immortal arts—artifact refining, spiritual planting, formations, beast taming, and talisman crafting—seizing every opportunity to do so.

As a result, his proficiency in all six immortal arts had reached the third-grade perfected level. While most of these skills weren't immediately useful, Ye Chen lived by the motto: I may not need it, but I can't be without it. He never missed a chance to expand his arsenal.

Most of these insights came from An Miaoli, who had helped him acquire them as gifts in return. This made Ye Chen increasingly fond of her. With her ethereal grace and grateful heart, she always tried to repay his gifts, even if she couldn't match their value, tailoring her returns to his needs. Most of her gifts even triggered critical rewards. Truly an exceptional woman!

As a result, An Miaoli now ranked third among the people Ye Chen valued most.

…

"Senior Ye, thank you for the core-forming spiritual item you gifted me last time. I've formed a fifth-grade Golden Core—something I never dared dream of! I have no way to repay such immense kindness. If you don't mind, I… I'm willing to offer myself to you…"

Having declined the previous elder's invitation to drink, Ye Chen was approached by a newly advanced Golden Core cultivator. Her face brimmed with gratitude as she boldly expressed her audacious proposal.

Ye Chen's mouth twitched. This was the same woman who had wept with joy after receiving the Phoenix Stone. But with only an attribute spiritual root and a fifty-fold reward, she barely qualified as a servant in his eyes. Save your devotion for the next life! He thought.

All along the way, every female cultivator who saw Ye Chen greeted him with extraordinary warmth, from elders to disciples. Their eyes sparkled at the sight of him. If male cultivators from other peaks witnessed this, they'd be dumbfounded. Quiet Wonder Peak's women were known for their lofty standards—why were they so enthusiastic toward a male cultivator?

What could possibly be the reason?

…

An Miaoli and An Yuyi were both absent. This time, Ye Chen was only delivering some ordinary pills, so he casually gifted them to a Golden Core elder with a hundred-fold reward.

After receiving the feedback, he leisurely returned to his cave abode, pondering whether to personally craft a necklace or ring for An Miaoli. He imagined creating an extravagant, top-tier spiritual artifact ring, loaded with the finest materials, and wondered what kind of reward it might yield.

As he mused, a white figure soared back from beyond the Divine Will Sect, descending gracefully like an immortal onto Quiet Wonder Peak, right in front of Ye Chen's cave abode…

Chapter 245: Ye Chen Has Sacrificed Too Much!

Soaring above Quiet Wonder Peak, An Miaoli's clear eyes gazed upon the thriving scene below, her expression a mix of complex emotions. She had observed everything Ye Chen had done over the past year. It was clear he had done it all for her sake.

When she first invited Ye Chen to serve as a guest elder at Quiet Wonder Peak, it had caused quite a stir. The elders and disciples were unhappy with her decision, though none dared voice their complaints outright. The atmosphere had grown tense and awkward.

Ye Chen, perceptive as ever, had noticed it all. Without hesitation, he gifted a high-grade core-forming spiritual item to a female cultivator. Over the year, he casually distributed various pills, spiritual artifacts, and cultivation techniques as if they were nothing. In total, he had given away treasures worth at least several hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones.

His generosity dispelled the discontent at Quiet Wonder Peak and even bolstered its overall strength. This year, the peak achieved higher rankings than ever before in both the disciple and direct disciple competitions, and two new Golden Core elders emerged. The peak's power had grown significantly.

As a result, Ye Chen earned the unanimous admiration of the disciples and elders, fully securing his place at Quiet Wonder Peak.

But An Miaoli knew better. Someone like Ye Chen wouldn't care about the approval of others. True powerhouses never concerned themselves with the opinions of the weak. Yet, Ye Chen had willingly paid such an immense price, all to spare her from any discomfort.

This realization stirred a whirlwind of emotions in An Miaoli's heart. Not to mention, over the past year, Ye Chen had frequently gifted her exactly the cultivation resources she needed, often under the pretense of giving them to An Yuyi.

Lost in these thoughts, An Miaoli descended in front of Ye Chen's cave abode and sent a voice transmission: "Fellow Daoist Ye, are you free at the moment?"

The cave's restrictions lifted, and Ye Chen, dressed in a green robe with a tall and upright figure, strode out with a smile. "Senior An, you're back?"

Ye Chen felt a twinge of regret. An Miaoli had been away last month, venturing deep into the Divine Will Mountain Range. He hadn't expected her to return today. If he'd known, he wouldn't have given that gift to the other female cultivator earlier. A gift to An Miaoli would have been far more worthwhile.

What a wasted opportunity!

An Miaoli nodded at his words. "I just returned after reporting to the Internal Affairs Hall. May I ask if Fellow Daoist Ye is free at the moment? I have a matter where I could use your help."

Ye Chen smiled. "Please, go ahead, Senior."

An Miaoli spoke calmly, "While exploring the depths of the Divine Will Mountain Range, I stumbled upon a late Golden Core-stage Wind-Thunder Jiao in a Netherwater Pool. I possess a top-tier technique that, if I could refine the wings of this Wind-Thunder Jiao, would boost my speed to rival that of an early Nascent Soul cultivator. However, this beast is formidable. On land, I might be able to overpower it, but its speed is extraordinary. If it senses danger, it flees back to the Netherwater Pool."

She continued, "The Netherwater Pool is incredibly deep, and any cultivator who enters it and touches the water risks being poisoned by Nether Toxin. It corrodes flesh and spiritual energy, and over time, it can even seep through the meridians to damage the dantian and Golden Core. The toxin is extremely difficult to remove and quite troublesome. Ordinary water-repelling techniques are useless against the Netherwater Pool. I can't fight the beast in the water, and even if I could enter the pool, I wouldn't be its match."

That's why I need your help, Fellow Daoist Ye. While I engage the Wind-Thunder Jiao in battle, I'd like you to deploy this array disc to seal the entrance of the Netherwater Pool. That way, I won't have to worry about it escaping, and I can focus on slaying it."

Her words made Ye Chen raise an eyebrow. Just toss out an array disc? Couldn't you do that yourself while fighting?

Sensing his confusion, An Miaoli explained softly, "There are three entrances to the Netherwater Pool, each over a hundred meters wide. If I try to handle it myself, the beast will seize the chance to escape. I'll keep the Wind-Thunder Jiao occupied, but you'll need to act quickly. Once this is done, it can count as fulfilling a task."

Ye Chen grinned at her words. Even with three pool entrances, it wasn't a difficult job. An Miaoli could likely manage it herself. Clearly, she was giving him an opportunity to complete one of the guest elder's triennial tasks, sparing him from being assigned a more challenging one by the Divine Will Sect.

Ye Chen didn't particularly care about such tasks. As long as he wasn't sent on some grueling errand—like fighting Sun Wukong himself—most missions were trivial to him. Still, he appreciated An Miaoli's thoughtfulness and wouldn't dream of refusing her kind gesture.

Without hesitation, he agreed.

An Miaoli gave a faint smile. "In that case, I'll trouble you, Fellow Daoist Ye!"

Ye Chen chuckled, needing no special preparations. He stepped onto the spirit boat An Miaoli summoned, and they soared out of the Divine Will Sect.

The Divine Will Mountain Range was vast. The sect's gates occupied barely a fraction of its expanse. An Miaoli seemed in no rush, so the spirit boat glided at a leisurely pace.

"It'll take about a week to reach the Netherwater Pool," she said. "Here are three third-grade array discs. When the time comes, just activate and toss them out. The Wind-Thunder Jiao is a rare beast with a trace of dragon blood, making it terrifyingly powerful and incredibly fast. Ordinary cultivators of the same realm stand no chance against it. So, once you deploy the array discs, retreat immediately to avoid the Wind-Thunder Jiao attacking you in desperation. Beasts like this are ferocious—when cornered, they'll do everything to take down anyone they can before they die."

An Miaoli sat cross-legged, calmly giving her instructions.

She knew Ye Chen was a genius. Back in the late Foundation Establishment stage, he had single-handedly dominated the Divine Will Cave Heaven, keeping other direct disciples from even entering. Even the Great Chu princess, Li Feihuang, was no match for him. But Ye Chen was only in the early Golden Core stage. Facing a late-stage beast was too risky, so she urged him to complete his task and retreat quickly to avoid getting caught in the fray.

Ye Chen gave a light smile and agreed readily. "Alright!"

Inwardly, though, he was pondering. The wings of a Wind-Thunder Jiao seemed like a valuable prize. If he could get his hands on them and gift them to An Miaoli, would it trigger something extraordinary?

The problem was, he didn't know where the beast was. He couldn't just knock An Miaoli out, take down the Wind-Thunder Jiao himself, and then present her with the wings when she woke up. That would be utterly insane—and impossible to explain.

After a moment's hesitation, Ye Chen decided to play it by ear. If no opportunity arose to gift the wings, it wasn't a big deal. He wasn't desperate for one more reward.

…

The journey was quiet, with little conversation between them. They cultivated in silence or occasionally glanced at the passing scenery, their companionship surprisingly harmonious.

A week passed quickly. As they ventured deeper into the Divine Will Mountains, the roars of beasts grew scarce, and the spirit boat slowed, signaling they were nearing their destination.

An Miaoli's graceful figure rose slowly as she began preparing for the upcoming battle. She slipped on a pair of white spirit silk gloves, catching Ye Chen's attention. Her weapon was a pair of gloves? They were rather striking. But just gloves? That felt a bit lacking. She deserved a full set, one in every color! Otherwise, outsiders might think Quiet Wonder Peak couldn't afford a complete ensemble.

Unfazed by Ye Chen's gaze, An Miaoli continued her preparations at a steady pace. She retrieved a jade box from her storage ring, revealing a pair of Fairy Tear Earrings that shimmered with vibrant green light. She gently placed them on her ears.

Ye Chen's eyes lit up. An Miaoli's ethereal charm made even simple actions captivating. Surprisingly, she hadn't passed these earrings to An Yuyi, the girl who loved to show off. No wonder he'd never seen her wear them. Senior An's ears are quite lovely, he thought, a faint smile creeping onto his face.

Noticing his stare, An Miaoli tucked her hair behind her ear with her gloved hand, as if to give him a clearer view, though her expression remained cool and composed as she gazed into the distance. "This item is effective against the Wind-Thunder Jiao, so I borrowed it from Yuyi for this task."

Ye Chen nodded, assuring her he had no doubts whatsoever. Only when he'd had his fill of looking did An Miaoli adjust her hair and recall the spirit boat. Together, they stood in midair, ready for what lay ahead.