ISWI Chapter 241-243

Chapter 241: Why Still Call Me Senior?

"Time to give gifts!"

Another week had passed, and it was gift-giving day again. Ye Chen patted the sleeping Caidie and Yun Qianyue beside him. "Wake up, you two. Head back to Divine Will Sect and focus on your cultivation!"

The two women stirred, their gazes toward Ye Chen filled with awe and delight. Caidie, delicate and graceful, leaned against Ye Chen's back, massaging his shoulders like a clinging bird. "Senior Ye, I don't want to return to Divine Will Sect. I just want to stay by your side."

Yun Qianyue, equally quick to serve, echoed the sentiment.

They weren't just flattering him. Being around Ye Chen was genuinely incredible. The pills he casually gifted them surpassed what Divine Will Sect provided to its inner disciples.

More importantly, when they were with him, he never drained their vitality. Instead, he granted them tremendous opportunities, propelling their cultivation forward by leaps and bounds. They'd saved at least a year of grueling effort and were now at the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining, ready to break through to Foundation Establishment at any moment.

Seeing their infatuated looks, like cats high on catnip, Ye Chen felt almost like he was the one being used. He chuckled and handed each of them two top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills. "Talk to me after you break through to Foundation Establishment."

Qi Refining cultivators no longer qualified to be his maids.

Staring at the top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, the women's mouths fell open even wider. Top-grade pills?

At Divine Will Sect, only the top inner disciple received a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, and the top ten in the annual competition got a mere low-grade one. The competition was fierce, and neither woman had much hope of winning one. Yet Senior Ye had casually given each of them two?

At his words, they nodded eagerly. After breaking through to Foundation Establishment, they'd return to his side. Divine Will Sect? They could do without it.

After sending the two off, Ye Chen stretched lazily, ready to hit the streets and find a lucky recipient for the Phoenix Stone. He wanted to test if a reclaimed gift could still trigger rewards.

Foundation Establishment peak cultivators weren't abundant in Divine Will City, but they weren't rare either. Finding a suitable female cultivator for feedback shouldn't be hard.

But just as he stepped out of the courtyard, a graceful figure approached from afar. Her unique immortal aura told him instantly who it was—An Miaoli.

Why was she alone?

"Senior An…" Ye Chen greeted with a smile.

An Miaoli shook her head. "No need to call me senior anymore."

Too formal, huh? Ye Chen thought for a moment before saying earnestly, "Auntie!"

An Miaoli: "???"

Her composure, honed by years of cultivation, kept her from twitching. She spoke calmly, "Now that Fellow Daoist Ye has reached the Golden Core stage, we should address each other as peers."

Ye Chen shook his head immediately. "Even if I've broken through to Golden Core, a senior is still a senior!"

Calling her anything else just wouldn't feel right.

An Miaoli didn't dwell on the matter of titles. Hearing that Ye Chen was about to head out, she decided against entering the courtyard to sit. Instead, she walked with him along the street, pulling a jade slip from her storage ring and handing it to him.

"This contains the insights of a third-grade spiritual plant master," she said. "You've helped Yuyi so much, and she's deeply grateful. When she heard you were back, she wanted to come herself, but she's in seclusion for her cultivation, so she asked me to deliver this to you."

An Miaoli spoke earnestly, making it clear the gift was from An Yuyi to avoid any misunderstandings.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Though she said it was from An Yuyi, he was certain An Miaoli had acquired it herself. Still, the item was useful to him, so he accepted it without hesitation, thanking her with a smile.

Seeing him take it, An Miaoli nodded with satisfaction. "In that case, I'll be on my way."

The street bustled with cultivators coming and going. Many recognized her, and though no one would question her actions, it felt inappropriate to be seen walking with Ye Chen, the man her niece admired.

But Ye Chen quickly spoke up. "I was just heading out to buy a gift for Yuyi to congratulate her on her Golden Core breakthrough. Since you're here, Senior, why not join me? As Yuyi's aunt, you know her best and could help me choose something."

An Miaoli hesitated but eventually nodded. Walking alone with Ye Chen might be improper, but shopping for a gift for her niece was acceptable.

So, she agreed, and the two walked side by side. Onlookers cast surprised glances. One was the Grand Elder of Divine Will Sect, the other the champion of the Divine Will Assembly, now a Golden Core cultivator. Both were renowned figures. Ordinary cultivators bowed from a distance and gave them a wide berth.

"Senior An," Ye Chen said as they walked, "I'm curious about True Immortal chronicles and the customs of the cultivation world. Does Divine Will Sect's library have such books? Could I borrow some?"

He wasn't interested in cultivation manuals, but books on history and culture intrigued him. As a transmigrator, they helped him understand this world better. Green Cloud Sect's library was limited, but Divine Will Sect, with its eight-thousand-year legacy, surely had an extensive collection.

An Miaoli considered for a moment before responding, "The sect's scripture pavilion does have many jade slips on such topics, but like cultivation techniques, they're restricted. Non-sect members can't access them, and many are reserved for elders only. I'll see if I can find a way to make an exception."

Ye Chen nodded in thanks. Senior An was a principled person. If she said she'd try, she'd likely succeed. This could help him uncover more about his five-colored Golden Core.

They continued chatting casually, sharing cultivation insights, and soon arrived at Heavenly Evolution Pavilion. The same steward as before greeted Ye Chen warmly. "What do the two guests need today?"

Ye Chen got straight to the point. "I'm looking for a gift suitable for a female Golden Core cultivator."

The steward raised an eyebrow, glancing at An Miaoli, whom he recognized as Divine Will Sect's Grand Elder.

Noticing his look, An Miaoli said calmly, "The gift is for my junior."

The steward smiled, inviting them to a private room and asking them to wait briefly. Soon, he returned with a jade box, placing it before them and opening it carefully.

"This is a pair of earrings crafted by a direct disciple of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land a few years ago. It's a top-grade spiritual artifact, made primarily from mutton-fat white jade gold, which nurtures a female cultivator's body. It's engraved with six spells, each with profound effects, and its appearance is flawless. The disciple named it 'Fairy's Tears.' Since it was crafted by a direct disciple and surpasses ordinary spiritual artifacts in every way, the price is a bit steep—40,000 high-grade spirit stones."

The steward explained earnestly.

Ye Chen, with his keen eye, could tell the item was exceptional, nearly perfect for a spiritual artifact. The craftsman was undoubtedly a third-grade master at the peak of their skill. For a direct disciple to be this talented, Heavenly Evolution Holy Land lived up to its reputation.

The Fairy's Tears earrings exuded an immortal charm, perfectly matching An Miaoli's aura.

As he considered, Ye Chen turned to her. "Since Yuyi isn't here, could you try them on, Senior? To see if they suit her?"

Chapter 242: Critical Hit!

An Miaoli's ethereal face showed a flicker of hesitation at Ye Chen's request. The earrings were indeed exquisite. Crafted from silver moon gold threads, they were intricately linked to mutton-fat white jade gold. Despite being metallic, the jade gold had the luster of fine jade, deep green like a tranquil pool. Paired with the silver moon gold threads, they complemented each other perfectly.

By all accounts, she shouldn't try them on. Testing earrings with a male cultivator felt… odd. But Ye Chen had said it was for Yuyi, which made sense. What if they didn't suit her?

At 40,000 high-grade spirit stones, a price An Miaoli could only earn in a year as Divine Will Sect's Grand Elder—far more than an ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivator's annual income of 10,000—it would be a waste if they weren't suitable.

So, she nodded. "Alright, I'll try them for Yuyi."

The steward, recognizing Ye Chen as a valued customer, had no objections.

An Miaoli's slender, jade-like hand delicately lifted the earrings. With a graceful tilt of her head, she slowly placed them on her earlobes. The simple act, performed by her, radiated elegance and charm.

"How do they look?" she asked, turning to Ye Chen with poised confidence.

Stunning, of course. The deep green earrings, like tranquil pools, made her flawless face appear even more radiant, like polished porcelain. Her immortal aura grew even more ethereal.

Ye Chen commented, "Your hair's covering them a bit."

An Miaoli nodded slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear with a gentle motion. Her small, lustrous ears, almost translucent, were revealed—more jade-like than the Fairy's Tears themselves.

"They're perfect," Ye Chen said, at a loss for better words.

An Miaoli smiled softly, carefully removing the earrings and placing them back in the jade box.

Ye Chen turned to the steward. "I'll take them." He pulled out the spirit stones.

The steward nodded, smiling as he counted the stones, though his sidelong glances lingered on the pair. Their demeanor made him wonder: Are they really buying these for a junior? Or is this 'junior' just part of their fun?

"Please pass it on to her, Senior."

Leaving Heavenly Evolution Pavilion, Ye Chen handed the jade box to An Miaoli.

An Miaoli accepted it with a calm expression, nodding. "I'll give it to Yuyi as soon as I return."

With that, she gave Ye Chen a slight nod and drifted away.

Ye Chen watched her misty, ethereal figure fade into the distance, his expression thoughtful. Previously, An Miaoli never came to see him alone—An Yuyi always dragged her along. She rarely spoke to him directly, and though she offered return gifts, she seemed to hold some reservations about him.

But after he gifted her the remnant immortal scripture, things changed. First, she visited Green Cloud Sect alone. Now, she sought him out by herself and even walked the streets with him. When trying on the earrings just now, she was remarkably cooperative, especially that moment when she tucked her hair behind her ear to show them off—a gesture both immortal-like and subtly captivating.

For someone as untouchably divine as An Miaoli to make such a move was enough to unsettle anyone. Her unusual behavior made Ye Chen suspicious. Had the remnant immortal scripture won her over?

That didn't seem right. From his experience, An Miaoli wasn't the type to be swayed by spirit stones or treasures. She might not even care much about them. Moreover, she'd come under the pretense of delivering a gift on An Yuyi's behalf, mentioning her niece constantly. It didn't seem like she had ulterior motives.

Was he overthinking it?

Unable to puzzle it out, Ye Chen decided to let it go. Whatever her reasons, if using An Yuyi's name allowed him to keep gifting her, he'd stick with that approach. As he mused, the system's prompt sounded in his mind:

"Congratulations, host, gift successfully bestowed…"

"Feedback in progress…"

"200x feedback activated…"

"Detected significant emotional fluctuation in the gift recipient… Critical hit reward triggered!"

"Reward: Top-grade spiritual artifact set: Nine Heavens Hat, Nine Heavens Robe, Nine Heavens Shoes, Nine Heavens Sword, Nine Heavens Ring, Nine Heavens Necklace…"

"Nine Heavens Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Set: Crafted by an ancient master refiner, considered the premier spiritual artifact set, once owned by the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal. This set is a 1:1 replica…"

"Delivered to host's storage space."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow at the system's description. The cultivation world's top-ranked spiritual artifact set?

Impressive. Even among top-grade spiritual artifacts, there were distinctions, and in the vast cultivation world, for the Nine Heavens Set to be called the best spoke volumes about its power and value. Not to mention, it was the same set used by the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal during his Golden Core stage.

With this set, Ye Chen wouldn't need to worry about spiritual artifacts for the entire Golden Core stage. His small bell, forged from Black Yellow Primordial Essence, was formidable but easily attracted the attention of powerful cultivators when used, inviting unwanted scrutiny. In crowded settings, the Nine Heavens Sword would be a perfect substitute.

He hadn't expected gifting a pendant to trigger a critical hit, which was a pleasant surprise. This was great news, especially since Li Feihuang seemed to have grown cocky, while An Miaoli's critical hit rate was remarkably high. Naturally, he'd focus on currying favor with An Miaoli next, while perhaps stirring some competitive pressure in Li Feihuang to boost her critical hit chances.

In high spirits, Ye Chen left with a smile.

...

Back at Quiet Wonder Peak, An Miaoli sat in the pavilion at the summit. She slowly opened the jade box, retrieving the emerald Fairy's Tears earrings and placing them on her ears.

Though Ye Chen claimed they were for Yuyi, and she'd said she was trying them for her niece, An Miaoli knew the truth—these earrings were meant for her. The awe in Ye Chen's eyes had been unmistakable, only veiled by his excuse of gifting them to Yuyi to avoid her refusal.

She put the earrings on again and cast a water mirror spell. In the reflection, her misty aura grew even more ethereal, her breathtaking beauty accentuated by the faint green glow of the earrings, creating a mesmerizing effect. They suited her perfectly.

Clearly, encountering these earrings at Heavenly Evolution Pavilion wasn't a coincidence. Ye Chen had prepared them for her all along.

A flicker of hesitation crossed An Miaoli's face. Ye Chen's gesture was clear—he wanted her to keep the earrings. But accepting them… would that betray her niece?

Caught in mild distress, she heard a rustle of wind behind her. An Yuyi arrived, brimming with joy. "Auntie, I've mastered the Star Thunder Instant Kill Technique!" Her eyes caught the earrings. "Oh, Auntie, where did you get those? They're gorgeous!"

An Miaoli's lips parted, hesitating before she said, "I bought them."

Perhaps out of guilt, fearing further questions, she smoothly changed the subject.

"Ye Chen sent me a message saying he's interested in the scripture pavilion's collection. But the books are restricted from leaving the sect. However, Quiet Wonder Peak has an open guest elder position. If Ye Chen joins as a guest elder, he could access the library. What do you think, Yuyi?"

An Yuyi's eyes lit up. Ye Chen as a guest elder on Quiet Wonder Peak? That meant they could live together daily. It was perfect. She was certain her aunt was doing this for her—Quiet Wonder Peak had always been exclusively female, from elders to disciples. For her aunt to make an exception, who else could it be for but her?

Grateful, An Yuyi hugged her aunt's arm, playfully shaking it. "Auntie, you're so good to me!"

An Miaoli nodded calmly. "In that case, I'll contact Ye Chen later to ask his opinion. If he agrees, I'll inform the Internal Affairs Hall."

But as she spoke, her gaze subtly shifted elsewhere, betraying a hint of unease.

Chapter 243: Quiet Wonder Peak Can't Lose Elder Ye!

"What? Become a guest elder?" Ye Chen's face showed a hint of surprise as An Yuyi and An Miaoli arrived a few days later, with An Yuyi eagerly extending the invitation.

An Miaoli spoke with her usual cool demeanor. "If you wish to access the sect's records, becoming a guest elder of Quiet Wonder Peak is the only way."

Ye Chen marveled inwardly. Senior An was efficient, handling his request in just a few days. "Are there any restrictions?" he asked.

An Yuyi chimed in, eager to take credit. "Normally, a guest elder must swear a Heavenly Dao oath to serve for at least twenty years. But after Auntie vouched for you with the Internal Affairs Hall Master, they waived the time limit. You can leave whenever you want, as long as you swear a Heavenly Dao oath not to reveal Divine Will Sect's secrets."

To An Yuyi, her aunt's efforts—using her status as Grand Elder to guarantee Ye Chen's position—were clearly for her sake.

An Miaoli added calmly, "As a guest elder, you won't have access to sensitive secrets. The stipend is low due to the lack of a time commitment, and you'd need contributions to view cultivation techniques. But the records you're interested in? You can read those directly. Every five years, you'll need to complete a sect mission, but as a guest elder of Quiet Wonder Peak, you don't need to worry much about that."

Ye Chen smiled at An Miaoli. "Thank you, Senior An."

This was a win-win. Joining Divine Will Sect would make gifting and feedback easier. Living in Divine Will City meant waiting for others to visit him or flying out to meet them—far too inconvenient. As a guest elder, he'd be closer to An Miaoli, making things much smoother.

"If you have no objections, let's go handle the formalities," An Miaoli said, rising gracefully into the air.

Ye Chen and An Yuyi quickly followed. After more than a year apart, An Yuyi was thrilled to see Ye Chen again. Flying beside him, she chattered nonstop, sharing how she'd formed a ninth-grade Golden Core, mastered the Star Thunder Instant Kill Technique, and initially planned to confront Li Feihuang for revenge after her breakthrough.

But then Li Feihuang's identity as a Great Chu royal daughter with a Fire Phoenix Spirit Body came to light. Having used phoenix blood to form her core, she'd likely grown even stronger, so An Yuyi had quietly backed off. By the end, her voice carried a hint of grievance.

An Yuyi's demeanor made Ye Chen chuckle. Compared to before, she was much more endearing now.

Thinking of Li Feihuang's recent arrogance, Ye Chen couldn't help but say with a grin, "Don't worry. When the chance comes, I'll help you settle the score."

An Yuyi's eyes sparkled at his words. For the past two years, she'd been the one pursuing Ye Chen, while he remained lukewarm toward her. Now, he was offering to stand up for her? Whether it was because of her aunt or some other reason, her joy was uncontainable.

More importantly, if Ye Chen was willing to help her against Li Feihuang, it meant he didn't favor her rival. An Yuyi had long worried that her aunt wouldn't be able to compete with Li Feihuang and that Ye Chen might be snatched away. Now, those fears were gone.

Emboldened, she grabbed Ye Chen's arm, clinging to it as they flew toward Divine Will Sect.

Ye Chen patted her fluffy head, and the gesture made An Yuyi beam, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

Ahead, An Miaoli observed the scene without much thought. Ye Chen's actions seemed purely affectionate, likely an extension of his care for her niece.

As for Li Feihuang, An Miaoli had once wondered if there was something between her and Ye Chen when he gifted her the phoenix blood. Now, it seemed otherwise—likely just a transactional exchange.

Leading the way, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curved An Miaoli's lips. Deep down, though, she felt a twinge of regret. If only Yuyi could let go of Ye Chen…

With An Miaoli's endorsement, Ye Chen's appointment as a guest elder was processed swiftly. Since Quiet Wonder Peak was exclusively female, An Miaoli arranged for Ye Chen's cave mansion to be situated at the peak's summit to ensure his comfort. Ye Chen had no objections. Discomfort? That wasn't even a possibility.

However, the news of a male elder joining Quiet Wonder Peak sparked quite a stir in Divine Will Sect. Despite Ye Chen being invited by Grand Elder An Miaoli, the peak's elders and deacons were initially displeased.

Quiet Wonder Peak had always been a haven for female cultivators, and a male presence felt jarring. But given Ye Chen's Golden Core cultivation and his status as the champion of the Divine Will Assembly, no one dared voice their complaints openly.

And so, Ye Chen settled into Quiet Wonder Peak. His cave mansion was just a kilometer from An Miaoli and An Yuyi's, making gift-giving conveniently close.

In the blink of an eye, a year passed.

Seated cross-legged in his cultivation chamber, Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. His gaze had grown deeper, his aura more profound. Over the year, he'd reaped immense benefits, his cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds. He estimated that in just half a year, he could break through to mid-Golden Core.

Advancing a minor realm in a mere year and a half would shock anyone who heard it. At the Golden Core stage, rapid progress was nearly impossible. Most Golden Core cultivators took decades—sometimes thirty to fifty years—to advance a single minor realm, and it only grew harder. The significance of a year and a half was staggering.

Checking the system, Ye Chen saw it was time to trigger another reward. He rose leisurely, ready to give gifts and reap the benefits.

As he walked through Quiet Wonder Peak, he passed almost entirely female cultivators, mostly at the Foundation Establishment stage, with a few Golden Core elders among them. When they saw him, their eyes lit up, and they greeted him warmly, a stark contrast to the resistance he'd faced a year ago.

Ye Chen returned their courtesies with a faint smile. The reason for their change? His generous hand, of course.

Most cultivators needed frequent seclusion to comprehend spells and techniques. As the Grand Elder, An Miaoli was often busy with sect affairs, while An Yuyi, a Golden Core direct disciple, had her share of tasks despite not being an elder. So, when Ye Chen's system cooldown ended, the two were often absent.

Unwilling to waste his weekly feedback opportunity, Ye Chen would randomly select a lucky female cultivator on Quiet Wonder Peak to gift. Most had modest multipliers—30x to 50x, none reaching 100x—and were mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators, only able to yield Foundation Establishment-level rewards. Still, even small gains were worthwhile.

Ye Chen was lavish with his gifts: the Phoenix Stone, Foundation Establishment Pills, various top-grade magical treasures, and occasionally high-end techniques or pills—some so rare even Divine Will Sect might not have them. The women of Quiet Wonder Peak had never seen such generosity, and their emotional reactions often triggered critical hits.

This filled Ye Chen's coffers while making the female cultivators' eyes light up at the sight of him, eagerly lining up to greet him. Resistance? Nonexistent.

Initially, Quiet Wonder Peak's women had privately grumbled about their male elder, hoping he'd leave to restore their "pure" female sanctuary. Now? If anyone from another peak dared criticize Ye Chen, they'd face a ferocious backlash from Quiet Wonder Peak's cultivators.

"Elder Ye has always been a part of Quiet Wonder Peak!" they'd declare. "Quiet Wonder Peak can't exist without Elder Ye, just as cultivators can't live without spirit Qi!"