ISWI Chapter 220-221

Chapter 220: I Only Like Ye Chen

As the direct disciples emerged from the Divine Will Cave Heaven, their gains were tallied, ranked, and rewarded with additional prizes. When Li Feihuang, her appearance once again plain and unremarkable, produced the Phoenix Blood from her storage ring, the crowd fell silent.

No one had expected Li Feihuang to claim the top prize in this trial. Many elders frowned, casting disappointed glances at Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli, who had been the favored contenders for the Phoenix Blood.

Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli hung their heads. Not only had they failed to secure the Phoenix Blood, but they hadn't even entered the grand hall. Frustration burned within them as they scanned the crowd, desperate to identify the disciple who'd outmaneuvered them so thoroughly, leaving them no face.

An Miaoli glanced at Li Feihuang, sighed, and patted An Yuyi's shoulder. "If you missed it, so be it. Your physique isn't particularly compatible with the Phoenix Blood anyway. A few days ago, I visited Heavenly Evolution Pavilion and spoke with their steward. They have a rare Star Thunder Stone in their inventory. It's a slightly lower-grade material for forming your Golden Core, but it suits your spiritual root perfectly. Once we secure the Thunderbane Bamboo Core to balance your dual spiritual roots, you'll have a strong chance at forming a ninth-grade Golden Core."

An Miaoli placed great importance on her niece's core formation. Once a cultivator reached the Golden Core stage, progress slowed dramatically. Lower-tier cores—called impure cores—spelled doom for one's immortal path, making even minor breakthroughs nearly impossible. Mid-tier cores offered a slim chance at Nascent Soul—only upper-tier cores allowed for unhindered advancement.

With An Yuyi's Earth-grade Foundation Establishment and a top-tier Golden Core, she had a solid shot at reaching Nascent Soul, perhaps even Deity Transformation if luck favored her. A strong foundation was critical, and An Miaoli spared no expense, no matter the cost in spirit stones. After all, An Yuyi was her only niece.

An Yuyi's heart swelled with gratitude and guilt. Since embarking on her cultivation journey, her aunt had given her nothing but the best. Yet she'd disappointed her time and again. Still, one question gnawed at her, but with so many people around, she held her tongue.

Once the rankings concluded and they returned to the peak, An Yuyi couldn't hold back any longer. "Aunt…" she blurted out, voicing the question that had plagued her for half a month. "Ye Chen clearly likes me, so why does he treat me so coldly? I asked him why, and he told me to ask you—that you'd know!"

...

Hearing An Yuyi's words, An Miaoli, who had been fretting over spirit stone expenses, raised an eyebrow. "You met Ye Chen in the Divine Will Cave Heaven?"

An Yuyi hadn't expected her aunt to catch on so quickly. She hesitated, but since Ye Chen had told her to ask her aunt, it meant he wasn't hiding anything from An Miaoli. Nodding, she said, "Aunt, please don't tell the sect about this!"

An Miaoli nodded, urging her niece to explain what happened. An Yuyi recounted everything: Ye Chen had triggered the secret realm early, condensed the Phoenix Blood, and then handed it to Li Feng without hesitation. When she asked him why, he told her to ask her aunt.

After hearing the full story, An Miaoli's watery eyes flickered with thought, her brow furrowing. Ye Chen sneaking into the Divine Will Cave Heaven was no small matter, but since he'd given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng, the sect hadn't suffered any loss. She decided to let it slide, pretending she knew nothing.

But why had Ye Chen told An Yuyi to ask her? That day, he'd clearly said he didn't like An Yuyi and had his heart set on someone else. Though he hadn't named the woman, An Miaoli had pieced it together from his actions—it was her.

Now, by directing An Yuyi to her, Ye Chen had put her in an awkward spot. How was she supposed to explain this?

A flicker of irritation stirred in An Miaoli's heart. But seeing her niece's crestfallen expression, she knew An Yuyi could accept missing the Phoenix Blood—what she couldn't stomach was Ye Chen giving it to Li Feng.

After a moment's thought, An Miaoli decided it was time to cut through the mess. Prolonging this would only hurt her niece more and hinder her cultivation. Looking at An Yuyi earnestly, she said, "Yuyi, Ye Chen hasn't changed his heart. He never liked you. You must have misunderstood his intentions."

An Yuyi's eyes widened, and she protested loudly, "Aunt, that's impossible! He gave me a cultivation technique, stood firm in the face of danger, and even gave me a Divine Will Pool slot. The first time we met, he gifted me a Soul-Nourishing Stone! How could he not like me?"

An Miaoli knew the truth was harsh, but she pressed on. "That's because the woman Ye Chen loves is me. Out of affection for me, he extended his kindness to you, fulfilling your requests without hesitation because you're my niece. Everything he did for you was because of me."

...

An Yuyi's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't accept this truth and protested loudly, "How is that possible? If that's true, why didn't he give me the Phoenix Blood this time?"

She thought she'd found a flaw in her aunt's explanation.

An Miaoli sighed softly. "That's also because of me. After learning of his feelings, I decided to cut ties with Ye Chen and avoid him entirely. When I sent you to deliver the spiritual item alone, it was to make my stance clear. Ye Chen obviously understood. That's why, when you brought the gift before the secret realm opened, he accepted it and left without a word. And in the realm, that's why he gave the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng."

An Yuyi listened to her aunt's airtight logic, her mind replaying past events. Every gift Ye Chen had given her—always something she needed—had been presented to her aunt first. The Earth-grade cultivation technique, the Divine Will Pool slot—it was all the same.

Could it be true? Had Ye Chen's affections always been for her aunt, not her?

As doubt crept in, An Yuyi's face turned deathly pale. Her body swayed, barely able to stand. An Miaoli quickly caught her niece, her heart aching with both pity and worry. She feared this revelation might drive a wedge between them, damaging their bond.

Trying to console her, An Miaoli said, "Yuyi, Ye Chen is impressive, but the world is full of prodigies—countless others surpass him. As long as you focus on your cultivation and let him go, you'll move on. Once you reach the Golden Core stage, I'll arrange for some friends to bring their heirs—young men no less exceptional than Ye Chen, maybe even better. And I promise, I'll never see him again. I'll stay by your side until you form your core."

But An Yuyi, her eyes red and brimming with tears, looked up with a fragile, pitiable expression. "Aunt… there may be countless prodigies better than Ye Chen out there. They might all be wonderful, but I just don't like them. I only like Ye Chen."

From the moment she saw him dominate the Divine Will Assembly, sweeping through prodigies with unmatched prowess; to the water mirror vision of him standing resolute against a demonic beast to protect her; to this trial, where his vast Divine Ability opened the secret realm early, barred two top direct disciples from entering, and felled Li Feng with a single strike—Ye Chen's image had seared itself into her heart.

There was no room for anyone else.

Chapter 221: As Expected, We Need Aunt to Come Along!

Though it wasn't her fault, the fact that her niece's beloved admired her instead left An Miaoli with a twinge of guilt. Seeing that An Yuyi harbored no resentment toward her eased her mind, but her niece's stubbornness was giving her a headache.

Gently stroking An Yuyi's head, An Miaoli tried to reason with her. "The cultivation world is vast beyond measure. Just in our Great Yan Continent, there are near-infinite cultivators. The entire immortal realm is even grander. You're still young, Yuyi. You'll meet countless people in the future. Why cling to this?

"If it's just unwillingness, that's even less reason to hold on. You know, nine out of ten things in life don't go as we wish. Even ancient immortals faced unfulfilled desires. Some, after death, had their obsessions twist into unspeakable horrors. If even immortals can't escape this, how can you? If something can't be forced, don't force it. Let it go."

An Miaoli counseled patiently, even citing immortal legends to make her point.

But An Yuyi's face was set with defiance. "I will force it!"

An Miaoli was speechless, sighing heavily. "What's your plan, then? Go find Ye Chen? A man's heart, when hardened, is colder than an iceberg. You'll gain nothing, and he might not even see you."

An Yuyi's eyes sparkled with hope as she looked at her aunt. "I know I can't do it alone. But if you come with me, Aunt, Ye Chen will definitely meet me!"

An Miaoli's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at her niece. Her too? Ridiculous! Even though it was her beloved niece, An Miaoli's face flushed with anger. "Do you hear yourself? Besides, Ye Chen doesn't even like you! You're still not giving up?"

Her voice grew cold by the end.

An Yuyi, tears brimming, nodded. "I know. But what can I do when the man I love loves someone else? Especially when that someone is my dearest aunt. What choice do I have?"

Her words struck An Miaoli's heart, stirring a wave of guilt. She pulled An Yuyi's head into a tight embrace. Her niece was the one suffering most, loving someone who loved her aunt instead.

"But even if I agreed, what would seeing him accomplish?" An Miaoli sighed.

An Yuyi's gaze was resolute. "Just seeing him would make me happy. Water wears through stone—someday, he'll accept me."

An Miaoli was at a loss for words.

What An Yuyi didn't say was that Ye Chen being with her aunt was still better than him being with Li Feihuang. If Ye Chen became her uncle-in-law, she'd have chances to see him often. Who's to say she couldn't win him over eventually?

...

The day after the Divine Will Cave Heaven closed, Ye Chen's routine remained steady. He spent his time browsing the city for gifts suitable for his system's feedback mechanism or cultivating in peace.

Gifting hadn't taken a backseat either—he knew the upcoming Heavenly Evolution Pavilion auction would feature the rare Eternal Cosmos Sutra fragment, a treasure too valuable to miss. Though he had plenty of spirit stones, preparing thoroughly was essential.

In Divine Will City, finding female cultivators with hundredfold feedback multipliers was rare, but those with thirty to fiftyfold multipliers were common enough. These women were wary, often ignoring strangers' advances, but none refused Ye Chen's gifts. Some even tried to get closer, hoping for more than a casual exchange.

Today, the system's cooldown had just ended, and Ye Chen was about to head out to find a suitable recipient for a gift. But before he could leave, he sensed visitors approaching. A quick scan of their auras told him who they were: An Yuyi and her aunt, An Miaoli.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Had An Yuyi tattled, bringing her aunt to settle the score? He wasn't fazed. An Miaoli's arrival was perfect—her two-hundredfold multiplier far outstripped the random cultivators in the city.

Without waiting for them to announce themselves, Ye Chen opened the courtyard gate and invited them in with a warm smile.

His enthusiasm only deepened An Yuyi's conviction that Ye Chen was smitten with her aunt. When she came alone, he barely acknowledged her, but with her aunt present, he welcomed them before they even spoke.

An Miaoli, sensing his warmth, sighed inwardly. A suspicion crept into her mind: was Ye Chen doing this on purpose? Had he deliberately treated her niece coldly and given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng to provoke An Yuyi into confronting her, forcing her to come here? If so, his tactics were alarmingly cunning.

...

The three settled into the courtyard for a casual chat.

To Ye Chen's surprise, they didn't come with accusations or even mention the Phoenix Blood. Instead, they engaged in light conversation. However, he could sense that An Miaoli, with her flawless beauty and near-perfect poise, was noticeably distant. She barely spoke, leaving An Yuyi to carry the conversation.

This left Ye Chen puzzled. Hadn't he told An Yuyi to ask her aunt? Did An Miaoli not clarify that he didn't like her niece? What was going on?

But Ye Chen wasn't one to dwell on mysteries. Whatever their deal was, it didn't matter as long as it didn't interfere with his gifting plans.

After chatting for a bit, he produced a translucent jade pendant imbued with spiritual energy and offered it to An Miaoli. "I came across this pendant recently. It calms the mind, purifies internal impurities, and nurtures the five organs. If worn during a breakthrough, it can ward off heart demons. I already have something similar, so I'd like to gift this to Senior An."

An Miaoli eyed the pendant, resisting the urge to frown. It was clearly useful for her niece, who was nearing her Golden Core breakthrough, yet Ye Chen insisted on giving it to her instead. She had no desire to accept it—she wanted no further ties with him.

But An Yuyi's eyes lit up. She was certain Ye Chen had chosen this gift for her, even if it was indirectly through her aunt. It was still his thoughtfulness, and she wanted anything he offered. Noticing her aunt's reluctance, An Yuyi tugged at her sleeve under the stone table, her eyes pleading pitifully.

Unable to resist her niece's gaze, An Miaoli's ethereal, fairy-like face showed a flicker of hesitation. Finally, she nodded, her slender hand accepting the glowing pendant. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye," she said coolly. "I'll send a return gift later."

In Ye Chen's mind, the system chimed with a two-hundredfold feedback notification. He couldn't help but smile. No critical hit, but a two-hundredfold multiplier was leaps and bounds better than the wild cultivators outside.

His genuine, heartfelt grin only deepened the two women's convictions about his feelings. An Yuyi, in particular, resolved to never visit Ye Chen again without her aunt in tow.