ISWI Chapter 218-219

Chapter 218: Go Ask Your Aunt!

Why was he doing this? For the critical hit, of course. Why else would he waste time on this?

But Ye Chen didn't say that. Instead, he reached out and placed his hand on Li Feihuang's abdomen. A surge of restorative power flowed from his left eye—not as a visible beam, but channeled through his palm.

He wasn't trying to take advantage of her. His Heavy Pupil was a secret best kept hidden. A supreme Divine Ability, rare even across generations, could draw the envy of even Holy Land powerhouses. Discretion was necessary.

Li Feihuang, still reeling from Ye Chen handing her the Phoenix Blood, was entirely focused on the jade bottle. Her reaction was half a beat slow, and by the time she registered his touch, shock turned to fury. What was he doing? Did he think he could use the Phoenix Blood to buy her? She, a royal daughter of Great Chu, would never lower herself for a treasure, no matter how precious. The very idea was unthinkable.

The indignity was unlike anything she'd ever endured. She was on the verge of erupting when a sudden warmth spread through her abdomen, stopping her cold.

The destructive aura that had clung to her wound like a leech, hindering her body's recovery, began to dissipate at an astonishing rate under this restorative power. Her injury healed rapidly, the warmth spreading through her entire body. Even old, unnoticed scars from past cultivation were mended in moments.

The sensation was so comforting that Li Feihuang nearly let out a sigh of relief. When Ye Chen's hand finally pulled away, leaving that fullness behind, she felt an unexpected pang of loss.

Not only had he given her the Phoenix Blood, but he'd also healed her. Such a potent healing effect had to come at a great cost. Sure enough, while his face hadn't changed after defeating her with a single strike, now it was slightly pale.

What was going on?

Li Feihuang was utterly bewildered, her mind a tangle of confusion. But Ye Chen's act of healing her melted away her anger. Could it be… he hadn't betrayed her at all? Was there something more to this?

...

Ye Chen, of course, couldn't tell the truth. Admitting he was playing a game of tough love—slapping her down only to offer a sweet reward—was out of the question. But coming up with an excuse? He wasn't sure what to say. The more he explained, the more likely he'd slip up. Better to let her figure it out herself.

Meeting Li Feihuang's searching gaze, Ye Chen steadied his aura, his eyes warm with encouragement. "Fellow Daoist Li," he said gently, "please cultivate diligently from now on."

What?

Li Feihuang blinked, caught off guard. Before she could respond, Ye Chen stood, offering no further explanation. His face held that same encouraging smile, his gaze soft as he looked at her.

Confused, Li Feihuang glanced down at her abdomen, where her wound had just been healed. A realization hit her like a bolt of lightning—she understood. She truly understood.

She bore the weight of reclaiming her throne, yet she'd always been arrogant, her pride towering above all. Even after losing to Ye Chen in the arena, she hadn't reflected, still believing herself invincible. Revealing her Fire Phoenix Spirit Body, she'd assumed Ye Chen would cower. She'd never taken the other Divine Will Sect disciples seriously either.

But pride comes before a fall. In the cultivation world, countless prodigies had stumbled due to their own arrogance. Her future held a battle with the Champion King, a fight to reclaim everything that was hers. The path was fraught with danger—failure could mean death. Yet she'd never worried, assuming victory was assured.

Such hubris would cost her dearly.

Ye Chen, clearly aware of this, had been watching her closely. His initial hesitation, letting An Yuyi vie for the Phoenix Blood, was meant to jolt her into taking things seriously. But when she easily crushed An Yuyi and grew even more conceited, Ye Chen had no choice but to act himself. And when he did, he struck with a devastating blow.

She'd thought he betrayed her. Now, she saw the truth: he hadn't betrayed her at all. Every move was for her sake. Even the timing—right before her Golden Core breakthrough—was deliberate. He'd shattered her pride to teach her there were heavens beyond heavens, people beyond people.

Why not wait until after her Golden Core formation? Simple. Once she achieved a ninth-grade Golden Core with her Earth Spiritual Root and evolved her Fire Phoenix Spirit Body into the Moon Phoenix Body, her power would be unimaginable. Even Ye Chen might not be able to defeat her then. This was his only chance to humble her.

As the pieces fell into place, Li Feihuang's gaze softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye, for the reminder," she said earnestly. "Your painstaking efforts—I'll never forget them."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Good, you get it.

With a light chuckle, he said, "Then keep the Phoenix Blood, Fellow Daoist Li."

Now understanding Ye Chen's true intentions, Li Feihuang knew the Phoenix Blood was his sincere gift to her. Overwhelmed, she opened her mouth to speak, her heart swelling with emotion…

...

Just then, a furious voice erupted behind Ye Chen. "I object!"

It was An Yuyi.

Ye Chen shook his head. Li Feihuang's Fire Phoenix Spirit Body and the Phoenix Blood were a match made in heaven. What right did a weakling like An Yuyi have to protest?

An Yuyi glared at Ye Chen, her face flushed with humiliation and rage. She'd poured out her heart, offering to become his cultivation partner, only for him to ignore her completely. First, he injured Li Feihuang, then healed her himself, and now he'd handed her the Phoenix Blood.

What was this? Were the two of them playing some romantic game, treating her like a joke? Already shaken by Li Feihuang's stunning true appearance, Ye Chen's choice was a blow An Yuyi couldn't bear. In her twenty-plus years, she'd never felt such disgrace.

Her eyes reddened as she stared at Ye Chen. "If I had beaten Li Feihuang, would you still have given her the Phoenix Blood?"

Without hesitation, Ye Chen nodded. The system's reward hadn't triggered yet—he had to stay resolute.

Li Feihuang, hearing his response, felt her heart stir with even deeper gratitude. But for An Yuyi, Ye Chen's cold answer was like a knife. Her body swayed, barely able to stand.

At this moment, the Phoenix Blood's ownership hardly mattered. What she couldn't fathom was why the Ye Chen who supposedly loved her would act this way. Was it just because of Li Feihuang's beauty? Where was she lacking compared to Li Feihuang?

Clenching her fists, her voice broke with anguish. "You clearly like me! Why are you doing this?"

Ye Chen's expression remained calm. "Go ask your aunt."

The last time he'd spoken with An Miaoli, he'd made it clear he didn't like An Yuyi and had his heart set on another. He wasn't about to repeat himself.

An Yuyi's eyes widened. What did her aunt have to do with this? Could it be… Her mind churned with a storm of thoughts.

...

Ye Chen ignored her, turning to Li Feihuang with a smile.

Li Feihuang clutched the Phoenix Blood—the key to her future and her dynasty's glory. With heartfelt sincerity, she bowed deeply to Ye Chen. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye, for giving me the Phoenix Blood. This kindness—I'll never forget it. The Li family always repays its debts, and I swear I won't let you down."

At that moment, a system notification chimed in Ye Chen's mind…

Chapter 219: Ancestral Dragon Blood! The Trial Ends!

"Gift successfully delivered!"

"Gift: Phoenix Blood."

"Processing feedback…"

"Three-hundredfold feedback in progress…"

"Detected: The gift given by the host is of extreme importance to the recipient, exceeding their expectations and causing a significant emotional impact. Critical reward triggered!"

"Reward: Ancestral Dragon Blood."

"Ancestral Dragon Blood: Derived from the Ancestral Dragon, one of the three primordial divine beasts and the progenitor of all dragon clans."

"Processed for use as a supreme Golden Core refinement material, allowing direct assimilation without backlash!"

"Upon forming a Golden Core, the True Dragon Treasure Technique can be awakened…"

"Upon forming a Golden Core, the user may…"

"…"

Ancestral Dragon Blood?

Ye Chen's pupils constricted as he read the dense system description. He'd anticipated that a three-hundredfold feedback with a critical hit would yield a top-tier treasure, but this surpassed all expectations.

The Ancestral Dragon—the progenitor of all dragons, one of the three primordial divine beasts—stood leagues above the Vicious Ten. Even the True Dragon, one of the Vicious Ten, was merely a descendant of the Ancestral Dragon. Refining a Golden Core with such a divine beast's blood essence? Ye Chen could hardly imagine the kind of core he'd form.

Thankfully, the blood had been processed into a usable spiritual material. Otherwise, a single drop of raw Ancestral Dragon Blood would likely annihilate him with a glance, given the creature's unfathomable realm.

The benefits of forming a core with this blood were countless, but what thrilled Ye Chen most was the chance to awaken the True Dragon Treasure Technique—a supreme Divine Ability and the dragon clan's ultimate inheritance. Even pure-blooded dragons rarely unlocked its full power, often gaining only fragments, like a claw or a horn. Only the most prodigious among them could hope to master it.

The True Dragon Treasure Technique's rarity spoke for itself. If Ye Chen could fully awaken it, his strength would skyrocket.

After reviewing the system's rewards, Ye Chen's mood soared. The Golden Core material he'd waited so long for was finally his—and it was far beyond his wildest dreams. With the Ancestral Dragon's might, he doubted anyone in the myriad realms had ever formed a core with such a treasure.

Everything was set. He was destined to forge the ultimate Golden Core. This reward made all his scheming for the Phoenix Blood and his thrashing of Li Feihuang worth it.

...

"Fellow Daoist Li, no need for formalities between us," Ye Chen said with a smile. "Now that the Phoenix Blood is in your hands, it's time for me to leave. Staying longer might cause trouble if the Divine Will Sect finds out."

With the Ancestral Dragon Blood secured, Ye Chen had no reason to linger in the Divine Will Cave Heaven. In thirty days, all disciples would be automatically teleported to the sect's entrance. As an outsider, showing up there would be asking for trouble.

Su Yuxuan's old-lady-in-a-ring had given him a technique to enter and exit the realm. True, it had a flaw that caused the realm to open early, letting a flood of Divine Will Sect direct disciples pour in, but overall, it worked fine. If he left now, he could slip away unnoticed. The Divine Will Sect would never know he was here.

Only two people knew he'd entered: Li Feihuang, who wouldn't betray him, and An Yuyi, the wildcard. She'd already threatened him once over the Divine Will Pool quota. Now, furious that he'd given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feihuang, she might snitch in a fit of spite.

Still, Ye Chen had no intention of silencing her. His trump cards were numerous—his status as the Holy Son of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land alone was enough to shield him. Killing An Yuyi would gain him nothing and might antagonize An Miaoli. Better to let it be.

...

Li Feihuang smiled at his words. After today, there was indeed no need for pretense between them. She'd once thought Ye Chen supported her because he was awed by her strength. Now she knew he wasn't weaker than her, perhaps even stronger.

Yet, despite his power, he'd chosen to back her without hesitation, even giving her the direct disciple slot. That wasn't submission to her strength; it was genuine loyalty. A vassal like that was rarer than rare.

In her heart, Li Feihuang made a vow. When she donned the imperial robe and ascended as empress, she'd name Ye Chen her Equal Golden Dragon King.

"Then, Fellow Daoist Ye, go ahead and leave," she said. "I'll come find you after the trial ends. As for the Divine Will Sect, I'll never mention you were here." Her gaze shifted to An Yuyi, a sharp glint of killing intent in her eyes. "But she might not be so reliable. Perhaps…"

As a royal daughter, Li Feihuang was decisive and ruthless.

An Yuyi shot her a cold glance. "I won't betray Ye Chen," she said firmly. She wasn't worried about him wanting to kill her either. Turning to Ye Chen, her mind raced with questions. Why had he told her to ask her aunt? Had her aunt offended him? Was there some conflict between them? Or did her aunt think Ye Chen wasn't good enough for her and warned him off?

An Yuyi didn't know. But right now, all she wanted was to rush back and confront her aunt to uncover the truth.

...

Seeing that Ye Chen had no intention of attacking, Li Feihuang let the matter drop.

Ye Chen gave An Yuyi one last glance, unconcerned whether her words were true or false. With a flick of his fingers, he activated the technique. His figure faded, dissolving like mist, vanishing from the hall and the Divine Will Cave Heaven entirely.

His exit was smooth, without any hiccups. Reappearing at the realm's entry point, Ye Chen scanned his surroundings to ensure no one was around before drifting away.

Back at the Ye Boutique branch, Sun Ruoxin, who'd been moping over his supposed departure, lit up with joy and eagerly attended to him. But Ye Chen didn't plan to form his Golden Core in Divine Will City. It was common knowledge that the stronger the Golden Core, the longer the process took. With a treasure like Ancestral Dragon Blood, who knew if it would take one year or two?

In just over a month, the Heavenly Evolution Pavilion auction would feature a fragment of the Eternal Cosmos Sutra's Golden Core chapter—an immortal text touted as the ultimate for Golden Core cultivation. It was a must-have. There was also Thunderbane Bamboo Core, a treasure to enhance one's aptitude. Missing these, especially the scripture fragment, could mean waiting years for another chance.

Divine Will City, with its chaotic mix of cultivators, wasn't ideal for secluded cultivation either. Too many risks of disturbance. Green Cloud Sect was the better choice—his master was there, offering greater peace of mind. His master had already surprised him before her seclusion. By now, she might have broken through to the Golden Core stage herself. Her emergence could bring even greater surprises.

So, returning was the obvious choice.

In the days that followed, Ye Chen focused on preparing for his Golden Core formation while enjoying the advanced techniques Sun Ruoxin had picked up in Divine Will City. His days were relaxed, almost leisurely.

...

Meanwhile, at the Divine Will Sect, the one-month trial period was up. Elders gathered at the entrance of the Divine Will Cave Heaven, eagerly awaiting the teleportation of the direct disciples. They were all curious: which prodigy had claimed the Phoenix Blood?

Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli were the favorites, with most elders betting on one of them. But with Grand Elder An Miaoli present, no one spoke, waiting patiently instead.

Soon, the entrance glowed, and the direct disciples began to emerge.

An Miaoli's misty eyes quickly found An Yuyi. But one look at her niece's expression made her heart sink. It seemed An Yuyi's trial in the Cave Heaven hadn't gone well at all.