ISWI Chapter 193-194

Chapter 193: Closed Door and Opening!

"What is this?"

For the first time, the mature and stunning face of Gu Yunyun showed genuine shock. She immediately closed the jade box, staring at Ye Chen in disbelief. She had always known Ye Chen had secrets. And she had suspected that since Ye Chen had taken the ancient jade from her, he must have been confident in obtaining a better spiritual object.

But she never expected Ye Chen had actually obtained something of this level. This was absolutely on par with Phoenix Blood, maybe even higher. What was most important was how perfectly it suited her.

Just feeling the terrifying aura of the Sword Dao made her cultivation tremble, as if she were on the verge of a breakthrough. It was impossible for Gu Yunyun not to be stunned.

Ye Chen smiled softly. "This is the Bone of the Sword Peng. If you refine it as the core for forming the Golden Core, you will get a Nine-Rank Golden Core and awaken the Golden Core's Divine Ability. The most important thing is, if you're lucky enough, Master, you may even inherit the Sword Peng's Divine Ability."

Gu Yunyun's hands trembled as she held the jade box. The Sword Peng? This was an ancient vicious beast. Its rarity was beyond imagination. Ye Chen had actually obtained it and gave it to her?

Gu Yunyun was still in shock when Ye Chen continued, "To be honest, this Sword Peng doesn't even make it into the Vicious Ten, it's a bit underwhelming. I was actually hoping to find something even better."

Ye Chen truly felt a bit disappointed. After all, the little demoness's multiplier was only fifty times. Even though it could trigger critical strikes, the feedback still wasn't enough. If it had been like his Master's multiplier of two hundred times, plus the critical strikes, he could have definitely gotten a spiritual object even stronger than the Sword Peng's bone.

At this point, Gu Yunyun's lips twitched. The Sword Peng, as an ancient vicious beast, though it didn't make the top ten of the vicious beasts, was still incredibly powerful.

For Ye Chen to be dissatisfied with such a spiritual object?

To be honest, Gu Yunyun, as the Grand Elder of Green Cloud Sect, had never experienced what it was like to be poor or to be unworldly. Yet, in front of Ye Chen, for the first time, Gu Yunyun felt the gap…

"I..."

Before such a treasure, Gu Yunyun was almost at a loss for words.

Ye Chen smiled, knowing that his Master, who appeared cold but was warm inside, must be feeling embarrassed. He immediately reassured her, "Master, there's no need to overthink it. With Master becoming stronger, I'll naturally benefit from it too. Besides, this Sword Peng's bone isn't suited for me. If you don't want it, I have nowhere to return it to. So, please, Master, go ahead and use it!"

Hearing Ye Chen's words, Gu Yunyun bit her lip with force. She owed Ye Chen more and more. Even if she broke through to the Golden Core, it would be impossible to repay him. Could it really be that only by accepting Ye Chen's distorted filial piety could she ever repay him?

But Gu Yunyun hadn't truly figured it out yet. She undeniably had feelings for this disciple of hers. But the issue was that the Master-disciple relationship itself was a limitation, and it made Gu Yunyun hesitant.

Moreover, Gu Yunyun had never considered sharing her Dao companion with another woman. Yet Ye Chen was affectionate with everyone. This made Gu Yunyun's heart even more conflicted.

After a long silence, Gu Yunyun finally gave a serious bow to Ye Chen and thanked him. "Thank you!"

Ye Chen immediately waved his hand. "No need to be so polite, Master!"

Gu Yunyun shook her head, silently sighing to herself. It was precisely because they were Master and disciple that she had to be polite. If Ye Chen weren't her disciple, how much better would it be?

Gu Yunyun's mind was in turmoil, and she decided not to dwell on it. Everything would be dealt with after her breakthrough. For now, she would go into closed-door meditation.

"Then I'll congratulate Master on a successful closed-door meditation in advance!"

Ye Chen sincerely congratulated her. Breaking through to the Golden Core stage usually took about six months. Thinking about not seeing his Master for six months, Ye Chen felt a bit regretful.

After seeing Ye Chen off, Gu Yunyun used a sound transmission talisman to inform the Sect Master that she would be entering closed-door meditation.

The Sect Master arrived in the blink of an eye. His weathered eyes were filled with anticipation. "That sword Qi just now... Could it be the Golden Core spiritual object?"

For the Sect Master, Gu Yunyun's breakthrough to the Golden Core was the most important thing. He only had about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years left to live. If he couldn't nurture the next Golden Core cultivator during this time, Green Cloud Sect would inevitably decline.

Gu Yunyun nodded. "I've obtained a better spiritual object for forming the Golden Core, so I'm preparing to go into closed-door meditation now."

Upon hearing this, the Sect Master smiled brightly and looked Gu Yunyun up and down. Her spiritual energy was flowing smoothly, her spirit sense was perfect, and there was a faint, unique Dao rhythm surrounding her. Her chances of success in the breakthrough were extremely high.

With a spiritual object even better than the ancient jade, once she formed the Golden Core, it would definitely be a top-three rank. A top-three rank Golden Core would vastly outperform a bottom-three rank in combat power. The future held limitless possibilities. It would certainly allow Green Cloud Sect to advance further.

However, the experienced Sect Master noticed something from the details, and his brow furrowed slightly. "Your heart isn't still enough. There's a strong chance that during the breakthrough, you might encounter a heart demon, causing your efforts to be in vain!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yunyun fell silent. She was well aware of this herself.

"It's alright, I've prepared the best Clear Heart Pills to ward off the heart demon."

Upon hearing this, the Sect Master stopped speaking. He simply reminded her, as long as she was prepared, everything would be fine.

...

Soon, the formation atop Sword Peak opened. It emitted a faint green glow. No one could approach.

Ye Chen, sitting in his courtyard, looked up and knew that his Master had officially entered closed-door meditation. Next, it was time for him to start preparing for his own Golden Core formation.

With his Heavenly Spirit Root, the Myriad Star Body, the Heavy Pupils, and the Exquisite Heart, Ye Chen felt that even without spiritual objects, he could still form a nine-turn Golden Core.

However, Ye Chen wasn't foolish enough to form the Golden Core directly. Though most of his journey had been paved by his own efforts, fraught with difficulties, he knew that the system had also played a part. The system's feedback could open up more possibilities.

What he needed to do next was find a Golden Core spiritual object comparable to Phoenix Blood or the Sword Peng's bone. Then, he would find a female cultivator to trigger high-multiplier feedback and critical strikes.

Ye Chen was curious to discover what the most top-tier Golden Core spiritual object in the world could be.

"System, let me see where your limits lie."

That night, as Ye Chen was being served by the maidservants and preparing to rest, his brow furrowed slightly. With his powerful spirit sense, he detected that the formation atop the peak had been opened. His Master had stepped out of the formation.

What was going on? Had his Master encountered a problem during the breakthrough?

Curiously, Ye Chen realized that his Master had flown to the outside of his courtyard but hadn't entered—she was just standing there. Had she come to find him? He waved his hand, signaling for the maidservants to go back to their rooms.

Ye Chen then stepped out of the courtyard. In the night breeze, his Master stood before the gate, her red dress flowing, and her black hair gently swaying. Her dreamlike, ethereal phoenix eyes quietly gazed at him.

"Master, why are you out…"

Ye Chen approached her and was about to speak. But before he could finish, Gu Yunyun moved closer and silenced him with a kiss. In that moment, Ye Chen felt a cool sensation on his tongue, sweet and clear, like peach blossoms with a hint of lotus fragrance...

The scent that reached his nose was the same fragrance that sometimes came from the pond in his courtyard. So, had his Master come to give him a little 'benefit' before her closed-door meditation?

Chapter 194: Weighing It Up...

As is well known, when a man kisses, his hands are no longer under the control of his mind. Naturally, they will want to grab onto something. Thus, even though Ye Chen had no such intention, He reached out and gently supported, giving it a light shake. He felt the weight.

Originally with her eyes closed, Gu Yunyun instantly widened them in shock. Her body then retreated violently, her eyes looking at Ye Chen in disbelief. She had always known that her disciple Ye Chen was bold. But she never expected that his boldness could be this great.

The fragrance that had been in Ye Chen's mouth disappeared, and he felt a sense of melancholy. He silently blamed his own hands. Why did they refuse to listen…? He wasn't this kind of person.

"Master, let me explain…"

Ye Chen hurriedly began his explanation.

Gu Yunyun's delicate face seemed to be tinted with the colors of the evening sunset, her watery eyes giving Ye Chen a reproachful glance. At this moment, scolding seemed inappropriate. Yet, not scolding also felt wrong.

Gu Yunyun could only mutter, "Unworthy disciple."

Then, she turned and floated away. Although Ye Chen's actions had somewhat exceeded Gu Yunyun's expectations, she could already feel a sense of relief. Because she had followed her true feelings. No matter what the future held, at least at this moment, she had done what she needed to do. Next, she could officially break through to the Golden Core stage.

Watching as Master arrived quickly and left just as swiftly, Ye Chen still carried the lingering sweet fragrance in his mouth. He was somewhat baffled.

What had suddenly happened to Master?

His mind replayed the heavy sensation from earlier, and Ye Chen's mood lifted. Although the benefits weren't abundant, it could hardly be considered over the top to say they were a bit plain.

But after all, it was Master. He couldn't be impatient. Once Master broke through to the Golden Core stage, perhaps she would give him even better benefits. However, would Master come out again soon?

With that thought, Ye Chen couldn't help but look expectantly toward the peak.

...

In the following days, Gu Yunyun officially entered seclusion. She did not emerge even once. Ye Chen, on the other hand, settled down and began preparing for his own breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.

First, he called back his senior sister, Yao Xi. Their daily routine involved feedback and enjoying the full moon. Later, Ye Chen made time to take Sun Ruoxin and Lin Ke'er to Green Cloud City to meet Sun Ye.

Sun Ye's gaze toward his daughter was complex. He had been somewhat unwilling when his daughter became Ye Chen's maid. But under the pressure from Kong Xiangli, he had no choice but to agree. He had hoped that his daughter would bear Ye Chen a son or daughter and eventually become a concubine.

However, he had never imagined that after becoming a maid, his daughter's cultivation would not stagnate, but instead, she had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Sun Ye had worked his whole life and, even after suffering injuries, never reached Foundation Establishment. Yet his daughter, by simply being a maid, had easily broken through. This made Sun Ye's emotions complicated.

When Ye Chen arrived, he directly gifted Sun Ye a second-tier top-grade healing pill, as well as a Foundation Establishment Pill. This left Sun Ye wide-eyed.

"Green Cloud City is too small. After you break through to Foundation Establishment, I will take you and your daughter to Divine Will City. We'll open a branch there, and you two can manage it. As for the Ye Boutique here, I'll leave it to Lin Ke'er. You should focus on teaching her well during this time."

Ye Chen gave his orders directly. It was also perfect timing, as Ye Chen planned to visit Divine Will City after a while to see if there were any new goods in Tianyan Pavilion. The path of cultivation, once severed, was now about to be resumed.

Looking at Ye Chen, who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment in the blink of an eye, Sun Ye was filled with awe. He couldn't help but recall just six or seven years ago, when Ye Chen still referred to him as "senior" at Silver Moon Market. It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Thank you, Boss. I will not disappoint your expectations. However, business in Divine Will City may not be easy. We'll need to build a good relationship with the Divine Will Sect to ensure stability. Otherwise, while business may flourish, trouble could come knocking."

Sun Ye offered a reminder.

Ye Chen, upon hearing this, waved his hand nonchalantly. The Grand Elder of the Divine Will Sect was someone he had been courting. And the newly promoted direct disciple, Li Feihuang, was also someone he had been courting. Getting them to help with this small matter would be a breeze.

In fact, Grand Elder An Miaoli, who would be more than happy to lend a hand, practically begged for the chance to do so. So, there was no need to worry about connections.

Before leaving, Ye Chen took with him various insights on the Six Arts of Cultivation that Sun Ye was to collect.

The Six Arts of Cultivation consisted of alchemy, weapon refining, talisman making, formation, spirit plants, and beast taming. They ranged from first-tier to second-tier.

As for the third tier? That was beyond what Green Cloud City could provide. He'd have to head to Divine Will City for that.

...

In the following three months, Ye Chen gradually used the insights on the Six Arts of Cultivation to elevate his own skills in all six techniques to the second-tier perfection stage. For a cultivator, the Six Arts of Cultivation were undoubtedly valuable, often capable of saving one's life in critical moments and bringing untold wealth.

Take alchemy, talisman making, and weapon refining for example. The use of formations played a massive role when exploring ruins. Mastering spirit plant techniques not only allowed one to identify all sorts of medicinal herbs, but also gave the ability to perfectly transplant immature treasures, maximizing their benefit. As for beast taming, it allowed one to tame demon beasts.

Ye Chen had always looked forward to the day when he would tame a powerful demon beast and then transfer it to someone else, hoping to see if he could unlock a divine beast. If he succeeded, wouldn't he be able to stride through this era, where immortals no longer existed, without a care?

As for Sun Ye, his luck was also good. After restoring his strength, he entered seclusion to attempt a breakthrough. Though over forty, with the help of a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, he succeeded in breaking through.

On the day he became a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Sun Ye was overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down his face. He had once thought that Foundation Establishment was beyond his reach in this lifetime, yet now, he had achieved it. This made him completely and utterly devoted to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen took Sun Ye and Sun Ruoxin to Divine Will City. They opened a shop.

Ye Chen instructed Sun Ye not only to handle the goods but also to collect various treasures, such as the insights of third-tier alchemists or other rare items.

Most importantly, Ye Chen granted Sun Ye a high markup privilege. As long as the item was rare and useful for a peak Foundation Establishment or Golden Core cultivator, even if it was slightly above market price, it could be acquired.

This made Sun Ye feel somewhat conflicted. Was business really supposed to be done like this? But since the boss had said so, he naturally obeyed.

For Ye Chen, of course, there was no possibility of loss. Any random gift from him would return tens or even hundreds of times in feedback, and if a critical hit occurred, the profits would be even greater. Under such circumstances, how could there be any loss?

Unfortunately, during this trip to Divine Will City, Ye Chen still did not manage to obtain the elixir or treasure that could aid in reaching the Golden Core stage or enhance someone's spiritual root. It was a great disappointment.

As for Li Feihuang, An Miaoli, and the others, Ye Chen did not meet them. He simply had the two maids from Divine Will Sect notify them to look after his shop. Then, he leisurely returned to Green Cloud Sect. He waited for Master to emerge from her seclusion, hoping that when she did, her good mood would result in even more generous benefits.

To be honest, the time spent weighing things out last time was too brief. Ye Chen hadn't even fully realized just how heavy Master, who defied the force of gravity, really was…