ISWI Chapter 182-184

Chapter 182: Proposing Marriage?

An Yuyi saw that Ye Chen was ignoring her. She could only leave in frustration. In the following days, An Yuyi came to find Ye Chen every day.

However, Ye Chen didn't even bother to open the door. This made An Yuyi more and more dissatisfied. Even if Ye Chen was angry, she thought, I've lowered myself so much to apologize, and yet you still won't forgive me?

This is too much!

An Yuyi angrily returned to the sect. At this moment, her aunt, An Miaoli, was sitting cross-legged on the mountaintop, surrounded by mist, as if in a dream. When her aunt finished her cultivation, An Yuyi quickly ran over and vented about what had happened to her.

Hearing this, An Miaoli calmly spoke, "It's normal for Ye Chen to be angry. After all, he's done so much for you, only to be threatened by you. Any cultivator would be furious in his place."

But An Yuyi frowned and spoke, "Aunt, I admit that I was wrong! But doesn't Ye Chen have any fault in this? If he had just been honest from the start, how would there have been so many misunderstandings? And I've already gone to apologize several times, but he won't even see me. Isn't that a bit too much?"

Even An Miaoli's pupils couldn't help but shrink at her words. She couldn't help but feel that she had truly spoiled her niece.

An Miaoli fell silent. She began to think about how to temper her niece's character.

Seeing that her aunt wasn't speaking, An Yuyi immediately leaned closer. "Aunt, please help me! I've thought it over carefully, and Ye Chen actually seems like a very good fit to be my dao partner. If Ye Chen only had strength, but couldn't protect me without regret or support me, that wouldn't work. And if Ye Chen only loved me but didn't have any power, that wouldn't work either.

"But now, Ye Chen's strength is extraordinary. Even if I selected from among the direct disciples of my Divine Will Sect, there would be no one who could match him. His appearance and temperament are also quite good. If I marry Ye Chen as my dao partner, then when we go to the secret realm five years from now to compete for the Phoenix Blood, with Ye Chen by my side, who would dare to compete with me?"

An Yuyi, thinking about marrying Ye Chen as her dao partner, couldn't help but smile joyfully.

An Miaoli, upon hearing this, was thoroughly stunned. "How do you know that Ye Chen would be willing to marry you as his dao partner?"

An Miaoli felt that, even if Ye Chen didn't hate her niece, they would definitely be strangers in the future!

An Yuyi immediately smiled. "Aunt, you only understand cultivation, not love and affection. Ye Chen has already sacrificed so much for me, which shows that he loves me. And now, seeing how angry he is, even seeking other female cultivators to provoke me, only proves that he still loves me. After all, if he really didn't care, he would just ignore me. But Ye Chen clearly cares too much, which is why he's trying everything to anger me…"

An Miaoli: "…"

Her niece's reasoning seemed somewhat plausible. But for some reason, it still felt a bit off.

Still, An Miaoli couldn't help but ask, "Why are you asking me to help you with something like this? What can I do to help you?"

An Yuyi immediately responded, as if it were a matter of course. "Every time Ye Chen saw you, he was always very respectful toward you. I go, and Ye Chen won't see me. But when you go, Ye Chen will definitely meet with you. All you have to do is persuade Ye Chen, tell him that I've already acknowledged my mistake, and give him a way out. He'll definitely stop being angry."

An Miaoli's brows furrowed deeply. She had always disliked being involved in mundane affairs. Despite being the Grand Elder, she had delegated much of her authority to the other elders. And now, her niece, An Yuyi, was asking her to act as a mediator?

An Miaoli was genuinely displeased.

An Yuyi noticed this and quickly threw her arms around An Miaoli's shoulders. "Aunt, please, I beg you… You've been saying for a while now that my temperament isn't stable enough and needs to be refined, right? If I marry Ye Chen as my dao partner, with both of us complementing each other, won't my temperament become more stable? By then, you'll be able to rest easy about me."

An Miaoli sighed upon hearing this. The anger she had been feeling dissipated. Indeed, if her niece could marry Ye Chen, it would be a good thing.

In the cultivation world, there was no pressure to marry. Most cultivators didn't seek a dao partner during their cultivating phase. Unless they reached their limits, with no hope for further advancement, then they would consider matters like passing on their legacy.

Although her niece was still in her cultivating phase, Ye Chen was a Heavenly Spirit Root. He even had the potential to reach the Deity Transformation realm in the future. If her niece could marry someone like Ye Chen, that would be a good thing.

At that time, not only would she be able to rest easy, but she could also focus on secluding herself to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. If her late brother were to know that his niece had married a genius with a Heavenly Spirit Root, he would definitely be comforted. So, this was indeed a good thing with no downsides.

Furthermore, as An Yuyi's elder, she truly needed to express her gratitude to Ye Chen for his earlier saving grace. It would be a perfect time to persuade Ye Chen. With this in mind, An Miaoli nodded, agreeing to help.

…

In the courtyard, Ye Chen sent Yun Qianyue and Caidie back to the sect. He sat alone, propping his chin and deep in thought. It had been a week since he had last given the Divine Will Sect's direct disciple spot to Li Feihuang. The system's cooldown was over. He could prepare to send another gift.

Unfortunately, Li Feihuang had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment and no longer needed the Divine Will Pool spot. Otherwise, giving it to her, with the 300x boost, would have been perfect.

Now that Li Feihuang was unavailable, the next choice was naturally An Miaoli. Although An Miaoli wasn't the direct beneficiary of the Divine Will Pool, Ye Chen had noticed during the auction that she truly cared deeply for her niece. She was extremely attentive to An Yuyi's matters.

If Ye Chen gave An Miaoli the Divine Will Pool spot, there was a great chance of a critical hit. A 200x boost, plus the critical hit. The rewards would be quite substantial. But did he have to go to the Divine Will Sect to find An Miaoli?

While he was pondering this, the door of the courtyard was knocked, and a voice called out, "Fellow Daoist Ye, I apologize for the intrusion…"

Ye Chen's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing the voice. It was as if the person had appeared exactly when needed. The cooldown had just passed, and now An Miaoli was here. This alone was enough to prove that An Miaoli was truly a good woman.

Ye Chen hurried to the door and opened it himself. "Senior An, you're too kind. Please, come in…"

Seeing how Ye Chen treated her with such respect and warmth, just as An Yuyi had said, An Miaoli couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Fellow Daoist Ye saved my niece by using a sword talisman to force the Earthheart Python to leave. That was truly a life-saving favor. As her elder, it's only natural for me to come here to express my gratitude! This is a gift I've prepared for you, Fellow Daoist Ye…"

As she spoke, An Miaoli handed over a valuable gift.

Ye Chen didn't decline and accepted it directly. The two then sat down to drink tea and chat.

Ye Chen wasn't in a rush to give a gift in return. He was happy to chat more with An Miaoli and build some rapport. That way, one day, he could cut out An Yuyi as the middleman.

However, as they chatted, Ye Chen's brow furrowed. The conversation seemed… a bit off!

Chapter 183: How Dare You?

"Fellow Daoist Ye, do you have a dao partner? In response to Senior An, I do not have one for now."

…

"You're still young, so there's no rush to find a dao partner. However, if you come across someone suitable, there's no harm in marrying them. Yuyi is a bit spoiled by me, but her heart is not bad. She's just too anxious. If she misses out on the Divine Will Pool, she'll also miss out on the Phoenix Blood Spiritual Herb in five years. That's why she acted in such a way.

"I know you're upset, and honestly, anyone in your place would feel the same. But since you saved Yuyi, it shows that you have feelings for her. She realizes her mistake now and is deeply remorseful. You two are stuck in this deadlock, and it's not healthy. It's better to find an opportunity to talk it out and move forward."

An Miaoli spoke, trying to persuade him.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. So, An Miaoli had come here as a mediator? But why did it feel off? It almost seemed like she was trying to match him up with An Yuyi? She even mentioned the matter of dao partners.

This couldn't be right! I'm not interested in An Yuyi at all!

Without hesitation, Ye Chen replied, "Senior An, you misunderstand. I have no other feelings toward An Yuyi. My heart already belongs to someone else. But since you've brought it up, I won't dwell on the past. Let the past be the past!"

An Miaoli, upon hearing this, was momentarily stunned. Ye Chen had no feelings for her niece? How could that be?

He had stood in front of the Earthheart Python without hesitation to protect An Yuyi. If he didn't like her, how could Ye Chen possibly do that? But looking at Ye Chen's expression, it didn't seem like he was lying.

An Miaoli became a bit anxious. Previously, she had never considered finding a dao partner for her niece. But when her niece brought it up, An Miaoli also thought it was a very suitable idea. Her niece would certainly be able to find a male cultivator as a dao partner.

But An Miaoli was worried that the male cultivator might have ill intentions or would simply seek to curry favor. If something were to happen to her one day, her niece's future would be uncertain.

But Ye Chen was different. He had strength, character, and talent. And he seemed quite well-off. Not to mention, he genuinely liked her niece, willing to face danger and not retreat for her.

Ye Chen seemed like the perfect choice to be her niece's dao partner. Yet Ye Chen claimed he didn't like An Yuyi? What was going on?

An Miaoli immediately asked, "Fellow Daoist Ye, do you already have someone you like?"

Ye Chen nodded in response.

An Miaoli, receiving a clear answer, furrowed her brows slightly. "Then why did you save Yuyi?"

An Miaoli was very clear. Ye Chen wasn't the kind of person driven purely by a sense of justice. If Ye Chen didn't like An Yuyi, why would he risk his life to save her?

Ye Chen didn't answer this time. He took a sip of tea and looked at the large tree beside him.

Seeing that Ye Chen was unwilling to answer, An Miaoli didn't press further. But she couldn't help feeling a bit regretful for her niece.

An Yuyi's behavior recently clearly showed she cared a lot for Ye Chen. Yet Ye Chen had someone he liked. She wondered if her niece could accept that. It might be best not to tell her niece about this.

…

"Since that's the case, I'll take my leave, Fellow Daoist Ye!"

An Miaoli stood up, preparing to leave.

Ye Chen immediately spoke up, "Senior An, please wait. I heard from you earlier that An Yuyi really needs the Divine Will Pool spot, it seems to be closely related to her dao path?"

An Miaoli was slightly stunned upon hearing this, worried that Ye Chen might have misunderstood and thought she had come for the Divine Will Pool spot. She quickly explained, "Fellow Daoist Ye, please don't misunderstand. Yuyi has already realized her mistake and will no longer have any ulterior motives regarding your spot."

However, Ye Chen shook his head with a smile and said, "It's fine, Senior. You know my spiritual root. The Divine Will Pool is merely a bonus for me. But for An Yuyi, it is extremely important, directly related to her future in foundation establishment. Since that's the case, I'm willing to give the Divine Will Pool spot to you, Senior!"

Ye Chen was actually offering the spot voluntarily?

This...

An Miaoli was truly shocked this time. Considering everything that had happened, Ye Chen was already generous enough not to hold any grudge against her niece. She hadn't even considered the Divine Will Pool spot for herself. And yet, Ye Chen was suddenly offering it to her? This was completely unexpected.

An Miaoli was about to open her mouth to refuse, but Ye Chen spoke first.

"Actually, if An Yuyi had come to ask for the spot, I would have given it to her for your sake. But An Yuyi threatened me, which made me angry. However, after meeting you today, my anger has dissipated. You may take the spot, Senior."

An Miaoli looked at Ye Chen, who appeared completely sincere. For the first time, her face showed an expression of surprise. She felt like something wasn't quite right.

…

For Senior An's sake, I will give her the spot. After meeting Senior An today, my anger has dissipated. I don't like An Yuyi. I already have someone I care about.

As she replayed their conversation in her mind and saw the expectation in Ye Chen's eyes at this moment, An Miaoli couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She began to think back on what had happened earlier.

The first time they met at the auction, she remembered Ye Chen's stunned, surprised, and hopeful expression when he saw her. Then, after she explained her purpose, Ye Chen didn't hesitate at all in giving her the Star Thunder Sound Technique. Now, he was offering her the Divine Will Pool spot, a rare and precious opportunity, to someone who had just made a mistake—An Yuyi.

Yet, Ye Chen was only in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. He clearly needed it too. Something wasn't right. Something was really off.

Feeling uneasy, An Miaoli recalled something else. Earlier, when she asked Ye Chen why he saved An Yuyi if he didn't like her, after all, Ye Chen didn't seem like the type to act purely out of kindness.

Ye Chen, always so honest and responsive, had remained silent. But now, An Miaoli's mind started to form an unbelievable thought.

Ye Chen had chosen to confront the Earthheart Python and saved An Yuyi. It wasn't because he liked An Yuyi. It was because he liked her. It was because An Yuyi was her niece that Ye Chen saved her.

Thinking it over, An Miaoli didn't need to think any further; she knew this must be the case. Only this could explain everything that had seemed unclear before. But the problem was—this absolutely couldn't happen.

An Yuyi had shown so much care for Ye Chen recently, even bringing up the idea of a dao partner. If An Yuyi found out that Ye Chen didn't like her, but instead liked her aunt, An Miaoli couldn't even imagine her niece's reaction.

An Miaoli felt like she had never had such a headache before. She looked at Ye Chen with a complex expression. She couldn't help but feel the urge to ask him: "I'm a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. How dare you?"

Chapter 184: He Only Wants to Be Your Uncle!

Ye Chen's boldness was undoubtedly beyond An Miaoli's expectations. It even made her feel a hint of anger, as if she had been slightly offended by a stronger individual. But she quickly realized she shouldn't be angry. After all, Ye Chen had never done anything that offended her.

Whenever Ye Chen met her, he showed the utmost respect. He even extended kindness by giving her cultivation methods. He had protected An Yuyi. And now, he was even willing to offer the Divine Will Pool spot voluntarily.

Yet despite all that Ye Chen had done, he never boasted about it. He never used it as leverage, nor did he seek to gain any advantage in return. What right did she have to be angry? Simply because Ye Chen liked her?

But liking her wasn't Ye Chen's fault. An Miaoli, though she had never experienced romantic feelings, understood that love and affection often arise and fade unexpectedly.

…

An Miaoli looked at Ye Chen with a complicated expression and immediately shook her head. "An Yuyi doesn't need it! Fellow Daoist Ye should use it for yourself."

If she hadn't realized Ye Chen's feelings, An Miaoli might have accepted the offer. Then, she would have given him other precious items in return as compensation.

But now that she was fully aware of his feelings, she could not accept it. Otherwise, what would that make her?

An Miaoli rejected the offer firmly. However, Ye Chen's attitude was even more resolute. "I have matters to attend to, and I will be leaving Divine Will City soon. I won't be able to wait for the Divine Will Pool to open. If Senior An doesn't want the spot, no one else will take it. It will remain vacant."

Ye Chen's stance was clear and firm. After all, whether it was the previous Divine Will Sect direct disciple spot or the current Divine Will Pool spot, neither were easy to give away. If Ye Chen went to the streets to find a random cultivator to give it to, Divine Will Sect would never recognize them.

Only people like Li Feihuang and An Yuyi, who already had connections to Divine Will Sect, were qualified to accept such a spot. Since Li Feihuang didn't need it, An Yuyi was the only option. This spot had to be given away.

An Miaoli furrowed her brows slightly upon hearing this, as though she wanted to say something more. But before she could, Ye Chen spoke directly.

"Senior An, you also want Yuyi's cultivation to improve and for her to achieve a top-tier Golden Core, right? You wouldn't want Yuyi to miss the Divine Will Pool and fall behind, would you? Now, I am willing to give her the spot. Why refuse it, Senior?"

Ye Chen's words left An Miaoli silent. Though she often said that one must accept defeat gracefully and allow her niece to face reality, if her niece could obtain the opportunity to enter the Divine Will Pool and compete for the Phoenix Blood in the future, it would undoubtedly be the best option. After all, her niece was the only bloodline left of her late brother. The only family she had in this world. As her aunt, An Miaoli naturally hoped for An Yuyi to grow stronger. The cultivation world was ever-changing, unstable, and dangerous.

An Miaoli couldn't guarantee that she would be able to protect her niece forever. In such circumstances, the stronger An Yuyi became, the better.

After thinking this over, An Miaoli fell silent.

Seeing her silence, Ye Chen immediately seized the opportunity to speak up.

"Senior An, don't overthink this. My offering of the spot is not part of any scheme or ulterior motive. There's nothing I want from you in return. I don't need you to help me or betray Divine Will Sect. I am offering this spot purely out of goodwill, and you need not worry about any consequences."

Upon hearing this, An Miaoli sighed inwardly. She knew full well that Ye Chen wasn't giving her the spot out of opportunism or seeking to gain favor. Ye Chen was indeed offering it willingly. But at this moment, An Miaoli would have preferred if Ye Chen had been the kind of person who sought to gain from her. At least that would make things easier to deal with.

…

An Miaoli honestly felt she wanted to clarify things with Ye Chen. She wanted to make him stop entertaining any improper thoughts. There was simply too great a gap between her and Ye Chen in every way. And with An Yuyi standing in between, it was completely impossible.

But, despite her usual free-spirited nature, An Miaoli hesitated several times and still couldn't bring herself to speak. After all, if she made things clear, she didn't know how Ye Chen would react.

But if one day her niece went to find Ye Chen and he ignored her, that would be one thing. What if her niece became persistent and, in frustration, Ye Chen told her the truth? That would be a huge problem.

What if An Yuyi found out that Ye Chen never liked her, but instead liked her aunt? With her niece's personality, An Miaoli couldn't even imagine what would happen. So, after remaining silent for a long while, An Miaoli finally agreed to accept the spot.

"The Divine Will Pool spot is precious. As a senior, I cannot accept it without a return gift. I will prepare a proper gift for you in return."

She emphasized the word "senior" with more weight.

Seeing that An Miaoli was willing to accept, Ye Chen nodded without hesitation. The return gift wouldn't affect the feedback. After all, Senior An had always been a person of integrity.

Upon sensing Ye Chen's feelings, An Miaoli no longer wished to stay and talk with him. She feared that anything she might say could cause Ye Chen to misunderstand or become even more resolute in his feelings.

After using the Water Mirror Technique to record Ye Chen's voluntary decision to give up the Divine Will Pool spot, An Miaoli solemnly thanked him and then bid him farewell, leaving.

Back at Divine Will Sect, An Miaoli immediately went to the Internal Affairs Hall and showed them the Water Mirror recording. The Internal Affairs Hall quickly registered the transfer and allocated the Divine Will Pool spot to An Yuyi. Her niece finally had the spot, and in the future, she would have the chance to compete for the Phoenix Blood and potentially achieve a top-tier Golden Core.

An Miaoli should have felt happy. But at this moment, her emotions were deeply conflicted. She was thinking about what kind of precious item she should prepare as a return gift for Ye Chen.

Upon returning to the Immortal Peak, An Yuyi had been eagerly waiting. The moment she saw her aunt, she ran over, beaming. "Aunt, did Ye Chen forgive me?"

An Miaoli calmly nodded. "Yes, he forgave you. He even gave you the Divine Will Pool spot!"

Upon hearing this, An Yuyi's eyes immediately widened, and the joy in them was nearly overflowing. The Divine Will Pool spot was incredibly important to her. But what made An Yuyi even happier was that Ye Chen had chosen to give it to her. This spot, which was undoubtedly valuable to Ye Chen as well, implied something significant.

An Yuyi's heart swelled with happiness, and feeling a bit shy, she asked, "Aunt, did you bring up the matter of the dao partner?"

An Miaoli fell silent. She had always disliked lying. But looking at her niece, clearly in the throes of youthful infatuation, she couldn't bring herself to tell her that Ye Chen didn't like her. Ye Chen only wanted to be her uncle.

After hesitating for a moment, An Miaoli shook her head. "I didn't bring it up. You're still young, and right now, your main focus should be on improving your cultivation. I don't want you to rush into a dao partnership so soon. Once you reach Golden Core, you can travel the world and invite Ye Chen to join you. By then, you'll both experience many challenges and dangers together. Naturally, you'll become dao partners. Wouldn't that be better?"

An Miaoli had no other solution to offer. She could only hope that Ye Chen would eventually abandon his bold ideas and slowly come to appreciate her niece's qualities.

Upon hearing her aunt's words, An Yuyi felt a pang of disappointment. But after hearing her aunt's reasoning, she thoughtfully nodded. Indeed, when everyone reached Golden Core, she and Ye Chen could travel together outside Divine Will Sect. They could slay demonic beasts and explore ancient ruins together. Through all these experiences, they would naturally come closer. It seemed like that might actually be better...

An Yuyi, who had been uneasy for the past few days, was now filled with joy, her face radiating with a bright smile. And seeing her niece so happy only made An Miaoli feel even more troubled.

…

Meanwhile, in Divine Will City, Ye Chen had been waiting for a long time, and finally, the system's notification sounded in his mind.