Immortality Starts With Investment

”Why has Senior Sister also been sent to Middle Mountain?”

Upon Yao Xi’s arrival at the base, Ye Chen embraced her with the enthusiasm of a long-awaited rain, holding her slender waist.

Seeing Ye Chen as soon as she arrived, Yao Xi’s eyes curved into smile. Feeling the warmth of Ye Chen’s chest, she spoke with a laugh, ”The External Affairs Hall suddenly notified me. They said the ruins are about to open, and the Misty Sect excels in using poisons. Having an alchemist here means that if any elder or disciple gets injured, I can concoct the right medicine. And thanks to the Green Stone Fire and the insights you gave me, I am now a second-grade alchemist. So, I was sent here!”

Ye Chen frowned slightly. Frankly, the reason seemed a bit far-fetched. But no matter the reason, if the sect commands, you must obey. The sect functions like this, nurturing its disciples and elders daily, providing basic elixirs, techniques, and knowledge of cultivation.

But when it counts, you also have to stand up. While enjoying the benefits, you must also fulfill your duties.

So, Ye Chen didn’t think further; having Yao Xi here was a good thing for him. A guaranteed thirty-fold reward each week. Though it didn’t match his master’s hundredfold. It was still a tremendous gain.

As for Su Yuxuan, who also offered a fifty-fold reward and was in Middle Mountain, Ye Chen certainly couldn’t sneak out to meet Su Yuxuan. If the elders saw that, he would definitely be branded a traitor by the sect. Risking such a scandal for an extra twenty-fold feedback was completely unnecessary.

Thus, after Yao Xi’s arrival, Ye Chen’s days became even more pleasurable. Daily, he consumed top-tier cultivation elixirs and various other top-tier enhancement elixirs. He focused on cultivation during the day, and at night, he and Yao Xi would enjoy the moon and share insights. He presented her with a gift weekly, accumulating resources.

While his days were comfortable, his wealth continued to grow. His cultivation also advanced by leaps and bounds. Life couldn’t be more splendid.

However, three weeks later, on a clear morning, Middle Mountain erupted with a thunderous roar. Cheers from cultivators echoed from all directions. The array that sealed the entrance to the Boundless Demon Sect ruins had finally failed. Even more entrances were discovered.

Cultivators from all around immediately rushed in, fearing they would be too late to claim the treasures. The elders of both the Green Cloud Sect and the Misty Sect ceased their conflicts. With the entrances open, there was nothing left to fight over. There would be time enough to battle over treasures inside.

However, an unexpected event occurred on the very same day. The ruins of the Boundless Demon Sect were infested with Blood Souls. The Blood Souls were formidable, almost all at the ninth level of Qi Refining, presenting a difficult challenge even for sect disciples. And even more so for the influx of scattered cultivators.

Thus, the casualties were heavy on that day. A large number of Qi Refining scattered cultivators fled in panic. It was rumored that some cultivators had even spotted the traces of a Foundation Establishment stage Blood Fiend, instilling even greater fear.

Yet, within the peril, there were indeed colossal opportunities. One Qi Refining stage nine scattered cultivator found three top-quality Foundation Establishment pills in a grand hall within the ruins and was immediately killed on the spot.

A sect disciple discovered an ancient, lost pill formula that could enhance the essence blood of those at the Qi Refining stage. It was of significant value, and upon returning to the base, the disciple immediately exchanged it for a massive amount of contribution points. Another found a complete set of high-quality magical tool-grade underwear in a dried-up pool...

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Every piece of news like this turned the eyes of cultivators red with greed. As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold. Although many scattered cultivators fled, this also drew even more cultivators to the site.

For a time, the Middle Mountain mountain range became the most bustling place among the two sects. And the late-stage Foundation Establishment powerhouses from both sects had also arrived...

Half a month after the opening of the ruins, elders, along with their disciples, started emerging from the depths, returning to the base to rest. They shared the treasures they had gathered within the ruins. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would be tempted by such tales.

However, Ye Chen appeared indifferent. The elders’ gains did not surpass what he earned from a single gift-giving session. How could he possibly be moved?

Yao Xi reacted similarly, mainly because Ye Chen had spoiled her expectations. Top-grade magical tools and elixirs were nothing new to her. Thus, she genuinely had no envy for the elders’ hauls.

”Fellow Daoist Ye, the treasures of the Boundless Demon Sect ruins are plentiful, and I too have reaped great rewards! But it seems inappropriate to keep you guarding the base with such treasures at hand. Conveniently, Elder Li and Elder Ming are injured and need at least a month to recover, so they can stay here. Why don’t you also take a look?”

Kong Xiangli, perhaps having lowered his guard completely now, approached Ye Chen with a friendly demeanor.

Ye Chen, hearing this, smiled and shook his head: ”There’s no need, I shall remain here to guard this place, allowing the two elders to recuperate in peace...”

Ye Chen wasn’t keen on entering. Unless there were rare treasures that couldn’t be bought with spirit stones, such as a spirit fire, only then might Ye Chen show some interest. But if it was just about magical tools and treasures, then Ye Chen really saw no need to waste his time.

Hearing this, Kong Xiangli furrowed his brows. He hadn’t expected Ye Chen to be utterly unmoved after hearing about the others’ gains. Opportunities were clearly within reach, and few cultivators could remain indifferent. Yet Ye Chen decisively refused without hesitation. That Ye Chen had reached this point with a third-grade spirit root, indeed had something unique about him.

Kong Xiangli just smiled at Ye Chen and said no more.

Another half-month passed.

When a loose cultivator discovered a bottle of Five Elements Pills within the ruins, the fervor among cultivators for the ruins escalated even further.

Upon hearing this news, Ye Chen’s interest was piqued. Five Elements Pills found in the ruins? That was excellent news. He should take this opportunity to enter the ruins himself and ”cleanse” his own Five Elements Pills, claiming they were discovered there. This way, he could legitimately sell them later.

Given their rarity, the Five Elements Pills were now even more valuable than Foundation Establishment Pills. It was definitely worth a trip for Ye Chen.

Consequently, Ye Chen approached the current head of the sect’s affairs, the Master of Magic Peak. He requested a reassignment to visit the ruins.

The Magic Peak Master agreed straightforwardly and assigned him a task: ”Our first-controlled entrance recently became the haunt of an early-stage Foundation Establishment Blood Fiend, which has settled in one of the great halls, resulting in the death of four disciples. The other elders are currently unavailable, so the task falls to you! Depart tomorrow!”

Hearing this, Ye Chen nodded. As a mid-level combatant in the sect, entering the ruins meant not just thinking of himself. He would have various responsibilities. This was perfectly normal.

When Yao Xi learned that Ye Chen was about to enter the ruins, she became worried and immediately wanted to join him.

As they delved deeper, the number of Foundation Establishment stage Blood Fiends in the ruins increased. And due to the treasures, the ferocity among the cultivators within also escalated. Even within their own Green Cloud Sect, an elder had fallen.

But Ye Chen directly refused. Yao Xi was too weak. With his own strength, unless a Golden Core opponent appeared, he was virtually invincible. Bringing Yao Xi would only complicate matters.

Yao Xi wanted to protest, but Ye Chen gently wrapped an arm around her slender waist, ”Come to my place tonight. But you’ve been losing control more and more lately. Are you feeling unwell?”

At his words, Yao Xi’s face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth at Ye Chen. How could Ye Chen have the nerve to say that? It was all his fault. After all, it’s one thing to open a path, but quite another to leave it untouched.

Seeing Yao Xi’s embarrassed fury, Ye Chen couldn’t help but be filled with mirth!

...

The next day, Ye Chen left the base and headed towards the ruins.

Kong Xiangli, who had returned to the base to heal, watched Ye Chen’s departing figure with narrowed eyes. A smirk briefly played across his lips before his expression returned to one of calm. He greeted everyone and then entered a meditation chamber to begin his healing...