Immortality Starts With Investment

”Kun Peng Wings: Wings of the Kun Peng, one of the ancient Vicious Ten, grants unparalleled speed in the world. As cultivation advances, the wielder can freely enter and exit the nine heavens and nine abysses, ignoring all restrictions and barriers… Allows comprehension of Yin-Yang energies and spatial laws from the Kun Peng Wings… With sufficient cultivation, the wielder can even manifest the divine form of the Kunpeng…”

Ye Chen’s eyes widened. He had always held high expectations for An Miaoli, but he never imagined that the wings of a Wind-Thunder Jiao, with just a trace of dragon blood, could trigger a reward like the Kun Peng Wings—one of the Vicious Ten. The gap between them was so vast he couldn’t even fathom it.

With the Kun Peng Wings, his speed would skyrocket, unstoppable by any array. Even if he stumbled into a deadly forbidden land or faced an overwhelmingly powerful opponent, he could rely on the Kun Peng’s unparalleled speed to escape instantly. The myriad other mystical benefits were almost too much to consider.

In short, with the Kun Peng Wings, Ye Chen’s survivability had been boosted to a terrifying degree. The value of this maxed-out critical hit was simply phenomenal!

An Miaoli was truly his lucky star. Not to mention the sensation he’d felt when she purged the Nether Toxin from his body—a feeling no less delightful than Su Yuxuan’s dainty feet. This trip had been a complete triumph, body and soul.

If there was one slight regret, it was that he’d only received the Kun Peng Wings. If the Kun Peng Treasure Technique had come with it, that would’ve been perfection. But greed was a bottomless pit. There would be more chances in the future…

An Miaoli noticed Ye Chen’s joy and shook her head with a faint smile. He was this happy just from helping her. His devotion was truly profound. As for the incidents during the toxin purging, she didn’t dwell on them. Ye Chen was her junior; occasional mistakes were inevitable. As his elder, it was her duty to be understanding.

…

On the spirit boat returning to the sect, An Miaoli showed no trace of discomfort from the earlier events. Her dark hair was elegantly pinned up, fully revealing her jade-like, luminous ears, which drew the eye. The Fairy Tear Earrings still adorned them, their beauty almost otherworldly.

This breathtaking sight was for Ye Chen alone. The events of this mission gave Ye Chen a clearer sense of An Miaoli’s feelings. She had undoubtedly developed affection for him but, for various reasons, hid it behind excuses, using An Yuyi as a shield.

This realization emboldened Ye Chen. He decided that, upon returning, he’d personally craft a set of top-grade spiritual artifact silk gloves and socks for Senior An. With her ethereal grace, paired with white spirit silk gloves and socks, she’d be absolutely stunning.

But then he paused. Was he being too conservative? With his perfected third-grade artifact refining skills, he could go further—craft a full-body spirit silk garment, capable of instantly covering her entire form. He could even add a color-changing function for variety. It would need to balance strong defensive capabilities with the ability to tear easily at critical moments for… optimal experience. Plus, it should have self-cleaning and self-repairing features.

This would be a challenging project, no doubt. But the more Ye Chen thought about it, the brighter his eyes shone. If he could pull it off, the possibilities would be endless. His perfected third-grade refiner skills finally had a worthy task.

He resolved to dedicate his spare time to figuring out how to create this ultimate spiritual artifact.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

…

Back at the sect, An Miaoli visited the Internal Affairs Hall to complete the mission formalities, then prepared for seclusion.

Before retreating, she stood in a pavilion, her hair pinned up, her white dress fluttering in the breeze. Her graceful figure turned to Ye Chen as she spoke. ”I’ll be entering seclusion to refine the Wind-Thunder Wings. You don’t need to dwell on what happened before—it was all for Yuyi’s sake.”

Ye Chen nodded. ”Rest assured, Senior An, I won’t overthink it. I understand you were just looking out for me. How long will your seclusion last? Thanks to the insights you gifted me, I’ve made progress in artifact refining. I plan to craft a top-grade spiritual artifact for Yuyi, and I may need your help to pass it along…”

An Miaoli was momentarily surprised. In just one year, Ye Chen could already craft top-grade spiritual artifacts? Was that for real?

But with An Yuyi right here at Quiet Wonder Peak, why would he need her to pass along a gift? It was obvious—the gift was meant for her. The first top-grade spiritual artifact Ye Chen crafted was intended for her, a testament to his deep feelings.

Though she no longer had much need for top-grade spiritual artifacts, she couldn’t bring herself to reject his sincerity. So, with a serene nod, she said, ”I’m glad you understand. As for the gift, I’ll make sure to pass it to Yuyi when the time comes.”

With that, An Miaoli’s graceful, ethereal figure turned to leave.

But Ye Chen spoke again. ”Senior, I feel like some of the toxin is still lingering. My spiritual energy flow seems slightly off…”

An Miaoli paused, her phoenix-like eyes narrowing slightly. Did he think she wouldn’t know whether the toxin was fully purged?

She gazed at him calmly. ”Is there really still Nether Toxin?”

Ye Chen nodded earnestly.

An Miaoli’s serene eyes studied him for a long moment before she spoke. ”The Nether Toxin is insidious, like a parasite clinging to the bones. It’s possible some remnants remain. If not fully cleared, it could spread again, and if it reaches your Golden Core, it’ll be troublesome. You’re my junior, and you were injured because of me. I can’t let the toxin harm you—Yuyi would be heartbroken.”

After laying out her reasoned explanation, she calmly led Ye Chen toward her cave abode.

Ye Chen, pushing his luck, added, ”Senior, could you wear your top-grade spiritual artifact gloves while purging the toxin? I feel like it might work better…”

An Miaoli frowned slightly. ”Without direct contact, the effect is diminished.”

Ye Chen grinned. ”It’s fine. There’s only a little left, so wearing them won’t hurt.”

Hearing this, An Miaoli said no more.

They soon arrived at her cave abode, where she began channeling her secret technique to purge the ”remaining” toxin…

Two hours later, An Miaoli shook her hand, and a pulse of spiritual energy cleansed her white spirit silk gloves. Noticing a trace of residue on her face and hair, she used the same method to purify them, then fixed Ye Chen with a calm gaze, issuing a polite dismissal. ”It should be fine now. You can go. I’m about to enter seclusion.”

Ye Chen, adopting the demeanor of a sage, thanked her earnestly. ”Thank you, Senior An. I feel much better. I’m so sorry for offending you again…”

An Miaoli’s expression remained unruffled. ”No matter. It wasn’t intentional, and it was all for Yuyi’s sake. Besides, as cultivators, we needn’t fuss over minor details. Just treat Yuyi well in the future.”

Ye Chen nodded vigorously, offering sincere thanks before leaving. But inwardly, he mused that the Nether Toxin was stubborn—perhaps it wasn’t fully cleared yet. He’d have to ask Senior An for help again next time…

Shortly after Ye Chen’s departure, An Yuyi bounded into An Miaoli’s cave abode, brimming with excitement. ”Auntie, Ye Chen just gave me ten top-grade Golden Jade Pills! He can actually refine them—only Elder Guhe in our sect can do that! And he gave them to me right after making them. Auntie, do you think Ye Chen might have feelings for me now?”

An Miaoli, carefully storing her gloves—still faintly carrying a scent, nodded. ”Indeed.”

An Yuyi’s smile widened, her joy bubbling over. But then, eyeing her aunt, she tilted her head. ”Auntie, your hair…”

A flicker of panic crossed An Miaoli’s eyes. Had she not cleaned thoroughly? Would Yuyi notice something?

Though she had a clear conscience, acting for Yuyi’s sake, it would be awkward to explain if discovered.

But An Yuyi continued, ”Why did you pin your hair up? You usually wear it down. Oh, and the more I look at those earrings, the prettier they seem. Auntie, I want a pair too!”

An Miaoli exhaled in relief. She hadn’t been found out. Smiling, she promised, ”Alright, I’ll get you a pair later.”