Immortality Starts With Investment

Ye Chen had initially thought there was no chance to make a move. So, he let it go. His plan was to give the war chariot to Li Feihuang, hoping to trigger a better reward, and then ride it back to the Divine Will Sect. But now, an opportunity had presented itself? The Spirit of the Vermilion Bird was actually beneficial to Dantai Xuan?

The Vermilion Bird might not rank among the Vicious Ten, but it was one of the Five Sacred Beasts, only slightly inferior to the Vicious Ten in prestige. The main difference was that its lineage hadn’t produced a supreme powerhouse at the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm, unlike the Vicious Ten. Moreover, the Vermilion Bird clan was nearly extinct due to the difficulty of producing offspring.

The Champion King had never unleashed his full strength before. It was only when he clashed with Ye Chen that the spirits of the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise within the war chariot were activated, revealing to the world that two of the Four Spirits still remained. Even in its damaged state, the Spirit of the Vermilion Bird was unimaginably precious.

As for trading it?

Absolutely not.

Ye Chen wouldn’t trade it—he’d give it away outright. And just the Spirit of the Vermilion Bird? No way. He’d throw in the entire war chariot!

Otherwise, people might think Ye Chen couldn’t afford to be generous.

At that moment, Ye Chen, now the center of everyone’s attention, showed no trace of hesitation. He soared into the air, landing before Dantai Xuan. ”No need for a trade. The Northern Emperor War Chariot is of no use to me. I’ll give it to you, Senior, as a gift.”

Originally, Ye Chen had planned to give it to Li Feihuang without expecting a critical hit. Now, though he had a chance to present it to Dantai Xuan, her cultivation was far too high, and the gap in their statuses was vast. He didn’t dare hope for a critical hit from this gesture either.

Still, a two-thousand-fold return—fifteen hundred times better than what he’d get from Li Feihuang—was more than satisfactory. Besides, with such a stark difference in strength, it wasn’t wise to play games or push his luck. He didn’t want to overstep and ruin things.

So, Ye Chen acted decisively. With his words, he retrieved the Northern Emperor War Chariot from his storage bracelet and sent it floating toward Dantai Xuan.

Dantai Xuan listened to his words without a hint of surprise, joy, or any other emotion crossing her face. Her expression wasn’t cold, but rather one of serene indifference, as if nothing in the world could stir her heart. She simply nodded calmly. ”Thank you, Fellow Daoist.”

In the next moment, she extended a hand as radiant and flawless as jade, effortlessly collecting the Northern Emperor War Chariot.

In Ye Chen’s mind, the system’s notification chimed instantly: ”Congratulations, Host, on successfully gifting the item!”

”Two-thousand-fold feedback in progress…”

”Feedback complete!”

”Reward: Heavenly Emperor War Chariot!”

”Long ago, during the Heavenly Emperor’s Great Ascension period, he slew ten Great Ascension-stage demon beasts of the Vicious Ten lineage. With their souls, he forged the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot, a vehicle that roamed the four corners of the world. After the Heavenly Emperor ascended to immortality, the chariot vanished, its whereabouts unknown.”

”The Heavenly Emperor War Chariot possesses boundless wonders. Infused with the soul power of the Vicious Ten, it wields unparalleled might. No place is beyond its reach, no obstacle impervious to its force…”

Reading the description, Ye Chen’s heart surged with joy. As expected, there was no critical hit, but the rewarded item far exceeded his imagination. The original chariot, powered by the dual spirits of sacred beasts—and damaged ones at that—had been transformed into a war chariot imbued with the souls of the Vicious Ten. The difference was staggering, almost impossible to fathom.

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Most crucially, who was the original owner of the previous chariot? The Northern Emperor? A figure who hadn’t even successfully broken through to the Great Ascension stage. But the new chariot’s original owner? That was the Heavenly Emperor! Despite both bearing the title of ”Emperor,” they were leagues apart.

The Heavenly Emperor was the most renowned immortal in human history. During the Ancient Immortal Era, he raised the banner of human resistance. Almost single-handedly, he pulled humanity from the abyss, slaying countless powerhouses from the myriad races. Immortal Sovereigns fell, their blood flowing like rivers.

Legend held that for thousands of years, from the moment the Heavenly Emperor embarked on the path of immortality, he never rested. He relentlessly cut down the myriad races. After ascending to immortality, true immortals of those races fell like weeds before him. The skies of the cultivation world were stained red, with blood rain falling daily.

It could be said that the Heavenly Emperor was a figure who suppressed the myriad races with his own strength. Only someone of his caliber would dare to forge a war chariot with the souls of the Vicious Ten.

Though these were not the original Vicious Ten but their Great Ascension-stage descendants, even that was extraordinary. If anyone else had attempted such a feat, their grave would likely have been dug the moment the chariot was completed.

This showed just how precious the chariot was. In the entire cultivation world, there was likely only one war chariot infused with the spirits of the Vicious Ten. This gift had truly been a massive win.

With the chariot now given away, Ye Chen felt there was no need to even meet Li Feihuang afterward. He could simply depart and test the speed of the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot.

Seeing Ye Chen so readily give away the Northern Emperor War Chariot, the crowd was visibly stunned. The dual spirits were incredibly precious.

And the recipient? A Holy Maiden from a Holy Land, someone with immense wealth and resources. If she wanted something, as long as it wasn’t too outrageous, she could almost certainly acquire it through trade. Yet Ye Chen had handed over the entire chariot without a moment’s hesitation?

That was almost absurd.

On the sidelines, Hua Yunfei cracked a smile. He had initially been puzzled as to why Dantai Xuan, of all people, would personally take on the task of attending a ceremony at a minor power like the Great Chu Dynasty.

For a place of their caliber, sending any Holy Son or Holy Maiden would already be considered a high honor. A Nascent Soul-stage elder would have been the norm. Now, it was clear. She had come for the Spirit of the Vermilion Bird.

Hua Yunfei had heard about the events in the Great Chu Dynasty before arriving. This Ye Chen was indeed a prodigy, one who would stand out even in a place like the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land.

Watching Dantai Xuan accept the chariot with a simple thank you, Hua Yunfei’s smile widened. He turned to Ye Chen. ”Your cultivation is robust, your vitality far surpassing others of your level. Breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage is only a matter of time. As a gesture, I’ll gift you this ’Sword Peng Heart Refining Technique’ to help you perfect your divine soul.

”When breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, the strength of your divine soul directly affects the quality of your Nascent Soul. With this technique and your talent, you may have a chance to form a top-grade Immortal Nascent Soul!”

With that, a jade slip floated toward Ye Chen.

The crowd erupted in astonishment. Countless cultivators stared at Ye Chen with envy. The Sword Peng Heart Refining Technique was a heaven-tier treasure art, capable of continuously tempering and rapidly enhancing the divine soul during cultivation.

The strength of one’s divine soul was critical when breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. The stronger the soul, the more vibrant and spirited the Nascent Soul would be.

Most cultivators could only form a Mortal Nascent Soul. Only prodigies could achieve an Immortal Nascent Soul. And a top-grade Immortal Nascent Soul? That was the stuff of dreams for cultivators. Even in a Holy Land, fewer than ten people in a generation might achieve it.

Yet Hua Yunfei, a Holy Son, had casually offered a treasure art that could pave the way to a top-grade Immortal Nascent Soul. His generosity was awe-inspiring.

The crowd suddenly understood why Ye Chen had been so magnanimous. Haggling with a Holy Son or Holy Maiden might have risked their displeasure. By giving the chariot outright, Ye Chen ensured they wouldn’t shortchange him. Instead, they rewarded him with an even more valuable treasure.

This realization made the heads of families like the Wang Clan frown. They had initially pegged Ye Chen as a reckless upstart, merely Li Feihuang’s muscle, someone they could easily deal with in the future. Now, it was clear he was far more calculating than they’d thought.

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Hearing this, Ye Chen grinned and nodded respectfully. ”Thank you, Senior!” He had no complaints whatsoever.

Hua Yunfei bore him no ill will and carried none of the condescending airs one might expect. He’d even described the technique as a ”gift” rather than a ”bestowal.”

Ye Chen wasn’t some arrogant hothead who needed to outshine every other man. He appreciated Hua Yunfei’s generosity with genuine gratitude.

Not only had he obtained the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot, but now he’d also received the Sword Peng Heart Refining Technique. He’d struck it rich. His next move? Gift the technique to Senior An and see if he could trigger an even better reward.

This Senior Brother Hua was truly magnanimous. It was a pity he was a man. If he were a woman, the reward multiplier might have been even higher than Dantai Xuan’s.

But regardless, Ye Chen had decided—this Senior Brother was someone worth befriending!