Immortality Starts With Investment

The moment Ye Chen revealed the wooden sword once wielded by Dugu Bubai, it stirred the sword qi of the entire Sword Sect. Sword Peak quaked, and Sword Valley roared. Even the reclusive elders, who hadn’t left the valley in centuries, were roused.

The sword’s aura was too potent to conceal—an absolute supreme weapon, infused with Dugu Bubai’s swordsmanship insights from his Mahayana Realm days. For the Sword Sect, it was a peerless treasure, rivaling an immortal artifact.

When Dugu Bubai ascended to immortality, he declared he no longer needed a sword. Dismissing the idea of leaving it for his descendants, he said, ”As my heirs, you’ll forge your own sword path.”

With that, he discarded the wooden sword, slew his final foes, and passed through the Heavenly Gate. In the generations that followed, the Sword Sect declined, searching fruitlessly for the lost relic. Yet here it was, in Ye Chen’s hands.

”May we ask, Holy Son, where you found this sword?” one of the elders asked, eyes burning with fervor.

Ye Chen replied calmly, ”I stumbled upon it while exploring a ruin. Knowing my master cultivates the sword path, I thought it might be useful, so I brought it for her.”

The elders fell silent. The Sword Sect’s cherished treasure, which they’d failed to recover despite years of effort, had been casually found by someone else? And now, it was being given away so easily? This was a supreme weapon, among the most powerful below immortal artifacts, its might unimaginable. Even Holy Lands possessed few of its caliber.

They longed to reclaim the Dugu wooden sword for the Sword Sect, but it was Ye Chen’s gift to Gu Yunyun. Recalling how Ye Chen had killed both the Heavenly Intention Holy Son’s brother and avatar over mere words, they decided against provoking him.

Besides, Gu Yunyun was now the sect leader. The sword in her hands was as good as staying with the Sword Sect. When she eventually passed, it would surely remain with the sect. No harm done.

With this in mind, the elders who had rushed out beamed, their wrinkled faces blooming like chrysanthemums. The Sword Sect crowd erupted in astonishment. They hadn’t expected Ye Chen to present such an unimaginable gift.

Countless female disciples gazed at Gu Yunyun with envy, jealous of her having a disciple who was not only supremely talented and blessed with heaven-defying luck but also devoted—and now her dao companion.

Gu Yunyun’s face was etched with astonishment. Her lips parted as if to speak, but knowing Ye Chen’s temperament, she held back. For some reason, a faint blush colored her cheeks. She reached out, her delicate hand grasping the wooden sword. As a cultivator of the Dugu Sword Scripture, the moment she touched it, a profound transformation occurred. Her aura sharpened, growing even more piercing.

…

At the behest of the elders, a Sword Sect elder hurriedly presented Gu Yunyun with the sect leader’s token. The original plan was to hold a grand ceremony in three days, but now, everything was expedited to ensure Gu Yunyun’s ascension. They couldn’t risk her taking the wooden sword and leaving for Heavenly Evolution Holy Land with the Heavenly Intention Holy Son’s threat looming.

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One of the elders spoke warmly, ”Gu Yunyun, you are now the leader of our Sword Sect. With the sect leader’s token, you can enter the secret realm deep within Sword Valley. Take the wooden sword with you—it may aid in awakening your Undefeated Sword Body, increasing your chances of success.”

Gu Yunyun bowed respectfully, thanking them for their guidance. The elder then turned to Ye Chen. ”The Holy Son is both the master’s disciple and her dao companion. Rounding it up, you’re practically one of us!”

Gu Yunyun’s cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassment, but she didn’t clarify. Another elder stepped forward, offering a token. ”Holy Son, you’ve returned Ancestor Dugu’s wooden sword to our sect. We cannot let this go unrewarded. There’s a special secret realm in Sword Valley with profound sword qi. Though entering it will cause constant injury from the sword qi, each recovery leaves a trace of sword intent in the body, nourishing the flesh.

”After a decade of cultivation there, one might awaken the Sword-Devouring Spirit Body, transforming blood qi into sword qi. This enhances physical defense exponentially, and when attacked, the sword qi automatically retaliates, injuring the enemy and preventing their wounds from healing.”

This secret realm, which amassed enough sword qi to open only once every century, was typically reserved for the sect’s prodigies. But Ye Chen’s formidable strength and status as the sect leader’s dao companion made him a valuable ally worth winning over. Thus, the elder offered it without hesitation.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. The Sword-Devouring Spirit Body sounded like a counter-damage mechanism with built-in retaliation and wound-sustaining effects. But it held little value for him. Spending a decade in the Sword Sect to cultivate a physique wasn’t appealing, especially when he doubted a mere sect could offer a defense-oriented physique strong enough to impress him. Only a critical hit from his system might yield something truly enticing.

Holding the token, Ye Chen asked calmly, ”Can I transfer this opportunity to someone else?”

The elder froze, glancing back at the three senior elders. After a brief moment of hesitation, they nodded. Clearly, a prodigy like Ye Chen had no interest in the Sword-Devouring Spirit Body. Since the token was meant to build goodwill, letting Ye Chen decide its recipient was fine. ”The token is yours, Holy Son. Do as you wish.”

Ye Chen’s eyes lit up at the thought of gifting it. He felt more excited than during his battle with the Heavenly Intention Holy Son’s avatar. Turning to his master, he thought of how long it had been since he’d shown proper filial piety. Her 800x aptitude was extraordinary, and a critical hit might yield a heaven-defying physique or technique. He was practically itching with anticipation.

But Gu Yunyun, all too familiar with Ye Chen’s ways, read his intentions instantly. She shook her head with a light smile. ”My path doesn’t align with the Sword-Devouring Spirit Body. I don’t need it. The Undefeated Sword Body is one of the supreme physiques in the cultivation world. It’s a pity you’re my disciple but don’t follow the sword path, or I’d have given this chance to you.”

The Sword-Devouring Spirit Body was useless to her—she had a greater path to tread. Ye Chen felt a twinge of disappointment; the 800x multiplier was out of reach. But he didn’t dwell on it. If his master couldn’t use it, he’d give it to someone else.

Scanning the Sword Sect crowd, his gaze landed on the female cultivator beside Lin Qian, her face etched with worry. His eyes brightened—she had a 500x multiplier, the highest among the female cultivators present. While not exceptional, it was decent enough. A critical hit could make it worthwhile.

With a smile to his master, Ye Chen strode toward Lin Qian.

…

Lin Qian, still reeling from Ye Chen’s display of power, understood the vast gap between himself and a top prodigy. Only a man like Ye Chen was worthy of Gu Yunyun. Seeing her cool, blushing expression stirred a mix of bitterness and joy in his heart.