Immortality Starts With Investment

”Brother-in-law, you’re not going, right? Then I’m heading out!”

Three days later, at dusk, Yao Gu arrived at the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land’s residence. Without bothering to have himself announced, he called out softly a few times, ready to bolt. But the residence gates slowly swung open.

Ye Chen emerged, clad in a yin-yang fish daoist robe that shimmered with faint golden light, his presence striking and refined.

”Let’s go.”

Yao Gu sighed, dejected, and led Ye Chen toward the Pure Moon River with a drooping head.

When they reached the riverbank, a massive crowd of cultivators had already gathered—Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul cultivators alike.

None had the qualifications to enter the river itself, only lingering to catch a glimpse of the divine maiden’s visage. Only renowned top prodigies or Deity Transformation powerhouses could board small boats on the river.

”That’s Xu Longxiang from the Dragon Elephant Sect. They say his strength is earth-shattering.”

”Luo Feng’s here too. His giant beast clone is terrifying.”

”The legacy disciple from the North God Sect showed up.”

”And both legacy disciples from the Heavenly Intention Holy Land came together!”

Each prodigy’s arrival sparked waves of exclamations.

Ye Chen found it amusing, likening it to celebrities walking a red carpet in his past life.

It wasn’t far off. Ordinary cultivators envied the lofty status of prodigies while whispering gossip about their scandals. If a big fight broke out, the number of recording crystals sold would depend on the prodigy’s popularity. In a way, they really were like stars.

When Ye Chen and Yao Gu approached, the crowd’s shock intensified. In terms of talent, Ye Chen was undoubtedly on par with the top three holy lands’ prodigies. His only shortfall was his cultivation level, which kept him from their tier for now. But his fame far outstripped the other prodigies gathered today. No one expected the Heavenly Evolution Holy Son to show up for this spectacle.

Yao Gu, standing beside him, was completely ignored, his face a mask of misery. He didn’t care about the crowd’s attention. What worried him was the divine maiden doing the same—only having eyes for Ye Chen and ignoring him. That would be a problem.

After boarding a small boat with Ye Chen, Yao Gu glanced around and whispered apologetically, ”Brother-in-law, I’ve got some friends over there. Gotta go say hi.”

Ye Chen nodded calmly. He watched Yao Gu zip to another boat to chat, clearly with no intention of returning.

Ye Chen gave a faint smile, unbothered. Looking around, he saw lanterns lining both sides of the Pure Moon River, each glowing with a soft divine light that illuminated the serene waters.

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In the distance, White Emperor City’s nightlife sparkled with radiant beams. It was no less vibrant than Earth’s cities in his past life—perhaps even more elegant. The boat’s attendants were all disciples of the Heavenly Desire Sect.

Two beautiful young women stood by Ye Chen’s side—one slender and refined, the other sweet and delicate—eagerly pouring wine and tending to him.

Sweeping his gaze across the river, Ye Chen noted over a hundred people had arrived. The river was wide enough that it didn’t feel crowded. Some stood openly, their eyes brimming with anticipation. Others concealed their identities.

Ye Chen sensed two hostile gazes and looked up. The two legacy disciples from the Heavenly Intention Holy Land were staring at him coldly.

Yao Gu had mentioned that some prodigies would fight to vie for the divine maiden.

The Pure Moon River was arrayed with formations, allowing prodigies below the Unity stage to clash freely.

Ye Chen smirked. A fight was definitely coming. If this divine maiden had a high multiplier, it’d be worth throwing punches. If she didn’t trigger his system, he’d have come for nothing—and he’d make sure to thrash these two just for glaring at him.

’Think you’re the only ones with eyes?’

Ignoring them, Ye Chen swept his gaze across the river. Most prodigies met his look with friendly smiles, raising their cups in a distant toast.

Ye Chen, never one to act haughty, returned their smiles lightly. Soon, his brows twitched as he spotted a figure on a boat.

Though cloaked in concealment, Ye Chen recognized him instantly—it was that Little Roc King from before.

For some reason, Ye Chen found the guy irksome. He’d always trusted one principle: if someone rubs you the wrong way at first glance, go with your gut. So, he’d toss in a beating for this guy later, too.

Shifting his gaze, he glanced at Yao Gu’s boat. The guy clearly wasn’t coming back. This guy had some rebellious bones—not close to his brother-in-law at all.

’Looks like a spicy fish dish is in order next time.’

Ye Chen sipped his wine calmly, looking ahead.

The moon had risen, casting a breathtaking glow over the Pure Moon River, brimming with immortal charm. The serene waters bloomed with countless lotus flowers, blanketing the river’s surface. From the lotuses rose faint glimmers, like fireflies, turning the river into a celestial wonderland.

”Stop chatting—the divine maiden’s coming!”

The phenomenon silenced the chattering prodigies, their eyes wide as they stared ahead. Some prodigies harbored bold ambitions, hoping to subdue the divine maiden to aid their cultivation. Others were just here for the spectacle, content to feast their eyes.

But regardless of intent, as the divine maiden’s debut approached, anticipation gripped them all. They were eager to see what made this woman, hailed as the Heavenly Desire Sect’s most perfect in ten thousand years, so extraordinary.

The next moment, music filled the air—bamboo flutes and strings harmonized with a song drifting from the far riverbank. The melody wove through the lotus flowers, ethereal and enchanting, drawing everyone into its spell.

Amid the song, a two-story jade boat glided slowly from the distance.

The boat was adorned with blooming flowers and dotted with divine light.

A graceful figure leaned against the railing atop the boat, her voice soft as she spoke. ”This humble one, Fan Qinghe, greets all Fellow Daoists!”

She was still far off, her form only a silhouette. But when her voice rang out, even the seasoned prodigies raised their brows in surprise. Even Ye Chen was taken aback. Her voice was bewitching, like honeyed candy, irresistibly captivating. Just hearing it sent shivers down the spine, a tingling that reached the bones. And that was just her voice. Paired with the tantalizing outline of her figure, faintly visible in the divine light, its allure was devastating.

Ye Chen was astonished. He’d expected Fan Qinghe, being from the Heavenly Desire Sect, to play the contrast card—perhaps an ethereal, untouchable fairy vibe to stand out. A pristine lotus rising unstained from the mud, evoking pity and admiration. But she didn’t bother with that. She was pure ’charm’, seductive to the extreme.

That piqued Ye Chen’s interest. If she’d gone the fairy route, he already had Senior An—unfazed even when detoxifying, icy and celestial. A Heavenly Desire Sect fairy couldn’t match that flavor. But this level of allure? Ye Chen was hooked. He ’loved’ the charming ones!

Resisting the urge to use his Heavy Pupils to see her clearly, he waited patiently, savoring the moment. As Fan Qinghe’s voice echoed, a prompt chimed in Ye Chen’s mind from his system…