Immortality Starts With Investment

Ye Chen sent off the Moon Laurel Tree fragment, ignoring Fan Qinghe, who was huffing and twisting her alluring figure, making odd noises in her frustration. He casually participated in the bidding for the next items while awaiting the system’s feedback prompt. But soon, a knock came at the booth’s door. The manager’s voice followed.

Seeing no system response, Ye Chen frowned slightly.

…

Yi Qingwu had an excellent mindset. Even after losing the Moon Laurel Tree fragment, she quickly regained her composure, ready to bid on the next items. But before she could, a knock sounded at her booth. It was the manager of White Emperor City’s auction house. She invited him in, gazing at him calmly.

The next moment, her pupils contracted. Her eyes locked onto the wooden box on the tray in his hands. An aura from the box stirred her deeply, resonating with her core, urging her to claim its contents. In an instant, she knew what was inside.

As expected, when the manager opened the box, there it was—the silvery, jade-like Moon Laurel Tree fragment, shimmering with lunar essence.

Hadn’t Ye Chen won it? Why was it here? Even Yi Qingwu’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Could Ye Chen have abandoned his bid?

Though defaulting on an auction bid carried severe consequences, Ye Chen was the Heavenly Evolution Holy Son. The powers behind White Emperor City wouldn’t want to clash with him, so they might downplay the issue. Was that why they sent the fragment to her?

This thought deepened her disdain for Ye Chen. Just a clown who dared to snipe her but lacked the resolve to follow through. Despite his talent, his demeanor and grace paled compared to the Heavenly Intention Holy Son.

But since Ye Chen had driven up the price, she couldn’t pay the two million spirit stones if he’d defaulted. At worst, the auction house could re-auction it. It wasn’t her face being lost.

As she pondered how to negotiate, the manager opened the box and explained his purpose.

Yi Qingwu, caught off guard, froze.

”This was sent by the Fourth Holy Son?”

Her stunning face showed genuine surprise for the first time.

The manager nodded. ”The Fourth Holy Son said the bidding was a misunderstanding. His conflict with the Heavenly Intention Holy Son doesn’t involve the Holy Maiden. As an apology, he gifts this to the Holy Maiden. He hopes to make friends with the Holy Maiden.”

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The two legacy disciples behind her widened their eyes. What was Ye Chen playing at? A ”misunderstanding”? That was nonsense—he’d done it deliberately. Even if it were true, who gifts a treasure worth two million spirit stones? What was his game?

Yi Qingwu, after a brief moment of shock, quickly regained her composure. Her beautiful eyes narrowed. In an instant, she saw through everything.

Yi Qingwu saw through it instantly: the Fourth Holy Son was still trying to humiliate the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, to humiliate her. As the fiancée of the Heavenly Intention Holy Son, accepting a gift from his enemy was unthinkable, both morally and logically. It would spark rumors, unsettle the Holy Son’s mindset, and potentially disrupt his cultivation, even threatening his invincible aura.

Ye Chen had clearly recognized the Moon Laurel Tree fragment’s importance to her and used it brazenly, betting she’d accept it despite the shame for the sake of her cultivation. This method of striking at an enemy was both bold and despicable—a perfect example of an overt scheme.

But Yi Qingwu merely smiled. Ye Chen underestimated her if he thought this would sway her. The Moon Laurel Tree fragment was indeed vital, but would she sacrifice the Holy Son’s reputation or the Holy Land’s honor for it?

Never.

Besides, the fragment was rightfully hers—why should she need Ye Chen to gift it? She’d take it back herself. Her gaze steadied in moments, suppressing the deep yearning within her.

She spoke calmly to the manager, ”Tell the Fourth Holy Son: what belongs to me, I will take back with my own hands. As for him, he has some audacity, spending two million top-grade spirit stones on such underhanded tactics. But he should know, in the cultivation world, strength is everything. These petty tricks are worthless before true power!”

Her voice, gentle as a spring breeze, carried weight even in rebuke, stirring the listener’s heart.

The manager’s mouth twitched. Her words were too provocative to relay. He quickly produced a sound-recording stone, asking her to repeat herself. Yi Qingwu’s elegant lips stiffened briefly, but she reiterated her message.

The manager, holding the jade box, bowed and left, marveling inwardly. This era, possibly the last before the immortal path closed, was a golden age of resurgent prodigies and lost physiques, surpassing previous generations.

Yet, someone spent two million spirit stones on a treasure, only for it to be refused? This was beyond absurd. Even in Central Continent, with its stronger cultivators, no prodigy was this extravagant. If it were him, he’d kneel for two million spirit stones without a second’s hesitation—anything less would disrespect the stones.

With these thoughts, the manager returned to Ye Chen’s booth.

…

After knocking and entering, he returned the Moon Laurel Tree fragment and played Yi Qingwu’s recorded words.

Ye Chen, rubbing the fragment, raised an eyebrow. Honestly, he hadn’t expected her to refuse. Her talk of ”underhanded tactics” baffled him. Underhanded? He was just gifting the fiancée something!

Women were impossible to understand. Still, her words confirmed her deep desire for the fragment. He briefly considered threatening to destroy it if she didn’t accept, but dismissed the idea. Given her hostility, even if he forced her to take it, the critical hit would likely be lackluster.

A mere fragment with a 2,500-times multiplier wouldn’t yield a whole Moon Laurel Tree—just more fragments. What use was that? Fertilizer for his Enlightenment Tea Tree?

So, Ye Chen changed his mind and kept the fragment. If she didn’t want it, he wouldn’t insist.

She said she’d take it herself? Fine, I’ll wait for you to come get it!