Immortality Starts With Investment

Though the gift wasn’t accepted, Ye Chen was relieved to learn the fiancée only refused due to a misunderstanding and intended to claim it herself later. He wasn’t in a rush—his lifespan was long. As long as she still desired the fragment, it was a minor issue.

Listening to her voice on the recording stone, he nodded in satisfaction. Her voice was indeed enchanting, even laced with threats, soothing like a spring breeze, almost intoxicating. It made him even more curious about this 2,500-times multiplier fiancée.

How would she come for it? Would she try to seize it alone? Or bring the Heavenly Intention Holy Son along? If she came alone, he’d simply hand it over. If she brought the Holy Son, he’d have his senior brother suppress him while he quipped, ”Holy Maiden, you don’t want the Heavenly Intention Holy Son to be beaten to death, do you?”

That should trigger a critical hit, right?

So, Ye Chen stowed the Moon Laurel Tree fragment. After thanking the manager, he leisurely awaited the next auction lot, unfazed by the rejection, showing no hint of embarrassment or displeasure.

…

Meanwhile, Fan Qinghe, who’d been sulking, expecting Ye Chen to coax her, felt a bit embarrassed as he ignored her. She’d been sitting with her back to him, her full-moon figure turned away.

But upon hearing Yi Qingwu reject the gift and accuse Ye Chen of underhanded tactics, threatening to take it back later, Fan Qinghe’s mind clicked.

So that’s it. Ye Chen wasn’t being fickle, lusting after Yi Qingwu while with her. Nor was she inferior to Yi Qingwu. He was deliberately messing with Yi Qingwu’s mindset—from the bidding to the gift. No wonder he showed no reaction to the rejection.

Fan Qinghe turned back, her peach-blossom eyes gleaming as they fixed on Ye Chen. Using a treasure worth two million spirit stones as bait to unsettle an enemy? That was an unprecedented move.

She didn’t find his tactics despicable—on the contrary, she saw them as grand and bold. Spending two million just to toy with an enemy’s mind? How generous would he be to those close to him? As her protector, he’d surely spare no effort to support her.

With this realization, Fan Qinghe sidled back to Ye Chen, her alluring, amber-hued figure pressing close as before, tucking his arm against her.

Ye Chen glanced at her calmly. ”Done throwing a tantrum?”

Fan Qinghe pursed her full, vibrant lips, leaning close to his ear, her breath teasing as she cooed, ”When did I throw a tantrum? I just wanted the Holy Son to comfort me… All I wanted was a gesture. But when you’re so cold, I find myself liking it even more…”

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Ye Chen didn’t know why she’d suddenly warmed up again. But her talk of wanting a ”gesture” made his mouth twitch. For most women, that ”gesture” carried a lot of expectations.

Just then, an auction lot concluded, and a new item was brought to the stage.

Ye Chen could feel Fan Qinghe’s soft, supple body tense beside him, her grip on his arm tightening. Clearly, she cared deeply about this auction item.

Glancing at it, he smiled. The visualization diagram.

The Heavenly Evolution Holy Land had its own diagrams, of decent quality. One depicted a true dragon from the Vicious Ten, another the Heavenly Evolution Ancestor, both retaining enough dao charm for several uses—treasures coveted by ordinary cultivators.

But Ye Chen found them lacking. He wanted something better. This replica of the Queen Mother of the West’s back, though not the original, was impressive.

Fan Qinghe’s evident desire for it made it a perfect target.

With her 1,500-times multiplier, a critical hit should yield what he wanted.

”This is a portrait of the Queen Mother of the West’s back! Though confirmed as a replica, it contains a trace of her dao charm. It’s sufficient for one Nascent Soul cultivator to visualize, capturing that charm to enhance their primordial spirit’s grade and amplify their Heaven and Earth Manifestation upon breaking through to Deity Transformation. It may even allow insight into some of Jade Pool Holy Land’s peerless legacies…

”We’ve verified this is the work of a Jade Pool Holy Land sage from centuries ago. Jade Pool Holy Land won’t pursue its circulation, so bidders need not worry! The starting bid is 100,000 top-grade spirit stones. Each increment must be at least 500 top-grade spirit stones.”

The last rule was added after Ye Chen’s stunt with the Moon Laurel Tree fragment. Originally, there were no restrictions, but no one would dare add just one spirit stone—it offended both competitors and the auction house.

Ye Chen’s move prompted the new rule. The diagram’s reveal caused a stir. Though the crowd dismissed the auctioneer’s exaggerated claims—gaining Jade Pool legacies so easily would’ve made it far pricier—they were still eager.

When bidding began, offers came fast and fierce.

The Deity Transformation stage was critical for cultivators. A higher-grade primordial spirit paved a smoother immortal path, and the diagram influenced the Heaven and Earth Manifestation’s potency.

Stronger diagrams meant stronger manifestations, boosting combat power and future Unity-stage breakthroughs when merging with the body.

This diagram, imbued with the Queen Mother’s dao charm—the foremost female immortal—held immense appeal, especially for female cultivators. In Central Continent, while the strongest Holy Son varied, the Jade Pool Holy Maiden was almost always the top female cultivator each generation, underscoring the Queen Mother’s legacy’s might.

This diagram was ideal for female cultivators breaking through to Deity Transformation. Major factions and powerhouses were eager to secure it for their juniors, driving intense competition.

Bids rose by 10,000 spirit stones at a time, rapidly climbing to 800,000 top-grade spirit stones.

Fan Qinghe’s mouth twitched. Though the Heavenly Desire Sect valued her highly, it couldn’t compare to a Holy Land. Her master and sect had provided one million spirit stones, but with this fervor, it wouldn’t suffice. The price would likely soon exceed a million.

She glanced at Ye Chen, pinning her hopes on his wealth. He’d already spent two million, but she sensed he had more.

Just then, a celestial voice rang out: ”900,000 top-grade spirit stones.”

Fan Qinghe frowned slightly—it was Yi Qingwu. But Yi Qingwu was already at late Deity Transformation—why bid on the diagram?

Ye Chen’s eyes lit up. ”She didn’t want the Moon Laurel Tree fragment earlier. Now she’s bidding on this diagram. Perhaps she’ll accept it as a gift.”

Hearing this, Fan Qinghe’s enchanting face froze.

Seriously?