Immortality Starts With Investment

”Give him the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid! Tell Ye Chen to fight this generation’s Heavy Pupils and Heavenly Demon Body soon. If he performs well, the Heavenly Emperor Hall has top-tier life-extending herbs to satisfy him!”

The gold-robed elder spoke coldly via transmission.

The elders in another space were stunned. The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, a supreme herb, could heal origin injuries—shattered Nascent Soul, broken primordial spirit, even Immortal Platform cracks. Its effects were astounding, and it was nearly extinct, with fewer than ten left in the cultivation world. Its value was immense. The elder’s offer showed the Heavenly Emperor Hall’s vast wealth and deep reserves.

”You’re unusually generous. But he’s only early Deity Transformation—can he handle the Heavenly Demon Body? The gap’s too wide. And that Heavy Pupils female is mid-Unity.” The purple-gold dragon asked curiously.

The elder’s expression was calm. ”Winning doesn’t matter. He must step forward, letting everyone know he’s the Heavenly Emperor’s heir. Otherwise, some might sense something’s off and deduce the true heir. If the Chaos Body is exposed, it’ll become the cultivation world’s target.”

The Chaos Body was too dominant, almost guaranteed to ascend. Among the world’s top physiques, it outshone Heavenly Demon Body, Divine King Body, and even Heavy Pupil or Supreme Heart. But standing out too much invited destruction. With the final immortal path opening, who knew if someone might try to kill the Chaos Body? So, the elder had to push Ye Chen to the forefront, even if it meant giving him treasures.

The dragon glanced at the hall’s depths. ”The Chaos Body’s impressive, but the Emperor said physique matters less than the person. Some monsters can dominate with a mortal body.”

The elder scoffed. ”The Emperor, who crushed all, could say that. For most cultivators, physique is everything.”

The dragon, uninterested, went back to its image stones.

The elder, eyes narrowed, grew more displeased with Ye Chen. Having received the Emperor’s legacy, he should serve the Hall, the true orthodoxy. Yet, he haggled and shirked, infuriating the elder. When the true heir emerged, the first fight would be to crush Ye Chen, reclaiming all he’d gained from the legacy.

The Hall’s benefits weren’t so easily taken. Life-extending herbs? Just a hollow promise, not for a fake like Ye Chen. With a cold snort, the elder vanished. The dragon kept watching its stones, muttering about ”a hundred times.”

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…

With the Holy Master in seclusion, Ye Chen’s days in Heavenly Evolution Holy Land were carefree. Beyond daily cultivation, he gathered treasure leads, sending people to trade for what he wanted. In his free time, he had Senior An purge his poison—sometimes alone, sometimes with Yuyi.

He also visited Elder Lin Qingtan often. Since resolving her physique issue, her long-stagnant cultivation surged, reaching late Deity Transformation. Her mastery of demonic patterns grew refined, always surprising Ye Chen. With her one-day cooldown, when treasure trading drained him, he’d visit her, enjoying her patterns while farming rewards. Fun and profitable.

Frequent visits to Lin Qingtan meant often running into Li Feihuang. Sometimes, while Ye Chen was busy in the cave, his spiritual sense caught Li Feihuang pacing outside, hesitating. But she’d always sigh and leave.

Immortal Ascension Peak grew livelier, brimming with colorful elders and disciples. Most clearly had designs on their Holy Son. The curvaceous elder he’d saved kept inviting him to her cave to ”thank” him.

The Heavenly Spirit Root disciple with the Ice Marrow Star Body often claimed cultivation issues, asking for his guidance in her cave. Ye Chen was exasperated but gave them no chances. Rumors about him had spread beyond the Holy Land. If he indulged, his reputation would be ruined. Those already ”on board” were one thing, but new ones wanting in? Not so easy. He had to prove he wasn’t that kind of guy.

…

Ye Chen lived comfortably in Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. But the Great Yan Continent’s named prodigies had mostly headed to the Central Continent. Those from lesser factions went alone, but top forces like Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, Heavenly Intention Holy Land, and the Yao Family set up outposts, sending elders or protectors with their prodigies.

Heavenly Evolution’s eldest senior brother guarded a ruin in the Endless Sea for a year before heading to the Central Continent. He’d gained some fame there, winning most prodigy battles, tying a few—respected but not overly prominent. Heavenly Intention Holy Land’s Holy Son, however, made waves with ruthless strikes, killing several prodigies.

Ye Chen, watching recordings from his Holy Land, noted Heavenly Intention Holy Son had surged in strength. The fiancée, though, stayed behind. Her grandmother’s hidden injury had flared, a core origin issue. Without a cure, she had only a few years left. Unwilling to leave her, the fiancée remained.

Ye Chen, hearing this, had a bold idea. Her 2,500-fold multiplier made her a prime gifting target for her grandmother’s injury—potentially yielding an immortal root. But he lacked a treasure to heal origin injuries. Such items were too rare; no amount of spirit stones guaranteed them. It came down to luck. Where could he find one?

As he pondered, a Heavenly Evolution elder arrived with a treasure box. ”Holy Son, this came from our Central Continent outpost. Resources from the Heavenly Emperor Hall, with a memory talisman!”

The Heavenly Emperor Hall? Ye Chen grinned. They actually delivered?