Immortality Starts With Investment

”Eh, why’s this generation’s Alkaid Holy Son here?”

Feng Baiyu raised an eyebrow, recognizing the young man. Top prodigies were well-known. Though Alkaid’s physique was unknown, he once debated the Myriad Races’ Heavenly Demon Body without fighting. The Demon Body admitted he couldn’t read Alkaid. Lacking a prodigy’s arrogance and with noble status, Alkaid remained unchallenged, yet ranked third among the ten prodigies—likely underestimated. Everyone awaited his true battle.

His portrait circulated widely, so Feng Baiyu identified him instantly.

Alkaid’s starry eyes sparkled as he smiled, bowing to Feng Baiyu. ”Greetings, Holy Master Fang. Our elders often praise you—your reputation is well-earned.”

Then, he turned to Ye Chen.

”I came to the Endless Sea because an elder’s lifespan is fading. I heard a great power once cultivated human-shaped longevity medicine here, so I sought it out. No luck, sadly. But meeting Brother Ye, this generation’s Heavenly Emperor heir, makes the trip worthwhile.”

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the longevity medicine. With eight immortal roots collected, the remaining four tied to lifespan. Gifting such a treasure could complete his set via feedback.

Alkaid, like Senior Brother, was polite and strong—likely the strongest of his generation Ye Chen had met. Truly, the mightier, the humbler; only half-baked talents like Ying Tiansheng flaunted.

Ye Chen smiled. ”Brother, you’re the radiant one!”

Alkaid chuckled lightly. ”They say this Heavenly Emperor heir lacks an invincible heart, but seeing you, I know it’s nonsense. With your strength, you likely disdain such fame. I admire you…”

Ye Chen waved it off. ”Exaggerated, exaggerated…”

Alkaid said no more. ”I’m returning to Central Continent. I look forward to meeting you there, Brother Ye, for tea and discussion with a few friends.”

Ye Chen nodded, watching him leave.

”He’s one step from Mahayana,” Feng Baiyu remarked. ”This Alkaid Holy Son is something else—far stronger than the last. He’ll be your immortal path rival. Pity his Immortal Platform Third Heaven protector, or we could’ve kept him here…”

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Feng Baiyu sighed, lamenting the missed chance, showing no trace of a powerhouse’s dignity.

Ye Chen, immune to his Holy Master’s antics, shrugged off the ”rival” talk. Alkaid was strong—top of their generation—but no match for him. No one in his generation was, not even the Heavenly Emperor Hall’s female Chaos Body.

…

Far away, Alkaid’s gentle glow dimmed as he frowned. Ying Tiansheng was one of his planned ”great medicines.” Fang Qing had warned him Ying might’ve grown rebellious, so Alkaid planned to harvest him early, despite his incomplete state. But he arrived too late—Ying and Fang Qing were dead.

”Ying was just one of many medicines; his loss is minor. But this Heavenly Emperor heir is shockingly strong. I thought the Heavenly Emperor Hall’s attitude suggested Ye Chen was a decoy, a fake heir. Today proved me wrong. Despite my two-realm advantage, I’m not certain I’d win.

”His origin is too robust—far beyond the Heavenly Demon Body, not just from Heavy Pupils or Primordial Supreme Heart. He hides a top-tier physique. The Seven-Crown King’s in seclusion. The Morality Heir uses avatars, hiding a mighty true body.

”The Heavenly Demon Body seems prominent but is just a Myriad Races’ front—rumors say a True Immortal’s heir with immortal blood will awaken this generation, terrifyingly strong. Now, add Ye Chen, the Heavenly Emperor heir. This final immortal path is a golden era, yet ascending is so hard!”

Alkaid sighed, but his eyes gleamed with confidence, as if he could suppress all these terrors in the future.

On the way back to the Holy Land, Ye Chen learned about the human-shaped longevity medicine. Ten thousand years ago, a Mahayana powerhouse obtained a ginseng fruit from an immortal root tree.

One fruit could grant another lifetime, its lifespan boost varying by cultivation. For Mahayana, it added 7,000 years. After consuming it, the powerhouse tried cultivating an immortal root from the seed. Though he failed, he miraculously grew a human-shaped longevity medicine.

Its fruit, resembling ginseng fruit, was far less potent, granting only 300 years per fruit, grown once every millennium. Even so, in today’s cultivation world with dwindling lifespans, it was a supreme treasure.

Top sects coveted it for their ancestors’ longevity; great powers sought it for breakthrough attempts. Demand for lifespan-extending treasures was immense.

The powerhouse, having used the ginseng fruit, found the longevity medicine useless and sold it, gaining fame. Sadly, he couldn’t escape his fate and perished in the Endless Sea’s depths. His Cave Heaven, housing the longevity medicine, vanished with him. Now, 3,000 years later, Alkaid came to the Endless Sea, hoping to find the Cave Heaven. Clearly, he failed.

…

Ye Chen dismissed the matter. After 3,000 years, the Cave Heaven’s existence was uncertain. The Endless Sea teemed with demonic beasts—perhaps one had claimed it. Its vastness made searching impossible.

Back at the Holy Land, Ye Chen secluded himself to review his gains and refine Manjusaka’s critical hit reward: the Earth-Splitting Divine Stone. As it melted into his brow, he felt his domain subtly transform. The Domain Divine Abilities, still gestating, began to awaken…