Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 270: I Only Wish to Watch You Ascend

Su Yuxuanʼs heart fluttered with joy when she heard Ye Chen offer his Golden Core. Senior Brother truly loves me. Her efforts pampering him the past few days werenʼt in vain. Still, she had no intention of taking his core. Both were ninth-grade—why ruin his immortal path when they could just kill Wang Lun and sink his body in a pool? Far simpler.

But when she sensed Ye Chen summon his core and Manjusaka fell silent, curiosity stirred. Her master, a prodigy from the Northern Emperorʼs era, had seen it all. For Ye Chenʼs ninth-grade core to stun her speechless? Does Senior Brother have an extra one or something?

Unable to resist, Su Yuxuan squinted through crescent-shaped eyes. The next moment, she felt blinded. Whatʼs floating in the room? Golden Cores were supposed to be golden—why was his bursting with multiple colors? And why was it so massive, just like him? What even is this?

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Manjusakaʼs soul form quaked, as if roiled by a tsunami. After a long pause, she stared at Ye Chen, incredulous. ”Youʼve forged a Law Core?”

”Law Core?” Ye Chen echoed, intrigued by the unfamiliar term.

Manjusaka explained solemnly, ”A Law Core, also called a Core of Laws or Immortal Core, is rare. To become a True Immortal in the Great Ascension Realm, one must comprehend the Laws of Heaven and Earth. But such laws are elusive—many spend their lives grasping mere fragments, dying in regret.

”However, a select few in Foundation Establishment, whose power surpasses the realmʼs limits, can forge a Law Core. Each ray of its divine light signifies affinity with a specific law, making it easier to seize and refine. The more laws mastered, the greater the chance of ascending to immortality.”

She continued, awe creeping into her voice. ”In ancient times, the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal forged a seven-colored Law Core, mastering seven laws in the Great Ascension Realm. Upon ascending, he slaughtered a horde of True Immortals, rivers of blood in his wake. And you… youʼve forged a five-colored Law Core!”

Her gaze on Ye Chen shifted, tinged with reverence. Even as the top genius of the Boundless Demon Sect in her era, with few rivals, sheʼd only formed a single-colored white core. Ye Chenʼs five-colored core was beyond comprehension.

For the first time since her revival, Manjusaka felt genuine shock. Ye Chenʼs eyes lit up as he absorbed her explanation. Much of the cultivation worldʼs knowledge was guarded, passed only through oral tradition, never written. Heʼd always wondered why his multi-colored Golden Core mattered and how it tied to immortality. Now it clicked—itʼs about mastering the Laws of Heaven and Earth.

No wonder the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal, with a seven-colored Law Core, lamented its limits in the True Immortal Chronicles. Seven colors let him slaughter True Immortals upon ascending. A nine-colored core? Thatʼd be unstoppable.

Ye Chenʼs mind raced with one thought: Gift it. I have to gift it.

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Su Yuxuan, no longer feigning unconsciousness, gaped. Ninth-grade cores arenʼt the peak? Sheʼd never heard of Law Cores or Immortal Cores. Is Senior Brother this monstrous? If she refined his core, could she restore a ninth-grade core—or better? If even one or two rays of divine light remained, could she aim for immortality? For cultivators, wasnʼt immortality the ultimate dream?

Her empty dantian pulsed with raw desire. She craved it. But eyes could regrow, hearts could regenerate—golden cores didnʼt. If Ye Chen gave his, what would happen to him? His cultivation would collapse, his lifespan slashed to a fraction. This core, a peerless treasure, was something he offered so calmly, without hesitation.

Her rare conscience stirred. After a momentʼs hesitation, Su Yuxuan decided to refuse—not as a ploy or tactic, but out of self-awareness. She wasnʼt a supreme prodigy. Refining Ye Chenʼs core might yield a mediocre result, wasting its potential if no divine light remained.

Instead, she could refine Wang Lunʼs ninth-grade core. Itʼd degrade to mid-grade at best, but with a senior brother destined for immortality—and generous to boot—sheʼd reap far greater benefits. If Ye Chen ascended in this era, sheʼd rise with him, perhaps even touching immortality herself. One personʼs ascension lifts all around them wasnʼt just a saying.

Weighing the pros and cons, Su Yuxuan spoke earnestly, ”Senior Brother, just kill Wang Lun for me. Keep your five-colored core. My immortal path may be rough, but I have no regrets. As long as I can watch you ascend in this mortal world, Iʼm content—”

Thud.

Before she finished, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted—for real this time.

…

Ye Chen sighed, addressing Manjusaka solemnly. ”Yuxuanʼs fainted again—her conditionʼs critical. Senior, I leave her to you.”

With a gesture, he guided his five-colored Golden Core to hover before Manjusaka, then gently laid Su Yuxuanʼs frail form on the bed.

Manjusakaʼs gaze on Ye Chen was complex. Sheʼd noticed heʼd subtly knocked Su Yuxuan out, likely to prevent her from refusing. She didnʼt call it out, understanding his intent.

”Are you certain?” she asked gravely. ”A five-colored Law Core isnʼt just a ticket to immortality—itʼs beyond that. Giving it to Yuxuan, she might not even retain a single color. Is such a sacrifice worth it?”

Ye Chen smiled, glancing at Su Yuxuan. Worth it? Of course. Five colors werenʼt enough—he aimed for more.

He didnʼt answer aloud, but his tender, smiling gaze on Su Yuxuan spoke volumes. Manjusakaʼs heart, long still as an ancient well, churned with waves of awe. She was stunned by Ye Chenʼs talent and floored by his selflessness. With a five-colored core, he was destined to be this eraʼs brightest prodigy, a near-certain True Immortal. Yet, for the woman he loved, he surrendered it without a second thought.

Guilt gnawed at her. Sheʼd spent years badmouthing Ye Chen to Su Yuxuan, questioning his sincerity. Now, she saw the truth—some men were truly good.

Softly, she murmured, ”Iʼm sorry.”

Ye Chen blinked, puzzled, but didnʼt press. He just watched her intently.

Manjusakaʼs soul force extended, enveloping the five-colored core. Sensing no resistance from Ye Chen, her emotions grew heavier as she activated the secret technique. In an instant, the bond between Ye Chen and his core severed. The coreʼs radiance dimmed, and Ye Chen paled, his aura collapsing to a frail wisp.

Yet he stood tall, forcing a smile at Manjusaka. ”This core is yours now, Senior. Please take good care of Yuxuan. When she wakes, tell her not to seek me out. I donʼt want anyone seeing me weak. Let her forget me.”

With that, he turned, not sparing the core another glance, and left decisively. The door shut behind him.

Manjusaka heard him stagger into the courtyard, coughing up blood in heavy gasps. To spare her feelings, he suppressed the sound, hobbling away quickly.

She bowed her head, staring at the five-colored core floating in her soul force. A torrent of emotions—admiration, guilt, awe, and regret—overwhelmed her, escaping as a long, wistful sigh.

…