Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 498: Whyʼre you shouting so loud?

As Hua Yunfei was about to step out of the palace, hesitation crossed his face. Heʼd planned to leave the Eight Sceneries Palace only after becoming invincible in this realm. He was still far from that.

But thinking of Ye Chen and the Diamond Bangle on his wrist, he sighed. Ye Chen, with his immense talent and gratitude, gifted him the bangle and gave Elder Mo the True Phoenix Undying Herb.

In a cultivation world full of scheming sect leaders, such loyalty was rare. As his senior brother, how could he ignore Ye Chenʼs danger over mere caution? Besides, his inheritance revealed the immortal realmʼs decline due to foreign enemies. His path would be lonely—having Ye Chen along, sharing moments, would ease that solitude.

Resolved, Hua Yunfei stepped out of the Eight Sceneries Palace for the first time since receiving the Moral Heavenly Venerateʼs legacy. But then, he saw something and instantly retreated.

”The True Phoenix Undying Herb is potent—Elder Moʼs out already. Itʼs settled! Junior Brotherʼs safe. Iʼll go back to mastering One Qi Transforming Three Purities, strengthening my avatars to protect him, so I wonʼt hesitate next time.”

The palace doors slammed shut, purple qi retracted, and space rippled. The Eight Sceneries Palace vanished, leaving the star barren, as if the palace was a fleeting mirage.

…

”Hua Yunfei…”

Ying Tianshengʼs eyes blazed gold, his True Martial Eyes scanning, but he frowned, unable to find Hua Yunfeiʼs true body. It likely wasnʼt here. Annoyed but disdainful, he scoffed.

Heavenly Evolution Holy Landʼs two Holy Sons—one needed his senior brother as a shield, the other only dared send avatars. Neither had the fearless heart to pursue the dao, unfit to rival him in the future. This was their closest moment to challenging him. Once he grew stronger, theyʼd lose even that chance.

Suppressing his regret over not devouring Hua Yunfeiʼs origin, Ying turned to the Primordial Thunder God-Slaying Formation amid the awed gazes of Great Shangʼs crowd.

Thinking of the fiancée and Ye Chen inside, his irritation flared again. His voice thundered, directed into the formation. ”Qingwu, Iʼve crushed Hua Yunfei. Open the formation—Iʼll help you suppress Ye the Fourth!”

Ying, usually refined, avoided nicknames, but Ye Chenʼs actions infuriated him, slipping out the moniker.

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…

Inside the formation, Ye Chen, seeing Hua Yunfei melted by the star river, jolted, his body twitching. Yi Qingwu, uncomfortable, shed tears and shot him disdainful glares. If her mouth werenʼt occupied, sheʼd probably mock his reaction.

Ye Chen silenced her, adjusting the image stoneʼs angle for variety later, calming himself. It wasnʼt that he didnʼt care for his senior brother—Hua Yunfei was clearly an avatar. So, let it die. He was 25% away from the full Movement Secret. No stopping now.

Ye Chen wasnʼt worried about his senior brotherʼs avatar being destroyed or his own safety. His Heaven and Earth Law had fully formed—one axe strike should suffice. If not, the Fusang Divine Tree wasnʼt a joke. ”Who comes, who dies” wasnʼt an exaggeration. So, Ying Tianshengʼs presence didnʼt dampen his focus on collecting the Movement Secret.

But then, Yingʼs voice thundered through the formation, shaking Ye Chenʼs eardrums.

Yi Qingwuʼs eyes signaled, ”Youʼre dead!”

Yet her actions didnʼt falter—she doubled down, as did their primordial spirits above.

Ye Chen didnʼt want to stop either. The Movement Secret was nearly his; quitting now would be a massive loss. Three-quarters versus the full version was a huge gap. A complete Movement Secret might yield all Nine Secrets—mysterious techniques like ”Front, Armament, Battle, Healing, Multiplier, Calculation, Array, Foresight, Movement.”

Some, like the Battle, Armament, and Healing Secrets, had left marks in history, while others were mere legends. Getting them all would be a game-changer. No way heʼd miss this.

Yingʼs roars were just background noise, spicing things up. But ignoring him entirely wasnʼt ideal.

Ye Chen looked down at Yi Qingwu. ”Give me the Primordial Thunder God-Slaying Formationʼs core token, or Iʼll stop now, leaving your ʼ||||\ʼ symbol forever incomplete.”

Her pupils shrank, stunned by his shameless threat. He loved her, sure, but this was beyond her expectations. Still, she didnʼt want to stop. The thought of Ying stuck outside thrilled her. Humiliated, she lowered her head, freeing one hand from her brace to pull the formation core from her storage bracelet and toss it to him.

Ye Chen caught it, smiling. Her silence and refusal to open the formation might make Ying suspicious, potentially straining their bond. Ye Chen was here to join their dynamic, not ruin it. With the core in hand, he could claim he seized it, and Yi Qingwu tried but failed to resist.

Refining the core, he heard Yingʼs thunderous voice again. ”Qingwu, why no response? Trouble? Open the formation—Iʼll crush Ye the Fourth!”

Ye Chen rolled his eyes. He hated ”Ye the Fourth”—so tacky. Next time he saw Yao Gu, that guy better not puff up again. Inflated or not, Ye Chen owed him a beating for starting that nickname.

Gripping the core, he refined it instantly. The formation shifted. A hundred-meter-tall phantom of Ye Chenʼs face and upper body appeared outside, towering like a giant.

Yingʼs pupils contracted. Ye Chen could communicate with the outside from within the Primordial Thunder God-Slaying Formation? Heʼd seized control? Bad news. What would happen to the fiancée? Was she suffering?

Yingʼs heart clenched with worry. But seeing Ye Chenʼs phantom in pristine robes, he sighed in relief—at least his worst fear hadnʼt happened.

Ye Chenʼs phantom glared at Ying. ”Whyʼre you shouting so loud?”