Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 380: White Emperor City

Ye Chen's face was earnest. "Senior Brother, your mission is critical. How could you delay it for something so trivial? I've received so much care from you and the Holy Land—how can I keep hiding away? Once I reach White Emperor City, I'll make sure to uphold the prestige of our Heavenly Evolution Holy Land!"

His enthusiasm was so resolute that Hua Yunfei could only sigh in resignation. Nodding reluctantly, he said, "Just be wary of the Heavenly Desire Sect's tactics. Don't get too close. Oh, and I heard the auction will have a treasure that Heavenly Intention's Holy Maiden, Yi Qingwu, needs. She'll likely be there, so tread carefully. Besides your protector, Elder Mo, the Holy Land will send a Unity elder to lead the group. But unless your life is at stake, the elders won't intervene. If you're not cautious, you might face some humiliation."

Yi Qingwu? Ye Chen paused, then recalled—she was Heavenly Intention Holy Son's fiancée. He hadn't expected her to show up at White Emperor City. His curiosity wasn't because of her connection to his rival; he simply wanted to see what kind of multiplier this woman, hailed as the Great Yan Continent's foremost female immortal, possessed.

Initially, White Emperor City hadn't piqued his interest. But now, with an auction, a Divine Maiden, and someone else's fiancée in the mix, it was practically tailored to stir his blood. He was itching to set off immediately. Missing this would be a travesty.

Hua Yunfei, seeing Ye Chen's excitement, grew increasingly uneasy. He regretted bringing it up. But with an elder accompanying the trip and Elder Mo watching over Ye Chen, any missteps should be contained. The problem, if it arose, wouldn't be too severe.

With his mission in the Endless Sea pressing, Hua Yunfei didn't linger. Before leaving, he patted Ye Chen's shoulder. "Junior Brother, cultivation is hard-won. Talents like ours are rare. Don't ruin your future and end up watching others ascend the immortal path while you wallow in regret."

Ye Chen understood his senior brother's concern and nodded with a smile, thanking him for the advice. Only after Hua Yunfei departed did Ye Chen rise, his mood buoyant. Grinning, he set off to find Senior An for her "detoxification" ritual, bringing a gift along.

Senior An, pure of heart, was hindered by her soul's condition, unable to take the final step. Yet this limitation drove her to innovate—from traditional detoxification to kitten-like lapping, pendulum suppression, and gentle valley swaying.

Truth be told, though they never reached the final step, the joy it brought Ye Chen was no less intense. Senior An's serene, immortal-like demeanor, devoid of guilt or shyness, made it feel like a solemn act. The psychological thrill surpassed even the physical.

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Sometimes, Ye Chen indulged in a bit of mischief. Whether it was her past life's influence or a lingering soul, Senior An's body instinctively resisted becoming another's partner. Perhaps her former self intended to reclaim this vessel someday. But if that consciousness ever awoke and saw these memories, what expression would it wear? Would it regret blocking her path back then?

Still, Ye Chen hoped the guiltless Senior An would never be overtaken. Such a thing was unlikely to happen anyway.

...

Soon, an elder from the External Affairs Peak arrived. This trip to White Emperor City wasn't just for the auction—the Holy Land needed to procure a batch of resources and bring elite disciples for exposure and exchange. A Unity elder would lead the group, but they wouldn't intervene in squabbles among peers. If a disciple was bullied, the elder couldn't step in directly. That's where Ye Chen came in.

His main task, as the Holy Son, was to uphold Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's honor and ensure it faced no disgrace. Ye Chen listened briefly and understood his role.

White Emperor City was far from Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, so they couldn't wait until the auction began to arrive. Despite a month remaining, they had to set out immediately. Ye Chen had no objections. After giving some instructions at Ascension Peak, he boarded the Holy Land's skyship and met the leading elder.

To his surprise, it was a familiar face—Elder He, who had previously divined his master's whereabouts. He Jiu stood nearby, beaming with excitement upon seeing Ye Chen and calling out to the Holy Son.

Elder He looked at Ye Chen with awe and emotion. In such a short time, Ye Chen had soared from early Nascent Soul to late Nascent Soul. Even by prodigy standards, his breakthrough speed was staggering, a testament to his extraordinary fortune. It wouldn't take long for him to catch up to the elder himself. What a pity he couldn't be Ye Chen's protector.

Thanks to the treasures Ye Chen had gifted He Jiu—including the Hundred Flowers Immortal Scripture—Elder He, having benefited indirectly, treated Ye Chen with exceptional courtesy. He gestured for Ye Chen to sit.

As Ye Chen looked at Elder He, a bold idea struck him. Could he offer a drop of his blood for Elder He to divine his ancestry? It might reveal his father's whereabouts—a roundabout way to uncover the truth.

Elder He, however, rolled his eyes. "I couldn't even trace your father's trail—some great power must have erased it. It's obvious something's amiss. And you want me to divine your family's background? The backlash would kill me. Are you trying to get rid of me so you can inherit my granddaughter?"

Though inwardly exasperated, Elder He kept a polite smile as he explained why it was impossible.

Ye Chen wasn't discouraged. If need be, he'd divine it himself later. He hadn't had time to study the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Scripture, and as a Holy Land inheritance, it couldn't be gifted to others without causing chaos. Instead, he set his sights on the Foresight Secret, one of the Nine Secrets. Ordinary divination could only probe the past and present, but the Foresight Secret could glimpse the future. Even the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Scripture was built around its fragments.

The Foresight Secret was elusive, but for Ye Chen, it wasn't unattainable. With the right gift, the system might reward it. Once he had it, divining his father's whereabouts and uncovering whether he truly had a grand background would be effortless.