Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 386: How Could I Falter Before the Holy Maiden?

Yao Gu slunk away, dejected. He felt the greatest regret of his life was taking on that mission to the measly Green Cloud Sect just to test-drive a new chariot. He'd gotten beaten twice, his chariot smashed to bits. And now he had a brother-in-law.

Worst of all, this brother-in-law was a menace—already paired with his sister and still trying to steal the divine maiden from him. Life was just too hard.

The more Yao Gu thought about it, the angrier he got. So, he flew back to the Yao family's residence, vowing to stay indoors for the next few days.

…

Meanwhile, in the resplendent, majestic palace of the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, two legacy disciples stood together. One had a sword mark on his brow. The other clutched a fan. Both glared with venomous resentment as they spoke of Ye Chen.

"The Heavenly Evolution Holy Son actually dared to show up? Does he really think his Heavy Pupils make him invincible?"

"Too bad our Holy Son is still in seclusion. If he were here, a single finger would crush that guy. How could he be so arrogant?"

"No need for the Holy Son to act. We were just caught off guard earlier, ambushed by his trick."

"We're both mid-Deity Transformation. With our Heavenly Intention Golden Pupils, we can counter his Heavy Pupils."

"Heavy Pupils aren't truly invincible. Plenty of Heavy Pupils wielders in history failed to reach immortality, falling on the immortal path."

"It's a pity White Emperor City's rules make it hard to act directly. I'd love to suppress him and raise our Heavenly Intention Holy Land's prestige."

"A mere Nascent Soul? I could kill him with a flick of my wrist!"

Their brief clash with Ye Chen had already spread through White Emperor City. Having suffered a minor loss, both were seething with dissatisfaction. They traded boasts, each claiming they could easily suppress Ye Chen, as if his Heavy Pupils were nothing to fear. As they spoke, they cautiously glanced at the figure seated at the head of the hall.

A female cultivator, bathed in moonlight, her perfect form veiled as if by gossamer moonbeams. Her face glowed with divine radiance, mostly obscured. Only the elegant, aloof curve of her chin was visible—flawless, like jade porcelain, breathtakingly beautiful.

In the eyes of the two legacy disciples, there was reverence, but also a flicker of deep, carefully concealed admiration. With such a peerless Holy Maiden in the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, what male disciple could claim to feel no affection?

But she was already the fiancée of their Holy Son. And their Holy Son, with his heaven-defying cultivation and unmatched talent, was the only one worthy of this lunar goddess-like figure. They knew their place, aware they stood no chance.

Yet, in the Holy Maiden's presence, they couldn't help but want to show off. Listening to their chatter, the Heavenly Intention Holy Maiden, Yi Qingwu, finally spoke. "The auction will have fragments of the Laurel Tree I need. Until I obtain them, I don't want any unnecessary complications. As for Ye Chen, I have no intention of seeking him out myself. That's the Holy Son's matter.

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"But since he's shown up in my presence, here in White Emperor City, as his fiancée, I can't ignore him. After the auction, I'll personally suppress him and bring him back to the Holy Land for the Holy Son to deal with once he emerges from seclusion. Our Heavenly Intention Holy Land brought two elders this time, enough to handle Ye Chen's protector and the elder leading his group. No one will save him."

Yi Qingwu's voice was like a spring breeze, soft and melodious, without a trace of coldness. Yet, it carried an unshakable resolve. To the two daoists, it was as if they were hearing celestial music.

The legacy disciple with the sword mark on his brow shook his head immediately. "Ye Chen's just a mere Nascent Soul cultivator. Why would the Holy Maiden need to act personally? Three days from now, the Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maiden will make her debut. With that Ye the Fourth's obsession with women, he's sure to show up. There's always a spar or two when vying for the divine maiden. I'll take him on then. His Heavy Pupils are formidable, but my realm is higher. With my Heavenly Intention Golden Pupils, I can counter them.

"As for his True Dragon Treasure Technique, True Phoenix Treasure Technique, and Kunpeng Treasure Technique, I've seen them in a recording crystal. They're strong, and he's fast, but he clearly hasn't mastered them fully or unleashed their true power. I'll face him with my Heavenly Intention Samsara Fist! Combined with my Heaven and Earth Manifestation, I can seal off the heavens and earth, cutting his speed in half. When that moment comes, I'll seize the chance and cripple him!"

The fan-wielding legacy disciple, who carried an air of refined charm, nodded in agreement. "I have no interest in this so-called divine maiden or places of romance, but to suppress this guy and uphold the prestige of our Heavenly Intention Holy Land, I'm willing to go along."

Hearing this, the sword-marked disciple quickly chimed in, "Exactly, I'm not interested either. Those fools in the city dare compare that Fan Qinghe to you, Holy Maiden? That's the greatest insult. A mere sparrow, how could it compare to a phoenix?"

Both of them brimmed with battle intent.

Yi Qingwu paid no mind to the so-called divine maiden. She considered Ye Chen—undeniably a prodigy, but still just a Nascent Soul cultivator. The two disciples were mid-Deity Transformation, trained in immortal scriptures, and possessed top-tier talent. They were more than enough to suppress Ye Chen.

With that in mind, Yi Qingwu nodded calmly. "If it proves too much, don't force it."

The two legacy disciples immediately assured her there'd be no issue, vowing to handle it perfectly. They couldn't bear to appear weak in front of the Holy Maiden.

With a gentle wave of her hand, Yi Qingwu dismissed them.

As the hall's doors closed, a radiant moon appeared behind her head, faintly revealing the silhouette of a celestial palace, as if it were the abode of an immortal.

"If I obtain the Laurel Tree fragments and glean the aura of the ancient Broad Cold Fairy from them, my strength will advance further, making my path to Unity smoother. The Laurel Tree fragments are precious, practically immortal treasures. But with my preparations, there should be no problem."

Yi Qingwu spoke calmly, the hall resonating with ethereal chimes. As for Ye Chen? He was but a fleeting thought in her mind, not worth lingering on. Despite his exceptional talent, his cultivation was too low. He'd be suppressed without her needing to lift a finger. There was no reason to care about him.

Soon, Yi Qingwu entered a state of cultivation. The hall filled with moonlight, rising and falling like tides with each breath she took.

…

Meanwhile, in White Emperor City, Ye Chen finished his cultivation for the day and prepared to head out. From Yao Gu, he'd learned that being too outstanding might make him an unlikely choice for the divine maiden. If that was the case, he'd rely on gifts. A barrage of treasures could smooth even the most winding path to success.

While others dreamed of freeloading, Ye Chen would shower her with gifts and even offer to be her cauldron. So, he stepped out, planning to browse White Emperor City for treasures suitable for gifting. And maybe trigger a critical hit in the process…