Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 399: I Want the Finest Cauldron!

"Gift successfully delivered…"

"Gift: Top-grade spiritual treasure, Diamond Ring replica!"

"1,500-fold feedback in progress…"

"Detected that the gift is extremely significant to the recipient…"

"Critical hit reward triggered."

"Reward: Extreme Dao Weapon, Diamond Ring!"

The system's prompts echoed in Ye Chen's mind. Even as he stepped onto the jade boat, enveloped by Fan Qinghe's intoxicating fragrance, close enough to feel her warmth, with mist cloaking the boat in an intimate, tantalizing atmosphere, his focus remained on the feedback.

He was thrilled. The system had actually rewarded him with the original Diamond Ring? His efforts to infuse it with various immortal metals had paid off.

In the era before the Heavenly Emperor, a Moral Heavenly Venerable had ascended to immortality. He rarely fought, favoring tranquility and non-action. But when he did, he was terrifying.

His One Qi Transforms Three Purities technique swept through all opposition, hailed as the most astonishing avatar technique in cultivation history. Each avatar matched his true body's strength. Each operated under a different alias, roaming the world and earning immense fame across various continents. Only after his ascension was it revealed that they were all the Venerable's aliases.

Before his ascension, his primary weapon was a divine ring called the Diamond Ring. Its power was boundless—capable of offense, defense, suppression, and protection. Truly versatile.

Later Diamond Rings were all replicas modeled after it. According to records, the Venerable didn't elevate the Diamond Ring to an immortal artifact upon ascending. Instead, he abandoned it, crafting a whisk instead. The Diamond Ring's whereabouts became unknown—until now, when the system's critical hit delivered it to Ye Chen.

Gazing at the Extreme Dao Weapon floating in his inner world, Ye Chen was filled with awe. Nascent Soul cultivators used spiritual treasures. Deity Transformation cultivators wielded mysterious treasures. Unity-stage cultivators could imbue dao marks, using more powerful dao weapons.

Only at the Mahayana stage, the final step before the Immortal, did one use Extreme Dao Weapons. The term "Extreme Dao" alone hinted at their extraordinary power.

Like the Dugu Wooden Sword before it, the Diamond Ring required Mahayana cultivation to wield freely. Without that, even possessing it, one couldn't use it casually. Only a top prodigy's foundation could barely use it as a trump card in life-or-death moments.

Ye Chen's mind sank into his inner world, sensing the Diamond Ring's might. Compared to the five-colored immortal metal version he'd gifted, the original was exponentially more terrifying. Silver in color, it exuded strands of mysterious qi.

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Ye Chen tried to interact with it but quickly gave up. Even with his vast spiritual power, he couldn't stir it. His spiritual sense couldn't penetrate it. Only by exhausting every ounce of his power could he perhaps make it quiver slightly. But even that would be devastating—enough to obliterate most Deity Transformation cultivators with a single tremor.

This reward was a massive windfall. However, after learning about the Moral Heavenly Venerable, a suspicion crept into Ye Chen's mind. His senior brother's avatars were so formidable—could he have inherited the Moral Heavenly Venerable's legacy?

Ye Chen had always assumed it was the Heavenly Emperor's, given his avatar techniques. But compared to the Heavenly Emperor's recorded domineering, world-shattering style, his senior brother was calmer, his dao more natural.

Now, it seemed plausible he'd received the Moral Heavenly Venerable's inheritance. That would explain the Enlightenment Tea Tree leaves left behind. The Moral Heavenly Venerable was famously fond of tea. Leaving a few leaves in his legacy was perfectly fitting.

…

Ye Chen's suspicion was fleeting, quickly set aside. His senior brother was an ally—there was no need to pry into his secrets with such curiosity. His attention now turned fully to Fan Qinghe. At this moment, she was radiant, glowing with an ethereal allure.

Standing so close, Ye Chen could not only admire her voluptuous, wild figure but also feel the enchanting aura emanating from her very being. In her presence, it was nearly impossible for any man to stay composed.

For their first meeting to yield such a divine reward from the system—Ye Chen was thoroughly satisfied. And this was just the beginning. From what he knew, the Heavenly Desire Sect's divine maiden practiced a peculiar technique. By partnering with male cultivators, she could undergo nirvana-like transformations, enhancing her aptitude. The higher the male cultivator's talent, the greater her improvement.

A 1,500-fold feedback wasn't particularly high, but if he became her guardian, the future multipliers would be unimaginable. And Ye Chen himself would reap even greater rewards. Given Fan Qinghe's unique needs, these rewards might directly enhance his own being, rather than mere treasures or techniques. This prospect thrilled him.

So, without hiding his intentions, Ye Chen sat before her, his eyes gleaming with admiration. He had no interest in playing the gentleman or slowly building affection. He would conquer her with his strength and wealth.

…

Fan Qinghe noticed Ye Chen's momentarily stunned, delighted expression, stirring complex emotions within her. She couldn't read him. Based on his earlier performance, he was a man of resolute will. How could he be so easily captivated by her presence?

Either he was pretending, aiming to emulate the Heavenly Emperor—conquering her as the Emperor had done with her predecessor, only to leave after taking what he wanted—or he was genuinely enthralled, letting his guard down in her presence, revealing his true nature.

Which was it? She couldn't tell.

This uncertainty left her conflicted. As a divine maiden, the most critical factor in choosing a guardian was control. If she couldn't dominate her partner, it would all be for naught.

The Heavenly Desire Sect had seen several divine maidens fail, becoming stepping stones for others, precisely because they overestimated their ability to control their partners.

The cultivation path of a divine maiden was fraught with difficulty. Choosing a top-tier prodigy as a guardian was necessary to reach the highest realms, but such prodigies were often too monstrous to subdue. The choice was agonizing.

Yet, gazing at Ye Chen, her radiant eyes sparkled like stars. Her heart brimmed with eagerness. She always sought the best. Now at the peak of Nascent Soul, she could finally begin cultivating the Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture. Naturally, she needed the finest cauldron. Only then could she reach the pinnacle.

Ye Chen's talent far exceeded her expectations, stirring her heart. As for controlling him? Fan Qinghe was confident. With effort, she could surely make Ye Chen her devoted cauldron, willing to sacrifice everything to help her ascend the immortal path.