Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 412: Who's Really Being Drained?

"I was busy bidding earlier and didn't have time to give this to the Divine Maiden. Now that the auction's over, this belongs to you."

Ye Chen handed over a long wooden box containing the Queen Mother of the West visualization diagram.

Fan Qinghe, who'd been unsettled by Ye Chen's distant and seemingly displeased attitude, had feared he wouldn't give it to her. But now, he had. Her sharp mind instantly realized Ye Chen had been playing her, just as she'd been trying to control him.

Yet, she wasn't angry—only filled with the joy of regaining what she thought lost. This diagram was crucial to her. Only with it could she break through to Deity Transformation and stand a chance against prodigies like Yi Qingwu on the immortal path.

Holding the weighty box, Fan Qinghe made her decision. No more hesitation.

Ye Chen would be her protector. His unmatched talent made him the ideal choice, ensuring each of her nirvanas reached its peak. Moreover, his unimaginable wealth addressed a cultivator's insatiable need for resources, no matter their talent.

The Heavenly Desire Sect, however, was too small. Its internal strife, with too many female cultivators vying for power, meant elders often undermined her, leaving her short of resources. Even for this auction, she lacked enough spirit stones for the diagram, relying on Ye Chen's aid. Only with his full support could her immortal path be smooth.

She decided to take the gamble. If she won, she'd ascend to immortality, dominating the cosmos, perhaps surpassing even the Heavenly Desire Sect's founder. The founder's protector paled compared to Ye Chen, and a divine maiden's achievements were tied to her protector's caliber.

If she lost, she'd accept it. She wouldn't walk the path of the masses—she couldn't stomach it. Instead, she'd stay by Ye Chen's side. With his potential for immortality, as his partner, she might ascend alongside him.

In the immortal realm, immortal qi was abundant, making breakthroughs far easier than in the cultivation world. There, she could still have her chance at immortality. Win or lose, Ye Chen was her best choice.

…

"Congratulations, Host, on successfully gifting the item."

"Gifted item: Replica of the Queen Mother of the West Visualization Diagram!"

"1,500 times feedback in progress."

"Detected significant emotional fluctuation in the gift recipient…"

"Triggered top-notch critical hit reward!"

"Feedback: Pangu World-Opening Visualization Diagram!"

"Pangu World-Opening Visualization Diagram: A supreme figure of the Kuafu Clan, stirred by their bloodline, entered a dream of the ancient past, witnessing Pangu splitting the heavens and earth. This scene was recorded and imbued with the divine charm felt in the dream, forming this diagram."

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As the system's prompt echoed in his mind, the faint smile on Ye Chen's face vanished. His pupils contracted, shock overtaking him. It had been a long time since a feedback reward stunned him like this. He'd seen much of the world, but this… this was staggering.

The Pangu World-Opening Visualization Diagram? The system could produce something like this?

Ye Chen had heard tales of Pangu in the cultivation world. The legend, initially spread among the myriad races, claimed Pangu was the first divine being born in the primordial chaos.

With the primordial essence of all things, he forged a divine axe and split the heavens and earth, only to perish from exhaustion. His colossal body transformed into the myriad races—their origin story.

Of course, it was just a legend, its truth unverified. But among the myriad races was the Kuafu Clan, whose combat prowess ranked in the top ten. Rumor had it their bloodline carried a trace of Pangu's, granting them boundless physical strength and terrifying power.

As for the Pangu World-Opening Visualization Diagram, Ye Chen had heard of it too. It wasn't created by someone witnessing Pangu's act but by a supreme Kuafu Clan figure who, inspired by their bloodline, dreamed of that moment and recorded it, infusing it with the divine charm felt in the dream.

This diagram was the Kuafu Clan's supreme treasure, the cultivation world's foremost visualization diagram, renowned far and wide. Using it could vastly enhance a primordial spirit's grade, and the resulting Heaven and Earth Manifestation would be extraordinarily powerful.

However, after the Heavenly Emperor ascended, he wreaked havoc. A Kuafu Clan ancestor, who created the diagram, reached from the immortal realm and struck him with a palm. That blow was so devastating it silenced the Emperor for two years, leading many to believe he'd been killed. But when he reemerged, stronger than ever, he destroyed the Jianmu Tree and massacred the Kuafu Clan, rivers of blood flowing. The diagram vanished thereafter.

Many assumed the Emperor had claimed it. Countless Holy Lands and great factions sought it for their juniors to study, but the Emperor claimed he never got it. Few believed him, suspecting he was hiding it.

Now, it seemed he might've been telling the truth. The Pangu World-Opening Visualization Diagram landing in Ye Chen's hands was beyond his wildest expectations. With his already profound foundation, this top-tier diagram would make his breakthrough to Deity Transformation even more formidable. He might not even need his senior brother to suppress the Heavenly Intention Holy Son.

This unexpected windfall made him look at Fan Qinghe with heightened anticipation. A single visualization diagram had triggered this. What if Fan Qinghe absorbed his essence in the future? Could it yield something as outrageous as a Pangu Divine Body?

Right now, Ye Chen had one thought: I'm definitely becoming her protector.

…

"Thank you, Holy Son. Your great kindness, Qinghe will never forget!"

Fan Qinghe's peach-blossom eyes gazed at Ye Chen, brimming with deep affection, so intense it seemed to melt.

Ye Chen smiled faintly. "No need for formalities, Divine Maiden. My feelings for you haven't changed. But I sense you still have many reservations. A week from now, I'll leave White Emperor City, so I may not be able to wait for you any longer."

Since applying pressure worked, he'd keep it up. One trick could carry him far. Besides, his brilliance made him a target—lingering outside too long invited trouble. Ideally, within a week, she'd plant the divine seed, completing her first nirvana. Afterward, he'd return to the Holy Land. Not that he'd abandon her—he'd rush back for her second nirvana.

Fan Qinghe's long lashes trembled slightly. But she'd made up her mind. Her enchanting face turned serious. "Through our time together, I've seen my heart clearly and confirmed you're the one I've been searching for. I entrust my future to you, Holy Son. In all that lies ahead, please cherish me…"

Ye Chen smiled, though her words sounded off. To an outsider, they might think she was the one being drained.