Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 903: Land of Fallen Immortals!

Inside the cave heaven.

Ye Chen instructed Lu Jing to carry the dazed Luo Bingling back to rest. He then gave Lu Jing a few extra glances. "From now on, focus on breaking through to the Mahayana stage…"

With those words, Ye Chen drifted out of the cave heaven. He stood in the starry void and withdrew the grand formation. Turning toward the several protecting elders stationed nearby, he bowed respectfully.

"Many thanks to all the elders for safeguarding this disciple… For the next step, I must trouble you to accompany me to the Heavenly Emperor Hall once more! Once that is concluded, we will return to the Great Yan Continent."

The elders of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land were stunned when they saw Ye Chen emerge from the formation. In merely two and a half years, he had advanced directly from early Saint to peak Saint. The aura radiating from him was terrifying. Their fourth holy son was truly heaven-defying—not only in fortune, but in raw talent as well. A figure like this deserved their full investment.

Though Ye Chen would surely ascend to immortality in the future and leave no place for them in that realm, before he departed, he could sweep clean the cultivation world and establish the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land as the sole hegemon. That alone would bring them enormous benefits.

Although Ye Chen had joined halfway using Elder Shangguan's token, his character was beyond reproach—he would never turn ungrateful. Since entering the holy land, the advantages he had brought to both the sect and its elders far outweighed what the sect had given him.

For instance, the Holy Son Peak's elders and disciples had long since stopped bothering to collect their monthly stipends. And whenever these supreme elders accompanied Ye Chen on a trip, any battle that arose guaranteed at least one Ginseng Fruit. Even without combat, he would offer generous heavenly materials and earthly treasures as thanks.

With boundless prospects ahead and an open-handed nature—possessing even divine items like Ginseng Fruits—how could they not fulfill their duty to protect him with utmost devotion?

Thus, no one voiced the slightest objection. They immediately summoned their flying ship and set course for the Heavenly Emperor Hall.

…

Deep within the Heavenly Emperor Hall.

The gold-robed elder returned dusty and weary, his complexion deathly pale. Clearly, he had suffered considerable injuries. Yet a smile graced his face.

"This journey to the Land of Fallen Immortals was not without heavy wounds. But obtaining a flawless Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal makes it all worthwhile."

He gazed at the radiant, unblemished Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal in his palm and murmured to himself with deep satisfaction. Although his daughter also possessed one, hers bore cracks. An intact Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal was worth tenfold—or even a hundredfold—more than a damaged one.

At that moment, movement came from the entrance to the cave heaven containing the Origin Sea.

The gold-robed elder's lips curved upward. "It seems my daughter has already reached peak Saint and is emerging from seclusion. Everything is proceeding smoothly. I wonder how Nephew Ye is faring these days?"

As he pondered, Yan Qingcheng's graceful figure floated out and entered his view. But in the next instant, the gold-robed elder frowned slightly. "Qingcheng, why have you emerged at only a late Saint? Could it be…?"

Guessing the reason, his expression darkened.

Yan Qingcheng shook her head with faint regret. "The Chaos Body's demand for cosmic origin power in the Saint realm far exceeds that of other physiques' prodigies… I drained every last drop of origin power from the Origin Pool, yet I still couldn't break through to the peak.

"However, it's not a serious issue. As long as I carry the fragments of the Star God Origin-Gathering Cauldron with me, three to five years will be enough to reach perfection. It won't delay things too much!"

His daughter spoke with calm detachment. But the gold-robed elder found it difficult to accept. The Immortal Path had already opened. Immortal Qi was gathering and could manifest at any moment. In such times, falling even one step behind meant falling behind forever.

Though the chances of his daughter obtaining immortal qi were slim, if she could reach Quasi-Immortal by the time it appeared and assist Ye Chen—thereby increasing her presence—securing a slot to enter the Immortal Realm would become almost certain.

Yan Qingcheng, however, did not dwell on it. What had already happened could not be changed by regret; better to accept it calmly. She noticed the Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal in her father's hand and revealed a look of surprise. An intact Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal. Then she saw her father's pale face and weakened state, clearly still recovering from old wounds.

Yan Qingcheng couldn't help frowning. "Father, did you go to the Land of Fallen Immortals?"

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The Land of Fallen Immortals was an exceedingly strange place. It had already been a forbidden zone even before the era of the Heavenly Emperors. Countless True Immortals had perished there.

Legends spoke of countless treasures within; some had glimpsed shadows of many divine artifacts just outside its borders. This drew numerous cultivators whose lifespans were nearing their end to venture inside, hoping for longevity or a breakthrough opportunity.

Most never returned. Dozens of elderly Quasi-Immortals had fallen there. One could imagine the peril.

"Father, you were far too reckless…"

Yan Qingcheng's tone carried a hint of sternness.

Sensing his daughter's concern, the gold-robed elder gave a faint smile and spoke with grand composure. "No matter… I merely wandered the outer regions… This Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal was discovered by our ancestor of two generations past. Over the years, we have been steadily mapping safe routes. Retrieving it this time was not overly dangerous…

"Still, it wasn't simple. I encountered a female Quasi-Immortal inside. Her condition was extremely odd—she seemed to have been refined into a servant by someone. But as you know, your father's talent is exceptional; even among your generation's top prodigies, I am hardly inferior.

"As a Great Emperor, I withstood three of her strikes before departing with ease. That female Quasi-Immortal was peculiar. She was petite, almost like a little girl, yet her figure was astonishingly alluring. Every movement stirred the heart…

"Somewhat reminiscent of the Heavenly Desire Sect's methods. I wonder if she was an ancestor from some generation of that sect. For a mere third-rate sect to have once produced a Quasi-Immortal is quite surprising…"

Yan Qingcheng listened to her father's account. Seeing his pallid complexion, she judged that it would take at least a year or two for him to recover his vitality. Still, she did not press the matter further, nor did she show much curiosity about the Land of Fallen Immortals.

Soon, the gold-robed elder turned to the main topic. "By the way, Qingcheng, this Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal I happened to obtain…"

Yan Qingcheng spoke up at once. "Father, I know you want me to take it and replace the cracked one… But Fellow Daoist Ye has never held anything back from me. The moment he obtained a Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal, he sent it to me first. He even gave me the entire Origin Pool opportunity…

"And all the other thoughtful gestures he's made need no further mention. If I came across something better and kept it for myself, passing only the inferior one to Ye Chen, it would tarnish my Dao Heart. I understand how hard you worked for this, Father, but please don't put me in a difficult position…"

Yan Qingcheng spoke with sincere earnestness.

The gold-robed elder's expression grew complicated. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Daughter, that's actually what I wanted to discuss with you… My thinking is this: in the future, Ye Chen will take the lead while you support him. The two of you will walk the Immortal Path together and sweep aside all prodigies and demons.

"The principle is to help the strong, not the weak. Ye Chen is the one who will decide the outcome. So you using the damaged one won't make much difference… But if Ye Chen uses the flawless one, his strength will increase dramatically! The strong grow ever stronger—this will make your generation's Immortal Path far more certain of success… You brought it up yourself, so clearly you share the same thought."

Yan Qingcheng was stunned. Wait—he wasn't planning to give it to her at all? Her father had already decided she should play the supporting role for Ye Chen?

This…

Her emotions suddenly became tangled. She was genuinely glad to see her father change his opinion of Ye Chen and treat him warmly. But this level of enthusiasm left her feeling a little awkward. Besides, wasn't he giving up on her a bit too quickly?

And it felt faintly unfair. What did he mean by "using the damaged one won't affect you much," while "Ye Chen using the perfect one will bring enormous improvement"?

Yan Qingcheng wanted to retort, but she didn't know where to begin.

At that moment, a powerful aura approached from the distance.

Yan Qingcheng raised an eyebrow as she sensed it.

The gold-robed elder's eyes lit up instantly. "My good son-in-law is here? Excellent!"

In the next breath, his posture suddenly hunched. His face grew even paler, and his aura weakened dramatically—barely stronger than a Great Saint now, almost on par with a Saint King.

Yan Qingcheng watched her father's transformation and, sharp as ever, immediately understood his intention. She helplessly pressed a palm to her forehead.

Still, a trace of delight appeared in her eyes at Ye Chen's arrival. The two of them opened the gates of the Heavenly Emperor Hall.

Ye Chen had already arrived.

Yan Qingcheng and the gold-robed elder looked at him, about to speak—then their eyes widened in shock.

"Good son-in-law, you… You've already reached peak Saint?"

How much time had passed? At most two and a half years, right?

Moreover, he knew Ye Chen had gone straight from the Heavenly Emperor Hall to the Nether God Holy Land. The boy seemed to have some connection with the Nether God Holy Land's First Nether Maiden as well. He'd spent time entwined with women, then handed the Origin Pool to his own daughter.

Yet his daughter was stuck at late Saint. While Ye Chen had shot straight to the peak? What kind of fortune had he encountered? Was his luck really this outrageous?

Yan Qingcheng was equally stunned, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Ye Chen smiled warmly at the pair, aware of their shock, and explained calmly.

"Greetings, Fairy Yan and Senior. During this journey, I ventured into the depths of a certain starfield and came across an opportunity left behind by an ancient predecessor. It contained a vast quantity of Cosmic Origin Crystals. My cultivation surged as a result, and I successfully broke through to peak Saint. I was worried Fairy Qingcheng might be concerned, so I came especially to let you know…"

The gold-robed elder was even more astonished. Was this real? He could stumble upon an opportunity like that? Was this boy's fortune simply too absurd?

Ye Chen turned to Yan Qingcheng, curiosity in his gaze. "Fairy Yan, why are you still at late Saint?"

Yan Qingcheng shook her head. "The Chaos Body absorbs cosmic origin power far more voraciously than other physiques. The Origin Pool wasn't quite enough to push me through. But it's no issue. I'm only a little short—two or three years should be sufficient to reach the peak…"

Ye Chen smiled at once. "That's a small matter… I still have plenty of Cosmic Origin Crystals left from what I obtained. Here—take these to help Fairy Yan break through."

With those words, Ye Chen directly produced three crystals. They shone with pure silver light, exuding profound and mysterious auras, completely flawless. Clearly, they were forged from the highest-grade cosmic origin power, refined and compressed to perfection. And each one contained several times more origin power than the entire Origin Pool. They were priceless treasures. Yet Ye Chen had casually taken out three at once?

This time, both Yan Qingcheng and the gold-robed elder were utterly stunned!