Immortality Starts With Investment

With the Heavenly Emperor gone, and the Devouring Female Immortal and the others departed as well, the remaining imprints lacked even a trace of will. This meant their original owners had either perished long ago or possessed relatively low cultivation in life.

Figures like the Undying Celestial Emperor—who had once served merely as a stepping stone crushed beneath the Heavenly Emperor's feet—fell into the latter category. Such opponents in the imprint tribulation left Ye Chen thoroughly bored. At his current level, quantity could no longer compensate for the lack of quality in enemies. With a casual palm strike, he scattered yet another imprint of an ancient supreme prodigy.

While doing so, Ye Chen reflected on the figures he had just seen and the words he had overheard. First and foremost, of course, was the Heavenly Emperor. The man truly seemed perpetually busy—dropping by for a quick stroll through someone else's tribulation, only to get mocked in passing. A textbook case of the Mocked Divine Body. And his life appeared rather miserable. Everyone around him had died—friends, loved ones, beauties, all gone.

Then there was this "foreign domain" they mentioned. Ye Chen could understand an invasion of the immortal realm, but what did "devouring" mean? Was this some new dungeon?

It seemed the cultivation world was in a precarious state, and even the immortal realm above was far from peaceful. Yet hearing the name "Seven Extreme Heavenly Maiden" made Ye Chen's eyes brighten. That name was connected to Senior An. The Heavenly Emperor had once clashed with the Seven Extremes Heavenly Maiden—perhaps he knew more about her.

Ye Chen had originally hoped to ask the Heavenly Emperor a few questions: After gathering all twelve immortal roots, could Senior An truly be protected from the Seven Extreme Heavenly Maiden's influence? Would she avoid being assimilated in the future?

Unfortunately, there had been no time. No matter. When he reached the Sixth Heaven of Mahayana and crossed another tribulation, he would surely meet the Heavenly Emperor again. He could only hope the man would be less busy next time—and stay put long enough for Ye Chen to farm the achievement of defeating him at the same realm.

Aside from the Heavenly Emperor, the one who captured Ye Chen's attention most was naturally the Devouring Female Immortal. Before ascending, she had created the Devouring Heaven Demon Art. After becoming an immortal, she devised the Indestructible Heavenly Art. She was the first being in history to carve out a glorious era with nothing more than a mortal body. In the annals of the human race, her status was no less than the Heavenly Emperor's. Her combat power was unfathomable.

The glimpse Ye Chen caught showed her clad in a crimson gown. Legend held that it had once been a plain white hemp dress—dyed and refined through the blood of countless true immortals until it turned that deep, bloody hue. Her appearance was even more astonishing. Even with Ye Chen's Heavy Pupils, her features remained indistinct.

Yet through the haze, he sensed beauty so overwhelming that even the stars would pale in comparison. Historical records about the Devouring Divine Maiden were sparse, mostly passing mentions.

One line, however, stood out: The Devouring Female Immortal almost always wore a ghostly mask. Once, a Quasi-Immortal of the demon race had glimpsed her true face and instantly suffered a shattered dao heart.

Such was the caliber of her countenance. The only pity was that no system notification had triggered. But Ye Chen felt that with the Devouring Female Immortal's peerless talent, how could any other man possibly catch her eye?

The lack of reaction was most likely because this was merely an imprint. If he ever met her true self, her multiplier would surely exceed all imagination.

Still, Ye Chen had expected at least a few words from her. After all, he cultivated the Indestructible Heavenly Art, and he had even obtained both the Devouring Heaven Demon Jar and the Ghost Face Mask. Yet she had merely glanced at him once. Truly, she was cold to an extreme.

…

What should have been a grueling imprint tribulation—a true test of strength and combat prowess—suddenly lost all flavor.

Ye Chen swept through the ancient prodigies with devastating ease, crushing them like dry weeds. From afar, the hidden onlookers could not hear the exchanges, yet watching one imprint after another dissolve on its own left them stunned.

Feng Baiyu stared at the Heavenly Emperor's imprint fading away of its own accord, his earlier suspicion solidifying. Ye Chen had to be the Heavenly Emperor's son. Otherwise, why would the Heavenly Emperor's imprint retreat without a fight?

Though Feng Baiyu also believed the Heavenly Emperor at the same realm might not necessarily defeat Ye Chen, he knew the man's temperament—he was not one to shy from battle. Meanwhile, the Great Saint of the Devouring lineage watched the Devouring Female Immortal's imprint vanish voluntarily, utterly baffled.

Legend held that once cultivation reached the absolute peak, one could connect across past and present. Merely calling their name could summon a thread of consciousness, no matter the distance. This imprint had very likely carried a sliver of the Devouring Female Immortal's divine sense. So why had she not acted? Was it disdain? Or deference to the Heavenly Emperor?

The Great Saint could not comprehend it. But seeing the Heavenly Emperor's heir ruthlessly slaughter one supreme ancient prodigy after another within the battlefield, he pushed the thought aside. The tribulation was nearing its end. It was time for them to make their move.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir's imprint tribulation had been unprecedented. To require an entire group of supreme ancient prodigies just to temper him—the sheer monstrosity of his talent was beyond imagination. Thus, the killing intent in every heart burned hotter than ever.

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…

Within the imprint battlefield, every figure was a legendary giant of history, each possessing extraordinary strength and countless methods. Yet in the end, they were mere imprints.

Ye Chen did not even need to employ any special techniques. With overwhelming power and momentum alone, he suppressed them one by one. In the brief time that remained, the last of the imprints dissolved completely.

Ye Chen waved a hand, collecting the lingering marks they left behind. But he did not pay them much attention. At his current level, with the Nine Secrets and the Ten Vicious Treasure Techniques already at his disposal, even the insights of these ancient prodigies held little value for him. They were, at best, better than nothing.

Ye Chen swept his gaze around and saw the three women watching him with faces full of worship and awe. Especially Fan Qinghe's grandmaster—despite being the eldest, her expression at this moment was that of a lovestruck maiden. There was not the slightest trace of pretense.

But the truth was, none of the three was acting. They were genuinely shaken. Ye Chen's breakthrough had been unprecedented. So many ancient prodigies at the same realm, yet all had been crushed with a casual lift of his hand. He was nothing short of a god of war. With such power, forget the Sixth Heaven—ascension to immortality was practically guaranteed. Did that mean… they too might have a chance to follow him into the immortal realm?

Ever since the destruction of the Jianmu Tree and the steadily rising difficulty of cultivation, the Heavenly Desire Sect—which had already been struggling to produce immortals—had been completely cut off from that path. In this final era of the immortal path, if the three of them could become Quasi-Immortals and enter the immortal realm…

The mere thought made them tremble, just like the shivering they had shown earlier. But immortal realm slots were limited. For all three to secure one would not be easy. Ye Chen's quota would surely go to his women.

Thus, if the master and grandmaster wanted a chance, they would have to rely entirely on Fan Qinghe. The grandmaster sent a covert voice transmission. "Qinghe, your master and I will depend on you entirely if we are to enter the immortal realm in the future…"

Fan Qinghe's lovely face—already flushed from the excitement of watching Ye Chen's battle—froze in astonishment at the words. How could that be possible?

The slots were so few. Ye Chen's master would take one. That unchaste Heavenly Intention Holy Maiden would surely get one. Given Lan Nuo's favored position, she would almost certainly have one too. And Ye Chen placed special importance on Senior An—she would likely have a slot as well. Even Fan Qinghe herself would have to fight for hers.

As for her master and grandmaster? That was nothing more than a pipe dream.

The grandmaster flashed a confident smile. "Others have only one person. But you hold the advantage—you have both your master and your grandmaster. The three of us together will surely give the Heavenly Emperor's heir an experience unlike any other. No matter how favored other female cultivators may be, they come alone. How could they possibly compare to three generations of the Heavenly Desire Sect united? The Heavenly Emperor's heir is different from ordinary cultivators—he has a deep fascination with this kind of thing. As long as we seize this opportunity, there truly is a chance for all three of us to enter the immortal realm together…"

Fan Qinghe's heart stirred at the words. Ye Chen had never fully claimed her, leaving her with lingering unease. She feared that one day he might change his mind. But she had her master and grandmaster—two allies who could fight alongside her. That was her true edge. If used well, it would surely draw Ye Chen back to the Heavenly Desire Sect time and again.

The women around Ye Chen were formidable. There was the Sacred Spiritual Root, the Heavenly Demon Body, the Broad Cold Immortal Body. Even his master was said to possess the Undefeated Sword Body, having inherited the legacy of Dugu Bubai.

Fan Qinghe was no fighter. Entering the immortal realm alone, she might be bullied or suppressed. Having her master and grandmaster by her side would make all the difference. Most importantly, her master had raised her since childhood. The thought of ascending to the immortal realm and leaving her behind felt unbearable.

"Alright… I'll try."

Fan Qinghe spoke without much confidence. Yet the grandmaster burned with determination. An opportunity to ascend—something she had never dared dream of—was now within reach. Fifteen hundred years of emptiness had taught her how rare such chances were. When one appeared, she had to give everything. Even failure would cost her nothing she had not already lost. But success meant immortality—eternal life.

"The three of us—master, disciple, and grand-disciple—will unite our hearts and strength. Together, we will break through any obstacle! We'll delay our seclusion for now. Qinghe, go invite the Heavenly Emperor's heir back to the cave abode to rest. Your master and I will prepare some ritual garments and tools.

"Last time we rushed too fiercely, distracted, and our performance fell short. This time, I will bring out every skill I possess. I'll make the Heavenly Emperor's heir so enthralled he'll never want to leave—he'll wish he could live in the Heavenly Desire Sect forever."

Fan Qinghe nodded. The longer Ye Chen stayed, the better. She too wanted to spend more time with him. But the moment Fan Qinghe rose and flew toward Ye Chen, the sky, only just cleared after the tribulation clouds dispersed, darkened once more in an instant.

At the same time, the void trembled. Across the entire Heavenly Desire Sect and for ten thousand li around, endless black light erupted, forming an impenetrable barrier. It was as though the sect had been forcibly torn from the greater world and sealed in isolation.

The moment the barrier locked the area in place, a massive surge of black radiance burst from within, roaring toward everything. The terrifying aura seemed capable of flattening the world itself. The Heavenly Desire Sect's mountain-protecting grand formation flared to life automatically.

The array was extraordinary, crafted personally by a supreme formation master who had once been a lover of one of the sect's elders. Its defensive power was formidable. Yet it endured only a single strike from the black light.

Cracking sounds rang out. Fissures spiderwebbed across the array's core materials. It was on the verge of collapse. Its defensive capability had nearly vanished.

Everything happened too quickly. The three women's expressions changed drastically. An enemy was attacking. But who was so bold as to strike the Heavenly Desire Sect at this moment, knowing both the Heavenly Emperor's heir and the powerhouses from the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land were present?

Unless… they had come precisely for the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

At that thought, all three women paled. The experts from the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land narrowed their eyes. Through the black light, several figures radiating terrifying auras could faintly be seen!

"Two Great Saints!"

The Great Saint from the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land spoke gravely.

Feng Baiyu merely smiled. It was as though he had anticipated this all along. Meanwhile, Ye Chen—still feeling a touch of emptiness after the tribulation's abrupt end—sensed the horrifying aura roaring toward him from within the black light. A faint smile curved across his lips.