Immortality Starts With Investment

Li Feihuang's eyes widened in disbelief. For all these years, unease and self-doubt had gnawed at her heart. Whenever she recalled the past, she feared Ye Chen truly despised her, leaving her too ashamed to even face him.

That was why she always lingered just outside the door. She had heard how he bestowed a Sacred Spiritual Root upon Lan Nuo, granted cave-heaven origin to Yao Yuezhi, presented countless treasures to Senior An, and showered her own master with cultivation artifacts.

Each time, she shrank into a corner, quietly envying them, wondering whether everything would have been different if she had made another choice back then. She never imagined that after traveling all the way to the Central Continent, Ye Chen would still remember her.

How could she possibly deserve this?

In that instant, gratitude and guilt surged through Li Feihuang in an overwhelming tide she could scarcely put into words. Tears welled in her beautiful eyes. Her voice came out hoarse and trembling.

"Thank you… Holy Son…"

Seeing her reaction, Ye Chen broke into a soft smile. Time really could change so many things. He waved his hand casually and drifted away.

Lin Qingtan's lips curved upward.

"Feihuang, next time, don't squat outside the door. Just come in. Every time you arrive, I chat with the Holy Son about whether you'll finally step inside this time. And whenever your name comes up, his mood lifts noticeably—his movements become much rougher too…"

Li Feihuang's face flushed scarlet at once. She lowered her head in embarrassment. Though she had arrived first, her master was now the Holy Son's woman. Her behavior felt almost like she was trying to steal him from her own teacher.

Lin Qingtan read her disciple's thoughts and shook her head with gentle indifference.

"No one can see the true limit of the Holy Son. So no woman can truly possess him. To simply have a period of companionship is already the greatest fortune. Take me, for example—I know my place clearly. When the Holy Son ascends to immortality, I most likely won't be able to follow.

"But I feel no regret. Compared to other female cultivators, I truly am nothing special. All I can do is accompany him as much as possible before he leaves the cultivation world. If I can bear him a child along the way, that would be even better…

"So don't carry any psychological burden. If you join us, perhaps the unique dynamic of master and disciple together will make him visit more often. When you think about it that way… you'd actually be helping me."

Li Feihuang stared in astonishment. She hadn't expected her master to think this way. Yet she too firmly believed that Ye Chen was destined to ascend in this life. And she herself had even less chance of reaching the Immortal Realm.

With that realization, regret welled up inside her. The Holy Son's time in this realm was already running short—yet she had spent it all hesitating. Next time he returned, she would absolutely not waver again.

Seeing that her disciple had finally understood, Lin Qingtan smiled and took her hand, leading her back into the cave abode.

"Come with me inside. I'll teach you what the Holy Son likes, and which part of his body is especially sensitive…"

Hearing her master's words, Li Feihuang's face burned even redder…

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...

Meanwhile, as Ye Chen flew toward his own cave abode, a system notification chimed in his mind.

"Congratulations to the host—gift successfully presented…"

"Gift: Undying Celestial Phoenix Origin Divine Flame…"

"500× feedback in progress…"

"Detected that the gift presented by the host…"

"Has triggered top-notch critical-hit feedback…"

"Feedback: Void Sword Devouring Spirit Flame..."

"The Void Devouring Flame was born in the secluded cultivation site of an ancient sword cultivator. It fused with the lingering sword intent left behind by that ancient sword cultivator, underwent mutation, and evolved into the Void Sword Devouring Spirit Flame…"

"The Void Sword Devouring Spirit Flame can temper the sword body, advancing it to a higher level…"

"It can enhance sword techniques, greatly increasing their power. It can devour enemy attacks, granting boundless might…"

"The Void Sword Devouring Spirit Flame can deepen comprehension of the sword path…"

"It can be imbued into weapons, dramatically boosting their power…"

"The Void Sword Devouring Spirit Flame possesses the potential to advance into immortal flame. Should it successfully evolve into immortal flame and perfectly merge with one's own sword intent, an even greater elevation can be achieved…"

Reading the notification, Ye Chen felt a flicker of surprise. He had only given Li Feihuang the gift on a whim—her pitiful, timid expression had tugged at him a little.

Truthfully, back then, Li Feihuang had mostly been putting on an act. But her heart had never been truly malicious. She had simply been far too full of herself. That wasn't whitewashing; it was simply fact.

Yet he never expected that a mere 500× multiplier would actually deliver a small surprise. The Void Sword Devouring Spirit Flame held no real value for him anymore. He had long since outgrown the need for such enhancements. Only the immortal flame might still catch his interest.

But for his master, this flame would be excellent. His master possessed the Undefeated Sword Body and had devoted her entire life to the sword. If she could obtain this flame, her combat power would undoubtedly rise another level.

It was a pity that Li Feihuang's multiplier remained too low. Ye Chen suspected that if she had reached 3,000× or higher, the feedback would have produced immortal-grade flame instead.

Still, it didn't matter. As long as there was potential for improvement, Ye Chen had ways to help his master continue advancing. He recalled how, years ago, he had gone to great lengths to gift Li Feihuang treasures—yet none ever triggered a critical hit, never yielding what he truly wanted.

Now, on a casual whim, it had actually crit this time. Indeed, resources should be spent on oneself.

When you pour everything into female cultivators, they come to see it as their due and may even look down on you once they grow stronger. But when you invest in yourself and become powerful, even the smallest gift you offer becomes a treasured blessing in their eyes.

...

After spending a little more time with Senior An and informing her of his departure, Ye Chen returned to his personal Holy Son residence. The moment he stepped through the cave abode entrance, he saw Lu Jing in a form-fitting long dress, bending at the waist as her graceful curves swayed gently. With a warm smile, she was preparing delicacies.

Fragrant aromas of spiritual dishes filled the entire cave abode.

"The Holy Son likes spicy food—this is the Northern Region Devil Pepper sent over by the Outer Affairs Office…"

"And this one…"

"Young Master stayed with Elder An for a while, then with Elder Lin for another stretch…"

"By my calculations, he should be returning to the cave abode any day now. I'd better prepare extra…"

Sensing the pure, natural joy that radiated from Lu Jing simply because he was coming back, Ye Chen couldn't help but smile softly.

"I'm back…"

He spoke with a light, relaxed tone.

Lu Jing turned at once, eyes lighting up in delighted surprise.

"Holy Son! You're back? What would you like to eat? I've prepared so many things!"

Ye Chen had long since lost much interest in food compared to his lower-realm days. Yet at this moment, he still sat down at the jade table and nodded.

"Alright. Whatever you make, I'll eat."

Lu Jing's multiplier had long since become negligible—she had fallen far behind everyone else. But the feeling of someone always waiting for him, looking forward to his return—it was actually quite pleasant. Hearing his words, the gentle joy in Lu Jing's eyes grew even brighter. She continued preparing dishes while softly chattering away in her tender voice:

"This is a roasted leg from a Golden Core stage spirit deer. I discovered their meat carries a natural milky fragrance—perfect for grilling, the flavor is exceptional…"

"And this dish came from a wild herb that sprouted unexpectedly in my spiritual herb garden. I tried it on a whim and found it incredibly delicious—perfect for a cold salad…"