Immortality Starts With Investment

Yan Qingcheng forcefully suppressed the urge to intercept the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade. She watched helplessly as the treasure flew straight toward the crowd of onlookers.

She understood perfectly. Ye Chen's true goal was to make her accept it. As long as she held firm and refused to act, Ye Chen would have no choice but to retrieve it and use it himself. So she clenched her teeth, neither speaking nor moving.

Her gaze remained fixed on the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade, deep and unblinking. The moment Ye Chen gave in, she would immediately retrieve it for him. And if anyone was foolish enough to try running off with it… She would never allow it.

Yet what shocked Yan Qingcheng next was completely beyond her expectations. As the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade drew closer and closer to the crowd, the watching half-saints' first reaction to this supreme treasure was not greed—it was terror.

They scrambled backward in a frenzy, retreating desperately, as though afraid even the slightest contact would doom them. One half-saint from the myriad races recoiled a full ten thousand li in an instant. The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade simply hovered there in midair, lonely and untouched.

No one reached for it. A few newly advanced half-saints—barely at the early stage—couldn't hide the greed in their eyes. Seeing neither the Heavenly Emperor's heir nor the woman beside him make any move, they guessed the two must have quarreled, and he had thrown the treasure away in anger.

In the cultivation world, such things happened between Dao companions—tossing valuables during fights. And given how both were clearly peerless prodigies, they probably wouldn't bother coming back for it. If someone seized this chance, wouldn't it be an instant ascension to the heavens?

So those few began to stir, fingers twitching toward the prize. But the moment they moved, their companions beside them urgently transmitted sound: "Are you insane? Do you want to die? You dare touch something the Heavenly Emperor's heir threw out?"

The young half-saint was baffled. Afraid someone else might snatch it first, he quickly retorted: "Didn't you hear? There's a conflict between the Heavenly Emperor's heir and that woman. He couldn't give the gift, so he threw it away in frustration. He even said his Dao-severing method is special and doesn't need a Dao-Entrust Treasure. A figure of his stature wouldn't lie about something like that, and he'd be too embarrassed to take it back. This is a pie falling from the sky!"

At those words, everyone around him shook their heads at the naive fool. His companion hurriedly explained, "You actually believed what the Heavenly Emperor's heir said? Who becomes a saint without wanting a Dao-Entrust Treasure? He only said that to trick the woman into accepting the gift."

The young half-saint froze. He was about to ask—who throws a gift and then expects to take it back? How shameless would that be?

Guessing his thoughts, his fellow quickly added, "The Heavenly Emperor's heir is cunning and ruthless to the core. Embarrassment? He doesn't know the meaning of the word. The last time the Nirvana Sacred Liquid was thrown exactly the same way. A prodigy from the myriad races grabbed it—you know, the one who used a secret technique to flee just now. He was nearly slapped to death by the Heavenly Emperor's heir. Only because there were so many witnesses and the successor cared about face did he hold back from killing. Now do you understand why no one can touch it?"

The young half-saint shuddered violently, his heart still pounding with lingering fear. He transmitted back in a trembling voice: "The Heavenly Emperor's heir is actually this vicious? So he's using us as tools and still wants our lives?"

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His companion nodded solemnly.

"Exactly. That's how ruthless he is. So no one moves. Stay far away. Let the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade float there and see how embarrassed the Heavenly Emperor's heir gets!"

Most of the onlookers here were from the previous batch of witnesses. They remembered that incident vividly. The few hot-headed newcomers were quickly restrained.

As a result, no one dared to compete for it. Instead, they retreated even farther, then turned as one to stare at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen felt the weight of countless gazes. He looked at the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade hovering alone in the air: "???"

Had the cultivators of the cultivation world suddenly grown a conscience? A supreme treasure right in front of them, and no one dared to snatch it? This was a little awkward, wasn't it?

Even Yan Qingcheng was stunned. But she quickly understood. The onlookers must have misunderstood Ye Chen because of her father's rumors. They thought he was cruel and merciless, so they didn't dare approach. They simply didn't understand. Ye Chen was not a ruthless person at all. Look at Ling Yu and Dantai Xuan—both were still alive, weren't they?

At worst, Ye Chen would only take the treasure back. Watching Ye Chen's slightly embarrassed yet stubbornly composed expression, Yan Qingcheng couldn't help but let a faint smile curve her lips…

…

Ye Chen realized the plan had gone off track. The distance must have still been too close. These half-saints probably lacked the confidence to snatch it and escape. So he flicked his finger once more.

The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade flew toward the crowd again. This time, it traveled a full thousand li from him. Yet the onlookers still retreated in unison, refusing to come anywhere near it…

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes and blew out a soft breath. The treasure shot even farther—ten thousand li away now. That was genuinely a safe distance.

Still, no one moved. They simply watched in silence.

Ye Chen's fists clenched. He prepared to blow again. If these people refused to liven up the atmosphere even now, they were truly refusing to give him any face. He was about to lose his temper…

But at that moment, Yan Qingcheng spoke up to stop him. Though she forced her expression to remain stern, the upward curve at the corners of her mouth betrayed her amusement.

"Stop throwing it farther. If you keep going, you'll toss it right out of the Immortal Path. Fellow Daoist Ye, do you truly insist on giving this treasure to me?"

Ye Chen unclenched his fists and nodded firmly.

Yan Qingcheng's gaze turned solemn. Though the earlier scene—Ye Chen throwing the treasure and the onlookers fleeing in panic—had been somewhat comical, she had also sensed the unwavering determination behind his actions.

Their time should not be wasted on such games. So she spoke with complete seriousness: "I understand your intentions, Fellow Daoist Ye. I do not dislike you—in fact, I feel a measure of closeness toward you. But I must tell you in advance: I currently have no intention of seeking a dao companion.

"And even if I ever do, I will not share one with other women. Even if I accept this Jade, there is absolutely no possibility of us becoming dao companions. In the future, we can only be the closest of friends at best. And I may one day become someone else's dao companion. This gift of yours is destined to be given in vain. Under such circumstances… do you still wish to give it to me?"

Ye Chen's lips curved into a faint smile at her words. What bad intentions could he possibly have? He simply wanted to present a gift.

So the moment Yan Qingcheng softened her stance, he answered without the slightest hesitation: "Whether I give Fairy a gift is my business. Whom Fairy likes, what Fairy chooses to do, whom Fairy may one day take as a dao companion—that is Fairy's business. The two are unrelated and do not conflict in the slightest… So please accept it openly now!"

As his words fell, Ye Chen raised his hand lightly. The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade streaked back like a falling meteor, returning in a brilliant arc of light.

Under the crowd's knowing "as expected" expressions, Ye Chen placed it gently before Yan Qingcheng. She gazed at the treasure hovering before her—its surface flowing with faint, ethereal radiance.

Recalling Ye Chen's earlier words, a tumult of emotions surged through her heart. She finally understood his true intent. Ye Chen admired her and therefore wished only to give to her. But he would never use that giving as a chain to demand anything in return. This sincerity was far too pure.

In the exact moment when Yan Qingcheng reached out with her slender hand and gently closed her fingers around the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade, A system prompt rang clearly in Ye Chen's mind.