ISWI Chapter 1060-1069

Chapter 1060: Enemies from the Heavens!

Within that pure land resembling an immortal domain, aside from the wisp of Immortal Qi, there was also a green wooden object that resembled both a heart and a seed. It was only palm-sized, covered in intricate veins and patterns of interwoven azure and gold. Though it simply hovered there, it seemed to connect with everything in the world.

Everyone's eyes lit up once more.

This was the Heart of the Jianmu Tree. Back then, the Heavenly Emperor had severed the Jianmu Tree to isolate the immortal realm. Its heart had fled into the chaos and evolved into the Immortal Path, connecting to the immortal realm to gather Immortal Qi while also linking to various lower worlds so their inhabitants could enter the immortal path.

However, it was only a tree heart, not the complete Jianmu Tree. After years of consumption, it had grown dim and could no longer be used to grow a new Jianmu Tree. Even so, it remained a supreme treasure.

Its greatest value lay in its ability to draw power from many lower worlds to nourish its owner, while also attracting the fortune and destiny of those worlds to strengthen them. It was said to possess the divine effect of traversing realms, along with many other legendary abilities.

Although it was vastly inferior to the original Jianmu Tree, it was still an unparalleled treasure. Even mighty figures in the immortal realm would covet it.

Whether it was the Eight-Crowned King waiting until this era, Wang Xuanji deliberately descending, the Celestial Prince sleeping for countless years, or the Exiled Immortal appearing in this generation—all of them had been driven by their desire for the Heart of the Jianmu Tree.

In the end, however, it would belong to Ye Chen. Everyone could only watch as the pure land gradually solidified, becoming increasingly real as it prepared to fully descend from its separate domain.

A smile appeared on Ye Chen's face. The Immortal Qi was about to fall into his hands. Once he fused it with the World Tree and gifted it away, ascension would be within reach. The Heart of the Jianmu Tree was naturally indispensable as well.

He had not yet decided who to give it to, but he was looking forward to seeing whether he could use this heart to cultivate a complete Jianmu Tree. If he succeeded, whether or not he ascended would no longer matter—he could travel wherever he wished.

Just as the immortal pure land grew increasingly solid, a crack suddenly appeared in the sky above the Ninth Realm. It was as if the entire starry sky had split open.

The next moment, two enormous hands emerged. Like the hands of a god, they forcefully tore the fissure even wider, as though they could rip apart the entire world with raw strength alone.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock.

What was this?

The hands carried a divine, god-like presence. Merely looking at them filled the observers with instinctive fear, a terror rising from the depths of their bloodlines. It felt as though they were facing an existence from an entirely different level. Only a few who had previously seen true immortals—the Eight-Crowned King and Wang Xuanji among them—narrowed their eyes.

This was… the aura of a true immortal. A true immortal was actually descending at this moment.

Wang Xuanji's eyes filled with disbelief. Just sending her down had already cost her family dearly and affected their operations. Sending a true immortal? Were they insane?

The price of sending a true immortal down was on a completely different scale from sending a quasi-immortal. It was unimaginable. Even an Immortal King family might not be able to afford it. How was this possible?

High above, the giant hands continued to strain. After tearing for a moment, they seemed to reach their limit and could widen the fissure no further.

The owner of the hands appeared to give up. The next moment, a figure squeezed out from the crack with visible difficulty, somewhat diminishing the previous majestic aura.

Even so, the moment he appeared, the entire world brightened.

It was a young man. He stood there without any divine light radiating from his body, yet he felt like a blazing sun, stinging everyone's eyes.

The rich immortal aura surrounding him caused the surrounding spiritual energy to retreat, clearly revealing his identity. Endless world force churned around him, and a trace of malice seemed to surge between heaven and earth. The void collapsed and rejected him, as if the world itself was actively trying to expel him.

There was only one possibility for such a phenomenon. A true immortal had descended.

Everyone fell silent, overwhelmed with shock.

The young man ignored the world's malice and rejection. He swept his gaze across the surroundings before fixing it on the immortal pure land. He completely disregarded the wisp of Immortal Qi and looked instead at the Heart of the Jianmu Tree, a smile forming on his face.

"The elders truly seized the perfect moment when the Heart of the Jianmu Tree appeared. They used the instant it influenced the world's barrier to send me down successfully…

"That waste He Jiutian actually died in this lower realm. Even his soul lamp shattered. Compared to the Peerless Immortal King, he's nothing but trash. To fall in a mere lower world and embarrass the entire He Family… Now I've had to cripple my own cultivation and comprehension, dropping to the early stage of True Immortal to come down and complete the mission."

The young man did not spare a single glance at the cultivators present. To him, they were mere ants, unworthy of attention. His eyes held only the Heart of the Jianmu Tree as he muttered to himself.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. He sensed that this person shared some similarities with the Exiled Immortal, particularly in aura and bloodline, as if they cultivated the same origin.

Was this someone from the Exiled Immortal's family? Did he also come from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths? Had that side grown so powerful that they could casually descend into the lower cultivation world? Had the immortal realm already been thrown into chaos?

This immortal realm felt increasingly like somewhere he might not want to ascend to.

Still, the man had clearly come to seize treasures. Ye Chen prepared to capture him directly and search his soul. This would be a good opportunity to learn more about the immortal realm's current situation and make proper preparations.

But at that moment, new movement appeared in the sky. Another lightning-like crack tore open across the dome that had only just begun to heal. A deafening rumble shook the realm as a muscular, sinewy arm smashed through, shattering countless stars.

A figure forcefully squeezed his way through.

The hearts of the crowd, which had barely settled, leaped into their throats once more.

Another immortal realm expert had descended?

Judging by the phenomena around him and the world's natural rejection, everyone immediately understood.

This was yet another true immortal.

The newcomer was also a young man, but exceptionally tall and robust, as if forged from divine metal. Every movement radiated the presence of a war god.

The moment he arrived, he looked at the previously descended true immortal and narrowed his eyes.

"He Duguan? So you've come down as well! You remnants from the Other Domain still refuse to give up your plot against the immortal realm. We should have purged all of you long ago…"

The newcomer's voice dripped with cold laughter and killing intent.

The first arrival, He Duguan, curled his lips into a smirk. "Even the Supreme Hall has sent someone? With no Immortal King left in your ranks, this descent must have emptied your entire foundation.

"As for purging the He Family's remnants? That's nothing more than empty talk. Who in your immortal realm would dare?

"When the Emperor Pass seal finally breaks and the true elites of my He Family descend—even the Peerless Immortal King himself—your entire immortal realm will tremble…"

Ye Chen watched the two men bicker, recognizing that they knew each other. He decided not to act immediately. However, the information hidden in their exchange caused his brows to furrow even deeper.

Chapter 1061: Personal Disciple of an Immortal Monarch!

The entire scene fell silent.

Most people did not dare speak; they could only tremble. Even the unintentional pressure leaking from two true immortals was almost unbearable for those below the true immortal realm.

Ye Chen, however, listened with great interest. From what he could gather, the immortal realm seemed to be in far worse shape than he had imagined.

Combining this with the information he had previously obtained from the Exiled Immortal, the picture became clearer. After severing the Jianmu Tree, the Heavenly Emperor had gone to the immortal realm. Tens of thousands of years later, he waged war against the Other Domain, drove them back, sealed the Emperor Pass, and isolated the two realms. Afterward, he charged out—most likely to besiege their territory.

The first wave of invaders from the Other Domain had been unable to retreat in time and remained trapped in the immortal realm. In Ye Chen's understanding, the immortal realm should have purged them long ago. Even if they could not defeat the entire Other Domain, dealing with a group of remnants should not have been difficult.

Yet these remnants appeared to be living quite comfortably. The implication was obvious: the immortal realm had lost all confidence. Factions were divided, each with their own schemes. They were not only afraid of future purges but perhaps even more terrified of offending the Other Domain and losing any chance to surrender.

That was why these remnants had been allowed to thrive. The immortal realm had likely already prepared itself for surrender. Even if Ye Chen ascended, he probably would not be able to change the overall situation. Perhaps it would be better to surrender first. If he could cultivate the Jianmu Tree later, he might use it to contact the Other Domain directly and sneak over, avoiding the war-torn immortal realm altogether.

With the system on his side, a few hundred or thousand years of steady development should be enough for him to reach the Immortal King realm. There was no need to throw himself into a battlefield. Dying from collateral damage in a clash between mighty experts would be an enormous loss.

...

While Ye Chen pondered these matters, the two figures in the sky radiated murderous intent.

At that moment, the immortal pure land finally fully manifested. It solidified from illusion into reality and officially descended.

The two true immortals' eyes lit up. They glanced at each other, clearly ready to fight. Both had come for the Heart of the Jianmu Tree. This treasure held immense value for the future. If He Duguan obtained it, his family could loosen the seal on the Emperor Pass ahead of schedule. The Supreme Hall was equally determined to claim it.

Neither side was willing to yield, yet both were wary of the other and lacked absolute confidence in victory. As a result, neither made a move, allowing the Immortal Qi and the Heart of the Jianmu Tree to float freely.

However, right at that moment, a large hand reached out and seized both the Immortal Qi and the Heart of the Jianmu Tree.

The two true immortals widened their eyes and looked down for the first time, their faces filled with astonishment.

They saw a young man in a golden silk yin-yang fish robe, with flowing black hair, handsome features, and a tall, straight posture. He was the one who had taken the treasures.

Their eyes were filled with disbelief. Though neither spoke, their expressions clearly asked the same question: How dare you?

Two true immortals stood right there, yet a mere lower-realm quasi-immortal ant dared to snatch food from their mouths?

He Duguan laughed, his gaze full of contempt as if looking at an insect. "The cultivators of this lower world truly have guts. No wonder this realm once produced a figure like the Heavenly Emperor. It does have some foundation."

The Supreme Hall's Gu Shan frowned slightly. "Put those items down and withdraw. Once I kill this person, I will naturally bring the chosen prodigies of this world into the immortal realm."

Neither of them attacked. To them, it simply wasn't worth the effort.

Ye Chen's expression remained calm. Holding the Immortal Qi in his left hand and the Heart of the Jianmu Tree in his right, he spoke indifferently, "These things belong to me."

Hearing this, He Duguan laughed even more heartily, his eyes locked on Ye Chen. "You still dare to act like this in front of true immortals? Don't tell me you think that because this world once produced a Heavenly Emperor, you can become the next one?"

The spectators' expressions grew complicated.

The next Heavenly Emperor?

In truth, Ye Chen had already far surpassed the Heavenly Emperor at the same realm.

Gu Shan from the Supreme Hall also showed clear displeasure on his face. "Hand over the Heart of the Jianmu Tree. This is not something you are qualified to control. I will protect you and allow you to leave. In the future, I will bring you into the immortal realm and let you join our Supreme Hall."

Ye Chen naturally had no intention of giving it up. However, recalling the Supreme Hall's personal disciple token in his possession, he asked curiously, "Are you a personal disciple of the Supreme Hall?"

Gu Shan's frown deepened. Of course he wasn't. Although his talent was excellent and he was a descendant of one of the three giants of the Supreme Hall with immortal king blood flowing in his veins, he was only an inner sect disciple. As for personal disciples, only the direct students of the seven Immortal Monarchs qualified for that title. He had not yet earned such recognition.

"Not just anyone can become a disciple of an Immortal Monarch," Gu Shan said impatiently. "Besides, a mere quasi-immortal like you is being far too presumptuous in how you speak to me. Hand over the Heart of the Jianmu Tree…"

Ye Chen ignored Gu Shan's irritation. He simply furrowed his brows.

Immortal Monarch? What kind of realm was that? Wasn't it supposed to be true immortal followed directly by immortal king?

In the distance, Wang Xuanji, who had concealed her appearance, noticed Ye Chen's expression and realized he did not fully understand the cultivation realms of the immortal world. She secretly sent him a silent voice transmission through her divine soul:

"True immortals have nine heavens. Each heaven represents an entirely different world, with enormous gaps in power between them. 'True immortal' is merely a collective term.

"Immortal One is True Immortal, Immortal Two is Celestial Immortal, Immortal Three is Profound Immortal.

"Immortal Four is Golden Immortal, Immortal Five is Great Luo Golden Immortal, Immortal Six is Ancestral Immortal.

"Immortal Seven and Eight are Origin Immortal and Saint Immortal. As for Immortal Monarch, that is the peak existence at the ninth heaven—the strongest beneath Immortal King.

"One side belongs to the remnants of the He Family from the Other Domain who stayed in the immortal realm and left behind their bloodline. The other is the Supreme Hall, which acts extremely domineeringly. If you enter the immortal realm in the future, it's best not to provoke either of them. It will bring endless trouble.

"Leave the Heart of the Jianmu Tree behind, take the Immortal Qi to nourish the World Tree's ninth leaf, and ascend peacefully."

Wang Xuanji had no intention of revealing her identity. Her reputation in the immortal realm was extremely high. If these two recognized her, the Supreme Hall would likely kill her outright instead of helping her, while the He Family might turn her into a slave.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow after receiving the transmission. So true immortals had nine heavens with so many subdivisions. Even Golden Immortal and Great Luo had appeared. It seemed the gap between each heaven was massive—possibly equivalent to entirely new realms. A personal disciple of the Supreme Hall was therefore a direct disciple of an Immortal Monarch.

To be honest, Ye Chen felt somewhat disappointed. The backing wasn't thick enough. Only an Immortal King-level existence would make him feel truly safe. Still, having an Immortal Monarch as a backer in a world without Immortal Kings wasn't bad.

While he was thinking, He Duguan on the other side would not allow Gu Shan to obtain the Heart of the Jianmu Tree. He let out a cold laugh.

The next moment, his gaze transformed into a dazzling sword light that slashed directly toward Ye Chen. The space between them split apart as though the sea itself had been cleaved.

He intended to kill Ye Chen with a single strike.

A mere ant dared to interfere in the affairs of true immortals.

Chapter 1062: Don't Force Me to Slap You!

To true immortals, all beings below them were ants. Quasi-immortals were no exception.

Ye Chen simply raised his head and watched calmly. In He Duguan's eyes, he appeared to have been scared stiff.

Gu Shan from the Supreme Hall frowned slightly and prepared to reach out, worried the Heart of the Jianmu Tree might be damaged.

But at that moment, a fist surged forward and shattered the sword light formed by the gaze.

A terrifying aura erupted.

He Duguan raised an eyebrow and looked toward the source of the fist. The Eight-Crowned King stood tall in his fluttering white robes, heroic and imposing, with surging battle intent in his deep, vicissitudes-filled eyes.

The Eight-Crowned King ignored He Duguan's gaze and turned to Ye Chen. "Fellow Daoist Ye, leave this person to me."

Although he had accepted his defeat with grace, the Eight-Crowned King still felt some resentment. After being undefeated for a million years, he had lost in such a baffling manner without any chance to resist. It felt somewhat ridiculous. Future historical records of this world might even portray him as a clown.

This true immortal from the Other Domain had arrived at the perfect time. He could use this battle to prove his strength and leave a better impression in the annals of the cultivation world.

Before Ye Chen could reply, He Duguan narrowed his eyes. He sensed the Eight-Crowned King's extraordinariness and finally regarded him seriously.

"So you're the one who killed He Jiutian?"

The Eight-Crowned King knew he was referring to the Exiled Immortal. Of course, he had not been the one to kill him—the Exiled Immortal was not worthy of his personal attention. However, since a battle was about to begin, he saw no need to explain. His aura surged dramatically as his snow-white robes billowed.

His Divine King Pure Land manifested.

He Duguan now had his answer and sneered. "I didn't expect a lower world to produce someone like you. A quasi-immortal with the presence of a true immortal—no wonder He Jiutian fell. If you had the chance to grow, you might have become an Immortal King. Unfortunately, you will never have that opportunity."

Gu Shan, standing not far from Ye Chen, also showed a hint of surprise and looked at the Eight-Crowned King with a trace of admiration.

He Duguan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down coldly with arrogance. He clearly intended to let the Eight-Crowned King attack first before suppressing him with overwhelming force.

Just as the Eight-Crowned King's pure land shone brilliantly and countless divine lights were about to erupt, Ye Chen spoke.

"Lan Nuo and I gained some insights into the Nine Secrets over the past week. After exchanging ideas through voice transmission, we fused and perfected them into a new technique called the Supreme Art. Fellow Daoist, why don't you comprehend it and see if it brings you any gains?"

Lan Nuo's eyes flashed with brief astonishment, but she quickly nodded gently in agreement.

The Eight-Crowned King raised an eyebrow. Gains in just one week? Was Ye Chen joking? It was probably not even as good as his own Jade Pool Lament.

Nevertheless, Ye Chen raised his hand and sent a strand of consciousness carrying the scripture straight toward the Eight-Crowned King's forehead.

The Eight-Crowned King did not dodge. After all, if Ye Chen truly wanted to kill him, a single palm strike would suffice.

At first, he did not think much of it. But the moment the scripture appeared in his mind, his eyes widened dramatically.

He looked at Ye Chen with utter disbelief, as if staring at a deity.

If one had to describe it, the gap between his Jade Pool Lament and this Supreme Art was even greater than the difference between a low-grade yellow-rank technique and an immortal scripture. It had almost no flaws. As long as one could endure the pressure, it provided a complete tenfold amplification.

Such a technique would be considered astonishing even among Immortal King scriptures. And Ye Chen had achieved this in merely seven days? Just how monstrous was his comprehension?

The Eight-Crowned King thought of the hundreds of thousands of years he had spent creating the Jade Pool Lament and suddenly felt relieved. It was only natural that he could not defeat such a monster.

Moreover, the fact that Ye Chen was willing to share such a profound scripture proved he was truly a man of his word. If Ye Chen ever achieved transcendence in the future, he would surely honor his promise to retrieve the Jade Pool Holy Maiden from the river of time.

A genuine smile appeared on the Eight-Crowned King's face. He nodded seriously to both Ye Chen and Lan Nuo. "Thank you, both of you. Then I shall go now."

The spectators below watched the Eight-Crowned King's expression with shock.

Had the Heavenly Emperor's heir and Lan Nuo actually fused the Nine Secrets in just one week?

Was that even possible? The Heavenly Emperor's heir was one thing, but could Lan Nuo truly be a genius with top-tier comprehension?

Beneath the Eight-Crowned King's feet, his pure land blazed with spiritual light as boundless divine beams shot toward He Duguan. At the same time, the Eight-Crowned King himself entered the forbidden realm in an instant. With god-like majesty, he charged forward like a dragon traversing the world.

Although he had only just received the Supreme Art and was far from mastering it, a single glance had already resolved many of his doubts regarding the fusion of the Nine Secrets. The combat power he could unleash now was even more terrifying.

He Duguan narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious. With a flick of his sleeve, a miniature universe surged forth and swallowed the divine beams from the pure land. Then, with another casual wave, he redirected those same beams back toward the Eight-Crowned King.

The Eight-Crowned King showed no surprise. His divine fist dominated the world like a living Divine King, annihilating everything in its path. A look of pure exhilaration appeared on his face. This was the kind of battle he had waited a million years for.

He Duguan's expression grew extremely ugly. The man before him possessed combat strength that had at least reached the peak of True Immortal. His comprehension of the Dao of Space was even more unimaginable, easily breaking through the universe within his sleeve.

How could such a monster appear in a lower world?

Despite his shock, He Duguan's killing intent only grew stronger. Although he was currently only at the early stage of True Immortal, he was still a descendant of an Immortal King with an immortal physique. His true combat power was far greater. If this lower world monster joined forces with Gu Shan, he might actually fall here. He had to end this quickly.

With killing intent surging, He Duguan let out a piercing crane cry that shook the entire Ninth Realm. The two began fighting in the depths of the starry sky. Countless great stars exploded as the spectators watched in awe.

...

Gu Shan's face showed surprise at how the situation had developed, but it quickly turned into a smile. He had no confidence in suppressing He Duguan alone. The appearance of such a prodigy in this lower world was an unexpected delight. After joining forces to kill He Duguan, he could bring this genius back to the Supreme Hall. With such talent, the young man might even become a personal disciple in the future, which would bring him great benefits.

Thinking of this, Gu Shan grew impatient. He looked at Ye Chen and demanded, "Hand over the Heart of the Jianmu Tree. Also, in the future, do not use the word ‘Supreme' when creating your own techniques. A mere quasi-immortal is not qualified to call anything ‘Supreme.'"

This time, Ye Chen frowned. "Speak to me properly. Don't force me to slap you."

Remembering that he might still need to operate within the Supreme Hall in the future, Ye Chen suppressed the urge to slap the man into oblivion. He gently raised his hand and sent a stream of light flying toward Gu Shan.

Gu Shan's eyes widened in fury at Ye Chen's words, and his aura surged. He casually caught the stream of light, only to discover it was a token. The moment he sensed the aura on it and saw the characters engraved upon it, his eyes bulged.

"The Supreme Token! Whoever holds this token can become a personal disciple of the Supreme Hall. It is said that only the three great ancestors were qualified to forge such tokens, and they were only bestowed upon those with extraordinary merit. When the ancestors were alive, anyone holding this token could directly become a nominal disciple of an Immortal King…Even now, it can still grant one the status of a personal disciple under an Immortal Monarch. Why do you possess a Supreme Token?"

Chapter 1063: If I Can't Stop It, Then I Won't!

The moment Gu Shan saw the Supreme Token, he forgot all about Ye Chen's earlier disrespectful words. His eyes were filled with disbelief, as if he had laid eyes on a supreme treasure.

Supreme Tokens were extremely rare. After the fall of the three great Immortal King ancestors, their numbers had only continued to dwindle. He had never expected to see one in a lower world.

"I am the Heavenly Emperor's heir of this generation," Ye Chen said casually. He figured the Heavenly Emperor must have had some connection with the Supreme Hall.

Gu Shan's expression showed understanding. The Heavenly Emperor had been close to the Supreme Hall before he rose to prominence and had even fought alongside their ancestors. It was not strange for him to leave a Supreme Token for a successor in the lower world.

Greed flashed in Gu Shan's eyes as he thought of the benefits of becoming a personal disciple. If he could obtain that status, he might even have a chance to become an Immortal Monarch himself.

He flipped his hand and stored the token away. "I didn't expect you to hold such a token. Once you enter the immortal realm, you can become a personal disciple of our Supreme Hall. I will keep the token safe for now and bring you back with me to explain the situation."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow at Gu Shan's actions but said nothing, simply nodding with a faint smile.

Gu Shan's tone had become noticeably gentler. He restrained his pressure and extended his hand. "Junior Brother, hand over the Heart of the Jianmu Tree and the Immortal Qi. The higher-ups in the hall place great importance on the Heart of the Jianmu Tree. They expended enormous resources to send me down here. Bringing it back will be a tremendous achievement for you. However, He Duguan is powerful. Let me hold onto it for you first."

Ye Chen's smile deepened. He feigned confusion and asked, "Alright. But Senior Brother, why do you also need the Immortal Qi? I still need it to break through to the true immortal realm."

Gu Shan smiled. "A single wisp of Immortal Qi is only enough for you to barely break through. It won't even be enough to cleanse and purify your physique. For a lower world prodigy like you with such deep foundations, breaking through in the immortal realm would be far smoother and more complete, yielding much better results.

“Moreover, this world cannot replenish Immortal Qi, so fighting with only spiritual Qi limits your power. With this wisp, I can suppress that foreign true immortal more easily and then take you directly to the immortal realm."

Ye Chen showed a hint of hesitation before replying, "I don't plan to use this wisp of Immortal Qi to ascend. Senior Brother, I have the World Tree. It only needs one wisp of Immortal Qi to enter its growth phase. Once that happens, I will ascend using the World Tree itself. Look, this is it."

As he spoke, Ye Chen summoned the World Tree sapling. Rich green vitality surged forth. The palm-sized sapling had eight tender leaves that swayed gently, releasing its profound aura.

Gu Shan's eyes widened. At this moment, he could no longer hold back. He reached out with his large hand, grabbing straight for the World Tree.

Ye Chen pulled his hand back slightly, avoiding the grasp, and asked with a puzzled look, "Senior Brother, what are you doing?"

Gu Shan stared at the World Tree, his entire body trembling. Once fully mature, the World Tree would be comparable to an Immortal Spirit Root. Although he had already become a true immortal and refining it now would only grant him partial benefits, it would still increase his talent by a hundredfold. With it, becoming an Immortal Monarch would no longer be a dream—perhaps even reaching the Immortal King realm was possible.

He had been reluctant to cripple his own cultivation to descend, but at this moment, he felt nothing but relief. It was worth it. Supreme Token, World Tree, Heart of the Jianmu Tree—if he obtained all three, he would undergo a complete transformation.

"Junior Brother, I have a secret method that can help the World Tree grow faster. You are only a quasi-immortal and cannot control it properly. Let me help you!"

In his urgency, Gu Shan's words became careless. He reached out once more.

This time, Ye Chen took a few steps back. The corners of his mouth curved upward as he looked at Gu Shan. "Really? I don't believe you."

The smile on Gu Shan's face finally vanished. His eyes turned cold and sinister. The overwhelming pressure of a true immortal erupted, bearing down on Ye Chen.

"Hand over the World Tree, and I will spare your life. You can stay in this world and live out your remaining years in peace. If I have to take it myself, I will make you regret ever being born!"

The World Tree was simply too precious. Gu Shan was terrified of damaging even the slightest part of it, so he forcibly held himself back from attacking.

The moment he saw the Supreme Token, his very first thought was to leave Ye Chen behind in this world, take everything for himself, become a personal disciple, complete the mission, and soar to the heavens in a single step.

...

A true immortal's pressure had no effect on Ye Chen. With a single glance, he dispelled it for Lan Nuo as well. Lan Nuo had already sensed that something was wrong, but she maintained her usual cold and aloof appearance, showing not the slightest trace of panic. To her, true immortals seemed nothing special.

Ye Chen let out a soft sigh.

To be honest, he had held high expectations for the Supreme Hall at first. As the vanguard in the war against the Other Domain, he had assumed their sect culture would be upright, free of scheming and betrayal. He had hoped they would be filled with decent people like his senior brother.

His senior brother had surely guessed that he possessed valuable treasures, yet neither he, the Holy Master, nor any of the elders had ever shown greed or tried to scheme behind his back. Ye Chen had hoped the Supreme Hall would be the same. Even without an Immortal King, he could have stayed there comfortably and perhaps even supported them.

Unfortunately, the first Supreme Hall cultivator he met was quite disappointing. He could only hope this was an exception.

"I will say it one last time. Hand over the World Tree. Do not force me to act personally," Gu Shan said, his voice dripping with killing intent.

The unique will of a true immortal caused the temperature within millions of miles to plummet, turning the air bone-chillingly cold.

The spectators below were stunned to see the two who had been smiling moments ago suddenly turn hostile. However, when they looked up at the true immortal in the depths of the starry sky—who was evenly matched with the Eight-Crowned King—and remembered that the Eight-Crowned King could not even block a single strike from Ye Chen, the raging true immortal in the sky suddenly seemed far less terrifying.

At the same time, He Duguan, who was battling the Eight-Crowned King high above, felt a surge of shock. The Eight-Crowned King's strength was unbelievable. He was truly able to fight on equal footing with him. In the immortal realm, he would undoubtedly be a top-tier prodigy. If they were at the same realm, he could easily suppress He Duguan. If this person joined forces with Gu Shan, his situation would become extremely dangerous.

But right at that moment, He Duguan sensed the aura of the World Tree. His eyes widened instantly. If he could obtain the World Tree, the Heart of the Jianmu Tree would no longer matter!

In the next instant, He Duguan changed direction and charged straight toward Ye Chen. The Eight-Crowned King immediately moved to intercept him, but He Duguan's aura exploded. He transformed into a soaring immortal crane, let out a piercing cry, and evaded the blockade, rushing directly at Ye Chen.

Seeing that he could not stop him, the Eight-Crowned King simply stopped trying. He watched calmly as He Duguan drew closer and closer to Ye Chen.

Gu Shan, seeing He Duguan approaching, no longer hesitated. He thrust out a massive hand toward Ye Chen.

At the same time, He Duguan narrowed his eyes, increased his speed, and reached out with a sharp crane claw.

Before the two of them, the corners of Ye Chen's mouth curved upward.

Chapter 1064: Why Do You Think the Immortal Qi Belongs to Me?

He Duguan moved like a divine crane, piercing through the void with unimaginable speed. His massive crane claw reached straight for Ye Chen, his eyes burning with excitement.

The Heart of the Jianmu Tree was merely his family's mission. The reward for it could not compare to the World Tree sapling. Obtaining the sapling meant he would have a chance to become an Immortal King. This was the true supreme opportunity. Once he seized it, he would immediately retreat to the immortal realm and not give Gu Shan or the Eight-Crowned King any chance to surround him.

Yet in his fervent gaze, the young man—who was no different from an ant in his eyes, whose name he did not even know, but who had somehow obtained the World Tree—calmly looked up at him.

Those eyes were exceptionally tranquil. Along with them came a soft sigh. "Why don't you two guess why the Immortal Qi fell into my hands instead of anyone else's? Is it possible that I'm actually quite strong?"

The moment Ye Chen's words fell, He Duguan froze for a split second. He had always been indifferent toward those beneath true immortals and had never bothered to think deeply about them.

A chill suddenly rose in his heart. But he no longer had time to think.

The next moment, he saw the young man raise his hand and throw a punch toward him.

Golden fist force, terrifying reincarnation power, and domineering Heavenly Emperor might surged forward.

As a member of the He Family, even though he had been born after the great war, he was all too familiar with this fist. Back then, the Heavenly Emperor had used this very Heavenly Emperor Fist to send several Immortal Kings to their deaths, and had even forced the Seven Extremes Immortal King, one of the Supreme-level Immortal Kings in the Fifth Realm, into the cycle of reincarnation.

This youth was actually the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

Moreover, why was his aura even more terrifying than that of the Eight-Crowned King? How could two such monstrous existences appear in a lower world?

His expression froze at that moment, along with his thoughts. Because after this punch landed, He Duguan's physical body was completely obliterated. Within the collapsed void that no longer existed, only his pure origin—washed clean by the power of reincarnation—remained, along with a remnant soul that Ye Chen had tried his best to preserve but had not fully managed to keep intact.

In the distance, the Eight-Crowned King shook his head, a trace of amazement in his eyes. Ye Chen had indeed held back earlier. This was his true strength. The Eight-Crowned King himself could not have withstood even a single strike. He had wanted to prove his worth before leaving, to show that he had not been exaggerating and still possessed the power to fight true immortals even without the World Tree. Yet the enemy had insisted on rushing to his own death. It was truly helpless.

On the other side, Gu Shan, who had also been reaching out, felt the fist force brush past him. It nearly scraped off his flesh. He shuddered violently and retracted his hand at an even faster speed.

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his hand. True immortal laws surged as endless divine light illuminated the sky and an immortal gate opened. He transformed into a streak of rainbow light and fled.

He could not understand how Ye Chen could be so strong—a mere quasi-immortal who had killed a true immortal with one strike. But he knew he no longer stood a chance. It did not matter. Ye Chen would ascend eventually. Once he returned to the immortal realm and reported to his elders, someone would definitely take action. Even if Ye Chen had already refined the World Tree, they could still dig it out again.

While natural spirit roots were nearly impossible to seize, the World Tree offered far more opportunities for theft. Even if damaged, it would still be an unparalleled treasure. Moreover, he now held the Supreme Token. He could directly become a personal disciple. Once he secured the position, even if Ye Chen ascended later, it would be useless.

Gu Shan fled at an unbelievable speed and was gone in an instant. He glanced back one last time with greedy eyes before rushing into the immortal gate to return to the immortal realm.

After casually killing He Duguan with a single punch, Ye Chen opened his inner world and sent the origin inside. He then looked up at the fleeing Gu Shan without any hurry to chase him.

Only when Gu Shan was about to reach the immortal gate did Ye Chen slowly raise his hand. But at that moment, he raised an eyebrow and withdrew it.

A vast purple aura surged from the depths of the void as the Eight Sceneries Palace emerged, condensing an Eight Trigrams diagram that smashed down toward Gu Shan with overwhelming force.

Gu Shan had no time to react. He was struck directly and crashed into a divine mountain near Ye Chen. The mountain collapsed instantly, sending divine rocks tumbling as the entire Ninth Realm trembled.

Ye Chen smiled as he looked at his senior brother seated atop the Eight Sceneries Palace in the sky. Hua Yunfei appeared transcendent like a Dao Ancestor, yet the divine wheel behind his head added a touch of godhood.

"Junior Brother, this person knows too much. We cannot let him escape," Hua Yunfei said calmly. "The World Tree is also a supreme treasure in the immortal realm. If others learn you possess it upon ascension, even Immortal Monarchs might calculate your whereabouts and suppress you."

Ye Chen smiled and nodded in thanks. This was the senior brother he wanted.

Rubble exploded outward as a battered Gu Shan flew up, staring at Hua Yunfei in the sky with utter disbelief.

Although this youth's aura was weaker than that of the Eight-Crowned King and the Heavenly Emperor's heir, and he had attacked by surprise, ambushing a true immortal as a quasi-immortal was like an ant trying to trip an elephant. The fact that he succeeded spoke volumes about his talent.

How could a single lower world produce three such monsters? Had the cultivation environment here become this competitive?

The immortal gate had already begun to fade.

Hua Yunfei sat high in the sky upon the Eight Sceneries Palace. The Eight-Crowned King still burned with battle intent, clearly hoping to secure one last impressive feat before leaving to salvage his reputation.

Meanwhile, the Heavenly Emperor's heir took out a soul-refining banner that emanated the pressure of a high-grade Extreme Dao Weapon. To Gu Shan, the weapon itself was nothing remarkable, but the black-purple mist rising from it made him shiver.

Who knew how many souls it contained? He had never heard that the Heavenly Emperor refined souls!

Gu Shan watched as Ye Chen casually tossed He Duguan's remnant soul into the banner. Although they were enemies, he couldn't help feeling a sense of shared tragedy.

He Duguan had been a true immortal, a rather well-known genius in the immortal realm. Yet he had been punched to death in a lower world. And now Gu Shan himself, also a true immortal, was surrounded by a group of lower-world quasi-immortals and could not even escape. This was a scene he had never even dreamed of.

Gu Shan did not want to die, especially not in a lower world. He looked at Ye Chen in panic, immediately lowered his head, and offered the Supreme Token with both hands.

"Junior Brother, I was wrong… I should not have been blinded by greed and tried to steal your position as a personal disciple. I should not have coveted your World Tree. I know I was wrong… Most importantly, I only wanted to take the treasures and leave you in this lower world so you wouldn't spread rumors in the immortal realm. I never intended to kill you!"

Gu Shan desperately tried to explain himself, hoping only to survive. Everything else could wait until he returned to the immortal realm.

Ye Chen put away his increasingly purple Human Emperor Banner and looked at Gu Shan with regret in his eyes. "Senior Brother, it would have been so much better if, after I showed you the personal disciple token, you had waved your hand and said, 'No need to break through here. Senior Brother will take you back to the Supreme Hall right now.'"

Chapter 1065: Avatar of the Seven Extremes Heavenly Maiden!

Ye Chen sighed. Gu Shan was simply not a good person.

If Gu Shan had been decent, Ye Chen could have followed him back to the Supreme Hall, developed steadily in secret, and grown stronger over time. Once he rose to power, how could he not bring Gu Shan along with him? It could have been a mutually beneficial arrangement. Instead, the man had chosen to play these tricks, adding uncertainty to Ye Chen's future relationship with the Supreme Hall. What a shame.

Gu Shan shuddered at Ye Chen's words, regret filling his heart. He had been too arrogant earlier, not treating anyone below the true immortal realm as human at all. He had never stopped to consider why the Eight-Crowned King, despite his strength, was not the one claiming the Immortal Qi, while Ye Chen casually took it. Only now did he understand.

He regretted exposing his intentions too quickly and failing to remain calm. If he had brought Ye Chen back to the immortal realm and called upon the Supreme Hall's elders, he could have easily suppressed him and taken everything. It was truly a pity.

Gu Shan felt deep regret, but his face showed sincere remorse. "I really know I was wrong. Junior Brother, please spare me this once… Everyone in our Supreme Hall is devoted to resisting the Other Domain. I am also a direct descendant of one of the fallen three great ancestors. My entire bloodline has dedicated our lives to the immortal realm.

“Now the seal on the Emperor Pass is loosening. Traces of Immortal Kings have already appeared on the other side.

“The immortal realm itself is unstable. Although the He Family's branch in the immortal realm was left behind, their main family in the Other Domain has two Immortal Kings, so no one dares to act against them.

“Moreover, the Seven Extremess Heavenly Maiden has already revived. One of her avatars has reached the Immortal Monarch realm and could break through to Immortal King at any moment. Only our Supreme Hall continues to fight.

“For the sake of the Supreme Hall and the future of the immortal realm, please spare me this once… I should die at the hands of the foreign invaders, not at the hands of my own people!"

Gu Shan appealed to both reason and emotion.

The corners of Ye Chen's mouth curved upward. This guy was even bringing up the greater cause now.

Unfortunately, Ye Chen did not care about the fate of the immortal realm.

However, the mention of the Seven Extremes Heavenly Maiden made him raise an eyebrow. One of her avatars had already reached the ninth heaven of the true immortal realm—Immortal Monarch?

Thinking of Senior An, Ye Chen's brows furrowed slightly. Although he was confident, he knew he was no match for an Immortal Monarch yet. That was the strongest existence below an Immortal King.

If Senior An went to the immortal realm, would she be detected? He needed to speak with her later and keep her inside his small world for now. Only when he was strong enough to fight Immortal Monarchs—no, Immortal Kings—would he let her out. Then he could lure that avatar over and kill her, perhaps using her as nourishment for Senior An to seize the body completely.

Ye Chen did not rush to act. Instead, he asked a few more questions about the Seven Extremes Heavenly Maiden and grew even more astonished by the answers.

One of her avatars had been taken in as a disciple by a major immortal sect that possessed an Immortal King. They had nurtured her all the way to her current realm.

They were literally raising their own enemy? No one even considered killing her early. Everyone was preparing a backup plan. No one truly wanted to fight.

Ye Chen found it rather amusing. But he was not the Heavenly Emperor. Since they all wanted to surrender, he could do the same. He would simply see who could surrender faster.

He also asked about the Supreme Hall and felt some hesitation about whether he should still go there in the future. It was hard to tell whether Gu Shan was just a black sheep or if this reflected the sect's general character. He would decide later.

Ye Chen summoned his Human Emperor Banner once more. "For the sake of your ancestors, I'll give you some dignity. Enter the banner with your own soul. As for your physical body, I'll handle it for you later…"

Gu Shan's eyes widened in utter despair. In the next instant, his body blazed with golden light.

"Supreme Heavenly Art!"

A majestic Supreme shadow descended with overwhelming immortal might, aiming to kill Ye Chen on the spot.

Yet Ye Chen showed no surprise. He simply looked up. Chaos surged within his Heavy Pupils as a beam of destructive divine light shot out.

Under Gu Shan's shocked gaze, the Supreme shadow exploded instantly.

Ye Chen then raised his hand with an indifferent expression and delivered a casual slap. His speed was neither fast nor slow, yet Gu Shan discovered in horror that his body could not move even an inch. He could only watch helplessly as Ye Chen's palm approached.

The next moment, Gu Shan's physical body burst into a cloud of blood mist.

Ye Chen shook the Human Emperor Banner, sucking Gu Shan's soul inside. A portal opened within his inner world, drawing in every last trace of the man's origin.

Ye Chen let out a soft sigh. "Why force me to slap you? There was really no need."

Still, his mood was quite good. Although he had not taken the Eight-Crowned King's origin out of respect for the man's magnanimity, the arrival of these two true immortals had more than made up for it.

Their origins were not particularly strong—slightly weaker than the Celestial Prince's, though the two combined were roughly equal. This proved that they likely only possessed immortal physiques at best, without even reaching Sacred Spirit Root level. Even in the immortal realm, immortal physiques were not everywhere, and Sacred Spirit Roots were not as common as dirt. Top prodigies from the cultivation world would not be worthless once they ascended.

Although the two true immortals fell short of his expectations, they were still useful. They should be enough to increase his Primordial Chaos Supreme Body by about one percent.

...

True immortals had come. True immortals had died.

The spectators were not entirely surprised by the outcome, yet they still stared in shock and awe. Those had been two genuine true immortals. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had once again ended the fight with a single move.

Just how high was his limit? Who in this world could possibly force him into a bitter battle where he had to use his full strength?

They probably would not live to see it. Only the top prodigies of the immortal realm might be capable of making the Heavenly Emperor's heir fight seriously.

...

Wang Xuanji watched Ye Chen with a complicated expression, increasingly amazed by his heaven-defying talent. She had truly been far too arrogant before.

Ye Chen, on the other hand, felt almost nothing after killing the two true immortals. It was no different from defeating the Eight-Crowned King.

Right now, all he wanted was to fuse the Immortal Qi into the World Tree. With no one left to disturb him, he slowly summoned the sapling and brought the Immortal Qi closer.

Everyone's attention focused on the scene. They watched with rapt attention. Such a supreme treasure was unique in the world. Although they could not obtain it, witnessing its transformation would still make for a great story to tell their descendants one day.

Wang Xuanji's gaze was especially intense. Yet as she stared at the verdant World Tree, her eyes were filled with deep regret. It had been her only hope of becoming an Immortal King. Now, that hope was gone forever.

Ye Chen already possessed heaven-defying talent. If he refined the World Tree and gained its blessings, his aptitude would soar to unimaginable heights. If he continued growing, becoming an Immortal King was almost guaranteed.

Wang Xuanji, who had always placed her family first, suddenly had a bold idea. If she changed all her bad habits that Ye Chen disliked starting from today—if she humbled herself and fawned over him the way he doted on his other female cultivators—could she become his Dao companion?

If she succeeded, given how Ye Chen treated his women, he would never sit idly by if the immortal realm faced destruction and her Wang Family was in danger…

Chapter 1066: The World Tree Reaches Maturity!

Wang Xuanji seriously considered the possibility of protecting her Wang Family by becoming Ye Chen's Dao companion.

No matter how heaven-defying Ye Chen was, he could not single-handedly stop the Other Domain. Back then, the Heavenly Emperor had only blocked the forces from the Fifth Heaven of the Other Domain. The Other Domain possessed all Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. When they attacked next, they would surely come with their full strength and sweep through the immortal realm. Even the Heavenly Emperor would be unable to stop them a second time.

However, Ye Chen's displayed talent held immense strategic value. If he was willing to surrender, he would definitely receive favorable treatment. At that point, as his Dao companion, she might be able to lead the Wang Family to a safe piece of territory in the Other Domain and continue their lineage.

Although the chances were slim—Ye Chen was still only a quasi-immortal and might not have enough time to reach the Immortal King realm—this was at least a chance.

The only problem now was how she could actually become his Dao companion…

...

Ye Chen held the wisp of Immortal Qi in his hand and could clearly feel his body craving it. He had long since reached, and even surpassed, the limit of the quasi-immortal realm. All he needed was this single wisp to ascend.

Yet he did not hesitate for even a moment. With a wave of his hand, he sent the Immortal Qi into the World Tree.

Instantly, the World Tree began to tremble as it absorbed the energy. A faint transformation occurred, and a new tender sprout could be seen emerging.

The Eight-Crowned King, who had already completely accepted the reality after watching Ye Chen casually slap two true immortals to death, spoke up proactively. "The final leaf will take some time to grow. Fellow Daoist should place it inside your inner world and wait for it to produce the ninth leaf and enter its growth phase. While inside your inner world, the World Tree will also bring many benefits.

“Once it reaches the growth phase, you can refine it. During the refinement process, the World Tree will feed back Immortal Qi, allowing you to ascend smoothly. Ascending with the World Tree will also greatly enhance your understanding of the world, space, and life itself. This will bring enormous benefits to your future cultivation, and even to reaching the Immortal King realm.

“As for the Heart of the World Tree, it will naturally take longer. But with your talent, there is no need to rush. After all, while this World Tree that everyone covets is a supreme treasure to others, for you it is merely the icing on the cake!"

At the end, the Eight-Crowned King spoke with deep emotion. He suspected that Ye Chen most likely possessed an Immortal Spirit Root. Only an Immortal Spirit Root combined with a top-tier immortal physique could explain why Ye Chen's ceiling was so high that he could kill true immortals like ants.

And the Eight-Crowned King was not the only smart one present. Hua Yunfei, Wang Xuanji, and even some of the old foxes of the cultivation world had come to the same conclusion:

The Heavenly Emperor's heir most likely possessed an Immortal Spirit Root!

Finally, the Eight-Crowned King added, "Fellow Daoist, I will not mention anything that happened today to anyone. When I reach the immortal realm, I will conceal my identity as someone from the lower world."

He was making a promise. After all, Ye Chen had killed people from both the He Family and the Supreme Hall, and he possessed the World Tree. The immortal realm was clearly not a kind place. If word got out, it would cause endless waves.

Ye Chen smiled and did not worry too much. He simply felt that the World Tree's transformation was a bit slow. With ascension so close at hand, even he felt his heartbeat quicken. He wanted to gift away a complete World Tree as soon as possible.

Without any hesitation, Ye Chen took out the Heart of the World Tree he had previously received as feedback from the Heavenly Desire Divine Maiden. The heart looked like a piece of flawless green jade, crystal clear and brimming with rich life force.

The moment it appeared, the World Tree sapling—which had been slowly absorbing the Immortal Qi and undergoing a gentle transformation—began to shake violently. Its branches and leaves trembled wildly as it flew toward the Heart of the World Tree on its own and took root in it.

A warm yet profound green vitality surged wildly, filling the entire Ninth Realm. The cultivators of the Ninth Realm were bathed in green light, many of them turning pale with shock.

Most of the spectators stared in bewilderment, unsure what was happening. But those who knew about the World Tree—such as the Eight-Crowned King, Hua Yunfei, and Wang Xuanji—widened their eyes in shock.

The Heart of the World Tree!

Ye Chen actually had the Heart of the World Tree? How was that possible? How did Ye Chen have everything?

The Eight-Crowned King stood dumbfounded. He finally understood why the World Tree had suddenly shaken violently that day. It was because its heart had appeared!

Wang Xuanji's eyes shone as brightly as the moon.

The moment the World Tree took root in its heart, the ninth leaf began to grow at a frantic pace. In the blink of an eye, it unfurled completely. The World Tree then expanded rapidly, skipping the juvenile phase entirely and moving straight into fusion with its heart. It was entering the mature stage.

Only a mature World Tree could display abilities comparable to an Immortal Spirit Root. Possessing it would make comprehending the Daos of World, Space, and Life significantly easier.

In the future, mastering the rules of these three Great Daos would become far simpler, greatly increasing the chances of breaking through to the Immortal King realm. If all three could be fully grasped, one would stand among the strongest even among Immortal Kings.

Beyond that, the World Tree granted access to numerous top-tier divine abilities related to the Tree of Life, rivaling the finest bloodline talents. The tree itself could also serve as a weapon with the power to sweep across the world and suppress all directions.

Most importantly, its ultimate ability allowed its owner's inner universe to become independent from the greater world. Even if the immortal realm were destroyed and one failed to gain recognition from the Other Domain's origin world, one could still exist as a wandering Immortal King instead of perishing alongside the collapsing realm.

With this treasure, the Wang Family would gain another powerful trump card. Her chances of saving her family would increase significantly.

Wang Xuanji's eyes glowed with hope…

But that light lasted only a moment. Ye Chen would never give it to her. He would not give something this precious to anyone—not even his own Dao companions. Its value was simply unimaginable. If Immortal Kings learned of its existence, they would descend without hesitation, even if it meant destroying this entire realm.

...

Watching the World Tree accelerate toward maturity, Ye Chen smiled with satisfaction. His divine sense swept over Wang Xuanji, and his smile deepened.

He had lost several bets with Luo Bingling before. She was practically a system counter. Wang Xuanji, however, was different. She was worth gambling on. If he won this bet, the eighty-thousand-fold maximum critical strike combined with a perfect hit would push the feedback to an entirely new level.

As the World Tree's aura of life and world force grew richer and its size continued to increase, Ye Chen sensed that the moment was near. He glanced at Lan Nuo beside him and decided it would be inappropriate to gift the tree in front of her. He sent her a gentle voice transmission and gave her another copy of the Supreme Art as well.

Whatever shock Lan Nuo felt inside, she showed none of it outwardly. She rose gracefully with a cold and aloof expression. "Fellow Daoist Ye, Fellow Daoist Qin, Fellow Daoist Hua, I have overexerted myself earlier and need to go back to rest."

Ye Chen and Hua Yunfei nodded with smiles.

The Eight-Crowned King, Qin Chuan, watched Lan Nuo's departing figure and began to wonder whether she had truly contributed to the creation of the Supreme Art.

Lan Nuo flew away without hesitation, leaving the Ninth Realm cleanly and decisively. Even as the World Tree underwent such a heaven-defying evolution, she did not spare it a single extra glance.

This caused an uproar among the onlookers. They felt that Lan Nuo's talent, vision, and state of mind were far higher than they had imagined. It seemed she was not merely being elevated by the Heavenly Emperor's heir—she genuinely possessed exceptional strength!

Chapter 1067: So, He Loves Me the Most!

Lan Nuo's departure caused quite a stir among the spectators, who began to reevaluate her strength and talent.

However, everyone's attention soon returned to the World Tree in front of the Heavenly Emperor's heir. The tree was rapidly refining its heart and growing at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, it had nearly doubled in size from its original palm-length form. The world force radiating from it grew increasingly dense, as if the World Tree itself was a complete world.

The Eight-Crowned King watched the scene with deep emotion. He knew the World Tree better than anyone. At this rate, it would complete its final evolution in less than a day.

And just as he predicted, one day later, the World Tree finally stopped transforming. It now stood roughly half the height of a person, crystalline and jade-like, emanating a profound and mysterious aura. Even those who knew little about it could sense that it was an unparalleled treasure.

Ye Chen gently reached out and held it in his hand. Every gaze upon him was filled with intense envy.

A mature World Tree was comparable to an Immortal Spirit Root. Who wouldn't covet such a treasure?

Among them, Wang Xuanji's expression was the most complicated. This was the treasure she had dreamed of ever since descending to the lower world. Yet it had never been within her reach. What wasn't hers could not be forced.

Wang Xuanji let out a soft sigh. At this moment, her only remaining hope was to become Ye Chen's Dao companion and protect her family in the future.

...

Ye Chen held the World Tree, feeling the surging world force within it, and nodded in satisfaction. After waiting so long, it was finally his. Now he only hoped that Wang Xuanji would not disappoint him.

With an eighty-thousand-fold base multiplier, plus maximum critical strike and perfect hit, the feedback should be extraordinary.

With that thought, Ye Chen turned his gaze toward Wang Xuanji.

She had been watching quietly. Sensing his gaze, she froze for a moment… then offered a gentle smile and a slight nod. Her lips curved softly, her eyes clear and bright. There was no resentment, no dissatisfaction—only calm acceptance.

Her demeanor stirred even greater anticipation in Ye Chen.

He smiled lightly and spoke, "Fairy Wang, why are you standing there motionless? I still remember what you said to me back then. Could it be that you've forgotten?"

Wang Xuanji was stunned.

What had she said?

But in the next instant, she understood.

Because Ye Chen glanced at the World Tree in his hand, then loosened his fingers and gently released it.

The World Tree slowly floated toward Wang Xuanji in the crowd.

At this moment, everyone's eyes widened in shock.

What was happening? Was the Heavenly Emperor's heir actually giving the World Tree away? How was that possible?!

A mature World Tree was comparable to an Immortal Spirit Root. The Eight-Crowned King had waited a million years for it. And now the Heavenly Emperor's heir was simply going to give it away? Had he gone mad?

Even though the Heavenly Emperor's heir was already known for his extreme fondness for women and had given away many treasures before, the shock at this moment still hit everyone like a tidal wave.

After all, this was a mature World Tree!

The Eight-Crowned King's eyes bulged. Even Hua Yunfei was stunned!

Many cultivators stood near Wang Xuanji. They could have reached out and intercepted the slowly drifting World Tree, but none of them moved. Instead, they hurriedly stepped aside, afraid of being misunderstood by Ye Chen.

Wang Xuanji herself stared at the approaching World Tree, frozen in place. Her brilliant eyes were filled with disbelief as she instinctively covered her lips with her hand.

Ye Chen… was giving the World Tree to her? He had always been cold toward her and had not even planned to give her a slot to the immortal realm. She had already given up completely. Yet now he was offering her the World Tree? What was going on?

Despite her shock, Wang Xuanji was still a prodigy from a great immortal realm family and had once reached the eighth heaven of the true immortal realm. As the dream treasure she had longed for flew closer and closer, she did not reach out immediately.

Instead, she looked at Ye Chen in confusion. "Fellow Daoist Ye, why are you doing this?"

She truly did not understand.

Ye Chen grew even more satisfied as he watched Wang Xuanji's reaction. He felt the critical strike and perfect hit were now guaranteed. Since the moment was right, he did not mind saying a few sweet words.

"This treasure was prepared for you from the very beginning. Why ask why?"

Wang Xuanji's heart was filled with confusion. She looked at Ye Chen with complicated eyes. "But Fellow Daoist Ye, you were so cold to me before. When I tried to get close, you pushed me away without hesitation… Why are you giving me the World Tree now?"

She did not believe Ye Chen was trying to curry favor with her or the Wang Family to secure a future path. With the talent he had displayed, he could join any Immortal King-level force and receive focused cultivation.

Ye Chen smiled. "Fairy, when I heard that your immortal root had been destroyed, I felt genuine pain in my heart. Of course I knew that if I threatened you at that time, you would have agreed to anything. But how could I bear to use such despicable methods on you?

"If I had agreed to help without asking for any conditions, you would have grown suspicious and wondered if I had ulterior motives. So I chose to say nothing at all.

"Moreover, before I fought the Eight-Crowned King, I wasn't completely confident of victory. If I had made a promise and then failed to keep it, I would only have hurt you more. That's why I kept my distance and appeared cold—I was afraid of giving you hope only to disappoint you later.

"I never expected the battle to end so easily. If I had known…"

Nearby, the Eight-Crowned King's mouth twitched, his expression complicated.

Sorry for not making Lord Ye Chen enjoy the fight more!

Wang Xuanji's shock and confusion gradually transformed into deep emotion. The World Tree flowing with boundless world force, combined with Ye Chen's words, explained away every doubt in her heart.

Ye Chen had not been uninterested in her. He simply had not wanted to take advantage of her vulnerability. The reason he had not even given her a slot to the immortal realm was because he had already decided to give her the World Tree. So he did not love her any less.

In fact, he loved her far more than the others—by countless times. After all, there was only one World Tree, yet he had given it to her without hesitation. He had even asked Lan Nuo to leave first.

Staring at the mature World Tree before her, only one thought remained in Wang Xuanji's mind.

Ye Chen… he really loves me so much…

At that moment, overwhelming emotion flooded every part of her body. Even the spot where her spirit root had been dug out, which had ached constantly, felt a trace of warmth.

With Ye Chen's displayed talent, character, and combat strength, he was more than worthy of being her Dao companion. Even after her immortal root was restored, she would only be approaching his level of aptitude.

Wang Xuanji pressed her lips together tightly and gazed at Ye Chen with sincere eyes.

The entire crowd erupted in uproar. Every gaze was filled with disbelief. Even though the Heavenly Emperor's heir had already given countless treasures to his female cultivators, this time they were truly stunned.

This was the World Tree!

A treasure comparable to an Immortal Spirit Root, yet far more versatile. It was a rare divine object that could practically guarantee ascension to the Immortal King realm. It was also the only opportunity for immortality in this era. And the Heavenly Emperor's heir had simply given it away?

Was he not afraid that this immortal realm prodigy would refuse to bring him into the immortal realm? By handing over the only path to ascension, he had surrendered all initiative. If she harbored ill intentions, he could be trapped in this world forever.

To have a chance at becoming an Immortal King yet willingly take such a risk—it was utterly foolish! If he truly wanted to give it to her, couldn't he have absorbed the Immortal Qi first, ascended, entered the immortal realm, and then nurtured the World Tree to maturity? Why do it this way?

The spectators felt that the Heavenly Emperor's heir had gone completely mad. Were women truly worth this much? Not even in the immortal realm or across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths had they ever seen such a simping fool.

It was simply ridiculous.

...

Of course, Ye Chen understood the logic as well. Absorbing the Immortal Qi first and then using the feedback to nurture the World Tree would have been the safest and most profitable approach.

But he placed extreme importance on the World Tree. Infusing it with the only wisp of Immortal Qi would make it even more valuable. This was the sole chance at ascension. It would move Wang Xuanji even more deeply. Since he was going to gamble, he might as well go all in.

As for entering the immortal realm? If Wang Xuanji turned out to be ungrateful and betrayed him the moment she obtained the treasure, Ye Chen was confident he had other ways to ascend. He still held the Heart of the Jianmu Tree, after all. He was not worried in the slightest.

...

Chapter 1068: The Terror of Eighty Thousand Times!

Wang Xuanji had naturally realized this as well. Ye Chen had willingly surrendered the initiative for ascension without any fear that she would turn against him. This showed just how deeply he loved her—enough to disregard his own safety entirely.

Her eyes had never been softer. After expressing her thanks, she spoke gently once more, "Fellow Daoist Ye, I have seen and remembered everything you have done for me. I will never let your sincerity go to waste."

Wang Xuanji considered herself someone who knew how to repay kindness. Ye Chen had treated her so well and possessed such astonishing talent—she would definitely bring him back to the Wang Family and make him her Dao companion.

Even after she restored her immortal root and quickly regained her cultivation, reaching the eighth heaven once more, she would still stand by this decision. She would have the entire Wang Family support his cultivation with all their strength and help him grow rapidly.

In the future, if she became an Immortal King and defected to the Other Domain, she would give him a safe home. She would never betray Ye Chen.

"Ye Chen…"

Overwhelmed by emotion, Wang Xuanji spoke more than usual. Her cherry lips parted gently.

But Ye Chen interrupted her. "Fairy, there is no need to say more. I did all this not to move you. I simply wanted to do it. So do not feel any pressure. Go ahead and refine the World Tree now, and ascend."

Wang Xuanji felt an indescribable surge of emotion. Other than having too many women, Ye Chen truly had no flaws. A man willing to give everything for the woman he loved was nearly impossible to find even in the immortal realm.

She said nothing more. Once she restored her immortal root, she would prove everything through her actions.

She sat down cross-legged and spoke softly, "I ask Fellow Daoist Ye to protect me while I refine it."

The next moment, her divine soul surged. A brilliant light appeared between her brows as a sword embryo flew out and shot into the World Tree before her. Rich green vitality immediately dyed the sword embryo, establishing a mysterious connection between Wang Xuanji and the World Tree.

The spectators wore complicated expressions. They had never imagined that the final era's Immortal Path would become this chaotic.

The Eight-Crowned King had already been invincible, yet the Heavenly Emperor's heir was even more monstrous. Even the descent of true immortals had proven useless. In the end, however, the Heavenly Emperor's heir had willingly given away the only chance at ascension.

Looking back across the million years since the Immortal Path had opened in the cultivation world, this was truly unprecedented. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had gone completely heaven-defying.

The Eight-Crowned King's expression was complex. Now that Wang Xuanji was about to ascend, he wondered whether Ye Chen would still honor their agreement. What if Ye Chen could no longer enter the immortal realm himself?

After a moment of hesitation, he remained silent. He would wait and see. If it truly became impossible, he could only blame his own lack of strength.

Hua Yunfei also looked like he wanted to say something but ultimately held back. He did not trust Wang Xuanji, having heard about the Wang Family's deeds from the Holy Master. However, seeing the smile on Ye Chen's face, he chose not to speak.

He quietly left, planning to return and ask the Holy Master if there were other ways to enter the immortal realm. That way, if anything went wrong with Wang Xuanji, he could still help secure a path for his junior brother.

...

Ye Chen watched Wang Xuanji sit down cross-legged, placing complete trust in him, and couldn't help but smile. Of course, it wasn't because of her trust—after receiving the World Tree, it would be strange if she didn't trust him. He was smiling because of the system notification ringing in his mind.

"Congratulations, Host. Gift successfully presented…"

"Gift: World Tree!"

"Eighty thousand times feedback in progress…"

"Detected that the gifted item…"

"Triggering maximum critical strike feedback!"

"Detected that the gifted item…"

"Triggering perfect strike feedback!"

"Feedback: Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree Sapling!"

Ye Chen's eyes lit up. Wang Xuanji was indeed not a system nemesis like Luo Bingling. As long as she was properly guided, she could deliver massive critical hits. She had not disappointed him.

The words "Primordial Chaos" carried immense weight. One only needed to look at his own physique to understand. Anything with those two characters possessed unimaginable quality.

Most importantly, he had gifted a fully mature World Tree. After being amplified by an eighty-thousand-fold maximum critical strike and a perfect hit, the feedback was still only a sapling. This alone showed just how heaven-defying the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree truly was.

"Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree: The one and only Creation Divine Tree across the myriad realms and heavens! The ancestral tree of all World Trees!"

"The Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree can automatically attract all laws, allowing the Host to cultivate and comprehend the power of laws…"

"The Host's capacity to bear laws is raised to the absolute maximum…"

"The Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree can attract and bear Great Daos. The Host's comprehension of the three thousand Great Daos and eight thousand side Daos is elevated to an unimaginable level…"

"The Host can bear all Daos and perfectly fuse them without fear of being crushed, backlashed, or having their foundation destroyed by conflicting forces…"

"Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree…"

"Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree can mobilize the power of worlds. Once mature, it can draw upon the world force of the myriad realms and heavens for its owner's use…"

"The Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree exists eternally and possesses boundless power. It cannot be destroyed…"

"After taking root in the Host's inner world, during the promotion to a universe…"

"After refining the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree, it can assist the spirit root in absorbing and converting all forms of energy with efficiency reaching the level of a Divine Spirit Root…"

"The owner of the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree can use the tree's origin power to strengthen any offspring currently being conceived, granting them an Immortal Spirit Root and a Primordial Chaos Physique during the gestation process…"

"However, the gestation period will be extended by tens of thousands of times…"

"…"

Chapter 1069: Excellent Pregnancy Aura!

Ye Chen looked at the dense, seemingly endless description of the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree. Although he had expected it to be powerful, he was still deeply shocked.

In simple terms, it possessed every ability the World Tree had, and many that the World Tree did not. Most importantly, even as a mere sapling, its various effects far surpassed those of a mature World Tree.

He had never even heard of a "Divine Spirit Root." Was there such a heaven-defying spirit root in the immortal realm?

The ability to bear all Daos, prevent backlash, and avoid conflicts between them… he didn't fully understand it yet, but it sounded extraordinarily profound.

The Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree's functions had already far exceeded his current perspective as a quasi-immortal. In fact, even true immortals would likely struggle to grasp its true value. Only after reaching the Immortal King realm would he be able to fully experience its many wonders and bring out its maximum potential.

The only slight regret was that the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree sapling did not contain Immortal Qi. Refining it would not allow him to ascend. However, that was not a big issue. Entering the immortal realm was not difficult for him.

Seeing that Wang Xuanji was still in the middle of refining the World Tree, Ye Chen was in no hurry. He ignored the complicated gazes around him and slowly began refining the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree while continuing to read through its description.

When he reached the part stating that he could use the World Tree's origin power to grant his offspring an Immortal Spirit Root and a Primordial Chaos Physique, he once again felt how outrageous this treasure was.

An Immortal Spirit Root practically guaranteed ascension to the Immortal King realm. When it was divined that Wang Xuanji possessed one, she had immediately been ambushed and had her root dug out. That alone showed its value.

As for the Primordial Chaos Physique, although it was slightly different from his own Primordial Chaos Supreme Physique by lacking the word "Supreme," the term "Primordial Chaos" alone proved its extraordinariness. It was undoubtedly above all immortal physiques.

Just how heaven-defying would a person with both an Immortal Spirit Root and a Primordial Chaos Physique be? Once grown, they would likely sweep across the myriad realms. Such a peerless prodigy would be extremely rare even in the immortal realm, appearing perhaps once every ten thousand years. Yet with the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree, he could continuously cultivate such talents.

Even if the gestation period was extended by tens of thousands of times, it would still be well worth it. This was something that could influence the entire structure of the world.

And this was only the tip of the iceberg of the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree's capabilities. Just this one point was enough to show how ridiculous its power truly was.

Ye Chen suddenly thought of Senior An. He felt a bloodline-like sense of closeness when he recalled her figure…

This made him raise an eyebrow.

Could it be that Senior An had truly conceived on the first try? Did she have such a strong pregnancy aura?

If that was the case, then the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree had come at the perfect time. Not only could it enhance the offspring's aptitude, but the massively extended gestation period was also excellent.

After all, Ye Chen currently had no intention of becoming a father.

Cultivators were different from ordinary humans on Earth. On Earth, pregnancy lasted about ten months. For cultivators, it usually took around three years. Children were often able to crawl at birth, walk if talented, and even speak within days if exceptionally gifted. It was said that the Celestial Prince had spoken on the very day he was born.

Since it already took three years, extending it by ten thousand times to wait a few tens of thousands of years didn't seem so bad.

While thinking about this, Ye Chen decided that once Wang Xuanji finished refining the World Tree, he would immediately return to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land to see Senior An.

Ye Chen patiently refined the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree sapling. He could clearly feel that as he gradually merged with the sapling, his understanding of the world underwent another profound transformation. His already extraordinary inner world also began to show many strange phenomena.

In this manner, seven days passed.

By now, cultivators across the outside world had learned what had happened in the Ninth Realm. All of them wore expressions of utter shock and disbelief.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir was far too generous!

Moreover, handing over the ascension slot to an outsider carried massive implications. The right to decide who entered the immortal realm had shifted from the Heavenly Emperor's heir to Wang Xuanji.

In the Nether God Holy Land, Manjusaka—who had already packed her luggage in preparation to ascend—lost her composure the moment she heard the news. She immediately flew toward her disciple's cave residence.

Su Yuxuan, who had just broken through to the Great Emperor realm, frowned slightly upon hearing the news but quickly calmed down. "If Senior Brother gave it away, then so be it. It's not surprising at all."

From her experience, Senior Brother had even given away his eyes, heart, and Golden Core. Why wouldn't he give away the World Tree? It was perfectly reasonable.

Manjusaka was extremely anxious. "What if that immortal realm female prodigy refuses to bring us into the immortal realm?"

Su Yuxuan smiled. "Don't worry. Since Senior Brother promised us, he definitely has a backup plan. When he gave me his eyes, they regrew immediately. The same happened with his heart and Golden Core. Ascending may be difficult for others, but for Senior Brother, it might not be that hard. There's no point worrying, Master. We just need to wait patiently."

Su Yuxuan understood her senior brother too well. She had always believed that his feelings were genuine, but he was definitely not the type to charge forward blindly for love without leaving himself any retreat. Since he was willing to give away the World Tree, he must have made preparations.

With that thought, she gently comforted her master.

When the other female cultivators learned the news, their reactions varied. Some frowned, some remained calm, some felt helpless, and some grew jealous.

The female cultivators of the Heavenly Desire Sect (except for Fan Qinghe) were all somewhat flustered. They had met Wang Xuanji before, and her gaze toward them had been filled with disdain. Would she refuse to bring them along?

While everyone was still discussing the matter, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted.

Whether in the Central Continent, the Northern Domain, the Great Yan Continent, or any other region along the Immortal Path, all cultivators looked up in shock. The sky had darkened. Terrifying tribulation clouds rapidly gathered and converged in the heavens.

Everyone's hearts tightened.

This phenomenon clearly meant someone was about to undergo the immortal ascension tribulation!

AN: The next update will be in three days.