Chapter 1092: Might As Well Not Go!
A full week had passed with no one coming to see him, causing Ye Chen to frown slightly. But on second thought, immortals had lifespans starting from tens of thousands of years. A single week probably meant nothing to them. He decided to wait a little longer.
It was a shame he could not give gifts right now. To avoid any accidents during his ascension, he had sent Xiao Yaojing and Lu Jing out of his inner world to stay in the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. The Supreme Hall was sure to have many high-multiplier female cultivators, which made his gifting urge stir restlessly. He felt like he was missing out if he did not find someone to gift something to.
While he was thinking, a voice came from outside the cave residence. "Fellow Daoist Ye, sorry to disturb you. May I come in?"
It seemed the matter had been handled. Ye Chen waved his hand, opening the cave door and inviting the visitors inside.
It was the same three elders as before.
The Celestial Immortal elder in the middle looked somewhat regretful and apologetic. "Fellow Daoist Ye, we've kept you waiting. Unfortunately, things did not go as smoothly as expected this time."
Ye Chen frowned slightly but quickly smiled. "May I ask where the difficulty lies?"
The Celestial Immortal elder looked guilty. "As you know, the Supreme Tokens were issued by our sect's three former Immortal Kings. But since the three Immortal Kings passed away so long ago, the rules regarding the tokens have largely been forgotten. With the Other Domain likely to break the Emperor Pass seal in less than a thousand years, the seven Immortal Monarchs are fully focused on cultivation. They all hope to break through to the Immortal King realm and are unwilling to waste effort on taking personal disciples. I pleaded on your behalf for a long time, but none of the seven Immortal Monarchs agreed. I have truly failed to live up to your trust."
Ye Chen sneered inwardly, but his face showed only disappointment. "What if I don't become a personal disciple? I am willing to stay in the Supreme Hall as an inner sect disciple."
The Celestial Immortal elder lowered his head even further. "The Supreme Hall only opens its gates to recruit disciples once every twenty years. There are still fifteen years left until the next recruitment. I do not have the authority to accept disciples ahead of schedule. However, I can guarantee that when the next recruitment begins in fifteen years, I will personally ensure you enter as an inner sect disciple. If you perform well, I can even recommend you for the personal disciple sequence…"
Ye Chen's expression shifted from disappointment to gratitude. "Elder, you are truly warm-hearted and righteous. I am deeply grateful. Then we shall meet again in fifteen years. I hope you will take good care of me then."
The Celestial Immortal elder smiled, and the two True Immortal elders beside him smiled as well. They patted Ye Chen's shoulder. "Fellow Daoist is truly understanding and considerate. Thank you for not making things difficult for us. Once you join the Supreme Hall in the future, we will definitely take good care of you."
And so, the three elders escorted a somewhat dejected-looking Ye Chen out of the Supreme Hall's mountain gate.
Ye Chen stood outside the gate, turned back to look at the Supreme Hall with reluctance, then bowed to the three elders. He summoned the Western Empress Holy Carriage and shot into the distance.
…
The three elders silently watched Ye Chen leave.
The two late-stage True Immortal elders beside the Celestial Immortal elder were all smiles.
"We didn't expect it to be this easy. Now the young master of the Heaven Immortal Sect can directly become the personal disciple of the Other Shore Immortal Monarch."
"A mere rogue cultivator is indeed easy to fool."
"Still, the Heaven Immortal Sect was quite generous. After we told them the matter was settled, they directly gifted us two True Origin Return One Pills each!"
"The True Origin Return One Pill uses a trace of True Immortal law as its core, combined with countless precious medicines. Once consumed, that trace of law acts like a vortex, continuously drawing in True Immortal laws. This pill is extremely valuable and requires a Golden Immortal of the fourth tier to personally refine it over several years. With this pill, the two of us can directly break through to the peak of True Immortal, perfect our True Immortal laws, and advance!"
The two True Immortal elders were especially pleased.
The Celestial Immortal elder in the middle, however, had received even more benefits. Yet his smile had already vanished. His calm eyes gazed in the direction Ye Chen had left, and he spoke indifferently, "The two of you will leave the Supreme Hall shortly and kill that brat."
The two elders frowned at once.
"Why? He was quite cooperative and didn't seem to have any intention of causing trouble. He's probably just a rogue cultivator from a small place who doesn't understand the ways of our Supreme Hall. We simply don't let him in fifteen years from now. He won't be able to stir up any waves."
They did not take Ye Chen seriously and felt it was a waste of time.
The Celestial Immortal elder narrowed his eyes. "His reaction was too cooperative. I suspect he didn't believe a single word we said. He simply knew he couldn't afford to offend us, so he chose to leave quietly. Who knows what he might do after leaving? If this matter blows up and the Other Shore Immortal Monarch learns the truth, our situation could become very difficult. Therefore, whether he knows the truth or simply feels resentment, we must eliminate him once and for all."
The two late-stage True Immortal elders were eager to refine the True Origin Return One Pills, but after hearing the Celestial Immortal elder's words, they agreed it made sense and nodded.
They immediately activated an immortal artifact and silently chased after Ye Chen in the direction he had disappeared.
The Celestial Immortal elder glanced once in that direction, then turned and returned to the Supreme Hall without further concern. Even if that brat had decent talent, he was only an early-stage True Immortal without any immortal artifacts. There was no need to worry.
He still had to go back and prepare for the arrival of the Heaven Immortal Sect's young master. As long as he served them well, there might be a slim chance of survival in the future.
…
On the Western Empress Holy Carriage, Ye Chen's face was filled with cold laughter.
Having spent his time in the cultivation world in the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, how could he not understand these dirty tricks? Clearly, someone had taken a fancy to the personal disciple slot and had stolen the Supreme Token.
No one had ever dared to rob him before. He would naturally settle this debt later. As for the Supreme Hall, he might as well not join. Between Gu Shan earlier and these elders now, their character was clearly consistent.
Ye Chen was thoroughly disappointed. He planned to return to the lower realm first, then open another immortal gate and try the Jade Pool Immortal Sect. He hoped the Jade Pool Immortal Sect would not be as disgusting as the Supreme Hall.
Even after flying far away, the massive Supreme Hall was still visible behind him when he looked back. Ye Chen's eyes were icy cold, without the slightest regret. Failing to enter the Supreme Hall was not his loss—it was the Supreme Hall's loss.
However, he soon raised an eyebrow and glanced thoughtfully at the sky. He had originally intended to open his inner world and use the Jianmu Sapling to return to the cultivation realm, but he changed his mind. He steered the Western Empress Holy Carriage and sped toward a more remote direction.
Half an hour later, the Supreme Hall was no longer visible, and the surroundings were desolate. There was no one around.
Ye Chen stopped the carriage and looked up at the sky with a raised brow.
High above, the two late-stage True Immortal elders who had been following him with their hidden immortal artifact also felt this location was perfect.
"This kid obediently handed over the Supreme Token and left without fuss. Now he's even chosen a remote place to die. I almost feel a little sorry for him," one said.
"If you feel sorry, then I'll do it. Although he doesn't have an immortal artifact, that peak Extreme Dao Weapon is quite valuable. I'll take it."
The two True Immortal elders spoke calmly as they prepared to strike.
Chapter 1093: The Other Shore Immortal Monarch!
The two True Immortals were very confident.
Although they were failures within the Supreme Hall—eliminated during the intense disciple competitions and left with limited futures, forced to become elders—they were still products of a great power's nurturing. How could a rogue cultivator from a small family possibly compare?
Before they could act, however, they noticed Ye Chen looking up directly at them.
The two raised their eyebrows in slight surprise. This kid had actually detected them? His perception was quite sharp. But that was all.
The elder who had set his eyes on the Western Empress Holy Carriage prepared to strike immediately, intending to end the matter quickly.
Yet in their sight, Ye Chen had already raised his hand and threw a punch.
A golden fist shadow appeared, swirling with the phantoms of six worlds. The terrifying power of reincarnation affected the surrounding space.
The two elders' eyes widened instantly. But they could not do anything in time. The True Immortal elder who had been about to attack exploded violently. The power of reincarnation stirred, instantly stripping away all impurities and leaving behind only the purest origin and divine soul.
Ye Chen casually lifted his hand and drew them into his inner world.
He then raised an eyebrow at the remaining elder. "Why only the two of you? Where is that Celestial Immortal?"
Although the other party was a Celestial Immortal—one major realm above him—and the gap between immortal realms was far greater than during the Mahayana stage, Ye Chen still wanted to test his limits.
The remaining True Immortal elder's face was filled with disbelief. An early-stage True Immortal had killed a late-stage True Immortal with a single punch? Even the top heavenly prides of the Supreme Hall might not be capable of such a feat. Just how monstrous was this person's talent?
In that instant, he realized he might have made a terrible mistake.
Ye Chen smiled as he looked at him. Chaotic Qi surged in his eyes, sealing the surrounding space and preventing any spatial techniques from being used. The elder's pupils contracted sharply.
Ye Chen beckoned with his hand.
Without the slightest hesitation, the man flew over obediently. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist…"
"Fellow Daoist, the Supreme Token was given away by Elder Liu as a favor to the incoming young master from the Heaven Immortal Sect. This was entirely Elder Liu's decision. I couldn't go against him, or I would have been targeted and suppressed. I truly had no choice."
"But Fellow Daoist, you are in the right here. If you return to the Supreme Hall with me and make this matter public, Elder Liu won't be able to suppress it. The Supreme Token will naturally return to you…"
The elder earnestly offered suggestions, trying to help Ye Chen plan his next move.
Ye Chen had already lost all interest in the Supreme Hall. He asked with interest, "What benefits did you receive for helping that young master?"
The True Immortal's expression stiffened. But thinking of the terrifying power of that earlier punch, he obediently took out a jade box from his body. "The other party bestowed a True Origin Return One Pill. After consuming it, one can attract vast amounts of True Immortal laws and basically advance an entire minor realm directly. The elder who died earlier also had one, but…"
Hearing this, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and accepted the jade box. A single pill that could raise one a full minor realm? What a treasure. He felt a bit of regret that the previous elder's pill had been destroyed along with him.
"Fellow Daoist, this matter really isn't my fault… I am willing to testify for you. The elder who died was helping the wicked, so his death was justified. I will prove everything for you! Elder Liu will definitely be punished, perhaps even expelled from the sect."
The elder put on a helpful appearance, planning everything on Ye Chen's behalf.
Ye Chen smiled, then threw another punch. In front of him, these late-stage True Immortals were not much stronger than ants.
While collecting the man's divine soul and origin, Ye Chen looked thoughtfully in the direction of the Supreme Hall. He considered going back to deal with that Elder Liu as well. A Celestial Immortal… he felt he might be able to kill one.
However, this was still the Supreme Hall's territory. If a stronger existence arrived, it would become troublesome.
In the end, Chaotic Qi swirled in Ye Chen's pupils as he took one deep look toward the Supreme Hall. With a cold laugh, he stepped into his inner world and vanished completely.
Not long after Ye Chen left, a grand immortal boat descended from the distant sky.
"Stop…"
A vast voice rang out as the boat halted above the battlefield where Ye Chen had fought moments earlier.
A young man in golden robes stepped out. His entire being radiated sharpness, and swirling vortices flowed within his eyes, as if connecting to the world of reincarnation. He looked down at the battlefield.
"What pure power of reincarnation… This is the aura of the Heavenly Emperor Fist. As expected, the Supreme Hall's research into the power of reincarnation runs deep. It is perfect for me, the Samsara Immortal Body."
"Unfortunately, the one who left this reincarnation power behind was too weak—only at the early stage of True Immortal."
"Have Elder Liu come see me later. He has rendered great service by obtaining the Supreme Token and will be heavily rewarded. While you're at it, find out who that disciple was. Find an opportunity to eliminate him. The Supreme Hall only needs one heavenly pride who cultivates the Dao of Samsara."
After a few glances, the young man returned to the immortal boat. The grand vessel sped away, its four immortal swords proudly declaring the identity of its faction—the Heaven Immortal Sect!
…
Elder Liu stared at the shattered life tokens with an ugly expression. He had never expected the two late-stage True Immortals to fail in killing a mere early-stage True Immortal. That brat must have been prepared and had other powerful experts lying in ambush. To kill two late-stage True Immortals so quickly, there was likely a Celestial Immortal involved.
Normally, he could have reported the matter directly, and the sect would have sent stronger experts. But if news of the Supreme Token reached the higher-ups, complications could arise, and he might lose control of it.
While he was still troubled, his communication token vibrated. Elder Liu immediately flew out of the mountain gate to meet the young master from the Heaven Immortal Sect.
He presented the Supreme Token and briefly explained the matter regarding Ye Chen, hoping the young master could resolve it.
The golden-robed young man smiled. "I see… However, I inspected the battlefield earlier. That person used the power of reincarnation to erase his traces. He cannot be found. Still, there is no need to worry. A mere minor True Immortal cannot stir up any waves. Even if he speaks of this matter later, what of it? I am the son of the Heaven Immortal Sect's Sect Master. A rogue cultivator from a small family would not even warrant a second glance from an Immortal Monarch. Rest assured."
Elder Liu felt the young master's words made sense. Yet when he recalled the calm look on Ye Chen's face as he left, an inexplicable sense of unease lingered in his heart.
There was no time to dwell on it now. The young master from the Heaven Immortal Sect had already stepped off the immortal boat and arrived before the Supreme Hall's mountain gate.
"Samsara Immortal Body, Ye Jingtang, has come today bearing the Supreme Token to visit the Supreme Hall. I seek only to become the disciple of the Other Shore Immortal Monarch!"
His voice echoed throughout the entire Supreme Hall. Many cultivators frowned upon hearing it.
On the central Samsara Peak among the seven main peaks, the Other Shore Immortal Monarch gazed calmly toward the mountain gate. Countless scenes flickered within his eyes—the image of Ye Chen arriving with the Supreme Token, the scene of Ye Chen being deceived and leaving, and now the figure of Ye Jingtang.
He seemed to have seen through everything, yet he did nothing.
…
At this moment, Ye Chen had already returned to the lower realm.