Chapter 1100: Breaking Off the Engagement!
Ye Chen did not rush to bring people up from the lower realm. He planned to stay for a few more days to break through in cultivation and look for opportunities to give gifts.
The cultivation environment in the Immortal Realm far surpassed that of the lower world. With his Immortal Spiritual Root and the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree—which was comparable to a Divine Spiritual Root—Ye Chen felt completely at home here.
Sitting cross-legged at the highest point of his newly built cave residence on Transcendence Peak, he quickly sank into deep cultivation.
…
Outside the Jade Pool Immortal Sect, groups of female cultivators gathered and whispered among themselves, all of them looking uneasily toward Transcendence Peak.
"That token seems to contain a strand of the Western Empress's will. Jade Moon Immortal Monarch probably believes that having it increases the chance of her master's resurrection, which is why she allowed him to stay."
"That man looks clean on the surface, but when he saw several talented senior sisters and elders, his eyes lit up with clear interest."
"The mountain gate elder has already warned us to dress more modestly within the sect from now on, and to stop cultivating in the spirit streams."
"If we encounter that Fourth Old Ancestor Ye, we should avoid him if possible. If we can't, just greet him politely. If he makes any improper requests, leave immediately and find your master…"
The disciples of the Jade Pool Immortal Sect treated Ye Chen like a dangerous flood or wild beast, doing everything they could to avoid him.
What surprised them, however, was that after entering the sect, this Fourth Old Ancestor Ye did not wander around or fly about frequently, nor did he make constant demands. Transcendence Peak remained completely quiet, as if he were an ascetic cultivator.
Many female disciples breathed a sigh of relief, though they remained vigilant.
In the past, the scenic views of long legs and graceful figures had been common within the sect. Because it was a female-only environment with a good atmosphere, there had even been friendly comparisons of beauty—comparing shapes, sizes, and the flawlessness of skin.
Now, all those beautiful scenes had disappeared. The female disciples no longer felt as relaxed; they always felt as though a pair of eyes was watching them, making them unusually reserved.
On a divine peak beside Transcendence Peak, a female cultivator cheered from afar, "Master, Senior Sisters, I've broken through to Celestial Immortal!"
The other disciples offered sincere congratulations, happy for her.
In the distance, Nangong Wan hid inside her cave residence, listening to the joyful cheers from the neighboring peak. Her eyes were filled with gloom.
That junior sister had joined the Jade Pool Immortal Sect a hundred years after her, yet she had already become a Celestial Immortal. Meanwhile, Nangong Wan was still stuck at the early stage of True Immortal.
She wasn't jealous. It was simply the gap that pained her deeply as a former heavenly pride.
Because her cultivation had stagnated, her family was no longer treated with the same respect as before. They had suffered quite a bit of bullying in recent years.
On top of that, her fiancé had stopped contacting her for decades. It was said that in the Supreme Hall, he had gotten close to the daughter of an Immortal Monarch and was very likely to become that Immortal Monarch's personal disciple.
Nangong Wan did not feel particularly attached to Nalan Qingxuan. After all, their engagement had been arranged before they were even born, and they had met fewer than five times in total. What she felt was humiliation and discomfort.
She had hoped that Nalan Qingxuan would break off the engagement privately, so they could part on amicable terms. She didn't want him to make a big scene and trample both her and her family's dignity into the ground.
The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.
What had she done wrong? She had clearly possessed extraordinary talent and cultivated diligently every day, yet the True Immortal laws she comprehended would vanish by the next day. Who was targeting her? And why?
While she was lost in thought, someone arrived outside her cave residence.
"Junior Sister Nangong, are you cultivating?"
Hearing the voice, Nangong Wan quickly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and healed the wounds on her palms where her nails had dug in.
The senior sisters and junior sisters in the sect had always been kind to her. They had never mocked her and had even helped her many times. Joining the Jade Pool Immortal Sect was the luckiest thing that had ever happened to her.
She walked out of the cave with a forced smile. "Senior Sister, is something the matter?"
Her senior sister's expression was complicated, filled with pity and regret. "Junior Sister Nangong, people from the Supreme Hall have arrived. They are waiting at the Welcoming Peak near the mountain gate…"
"Nalan Qingxuan is with them, along with a Profound Immortal elder from the Supreme Hall."
Nangong Wan's expression stiffened instantly.
The thing she feared most had finally happened.
Why couldn't he have just notified the family privately and canceled the engagement through the elders? Why did he have to come to the Jade Pool Immortal Sect to find her and humiliate her in front of everyone in her sect?
Nangong Wan's body went rigid, but she forced a smile. "It's fine. This engagement should have ended long ago…"
She followed her senior sister, walking toward the mountain gate in a daze.
The other senior and junior sisters had already guessed what was happening. But they understood that Nangong Wan clearly did not want too many people to witness the moment of her engagement being broken off. So they stayed where they were, only feeling deep sympathy for her in their hearts.
After two and a half months in seclusion, Ye Chen felt the True Immortal laws within his body surge violently. In the next moment, his aura erupted. He had officially broken through to the mid-stage of True Immortal.
Even Ye Chen was slightly startled by such absurd cultivation speed. Cultivating here felt almost too easy. The True Immortal laws within the Immortal Qi seemed to have been bewitched, frantically rushing into his spiritual root.
His comprehension ability was equally monstrous. It could only be said that his configuration was simply too overpowered. At this rate, he estimated he could break through to Celestial Immortal in less than a year. Achieving Immortal Monarch and even Immortal King seemed within easy reach. There was almost no challenge at all, which left him feeling somewhat bored.
What Ye Chen missed most now were the days back when he was still at the Qi Refining stage in the cultivation world—when every small improvement felt hard-earned and precious.
He stretched lazily, then walked out of the cave residence, intending to inspect his territory and see if any female disciples or elders needed help.
Flying above Transcendence Peak, Ye Chen swept his gaze across the area and his eyes brightened.
It was the woman he had noticed before—Nangong Wan, with her one hundred thousand times multiplier. She was currently flying toward the mountain gate alongside another female cultivator.
Judging from her pale face, tightly clenched fists, and vacant eyes, she had clearly run into some trouble.
The corners of Ye Chen's mouth curved upward into a smile. He was the type of person who loved helping others. As the Old Ancestor of the peak, it was only right that he concern himself with the cultivation and daily lives of the female disciples.
Seeing the two women land on the Welcoming Peak beside the mountain gate, Ye Chen flew leisurely in that direction.
The moment the female disciples and elders within the sect noticed his figure, they all frowned tightly. If they had a choice, they would much rather this Old Ancestor Ye stay cooped up on his own peak cultivating instead of wandering around every day. But with his high seniority, no one dared say anything.
Thus, the female disciples all took detours, choosing to avoid what they could not afford to offend. They hoped to never cross paths with this Fourth Old Ancestor Ye for the rest of their lives…
Chapter 1101: The Jade Pool Immortal Sect Now Has a Male Old Ancestor!
At the Welcoming Peak, the arrival of a Profound Immortal elder from the Supreme Hall prompted the Jade Pool Immortal Sect to send one of their own. The atmosphere inside the hall was rather solemn.
The Jade Pool Immortal Sect's Profound Immortal elder maintained a neutral expression. Everyone already knew why the other party had come, so there was no reason to show them any warmth.
When Nangong Wan arrived, she saw a dignified and refined young man standing there with neatly combed hair. It was Nalan Qingxuan. His cultivation had already reached the peak of Celestial Immortal, deep and unfathomable.
Nalan Qingxuan looked at Nangong Wan with an indifferent expression.
The Profound Immortal Mountain Master from the Supreme Hall standing in front of him spoke calmly, "Nalan Qingxuan has already entered the personal disciple sequence of our Supreme Hall. He will soon break through to Profound Immortal and becoming a true personal disciple is only a matter of time. The Immortal Monarch who favors him hopes that Qingxuan will not be distracted by romantic entanglements and will focus solely on the immortal path.
"Qingxuan is kind-hearted. Although he has no feelings for his former fiancée, out of respect for the marriage arranged by their elders, he has always treated Nangong Wan with kindness and has gifted her many treasures to assist her cultivation…
"Qingxuan has already done more than enough and has a clear conscience. However, as his elders, we cannot bear to see him delay his own future like this. That is why we have come today specifically to dissolve the previous engagement."
"…"
The Jade Pool Immortal Sect's elder let out a cold laugh. Rumors had long spread that Nalan Qingxuan had gotten close to the daughter of an Immortal Monarch. Yet here he was, painting himself as some pure and innocent white lotus. How ridiculous.
The Profound Immortal elder from the Supreme Hall continued, "This low-grade True Origin Return One Pill shall serve as Qingxuan's compensation for breaking the engagement. Nangong Wan's cultivation has stagnated, so this pill is exactly what she needs. Moreover, Qingxuan had already gifted her one such pill before."
"The value of a True Origin Return One Pill is obvious. Even a low-grade one can save a Celestial Immortal years of bitter cultivation. The past gifts need not be repaid, and now there is additional compensation. From beginning to end, Nangong Wan has not suffered any loss in this engagement. Let us part on good terms."
…
Beneath her sleeve, Nangong Wan clenched her fists tightly.
What the other party said was not entirely unreasonable. In truth, she did owe Nalan Qingxuan more. But it should not have been like this.
Nalan Qingxuan could have told her privately. There were many ways to handle it. Why did he have to come to the Jade Pool Immortal Sect and humiliate her in front of everyone?
Nangong Wan did not resent him. She understood that Nalan Qingxuan had done nothing wrong—water naturally flows toward higher ground. Yet she was not a greedy person either.
She looked at Nalan Qingxuan earnestly and said calmly, "The engagement can be dissolved. There is no need for any compensation. As for the help Fellow Daoist Nalan gave me in the past, I will remember it all. In the future, I will repay everything I owe."
With those words, she took out the marriage contract and tore it apart in front of everyone.
The Profound Immortal elder from the Supreme Hall smiled. He glanced at Nalan Qingxuan, signaling him to tear up his copy as well.
Nalan Qingxuan's expression was somewhat complicated. He had not expected Nangong Wan to agree to the dissolution so cleanly.
In truth, he had always liked Nangong Wan. When they were young, her talent had been so high that he could only look up to her. The thought of marrying her had once filled him with excitement. Later, when Nangong Wan's cultivation stagnated, he had felt secretly pleased. That way, she would have to rely on him.
But then he met the daughter of an Immortal Monarch, used the connection to enter the personal disciple sequence, and now even had a chance to become a true personal disciple. Under these circumstances, he had to cut ties with Nangong Wan so the Immortal Monarch's daughter would not become suspicious.
Still, the woman was too domineering. Deep down, he still preferred Nangong Wan. He had already made plans. Nangong Wan would likely be expelled from the Jade Pool Immortal Sect before long. At that time, he would take her in and protect her. On the surface, he would be with the Immortal Monarch's daughter, but in secret, he would keep Nangong Wan.
That was the life he truly wanted.
So he planned to find Nangong Wan later for a private talk, to explain his difficulties and make her feel sorry for him.
Nalan Qingxuan tore up his copy of the marriage contract. With a trace of melancholy on his face, he said, "Elder, may I have a few private words with Nangong Wan? It has nothing to do with romance. It's simply because of the affection between our elders. I don't want the dissolution of this engagement to affect the relationship between our two families. I hope we can clear things up properly."
The Profound Immortal elder smiled. "Qingxuan, you truly are too kind-hearted…"
Nangong Wan immediately wanted to refuse. Since the engagement was being dissolved, they should part cleanly. Other than repaying what she owed him in the future, she did not want any further connection with Nalan Qingxuan. She spoke up at once, "There is no need, Fellow Daoist Nalan. From now on, we are nothing more than strangers. Let us part on good terms…"
Nalan Qingxuan frowned, about to say something more, when a figure strolled leisurely into the hall.
"I was wondering what could be so lively that even people from the Supreme Hall have come. So it's a matter of breaking off an engagement!"
The voice carried a hint of amusement, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Nalan Qingxuan and the others frowned at once.
The Profound Immortal elder from the Jade Pool Immortal Sect was also slightly surprised…
"Who are you?" Nalan Qingxuan asked, his brows tightly knit. For some reason, he keenly sensed that the way this man looked at Nangong Wan was off, and it displeased him greatly.
The Profound Immortal elder from the Supreme Hall was also unhappy, but he ignored Ye Chen and turned to the Jade Pool elder instead. "No matter what, our Supreme Hall is a guest here. Even if you are dissatisfied, you shouldn't let outsiders barge in and disturb us like this. Doing so only damages the reputation of the Jade Pool Immortal Sect and invites ridicule from others."
The Jade Pool elder looked somewhat helpless at first, but upon hearing those words, she immediately grew displeased as well. She turned and bowed respectfully to Ye Chen. "Greetings, Old Ancestor!"
Everyone's expressions changed.
The elder continued with the introduction, "Two and a half months ago, Jade Moon Immortal Monarch personally accepted a disciple on behalf of her master. Ye Chen is the fourth disciple of our Western Empress Ancestor, and he is now the Fourth Old Ancestor of our Jade Pool Immortal Sect. As an Old Ancestor, he may go wherever he wishes within the sect. It was you who overstepped."
As soon as these words were spoken, both the Profound Immortal elder from the Supreme Hall and Nalan Qingxuan widened their eyes in shock.
The Jade Pool Immortal Sect had accepted a male disciple? And he started off as an Old Ancestor? How was that possible? Had the Jade Pool Immortal Sect abandoned its traditions?
Displeasure and jealousy flashed in both men's eyes. They had already found Ye Chen unpleasant, and now they naturally felt hostility toward him.
…
The atmosphere in the hall grew tense and silent.
The elder had spoken up for Ye Chen, but also to protect the dignity of the Jade Pool Immortal Sect. She then asked softly, "Old Ancestor Ye, may I ask what brings you here?"
Ye Chen's gaze turned toward Nangong Wan as he smiled gently. "It's nothing too serious. I simply felt that this matter was being handled improperly. Since you are breaking off the engagement, it should be done cleanly. Why leave any lingering ties or debts?"
At those words, Nangong Wan's eyes reddened slightly.
The elder frowned. She felt that Ye Chen was meddling too much. If Nangong Wan could repay the debt, she naturally would. But even a low-grade True Origin Return One Pill was an incredibly precious treasure!