Chapter 1104: Why Not Ye Chen?
Supreme Hall.
Upon returning to the Supreme Hall, Nalan Qingxuan noticed the mountain gate was bustling with activity. Slightly puzzled, he asked around and soon furrowed his brows tightly.
Other Shore Immortal Monarch had emerged from seclusion and accepted the son of the Heaven Immortal Sect's sect master—the young man who had recently arrived holding a Supreme Token—as his personal disciple.
Nalan Qingxuan clenched his fists. Everyone knew that the Other Shore Immortal Monarch was considered the strongest expert below the Immortal Kings. He had once faced the Nine Dragons of the Wang Family alone and forced all nine to hesitate. It was no exaggeration to call him unrivaled beneath the Immortal King realm.
Who wouldn't want to become the personal disciple of such a figure?
Yet what about him? The father of the woman he had been serving was merely the weakest among the seven Immortal Monarchs of the Supreme Hall. The gap was immense.
Thinking of the torment he had endured during those intimate moments with that woman—the countless wire-like artifacts that had caused him unbearable pain, which he could only endure silently—he felt even greater resentment. All that suffering had been for the slim chance of becoming the disciple of the weakest Immortal Monarch.
Meanwhile, the other youth only needed a powerful background and a Supreme Token to directly become the Other Shore Immortal Monarch's disciple.
Nalan Qingxuan's heart burned with unwillingness.
He gazed toward the distant Samsara Peak, where the faint silhouette of the Immortal Monarch could be seen, and made a firm resolution. One day, he too would become an Immortal Monarch. Only then would his sacrifices be worth it.
…
At the same time, a scholarly-looking man dressed in a green robe and holding a feather fan arrived at the Supreme Hall's mountain gate. He simply took out a token, and the guarding elder's eyes widened. The elder hurriedly welcomed the man inside.
Noticing the bustling activity with experts flying back and forth and powerhouses gathering from various peaks, the man asked with mild curiosity, "What special occasion is it today? Why is the Supreme Hall so lively?"
Still examining the scholar with uncertainty, the guarding elder quickly replied, "Someone arrived with a Supreme Token, which prompted Other Shore Immortal Monarch to come out of seclusion and accept his first personal disciple. Today is the day of the acceptance ceremony."
The scholar smiled. "Other Shore Immortal Monarch personally accepting a disciple? That guy's judgment is still as sharp as ever. That kid is quite low-key—he only reveals a tenth of his talent. He probably won't show his full potential the moment he arrives at the Supreme Hall."
"Still, for Other Shore to personally step forward and claim him, it seems his mastery of the Path of Reincarnation is indeed impressive. Hmm, don't tell me that little brother of mine is about to become an Immortal King?"
The scholar's casual words made the guarding elder's mouth twitch uncontrollably. Calling Other Shore Immortal Monarch "little brother"? How outrageous.
Yet if this person truly was a reincarnated expert, it might not be so strange. Back when the three Immortal Kings were still alive, the Supreme Hall had been filled with powerhouses, and Other Shore had not ranked at the top. After the great war, many had died or been severely injured. For example, the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal had been terrifyingly strong—he had fought an Immortal King for three days at the Immortal Monarch realm and somehow escaped alive. Though he ultimately succumbed to his injuries within a thousand years, his power was undeniable.
If the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal had truly reincarnated, the Supreme Hall would surely rise again and regain its former glory.
However, looking at the scholar's refined and gentle appearance, he probably wasn't that battle-hardened figure.
"Lead the way. Take me to Samsara Peak."
The scholarly man was none other than Feng Baiyu. He had not possessed a Supreme Token. After ascending, he had arrived in a rather remote region, and the Immortal Realm was vast. It had taken him some time to return to the Boundless Continent.
Still, upon learning that Ye Chen had joined the sect, he felt genuinely delighted. He believed the Supreme Hall's return to glory was not far away. Moreover, he looked forward to the interesting expression Ye Chen would make when he saw him and learned his true identity.
Without delay, Feng Baiyu followed the mountain gate elder up the mountain.
On Samsara Peak, countless powerful experts had gathered for the ceremony. Before the grand hall stood a man with a calm demeanor and no trace of pressure emanating from him. Yet every gaze directed at him was filled with deep reverence.
Merely looking at him caused memories of their own pasts to surge uncontrollably within their minds. And if their eyes met his deep, pool-like gaze, countless images flooded their consciousness—scenes from the past and glimpses of the future.
This left everyone awestruck. They realized that the Other Shore Immortal Monarch's mastery of the Path of Reincarnation had already surpassed imagination. It would not be long before he truly became an Immortal King.
The Supreme Hall would soon rise once more.
For a moment, various thoughts stirred among the crowd, but all of them sincerely hoped the Other Shore Immortal Monarch would succeed in his breakthrough. They also believed no one would dare ambush him and interrupt his path to becoming an Immortal King.
The resistance faction of the Immortal Realm needed more powerhouses. The surrender faction also required the resistance faction to grow stronger. Otherwise, when the Other Domain launched a full-scale invasion, they would sweep through without resistance. In that case, even the surrender faction might not get the chance to surrender.
In short, there would be no obstacles to the Other Shore Immortal Monarch becoming an Immortal King. Everyone hoped he would succeed.
At that moment, Feng Baiyu finally reached the peak. Seeing Other Shore standing there calmly, Feng Baiyu curled his lips and muttered that the kid was getting better and better at showing off.
The Path of Reincarnation was that impressive? The Grand Reincarnation Technique ranked among the top ten of the three thousand Great Daos. Mastering it granted one the combat power of a major figure.
While Feng Baiyu was muttering to himself, the Other Shore Immortal Monarch turned his head. The moment he saw Feng Baiyu, countless universes seemed to birth and die within his eyes. The next moment, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Xie Linyuan, now that the ceremony is complete, you are my only personal disciple. Seven days from now, come to my hall and I will teach you the first chapter of the Other Shore Reincarnation Scripture."
A similarly outstanding young man below immediately beamed with joy and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master!"
Other Shore Immortal Monarch said nothing more. He merely glanced at Feng Baiyu before turning and walking into the hall.
Feng Baiyu stood frozen in place. He was not surprised to be recognized. Since the other party cultivated the Path of Reincarnation, seeing through past and present lives was normal.
But Xie Linyuan? What was that about? Had Ye Chen become so cautious that he even used a fake identity? Did he change his name because he had killed people from the Supreme Hall in the lower realm?
Yet looking at that youth, it didn't seem like him.
Still, there should only be one Supreme Token left. Something was off.
Feng Baiyu frowned. His previously good mood sank. He waved his hand to dismiss the mountain gate elder, then walked toward the interior of the hall from the back with familiar ease.
Chapter 1105: Leaving a Way Out!
When Feng Baiyu arrived, the Other Shore Immortal Monarch was already waiting for him. With a warm smile, he personally took Feng Baiyu's hand and seated him in his own place.
Despite the vast gap between a mere True Immortal and an Immortal Monarch, Other Shore's attitude was exceptionally close and friendly, showing none of the aloof demeanor he had displayed earlier.
"Senior Brother, you have finally returned. According to the future I saw, you should have come back a hundred years ago. When you didn't appear, I even thought you had died."
Feng Baiyu's mouth twitched. His former junior brother had grown increasingly skilled with his words. He quickly frowned and asked, "Why did you accept that person as your disciple? It should not have been him."
Other Shore Immortal Monarch sat across from him and smiled gently. "Why not him?"
Feng Baiyu narrowed his eyes. "The Supreme Token should not have been in his hands. It belonged to a person who ascended from the lower realm. Even if you didn't know beforehand, the moment you saw the token, you should have seen the truth clearly."
Other Shore Immortal Monarch's smile remained mild as countless universes continued to birth and perish within his eyes. "He is the successor chosen by Senior Brother?"
Feng Baiyu gave a self-mocking laugh. "I failed to become an Immortal King in my previous life and died. How could I be qualified to choose anyone? He is the successor chosen by the Heavenly Emperor. More than a successor—he is his descendant."
Other Shore Immortal Monarch's expression grew serious. The speed of universe creation and destruction in his eyes accelerated like a sea of light. Then he spoke with absolute certainty, "Impossible. He is not the Heavenly Emperor's descendant. He…"
Before he could finish, streams of immortal blood flowed from the Other Shore Immortal Monarch's eyes like small rivers.
He paid it no mind and slowly closed his eyes. "This person's bloodline does have some origins. He carries an extremely faint trace of Immortal King blood, perhaps a distant branch descendant from one of the Immortal King families in the Immortal Realm. I cannot calculate the details—Immortal Kings cannot be divined. This injury will take me several years to fully recover. But I can confirm one thing: he is definitely not the Heavenly Emperor's descendant."
Feng Baiyu frowned deeply. He had great trust in Other Shore's divination abilities. Yet he had always believed Ye Chen was the Heavenly Emperor's descendant and the source of the Emperor's confidence to venture out.
Given the Heavenly Emperor's character, he would never have abandoned the Immortal Realm and charged out recklessly without a plan. The fact that he had left—and even died outside—meant he must have left behind a contingency.
Feng Baiyu had thought Ye Chen's monstrous talent was that contingency. He was supposed to be the next person to hold the Emperor Pass alone and perhaps even lead the Immortal Realm into the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
He had never expected Ye Chen to have no connection to the Heavenly Emperor at all. Instead, he was linked to one of the Immortal King families.
This revelation caught Feng Baiyu completely off guard and made Ye Chen seem even more mysterious.
…
Soon, however, Feng Baiyu regained his composure. Even if Ye Chen was not the Heavenly Emperor's descendant, his talent was unprecedented. Once he grew stronger, he would undoubtedly become a terrifying force. They absolutely could not miss this opportunity.
He looked at Other Shore Immortal Monarch and was about to speak again when Other Shore, though still keeping his eyes closed, seemed to anticipate his words and spoke first.
"I saw it. The moment that person took out the Supreme Token, I saw everything. I also saw the mountain gate elder secretly withhold the token and give it to Xie Linyuan, the son of the Heaven Immortal Sect's sect master."
Feng Baiyu's frown deepened, and anger flashed in his eyes. "Then why didn't you stop it? Ye Chen's talent is unprecedented, even greater than the Heavenly Emperor's back then…"
Other Shore Immortal Monarch shook his head. "I am not an Immortal King after all. I cannot see everything.
"More importantly, there is no time left. I saw it clearly—the Emperor Pass only has a thousand years remaining. We cannot wait for the next generation. The only ones who can stand before the Emperor Pass and wait for the seal to break and the great enemy to arrive are us.
"Heaven Immortal King is an ancient Immortal King. Although he has been hiding, I suspect he has already reached the Giant level. If we can use this opportunity to sway him to our side, we will gain a powerful ally in the future.
"Between a veteran major figure at the Immortal King level and a young genius who may or may not become an Immortal King in the distant future, which one to choose should be obvious to you, Senior Brother.
"Of course, since you think so highly of that boy, go find him. Aside from me, he can choose any of the other six Immortal Monarchs he wants…"
Feng Baiyu fell silent.
Rationally, Other Shore Immortal Monarch's words made sense. A potential Immortal King they could pull over was far more valuable than a current True Immortal genius. Even a fool would know whom to choose.
But Ye Chen was different.
As for trying to bring Ye Chen back? He knew Ye Chen too well. Ye Chen might appear gentle, but he never tolerated any humiliation—unless it came from a beautiful female cultivator. He would not return.
Recalling how Ye Chen had once asked him about the Jade Pool Immortal Sect, Feng Baiyu realized that after being mistreated by the Supreme Hall, Ye Chen had likely gone there happily. He was gone. He truly would not come back.
Feng Baiyu's heart ached.
Soon, however, something occurred to him. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the Other Shore Immortal Monarch. "During the great war all those years, Heaven Immortal King avoided battle and stayed hidden. Now he has even accepted the incarnation of the Seven Extremes Immortal King as his disciple. What makes you think you can persuade him? And what if you fail?"
Other Shore Immortal Monarch's expression remained calm. "If I can't persuade him, then so be it. Let things take their natural course."
Feng Baiyu's eyes narrowed into slits. "You're leaving yourself a way out, aren't you?"
The hall fell silent. The atmosphere grew heavy.
After a long pause, Other Shore Immortal Monarch smiled faintly. "When the Other Domain arrives, I will be the most resolute member of the resistance faction. I will become the core and the backbone of the Immortal Realm's resistance."
Feng Baiyu let out a cold laugh. "Yes, exactly. The most determined resister is also the one with the highest value when it comes to being recruited. You can demand the best terms."
This time, Other Shore Immortal Monarch remained silent. His eyes stayed tightly shut as blood continued to flow from them.
After a long while, he sighed. "I have no intention of defecting to the enemy, but I must leave a path for the Supreme Hall. If there is hope in the future, I will naturally fight on the battlefield and uphold the reputation of the Hall."
"But what if there is no hope at all? This is the legacy left by our ancestors. It should not be destroyed so easily. I am not afraid. I simply want to secure a future for everyone."
"Senior Brother, I know you carry a blood feud with the Other Domain, but people must look forward. The dead are already gone. The living still need to continue living…"
"Senior Brother, you understand me, right?"
Though Other Shore Immortal Monarch's eyes were closed, Feng Baiyu felt as if the other man was staring directly at him.
Feng Baiyu smiled. "I understand. Of course, I understand."
The Other Shore Immortal Monarch smiled back. "It's good that Senior Brother understands."
Feng Baiyu nodded, rose slowly, and gave Other Shore Immortal Monarch a deep look. "Ye Chen possesses heaven-defying talent. It would be a shame to lose him. I will go find him and try to bring him back."
Chapter 1106: Passed Me First, Then Talk About the Future!
Feng Baiyu finished speaking, but the Other Shore Immortal Monarch remained silent.
After a long pause, Other Shore finally spoke with a quiet sigh, his eyes still closed. "If Senior Brother goes to find him this time, I'm afraid you will never return."
The atmosphere inside the hall grew heavy and oppressive.
Feng Baiyu frowned slightly as he looked at Other Shore. "You won't let me leave?"
Other Shore shook his head. "I bear no ill will toward Senior Brother, nor do I wish to become your enemy. I also believe you have the best interests of the Supreme Hall at heart. Even without an Immortal King, the Supreme Hall remains the core of the resistance faction across the entire Immortal Realm because of me. If word spreads that I harbor thoughts of retreat, the Supreme Hall will lose all reason to exist and will be jointly destroyed by the other Immortal Kings.
"That is why I trust you. We are merely taking different paths, with no personal grudge between us. How could I stop you from leaving?"
Though Other Shore's eyes remained closed, it felt as though he was staring straight at Feng Baiyu.
Feng Baiyu's expression grew complicated. He would not speak of this matter to outsiders. More importantly, he sensed that Other Shore still regarded him as his senior brother, just as before. He could even understand Other Shore's position—the current situation in the Immortal Realm was truly desperate. It took real courage to choose resistance.
Feng Baiyu gazed deeply at Other Shore and could not help saying, "You really should not have missed out on Ye Chen. His talent is monstrous. He can suppress Heavenly Emperors of the same realm and erase True Immortals with the foundation of a Quasi-Immortal. He is not only likely to become the next Heavenly Emperor—he may even surpass him."
The Other Shore Immortal Monarch smiled at those words. His aura shifted, radiating overwhelming confidence. "So what? He would merely be the next He Wushuang. Back then, didn't He Wushuang also suppress the Heavenly Emperor? I heard he became an Immortal King tens of thousands of years ago. Yet once I achieve the Immortal King realm, I am confident I can easily send him into the cycle of reincarnation.
"No matter how peerless Ye Chen's talent is, he is still nothing more than another He Wushuang. Whether he exists or not will not change the bigger picture. If you believe he represents the future, then wait until he is qualified to stand before me. Only after he passes me can we talk about the future."
At that moment, immense confidence surged from the Other Shore Immortal Monarch.
Feng Baiyu gave him one final deep look, said nothing more, and turned to leave the hall.
The Other Shore Immortal Monarch remained silent. The entire hall quickly darkened, falling into a deathly stillness like a desolate universe.
Feng Baiyu flew away from RSamsara Peak and left the Supreme Hall. As if by coincidence, he stopped at the exact spot where Ye Chen had once stood and looked back at the Supreme Hall.
Gazing at the massive divine turtle shell, he noted that thanks to Other Shore, the Supreme Hall—though no longer at its peak—still stood like the midday sun across Boundless Continent. Yet in Feng Baiyu's eyes, the once-mighty Supreme Hall now carried a faint air of decline.
He took one last deep look before turning away without hesitation.
"Ye Chen has most likely gone to the Jade Pool Immortal Sect, but I definitely cannot enter. Never mind. I left myself plenty of backup plans back then. It's time to leave the Boundless Continent. When the seal on the Emperor Pass breaks, I will give that kid a surprise. I only hope he hasn't become too addicted to women…"
With a quiet sigh, Feng Baiyu's lonely figure disappeared as he chose to leave the Boundless Continent.
…
Jade Pool Immortal Sect.
Two and a half months passed in the blink of an eye.
When Ye Chen opened his eyes again, he felt the rich True Immortal laws circulating within his body and revealed a satisfied smile.
In those two and a half months, he had refined over a hundred top-grade True Origin Return One Pills. His seemingly bottomless body had finally reached its limit. He had officially arrived at the peak of the True Immortal realm.
He was now only one step away from becoming a Celestial Immortal. Perhaps it was time to bring his Dao companions to the Immortal Realm.
Just as Ye Chen stood up, a disturbance came from the restrictions outside the hall. He raised an eyebrow. His Transcendence Peak was treated like a forbidden ground within the Jade Pool Immortal Sect, and no one ever visited. To have a guest today was surprising.
A trace of interest appeared on Ye Chen's face. He lifted a finger lightly, and the cave residence door swung open. "Come in."
Moments later, two sets of footsteps sounded.
One belonged to Nangong Wan. The other female cultivator walked in with clear vigilance, clutching something tightly in her palm. She clearly did not want to be here but had come anyway. She appeared to be at the mid-stage of the True Immortal realm, and her figure was quite attractive as she moved.
At the same time, a system notification rang in Ye Chen's mind.
Ten-thousandfold female cultivator!
Ye Chen had already adjusted the system so that it would only alert him at ten-thousandfold or higher. Anything below that no longer interested him.
"Greetings, Ancestor Ye!"
Both women greeted Ye Chen respectfully. However, their pupils contracted in shock the moment they saw him.
Ye Chen had reached the peak of the True Immortal realm.
Rumors outside claimed the sect had gained a new early-stage True Immortal Ancestor. Yet in such a short time, he had already advanced to the peak?
Nangong Wan was the most stunned. Two and a half months ago, Ye Chen had only been at the mid-stage of the True Immortal realm. Now he had directly crossed the late stage and reached the peak. What kind of monstrous talent did this require?
With such talent, it was no wonder he had become an Ancestor. No wonder Jade Moon Immortal Monarch had accepted him as a disciple on her master's behalf. It was not because he had forced his way in with a token, as the outside world claimed. He truly deserved the position.
Amid her shock, Nangong Wan thought of her own situation. While others could advance from early-stage True Immortal to peak True Immortal in just half a year, she had been stuck in the True Immortal realm for far too long.
Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, Nangong Wan straightened her legs, bent at the waist, and bowed deeply. "Congratulations on your breakthrough, Fourth Ancestor Ye."
Ye Chen nodded calmly. "Why have the two of you come to see me?"
Nangong Wan immediately opened her inner world and took out a white cloak embroidered with golden threads. She held it up with both hands and presented it to Ye Chen.
The white cloak radiated a faint immortal aura, though it was not particularly strong. It was only a low-grade immortal weapon.
Nangong Wan spoke softly, "Last time, Ancestor showed great kindness by helping this disciple out of a difficult situation. I am deeply grateful. However, my abilities are limited, and I cannot offer a treasure of equal value in return. This is the first immortal weapon I have ever refined. I hope Ancestor will not disdain it."
She maintained an extremely humble posture.
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. He naturally cared little for a low-grade immortal weapon—his inner world contained plenty of them. What pleased him was Nangong Wan's attitude. She knew to repay kindness. This already set her apart from many others.
This girl was worth keeping around.
Without any pretense, Ye Chen reached out and accepted the white cloak.
Seeing him take it, Nangong Wan breathed a sigh of relief. She had already decided to leave the Jade Pool Immortal Sect. Before she departed, she wanted to do so cleanly and without any lingering debts. Now that she had repaid the Ancestor's favor, she could finally leave with peace of mind.