Chapter 1119: The Punishment Elder!
"Congratulations, Host, on successfully gifting the treasure…"
"Gift: True Immortal Chapter of the Western Empress Supreme Scripture's Undying Volume…"
"Ten-thousandfold feedback in progress…"
"Detected that the gifted item holds extreme importance to the recipient…"
"Triggering maximum critical feedback…"
"Triggering perfect hit…"
"Feedback: Complete Western Empress Supreme Scripture!"
"Feedback: Comprehension insights from its creator, Western Empress!"
"…"
"Western Empress Supreme Scripture: An Immortal King scripture created with the Great Yin Dao, Space Dao, and Life Dao as its core. Cultivating this scripture offers the potential to comprehend the Great Life Technique, Great Space Technique, and Great Yin Technique, eventually achieving the Immortal King realm."
Ye Chen smiled as he read the description. This was the complete Western Empress Supreme Scripture—the technique he should be cultivating. He could now begin preparing to break through to the Celestial Immortal realm.
Unlike ordinary immortal scriptures, Immortal King scriptures generally did not conflict with one another and could be cultivated simultaneously. The main purpose was to comprehend more Great Daos. For example, the Undying Scripture he had cultivated earlier contained the Power Dao. After becoming an Immortal King, the more Great Daos one mastered, the stronger one would become.
Even with the complete Western Empress Supreme Scripture, Ye Chen still planned to continue collecting more Immortal King scriptures to comprehend as many Great Daos as possible. His first small goal was to master all three thousand Great Daos. If he could also comprehend the eight hundred side paths, he believed he would achieve true transcendence and become completely unrivaled.
However, the next moment, Ye Chen frowned slightly as his face paled.
The backlash had arrived.
He had once made an oath, and giving the Western Empress Undying Chapter to Nangong Wan counted as violating that oath—betraying the sect. Fortunately, the backlash was not severe. Partly because Western Empress had been benevolent, and partly because his physique was too strong and his body contained too many chaotic elements. He estimated it would take only a month or two to endure it.
The problem was manageable.
At the same time, on the Punishment Main Peak beside Western Empress Peak, a woman sat cross-legged in the grand hall. She wore a red dress with a modest neckline that revealed her fire-quenched, jade-like collarbones. However, not much of them could be seen, as her chest was far too impressive. Anyone looking at her would hardly notice her collarbones.
Her skirt was not particularly long, revealing her full, shapely legs. Around her waist hung an immortal gold chain, from which two tiny, exquisite curved blades dangled like ornaments. They rested against her long legs and jingled pleasantly with her movements.
Her figure was extremely alluring, and aside from her face, everything about her radiated fiery charm. Between her brows burned a red lotus mark that seemed to flicker endlessly. She possessed a pair of alluring phoenix eyes with sharply upturned tails and amber-colored pupils that resembled quietly burning flames. Meeting her gaze would undoubtedly bring overwhelming pressure.
The woman narrowed her eyes, staring in the direction of Transcendence Peak.
She was the cultivator in the sect who found the presence of a man the hardest to accept. That Fourth Ancestor Ye had surely used the direct disciple token to shamelessly force his way in. Her master, Jade Moon Immortal Monarch, wanted to resurrect their ancestor and had likely entered seclusion to refine and extract their ancestor's divine sense from the token. That was why she had agreed.
Since her master had spoken, she could not openly oppose it. But she could keep a close watch on Transcendence Peak. The moment Fourth Ancestor Ye violated even the smallest rule, she would drag him out and expel him without hesitation. Even her master would have nothing to say then.
She believed Ye Chen must have had ulterior motives for insisting on joining an all-female sect. However, he hid his intentions too well, and she had yet to find any fault. He had even used treasures to win over the disciples and gain their acceptance. This only made her more vigilant. She swore to herself that she would keep a tight watch on him.
Still, his Dao companions seemed innocent and possessed an extraordinary bearing. If she successfully drove Ye Chen out, she might allow them to stay if they wished.
As she pondered, the woman suddenly stood up. Her chest heaved dramatically, radiating a majestic and fiery aura.
Deep within the Punishment Hall, a jade plaque began to vibrate. It signaled that someone had betrayed the sect and violated their oath.
The woman's aura changed in an instant. Her previous casual indifference vanished, replaced by solemn severity. The atmosphere inside the hall grew heavy and oppressive.
With a wave of her hand, the jade plaque flew into her palm. When she saw the name displayed on it, her amber-colored pupils blazed like fire, and the red lotus mark between her brows erupted into full bloom.
"Ye Chen! Leaking the Immortal King scripture! Your fox tail has finally shown itself…"
The Jade Pool Immortal Sect's punishments were relatively lenient, but Western Empress had left behind powerful measures. Heavenly oaths were recorded on special jade plaques. If anyone violated their oath, the jade plaque deep within the Punishment Hall would vibrate and precisely identify the culprit.
Leaking an Immortal King scripture was a grave offense. Ye Chen must be a spy sent by another sect.
Without the slightest hesitation, the woman in red transformed into a blazing red lotus and shot toward Transcendence Peak.
At the same time, bells rang out automatically from the Punishment Main Peak—nine chimes in succession. This caused the entire Jade Pool Immortal Sect to shake. Only when a disciple or elder committed betrayal would the Punishment Main Peak sound so many bells.
Who had betrayed the sect?
Immediately, Peak Masters and elders from every peak flew out, rushing toward the Punishment Main Peak to find out what had happened.
Meanwhile, Nangong Wan had already entered secluded cultivation to practice the Western Empress Undying Chapter and did not hear the bells.
…
Ye Chen's Supreme Technique activated on its own, allowing him to vaguely sense that something was wrong. The Immortal Realm's detection methods were quite advanced. He had only just violated the oath, yet the entire sect already seemed to know.
However, Ye Chen remained completely calm. After all, he had only given the scripture to one of his own people. As an Ancestor, was it wrong to pass an Immortal King scripture to a disciple who desperately needed it? Not at all. It was perfectly reasonable. He simply cared too much for his disciples.
As he was thinking this, a terrifying aura descended upon Transcendence Peak. The entire mountain grew scorching hot.
Ye Chen's first reaction was that this opponent was not someone he could fight head-on. He was definitely no match.
He immediately guessed that the visitor was the eighth-stage Saint Immortal of the Jade Pool Immortal Sect—the Punishment Elder, and the head disciple of Jade Moon Immortal Monarch. Technically, she was also his martial niece.
Ye Chen had heard of her long ago. She was said to possess exceptional talent, the Red Lotus Immortal Body, and some kind of rare holy spiritual root. However, she had always avoided meeting him, so they had never crossed paths. This had been quite a regret for him.
Now, he would finally get to see her.
"Ye Chen, you have betrayed the sect and betrayed Jade Moon Immortal Monarch's trust. Your crime is unforgivable!"
"Come out and surrender immediately!"
"Don't force me to take action myself!"
A voice full of fury yet still pleasing to the ear resounded across Transcendence Peak.
The corners of Ye Chen's mouth curved upward. He straightened his clothes and walked out leisurely. "Linglong, my martial niece, why are you shouting so loudly?"
Chapter 1120: No Shame
Ye Chen walked out calmly with a relaxed expression and casually called her "Linglong, my martial niece."
This immediately dampened the fiery momentum of the furious Huo Linglong. After all, she was indeed his junior in terms of seniority.
Ye Chen finally saw the renowned Punishment Elder for the first time. His eyes lit up. Her voice was fiery, but her appearance was even more so. She wore a red dress that should have been loose, yet somehow clung tightly to her body. The word "voluptuous" was barely enough to describe her. She was explosive in every sense.
The immortal gold chain around her waist added a unique touch of elegance. In short, the woman before him gave off the impression of a wild, untamable mare on the grasslands—one that would awaken a conqueror's desire in powerful experts.
Although both she and his master wore red and carried domineering auras, they were completely different in style.
"Enough with the nonsense, Fourth Ancestor Ye. You've been exposed. Come with me to the Punishment Main Peak to await judgment!" Huo Linglong's amber eyes were aggressive, carrying three parts casual scrutiny and seven parts domineering arrogance.
Ye Chen smiled and showed no resistance. In truth, resistance was pointless. Huo Linglong was a peak Saint Immortal. Facing such an existence, both his bloodline and Divine Abilities were warning him that he was no match. The gap between realms was simply too vast. She stood at the eighth heaven, while he was still at the peak of the first heaven and had yet to break through.
Still, Ye Chen was not surprised. The nine stages of the True Immortal realm were essentially nine heavens for immortals. Each stage was like an entirely different world, with unimaginable differences in power. Under these circumstances, it was nearly impossible for him to kill enemies across many major realms.
But he was not anxious. He had already obtained the complete Western Empress Supreme Scripture. His future path was now clear. Becoming an Immortal King was only a matter of time.
"I'll go with you. Lead the way," Ye Chen said obediently as he flew up, showing none of the resistance, guilt, or denial that Huo Linglong had expected. Instead, he cooperated with full confidence.
This left Huo Linglong with nowhere to vent her anger. A mere True Immortal was normally someone she wouldn't even bother looking at—an ant she could crush with a single glance. But this particular ant was an Ancestor, which made things troublesome.
No matter how confident he acted, it was useless. This time, using the crime of privately leaking an Immortal King scripture, she would definitely drive him out of the sect.
"Lead the way. I've only just arrived at the Jade Pool Immortal Sect and don't know the roads," Ye Chen said.
Huo Linglong's mouth twitched. She bit her red lip lightly and stopped looking at him. She flew ahead, but the moment she sensed his gaze, she turned back sharply.
She saw Ye Chen looking at her with the gentle, loving eyes of a senior.
Huo Linglong's fists tightened. However, out of respect for his status, flames erupted across her body, covering everything from view.
Ye Chen, flying leisurely behind her, shook his head with slight regret. This martial niece really had quite the temper. She wouldn't even let him look. Still, as the Ancestor, he would not take it to heart. As a senior, he had to be magnanimous.
It had nothing to do with the system notification that had just appeared in his mind.
"Discovered a compatible female cultivator for gifting…"
"Huo Linglong: 170,000-fold!"
To be honest, Ye Chen liked fiery beauties, but he didn't particularly enjoy those with explosive tempers. Still, with a 170,000-fold multiplier, he felt he could make an exception.
As for this trip to the Punishment Main Peak, Ye Chen was not going there to confess his guilt. He intended to use this opportunity to show all the female disciples and elders of the Jade Pool Immortal Sect just how good their Fourth Ancestor Ye truly was. This way, he would gain everyone's full acceptance. No one would need to avoid him anymore. They could wear whatever they wanted and bathe wherever they wished.
Their Ancestor really wasn't that kind of person.
On the main peak of the Punishment Hall, a group of peak masters' disciples from the Jade Pool Immortal Sect had already gathered.
They stood in small clusters, waiting with anticipation. Speculation ran rife about who had betrayed the sect, and indignation filled their hearts. With the Punishment Elder personally taking action, the traitor had no chance of escape.
They waited patiently.
Moments later, a streak of flame descended from the sky. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.
What was happening?
Soon after, a figure landed. When they saw who it was, the entire peak erupted in uproar.
It was a man—the only male in the entire Jade Pool Immortal Sect.
Besides that Fourth Elder Ye, who else could it be? He had betrayed the sect?
For a moment, most of the female cultivators felt deep dissatisfaction. Sure enough, men should never be allowed to join Jade Pool Immortal Sect. They always harbored ill intentions.
At that moment, Huo Linglong retracted the flames around her body, once again revealing her proud and alluring figure. She intended to condemn Ye Chen in front of everyone.
Killing him was out of the question—he was the disciple her master had accepted on behalf of her own master. However, expelling him was absolutely necessary.
"Ye Chen, you secretly leaked the Immortal King Scripture. This is a heinous crime! Do you admit it?"
Huo Linglong's cold, stern voice echoed across the entire Punishment Main Peak.
As her words fell, another wave of commotion swept through the crowd. The female cultivators now looked at Ye Chen with clear disgust.
He had done it for the Immortal King Scripture?
In the immortal world, the Immortal King Scripture was an incredibly precious treasure, the foundational inheritance of every major sect. It concerned the Great Dao itself, and its importance was beyond imagination. If it fell into outsiders' hands, they might discover weaknesses and target Jade Pool Immortal Sect. In the worst case, it could lead to the sect's destruction.
This man had not only come for the female cultivators but also for the Immortal King Scripture. The realization filled everyone with rage from the depths of their hearts.
He was trying to uproot Jade Pool Immortal Sect!
Under the gaze of the entire crowd, Ye Chen listened to the constant system notifications ringing in his mind and smiled faintly. He nodded. "Indeed, I secretly leaked the Immortal King Scripture."
His admission was straightforward and crisp.
The curved blade on Huo Linglong's waist chain flowed with killing intent, swaying gently and producing crisp colliding sounds. Her alluring phoenix eyes, with their naturally upturned tails, narrowed. "Tell me, which force sent you? Who did you give the Western Empress Scripture to?"
This time, Ye Chen shook his head. "I was not sent by any force, and I bear no malice toward Jade Pool Immortal Sect. But I cannot tell you who I passed the Western Empress Scripture to."
The moment he spoke, the surrounding female cultivators found him utterly shameless. He had dared to secretly transmit the Immortal King Scripture, yet claimed he had no malice?
This man had no shame at all.
Huo Linglong's red lotus mark between her brows blazed fiercely, as if she had been amused by his audacity. The corners of her lips curved into a half-smile. "Do you really think that just because you are Master's junior brother, I cannot do anything to you?"
"Betraying the sect is a grave crime. You will be expelled from Jade Pool Immortal Sect!"
"At that point, you will have no status whatsoever. With a single glance from me, I can kill you and destroy both your body and soul."
"I advise you to confess honestly—which force did you steal the Immortal King Scripture for?"
Ye Chen remained silent. He turned his head slightly to the side, looking as if he carried some hidden truth he refused to reveal.
After all, having someone else speak up for him would be far more effective than saying it himself.
Chapter 1121: I Am Ultimately an Outsider!
"Heh…"
Huo Linglong grew furious at Ye Chen's attitude.
Deep down, she had never truly acknowledged this martial uncle. She only wanted to drive him away and felt no hesitation whatsoever.
She let out a cold laugh. "You secretly leaked the Immortal King Scripture. In Jade Pool Immortal Sect, this is a capital offense… And now you show no remorse and refuse to confess. I should have killed you with a single palm strike.
"However, you brought back the personal transmission token, which is a relic left behind by Ancestor Western Empress and holds great importance to our Jade Pool Immortal Sect.
"Out of consideration for that token, I will spare your life. Leave the mountain on your own. From today onward, you have no further connection with Jade Pool Immortal Sect…"
Because of certain secrets she knew, Huo Linglong understood that the consequences of leaking the Immortal King Scripture were not as severe as she claimed. Thus, she ignored Ye Chen's expression that seemed to say he had hidden reasons but refused to speak.
If he wanted to talk, fine. If not, even better—she could just expel him.
Ye Chen stood in place, gazing calmly at the surrounding female cultivators. Finally, he let out a long sigh. His figure seemed to hunch over as he turned and prepared to descend the mountain.
Seeing that Ye Chen was truly about to leave without saying another word, Huo Linglong frowned slightly. A trace of confusion flickered in her amber eyes.
Still, regardless of the reason, the fact that Ye Chen had betrayed the sect remained undeniable. Let him go. At least she would have an explanation for her master later.
The Jade Pool disciples watching this scene began to discuss it animatedly. Some breathed long sighs of relief, glad that the man in their sect had finally left. Others, however, felt that something was not quite right.
Ye Chen looked as if he had been wronged. Could it be that someone had schemed to drive him away?
At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out: "I don't believe Fourth Ancestor Ye would betray the sect. There must be some hidden truth behind this!"
The words caused everyone present to show expressions of surprise as they turned toward the speaker.
When they saw who it was, many were astonished. The female cultivator who had spoken was an inner sect disciple from Hundred Flowers Peak.
Under the gaze of so many peak lords and powerful elders, the female disciple felt extremely nervous. Yet she still summoned her courage and continued, "Ancestor is a good person. He would never betray the sect. There must be a misunderstanding!"
She had been a little afraid earlier. After all, everyone present were seniors and powerhouses of the sect, so she hadn't dared to speak. But when she saw that the ancestor was truly about to be forced down the mountain, she could no longer remain silent.
Ancestor had truly been very kind to them.
She had been stuck at the mid-stage of True Immortal for many years. If not for the top-grade True Origin Return One Pill that Ancestor had given her, she would never have reached the peak of True Immortal.
Moreover, Ancestor had given one pill to every disciple from Hundred Flowers Peak who was present. Such generosity was unimaginable and clearly stemmed from genuine care for the disciples.
How could such an ancestor possibly betray the sect?
Once she spoke up, the other disciples from Hundred Flowers Peak also stepped forward one after another to speak on Ye Chen's behalf, insisting there must be some hidden circumstances.
The junior sister who had previously gone to Ye Chen's cave residence with Nangong Wan even flew out directly, grabbed Ye Chen's arm, and shouted with red-rimmed eyes, "Ancestor, please don't leave!"
This scene shocked the elders and disciples from the other peaks.
Even Huo Linglong's phoenix eyes revealed a hint of confusion. When had Hundred Flowers Peak become so supportive of Ye Chen?
Ye Chen paused at the stairs. He did not turn around. His slightly hunched back radiated a sense of sorrow.
At this moment, an elder from Hundred Flowers Peak also spoke up: "Ancestor Ye cares deeply about the disciples' cultivation. A while ago, when he saw that our peak's disciple Nangong Wan had encountered a problem in her cultivation, he took the initiative to bestow upon her an extremely precious top-grade True Origin Return One Pill!"
As soon as these words fell, the cultivators present could no longer hold back. Another wave of commotion swept through the crowd.
They knew better than anyone just how valuable a top-grade True Origin Return One Pill was. Yet Ye Chen had willingly given such a priceless pill to a mere inner sect disciple?
This revelation caused everyone's view of Ye Chen to shift completely.
Even Huo Linglong's body trembled slightly in shock. She had originally assumed that Nangong Wan's life force had been drained only after her True Immortal laws were fully absorbed. She had never expected it was because of the True Origin Return One Pill.
Could it be that Ye Chen had truly joined the Jade Pool Immortal Sect with sincere intentions?
The elder had not finished speaking. She continued, "It wasn't just Nangong Wan. That day, when Ancestor Ye descended upon Hundred Flowers Peak and saw many of our disciples, he bestowed a top-grade True Origin Return One Pill upon every single one as a meeting gift…"
This time, the crowd began drawing in sharp breaths.
One pill per person? Was this a joke? Could Ye Chen have discovered some ancient predecessor's hidden treasure?
Even if he had no use for them himself, selling such pills would have brought him an unimaginable amount of resources. Yet he had simply given them away.
What did Ye Chen gain from this? Nothing.
But for Jade Pool Immortal Sect and its disciples, the benefits were enormous.
Ye Chen had been silently contributing to the sect all this time.
Thinking back to how disciples from Hundred Flowers Peak had frequently visited Transcendence Peak recently and even taken the initiative to greet and bow to him, the others finally understood why.
For a moment, the elders and disciples from the other peaks felt a mix of envy and resentment. They secretly cursed Hundred Flowers Peak for being so cunning—hiding such a good thing so tightly.
To think that Ancestor's meeting gift was actually a top-grade True Origin Return One Pill. If that were the case, they too would be willing to get close to the ancestor and treat him with genuine sincerity. Even if he was a male ancestor, it wouldn't matter.
As the crowd looked at Ye Chen's back, their expressions grew increasingly complicated.
They now began to doubt whether Ye Chen had truly betrayed the sect. Could he have been framed?
With that thought, many unconsciously turned their gazes toward Huo Linglong, the Punishment Elder.
Huo Linglong hated Ancestor Ye the most. Could today's events have been deliberately orchestrated by her?
Huo Linglong herself was also stunned. Sensing the crowd's stares, she immediately grew irritable.
How could she possibly do such a thing!
Her chest heaved with anger beneath her red dress.
Gritting her teeth, she looked at Ye Chen. "Ye Chen, why didn't you say anything after doing all these things? And who exactly did you secretly pass the Immortal King Scripture to? Our Jade Pool Immortal Sect has always been lenient toward our own. If there is some hidden reason, you don't need to worry. The sect will naturally consider it appropriately…"
However, Ye Chen did not turn around.
His voice, laced with disappointment, rang out, "There's no need to mention it. I have already realized that no matter what I do, the sect will never truly accept me."
"To Jade Pool Immortal Sect, I will always be nothing more than an outsider."
"Forget it. I'll just leave. Linglong, please say goodbye to Senior Sister Yue Yao for me…"
"Tell her that everyone is doing well. It's just that this place isn't suitable for me."
Ye Chen's voice was filled with desolation and loneliness.
The female cultivators present all wore complicated expressions. Some even felt a twinge of guilt.
Ancestor Ye had done so much to try and integrate into the sect. Yet they had always gossiped behind his back, speculated about him, and deliberately avoided him. Perhaps they had truly hurt Ancestor Ye's heart.
Moreover, Ancestor Ye clearly wasn't the womanizing madman the rumors made him out to be. This time, they might have really been wrong.
For a moment, an atmosphere of guilt permeated the platform atop the peak.
Huo Linglong's face twitched. She was starting to panic.
Now even a fool could see there was hidden circumstances. How could she continue pressing Ye Chen? Otherwise, when her master emerged from seclusion, how would she explain herself?
Chapter 1122: Ye Chen, Are You Feeling Proud Now?
Huo Linglong's expression grew complicated. The curved blades hanging at her sides swayed gently.
Ye Chen had even been willing to give away top-grade True Origin Return One Pills as mere meeting gifts. It was clear he had truly wanted to integrate into Jade Pool Immortal Sect.
Her previous attitude had indeed been excessive.
Yet Huo Linglong felt anxious. Why hadn't he said anything about all this earlier? If he didn't speak up, how was she supposed to know?
She tried her best to soften her tone. "Ye… Fourth Ancestor Ye, who exactly did you pass the Immortal Scripture to? Although our Jade Pool Immortal Sect prohibits the private transmission of the Immortal King Scripture, if there are hidden circumstances, we can discuss anything. Nothing is off the table!"
Huo Linglong had never spoken so gently in her life. The words felt incredibly awkward coming from her.
Yet Ye Chen remained silent and simply shook his head.
Huo Linglong's fists tightened.
Couldn't he just say it outright?
She recalled the romance storybooks she had read before becoming an immortal. The female characters in those stories would always suffer in silence, refusing to explain even when a single sentence would clear everything up. It used to infuriate her.
Now she was facing the same situation. If the matter involved something too complicated, she almost wanted to slap him.
Why won't you speak? Why won't you speak…
At that moment, a disciple from Hundred Flowers Peak, seeing that Ye Chen refused to say anything, suddenly exclaimed, "Could Fourth Ancestor Ye have passed the Western Empress Undying Chapter to Nangong Wan?"
"That makes sense. Wasn't there something wrong with Wan'er's body?"
"So that's what happened!"
"No wonder Ancestor refused to say anything. If he revealed it was Wan'er, she would have been punished—perhaps even had her cultivation crippled."
A few female disciples had guessed the truth.
The elders, who knew Nangong Wan's condition better, now looked at Ye Chen with completely different eyes.
This was also the most likely explanation.
After all, if Ye Chen had no intention of betraying the sect, who else would he have passed the Immortal King Scripture to? It had to be Nangong Wan, who desperately needed the Western Empress Undying Chapter.
His stubborn refusal to speak now made perfect sense.
Transmitting the sect's Immortal King Scripture to a disciple without permission would result in severe punishment, including the possible destruction of one's cultivation base. Ye Chen had chosen to bear all the consequences alone to protect Nangong Wan from any repercussions.
Once the female cultivators quietly discussed the matter among themselves and Nangong Wan's situation spread to everyone's ears, their gazes toward Ye Chen changed completely.
A female disciple's life force had been draining away, yet Ye Chen had risked being branded a traitor to secretly teach her the Immortal King Scripture. He had even refused to implicate her. This level of care and protection moved everyone present to the core.
Along with their sense of emotion came even deeper guilt.
Ancestor Ye was truly a good person. He had been willing to give everything to integrate into the sect and secure a better future for the disciples.
In contrast, they had gone too far.
Some female cultivators' eyes reddened. Such a kind ancestor had nearly been driven out of the sect. Just thinking about it allowed them to fully empathize with Ye Chen's grievances.
"Punishment Elder, I believe this matter is forgivable…"
"Indeed. Everything Ancestor did was ultimately for the sake of the sect, wasn't it?"
"If Ancestor leaves, it would truly break our hearts."
"Please show mercy to Ancestor, Punishment Elder!"
The peak lords from various peaks began speaking up for Ye Chen.
The female disciples now looked at him with nothing but admiration and heartache.
At that moment, Ye Chen coughed at the perfect time and spat out a mouthful of blood…
The crowd's emotions surged even higher. He had suffered backlash from secretly transmitting the Immortal King Scripture. Ancestor was literally risking his life and future for the sake of the disciples. How could they let such an ancestor feel cold and disappointed?
At this moment, the most awkward person on the peak was undoubtedly Huo Linglong.
She had already investigated Nangong Wan's condition. After hearing the elders and disciples speak, everything fell into place. She didn't even need to visit Nangong Wan to confirm that Ye Chen had indeed passed the Immortal King Scripture to her.
She had no real objection to that. Nangong Wan possessed high talent; if she could overcome this crisis, she would undoubtedly reach new heights. It was genuinely good for the sect.
However, unlike the other elders and disciples, Huo Linglong was not moved. Instead, she grew more suspicious. Ye Chen had to be scheming something…After all, why would an outsider sacrifice so much without any regard for his own interests?
But things had already reached this point. Expelling Ye Chen was no longer possible. Otherwise, when her master emerged from seclusion and asked where her junior brother had gone, what could she say? That a Jade Pool disciple was on the verge of death, so her junior brother had risked backlash to secretly teach her the Immortal King Scripture, and then she had driven him away?
She could not explain it at all.
Huo Linglong decided to let the matter end here.
"Fourth Ancestor Ye, although your actions violated the rules, they were ultimately for the sake of the sect," she said. "I am not qualified to handle this matter. We should wait for Master to emerge from seclusion."
Huo Linglong wanted to settle the issue peacefully. As a renowned Saint Immortal, yielding to a mere True Immortal like this was unprecedented for her.
Yet Ye Chen still did not turn around. He simply shook his head gently. "There's no need. This place never truly belonged to me…I'd better leave."
Anyone could hear the chill and disappointment in his voice. Guilt deepened among the Jade Pool Immortal Sect members.
Huo Linglong's fists tightened. She felt certain this man was doing it on purpose. He had deliberately stayed silent from the beginning just to force this outcome.
She swept her gaze across the watching elders and disciples. "Since the truth has come out, why are you still here? Disperse!"
The Punishment Elder had a fiery temper and showed no mercy when she acted. The elders and disciples, still somewhat intimidated, quickly left the area.
Even so, many cast reluctant glances at Ye Chen's back. Having such an ancestor in the sect—even a male one—suddenly seemed acceptable.
Once everyone had departed, Huo Linglong flew directly in front of Ye Chen. "Fourth Ancestor Ye, I was too impulsive earlier. Let's end this matter here."
Ye Chen sighed. "Linglong, even now, you still refuse to call me Martial Uncle."
Blue veins surfaced on Huo Linglong's smooth forehead. A mere True Immortal was normally someone she could kill with a single slap. Yet because of his status, Ye Chen had her completely cornered.
She bit her red lips, narrowed her phoenix eyes, and after a long moment finally spat through gritted teeth, "Martial Uncle… can we end this here?"
Seeing Huo Linglong's helpless yet furious expression, Ye Chen smiled.
The nine realms of immortality grew increasingly ridiculous with each step. The gap between his and Huo Linglong's cultivation was vaster than the distance from Qi Refining to Mahayana. Yet thanks to his ancestor status, he could force her to submit.
This ancestor identity was truly useful—especially against a fiery, strong-willed woman like Huo Linglong, who stirred such intense desire to conquer.
For a moment, Ye Chen felt overwhelming satisfaction. Still, he knew when to stop. Strength was what truly mattered in the end. It would be unwise to push her too far.
With a gentle smile, he said, "You are my martial niece. How could I truly blame you?"
Huo Linglong's fists tightened again, nearly exploding with rage.
She desperately wanted to grab Ye Chen by the neck and demand, "Ye Chen, are you feeling very proud right now?"
AN: The next update is the day after tomorrow.