Chapter 1125: Concerns About Reputation!
Nangong Wan bid farewell to her master. She wanted to visit Transcendence Peak to congratulate Ye Chen on his breakthrough and express her gratitude.
Huo Linglong did not try to stop her. Rushing things would only backfire; it was better to take things slowly. She simply nodded lightly.
The female cultivators of Hundred Flowers Peak also rose into the air one after another, eager to congratulate their ancestor. After what had happened with Nangong Wan, their trust and affection toward Ancestor Ye had skyrocketed. They all wanted to draw closer to him.
For a moment, nearly the entire Hundred Flowers Peak emptied out.
Such a large commotion naturally drew the attention of the other peaks. Upon learning that they were going to congratulate Ancestor Ye, the female cultivators who once would have avoided him now followed along curiously. Many had only heard the rumors and had not seen him with their own eyes.
Was Ancestor Ye truly as devoted to the sect and caring toward the female disciples as the stories claimed?
…
Feeling the substantial strand of Celestial Immortal laws condensed from his True Immortal laws within his body, Ye Chen smiled.
He had broken through to the Celestial Immortal realm. He had now reached the second layer of the nine heavenly realms of immortality. Next would be the third layer, the Profound Immortal realm. There would be no major issues.
The Immortal King Scripture was indeed terrifying. Especially the Western Empress Supreme Scripture, which contained three Great Daos. Its enhancement to his strength was beyond imagination. His already extraordinary combat power had risen to another level.
He leisurely flew out of his cave residence and saw a dense crowd of female disciples gathered at the entrance. System notifications kept ringing in his ears. There were quite a few with ten-thousand-fold and twenty-thousand-fold multipliers, but very few exceeded fifty-thousand-fold.
"Congratulations on Ancestor's breakthrough to the Celestial Immortal realm!"
The female disciples spoke in unison, most of them curiously studying Ye Chen. Many were seeing him for the first time. They saw a man with sharp sword-like brows and bright star-like eyes, tall and imposing, with a domineering aura. He looked completely different from the rumors. Even among the heavenly prodigies of the Immortal Realm, he stood out.
They all regretted having been misled by those rumors. If they had known earlier what kind of ancestor Ye Chen truly was, they would have been willing to submit to him even if he used his power to pressure them.
Many female disciples who considered themselves quite outstanding felt deep regret.
Ye Chen looked at the crowd and smiled faintly. Without saying much, he raised his hand and scattered a wave of pills. A top-grade pill floated before each person.
In an instant, Transcendence Peak fell silent. Every face showed utter disbelief. Although they had heard about the treatment given to Hundred Flowers Peak, many had still found it hard to believe. After all, a top-grade True Origin Return One Pill was incredibly precious. Yet now, simply by coming to congratulate their ancestor, they had received such a reward.
They had no choice but to believe it. Their ancestor was truly wealthy and generous.
In the eyes of the female cultivators, Ye Chen suddenly shone even brighter, as if glowing with light.
Ye Chen spotted Nangong Wan at the front of the crowd and smiled. He waved his hand lightly. "I have just broken through and still need to stabilize my realm. I have received your kind intentions. You may all leave now. Wan'er, stay behind and come to my cave residence."
Although Ye Chen was generous, he did not deliberately show favor to the ordinary disciples. Instead, he gave Nangong Wan special treatment. This was his usual style. Being good to everyone only showed that there were benefits to be gained by pleasing him. But those with especially high multipliers deserved special privileges. Only then would the high-multiplier female cultivators feel truly unique.
The disciples had no objections. They left with joyful smiles. Before departing, however, they all looked at Nangong Wan with envy.
If Ye Chen had been an old man, they naturally would not have envied her. But Ancestor Ye was strikingly handsome, held a high position, possessed excellent talent, and was shockingly wealthy. Who wouldn't want such an ancestor to show special favor toward them?
Once Transcendence Peak had quieted down again, Ye Chen turned to Nangong Wan with a smile.
Although the system notifications in his mind had already revealed the truth, he still asked with concern, "Have your problems been resolved?"
Nangong Wan nodded earnestly. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with gratitude and other complex emotions as she gazed deeply at him. "Thank you for your concern, Fourth Ancestor. The transformation within my body is complete. My spirit root has advanced to the Great Yin Sacred Root, and my potential has greatly increased!
"I have also been accepted as a personal disciple by the Punishment Elder. All of this is thanks to you, Fourth Ancestor. Wan'er is deeply grateful!"
In the past, she had always referred to herself as "this disciple." Now she called herself "Wan'er," and her attitude had changed dramatically.
Ye Chen, however, was thinking about something else. In the Supreme Hall, personal disciples studied under Immortal Monarchs. Here in Jade Pool Immortal Sect, personal disciples only studied under Saint Immortals. There was indeed a gap.
At the same time, he glanced at the system notification in his mind.
"Detected change in gift target multiplier…"
"Nangong Wan: Increased from one hundred thousand times to two hundred thousand times!"
The corners of Ye Chen's mouth curved higher. Two hundred thousand times—surpassing even Huo Linglong and matching Jade Moon Immortal Monarch's multiplier. She truly had potential.
Ye Chen smiled gently. "As long as you're fine, that's all that matters. Focus on your cultivation from now on. If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to your ancestor anytime."
Although his position as an ancestor was somewhat awkward—he held the title but lacked the full authority of a traditional ancestor, making him more like a half-ancestor—he was still an ancestor. While he lacked real power, he had access to the highest-level cultivation resources. Now that he had broken through to Celestial Immortal, the first batch of resources would soon arrive. He planned to give them all to Nangong Wan to help her advance.
Hearing his words, Nangong Wan's eyes reddened again.
Fourth Ancestor had given so much for her and endured so many grievances, yet he never mentioned any of it when he saw her. He truly loved her.
Nangong Wan wanted to give him a clear answer. Even if Fourth Ancestor already had several Dao companions, she wouldn't mind.
Gathering her courage, she asked, "Fourth Ancestor, why are you so good to me?"
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Looking at her delicate face, he sensed she was trying to confirm their relationship.
But he couldn't allow that. He had come to the Immortal Realm intending to rebuild his reputation. He didn't want it to become as notorious as it had been in the lower world. If he took a female disciple from the grand-disciple generation as his Dao companion right after becoming an ancestor, what would outsiders think of him? How would his parents view him when he eventually brought them to the Immortal Realm?
No. Absolutely not. At least not this soon.
With calm eyes, Ye Chen said, "Wan'er, you don't need to overthink it, and don't put any pressure on yourself. Your ancestor simply couldn't bear to watch a sect prodigy fall like that. It was purely for the good of the sect. Don't concern yourself with the idle gossip outside."
Nangong Wan's expression grew complicated. Even though Fourth Ancestor spoke with such righteousness, she didn't believe him. Everything he had done for her could not be explained away with mere "devotion to the sect."
However, she could guess his concerns. He was probably worried that because of his high seniority, becoming his Dao companion would put too much pressure on her. That was why he refused to be honest. But Fourth Ancestor had given everything for her. How could she care about such trivial details?
Chapter 1126: Nalan Qingxuan's Fury!
You claim it's all for the sake of the sect, but I don't believe your eyes are truly empty!
In the end, Nangong Wan held back because her family still didn't know about the situation. She did not press Ye Chen any further. After thanking him earnestly once more, she bid farewell and left.
She looked down at the long dress she wore for cultivation and felt it was too long. Next time, she should wear something shorter when visiting Fourth Ancestor.
As for Ye Chen himself, he felt no regret. He was not short of pure romantic relationships. He already had a fiancée who was worth two, could visit Senior An to see the child, had ongoing projects with Teacher Lin and her disciple, and the Five Heavenly Desire group rehearsed their joint sessions every day. Taking things slowly with Nangong Wan was perfectly fine. It was also better for his reputation.
Otherwise, once he became an Immortal King in the future, while others were known as the Heavenly Emperor, the Devouring Immortal King, the Seven Extremes Immortal King, or the Moral Immortal King, he would be remembered as the Simping Immortal King. He could not accept that at all.
Therefore, Ye Chen was truly in no hurry.
He paid a visit to Senior An and then went to see his fiancée. Three days later, an elder from the Internal Affairs Hall arrived to deliver his cultivation resources.
The Internal Affairs Elder was stunningly beautiful, with a mature and voluptuous figure. She looked at Ye Chen with a trace of helplessness. After all, Jade Pool Immortal Sect had never had such a young ancestor before, so there were no precedents for his treatment. This was precisely why the Internal Affairs Hall had only delivered the resources three days after his breakthrough. Normally, they should have been sent on the same day.
"Ancestor… the sect distributes resources once per year!"
"Personal disciples receive fifty high-grade Heavenly Clarity Pills annually. Taking these pills can increase a cultivator's affinity with Celestial Immortal laws and accelerate cultivation speed by roughly twofold."
"However, if a cultivator remains in seclusion for a full year, they actually need a hundred pills. The rest must be earned by completing sect missions… After all, disciples who only have realm without undergoing trials will find it difficult to reach the end."
"In addition, when a personal disciple advances to the Celestial Immortal realm, they may select one medium-grade immortal artifact from the sect's treasury. But there are corresponding obligations as well…"
The Internal Affairs Elder's voice was soft and gentle like flowing water. She carefully explained the treatment for disciples of various levels, afraid that Ye Chen might be dissatisfied.
"However, you are an ancestor, which is different from a personal disciple! The Internal Affairs Hall will provide you with one hundred top-grade Heavenly Clarity Pills each year! One hundred top-grade Heavenly Clarity Pills are enough to cover all your needs for a full year without leaving your residence.
"Moreover, top-grade Heavenly Clarity Pills are even more effective, increasing a Celestial Immortal's cultivation speed by about two and a half times… If you need anything else, you may go to the sect's treasury and take any medium-grade immortal artifacts you require.
"It is not that the Internal Affairs Hall is stingy. Top-grade immortal artifacts are more powerful, but they also carry a heavier burden. Only fourth-layer Golden Immortals, or even fifth-layer Great Luo Golden Immortals, can wield them comfortably. If one's strength is insufficient, they may suffer backlash…
"Ancestor, do you find this offering suitable? If you are dissatisfied, please tell us directly. The Internal Affairs Hall will do everything possible to meet your needs…"
Ye Chen listened attentively, his eyes fixed seriously on the curvaceous Internal Affairs Elder before him.
The elder felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze. Rumors about Ye Chen surfaced in her mind. Although he was not a bad person, treated disciples well, and was devoted to the sect, he was also known to be fond of beautiful women.
Could the ancestor have taken a liking to her?
Although the Internal Affairs Hall handled all kinds of matters within the sect, it certainly did not handle this. There had never been a male ancestor before.
But he was an ancestor after all. His appearance was handsome and upright without the slightest trace of femininity, and his physique looked terrifyingly strong…
She…
The elder hesitated, her pretty face flushing with red several times.
Ye Chen finally spoke. "Are Heavenly Clarity Pills the best pills available for the Celestial Immortal realm?"
The Internal Affairs Elder was stunned. It wasn't what she had been thinking. All that internal struggle had been for nothing.
After thinking for a moment, the elder shook her head. "There are over a hundred kinds of pills suitable for the Celestial Immortal realm in the Immortal Realm. Major powers usually have their own preferences based on local geography and available materials…
"Among them, the Heavenly Clarity Pill ranks as a superior choice. Its effects are not inferior to those of other sects. However, before the Other Domain invaded the Immortal Realm, there was a pill called the Impermanence Pill that was even more effective. A top-grade Impermanence Pill could increase a cultivator's cultivation speed by as much as ten times.
"Unfortunately, during the invasion, Nether Sea Continent—the initial battlefield—was completely shattered. Its main ingredients, such as the Dragon Mushroom and Yin Mushroom, were nearly wiped out. The Impermanence Pill could no longer be refined and gradually disappeared along with them."
At the end of her explanation, the elder sounded somewhat regretful.
Although the Other Domain had been repelled by the Heavenly Emperor and the Immortal Kings back then, the damage they inflicted on the Immortal Realm was permanent. Hundreds of Continents had been destroyed, many powerful sects had been erased, and numerous Immortal Kings had fallen in battle. Their own Western Empress had been among them, nearly spilling her last drop of blood.
If Western Empress had not died, Jade Pool Immortal Sect would never have fallen into its current state. Most importantly, the Imperial Pass would break again in a thousand years, and the Other Domain would return.
Thinking of this, the elder suddenly wondered whether she had lived long enough and should perhaps experience certain things. Otherwise, she might never get the chance.
Ye Chen nodded. It was good that better options had once existed.
He looked at the elder, whose expression kept changing for reasons he didn't understand, and said, "This offering is more than satisfactory. Thank you for your careful consideration, fellow Daoist."
The elder nodded and bowed respectfully. "This is simply the duty of the Internal Affairs Hall. If Ancestor has any needs in the future, please summon us at any time. We will never disappoint you…"
Once she finished speaking and saw that Ye Chen had nothing more to say, she left the pills behind along with a token for retrieving immortal artifacts from the treasury, then took her leave.
Ye Chen looked at the pills and token in his hand and smiled. He could give gifts again… He would visit Nangong Wan tomorrow.
…
Jade Pool Immortal Sect did not hide the news of Nangong Wan completing her transformation and awakening the Great Yin Sacred Root. They spread it directly.
In recent years, due to the loss of the Immortal King Scripture, a lack of strong experts, insufficient resources, and Jade Moon Immortal Monarch's focus on reviving her master instead of cultivating—making it nearly impossible for her to reach the Immortal King realm—the sect's reputation had declined sharply. The top female talents had become increasingly unwilling to join the Jade Pool Immortal Sect.
As a result, the sect had begun to suffer from a talent gap. Aside from the older generation, they had no outstanding prodigies.
Now that one had finally appeared, they naturally wanted to publicize it widely.
The combination of the Great Yin Immortal Body and the Great Yin Sacred Root was indeed worthy of being called a monstrous talent, sparking plenty of discussion across the region.
In the Supreme Hall, Nalan Qingxuan learned that the fiancée he had only recently broken up with had not only resolved her physical problems but had also elevated her talent to a new level and even become a personal disciple of a Saint Immortal.
His fists clenched tightly, and his face turned extremely ugly.