ISWI Chapter 111-112 (Patreon)

Chapter 111: Are You Really Such a Simp?

This Su Yuxuan truly resembled an innocent, pretty, and exceptionally well-developed girl-next-door type—nothing like a demonic cultivator at all. Ye Chen even considered approaching her directly to chat, asking what she liked, or if there was anything she needed to help her cultivation. But recalling the elder's earlier warnings, Ye Chen shook his head and dismissed the idea.

It would be better to wait until they entered the Secret Realm. If he appeared overly enthusiastic now, the elder might genuinely suspect he intended to betray the sect and drag him straight back, which would be troublesome.

Ye Chen would never betray the sect, truly. After all, there was still his hundredfold master waiting back in the sect, whom he hadn't even properly fawned over yet. A mere fiftyfold multiplier would never tempt him into betrayal.

Unable to chat openly with the attractive young lady, Ye Chen could only wait idly for now. Yet he soon noticed several disciples from the Misty Sect staring intently at him. Especially a few disciples at the ninth level of Qi Refining, who regarded him with unmistakably bloodthirsty gazes. Clearly, they recognized who he was.

Of course, just as Green Cloud Sect gathered information on the Misty Sect, the Misty Sect naturally knew about Green Cloud Sect's disciples as well.

Ye Chen wasn't particularly surprised. Still, their aggressive stares made him uncomfortable. It felt as if ferocious beasts were sizing up prey.

You'd best pray you don't run into me inside the Secret Realm. Otherwise, I'll gouge out every last one of your eyes!

…

Finally, as dusk fell upon the mountain peak, the appointed time had arrived. The elders from both sects simultaneously brought forth their formation disks, casting them forward.

Space rippled, and upon the previously empty mountain peak appeared a vast, luminous gateway.

"Enter swiftly. The gateway shall reopen in one month's time. Do not miss it!"

With a wave of their hands, the elders signaled the disciples to proceed inside.

Immediately, the Misty Sect disciples turned their eyes toward Su Yuxuan.

With a sweet smile, Su Yuxuan stepped gracefully away from the tree, her voice clear and melodious, filled with a charming blend of innocence and allure. "Thank you, Senior Brothers and Sisters, for your courtesy. Then, allow me to enter first."

Watching Su Yuxuan step forward and disappear into the light, Ye Chen followed closely behind.

"You damned simp, wait until we get inside—"

"Bang!"

A disciple from the Misty Sect attempted to block Ye Chen's path. Yet Ye Chen didn't even glance at him. With an indifferent gaze, he merely slammed down his palm. Instantly, that disciple was smashed into the ground, spewing blood as all four limbs shattered in a gruesome instant.

Witnessing this brutal scene, the remaining Misty Sect disciples' expressions shifted drastically. They watched Ye Chen's receding figure in fearful silence, no longer daring to speak a single word.

The elder from Green Cloud Sect smiled contentedly, mockingly turning toward his Misty Sect counterpart, "Since they'll inevitably fight inside, there's no harm in starting a bit early, right? Should I perhaps offer you some compensation?"

The Misty Sect elder glared coldly at Ye Chen's departing figure. "So, this is that infamous simp of your Green Cloud Sect? He is indeed somewhat intriguing. But since he'll soon perish anyway, no compensation is necessary."

As he spoke, he retrieved a sinister soul banner, casually scooping up the crippled disciple from the ground and absorbing him into the banner. "Useless fool, crippled even before entering. How shameful!"

The callousness of the Misty Sect elder caused the Green Cloud Sect elder to frown slightly. They truly had overwhelming confidence in Su Yuxuan. But Ye Chen had claimed first place in the Sect Competition even while only at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Now, having broken through to the ninth level, his strength undoubtedly soared even higher. There should be no cause for concern.

…

With a flash of light, Ye Chen emerged atop a lonely mountain peak. He glanced around, finding himself completely alone. Taking out the map and carefully comparing landmarks, he soon determined his direction and began heading toward the area previously marked by disciples where the spiritual fire had been discovered.

At the same time, he activated his Spirit Treasure Detection Technique. This advanced detection technique was a gift-feedback enhancement. While the original detection skill had only a pitiful range of five meters, Ye Chen's improved ability could detect spiritual treasures within five hundred meters. Since he had already entered the Secret Realm, he intended to make full use of this month-long opportunity.

Beyond securing the spiritual fire, Ye Chen aimed to find other treasures as well. After all, he was nearing the Foundation Establishment stage, and future expenses would only grow greater. Earning a bit extra could never hurt!

"Judging by its glow, this herb is too ordinary—forget it."

"A Hundred-Year Vermilion Fruit? Useful for refining Foundation Establishment Pills. Might as well take it."

"A Spirit Command Herb... Sadly, it's not mature yet. Better to pass."

The Secret Realm was vast. Ye Chen didn't rush, leisurely exploring his way forward. A week later, he arrived near the region indicated on the map as containing the spiritual fire. Even after narrowing it down, the area remained expansive, making it challenging to locate the exact spot.

"Bang! Bang! Bang…"

Hearing the distant commotion, Ye Chen's eyes immediately brightened. Could someone have already discovered the spiritual fire, prompting a fight?

Without hesitation, Ye Chen dashed toward the source of the sound. The spiritual fire had to be his no matter what. After all, he needed it to give to Yao... well, whoever it was intended for wasn't important for now; obtaining it was paramount. Yet, as he approached, he heard a fierce, bestial roar.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, observing the scene carefully. A Bloodfiend Beast, its body covered with distinctive blue patterns, roared ferociously, launching relentless attacks. And a graceful figure, barefoot and delicate, danced nimbly around the beast's vicious strikes. Her white gown fluttered gently with every movement, lending her the ethereal grace of an immortal fairy.

Su Yuxuan!

A playful smile instantly spread across Ye Chen's lips. Aside from the spiritual fire, Su Yuxuan was undoubtedly his most desired encounter within this Secret Realm. A fiftyfold female cultivator. Aside from his master, this was the highest multiplier Ye Chen had ever encountered. After a full week, fate had finally reunited them.

The Blue-patterned Bloodfiend Beast was an exceedingly rare mutation. Its heart contained blood qi dozens of times denser than typical Bloodfiend Beasts, making it immensely valuable due to its numerous practical uses.

One heart from a late-stage First-tier Blue-patterned Bloodfiend Beast could fetch at least twenty medium-grade spirit stones. Considering Su Yuxuan possessed a Blood Spiritual Root, Such a heart would naturally be even more crucial for her cultivation.

Thus, Ye Chen decisively made his move. He had no choice; if he waited any longer, the Bloodfiend Beast would be dead.

Just as the beast was about to collapse, a powerful hand suddenly descended, swiftly seizing it and hurling it heavily onto the ground in front of Ye Chen. With this violent slam, the beast instantly breathed its last.

Su Yuxuan, who had been fighting for so long and was mere moments from claiming her prize, watched helplessly as the beast was snatched from her hands. Confusion filled those alluring eyes of hers. Someone had stolen her prey? This unexpected turn of events actually amused her.

In the three years she'd cultivated, she'd always been the one stealing from others. This was the first time anyone had dared snatch something from her. How intriguing…

Approaching Ye Chen with an intentionally pitiful expression, Su Yuxuan softly pleaded, "Senior Brother Ye, this Bloodfiend Beast belongs to me. Isn't it rather inappropriate for you to do this?"

Ye Chen remained calmly in place, unsurprised that Su Yuxuan knew him.

Carefully slicing open the beast's chest with his spiritual technique, he replied casually, "According to the rules of the cultivation world, the one who lands the final blow owns the prize. So, this beast belongs to me now."

Su Yuxuan narrowed her eyes slightly, puzzled. Since when had the cultivation world adopted such a bizarre rule?

Still, she wasn't overly concerned. Gazing at Ye Chen with renewed curiosity, she continued softly, her voice full of seductive innocence, "But Senior Brother, I genuinely need its heart. You know, our Misty Sect practices demonic arts. Without the pure blood-qi from this beast's heart, my cultivation technique will violently backfire. My cultivation will regress, and I'll vomit blood daily…

"Moreover, strength is everything in the Misty Sect. If my cultivation declines, elders and direct disciples will surely try to turn me into their cultivation furnace… I'd rather die… Senior Brother Ye, can you truly bear to see me suffer such a fate?"

As she spoke with captivating innocence, her hidden hand quietly filled with a blood-colored aura, ready to strike the very next moment.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen retrieved the beast's massive, basketball-sized heart, inspecting it approvingly. He then looked back at Su Yuxuan, smiling warmly, "How could I ever bear to see Junior Sister turned into a furnace? Since Junior Sister needs it so desperately, I shall give it to you! No need to thank me!"

Ye Chen immediately tossed the heart toward Su Yuxuan.

Su Yuxuan had already prepared herself to attack, intending to torture Ye Chen thoroughly and reduce him to a puddle of blood. Ye Chen's sudden generosity left her momentarily stunned. His absurd words almost made her laugh with disbelief. He snatched something from her, only to give it back immediately, then shamelessly claimed she owed him no thanks? Was this famous Green Cloud Sect's "simp" direct disciple always this devoted to flattering women? With such a mentality, it was truly a pity he wasn't a direct disciple of their Misty Sect instead…

Holding the heart, Su Yuxuan stared thoughtfully at Ye Chen, weighing her options carefully.

Should she kill him now, or perhaps…kill him right now?

Chapter 112: Ye Chen Defects from the Sect?

"Gift successfully given!"

"The gift is the heart of a Blood Fiend Beast."

"Processing return gift…"

"Fifty-fold return in progress…"

"Reward: Fifty hearts of the Blood Fiend Beast."

Listening to the system's voice in his mind, Ye Chen shook his head. The disciples of the Demon Sect simply did not appreciate gratitude. They talked about their great need, yet not even a critical hit was triggered. But even without a critical return, a fifty-fold feedback was quite fierce. A heart worth twenty medium-grade spirit stones was now equivalent to ten high-grade spirit stones. Frankly, even highway robbers didn't earn money this quickly.

This made Ye Chen's gaze towards Su Yuxuan grow even more fervent. As for whether re-gifting after stealing would anger the other party? Ye Chen didn't care at all. Meeting by chance and seizing the opportunity to massively explode rewards was the natural order of things.

After all, Ye Chen would not truly defect to the Misty Sect to become a simp. Even if there might be a future encounter. One who gives gifts should not fear that a female cultivator would refuse his gift out of spite, right? In the past, no matter whether they liked him or not, all the female cultivators accepted his gifts without hesitation. So there was absolutely no need to worry.

…

"Junior Sister, a delicate girl alone in this secret realm, truly faces peril. Why don't we travel together from now on?"

With three weeks remaining in the secret realm and three rewards still to be triggered, having Su Yuxuan by his side would naturally make gift-giving more convenient.

Initially, Su Yuxuan was hesitating whether to kill Ye Chen right there, but after hearing his words, she chuckled and nodded lightly, "Then I thank you, Senior Brother… Senior Brother truly is a disciple of a righteous and reputable sect."

Su Yuxuan was indeed intrigued by Ye Chen. Mainly because of the numerous rumors she had heard. An iron simp, top of the competition, a third-grade spiritual root. And now, he had stolen her possession only to gift it back to her. It really made her feel she couldn't quite see through him.

With the secret realm lasting a while longer, she decided to keep Ye Chen around for a bit. When it was time to leave, then she could kill him. Thus, the two with ulterior motives set off together. Perhaps both overly confident in their own abilities, their interaction didn't at all resemble that of disciples from rival sects. Instead, it was unusually harmonious.

"Senior Brother, you actually have a treasure-detecting spell? The range feels quite extensive! Can you teach me?"

"Wow, this is a premium Blood Spirit Herb, it could help me perfect a spell!"

"Senior Brother, you're amazing! How did you know there was a spirit turtle three meters underground? Turtle blood is a great tonic for men!"

"Ah! The monster is terrifying, Senior Brother, save me!"

"Senior Brother, we found all these treasures together; I should at least have half, right?"

"What, you can only choose once a week? And only one item each time?"

"Senior Brother, you're so naughty…"

"Senior Brother, it's a pity you're not with our Misty Sect, why not defect? I've got your back!"

Along the way, Su Yuxuan was the very picture of innocence and charm, showing none of the traits expected of a demoness. Even though all the treasures and beasts slain along the way were claimed by Ye Chen, and Su Yuxuan could choose only one item per week, she merely pouted in a show of grievance, seemingly as vulnerable as a little girl.

"Senior Brother, I really want this premium Blood Spirit Herb, and the premium Pure Heart Flower too… Can't you make an exception, Senior Brother? Look, I got hurt when I was distracting that beast. Won't you feel a bit sorry for me?"

By the third week, Su Yuxuan turned on her charm. Ye Chen remained unmoved. Only one choice allowed.

Just then, two male disciples from the Misty Sect arrived. Seeing Su Yuxuan acting coquettishly, their eyes widened in disbelief.

Su Yuxuan, coquettish? And with the Green Cloud Sect's simp? Was this simp really that impressive, to have even Su Yuxuan fawning over him? Could he have mastered some enchantment techniques?

The two shivered and promptly turned to flee. They knew full well how fierce Su Yuxuan could be. Seeing her act so coy, it seemed wiser to run.

Meanwhile, Su Yuxuan, licking her full lips, made her choice: "Alright, alright, the premium Blood Spirit Herb then. I'll go chat with the Junior Brothers for a bit; they saw Senior Brother and didn't even greet him. It makes our Misty Sect seem so impolite."

With those words, Su Yuxuan floated away.

Ye Chen did not stop her. Before long, she returned, still with that adorable demeanor, pure yet desirous. A sight that would stir anyone's heart.

However, Ye Chen's keen senses picked up a faint scent of blood on her. She'd kill even her own sect members without hesitation.

Indeed, a demoness. What could such a demoness want by acting sweet and pitiable by his side?

Ye Chen didn't need to guess. It was surely a setup to kill him in the end. Now, she was merely amusing herself with him. So, Su Yuxuan didn't care about keeping company. For in her eyes, in the end, everything would belong to her.

…

Traveling with Su Yuxuan, the three weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Now, more than half of the fourth week had elapsed.

Ye Chen finally became anxious, having wandered this area for so long. He had earned quite a bit. But the spiritual fire he needed most remained elusive. Without the spiritual fire, this trip would be akin to a fruitless endeavor.

"What exactly are you looking for, Senior Brother? If you tell me, maybe I can help too,"

Su Yuxuan asked with a light laugh.

Ye Chen didn't hide it: "I heard there's a clump of spiritual fire here."

"Spiritual fire?"

Hearing this, Su Yuxuan's eyes lit up. Spiritual fire, a rare celestial phenomenon, was truly a treasure that one could only hope to encounter. The secret realm had spiritual fire?

"Do you know what kind of flame it is?"

"It's said to be third-grade Green Stone Fire, but it's not certain."

Upon hearing this, Su Yuxuan couldn't help but laugh: "Senior Brother, Green Stone Fire usually appears in mountains, but it's most likely found near volcanoes... There is indeed a volcano in the secret realm, but it's over in that area! What have you been doing wandering around here?"

Ye Chen's lips twitched at this. He truly hadn't known about this. So, was there an issue with the map markings? But Ye Chen saw that the markings on the other disciples' maps were the same.

However, he quickly realized something. The disciple who reported the spiritual fire to the sect three years ago seemed to be from the Magic Peak lineage. Magic Peak had reported a false location. Only Fa Zhen knew the real location.

Why can't people be more honest with each other? Next time on the fighting platform, I must beat you again.

With a darkened expression, Ye Chen immediately dashed towards the direction of the volcano.

Su Yuxuan, discovering this unexpected delight, giggled lightly and followed with ease.

Upon reaching the volcano, Ye Chen deployed his spirit sensing technique and searched silently. He even gave up rest at night. After all, the secret realm was about to close in a couple of days. He had to find the spiritual fire before then. Otherwise, it would all be for nothing.

Su Yuxuan remained silent, quietly accompanying Ye Chen by his side. On the twenty-ninth day since the secret realm had opened, Ye Chen discovered a cave halfway up the mountain.

Entering it, they found numerous branching paths. After winding their way left and right, Ye Chen and Su Yuxuan finally arrived at a spacious, natural cavern spanning hundreds of square meters.

The air inside the cavern was exceptionally hot and dry. In the middle of the cavern, a small pool of magma bubbled continuously. Within the magma, a dazzling blue flame, resembling a lotus flower, bobbed up and down. They had finally found the spiritual fire!

Both Ye Chen and Su Yuxuan's faces broke into smiles. While Su Yuxuan smiled sweetly, the hands behind her back were bloodied. It had been a long game, and it was time to end it.

But just as they prepared to act, both looked up towards the opposite side. There were many entrances around the cavern. At that moment, a figure burst forth from one.

"The Green Stone Fire is mine! I am a direct disciple of the Magic Peak lineage from Green Cloud Sect, a fire-type spiritual root; no one under this volcano can match me! Leave if you value your lives. The Green Stone Fire is not for you to covet..."

The excited newcomer was indeed Fa Zhen. Though he realized others had reached the fire before him, his confidence was unshaken. Whoever dared compete for the spiritual fire with him was doomed to die.

However, when he saw clearly who stood opposite him, his confident speech abruptly stopped. His excited eyes cleared.

In the entire secret realm, there were only two people he feared.

One was Ye Chen. He had been severely beaten by him despite the difference in their levels, and now that Ye Chen was at the ninth level of Qi cultivation, his confidence waned even more.

The other was Su Yuxuan from the Misty Sect. Known to have killed two of her own sect's direct disciples within three years. He wasn't sure of her exact prowess, but the mere thought made him feel uneasy. He would have been invincible had he not encountered these two.

But now, these two were standing together on his side. And seeing the close rapport between Ye Chen and Su Yuxuan, Had Ye Chen really been turned, about to defect? Had the elder's concerns come true?

Damn… Simp just can't be trusted.

To avoid being silenced, Fa Zhen muttered under his breath, took one last reluctant look at the beautiful spiritual fire, wiped the sweat from his brow, and turned to flee: "Just passing through, it's too hot here... I'm off..."

Fa Zhen arrived quickly, and he left just as quickly!