ISWI Chapter 115-117 (Patreon)

Chapter 115: What of the Trust Between People?

On the thirtieth day, just before the closure of the Middle Mountain Secret Realm, disciples began to emerge. As the realm sealed its gates for good, the original twenty disciples had dwindled to only twelve. Eight from the Green Cloud Sect. Four from the Misty Sect.

The elder from the Green Cloud Sect smiled with satisfaction. In the world of cultivation, death was an all-too-common occurrence. This time, only two had perished—by all means, it was a fortunate outcome.

Moreover, the gifted such as Ye Chen and Fa Zhen had emerged unscathed. There was even the likelihood that the spiritual fire had already been secured. It could truly be said to have been a fruitful venture.

The elder laughed heartily, summoned a flying boat, and led the disciples away. Yet the elder from the Misty Sect wore a somber expression. He cast a glance at Su Yuxuan, who sat silently on a branch, swinging her bare feet. Her silence made him frown, and he spoke in a low tone, "Why did so many from the Green Cloud Sect survive?"

He had initially thought that with Su Yuxuan's presence, not a single one from the Green Cloud Sect would make it out alive.

Su Yuxuan curled her lips in disdain. Why? It was simple—she had been unable to defeat them. Her thoughts drifted to Ye Chen, to the humiliation and torment she had suffered that night. A bitter, vengeful fire ignited within her heart.

You think your Buddhist techniques can suppress me, do you? I will return and find a way to counter your Buddhist spells. Next time we meet, I'll trap you in the same manner, leaving you to languish in a monster's den for an entire month, ignored.

And as for Ye Chen, wasn't he so fond of looking at her feet? She would make it her mission to trample on his face every day, subjecting him to the utmost humiliation. Men were all proud creatures. To be trampled upon by a woman's feet was a fate worse than death.

When she had tired of the game, she would refine Ye Chen's flesh and blood into nothingness. But even that would not be the end. She would not spare his soul either, but bind it into the Human Emperor Banner, to torment him for eternity.

In truth, Su Yuxuan's hatred for Ye Chen ran deep into her very bones. Yet, as her gaze swept over the Spirit Turtle Blood Pills in her storage bag, a satisfied expression crossed her face. All of them were of the highest quality. The vast amounts of blood qi contained within these pills were enough to help her reach the pinnacle of her cultivation and break through to new heights.

But Su Yuxuan remained cautious about Ye Chen. Someone as abnormal as him—who could say what tricks he might have played behind the scenes? It was better to have them appraised by an expert before making any decisions.

...

On the way back, Ye Chen was in high spirits. The top-grade Spirit Turtle Blood Pills were exceedingly valuable. One single pill was worth five medium-grade spirit stones. Sending out ten would return five hundred. That amounted to twenty-five high-grade spirit stones. It was truly a substantial profit. One couldn't help but appreciate the advantage of having a high base multiplier.

Thus, as far as Su Yuxuan was concerned, Ye Chen genuinely looked forward to meeting her again. Next time, he would prepare just the right things she needed. With a fifty-fold increase, plus a critical hit—wouldn't that be a direct ascent to the heavens?

Lost in thought, the elder arrived, his expression slightly strange as he asked, "Direct Disciple Ye, I heard you defeated Su Yuxuan? You captured her, yet why did she emerge again?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen cast a glance at Fa Zhen. It was certainly that guy who had tattled, making the elder question him. He'd have to deal with this later.

Ye Chen shook his head and replied, "She's exceptionally powerful. It appeared as though I had suppressed her, but in truth, it was all a trap. In the end, she managed to escape, and I nearly met my own downfall."

The explanation sounded perfectly reasonable. After all, the other party had cultivated for three years and reached the ninth level of Qi Refining—having many tricks up her sleeve was only natural. Had it been any other disciple, the elder would likely have believed this explanation.

But Ye Chen's reputation was so firmly established that the elder couldn't help but feel skeptical. He began to suspect that Ye Chen had been charmed or tempted and had let Su Yuxuan escape. After all, when Fa Zhen reported the incident, he mentioned that the rope Ye Chen had used to bind her was strangely tied. It didn't seem like an enemy's method of restraint. It seemed more as though Ye Chen had been playing some special game with Su Yuxuan.

"That spiritual fire... Direct Disciple Ye, you must have obtained it, correct? It wasn't taken from you?" the elder asked seriously. If the spiritual fire was lost too, that would raise many suspicions.

Upon returning to the sect, the elder would surely report Ye Chen for possibly betraying the sect.

Ye Chen shook his head. "The spiritual fire is with me."

"Direct Disciple Ye, might I take a look at it?"

The elder spoke with sternness.

Ye Chen sighed inwardly. What had become of this world? Couldn't there be any trust between people anymore? He had always been straightforward—how could he possibly engage in treacherous acts? It was enough to make one shiver with frustration.

Ye Chen took out the spiritual fire and opened the lid. Inside, the Green Stone Fire flickered, dancing with a radiant glow. The temperature aboard the flying boat rose sharply in an instant.

The elder's eyes brightened, and his heart finally settled. With Ye Chen's usual style, if he had truly been tempted, he would have been more than willing to part with the spiritual fire. Since he hadn't, it meant the female cultivator of the Demon Path had truly escaped on her own. The direct disciple Ye had not betrayed the sect.

"Direct Disciple Ye, please put it away," the elder urged. "But, do you plan to refine the spiritual fire yourself? If you have no intention of using it... I have a nephew with considerable talent in pill refining. With the spiritual fire, he would surely be even more formidable! I could certainly offer a satisfactory reward in exchange."

Ye Chen shook his head. "This spiritual fire, I intend to keep for myself."

Keep it for yourself?

The elder sighed upon hearing this, not quite believing it. His mind immediately turned to Yao Xi. She also had impressive talent in alchemy. Although she had recently failed in a breakthrough, it seemed her vital energy hadn't been significantly depleted, likely having taken a Foundation Establishment Pill. Everyone in the sect knew the origins of the Foundation Establishment Pills possessed by the elder's disciples.

Yao Xi had no other way of acquiring such pills. It was clear that the pills she used for her breakthrough had come from Ye Chen. And as for the spiritual fire... Ye Chen claimed it was for his own use, but the elder couldn't shake the suspicion that it was most likely meant for Yao Xi.

At this thought, the elder felt a surge of emotion. The direct disciple Ye was truly a man of deep affection. After being rebuffed, the elder did not press the matter further and sighed as he left.

Fa Zhen, too, shared the same thoughts. He believed that Ye Chen would give the spiritual fire to Yao Xi, and the thought caused him great pain. The spiritual fire should have been his.

Unfortunately, the Green Stone Fire continuously flowed with the magma, always shifting its location, making it hard to track down. He had searched for so long, and then encountered several disciples from the Misty Sect, wasting even more time. In the end, he had missed it by mere moments.

The thought that the spiritual fire, which he so desperately desired, would be given away by Ye Chen without a second thought only deepened his distress. A feeling of resentment gnawed at him. He couldn't help but wonder—if only he were a female cultivator, how much easier things would be...

Three days later, Ye Chen returned to the sect. He did not go to see Yao Xi. The main reason was that the system cooldown had not yet ended. So, he went directly to the Sword Peak to rest and recover. He was simply eager to resume his cultivation after so many days of idleness. It had nothing to do with the infuriatingly pure yet temptingly alluring Su Yuxuan.

Meanwhile, the events that had transpired in the Middle Mountain Secret Realm quickly spread throughout the entire sect.

Ye Chen had obtained the spiritual fire. He had subdued the most outstanding cultivator of the Misty Demon Sect's current generation. Ye Chen's reputation soared once more.

Previously, some had raised doubts about him due to his spiritual roots. But now, he had unquestionably become the number one Qi Refining disciple in the Green Cloud Sect.

At the same time, many elders and families within the sect had become quite interested in the spiritual fire in Ye Chen's possession. Several offers, reaching astronomical prices, were made in hopes of purchasing it from him. One elder even offered the price of a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. This left the Green Cloud Sect disciples in awe.

But, unfortunately for them, all offers were rejected. As for threats or forceful attempts to seize the fire? Ye Chen was merely at the ninth level of Qi Refining—wasn't it easy to snatch it from him?

Don't be ridiculous. Who would dare to scale the Sword Peak and steal something from the disciple of Gu Yunyun? Were they tired of living?

In the end, after Ye Chen firmly refused to sell the spiritual fire, things gradually settled down within the sect.

Once the system cooldown concluded, Ye Chen, having been busy for several days, stretched lazily and began walking down the mountain. It had been quite a few days since he'd held onto the spiritual fire, and it was time to finally give it away.

Chapter 116: Seventh-Grade Spiritual Fire!

"Senior Sister, Ye Chen got the spiritual fire, but he hasn't come to see you even after so many days. He's definitely regretting it. After all, the spiritual fire is extremely precious. Some elders have even offered a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill in exchange.

"Plus, Ye Chen only has a third-grade spiritual root. With the spiritual fire, he could accelerate his cultivation and refine his spiritual power. So, I guess he probably won't offer it to you willingly.

"But Senior Sister, you must take the initiative and ask for it! After all, it's the spiritual fire! You've already failed a breakthrough once, and the next one will be even harder. Only with the spiritual fire can your chances of success increase.

"Not to mention, you are a first-grade alchemist. If you had the spiritual fire, you would certainly break through to the second grade much faster. So, the spiritual fire must be yours. If Ye Chen refuses, you must force his hand..."

In Yao Xi's courtyard, she lay back in a recliner, her posture graceful and her complexion flushed with health. Under the moonlight, she gleamed with vitality, looking as though she had fully recovered. Beside her, her junior sister chattered incessantly.

Yao Xi remained unmoved, listening without any visible reaction. When the younger sister finally finished, Yao Xi looked at her with a sigh.

"Junior Sister, the reason I've been so close to you is because your face reminds me of my younger sister, the one who had no spiritual root talent. She died in an accident during a journey when she was caught in the crossfire of a battle between wandering cultivators. I've always missed her.

"That's why, even though you've been jealous of me, slandering me behind my back, and making trouble after my breakthrough, I've never let it bother me. I only tolerated it because your face makes me feel like if my sister had had a spiritual root, she could have been here with me. But you've gone too far this time! Now, go. Our relationship ends here."

The female disciple, who had been excitedly talking, froze in place. She wanted to say something, but under Yao Xi's cold gaze, the words caught in her throat. She could only lower her head and leave in silence.

Yao Xi sighed. It had been over a month since she last saw Ye Chen, and she found that, despite herself, she missed him a little. But Yao Xi hadn't gone to seek him out. She was also worried that Ye Chen might have truly intended to refine the spiritual fire for himself. If that was the case, she wouldn't interfere.

If Ye Chen kept the spiritual fire, that would be ideal. After all, Ye Chen's spiritual root was too weak. With the spiritual fire, his cultivation would be greatly accelerated, and he might even break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. But if she went to him, it might make him feel like she wanted the spiritual fire, causing him to hesitate.

So, Yao Xi patiently waited for Ye Chen to come to her. The moon hung high in the sky, and the stars were sparse.

Suddenly, there came a knock on the door. The familiar rhythm of the knock made Yao Xi smile. Ye Chen had come! She opened the door to find Ye Chen standing there. But when she saw the jade box in his hands, Yao Xi let out a quiet sigh.

"Junior Brother, why didn't you refine the spiritual fire yourself?"

Yao Xi couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

Ye Chen smiled softly, walking over to the reclining chair, still warm from Yao Xi's presence. He took the half-finished honey water from her cup and drank it in one gulp.

Yao Xi glanced at him, seeing that he was using her own cup. With a seductive look, she shot Ye Chen a playful glare, but said nothing. Instead, she refilled the cup with more honey water. She intended to sit beside him.

However, Ye Chen pulled her delicate hand, guiding her to sit directly on his lap. The quality of the reclining chair was excellent, bearing the weight of both of them effortlessly.

Yao Xi's face flushed with a hint of crimson. The moment she sat down, she could distinctly feel Ye Chen's sword.

Yao Xi had already realized that Ye Chen truly enjoyed her full moon. Whenever he embraced her, he always preferred to do so from behind.

"I went to the Middle Mountain Secret Realm solely to bring you the spiritual fire. How could I possibly use it for myself? The reason I only came today is simply because I had too many matters to attend to," Ye Chen whispered softly, holding Yao Xi's delicate waist.

Yao Xi couldn't help but smile. In truth, the moment Ye Chen arrived, she had already understood. He had clearly brought her a gift, yet he still worried about giving her too much pressure. After all, the spiritual fire was invaluable. If the elders found out, many would undoubtedly come to ask to purchase it. It was far better for him to secretly give it to her.

Ye Chen's thoughtful gesture made Yao Xi feel a strong desire to repay him. She pretended to adjust her position, making it seem as though she was uncomfortable.

Yao Xi could distinctly feel that, as she shifted, Ye Chen tightened his embrace around her arm. Leaning back against him, she closed her eyes, a blissful smile adorning her face, and spoke softly, "Junior Brother, my body has fully recovered. Why not stay the night?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen shook his head without hesitation. "Let's wait until you've reached the Foundation Establishment stage."

Unless he could recruit Su Yuxuan, Yao Xi was the one most suited for him. He could not make a move just yet.

Yao Xi sighed upon hearing the expected response. Junior Brother still considered her so carefully. In return, all she could do was adjust her position slightly…

"Thank you, Junior Brother!"

Yao Xi carefully lifted the box containing the spiritual fire, feeling its weight. It wasn't just the weight of the box; it was the weight of Ye Chen's heartfelt intention.

As she received it, Ye Chen's face broke into a bright, beaming smile.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer, Senior Sister. It's best if you refine it before leaving the seclusion," he said.

With that, Ye Chen turned and walked away.

Yao Xi watched his retreating figure, a smile curling at the corners of her lips. Ye Chen had left in such a hurry, surely to avoid her refusal. But now that it had come to this point, how could she possibly turn him down? The only thing she had to do now was focus on reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

Once she did, she would capture Ye Chen, lock him in her small courtyard for a few days, and with the full moon he adored, she would drain him dry. This would be the best way to repay Ye Chen.

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of how he would beg her to stop, while she ignored him entirely. Once Ye Chen had completely disappeared from view, Yao Xi reluctantly pulled her gaze away and shut the door behind her.

...

On his way back, Ye Chen listened to the system's prompt in his mind. The joy on his face grew harder to hide.

"Gift successfully given!"

"The gift was the third-grade Green Stone Fire."

"Reward is being processed..."

"Thirty-fold reward in progress..."

"Detected that the gift given by the host was extremely significant for the recipient and far exceeded their expectations, causing a great fluctuation in their state of mind, triggering a critical hit reward!"

"Reward: Seventh-grade Myriad Star Fire, no need for refining, can be absorbed directly!"

Listening to the prompts, Ye Chen was on the verge of ecstatic excitement. Giving the spiritual fire to Yao Xi had truly been the right choice. A third-grade fire had directly transformed into a seventh-grade fire.

How precious was a seventh-grade spiritual fire? To put it simply, if the news got out, even the Green Cloud Sect with its Golden Core elders might not withstand the greed of the outside world. Its rarity was evident. And the reward was not only a seventh-grade fire. It didn't even need to be refined—it could be absorbed immediately. This was even more invaluable.

The spiritual fire was born from the convergence of the heavens and earth, imbued with its own intelligence. To refine it was an immensely difficult task.

Moreover, the fire burned fiercely, indistinguishable between friend and foe at first. The refining process was bound to be incredibly painful. A seventh-grade spiritual fire would be difficult to refine even for Ye Chen. There was even a chance he might be burned to death in the process.

Yet now, the system had awarded him a fully refined one. It saved him an immense amount of time and effort. It was incredibly considerate of the system.

As Ye Chen closed his eyes to comprehend and understand the functions of the Myriad Star Fire, his excitement reached a fever pitch.

At that moment, he almost felt like running back to Yao Xi and giving her a kiss. This seventh-grade spiritual fire was simply too powerful!

Chapter 117: The Disciple's Misdeed, the Master Takes the Blame!

Myriad Star Fire: Originating from the vastness of the starry sky, it was formed from the convergence of the light of stars. When it fell to the earth, it spread like a desert for a thousand miles. The one who refines it would gain the Myriad Star Body.

The Myriad Star Body allows the user to autonomously absorb the power of the stars, continuously strengthening their physical body, healing injuries, and even regenerating flesh. At the same time, it could store the power of the stars.

Even if a vital part of the body, such as the heart, was destroyed, the stored star power could sustain the vitality of the body. If the owner of the Myriad Star Body reached the Golden Core stage, then even if their head were severed, with time, it would grow back.

Upon reading the description, Ye Chen's excitement reached an unparalleled level. The importance of strengthening the body and healing injuries went without saying. Just the ability to store star power—enabling the body to stay alive even with a destroyed heart—was already enough to make it akin to an immortal body.

As far as Ye Chen knew, even in the Golden Core stage, a person whose heart was removed would die. But with his heart gone, he could remain alive for a time. Not to mention that he could regenerate flesh, repairing organs with star power.

If his arm were severed, another would grow back. If his heart were destroyed, another would form. This was simply outrageous. It was as if he had a second life. No wonder this was a seventh-grade spiritual fire. Its power was staggeringly excessive.

From what Ye Chen knew, there were other spiritual fires on the ranking list. Some had even more outrageous effects. There were those that could devour. Some could accelerate cultivation speed. And even others could enhance one's aptitude.

However, top-tier spiritual fires were exceptionally rare, even unique. Even the strongest cultivators in the cultivation world might spend their entire lives searching for one and still never find it. And even after finding it, whether they could subdue it was another matter entirely.

But with the system, as long as he collected lower-grade spiritual fires and gifted them to female cultivators, high-grade spiritual fires could be triggered in return—this was simply too satisfying.

Ye Chen hesitated no longer. Upon returning to Sword Peak, he decisively announced the suspension of his cultivation for the night. In the disappointed gazes of the three women, he retreated to his room. There, he began refining the Myriad Star Fire.

The Myriad Star Fire was a deep purple-black. At a single glance, it resembled a miniature starry river, exuding an immense and terrifying power that could be felt simply by looking at it. It was leagues beyond the Green Stone Fire. Even those in the Nascent Soul stage might struggle to refine such a fire.

Yet, before Ye Chen, the Myriad Star Fire offered no resistance. The primal fire was effortlessly absorbed into his dantian. In the next moment, terrifying purple-black flames erupted from his body. Ye Chen's expression shifted.

The pain was excruciating!

But Ye Chen did nothing but silently endure. After refining the Myriad Star Fire, he had learned much more. The path to obtaining the Myriad Star Body was one that could only be walked through such suffering.

Above the firmament, endless starlight converged, piercing through the roof and cascading into Ye Chen's body. It continuously healed his searing flesh. The starlight fused into his body. In this process of refining and healing, Ye Chen's body underwent a monumental transformation…

...

At the top of Sword Peak, Gu Yunyun, who had been refining starlight and awaiting the beginning of her heart cultivation session, suddenly sat up, her face filled with fury. The loosely draped red gown she wore fluttered as she sat up, presenting a breathtaking sight.

"How dare someone come to Sword Peak and steal the starry energy from me?"

With a casual motion, Gu Yunyun summoned her azure spiritual sword. The starlight power in each area could only be absorbed in a fixed amount. If too many people gathered in one area, the amount available per person would decrease.

Originally, Gu Yunyun had been receiving a continuous flow of starlight, but now, it had abruptly stopped.

Stealing was one thing, but leaving me nothing?

Gu Yunyun, who had never suffered such a slight in her life, was enraged. With a burst of energy, she shot into the sky. Her spiritual eye opened, scanning the surroundings. She was determined to find out who dared to challenge her. But the next moment, a look of disbelief crossed her mature and alluring face...

For on the mountainside of Sword Peak, a vast and overwhelming surge of starry energy had gathered. This starlight power was extraordinarily thick. In comparison, the starlight Gu Yunyun usually gathered was but a fraction, a mere one-hundredth of this immense force.

Gu Yunyun's spiritual eye scanned the distance, and her pupils narrowed. The entire Green Cloud Sect was engulfed in darkness, not a single trace of starry energy could be seen. But one had to understand that within Green Cloud Sect, there were many cultivators who practiced star-based techniques or cultivation methods.

In the dead of night, it was common to see streams of starry energy—sometimes thick, sometimes thin, even flickering in and out. Yet today, there wasn't a single trace. Only her Sword Peak was lit up, its brilliance startling.

When she looked through her spiritual eye, it seemed as bright as daytime. And the starry energy was linked to a small courtyard. It was none other than her disciple, Ye Chen's, courtyard. No wonder Ye Chen hadn't been cultivating tonight.

But what exactly was Ye Chen doing? More importantly, Ye Chen, a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator, had taken all the starry energy from the entire sect? Not even leaving any for his own master? Wasn't that too absurd?

Gu Yunyun, originally seething with anger, suddenly felt a sense of helplessness wash over her as she glanced around. She couldn't exactly go and kill her disciple just because he took the starry energy, could she? And this was an even bigger problem. It would be one thing if Ye Chen only took from her. But as her master, she could never admit that she was outdone, that she had been unable to stop Ye Chen from taking it.

Gu Yunyun simply couldn't afford to lose face. She could, however, go to another location and take the starry energy from someone else. But the real problem now was that Ye Chen had taken all the starry energy from the sect. This would definitely spark the discontent of the entire sect. So who would bear the blame?

Ye Chen, a Qi Refining stage cultivator, certainly couldn't take responsibility. It would have to fall on her as his master. At this thought, Gu Yunyun couldn't help but grit her teeth in frustration.

She, Gu Yunyun, was someone who had always been pursued by male cultivators. Since entering the sect and throughout her travels, the number of male cultivators who sought her out could fill an entire Sword Peak. And yet, she ended up with a disciple who was a complete simp. It was a complete blow to her lifelong reputation.

Every time she overheard others talking about her disciple, she felt the urge to beat him senseless. But what could she do now? She was his master. And Ye Chen wasn't completely useless—at least he had brought her face during the sect competition. He had even defeated the demoness from the Misty Sect.

As she looked at the vast starry energy, Gu Yunyun couldn't help but wonder how Ye Chen, a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator, had managed to endure such a thing. On the other hand, she returned to her bamboo tower.

Silently waiting for the first light of dawn. When the starry energy dissipated and Ye Chen no longer absorbed it, she would then head toward the sect's main peak.

By the time Gu Yunyun arrived, there were already quite a few elders, all with expressions of indignation, ready to lodge complaints.

The Foundation Establishment stage cultivators required far less rest than before. Their spiritual Qi could be converted only so quickly each day. Many had set their sights on the starry energy. After all, for cultivators, strength was paramount, and any improvement, no matter how slight, was valuable.

But yesterday, no one could absorb the starry energy. Only Sword Peak had been brightly lit. It was far too much!

You are impressive, but you can't leave us with nothing at all! The elders chattered and complained to the aging Golden Core Sect Master.

However, as soon as they saw Gu Yunyun, they immediately fell silent. Yet, they stood there, waiting for the Sect Master to deliver justice.

The old Sect Master, smiling benignly, turned his gaze to Gu Yunyun. She sighed inwardly. When a disciple misbehaves, it is naturally the master who takes the blame. What else could be done?

With a bow, Gu Yunyun spoke, "Respected Sect Master, I had a sudden insight yesterday, and I believed that absorbing the starry energy could help me break through to the Golden Core stage faster. So, I became a bit greedy..."

Upon hearing this, the Sect Master immediately smiled, looking at her kindly. "Go ahead, absorb it, take as much as you can! I, too, had a sudden whim yesterday, wanting to use some starry energy. But I couldn't get a single bit. You all need the starry energy? Then go to Green Cloud City! Don't harbor any complaints. Whether Yunyun can break through to the Golden Core is the most important thing for our Green Cloud Sect right now! Otherwise, once I'm gone, what do you think will become of you all?"

The Sect Master made his decision without hesitation.

The elders fell silent. The Sect Master was aging. The Green Cloud Sect truly needed the next Golden Core cultivator. After all, in the cultivation world, if a faction loses its top combat power without a replacement, it either declines or is wiped out. The cultivation world was that ruthless. The elders had no retort and left one by one.

Meanwhile, Gu Yunyun was left stunned in her heart. The sect master couldn't even win the battle? What on earth was her disciple doing?