ISWI Chapter 776-777

Chapter 776: The Myriad Races Rejoice

The members of the myriad races were in high spirits, their faces glowing with broad smiles. Setting everything else aside, simply selling off their clan treasures had already filled their coffers to overflowing. And in the days to come, they could seize those same treasures back. A truly risk-free, boundless profit.

Ye Chen, however, felt a touch of gloom. This time, his overwhelming joy had heightened his bodily sensitivity to an extreme degree, causing him to lose a measure of control. In the past, he had never been like this.

Yet Yao Yuezhi, ever considerate, had already used a transmission talisman to contact her mother and request a pot of potent restorative soup. For a man, this was utterly mortifying—an indelible stain on his pride.

Ye Chen resolved that upon returning, he would show Yao Yuezhi his true prowess. Thus, after completing the handover for the Black Tortoise Realm-Protecting Armor and the Ethereal Jade Marrow Essence, he hurriedly led her from the auction house and raced toward the Heavenly Demon Clan's residence. His slightly awkward expression did not escape the myriad races' notice, only amplifying their delight.

Clearly, the Heavenly Emperor's heir had suffered a massive loss this time. While they had struck it rich beyond measure, it still wasn't enough. They wanted everything he possessed. They wanted this monstrous human genius to fall completely.

"We can't give Ye Chen too much time, or I'm afraid he'll truly recover some strength."

"Ten days from now—the plan begins!"

They had long ago settled on the timeline. Now, through divine sense exchanges, they finalized it. Upon receiving the news, the myriad races' heavenly prodigies burned with fighting spirit. The Ye Chen of old had been far beyond them. But the current Ye Chen, bereft of his origin, was mere prey in their eyes.

The mere thought of suppressing this generation's Heavenly Emperor heir sent thrills of excitement through them. They could barely wait to strike.

...

With the treasures now in hand, Ye Chen organized them carefully. He planned to linger in Myriad Races Immortal City for a few more months, personally delivering every item suitable as a gift into Yao Yuezhi's hands. Only then would he depart.

Of course, before any of that, his first priority was to prove himself to her.

In the blink of an eye, four days passed. The resentment in Yao Yuezhi's eyes had nearly solidified into substance.

In truth, she had deliberately provoked him earlier, hoping to goad him into proving himself. And Ye Chen had taken the bait exactly as she wished. But what man proved himself like this? He was utterly incorrigible.

Ignoring the perfectly good front door, he instead... Still, Ye Chen gave her little time for stray thoughts.

The auction had lasted three days, and now another four had gone by. The system cooldown had finally ended. He presented her with the treasures he had long ago carefully selected.

Yao Yuezhi's eyes widened at the sight. It was the Myriad Woods Spiritual Root.

"Brother..."

She immediately moved to refuse.

Ye Chen smiled, gently patting her head as he interrupted softly, "Your cave heaven already holds many supreme spiritual plants. Plant this Myriad Woods Spiritual Root within. It can draw upon the power of all the others to safeguard your cave heaven. Then I won't have to worry about it shattering again. After all, in my current state, I can't let you absorb from me a second time!"

At these words, the lingering resentment in Yao Yuezhi's heart vanished without a trace, replaced by overwhelming tenderness. Her brother thought of her in every moment. By comparison, what did a slightly embarrassing quirk even matter? And truthfully, that sensation had felt rather wonderful.

"Brother, are you sure you're still not feeling quite well? Mother's restorative soup is truly delicious! Even Father sneaks drinks of it often, saying it's not that he can't—it's just that he needs a little time... All men are like that. It's nothing to worry about."

Yao Yuezhi offered no words of thanks. After accepting the Myriad Woods Spiritual Root, she simply hugged his arm and swayed it gently, as though deeply concerned for his health.

Ye Chen's face darkened at once. What did she mean, all men are like that? They were them, and he was himself! He, Ye Chen, had never once been inadequate.

...

Yao Yuezhi's provocation had been far too effective, causing Ye Chen to "waste" another three days. Finally, he sent her off to plant the Myriad Woods Spiritual Root. Only then did he turn his attention to the system prompts ringing in his mind.

"Congratulations, Host, on successful gifting..."

"Gifted item: Myriad Woods Spiritual Root!"

"Calculating 6,000x feedback..."

"Detecting gifted item..."

"Critical feedback triggered!"

"Feedback reward: Ancestral Wood Spiritual Root!"

"Ancestral Wood Spiritual Root: When planted at the core of a cave heaven, it connects to all spiritual roots within, granting amplification power..."

"It can be used for offense, defense, and stabilizing the cave heaven."

"The more spiritual roots present, and the higher their quality, the more formidable its strength becomes!"

"At the same time, it nourishes spiritual plants, accelerating their growth, imparting sentience, and offering a chance for them to revert to their ancestral forms..."

Seeing that it was merely a standard critical hit, Ye Chen was not surprised. No matter how capable little green tea was, she couldn't deliver maximum criticals every single time. Otherwise, even the deepest wells would eventually run dry.

Compared to the original Myriad Woods Spiritual Root, this Ancestral Wood version offered far greater amplification to spiritual plants—and, crucially, could be wielded as a weapon. Its most miraculous property, however, was the ability to trigger ancestral reversion in plants.

It was said that in the Ancient Desolate Era, the effects and functions of spiritual plants had been vastly superior to those of the present day. But as ambient spiritual qi dwindled across the world, environments shifted, and immortal qi vanished, many plants had degenerated.

Their potency now paled by hundreds or thousands of times compared to their ancient counterparts. Some had changed so thoroughly they might as well be different species altogether. Under these circumstances, if the spiritual plants within his own cave heaven could revert to their ancestral states, the benefits would be beyond measure.

...

Ye Chen tossed the Ancestral Wood Spiritual Root into his cave heaven. An immense transformation swept through it in an instant. The upheaval startled Luo Bingling, who had been deep in cultivation. Once she learned there was no danger, however, she relaxed.

Seeing that Ye Chen still showed no intention of leaving Myriad Races Immortal City—and had once again declined her invitation for dual cultivation—she felt a flicker of disappointment, but soon settled back into meditation.

Watching the scene, the corners of Ye Chen's mouth curved upward. Luo Bingling truly loved cultivation. She had the makings of a genuine cultivation maniac. When the time came, he would toss Lu Jing into the small world as well. One slacker, one relentless grinder—he wondered what sort of sparks those two would strike.

Chapter 777: The City Array "Malfunctions"

Ye Chen had long mastered the Array Secret to perfection, reaching the absolute pinnacle in the art of artifact refinement. He had also prepared all the necessary materials to repair the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot ages ago. Only his relentless cultivation had left him no time.

Now, with Luo Bingling immersed in training and Yao Yuezhi secluded to plant the Myriad Woods Spiritual Root, he finally had the chance to work on the chariot. But barely a day into the repairs, the graceful and alluring Aunt Yan arrived.

With no other choice, Ye Chen let her join him. The Heavenly Emperor's War Chariot had fallen from Extreme Dao weapon to mere Dao weapon status and required a complete overhaul. Its headlights had grown too dim as well, so they needed serious upgrading.

As for the chassis, though severely damaged, top-tier immortal materials and divine alloys would suffice. Three more days passed in this manner. The system cooldown ended once again.

Yao Yuezhi remained in seclusion, and Aunt Yan lacked gifting eligibility. During breaks from repairs, Ye Chen presented Luo Bingling with a Nine Nether Lotus he had acquired at the auction.

In an instant, an eight-thousand-fold feedback reward arrived. The cooldown shrank to just one day. It made Ye Chen feel that his little cultivation maniac had suddenly become rather fragrant.

Luo Bingling had been lost in the ecstasy of cultivation. Never in her life had she experienced such rapid progress. She truly hated to pause even for a moment.

Yet touched by Ye Chen's gift of such a precious spiritual plant—and fresh from savoring certain delights—she wished to repay him in kind. But when she followed Ye Chen out of the small world, she spotted Yan Wenwen. The woman looked weary from assisting with repairs yet radiated a glowing satisfaction as she reclined against the chariot seat.

Luo Bingling recognized her immediately and narrowed her eyes. This woman had actually developed such a relationship with her man? So old, and still so shameless.

Hostility flooded Luo Bingling's heart. She understood Ye Chen's nature, but raised under the War God Clan's teachings, she remained deeply influenced by their monogamous traditions. Even An Miaoyi—the only one who had never splashed water on her—earned no fondness. All were treated as enemies.

Yan Wenwen felt no offense. She merely watched with amused interest, pondering how introducing Yan Ruyu in the future might produce a similar scene. How entertaining that would be!

But in the next instant, her eyes widened. Touching the strands of hair plastered to her forehead, Yan Wenwen quickly realized what had happened. She narrowed her beautiful phoenix eyes. This ignorant young upstart actually dared to provoke her outright?

...

Half a day later, the three of them furrowed their brows in unison. The ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled. No—it wasn't just the cave abode. The entire Myriad Races Immortal City quaked. A vast, majestic voice boomed from above, echoing into every corner of the city.

"The protective grand array of Myriad Races Immortal City has malfunctioned, suspected to be deliberate sabotage..."

"Repairs will take one month. To preserve the confidentiality of the array's core and prevent outsiders from learning its secrets, all non-myriad-races cultivators must depart within one hour!"

"Defiers will be executed without mercy..."

The voice carried the overwhelming might of a saint, nearly forcing ordinary cultivators to their knees. Everyone burned with curiosity: why had the city's protective array suddenly failed?

Inside the cave abode, however, Luo Bingling and Yan Wenwen both narrowed their differently enchanting eyes. They had already guessed the truth. This was a ploy to force Ye Chen out of the city.

A cold smile curved Luo Bingling's lips. She activated a transmission talisman, informing her clan elders to send more forces—so the War God Clan could claim a larger share of the spoils.

Yan Wenwen gazed at Ye Chen with worry. "I had hoped you could stay in Myriad Races Immortal City indefinitely. No one would dare break the rules and act against you here. Once Ruyu returned, she could escort you safely back to the human immortal city—utterly foolproof. I never imagined they'd resort to such shameless tactics to drive you out."

Ye Chen merely smiled. After disentangling himself from the two women—one reluctantly, the other lingeringly—he rose leisurely. "It seems I'll have to leave a bit early."

Though he hadn't finished gifting everything to Yao Yuezhi, fairness demanded balance. He could deliver the rest to Lan Nuo instead. Her multiplier was only four thousand, but she possessed a cave heaven, and a max critical hit from her would still be formidable. She was perfectly suited for gifting as well. Leaving now and harvesting some origin along the way suited him fine.

Straightening his immortal robe, Ye Chen glanced at the Heavenly Emperor War Chariot, now more than halfway repaired. One final step, and it would reclaim its Extreme Dao weapon glory. But that would have to wait.

At that moment, Yao Yuezhi's family arrived in haste. Having deduced the truth themselves, they seethed with anger.

"Brother, I'll stay by your side! With my current strength, fighting ten alone isn't impossible!"

"Son-in-law, fear nothing. The Heavenly Demon Clan repays kindness without fail. Even if it costs my life, I'll protect you completely!"

"Brother-in-law, my power may be meager, but I won't retreat a single step."

"It's a pity the ancestor harbors resentment over the Undying Celestial Emperor affair..."

Their loyalty warmed Ye Chen's heart, drawing a soft laugh from him. He gently patted Yao Yuezhi's head. "No need for any of you. Stay in the city and cultivate well. They're just a pack of worthless chickens and stray dogs. If they manage to scratch me, I'll count it their victory."

Ye Chen had endured far too many sieges. Especially during his Mahayana tribulation, when the Heavenly Emperor—busy elsewhere—had summoned a horde of imprints to assail him.

Treasure Techniques of the Vicious Ten, imprints of ancient True Immortals—everything had come out. By comparison, these myriad races prodigies—who had once hidden from him at his peak—were utterly beneath notice.

Yao Yuezhi remained skeptical. "Brother, don't push yourself. Last time at the auction, your body was a little..."

Ye Chen's lips twitched. Hadn't he explained already? He truly wasn't like that normally. Last time had simply been overexcitement.

Without further words, he took her small hand. Channeling just one percent of his cave heaven power, he unleashed it...

Yao Yuezhi had grown terrifyingly strong. Yet under the surge of merely one percent of Ye Chen's cave heaven force, her body softened instantly. Her eyes glazed over, and she nearly collapsed backward. When she recovered, disbelief filled her emerald pupils.

"Brother, you..."

She was genuinely stunned. Her current Demon Spirit cave heaven was hundreds of times more powerful than before it was shattered.

At times, Yao Yuezhi even felt her cave heaven might already be the greatest under heaven. Yet beneath Ye Chen's cave heaven force, it felt like a fragile skiff, liable to capsize at any moment. This was beyond absurd.

Ye Chen smiled faintly. "I told you—what you absorbed before was just a drop in the ocean. Believe me now?"

Yao Yuezhi nodded mechanically. Having experienced the outburst firsthand, she certainly believed. But confusion flooded her heart. Even after losing so much to her, he remained this ferocious. How terrifying had he been before the absorption?

Forget the Heavenly Emperor's son or the Ten-Crown Champion. Even the reborn Undying Celestial Emperor, at the same realm, could never compare.

At this thought, Yao Yuezhi almost felt a twinge of pity for the prodigies about to besiege him.

...