ISWI Chapter 742-745

Chapter 742: Anyway, He's Gotta Replenish!

The overwhelming surge of essence left Yao Yuezhi utterly numb. She lacked even the strength to speak. All she could do was watch in despair as her cave heaven's scale stretched ever farther along a path that defied all limits. Her own power, swelling with the domain's expansion, had already eclipsed her former peak.

Yet Yao Yuezhi felt no joy. Her emerald eyes, fixed on Ye Chen, brimmed with quiet pleading—as if begging him to stop. Ye Chen met her gaze with a soothing smile. Silent, he offered no words...

...

Within the Heavenly Demon Clan's outpost, Yao Yuezhi's parents and brother waited in mounting anxiety. A full day had passed—how could it still drag on? Had Yao Yuezhi truly lost all sense and drained Ye Chen dry? If so, she would prove a profound disappointment.

"If that's the case, once Yuezhi emerges, I'll give her a proper scolding myself. Ye Chen's such a gem—how could she bear to take it all?"

Even her doting father clenched his fists in resolve.

Yao Yuezhi's mother nodded firmly. "Exactly. A man like Ye Chen is one in a billion across the world! He'll surely emerge utterly spent this time. I'll brew a big tonic soup for him right away!"

Only Yao Yuekong held his tongue. He trusted his sister wouldn't repay kindness with betrayal by emptying Ye Chen. By rights, they should have finished ages ago. But they hadn't emerged. So, were the two tangled in something... improper inside?

Given Ye Chen's nature, Yao Yuekong figured it likely. He nearly voiced that his mother needn't bother. But on second thought, he stayed silent. After all, whichever the truth, Ye Chen might well need replenishing...

...

Meanwhile, in the Myriad Races Immortal City, gossip about Ye Chen swirled unabated. Though no one had spotted him that week, the female cultivators kept their tails on display, patiently awaiting his appearance.

The male cultivators, eyeing the tail parade filling the streets, seethed with humiliation. To see the myriad races' proud female prodigies primping and posing—tails raised in eager anticipation—for a mere human?

It stung like a fresh wound. But soon, a fresh rumor swept through the city. The men's ire evaporated in an instant, replaced by keen anticipation. For the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan—those three Half-Saints swindled and slain—had at last issued a statement. They were dispatching a top prodigy to the Myriad Races Immortal City to crush Ye Chen. And the envoy? Feng Youhuang!

The mere utterance of that name sent shockwaves through nearly everyone. Every myriad race cultivator had heard tales of her, knew the depths of her terror. Had it not been for the Celestial Prince's impending revival, Feng Youhuang would have stood unchallenged as the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan's premier prodigy. Legends of her abounded in the Northern Domain. Rumor held that during her Body Fusion period, she had stumbled upon the complete True Dragon Treasure Technique by sheer fortune.

As a phoenix, she had mastered it to its absolute pinnacle. By the time she reached Mahayana, her unfathomable insight allowed her to fuse the True Dragon Treasure Technique with the True Phoenix Treasure Technique, birthing a combat prowess that defied comprehension. And then came her special opportunity. Her Innate Undying Phoenix Fire mutated into the exceedingly rare Nirvana Phoenix Fire. Such exceptional gifts granted her the power to slay foes across realms.

One could say that, absent the Celestial Prince's emergence and the clan's deliberate suppression of her spotlight to avoid upstaging him, Feng Youhuang's feats would have shaken the world. Now, at the peak of Half-Saint, poised at any moment to shatter into the Saint realm, she descended personally to issue a challenge to Ye Chen. The news stunned all.

"The Heavenly Emperor's heir is formidable, yes—but Feng Youhuang's talent eclipses even that. She too boasts records of cross-realm battles and slain enemies."

"Her Nirvana Phoenix Fire has reached a level beyond imagination."

"Feng Youhuang hasn't acted in twenty years, but given her gifts, her fusion of True Dragon and True Phoenix Techniques must have perfected further."

"This fight will force the Heavenly Emperor's heir to yield. The later stages widen gaps inexorably—and this time, he can't rely on raw strength to kill. If Feng Youhuang simply avoids his cave heaven, his arrays lose all bite."

"The Heavenly Emperor's heir faces true peril now."

"Where is he? Did he get wind of the mismatch and flee in advance?"

The crowds buzzed with speculation, all eagerly awaiting Feng Youhuang's arrival to humble Ye Chen's arrogance. To let them exhale in collective relief. To teach him that wealth bought no license for wanton indulgence in the Myriad Races Immortal City—that he couldn't claim any woman he fancied.

Soon, more precise intelligence arrived. Feng Youhuang had just emerged from seclusion and would reach the city in one month to duel Ye Chen. A deathmatch, no less—complete with a grand array like the one for the Holy Prince, barring all interference.

The revelation rocked the Myriad Races Immortal City anew. Male cultivators reveled in it, toasting with abandon; tavern business boomed those next two days. They all anticipated the Heavenly Emperor's heir's demise right there. The female cultivators, however, grappled with mixed emotions.

"Logically, fewer human powerhouses benefit us all—but the Heavenly Emperor's heir isn't wicked. I don't want him dead!"

"Right? The old Emperor's sins were his own—the heir's done nothing wrong."

"He's so kind, so generous. I was looking forward to our next encounter."

"My colorful snake tail's so lovely—I hoped he'd take a shine to it. I don't want the Heavenly Emperor's heir gone!"

"Ye Chen is Ye Chen; the Emperor, the Emperor. Don't lump them together. Ye Chen never antagonizes the myriad races—on the contrary, he cherishes us."

Many female cultivators had already shifted their stance.

Feng Youhuang's impending arrival left them sweating bullets for Ye Chen. After all, in his last battle, he had barely lifted a finger—relying almost entirely on peerless killing arrays. The outside world had long speculated as much.

As realms widened their gaps ever further, the Heavenly Emperor's heir could no longer crush foes with mere dao and law as before. So this time, his true limits might finally face the test.

The prospect of an earth-shattering clash to come filled everyone with keen anticipation; they watched the Heavenly Demon Clan closely, awaiting Ye Chen's response.

...

Yet to the disappointment of the outer world's cultivators, the Heavenly Demon Clan issued a statement: the Heavenly Emperor's heir remained in seclusion, his emergence date unknown. They suggested that Feng Youhuang return another day. After all, no one knew how long his retreat might last.

The news sparked suspicion among many male cultivators—had Ye Chen chosen to dodge the fight?

The timing felt far too convenient. Moreover, his cave heaven's secrets stood exposed now; tricking anyone further grew impossible. So, had the Heavenly Emperor's heir truly chickened out?

Mocking voices rose in a chorus. The female cultivators bristled with dissatisfaction. They defended him hotly.

"The Heavenly Emperor's heir cultivates at a blistering pace—maybe he's on the verge of a minor breakthrough. Isn't seclusion perfectly normal?"

"You think he's like you lot, worthless slugs who need decades for a tiny step forward?"

...

In that fashion, another week slipped by. Within the Heavenly Demon Clan's outpost, Yao Yuezhi's parents and brother wore faces etched with worry...

Chapter 743: Let's Make Yuezhi Suffer a Bit More!

"Feng Youhuang is actually coming? What do we do?"

"Feng Youhuang was already a top prodigy, and now at the peak of Half-Saint, her battle power likely rivals some Saints. With Ye Chen's cave heaven essence depleted, he stands no chance."

"These myriad races are utterly shameless. The Heavenly Emperor's heir is only at the early King realm, and here you are, a peak Half-Saint, challenging him like this—zero shame."

"And those gawking myriad race spectators? Why should a King realm fight a Half-Saint? Refusing makes him look like a coward, but why doesn't Feng Youhuang go challenge a top Saint instead?"

Yao Yuekong's family of three wore grim expressions. They believed in Ye Chen's strength. At full power, he could certainly match Feng Youhuang in battle. The issue lay in the fact that Ye Chen and his daughter had holed up in the cave mansion for a full week. Who knew how much she had drawn from him? What if she had nearly emptied his hundred-thousand-li domain?

In that state, Ye Chen wouldn't just fall short of his peak—he might plummet back to the second heaven. How could he possibly prevail? Precisely for that reason, Yao Yuezhi's father had spread the word that Ye Chen was in seclusion, unavailable for the challenge.

"When Ye Chen emerges, Yao Yuekong, talk him down—don't let the outside world's opinions rile him!"

"From here on, he'll rest and recover in our clan. The Heavenly Demon Clan may not rival the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan, but we're no soft persimmon to be squeezed!"

"And Yuezhi must wed Ye Chen—and the sooner, the better."

"If Yuezhi dares to take advantage and then scorn him, she won't be my daughter!"

Yao Yuezhi's parents stood resolute. They refused to allow the fight, no matter the pressure; Ye Chen would remain within the Heavenly Demon Clan to recuperate.

Yao Yuekong nodded, a touch of emotion in his voice. "In the outside world's eyes, Ye Chen's still early King realm, but they've already ranked him among Half-Saint powerhouses. A Half-Saint challenge feels almost... expected. Even the Heavenly Emperor back in the day probably didn't inspire that. Yet with such talent, he aids my sister without hesitation—pouring out everything. It makes this debt of gratitude feel all the heavier! Since Ye Chen gives his all, we can't betray him either."

As the three spoke, their gazes drifted once more to the cave mansion doors. They had kept vigil here nearly every day, but the longer they waited, the more baffled they grew. Hadn't it gone on too long? A full week. Could Yao Yuezhi truly have drained Ye Chen to restore herself? If she had stooped that low, it would chill their hearts.

Compared to her emptying Ye Chen, the trio almost preferred the pair simply indulging in... diversions. After all, they had already embraced this brother-in-law and son-in-law; a bit of premarital haste—boarding the cart before buying the ticket—posed no real issue...

...

In the cave mansion, Yao Yuezhi's cheeks burned crimson, her delicate frame quivering uncontrollably. Her gaze grew hazy, the whites of her eyes showing more than usual, lending her an air of fragile, intoxicating allure. She peered inward at her cave heaven core, her mind reeling with disbelief.

For an entire week, Ye Chen had spoken not a word, simply adjusting the flow of essence according to her tolerance and limits. He had accelerated her domain's expansion relentlessly, faster and faster.

Now, it spanned ninety-nine thousand nine hundred li. Just a hundred li shy of the hundred-thousand-li pinnacle. Yet even then, the essence pouring from Ye Chen showed no sign of waning. The sight filled her with profound complexity. To claim no joy would be a lie.

She had never dreamed that, from a shattered core, she would turn calamity to fortune, surpassing her former self—and now on the cusp of the limit. But joy played only a small part.

Yao Yuezhi's heart swelled more with shock and sorrow. She marveled at how Ye Chen had shattered the limit, unbeknownst to her. By her absorption, his domain must stretch at least a million li. With potential to transcend all, he had still poured everything into her without regret.

"Brother Ye, enough—truly enough. Save some for yourself. Otherwise, you'll drop to the second heaven next."

Yao Yuezhi's voice cracked with tears as she spoke, unable to hold them back. For this prodigy, who might eclipse even the Heavenly Emperor, to fall because of her? It tore at her soul.

In her teary vision, Ye Chen merely smiled. "I've got plenty left—no realm fall for me. Don't distract yourself. Let's push once more..."

His words barely landed before Yao Yuezhi's face paled, her eyes rolling back on instinct. The essence from Ye Chen surged at a new height. But through her tears, Yao Yuezhi knew it for what it was: a final, desperate burst. Squeezing out the last dregs for her sake.

Before long, as Yao Yuezhi watched her domain hit exactly a hundred thousand li—and stall—sorrow claimed her as she turned to Ye Chen. But to her astonishment, he showed no realm drop. His inner essence still swelled, undiminished.

This...

Ye Chen had reserves left? It was good news. No cultivation loss for him. Yao Yuezhi even began to wonder how vast Ye Chen's cave heaven was. But curiosity fled as discomfort set in. Ye Chen's essence flowed unabated, mighty as ever. Yet her own domain refused to grow further. With nowhere to channel the influx, it overwhelmed her.

"Brother, Brother—this time I truly mean it. My cave heaven's at the hundred-thousand-li limit—the pinnacle for prodigies in this world. So stop, please—it's overflowing. Such waste..."

Ye Chen frowned at Yao Yuezhi's flushed face. Then he spoke gravely. "Who says a hundred thousand li is the limit? Why haven't I felt it? My own domain exceeds that. So, a hundred thousand is no cap—just a fool's self-deception.

"Yuezhi, we've come this far. You've hit a hundred thousand—perhaps one step from breaking through. Will you give up now? I knew you wouldn't! Rest easy—next, I'll push you past the boundary."

Ye Chen refused to end it here. They had only just begun. His own domain had shrunk by a negligible margin. To quit now, with momentum building? It would frustrate anyone. So, Yao Yuezhi would have to endure a little more.

Ye Chen finished on his own terms and ramped up the essence transfer. Yao Yuezhi's domain, at its peak, had elevated every facet of her being. Her endurance sharpened to a razor's edge. A hundred thousand li marked a threshold. Crossing it wrought a full rebirth. That was why prodigies like Celestial Prince and the Seven-Crowned King wielded such terrifying might.

Seeing Yao Yuezhi's state, Ye Chen relaxed. Now he could truly let loose and go all out.

Chapter 744: Armament Secret Overload, Cave Heaven Sublimation!

Yao Yuezhi's delicate frame tensed to its absolute limit now, her toes curling in tight. Had she gone barefoot, Ye Chen would have clearly seen her pretty little feet arching into a graceful curve.

She stared fixedly at the scene unfolding before her, watching as endless cave heaven essence roared through the four channels, its overwhelming force pushing her to the brink of endurance.

And within her, the cave heaven core—the Qiankun Cauldron—whirled at a frenzied pace. It converted the influx one strand at a time, weaving it into threads of gentle, warm energy that slowly merged into her domain's depths.

The sight wrung Yao Yuezhi's heart all the more. For her own cave heaven, upon reaching a hundred thousand miles, had ceased all expansion. The incoming essence, after the cauldron's transmutation, merely seemed to render her domain a touch more solid. But scarcely noticeably so. To bear such massive waste for so little return.

Yao Yuezhi ached for Ye Chen's sake. Not to mention the Qiankun Cauldron, which seemed on the verge of overload. Its conversion rate couldn't keep pace with the torrent of Ye Chen's essence. Much of the essence was scattered unprocessed. Even drifting from her very pores.

Yao Yuezhi's heart twisted harder; this was all hard-won from Ye Chen's cultivation. She couldn't bear a single drop wasted, so she parted her small lips hastily. A powerful suction bloomed from her cherry lips, like a whale gulping rivers, sweeping up every stray wisp of essence in the air and drawing it all into her mouth.

Then, cheeks puffed like pink pouches, she opened wide with a hint of pride, showing Ye Chen her thrifty haul. Only once he had seen it all did she swallow it down. Afterward, she addressed Ye Chen gravely. "Brother, a hundred thousand miles truly is the limit. Even more essence would just make the domain a bit sturdier, but it holds no meaning for cultivation.

"When we break through to the seventh heaven later, the cave heaven evolves straight into an inner world. Fortifying it now serves no purpose. So, Brother, stop it! This era teems with prodigies outside—you need to save some to crush them later. I'm still waiting for you to take me into the immortal realm!"

Yao Yuezhi reasoned with him, appealing to both logic and emotion, desperate for him to end the waste.

Ye Chen, meanwhile, found her motions oddly familiar, like something from before. But he brushed it off, shaking his head. "I don't buy that a hundred thousand miles is the cap. Since you can still take it, let's go all the way! Once your domain's fortified to the max, that might trigger the next expansion."

Yao Yuezhi felt helpless before his stubbornness. Truth be told, a hundred thousand miles was a dream beyond dreaming. As for surpassing the limit? She wouldn't dare entertain it even in her wildest fantasies. Yet Ye Chen fixated on pushing her beyond. It left her torn between touch and turmoil.

Undeterred, she pressed on earnestly. "Brother, I don't want to break the limit. You should..."

But Ye Chen shot her a glare. "Are you telling me how to do things?"

Yao Yuezhi: "..."

Another week slipped by in the blink of an eye. Ye Chen's unimaginable reserves of cave heaven essence had left Yao Yuezhi utterly numb. She dared not ponder the true scale of his domain. Nor the sheer volume she had "wasted" from her own. Her cave heaven now stood far sturdier than before.

If one of the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan's peak Half-Saints dared enter it now, she might withstand their undying divine fire head-on. At the same time, her domain's foundation had grown vastly more robust. In the future, spirit plants sown within would thrive with exceptional vigor. Spiritual Qi would flow more abundantly, and her cave heaven's power had surged by unknown multiples!

All in all, Yao Yuezhi brimmed with confidence. In her current state, she could face those three peak Half-Saints squarely. With the right timing, she might even slay one or two. The magnitude of her gains proved staggering.

Yet Yao Yuezhi's heart truly ached. This was too wasteful. Even if Ye Chen seemed inexhaustible, bottomless in his supply. How could that be? No man could endure so long. He had to be nearing his end. Please, stop—save something for yourself!

Yao Yuezhi steeled herself to plead once more. But suddenly, her willow brows twitched, and that seemingly fragile frame tensed even tighter. For she sensed her cave heaven had hit some profound threshold, a stubborn bottleneck. Yet if broken, it might birth tremendous transformations within.

The realization stirred confusion in Yao Yuezhi, mingled with faint excitement. In the past, she would have deemed a hundred thousand miles the absolute ceiling. But with Ye Chen before her, Yao Yuezhi glimpsed a whole new realm.

Still, the steady influx of essence faltered in momentum. It lacked the force for a decisive breakthrough. Yao Yuezhi peered inward and understood: this wasn't Ye Chen failing her, but the Qiankun Cauldron reaching its limits. Its conversion efficiency had maxed out.

"Brother, let's stop here—my domain's solidity has reached its peak too..."

Yao Yuezhi believed anything further would be pure waste. Utterly meaningless. The cave heaven essence could no longer be absorbed; it would only leave her bloated and aching.

Ye Chen, hearing her, sensed the truth in her words—her domain had indeed hit a critical threshold under the relentless infusion. Breaking through that point could either sublime her cave heaven into something extraordinary or shatter the limit for further expansion. Either outcome thrilled Ye Chen and demanded he see it through for her. Without question, unabsorbable essence would overwhelm her to the point of rupture—he had to halt if it came to that.

With the thought, Ye Chen spoke at once. "No need to worry, Yuezhi—I'll help you through it!"

The current bottleneck on transmission lay with the Qiankun Cauldron, after all. For it was merely a high-grade Extreme Dao Weapon. So Ye Chen pushed the Armament Secret to its utmost. The cauldron shuddered first, then its verdant form shifted hue—as if heated from within—flushing crimson in a blink...

Its spin accelerated to a frenzy, whirling like a gyroscope. In that instant, the cauldron's conversion capacity exploded several-fold. Such was the Armament Secret's profundity: it could force a weapon into overload, unleashing greater potency. But not for long—it would erode the tool's lifespan.

Seizing the window, Ye Chen unleashed his cave heaven essence without restraint, pouring it forth in an unending tide. The four channels, all spiderwebbed with cracks, then teetered on collapse.

As for Yao Yuezhi, she no longer rolled her eyes. Her lids simply drooped, her body slackening as she slipped into unconsciousness. Her soul, hovering mid-air, dimmed with her.

And at the same instant, odd sounds echoed from within Yao Yuezhi's cave heaven. In the next breath, a sharp crack resounded. Her domain had shattered the bottleneck at last, embarking on a stunning metamorphosis.

...

Though Yao Yuezhi lay insensate, Ye Chen's command of the Qiankun Cauldron via the Armament Secret let him peer effortlessly into her domain's state. It had not yet breached the hundred-thousand-mile limit. But it underwent some astonishing evolution, its quality refining ever higher.

For Ye Chen, this was an unqualified boon. The metamorphosis demanded vast quantities of cave heaven essence.

Chapter 745: The Primordial Cave Heaven!

Another half a month slipped by in the blink of an eye.

"Brother, I can't take any more—this time, it's truly the limit."

Yao Yuezhi's fair little face flushed a deep crimson. This time, she made no pretense; she had reached her absolute threshold, unable to absorb even a single drop more of cave heaven essence. The Qiankun Cauldron at her side fell eerily still, its spin halting entirely, faint wisps of misty vapor flickering in and out of existence around it.

Ye Chen's endless stream of essence, having filled her domain to bursting, began to pool and clog the channels. The conduits strained under the pressure, trembling on the verge of collapse, faint illusory cracks spiderwebbing across them.

Yet for all her discomfort, Yao Yuezhi's heart swelled with shock and joy. Though she had not broken the hundred-thousand-li limit as Ye Chen had, her domain had undergone a qualitative leap in tier.

A hundred thousand li remained the measure, but its sturdiness now defied belief. The spiritual resonance it could hold had multiplied a hundredfold from before. And the wonders did not end there.

Previously, after ascending to the fourth heaven via the remnant Stasis Secret, Yao Yuezhi's grasp of time laws had already been stunned. Ordinary prodigies managed at most a twofold acceleration. Those hitting fivefold earned the label of peerless genius.

Yao Yuezhi herself, empowered by the Stasis Secret remnant, had barely squeezed out sixfold. As for existences like Celestial Prince, they might touch tenfold—or beyond. But now, the flow of time she could wield within her cave heaven had vaulted to a staggering twentyfold!

What did that mean? A year of cultivation inside equated to twenty years outside. After Half-Saint, breakthroughs demanded centuries of accumulation. With this absurd acceleration, she would soar, saving oceans of time. Mastering myriad daos and laws became a swift affair too, comprehended at breakneck speed under the temporal surge.

Of course, Mahayana cultivators no longer advanced through sheer hoarding. They required personal epiphanies of laws, shattering personal bottlenecks...

Time alone couldn't force that. So for Half-Saints and beyond, the savings touched only the grind of Qi refinement. Insights into laws and the like still demanded patient, step-by-step toil. And under acceleration, one's lifespan ticked away undiscounted.

Many cultivators perished before their natural ends. All because they burned through too much of their allotted years in accelerated domains. Yet all told, the pros far outweighed the cons.

Yao Yuezhi felt the surging vitality within her; her cave heaven's power far exceeded her former self by countless measures, along with myriad subtle transformations, filling her with quiet elation.

At the same time, the Qiankun Cauldron, amid this metamorphosis, grew ever more intimately bound to her. It had nearly fused as one. As the core of her domain, it too underwent a peculiar evolution alongside her strengthened cave heaven.

Yao Yuezhi sensed that, when she later reached the seventh heaven and her domain ascended to a minor world, the cauldron would emerge far mightier. In the future, evolving into a supreme Extreme Dao Weapon might not prove impossible. All in all, her cave heaven now differed from her past self by heaven and earth. Should she face those three peak Half-Saints once more,

Yao Yuezhi brimmed with utter confidence to suppress them all. She had become a pinnacle prodigy in this world. With that thought, Yao Yuezhi no longer minded the dull ache in her abdomen. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Ye Chen, brimming with profound gratitude.

She understood all too well: her rise from ruin, surpassing her former heights to claim a place among the realm's elite, stemmed entirely from Ye Chen's gifts. His benevolence toward her, even if she poured out her entire life, could never be repaid.

...

Meanwhile, Ye Chen finally sensed that Yao Yuezhi truly could hold no more. Not feigned this time. The Qiankun Cauldron lay equally inert, refusing to stir—even under the Armament Secret's prod. Whether from overload or her genuine limit, he couldn't tell.

But in any case, he couldn't risk bursting his little green tea wide open. Regret flickered in his eyes as he ceased urging his cave heaven's essence forth. He severed the channels.

Yao Yuezhi caught the reluctance in Ye Chen's gaze and mistook it for sorrow over the vast essence he'd lost. After all, she had truly drawn far too much. And Ye Chen couldn't possibly be infinite.

Yao Yuezhi suspected his remaining domain had dwindled to less than a hundred thousand li. She longed to embrace him, to pledge something profound. But after such an onslaught, exhaustion pinned her down; she couldn't muster a shred of strength.

She lay limply on the ground, her emerald eyes gazing up at Ye Chen with earnest sincerity. "Brother, I know all the kindness you've shown me. In the future, I'll never betray you. "Brother, once I've recovered a bit of strength, let's make a child together, alright? And the women you fancy, Brother, I'll help you claim them all. For those who agree, I'll teach them how to please you. As for those who resist, I'll help you seize them too!"

"..."

Hearing Yao Yuezhi's words, Ye Chen chuckled. He knew she had misunderstood. His regret stemmed not from her drawing too much, but from her drawing far too little. From nothing to something, then to a hundred thousand li. And finally to metamorphosis and sublimation...

The essence consumed in the process had been vast beyond measure. Yet even so, Yao Yuezhi had barely tapped a tenth of his cave heaven's reserves. Perhaps not even that much. It was truly a pity.

But Ye Chen understood that Yao Yuezhi had given her all. He couldn't fault her for it. What affair in the world ever reached perfection? The mere chance to gift cave heaven essence already counted as an unexpected boon.

Yao Yuezhi's vows, meanwhile, warmed his heart; he scooped the limp girl into a princess carry, cradling her close. A conscientious little green tea like her was truly endearing. And at that very moment, a system prompt finally chimed in Ye Chen's mind.

"Matching target's multiplier has changed—updating..."

"Yao Yuezhi: Six thousandfold!"

"Heavenly Demon Body, Demon Spirit Cave Heaven!"

Ye Chen's eyes lit up at once! Her domain's elevation had boosted Yao Yuezhi's multiplier, too. Evidently, the cave heaven's enhancement had profoundly amplified her talents. What a delightful surprise. From five thousandfold to six? The feedback rewards would surely prove even richer.

...

And in tandem, a second system prompt rang out.

"Congratulations, host—gift delivery successful..."

"Gift: Cave Heaven Essence!"

"Feedback in progress..."

"Six-thousandfold feedback underway..."

"Detected: The host's gift holds extreme importance to the matching target, triggering maximum psychological resonance..."

"Max critical hit feedback activated!"

"Feedback: Primordial Cave Heaven!"

Primordial Cave Heaven? What was that?

Ye Chen lacked the context, but the word "primordial" alone carried an air of profound gravitas. He glanced downward at once.

"Primordial Cave Heaven: The origin source of all heavens and myriad realms! The Primordial Cave Heaven nurtures laws, derives all things; upon world sublimation, it evolves into the Ancestral Realm. Every wisp of overflowing origin essence births a newborn world, thereby spawning the heavens and myriad realms. The Primordial Cave Heaven knows no upper bound, expandable without end..."

"Upon the cultivator's breakthrough to the fourth heaven, it enables acceleration or deceleration of the cave heaven's temporal flow, even stasis across the entire domain, influencing it wholly..."

"Upon breakthrough to the seventh heaven, the Primordial Cave Heaven ascends to the nascent Ancestral Realm..."

"Within the Primordial Cave Heaven, newborn laws and principles manifest; cultivation therein halves effort for doubled gains..."

"Within the Primordial Cave Heaven, nascent cave heaven power flows; practice inside accelerates comprehension speeds..."

"The Primordial Cave Heaven stands indestructible..."

"The Primordial Cave Heaven harbors transcendent life-nurturing might; all spirit plants and exotic beasts thrive perfectly, bloodlines sublimate more readily, spawning myriad new species through derivation and gestation..."

"Primordial Cave Heaven..."