ISWI Chapter 517-518

Chapter 517: The Fourth Holy Son was too fast!

Ye Chen, clearing the sect for his reputation, was unaware of the external uproar. In Heavenly Desire Sect's grand hall, he sat with the Sect Leader and numerous elders.

The elders, eyes alluring and suggestive, gazed at him eagerly. Given Ye Chen's reputation, they were thrilled. A top prodigy like him, with robust origins, could bring immense benefits in a single "discussion."

Most top prodigies were ascetic, focused on the Dao. Those visiting Heavenly Desire Sect were usually powerhouses with exhausted potential. But the Fourth Holy Son, famed for his love of women, was different. If chosen, they'd soar!

Despite their seductive poses—fiery, demure, mature, youthful, pure, aloof, gentle, every type a man could want—Ye Chen was uninterested. He'd seen over a hundred female cultivators here, yet the system stayed silent. Absurd. He had no intention of indulging.

After polite exchanges and declining elders' sparring requests, a graceful figure entered. Even among the hall's enchanting women, her radiance dimmed them all. Her presence captivated everyone.

Her skin, delicate as amber candy under the light, paired with a figure even more striking than the Sect Leader's, made Ye Chen smile. His target, Heavenly Desire Divine Maiden Fan Qinghe, had arrived.

Simultaneously, his system chimed: "Recipient Fan Qinghe's multiplier has changed…"

"Fan Qinghe: 1800x multiplier!"

Ye Chen raised a brow, surprised. She was previously at 1500x. Then he understood—her sect's direct disciple technique, Heart-Seed Demon Nirvana Scripture.

At Nascent Soul peak, she absorbed all his spirit sense. This wasn't just appropriation; excess was transformed, enhancing her.

Ye Chen knew this but hadn't expected a 300x boost. Perhaps he gave too much last time? This was only her first transformation. Each major realm required absorbing and nirvana once. If each added 300x, her potential was limitless. And as his foundation grew, her gains would too. Greater gains meant richer feedback, boosting his foundation, which she'd absorb, amplifying her further… A perfect positive feedback loop.

Fan Qinghe, seeing Ye Chen, showed joy, surprise, and a hint of worry, quickly masked. Her face was slightly pale, her condition poor, adding a pitiable charm to her wild, fiery aura. Yet this didn't evoke pity—it stoked a cultivator's primal instincts.

Fan Qinghe's long, fan-like eyelashes fluttered as she smiled. "It's been a while, Holy Son. Your brilliance outshines before, becoming the Great Yan Continent's top prodigy in a blink. Truly astonishing!"

Ye Chen laughed. "Since parting with you, Divine Maiden, I've missed you. Seeing you now, you're even more beautiful."

Fan Qinghe cautiously glanced at the elders and her master, the Sect Leader, then approached with a radiant smile, her delicate hand intertwining with his. "Since you're here, Holy Son, let's talk in my cave abode."

Ye Chen agreed, following her. She smiled at her master and elders before drifting away. Some elders pouted, thinking she was hogging him.

Others worried aloud, "Heavenly Intention Holy Son is at Deity Transformation peak, but our Divine Maiden just reached mid-Deity Transformation. I fear she can't handle the Fourth Holy Son and might get used.

"The Fourth Holy Son is remarkable. If we didn't know she completed her first transformation, I'd doubt he had his spirit sense drained. His recovery speed is too fast, surpassing her cultivation.

"I said we shouldn't have chosen Ye Chen. Anything tied to the Heavenly Emperor is hard to control. The Nirvana Scripture has begun; we can't switch now. It's up to her skills."

The Sect Leader frowned. Normally, protectors, drained and restarting, cultivated slower than the divine maiden, making her wait. But Ye Chen reversed this. The divine maiden hadn't reached Deity Transformation peak, yet he had. An unprecedented situation. This imbalance could cause issues. Even the seasoned Sect Leader was at a loss. The Fourth Holy Son was too fast!

…

In Fan Qinghe's cave abode, a forbidden area only accessible to select elders and the Sect Leader, Ye Chen and Fan Qinghe sat facing each other. She coughed lightly, her figure trembling dramatically.

Ye Chen frowned. Cultivators rarely fell ill. Was she injured? Would it affect her absorbing his Yin-Yang Qi?

Seeing his genuine concern, Fan Qinghe smiled. "No need to worry, Holy Son. Your rapid breakthroughs pressured me to keep up. I rushed my mid-Deity Transformation breakthrough, causing backlash in key bodily nodes. It's not severe. The sect prepared pills; I'll recover in half a year."

Her words were true. Ye Chen's speed pushed her to break through unprepared, causing issues. His arrival deepened her worries. If he broke into Unity without waiting, her path would collapse. She also feared he'd use the wait to demand formal dual cultivation.

For a divine maiden, her body was her final card. If he got it, he might lose interest and leave. Men often craved what they couldn't have, compliant until they got it, then indifferent. Too many were like that. Fan Qinghe felt conflicted, unable to control Ye Chen, troubled by his speed.

…

Ye Chen smiled. Her injury would indeed affect absorption. Half a year was too long—it had to be now. For him, this was simple. Without hesitation, he produced a jade box and handed it to her…

Chapter 518: I Don't Care What You Think

Seeing Ye Chen offer a jade box upon learning of her injury, Fan Qinghe smiled. Clearly, the Holy Son was giving her a healing treasure. But given his excellence and lofty status, she didn't want to take anything from him beyond what she needed to absorb, fearing his displeasure.

She shook her head, smiling. "Thank you, Holy Son, but my injury isn't serious. It'll heal in half a year. Your treasure is too precious to waste on this. Please take it back!"

Ye Chen shook his head. "I don't care what you think—I care what I think!"

He firmly pressed the jade box into her hands. Stunned by his domineering words, her eyes sparkled like peach blossoms. Even if his sincerity was uncertain, his words warmed her heart. She gave him a playful glance, took the box, and opened it.

Golden divine light burst forth, brimming with life essence. Seeing the golden peach, her mouth gaped as wide as Ye Chen's, eyes filled with disbelief.

"This… the Sacred Peach Fruit, an immortal root for the body?" Her voice trembled.

Ye Chen smiled faintly. "A leftover from my inheritance, perfect for healing you."

Different women, different treatment. For trusted ones like Senior An or his master, he'd openly show his immortal roots, letting them touch if they wished. But with Fan Qinghe, bound by mutual benefit, he concealed them.

Eight immortal roots, if revealed, would make him a target, an enemy of the world. His fake Heavenly Emperor heir identity was a perfect excuse for gifting treasures. The peachs, tied to the War Clan, vanished in the Heavenly Emperor's era—rumored stolen by him. As his heir, having a few made sense.

Fan Qinghe's syrupy face flushed with awe, her hands trembling. "This is too precious, too wasteful! One peach can heal irreparable bodily damage instantly. My minor injury doesn't deserve it! Holy Son, please take it back!"

She was genuinely moved. An immortal root fruit was priceless; cultivators lucky enough to get one would hoard it as a trump card. Yet Ye Chen offered it for her minor injury, showing true care. But he ignored her refusal. With a wave, the peach floated up. A flick of his finger peeled its golden skin, revealing tender, juicy flesh.

"The skin's off—it won't keep. Eat it, or it's wasted!"

He smiled gently, offering the flesh. This moved her further. He truly wanted her to eat it, just like when he gifted her Enlightenment Tea leaves. She took it delicately, savoring every drop.

When Ye Chen moved to toss the golden skin, her eyes widened in horror. "Holy Son, what are you doing?"

He blinked. "Throwing the skin away."

He disliked fruit skins, always discarding them.

Fan Qinghe stared, appalled at his wastefulness. She snatched the skin, eating it carefully. Noticing juice on his fingers, she licked them clean like a cautious cat. Then she ate the flesh, meticulously cleaning every shred from the pit's grooves before sighing in relief.

Fan Qinghe didn't discard the peach pit, examining it closely before asking Ye Chen, "Holy Son, this pit's material seems extraordinary, perhaps suitable for crafting a Dao weapon. But the kernel inside likely has special effects. How can I extract it without damaging the pit?"

She perfectly demonstrated how cultivators should handle immortal root fruits, making Ye Chen feel guilty for his past wastefulness. Having so many, he hadn't valued them.

Now, Fan Qinghe's barely visible pores exuded a subtle, misty essence. Her once-pale face glowed with vitality, her whole being radiant. Her minor injuries had vanished, as Ye Chen expected. But his thoughts lingered on how she ate the peach—ordinary yet utterly captivating. Her precision in cleaning the pit's intricate grooves was remarkable, sparking his imagination and stirring his fire. Still, with business at hand, he set aside such thoughts.

…

After consuming it all, Fan Qinghe felt better than ever. Not only were her injuries healed, but her physique advanced. Her eyes, gazing at Ye Chen, held only gratitude and joy, free of prior worries.

Before, absorbing his Yin-Yang Qi now would've been inefficient—she'd only retain 70% of ten parts. Plus, her incomplete cultivation would consume most of it to advance her realm, leaving little for her transformation.

This could result in an imperfect or failed second nirvana, wasting the chance. Her other concern was Ye Chen's unclear ties with Heavenly Intention Holy Maiden Yi Qingwu.

Though confident in her allure, believing no man could resist her, Yi Qingwu, the top female immortal, was equally captivating. Ye Chen's failure to win her, splitting Heavenly Intention Holy Son in rage, made Fan Qinghe fear he'd shifted affections, perhaps no longer as devoted.

But the peach dispelled her doubts. His care was undeniable—how could he reject her for another? Such a Ye Chen was forever trustworthy. Even if he wanted her now, she wouldn't resist. Though a Heavenly Emperor's heir, he was merely an inheritor, not a shameless freeloader like the Emperor himself.

…

Fan Qinghe gazed at him, eyes brimming with affection. "Holy Son, you cultivate too fast. I can't keep up! Could you wait a few years? I'll strive hard, not delaying you long!"

She expected his agreement. But Ye Chen shook his head firmly. "No!"

Her eyes widened in shock…