ISWI Chapter 235-236

Chapter 235: That Was Ordinary Heavenly Tribulation

Noticing Ye Chen glancing around, the Old Sect Master huffed. "Stop looking. Your master's gone off traveling!"

Ye Chen froze. His master, out wandering? How could that be? She would've at least waited for him, right? What had happened?

His brow furrowed tightly.

The Old Sect Master, lips pursed, rummaged through his storage ring and pulled out the items Gu Yunyun had left for Ye Chen. Among them was a jade slip imbued with An Miaoli's aura and a letter from the little demoness Su Yuxuan.

Seeing these, Ye Chen pieced it together. He recalled telling Gu Yunyun about The Legend of the Condor Heroes and her final words. It was clear now—she'd learned about Su Yuxuan, met An Miaoli and An Yuyi, and, unable to accept it, chose to leave.

Ye Chen sighed inwardly. This was all the System's fault. If he'd awakened a normal system, things wouldn't have come to this.

"Did Master leave any message for me?" he asked.

The Old Sect Master hesitated. Not really—she'd just made arrangements. But he quickly said, "Yunyun told me to pass on a message: if you're still devoted, wait for her at her courtyard in twenty years. She'll return to meet you."

She'd return? Ye Chen exhaled in relief. As long as she was coming back, it was fine. He'd feared she'd never return.

But then he turned to the halved Sword Peak, its summit—where his master's courtyard once stood—now obliterated by the tribulation. He fell silent.

His master had barely left, and he'd already wrecked her home. If she found out while traveling, would she still come back? Would she think he did it on purpose to keep her away? He'd better find someone to rebuild Sword Peak, pronto!

As Ye Chen pondered, the Old Sect Master handed him a sword talisman and a jade talisman.

Feeling the aura of his master lingering on them, Ye Chen froze for a moment.

"This sword talisman was left by Yunyun," the Old Sect Master said. "If you find yourself in danger or simply miss her too much, crush this talisman. She'll sense it and come to you. As for this jade talisman, Yunyun has one just like it. If she's in danger, you'll be able to sense her general direction through it and go to her rescue."

"What are you standing there for? Take them!" the Old Sect Master urged. "Yunyun's already reached the Golden Core stage. Do you think I, an old man, should run out to save her if she faces something she can't handle? I'd just be throwing my life away! You're her disciple. You triggered a heavenly tribulation just by breaking through to the Golden Core stage. If you don't go, who will?"

Ye Chen stood there, still processing, as the Old Sect Master continued, noticing his confusion. "Don't just stare. Take them seriously."

Realizing the sect master was looking out for him, Ye Chen carefully accepted the talismans.

The Old Sect Master, pleased with Ye Chen's response, patted his shoulder. "Young man, don't feel too bad about it. I was like you once."

"You know how much female cultivators adore prodigies like us," he said with a wistful smile. "When I was traveling the world in my youth, I made mistakes too. There was a junior sister who stayed by my side through it all. But because of my errors, she left in anger. I didn't chase after her or apologize. I thought, 'She'll get over it eventually.'

"A year or two passed, and I didn't think much of it. After all, for cultivators, a single closed-door session could last that long. But in the blink of an eye, a decade went by, and she still hadn't returned. I panicked and went down the mountain to find her. Only then did I learn that in the third year, she'd planned to return to the sect to see me. But on her way back, she was ambushed by rogue cultivators. She died.

"Young man, don't think you have all the time in the world to wait and wait. Sometimes, what feels like a simple parting might be the last time you see someone."

The Old Sect Master gazed at the sky, his eyes filled with nostalgia and regret.

Ye Chen knew the story was likely exaggerated, but it still struck a chord. Without hesitation, he took out the sword talisman and crushed it. First, he'd lure his master back.

The Old Sect Master nodded in approval. He didn't ask about the quality of Ye Chen's Golden Core. Having triggered a tribulation, it was undoubtedly a ninth-grade core of the highest quality. What was there to ask?

With a flourish, the Old Sect Master departed, calling all the elders to follow him. He told them it wasn't Ye Chen who had faced a tribulation.

"A Golden Core cultivator triggering a heavenly tribulation? Impossible. It was just the lightning forged by his cultivation technique, tempering his body. Nothing like a true tribulation. If it had been a real heavenly tribulation, Ye Chen would be dead by now."

The elders nodded in sudden understanding. It made sense. If a Golden Core cultivator could trigger a heavenly tribulation, the tribulation itself would seem too weak. Not to mention, Ye Chen had emerged unscathed. It definitely wasn't a tribulation.

Ye Chen slowly descended, landing before Lu Jing, Lin Ke'er, and Yao Xi. The three women gazed at him, their faces alight with joy.

The moment Ye Chen saw them, a system prompt echoed in his mind.

"Yao Xi: Hundredfold Feedback!"

Senior Sister had reached hundredfold feedback? The same as An Yuyi. It seemed that after consuming the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core, her spiritual root had ascended to a dual-variant spiritual root.

As expected, Yao Xi's excited voice transmitted to him: "Junior Brother, I've awakened a dual spiritual root! After using the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core, my cultivation broke through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Then, with the Glazed Purification Water, I reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. In at most two years, I'll be ready to attempt forming my core!"

Yao Xi was cautious, knowing the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core and Glazed Purification Water were treasures. To avoid causing trouble for Ye Chen, she spoke through transmission.

Ye Chen wasn't surprised. While the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core could elevate a spiritual root to earth-grade, it wasn't guaranteed, especially since his senior sister had only a ninth-grade spiritual root to begin with.

He smiled faintly. "Congratulations, Senior Sister! What spiritual roots did you awaken?"

Yao Xi grinned. "Wind and Fire spiritual roots!"

Ye Chen nodded. Those roots suited her alchemist identity perfectly. After a moment's thought, he retrieved a core-forming spiritual item from his storage bracelet—the Phoenix Stone, a gift from Li Feihuang.

Raising his hand, he offered it to Yao Xi. "Since your cultivation is progressing so quickly, take this core-forming item, Senior Sister. With your spiritual roots, it should help you form an upper-grade Golden Core."

Yao Xi's eyes widened at the mention of a core-forming item. An upper-grade Golden Core? That was the dream of every ordinary cultivator. Forming one meant a chance at reaching the Nascent Soul stage.

Seeing how casually her junior brother presented it, she knew he'd prepared this precious item for her long ago. Her heart swelled with gratitude.

Before, she'd failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Now, not only had she reached this level, but she also had the potential to form an upper-grade Golden Core in the future, all thanks to her junior brother's support.

Yao Xi reflected inwardly. In the vast cultivation world, she was an unremarkable female cultivator, barely scraping by at the bottom. She didn't deserve such treasures. Yet her junior brother cared for her with unmatched devotion.

A gentle flush spread across Yao Xi's lovely face, like the glow of a sunset. She gazed at Ye Chen, her voice shy as she transmitted, "Junior Brother, didn't you say last time that once you reached the Golden Core stage, you'd let me test if you're up to the challenge? Since your courtyard was damaged by the tribulation, how about staying at my place tonight to rest?"

Chapter 236: Give It Away and Still Take It Back

"Gift successful…"

"Hundredfold feedback in progress…"

"Critical reward triggered!"

"Feedback: Moon Medicine Rabbit Essence Blood…"

"Moon Medicine Rabbit: One of the divine beasts, the most adept at alchemy among the demon clans. Incredibly rare, they're known in the outside world as the Medicine Sovereign Clan. Its refined essence blood can be used as a core-forming spiritual item, potentially granting the Medicine Sovereign's inheritance."

Below the Vicious Ten are the divine beasts. The Sword Peng belongs to this tier as well. Those ranked among the divine beasts aren't necessarily inferior to the Vicious Ten—some simply lack fame or overwhelming combat strength.

The Moon Medicine Rabbit is one such example.

This item was clearly perfect for Yao Xi's core formation, capable of helping her forge a ninth-grade Golden Core.

A ninth-grade Golden Core was exceptionally rare in the cultivation world. Even in the Divine Will Sect, only Li Feihuang and An Yuyi had achieved such a core in this generation, highlighting its scarcity.

After all, a ninth-grade Golden Core significantly increased the chances of forming a Nascent Soul, paving the way for a longer journey on the immortal path.

Yet, for Ye Chen, ninth-grade Golden Cores felt almost commonplace, as if they were handed out in bulk, stripped of any prestige.

He shook his head with a smile. "Not tonight, Senior Sister. I've just broken through, and my aura is still unstable, hard to control freely. I'm worried I might accidentally harm you. Give me a week in seclusion to stabilize, and then I'll come discuss the Dao with you. I'll share some key points you'll need to know for breaking through to the Golden Core stage."

At first, Yao Xi felt a pang of doubt when Ye Chen declined. Could her junior brother really not be up to it?

She'd once heard a junior sister mention that her Dao companion seemed perfectly fine in every way, but when it came to the main event, it was over in a flash.

But after hearing Ye Chen's explanation, Yao Xi relaxed. Her junior brother had just broken through, and his aura was still erratic. Even she felt a subtle pressure standing before him. It truly wasn't the right time.

"Then I'll await your good news, Junior Brother…" Yao Xi said, a touch of shyness in her voice. She had waited so long already. If Ye Chen didn't agree soon, she felt she might develop a heart demon from the anticipation.

Ye Chen smiled lightly and took out the jade vial containing the Moon Medicine Rabbit essence blood, a recent reward from the system, and gently offered it to Yao Xi. "I thought it over, and this is far more suitable for Senior Sister's core formation."

Yao Xi froze, caught off guard.

"This item can help you form a ninth-grade golden core," Ye Chen continued. "More importantly, it carries the potential to inherit the Moon Medicine Rabbit's legacy. Since Senior Sister is devoted to the path of alchemy, this is perfect for you."

Yao Xi's eyes widened as he spoke. The Moon Medicine Rabbit wasn't among the Vicious Ten, but its reputation was immense. Not known for combat prowess, it was legendary for its alchemy skills and unmatched ability to escape.

Once, a Holy Land powerhouse had personally tried to capture one for alchemy, even setting up a grand formation in advance. Yet the Moon Medicine Rabbit still slipped away. And now, Ye Chen was giving her its essence blood?

Yao Xi's hands trembled slightly. This was too precious.

But Ye Chen paid no mind to her hesitation. He placed the jade vial directly into her hands and said with a smile, "No need for formalities between us. What's mine is yours, Senior Sister! Oh, and could you return the Phoenix Stone? I still have a use for it."

Yao Xi nodded stiffly, retrieving the Phoenix Stone, which carried a faint imperial aura, and handed it back.

Ye Chen gripped the stone, checking for a system response. No prompt appeared about retracting the reward. Satisfied, he nodded to himself. He'd given it away and taken it back, yet the system's reward remained intact.

A new discovery. If he encountered someone ungrateful in the future, he could claim the reward, then demand the gift back. If they refused, he'd simply take it.

Ye Chen felt no shame in the thought. If someone didn't appreciate his generosity, why should he feel embarrassed about reclaiming what was his?

He did wonder, though—if he gifted the same treasure to another female cultivator later, would it still trigger the system's feedback? If it could, that would be incredible. He'd test it next week.

Meanwhile, Yao Xi held the weighty jade vial, her heart swelling with gratitude. This was a chance at a ninth-grade Golden Core. She recalled how, when Ye Chen hadn't helped her "clear the water," she'd secretly bought some unorthodox books, hoping to learn techniques to entice him. The contents had been so embarrassing she couldn't bring herself to use them.

But now, seeing how wholeheartedly her junior brother supported her, Yao Xi felt she couldn't hold back. Tonight, back at her courtyard, she'd study those books thoroughly.

After seeing Yao Xi off, Ye Chen stood at what was once the mountainside but now the peak of Sword Peak. With a casual toss, he set down a portable cave mansion.

Such cave mansions were exorbitantly expensive, capable of expanding or shrinking at will. However, when shrunk, they could only store items, not house people. Convenient, yet not entirely so—different from what Ye Chen truly desired.

"Young Master, would you like to eat?" Lu Jing asked, her eyes sparkling with delight as Ye Chen emerged from seclusion. The stronger he became, the happier she was.

Ye Chen shook his head. Noticing Lu Jing's name still absent from the system's feedback list, he asked, "Have you used the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core?"

Lu Jing quickly replied, "I have. It awakened a Mist Spiritual Root."

A Mist Spiritual Root, a variant of the Water Spiritual Root, leaned toward support roles. Considering Lu Jing had always been the most nurturing of his maids, it wasn't surprising she'd awakened such a root.

Single spiritual roots typically granted a fiftyfold feedback rate. Only those with hundredfold aptitude qualified as Dao companions in the system's eyes, regaining feedback eligibility.

The Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core couldn't be used repeatedly, but with his system, Ye Chen was confident he could eventually elevate all the female cultivators around him to hundredfold aptitude. It wasn't a big issue.

"Young Master, you've just broken through. Shall I attend to you tonight?" Lin Ke'er, who had finally returned to Green Cloud Sect, spoke with eyes full of anticipation, her gaze as tender as a first love.

She knew about the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core and was consumed with envy. She, too, wanted to enhance her aptitude, to obtain a core-forming item and forge a ninth-grade Golden Core.

Among the maids, Lin Ke'er was the most ambitious, the most driven to advance her cultivation. She'd nudge Lu Jing to step back or linger a bit longer to gain extra benefits. Now, she was especially proactive. After all, her young master had reached the Golden Core stage—cultivating with him would surely yield even greater rewards.

But Ye Chen gave her a calm glance before retreating to the seclusion chamber in his cave mansion. He needed to cultivate, to master the power surging through him after his Golden Core breakthrough. He also wanted to understand his five-colored Golden Core—what it was and what it could do.

Lin Ke'er was left utterly disappointed.

As night fell, the Old Sect Master cheerfully packed up his fishing rod. Though he hadn't caught a single fish today, the sect had gained another genius—a prodigy who triggered a heavenly tribulation at the Golden Core stage. That alone filled him with joy.

He no longer dreamed of surpassing Divine Will Sect. With Ye Chen leading Green Cloud Sect, he believed they could aim for the ranks of Deity Transformation sects in the future. Divine Will Sect? Just a bunch of nobodies, not worth replacing.

As he mused, a sword talisman descended. The Old Sect Master paused, then looked up.

A crimson figure, stepping on a flying sword, drifted away under the moonlight, moving at an astonishing speed.

A voice echoed in his mind: "A Golden Core cultivator sensed the tribulation and came to investigate. I've already slain him. Sect Master, this time, I'm truly leaving. I'll return in twenty years."

Clutching the sword talisman, the Old Sect Master sighed. With his vast experience, how could he not see the truth?

Gu Yunyun, who claimed to be leaving for a journey, hadn't gone far. She'd lingered near Green Cloud Sect, guarding Ye Chen. Only now, with Ye Chen out of seclusion, did she depart. Before leaving, she'd even eliminated a Golden Core cultivator drawn by the tribulation.

"She cares so deeply yet chooses to leave. Why put herself through this?" the Old Sect Master murmured. "And last time, since it wasn't a real departure, why scare me like that? My five-hundred-pound silver dragon fish… what a pity."

Shaking his head, the Old Sect Master shuffled back into the sect, his figure stooped.