No one had expected this. Lan Nuo refused. And the Heavenly Emperor's heir actually tossed it out.
That was the Nirvana Sacred Liquid. That was a Sacred Spiritual Root!
Shock swept through them, but bodies reacted faster than minds. In an instant, everyone surged forward. Disciples of great sects unleashed supreme movement arts, streaking toward the vial. Prodigies of the myriad races reverted to true forms without hesitation, blotting out the sky.
The scene devolved into a chaotic battlefield in the blink of an eye. Eyes bloodshot, all reason shattered by this heaven-sent fortune.
Ye Chen glanced over the frenzy, a faint curve touching his lips.
You really want it that badly?
He paid no mind to potential damage—the vial was forged from supreme materials, its hardness rivaling Extreme Dao weapons. He had inscribed divine patterns at the mouth with the Array Secret; it wouldn't open easily. So he let them scramble for a while.
Before him, Lan Nuo finally panicked in earnest. Ye Chen had truly thrown the Nirvana Sacred Liquid away. How could she not want it? If Ye Chen used it, she would accept it gladly—her master had treated her too well. But for someone else to claim it? Unacceptable.
At that moment, she itched to blast away the few fighting most fiercely.
"Master…"
Lan Nuo could no longer maintain her icy facade. Anxiety filled her gaze as she looked at Ye Chen. Yet he remained utterly calm, unmoved. As if to say: You don't want it, neither do I—whoever gets it, fine by me.
Lan Nuo truly grew desperate. She transmitted softly, "Master, we agreed you would keep it for yourself…"
Ye Chen nodded serenely. "Yes. Once it reached my hands, it became mine. If I wish to gift it to you, do I still need the Lan family's approval?"
Lan Nuo: "…"
That wasn't what she meant at all.
Watching the sacred liquid pass through several hands already…
One prodigy snatched it and instantly vanished ten thousand meters via a peculiar divine art—fortunately intercepted, or Lan Nuo might have burst into tears.
Seeing Ye Chen still utterly unconcerned, she had no choice left. She surrendered.
"Master, I'll take it—hurry and retrieve it! My heart can't handle this!"
She genuinely feared someone else would seize it. If Ye Chen used it, she felt no envy. But if another truly obtained the Sacred Spiritual Root, she'd never sleep peacefully again—waking every midnight to slap herself in regret.
Seeing her yield, a smile curved Ye Chen's lips. Without hesitation, he turned toward the battlefield. There, a myriad race prodigy had just claimed the Nirvana Sacred Liquid. His form flashed like lightning, unimaginably swift—shifting and dodging as though no place barred him. He neared the edge of the small world. A horde of prodigies pursued.
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But Ye Chen needed only a single glance. The void around the prodigy instantly boiled. Endless chaotic qi surged, forming an inescapable cage. All his divine arts and abilities proved useless within it—he could not break through.
In the next moment, Ye Chen condensed a golden palm and reached toward him. The pursuers halted at once, expressions plicated.
The trapped prodigy wore a look of resigned inevitability. He glanced toward Ye Chen from afar. Without struggling, he even tossed the vial willingly toward the approaching hand.
The once-chaotic battlefield fell silent. Ye Chen's violet-gold palm seemed momentarily taken aback, pausing before seizing the vial—then lingering reluctantly.
After hesitating, it finally dispersed slowly. Only then did the trapped prodigy exhale in relief. Good thing he was clever. Otherwise, that bastard Heavenly Emperor's heir would have slapped him dead without mercy.
…
The jade vial arced overhead, passing so close that anyone could have reached out and snatched it. Yet no one did. They only watched in silence.
The crowd's impeccable cooperation even surprised Ye Chen. Since they played along so perfectly, he could hardly overdo it. With faint disappointment, he retrieved the vial and presented it to Lan Nuo once more. "Fairy Lan need not overthink. The Lan family was generous enough to share the intelligence with me—when have I ever been stingy? This is my gift to you. Accept it."
Lan Nuo's beautiful eyes gazed at Ye Chen with plex emotion. She knew full well he had only tossed it because he was confident he could reclaim it. But it had still terrified her. Her heart continued racing even now.
Yet it also proved how deeply her master loved her. From the moment the clan elders informed him, he had likely already decided to give it to her. She recalled the elders' hesitation, wariness, and suspicion back then. Even their eventual generosity in sharing the news stemmed from fear that demanding a promise might breed resentment if he reneged—better to appear magnanimous.
Now it was clear: the Lan family had judged him with petty hearts. Ye Chen loved her to his very bones. He would give her every treasure in the world.
"Master…"
Overwhelmed with emotion, Lan Nuo reached a peak of feeling in that moment. No longer caring about her aloof image before outsiders, she threw herself into his arms and bestowed upon him a kiss sweet as first love… Ye Chen wasted no time in returning the favor.
The two tangled in a passionate battle of tongues. The prodigies who had been fighting tooth and nail moments ago now stood expressionless. Inwardly, however, they seethed with curses. They had suspected it might end this way. The Heavenly Emperor's heir was no fool. How could he truly let another profit just because a woman refused?
Suspicion was one thing—yet they had still failed to resist. They had clung to the slim hope that he might actually be that foolish. Now it was plain: this dog couple had treated them as mere props in their display. If they had known, they wouldn't have scrambled at all.
When the Heavenly Emperor's heir tossed the Nirvana Sacred Liquid, everyone should have ignored it—let it fall to the ground. Watch him squirm in embarrassment! He'd have to pick it up himself in the end. Next time something like this happened, they absolutely wouldn't play along. And they would spread word of this farce far and wide—just to see how the Heavenly Emperor's heir flaunted his affection in the future.
…
Ye Chen remained oblivious to the onlookers' silent grievances. Their presence had undeniably enhanced the effect. When the pair finally parted, reluctant as snapping silk, Lan Nuo cradled the jade vial. Her beautiful eyes fixed on Ye Chen as she spoke earnestly. "Thank you, Master! On the future Immortal Path, I will stand firmly by your side, helping you suppress every enemy that blocks the Dao and seize that strand of Immortal Qi!"
Lan Nuo had decided. Even if the Sacred Spiritual Root allowed her to catch up to Ye Chen in bat strength one day, she would never harbor greed. She would devote herself wholly to ensuring he claimed that Immortal Qi.
Ye Chen smiled at her words. This disciple of his—obsessed with showing off yet truly grateful—possessed a heart full of appreciation! He said nothing more, only murmuring softly, "Refine it here. I will guard you."
Lan Nuo nodded. She was decisive by nature. When she refused, she meant it utterly. But once she accepted, she wasted no time on coyness—better to avoid plications. After one last deep gaze at Ye Chen, she settled cross-legged atop the divine peak.
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