Chương 253: Chapter 252: The Battle for the Throne

An Miaoli entered seclusion. After leaving her cave abode, Ye Chen ran into An Yuyi and casually gifted her ten pills. A year had passed, and he sensed a change in her. Besides, her aunt had done so much for him, so he figured he'd give An Yuyi a chance. To his surprise, it triggered a critical hit. Ten Golden Jade Pills resulted in a thousand top-grade Divine Jade Pills, suitable for mid-Golden Core cultivators. Ye Chen was quite pleased. Still, he didn't place much importance on An Yuyi.

Even if she could trigger critical hits now, the times had changed. Hundred-fold reward cultivators were now a dime a dozen around him. She'd missed her window. Auntie was still the best! … Back at his cave abode, Ye Chen activated the Kunpeng Wings he'd received. The system's reward came pre-refined, manifesting as a divine ability already integrated into his back. With a thought, a terrifying aura flooded his cave abode. Massive black wings, ten meters long, unfurled behind him.

In that instant, Ye Chen felt his understanding of space deepen profoundly. A bold sense of freedom surged within him, as if he could traverse the heavens and earth at will. The cave was too small to test the wings properly. Ye Chen retracted them and left the Divine Will Sect, heading to a secluded spot in the Divine Will Mountain Range. The Kunpeng Wings spread once more. His figure vanished, reappearing a kilometer away in the blink of an eye. The speed shocked even him.

He was already faster than most late Golden Core cultivators, and he hadn't yet encountered a Nascent Soul cultivator to compare. But with the Kunpeng Wings, his speed had multiplied several times over. He was certain no Nascent Soul expert could match him now. Next, he tested the wings' offensive capabilities. Their feathers were tougher than the finest top-grade spiritual artifacts, capable of slicing through nearly anything.

The wings also carried various divine abilities: bursts of even greater speed, or the power to pierce arrays using spatial force. The more he explored, the more astonished he became. The Kunpeng Wings were far more powerful than he'd expected, truly befitting one of the Vicious Ten. They were among the world's most supreme treasures. If paired with the Kunpeng Treasure Technique, their power would be even more terrifying. He resolved to find a way to trigger that reward in the future. …

In the days that followed, Ye Chen focused on cultivation. With an abundance of pills and the massive spiritual energy boost from the Netherwater Pool, he broke through to the mid-Golden Core stage after three months. During this time, An Miaoli remained in seclusion, so Ye Chen gifted items to An Yuyi or Li Feihuang. An Yuyi, noticing his warmer attitude, grew increasingly delighted. Li Feihuang, however, didn't trigger a single critical hit, so Ye Chen visited her less and less. …

"Senior Ye, you've come out of seclusion?"

"Senior Ye, these are pills I refined. Could you take a look when you have time?"

"Senior Ye, thank you so much for the pills you gave me." This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, I found some materials while out training, but I don't recognize them. Since you're an artifact refiner, I'll give them to you." At Quiet Wonder Peak, Ye Chen was immensely popular. Female cultivators, from disciples to elders, greeted him warmly as he passed. Initially, they'd looked down on him as a male cultivator from a small sect, but now? He was the top choice for a partner among Quiet Wonder Peak's women. All this, of course, stemmed from his lavish generosity.

In the cultivation world, many prodigies and wealthy scions had resources, but only Ye Chen gave them away so freely. As he strolled aimlessly, missing An Miaoli in her third month of seclusion, a deacon hurried over.

"Elder Ye, a letter for you from the Green Cloud Sect!" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Had something happened at the Green Cloud Sect, or was the old sect master on his last legs? He thanked the deacon and returned to his cave abode to open the letter. Seeing the sender's name, he relaxed—it was from Su Yuxuan. It must have been sent to the Green Cloud Sect, which then forwarded it to him. He chuckled at the string of curses against anyone who dared open it, followed by a familiar footprint at the bottom.

The letter detailed how Su Yuxuan, guided by Manjusaka, had partially resolved the foundation instability caused by her rapid cultivation technique, also alleviating her lifespan loss. Her cultivation had advanced, breaking through to mid-Golden Core. Next, she planned to head to the Great Chu Empire, as her Blood Spirit Root had drawbacks that made reaching the Nascent Soul stage difficult. She needed a treasure from Great Chu to upgrade her root. Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

That old granny Manjusaka was indeed a treasure encyclopedia! If only she didn't hate men. With her by his side, paired with his feedback system, he'd soar to new heights. It was quite a coincidence that Su Yuxuan was heading to Great Chu. If Li Feihuang weren't still a fugitive, she could've helped. If Su Yuxuan successfully upgraded her spirit root, her reward multiplier might increase significantly. The letter also included a recording stone, capturing Su Yuxuan's graceful dance.

Her bare feet moved ethereally, her lithe figure weaving dreamlike patterns. Ye Chen watched slowly, appreciating the performance but thinking the previous recording stone was more… intriguing. … Ye Chen stored the letter away, ready to dive back into studying how to inscribe array patterns to make the ultimate spirit silk artifact—both incredibly durable for defense and delicate enough to tear at the right moment. But before he could get started, a visitor arrived at his cave abode.

"Fellow Daoist Ye…" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow at the voice. Li Feihuang? Since breaking through to the Golden Core stage, she'd grown increasingly arrogant and rarely visited him. What brought her here today? Pondering, Ye Chen opened the door. Li Feihuang stood there, her red hair vibrant, her demeanor radiant. Beside her was a male cultivator, clad in top-grade spiritual artifacts, exuding wealth and confidence. His sharp eyes carried the air of a prodigy. Li Feihuang smiled and introduced them.

"Ye Chen, meet Wang Lun, the eldest young master of the Wang Clan from the Great Chu Empire, mid-Golden Core stage, and one of this generation's young prodigies! And this is Ye Chen, guest elder of the Divine Will Sect, who's helped me greatly." Her eyes lit up as she sensed Ye Chen's cultivation.

"Oh? Ye Chen, you've already reached mid-Golden Core? That's even better!" Wang Lun's brow furrowed briefly but quickly smoothed over. He clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye, for aiding our empire's princess. The Great Chu Empire will surely repay you in the future." Ye Chen merely nodded, glancing at Li Feihuang, curious about her purpose. Without waiting for an invitation, she strode into the cave abode and took the main seat in the hall.

"Ye Chen, Wang Lun, sit." Ye Chen didn't bother with her presumptuousness and sat across from her. Wang Lun took a seat to her right. Li Feihuang got straight to the point.

"There's trouble in the Great Chu Empire. Not long after I reached the Golden Core stage, the Wang Clan contacted me. As one of the four great clans, they've provided me with substantial resources to support my bid for the throne. By tradition, the imperial succession is held alongside the empire's grand celebration, which should be five years away. But Champion King, colluding with several ministers and two other great clans, has pushed the court to hold the succession contest in just one year."

She continued, "The contest for the throne hinges not only on the contender's strength but also on their followers'. Each contender can bring two subordinates to the arena. The winning side claims the throne. I was worried you might not have reached mid-Golden Core in time, but seeing you've broken through, I'm relieved." She looked at Ye Chen with a satisfied smile.