Chương 281: Chapter 280: The Opportunity Has Arrived!

The arrival of Hua Yunfei and Dantai Xuan elevated Li Feihuang's coronation ceremony to new heights of grandeur, drawing the awe of all present. When the auspicious hour arrived, Li Feihuang made her entrance. Clad in imperial robes that accentuated her graceful figure, she exuded an air of unparalleled dignity. Her vibrant red hair was elegantly styled, and her stunning face carried a trace of regal authority.

With an indifferent gaze, Li Feihuang walked along the red carpet, each step bringing her closer to the throne. As the first female emperor in the history of the Great Chu Dynasty, this moment was profoundly historic. The atmosphere was solemn and reverent. Only Ye Chen, seated in the front row, seemed detached, his thoughts wandering. From time to time, his eyes flicked toward Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's Holy Maiden, Dantai Xuan. It wasn't lust.

Her eyes were cold, devoid of emotion or desire, as if she were a towering iceberg. No matter how beautiful, she inspired no profane thoughts. No, Ye Chen's obsession was purely practical—a 2, 000x feedback multiplier. Even a standard reward at that level would be phenomenal. And if it triggered a critical hit? It would be an outright explosion of fortune! The problem was her cultivation. She wasn't just Nascent Soul—she was at the Deity Transformation stage.

With such a vast gap in their cultivation, how could he possibly cozy up to her? Besides, Hua Yunfei had arrived alongside Dantai Xuan. Though they showed no overt intimacy, who knew if they were Dao companions? Ye Chen was confident, but he wasn't suicidal. Hua Yunfei was a mere step away from the Unity realm and had single-handedly subdued an entire sea of demon clans. Provoking someone like that was a death wish. For now, Ye Chen was content knowing the true caliber of the Holy Land.

His plan was simple: offer Li Feihuang a congratulatory gift, trigger a reward, and then return to the Divine Will Sect to prepare for his Nascent Soul breakthrough. At last, under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, Li Feihuang ascended the throne and donned the imperial crown. Gems cascaded from the crown, shimmering with the concentrated fortune of the Great Chu Dynasty, lending her an air of mystical transformation.

Moments later, she rose and spoke in a clear, resonant voice: "I, Li Feihuang, blessed by the favor of my ancestors, ascend the throne today. I vow to ensure the eternal prosperity of our Great Chu Dynasty…" After delivering a series of ceremonial blessings, she bowed toward the direction of the Ancestor's seclusion, then to the ancestral shrines, and finally to the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land.

"Your presence, esteemed Holy Son and Holy Maiden, brings immense honor to our Great Chu Dynasty," she said.

"We are deeply grateful. Regrettably, our Ancestor is in seclusion and cannot personally welcome such distinguished guests." Ye Chen, listening, couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Since becoming empress, Li Feihuang's overconfidence seemed to have tempered somewhat. At least she showed proper respect to the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Seeing her attitude improve brought Ye Chen a touch of satisfaction.

On the viewing platform, Dantai Xuan gave a slight bow to Li Feihuang, her expression as cold and impassive as ever. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Hua Yunfei, however, rose with a warm smile, his golden halo flashing with divine light.

"No need for such formality, Fellow Daoist Li," he said.

"When I was in the Eastern Sea, I slew a Unity-realm demon beast with a trace of phoenix blood in its veins. It may be of some benefit to you. Let this be Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's congratulatory gift." Despite being on the cusp of the Deity Transformation realm, Hua Yunfei's demeanor was as gentle as a spring breeze. His gracious attitude left countless cultivators in awe of his peerless charm. With a wave of his hand, a massive shadow loomed over the palace.

It was the corpse of an enormous avian demon beast, stretching over a thousand meters, casting the grand plaza in darkness. Though merely a corpse, it radiated an intimidating aura. Golden Core cultivators paled instantly under its pressure, while Foundation Establishment cultivators trembled uncontrollably. Some even dropped to their knees.

"Is that the Purple Phoenix Great Sage of the Northern Sea?"

"The Purple Phoenix Great Sage is dead?" The sight of the beast's corpse sent a wave of shock through the Great Chu Palace. The Unity realm was a lofty pinnacle. Any demon beast reaching that level was deemed a Demon Sage. The Purple Phoenix Great Sage had ravaged the Northern Sea for nearly three thousand years, its unmatched resilience and combat strength making it invincible among its peers. Yet it had fallen to Hua Yunfei, a Holy Son who hadn't even reached the Unity realm. The feat was staggering.

In comparison, Ye Chen's slaying of the Champion King suddenly seemed far less impressive. After all, in the cultivation world, the higher the realm, the greater the gap between even minor stages, let alone major ones. And as cultivation advanced, with more techniques at one's disposal, defeating an opponent of the same realm was one thing—killing them was exponentially harder. For Hua Yunfei to cross realms and slay a Unity-realm Demon Sage at the Deity Transformation stage was nothing short of terrifying.

The corpse of a Unity-realm demon beast was incomparably precious. Yet Hua Yunfei had given it away so casually. It was almost unbelievable. Such generosity left the crowd staring at him with even greater awe and admiration. Truly, he was the one foretold by the Holy Land's Supreme Elder to be destined for immortality—a figure of unmatched grace and peerless elegance. Li Feihuang expressed her earnest gratitude.

The Great Chu clan elders moved to collect the corpse for the treasury but found they couldn't even approach it. Hua Yunfei smiled lightly.

"My oversight," he said. With a flick of his finger, the corpse shrank instantly, its aura sealed within. The clan elders smoothly transported it to the treasury. Hua Yunfei's grand gift sent the atmosphere soaring once more. Li Feihuang, basking in the prestige it brought, radiated even greater brilliance. When the ceremony finally concluded, palace attendants flowed like a stream, serving banquets to the guests. Many cultivators began mingling, seizing the opportunity to network.

Even in the cultivation world, social connections were vital. It wasn't just about fighting and killing—human relationships mattered. Rare elixirs were hard to come by, but knowing a top alchemist could secure a steady supply. Exploring ruins or secret realms often required allies when one's own strength fell short. And if a feud arose, having friends to back you up was essential. For cultivators, a strong network was invaluable. Naturally, plenty of cultivators gravitated toward Ye Chen.

Though he didn't shine as brightly as Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's Holy Son, Hua Yunfei, and their cultivation levels were worlds apart, Hua Yunfei was too lofty for ordinary cultivators to approach. Ye Chen, with his astonishing combat prowess and True Dragon Treasure Technique, was well worth befriending. But Ye Chen was bored and uninterested, planning only to present Li Feihuang with a final gift once the event ended. He intended to give her his war chariot.

It might even speed up his return to the Divine Will Sect. As for Dantai Xuan, he stopped stealing glances at her. There was no chance to cozy up to her now—better to wait for the future. On the elevated platform, Hua Yunfei, bathed in golden divine light, smiled as he declined gifts from the Great Chu clan. Turning to Dantai Xuan, he said warmly, "Dantai, shall we go?" Dantai Xuan shook her head calmly.

"I have matters to attend to." Her serene gaze settled on Ye Chen from afar, and a melodious yet emotionless voice rang out: "Ye Chen, I've heard you possess the Northern Emperor's War Chariot, which contains a fragment of a Vermilion Bird Spirit. That spirit is useful to me for cultivating a certain technique. Are you willing to trade?" As Dantai Xuan's voice echoed, the bustling palace fell silent. All eyes turned to Ye Chen. Hua Yunfei, hearing her words, gave a faint smile, as if something had just clicked.

Ye Chen's eyes lit up at once.