Chương 433: Chapter 432: Holy Maiden, You Don't Want This, Do You?

Facing Yi Qingwu's bold taunts and her clawing charge, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. With a single Dragon Claw, he sent her graceful figure flying. Frowning, Ye Chen had no love for pointless fights, especially ones with no reward. After all this effort, he hadn't gotten the Battle Secret, and the Moon Palace was likely out of reach. Even gifting the Moon Laurel Tree fragment now seemed unlikely to yield a critical result, given Yi Qingwu's erratic mind. Fighting and punishing her for so long was a total loss.

Unwillingly, he asked, "You really don't have that half of the Battle Secret? Don't lie to me." Yi Qingwu raised her chin disdainfully.

"Need an excuse to punish me? Just do it! I, Yi Qingwu, don't lie. I don't have it. Next time we meet, I'll bring the stone tablet and crush you. If you're lucky enough to win, take it and study the Secret yourself." Ye Chen's brow twitched. Normally, he'd distrust such claims, but Yi Qingwu's absurdity made him oddly believe her. Sighing, he glanced at the radiant Moon Palace floating in the void, an Extreme Dao Weapon. If he could obtain and gift it, it might yield an immortal artifact.

Noticing his gaze, Yi Qingwu sneered.

"Dreaming of stealing the Moon Palace? My fiancé will soon borrow it to refine his path and techniques. It's vital to him, and I'm devoted to him—I'd never jeopardize his journey. Even in my Unity Stage, I'll unleash its full power. No matter how you threaten or brand me like before, I'll never hand it over!" Ye Chen was speechless. Talking to this woman was impossible—she seemed to radiate mockery. Yet her tone hinted at ambiguity, as if there might be a chance. Testing her, he said, "How about I borrow it?

Let me study it, and I'll return it next time we meet." Yi Qingwu's stunning face showed a raised brow as she tossed her hair dismissively.

"You believe your own words? Why don't you lend me your Diamond Ring?" Without hesitation, Ye Chen nodded.

"Fine." Though the Diamond Ring was stronger than the Moon Palace, it was a system reward, unusable for gifting. Trading it for the Moon Palace wasn't a bad deal. Yi Qingwu blinked, surprised, but rejected him firmly.

"The Diamond Ring is useless to me! The Moon Palace is my clan's treasure. Unless coerced, I'd never lend it out!" Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Ye Chen narrowed his eyes. Did he catch a hint in her words? Or was he imagining things? Ye Chen didn't hesitate, grabbing Yi Qingwu and pulling her close.

"Holy Maiden, you don't want your grandmother and the others to see you being punished by me once the array breaks, do you? Or the entire cultivation world to know about the imprint in your primordial spirit's core? Your lofty fairy status would crumble, and the Heavenly Intention Holy Land would be shamed. You don't want that, do you?" Yi Qingwu's eyes widened, a strange glint in them. Her face burned with humiliation and defiance, her small fists clenched as if ready to pound Ye Chen's chest in frustration.

"Ye Chen, you're utterly despicable! No demon in the cultivation world is more evil than you!" Tears welled in her eyes as she cursed. Then, a divine light glowed from her brow, connecting to the Moon Palace. It shrank, descending before Ye Chen, its vast Extreme Dao Weapon aura washing over him. Ye Chen's eyes widened.

'She's really giving it to me?' He'd rarely been so shocked by a woman. Was Yi Qingwu truly at odds with the Holy Son? She'd just claimed he'd borrow the Moon Palace soon, yet here she was, handing it over without hesitation. What man would be lucky enough to have such a fiancée? Puzzled but unhesitant, Ye Chen surged his spirit sense into the Moon Palace, meeting no resistance and forming a faint connection. Cautiously, he didn't store it in his Yin-Yang Dao Sea.

Instead, he covered Yi Qingwu's eyes and sent her into a small world. Yi Qingwu, blinded, raged, "Ye Chen, I knew you were tricking me!" But he removed his hand, and, keeping his word, shrank the Diamond Ring and offered it to her. With the Moon Palace in hand and her promise to bring the stone tablet later, Ye Chen saw Yi Qingwu as a treasure trove with vast potential. He didn't mind building some trust. Trading the Diamond Ring for the Moon Palace seemed like a loss, but he could profit immensely by gifting it.

So, he was generous. Yi Qingwu opened her eyes, seeing Ye Chen still clothed, a flicker of inexplicable disappointment in her gaze. But when she saw the Diamond Ring, shock filled her eyes.

"I had reasons for giving the Moon Palace—it's useless without the Broad Cold Immortal Body. But you're really giving this?" Staring at the silver ring, her expression grew complex, then she shook her head.

"This is precious, but useless to me. If I take it back to the Holy Land, it might go to my fiancé. Then what would I trade for the Moon Palace? Take it back, but keep your promise to return the Moon Palace next time. Or don't. When we meet again, I'll be in the Unity Stage. I'll strip you of everything and repay today's humiliation a hundredfold. This is your last chance to do as you please with me!" Her odd threat made Ye Chen raise an eyebrow.

"There's such a deal?" He sensed something amiss in the Heavenly Intention Holy Land. The Holy Son and Holy Maiden's relationship wasn't the harmonious facade the world believed. But that wasn't his concern. Seeing her refusal, Ye Chen retrieved the Diamond Ring. He prepared to gift her the Moon Laurel Tree fragment to see what it might yield. But before he could act, a heavy blow struck the Two Yi Four Symbols Array. Cracks split its self-contained world, and with a deafening boom, it shattered.

The two returned to the greater world.