Chương 437: Chapter 436: I'm Really Not the Heavenly Emperor's Heir!

A figure radiating immense aura swiftly arrived, landing on the ship's deck, prompting gasps from the disciples. Senior Brother Hua Yunfei had come. Though Ye Chen's reputation was soaring, he was still a rising star. Hua Yunfei, the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's top prodigy, was an undefeated legend, beloved for his approachable demeanor. The disciples bowed immediately. Curious, Ye Chen asked, "Senior Brother, weren't you at the Endless Sea? Why are you back so soon?"

After saluting the elders, Hua Yunfei smiled lightly.

"The great demon's been dealt with. I left an avatar to handle the aftermath. I rushed back, worried Yi Qingwu's ambush would overwhelm you. But it seems I underestimated you, Junior Brother. Even late Deity Transformation Stage Yi Qingwu couldn't defeat you." He sensed the lingering battle aura, one side clearly Ye Chen's. Since Ye Chen stood unscathed, he'd clearly prevailed.

Truthfully, Hua Yunfei's main concern wasn't Yi Qingwu but the fear that the Heavenly Desire divine maiden might seduce and drain Ye Chen, ruining him. Yet, seeing Ye Chen's vibrant spirit and sharp eyes, he knew he'd overthought. Despite Ye Chen's rumored womanizing, he stayed disciplined in matters of cultivation. Touched, Ye Chen's heart warmed.

'Senior Brother's too good!' He reached for his storage bracelet, intending to gift fifty Enlightenment Tea Tree leaves as thanks. But before he could, Hua Yunfei, radiant with divine light, waved his sleeve, producing a scroll exuding vast aura.

"I came to ask if you've found a suitable visualization diagram," Hua Yunfei said.

"This is the Infinite Ocean Visualization Diagram, created a million years ago by a true immortal inspired by the Endless Sea's grandeur. It expands the sea of spirit sense, making spirit sense vast as the ocean—possibly surpassing the Queen Mother of the West's Diagram from White Emperor City. Lost for ages, it was held by that demon I slew. I no longer need it, so it's yours, Junior Brother. Even if you have one, you can study it or gift it to others."

Ye Chen stared at the diagram and Hua Yunfei's warm, smiling face, stunned.

'Senior Brother, be honest—do you have a favorability system? This is too generous!' Even his gifting system paled in comparison. Hesitating, he accepted the diagram. His Pangu World-Opening Visualization Diagram was peerless, but too intense for most prodigies. This diagram could be gifted to a female cultivator, potentially yielding something better for those close to him. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Seeing Ye Chen accept it readily, Hua Yunfei smiled, appreciating his decisiveness. Ye Chen stored the diagram and produced a jade box.

"Senior Brother, my gift to you." Curious, Hua Yunfei accepted it casually. Few things in the cultivation world interested him now, but when he opened the box, his eyes widened. Inside were fifty Enlightenment Tea Tree leaves, each unique, radiating enlightenment aura—definitely authentic. This was absurd. The entire cultivation world might not have fifty leaves left, and these looked freshly plucked. Did Ye Chen possess the Enlightenment Tea Tree? Hua Yunfei's gaze on Ye Chen shifted dramatically.

A long-standing mystery in the cultivation world was finally solved: the Enlightenment Tea Tree hadn't perished—it was hidden by the Heavenly Emperor and now rested with Ye Chen, his heir. Perfectly logical.

"Junior Brother, you're too generous!" Hua Yunfei accepted the gift without hesitation, praising Ye Chen's magnanimity and fortune. Ye Chen smiled, shaking his head, and praised his senior brother's generosity in return. The tower ship surged toward Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, Hua Yunfei joining the return journey. At the ship's bow, he glanced back at the battlefield, frowning—not from suspicion, but from sensing a faint aura tied to his own inheritance.

He glanced at Ye Chen, hesitating to speak, then stayed silent. On the way back, Ye Chen warned Hua Yunfei about the Heavenly Intention Holy Son possibly hiding a complete Nine Secret. Hua Yunfei was surprised. The Nine Secrets—"Front, Armament, Battle, Healing, Multiplier, Stasis, Array, Foresight, Movement"—each word a formidable technique. The Battle Secret, a supreme killing art, could manifest myriad dao and laws with devastating force.

The Healing Secret, a healing art, rivaled the True Phoenix Treasure Technique, capable of resurrection at its peak. The Movement Secret matched the Kun Peng Treasure Technique's speed, but at its zenith, it could touch the river of time, delving into temporal mysteries. Any complete Nine Secret was terrifying, prompting Hua Yunfei to reassess the Holy Son's strength. The four sipped tea and chatted about cultivation. Eventually, Hua Yunfei recalled something.

"In the Endless Sea, I met cultivators from the Central Continent. They mentioned traces of the Heavenly Emperor Hall appearing there. It protects the Heavenly Emperor's heir, so they might seek you out soon. If they do, join them confidently. The Hall is a transcendent force that can aid you, and Heavenly Evolution Holy Land doesn't mind—our Holy Sons often carry external legacies." Ye Chen frowned. The Heavenly Emperor Hall had emerged in the Central Continent? But he knew he wasn't the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

His path resembled the Emperor's, but that was coincidental—he'd never received his inheritance. If his "heir" reputation spread too far, would the Hall come to "clean house," accusing him of stealing their legacy? Determined to clarify, Ye Chen said earnestly, "I'm really not the Heavenly Emperor's heir!" Hua Yunfei, having heard from elders about Ye Chen's Heavy Pupils and Supreme Heart, plus the Enlightenment Tea Tree, had no doubts.

"I know, you're definitely not the heir!" Ye Chen grinned—his senior brother's trust was absolute. But then Hua Yunfei added confidently, "Even the Heavenly Emperor's heir might not have a Supreme Heart. There's only one truth: you're his descendant!" Ye Chen: "…"