Chương 610: Chapter 609: Too Strong, So It Took a While!

Stepping through the kaleidoscopic passage, Ye Chen emerged into the light, returning to his cave abode. Feeling the abundant spiritual energy, he smiled. This trip had been long, but his gains were immense—he'd broken through to the Mahayana Stage. Now at the First Heaven of Mahayana, he could be called a Great Power outside. The Mahayana Stage, the most critical realm below True Immortal, spanned nine heavens. Each minor realm's gap surpassed the combined differences of all prior major realms.

Each heaven carried a title: First Heaven, Great Power; Second Heaven, Holy Master; Third Heaven, King. Beyond that, from the Fourth Heaven's Half-Saint, the titles progressed to Saint, Saint King, Great Saint, Great Emperor, and Quasi-Immortal. At the First Heaven, a cultivator's lifespan reached seven thousand years, with vastly enhanced vitality, making fatal injuries nearly impossible to cause death. Their domain also grew more potent. Ye Chen was different.

His vitality suggested he could live ten to twenty thousand years. As for strength? His power had long defied realm-based judgment. Stretching leisurely, Ye Chen glanced at the vibrating transmission array. His long absence had clearly prompted many to contact him. A sweep of his spirit sense revealed messages from Holy Master, his senior brother, Senior An, Yuyi, Elder Lin, Li Feihuang, Mo Yuzhu, his master Gu Yunyun, senior sister Yao Xi, the Divine Maiden and her master, even her grandmaster, and the fiancée.

Ye Chen chuckled. Everyone who could contact him had. His absence wasn't that long by cultivator standards, but the timing was critical. The Immortal Path had likely opened, and he hadn't gone, naturally causing worry. Scanning the messages confirmed it—the Immortal Path had opened. But as he read further, his brow furrowed. His expression grew colder, a sneer curling his lips.

"I was just in seclusion for eight years, not dead! You lot have some guts!" A trace of killing intent flashed in his eyes. With a wave, he activated the array. A terrifying aura surged, sweeping from Ascension Peak across the entire Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Instantly, the female cultivators on the peak froze, then burst into joy. This was a Mahayana aura! Their Holy Son had emerged. In moments, female cultivators flew toward the peak's summit, the Holy Son's residence.

Senior An arrived first, smiling at Ye Chen. An Yu Yi rushed forward, clinging to him like a koala, relieved he was unharmed. Elder Lin followed, silent, but her face bloomed with floral demonic patterns, her meaning clear. Li Feihuang, her red hair blazing, hurried over, exhaling in relief but glancing enviously at An Yu Yi. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Then came Mo Yuzhu, a former Sword Sect elder, the daughter of a small sect's leader, the orphan of a fallen elder, and others. Seeing Ye Chen emerge, feeling his surging aura, they all sighed in relief. As the only man on Ascension Peak, many female disciples had joined for him. His long absence had left them anxious.

"Uncle, your seclusion was really long this time!" An Yu Yi, perhaps deliberately, called out "Uncle" in front of everyone, a term usually reserved for their private detox sessions, as if staking her claim. Ye Chen didn't mind her little ploy, chuckling as he addressed the crowd's curiosity.

"I'm a bit too strong, so my breakthrough took longer." The women nodded, unquestioning. Eight years ago, some might've forgotten, but they remembered clearly. Their Holy Son wasn't boasting—his strength was real. Relieved it wasn't due to hidden injuries or backlash, they relaxed. Ye Chen's emergence caused a stir beyond Ascension Peak. Elders from Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's other peaks sensed his aura, gazing at Ascension Peak with envy. Several figures flew out from the Cloud Summit Heaven Palace.

Ye Chen glanced over. Leading them was Holy Master Feng Baiyu, flanked by Elder Mo and several Supreme Elders. Feng Baiyu, still scholarly in appearance, had grown stronger, now at the Second Heaven Holy Master realm. Elder Mo, as ever, looked half-dead, like he might expire any moment. Sensing Ye Chen's robust aura, they smiled, relieved. Like the outside world, they'd worried his long seclusion stemmed from hidden or dao injuries. Seeing his vibrant, unblemished energy, they knew otherwise.

Feng Baiyu approached, about to speak, but Ye Chen, anticipating his question, grinned.

"Too strong. My Immortal Platform's quality is exceptional, so it took extra time." Feng Baiyu rolled his eyes.

"Nonsense. Even forging an Immortal Platform with Immortal Qi wouldn't take eight years." But cultivation traditions respected privacy—everyone at this level had secrets. Feng Baiyu didn't press, instead urging Ye Chen to Cloud Summit Heaven Palace. Eight years wasn't long, but the timing was critical, with many events unfolding. Ye Chen nodded, sending a message to Senior An and Elder Lin, gently peeling An Yu Yi off him. Then, with the Holy Master and others, he flew to Cloud Summit Heaven Palace.

Inside, as spiritual tea's fragrance wafted, Ye Chen asked, puzzled, "Where's Senior Brother? Still on the Immortal Path?" Feng Baiyu shook his head, his expression bleak.

"Dead. The Holy Master throne is yours alone now." Ye Chen's lips twitched, unconvinced. His Senior Brother was cunning, always cautious. Ye Chen had never even seen his true body—how could he die so easily? Seeing he hadn't fooled Ye Chen, Feng Baiyu sipped his tea, disappointed.

"His avatars died. One to protect your master, another hunted down and killed. There's probably one left, likely under a new identity on the Immortal Path. As for his true body, I don't know." Ye Chen's eyes narrowed again.