Chương 627: Chapter 626: I Was in Seclusion, Not Dead!

In the following days, Ye Chen followed a steady routine: cultivating, lecturing, and gifting treasures. Holy Maiden Peak grew crowded with disciples, even attracting elders below the Mahayana Stage to his lessons. Though brief, his teachings were profound, each word a gem. Over two months, the female disciples' gazes toward him grew brighter. But the male disciples noticed something off. They were relegated to the back during lectures, never chosen for questions.

Even when top-tier male cultivators volunteered for Holy Maiden Peak, none were selected. Ye Chen was discriminating against them! Their discontent festered. They gathered, grumbling that Ye Chen only had eyes for women and would meet his end on their account. Some accused him of using Heavenly Intention Holy Land to build a harem, just as he'd supposedly done at Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Others darkly speculated he was sowing discord between genders to fracture the Holy Land.

Female disciples, overhearing, fiercely rebuked them. To them, Ye Chen surpassed the Heavenly Intention Holy Son. A harem? If true, their only thought was: such a golden opportunity! Sign me up first! … One day, two months later, in Yi Qingwu's secluded cave abode, she slowly opened her eyes. The great moon behind her glowed brighter, now wreathed in chaotic qi, lending her an ethereal, divine aura—like a true Moonlight Divine Maiden, mysterious and radiant. Her presence had elevated.

A smile curved her lips as she glanced aside, only to frown. Ye Chen was gone? Had he left, unable to wait? Her joy dimmed. But when she extended her spirit sense, her brow furrowed further. Holy Maiden Peak, once serene and quiet, was teeming with people. Ye Chen's aura was among them. Her heart tightened. Had he done something to provoke the crowd's anger? Even the Mahayana Stage elders were present. Without hesitation, she flew out.

If Ye Chen had clashed with her Holy Land and was in danger, she'd stand by him without question. Yet, reaching the bustling mountainside, confusion clouded her beautiful eyes. The scene wasn't what she'd imagined. Over ten thousand disciples gathered, including familiar elders, seated among them. Ye Chen hovered in the air, his voice like a divine melody, resonating with all. Listening briefly, Yi Qingwu realized he was lecturing—each word profound, accessible, and piercing the essence of the Dao.

Even she was drawn in. But the lecture ended quickly, leaving her unsatisfied, a flicker of frustration in her clenched teeth. As Ye Chen began selecting disciples for questions, a smile softened her stunning features. She'd overthought it. Ye Chen wasn't at odds with her Holy Land—he was building rapport, earning the favor of disciples and elders alike. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. All for her.

Before her seclusion to refine her origin, she'd asked him, for her sake, not to clash with Heavenly Intention Holy Land. Clearly, Ye Chen, who loved her deeply, wouldn't put her in a difficult spot. But soon, her phoenix eyes narrowed, a chill creeping in. Ye Chen was choosing only female disciples to answer—each one strikingly beautiful. One tall and graceful, one fiery, another brimming with allure. Was he deliberately guiding the pretty ones?

Yi Qingwu had intended to fly over immediately but held back, watching from a distance, lightly biting her lip, lost in thought. Soon, the one-on-one Q&A ended. The disciples and elders outside Holy Maiden Peak bowed respectfully to Ye Chen, chorusing, "Thank you, Holy Son, for your teachings!" before dispersing. Yi Qingwu felt dazed. Two months in seclusion, yet it seemed like a lifetime.

Ye Chen, once a name reviled in Heavenly Intention Holy Land, now seemed revered as its Holy Son—more respected than Ying Tiansheng ever was. How much effort had he poured in for her sake? The chill in her eyes melted, replaced by warmth. But as the crowd thinned, over twenty female disciples and several female elders lingered, flocking to Ye Chen's side.

"Holy Son, I heard you like sweet water. This is made from fragrant spirit fruit I picked from the back mountains. Try it!"

"Holy Son, with the Holy Maiden in seclusion, don't you feel lonely?"

"Holy Son, my cave at Holy Maiden Peak feels eerie, with strange water sounds at night. I'm scared. You're so powerful—could you check it tonight?"

"Holy Son, I'm stuck on a cultivation issue. If you could visit and guide me, I'm sure it'd be resolved completely." Hearing their words, Yi Qingwu's gentle gaze turned icy, her teeth grinding. She'd been in seclusion, and Ye Chen had recruited disciples for her? Kind intentions, perhaps, but why only women? All of them beautiful, curvaceous, or delicate—each a sight to behold. Even the elders were among the Holy Land's renowned beauties. Was this for Holy Maiden Peak or Ye Chen's personal harem?

After every lecture and gifting, Ye Chen lingered with the female disciples, supposedly guiding them and managing the peak for her. Nothing more. No "thorough breakthroughs" or the like—just guidance. But suddenly, Ye Chen sensed a chilling stare. His spirit sense swept out, and a system prompt sounded in his mind. His smiling demeanor toward the female disciples turned stern.

"Why aren't you cultivating? What are you all doing here? I've said before, I'm not that kind of man. My heart belongs only to Qingwu! I'm going to her cave to accompany her. If you keep this up, I'll expel you all from Holy Maiden Peak!" His sudden seriousness startled the flirtatious female disciples. He rushed toward the peak's summit as if a second's delay from Yi Qingwu would break him. They were stunned. Last time, he'd spent hours reading their palm lines to predict their immortal paths until nightfall.

Why the change? Then, someone glanced up, spotting Yi Qingwu's cold expression in the sky. Silence fell. The Holy Maiden had emerged from seclusion. Panic surged—they felt like mistresses caught by the wife. Yi Qingwu glanced at the female disciples, suppressing the urge to expel them all, and drifted back to her cave. She'd only been in seclusion, not dead! Two months, and Ye Chen had already started a harem. Utterly outrageous!