Chapter 190: Promise Me

With the ancient jade in hand, Ye Chen left without a second thought. First, he would help his Master break through.

As for himself? Ye Chen certainly hoped to break through to the Golden Core stage soon. But he wanted to make sure that every step he took was solid and perfect.

Thus, for his own breakthrough, he needed to obtain a top-tier spiritual object, something like the Phoenix Blood. Then, he would need at least several hundred times feedback, along with a critical strike. Only then would it be truly perfect.

Moreover, with Ye Chen’s current strength, if he went all out, he felt that even Golden Core cultivators would pose no threat to him. So, with his current strength, he wasn’t in a hurry.

Back in his courtyard, after giving a few instructions to the maidservants, Ye Chen headed to the External Affairs Hall. There, he accepted a task to go to Middle Mountain.

The Earthheart Python there had already been dealt with by a Divine Will Sect elder. They had even reached the core area. The dispute between Green Cloud Sect and Misty Sect was becoming more intense.

As for the little demoness, Su Yuxuan, Ye Chen had heard about her exploits a few times. It was said that her strength had become even more terrifying. Her notorious reputation was well known. Even the Peak Master of the Magic Peak had personally intervened, yet still failed to kill Su Yuxuan.

However, her notorious reputation didn’t come from killing Green Cloud Sect elders or disciples. On the contrary, Su Yuxuan rarely attacked Green Cloud Sect members. Even when she did, she only wounded them.

It was said that Su Yuxuan had blood-sacrificed the entire family of several Misty Sect elders. And those elders had disappeared without a trace. This was how she earned her terrifying reputation.

Ye Chen, however, was going after Su Yuxuan. Upon arriving at Green Cloud Sect’s outpost in Middle Mountain, Ye Chen exchanged a few words with the shocked Peak Master of the Law Peak before finally meeting his long-missed Senior Sister, Yao Xi.

To be honest, Ye Chen found it ridiculous that Senior Sister hadn’t been called back yet. Had she offended the Peak Master of the Pill Peak? Ye Chen decided that when he returned to Green Cloud Sect, he would seek out the Pill Peak Elder and ask about it.

After chatting with Senior Sister about the eighteen uses of the Full Moon for the entire night, Ye Chen left a bottle of Glazed Purification Water the next morning and ventured into the remains of the Boundless Demon Sect to find Su Yuxuan.

Now, as a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, Ye Chen found the journey almost entirely smooth. However, perhaps because his spiritual sense had grown stronger, Ye Chen began to sense something strange about the Boundless Demon Sect ruins. It felt as though some great plan was unfolding. Could there still be remnants of the Boundless Demon Sect alive?

Ye Chen couldn’t figure it out. But he decided, nonetheless, that it was better to avoid this place in the future. With his determination and the system, his path to immortality would surely be a grand one. In this case, there was no need to take risks in a place he couldn’t fully understand.

With a cautious mind, Ye Chen spent several days exploring the ruins. It didn’t take long before he ran into a Misty Sect elder. What was most striking was that the elder seemed quite familiar.

In an instant, Ye Chen remembered who the person was. This elder had been part of the group escorting disciples when Ye Chen had obtained the Earth-Dao Foundation Establishment technique.

When Ye Chen saw him, the elder also recognized him immediately. His pupils contracted, and he quickly summoned the Human Emperor Banner, his tone wary as he spoke, “Ye Chen, why are you here, instead of going to Divine Will Sect?”

The news of Green Cloud Sect’s leader winning first place in the Divine Will Assembly had certainly spread to Misty Sect. Anyone who could win such an honor was no ordinary person. As a result he did not plan to take action.

Ye Chen smiled and immediately asked, “Where is Su Yuxuan?”

Without hesitation, the elder pointed in a direction.

Seeing the elder’s genuine demeanor, Ye Chen couldn’t help but smile. Why wasn’t he cackling like the last time?

Ye Chen shook his head without hesitation. “I don’t believe you!”

The elder’s face immediately darkened. At this point, it was clear to him that Ye Chen was looking for trouble.

“Ye Chen, your victory in the Divine Will Assembly truly shows you’re exceptional. But relying on the Divine Will Pool to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage, you’ll need at least a year, because the Earth Fiend Qi can’t unleash its full potential. So I advise you not to court death… otherwise, my Human Emperor Banner will have another main soul!”

The elder’s demonic aura erupted, creating a small, infernal domain around him. The Human Emperor Banner in his hand emitted rolling black smoke.

Ye Chen’s eyes immediately lit up as he took out his own Human Emperor Banner. However, the black mist was obviously less intense than the elder’s. “What a coincidence, I have one too! I just wanted to ask, can Human Emperor Banners merge? If I kill you, can I add your Banner to mine?”

Ye Chen asked with great interest. Ye Chen had always wanted a genuine critical strike on a real Human Emperor Banner, the purple-golden one, not just the pure black one he had been using.

But clearly, Ye Chen couldn’t go around killing people and refining souls every day. If the Human Emperor Banner could directly steal the souls from other Human Emperor Banners, Ye Chen would be in for a treat.

The elder’s face turned completely grim at that moment. “You’re asking for death…”

In an instant, several pitch-black, cold, bone-like chains shot out from the black mist with fierce speed.

Ye Chen smiled faintly. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll find out myself.”

…

Several dozen breaths later, the scene fell silent. In Ye Chen’s hand, the Human Emperor Banner now had the faces of Kong Xiangli and the Black Soul Elder, along with a new main soul.

“Su Yuxuan is in that direction. It’s about half a day’s journey. There’s a ruined hall there…”

Ye Chen once again asked for Su Yuxuan’s location. When he confirmed with the main soul, the direction it pointed to was still the same.

Ye Chen felt a bit guilty. He had wronged the elder after all. But since the person was dead, his guilt didn’t matter anymore. He could only return the Human Emperor Banner and let it continue to torture and accumulate resentment.

As for the elder’s Human Emperor Banner, it did have the ability to directly inherit all the souls within. However, it would take some time. So, Ye Chen decided to deal with that later.

After gathering his spoils, Ye Chen flew toward Su Yuxuan’s location.

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…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions of spiritual energy echoed outside a grand hall.

“Su Yuxuan! Do you really think you’ll end well? The day you form your core will be the day you die!”

A mid-stage Foundation Establishment elder from the Misty Sect, now reduced to nothing but a disembodied head, screamed in despair. But Su Yuxuan remained expressionless, not even sparing him a glance. She brought her foot down.

Boom!

The head exploded into pieces. Her delicate foot remained untainted by a single speck of filth. Without pause, she lifted her leg to step into the hall.

Just as she was about to enter, Su Yuxuan suddenly paused. She turned her head slightly, surprise flashing in her eyes. In the distance, a handsome male cultivator was looking at her with clear distaste. To be precise, he was eyeing her foot with disdain.

That look instantly brought back memories. Su Yuxuan recalled the last time she had been trapped in this very hall, when she had begged Ye Chen to give her his eyes, and all the things she’d done to get them.

Now, staring into those bright eyes that held nothing but contempt, Su Yuxuan ground her teeth. Ever since Black Soul Elder failed to return to the sect, she had known Ye Chen was still alive. Later, she even heard he had taken first place at the Divine Will Assembly.

That only confirmed Su Yuxuan’s suspicion: Back then, when Ye Chen had kept his eyes closed, he had been faking blindness all along.

Ye Chen definitely had some kind of spell to regrow his eyes. It might even be an innate divine ability tied to the eyes themselves. Once again, she had been played by him!

And to think she’d truly believed he was dead. She had even gone so far as to blood-sacrifice the entire clans of those elders who had contributed to that illusion. And suffered heavy punishment because of it.

At that thought, the memories she had tried to bury came flooding back. That disgusting taste still seemed to linger on her lips. Her dainty foot felt strangely uncomfortable as well. Turning her head, she refused to even look at Ye Chen and made to leave.