Chapter 220: I Only Like Ye Chen

As the direct disciples emerged from the Divine Will Cave Heaven, their gains were tallied, ranked, and rewarded with additional prizes. When Li Feihuang, her appearance once again plain and unremarkable, produced the Phoenix Blood from her storage ring, the crowd fell silent.

No one had expected Li Feihuang to claim the top prize in this trial. Many elders frowned, casting disappointed glances at Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli, who had been the favored contenders for the Phoenix Blood.

Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli hung their heads. Not only had they failed to secure the Phoenix Blood, but they hadn’t even entered the grand hall. Frustration burned within them as they scanned the crowd, desperate to identify the disciple who’d outmaneuvered them so thoroughly, leaving them no face.

An Miaoli glanced at Li Feihuang, sighed, and patted An Yuyi’s shoulder. “If you missed it, so be it. Your physique isn’t particularly compatible with the Phoenix Blood anyway. A few days ago, I visited Heavenly Evolution Pavilion and spoke with their steward. They have a rare Star Thunder Stone in their inventory. It’s a slightly lower-grade material for forming your Golden Core, but it suits your spiritual root perfectly. Once we secure the Thunderbane Bamboo Core to balance your dual spiritual roots, you’ll have a strong chance at forming a ninth-grade Golden Core.”

An Miaoli placed great importance on her niece’s core formation. Once a cultivator reached the Golden Core stage, progress slowed dramatically. Lower-tier cores—called impure cores—spelled doom for one’s immortal path, making even minor breakthroughs nearly impossible. Mid-tier cores offered a slim chance at Nascent Soul—only upper-tier cores allowed for unhindered advancement.

With An Yuyi’s Earth-grade Foundation Establishment and a top-tier Golden Core, she had a solid shot at reaching Nascent Soul, perhaps even Deity Transformation if luck favored her. A strong foundation was critical, and An Miaoli spared no expense, no matter the cost in spirit stones. After all, An Yuyi was her only niece.

An Yuyi’s heart swelled with gratitude and guilt. Since embarking on her cultivation journey, her aunt had given her nothing but the best. Yet she’d disappointed her time and again. Still, one question gnawed at her, but with so many people around, she held her tongue.

Once the rankings concluded and they returned to the peak, An Yuyi couldn’t hold back any longer. “Aunt…” she blurted out, voicing the question that had plagued her for half a month. “Ye Chen clearly likes me, so why does he treat me so coldly? I asked him why, and he told me to ask you—that you’d know!”

…

Hearing An Yuyi’s words, An Miaoli, who had been fretting over spirit stone expenses, raised an eyebrow. “You met Ye Chen in the Divine Will Cave Heaven?”

An Yuyi hadn’t expected her aunt to catch on so quickly. She hesitated, but since Ye Chen had told her to ask her aunt, it meant he wasn’t hiding anything from An Miaoli. Nodding, she said, “Aunt, please don’t tell the sect about this!”

An Miaoli nodded, urging her niece to explain what happened. An Yuyi recounted everything: Ye Chen had triggered the secret realm early, condensed the Phoenix Blood, and then handed it to Li Feng without hesitation. When she asked him why, he told her to ask her aunt.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

After hearing the full story, An Miaoli’s watery eyes flickered with thought, her brow furrowing. Ye Chen sneaking into the Divine Will Cave Heaven was no small matter, but since he’d given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng, the sect hadn’t suffered any loss. She decided to let it slide, pretending she knew nothing.

But why had Ye Chen told An Yuyi to ask her? That day, he’d clearly said he didn’t like An Yuyi and had his heart set on someone else. Though he hadn’t named the woman, An Miaoli had pieced it together from his actions—it was her.

Now, by directing An Yuyi to her, Ye Chen had put her in an awkward spot. How was she supposed to explain this?