In the days that followed, the Great Chu Empire was abuzz with activity. Countless cultivators gossiped about the shocking events of the throne dispute. It was simply too astonishing—killing the Champion King in the capital, after he had surrendered, was outrageously bold. Even more staggering was the lack of consequences, not so much as a slap on the wrist.

Ye Chen's name quickly spread through every street and alley of the empire. Yet, for the entire week, he remained holed up in the inn. Aside from his daily cultivation, he indulged in the little demoness's heartfelt gratitude.

On this particular day, heavy rain poured over the capital. Su Yuxuan nestled in Ye Chen's arms, gazing at the curtain of rain outside.

"Senior Brother, you're so naughty… I love it," she teased. "Look, Senior Brother, it's hailing! That hailstone is huge—it's like the Nether King's Gall I've always wanted!"

She giggled, then added, "I don't really need the Nether King's Gall, but my Blood Spiritual Root has too many hidden flaws. Without upgrading it, I might not survive the heavenly tribulation when I try to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Senior Brother, you're so amazing—your Golden Core is so strong, and you've boosted my strength so much. My tribulation is going to be terrifying, isn't it?"

Ye Chen's lips curved into a wry smile. All week, Su Yuxuan had been dropping hints about the Nether King's Gall from every angle, to the point where he half-considered digging out his own gall to give her.

Nearby, Manjusaka's soul form materialized, her hazy figure staring quietly at the rain, lost in thought. She listened to Su Yuxuan's chatter with a faint air of exasperation.

Then, a knock echoed through the rain. "Fellow Daoist Ye, I am the Master of the Imperial Household of Great Chu," a voice called. "By order of the Royal Lady, I've come to deliver your rewards."

Ye Chen's eyes lit up. The courtyard gate swung open, and a man at the late Golden Core stage glided into the pavilion. The rain parted above him, not a single drop touching his robes. He bowed respectfully, presenting Ye Chen with a token and a wooden box.

"The Nether King's Gall you requested is in the box," the man said. "This token grants entry to the palace for the Imperial Aura Infusion. You may use it yourself or pass it to a junior. However, it's only effective for those at the Golden Core stage. Foundation Establishment cultivators can't refine the imperial aura—their meridians would collapse. As for Nascent Soul cultivators, the effect is negligible."

Su Yuxuan's eyes sparkled at the sight of the Nether King's Gall. Her Senior Brother had truly chosen it for her, no doubt. Though he hadn't promised her anything outright over the past few days, he had clearly been planning this all along. Senior Brother is just too good to me, she thought, resolving to properly "thank" him tonight.

After the Master of the Imperial Household departed with a respectful bow, Manjusaka's soul form reappeared. The Nether King's Gall was pitch black, not a true organ from some underworld monarch but named for its resemblance to a gall and its origin in places brimming with netherworld energy. Manjusaka examined the wooden box and nodded, confirming it was genuine.

Su Yuxuan, instead of reaching for the box, clung to Ye Chen's arm, her voice dripping with honeyed sweetness. "Senior Brother, I really want it…"

Ye Chen smiled faintly and handed the Nether King's Gall to Manjusaka. "Then I'll trouble Senior to help Yuxuan enhance her cultivation."

If the middleman could amplify the benefits, naturally, the treasure should go to them. Though Manjusaka barely acknowledged Ye Chen, she couldn't deny the importance of the Nether King's Gall for Su Yuxuan. It was an exceedingly rare treasure, one even she had only encountered once before—a dream prize for any blood path cultivator. Refining it, however, was no simple task and required her assistance.

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Holding the jade box, Manjusaka's emotions grew complicated. The Great Chu treasury held many treasures that could benefit Ye Chen, yet he had unhesitatingly chosen the Nether King's Gall. Though it appeared to be for Su Yuxuan, her eventual elevation to a Nether Spiritual Root through this treasure would enable her to cultivate the Nether King Purgatory Technique and pursue an opportunity tied to Manjusaka's own chance at rebuilding her physical body—a matter of immense importance.

For all these reasons, Manjusaka's view of Ye Chen grew increasingly conflicted.

Ye Chen, however, wasn't fazed by her cold demeanor. After all, this was the same Granny who had once triggered a "critical hit" by granting him a Chaos Core. A little indulgence was warranted. The only question was… would there be another critical hit this time?

"Ding…"

"Congratulations, Host, for successfully gifting an item."

"Gifted Item: Nether King's Gall!"

"Five-hundredfold feedback in progress…"

"Detected… Critical Hit Reward Triggered!"

"Reward: Soul-Swaying Mountain!"

"Soul-Swaying Mountain: An ancient divine mountain that produces one hundred Soul-Swaying Divine Stones annually. Using a Soul-Swaying Divine Stone can slightly enhance spiritual root attributes. Repeated use can elevate a spiritual root to the Heavenly Spiritual Root level!"

What the—?!

A critical hit?

Ye Chen's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't held high hopes for gifting the Nether King's Gall. For one, he hadn't expected a critical hit. For another, his own spiritual root was already at the Heavenly level, so treasures that enhanced aptitude were of little use to him. Any rewards would likely be for his senior sister, his maid, or his master.

But to his astonishment, the system had delivered an ancient divine mountain. The Soul-Swaying Mountain could churn out spiritual root-enhancing divine stones every year. Sure, each stone's effect was modest—perhaps enough to raise a third-grade spiritual root to fourth-grade, nothing compared to treasures like the Blood Sea Lotus Seed or the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core. But the key was quantity and consistency: one hundred stones a year, usable repeatedly. Given enough time, even a first-grade spiritual root—total dud could be elevated to Heavenly status.

With this mountain, everyone close to him was guaranteed at least a Heavenly Spiritual Root. And if he didn't need the stones, selling them would rake in a fortune. Calling the Soul-Swaying Mountain a never-ending gold mine was no exaggeration.

But that wasn't all. An ancient divine mountain could stabilize space, making spatial fragments more robust and increasing the rate at which they absorbed spiritual energy from the outside world. By placing it in the small world he had recently acquired, Ye Chen could make that nascent realm more stable. In time, it might evolve into a self-sustaining world, no longer just a fragmented space.

The system, ever intelligent, directly deposited the Soul-Swaying Mountain into Ye Chen's small world. With a thought, he carefully surveyed the realm, selecting an optimal spot to place the mountain. The small world's spiritual energy was already at half the density of the outside world. When the ten-thousand-meter-tall Soul-Swaying Mountain settled into place, the entire realm subtly shifted, growing more mystical.

Ye Chen was thrilled. Once he returned to the Divine Will Sect and transferred the spiritual plants and beasts Sun Ye had acquired into the small world, its spiritual energy density would increase further. Then he could head to the Green Cloud Sect to bring Lu Jing and the others in. If he could later secure a spiritual vein or a treasure capable of aggressively drawing in spiritual energy, his small world would truly become a paradise, a blessed land of its own.

Grinning ear to ear, Ye Chen's gaze softened as he looked at Manjusaka. This Granny, even as a mere soul, was proving incredibly reliable. Once she regained her physical body, wouldn't she be unstoppable?

He spoke up eagerly, "Senior, what do you need to reconstruct your body? I'll help search for it."

But Manjusaka shot him a cold glance, her earlier complex emotions replaced entirely by disdain. Ye Chen's gaze was far too fervent. And the way he always asked if she was around when he was being affectionate with Su Yuxuan… Now he was so enthusiastic about helping her restore her body? Was Ye Chen… interested in her?

Clinging to Yuxuan every day and still having thoughts about her—a soul without a physical form? What was this guy planning?

Scumbag. Men truly were no good.

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