Chapter 1149: Prince's Gift

Thank you for the generous gift, senior!

In the space black hole, Ye Chen bowed respectfully to the ethereal figure. It was the ancestor of the Xian Clan who had given him this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a stroke of fortune that was incredibly rare and hard to come by.

After completing his bow, Ye Chen turned and left.

With a drop of Xian Wang Xian Xue integrated into his body, Ye Chen felt an immense surge of vitality and energy.

Naturally, since it was blood from the Xian Clan, his Xian Lun Yan also benefited greatly. Ye Chen could clearly sense that it had become much stronger.

When he returned to the place where Ruo Tian Zhu Que was undergoing her tribulation, Ye Chen stopped at a distance.

Ruo Tian Zhu Que's body had lost its human form, ravaged by the five declines of the heavenly human, leaving her covered in wounds.

Ye Chen sat down cross-legged as well. Having broken through six realms in a row, he needed time to consolidate his gains.

The space black hole remained as dark as ever, with only a radius of ten thousand zhang illuminated by countless spirit pearls.

Three days passed quietly, and only then did Ye Chen stand up and escape from the space black hole.

Pfft!

The moment Ye Chen appeared, he heard Mu Xuan Gong spitting out a mouthful of wine far away.

Heaven... the peak of Tian realm?

Mu Xuan Gong stared at Ye Chen in utter shock and astonishment. How long had he been inside? He had broken through six minor realms in that time—was this some kind of cheat?

In response to Mu Xuan Gong's shocked expression, Ye Chen just smiled and shrugged.

Mu Xuan Gong's shock turned into sighs and tuts of amazement as he sized up Ye Chen from head to toe, his eyes changing as if he were looking at a monster. Having lived for nearly three thousand years, he had seen his share of freaks, but none as outrageous as this.

"Senior, do you have a star map?"

Ye Chen sat down, looking at Mu Xuan Gong with a hopeful expression.

"Zhu Que has one, but I don't." Mu Xuan Gong also sat down and handed Ye Chen a wine flask. "Star maps are incredibly precious and not something just anyone possesses. If we're talking about star maps, the two kings of Qing Long Star have a larger one. They seized more back in the day."

"Seized?" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Tian Yuan Star Domain once had a saint who, upon his passing, buried himself in the vast cosmos. All the treasures he had accumulated in his life were scattered across the stars, including a star map." Mu Xuan Gong stroked his beard as he recounted this ancient tale. "That night, blood stained the starry sky. Too many people from Tian Yuan Star Domain joined the scramble. Both Zhu Que and the two kings of Qing Long grabbed star maps, but unfortunately, they were all incomplete."

"What a pity I didn't run into something like that." Ye Chen muttered to himself while stroking his chin.

"How is Zhu Que doing?" Mu Xuan Gong took a swig of wine.

"Still undergoing her tribulation—it's a terrifying sight." Ye Chen replied.

"Has she asked you to handle her affairs?" Mu Xuan Gong looked at Ye Chen with interest. "For example, finding you a wife."

"That didn't happen." Ye Chen focused on drinking from the wine flask. As for marriage, it was something unclear and unpredictable; it would come naturally when the time was right. As for him and Nian Wei, he didn't think they could be a couple.

Mu Xuan Gong said no more, just smiled warmly and looked back at the hazy void.

As night fell, Ye Chen went to the space black hole again and guarded Ruo Tian Zhu Que for another three days. He reinforced the formations and summoned many clones before finally returning to the Eighth Heaven with peace of mind.

"Someone else has come to pay a visit." The moment Ye Chen stepped into the Dan Estate, Nian Wei appeared.

"Did they bring a gift?" Ye Chen joked.

"Of course they did." Nian Wei smiled. "The Great Prince's gesture is beyond what ordinary people can match."

"The Great Prince is here?" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

"He's come seven or eight times in the last three days." Nian Wei said, gesturing for Ye Chen to look toward the main hall of the Dan Estate.

"I'll go meet him." Ye Chen rolled his neck and took a step, arriving at the main hall of the Dan Estate.

As soon as he entered, Ye Chen saw a young man dressed in robes embroidered with purple gold dragons. His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, his eyes shone like stars, and he exuded a vigorous and heroic aura. His physique was robust, making him one of the top talents of the Zhu Que family.

"What a lively visit from the Great Prince!" Ye Chen remarked casually, finding a comfortable spot to sit and looking at the Great Prince with interest. Although the Great Prince's Zhu Que bloodline wasn't as pure as Xie Yun's, it was still overwhelmingly powerful—far stronger than Nian Wei's, with vitality surging like an ocean.

"Xuan Hao greets the Estate Master." The Great Prince bowed.

"No need for formalities between us—just get to the point." Ye Chen waved his hand casually.

Ye Chen's attitude made the Great Prince's face darken slightly, but considering Ye Chen's special status, he still responded with a smile. From his sleeve, he produced a jade box. "In the past, I, Xuan Hao, was blind and stirred up trouble I shouldn't have. This small gift is a token of my sincerity—please accept it, Estate Master."

Ye Chen chuckled without a word but still took the jade box from the Great Prince. After all, why turn down something free?

When he opened it, a burst of golden light shot out, momentarily dazzling Ye Chen and making his eyes go dark. The treasure inside was just too radiant, like a brilliant star.

Wow!

Ye Chen rubbed his eyes, enveloping them with spiritual power before looking again. Inside the jade box was a spirit pearl.

Zao Hua Shen Zhu!

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Chen's eyes—he recognized it as a treasure that guarded the spiritual sea and soul platform, far from ordinary.

Ye Chen slowly closed the jade box and smiled at the Great Prince. "The Great Prince is giving away such a valuable item—it's not just to resolve our differences, is it? Speak your mind."

"You're straightforward, Estate Master." The Great Prince laughed. "In that case, I'll be direct. In a few days, it will be the day the Zhu Que family selects a new holy lord. I wonder which candidate you will support."

"The capable one should take the position." Ye Chen replied lightly. "I'm just the master of the Dan Estate—I have no say in supporting or opposing anyone. You should ask your family ancestor about that; she'll give you the answer."

Ye Chen's words made a subtle, cold glint flash in the Great Prince's eyes. He was essentially brushing him off! After giving you a Zao Hua Shen Zhu, and you pull this?

"If that's all, Great Prince, you can head back." Ye Chen stretched lazily.

"In that case, I'll visit another day." Though annoyed inside, the Great Prince maintained a smile on the surface and turned to leave, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, seething with suppressed rage.

Watching the Great Prince's retreating figure, Ye Chen sneered. In the past, you all bullied my brothers and even sent people to hunt me down. It's already generous that I didn't strike you down—now you want my support to take the throne? Dream on.

Once the Great Prince was gone, Ye Chen took out the Zao Hua Shen Zhu again.

As Nian Wei had said, a prince's gift was truly extraordinary. This divine object that guarded the spiritual sea and soul platform was indeed a treasure.

Ye Chen didn't leave the hall; he just sat there with his legs crossed, sipping wine and humming a tune, as if waiting for someone—and he was certain they would come tonight.

Sure enough, less than a quarter of an hour later, another visitor arrived, this time the Second Prince of the Zhu Que family.

Like the Great Prince, the Second Prince's gift was impressive—a divine sword forged from immortal gold, equal in value to the Zao Hua Shen Zhu.

Ye Chen accepted it without hesitation. Why not take something offered for free?

After the Second Prince, more visitors came, all princes of the Zhu Que family, and none arrived empty-handed.

It was no surprise they were brothers—they even used the same lines.

Ye Chen played it cool on the surface while dodging the real issues. He accepted the gifts but kept changing the subject, avoiding any direct commitments, which nearly made the princes flip the table in frustration.

Ye Chen knew the eight princes would keep coming, and they wouldn't arrive without gifts.

He understood the situation well. As the master of the Dan Estate, he controlled over thirty thousand alchemists in You Du. His influence was even greater than that of the former Ku Yue. With his support, any prince would have a strong edge in claiming the position.

It was just that the holy lord's seat in the Zhu Que family was too alluring, with its supreme power making them all cautious.

Little did they know, within this Dan Estate, there was another prince—Ruo Tian Xuan Yu, who had once dominated his generation. He now had the powerful foundation to challenge them directly.

Of course, Ye Chen wouldn't reveal any of that. He was still waiting to collect more gifts.