Chapter 1167: I Want to Cultivate Immortality

At night, the mountain forest was filled with the aroma of roasting meat. Yan Laodao had set up a bonfire and hung an iron pot over it once again.

Nearby, Da Chu Huang Yan and Ning Caichen sat close together, quietly gazing at the hazy starry sky.

This scene left Ye Chen, watching from a distance, sighing with emotion. Da Chu Huang Yan, the daughter of the Chu Emperor in her previous life and a nine-tailed fox of the imperial clan in this one, was incredibly proud. Who would have thought that such a proud woman would lean on the shoulder of an ordinary mortal, like a gentle and virtuous wife, simply counting the stars in the sky with him?

As he watched, Ye Chen smiled, his expression tinged with weariness. Perhaps because the years had stretched on too long, or because the world was too chaotic, even the proud Da Chu Huang Yan had grown tired. She wanted to live as an ordinary person, leading a simple life, holding his hand and growing old together.

Suddenly, Ye Chen turned his gaze to the vast starry sky, his eyes misty and his face full of weariness, unsure where his own loved one was.

The meat was ready.

The aroma wafted everywhere, and the scene in the mountain forest remained warm.

As the night deepened, Yan Laodao leaned against an old tree and fell asleep, while Da Chu Huang Yan and Ning Caichen nestled together and drifted into dreams.

Ye Chen climbed onto a large rock, holding a wine flask in his hand and drinking quietly. From time to time, he glanced at the stars, each shining point like a familiar face.

He wasn't sure when, but Ye Chen finally lowered his gaze and turned to his side, where Ning Caichen had also climbed up and sat beside him.

"So late, why aren't you sleeping?" Ye Chen smiled slightly and handed over the wine flask.

"I can't sleep." Ning Caichen took it, tilted his head back for a sip, and choked, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Treat her well and don't let her down." Ye Chen said lightly.

"Ever since I could remember, I've been reading the books of sages and thinking about the affairs of the world." Ning Caichen replied with a laugh full of aspiration. "I always hoped that one day I could pass the imperial exams and become the top scholar, return home in glory to benefit the people, and leave a good name for future generations. But it wasn't until I met my wife that I realized all those ambitions and reputations are empty. Her safety and peace are the greatest blessings from heaven."

"Say what's on your mind." Ye Chen chuckled leisurely.

"I want to cultivate immortality." Ning Caichen looked at Ye Chen, his clear eyes shining with determination.

"She is a cultivator herself, so why not let her teach you?" Ye Chen smiled as he looked at Ning Caichen.

"I know my wife better than anyone." Ning Caichen replied with a warm smile. "She only wants me to live as an ordinary person and doesn't wish for me to walk this path against the heavens. But I understand that a man must take responsibility, to shield his loved one from wind and rain. I never want those tragedies to repeat, nor do I want to be a weak scholar, powerless when she faces danger."

"This is indeed a path against the heavens. Are you sure you want to take it?" Ye Chen took a sip of wine.

"Yes."

"No regrets?"

"No regrets." Ning Caichen's words were firm as he sat cross-legged.

"This is the path you've chosen." Ye Chen put away the wine flask and stood up slightly. "Sit cross-legged."

At his words, Ning Caichen quickly set aside the flask, took a deep breath, and sat cross-legged.

Ye Chen raised his hand and placed his palm on Ning Caichen's crown, pouring in his surging Shengti essence to widen Ning Caichen's meridians.

Uh!

The intense pain made Ning Caichen groan, but he clenched his teeth and endured it.

Ye Chen said nothing, continuing to use his Shengti essence to refine Ning Caichen's bloodline, transforming his body and forging his Dao foundation.

Before long, immortal fire emerged and entered Ning Caichen's lower abdomen, opening his Danhai; a dragon soul flew out, opening his Shenhai; and heavenly thunder descended, tempering his mortal body.

A gentle breeze carried a woman's fragrance as Da Chu Huang Yan arrived, lightly biting her lip and quietly watching Ning Caichen in his agony.

Heartbroken? Ye Chen glanced sideways at Da Chu Huang Yan.

Da Chu Huang Yan smiled but didn't speak.

Ye Chen smiled too, letting sacred blood flow from his palm into Ning Caichen's body, granting him enlightenment.

Pop! Pop!

Soon, sounds like this echoed from within Ning Caichen's body as his Danhai and Shenhai opened one after another, and his cultivation advanced rapidly, breaking through from the Ningqi realm all the way to the peak of the Renyuan realm.

From his sleeve, Ye Chen released various elixirs, which exploded and merged into Ning Caichen's body.

Pop! Pop!

Ning Caichen's cultivation soared again, like a bottomless pit devouring the elixir essence.

Ah!

Da Chu Huang Yan sighed softly and raised her hand, channeling her bloodline power into Ning Caichen's body.

As a nine-tailed fox of the imperial clan, her bloodline was overwhelmingly dominant. Once fully awakened, it could rival that of divine beasts and, in a sense, was as heaven-defying as Ye Chen's Shengti bloodline.

Under the combined effects of the Shengti bloodline and the fox clan bloodline, Ning Caichen's Dao foundation became even more robust.

The night passed without incident, and dawn broke in the blink of an eye.

The warm sunlight bathed the earth, ushering in a new day.

On the rock, Ye Chen stretched lazily, cracking his neck, then jumped down.

As for Ning Caichen, immortal light radiated from his entire body, with waves of golden ripples spreading outward from him as the center. He had become a cultivator, guided onto the path by Ye Chen's great divine abilities.

In just one night, he had gone from an ordinary mortal without any cultivation to a full-fledged cultivator—and not just any, but one at the Lingxu Jing realm. For him, this was a tremendous opportunity and a profound transformation.

"Lingxu Jing? And he's even opened his Shenhai and Danhai." Yan Laodao woke up and circled around Ning Caichen, clicking his tongue in amazement and shock at Ye Chen's methods.

"From now on, it all depends on him." Ye Chen smiled and pulled out his wine flask again.

"Ah!" Da Chu Huang Yan sighed quietly from the side. "He's walked this path after all."

"Mortals live a hundred years like a fleeting horse; he wants to be with you longer."

"I'd rather he live an ordinary life."

"I'm curious—how did the proud daughter of the Chu Emperor, the nine-tailed fox of the imperial clan, fall for an ordinary scholar at first sight?" Ye Chen looked at Da Chu Huang Yan with interest. "What's so special about him?"

"He's very foolish." Da Chu Huang Yan replied with a tender smile.

"That's quite fresh." Ye Chen coughed awkwardly, his expression odd.

"So, where to next?" Da Chu Huang Yan turned her gaze from Ning Caichen to Ye Chen.

"To Ziwai Xing." Ye Chen said with a smile. "As for you two, go to Youdu first. There are reincarnated souls there, and Xie Yun is the holy lord. There are also saints guarding the place, so it's safe."

"That works."

"Farewell." Ye Chen chuckled, stepped into the void, and vanished in an instant.

"Farewell." Da Chu Huang Yan looked up at the sky and murmured, her beautiful eyes reflecting the weariness of time.

"Why so fast? Wait for me!" Yan Laodao stopped paying attention to Ning Caichen and hurried after him.

"Where are you going, old Daoist? Aren't you supposed to be slaying demons and monsters?" Ye Chen glanced at Yan Laodao.

"The two of us should find a place to chat properly." Yan Laodao rubbed his hands with a grin. "For example, about how you forcefully opened the Danhai and Shenhai. I'm really curious about that divine ability."

"That's forbidden; I can't discuss it." Ye Chen said with a serious tone.

"You're getting good at stealing my catchphrases."

"Enough joking, let's get serious." Ye Chen said, turning to Yan Laodao. "Do you know where Hua Tian Laozu is?"

"That guy is as elusive as a dragon; who knows where he is." Yan Laodao replied. "But finding him isn't too hard. Ever heard of Wangu Xing? There's an auction happening soon, and that old rascal will probably show up. He loves going to auctions to hunt for treasures—he's found quite a few over the years."

"Wangu Xing." Ye Chen stroked his chin, recalling the star map that Ruotian Zhuque had given him, which included Wangu Xing.

"Interested in checking it out?" Yan Laodao winked suggestively at Ye Chen. "I heard there might be a star map up for auction."

"A star map?" Ye Chen's eyes lit up. "Let's go take a look."

"Lead the way."