Originally, Ye Chen had been a little resentful that the Holy Prince was taking so long to show up. Now that he learned the other was busy searching for one of the Nine Secrets on his behalf, he immediately expressed understanding. The Holy Prince wasn't unwilling to deliver the gift—he was simply too occupied. Being busy was good!

Ye Chen had always held high expectations for the Nine Secrets. The Healing Secret, the Battle Secret, the Movement Secret, and the Armament Secret had all brought him enormous benefits. Especially the Armament Secret—it allowed him to fully master any Extreme Dao Weapon the moment he touched it.

As for the Healing Secret, that divine healing art, he rarely needed it. After all, he was injured so infrequently, and his recovery was astonishing. Often, his wounds healed before he even activated the Healing Secret. Yet the power of the Healing Secret spoke for itself. This alone showed how precious the Nine Secrets were. Add to that the legend that fully comprehending all nine mysteries and uniting them would grant boundless might.

It left Ye Chen particularly eager to obtain the remaining four secrets. Now that the multipliers from the people around him had risen significantly. If he gifted away the fragment of the Stasis Secret, it might directly trigger feedback of two or three other Nine Secrets. The harvest would be immense. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Therefore, Ye Chen looked forward to the Holy Prince's arrival with exceptional anticipation. At the same time, he made a decision: he would grant the Holy Prince the treatment of a prolonged battle. Not a one-hit kill. He would give the Holy Prince a bit of fighting pleasure. Consider it a thank-you gift for delivering both the Stasis Secret fragment and a powerful origin source!

...

While Ye Chen pondered over the transmission talisman, Luo Bingling, upon hearing of the Holy Prince's impending arrival, didn't take it seriously. She believed Ye Chen should be able to defeat him. But if he couldn't, that would be even better—she would have a chance to help. Her cave-heaven was so vast, and its power was incredibly strong. She had long wanted to find someone to fight properly.

But those were minor matters. Closing the distance with Ye Chen was the real priority. Luo Bingling began formally imitating the steps An Miaoli had taken earlier. She started wielding the spear.

Seeing Ye Chen's expression respond favorably, she suppressed the disgust in her heart, furrowed her brows into a deep crease, narrowed her eyes, and slowly lowered her head.

Ye Chen watched the scene, inhaling sharply while raising an eyebrow. Luo Bingling was far too eager to improve! Yet he didn't reject her outright. He let her proceed.

An hour later, Luo Bingling was retching violently off to the side.

Seeing this, Ye Chen chuckled. He gently patted her slender waist.

"It's fine. If you can't handle it, don't force yourself. I'll be cultivating next anyway. We can try again another time!"

A long while later, Luo Bingling left Ye Chen's cave abode feeling somewhat defeated. She had still underestimated her revulsion toward humans. She truly couldn't swallow it down. But fighting spirit burned brightly in her eyes. This time had already been great progress.

A few more attempts, taking in a little more each time—and eventually, she would manage it all. Then her status would surpass that Yi Qingwu's. After pushing a bit harder, she could overtake An Miaoli. She would finally earn Ye Chen's full trust and gain access to the Dao Cauldron.

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In short, though Ye Chen was harder to conquer than she had imagined, this step-by-step strategy, gradually raising her position, actually gave Luo Bingling the thrill of leveling up. It filled her with soaring determination. She believed obtaining the Dao Cauldron was only a matter of time.

...

In the days that followed, Ye Chen continued to remain in the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, engaged in calm and steady cultivation. Nearly every day brought visible progress.

This made Luo Bingling's eyes grow brighter and brighter. Her own improvements accelerated as well. From initially spitting out even a single drop, to managing half, to nearly finishing it all...

Now, Luo Bingling was training herself to finish without retching afterward. The biggest obstacle was her deep psychological resistance. As a member of the War God clan, she truly looked down on the human race. She didn't even regard them as equals. In her mind, the status difference between the War God clan and humans was roughly akin to that between humans and dogs.

Yet on Ye Chen's side, his interest only grew. He could clearly sense her disdain. But watching her force herself to persist despite it filled him with a unique sense of conquest. It was utterly intoxicating.

And so, another year passed.

Ye Chen's cultivation advanced to the late stage of the second heaven of the Mahayana realm. It was also on this very day that Luo Bingling achieved her own epic breakthrough. Through constant self-hypnosis that it didn't matter, she finally completed the act fully for the first time. Afterward, she proudly opened her mouth for Ye Chen to inspect. Then, with a twist of her slender waist and a lift of her chin, she signaled that it was his turn next.

Ye Chen found it rather amusing. He hadn't particularly wanted to. But considering her dedicated progress over the past year, he figured she deserved a little reward—some encouragement. Otherwise, she might slack off later.

So Ye Chen lowered his head as well. Soon, his brows shot up in mild surprise. The taste was unexpectedly reminiscent of the purple cherries from his previous life. Tart yet sweet, with quite a distinctive flavor...

Luo Bingling had started out tense, her face full of disgust. But quickly, her eyes brightened. Not only did her furrowed brows relax, she even leaned proactively toward Ye Chen...

...

On the third realm of the Immortal Path.

Shocking news spread.The ruin of Saint Boyin had opened. A half-fragment stone tablet inscribed with the Stasis Secret emerged, drawing over twenty experts from the peak of the third heaven of the Mahayana realm into battle. There were former—and even earlier-generation—human geniuses.

Genii from the myriad races as well. And several ancient prodigies who had awakened from a divine source. The fight was exceptionally fierce. The heaven's chosen clashed in a chaotic melee.

The Holy Prince, in particular, faced encirclement from human geniuses. After all, he had dared to devour a human in public, incurring the wrath of many human factions. They sought to suppress him. But to everyone's astonishment, the Holy Prince was simply too ferocious.

Wielding his black staff, he swept through all opposition like a war god. His physical body was nearly invulnerable to all techniques. Even when wounded, he recovered in the blink of an eye. He grew stronger the longer he fought, leaving everyone sighing that the Victorious Fighting Ape clan was truly born for war.

Yet what shocked people most was the Holy Prince's talent. His eyes radiated golden light, displaying might no less than that of Heavy Pupils. In this battle, a full six human geniuses perished. The surviving experts felt their hearts palpitate and withdrew one after another.

A trace of blood lingered at the corner of the Holy Prince's mouth, making his monkey face appear even more menacing. He did not immediately seize the half-tablet. Instead, he swept a cold laugh over the surroundings, his golden pupils brimming with battle intent—as if he craved another great fight.

Onlookers marveled at the intensity of his fighting spirit.

In the end, the Holy Prince took the half-tablet bearing the Stasis Secret and casually stored it away. Then, with surging battle lust, he declared.

"Since the Heavenly Emperor's heir refuses to come, I will go to him! Human geniuses? Mere ants, nothing more! Back then, the Heavenly Emperor defeated my ancestor. Today, I shall defeat his heir."

In the next instant, the Holy Prince thundered toward the teleportation array of the third realm.

The entire field erupted in uproar.

Clearly, the Holy Prince was leaving the Immortal Path to seek out the Heavenly Emperor's heir. And when news of the Holy Prince's battle achievements—and his intent to challenge the Heavenly Emperor's heir—spread. The entire cultivation world was thrown into an uproar...