Immortality Starts With Investment [XIANXIA LITRPG]

The final bolt of tribulation lightning passed, and the powerhouses of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land broke into genuine smiles. Their gazes toward Ye Chen were filled with approval and amazement. His performance was no less impressive than Hua Yunfei's in his time. Though his Myriad Star Body, derived from the Myriad Star Fire, was a postnatal constitution—seemingly inferior to Hua Yunfei's divine physique—Ye Chen's foundation showed signs of surpassing even Hua Yunfei's from back then.

Of course, it was hard to say definitively. Hua Yunfei was notoriously enigmatic, even to these elders. But Ye Chen wielded the True Phoenix Treasure Technique and the True Dragon Treasure Technique, and not just a single move from each. Among his myriad profound arts, the elders even glimpsed traces of the Eternal Cosmos Scripture and the aura of Buddhist treasure techniques. His fortune was staggering.

Ye Chen's origins had already been divined: he hailed from a minor Foundation Establishment family, joined a Golden Core sect, and later served as a guest elder in a Nascent Soul sect. To amass such opportunities in such humble circumstances spoke of heaven-defying luck. This was the mark of a true Child of Destiny.

The elders felt Ye Chen had already proven himself. Their next task was clear: strike down Tian Mingzi before anyone else could, showcasing their strength to secure the role of Ye Chen's Protector.

But at that moment, the heavens stirred again. All eyes turned upward. Even the Holy Land elders were shaken.

The sea of thunder above hadn't dissipated after the eighty-one bolts. Instead, it churned violently, and a cold, piercing gaze locked onto Ye Chen. From the thunderous expanse emerged a colossal Kun Peng, formed entirely of divine lightning. Its wings, each spanning a hundred meters, blotted out the sky when spread. Every feather was crafted from lightning, vivid and lifelike. Its mere presence exuded an unimaginable, terrifying aura, as if it had stepped out of ancient times, brimming with vitality.

Even Hua Yunfei, who had maintained a pleased smile, now looked astonished. "A Kun Peng?"

An elder spoke, voice thick with disbelief. "The True Spirit Tribulation? It's actually the True Spirit Tribulation?"

At those words, shock rippled through the crowd.

If eighty-one bolts of tribulation lightning were a trial reserved for only the most elite prodigies of the Holy Land, then the True Spirit Tribulation was a legend whispered in ancient tales. It was said to manifest when a cultivator's power was so overwhelming that mere divine lightning couldn't suffice to test them.

In ancient times, when mighty cultivators shed their essence blood during tribulations, leaving behind their imprints, the Heavenly Dao could summon these imprints, forged from thunder, to challenge the cultivator.

This was no mere illusion. The summoned spirit wielded the full array of the ancient cultivator's Dao, Laws, and even innate Divine Abilities, perfectly replicated. Legends spoke of the Heavenly Emperor, who, from the Foundation Establishment stage, faced great battles against ancient powerhouses at the end of each tribulation. During his Immortal Ascension Tribulation, he was besieged by the imprints of the ancient Vicious Ten.

And now, Ye Chen faced a True Spirit Tribulation, his opponent a pureblood Kun Peng from its Nascent Soul tribulation—a creature from the Vicious Ten, a race of unimaginable might. Its combat prowess was beyond comprehension. That Ye Chen warranted such a solemn trial from the heavens was nothing short of astonishing.

Yet, amidst the awe, even the Holy Land elders grew apprehensive. Ye Chen was undoubtedly a prodigy, but a pureblood Kun Peng was a terror among terrors, peerless in its realm. Even the greatest human prodigies might falter against such a beast, whose bloodline and inherited legacy granted it an unparalleled edge. For Ye Chen to face it in battle was perilous in the extreme.

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As the crowd pondered, the lifelike Kun Peng, brimming with vitality, spread its wings and dove with breathtaking speed, embodying the legendary swiftness of its kind. Ye Chen was caught off guard, blasted backward by the impact.

The sight deepened the onlookers' worry, fearing Ye Chen might fall. Only Tian Mingzi's eyes gleamed with excitement, eagerly anticipating Ye Chen's demise.

Ye Chen, flung back by the strike, glanced at his arm, nearly severed by the Kun Peng's wing. With a thought, his arm healed instantly. Raising his eyes to the charging Kun Peng, he showed no trace of fear—only a blazing battle intent. Since crossing into this world, his enemies had often outclassed him in cultivation, yet none had ever posed a true threat.

Now, facing a Nascent Soul Kun Peng from ancient times, though of the same realm, its terrifying strength was unlike anything he'd encountered. This was his most formidable opponent yet.

But Ye Chen felt no dread. An ancient beast? So be it. He would fight!

This Kun Peng was the perfect whetstone to hone his True Dragon and True Phoenix Treasure Techniques.

Boom, boom, boom…

Without hesitation, Ye Chen sprouted golden wings of divine light from his back and surged forward. He unleashed the True Dragon Treasure Technique, renowned for its unparalleled offensive might, striking with earth-shattering force.

The Kun Peng, catching sight of Ye Chen's wings, erupted with fury. It charged forward, unleashing its Kun Peng Treasure Technique. The two clashed in an instant, divine light flooding the sky. The battlefield roared to life, space itself collapsing as the surroundings teetered on the brink of becoming a desolate wasteland.

At this moment, Nascent Soul cultivators were unfit to even witness the battle. They could see nothing clearly, only hearing the unimaginable sounds of collision, their hearts pounding, their worldviews shaken. Was this truly a fight between early Nascent Soul cultivators?

"I'm at late Nascent Soul, so why can't I do this?" some muttered, dumbfounded.

The Heavenly Evolution Holy Land powerhouses watched with rapt attention, their faces etched with unrelenting shock. "Holy Son Ye has Kun Peng Wings? His fortune is too heaven-defying—is he the Heavenly Dao's own son?" an elder exclaimed, incredulous. Since when could a Nascent Soul cultivator possess such a treasure as Kun Peng Wings? Holy Son Ye was beyond comprehension.

But soon, an elder's expression turned grave. "Though Holy Son Ye wields Kun Peng Wings, his speed still falls short of the true Kun Peng. It's too fast, suppressing him completely. It even evades all Dao and Law techniques. The bloodline of the ancient Vicious Ten is truly terrifying."

This was no surprise. No matter how powerful Kun Peng Wings were, they couldn't match a true Kun Peng. A real Kun Peng was unstoppable, unbreakable, and with its treasure technique, it could dodge nearly anything.

"Holy Son's physical body is formidable, and his recovery is beyond imagination—far surpassing the normal limits of the Myriad Star Body. His constitution likely holds other unique traits," another elder observed. "But he seems to lack experience fighting peers of his caliber. He's being thoroughly suppressed by the Kun Peng, falling into its traps repeatedly."

"Has Holy Son Ye never faced a true life-or-death battle? His combat experience is sorely lacking—he's been baited multiple times!"

"That shouldn't be possible. Without the tempering of blood and fire, how could a Holy Son achieve such strength?"

"That pureblood Kun Peng is too fearsome, and it seems to wield the complete Kun Peng inheritance."

"Holy Son's been blasted back again, but his vitality remains sky-high, showing no signs of weakening…"

"He's getting agitated…"

"No, it's not agitation—his eyes…"

The elders noticed Ye Chen's severe lack of combat experience against prodigies of his level. In Kun Peng's presence, he fought like a novice, relying solely on raw power. Though he hadn't suffered fatal wounds, his robust physique and astonishing recovery healed any injury in moments. But no matter how strong his regeneration, it couldn't last forever—it would eventually run dry. Worse, his mindset seemed off, as if he were truly losing his composure. His eyes were glowing.

Once agitation took hold, he'd fall even deeper into the Kun Peng's rhythm, spelling defeat. The elders grew anxious. A prodigy of this caliber, with such heaven-defying fortune, was a treasure to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. His loss would be catastrophic. Combat experience could be honed, but talent and luck were irreplaceable.

The elders were frantic. And Ye Chen, at this moment, was indeed losing his cool. Since crossing into this world, he had dominated every opponent, never once being suppressed. This was too humiliating. Initially, he had planned to use the Kun Peng to refine his True Dragon and True Phoenix Treasure Techniques. Now, he abandoned that idea. He just wanted to crush this beast.

His eyes widened abruptly, chaotic energy swirling within. "Heavy Pupils Open the Heavens…"

In an instant, a terrifying force erupted from his eyes, radiating outward.