NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2:
Chapter 2: Foolish Woman:
Chen Yuan opened his eyes and found himself inside a crystal-blue cave. The cave was filled with rich spiritual energy, formed entirely from spirit crystals, and countless rare treasures of heaven and earth were sealed within the ground.
“This is… the Heaven Origin Secret Realm? Eight hundred years ago?”
Chen Yuan gradually recalled the situation. Right now, he was still within the Beidou Sect, and he was an important figure within the sect, someone even the sect master Lin Yusheng had to show deference to.
Thinking of that noble and graceful woman, a cold smile appeared at the corner of Chen Yuan’s mouth. Ten years ago, the Beidou Sect’s fortune had withered. Because they had disturbed the tomb of the Saint King Wujii and become entangled with karmic cause and effect, the sect faced the Immortal Tribulation.
Sect master Lin Yusheng was at her wit’s end, and just as the sect was on the verge of destruction, Chen Yuan stepped forward alone, entered the Heaven Origin Secret Realm, and bore the Tribulation of the Dao.
After ten years of resistance, he finally endured the complete tribulation.
During those ten years, Chen Yuan had suffered endless pain, his body riddled with wounds, and he had nearly perished. Fortunately, he had managed to open up the spirit crystals and treasures hidden within the Heaven Origin Secret Realm. Because of that, the sect reversed its downfall and began to thrive year after year, gradually reaching a new peak.
Yet the sect’s elders, including himself, were nearly forgotten.
Thinking of Lin Yusheng’s betrayal in his past life, Chen Yuan had no desire to manage the sect for her any longer, nor was he willing to hand over the treasure he had gained.
“This Heaven Origin Secret Realm is a supreme treasure in the mortal world. It can autonomously merge cultivation techniques, pills, and even artifacts to create new items. Most importantly, it can integrate into the body itself and form a human secret realm.”
“In my past life, I gifted this secret realm to Lin Yusheng. She used this great treasure to sweep across the world and eventually became the Divine Wisdom Saint, mastering all forms of techniques. Meanwhile, it took me thirty years just to heal my hidden injuries and barely make a breakthrough.”
“This time, I will use the secret realm for myself. My strength should be able to reach an entirely new level.”
Without hesitation, Chen Yuan activated his cultivation technique. In an instant, the entire cave rapidly shrank and finally merged into his blood and flesh. At this moment, his body had become the secret realm itself, filled with spirit crystals and treasures that he could summon at will with a single thought.
The hidden injuries accumulated over the past ten years within the secret realm were also being rapidly healed by the secret realm’s power. Coupled with the Boundless Dao Technique he had perfected eight hundred years later, his cultivation immediately advanced to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm. If he wished, he could form a Golden Core at any time.
However, with no one to guard him, he could not recklessly attempt a breakthrough just yet.
Above his head was a clear sky, and around him was a world filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers. Chen Yuan let out a long breath, feeling his entire body relaxed, and his mood incomparably light.
Finally, there was no need to worry about those nine burdens anymore. How wonderful!
In this life, he would focus solely on cultivation. The speed at which he crossed tribulations should be hundreds of years faster than in his previous life.
Just as he was about to find a place to break through, suddenly, a rainbow light streaked across the sky, accompanied by cries for help.
At the front was a pure and adorable young girl, her clothes torn and stained with blood. She was being chased by seventeen or eighteen cultivators dressed in blue.
“Cheng Xiaowan?”
Chen Yuan remembered. Among his nine Dao Companions in the previous life, Cheng Xiaowan had the worst talent and the most tragic background. Yet he had painstakingly helped her improve her physique and guided her all the way to the Saint Realm.
In his past life, today was the day she was hunted by her family, and he had stepped in to save her.
After saving Cheng Xiaowan, Chen Yuan had taken her as a servant. Because she possessed the Innate Profound Ice Body, cultivation was extremely difficult for her, so he had made her do heavy labor to stimulate her life energy and gradually transform her physique.
Thinking back, perhaps she hated him in the past life precisely because he had made her work too hard. Some women were truly foolish, only remembering the hardship, foolishly believing they achieved everything with their own strength.
Chen Yuan smiled and shook his head.
“Chen Yuan, save me!” Cheng Xiaowan screamed for help.
She had not expected that after being reborn, she would again face the most dangerous day of her life.
In her heart, she blamed Chen Yuan even more.
If only he had quietly remained a cripple, he would not have reset everything.
Chen Yuan sat cross-legged atop the mountain, motionless. Their relationship was already severed. He would not save an ungrateful person.
Cheng Xiaowan landed on the mountaintop and quickly hid behind Chen Yuan.
“This is all your fault! Hurry and get rid of them!” Her face was full of impatience.
“Sorry, we have no relationship anymore. I have no obligation to help you.” Chen Yuan’s eyelids drooped as he continued cultivating.
Cheng Xiaowan shouted angrily, “How can we have no relationship? You owe me!”
“I owe you nothing. In my past life, I shouldn’t have saved you. In this life, I won’t save you either.” Chen Yuan’s voice was cold.
At this moment, the group of blue-robed cultivators also landed on the mountaintop. The leader was an old man with white hair and beard. Upon seeing Chen Yuan, his expression became cautious. He immediately signaled the others not to act rashly.
He sensed that this young man’s cultivation was not low — at least at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
More importantly, there was a mysterious pressure about him, and his eyes seemed to hide the stars of the universe, immeasurably deep.
This was not something an ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator could possess.
“This fellow Daoist, greetings.” The old man cupped his hands respectfully and hesitantly asked, “We are chasing a traitor of our family. May I ask what relation Cheng Xiaowan has with you?”
Before Chen Yuan could answer, Cheng Xiaowan spoke up, “He’s my friend. If you know what’s good for you, leave quickly. Don’t force my friend to act.”
Chen Yuan said indifferently, “She has nothing to do with me. Do as you wish.”
The old cultivator hesitated, but Cheng Xiaowan became anxious, shouting, “Chen Yuan, you bastard! How dare you say you have no relationship with me? Can’t you just lift a finger to save me?”
Chen Yuan closed his eyes and ignored her.
Seeing this, the old cultivator made a decisive move. He immediately threw out an Immortal Binding Rope, tying Cheng Xiaowan up.
The other young cultivators also rushed forward, using over a dozen treasure artifacts to completely suppress her, rendering her unable to move.
“Chen Yuan, how dare you treat me like this!” Cheng Xiaowan felt both grief and rage. “Do you have no sense of loyalty at all? After all those years I served you, does it mean nothing?”
Chen Yuan looked at her calmly and said, “When I was crossing the Tribulation of the Dao, the nine of you joined forces to betray me. Did you think of loyalty then?”
Cheng Xiaowan retorted, “We didn’t want to kill you! We just wanted you to become an ordinary mortal!”
“I don’t want to kill you either. I simply want everyone to go their separate ways, each to their own destiny.”
Chen Yuan waved his hand, signaling the old man to take her away.
The old cultivator, who had been listening in terror, now realized this young man was a terrifying figure.
Hearing them talk about tribulation crossing and past lives had made him tremble in fear.
“Thank you, immortal!”
He bowed deeply and quickly dragged Cheng Xiaowan away.
Cheng Xiaowan cursed, “Chen Yuan, you heartless bastard! You will die a miserable death!”
“Is that so?” Chen Yuan opened his eyes and said to the old cultivator, “This woman possesses the Innate Profound Ice Body. When attacked, she will transform into ice. If you want to use her to refine artifacts, you should first feed her a Fire Yang Pill. It will make the process twice as effective.”
The old cultivator was overjoyed and repeatedly thanked him.
Meanwhile, Cheng Xiaowan completely broke down, unleashing a torrent of foul language. But Chen Yuan remained unmoved, continuing to cultivate silently until they finally left. Only then did he open his eyes again, a mocking smile on his lips.
Foolish woman. If she had been willing to repent sincerely, perhaps he would have saved her life. But she still failed to recognize reality.
Chen Yuan rose and returned to the cave halfway up the mountain. It was his place of cultivation — just a simple stone house with two thatched huts. In front of the house stood a pill furnace, and a few spirit plants grew in the courtyard.
“To break through to the Golden Core Realm, I need a Heaven-grade Condensation Pill. There happens to be one in the Heaven Origin Secret Realm. In my past life, I gave it to Junior Sister Yunxiang, helping her form a Heaven-grade Golden Core.”
“As for me, I had to piece things together and eventually refined only an Earth-grade Condensation Pill, barely managing to form an Earth-grade Golden Core.”
“This time, I’ll use the Heaven-grade Condensation Pill myself. Forming a Heaven-grade Golden Core won’t be a problem.”
The grade of the Golden Core determined the foundation of one’s cultivation in the Golden Core Realm. A Heaven-grade Golden Core was naturally the finest, providing great help for cultivation and a much higher chance to Ascend to Immortality.
“I wonder, if I use the secret realm to fuse the Heaven-grade Condensation Pill and the Earth-grade Condensation Pill, what kind of grade would it become?”
Feeling inspired, Chen Yuan immediately began refining pills.
As a Saint King, his alchemy skills were unmatched. His pill-refining techniques were naturally flawless. He tossed various medicinal herbs into the furnace and, in less than half an hour, successfully refined an Earth-grade Condensation Pill with excellent medicinal effects.
“Refine!” Chen Yuan lifted his palms. The secret realm floated above his hands. He threw the Heaven-grade and Earth-grade Condensation Pills into it. The two pills spun rapidly and finally merged into a new, pure-white pill that still emitted the fragrance of a Condensation Pill but whose medicinal effects were even more powerful.
“What grade is this? Is it still safe to consume?” Chen Yuan examined the pill, hesitating about whether to take it.
At that moment, a red figure flashed through the air, and a beautiful woman dressed in fiery red, with a curvaceous figure, landed in the courtyard.
It was Junior Sister Yunxiang.
“Chen Yuan, where is the Heaven-grade Condensation Pill? Hand it over.”