Early the next morning, Ye Chen got dressed and rose from bed. With the auction just two months away, he decided to make good use of his time and obtain the phoenix blood first.

Today, he would head to the Divine Will Mountains and enter the Cave Heaven. But just as he was about to leave, a message came in—he had a visitor. The guest was none other than Li Feihuang. She was quickly invited inside.

The two sat in the small courtyard, and Li Feihuang removed her ordinary disguise. What emerged was a breathtaking beauty with an air of nobility, and that iconic cascade of red hair. She still preferred her true appearance. But most of the time, she had to keep it hidden. Only in front of Ye Chen did she dare show her real face, finally able to relax. After all, her father had always said—trust the one you use, and don't use the one you doubt.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, you granted me a direct disciple identity back then, and I never got a chance to thank you before you left properly. But we of the Great Chu imperial family are always clear about rewards and punishments. This—" She lifted her chin slightly, voice calm. "—is the reward I prepared for you."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

A reward? Big sister, are you treating me like one of your ministers now? How ridiculously patronizing.

Still, he didn't stand on ceremony. He casually accepted the jade box, opened it, and gave the contents a quick glance, his brow arching again.

"This is the top-grade core-forming treasure Phoenix Stone, imbued with a trace of imperial spirit Qi. As long as your talent isn't trash, you'll form at least a seventh-grade Golden Core. And with your extraordinary potential, you might even achieve eighth-grade."

Li Feihuang introduced the item with composure, as if bestowing a completely mundane gift. But in truth, Li Feihuang's heart was bleeding. The political winds of the Great Chu Dynasty had shifted drastically. She had fled in haste, barely escaping with her life. There had been no time to gather wealth or treasures.

To purchase this Phoenix Stone, Li Feihuang had practically emptied everything she had. Giving it away like this, of course it hurt. But she still did it, without hesitation. Because her father had once said:

"As an emperor, you must be generous, broad-minded! When it's time to reward, never hold back. Only by doing so will your ministers remain loyal and devoted. Once, a minister of mine betrayed me and joined another sect. But instead of chasing him down, I gifted him one hundred thousand upper-grade spirit stones. Do you know why? Because if even those who betray me receive such a reward, then those who remain loyal will only believe they'll receive even more, and thus become even more loyal!"

After successfully acquiring a direct disciple status last time, Li Feihuang now had full faith in her father's teachings. Everything he taught was right. So, when she learned Ye Chen had returned, she didn't hesitate to prepare a lavish gift.

A core-forming spiritual item that guaranteed a seventh-grade core and held the potential for an eighth-grade one. It was absolutely a treasure. Valued at no less than thirty thousand upper-grade spirit stones, and not something that could even be bought easily with money.

Even within the Divine Will Sect, the only item known to guarantee a ninth-grade core was the phoenix blood, and only one drop formed every century. This spoke to how rare and precious the Phoenix Stone truly was.

So, while her heart ached, Li Feihuang maintained a calm expression as she looked at Ye Chen. She waited, expecting him to light up in astonishment, overwhelmed with gratitude, moved to the point of tears. Then, he'd fall to one knee and pledge himself on the spot. And she would help him up, gently, with the practiced grace of an empress.

Stolen story; please report.

This is nothing but a trifle. Wait until I become Empress. You will have so much more.

Thus, her first loyal "Golden Dragon King" would be forged in fire and generosity. A future cornerstone of the Great Chu Dynasty.

However, in Li Feihuang's hopeful gaze, Ye Chen merely raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the gift.

Honestly? Not bad. Slightly better than the ancient jade his master had given him before. But that was about it.

This thing? He might just pass it along to his senior sister, or save it for one of the maids when they needed to form their core. So Ye Chen calmly accepted the gift with a nod.

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Li."

Li Feihuang: ???

That was it? That was your reaction? This spiritual item… she had used all her connections with various elders just to get her hands on it. She had spent everything she owned to buy this Phoenix Stone. For the next few years, her cultivation resources would be stretched thin, she'd have to survive on the basic allocations given to direct disciples.

As a royal princess of the Great Chu Dynasty, she had never lived like this. She had given so much, and all she got in return was a "many thanks"? Do you even understand the value of the Phoenix Stone!?

...

Noticing Li Feihuang's strange expression, Ye Chen asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist Li, is there something more you wish to say?"

She immediately shook her head.

"No."

Ye Chen nodded, then reached into his storage ring and pulled out a jade box, handing it to her.

"Coincidentally, I also prepared a small gift for you, Fellow Daoist. Please accept it."

Li Feihuang's mood instantly lifted.

Ye Chen actually prepared a gift for her? How thoughtful. That said, she didn't have high expectations for the item itself. She had accepted the direct disciple title because she happened to need it—nothing more.

As a princess of Great Chu, what hadn't she seen? She had no need for gifts from others. But since this was a present from the man she had designated as her future Golden Dragon King, she accepted it with a soft smile. No matter what it was, she would still thank him gracefully and give him some face.

But the moment Li Feihuang opened the box, a burst of red light nearly blinded her on the spot. And the aura that drifted from within made her pupils shrink to pinpoints.

"This is... could it be... Phoenix Blood Crimson Gold?"

She stared in disbelief at the crimson stone radiating divine brilliance within the box. Her voice trembled with shock.

Ye Chen smiled faintly.

"Indeed. I came across it by chance and thought it might be useful to you, so I purchased it for fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones and brought it as a gift."

It was the very item he had bought the day before at Heavenly Evolution Pavilion.

From the Golden Core stage onward, cultivators could begin refining their lifebound spiritual artifact—a weapon or tool that not only grew stronger with them, but could eventually evolve into a Dao Artifact. It also shared a telepathic bond with its master and wielded terrifying power.

However, not just any material could be used to forge such a weapon. It had to possess an innate spirit. And Phoenix Blood Crimson Gold, being the essence of extreme Yang and pure flame, was one of the ultimate materials for fire-attribute refining.

It was said to form only under rare and mystical circumstances, after being bathed in phoenix blood, and bore faint phoenix markings on its surface. Its potential to grow into a top-grade spiritual artifact was immense. And for Li Feihuang, who possessed the Fire Phoenix Spirit Body, it was a perfect match.

At that moment, holding the jade box in her hands, Li Feihuang felt a tidal wave rise in her heart. The phoenix aura radiating from the crimson gold could bring her immense benefit. If she refined it into her lifebound weapon and nurtured it, it might even raise the ceiling of her physical constitution.

The importance of this gift couldn't be overstated. Her father had long promised to find her a piece of Phoenix Blood Crimson Gold. But despite searching for years, he had never succeeded. It had always been a regret. And now Ye Chen had simply, calmly, presented it to her.

At that moment, alongside the intense excitement in her chest, there was also a strange awkwardness creeping into her heart. The core-forming treasure she had gifted earlier had cost around thirty thousand upper-grade spirit stones. She had even silently criticized Ye Chen for not showing more enthusiasm. And now… Ye Chen casually handed over something even more precious.

This… was a little awkward. And by her father's logic, didn't this mean she now needed to reward Ye Chen with something even more valuable? But the problem was she really didn't have anything left!

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