Chương 374: Chapter 373: Forced Shutdown!

Ye Chen carefully examined An Miaoli, his Heavy Pupil effortlessly piercing through her flesh and blood, revealing her flawless body in its entirety. Such was the heaven-defying power of the Heavy Pupil—nothing could obstruct its gaze, seeing through anyone or anything. But at this moment, Ye Chen had no ulterior motives. He scrutinized An Miaoli for a long time, not even sparing her head, yet he ultimately frowned and shook his head.

"I've looked over every inch of you, but I found nothing unusual." An Miaoli wasn't disappointed. She had only suspected something might be wrong with her body, not confirmed it. If even the Heavy Pupil couldn't detect an issue, perhaps the problem wasn't physical but psychological. Maybe her subconscious still viewed the act as wrong, causing her resistance. Pondering this, her cool, immortal-like eyes calmly met his.

"Perhaps I just need to observe from the sidelines a bit more." Ye Chen was momentarily stunned. Only An Miaoli, among all the female cultivators he knew, could say such a thing so calmly, without a trace of shyness or hesitation. Once her mindset was settled, anything was possible. Still, Ye Chen suspected something deeper, perhaps related to her soul. The soul was a complex entity, intricately bound to the body until one reached the Mahayana stage and ascended to the divine platform.

Only in death could it separate. If the issue lay in her soul, even the Heavy Pupil might not detect it before that stage. An Miaoli didn't dwell on it further. Her abrupt departure earlier had been improper. She gazed at Ye Chen steadily.

"How's the nether poison in your body, Fellow Daoist Ye? If any remains, I can help detoxify you now." Her tone was light and breezy, as if detoxification were the most ordinary task. Her unique charm made Ye Chen chuckle. He grasped her jade-like hand.

"To my small world!" His small world contained the Star Pool, where detoxifying while soaking would surely offer a distinct experience. Especially with An Miaoli always clad in a white dress—once wet, it would cling to her, revealing a tantalizing silhouette. And now, with the Enlightenment Tea Tree in his small world, detoxifying beneath it might add an extra layer of allure. An Miaoli didn't refuse. The two vanished from the cave abode, reappearing in Ye Chen's small world.

Standing in the sky, they gazed at an ancient tree shimmering with vibrant colors and profound charm. An Miaoli's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment. The Enlightenment Tea Tree was extraordinary, its tragic fate as the most ill-fated immortal root legendary even after its extinction a million years ago. Though it was her first time seeing it, she recognized it instantly, her shock overwhelming. Ye Chen held An Miaoli's hand as they flew toward the main peak. Along the way, he introduced the tree.

"This is the Enlightenment Tea Tree, a new one, two hundred thousand years old. When I'm here, you can cultivate with me beneath it—it'll be twice as effective. When I'm away, you can drink its tea to aid your cultivation. Before we leave, pick some leaves to share with Yuyi." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. An Miaoli was filled with awe at his words. The legends surrounding the Enlightenment Tea Tree were countless.

In the past, it grew in a forbidden zone, and every year, Holy Land powerhouses would venture in to compete for its leaves. A yield of three to five leaves was considered fortunate. Yet now, Ye Chen possessed an entire new tree and casually spoke of giving away dozens of leaves. Such boldness would shock even the Holy Land. His fortune was truly heaven-defying. For a moment, even An Miaoli wondered if he was indeed the Heavenly Dao's favored son. How else could he obtain something even the Heavenly Emperor coveted?

Ye Chen paid no mind to her shock, eagerly flying toward the Star Pool, excited to experience the joy of "detoxifying" in its waters. In his past life, he'd heard of wealthy heirs indulging in such pleasures. But as they approached within a hundred zhang of the Enlightenment Tea Tree, Ye Chen realized something was wrong. Within that radius, an endless flow of the Great Dao seemed to permeate the air, brimming with mysterious power. The moment they entered, his mind became serene, almost ethereal.

Suddenly, worldly desires felt trivial. All he wanted was to comprehend the Dao. An Miaoli, beside him, was in a similar state. Ye Chen cursed inwardly at his miscalculation. But since they were already here, they might as well cultivate. Ye Chen and An Miaoli sat cross-legged beneath the tree, beginning their practice. The leaves rustled like celestial music, instantly calming their minds. A hazy mist descended from the tree, forming delicate tassels of energy that wove around them.

Ye Chen felt his thoughts become unprecedentedly clear, his cultivation speed and efficiency multiplying several times over. The obscure or poorly understood aspects of his Indestructible Scripture, the Vicious Ten Treasure Technique, and his own immortal scripture suddenly became clear, the key points unraveling effortlessly. The fleeting romantic notions in his heart vanished, replaced by complete immersion in cultivation. He patched his shortcomings and refined himself.

The already formidable aura around him grew even more perfect. Sitting beneath the tree, he resembled an ancient deity. Beside him, An Miaoli sat in meditation, her white dress fluttering in the breeze, harmonizing with the cascading threads of the Dao's charm. The red mole between her brows shimmered faintly with divine light, making her look ever more like an immortal, as if she might ascend at any moment. She, too, entered a deep state of cultivation, her body radiating intermittent divine light in vibrant hues.

The small world grew tranquil, with only the soft rustle of the breeze and the gentle flow of water creating a soothing, celestial melody. Half a day passed in the blink of an eye. Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes and glanced at An Miaoli. Her aura was stirring, on the verge of breaking through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage. This wasn't surprising—she had already reached the Nascent Soul stage and used only the finest cultivation resources. Practicing under the Enlightenment Tea Tree made such progress natural.

Yet, despite this being cause for celebration, An Miaoli's brows furrowed. She opened her eyes, a trace of confusion and fear in her pupils.

"Just now… I think I saw my past life!" Past life? Ye Chen's eyes narrowed. The cultivation world believed in reincarnation, but its existence was unproven. No true immortal was known to have returned after reincarnating. And even if one did, would they still be themselves? Aside from the Buddhists, with their cryptic talk of "the same flower," most cultivators didn't obsess over reincarnation, focusing instead on their present selves. Yet An Miaoli claimed to have seen her past life? Was this real?

He'd never heard of the Enlightenment Tea Tree having such an effect.