Chương 441: Chapter 440: This Mark Must Stay!

Seeing Yi Qingwu's gritted teeth and lingering resentment, the Heavenly Intention Holy Son, Ying Tiansheng, deduced she'd suffered greatly. It was understandable—Ye Chen's Heavy Pupils and Supreme Heart made defeating someone a realm higher in the Nascent Soul Stage reasonable. That she wasn't captured was already commendable. But as realms progressed, the gap between Deity Transformation and Unity Stages would widen.

Ying Tiansheng produced a palm-sized, incomplete stone tablet, exuding ancient aura and intricate divine patterns, its extraordinariness evident at a glance. Yi Qingwu's eyes lit up. Handing it over, he said solemnly, "This tablet holds half the Battle Secret's divine patterns. It boosts attack power by twenty percent, nearly unstoppable. With this, and your imminent Unity breakthrough, you'll easily crush Ye Chen next time." Yi Qingwu smiled radiantly, accepting the tablet.

Her melodious voice rang out, "Thank you, Holy Son! With this, I'll erase my shame and annihilate Ye Chen, scattering his soul." Ying Tiansheng smiled faintly but felt she could improve.

"Offer your primordial spirit," he said gently.

"My Heavenly Intention Sacred Heart Technique is complete. I can guide you to enhance it." Yi Qingwu's expression faltered, and she shook her head.

"Thank you, Holy Son, but my primordial spirit is perfected. I'll pass." Her poorly concealed panic made Ying Tiansheng frown. Knowing her well, he sensed she was hiding something. Was her primordial spirit damaged?

"Qingwu, present your primordial spirit for inspection," he commanded, his voice majestic, undeniable, like a heavenly decree. Hesitation and humiliation crossed Yi Qingwu's face. After a moment, seven-colored divine light flashed from her brow, and her radiant primordial spirit, mirroring her beauty, emerged. Ying Tiansheng scrutinized it, his brows tightening, eyes narrowing.

"Qingwu, why does your primordial spirit bear another's aura?" His voice carried a sharp edge. Yi Qingwu's exquisite face flushed with shame. Her primordial spirit's brow glowed, revealing the core within. When Ying Tiansheng saw the two bold characters imprinted there, he stood abruptly, his aura menacing, his expression cold as heaven's will, glaring at her.

"What is this? Why is Ye Chen's name in your core?" If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Outsiders would be shocked. The reserved, stoic Holy Son, unshaken even by his brother's death, was enraged. Prodigies like him fiercely guarded their possessions, especially their women. Another's mark was the ultimate disgrace. Startled, Yi Qingwu paled, her eyes reddening. Her heavenly voice trembled with a nasal tone.

"In the Broad Cold Divine Realm, Ye Chen wounded my primordial spirit with a special technique. As the domain shattered, he seized the chance to imprint his name to humiliate me. That's why I lost the Moon Palace—my mind was in chaos." By the end, she was sobbing, unable to continue. Ying Tiansheng's face turned ashen. How dare Ye Chen imprint his name in the fiancée's primordial spirit? It was worse than his brother's death—an unforgivable provocation.

Killing intent surged, sweeping through the Heavenly Intention Holy Land, making elders and disciples tremble. Yi Qingwu, stifling her sobs, gritted her teeth.

"I know this shames you, so I told no one. But I crave revenge. That's why I asked for the tablet—to crush Ye Chen next time and erase all my humiliation. Holy Son, if you can't bear this, I'll dissolve our engagement." Her pitiful state softened Ying Tiansheng. The mark was just an exploit, and her primordial yin remained intact—no risk of betrayal. That sufficed. But one thing puzzled him.

"What do the two ||||\ after Ye Chen's name mean?" Yi Qingwu initially didn't know, but realizing Ye Chen added a stroke per encounter, she understood it as a tally—two ||||\ for ten soul communions. She shook her head, feigning ignorance. Ying Tiansheng didn't press. Killing Ye Chen would reveal all. Ye Chen's name in her core grated on him.

"I have a method to erase the mark. Qingwu, don't resist—bring your spirit sense closer." But Yi Qingwu instantly retracted her primordial spirit, startling him. Her expression resolute, she declared, "This shame can't be erased so easily. Only when I kill Ye Chen myself will I remove it. If he lives, this mark stays." Ying Tiansheng paused. As a prodigy, he understood her resolve but struggled with another's name in the fiancée's core.

After calming himself, he said, "I'll teach you the Heavenly Intention Sacred Heart Technique. Study it well—your spirit sense will soar. Then seclude yourself to break through to Unity. If you hurry, you might catch the Great Yang Divine Dynasty ruins' emergence. If Ye Chen's there, you can crush him." Yi Qingwu nodded eagerly. Later, she left with the half-tablet to seclude herself for the Unity breakthrough. Recalling Ying Tiansheng's ashen face at seeing "Ye Chen," she smirked.

Next time she met Ye Chen, she'd not only deliver the tablet but let him leave more marks, more deeds, more words on her. In the sealed hall, Ying Tiansheng sat alone in the shadows, his eyes glinting.

"Hua Yunfei, Divine King Body, likely the Moral Heavenly Venerate's heir. Ye Chen, Heavy Pupils, Supreme Heart, probable Heavenly Emperor descendant. And the Yao family's Holy Son, pure-blood immortal body. If I kill and refine them all, I could gain the ultimate physique before the Immortal Path opens. Even Central Continent's prodigies would merely be my nourishment for ascension. The Great Yang Divine Dynasty's emergence is my chance to take them all down. But first, I must strengthen myself further…"