Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

With the decision made, he set off at once.

Ye Chen decided to head over to the Treasure Gathering Chamber of Commerce's territory for a visit.

The process might be a little unpleasant—he would most likely run into that woman, Murong Dai—but Ye Chen just had to ignore her.

And if she dared to pull anything else… 'If she pisses me off,' Ye Chen thought, 'she'll have no one to blame but herself when I tear this Cloud Mist Tower Ship apart!'

Hongyu Pill Venerable, of course, hurried to follow him.

This was a rare opportunity to be alone with Ye Chen.

She had to seize this chance to ask Ye Chen for more advice on matters of Alchemy Skill.

The two chatted as they walked. It was as if Hongyu Pill Venerable had opened the floodgates; she chattered nonstop, posing all sorts of questions.

But in Ye Chen's eyes, these questions were a piece of cake. He answered her points of confusion with ease, leaving Hongyu Pill Venerable with a feeling of sudden enlightenment.

By the time they arrived at the Treasure Gathering Chamber of Commerce's territory, Hongyu Pill Venerable was in absolute awe of Ye Chen.

No matter what difficulty she brought up about her own Alchemy, Ye Chen had been able to provide an immediate solution.

Each solution was both elegant and efficient. They made one ponder for a long time; one might not understand at first, but upon reflection, one couldn't help but be filled with excitement and endless admiration!

At that moment, Hongyu Pill Venerable was almost completely certain: this young man, who looked even younger than her, was on a completely different level when it came to achievements and talent in the art of alchemy!

At this thought, Hongyu Pill Venerable couldn't help but sigh, a somber expression clouding her features.

"What's with that expression?"

"I answer all these questions for you, and not only do you not thank me, but you also look... sad?"

Ye Chen glanced at Hongyu Pill Venerable's expression.

The young woman's exquisite, charming face was particularly eye-catching, a beautiful sight one couldn't look away from.

He couldn't help but smile and tease her a little.

Hearing this, Hongyu Pill Venerable came to her senses and said apologetically, "My apologies, Young Master Ye. I'm not dissatisfied at all, it's just... it's just..."

"I feel like I've taken a huge blow. I'm still reeling from it."

A bitter smile touched her lips, and the light in her bright eyes dimmed. "I'm not an arrogant person, but I've always prided myself on being a genius."

"Whether on the path of cultivation or the path of alchemy, I've always striven to be the best, and I excelled at both!"

"At my age, I have already surpassed everyone around me."

"Perhaps some are better than me on the path of cultivation, and others are better than me on the path of alchemy."

"But I had never before met anyone who was better than me at both."

"Geniuses are rare enough, let alone a polymath who can master multiple disciplines. But now, I've finally met one!"

As she spoke, Hongyu Pill Venerable turned to look at Ye Chen, the object of her words clear.

Hearing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh.

'So this exceptionally talented and beautiful young woman has had her confidence shaken by me?'

"From what I can tell, your cultivation realm is quite a bit higher than mine."

"Your current cultivation should be at the Ninth Layer of the Divinity Transformation Realm, correct?"

Ye Chen said casually, sizing up Hongyu Pill Venerable.

He had to admit, the young woman before him was an absolute top-tier prodigy.

At her age, her cultivation was comparable to Mo Tianyun's, and in the path of alchemy, she surpassed all other Cultivators in the entire eastern part of the dynasty.

She was terrifyingly talented!!!

But Hongyu Pill Venerable shook her head dejectedly. "You're right, my cultivation realm is indeed very high. Across the entire eastern dynasty, few can compare to me."

"I thought that was one area where I could still hold my head high in front of you. But your previous battle with those assassins from the Valley of Death completely shattered my understanding of the world."

"Only then did I realize that a Cultivator at the Primordial Mansion Realm could actually resist the power of Divine Might!"

"I've seen people challenge those in higher realms before, but what you did, Young Master... that was truly unheard of!"

Hongyu Pill Venerable looked at Ye Chen earnestly and sighed in genuine admiration. "Faced with a talent like yours, Young Master, my cultivation realm is nothing more than a nice-sounding title. It has no practical use."

She wasn't wrong. Ye Chen could now easily suppress a Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Divinity Transformation Realm and even dared to fight against a Cultivator of the Divine Might Realm!

Other than being nominally higher than Ye Chen's, her realm had no other practical use in comparison.

After all, she had focused her efforts on the Alchemy Dao. In a battle against someone of the same realm, she wasn't considered particularly strong.

Comparing herself to Ye Chen was enough to crush one's spirit completely.

Ye Chen fell silent for a moment.

After a moment, he spoke. "That may be true, but look at it from another angle. Isn't this actually a good thing?"

"A good thing?" Hongyu Pill Venerable was taken aback.

"You've stood at the pinnacle of the Alchemy Dao in the eastern dynasty for many years. You must have long understood the feeling of how lonely it is at the top."

"You may have enjoyed the glory, but before you met me, how could you have resolved the many questions you encountered in your cultivation of the Alchemy Dao?"

"Now that you've met me, shouldn't you be glad that your questions are finally being answered and that you're advancing in your Alchemy Skill? Why insist on comparing yourself to me?"

"A pure heart, one dedicated to improvement, should only focus on pursuing and exploring higher realms of the Alchemy Dao."

"It shouldn't be wasted on meaningless comparisons that damage the very confidence that has driven your progress. That is only detrimental to your cultivation path."

With that said, Ye Chen clasped his hands behind his back and looked calmly at Hongyu Pill Venerable.

"The path of cultivation is a process of constant improvement, of learning from others' strengths to shore up your own weaknesses."

"Only those whose heart for cultivation is impure will become mired in worldly affairs and distracting external matters."

"Perhaps your heart for cultivation was once incomparably pure; otherwise, you could never have reached your current heights."

"But after standing at the top for so long, has that pure heart for cultivation of yours started to gather dust?"

Ye Chen's words struck her like a tolling bell, sending tremendous waves crashing through her heart!

'He's right. Ye Chen had just helped her resolve so many of her questions, but instead of being happy about her progress, she had been dejected about her own shortcomings.'

'Could it be that Ye Chen was right?'

'After standing at the top for so long, has her heart for cultivation truly gathered dust? Had she become unable to accept the appearance of a genius more brilliant than herself?'

"Young Master, your words have been a wake-up call. I feel as if I've been enlightened; everything is suddenly clear!"

Hongyu Pill Venerable's eyes shone as she looked at Ye Chen.