Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

In the end, it was just a transaction.

But He Xian came with the pretext of repaying a favor. From the start, her actions were bold and reckless—she directly cast off her Jeweled Robe as if undressing armor, hiding such behind-the-scenes schemes. Yi Chen truly couldn't bring himself to strike.

It felt meaningless, unsatisfying, so he made a difficult, almost heretical decision. After talking her down, he politely showed He Xian the door.

As a man of great principle, Yi Chengzi might have had some minor misunderstandings with He Xian, but it wasn't at the level of needing "revenge" of such a petty kind.

The long night drew out, sleepless and restless.

Soon after refusing He Xian, Yi Chen found himself dumbfounded.

This venomous female cultivator had directly put Yi Chengzi on the spot, roasting him over flames.

The Qiluo Palace's little green sprouts had initially looked quite appealing, but with the pearl that is He Xian set before him, even Yi Chengzi found them unappetizing.

Damn!

Forget it!

In a fit of anger, Yi Chen soared into the skies and spent the entire night comprehending the magnificent Qinglian Sealing hanging above him.

As for what He Xian had said, Yi Chen naturally believed it to be entirely true; this was simply a stubborn fool ruined by cultivation. The notion of a mere Immortal Platform cultivator deceiving Yi Chengzi—dream on.

Politely inviting her out of the room reflected Yi Chen's longstanding code of conduct.

Yi Chengzi, when acting, always detested sticky, tangled situations!

Business is business, emotions are emotions. Don't mix feelings into transactions, and don't calculate profits in matters of the heart.

For this reason, Yi Chengzi's spear and fist were always quick and unrelenting!

Where his intent pointed, all would be cut down!

As for what storm of thoughts He Xian might have had after last night—that was none of Yi Chen's business.

"Shit, why does it seem like this woman might have started fancying me?"

"Divine Gold—I mean, I kind of fancy myself too, honestly."

"If you want to make a deal with me, that'd be amazing. Talk feelings? Forget it. Farewell."

After sensing He Xian's stray thoughts with his spiritual power, Yi Chen finally unraveled the mess behind the chain of events.

It wasn't that the Heavenly Star Sect had suddenly decided to "push forward." Instead, it was Yi Chengzi indulging too much in silent speculation, perhaps being a smidge overly repressed.

Simply put, he was overthinking.

Goddamn it!

Yi Chengzi had wandered the martial world for years but had never encountered such a ruthless setup for a celestial scam!

This match today—it was like Yi Chengzi had been baited and hooked hard.

"Hey, He Xian, Yi Taoist is magnanimous—he won't hold grudges against you."

"You acted too impulsively, wanting to personally thank Yi Taoist yet storming into his room without a clue, interrupting his affairs and thus incurring some embarrassment, correct?"

"No wonder Yi Taoist sent me a message overnight, suggesting that both Moon Concealing Sect and Heavenly Star Sect instate a new rule: Always notify and knock before entering another person's chambers."

"Don't worry, Taoist won't take offense over such a trivial matter. Let's go; we mustn't keep Yi Taoist and Huan Gu waiting."

He Xian opened her lips slightly, her thoughts churning. Yet she didn't entirely reveal the events from last night, but ever since Yi Chen firmly showed her the door, she couldn't help picturing a sturdy and commanding Taoist in her mind.

Yi Taoist—he's truly different, absolutely startling.

"Fine... fine then, Sect Leader. I'll go with you."

Thinking of Yi Chen's silhouette, He Xian, far away but determined, clenched her teeth and summoned her courage to head toward the tea room.

——

"Well done—none of you dared offend me, the Taoist priest here."

"It's my mistake, truly!"

"Huan Gu, Fellow Taoist, Zhan Xingzi and He Xian will arrive shortly. Please take a seat as well."

"Forget the tea for now—today calls for wine! Bigger cups!"

Retracting his scattered spiritual power, Yi Chen gritted his teeth, his expression twisting oddly—an unsettling resemblance to a judge about to tackle a plate of nine-spiced intestines.

Yi Chengzi, undefeated and invincible, even facing someone like Asna—a supreme Great Cultivator gazing across countless realms—would boldly challenge her and dominate, yet here in the Ancient Star Realm, he'd suffered such back-to-back ploys, twice baited in a single hustle?

Under the bewilderment tree grew bewilderment fruits.

Four beneath the bewilderment fruits drank bewilderedly.

Zhan Xingzi and Huan Gu felt something was amiss with Yi Chen's mood but couldn't pinpoint the problem, so they resigned themselves to Yi Chen's relentless coaxing of alcohol and forced drinking.

Don't ask. If you ask, just know: finish this cup, then three more cups after that; finish three, then nine; if anyone shields themselves with mana, it's an affront to Yi Chengzi's honor, and he'd snap.

This wave of drinking lasted until deep into the night.

Yi Chen had already warned Zhan Xingzi against leaking the news about his cultivation body's issue, instructing that outsiders simply believe he was in secluded cultivation within some deep corner of Heavenly Star Sect's Secret Realm.

"Taoist, here is the original 'Myriad Stars Divine Illumination Scripture' penned by the ancestor, along with annotations from generations of Heavenly Star Sect masters. Please take a look."

Zhan Xingzi sighed, a trace of sorrow flashing in his eyes.

He grieved for such a deeply cultivated and morally upright Dao Sect elder nearing the end of his life.

"Thank you!"

"Zhan Xingzi, you may go now. I want to spend these final moments alone in quiet contemplation." Yi Chen said as he accepted the Jade Scroll and handbook.

After all, Yi Chen had asked Zhan Xingzi for these materials himself; Yi Chengzi, having endured such grievances within both the Ancient Star Realm and Heavenly Star Sect, couldn't feel bad for taking a few scriptures and annotations for free, could he?

Even if he couldn't understand or use them, he could always bring them back to Lingxia Realm to share them with his junior brothers, Masters, and close ones for cultivation insights and growth through diverse exposure.