CHAPTER 546: 437 ZHANGG EPILOGUE [VOTE FOR MONTHLY TICKET!]_3

Because of him, this loving couple ended up separated by life and death—truly, it was too heartbreaking to bear.

But for the sake of transcendence, Yu Ming Immortal Venerable could only shamelessly accept.

"Daoist, your words make sense."

Seeing that Yu Ming Immortal Venerable seemed to misunderstand, Chen Jichuan did not bother to explain further. He said to Yu Ming Immortal Venerable, "This time, with the elimination of multiple Immortal Venerables and Heavenly Venerates, all the Holy Marks within their Lifebound Immortal Treasures have dissipated and cannot be harvested. However, most of them carried a few Holy Artifacts on their person. I took a look earlier—there are a total of eighty-eight Holy Artifacts in all. The majority are Middle-level Holy Devices, a minority are Upper Holy Artifacts, and only three are Lower Holy Artifacts, totaling five hundred and eighteen Holy Marks altogether."

Chen Jichuan casually took out nearly a hundred Holy Artifacts and placed them before the two.

These were the spoils the Immortal Venerables and Heavenly Venerates had brought back from their ventures in the Immortal Gate Realm. They left these Holy Artifacts intact instead of shattering them to absorb the embedded Holy Marks, primarily because high-level Holy Artifacts have considerably higher value in the Immortal Gate Realm. However, to them, they only needed the Holy Marks these artifacts contained.

For instance, an Upper Holy Artifact with seven Holy Marks—if shattered for absorption, it would yield just seven Holy Marks.

But if exchanged within the Immortal Gate Realm with the right counterpart and timing, this single Upper Holy Artifact could be traded for fourteen or fifteen or even more Lower Holy Artifacts, each containing one Holy Mark.

In this way, with a single transaction, the Holy Marks would double.

Naturally, they wouldn’t make foolish decisions.

So they left the artifacts as they were, which would ultimately fall into the pockets of Chen Jichuan.

"Eighty-eight Holy Artifacts!"

"Five hundred and eighteen Holy Marks!"

Yu Ming Immortal Venerable gazed at these Holy Artifacts, his heart ablaze with excitement.

He clearly understood the market value of Middle-level and Upper Holy Artifacts. Although these Holy Artifacts currently only held five hundred and eighteen Holy Marks, once brought into the Immortal Gate Realm, they could exchange for at least a thousand Holy Marks.

"Daoist, how many Holy Marks do you currently have within your ’Worldly Treasure Raft’?"

Yu Ming Immortal Venerable asked directly.

Due to his relationship with Chen Jichuan, there was no need for veiled inquiries regarding Holy Artifacts and Holy Marks, as the initiative always rested in Chen Jichuan’s hands.

"I am not in a hurry."

"Let’s first gather enough Holy Marks for the three Daoists."

Chen Jichuan said to Yu Ming Immortal Venerable.

"Absolutely not!"

"That Daoist is willing to stay and assist the three of us toward transcendence—is already far too benevolent and virtuous. How could we allow such a thing!"

"Please, Daoist, first gather your own Holy Marks before looking after the three of us Yu Ming later."

Yu Ming Immortal Venerable hurriedly waved his hands upon hearing this.

Just having enough Holy Artifacts was already quite satisfying for him; he didn’t care whether it came earlier or later.

To put him ahead of Chen Jichuan? Yu Ming Immortal Venerable could never bring himself to do that.

"Yu Ming Daoist, there’s no need for this."

"I am staying in the Chongming Realm for other matters as well. This time, my wife and I eliminated so many Immortal Venerables and Heavenly Venerates—when they eventually return to life, the Fierce Bird Mountain faction will certainly bear grudges. Therefore, I intend to remain within the Chongming Realm for a while, and I do not plan to depart in the short term."

Chen Jichuan explained to Yu Ming Immortal Venerable.

"That indeed poses a problem."

"I am willing to stay with Yu Cheng and Shanhua to assist Daoist against the Fierce Bird Mountain faction!"

Yu Ming Immortal Venerable replied earnestly.

"There’s no need."

"I alone am sufficient."

"The three Daoists have helped my wife and me greatly in the past. Now that Dongning has ascended, allowing you three to continue waiting would weigh heavily on my conscience. Dongning, too, would scold me for it if she knew."

Seeing Yu Ming Immortal Venerable still attempting to argue, Chen Jichuan raised a hand to stop him: "My decision is made; Daoist, no need to say more."

"Daoist’s righteousness shines bright!"

"Yu Ming is deeply grateful!"

Yu Ming Immortal Venerable’s expression grew solemn, and he stepped back half a pace, bowing deeply to Chen Jichuan.

"You overstate matters, Daoist."

Chen Jichuan quickly helped Yu Ming Immortal Venerable rise, unwilling to dwell on the topic further. Changing the subject, he said, "In the Immortal Gate Realm, I hold the identity of ’Tyrant,’ enabling me to secure better exchanges for Holy Artifacts. These Holy Artifacts—I will take them, exchange them for Lower Holy Artifacts containing a single Holy Mark each, and then pass them back to you, Daoist."

With that, Chen Jichuan gathered the eighty-eight Holy Artifacts back into his possession.

"Thank you, Daoist."

Even though the Holy Artifacts were not currently with him, Yu Ming Immortal Venerable felt no unease. If entrusted to another, perhaps he’d feel anxious. Yet, since Chen Jichuan had openly presented them to him, showing sincerity and clarity, there was naturally no reason to suspect he would claim them for himself.

Otherwise, wouldn’t all this trouble be pointless?

Moreover, Chen’s reasoning was sound—using the identity of ’Tyrant’ for such swaps was far more advantageous than leveraging the reputation of the Silver Alliance.

If the same Holy Artifacts were used as bargaining chips, the final outcome might differ by over one hundred Holy Marks.

The menacing reputation of ’Tyrant’ in the Immortal Gate Realm was not for idle bragging.

Chen Jichuan packed away the Holy Artifacts and continued, "In the Immortal Gate Realm, I have an opportunity and a method capable of helping a peak Great Mage ascend to Legend-rank. In the future, Holy Artifacts will not be scarce. But nine thousand Holy Marks are no quick achievement; I ask that the three Daoists be patient while waiting."

"No problem."

"We fully trust your decisions, Daoist!"

Yu Ming Immortal Venerable nodded without hesitation, understanding well the difficulty. This was the key reason why Taiyin Immortal Venerable and others were willing to take enormous risks and blockade the pair of Chen Jichuan and Wang Yan, rather than simply negotiating goodwill and falling into the sixth or seventh sequence in the larger order of priorities.

The truth is, Holy Artifacts are hard to come by.

Even if Chen Jichuan resorted to plundering, how much could he truly seize?

How long would it take for their turn to come?

And would it come at all?

These uncertainties loomed large.

Hence, pressuring the pair into surrendering their Magic Skill would allow the rest to fend for themselves instead.

But sadly, inferior skill led them to ruin—one by one returning to the Immortal Gate Realm only to hibernate, their chance at transcendence lost forever.

Truly tragic and lamentable.

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