As the direct disciples emerged from the Divine Will Cave Heaven, their gains were tallied, ranked, and rewarded with additional prizes. When Li Feihuang, her appearance once again plain and unremarkable, produced the Phoenix Blood from her storage ring, the crowd fell silent.

No one had expected Li Feihuang to claim the top prize in this trial. Many elders frowned, casting disappointed glances at Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli, who had been the favored contenders for the Phoenix Blood.

Qiao Ciguang and Shi Wanli hung their heads. Not only had they failed to secure the Phoenix Blood, but they hadn't even entered the grand hall. Frustration burned within them as they scanned the crowd, desperate to identify the disciple who'd outmaneuvered them so thoroughly, leaving them no face.

An Miaoli glanced at Li Feihuang, sighed, and patted An Yuyi's shoulder. "If you missed it, so be it. Your physique isn't particularly compatible with the Phoenix Blood anyway. A few days ago, I visited Heavenly Evolution Pavilion and spoke with their steward. They have a rare Star Thunder Stone in their inventory. It's a slightly lower-grade material for forming your Golden Core, but it suits your spiritual root perfectly. Once we secure the Thunderbane Bamboo Core to balance your dual spiritual roots, you'll have a strong chance at forming a ninth-grade Golden Core."

An Miaoli placed great importance on her niece's core formation. Once a cultivator reached the Golden Core stage, progress slowed dramatically. Lower-tier cores—called impure cores—spelled doom for one's immortal path, making even minor breakthroughs nearly impossible. Mid-tier cores offered a slim chance at Nascent Soul—only upper-tier cores allowed for unhindered advancement.

With An Yuyi's Earth-grade Foundation Establishment and a top-tier Golden Core, she had a solid shot at reaching Nascent Soul, perhaps even Deity Transformation if luck favored her. A strong foundation was critical, and An Miaoli spared no expense, no matter the cost in spirit stones. After all, An Yuyi was her only niece.

An Yuyi's heart swelled with gratitude and guilt. Since embarking on her cultivation journey, her aunt had given her nothing but the best. Yet she'd disappointed her time and again. Still, one question gnawed at her, but with so many people around, she held her tongue.

Once the rankings concluded and they returned to the peak, An Yuyi couldn't hold back any longer. "Aunt…" she blurted out, voicing the question that had plagued her for half a month. "Ye Chen clearly likes me, so why does he treat me so coldly? I asked him why, and he told me to ask you—that you'd know!"

...

Hearing An Yuyi's words, An Miaoli, who had been fretting over spirit stone expenses, raised an eyebrow. "You met Ye Chen in the Divine Will Cave Heaven?"

An Yuyi hadn't expected her aunt to catch on so quickly. She hesitated, but since Ye Chen had told her to ask her aunt, it meant he wasn't hiding anything from An Miaoli. Nodding, she said, "Aunt, please don't tell the sect about this!"

An Miaoli nodded, urging her niece to explain what happened. An Yuyi recounted everything: Ye Chen had triggered the secret realm early, condensed the Phoenix Blood, and then handed it to Li Feng without hesitation. When she asked him why, he told her to ask her aunt.

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After hearing the full story, An Miaoli's watery eyes flickered with thought, her brow furrowing. Ye Chen sneaking into the Divine Will Cave Heaven was no small matter, but since he'd given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng, the sect hadn't suffered any loss. She decided to let it slide, pretending she knew nothing.

But why had Ye Chen told An Yuyi to ask her? That day, he'd clearly said he didn't like An Yuyi and had his heart set on someone else. Though he hadn't named the woman, An Miaoli had pieced it together from his actions—it was her.

Now, by directing An Yuyi to her, Ye Chen had put her in an awkward spot. How was she supposed to explain this?

A flicker of irritation stirred in An Miaoli's heart. But seeing her niece's crestfallen expression, she knew An Yuyi could accept missing the Phoenix Blood—what she couldn't stomach was Ye Chen giving it to Li Feng.

After a moment's thought, An Miaoli decided it was time to cut through the mess. Prolonging this would only hurt her niece more and hinder her cultivation. Looking at An Yuyi earnestly, she said, "Yuyi, Ye Chen hasn't changed his heart. He never liked you. You must have misunderstood his intentions."

An Yuyi's eyes widened, and she protested loudly, "Aunt, that's impossible! He gave me a cultivation technique, stood firm in the face of danger, and even gave me a Divine Will Pool slot. The first time we met, he gifted me a Soul-Nourishing Stone! How could he not like me?"

An Miaoli knew the truth was harsh, but she pressed on. "That's because the woman Ye Chen loves is me. Out of affection for me, he extended his kindness to you, fulfilling your requests without hesitation because you're my niece. Everything he did for you was because of me."

...

An Yuyi's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't accept this truth and protested loudly, "How is that possible? If that's true, why didn't he give me the Phoenix Blood this time?"

She thought she'd found a flaw in her aunt's explanation.

An Miaoli sighed softly. "That's also because of me. After learning of his feelings, I decided to cut ties with Ye Chen and avoid him entirely. When I sent you to deliver the spiritual item alone, it was to make my stance clear. Ye Chen obviously understood. That's why, when you brought the gift before the secret realm opened, he accepted it and left without a word. And in the realm, that's why he gave the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng."

An Yuyi listened to her aunt's airtight logic, her mind replaying past events. Every gift Ye Chen had given her—always something she needed—had been presented to her aunt first. The Earth-grade cultivation technique, the Divine Will Pool slot—it was all the same.

Could it be true? Had Ye Chen's affections always been for her aunt, not her?

As doubt crept in, An Yuyi's face turned deathly pale. Her body swayed, barely able to stand. An Miaoli quickly caught her niece, her heart aching with both pity and worry. She feared this revelation might drive a wedge between them, damaging their bond.

Trying to console her, An Miaoli said, "Yuyi, Ye Chen is impressive, but the world is full of prodigies—countless others surpass him. As long as you focus on your cultivation and let him go, you'll move on. Once you reach the Golden Core stage, I'll arrange for some friends to bring their heirs—young men no less exceptional than Ye Chen, maybe even better. And I promise, I'll never see him again. I'll stay by your side until you form your core."

But An Yuyi, her eyes red and brimming with tears, looked up with a fragile, pitiable expression. "Aunt… there may be countless prodigies better than Ye Chen out there. They might all be wonderful, but I just don't like them. I only like Ye Chen."

From the moment she saw him dominate the Divine Will Assembly, sweeping through prodigies with unmatched prowess; to the water mirror vision of him standing resolute against a demonic beast to protect her; to this trial, where his vast Divine Ability opened the secret realm early, barred two top direct disciples from entering, and felled Li Feng with a single strike—Ye Chen's image had seared itself into her heart.

There was no room for anyone else.

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