On the Dao Discussion Platform.
Jiang Ye elegantly sipped Enlightenment Tea, enjoying Guan Yunyao's massage.
It was as if he had returned to his old profligate self.
Many people were discussing animatedly.
"It's already the second day of the Ascension Road, why isn't Divine Son Jiang ascending?"
"Stop spouting nonsense. With His Highness Divine Son's status, and no benefits to gain, what's the point of even reaching the top of the Ascension Road? You're deliberately trying to provoke and smear the Divine Son!"
"Hiss... woman, can't I even say a few words?"
"Hmph, how can His Highness Divine Son be casually criticized by someone like you?"
A male Cultivator smiled bitterly and shook his head. No matter where he went, he would encounter Jiang Ye's fanatical followers.
It was truly speechless.
However, many people looked curious and questioning.
Was Jiang Ye truly not planning to ascend the Ascension Road even once?
Many Prodigies in the Yu Chen Dao Domain regarded reaching the top of the Ascension Road as the highest honor, and it was also a criterion for competing for the position of Dao Son. Yet, Jiang Ye didn't care?
Up in the pavilion.
Guan Yunyao seemed to have gotten used to the massage technique, giving Jiang Ye several hard jabs.
"Hiss..."
"Yao'er, are you trying to murder your own husband!"
Jiang Ye cried out, feeling a bit of pain, and looked at her with a strange expression.
Guan Yunyao had a complex expression, her red lips pouted.
"Aren't you going to the Ascension Road? I'm going now."
"Good luck!"
Jiang Ye lay lazily on the soft couch, picked up an immortal fruit, popped it into his mouth, and said indifferently.
Guan Yunyao was speechless, then asked curiously, "Young Master, why aren't you ascending the Ascension Road?"
Jiang Ye chuckled twice, got up, put his arm around her slender waist, and turned to face the Ascension Road.
He pointed a finger.
On the Ascension Steps.
Many Prodigies had bitter expressions, their bodies unsteady, enduring the pain to lift their feet and step upwards. Wen Sang was among them.
"Look, these poor souls are exhausted to death, while this Young Master sits in the pavilion, enjoying a life like an immortal. Yao'er, what do you call this comparison?"
Guan Yunyao was puzzled, her pretty face showing confusion as she looked at Jiang Ye, not answering.
Jiang Ye laughed, "Cattle! Cattle work themselves to death for a bit of false fame, while this Young Master sits steadily on a high platform, watching them fiercely compete and torment each other. It truly has a unique charm!"
After he finished speaking, Guan Yunyao's small face showed some hesitation.
Suddenly, she felt that the Ascension Road didn't seem so appealing anymore; perhaps it truly wasn't necessary?
Jiang Ye then slowly explained:
"Yao'er, do you know? These people desperately climb to the top, nothing more than to prove themselves, not to be weaker than a Young Master of noble birth like me."
"Or rather, they want to use this Opportunity to compete for the Cloud Top Academy's Dao Son position."
"It's a pity they don't understand that some things cannot be obtained by hard work and perseverance. The position of Dao Son has already been internally decided for this Young Master. These people are merely daydreaming."
"Instead of wasting this effort, it's better to venture out into the world and acquire some cultivation resources; that's more practical."
Jiang Ye's words carried a hint of mockery, yet also contained simple, unadorned truth.
Except for those masochistic protagonists, might they Breakthrough their cultivation under pressure? Or perhaps gain some Opportunity?
What other benefits could the majority of other Cultivators gain besides tormenting themselves?
Guan Yunyao pondered for a moment.
She realized it was indeed true.
With this time, she might as well serve Jiang Ye well and obtain the Qingxin Dao Fruit, which would be better than reaching the top of the Ascension Road ten thousand times.
"Hmm? What am I thinking about?"
Guan Yunyao's pretty face flushed slightly, and she glanced at him guiltily, her mood complex.
Just then.
On the other side of the Dao Discussion Platform, a commotion suddenly arose.
The crowd was in an uproar, with whispers rising everywhere.
"Who is that? Why do they look neither human nor ghost?"
"Tsk, that face looks like it was struck by lightning, so rotten, yet they still dare to show their face?"
"Haha, could it be a beggar from somewhere? So ugly, I can't even eat my food."
"Never seen them before, probably an unknown person from some small Sect, trying to make a name for themselves."
A figure stumbled into everyone's view.
He was covered in tattered sackcloth, his face scorched black and twisted, bloody and blurred, almost unrecognizable.
Only those eyes, burning with madness and obsession, made people's hearts palpitate.
The person who arrived was Lin Chen.
At this moment, Lin Chen had completely burned his face, erasing all traces of his past, solely to hide his identity and infiltrate the Dao Discussion Platform.
Inside a distant pavilion.
Jiang Ye was half-reclining, picking another immortal fruit and lazily putting it into his mouth.
Suddenly, a phantom figure emerged from the shadows.
"Your Highness Divine Son." Jiang Yi bowed, his voice low, "Lin Chen has burned his face and appeared on the Dao Discussion Platform."
Jiang Ye's movement paused slightly, the smile on his lips still elegant, but with a hint of playfulness.
"Oh?"
"This Lin Chen has quite some guts, daring to come back?"
"Cloud Top Academy no longer has a place for him, why did he come here?"
Jiang Ye unhurriedly put the immortal fruit into his mouth, chewing it with a crisp crunch, his golden eyes slightly narrowed.
"Could it be that there's some Opportunity on this Ascension Road?"
"After all, Lin Chen was born with a talent for sensing blessings and misfortunes..."
Jiang Ye sorted out his thoughts and chuckled softly.
He lazily clapped his hands, as if finally finding some amusement.
Hong Yan slowly walked out from the side, a charming smile on her face, saying, "Young Master, what are your orders?"
Jiang Ye flipped his palm, casually tossing out a small packet of medicinal powder, a smirk playing on his lips: "Find a kind-hearted-looking female Disciple of the Academy, give her some benefits, and have her approach Lin Chen to invite him for a cup of tea."
Hong Yan smiled, understanding perfectly.
"Young Master, I can handle such a matter myself, why bother finding someone else?"
Jiang Ye's expression hardened, and he said with an undeniable tone, "How can I let Yan'er personally come into contact with such a filthy person?"
Hong Yan's pretty face lit up with joy, and she excitedly ran out with the packet of medicinal powder.
Guan Yunyao, standing nearby, noticed the slight change in atmosphere.
Jiang Ye... seemed to be in a good mood?
However, from what she had learned about him these past few days, he was probably brewing some mischief in his heart!
Jiang Ye lightly propped his chin, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"Yao'er, come quickly, accompany this Young Master to watch a good show."
...In front of the Dao Discussion Platform.
Lin Chen hung his head low, the scorched black marks on his face resembling centipedes, blurring even the contours of his eyebrows and eyes.
He stood before the Elder's desk, his voice low and hoarse, "Loose Cultivator Lin Chuan, here to ascend."
The registering Elder frowned, his gaze sweeping over Lin Chen's face, showing a hint of disdain, but he didn't ask further.
He simply drew a line on a Jade Slip, recording the name "Lin Chuan."
The surrounding crowd chuckled and discussed animatedly.
"Tsk tsk, that appearance... it's even scarier than a ghost!"
"He's probably some Freak that crawled out of a desolate mountain or wilderness, isn't he?"
Lin Chen listened to the harsh mockery around him, but remained expressionless, only clenching his fists in his sleeves.
To hide his identity and seize the Opportunity.
This was a necessary sacrifice!
Endurance!
At this moment, a clear female voice broke the chuckles.
"Fellow Daoist, please wait."
Everyone was stunned.
They saw a clear-faced female Disciple, dressed in the Academy's plain clothes, walk over, holding a cup of light tea.
She looked at Lin Chen, and there was no disgust in her eyes, but rather a hint of complexity and admiration: "Just now, I observed Senior Brother's calm demeanor, unlike others who are so impetuous. I... offer you a cup of tea, as a wish for your smooth ascension."
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding people were even more dumbfounded.
"Has she gone mad? She actually invited this ugly ghost to tea?"
"Could she be blind?"