I and countless versions of myself simultaneously travel through time.

Soon, the two arrived at Butian Peak, where the clouds seemed to reach the sky. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a majestic mountain rose abruptly from the ground, with palaces and pavilions faintly visible on its summit. The spiritual energy was so dense that it almost solidified into a tangible substance.

Ye Yan and Lü Yang lowered their swords and stepped onto the bluestone steps at the summit. Chen Xin'an had been waiting outside the palace gate for a long time. Dressed in white, with a handsome face, he bowed respectfully with his hands clasped, his attitude impeccable.

Chen Taihe knew that his son had been missing for a long time. Although he had doubts, Ye Yan gave him a big "surprise" by bringing Chen Xin'an back safe and sound.

Upon seeing his son return, Chen Taihe, without saying a word, gave all the cultivation resources he had accumulated over the years to Chen Xin'an to help him break through his bottleneck.

Chen Xin'an's cultivation level improved by leaps and bounds, reaching the late stage of Qi Refining in just a few months, making him one of the best among the younger generation of Butian Peak.

That's the advantage of having connections!

Ye Yan feigned surprise and cupped his hands, saying, "Congratulations on your breakthrough, Junior Brother Chen! Junior Brother Chen is indeed a prodigy, a role model for us all."

Chen Xin'an smiled modestly, but a look that only Ye Yan could understand flashed in his eyes: "It's all thanks to Senior Brother Ye for doing good deeds."

That was a clever way of putting it; it sounded like polite talk, but it also seemed to be hinting at something.

Chen Xin'an then looked at Lü Yang, sized him up, and nodded in praise: "Junior Brother Lü is also a handsome man of our Holy Sect, with an extraordinary demeanor."

Lu Yang quickly returned the greeting, but in his heart he was thinking...

This family is indeed shrewd; they speak with perfect tact.

Moreover, a year ago, Chen Xin'an immediately knelt down and surrendered when he begged for mercy.

It's that black banner!

Lü Yang thought about it carefully.

Senior Brother Ye is the worst of the worst!

Ye Yan stepped into the main hall of Butian Peak. This place was the territory under the control of Peak Master Chen Taihe. He had the final say on the allocation of resources, the promotion of disciples, and the distribution of tasks within the peak.

The interior of the hall was simply furnished yet imposing, with a huge landscape painting hanging in the center. The spiritual energy emanating from the painting was faintly visible, clearly indicating that it was a high-grade magical artifact.

Chen Taihe sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a black Taoist robe, with a square face and piercing eyes.

Ye Yan walked in, neither humble nor arrogant, bowed respectfully, and said, "Father-in-law, it is I, Ye Yan."

Chen Taihe was stunned for a moment.

He started talking about his father-in-law right away?

He squinted and carefully examined the young man in front of him who called himself his "son-in-law".

Ye Yan was dressed in a blue robe today. The fabric was ordinary, but he wore it with an air of refined elegance.

He had a handsome face, eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like bright stars, and a faint smile on his lips. He exuded a gentle and harmless aura.

Despite being called a disciple of the Demonic Sect, he was more like a well-read young master from a prestigious family.

Chen Taihe knew about this disguised facade.

This is someone from the Holy Ancestor!

Chen Taihe probed with his divine sense to check the grade of Ye Yan's true energy. Upon seeing this, his pupils contracted slightly: Grade Two?

Moreover, it is a solid and stable second-grade cultivation technique, with a foundation so profound that it doesn't seem like that of a Qi Refining cultivator.

His brows furrowed at first, then relaxed, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

Ye Yan openly admitted that he was practicing a second-grade cultivation technique, without any concealment or modesty, so frank that no one could find fault with him.

Chen Taihe quickly calculated in his mind: a second-grade cultivation technique could lead directly to the Golden Core stage, this kid's future was limitless, this marriage was definitely worthwhile.

Ye Yan appeared respectful, but inwardly he sneered: Old man, not only your daughter, but I'll also take your wife with me.

Chen Taihe's initial serious scrutiny gradually transformed into a smiling and kind elder, as if the young man before him were his long-lost son.

Ye Yan also smiled, a gentle and harmless smile. The two smiles collided in the hall, creating an eerie harmony in the air.

"My dear son-in-law Ye," Chen Taihe chuckled, his tone as warm as if he were addressing his own nephew, "I apologize for coming empty-handed today; I have failed to provide adequate hospitality."

This is a polite way of saying it, but the meaning is quite straightforward.

What about a gift for meeting?

Ok? !

Answer me!

Ye Yan cursed the old beast in his heart, but a look of guilt appeared on his face, as if he had really forgotten about it.

He quickly took out a jade slip from his storage bag, presented it with both hands, and his posture was respectful.

Chen Taihe took the jade slip and scanned it with his divine sense. The smile on his face froze for a moment. The jade slip contained a technique for resisting tribulation, which could resist the lightning tribulation of the late Foundation Establishment stage. Although it was only a "minor block", in a place like the Holy Sect where lightning tribulations were frequent, it was already a rare life-saving method.

Lu Yang stood aside, watching this scene, speechless.

The look Ye Yan gave him was clearly saying: Junior brother, you have to work harder too.

Lu Yang guessed that Ye Yan's enthusiasm for him was most likely for the Hundred Lifetimes Book.

Anyone with eyes can see what Ye Yan is after, who contacts him every day, gives him resources, and helps him improve.

It can't be because he's good-looking, right?

How could a cultivator be ugly?

Chen Taihe scanned the jade slip several times with his divine sense, confirming that its contents were true and reliable. He could no longer hide his smile and grinned from ear to ear.

Ye Yan sighed at the opportune moment, his tone tinged with disappointment: "Alas, so my father-in-law is not satisfied? Then I will prepare a more generous gift next time."

"Good! Good! Good! Excellent!"

Chen Taihe quickly waved his hand, took out several jade slips from his storage bag, and stuffed them into Ye Yan's hand.

But after a quick calculation, he realized it was actually his creation!

What does this mean?

This is a benefactor.

Ye Yan scanned the area with his spiritual sense, and a slight thought stirred within him.

These jade slips contain the technique of substitution for tribulation in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, specifically designed to guard against the harm of the Bifeng.

The so-called Bifeng is a tribulation that arises from within a cultivator's body when breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage. It is formless and intangible, yet it can blow up from the five internal organs until the soul is scattered. Compared to external lightning tribulations, Bifeng is even more difficult to defend against.

Before breaking through, every Foundation Establishment cultivator needs to prepare the Two Gangs and Two Shas. The Two Gangs and Two Shas are used to resist external calamities, while the Two Shas are used to resolve internal disasters and can also increase one's innate supernatural abilities.

The Bifeng is a life-or-death tribulation that Foundation Establishment cultivators must go through.

This wind is extremely strange and strange. It enters through the fontanelle on the top of the head and penetrates the dantian and nine orifices in an instant, eroding the soul inch by inch. In just one breath, it is enough to make a person's soul fly away and their body and spirit perish!

Only by establishing a solid foundation can one withstand the might of the fierce winds and stabilize one's own roots.

Therefore, when a cultivator breaks through a realm, even if the first step of ascension fails, there is still a glimmer of hope for survival. However, if the second step of foundation building fails, death is certain.

Ultimately, if one's foundation in the Dao is not yet established, the soul has nothing to rely on, and facing the Bifeng directly is a dead end with no room for maneuver.

Previously, viewing it as a mental demon was merely a case of being blinded by a leaf, failing to see its true nature. This is the ultimate test of a cultivator's foundation by the Heavenly Dao, not a tribulation of will, but a life-or-death test of life and death.

There are only thirty Immortal Positions available. With so many cultivators vying for these thirty positions, it means that the vast majority of people will never be able to attain an Immortal Position in their entire lives. The four major powers alone have more than a dozen Immortal Positions available.

Above these thirty positions, there are five supreme positions, which are truly ordained by Heaven.

If Ye Yan is going to take it, he wants the Supreme Fruit position.

He has the ambition and the confidence to back it up.

As a veteran mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Chen Taihe has extensive experience in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Ye Yan was willing to become Chen Taihe's "son-in-law" because he valued Chen Taihe's experience and resources.

In the original novel, Chen Taihe later died under the lightning tribulation, dying in an extremely aggrieved manner. His wife had an affair with Lü Yang and even came up with some kind of "Two Bodies in One Mind Technique," engaging in a series of outrageous actions, ultimately bringing about her own demise.

His whole family is a mole!

Ye Yan and Chen Taihe walked to a side hall on one side of the main hall, avoiding the crowd.

Chen Taihe whispered to Chen Xin'an, "Tell her to prepare quickly and not be late. I need to take good care of Xiao Ye."

Chen Xin'an nodded in agreement.

Chen Taihe then led Ye Yan to a secret room. The room was small and simply furnished, with only a tea table and a few futons.

Ye Yan was suspicious. Could this old man be planning to search his soul? He became wary.

Chen Taihe simply poured himself a cup of tea and waved his hand, saying, "Don't be nervous, have some tea."

Ye Yan took the teacup, took a sip, and then began to play the victim.

He embellished his recent string of bad luck and misfortunes, speaking in a bitter tone and with a sorrowful expression, looking like a pitiful person abandoned by fate.

"Father-in-law, you may not know this, but recently I've offended some powerful figure. I keep tripping and falling, even my cultivation has gone awry, and I choke on water until my lungs hurt. In my opinion, this is no ordinary bad luck; someone is manipulating my merit and fortune. Who else in the world could possess such power besides that Master Hongyun?"

After listening, Chen Taihe put down his teacup, pondered for a moment, and said solemnly, "That scoundrel Hongyun is indeed adept at manipulating fate. Don't worry, leave this matter to your father. Although I am not talented, I have been involved in the Holy Sect for many years and still have connections. If Hongyun really dares to touch my son-in-law, I will let him know that Butian Peak is not a place where he can act arbitrarily. You should focus on your cultivation. Breaking through to the early stage of Foundation Establishment is the most important thing. As for other miscellaneous matters, your father will handle them for you."

Upon hearing this, Ye Yan immediately clasped his hands in gratitude, tears streaming down his face: "Thank you so much, Father-in-law! I have no way to repay you. I will do my best to be filial to you in the future and will never dare to slack off in the slightest. I will take care of you for the rest of your life."

He lowered his head, his eyes slightly red, his voice choked with emotion, so sincere that even he almost believed it.

"It's good that you have the intention." Chen Taihe was delighted and used his magic to help him up.

The two exchanged a glance.

Chen Taihe cursed inwardly: This little fox, her acting is more real than the real thing.

Ye Yan cursed inwardly: This old beast, he talks a good game, but who knows what he's up to behind the scenes.

But the smiles on their faces were more sincere and kind than the other's.