Perfect Imagination, A Surrender Thought Arises, Suddenly Feeling the World is Vast

Compared to Han Qianxue's stubbornness, Ye Chen was so sensible it was almost heartbreaking.

Unfortunately, he guessed wrong—Chen Yi wasn’t some envoy from the Upper Realm sent to hunt down fugitives who had escaped their tribulation. In fact, he himself was also a wanted criminal by the Immortal Ascension Tribulation!

But since Ye Chen believed he was, then he might as well play the part.

"The place you mentioned, hiding many fugitives who achieved immortality without enduring their tribulation—is it this 'Multiverse Crossers' Mutual Aid Chat Group'?"

Ye Chen caught on immediately and played along: "Yes. I know you’ve already uncovered this secret and gained access to my connections, but if you rashly use my identity to arrest the fugitives, you might alert them. The slightest disturbance would make them wary, and catching them afterward would be far more difficult!"

"If you need me, I’m willing to assist in the arrest operation. Upholding the laws of the Upper Realm is everyone’s duty!"

Ye Chen was doing his best to prove his worth, his attitude of repentance impeccable.

It was clear—his bones were steeped in fear of the Immortal Ascension Tribulation and reverence for this so-called "Upper Realm Envoy" before him!

And why wouldn’t he be? This man radiated the faint aura of the Immortal Ascension Tribulation!

Ye Chen knew this scent all too well—it was etched into his soul. Even if the other party concealed it, he’d recognize it instantly.

No mistake about it. This aura was so pure, one might as well say this man was the Immortal Ascension Tribulation itself, given human form!

After all, Ye Chen had been struck dead by the tribulation once before. If he was wrong this time, he’d eat his words!

This man was undoubtedly an inspector sent by the Immortal Ascension Tribulation to investigate—and capture him.

But when had he been discovered?

...

Probably back when he was loitering around the edges of the Immortal Realm.

At the time, he’d felt a faint unease but failed to grasp the warning in his intuition. Instead, he’d been misled by the chat group’s "Primordial Heavenly Brush" into thinking it was just some immortal’s lingering obsession spying on him—leading him further and further from the truth.

Only now, caught red-handed, did everything click into place.

Primordial Heavenly Brush, old friend… you’ve truly ruined me!

If I’m going down, you’re not escaping either!

Heh heh heh…

The moment the thought of defecting arose, the world suddenly felt vast and open!

Now, Ye Chen wasn’t afraid anymore. The chat group was useful, but it always felt unstable—like treading on soft clouds, one misstep away from plunging into an endless abyss!

After all, every unearned gift in fate came with a hidden price tag, and he might not be able to afford it.

But if he could cling to this Upper Realm inspector’s coattails… humiliating as it was, at least he’d be stepping onto solid ground!

A humble origin wasn’t shameful—true strength lay in adaptability!

And what kind of man would willingly remain beneath others forever?!

Selling out his comrades in exchange for a clean slate—one day, he’d rise with the wind and wash away this disgrace!

In a way, Ye Chen’s Dao heart was unshakable: ruthless, pragmatic, and willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

Such a man was terrifying.

Chen Yi watched him calmly. "You’re truly willing to cooperate? From what I know, that chat group is full of your closest friends, your sworn brothers."

Ye Chen bowed deeply. "Do I seem like the kind of man who cares about such things?"

Once he chose betrayal, he’d see it through to the end. Half-heartedness and duplicity would only make him untrustworthy.

As for whether Chen Yi might discard him later, fearing his ambition?

That wasn’t a concern. Only the worthless were cast aside—he’d prove his value.

And just as Ye Chen predicted, Chen Yi wasn’t worried about his treachery. The world was vast and strange—the heavens didn’t fear the sting of a mayfly, and even a jagged rock had its uses.

In short, it didn’t matter. Obedient? Use him as labor. Disobedient? Toss him into the variables. The rise of the Violet Star Immortal Realm was an unstoppable tide, requiring countless stepping stones to pave its way.

Some of those stones, through effort or luck, might wash ashore—where the view was breathtaking, the temptations endless, and the risks just as vast. How they navigated it was up to them.

With that in mind, Chen Yi smiled faintly. "Good. You may return and await further instructions. Your performance will determine your role."

Ye Chen bent at the waist, saluting respectfully. "As the Envoy commands!"

"The top ten spots on the Peak Ranking are shared between Ling Xiao and me. To erase his influence, we need to introduce Chen Yi as an external threat..."

"But the problem is, Ling Xiao is hyper-vigilant against Chen Yi. The slightest move makes him bristle. How can I secretly use Chen Yi behind his back and emerge as the ultimate victor?"

"Ugh, my head itches—feels like a brain’s about to grow..."

In a corner of the Primordial Chaos Creation Disk, a little golden dragon crouched, scratching its horns in frustration, its mental gears grinding to a halt.

"Ah! Got it!"

[One Pickled Fish (Supreme and Unrivaled Peak Rank #1) initiated a flash-private chat with Can’t-Gain-Weight Brat (Noble Peak Rank #2): Lingxi, later in the group, steer the conversation toward Xu Jinghong. Mislead the mole, got it?]

[Message read. Information erased.]

[Can’t-Gain-Weight Brat (Noble Peak Rank #2) sent a flash photo.]

The little golden dragon opened it.

[(Smugly grinning while tucking hands into sleeves.jpg)]

[View and vanish.]

Little Golden Dragon: "..."

Why use a flash photo for a meme?

So wasteful!

After calming its excitement for mischief, the dragon calmly began warming up the chat in their small group.

[One Big Happy Family (Former Multiverse Crossers' Mutual Aid Chat Group #6)]

[One Pickled Fish (Group Owner, Supreme and Unrivaled Peak Rank #1): @everyone, comrades, are we all ready?]

[Can’t-Gain-Weight Brat (Noble Peak Rank #2): Always ready. But boss, Xu Jinghong’s still trapped in that ominous state. If we’re making our move, shouldn’t we help him out first?]

[One Pickled Fish (Group Owner, Supreme and Unrivaled Peak Rank #1): True. But you just focus on preparations—I’ll handle the solution.]

[Murong Dugu (Peak Rank #6): Boss, can you at least tell us what to prepare? My blade’s sharpened, but I’ve got no clue what to do with it...]

[Top Critic (Peak Rank #9): Hard, is it? Is the blade sharp enough?]

[Fallen Lord of Ruined Rivers (Peak Rank #8): Holy—! That’s an angle I never considered. A natural talent, unbeatable no matter how hard I try!]

[Primordial Heavenly Brush (Peak Rank #7): Not hard enough!]

[Eight Kidneys of Steel (Peak Rank #10): Not trying hard enough!]

[Miss Han of Gaodao (Peak Rank #11): Not not enough!]

The moment the mole spoke, the entire group fell silent.

Though the group owner hadn’t spelled it out, the old-timers here were cunning enough to read between the lines.

After years of stability, Han Qianxue was the only one who recently exhibited unusual behavior. If she isn’t the mole, then who else could it be?!