The multitude of Divine Emperor powerhouses, who had been nervously watching the proceedings, were all deeply startled, having never expected Ye Chen to knock out Bai Yijun and then proceed to cut out his own heart.

"Could he be..." The South Sea Divine Buddha paused for a moment, then let out a long sigh, lowering his gaze and murmuring to himself, "What is love in this world..."

At the edge of the cliff valley, Ye Chen gripped the heart in his hand, his palm trembling slightly, his expression somewhat pale and haggard. His chest felt hollow, as if something vital had been suddenly lost, an indescribable sense of discomfort and searing pain washing over him.

Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He slowly opened the runic space and retrieved an exquisite brocade box from within, carefully placing the heart inside. This heart contained potent life essence; though separated from Ye Chen's body, it was still beating fiercely, holding within it the essence of over a million years of lifespan!

Ye Chen closed the box and tucked it into Bai Yijun's sash. The action was arduous; after securing the brocade box, he was already gasping for breath, drenched in sweat, his lips bleached white, utterly worn out. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes gazing tenderly at her peerlessly beautiful face. He raised a slightly trembling hand to caress her smooth, soft hair and whispered gently, "From now on, you must live well. I will always be with you..."

Back when he was in the Hall of Geniuses, he had used his access privileges to search through extensive data and discovered a method to cure the Blood Moon Virus. However, this method was almost no method at all: it required someone to willingly give their heart to construct a new physical shell for the recipient, and then guide the recipient's Soul Qi from their soul into this newly formed shell to save their life!

The first prerequisite was that the lifespan contained within this heart needed to exceed a million years; otherwise, the heart would likely wither and collapse before the Soul Qi could be successfully guided over.

The second, and most crucial prerequisite, was that the residual consciousness within the heart had to be entirely without resentment or regret, carrying not the slightest hint of reluctance or resistance. Otherwise, the fragile Soul Qi might be scattered and dispersed by the lingering thoughts within the heart before it could even be transferred, leading to the soul's complete disintegration.

Across countless civilizations, researchers had only ever found this one method. Scientific inquiry confirmed the physical existence of the soul, weighing roughly one gram, and above the soul, there existed an even finer ethereal gas known as Soul Qi.

This Soul Qi was the only element that could not be infected by the Blood Moon Virus, and it was the foundation of a life force!

Once the Soul Qi was guided into the heart, it would transform into a plump infant. As the Soul Qi nourished it, the heart would gradually grow into a physical body, reverting to the subject's original form, indistinguishable from before—though this process required a full ten years!

The reason this method was deemed impractical was due to the two prerequisites, the first being relatively simple, while the second was overwhelmingly difficult. It was known that anyone whose lifespan exceeded a million years was almost invariably a powerhouse on the level of a Divine Being. Such strength was earned through immense difficulty; no one would willingly sacrifice their own heart for another.

Once separated from the heart, even a Divine Emperor would perish and vanish.

With the ability of Bai Tian, he could easily issue a grand proclamation, offering immense wealth. While some might offer their heart to protect a loved one, such a heart would inevitably carry underlying thoughts—even if offered willingly for reward, there would always be some other motive present.

The moment even the slightest impurity—be it lingering attachment or avarice—existed, the most vulnerable Soul Qi would be violently dispersed, resulting in immediate demise.

Even finding a Bai family disciple passionately devoted to Bai Yijun, or someone wildly infatuated, offered little chance of success. If such adoration was mingled with respect or worship, while the sacrifice might be technically "uncomplaining," these multitude of complex emotions would still shatter the Soul Qi.

As for erasing the thoughts from the heart: Bai Tian certainly possessed the capability, but erasing the inherent notions would diminish specific necessary traits within the heart. Once these thoughts were removed, the heart would become unusable, as those very notions were required to protect the fragile Soul Qi during the critical transfer phase.

This technique was originally invented by an ancient civilization's great scientist, Tox Latt. It was an inherently contradictory experiment, and throughout history, no one had ever succeeded in its application.

Ye Chen did not know if his attempt would succeed, but even with only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, he would not abandon it. Gritting his teeth, he managed to lift Bai Yijun's delicate body. Without his heart, the blood within his body seemed to cease flowing, and his limbs felt weak and powerless. Biting his lower lip, he summoned all his remaining strength, carrying Bai Yijun back toward the courtyard.

Everyone watched Ye Chen and the delicate girl in his arms.

In just those few steps, Ye Chen was already drenched in sweat, feeling overwhelming exhaustion and drowsiness. Biting down hard, he carried Bai Yijun to where Bai Tian stood, gently placing her on the ground. After gazing at her for a moment, he slowly straightened up, standing somewhat unsteadily before Bai Tian.

"Please, help me guide her Soul Qi onto the heart," Ye Chen managed, his voice low and ragged with breathlessness.

The onlookers were visibly moved, their hearts struck with awe.

Bai Tian furrowed his brow, studying Ye Chen for a moment before nodding slightly. "Are you certain your heart harbors no other thoughts?"

Ye Chen nodded silently.

"You must understand, if you harbor even a flicker of reluctance, a single desire for reciprocation, or any heartbreak, it will shatter the fragile Soul Qi," Bai Tian stated coldly.

Ye Chen offered a bitter smile. "The deed is done. Better to try than not. I harbor no regrets. If you believe someone else is more suitable, I have no objection."

Bai Shi fell silent.

A suitable person? If one could be found, he would have located them five years ago; why wait until now?

"Amitabha," the South Sea Divine Buddha sighed softly. "Benefactor Ye, is this truly worth it? With your innate talent, ascending to the rank of Divine Emperor is an absolute certainty!"

"When you have someone you love, perhaps you will understand," Ye Chen smiled, then coughed, spitting a spray of blood onto his chest. This agitated his internal organs, and a sweeping, intense agony surged through his entire body, as if his muscles were cramping. He involuntarily sucked in a sharp breath, large beads of cold sweat beading on his forehead, forcing himself to suppress any cry of pain.

The South Sea Divine Buddha sighed again. "Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, desire—these are all vain attachments that lead one into the sea of suffering. I, this old monk, severed them long ago to reach the Pure Land. However, Benefactor Ye's actions today have deeply moved me. In our Buddhist doctrine, we speak of feeding the tiger to raise it, cutting one's flesh to feed the hawk. Such fearless, benevolent compassion is present in you, Benefactor Ye. I wonder if you would consider joining our monastic order? Upon your passing, I will ensure your soul is guided toward rebirth."

Ye Chen wanted to smile, but the corner of his mouth only twitched slightly before a spike of pain shot through his chest. He could only shake his head. "Thank you for your kindness, Master. I am too accustomed to freedom; the monastic life is not for me. Please inform my sister not to mention what happened today. Tell her I am in seclusion and we will meet again in a million years."

The South Sea Divine Buddha sighed. "Do you have any final wishes that I might fulfill for you?"

Ye Chen was about to shake his head when a thought suddenly struck him. He glanced sideways at Bai Tian, his expression hesitant. The South Sea Divine Buddha noticed his hesitation and straightened his posture, announcing loudly, "As long as you name it and I can accomplish it, I will certainly see it done!"

The others present also perceived the subtle shift and began echoing the sentiment loudly.

"Yes!" "Speak up! If the 'Dragon Soul Demon Pillar' can manage it today, we will help you!" "I can guarantee it for you!"

Each person spoke up, their voices resonating with powerful conviction. Ye Chen's actions had profoundly shaken everyone present. Moreover, they were already somewhat displeased with Bai Tian's demeanor regarding the preceding actions. Now, fueled by a shared sense of righteous indignation, they urged Ye Chen on.

Ye Chen swept his gaze across the crowd, offering a faint smile. "Thank you all for your goodwill. I do indeed have one matter I need to trouble you with."

"What is it?" "If we can do it, we certainly will!" "Little fellow, speak boldly, and I will vouch for you!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

Ye Chen nodded slightly, glancing at Bai Tian’s impassive face, noting he seemed oblivious to the underlying implication in their words. Without further preamble, Ye Chen pulled his hand and opened the runic space. Inside, Bai Long, Mo Feng, Xu Tianguo, and others were seated within the runic spacecraft, wearing virtual reality helmets. Ye Chen called out softly, his voice imbued with a touch of divine power, instantly reaching their ears and startling them awake.

"Ye Chen!" "Hey, why is your face so pale?" "What happened to you?"

Bai Long and the others quickly removed their helmets, immediately noticing Ye Chen's abnormal condition. They instantly moved, appearing before him. As soon as they stepped out of the runic space, they gasped in alarm, feeling as if they were suddenly surrounded by dozens of tigers—a crushing pressure that made their scalps tingle.

Ye Chen turned to look at the South Sea Divine Buddha. "These are my friends. I sincerely request that you help escort them safely to the headquarters of the Spiritual Civilization. I would be eternally grateful."

After saying this, he bowed slightly. When he raised his head, he instantly noticed that the South Sea Divine Buddha and the others present were looking at Bai Long and the others with bright, intent eyes, carrying a trace of complex emotion.

"Good, good, good!" The South Sea Divine Buddha uttered three 'good's in succession, then looked at Ye Chen with a gentle smile. "Benefactor Ye, this old man has an impertinent request; I wonder if you might grant it?"

Ye Chen's eyes flickered, and he nodded. "If I am capable of doing it, I will certainly do my best."

The South Sea Divine Buddha smiled widely. "I wish to take these friends of yours as disciples. Are you willing to allow this?"

Take disciples? Ye Chen paused, momentarily stunned.