"Gifted successfully!"


    "Gift: Ten middle-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills."


    "Returning feedback...."


    "Tenfold feedback, reward: One hundred middle-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills."


    Back in his room, Ye Chen had no trace of sorrow on his face. Listening to the system''s notification, he nodded contentedly. Lu Jing had indeed provided the tenfold reward. With this, Lin Ke''er''s importance had significantly decreased in his mind.


    However, the female cultivator from Green Cloud Shop, who had a fifteenfold feedback, still lingered in Ye Chen''s thoughts. After all, the extra five times was no small matter. Over the course of years, that would amount to an astronomical sum. Not to mention, many things couldn''t be measured simply by spirit stones.


    For example, gifting spells. The difference between a tenfold and a fifteenfold reward was like heaven and earth. For the female cultivator from Green Cloud Shop, Ye Chen had already formed an idea after seeing Lu Jing''s actions.


    He had also done some inquiries over the past few days. The person in charge of Green Cloud Shop was Sun Ye. And Sun Ruoxin was his daughter. Sun Ye was rather greedy, but his talisman-making skills were decent.


    He had once been an outer disciple of the Green Cloud Sect. It seemed he had been injured during a sect competition and was unable to progress any further. He was then reassigned to be the steward at the Green Cloud Shop in Silver Moon Market.


    Sun Ye being so greedy made things easier. Ye Chen decided to pay the tuition and learn talisman-making from the other party.


    Unlike Lu Jing, who was an apprentice without paying any fees and had to work for the master, Ye Chen would pay to receive proper guidance, essentially hiring him as a teacher.


    Given Sun Ye''s personality, it was clear that learning talisman-making from him would not be cheap. But once the connection was established, Ye Chen could also meet Sun Ruoxin, thereby gaining access to the fifteenfold feedback channel.


    This would be a further fivefold increase in the feedback reward. The small tuition fee would easily be recouped.


    Ye Chen had no doubts about his choice. As for whether learning talisman-making would be a waste of time now that he was already an alchemist, Ye Chen thought it didn''t matter much.


    The more skills, the better. If he could learn, that would be great. If not, then it didn’t matter, since his main target was the fifteenfold feedback from Sun Ruoxin. However, since for now, his savings were still insufficient, he needed to accumulate more before proceeding.


    …


    The next morning, Ye Chen continued his usual routine of cultivation. Though he was always full of energy and vitality when he woke up, he wasn''t in a rush because he understood the value of delayed gratification.


    The cultivation world was full of dangers. Only cultivation and strength mattered; everything else, including women, was trivial. They would only hinder the speed of his cultivation. Once he became stronger, what couldn''t he enjoy?


    So unless the system''s cold, detached notifications demanded it, he wouldn''t bother to leave the house to meet female cultivators.


    However, by the afternoon, Lu Jing came again. She came under the pretense of caring for Ye Chen, offering him comfort.


    On the third day, Lu Jing came by again, conveniently passing by on her way home from work to check on Ye Chen. On the fourth day, she even brought Ye Chen the first talisman she had crafted herself, a "Clear Evil Talisman."


    In the cultivation world, souls and spirits were very much real. If a cultivator died in a place with special conditions, by sheer chance, they could turn into something strange, a distorted form of their former self.


    The "Clear Evil Talisman" was highly effective against such aberrations. Lu Jing practically came by every day. She always found reasons to check on Ye Chen. She thought this continuous barrage of attention had to yield results.


    After all, if a mature and curvaceous woman sought you out every day, most male cultivators would surely entertain impure thoughts. They''d begin to wonder if the other person was interested in them.


    Not to mention, Lu Jing crafted a persona for herself, sending small yet meaningful gifts, like the talisman, that carried sentimental value. Add in her inherent allure, and it was a winning combination. Most male cultivators would fall for it.


    Ye Chen''s reactions were exactly what Lu Jing expected. In the previous few days, he had been in a melancholic mood, occasionally gazing longingly in the direction of the mountain peaks during their conversations.


    However, his spirits had improved considerably since then. His gaze towards Lu Jing had grown warmer, more intense. He no longer mentioned Lin Ke''er, acting almost as if he had fallen out of love. His shift in attitude made Lu Jing overjoyed.


    The progress of her plan to conquer Ye Chen was faster than she had imagined. In truth, Lu Jing felt a little contemptuous of Ye Chen. Though she acknowledged her own charm, she couldn''t help but feel that Ye Chen had changed his affections far too quickly.


    Was this real love?


    Earlier, Lu Jing had thought Ye Chen''s feelings for Lin Ke''er were sincere, and part of her had even felt a touch of admiration. But now, she only saw him as a lecherous fool. It was clear he simply liked attractive women. She had shown him a little affection, and just like that, Ye Chen had moved on from Lin Ke''er, abandoning his previous attachment.


    But despite her disdain, Lu Jing couldn''t help but feel pleased. This was exactly the result she wanted to see. The sooner she captured Ye Chen''s heart, the sooner she could secure more resources to support her cultivation. Only then would she be able to rapidly improve and break free from the constraints of her apprentice contract.


    As the evening of the sixth day arrived, Ye Chen voluntarily saw off Lu Jing, his reluctance evident in his actions. He even seemed to hesitate for a moment, wanting to escort her back home.


    However, Lu Jing politely refused. "Fellow Daoist Ye, there''s no need to send me. If you have time tomorrow afternoon, do come by my house for a meal. I have some beast meat from a demon beast. If I stew it and pair it with spirit rice, the flavor will be exquisite. My culinary skills are quite good. You must try it.”


    Ye Chen''s face lit up with delight, and without any hesitation, he nodded in agreement. "I''d be honored."


    Seeing the eager look on Ye Chen''s face, Lu Jing''s heart skipped a beat.


    ''Too easy. He''s practically in the palm of my hand. Lin Ke''er, your little simp is indeed quite something, but he''ll soon belong to me.''


    Lu Jing felt satisfaction as she bid Ye Chen farewell.


    As she walked away, Ye Chen couldn''t help but smile as he admired her graceful, swaying figure. Her methods were indeed far superior to Lin Ke''er''s. Inviting him over for a meal…. The very act would stir expectations in any man.


    "Lu Jing must like me."


    But even though Ye Chen had been moved, he knew better than to fall for such simple tricks. It wasn''t that he didn''t appreciate her attention; more that he saw through her intentions.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Nonetheless, he could trigger the tenfold return again tomorrow. He decided to, as Lu Jing had expected, give her a little surprise, one that might also trigger some great feedback rewards.


    "Let''s see if it’ll be a critical hit."


    ...


    The next day, after completing his cultivation tasks, Ye Chen spent the afternoon refining a batch of pills. Then, he set off for Green Cloud Shop. When he arrived, the attendant who had previously helped him recognized him immediately.


    "Fellow Daoist, what can I assist you with today?" the attendant asked politely.


    Ye Chen smiled and asked, "I''m looking for your steward. Is he here?"


    Last time, the steward, Sun Ye, had shown him a defensive spell, Golden Light Technique, which had worked quite well. Ye Chen had decided that today, he would purchase that spell.


    Even though he already had offensive spells, a defensive one was necessary to complete his arsenal. In the future, he also planned to purchase speed-enhancing spells. The idea was to develop comprehensively in all areas.


    During the purchase, he would also take the opportunity to familiarize himself with the people here, letting them know he had the means to spend. This would come in handy when he would eventually seek to learn about talisman-making from them.


    The attendant, recognizing Ye Chen''s face, didn''t ask further. Instead, he simply nodded and went to fetch Sun Ye from the back.


    Soon, Sun Ye appeared and greeted Ye Chen warmly, inviting him upstairs to the second floor.


    Chapter 24: The Greedy Sun Ye


    Sun Ye clearly remembered Ye Chen, which was why he immediately led him upstairs, greeting him with a broad smile.


    "Did the Sword Finger Technique work well for you last time? Were there any difficulties during your cultivation? If you want some guidance, a few spirit stones will do the trick."


    Ye Chen smiled and shook his head. "I''ve already mastered the Sword Finger Technique, so there''s no need for guidance."


    "This time, I''ve come to buy a defensive spell," Ye Chen added casually.


    Sun Ye''s smile grew wider upon hearing that. "A defensive spell? Well, in that case, I have just the one for you, Golden Light Technique."


    "This spell originates from an ancient Buddhist sect and is a foundational defensive technique," Sun Ye continued, his voice growing more animated. "It can cover your entire body, with no blind spots. Even your feet are protected! Moreover, the golden light it emits also has the effect of driving away evil spirits, so you won''t have to worry about sneak attacks from ghosts or demonic creatures. Once you''ve cultivated it to perfection, you''ll be nearly invincible among Qi Refining cultivators. Very few people will be able to hurt you, and you''ll stand undefeated from the very beginning."


    Sun Ye was pushing hard, clearly eager to make a sale.


    Ye Chen was becoming even more certain of his suspicions. When the time came to learn talisman-making, paying money would likely solve most of the problems.


    As for Sun Ye''s exaggerated descriptions of the Golden Light Technique, Ye Chen was not buying them for a second. It was clear that Sun Ye had inflated the technique''s abilities by a massive margin. But that didn''t matter since he wasn''t planning to actually cultivate this spell.


    Feigning the curiosity of a novice, Ye Chen asked, "Senior, how much does this Golden Light Technique cost?"


    Sun Ye extended a finger confidently. "One middle-grade spirit stone!"


    Ye Chen''s lips twitched. "Shouldn''t it be around eighty lower-grade spirit stones?"


    Sun Ye immediately shook his head. "I''m telling you, this technique is incredibly effective. Many outer disciples of Green Cloud Sect cultivate the Golden Light Technique."


    "I was once an outer disciple of Green Cloud Sect myself. Do you really think I''d lie to you?" Sun Ye continued, lowering his voice as though to emphasize his sincerity. "One middle-grade spirit stone is already a very fair price. Even if you were in Green Cloud City, that''s what it would cost. You won''t find it any cheaper. It''s simply impossible to lower the price."


    Ye Chen nodded, signaling that he believed Sun Ye, but then spoke with determination. "Eighty lower-grade spirit stones."


    Sun Ye immediately flared up, his face turning red with anger. "Didn''t you hear what I just said? This is the price!"


    Ye Chen inwardly scoffed, Trust you? Not a chance.


    Still, he maintained a friendly demeanor and replied, "In that case, I''ll take a look at other spells first, just to compare. It''s not that I don''t trust you, Senior, it''s just that my spirit stones are a bit tight."


    Sun Ye, an old man who wasn''t even a female cultivator, was clearly not going to give ten times the feedback, so every bit he could save would count.


    Seeing Ye Chen''s resolve, Sun Ye knew he was about to leave, so he sighed in frustration. "Fine, you get it for eighty, but I’m only giving you this discount because you’ve bought from me before."


    Ye Chen immediately grinned, pulling out eighty lower-grade spirit stones from his pouch and handing them over to Sun Ye. Afterward, he quickly stashed away the Golden Light Technique. This would be a gift for Lu Jing later this afternoon. He was curious to see what kind of feedback he would receive from her.


    Sun Ye, having received the spirit stones, was in a good mood, clearly satisfied with the deal. He felt like he had made quite a bit of profit.


    Ye Chen then pondered for a moment and asked, "Senior, I''ve heard that your talisman-making skills are quite profound, one of the best in Silver Moon Market."


    Sun Ye rolled his eyes. "What do you mean ''one of the best''? In a small place like Silver Moon Market, if I say I''m second, no one would dare claim to be first."


    Clearly, Sun Ye was confident in his talisman-making skills.


    Ye Chen nodded in admiration and then asked, "Then, Senior, if I wanted to learn talisman-making from you, how much would you charge for your guidance?"


    Sun Ye gave Ye Chen a strange look. "You''re an alchemist, what do you want to learn talisman-making for?"


    Although Ye Chen hadn''t used his face to sell himself at Green Cloud Shop, the faint scent of medicinal herbs and elixirs that clung to him was unmistakable. Sun Ye could tell immediately that he was an alchemist.


    Ye Chen gave a rueful smile. "Though I''m an alchemist, my skills in alchemy are quite poor.... So I was thinking of trying my hand at talisman-making to see if I have any talent for it."


    Upon hearing this, Sun Ye couldn''t help but sneer inwardly. In the cultivation world, there were too many people who were not focused or dedicated like Ye Chen. They would try a bit of everything, hoping for a stroke of luck.


    There were plenty of such people even in Green Cloud Sect. Today they''d study alchemy, tomorrow it was talisman-making, and the next day they''d turn to artifact forging. But in the end, they accomplished nothing.


    However, Sun Ye thought that if a fool like Ye Chen came knocking on his door, he might as well take advantage of him.


    Sun Ye pondered for a moment, then said, "I don''t take apprentices, but since I find you somewhat agreeable, I don''t mind offering some guidance. Here''s the deal: five middle-grade spirit stones, and I''ll give you one lesson a week, teaching you the basics of talisman-making."


    Upon hearing this, Ye Chen didn''t hesitate to clasp his hands and bid farewell.


    This is a rip-off, a total rip-off! One month, four lessons—five middle-grade spirit stones? That''s over a middle-grade spirit stone per lesson. You might as well be asking for the moon!


    Seeing Ye Chen leave with determination, Sun Ye quickly waved his hand. "Alright, alright, I''ll lower the price. Three middle-grade spirit stones."


    Ye Chen didn''t slow his pace.


    "Two! Two middle-grade spirit stones, how about that?"


    Ye Chen remained steadfast, walking even faster.


    When Sun Ye realized that Ye Chen, the young fool, was truly about to leave, he hurriedly dropped the price again. "One middle-grade spirit stone, that''s the lowest I''ll go. After all, I''m a master at talisman-making. I could easily make that much from just a few talismans. It''s only because I''m getting old that I''m willing to offer you young people a chance to learn from me."


    This time, Ye Chen actually stopped. One middle-grade spirit stone for four basic lessons was still a rip-off, no matter how you looked at it.


    As for the claim that talismans were easy money? Ye Chen didn''t buy that for a second. But what he needed wasn''t to learn the art of talisman-making. He simply wanted a way to establish a connection with Sun Ruoxin.


    This price was still within the acceptable range for him. So Ye Chen cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Senior. But this is quite a sum, so I''ll need to consult with my elders first."


    Sun Ye nodded in understanding. "Take your time, but do come soon, or I might be reassigned elsewhere."


    Ye Chen nodded in thanks and turned to leave.


    Sun Ye watched him go with a glint of excitement in his eyes. One middle-grade spirit stone for four lessons? That was a huge profit. And four lessons weren''t even enough for the basics.


    Since Ye Chen had already paid, there was no way he wouldn''t continue after that. He''d probably need two or three months to get through the beginner lessons. Then, surely, he''d want to advance to the next stage. Advanced lessons would definitely cost more, right?


    By the time all was said and done, Sun Ye would be making a pretty penny. By then, he had developed a keen interest in Ye Chen. He was curious which cultivation family this young man hailed from.


    ...


    After leaving Green Cloud Shop, Ye Chen made his way directly to Lu Jing''s residence. On the way, he casually flipped through the introduction to the Golden Light Technique. Compared to ordinary defensive spells, this one did indeed seem somewhat stronger.


    It could conjure a golden light to protect the body, but the so-called protection was achieved by lowering the strength of the attacks. If a cultivator fully activated the golden light, it would be shattered after only a few hits, and the spell consumed a significant amount of energy.


    Moreover, the spell made the user glow with golden light, making them a conspicuous target.


    That said, it did have some merits. For one, the spell activated quickly, and it was also very effective at repelling evil spirits, offering some protection against sneak attacks.


    However, the effects that Sun Ye had described were clearly exaggerated.


    Ye Chen wasn''t particularly bothered. It was merely a gift for Lu Jing, after all.


    What he intended to cultivate for himself was a defensive spell with tenfold feedback. The effectiveness of that spell would surely be far beyond what the Golden Light Technique could offer.