Indeed, with the gifting of this spell, Ye Chen''s worth in Lu Jing''s eyes soared exponentially.


    "If you insist, I shall accept it shamelessly…." Lu Jing''s voice was sultry and dripping with allure as she spoke.


    At that moment, a notification sounded in Ye Chen''s mind.


    "Gift successfully given!"


    "Gift: Golden Light Technique."


    "Processing rewards...."


    "Tenfold feedback, awarding Majestic Heavenly Dragon Shield."


    "Gift analysis detected: The gift significantly exceeds the recipient''s expectations, causing a substantial emotional impact, triggering a critical reward!"


    "Reward includes one day of guidance from the first abbot''s phantom of the Heavenly Dragon Temple on the cultivation method of ''Majestic Heavenly Dragon Shield.''"


    "Note: As the host lacks storage equipment, physical rewards will be temporarily stored in system space, available for retrieval at any time."


    Heavenly Dragon? Though it included ''Shield,'' just the name suggested it was far superior to the Golden Light Technique. A massive gain. Not to mention the critical hit triggered, thus giving him guidance from an ancient power of an unknown era.


    At this moment, Ye Chen couldn''t be happier.


    Seeing Ye Chen''s joyful demeanor, Lu Jing naturally assumed his happiness stemmed from her acceptance of the gift. She thought that Ye Chen was clearly smitten by her charms, but she was not one to become complacent.


    She had managed to steal Ye Chen away from Lin Ke''er, which suggested that Ye Chen''s affections were not deeply rooted. If she wasn''t careful, someone else might captivate him just as easily. Thus, she resolved to intensify her efforts to make Ye Chen utterly infatuated with her.


    Lu Jing was about to speak further when Ye Chen said, "Since Fairy Lu is pleased with the gift, focus on your cultivation. I shall take my leave now."


    As he spoke, he bid her farewell and departed.


    Lu Jing watched him go, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Considering how elated Ye Chen had been, it seemed unlikely he would want to leave so abruptly. Surely, he must be stepping away to allow her to master the spell more quickly. His thoughtfulness touched her.


    However, despite her sentiments, Lu Jing shook her head internally. Regrettably, the cultivation world was one of survival of the fittest, and neither Ye Chen''s personal strength nor his family''s backing provided her with any sense of security. He was unsuitable to be her dao companion. Her ideal partner would be someone at the Foundation Establishment stage, someone who could truly make her feel safe.


    As for the Golden Light Technique, Lu Jing had no intention of cultivating it herself. She planned to sell it instead. Disliking combat and having no intention of venturing into the mountains, she found little use for the spell. It would be more practical to exchange it for spirit stones to purchase things she truly needed.


    The exchange had to be done discreetly, though. If Ye Chen were to find out, he would undoubtedly be hurt, and that could adversely affect how he viewed her.


    "A spell worth a medium-grade spirit stone could easily fetch seventy low-grade spirit stones. That''s nearly a year''s income in one go, truly marvelous." Lu Jing thought to herself, her mature face breaking into a richer smile at the prospect of such a windfall.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ...


    Near the Silver Moon Market, within a mountain range not too far away, Lin Ke''er, dressed in a practical outfit and appearing somewhat weary yet spirited, was eating. Despite the exhaustion of the week, her spirits were high.


    "Just one week in, and I''ve nearly earned five low-grade spirit stones," she mused. "If I stay in the mountains for a month, I should collect at least twenty. Indeed, to gather resources, one must take risks. Lu Jing, who fears danger and confines herself to the market, will never get ahead."


    Lin Ke''er was very satisfied with her current gains, even feeling that she should have ventured into the mountains sooner. While Ye Chen had been sending her pills each month, they were hardly worth much in spirit stones. Their value was barely more than one per week.


    That totaled only about five a month!


    But by venturing into the mountains, she had already earned five in just one week. She regretted wasting time on the meager benefits Ye Chen had offered.


    Now, Lin Ke''er no longer valued the help that Ye Chen provided. Thinking of Lu Jing''s hopeful look, Lin Ke''er couldn''t help but smile arrogantly.


    "To give up someone like Ye Chen to you, what does it matter?"


    She had promised to treat Ye Chen to a meal, and she wouldn''t go back on her word, especially considering the real dangers in the mountains. One of her teammates had already been killed in a beast attack.


    If not for the Dragon Elephant Fist and Sword Finger Technique that Ye Chen had given her, which significantly boosted her strength, she might have been injured herself and wouldn''t have harvested as much.


    Although Ye Chen was no longer of use to her, Lin Ke''er didn''t see herself as a heartless realist. She would still honor her promise to dine with him.


    However, moving forward, she planned to focus on her cultivation and mountain expeditions, keeping her interactions with Ye Chen to a minimum. The gap between them was widening, and it was pointless to foster false hopes only to disappoint him later.


    Lin Ke''er considered herself kind. Now was her time to rest, and she didn''t need to keep watch tonight. After finishing her meal, she found a spot at the temporary campsite and fell into a deep, gratifying sleep, feeling the sweetness of rest earned through hard work.


    …


    "Majestic Heavenly Dragon Shield!"


    "This technique allows the conversion of spirit qi into the formidable Heavenly Dragon Buddha Force, manifesting a protective phantom of a Heavenly Dragon that envelops the entire body, providing exceptionally strong defense that spells of the same level can hardly break through."


    "Moreover, the Heavenly Dragon phantom can also be used for offensive purposes, capable of injuring or trapping enemies."


    "The Majestic Heavenly Dragon Shield is particularly effective against demons and malevolent entities, offering enhanced suppression."


    Ye Chen was unaware of Lin Ke''er''s thoughts deep in the mountains. Or rather, he had almost forgotten about her. For Ye Chen, whether it was Lu Jing or Lin Ke''er, there wasn''t much of a difference, except for the fact that Lu Jing had a more impressive figure and was willing to show it off, providing a feast for the eyes, which he found more appealing than Lin Ke''er.


    Now, holding the system-awarded "Majestic Heavenly Dragon Shield" jade slip against his forehead and reading its description, Ye Chen''s eyes lit up. The capabilities were formidable, being a spell that could defend as well as suppress.


    However, the technique was challenging to cultivate, requiring profound understanding and conversion of the Heavenly Dragon Buddha Force, typically only manageable by those well-versed in Buddhist teachings.


    But Ye Chen was not concerned. He had the critical reward from the system: a phantom of the Heavenly Dragon Temple''s abbot to provide personal instruction. What was there to worry about?


    So, Ye Chen immediately sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate the technique. Soon, a faint golden light began to flicker around him….


    In the following week, Ye Chen''s life returned to tranquility. His days were filled with alchemy, cultivation, and practicing spells. His days were enriching and pleasant.


    Lu Jing visited him every other day with unmatched enthusiasm and affectionate eyes, looking at him as if he were her beloved. She even planned with Ye Chen another meal at her home the day she received her salary next week.


    Ye Chen had no objections. Lu Jing''s cooking was excellent, and that day would also mark the end of the cooldown period for giving gifts. This time, however, he couldn''t afford to give a spell.


    He planned to continue giving pills and saving up spirit stones, reflecting somewhat ruefully on his financial situation. If only he were wealthier, he would be able to give away spells or cultivation techniques weekly, which were of much higher value.


    Even if sold, they would bring in a lot more money. Now, he regretted having to use the precious tenfold feedback on pills.