During her time in the mountains, Lin Ke''er had learned a few tricks for concealing her presence and muffling sound. So, upon hearing voices from within the courtyard, she remained silent and refrained from entering rashly. She wondered if perhaps it was a thief or a rogue cultivator. If that were the case, she would need to alert the patrol team.


    However, after listening closely to the conversation, Lin Ke''er furrowed her brow slightly. She had already recognized the identities of the two voices. One was Lu Jing. The other… was Ye Chen. What were they doing here?


    Before she left, she had clearly informed Ye Chen that she was heading into the mountains. Knowing that she wouldn''t be around, why had Ye Chen still come? Unless… Ye Chen had already taken an interest in Lu Jing.


    The thought made Lin Ke''er feel a surge of disgust towards Ye Chen. And, by extension, her distaste for Lu Jing only grew. Though she had never been interested in Ye Chen and had already planned to sever ties with him, his actions now left her deeply disappointed.


    All the affection he had shown before? It seemed it was nothing more than a fleeting attraction to her appearance. How foolish she had been to believe he was a good person!


    As for Lu Jing—what a shameless woman! She had to steal from her, didn''t she? Had she never seen a man before?


    Lin Ke''er had originally intended to treat Ye Chen to a meal as a way to express her gratitude for his past kindness. But now, that seemed utterly unnecessary. The sight of them together stirred a feeling of betrayal in her. After all, Ye Chen had been so kind to her before. He had given her everything. And now, after just a month of her absence, he had already turned his affections elsewhere. Who could stand such a thing?


    However, the anger only lasted a moment. Lin Ke''er quickly regained her composure. After all, she no longer cared for the gifts Ye Chen had given her. They were things she hadn''t even wanted. Since Lu Jing desired them, then let her have them.


    With that thought, Lin Ke''er found her anger dissipating completely.


    In fact, she almost wanted to push open the door, offer her best wishes to the two, and then go to bed. She was curious to see the awkward expressions that would soon grace their faces.


    …


    Just as Lin Ke''er was about to push the door open, Lu Jing''s voice rang out again.


    "Fellow Daoist Ye, you''ve said as much, I really can''t refuse any longer. Since that''s the case, I''ll accept it."


    Lin Ke''er couldn''t help but sneer inwardly. It was nothing more than a bottle of mid-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill. Something she didn''t even value. In the future, she could easily buy better Qi-Nourishing Pills for herself, with far better effects. Yet, Lu Jing was still so excited over such a low-tier pill. It was clear—she and Lu Jing were no longer from the same world.


    With this realization, Lin Ke''er couldn''t help but feel a sense of superiority, looking down on her. But in the next moment, the contemptuous smile on Lin Ke''er''s face vanished entirely. Her expression faltered.


    Because Lu Jing''s voice came again from the courtyard: "In a few days, I plan to move. This storage pouch, with a full cubic meter of space, is just enough to fit all my things. I''ll move closer to the center for safety, and also to be nearer to where Fellow Daoist Ye resides. This gift from you, Fellow Daoist Ye, truly pleases me."


    A storage pouch? A storage pouch with one cubic meter of space? Ye Chen had given Lu Jing a one-cubic-meter storage pouch?


    Lin Ke''er''s eyes widened. She knew full well how expensive a storage pouch was. In the herb-gathering team, only the leader had a storage pouch, and it was barely half a cubic meter. Yet it could hold anything, making it incredibly convenient. Especially for her, who always had to carry everything with her—her pills hidden on her body, which was always a hindrance to movement. The elegance of being able to simply slip a storage pouch on the waist, without the need to carry anything, had always been something Lin Ke''er envied.


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    But a storage pouch started at fifty low-grade spirit stones. After a month of grueling work in the mountains, she had earned barely over twenty low-grade spirit stones. To buy one would take two to three months of near-exhausting labor. It was simply impossible.


    Yet here was the crux of it: The very storage pouch she had longed for was now being effortlessly given to Lu Jing by Ye Chen. And not just any pouch—a storage pouch worth one mid-grade spirit stone, with a full cubic meter of space.


    This…


    Lin Ke''er''s mind was in a state of utter confusion at that moment. Her hands trembled slightly. In a whole month, she had only earned a handful of low-grade spirit stones.


    And what of Lu Jing? Without doing anything, she had received a storage bag worth a mid-grade spirit stone? Had she not ventured into the mountains… would Ye Chen have given this storage bag to her? Certainly! So, had her trip into the mountains, where she fought for her life, only led to a loss?


    In the face of the storage bag Ye Chen had gifted, Lin Ke''er felt as though all her efforts over the past month had become a cruel joke. But before Lin Ke''er''s disoriented mind could fully recover, Lu Jing continued speaking, delivering an even greater shock.


    "Last time, Fellow Daoist Ye gave me a defensive spell worth a mid-grade spirit stone. This time, you gave me a storage bag. I truly don''t know how to properly thank Fellow Daoist Ye Since Fellow Daoist Ye likes the meals I prepare, how about you come by every day for dinner? Or I could cook for you every evening after work? It''s the only way I can express my gratitude to you. It''s no trouble at all. I also enjoy dining with Fellow Daoist Ye. You''re so witty, and your conversations are always so entertaining."


    "…"


    Upon hearing this, Lin Ke''er''s expression turned even more incredulous. In the month she had been away, Ye Chen hadn''t just given away a storage bag. He had also given away a defensive spell worth a mid-grade spirit stone? In other words, in just a single month of her absence, she had missed out on a spell and a storage bag?


    Lin Ke''er couldn''t accept it. If she had not gone into the mountains, all of these things would have been hers. She had ventured into the mountains for resources, only to return to find that the wicked woman had stolen her home, causing her to lose even greater resources.


    At the mere thought of this, Lin Ke''er felt as though she were on the brink of madness. Hadn''t Ye Chen already lost his value? Before she left, hadn''t Ye Chen been unable to even produce a single pill? How could this be? Why had this happened?


    The defensive spell was something she so desperately needed. And the storage bag—she needed that even more. These things were meant to be hers!


    Lin Ke''er no longer carried her usual calm demeanor, serene and poised like the most delicate of chrysanthemums. Instead, fury surged within her, reaching heights beyond the clouds. She despised Lu Jing. That vile woman, seizing the chance while she was away to steal her home, had sunk to the lowest of depths.


    Those things were hers! How dare she accept them? Spit them out!


    Yet, at the same time, Lin Ke''er''s anger toward Ye Chen grew even fiercer. How could Ye Chen give away what was meant for her to someone else? Was this not the same Ye Chen who had once been so infatuated with her? How could he have so easily changed his heart?


    Lin Ke''er was certain—Lu Jing must have seized the opportunity to sow discord while she was gone. Even so, Ye Chen had disappointed her terribly. Was he so easily swayed by another''s interference, to the point of giving away the gifts meant for her? It was nothing short of betrayal. This was a transgression beyond forgiveness…


    Consumed by fury, Lin Ke''er could no longer contain herself. With all her might, she shoved open the door, the heavy sound of it crashing against the frame echoing through the air.


    At the sight of Lin Ke''er''s return, Lu Jing''s expression faltered for the briefest moment, her panic showing. But it was quickly replaced by a smile.


    Lin Ke''er had come back, had she? But so what? Ye Chen, that clever fool, was already under her control. You arrived too late!


    Meanwhile, Ye Chen, standing off to the side, remained composed. Though the scene resembled that of a moment caught in infidelity, did it not? But was he truly that pathetic? Why would he fear Lin Ke''er''s misunderstanding?


    Besides, having cultivated the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, which enhanced his internal organs and sharpened his senses, Ye Chen had already sensed Lin Ke''er lurking outside long before the door had been thrown open.


    Lin Ke''er had expected them to be flustered, to offer explanations when they saw her. But instead, both of them, calm as ever, merely gazed at her.


    This only fueled Lin Ke''er''s rage further. With a voice laced with indignation, she demanded, "Fellow Daoist Ye, how could you give away what was mine?"