After finishing the pill refinement, Ye Chen gazed at the freshly forged ten high-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills with a satisfied smile. By now, his pill-refining skills had reached an almost flawless level. Most of the pills were high-grade.


    After storing the pills in his storage ring, Ye Chen stepped out of his room. The maid hurriedly reported, "Master Ye, Fairy Lin is still waiting outside."


    Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled. It seemed Lin Ke''er had been provoked after all. If he had no value, she likely wouldn''t have waited outside. Instead, she would have probably been eager to sever ties with him immediately. But since he could still afford to give Lu Jing such valuable gifts, his worth had clearly shifted in her eyes.


    Now, Lin Ke''er seemed determined to reclaim him, but that wouldn''t be easy.


    A sarcastic smile curled on Ye Chen''s lips as he walked toward the door.


    "So it''s you, Fellow Daoist Lin. I apologize for the delay, I was just at a critical moment in pill refining."


    Seeing Lin Ke''er, Ye Chen politely expressed his apologies, though his tone was cold and formal, using the "Fellow Daoist Lin" address that made her feel even more alienated.


    Lin Ke''er could feel the distance in his words and attitude, and her heart clenched with anger. It had only been a month since she left, yet Ye Chen''s attitude had changed so drastically. He knew she was angry but still hadn''t come to see her once. What a scumbag.


    But Lin Ke''er had come today with a clear purpose: to reclaim Ye Chen, the simp. Suppressing the anger in her chest, she forced a smile and spoke in a much softer tone, "It''s no trouble. Of course, refining pills is more important…. Anyways, I came to invite you to dinner, Fellow Daoist Ye. Shall we go now?"


    Her plan was simple. By taking the initiative to invite him for a meal, she would show her active interest, something she had never done before. She was certain that Ye Chen would be pleasantly surprised by her gesture. It would be easy for her to regain control over him.


    But when Ye Chen heard her words, he couldn''t help but chuckle. Lin Ke''er really thought of him as a loyal simp. A few nice words, a dinner invitation, and she believed she could reel him back in? Where did she get the confidence from?


    Facing the confident Lin Ke''er, Ye Chen shook his head. "Never mind, I am busy today."


    Lin Ke''er widened her eyes, still wanting to say something. However, before she could speak, footsteps approached from behind. To her surprise, a smile appeared on Ye Chen''s usually indifferent face.


    Lin Ke''er immediately turned her head. A mature woman, with a voluptuous figure and a radiant smile, walked toward the door, her movements causing ripples in the air. It could only be Lu Jing.


    "Fellow Daoist Ye, today I plan to make braised pork. With this beast meat, once prepared correctly, it is incredibly flavorful; rich without being greasy, lean without being tough…." she said, her voice smooth and inviting.


    Mid-sentence, Lu Jing appeared to notice Lin Ke''er and, with feigned surprise, called out, "Ke''er, you''re here too? How fortunate! Come, join us. I''m sure Fellow Daoist Ye would not mind."


    Lin Ke''er''s face darkened. She had invited Ye Chen to dine at a grand restaurant but he had refused. Yet now, he seemed to prefer the food prepared by Lu Jing, that insufferable woman. How had Lin Ke''er ever been treated in such a manner before?


    She shot a cold glance at Lu Jing, who feigned warmth, before turning on her heel and walking away. Lu Jing, watching the scene unfold, secretly delighted in her victory.


    Lin Ke''er hadn''t given up, but was still too proud to lower her stance. It wouldn''t be long before she would surrender, and at that point, Lu Jing would no longer need to worry about Ye Chen being snatched away. Perhaps it was because of Lin Ke''er''s visit, but today Lu Jing seemed unusually eager.


    The weather was hot, and the kitchen was no less stifling.


    To cool herself, Lu Jing adjusted her skirt, revealing her cleavage. She lifted the hem of her dress, showcasing her long, plump, and flawless legs, which shone with a radiant whiteness. She sent Ye Chen another wave of "benefits."


    This sight pleased Ye Chen in a subtle way. The only regret was that, in the cultivation realm, it seemed there was no such thing as black stockings. If only….


    In the following days, Ye Chen''s life remained as calm and steady as ever. He spent his time cultivating, refining pills, enjoying fine cuisine, and observing the "benefits" that Lu Jing brought him. Though there were no electronic devices, his life was far more comfortable than in his previous world.


    As for Lin Ke''er, she had not appeared for the past couple of days. Ye Chen paid no heed. For he had already seen through Lin Ke''er. He knew that all he had to do was continue sending Lu Jing a few more valuable gifts in front of Lin Ke''er, to provoke her into taking action. Lin Ke''er would inevitably come around on her own.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ...


    One morning, Ye Chen awoke leisurely. After finishing his cultivation, he checked the contents of his storage ring. He had bought a storage bag just last week, so his supply of spirit stones was running low, and he couldn''t afford to send any extravagant gifts. For now, he would stick to giving pills and save up spirit stones. Next week, once he had enough, he would buy a better speed-based escape spell.


    While lost in thought, there came a knock at the door.


    "Young Master, open the door. Your father has come to visit."


    It was clearly the voice of Manager Zhang.


    Huh? Why had his biological father suddenly appeared?


    Ye Chen felt a rush of panic. After a brief hesitation, he hurriedly went to open the door. As soon as it swung open, he saw not only the corpulent Manager Zhang standing there, but also a middle-aged man with a stern expression and a murderous aura about him. He seemed somewhat familiar, resembling Ye Chen himself.


    Recalling his past memories, Ye Chen immediately spoke, "Father, you arrived just in time! I''m out of spirit stones, quickly give me some...."


    As soon as Ye Chen spoke, the previously solemn middle-aged man''s expression faltered.


    Manager Zhang, watching this exchange, immediately understood why Ye Tianhe was such a formidable figure, while his son was a complete waste. This level of indulgence was far too excessive. If his own son had dared to speak like that, he would''ve likely been slapped to death on the spot.


    Manager Zhang suppressed his laughter and bowed to Ye Tianhe. "Fellow Daoist Ye, I shall take my leave now."


    Ye Tianhe nodded courteously.


    Once Manager Zhang had left, Ye Tianhe stepped into the room, his face darkening as he glared at Ye Chen. "I''ve heard that you''ve taken a liking to a female cultivator, sending her pills every day, and even gave her the ''Dragon Elephant Fist'' I bought for you?"


    It seemed as though he was on the verge of taking action.


    Ye Chen quickly shook his head. "No, Father, it''s not like that! It''s that there''s been a female cultivator pestering me all along! After all, I take after you; handsome as one can be! It''s no wonder I have women bothering me every day! I have no idea who''s spreading those rumors about me. Jealousy, it must be jealousy!"


    Seeing that Ye Tianhe didn''t quite believe him, Ye Chen hastened to confirm, "Father, look at my vitality…."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Chen activated the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique. His blood and qi surged, boiling with power.


    Ye Tianhe''s eyes brightened as he observed the blood energy. Ye Chen''s vitality was exceptionally high, his flesh and blood appearing dense and solid, far exceeding the effects of ordinary external cultivation. It was clear that he had indeed cultivated the Dragon Elephant Hand. There was only one copy of the Dragon Elephant Hand. Therefore, the idea of him giving it away was nothing but nonsense.


    Immediately after, Ye Chen relaxed his cultivation so that Ye Tianhe could feel his aura. "Father, take a look again. I''m almost at the fifth level of Qi Refining. If I were handing out resources to others, how could my cultivation be growing so quickly?"


    Ye Tianhe sensed carefully, his eyes lighting up. Ye Chen was indeed close to a breakthrough. A smile spread across Ye Tianhe''s face, genuine joy evident in his expression. "Good, good, good. My son is finally showing some promise."


    Ye Tianhe had come to Silver Moon Market to collect a delivery. When he first arrived, he overheard the attendants in the shop gossiping about his son, spreading rumors and talks. It had angered him greatly. His son… a simp? He had given away cultivation resources and even a precious external technique like the Dragon Elephant Fist?


    If that were true, Ye Tianhe had been prepared to show Ye Chen just what a father''s love truly meant. After all, the boy''s spiritual roots were poor. He knew there was nothing that could be done about that since it was natural; thus being something no one could blame him for. But to be a simp? That was unforgivable.


    Fortunately, all those rumors were false. If his son had really given away the Dragon Elephant Fist, how could he possibly possess such surging blood and qi now? As for giving away resources, that was even less likely. Ye Tianhe knew his son''s talents all too well. Without sufficient resources, there was no way Ye Chen could have broken through so quickly.


    Relieved, Ye Tianhe affectionately patted Ye Chen''s shoulder. "Son, you must never become a simp! There was a friend of mine back in the day who fell for a female cultivator and gave her everything. His entire fortune, his future, everything. Then, after only a month of being Dao partners, my friend got injured. The injury wasn''t serious at first. If he''d simply bought some pills and rested for a year, he''d have recovered easily.


    "But that night, the female cultivator secretly packed up his belongings and fled with his savings. If it weren''t for my help, my friend might not have survived that year. Because he lacked resources for healing, his vital energy was severely damaged, and his cultivation fell from late Qi Refining to mid Qi Refining. His life was essentially ruined.


    "Son, you''re still young, and with me around, no matter how many mistakes you make, there''s always time to fix them. But if you become a simp, there''s no saving you."


    Ye Tianhe was genuinely worried about Ye Chen becoming a simp. He warned him gravely, recounting a cautionary tale.


    Ye Chen, listening intently, nodded in agreement. In his past life, he''d seen countless similar situations. If nothing went wrong, it was fine. But once things did go south, the other party would just take the money and run. They wouldn''t even have enough for a divorce settlement.


    Ye Chen made a firm promise. "Father, you can rest assured. I, Ye Chen, will never be a simp in this lifetime."


    Ye Tianhe looked at his son, satisfied by his resolute words. He had originally worried that Ye Chen, leaving the family to go to Silver Moon Market, might struggle to adjust. But to his surprise, Ye Chen seemed to be in even better shape than he had been at the family compound. His progress was also greater. This was an unexpected delight.


    With a pleased smile, Ye Tianhe took out a long sword from his storage bag, its blade gleaming with a blue-green light, and handed it to Ye Chen.


    "This is the Clear Wind Sword, a high-grade magic weapon. I''ve spent everything I earned this year to buy this weapon. Silver Moon Market is too close to the mountains, so there''s always a chance that demonic beasts might appear. If anything happens, this will help you protect yourself better."


    A high-grade magic weapon?


    Ye Chen was immediately thrilled. If he gave this to Lu Jing, multiplied its value tenfold, wouldn''t he skyrocket in strength? Seeing his son''s excitement, Ye Tianhe''s mood improved even more.


    However, if he knew what Ye Chen was thinking, he''d likely wish to smack this ungrateful son on the spot and start over with a new character!