The kiss lasted for dozens of breaths. When they finally parted, Lin Ke''er''s eyes were hazy.


    Ye Chen, too, felt quite satisfied. If he had to rate it, Lin Ke''er''s technique was still quite unskilled. She needed more practice. He glanced sideways, and to his surprise, the young man who had been seething with anger earlier had disappeared without a trace.


    Had the scene been too much for him to handle? This rival was still too young. If the flower already had an owner, just move on. Stubbornly clinging to one person would only lead to being disappointed.


    ...


    Lin Ke''er glared at Ye Chen with a mix of affection and reproach.


    Ye Chen chuckled softly, "Fairy Lin, you''re just too beautiful. I couldn''t help myself. I promise I won''t dare offend you again next time."


    Lin Ke''er was left speechless. She didn''t know how to respond and could only speak seriously, "If you do this again, I won''t talk to you!"


    Ye Chen nodded repeatedly, agreeing wholeheartedly. He returned to his previous, docile demeanor, obediently responding to her every word.


    This pleased Lin Ke''er immensely. Though the events of the day had unfolded differently than she''d expected, with her gaining far more than she had anticipated, it was still worth it to have Ye Chen back.


    From now on, Ye Chen would definitely shower her with gifts. As for Lu Jing? She could just forget about it.


    Lin Ke''er even began to consider how to subtly hint to Ye Chen to reclaim the gifts he had given to Lu Jing. After all, that high-grade magic tool should never have been wasted on her.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Ye Chen, smiling contentedly, escorted Lin Ke''er back home. He didn''t take her words to heart. He had said similar things in his past life many times.


    -"Just going out for a bit, I''ll definitely make it back to the dorm."


    -"Just sharing a bed, I swear I won''t do anything."


    -"Just a little tease.…"


    Anyone who believed that was a fool.


    Ye Chen was more attentive to his surroundings. He could always sense a pair of eyes watching him. This made him somewhat suspicious. Could it be that the young man from earlier hadn''t given up? There were plenty of fish in the sea, after all. To shout and threaten over a woman who was never yours, how foolish could one be?


    In his past life, Ye Chen had seen many such people. They would charge into battle for a woman, some even going as far as to ruin their own lives, ending up in prison. Yet they still thought of themselves as heroic, fighting for love.


    In Ye Chen''s eyes, these people were utterly clueless. If a woman doesn''t like you, then move on to the next.


    We are cultivators. Can''t we be a bit more mature?


    ...


    After seeing Lin Ke''er home, Ye Chen did not rush to leave. He lingered and chatted with her about cultivation.


    Lin Ke''er had spent the afternoon eagerly hoping Ye Chen would give her a gift, perhaps one of the spells or items his father had sent.


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    But alas, Ye Chen gave her nothing. The system was still on cooldown. Without the tenfold feedback, Ye Chen had no reason to give her anything.


    As evening approached, Ye Chen made his departure. However, as he was leaving, he ran into Lu Jing.


    Upon seeing Ye Chen and Lin Ke''er standing together, Lu Jing''s pupils constricted. How had Lin Ke''er managed to seduce Ye Chen again? This sent a wave of anxiety surging through Lu Jing''s heart. In recent times, she had gained immensely from Ye Chen. Spells, storage bags, and even a high-grade magic tool. She had never earned that much. Had she not experienced such luxuries, it would have been easier to endure. But now that she had tasted it, returning to her former life was simply unbearable.


    It was like many rich men courting women. At first, the women might not care about the man''s wealth, not interested in his money. But once the man took the woman to experience the joys of his riches…. The woman would soon fall prey to the temptation.


    Why?


    Before staying in a five-star hotel, even a cheap motel would suffice. But once you''ve stayed in a five-star hotel, how could you ever be content with a budget motel? The same applied here.


    Lu Jing felt that way now. Seeing the dark expression on Lu Jing''s face, Lin Ke''er couldn''t help but smile with satisfaction.


    You thought you could steal my simp, but now he''s mine again, didn''t you? What''s mine is mine, and no one can take it. Once the chance presents itself, I''ll make sure you return everything you''ve received from him.


    "Fellow Daoist Ye, I came by your place just now, but your maid said you weren''t home. Then why not join me for a meal here?"


    Lu Jing quickly adjusted her attitude and warmly invited Ye Chen.


    Ye Chen appeared conflicted, torn between three parts desire, three parts hesitation, and four parts concern. In the end, he shook his head. "Fairy Lu, not today. Perhaps next time. I''ll be on my way."


    With those words, Ye Chen left the courtyard, leaving behind two women whose expressions were far from pleasant.


    Lu Jing''s displeasure stemmed from Ye Chen''s refusal. His expression had clearly indicated that he was hesitant because of Lin Ke''er''s attitude, not wanting to appear too close. This meant Ye Chen truly valued Lin Ke''er.


    The realization deepened the sense of crisis within Lu Jing''s heart. But the fact that Ye Chen had hesitated and shown signs of attraction meant that she still held some weight in his heart. She hadn''t lost yet. She glanced at Lin Ke''er, her mind set on increasing her efforts.


    Meanwhile, Lin Ke''er''s face was equally sour. Before Ye Chen kissed her, he had promised not to call Lu Jing "Fairy Lu" in the future. But just now, he had done exactly that.


    What did this mean? Ye Chen still harbored some lingering feelings for Lu Jing. What a scumbag! He kissed me for so long, yet still thought of another woman.


    But Ye Chen had already shown how easily he could switch affections, which proved that his resolve wasn''t very strong.


    Thinking of this, Lin Ke''er''s anger lessened. Today was just the first day. As long as she put in a little more effort, she could easily make Ye Chen give up on Lu Jing. At worst, she''d just have to let Ye Chen kiss her a few more times. After all, a kiss was a kiss. She didn''t mind a few more.


    In the end, the two women exchanged looks, and the air was thick with tension. Both snorted in unison before turning and heading back to their rooms.


    Ye Chen was in good spirits, mentally giving himself a silent compliment for his acting skills. However, as he walked, his eyes narrowed slightly. Someone was watching him.


    Was it the rival from earlier? Or perhaps, because he had been giving gifts to female cultivators so frequently, his reputation had spread too widely, making him a target for bandits?


    Ye Chen silently pondered the possibilities, considering various ways to handle the situation. Eventually, he decided to offer the observer a chance.


    Ye Chen disliked the sensation of being watched by an unknown enemy. It would keep him up at night, restless and on edge.


    With the strength of his Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique enhancing his body, as well as his top-tier offensive and defensive spells, not to mention the Divine Wind set he wore, Ye Chen felt confident. His prized magic tool, the Divine Wind Sword, was always within reach. If he truly encountered a danger he couldn''t handle, escaping after holding out for a bit wouldn''t be difficult.


    This was Silver Moon Market, after all. While the patrols weren''t always reliable, they weren''t incompetent either. If worse turned to worst, he could simply approach them for help. He was, after all, a scion of a prominent family, and his family''s stores had paid their dues to the market. He''d certainly be treated with more respect than a rogue cultivator. Once he figured out who was behind this, Ye Chen had plenty of ways to deal with the intruder. So, he decided there was no real cause for concern.


    With that in mind, Ye Chen subtly changed direction, heading into a narrow alley that was usually deserted. He was preparing to bait the intruder. Not far away, a middle-aged man with a lecherous look had been keeping his eyes fixed on Ye Chen. When Ye Chen turned into the alley, the man''s eyes lit up.


    The sky had darkened. The opportunity had come.