Ye Chen paid no mind to the two women behind him, still stunned by what had just transpired. Once he confirmed that no disgusting remnants had clung to him, his gaze shifted toward the female cultivator who had stirred the pot earlier.

  Upon sensing Ye Chen's eyes upon her, the female cultivator's body trembled. Her voice quivered with disbelief, as she could hardly fathom how a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining had perished so easily at Ye Chen's hands.

  "Please, please don't kill me…. I'm willing to serve you as a maid, to work for you for a lifetime… Please…."

  Before the female cultivator could finish her pleading, Ye Chen raised his hand and pointed. A bloody hole exploded at the center of her forehead, and she collapsed to the ground in despair.

  Ye Chen looked down at her lifeless body, his expression impassive. She thought she had the right to become my servant, even though she was inferior to Lu Jing and Lin Ke’er? What a beautiful fantasy. He moved to the male cultivator's corpse and retrieved the several storage pouches from earlier.

  Ye Chen had no intention of keeping them for himself. Instead, he planned to return them to his family. It would certainly count as a contribution, one that might help secure him a place in the Green Cloud Sect.

  He lifted his gaze. At this point, the terrifying roars of the demon beasts were growing ever closer, nearing the very heart of Silver Moon Market.

  Ye Chen turned to look at Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er, who were still somewhat dazed, and spoke calmly, "Do you want to come with me to Green Cloud City?"

  Only then did the two women snap out of their stupor.

  Lu Jing nodded without the slightest hesitation. Lin Ke'er, too, had no qualms. The impact of Ye Chen's actions had shaken her deeply. She had once believed she would surpass Ye Chen eventually. But now, the gap between them was widening with each passing moment. Ye Chen was undoubtedly a genius. At that moment, Lin Ke'er's mindset had undergone a drastic transformation.

  Another thunderous roar of a beast echoed, shaking their very souls. Along with that, the sounds of countless cultivators' screams and wails filled the air. From the intensity of the noise, it was clear the danger was now within five hundred meters.

  Lin Ke'er and Lu Jing were filled with fear, yet a deep sense of regret lingered in their hearts. If only Ye Chen hadn't given that flying boat to Sun Ruoxin. Then they could have fled aboard it directly.

  Sun Ruoxin must have known something would happen, which was why she had wanted to take the flying boat. There was no way it could have been a mere coincidence. That wretched woman!

  "Fellow Daoist Ye, that Sun Ruoxin wanted the flying boat, she's practically condemning us to death!" Lin Ke'er exclaimed, her voice trembling with frustration.

  "Fellow Daoist Ye, you treated Sun Ruoxin so well, yet she repays your kindness with malice. Such a wicked woman! She clearly wanted to kill you, Fellow Daoist Ye! I have never seen such a venomous woman!" Lu Jing joined in, her voice filled with disdain.

  The two women, despite their differences, took the opportunity to vent their anger at Sun Ruoxin. After all, they had competed with each other for Ye Chen's favor for so long, with no clear victor. But Sun Ruoxin was different. She had connections, which was an advantage that posed a much greater threat to both of them. Thus, in this moment of danger, they had no qualms about uniting against a common enemy.

  Ye Chen listened to their words, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips. He did not respond to them, but instead, he immediately summoned the flying boat granted by the system. The moment the boat materialized, the two women fell silent, their eyes wide in shock.

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  Ye Chen had summoned yet another flying boat! And this one was even more extravagant. It stretched a full ten meters in length and three meters in width, its entire body a deep, glossy black. It was large enough to carry dozens of people. This wasn't a mere flying boat, but a flying ship!

  How could Ye Chen possess something so luxurious? Could it be that Ye Chen's father had discovered a spirit stone mine?

  The two women stood there, completely stunned, their mouths agape. Amidst the shock, Lu Jing felt a surge of excitement. She had already made up her mind about Ye Chen. His strength and wealth would only benefit her. On the other hand, Lin Ke'er's already fragile defenses were now on the verge of collapse.

  As the sounds of the beasts grew ever louder, Ye Chen climbed aboard the ship and calmly issued an order: "Let's go!"

  The two women quickly followed.

  Though the Celestial Moon Tower Ship could withstand attacks from Foundation Establishment cultivators, Ye Chen had no intention of testing his luck. It was better to leave now.

  With a gentle flick of his hand, Ye Chen controlled the ship, which shot upwards in an instant. He stood high above, watching as a towering ten-meter-tall giant ape wreaked havoc upon Silver Moon Market. To a cultivator in the Qi Refining stage, the beast was like an unstoppable force, and they were no more than helpless ants.

  Elsewhere, countless other cultivators engaged in pillaging, setting fires, and killing indiscriminately. Silver Moon Market was beyond saving.

  Ye Chen gazed down at the place where his journey had begun, a brief sense of nostalgia in his heart. But that sentiment quickly passed, replaced by eager anticipation.

  Green Cloud City was even more prosperous, and the Green Cloud Sect would surely have even more high-ranking female cultivators. An environment that would be far more beneficial for his system. Only in places like that would he truly thrive.

  With that thought, Ye Chen felt no further attachment to the current situation. He guided the ship swiftly, leaving Silver Moon Market behind.

  ...

  High above the sky, another more rudimentary flying boat sped forward. Onboard, three people sat, their faces etched with expressions of relief from surviving the calamity.

  Sun Ruoxin, her head lowered, had slightly reddened eyes. Though she had never liked Ye Chen, his willingness to give her the flying boat without hesitation had left her conflicted. And now, she had been the one to sever his path forward.

  The guilt weighed heavily on her heart, making her feel that she had wronged him terribly. As her fingers brushed over the bracelet Ye Chen had gifted her, she murmured softly, "Ye Chen, I owe you an apology. When I break through to Foundation Establishment, I'll help the Ye family and repay the kindness you've shown me."

  Sun Ye, who was piloting the ship, heard his daughter's words and spoke gently, trying to console her, "Don't be too hard on yourself. Even if Ye Chen had a flying boat, with his cultivation, he wouldn't have been able to fly far. If he encounters a bandit cultivator in the wilderness, it's only a matter of time before he meets his end. Helping you is the biggest honor in his life. Don't dwell on this too much. Don't let it affect your cultivation."

  Upon hearing this, Sun Ruoxin nodded firmly. No matter how much Ye Chen had cared for her, he was nothing more than a passing figure in her life. She had promised to help the Ye family in the future, so, in truth, there was no debt left between herself and Ye Chen.

  "Alright."

  With those words, Sun Ruoxin completely pushed Ye Chen from her mind and began to look forward to her life upon returning to Green Cloud City and joining the Green Cloud Sect.

  ...

  Two days later.

  The Sun family arrived at Green Cloud City. After having their identities confirmed, they entered the city. Sun Ye settled his daughter in a comfortable inn, then immediately set off with an alchemist to the Green Cloud Market in Green Cloud City. This was the main branch of the Green Cloud Market.

  Since Sun Ye had returned, it was time to deliver the goods. At the same time, Sun Ye also needed to meet his master. However, after a full day, Sun Ye returned to the inn, his expression dark and brooding.

  Sun Ruoxin, still waiting eagerly for good news, immediately noticed something was wrong when she saw her father's face. Hastily, she asked, "Father, did Master refuse to take me as his disciple?"

  Sun Ruoxin knew that the only way for her to enter the Green Cloud Sect was through this route. Her cultivation talent was of the middle grade. And the Green Cloud Sect had countless cultivators. Those without high-tier spiritual roots couldn't even qualify as outer disciples.

  Thus, Sun Ruoxin needed to use this backdoor. If an elder from the Green Cloud Sect took her as a disciple, she could directly become a disciple of the Sect. This had been Sun Ye's plan all along. But why, after everything had seemed certain, had there been a change?