Ye Chen had obtained a coveted spot to enter the Green Cloud Sect. When the news reached them, both Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er were utterly shocked.

  Lu Jing, of course, was pleased. She had no grand ambitions. She simply wished to live a quiet and peaceful life.

  However, in the world of cultivation, strength was everything. Without power, one could only rely on a partner. And Lu Jing had already set her heart on Ye Chen.

  Now that Ye Chen had gained the opportunity to join the Green Cloud Sect, there was a significant chance he would break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if he didn't reach Foundation Establishment, it was highly likely he would become a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

  That would be more than enough to ensure his ability to protect her. So Lu Jing was genuinely delighted.

  ...

  Lin Ke'er, on the other hand, was in a very different state of mind. Looking at the Green Cloud Token in Ye Chen's hand, her heart was filled with regret. She had originally believed that with Ye Chen's father's death, the resources Ye Chen would have access to would drastically decrease. She even thought that the opportunity to enter the Green Cloud Sect would be out of his reach. That was why she had hesitated before.

  But she never expected Ye Chen to obtain the Green Cloud Sect's entry token after all. From now on, Ye Chen would be a disciple of the Green Cloud Sect. His future was now limitless. Not to mention, he would have vast networks and connections.

  And it was clear from Ye Chen's generous demeanor that he was a man of considerable means. This was exactly what she had hoped for in a partner. So Lin Ke'er truly regretted her earlier actions.

  When she first learned of Ye Chen's father's death, she should have done what Lu Jing did and comfort him immediately. Although she had made a poor decision, there was still a chance for redemption.

  That night, Lin Ke'er didn't hesitate for a moment, changing into a delicate white gauze dress. She quietly opened the door and made her way to Ye Chen's room. However, when she reached the doorway, she could already hear sounds coming from inside.

  "Ye Chen, you're so bad…."

  "Please... come in…."

  Lin Ke'er's face instantly flushed crimson. Lu Jing had already arrived. Hesitation surged in her heart. The scene was so stimulating that she could hardly bring herself to face it.

  But then, her thoughts turned to Ye Chen's future. She recalled how, after returning today, Ye Chen's treatment of Lu Jing had been markedly warmer than his treatment of her. If she didn't seize the opportunity now, it was very likely she'd lose her chance forever.

  Lin Ke'er was always a decisive woman. Once she had made up her mind, she raised her slender hand and gently knocked on the door.

  "Fellow Daoist Ye, are you there?"

  The strange noises within the room abruptly ceased. In the ensuing silence, Lin Ke'er faintly heard the sound of water.

  Strange….

  After a moment, Ye Chen's voice, tinged with mild displeasure, responded, "What is it? If it's not urgent, come back tomorrow."

  No one liked being disturbed.

  Lin Ke'er spoke softly, "Fellow Daoist Ye, this is my first time at the Green Cloud Sect, and I'm feeling a little scared...."

  As soon as Lin Ke'er's voice fell, there was a brief silence from within the room. But after a moment, Ye Chen's voice, now laced with a hint of amusement, came through, "In that case, come on in."

  The door to the room creaked open. Through the thin veils of the bed, Lin Ke'er could vaguely make out some shadows. But she acted as if she hadn't seen anything. With her long, silky hair flowing, she stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  ...

  The next morning, Ye Chen stepped out of his room, feeling refreshed as he stretched lazily.

  Lin Ke'er had come to his room, but of course, nothing had happened between them. After all, their relationship had been nothing more than a polite "Fellow Daoist" kind of exchange. How could anything else occur?

  Meanwhile, Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er, who had followed Ye Chen outside, exchanged awkward glances.

  Ye Chen certainly knew how to play the game. It hadn't seemed like much at the time, but now that they thought about it, it was a bit too much to bear. The two women hurriedly excused themselves and went back to their rooms to freshen up.

  Ye Chen instructed his servants to prepare breakfast, planning to eat and then focus on his cultivation. Afterward, he would take a stroll around the street to see if there were any suitable candidates.

  However, just as the servant brought the breakfast, a guest arrived. It was Ye Chen's second uncle, Ye Tianhai.

  "Second Uncle, you're here." Ye Chen glanced at him before returning to his meal.

  Lin Ke'er and Lu Jing both stood up awkwardly.

  Ye Tianhai scanned the two women. He knew these were the female cultivators Ye Chen had been pursuing in Silver Moon Market. When he had first heard from Manager Zhang about Ye Chen's antics, he had been delighted. The biggest obstacle to his own son's entry into the sect, had turned out to be a fool for women.

  Ye Tianhai had always regarded Ye Chen as a major rival, but now he was amused to see that Ye Chen was just a lovesick fool, throwing away resources on women. His focus was entirely on them, leaving him little time to cultivate or improve his alchemy skills.

  Ye Tianhai had believed the situation was settled. But to his surprise, although Ye Chen seemed a fool for women, his cultivation hadn't lagged behind. In fact, it had skyrocketed, and he had broken through to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

  Even more astonishing was Ye Chen's alchemy skills, which had already surpassed Ye Tianhai's own. It was all utterly unbelievable. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, but Ye Tianhai was unwilling to give up just yet. So, today, he had come immediately, fearing that Ye Chen had already registered at the Green Cloud Sect.

  Ye Chen, seeing that his second uncle didn't even bother to stand, felt a surge of anger rise in his chest. But remembering the purpose of the visit, he still managed to force a friendly smile.

  "Ye Chen, I have always regarded you as my own son, just as I did your father. The bond between us has always been deep," Ye Tianhai began.

  Ye Chen was taken aback. How could this man say such shameless things? It was one thing for him to target Ye Chen the day before. And he had never properly taught him alchemy, leaving countless mistakes in his guidance.

  He had even instructed Steward Zhang to scheme against Ye Chen. In that case, how could Ye Tianhai claim to see him as his son? If that were true, being his son would be a stroke of bad luck.

  Ye Chen couldn't be bothered to play these petty games in such a small family. He was no longer interested in feigning politeness. He simply spoke directly: "Second Uncle, you really have been good to me, teaching me alchemy without bothering to care about the state of the ingredients, and your method of controlling the flames was a complete mess… I really do appreciate it."

  Ye Tianhai hadn't expected Ye Chen to be so blunt. His face darkened immediately. But remembering his son's chance to enter the Green Cloud Sect, he forced a smile and said, "No, no, that must have been a misunderstanding. It could have been because I had too much to drink that day, and misspoke….

  “Anyway, the reason I'm here today is to talk about the Green Cloud Sect slot. Your alchemy talent is truly exceptional, you can even refine top-tier pills. There's absolutely no need for you to become a mere disciple!

  “You should calm down and focus on refining your skills. Once you break through to be a second-tier alchemist, you can become a guest elder directly. Isn't that status far superior to that of a regular disciple? And your younger brother, whether in cultivation or alchemy, is rather average. If he can't get into Green Cloud Sect, his life will be mediocre at best.

  “So, I'm here to discuss the matter with you. I'd like you to give your slot to Ye Feng. I'll provide three high-quality spirit stones to help you continue refining your alchemy skills. Wouldn't this be a win-win?"

  At this, Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh. So, everyone was supposed to have a bright future, huh? This man was treating him like a fool. Becoming a disciple meant being part of the family, receiving proper training and support. There were even opportunities to receive precious Foundation Establishment pills.

  And the benefits reserved exclusively for disciples were abundant. As for being a guest elder? That was just working for money, like a modern-day job. What kind of future could one have working as a servant?

  Ye Chen had almost finished his meal and couldn't be bothered to waste any more time with Ye Tianhai. He spoke coldly, "It does sound nice. Big Brother Ye Tian cultivates faster. You should go and convince him to give up his slot. Once he reaches Foundation Establishment, he can become a guest elder. With such a good deal, I'm sure Big Brother won't refuse."

  Ye Chen's words instantly caused Ye Tianhai's mouth to twitch in anger. This kid… was as stubborn as a mule. It seemed that taking the Green Cloud Sect slot from him would be more difficult than he had imagined. But just as Ye Chen stood up, preparing to leave, a steward quickly arrived to deliver a message.

  "Seventh Young Master, two cultivators who claim to be Sun Ye and Sun Ruoxin have come to visit. They say they are your friends. Should we let them in?"

  Ye Chen, who had been about to walk out, immediately halted his steps and his face revealed a surprised expression. These two knew that he had returned? After doing such underhanded things, he hadn't expected them to come looking for him voluntarily.

  Interesting….

  Ye Chen smiled lightly, then spoke. "Let them in."