4: Chapter 4: Senior Sister Needs to Cooperate a Few More Times

Ye Qingcen wore a standard "green tea-style smile" on her face, neither cold nor warm, and her voice was soft: "Senior Brother Chen is too polite. Such a precious Medicinal Pill is something Qingcen is unworthy of receiving."

Though she said that, her hand didn't actually push him away.

After all, a Medium Grade marrow cleansing pill was much better than the Low Grade goods issued by the Sect. It would be foolish not to take it.

Seeing this, Chen Yin felt delighted inside, feeling that the goddess indeed had some feelings for him. He pushed the hand holding the Medicinal Pill forward a bit more: "Why must Junior Sister be so formal? Between you and me..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Ye Qingcen caught a glimpse of Xiao Yuan poking his head out not far away out of the corner of her eye, and instantly, the smile on her face froze.

Her pupils constricted slightly, and her heart skipped a beat with a 'thud'. She felt a sense of guilt... as if she had been caught in bed?

Clearly, nothing was going on between her and Chen Yin! But why did she inexplicably panic so much when she saw Xiao Yuan's ambiguous, half-smiling gaze?

Chen Yin also noticed the change in Ye Qingcen's expression. Following her gaze to look, his face instantly sank.

Xiao Yuan? How did this Trash from the Scrap Yard run over to Dan Peak?

He was well aware that Ye Qingcen and Xiao Yuan had an unclear relationship, and this fellow frequently sent resources to the goddess in his heart!

Otherwise, why would he bother targeting a nobody!?

His gaze was cold and gloomy as he looked up and down at Xiao Yuan's washed-out chores uniform, scorn almost written across his face.

But in order to maintain his persona as a "gentle and refined Eldest Senior Brother" in front of Ye Qingcen, he forced down his anger and pulled out a fake smile:

"Isn't this Junior Brother Xiao from the Scrap Yard? What brings you the time to come to Dan Peak?" The contempt in his tone could not be hidden at all.

Xiao Yuan strolled over, didn't even look at Chen Yin, and grinned directly at Ye Qingcen: "Senior Sister Ye, I have some business with you."

He deliberately emphasized the three words "Senior Sister Ye", and added: "After all, we are fellow villagers who entered the Sect together. Some 'old matters'... need to be discussed."

Finishing his sentence, he also gave Ye Qingcen a meaningful glance.

Ye Qingcen's face turned "whoosh" white.

Old matters? What other old matters could there be! Isn't it just the engagement, and that day at the Scrap Yard...!

Her heart raced with fright, terrified that Xiao Yuan's loose lips would spill everything right on the spot.

"Senior Brother Chen!" Ye Qingcen abruptly interrupted Chen Yin, who still wanted to speak, her tone urgent, "Since Junior Brother Xiao is looking for me, I won't stay to keep you company. The Medicinal Pill... many thanks for Senior Brother's kindness, Qingcen will thank you another day."

Having said that, she practically grabbed Xiao Yuan by the wrist and dragged him toward the interior of the peak, her steps as fast as someone fleeing a disaster.

Chen Yin: "...???"

The hand holding the jade bottle froze mid-air, the fake smile on his face completely cracking.

How many times had he come to find Ye Qingcen?

Every time he just stood at the mountain gate and spoke a few words, without even stepping foot inside the peak!

What kind of thing was this Xiao Yuan?

A first-layer Qi refining Trash, dressed like a beggar—ignoring him was one thing, but why on earth was he able to be pulled inside by Ye Qingcen's own hands?!

Looking at that slender, delicate hand of Ye Qingcen grasping Xiao Yuan's wrist, his eyes turned red.

He had sent so many resources and said so many sweet words, yet he hadn't even touched the hem of Ye Qingcen's clothes! What right did Xiao Yuan have?!

The fire of jealousy mixed with anger, burning into monstrous hatred within Chen Yin's heart.

"Xiao Yuan... You're courting death!" Staring at the backs of the two as they disappeared, he dug his nails into his palms, "I originally intended to let you live another month... Now it seems there's no need!"

He could no longer wait for the assessment.

As soon as he went back, he would find people and find an opportunity to quietly kill this Trash! Without anyone knowing!

...

On the other side, Ye Qingcen dragged Xiao Yuan all the way to her Immortal Cave, slammed the door shut with a bang, set up a soundproofing Restriction, and only then turned around, her chest heaving, her voice warped with anger:

"Xiao Yuan! What are you running over here for?! Haven't we cleared things between us?!"

Xiao Yuan rubbed his wrist, which had been grabbed red by her, slowly sat down on a stone stool, and poured himself a cup of spirit tea: "What am I here for? Doesn't Senior Sister Ye have any idea in her heart?"

"I..." Ye Qingcen choked.

"I'm here to collect a debt." Xiao Yuan took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "You wouldn't think a debt of five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones could be settled in just one go, would you?"

"You!" Ye Qingcen trembled all over, her face turning crimson, "That day... that day didn't we already... already..." Overcome with shame and anger, how could she possibly say such things out loud!

"Already what?" Xiao Yuan played dumb, "Already paid it off once with your body?"

Ye Qingcen bit her lip and acquiesced.

"How could once be enough?" Xiao Yuan held out five fingers, "According to market price, it should at least be... this number, right? Therefore, Senior Sister Ye still has to 'cooperate' a few more times."

"Don't even think about it!" Ye Qingcen was about to explode with anger. What did this bastard take her for?!

"Oh?" Xiao Yuan put down his teacup, his smile unchanged, but his voice lowered by a few degrees, "Senior Sister Ye, are you sure? You wouldn't want the 'transaction' between us, as well as our previous engagement, to be known by Senior Brother Chen... or people across the entire Sect, would you?"

A single sentence accurately hit her fatal weakness.

Ye Qingcen instantly looked like a swan pinched by the neck, all her anger stuck in her throat.

She glared at Xiao Yuan, her eye rims red with anger, but ultimately, that shred of courage to resist leaked away completely.

"...Shameless!" She squeezed two words out between her teeth, turned her face away, which counted as... tacit consent.

...

A day and a night later.

Xiao Yuan walked out of Ye Qingcen's Immortal Cave looking refreshed, glanced back at the tightly closed door, and couldn't help whistling.

Surprise! What a colossal surprise!

Looking inward at his Dantian, he discovered that the small tripod was not only fully charged, but its energy had also skyrocketed! A rough calculation showed it was a full twelve times that of before!

"Good fellow, so this 'charging efficiency' can even stack?"

Xiao Yuan rubbed his chin, figuring out the pattern, "Every time we undergo Dual Cultivation, the energy base increases by one fold? Once the first time, twice the second time, three times the third time..."

If not for fear of letting the people of Dan Peak find something amiss and because Ye Qingcen truly couldn't take it anymore, Xiao Yuan would probably have stayed at Ye Qingcen's place for several days.

Aside from energy, he also "scraped" some other grease and profits from Ye Qingcen.

A breath-concealing Cultivation Technique, the 《Turtle Breathing Art》, suitable for low-profile development.

A basic sword technique 《Qingfeng Swordplay》—though it was of the lowest grade, it was at least an offensive skill, still better than only knowing Telekinesis.

There was also a booklet recording three offensive Spells: Fireball Spell, Water Ball Spell, and Vine Spell.

They were all dime-a-dozen introductory Spells in the Immortal Realm, but to a Spell novice like him, it was practically timely assistance in a snowstorm!

"Not bad, not bad, this wave is not a loss." Xiao Yuan weighed the Cultivation Technique booklet in his hand, in high spirits.

He glanced back at the cloud-shrouded peak of Dan Peak and chuckled: "Senior Sister Ye, thanks a lot. Next time I'm low on power, I'll come find you again!"

Having said that, he hummed a little tune and sauntered back toward the Scrap Yard.

Just as Xiao Yuan sauntered out of Dan Peak's mountain gate, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up with a 'whoosh'.

Something is wrong! Someone is tailing him!