Chapter 16: Are Erotic Pictures Really That Profitable?

Hearing Murong Wan's voice, Ye Fan suddenly felt his scalp go numb.

He shot Lin Lei a meaningful look, implying that *he* needed to take the blame for this mess.

But Lin Lei glanced at Xu Xin beside him, his expression saying he really couldn't shoulder this blame.

"Ahem... I injured my muscles and bones earlier. I need to hurry back and recuperate. We'll chat another time."

Lin Lei fled with Xu Xin in tow, leaving only Ye Fan behind, his face as dark as water.

"That unfilial disciple!"

Ye Fan roared inwardly, but for now, he could only face Murong Wan alone.

"Senior Sister, about that..."

"Whatever it is, we'll talk about it back at the Immortal Cave."

Like a condemned prisoner heading to the execution ground, Ye Fan followed behind Murong Wan back to the Immortal Cave.

But the moment he closed the door, a Jade Slip came flying towards his face.

"The Sect is distributing the Yin Yang Secret Manual. This copy is yours."

It turned out that after the Dao Companion Assembly, it took a few days to complete the registrations. It was only today that the various Dao Companions were notified to come collect their copies.

While Ye Fan was still dumbfounded, Murong Wan continued, "What you do outside is none of my concern, except for one thing: don't embarrass me."

Originally, Murong Wan's anger had mostly subsided. Who knew that the moment she ended her seclusion today, she would hear the news of Ye Fan selling spring palace pictures?

Hearing this, Murong Wan's defenses instantly crumbled, and she even felt a twinge of regret about her initial choice.

She had originally intended to settle accounts with Ye Fan, but just as she reached the foot of the mountain, she stumbled upon that scene, leading to everything that had just transpired.

Seeing that Murong Wan was about to resume her seclusion, Ye Fan hurriedly called out to stop her.

"Senior Sister, wait a moment."

"What else do you... what is this?"

Looking at the crystal-clear, translucent Medicinal Pill inside the brocade box, Murong Wan was momentarily stunned.

Although she didn't know the specific effects of this pill, its extraordinary efficacy could be judged from its medicinal fragrance and lustrous color alone.

"This is a youth retention pill, a gift for you, Senior Sister."

"youth retention pill? For me?"

With a completely earnest expression, Ye Fan stated directly that he had searched all the major marketplaces to find this youth retention pill, and his legs were almost worn thin from the running around.

Although there were many methods for Cultivators to maintain their youth, the simplest, most effective, and side-effect-free method was undoubtedly the youth retention pill.

Female Cultivators could hardly resist this temptation, and Murong Wan was no exception.

Although her Aptitude was once-in-a-century, if she Cultivated step-by-step to the Core Formation Realm, it would take at least seventy or eighty years at the fastest.

Even though Cultivators aged much slower than ordinary people, her appearance would inevitably resemble that of a forty or fifty-year-old.

Even if Murong Wan claimed not to care, she naturally didn't want that to happen.

She subconsciously reached out to take the youth retention pill, but then seemed to remember something.

"Wait, how could you afford a youth retention pill... could it be... the money from selling spring palace pictures?"

Before Ye Fan could explain, Murong Wan's mind conjured a scene of Ye Fan painting through the night, just to save up money to buy the youth retention pill.

In the pitch-black depths of night, Ye Fan exhausted his heart's blood, painting sleeplessly.

Even when his arm lost all sensation, he refused to stop, all to win a smile from the beauty in his heart.

This scene caused a faint blush to flash across Murong Wan's lovely face, as if the ten-thousand-year unmelting iceberg had trembled slightly.

Ye Fan: "??"

Although he didn't know what Murong Wan was imagining, how could Ye Fan let this opportunity slip? He simply chose to lay his cards on the table.

"Senior Sister, actually, I..."

"Silence!"

Murong Wan's sharp cry cut Ye Fan off, clearly not wanting to hear him continue.

"You have Spirit Stones to buy these useless things, but you won't buy Cultivation resources? Do you really want to be called a freeloader your whole life?!"

Murong Wan herself didn't know why she suddenly became so agitated, speaking to Ye Fan with a tone of exasperated disappointment.

"There's still time. Take the youth retention pill back for a refund, or sell it and exchange it for something else. I don't need it."

Murong Wan wanted to return to her room to calm down, but Ye Fan called out to her again.

"Senior Sister, actually, I bought Cultivation resources too."

"Wh... what...?"

Before Murong Wan could react, Ye Fan tossed over another Storage Pouch. Inside were neatly arranged one hundred bottles of qi condensing pills.

Even though Murong Wan, as a Personal Disciple, received a large amount of Cultivation resources every month, the quantity of one hundred bottles of qi condensing pills still far exceeded her imagination.

"Th... these are all what you bought?" Murong Wan asked, somewhat numbly.

Ye Fan nodded, looking a bit embarrassed.

Murong Wan stood frozen in place as if petrified, seemingly unable to comprehend what was happening. After a long while, a single sentence finally formed in her heart.

"Are spring palace pictures this profitable?"

Murong Wan's defenses completely shattered. Her icy, lovely face instantly flushed crimson, and she was at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Ye Fan quickly struck while the iron was hot, launching a fierce offensive.

"Actually, from the first time I saw you, Senior Sister, I liked you."

"The first time... the Dao Companion Assembly... what liking or not liking... you..."

Ye Fan stepped closer, his eyes filled with utmost sincerity.

"This Junior Brother knows his own Aptitude is dull and foolish. Barely managing a Breakthrough to the Qi Refining Realm, First Level was already a stroke of luck."

"Taking these Medicinal Pills would just be a waste. It's better to give them to you, Senior Sister."

"You... give them all to me... I..."

Watching Ye Fan draw nearer, Murong Wan became somewhat flustered. She pointed her longsword at Ye Fan's shoulder, telling him to stop talking.

But Ye Fan acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing his heartfelt confession.

"I know I'm not worthy of a Genius like you, Senior Sister. But as long as I can stay by your side and watch you quietly, what does it matter if people call me a freeloading good-for-nothing?"

"I just want you to give me a chance, Senior Sister, to prove my feelings for you... no... my love."

"Love... what... you..."

As these words left Ye Fan's mouth, it seemed he had made some firm resolution.

He suddenly took a big step forward, arriving right in front of Murong Wan. They were so close they could feel each other's breath. He didn't care at all as the sword pierced through his shoulder.

"Senior Sister, can you give me a chance?"

"This..."

Although Murong Wan's will was far firmer than an ordinary person's, to put it plainly, she was still just an eighteen-year-old girl.

In Ye Fan's previous life, this would be the age of budding spring feelings and romance.

The current scene was far too potent. Murong Wan's psychological defenses were almost completely broken, utterly succumbing to Ye Fan's deep confession.

Only when Murong Wan was at a loss did she notice the blood flowing down from Ye Fan's shoulder, already staining half his body red.

"Your injury?!"

For the first time, Murong Wan showed a panicked expression and hurried back to her room to find hemostatic medicine.

Although Ye Fan appeared calm and composed on the surface, inwardly he was gritting his teeth in pain.

"Don't show off, showing off gets you struck by lightning."

The pain from the sword wound made Ye Fan want to shiver, but considering the effect of his confession, he could only endure it.

Murong Wan soon returned with the hemostatic medicine, flustered as she treated Ye Fan's wound and stopped the bleeding.

In this panicked state, there was no trace of her usual icy beauty demeanor.

"Senior Sister, you look beautiful even when you're flustered."

"You... shut up!"

Utterly mortified, Murong Wan tightened the bandage forcefully, causing Ye Fan's mouth to twitch incessantly from the pain.

"Senior Sister, are you trying to murder your husband?"