ISWI Chapter 138-139 (Patreon)

Chapter 138: A Gift for the Master

After leaving Yao Xi's side, feeling thoroughly content, Ye Chen finally had the time to check the system's feedback.

"Gift successful!"

"The gift was 'Purple Mist Heavenly Gate Method.'"

"Processing feedback..."

"Thirty-fold feedback in progress..."

"Detected that the gift you gave is extremely important to the recipient..."

"Reward: Ten Earth-level upper-tier cultivation methods with no dissemination restrictions."

The system's notification made Ye Chen, already feeling refreshed, smile even more brightly. It seemed that An Miaoli truly was his good fortune. Not only had she given him the world's strongest Western Emperor Scripture for Foundation Establishment, but now the return gift of the "Purple Mist Heavenly Gate Method" had turned into ten Earth-level upper-tier methods without dissemination restrictions.

Such methods, with no restrictions on sharing, could fetch at least several dozen times the price of those with limitations at an auction. For sects or large families, a cultivation method without dissemination restrictions was as valuable as adding another line of inheritance.

Now, Ye Chen had ten such methods. Once they were all sold, he would easily make tens of thousands of top-grade spirit stones. The sum was beyond what could be described as "profitable"—it was a fortune beyond imagination.

Ye Chen had already made up his mind. Once he reached the Golden Core stage, he would go to Divine Will City and pay his respects to An Miaoli properly.

This woman was undoubtedly the greatest treasure that heaven had sent his way. In the days that followed, Ye Chen's life returned to a peaceful rhythm. Each day was mostly devoted to cultivation. And every week, he would deliver gifts to Yao Xi.

Ye Chen had prepared many things for Yao Xi. In addition to magical treasures, he had also given her the second-tier alchemy manual from the top alchemist of the Divine Will Sect. Along with that were various medicinal pills.

Yao Xi's feedback, in turn, had granted Ye Chen not only a full set of top-tier magical treasures but also the complete insights of a second-tier alchemist. The cultivation resources he now possessed were nearly complete, and all of them were of the highest grade.

This was something other Foundation Establishment cultivators could scarcely even dream of. Most cultivators who break through to Foundation Establishment begin with nothing. Even if they had accumulated some spirit stones during their Qi Refining period, those were barely enough to meet the demands of Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Thus, newly-advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators would typically have to scramble to earn spirit stones. It would take them years of hard work to accumulate enough before they could finally focus on their cultivation in peace.

Yet, Ye Chen had effortlessly bypassed this arduous process. As a result, his cultivation progressed rapidly!

Of course, Ye Chen was greatly pleased with this. Yao Xi, on the other hand, was experiencing a bittersweet mix of emotions. Every time she received Ye Chen's gifts, she was both happy and resentful.

The happiness, naturally, came from the delightful surprises Ye Chen constantly brought her. But the resentment came from how utterly excessive Ye Chen was. Now that they were both Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were no more worries to attend to.

Yet, Ye Chen still made a point of staying just outside her door. It left her in a strange and uncomfortable position, feeling somewhat conflicted and her emotions in turmoil.

After spending three months delivering all the gifts he had prepared for Yao Xi, Ye Chen finally decided to give her some time to herself. He then turned his attention to his master...

Although Ye Chen had already encountered the two-hundredfold feedback from An Miaoli, he had not forgotten his master.

Even though his master had not taught him much, the help she had provided was exceptionally important. In fact, Ye Chen could say with certainty that, without his master, he would never have dared to give so many gifts to female cultivators during his Qi Refining stage.

His master's presence had saved him a great deal of time, and Ye Chen was determined to show his gratitude and build a stronger bond between them. So, as soon as the system cooldown ended, Ye Chen made his way to the mountaintop.

"Master, your disciple has something to ask."

Moments later, the courtyard door opened automatically, and Ye Chen entered with a smile.

Gu Yunyun, standing in the courtyard, gazed at Ye Chen with a slightly displeased expression. The night before, she had been in deep meditation, refining her mindset for a long time, and only finished after sunrise.

Although a Golden Core cultivator could easily go without sleep for a month, she had been hoping for a quick rest.

Just as she lay down, Ye Chen arrived.

"Can't you ever rest?" she thought inwardly.

Ye Chen, unaware of his master's feelings, respectfully presented his gift. "Master, this is a gift I brought back for you from Divine Will City."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yunyun furrowed her brows slightly, looking at the gift Ye Chen was holding.

It was a red dress, a magical treasure of the highest quality.

"Master, this dress is made from the first strands of spirit silk produced by the second-tier Jade Spirit Silkworm. It requires thousands of these strands to craft a single dress. It's incredibly light, almost weightless. When worn, it feels like nothing, and it also bears an engraved second-tier star array...

"When cultivators wear it while resting, the dress will automatically absorb star energy, nourishing the body. I've heard that even female Golden Core cultivators in Divine Will City wear similar nightwear when they sleep!"

Ye Chen earnestly explained the features of the exquisite red dress.

Yes, this was sleepwear. The reason Ye Chen bought it was simply out of filial piety, and had nothing to do with the fact that the skirt was short, with a low neckline.

Gu Yunyun listened to Ye Chen's explanation, somewhat surprised. A magical treasure-level dress? Her disciple was indeed quite wealthy...

Still, she felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that Ye Chen had remembered to bring her a gift. Since Ye Chen returned, it seemed like he had been constantly going to Yao Xi to deliver gifts, and everyone in Green Cloud Sect knew about it.

For a disciple whose mind was full of women, it was gratifying that he had remembered his master and brought her a gift. It made all of her past efforts seem worthwhile.

The effects of the magical dress were also quite fitting for Gu Yunyun's need to absorb star energy at night. And the bright red color of the skirt perfectly matched her aesthetic.

Gu Yunyun gently nodded. "Since this is your first time showing filial respect, I will accept this gift. However, even though you've reached Foundation Establishment, you must not slack off. Continue to cultivate diligently. Foundation Establishment is not the end; it is merely the beginning!"

Ye Chen was delighted to see his master accept the gift so easily.

At the same time, the system's voice echoed in his mind: "Gift successful!"

"The gift was the top-tier Spirit Silkworm Nightdress..."

"One hundred times feedback in progress..."

"Reward: Top-tier magical treasure set: Imperial Spirit Set..."

"The Imperial Spirit Set consists of the Imperial Spirit Sword, Imperial Spirit Robe, Imperial Spirit Boots, Imperial Spirit Hat, Heartguard Mirror, and Imperial Spirit Gloves..."

"The set can ignore curse-type spells, immune to toxic mists, impervious to all poisons, increases spirit energy recovery speed, enhances speed, and conceals one's aura..."

Looking at the long list of functions for the Imperial Spirit Set, Ye Chen's heart surged with excitement. As expected of the one-hundredfold feedback from his master—although there was no critical hit, the reward was still incredibly powerful.

It was at least several times stronger than the set he had received from Yao Xi. This only strengthened Ye Chen's determination to show even more filial respect toward his master.

Yao Xi watched Ye Chen set down the gift but then hesitate to leave. She furrowed her beautifully arched brows and asked, "Do you have something else to say?"

Ye Chen shook his head. "No, nothing else."

Gu Yunyun was still hoping to rest, so she waved her hand. "If there's nothing else, leave. I need to meditate."

Her clear dismissal made Ye Chen feel a bit disappointed as he had to leave. He had originally hoped to stay a bit longer, wondering if his master would try on the new dress.

Given her figure, it would be a stunning sight to see her in the Spirit Silkworm Nightdress—such a beautiful image was too tempting to imagine. But alas, he had no such luck... his master was being so distant.

...

After Ye Chen left, feeling a bit down, Gu Yunyun finally curiously picked up the nightdress. When she clearly saw its style, her eyes narrowed in thought.

Was this truly something a disciple should give to their master? What was Ye Chen thinking?

However, remembering the expression on his face when he had given her the gift, Gu Yunyun began to wonder if she was overthinking things...

Could it be that in Divine Will City, female cultivators commonly wore such dresses, and they were often seen in shops, so Ye Chen had simply bought one?

After a moment of hesitation, Gu Yunyun allowed her robes to fall away. With graceful and light movements, she slowly donned the gift Ye Chen had brought. When she looked at herself in the mirror created by the Water Mirror Technique, Gu Yunyun blushed slightly.

Was the dress a bit too small? But it was indeed very comfortable...

Chapter 139: Uh-oh! My Disciple Has Fallen for Someone Else!

In the days that followed, Ye Chen settled into a rhythm of taking full advantage of the resources his master could offer. Though his master didn't provide critical hits often, the one-hundredfold multiplier was still in effect.

The resources required for late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were more valuable, and the returns were even greater when multiplied. Thus, during this period, Ye Chen began focusing on crafting second-tier medicinal pills for his master.

"Master, this is the top-tier Golden Crow Pill I made last week..."

Another week passed, Ye Chen arrived again, presenting the second-tier medicinal pill, Golden Crow Pill, which helped harmonize the essence, energy, and spirit of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The ingredients for this pill were expensive, and its refinement was difficult. Moreover, it was a supplementary-type pill, meaning it wasn't essential but provided extra benefits.

A single high-grade Golden Crow Pill could fetch ten middle-grade spirit stones. As for the top-grade, it was even rarer, worth at least twenty middle-grade spirit stones. Ten top-grade Golden Crow Pill equaled two high-grade spirit stones.

After applying the one-hundredfold multiplier, that came to two hundred high-grade spirit stones. A substantial profit, indeed. While the effects of the pill weren't immediately obvious, they were still real. Taking them over the years would accumulate significant benefits. Therefore, it was useful to Ye Chen as well.

With his gift delivered, Ye Chen happily departed. Meanwhile, Gu Yunyun stared at the top-grade Golden Crow Pill in Ye Chen's hand. A contemplative look crossed her flawless face.

Ever since receiving that nightdress, her disciple had been coming every week to deliver gifts. Most of these were the top-grade medicinal pills that she needed for cultivation. The effects of these pills were indeed better than those available elsewhere.

Moreover, they were particularly comprehensive. In addition to the basic cultivation pills, Ye Chen also brought along supplementary pills like Golden Crow Pill, which were highly effective but not crucial, though they were absurdly expensive.

For instance, the Golden Crow Pill, when taken once every three days in the late Foundation Establishment stage, helped harmonize spiritual power, spiritual sense, and the body, potentially improving the chances of future breakthroughs…

Then there was the Moon Essence Pill, which, when taken every five days in the late Foundation Establishment stage, could slightly increase spiritual sense, and many other similar pills. All of them provided incremental growth, but the effects were limited, and their cost-effectiveness was undeniably low. Even disciples from top-tier sects wouldn't necessarily be willing to spend their resources on such pills.

However, Ye Chen came to deliver to himself every week, and each pill he brought was of the highest grade. Although she did not know why Ye Chen possessed such an astonishing alchemy skill, even the second-tier alchemists of the sect could not compare to him in ability. But Ye Chen's enthusiasm seemed excessively overboard, didn't it?

It had far exceeded Gu Yunyun's initial assumption that Ye Chen's only motivation after breaking through to Foundation Establishment was his newfound strength, leading him to feel the desire to repay her and express filial piety.

Gu Yunyun had also noticed something else. Ye Chen had stopped delivering gifts to Yao Xi recently... Instead, he came running to her every day. Yao Xi had become the one seeking Ye Chen out.

When Ye Chen gave her gifts, his face always carried an expression of eager anticipation. After she accepted the gifts, Ye Chen would smile brightly, radiating joy.

Something was off. This disciple of hers was truly acting strangely... Recalling her disciple's past, along with the red nightgown that she felt was rather inappropriate...

Gu Yunyun couldn't help but shiver slightly. Could it be that this disciple had developed feelings for someone else? She was aware of the matter with Sun Ruoxin. Her disciple had been deeply hurt by Sun Ruoxin, and in the end, he had rekindled his feelings for Yao Xi.

Could it be that Yao Xi had done something similar? Had she inadvertently wounded her disciple's heart? Was this the reason her disciple's affections had shifted once more? And now, Ye Chen's new object of affection was none other than herself?

The more she thought about it, the more Gu Yunyun felt that this theory was true. Otherwise, why would Ye Chen no longer go to Yao Xi?

Instead, Yao Xi came to find him every day. This situation was eerily similar to Sun Ruoxin waiting beneath the Sword Peak back then, wasn't it?

Yet, even though she had figured out why Ye Chen was being so attentive, Gu Yunyun could not accept it at all. This rebellious disciple of hers had actually set his sights on her! How could this be? After all, she was his master! This brat was simply being outrageously disrespectful!

Gu Yunyun felt her fists tighten. With her usual temperament, when faced with such a situation, she would simply march over and give him a good lesson. But then, she recalled Ye Chen's words, which had spread throughout the entire sect: "I love you, and it has nothing to do with you!"

Only someone truly devoted could say such words. Even if she were to beat Ye Chen, what would it accomplish? Ye Chen would likely still think the same way in his heart.

Moreover, Ye Chen had not explicitly stated his feelings; he merely expressed them silently, sending her various pills to the best of his ability. Had she not been sharp-minded and clear-headed, she might not have even noticed.

Besides, Ye Chen was her only disciple. Given her lazy nature, she had little interest in accepting new disciples. Thus, Ye Chen was practically the only disciple she would ever have in this life.

For that reason, Gu Yunyun could not bring herself to be too harsh. After all, Ye Chen had already been hurt twice, first by Sun Ruoxin, then by Yao Xi. If she were too cruel now, and Ye Chen's heart was broken once more, leaving him disillusioned and crushed, wandering astray on the path of cultivation. Wouldn't she, as his master, have been the one to ruin his future?

With that thought, Gu Yunyun decided to approach the matter differently. Soon, she came up with a plan. That plan was to keep Ye Chen from seeing her as often.

Although Gu Yunyun was not well-versed in matters of love, she understood the power of time more than anything. Even the greatest of ancient beings would turn to dust when faced with the passage of time. And if Ye Chen were to be kept away from her for a prolonged period…

That misplaced affection would surely fade with the passing of time. Logically speaking, in such a situation, she should have left and gone on a journey for some time.

However, the current situation was unstable. The inheritance secret realm in Middle Mountain had shattered, and it was suspected that the remains of the Boundless Demon Sect had appeared after the destruction of the realm.

The Boundless Demon Sect, part of the Nascent Soul Demon Sect from five thousand years ago, left behind remnants that were undoubtedly of great value. Both sides had already dispatched personnel to begin reconnaissance. There had been several minor skirmishes during this period. If the remains truly appeared, a great war between the Green Cloud sect and the Misty Sect was inevitable. As the strongest combat force beneath the sect master, she could not leave.

Additionally, she had been focused on comprehending the sword energy at the peak of the Sword Peak, making it unwise for her to depart. So, since she couldn't leave... she decided that Ye Chen should go instead.

Originally, Ye Chen had been included in the list of Foundation Establishment disciples sent to scout Middle Mountain by the External Affairs Hall. However, she had rejected the idea, citing Ye Chen's recent breakthrough and the need to stabilize his cultivation as the reason.

But now, Gu Yunyun had made up her mind. She would send Ye Chen to Middle Mountain. Ye Chen's talent was lacking, and he needed an opportunity. Battles and relics were the best ways for a cultivator to grow. And, with constant fighting on his hands, Ye Chen would undoubtedly have no time to indulge in such rebellious thoughts.

Furthermore, Gu Yunyun had heard rumors. Ye Chen's relationship with the Misty Sect's sorceress, Su Yuxuan, was rather peculiar.

Initially, Gu Yunyun hadn't believed the rumors. But now, she felt that as long as Ye Chen didn't betray the sect, she would turn a blind eye if there was something more between him and Su Yuxuan. As long as he no longer entertained those rebellious ideas. She had also heard that Su Yuxuan had been spotted in Middle Mountain. Her strength was immense. It would be a good opportunity for Ye Chen to meet her.

With this thought, Gu Yunyun made her decision. Her stunning figure soared into the air, heading straight for the sect's External Affairs Hall. After giving her instructions, she specifically reminded them not to mention that it was she who had sent Ye Chen. She didn't want Ye Chen to catch on to anything and feel disheartened...

Once everything was arranged, she returned to the Sword Peak, sighing deeply. Being a master was truly too difficult...