Lin Qiongyu’s fingertips suddenly trembled.
She looked at the tall, middle-aged loose cultivator with an indifferent demeanor in front of her.
Her once smooth tone suddenly tightened: "Senior, why did you suddenly ask about this?"
Chen Ye leaned against the door frame, his fingertips stroking the flower carvings on the food box, seemingly casually:
"A few days ago in the market, I heard about a loose cultivator skilled in Spirit Plant Technique teasing a female cultivator. Coincidentally, his surname was also Chen, which piqued my curiosity. Since you are involved in that matter..."
He elongated his voice, his gaze sweeping over the female cultivator’s suddenly pale face,
"Why not share what you know?"
Lin Qiongyu forced a smile: "Could it be... you have some connection with him, Senior?"
Both were surnamed Chen and knew Spirit Plant Technique.
Perhaps there really is some connection, such as being brothers?
However, that loose cultivator surnamed Chen from back then had disheveled hair and a sloppy appearance.
For a moment, she couldn’t clearly recall if the loose cultivator surnamed Chen resembled Senior Chen in appearance.
Chen Ye returned the food box to Lin Qiongyu:
"Just curious, that’s all."
Lin Qiongyu was relieved, gently tidying her hair with a soft smile:
"I thought it was a misunderstanding... Senior, what’s the meaning? The pastries are sent for the children, not for you."
Indeed, it wasn’t a misunderstanding with the Dragon King Temple.
But it was a misunderstanding with the Dragon King.
Chen Ye smiled.
Lin Qiongyu suddenly pointed her chin, her eyes bending like the moon, filled with admiration:
"Yes, Senior Chen is mature and steady, with a clean charisma. How could he be related to a shabby drunkard?"
Chen Ye did not laugh.
Fearing Lin Qiongyu’s suspicion, he slightly raised the corners of his mouth, looking at her with a hint of a smile.
Lin Qiongyu was anxious.
Was the old man staring at her with lustful intentions?
Her eyes shimmered, shy and slightly angry: "Senior, Chengjun is still at home, don’t... look at me like that. If Chengjun knows, it won’t be good."
Chen Ye almost slapped her.
Such a conceited woman!
If Chen Ye were to find a woman, she would have to be about as beautiful as his future disciple, wouldn’t she?
To Chen Ye, Lin Qiongyu isn’t even a fraction as good-looking as his current disciple!
Chen Ye coughed: "There’s another matter I’d like to trouble you about. Do you have an Artifact Refiner in the inner circle?"
Getting serious,
Lin Qiongyu became a bit more earnest: "Well, senior, another neighbor is an Artifact Refiner, employed at the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, named Ping Zhuo. Brother Ping is reliable, with excellent skills, worth trusting."
She then became curious: "Senior is a Spirit Plant Master; what do you need him for? Why not let me introduce Pill Master Hu to you instead?"
If it were before, Chen Ye would have been eager.
But now, the Spiritual Medicine from the Stone Mirror Association is enough to heal him.
He needs time to cultivate.
If he doesn’t have enough strength, too many Spirit Stones will become a burden.
Thinking of this, Chen Ye shook his head: "I currently have no spare time, but thank you for your kind offer."
Lin Qiongyu heard this, her eyes flickered with surprise.
She speculated internally:
This person refuses even offered Spirit Plants; perhaps he’s also not lacking Spirit Stones.
On reflection, it makes sense.
If he were ordinary, Stone Mirror Association wouldn’t have paid him heed.
Even though constantly brushed aside by Chen Ye,
Lin Qiongyu’s smile only became softer: "Then I won’t disturb your rest, Senior. I’ll visit again another day."
...
Since moving here, Chen Ye hadn’t seen his neighbor Ping Zhuo.
He planned to ask Ping Zhuo tomorrow at the inner circle to help him forge an iron sword, increasing its weight.
The nearby loose cultivators come and go; only at this specific time do they gather to communicate.
If he didn’t see Ping Zhuo tomorrow, he’d have no choice but to go to a dedicated Spiritual Artifact Shop for forging.
But by then, he’d likely be ripped off.
Chen Ye rubbed the hilt of the iron sword,
When he first arrived in this world, he couldn’t even wield this iron sword.
Time flies,
Now even this iron sword struggles to improve the Heavy Body Technique’s proficiency.
Chen Ye sighed, retrieving his iron sword, shutting the courtyard door.
Just as he intended to return to cultivation,
He glimpsed Zhiwei, with an indifferent expression, grasping the snow in silence.
Occasionally, the cold wind lifted her bangs, revealing her desolate, icy black eyes.
Hiss... What a cold little girl.
Chen Ye couldn’t resist his itchy hands.
Passing by, he casually picked up the furry creature.
The furry creature held snow, caught off guard, as Chen Ye pinched the fate of her neck.
In a flash,
The little girl’s frail body was easily lifted.
Her limbs dangled in the air, a cascade of black hair falling beside her slender waist.
She looked up with a silly face: "Master?"
In her small hands, a round snowball dropped.
With a splash,
Under the furry creature’s trembling gaze,
It smashed into a pile of soggy snow.
"That’s better."
Seeing Zhiwei’s adorable look, Chen Ye felt a sense of satisfaction throughout.
A little girl should be like this!
"Just on a whim."
Chen Ye set the furry creature down again, taking the opportunity to pinch Zhiwei’s small hand.
The small hand was skinny, but warm as well.
Good.
With him as her master, could the big girl still torment him?
Chen Ye chuckled proudly, he also rubbed the big girl’s hand before striding off towards the Cultivation Room.
Leaving no trace of accomplishments or fame, only a master’s silent concern and love.
Leaving the furry creature sitting dumbly on the ground.
"Swish—swish—"
The cold wind tugged at the furry creature’s black hair.
The indifferent big girl suddenly pursed her lips.
Sorrowfully picking up the ruined snow on the ground.
This was...
The little cat she had molded with great effort!
Chen Ye, such a scoundrel.
The echo of Chen Ye’s satisfied voice lingered in the big girl’s ears: "That’s better."
Chen Ye, so utterly wicked!!!
...
A day later.
Chen Ye finally consumed the remaining four Qi Recovery Pills.
Previously, the fifteen pills purchased from the market were fully expended!
Yet the effect was equally delightful!
[Geng Metal Technique Perfection: 270/400]
"Four pills, with my own recovery of spiritual power, increased my proficiency by thirty."
Chen Ye looked at the Geng Metal Qi at his fingertips.
Compared to before, the Geng Metal Qi was getting more dazzling, about to transform.
Breaking through to Limit Break was imminent!
"Such a pity, back then proficiency rose quickly."
Chen Ye sighed, recalling the Geng Metal Qi.
All skill proficiencies increase very rapidly before reaching Perfection.
The reason is simple,
With shallow realm, his solo practice already yielded insights.
Adding the amplification from the proficiency panel, progress was swift.
But once reaching Perfection,
It meant he had mastered the peak of that skill.
Theoretically, there’s no space for breakthrough.
Only through the proficiency panel can it almost impossibly break through.
Chen Ye suspected, once Geng Metal Technique breaks through to Limit Break, it will become an entirely new technique!
"But, yesterday what happened with the big girl? She didn’t even bring me foot wash... oh well, they’re disciples, not child laborers."
Chen Ye stretched lazily, pushed open the Cultivation Room door.
The house was silent.
Chen Ye felt a jolt, cold sweat soaked his back.
Yesterday, Zhiwei didn’t bring him foot wash... could something have happened?