Ye Chen paid no mind to the peculiar glances cast his way. The title of "simp" was certainly negative, but to him, it served as the perfect disguise.

  In the cultivation world, power spoke louder than anything. One day, when he ascended to the rank of Immortal Emperor, who would dare bring up such trivialities as his being a simp?

  With a smile on his face, Ye Chen walked through the crowd and made his way to Senior Sister Yao Xi's side. At that moment, Yao Xi was kneeling, her eyes closed in meditation. The rounded curves of her figure, squeezed by the weight of her posture, spilled out to either side, presenting a mesmerizing sight. One could only imagine the waves that would ripple if touched.

  Ye Chen admired the view quietly, taking his time. When Yao Xi, sensing a gaze upon her, opened her eyes, she immediately caught the burning intensity in Ye Chen's stare. Yet, instead of showing displeasure, she secretly felt pleased.

  Feigning ignorance, she smiled lightly and said, "Junior Brother Ye, you've come to listen to the lecture too? I was so absorbed in the teachings of the Elder that I didn't notice you earlier. My apologies."

  Hearing this, Ye Chen shook his head with a smile. "Senior Sister is too kind."

  Yao Xi slowly stood up, her graceful form returning to its original shape, demonstrating a surprising resilience.

  "Does Junior Brother have any questions? If so, I can offer my assistance in clearing your doubts."

  Ye Chen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

  Was this Senior Sister too approachable? Her attitude toward him was far warmer than he had expected. Could it be because of his direct disciple status?

  However, Ye Chen didn't dwell on it, as it worked perfectly in his favor. He seized the opportunity with ease.

  "There are some things I'm unsure of, and I'm still unfamiliar with the sect. If Senior Sister has the time, would you be willing to show me around and help me get acquainted with the sect?"

  Cultivators were, for the most part, incredibly busy. Disciples of the Green Cloud Sect were even busier than the wandering cultivators from the outside world. They had to cultivate, study, practice spells, and complete sect tasks. Time was precious, and rarely was it ever wasted. This was especially true for someone like Yao Xi, a leader among the disciples.

  Yet, to everyone's surprise, Yao Xi agreed without hesitation. Together, the two of them walked towards the outer grounds. As they walked, Yao Xi introduced the various aspects of the sect. Whenever Ye Chen asked questions, she explained alchemy techniques with clarity, breaking them down in a way that was both accessible and deep.

  Ye Chen occasionally offered words of praise. The two of them were thoroughly engaged in pleasant conversation. This scene did not go unnoticed by the other disciples. Jealousy and bitterness brewed in their hearts.

  Yao Xi, the outer sect's eldest senior sister, was known for her unmatched beauty and figure. She had countless admirers, many of whom dared not pursue her. Yet, here was Ye Chen, a direct disciple who had only gained his position through connections, chatting so happily with the senior sister. This naturally sparked resentment among many of the male disciples.

  What a simp! He didn't even focus on cultivation and only thought about fawning over female cultivators. And for him, a mere "connection-based" direct disciple, to be so close to the eldest senior sister….

  Just wait until he loses his direct disciple status. Let's see how arrogant he'll be then. Let's see if the senior sister will still spare him a glance!

  "This is the Green Cloud Market within our sect," Yao Xi said with a smile as she stood before the market. "If you need to purchase various spirit herbs, magic tools, talismans, or anything else, you can find it here. Essentially, everything a disciple could need can be found in this market."

  Ye Chen nodded thoughtfully, contemplating whether he should take the opportunity to browse through the market. Perhaps he could find something that suited him… so that he could give it to Yao Xi.

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  At that moment, a female attendant emerged from the Green Cloud Market, and upon spotting Yao Xi, her eyes lit up.

  "Senior Sister, you're here! The item you mentioned last time, the one you wanted for remotely capturing and attacking enemies, we've just received it. It's available now. This technique is called Dragon Grasp.

  "It allows you to form a spirit Qi hand the size of a human palm within a fifty-meter radius. It can quickly grasp objects or strike enemies, all with minimal noise, making it difficult for others to detect or defend against. The manager specifically set it aside for you, intending to ask if you still want it, or if he should display it for others. Would you like it, Senior Sister?"

  The attendant, a disciple of the outer sect herself, worked part-time at the market. By doing so, she could earn contributions and spirit stones. Hence, she referred to Yao Xi respectfully as Senior Sister.

  Upon hearing this, Yao Xi's eyes brightened, a hint of eagerness crossing her face. She turned to Ye Chen and explained, "During the Qi Refining stage, using spiritual power to manipulate objects in the air, at best, you can only reach around five meters, and the accuracy is lacking, as is the speed of response.

  "I've always wanted a technique like this to retrieve items remotely. It would be immensely helpful for alchemy, and when gathering spirit herbs outside, it could prove invaluable. Not to mention, it could also be used for combat, making it an incredibly versatile tool. Please, wait here for me. I'll be out once I've made the purchase."

  Ye Chen, upon hearing this, was equally intrigued.

  Yao Xi wanted a technique? Wasn't this a perfect opportunity? While Ye Chen wasn't lacking in techniques himself, who would ever say no to more? He'd long been curious about the thirty-times feedback from Yao Xi and what kind of surprise it might bring him.

  With a smile, Ye Chen replied, "No worries. I've never been to Green Cloud Market before, so it's a good opportunity to join you, Senior Sister."

  Yao Xi nodded with a smile of her own, her graceful steps carrying her as she ascended the stairs and entered the shop.

  …

  "Ten middle-grade spirit stones? That's too expensive!"

  Yao Xi's interest in the technique was evident, but upon hearing the price, her eyes widened in shock.

  The attendant quickly responded, "This Dragon Grasp is no ordinary technique. It allows you to control within a fifty-meter range, and it's one that can be cultivated even during the Qi Refining stage. There might not be a second copy of it in the entire Green Cloud Sect.

  "Moreover, not only is the control precise, but the power is also formidable. The most important feature is that the spirit Qi fluctuations when forming the Dragon Grasp are minimal, making it nearly impossible for opponents to detect in the midst of battle.

  "Think about it, Senior Sister. In combat, if you suddenly form the Dragon Grasp behind your enemy to launch a surprise attack, who could defend against that? With this technique, Senior Sister, you might even have a chance to defeat Senior Brother Li in the sect's year-end competition and win the Foundation Establishment pill. As for the sect's Five Elements Cave and secret realm slots, this technique would increase your chances of obtaining those as well."

  The attendant's words were undeniably tempting. However, when Yao Xi glanced at her storage pouch, embarrassment appeared on her face.

  "I've been experimenting with new pill recipes recently and spent a large amount of spirit stones on herbs. Right now, I'm running low on stones," she admitted. "Would it be possible to reserve this technique for me for a few months? Once I've saved up enough spirit stones, I'll come back and buy it."

  The attendant shook her head.

  "Senior Sister, you know the rules. The deacon might have held it back for you, but that's the limit. If you don't purchase it now, someone else might snatch it up. Remember, the path of cultivation moves fast. Miss a step, and you might fall behind. If you let this opportunity slip, you could miss even greater ones later. You'll regret it if that happens. Maybe you should ask a friend if you can borrow some spirit stones?" she suggested with a sly glance at Ye Chen. "Like this Senior Brother here, a direct disciple?"

  Yao Xi's delicate face showed signs of inner turmoil.

  With a faint, self-deprecating smile, she shook her head. "Forget it. What is meant for me will come, and what isn't will pass."

  She turned to Ye Chen with a smile, her eyes softening. "Forgive me, Junior Brother. I come from a humble background as a wandering cultivator. I was fortunate to have good talent, which allowed me to enter the sect. Even though I can craft pills, resources have always been tight. More so, since I focus entirely on cultivation and pill-making, I don't have many friends. Let's go, Junior Brother."

  With a final lingering glance at the jade slip in the attendant's hand, she turned and began to walk away. As Yao Xi reluctantly cast a final glance at the jade slip in the attendant's hand, she turned and walked away.

  Ye Chen watched this scene, raising an eyebrow. At first, he thought the situation was somewhat normal. But upon reflection, it felt eerily familiar, almost like the behavior of a girl in his past life, dragging her sugar daddy along on a shopping spree. It was supposed to be a simple shopping trip. Then, she suddenly found something she liked.

  But, alas, the money was short. And of course, the sugar daddy, eager to win her favor, would buy it for her. And in return, he would be rewarded with the adoring, grateful gaze of his goddess….

  The scene unfolding before him now was strikingly similar. The Senior Sister's scheme… was a bit too deep!