Lilith's Check-in

Ye Chuan witnessed this scene and proceeded to open all the bottles.

The other bottles contained spirit essences with even more formidable auras, but in Ye Chuan's eyes, they were only slightly stronger than the rest.

Even so, Lilith's devouring speed accelerated—one after another, the spirit essences vanished into the jade pendant without so much as a ripple.

To Wang Yanran, however, Ye Chuan's method of absorbing spirit essences seemed nothing short of astonishing. Even the elite Super Martial practitioners of the Wang family, renowned for their mastery over spirits, wouldn’t dare consume them so recklessly. Doing so could lead to anything from mental impairment to becoming a vegetative state.

Ye Chuan carried far too many secrets, and this only solidified Wang Yanran’s resolve to forge a strong connection with him.

She was certain her choice wouldn’t be wrong.

Only after absorbing every last spirit essence did Lilith’s voice finally echo in Ye Chuan’s mind.

"Hmm... Only a sliver of my soul power has been restored."

A sliver?

But Ye Chuan quickly understood. If the legends about Lilith held any truth, then a being crowned the "Annihilator Witch" wouldn’t possess a soul so feeble that mere spirit essences at the Qi Refining level could restore her. She’d require something far more potent.

Noticing Lilith’s dissatisfaction, Ye Chuan chuckled. "No rush. We’ll take it step by step."

Perhaps agreeing with his sentiment, Lilith gave a soft "Mn" before falling silent again.

"Are there more spirit essences?" Ye Chuan asked Wang Yanran.

After a brief hesitation, she clenched her teeth. "Yes. I’ll deliver them tomorrow."

Ye Chuan noted the tension in her expression and realized that procuring those spirit essences hadn’t been easy for the Wang family. "No need for your family to provide them," he said. "Just tell me if there are any locations where I can gather them myself."

"Not at the moment," Wang Yanran shook her head.

Not every deceased soul transformed into a lingering spirit, let alone one powerful enough to become a spirit essence. Even if such places existed, the Wang family would’ve likely cleared them out already.

"If I find a place with a large number of spirit essences, I’ll inform you," she assured.

"Is that so?" Ye Chuan narrowed his eyes before offering, "I have a medicinal pill that replenishes depleted vitality. Even ordinary people can benefit from it. If your family needs it, we can trade for spirit essences."

With that, he produced a vial of Deer Blood Pills.

Wang Yanran instinctively accepted the bottle. "Medicine...?"

"Indeed," Ye Chuan replied. "You can have your grandfather try it. If you trust me, test it first and give me your answer afterward."

Gripping the vial, Wang Yanran nodded. "Understood."

Setting aside the matter of spirit essences for now, Ye Chuan inquired about the upcoming Super Martial Assembly.

"The event will be held next week," Wang Yanran informed. "I’ll escort you there when the time comes."

Next week?

That was sooner than expected.

"There’s one thing I’d like to ask," Wang Yanran ventured.

"Go ahead."

"Just... what level of strength do you possess?" This was the question that intrigued her the most. Despite her grandfather’s warnings against prying, she couldn’t resist uncovering Ye Chuan’s true capabilities.

"Strength?" Ye Chuan slowly lifted his gaze, tilting his head at a forty-five-degree angle toward the ceiling. His short sleeves billowed slightly despite the absence of wind.

"If you do not cultivate, seeing me is like a frog in a well gazing at the moon in the sky."

"If you do cultivate, seeing me is like an ant beholding the vast heavens."

Wang Yanran was left utterly speechless. Though she still couldn’t grasp his exact realm, one thing was clear—it far exceeded her imagination.

---

After the meal, Ye Chuan returned to the university.

Spotting an empty pavilion by the lake, he decided to rest there for a while.

At that moment, the jade pendant on his chest emitted a faint glow.

Lilith materialized, perching atop the stone table across from him. She crossed her arms, her expression unreadable.

Ye Chuan was slightly surprised by her sudden appearance—she rarely showed herself voluntarily. Was it because he’d fed her spirit essences?

"In recognition of your diligent efforts to gather spirit essences for me, I hereby grant you the privilege of becoming my vassal," Lilith declared, propping her chin on one hand while twirling a strand of hair with the other. Her once-transparent form had solidified noticeably.

"I’d rather be the master," Ye Chuan grinned.

Lilith scoffed as if hearing a joke. "Master? To me, you’re merely a slightly larger ant. What delusions are you harboring?"

"Yet right now, you seem even more ant-like than me," Ye Chuan teased.

Lilith’s cheeks puffed up indignantly. He wasn’t wrong—her fragmented soul left her weaker than him, barely capable of casting a handful of spells.

"Hmph."

"So? Ready to sign the contract?" Ye Chuan retrieved a rental agreement from his spatial backpack.

Lilith eyed the document, flicked a finger, and sent it floating before her. The pages flipped rapidly under her scrutiny.

In just a few days, Lilith had already mastered the language of this world, and reading a contract was no trouble at all.

"Renting a place?" After understanding the contents of the contract, Lilith seemed slightly puzzled by Ye Chuan's intentions.

Why would he want her to live in that shabby house? Did it benefit him in any way?

Moreover, Lilith could sense that this contract held no real power—it was nothing more than a blank sheet of paper.

If it was just a piece of paper, why bother with it at all?

"So, what do you think?" Ye Chuan smiled.

"Should I trust you?" Lilith asked.

"Of course. We've spent so many days together already. You've seen that both Bai Qianshuang and Lan Xiaoke are tenants here. Moving in won’t cost you anything, right?" Ye Chuan replied.

Lilith thought it over and, after confirming once more that the paper in her hands had no unusual properties, she used telekinesis to control the pen and signed her name.

Naturally, Lilith wrote in her native language—something Ye Chuan couldn’t understand.

But that didn’t stop the tenancy from being finalized.

The moment Lilith finished writing the last character, Ye Chuan’s phone buzzed with a notification.

[New Tenant: Lilith Ann has successfully moved in.]

[Tenant: Lilith Ann

Strength: Archmage

Condition: Soul origin damaged

Daily Revenue Generated: 5,000 (with a chance to obtain magic-related items)

Daily Points Earned: 15]

Current Favorability: 5 (Affects output, character behavior, and interactions)

Current Trust Level: 10 (Affects the character's trust in you. If too low, they may leave.)

[New Adventure Starting Point Unlocked]

[Tenant count requirement met. Points Store now available.]

Points Store?!