Exchanging a Green Hat for Resources

The next day, before the thin morning mist had completely dispersed, the courtyard door of the Listening Rain Pavilion was knocked upon once again.

Ye Xuan was in the middle of practicing a set of martial arts in the courtyard. His movements were expansive yet controlled, and his aura was steady.

He had long sensed the visitor's arrival but deliberately ignored it. Only after finishing his fist routine and withdrawing his energy to stand still did he leisurely turn toward the door.

"Ye Yage" stood there quietly, having waited for a long time.

She still wore an elegant, plain white dress, her hair meticulously combed. She had even applied a light layer of makeup to her face, attempting to conceal something.

However, the haggardness that seeped into her very bones could not be hidden, no matter how hard she tried.

She forced a gentle smile at Ye Xuan, but the smile was incredibly bitter.

Last night, she had not slept a wink.

The moment she closed her eyes, her mind was filled with the scene of Ye Xuan resolutely marching to his death, his soul scattering into nothingness.

That image was like the most vicious curse, repeatedly torturing her soul.

How could Ye Xuan know this spell?

How could he practice this spell?

That spell, created solely to make her taste the agony of his death, had now become a sharp blade hanging over her head, ready to sever everything at any moment.

He could die.

Anytime, anywhere, with just a single thought.

This realization was like an invisible hand tightly choking her heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

She was afraid, terrified to the marrow of her bones.

She feared that, just like in their previous life, he would once again use his death to punish her, abandoning her all alone in this hollow, dull world without him.

And so, she came.

Even though she hadn't slept all night and was mentally and physically exhausted, she had to appear before him in her gentlest, most harmless guise to make him happy and make him forget that damned spell.

"Senior Brother, good morning." Her voice was a bit hoarse, yet she still tried hard to keep it sweet.

"Morning," Ye Xuan replied indifferently, turning to walk toward the stone table and pouring himself a cup of still-warm tea without offering her any.

"Is there something you need?"

"N-no... nothing."

Ye Qingcheng hurriedly followed, trailing closely behind him like a small animal terrified of being abandoned by its master. "I... I just wanted to come see you, Senior Brother. I was worried you might not be used to living here alone."

Ye Xuan took a sip of his tea, not looking at her. His gaze landed on the solitary parasol tree in the courtyard.

The two remained in silence. Ye Qingcheng racked her brains for topics of conversation, ranging from sect anecdotes to cultivation insights.

She spoke enthusiastically, striving to create a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.

Ye Xuan occasionally gave a hmm or nodded noncommittally. His attitude couldn't be called warm, but it lacked the icy coldness of yesterday.

This gave Ye Qingcheng a sliver of false hope.

The dullness in her eyes dissipated slightly, and she began to talk more. A sickly blush even crept onto her cheeks.

She felt that as long as she worked hard enough and was obedient enough, she could definitely make him change his mind, make him forget that unpleasant history, and forget that forbidden spell.

However, little did she know that Ye Xuan was calculating something entirely different in his heart.

He couldn't care less whether this woman was genuinely haggard or just feigning pitifulness.

He only knew that the resources she had given him, while an astronomical amount for ordinary disciples, were still far from enough for him.

To rapidly improve his strength, he needed a massive, endless supply of resources.

He needed to administer another strong dose of medicine.

A vicious yet highly effective plan quietly took shape in his mind.

He set down his teacup, turned his head, and suddenly bloomed a radiant, gentle smile on his face.

"Speaking of which," he said in a casual, lighthearted tone as if just chatting, "I've intruded here for a few days now. It's about time I went back."

"Went back?" Ye Qingcheng blanked for a moment, asking subconsciously, "Back where?"

Ye Xuan's smile remained unchanged, his tone even more brisk. "Naturally, back to Xia Lengyue's place."

Ye Qingcheng's face instantly turned ghastly pale, completely drained of blood.

"No... No! Senior Brother, why must you go back?"

She screamed, her voice so sharp it nearly pierced one's eardrums.

Looking at her instantly crumbling demeanor, a twisted sense of pleasure surged in Ye Xuan's heart.

He deliberately let out a long sigh, his face showing an expression of helplessness and bitterness.

"What else can I do but go back?" He spread his hands, his tone full of self-deprecation and desolation. "I only managed to escape from her this time because I stole a lot of her bottom-of-the-box resources. It was exactly because of those things that I luckily advanced to the Golden Core stage. But now, those resources are mostly depleted, and my subsequent cultivation is unsustainable."

He paused, continuing in a resigned, sorrowful tone:

"Therefore, I've decided to go back. Go back to receive my punishment."

He looked at Ye Qingcheng's pupils, which were rapidly shrinking in fear. The smile at the corners of his mouth deepened, yet he spoke the cruelest words in the plainest tone.

"Let her punish me however she wants. It's nothing more than locking me on the bed every day, torturing me in various ways, and taking whatever she desires."

He chuckled lightly, as if talking about some trivial matter. "Anyway, I'm already used to it. It doesn't matter."

"No!"

Ye Qingcheng let out a mournful wail so shrill it hardly sounded human.

Jealousy, anger, fear, possessiveness...

Countless dark emotions instantly smashed through all her reason like a bursting dam!

Her pure face twisted completely due to extreme emotion; her facial features were almost displaced, looking hideous and terrifying.

"No! Senior Brother, you don't need to go back!" She suddenly rushed in front of Ye Xuan, gripping his arm tightly. Her nails dug deeply into his flesh from the force, but she was completely oblivious to it.

"The Hehuan Sect has just as many resources! Only more than her Xia Lengyue, not less!"

Ye Xuan frowned in pain but did not break free.

He simply looked at her with a sorrowful gaze, smiling bitterly. "No matter how good the Hehuan Sect is, it's not run by my family. How could those precious resources be given for no reason to someone who just joined?"

His words awakened the borderline insane Ye Qingcheng.

Right! Resources! What he lacked was resources!

As long as she gave him enough resources, he wouldn't need to go back! He wouldn't return to that woman's bed!

"There are! There will be!"

As if clutching the final life-saving straw, she hurriedly shouted, her voice cracking from agitation. "In short, Senior Brother, you absolutely must not leave! Please... please be patient and stay! I will figure out a way regarding the resources! There will definitely be some!"

Ye Xuan looked at her face, contorted by agitation and panic. He sneered in his heart, but on the surface, he revealed a hesitant and troubled expression.

He let out a long sigh. "Alright, then. I will... trust you one more time."

The moment she received his consent, all the strength in Ye Qingcheng's body was drained away.

She let go, stumbling backward two steps, panting heavily.

Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately took out a deep blue spatial ring, which looked to be of extraordinary grade at a glance, from her storage magical treasure.

Holding it with trembling hands, she offered it to Ye Xuan, her posture humble to the extreme.

"Senior Brother... inside here are all my savings from over the years... It should, it should be enough for you to cultivate for a while. You... you use this first, and if it's not enough, I'll figure out another way!"

Ye Xuan was extremely satisfied in his heart, but his face remained entirely impassive.

He took the ring and casually swept it with his divine sense. The spirit stones, pills, and magical artifact materials inside were piled up like mountains. Their value was enough to make any Tribulation Transcendence mighty expert red-eyed with envy.

A satisfied smile finally appeared on his face as he nodded. "Mm, not bad. Since Junior Sister is so sincere, I will keep it for now."

After saying that, he actually did something unprecedented. He raised his hand and, just like how he had comforted Ying'er earlier, gently patted Ye Qingcheng's head. In a rewarding tone, he said, "Junior Sister Yage, you really are a kind and good girl. In the future, Senior Brother will treat you well."

It was merely such a simple action, a hypocritical compliment.

Yet Ye Qingcheng felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her entire body freezing.

Immediately after, an indescribable, massive wave of ecstasy erupted from the bottom of her heart like a volcanic explosion, instantly sweeping through her limbs and bones!

He praised me!

He praised me for being a good girl!

He also said... he would treat me well!

The madness and fear in Ye Qingcheng's eyes faded, replaced by a brimming, almost overflowing sense of happiness and infatuation.

"Mm!" She nodded heavily, tears of emotion welling up in her eyes. The corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably, smiling like a fool who had just won the whole world.

She left the Listening Rain Pavilion blissfully and dizzily, her footsteps somewhat floating, as if she were walking on clouds.

Watching Ye Qingcheng's absent-minded silhouette, bubbling with happiness, the gentle smile on Ye Xuan's face vanished instantly, replaced by an expanse of icy indifference and mockery.

He weighed the substantial storage ring in his hand, the corners of his mouth curving into a contemptuous arc.

"Here, keep it safe."

Without turning his head, he casually tossed another ring—slightly inferior but equally rich in resources—to Ying'er behind him.

That was a portion he had just casually separated from the ring Ye Qingcheng had given him.

Ying'er caught it in a flurry of movement. Looking at the mountain-like piles of spirit stones and pills inside the ring, her small mouth opened wide, her face full of starry-eyed worship.

"Master! You're so amazing!" She leaned in with her eyes shining. "Why... why is it that no matter where we go, there are always pretty older sisters giving you so many spirit stones and pills?"

Ye Xuan turned around and cast a sidelong glance at her, a self-deprecating smile appearing on his face.

"These, huh."

He said slowly, "I traded green hats for all of this."