Chương 29: Let's See How Long You Can Keep This Up

Li Xiang had given up. He concluded that Ye Chen must have a screw loose. For now, he decided to halt his pursuit of Lu Jing—not out of fear of Ye Chen, but to sit back and watch the show. From what Li Xiang knew of the Ye family, their resources were on par with his own family's. How much could Ye Chen possibly afford to give Lu Jing? And for how long? When Ye Chen eventually ran out of things to offer, Lu Jing would surely drop him without a second thought.

Meanwhile, as long as Li Xiang focused on cultivating and improving his strength, Lu Jing would undoubtedly come back to him in the end. All Ye Chen's efforts amounted to nothing more than using his resources to elevate someone else's future partner. A pure and utter clown.... Ye Chen's dramatic words had not gone unnoticed. By the next day, the entire Silver Moon Market was buzzing with the story. Cultivators everywhere were astonished that such a "simp" could exist in the world.

The consensus was clear: Ye Chen must have something wrong with his head. When Lu Jing inevitably abandoned him, Ye Chen would regret it for the rest of his life. However, not all reactions were dismissive. Many female cultivators developed a strong curiosity about Ye Chen—not because they were moved by his sincerity, but because they also wished to find a man who would lavish gifts on them with such devotion.... Unperturbed by the gossip swirling around him, Ye Chen remained indifferent.

With each gift he bestowed, a tenfold return was guaranteed by the system.

"If it were you, you'd be even more sycophantic than I am," he mused.

"I'm not pandering to women; I'm courting resources." And as for those who said he would end up with nothing? Such an outcome was impossible with the system's feedback. The more he gave, the more he gained! Ye Chen continued his daily routine: concocting elixirs, practicing cultivation, and occasionally stepping out to discreetly sell the accumulated pills. His life was tranquil yet fulfilling. Meanwhile, Lu Jing was well aware of the situation. Initially, she was worried.

She feared that Li Xiang's words might enlighten Ye Chen, causing him to stop his gifts. What would she do if the presents ceased? Thus, she despised Li Xiang.

"You, a mere Qi Refining family disciple, have never gifted me a single pill in six years," she thought bitterly.

"Just occasionally offering advice on talisman crafting from your high horse. Now that I've found a cultivator willing to provide me with resources, you dare to interfere and spoil my prospects? And you still hope to have me as your partner? Dream on! I wouldn't give you the time of day, not even if you were the last man on this realm." At work, Lu Jing didn't spare Li Xiang a glance. But her interactions with Ye Chen were warmer than ever.

She frequently found excuses for physical contact: a light hand touch here, leaning in close enough during conversation that her breath fanned his face. She even volunteered to tidy his home and brought him delicacies she had intended only for herself. Lu Jing did all this hoping to keep Ye Chen immersed in her affection, unaffected by Li Xiang's words. If Ye Chen truly had an epiphany, it would be her worst nightmare. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Fortunately, Ye Chen's attitude towards her was as infatuated as ever. Occasionally, she deliberately allowed him some liberties, and his excitement was palpable. Clearly, he was unaffected by any external chatter. Seeing this, Lu Jing felt reassured. In the blink of an eye, another week had passed. Having completed his daily regimen of cultivation and alchemy, Ye Chen was ready for a new acquisition—a storage bag, something he had long anticipated.

This essential item from the cultivation novels of his previous life could carry vast amounts of items without bearing their weight.

"If I had one back on Earth, I could have saved on parking fees," he mused, "just stash the car in the bag and carry it with me." A standard storage bag offered half a cubic meter of space for fifty low-grade spirit stones. But now, with a medium-grade spirit stone in his possession, Ye Chen could afford a larger one—a cubic meter, which, with a tenfold increase from the system, would effectively become ten cubic meters.

With such a bag, all his possessions could travel with him, making any sudden departures far more manageable. Ye Chen left through the back yard and headed straight for the Green Cloud Shop, the only place in the Silver Moon Market known to sell storage bags.

"Has Fellow Daoist arrived to see the steward?" the familiar receptionist at Green Cloud Shop inquired as soon as he saw Ye Chen.

"No need today," Ye Chen replied, "I'm here to buy a storage bag, and I need a big one, preferably one cubic meter." The receptionist looked surprised at his request. To Qi refining cultivators, a storage bag was a luxury akin to flaunting wealth. Although practical, a storage bag was, in essence, just an item for carrying other items. Unless there was a specific need, such as for gathering herbs or hunting demons in the mountains, or for those involved in trade, most cultivators preferred to carry a knapsack.

Spending fifty low-grade spirit stones on something just to hold items was not a common practice. Given that the entire wealth of many cultivators didn't even amount to that much, those who did possess such funds would typically rather invest in spells or other practical needs.

"Please follow me, honored guest," the attendant beckoned as he led Ye Chen towards their storage bag display.

"This is a storage bag produced by our sect," he introduced.

"This particular bag offers a cubic meter of space and costs one medium-grade spirit stone. The exterior is crafted from cloud-patterned silk, which resists fluctuations from magical battles quite effectively, protecting the bag from damage during conflicts. As long as it is not directly struck by a spell, it should remain intact. Under normal use, our storage bags will last for twenty years without issue. However, we recommend replacing them every fifteen years because the formations can degrade over time...

If it suddenly fails, it can be troublesome to open, requiring a formation master's assistance and possibly resulting in lost items." As the attendant detailed the features of their storage bags, Ye Chen felt a bit stunned. Storage bags need regular replacement? This was unexpected for Ye Chen. Yet, thinking it over, it seemed reasonable. After all, didn't appliances from his previous life also break down after prolonged use?

It seemed that the storage capability was facilitated by formations, and it made sense that the materials could degrade and the formations could lose effectiveness over time. Besides, he wasn't worried about the usual concerns. The quality of what the system provided him was undoubtedly superior. Thus, Ye Chen decided to make the purchase. He watched as a hundred low-grade spirit stones were handed over, much to the delight of the attendant.

Beyond his salary, the attendant also earned a commission on sales, and items like storage bags carried a high commission rate. This sale alone netted him one low-grade spirit stone—a reason for his evident happiness. Ye Chen examined the storage bag, satisfied with the space it provided. After confirming everything was in order, he tucked it into his chest and left the Green Cloud Shop under the attentive care of the attendant....

Outside Silver Moon Market, a weary group of herb gatherers emerged from the mountains. Seeing the market just ahead, they all breathed sighs of relief, their faces brightening with joy. The group consisted of over a dozen people. Among them, Lin Ke'er, who had been in the mountains collecting herbs for a month, walked with her companions.