"Gift successfully given!"

"The gift is the heart of a Blood Fiend Beast."

"Processing return gift…"

"Fifty-fold return in progress…"

"Reward: Fifty hearts of the Blood Fiend Beast."

Listening to the system's voice in his mind, Ye Chen shook his head. The disciples of the Demon Sect simply did not appreciate gratitude. They talked about their great need, yet not even a critical hit was triggered. But even without a critical return, a fifty-fold feedback was quite fierce. A heart worth twenty medium-grade spirit stones was now equivalent to ten high-grade spirit stones. Frankly, even highway robbers didn't earn money this quickly.

This made Ye Chen's gaze towards Su Yuxuan grow even more fervent. As for whether re-gifting after stealing would anger the other party? Ye Chen didn't care at all. Meeting by chance and seizing the opportunity to massively explode rewards was the natural order of things.

After all, Ye Chen would not truly defect to the Misty Sect to become a simp. Even if there might be a future encounter. One who gives gifts should not fear that a female cultivator would refuse his gift out of spite, right? In the past, no matter whether they liked him or not, all the female cultivators accepted his gifts without hesitation. So there was absolutely no need to worry.

…

"Junior Sister, a delicate girl alone in this secret realm, truly faces peril. Why don't we travel together from now on?"

With three weeks remaining in the secret realm and three rewards still to be triggered, having Su Yuxuan by his side would naturally make gift-giving more convenient.

Initially, Su Yuxuan was hesitating whether to kill Ye Chen right there, but after hearing his words, she chuckled and nodded lightly, "Then I thank you, Senior Brother… Senior Brother truly is a disciple of a righteous and reputable sect."

Su Yuxuan was indeed intrigued by Ye Chen. Mainly because of the numerous rumors she had heard. An iron simp, top of the competition, a third-grade spiritual root. And now, he had stolen her possession only to gift it back to her. It really made her feel she couldn't quite see through him.

With the secret realm lasting a while longer, she decided to keep Ye Chen around for a bit. When it was time to leave, then she could kill him. Thus, the two with ulterior motives set off together. Perhaps both overly confident in their own abilities, their interaction didn't at all resemble that of disciples from rival sects. Instead, it was unusually harmonious.

"Senior Brother, you actually have a treasure-detecting spell? The range feels quite extensive! Can you teach me?"

"Wow, this is a premium Blood Spirit Herb, it could help me perfect a spell!"

"Senior Brother, you're amazing! How did you know there was a spirit turtle three meters underground? Turtle blood is a great tonic for men!"

"Ah! The monster is terrifying, Senior Brother, save me!"

"Senior Brother, we found all these treasures together; I should at least have half, right?"

"What, you can only choose once a week? And only one item each time?"

"Senior Brother, you're so naughty…"

"Senior Brother, it's a pity you're not with our Misty Sect, why not defect? I've got your back!"

Along the way, Su Yuxuan was the very picture of innocence and charm, showing none of the traits expected of a demoness. Even though all the treasures and beasts slain along the way were claimed by Ye Chen, and Su Yuxuan could choose only one item per week, she merely pouted in a show of grievance, seemingly as vulnerable as a little girl.

"Senior Brother, I really want this premium Blood Spirit Herb, and the premium Pure Heart Flower too… Can't you make an exception, Senior Brother? Look, I got hurt when I was distracting that beast. Won't you feel a bit sorry for me?"

By the third week, Su Yuxuan turned on her charm. Ye Chen remained unmoved. Only one choice allowed.

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Just then, two male disciples from the Misty Sect arrived. Seeing Su Yuxuan acting coquettishly, their eyes widened in disbelief.

Su Yuxuan, coquettish? And with the Green Cloud Sect's simp? Was this simp really that impressive, to have even Su Yuxuan fawning over him? Could he have mastered some enchantment techniques?

The two shivered and promptly turned to flee. They knew full well how fierce Su Yuxuan could be. Seeing her act so coy, it seemed wiser to run.

Meanwhile, Su Yuxuan, licking her full lips, made her choice: "Alright, alright, the premium Blood Spirit Herb then. I'll go chat with the Junior Brothers for a bit; they saw Senior Brother and didn't even greet him. It makes our Misty Sect seem so impolite."

With those words, Su Yuxuan floated away.

Ye Chen did not stop her. Before long, she returned, still with that adorable demeanor, pure yet desirous. A sight that would stir anyone's heart.

However, Ye Chen's keen senses picked up a faint scent of blood on her. She'd kill even her own sect members without hesitation.

Indeed, a demoness. What could such a demoness want by acting sweet and pitiable by his side?

Ye Chen didn't need to guess. It was surely a setup to kill him in the end. Now, she was merely amusing herself with him. So, Su Yuxuan didn't care about keeping company. For in her eyes, in the end, everything would belong to her.

…

Traveling with Su Yuxuan, the three weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Now, more than half of the fourth week had elapsed.

Ye Chen finally became anxious, having wandered this area for so long. He had earned quite a bit. But the spiritual fire he needed most remained elusive. Without the spiritual fire, this trip would be akin to a fruitless endeavor.

"What exactly are you looking for, Senior Brother? If you tell me, maybe I can help too,"

Su Yuxuan asked with a light laugh.

Ye Chen didn't hide it: "I heard there's a clump of spiritual fire here."

"Spiritual fire?"

Hearing this, Su Yuxuan's eyes lit up. Spiritual fire, a rare celestial phenomenon, was truly a treasure that one could only hope to encounter. The secret realm had spiritual fire?

"Do you know what kind of flame it is?"

"It's said to be third-grade Green Stone Fire, but it's not certain."

Upon hearing this, Su Yuxuan couldn't help but laugh: "Senior Brother, Green Stone Fire usually appears in mountains, but it's most likely found near volcanoes... There is indeed a volcano in the secret realm, but it's over in that area! What have you been doing wandering around here?"

Ye Chen's lips twitched at this. He truly hadn't known about this. So, was there an issue with the map markings? But Ye Chen saw that the markings on the other disciples' maps were the same.

However, he quickly realized something. The disciple who reported the spiritual fire to the sect three years ago seemed to be from the Magic Peak lineage. Magic Peak had reported a false location. Only Fa Zhen knew the real location.

Why can't people be more honest with each other? Next time on the fighting platform, I must beat you again.

With a darkened expression, Ye Chen immediately dashed towards the direction of the volcano.

Su Yuxuan, discovering this unexpected delight, giggled lightly and followed with ease.

Upon reaching the volcano, Ye Chen deployed his spirit sensing technique and searched silently. He even gave up rest at night. After all, the secret realm was about to close in a couple of days. He had to find the spiritual fire before then. Otherwise, it would all be for nothing.

Su Yuxuan remained silent, quietly accompanying Ye Chen by his side. On the twenty-ninth day since the secret realm had opened, Ye Chen discovered a cave halfway up the mountain.

Entering it, they found numerous branching paths. After winding their way left and right, Ye Chen and Su Yuxuan finally arrived at a spacious, natural cavern spanning hundreds of square meters.

The air inside the cavern was exceptionally hot and dry. In the middle of the cavern, a small pool of magma bubbled continuously. Within the magma, a dazzling blue flame, resembling a lotus flower, bobbed up and down. They had finally found the spiritual fire!

Both Ye Chen and Su Yuxuan's faces broke into smiles. While Su Yuxuan smiled sweetly, the hands behind her back were bloodied. It had been a long game, and it was time to end it.

But just as they prepared to act, both looked up towards the opposite side. There were many entrances around the cavern. At that moment, a figure burst forth from one.

"The Green Stone Fire is mine! I am a direct disciple of the Magic Peak lineage from Green Cloud Sect, a fire-type spiritual root; no one under this volcano can match me! Leave if you value your lives. The Green Stone Fire is not for you to covet..."

The excited newcomer was indeed Fa Zhen. Though he realized others had reached the fire before him, his confidence was unshaken. Whoever dared compete for the spiritual fire with him was doomed to die.

However, when he saw clearly who stood opposite him, his confident speech abruptly stopped. His excited eyes cleared.

In the entire secret realm, there were only two people he feared.

One was Ye Chen. He had been severely beaten by him despite the difference in their levels, and now that Ye Chen was at the ninth level of Qi cultivation, his confidence waned even more.

The other was Su Yuxuan from the Misty Sect. Known to have killed two of her own sect's direct disciples within three years. He wasn't sure of her exact prowess, but the mere thought made him feel uneasy. He would have been invincible had he not encountered these two.

But now, these two were standing together on his side. And seeing the close rapport between Ye Chen and Su Yuxuan, Had Ye Chen really been turned, about to defect? Had the elder's concerns come true?

Damn… Simp just can't be trusted.

To avoid being silenced, Fa Zhen muttered under his breath, took one last reluctant look at the beautiful spiritual fire, wiped the sweat from his brow, and turned to flee: "Just passing through, it's too hot here... I'm off..."

Fa Zhen arrived quickly, and he left just as quickly!

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