"This Thunderbane Bamboo Core is indeed something Yuyi desperately needs," An Miaoli said, her voice firm. "But as her aunt, how could I let Fellow Daoist Ye bear such an expense? Here is the Spirit Infant Grass and 60,000 high-grade spirit stones. Please, Fellow Daoist Ye, take them."

Ye Chen's heartfelt gesture stirred a whirlwind of emotions in An Miaoli, but she couldn't accept it so easily. His intentions were clear—he was doing this for her. If she took the Thunderbane Bamboo Core, would it mean she was reciprocating his feelings?

That was impossible. Setting aside everything else, she could never be with someone her niece admired. And to accept the gift while ignoring his intentions? That wasn't her way either.

More importantly, her cultivation technique was tied to karma. Owing too great a debt without repayment could cloud her heart and hinder her progress, perhaps even preventing a breakthrough. So, without hesitation, she offered the Spirit Infant Grass and 60,000 high-grade spirit stones.

Ye Chen glanced at the items and chuckled. "Senior An, when I give a gift, it's from the heart, and I've never taken one back. If you don't want it, then throw it away." He turned to An Yuyi. "Yuyi, escort me out of your sect."

With that, Ye Chen rose, hovering lightly in the air. An Yuyi hurriedly followed, trailing him through the sea of clouds toward the sect's gates.

An Miaoli stood rooted in place, her white robes fluttering, her misty eyes fixed on Ye Chen's retreating figure, dreamlike and surreal. In the end, she didn't move, only letting out a soft sigh.

At that moment, a system prompt echoed in Ye Chen's mind.

"Gift successful!"

"Gift: Thunderbane Bamboo Core!"

"Two-hundredfold return in progress…"

"Detected significant emotional fluctuations in the recipient, triggering a critical hit reward…"

"Reward: 50 Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Cores!"

"Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core: A spiritual bamboo unique to the Azure Hill Holy Land, cultivated for ten thousand years to produce a Jade Bamboo Core. It can enhance a cultivator's spiritual root aptitude. Reusable. Maximum potential: upgrading to an Earth Spirit Root!"

Ye Chen's smile widened. The Thunderbane Bamboo Core was only effective for those below an Earth Spirit Root, but the Azure Hill Jade Bamboo Core could elevate a cultivator's aptitude all the way to an Earth Spirit Root.

The difference in value was at least a hundredfold, and with fifty Jade Thunderbane Bamboo Cores rewarded, the return was a staggering five thousand times the initial investment. A two-hundredfold return had ballooned into five thousand. This critical hit was exhilarating.

The extra hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones he'd spent in the bidding war? Absolutely worth it. Without that fierce competition, gifting a Thunderbane Bamboo Core bought for a mere 50,000 or 60,000 might not have triggered the critical hit.

An Miaoli could've afforded it herself, after all. But because he'd played the fool, splashing out 190,000, it had touched her deeply, sparking the massive reward. Five thousand times the value—whether he sold the Jade Thunderbane Bamboo Cores or used them to boost the aptitude of the female cultivators around him, the impact would be immense.

His grin grew brighter at the thought.

An Yuyi, seeing Ye Chen's joy, couldn't help but feel a spark of happiness herself. Look at that—he'd even let her escort him out alone. If she kept at it, surely one day she'd win his heart.

...

"Aunt, I'm back!" An Yuyi returned, practically bouncing with excitement.

An Miaoli, still standing gracefully in place, her presence ethereal, spoke calmly. "What took you so long?"

An Yuyi gave a sheepish smile. "I escorted him a bit far!" If Ye Chen hadn't stopped her, she might've followed him all the way to the Ye Boutique.

An Miaoli glanced at her niece and shook her head, handing over the Thunderbane Bamboo Core. "Go refine it. Once you're done, you can break through to the Golden Core stage."

An Yuyi nodded eagerly, taking the treasure with a delighted grin. In her heart, she made a plan: after refining it, she'd visit Ye Chen again under the guise of gratitude. Next time, she'd go alone, without her aunt. If he refused to see her, well, she'd bring her aunt along then. With that, she hurried off to refine the Thunderbane Bamboo Core.

An Miaoli sat in the pavilion, gazing at the sea of clouds, now ablaze with the fiery hues of sunset. Her thoughts drifted. She had to repay Ye Chen for his gift, but if she treated it like a transaction, he'd never accept it. Only a return gift would do, but what should its value be?

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The Thunderbane Bamboo Core was worth 50,000 or 60,000 high-grade spirit stones—something she could afford. The problem was, Ye Chen had spent 190,000. What kind of gift could match that?

Her flawless brow furrowed slightly as she pondered.

Returning to the Ye Boutique, Ye Chen didn't immediately head back to Green Cloud City. He planned to stay another week. In a few days, he'd deliver the incomplete Eternal Cosmos Sutra. Once he received the full Golden Core chapter as a reward, he'd return to Green Cloud Sect to meet his master and senior sister, then begin secluded cultivation.

Three days later, An Yuyi arrived—alone, without An Miaoli. The system's cooldown hadn't ended yet, so Ye Chen wasn't bothered by An Miaoli's absence. As for An Yuyi, he welcomed her warmly. Her role in his recent successful gift-giving had been indispensable.

An Yuyi had come to thank him for the Thunderbane Bamboo Core, which had perfectly balanced her dual spirit roots. She also shared that she was about to enter seclusion to break through to the Golden Core stage, with a strong chance of forming a ninth-grade Golden Core.

Ye Chen smiled, offered his congratulations, and saw her off. His master, Li Feihuang, and now An Yuyi were all entering seclusion. His own time was approaching.

Once the system's cooldown ended, Ye Chen leisurely made his way to the Divine Will Sect for another visit. After sending a transmission talisman, he waited patiently at the sect's gates.

Soon, a figure in flowing white robes appeared, her black hair swaying lightly as she glided forward, as if stepping through mist. An Miaoli's graceful form seemed even more striking in the air, her slender silhouette and subtle curves faintly outlined.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, please follow me," she said, her voice calm and even.

Ye Chen nodded and followed her toward Quiet Wonder Peak.

"Yuyi has entered seclusion to break through to the Golden Core stage," An Miaoli said along the way. "Thanks to your help on multiple occasions, she may achieve a ninth-grade Golden Core."

Ye Chen nodded. "I know."

Silence settled between them. Without An Yuyi's chatter to fill the gaps, their rare one-on-one encounters often felt quiet. It wasn't until they reached Quiet Wonder Peak and An Miaoli brewed tea that she spoke again, as they sat together.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, your gift of the Thunderbane Bamboo Core was a tremendous help. Such a generous gift—I feel unworthy of it. Please, accept this in return."

With a gentle wave of her hand, she retrieved an item from her storage ring and placed it before Ye Chen. His eyes lit up as he saw it—a book, its cover inscribed with Guhe's Alchemy Notes.

Guhe was the Divine Will Sect's only third-grade perfected alchemist, renowned throughout the sect's domain. Calling him the sect's foremost alchemist was no exaggeration. Golden Core cultivators and rogue cultivators alike often sought him out for pill refining, a testament to his lofty status. For An Miaoli to have acquired his personal notes was no small feat.

Seeing Ye Chen's eyes light up, An Miaoli felt a wave of relief. A high-tier alchemist held a status no less prestigious than her own as a grand elder. She'd spent a hefty amount of sect contribution points and called in a personal favor to secure Guhe's notes.

Ye Chen's wealth was undeniable, and for her to buy a gift worth over 100,000 high-grade spirit stones was simply too daunting—unless she sold her Spirit Infant Grass, which she needed for her own Nascent Soul breakthrough. So, the fact that these third-grade alchemist notes pleased him was a stroke of luck.

In terms of raw value, Guhe's notes didn't quite match the Thunderbane Bamboo Core. But as the Divine Will Sect's foremost alchemist, Guhe's reputation carried weight, and third-grade alchemist notes were exceedingly rare, almost impossible to find outside the sect. Their value was substantial.

Seeing Ye Chen's satisfaction, An Miaoli felt she'd repaid some of the karmic debt—at least it wasn't as heavy now. She'd find another chance to return the rest with a gift suited to him.

...

For Ye Chen, Guhe's third-grade alchemist notes were a treasure. Even Sun Ye, his contact, hadn't managed to acquire them after months of searching.

With these notes, Ye Chen could gift them to someone and instantly reach the third-grade perfected level himself—a massive gain. His appreciation for An Miaoli grew. Though her demeanor was neither warm nor cold, she always triggered critical hits and never failed to reciprocate his gifts. She was, without a doubt, a principled person.

Smiling, he thanked her warmly. "Thank you, Senior An! I'm deeply interested in all six cultivation arts, as well as the unorthodox paths beyond them. These alchemist notes are incredibly significant to me."

An Miaoli offered a faint smile in return. "No need for formalities, Fellow Daoist Ye."

With the return gift given and her niece absent, An Miaoli planned to exchange a few more pleasantries before seeing him out. She had no desire to deepen her connection with Ye Chen, but for her niece's sake, she had little choice. She hoped Yuyi would either win his heart or, better yet, move on from him entirely, freeing her from this entanglement. For now, with Yuyi in seclusion, there was no reason to linger with Ye Chen alone.

But just as she was about to make an excuse to bid him farewell, Ye Chen spoke up. "I came today with a gift for you, Senior." He produced a jade slip.

Another gift? An Miaoli's mind reeled. Given Ye Chen's lavish spending, how could she possibly repay him if she accepted more? Besides, Yuyi was in seclusion, breaking through to the Golden Core stage—she didn't need anything right now.

She shook her head firmly. "Yuyi is in seclusion. Perhaps Fellow Daoist Ye could return after she emerges."

But Ye Chen shook his head. "This is for you, Senior An. It might be useful to you."

An Miaoli froze, her expression faltering. All his previous gifts had been for Yuyi's benefit, something she'd grown accustomed to. But this… was for her? Accepting gifts meant for Yuyi was one thing—her niece genuinely needed them, and as her aunt, she couldn't stand by and watch her miss out on a brighter future. As long as she repaid the favor, her conscience was clear. But a gift for herself? That was absolutely out of the question. If she accepted, how could she face Ye Chen afterward?

She shook her head more vigorously. "In three to five years, I'll reach Golden Core perfection and begin preparing for the Nascent Soul stage. I have little need for external treasures. I appreciate your kindness, Fellow Daoist Ye, but I must decline. Thank you." She paused, then added, "I'm afraid I have a sect meeting to attend soon, so I must apologize…"

Her refusal was polite but firm, a clear dismissal.

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