Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Ye Xun's Bargaining Chip

After a day of classes, Mu Chen walked out of the Inscription Academy.

A familiar silhouette once again appeared before Mu Chen.

Mu Chen couldn't fathom how Ye Rong had the audacity to repeatedly confront him.

Unknown to Mu Chen, jealousy had consumed Ye Rong's mind. She dreamt of replacing Ye Shi, hoping to be the recipient of Mu Chen's immense affection, neglecting everything else.

Many students believed Mu Chen was overly kind to Ye Shi. Given a chance like Ye Rong's, many would recklessly pursue his favor.

"I've known for a while about Ye Shi not being from the Ye family," Mu Chen interrupted Ye Rong.

Growing desperate, Ye Rong said, "If Ye Shi isn't a true Ye, then your engagement with him is void."

Mu Chen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he stared coldly at Ye Rong, "I adore Ye Shi. It's not because he's from the Ye family, nor our engagement, but simply because he is Ye Shi."

"Had my engagement to the Ye family been with someone other than Ye Shi, I wouldn't have hesitated to break it off. Do you understand, Miss Ye?"

Ye Rong paled further upon hearing Mu Chen's words. With an aggrieved whisper, she said, "I'd be content being second to you. Isn't that enough for you?"

"It isn't, and it won't change no matter how many times you ask. Ye Rong, I don't have feelings for you. Don't waste your efforts," Mu Chen responded, his face showing clear annoyance.

Biting her lip, Ye Rong shot an resentful glance at Mu Chen and, with a flushed face, ran away.

Mu Chen watched as a heartbroken Ye Rong fled, his expression remaining icy.

"Mu, you really don't know how to cherish a woman, do you?" Xie Dan Yan emerged from the shadows.

Mu Chen retorted, "It's precisely because I cherish women that I clarified things with her. I wouldn't want her to harbor false hopes and go mad."

Xie Dan Yan laughed, "So that's it! Mu, you really are a good man."

"Of course I am," Mu Chen responded confidently.

With a playful smile, Xie Dan Yan clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, "Great and kind Mu Chen, can you sell me a few Flame Symbols at a discount?"

"No," Mu Chen replied without hesitation.

"Why?" Xie Dan Yan asked, puzzled.

Moving closer to Xie Dan Yan, Mu Chen whispered with a smirk, "Being a good person means treating everyone equally. I can't show favoritism."

Captivated by Mu Chen's enigmatic smile, Xie Dan Yan momentarily froze.

Before she could react, Mu Chen had already turned and left.

Watching Mu Chen's retreating figure, Xie Dan Yan clenched her teeth in frustration, thinking, "Mu Chen is such a jerk. Even Ye Shi is easier to deal with. truly misjudged him."

Xie Dan Yan stamped her foot in anger and left.

After Xie Dan Yan had gone, there was a brief fluctuation of energy in the forest. Ye Shi revealed himself, removing an invisibility talisman. He never expected that following Ye Rong would lead him to overhear such a conversation between her and Mu Chen.

Biting his lip, a sweet sensation filled Ye Shi's heart.

…………

"Hey, kid! Where are you headed?"

Ye Shi was walking in the direction of Mu Chen's residence when he was unexpectedly stopped by someone.

Upon seeing the person ahead, Ye Shi couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"Greetings, senior." Although Ye Shi held some resentment towards Xiong Wei, he still courteously addressed him, keeping in mind that he was now Mu Chen's master.

"Young man, impressive! You've reached the rank of an eight-star martial artist," Xiong Wei said with admiration.

"Thank you for your praise," Ye Shi replied, bashfully.

Xiong Wei glanced at Ye Shi and said, "You're doing well, but compared to Mu Chen, there's a significant gap. That boy, always dabbling in frivolities and neglecting his training. If not for that, he would have advanced to the rank of martial spirit by now. You have much to strive for, young man!"

Ye Shi chuckled, "Thank you again for your praise."

Xiong Wei, seeing Ye Shi's cheerful demeanor, rolled his eyes, not understanding what made Ye Shi so amused.

What Xiong Wei didn’t know was that for Ye Shi, hearing praises about Mu Chen made him happier than receiving them himself.

"Senior, shouldn't you be at the quarry? Why are you out here?" Ye Shi inquired, puzzled.

"I came to see you," Xiong Wei replied with a slight smirk.

Ye Shi shrugged, "See me? There's nothing special to see here."

Xiong Wei responded with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh, how can that be? You're quite a sight."

"Really?" Ye Shi asked, feigning innocence.

"Yes, so handsome that my good-for-nothing disciple drugged me for you," Xiong Wei exclaimed angrily, raising his voice. "That rascal actually drugged me!"

Mu Chen is detestable, but Hua Shu is even worse. That bastard speaks as if he's just letting out hot air. He promised confidentiality, vowing not to let a third person know, but he spilled the beans about Mu Chen drugging him to countless others, turning him into the laughingstock of the academy.

The corner of Ye Shi's mouth twitched in amusement. As soon as he returned from his training, he'd heard about Mu Chen drugging Xiong Wei. He hadn't expected Mu Chen to take his offhand comment so seriously.

Clearing his throat, Ye Shi said earnestly, "Senior, Mu Chen did it for your benefit."

Xiong Wei responded with a mocking smile, "Oh? Drugging me was for my benefit?"

Nodding seriously, Ye Shi added, "Yes, senior. It wasn't just any laxative."

Xiong Wei rolled his eyes and remarked, "Really?" Mu Chen's actions were beyond the pale, and yet, he hadn't even thought to apologize.

Coughing slightly, Ye Shi said solemnly, "It was a slimming laxative. Very expensive in the market."

Looking at Ye Shi's smug expression, Xiong Wei gritted his teeth.

"Get lost," Xiong Wei grumbled.

Ye Shi shrugged and turned away.

Watching Ye Shi leave without hesitation, Xiong Wei felt even more aggrieved.

……

"Ye Shi," Ye Rong, looking rather haggard, blocked his path.

Upon seeing Ye Rong, Ye Shi thought of the 80,000 yuan damage charge and felt a pang of annoyance.

"Ye Rong, what do you want now?" Ye Shi asked impatiently.

Ye Rong held out a letter, "From our father."

Gazing at the letter in her hand, Ye Shi shook his head, "I don't want it." Every letter from Ye Xun made him furious, so he recently stopped reading them.

"This one's different from the previous ones. You'll regret not reading it," Ye Rong sneered.

Ye Shi looked at her suspiciously.

Confidently, Ye Rong said, "If you don't want it, I'll toss it. But don't come regretting it later."

After a moment's hesitation, Ye Shi reached out, "Give it to me."

Handing over the letter, Ye Rong turned and left.

Ye Shi opened the envelope and read, his face turning pale.

……

At Mu Chen's separate courtyard.

"You're saying that Ye Xun wrote to you, claiming he has something belonging to your biological father?" Mu Chen inquired.

Ye Shi nodded. "Indeed," he said.

Mu Chen squinted. "Ye Shi's biological father must be from a prominent family. wonder what that item really is."

"What terms did Ye Xun propose?" asked Mu Chen.

"Sixty million Yuan Shi," replied Ye Shi, his brows creased.

Mu Chen raised an eyebrow. "He certainly has a big appetite."

Ye Shi nodded in agreement, "Certainly not."

"As long as he keeps his promise, sixty million it is," Mu Chen mused.

Ye Shi frowned slightly, expressing his reluctance, "That's a hefty sum!"

Mu Chen, with a narrowed gaze, said, "You can always earn more Yuan stones, but that item belongs to your biological father. It's a clue to finding him. Losing it could be a lifelong regret."

"Why should I regret it? He abandoned my mother and me," Ye Shi remarked dismissively.

Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi and gave a wistful smile. Despite Ye Shi's words, deep down, he probably held some hope for his biological father. Even with Ye Xun's treatment, Ye Shi respected him until he knew the truth.

"Perhaps he had compelling reasons," mused Mu Chen.

Ye Shi, looking downcast, lamented, "Sixty million is just too much. I only have thirty million left." If it weren't for Qu Kun's vault containing a card with twenty million Yuan Shi, he wouldn't even have that.

"Mu Chen, how much Yuan Shi do you have left?" Ye Shi, full of curiosity, looked up and asked.

Mu Chen chuckled awkwardly, "Well..." He had only three million left.

Ye Shi observed Mu Chen, his brow tightening in suspicion, "You didn't spend it all, did you?"

Mu Chen was adept at making money, but equally adept at spending it. Whenever he had Yuan stones, he'd buy pill manuals, talisman manuals, inscription books, formation books, and all sorts of miscellaneous books.

"Why would I?" Mu Chen replied dismissively.

"Do you have ten million left?" Ye Shi inquired.

"Well... there are still four days till our day off. We can earn Yuan stones slowly," Mu Chen said with an awkward smile.

Ye Shi said skeptically, "Only four days left."

"No worries. Follow me," Mu Chen extended his hand.

Holding onto Mu Chen's hand, Ye Shi followed him out.

Following Mu Chen, Ye Shi passed numerous shops in the academy, spending over 700,000 Yuan stones on several dozen level-three weapons.

Holding a weapon, Ye Shi trailed behind Mu Chen, saying, "So this is your strategy, buying weapons with money."

Mu Chen nodded, "Exactly! These aren't ordinary weapons, they're a bargain."

Ye Shi smirked, "Cheap? Hardly." Each costing fifty to sixty thousand Yuan stones, they were pricey! They couldn't possibly need so many.

Regular third-level weapons are valued around one million Yuan stones. Weapons engraved with third-level inscriptions are worth two to three million Yuan stones. Those with failed inscriptions are worth half, around five hundred thousand Yuan stones.

All the weapons Mu Chen bought had failed third-grade inscriptions. Ye Shi couldn't fathom the need for so many.

"One more shop to go, and we're done," Mu Chen said, looking at the shop ahead.

Ye Shi's face momentarily contorted, "We're buying more?" he asked hesitantly.

Mu Chen smiled, "Let's go."