Chapter 6: You Have Chosen Your Path to Death!

After finishing his cultivation, Ye Chen fell into a deep, restful sleep. When he awoke the next morning, he felt rejuvenated and refreshed. This was the first peaceful sleep he had since his transmigration.

After instructing the mortal maidservant to assist him with his morning routine, Ye Chen proceeded to dispose of the problematic Moonlight Roses and some other herbs with insufficient potency by throwing them into the alchemy furnace and burning them into ash. This would make it appear to outsiders that he had once again failed in alchemy.

Since he was already aware that the shopkeeper was keeping an eye on him, it was best to let them believe that he had failed. He would keep his true alchemy skills hidden for now.

…

Ye Chen had plans to head out that day to buy some new materials for refining Qi Gathering Pills. It was essential to buy new supplies since his predecessor had been inept at alchemy, wasting a considerable amount of herbs, and some of the materials had even been tampered with.

This was also to fool Manger Zhang, who thought that Ye Chen was trash at alchemy.

Of course, his primary reason for going out was to see if there were any women at the Silver Moon Market with a higher multiplier. Though Lin Ke’er, the little green tea, granted him a tenfold return, if he encountered a better match with a higher multiplier, he would not hesitate to abandon Lin Ke’er. For him, profit always came first.

Manager Zhang was immediately informed of Ye Chen’s movements. After a brief moment of contemplation, he quickly deduced what Ye Chen was likely to do.

To be honest, Manager Zhang had already completely lost interest in wasting his thoughts on Ye Chen. With poor talent, low alchemy skills, and an inability to even distinguish basic herbs, Ye Chen seemed entirely hopeless. Worse, his mind seemed fixated on women, constantly thinking of ways to give them things. Even without any interference from him, Ye Chen wouldn’t stand a chance at getting the coveted position.

However, Ye Chen’s background was a bit different. His father was a late-stage cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Excluding the family head, he was the strongest combat force in the Ye family. He was responsible for overseeing all the family’s material transport.

Zhang knew Ye Chen might not be able to spot his methods, but Ye Chen’s father was no fool. If he noticed any foul play, it would cause trouble. Moreover, if Ye Chen were deemed unfit early on, it could bring unnecessary retribution.

After a moment’s thought, a smile spread across Manage Zhang’s face. “This brat must have a decent amount of spirit stones. Since he’s planning to buy pills from the outside to cover up his failure, why not let the profits stay within the family? If I can make some profit from those spirit stones, that’d be even better.”

With this thought, Manager Zhang waved his hand and summoned a confidant, giving him instructions.

…

As Ye Chen stepped out of the courtyard, he surveyed the Silver Moon Market with a sense of disappointment.

The shop was located on the main street, so the ground here was paved with a layer of cobblestones, and the entire street appeared relatively clean. However, as Ye Chen looked further ahead, he saw that beyond the main street, much of the area was just a network of stone and dirt roads.

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Most of the buildings seemed small and shabby, with a dull grayish color. This was nothing like the immortal aura Ye Chen had imagined a cultivation world would have. In fact, it resembled the villages Ye Chen remembered from his childhood, back in the year 2000. It seemed that the lives of most cultivators were indeed quite harsh.

“Fellow Daoist, Fellow Daoist….”

The sudden voice broke Ye Chen’s thoughts. A cultivator with a sly look in his eyes appeared in front of him.