Chapter 105 – Mu Chen vs. Lan Ruofeng
Although he didn't want to care about Ye Rong's words, Ye Shi had still been Ye Xun's son for many years. After all, he carried a complicated feeling toward Ye Xun.
So even though he was very reluctant, Ye Shi returned to the other courtyard and found Ye Xun's letter in the pile of correspondence.
Ye Shi opened the letter — the more he read, the darker his face became.
Ye Xun probably didn't know Ye Shi had already learned about his true parentage, so the letter was written in the same domineering tone as before.
In the letter, Ye Xun demanded that Ye Shi give him one million yuan stones and also asked Ye Shi to take good care of Ye Rong, saying Rong'er had finally found a patron master.
Ye Xun even accused Ye Shi of being unfilial, writing that Mu Chen gave Mu Yuanfeng pills and yuan stones, while Ye Xun got nothing.
After reading the letter, Ye Shi tore it into pieces with a sneer. What a joke. Who is Mu Yuanfeng and who is Ye Xun? That shameless man actually dares to compare himself to Mu Yuanfeng?
Still, Ye Xun, although heartless to him, cared deeply about his daughter.
Ye Shi clenched his teeth, eyes full of sarcasm. He asked me to take care of Ye Rong? He even wants me to split my yuan stones and Flame Talismans with her? What a nerve! I've already been merciful enough not to pursue all that Ye Rong did to me when we were young, and Ye Xun dares to think like this.
Ye Shi sat cross-legged on the bed and opened the password box. Among the items inside, Mu Chen had only taken the Soul Condensation Water and the Qianlian Bone Tempering Pill recipe. He had only glanced at the rest before returning them to Ye Shi.
Ye Shi held the box in his arms, deep in thought.
In truth, Ye Shi had told Mu Chen about the password box as a kind of test.
If Mu Chen wasn't sincere with him, he wouldn't have returned anything. But clearly, Mu Chen wasn't that kind of person. That fourth-grade pill wasn't useless to Mu Chen — he left it for Ye Shi because he cared.
Leaning against the wall, Ye Shi had a gentle smile on his lips.
No matter how Ye Xun treated him, Mu Chen was always sincere.
As soon as Ye Shi left, Mu Chen absorbed the Soul Condensation Water.
The Soul Condensation Water more than doubled Mu Chen's soul power, and at the same time, it pushed his cultivation to the peak of the Nine-Star Martial Artist realm.
Mu Chen opened his eyes, feeling completely refreshed.
The Soul Condensation Water, the Qianlian Bone Tempering Pills — in the original story, Lan Ruofeng got all these things by taking advantage of Ye Shi. No wonder he became such a so-called "genius."
Although everything was currently going smoothly, Mu Chen didn't dare let down his guard.
After all, even though Lan Ruofeng no longer had the same dazzling aura as before, Zhuang Yu's influence was still strong, and that Lu Yao might pop up again at any moment.
Mu Chen stepped out of the room. With his soul power enhanced, his hearing and vision had improved greatly, and his sight was far sharper than before.
Mu Chen headed toward the Duobao Pavilion inside the academy. He had promised Ye Shi to refine the Nine Transformation Body Refining Liquid, but some ingredients were still missing.
"Mu Chen." Lan Ruofeng happened to be returning to the academy and ran into Mu Chen.
"Lan Ruofeng." Mu Chen crossed his arms and glanced at Lan Ruofeng coldly, a hint of chill in his eyes.
"You broke through to a Nine-Star Martial Artist?" Lan Ruofeng asked in surprise.
"That's right. Your strength may not have improved, but at least your eyesight has." Mu Chen tilted his head and said mockingly.
Lan Ruofeng's face flushed at Mu Chen's words.
He narrowed his eyes. Ye Shi had just gotten something from the Mingyue Treasure Pavilion, and now Mu Chen had broken through. If there wasn't something between the two, he wouldn't believe it even if he died.
Why is this happening? If Ye Shi liked him, then everything that belonged to Mu Chen should belong to him. Deep down, Lan Ruofeng always believed Ye Shi should love him — but clearly, Ye Shi didn't.
"Lan Ruofeng, there's something I've wanted to say for a long time, but I've held it back until now. Please stay away from Ye Shi — he is my fiancée. You should know that. Your constant harassment of my fiancée truly upsets me." Mu Chen said calmly.
"What I do has nothing to do with you." Lan Ruofeng frowned.
"Ye Shi belongs to me, so of course it's related to me." Mu Chen's face darkened.
"Mu Chen, can you honestly say you have no ulterior motives toward Ye Shi? You don't love him, you're just using him." Lan Ruofeng sneered.
Mu Chen took a deep breath, looked at Lan Ruofeng with a half-smile, and said, "Lan Ruofeng, just because you're trash doesn't mean everyone else is. Don't assume others are like you. Of course I love Ye Shi — I love him very much."
"Don't pretend to be noble. Are you saying you've never gained anything from Ye Shi?" Lan Ruofeng asked bitterly.
Mu Chen shrugged. "Even if I did, so what?"
"Who knows? Maybe you're using Ye Shi!" Lan Ruofeng said smugly, as if he had seen through everything.
Mu Chen rolled his eyes. This guy looks human, but his brain is a mess. There's no point arguing with him!
"And what about you? Why do you keep clinging to Shi Tou? You like him?" Mu Chen asked with a sneer.
Lan Ruofeng hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."
Mu Chen chuckled quietly. So he actually admitted it. What thick skin!
"You're funny. You say you like Ye Shi — then what about Zhuang Yu?" Mu Chen asked.
"Zhuang Yu is different from Ye Shi," Lan Ruofeng replied.
Mu Chen narrowed his eyes. Of course they're different. Zhuang Yu is your true love, and Ye Shi is your stepping stone. One you cherish, the other you trample.
"I know exactly what you're planning. Those two men in black outside the academy were yours, right? They're dead now. Did you go see them? They died working for you — what a miserable end. But that's what happens when you mess with me." Mu Chen said coldly.
"What men in black? I don't know what you're talking about." Lan Ruofeng said, feigning ignorance.
Mu Chen shrugged. "Don't act stupid in front of someone who sees through you. You should really stop humiliating yourself."
"Shi Tou means nothing to you. You keep throwing yourself at him again and again — it's pathetic. If you have so much time to bother him, why don't you spend it on Zhuang Yu instead? After all, he's the one you like. Shi Tou was just your ladder — but let me tell you: as long as I'm here, you'll never step on him again."
Lan Ruofeng's face turned green, then pale.
"You're saying all this because you're afraid I'll threaten your relationship?" Lan Ruofeng suddenly asked.
Mu Chen laughed. "Threaten? Lan Ruofeng, you think too highly of yourself. I'm not doing this out of fear. I just can't stand your disgusting face near Shi Tou anymore."
Lan Ruofeng clenched his fists tightly. "Mu Chen, don't act so noble. You call me disgusting? What about yourself? One day, I'll tear off your fake mask in front of Ye Shi!"
"Hah! You think Shi Tou would believe trash like you?" Mu Chen snorted and walked away.
Lan Ruofeng glared at Mu Chen's back, his eyes full of malice.
—
Just as Ye Shi walked out of the room, he saw Ye Rong.
"You again?" Ye Shi said with disgust.
Ye Rong clenched his teeth, suppressed his temper, and said, "Did you read Father's letter?"
Ye Shi nodded. "I looked."
"Father asked you to take good care of me… and also to transfer a million yuan stones to my jade slip," Ye Rong said.
Ye Shi rolled his eyes and interrupted him. "Enough! Don't say another word. Ye Rong, do you really think I'd fall for Ye Xun's nonsense? Keep dreaming."
Ye Rong frowned and said, "Ye Shi, you know how hard things are at home. You're so rich — what's wrong with helping the family a little?"
Ye Shi said coldly, "Hard at home? Great! The harder, the better. No matter how much money I have, it has nothing to do with Ye Xun. Let him dream."
Ye Rong gritted his teeth. "Ye Shi, you ungrateful brat! Have you forgotten who raised you?"
Ye Shi stared coldly. "My real parents left enough for the Ye family. Anyone could have raised me."
Ye Rong's face darkened. "You're just being unreasonable!"
"Exactly! I'm unreasonable — so get lost!" Ye Shi said, placing his hands on his hips.
Ye Rong glared at Ye Shi, clenched his teeth, and stormed off.
Ye Shi watched his retreating back, letting out a breath of relief.
"Ye Rong's gone!" Cheng Wan Bai suddenly emerged.
Ye Shi glanced at him. "You heard everything?"
Cheng Wan Bai smiled awkwardly. "I didn't mean to! I just wanted to ask you something."
Ye Shi tilted his head, confused. "What for?"
"Well… I want to buy a Flame Talisman. Can I get a discount?" Cheng Wan Bai asked sheepishly.
Ye Shi raised an eyebrow. "Why ask me and not Mu Chen?"
Cheng Wan Bai laughed. "I heard Young Master Mu listens to you."
Ye Shi nodded. "That's right. Mu Chen listens to me. So… how much are you offering for the talisman?"
"I only have 400,000 on me. If that's not enough, I can find another way…" Cheng Wan Bai said hesitantly.
"Just 400,000 then," Ye Shi said immediately.
Cheng Wan Bai was pleasantly surprised. "400,000 is enough!" The market had cooled, but 400,000 was still cheap for a Flame Talisman.
The two quickly made the trade.
"Thank you, Master Ye Shi!" Cheng Wan Bai said sincerely. He had only asked with a sliver of hope, not expecting it to go so smoothly.
Ye Shi said coldly, "Don't thank me. If you really want to, just stay away from Mu Chen."
Cheng Wan Bai: "…"
—
Xie Danyan saw Cheng Wan Bai walking down the steps and hurried over. "How was it? Did he refuse? Ye Shi is known for being petty. Don't worry, if that didn't work, we'll think of another way—"
"I got it," Cheng Wan Bai interrupted with a smile.
Xie Danyan was stunned. "What did you say? You bought it?"
Cheng Wan Bai nodded. "Yes."
Xie Danyan blinked. "When did Ye Shi get so easy to talk to?"
Cheng Wan Bai shrugged. "I didn't expect him to be so cooperative either."
---