Chapter 14: Senior Sister, Ling Luochen
"Cui'er, isn't there still a piece of whale glue on the second-floor display case?" said the salesgirl on the right as a sudden thought struck her.
"Oh, that piece?" the other one, Cuihua, frowned slightly. "That one's pitch-black—it's clearly gone bad. It's only worth around six thousand gold soul coins. How could we possibly offer such low-grade merchandise to Young Master Ye?"
She cast a sharp glance at her coworker, clearly displeased. That kind of defective product wasn't worthy of a man like him.
"Oh? Spoiled whale glue, you said? Take me to see it," Ye Chen interjected, raising an intrigued brow.
In truth, this was precisely what he had come for—the so-called defective ten-thousand-year whale glue.
As for Huo Yuhao… well, who cared about that guy.
A fool who inherited the accumulated fortune of the entire Douluo Continent, only to grovel like a loyal dog afterward—pathetic.
Even worse, he let his wife stay chained by Tang San's so-called "chastity lock" without uttering a word of protest. A real disgrace.
…
Soon, Ye Chen was guided upstairs into a luxurious exhibition hall.
Precious herbs and artifacts shimmered behind transparent display cases, each labeled with price tags carrying at least five-digit numbers. Every item was a treasure by ordinary standards.
In one of the cases rested a dull, dark-black crystalline chunk. It lacked luster, looking far less impressive than the surrounding goods.
"Young Master Ye," began the attendant, gesturing toward it, "this is the whale glue we mentioned. Its dark coloration suggests deterioration. It shouldn't cause harm when consumed, but its medicinal potency may have weakened considerably."
She had learned from experience—it was best to clarify defects before selling, lest an angry customer return to complain.
Two, three years of service here had taught her that well.
"I'll take it. Wrap it up for me," Ye Chen said simply.
He handed over a gold card to process payment.
Whale glue was one of the rarest materials in existence—and a ten-thousand-year-grade sample was so unheard of that even Wanbao Pavilion had failed to recognize its true value.
They assumed it had spoiled. Any true expert would have called them fools.
Ordinary whale glue was golden-yellow due to crystallization over time.
Ye Chen's own whale glue from the system, however, had been a milky-white, soft as tofu—completely fresh. This one, having crystallized, was indeed much harder, but no less precious.
He was fairly certain his system's gift was of even higher grade—but this piece was still an extraordinary find.
Its hardness meant he'd need to reprocess it before any actual use.
"Right away, Young Master~"
The two attendants got to work in practiced rhythm—one ran off to process the payment, while the other carefully boxed the black crystal into an ornate case before handing it to Ye Chen.
…
Half an hour later.
Ye Chen left Wanbao Pavilion, satisfied.
The attendants had left a good impression on him, so he'd spent a bit more than planned—about seventy to eighty thousand gold soul coins in total. Nothing extravagant by his standards, though entirely for ordinary items.
Soul bones, costing millions, were still beyond his current means.
Even so, he wasn't concerned.
Once he passed Shrek's freshman examination, his student badge alone would grant him nearly unlimited credit. He could buy almost anything on deferred payment.
By now, it was noon. Feeling hungry, Ye Chen decided to find a restaurant in Shrek City's bustling central district.
The cuisine here was surprisingly diverse—no artificial additives like in his past life, but full of unique flavors all its own.
He stepped onto the lively main street, scanning the row of elegant eateries for a random pick. But before he entered any, two familiar figures appeared in front of him—
A tall woman in a flowing crimson dress, figure graceful and commanding, every step radiating confidence. Her royal aura drew attention from onlookers, who both feared and admired her presence.
Ma Xiaotao.
Beside her walked another striking woman in an ice-blue gown. Fair-skinned, slightly shorter—around one-point-seven meters—but with slim curves accentuated by pristine white boots. Her cold and dignified demeanor gave her an unforgettable presence.
Ye Chen didn't know her personally, but with his keen sense for ice-element soul power, he immediately recognized her—Ling Luochen.
"Ah, Xiao Chen, what are you doing here?" Ma Xiaotao turned, her expression brightening at the sight of him.
"The academy cafeteria didn't quite suit my taste, so I came out to explore. Sister Xiaotao, you two are grabbing lunch too?" Ye Chen greeted them with his usual sunny smile.
"Oh~ so this is the Ye Chen you mentioned? He's so handsome," Ling Luochen said teasingly, her glacier-blue eyes softening with curiosity.
She not only admired his looks but instantly sensed the potent, pure ice aura emanating from him—a presence that made her spirit quiver.
Something deep within her whispered that being near him would benefit her martial soul.
"Hmph, of course he is. That's my junior brother—no wonder, right? But Lin Luochen, don't get any ideas, he's still a kid," Ma Xiaotao said, half-joking yet undeniably defensive as she stepped between them.
"Oh, please," Ling Luochen rolled her eyes inwardly but chose to keep her retort to herself. Out loud, she merely smiled and turned to Ye Chen.
"Junior, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Let your senior sister treat you. Come, I'll show you something delicious~"
She had to maintain her calm, elegant demeanor—first impressions mattered after all.
And as Ma Xiaotao said, Ye Chen was still young. That meant plenty of time ahead to cultivate both friendship—and perhaps something more.
At Shrek Academy, many women remained single not for lack of beauty or opportunity, but because their standards were ruthlessly high.
Yet in the face of someone extraordinary, they never hesitated to chase what they wanted.
Ye Chen hesitated briefly, glancing toward Ma Xiaotao.
"Go ahead," she said, patting his head affectionately. "Since your senior sister Ling's inviting, enjoy yourself."
Though she kept smiling, a flicker of unease stirred in her chest.
Ye Chen was her junior—not Ling Luochen's.
There was no reason to feel jealous… right?
Still, something told her she needed to move faster—before someone else tried luring him away.
The three of them entered an upscale restaurant nearby.
As expected, Ling Luochen, a Soul King and minor heiress herself, didn't hold back—ordering the finest dishes on the menu without hesitation.
Soon, the entire table was covered in steaming delicacies.
"Eat all you like, Ye Chen," she said with easy grace. "Order whatever else you want."
For soul masters, such portions were hardly enough, and she planned to order more.
It was a decadent spread, but she felt it was worth every coin.
"Yes, go ahead, my dear junior. Your Sister Ling has money—don't worry about eating her poor."
Ma Xiaotao grinned, then decided the meal wasn't expensive enough—promptly ordering several bottles of fine spirit wine, each worth dozens of gold coins.
Ling Luochen nearly choked at the sight, her heart bleeding internally.
Yet she couldn't refuse without looking stingy—so she smiled through the pain.
Fine. Next month, she'd just eat plain rice porridge for days.
It could count as… dieting.
(END CHAPTER)
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