Chapter 68: A Date with Two Beauties, Photo Service
"Ahh! I really reached level forty!"
At the Qibao Hotel, inside a private room.
Under Ye Chen's instruction, Jiang Nannan had taken the Soul Enhancement Pills and successfully advanced to level 40. She even had one pill left for later use.
Tang Ya had also taken her share. She had only recently reached level 31, but after consuming five of Ye Chen's pills, her cultivation soared to level 35—an instant leap!
"This is unbelievable! Truly no side effects at all! Ye Chen, do you still have more of these pills?" Tang Ya asked excitedly, feeling the surging power flowing through her veins. Her bright eyes fixed eagerly on Ye Chen.
Not just Tang Ya—Jiang Nannan mirrored her look of desire.
It was the first time either of them had tasted such effortless progression—and it was intoxicating.
No need for bitter cultivation. No strain, no backlash. Pure power, purely gained. No soul master alive could resist that temptation.
It was like becoming an Evil Soul Master... without the evil.
After all, many became Evil Soul Masters because their cultivation speed was a hundred times faster than normal.
Especially those with mediocre talent—once they'd tasted such rapid advancement, they couldn't resist. They willingly threw away morality and lifespan alike for strength.
But Ye Chen's pills had none of those costs—no danger, no decay, no deadly repercussions.
Even Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan now carried a dangerous gleam of obsession in their eyes.
In fact, both unconsciously thought the same thing—
For something this precious, they'd give up anything if it meant Ye Chen would share more.
Even if it meant agreeing to certain conditions that might be... questionable.
Compared to the promise of power, any price seemed worth paying.
Ye Chen, however, felt his scalp go numb under the pair's blazing gazes.
Good grief—those eyes looked exactly like addicts going through withdrawal. Terrifying.
"Of course I have more," he said with a faint smile. "But they're not free. I'll be introducing a Tang Sect contribution system soon. Members can exchange contributions for cultivation resources—including these pills."
"They won't come free of charge, but the Tang Sect can take them on credit and settle the debt with gold soul coins later."
Ye Chen's tone was calm and businesslike.
He planned to reserve a portion of the pills for exchange and store others for future opportunities. Perhaps the system would even unlock stronger ones later.
And now that he was diving into soul engineering, merging hidden weapons with soul tools, his list of possible creations kept growing—each one potentially offered as merchandise for Tang Sect members.
It wasn't just generosity; it was investment.
Every bit of support he gave cemented his control over the Tang Sect.
He didn't mind. It was a small price to pay for ultimate power over the sect's future.
"Hmph, and what about me, the noble Sect Master?" Tang Ya asked playfully, hugging Ye Chen's arm with a sweet, coaxing smile. "Can't I trade… other forms of value~?"
Jiang Nannan nearly dropped her teacup. She had never seen Tang Ya act this affectionate before.
But once she recalled the allure of those pills, she understood completely.
She might've tried the same trick herself... if Tang Ya hadn't been watching.
"No," Ye Chen said flatly, pinching Tang Ya's cheek and gently pushing her aside. "As Sect Master, you should set an example, not break the rules."
"Ugh, meanie…" Tang Ya pouted, giving him an adorably resentful look.
Too bad Jiang Nannan was present—otherwise, she definitely would've doubled down with a full display of charm to squeeze out a few extra pills.
"Anyway," Ye Chen said suddenly, "since this is a small Tang Sect gathering, why don't we take a group photo to commemorate the occasion?"
"Group photo? What's that?"
Both Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan tilted their heads in confusion.
Was this yet another of Ye Chen's bizarre inventions?
"I've been working on a new soul device—the Flowlight Image Box. It can capture a full image onto a printed sheet of paper."
Ye Chen took out the compact silver device and explained its function with a faint smile.
"What! That's incredible!"
Jiang Nannan gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.
"Has soul tool technology really advanced this far already…" Tang Ya whispered, stunned.
The fall of the Tang Sect had been largely due to the rise of soul tools. They had completely overtaken hidden weapons in practicality and demand.
Because of that, Tang Ya had always subconsciously detested them.
Even though she knew the truth—that soul tools outclassed hidden weapons in almost every way—some stubborn part of her refused to accept it. Over the years, apart from basic storage devices, she had avoided them entirely.
But now, seeing Ye Chen's invention before her eyes—a camera capable of preserving moments—she was beginning to realize just how far this field had advanced.
Soul tools weren't just about war anymore. They had seeped into every corner of daily life.
Storage soul tools were already a necessity; now, even lifesaving convenience devices existed.
"This particular one is special," Ye Chen said proudly. "I made it myself. No one else in the world has anything like it."
"What—you built a soul tool?!"
Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan exclaimed at once, both staring in shock.
Ye Chen wasn't just powerful as a soul master—he was a soul engineer too?
That was ridiculous!
"It's nothing," Ye Chen said modestly. "I only recently started studying it. But Teacher says I have talent. Soul masters need to keep up with the times. Strong defensive-type soul tools can make a huge difference in survival. Once I advance a bit more, I'll personally craft a complete soul tool set for both of you, free of charge."
"Really?!"
"Ye Chen, you're amazing!"
The two women cheered in unison, pure joy lighting their faces.
Jiang Nannan knew how valuable soul tools were. She had always wanted better equipment but simply couldn't afford it.
Even her small storage device had taken years of careful saving.
A full soul tool set, though—that was the stuff of legends. Not even most Shrek teachers owned complete sets!
Every component of a customized set cost several times more than a soul tool of equivalent grade. A whole set was practically priceless.
Even selling everything she owned wouldn't be enough.
Tang Ya, though not a fan of soul tech, understood perfectly well how rare it was. Her classes had drilled that much into her.
A full soul tool synchronization set could easily boost combat capacity by an entire rank—if not more.
But crafting one was time-consuming, labor-intensive, and astronomically expensive.
They were so rare that even money couldn't always buy one.
And Ye Chen had just promised to gift them theirs.
The realization stirred both gratitude and warmth deep in their hearts.
(END CHAPTER)
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