Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 469: He Left Alone

This was Ye Qingchen’s main concern. As for whether Changchun Tower would sell any rare treasures, he didn’t have high hopes; after all, some things could only be chanced upon, not sought out.

Back at the Contribution Hall, Ye Qingchen had exchanged all his Spirit Pills for contribution points. This had left him not only short on Spirit Stones but also with a nearly depleted supply of elixirs. There was still a considerable distance to Eternal City, so Ye Qingchen planned to slowly accumulate wealth and resources along the way to prepare for any unforeseen needs.

The Shop Assistant nodded and replied, "You can rest assured, Young Master. I’ve heard from traveling merchants that the acquisition prices at Changchun Tower are quite fair. You can trade with them confidently."

Afterward, Ye Qingchen inquired about some other matters with the Shop Assistant before dismissing him.

It seems rest is out of the question. Ye Qingchen sighed, shook his head, and walked out of his room.

Following the directions from the Shop Assistant, Ye Qingchen easily found the so-called Changchun Tower. It occupied the most bustling location in Qiyun City, with a constant stream of merchants coming and going.

After entering Changchun Tower, Ye Qingchen first sold all his remaining Spirit Pills for some Low-grade Spirit Stones. He then purchased a large quantity of medicinal herbs. Fortunately, the tower had quiet chambers for rent, so he decided to begin refining elixirs right there. He fell into a rhythm: refining Spirit Pills, selling them, and using the proceeds to buy more medicinal herbs.

In no time, his activities stirred the upper echelons of Changchun Tower. A high-rank Pill King was producing elixirs of not only astonishing quality but at a speed that was beyond compare. The tower’s management wanted to befriend Ye Qingchen, but by then, he was completely immersed in alchemy. He hardly spoke to anyone, except when he emerged to select more medicinal herbs.

The day passed quickly. Ye Qingchen had managed to accumulate a satisfactory amount of wealth inside Changchun Tower. He had not only refined a sufficient stock of elixirs but had also acquired tens of thousands of Low-grade Spirit Stones, which would be more than enough for his journey. After bidding farewell to the Changchun Tower’s upper management, Ye Qingchen didn’t return to the inn but set out directly for Eternal City.

「...」

"Senior Sister Zi Xing, do we really have to invite that guy again? Didn’t he already refuse yesterday?" Liu Feng asked Zi Xing, a hint of anger in his voice.

They were supposed to have set off early that morning, but Zi Xing had made everyone wait, saying they should extend the invitation to Ye Qingchen one more time when he appeared, so he could join their group heading to Eternal City.

Liu Feng wasn’t the only one who was dissatisfied; the other disciples also began to grumble.

"That guy rejected Senior Sister Zi Xing’s kind offer and embarrassed you! It’s outrageous! He doesn’t know what’s good for him! Senior Sister Zi Xing is magnanimous enough to overlook his offense, but if we invite him again, won’t he just become even more arrogant?"

"Exactly! He was just tailing us from the start, trying to pester Senior Sister Zi Xing. If you ask me, even if we don’t invite him, he’ll still be following right behind us."

Hearing their discussion, Zi Xing replied with some displeasure, "That’s enough. We are all disciples of Central Celestial Academy. Even if we’re from different institutes, there’s no need to constantly bad-mouth others. If you all hadn’t spoken so harshly yesterday, would Junior Brother Ye have refused our invitation? It’s still a long way to Eternal City. Junior Brother Ye is from the Northern Region and is unfamiliar with the Central Region. If he were to run into any danger, wouldn’t it be a great loss for our Central Celestial Academy?"

Liu Feng curled his lip. "That kid is just a low-level Martial King. At Central Celestial Academy, he’s a dispensable character. Even if an accident did happen, what loss would that be? Senior Sister Zi Xing, you’re just too kind."

Zi Xing shook her head helplessly. "There’s no need for further discussion. I am the leader of this team, so you will follow my orders."

After saying this, Zi Xing fell silent and sat in the inn’s lobby, waiting for Ye Qingchen to appear. Of course, she could have simply asked the Shop Assistant for Ye Qingchen’s room number and approached him directly. But having been rejected by Ye Qingchen multiple times, Zi Xing felt that waiting for him like this showed more sincerity.

However, she waited until nearly noon, and there was still no sign of Ye Qingchen. Liu Feng and the others had long grown impatient, but seeing Zi Xing’s stern expression, they didn’t dare say more.

"Honored guests? Is there anything I can help you with?"

The Shop Assistant had noticed something was amiss for a while, but the group’s unwelcoming demeanor had prevented him from approaching sooner. It was only when the inn became crowded and the group continued to occupy a table, hindering business, that he had no choice but to speak up.

Zi Xing recognized this was the same Shop Assistant who had checked Ye Qingchen in the previous day, so she asked, "The gentleman who spoke with us yesterday, which room is he in? Have you seen him today?"

From their conversation yesterday, the Shop Assistant had gathered that they were all students from Central Celestial Academy. He also deduced that this stunningly beautiful young woman was likely the senior sister of that wealthy young master. Thus, he answered Zi Xing’s query truthfully, "I’m afraid you weren’t aware, Miss, but that gentleman went out yesterday and never returned. Since he only paid for a one-day stay, we have already rented his room to someone else."

"What? He left yesterday?"

Zi Xing stood up in surprise, not expecting Ye Qingchen to have left without a word.

Liu Feng and the others immediately started complaining again, grumbling that he had no manners at all. With several of his seniors present, he should have at least informed them before departing. Instead, he just left on his own, making them wait for so long.

Naturally, Ye Qingchen had no idea they were waiting for him. Even if he had known, he wouldn’t have deigned to bid them farewell. By now, he was already far from Qiyun City.

Having long been accustomed to traveling alone, Ye Qingchen was perfectly happy to head to Eternal City by himself. It was a chance to experience the local culture of the Central Region and find some fierce beasts along the way to hone his Shadow-extinction Sword Technique. Why not? If he had stayed with Zi Xing and the others, he would have had to endure the nagging from Liu Feng and his companions. Moreover, he would likely have been constantly probed by Zi Xing. Comparing the two options, Ye Qingchen’s choice was perfectly understandable.

Time passed swiftly. Ye Qingchen had cultivated his Shadow-extinction Sword Technique to minor completion, and by his estimation, he was less than three days’ journey from Eternal City.

Xiao Xiao, I wonder how powerful you’ve become after a year apart? At that moment, Ye Qingchen found himself eagerly anticipating their reunion. Would she give him another huge surprise, just like last time?