Though it wasn't her fault, the fact that her niece's beloved admired her instead left An Miaoli with a twinge of guilt. Seeing that An Yuyi harbored no resentment toward her eased her mind, but her niece's stubbornness was giving her a headache.

Gently stroking An Yuyi's head, An Miaoli tried to reason with her. "The cultivation world is vast beyond measure. Just in our Great Yan Continent, there are near-infinite cultivators. The entire immortal realm is even grander. You're still young, Yuyi. You'll meet countless people in the future. Why cling to this?

"If it's just unwillingness, that's even less reason to hold on. You know, nine out of ten things in life don't go as we wish. Even ancient immortals faced unfulfilled desires. Some, after death, had their obsessions twist into unspeakable horrors. If even immortals can't escape this, how can you? If something can't be forced, don't force it. Let it go."

An Miaoli counseled patiently, even citing immortal legends to make her point.

But An Yuyi's face was set with defiance. "I will force it!"

An Miaoli was speechless, sighing heavily. "What's your plan, then? Go find Ye Chen? A man's heart, when hardened, is colder than an iceberg. You'll gain nothing, and he might not even see you."

An Yuyi's eyes sparkled with hope as she looked at her aunt. "I know I can't do it alone. But if you come with me, Aunt, Ye Chen will definitely meet me!"

An Miaoli's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at her niece. Her too? Ridiculous! Even though it was her beloved niece, An Miaoli's face flushed with anger. "Do you hear yourself? Besides, Ye Chen doesn't even like you! You're still not giving up?"

Her voice grew cold by the end.

An Yuyi, tears brimming, nodded. "I know. But what can I do when the man I love loves someone else? Especially when that someone is my dearest aunt. What choice do I have?"

Her words struck An Miaoli's heart, stirring a wave of guilt. She pulled An Yuyi's head into a tight embrace. Her niece was the one suffering most, loving someone who loved her aunt instead.

"But even if I agreed, what would seeing him accomplish?" An Miaoli sighed.

An Yuyi's gaze was resolute. "Just seeing him would make me happy. Water wears through stone—someday, he'll accept me."

An Miaoli was at a loss for words.

What An Yuyi didn't say was that Ye Chen being with her aunt was still better than him being with Li Feihuang. If Ye Chen became her uncle-in-law, she'd have chances to see him often. Who's to say she couldn't win him over eventually?

...

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The day after the Divine Will Cave Heaven closed, Ye Chen's routine remained steady. He spent his time browsing the city for gifts suitable for his system's feedback mechanism or cultivating in peace.

Gifting hadn't taken a backseat either—he knew the upcoming Heavenly Evolution Pavilion auction would feature the rare Eternal Cosmos Sutra fragment, a treasure too valuable to miss. Though he had plenty of spirit stones, preparing thoroughly was essential.

In Divine Will City, finding female cultivators with hundredfold feedback multipliers was rare, but those with thirty to fiftyfold multipliers were common enough. These women were wary, often ignoring strangers' advances, but none refused Ye Chen's gifts. Some even tried to get closer, hoping for more than a casual exchange.

Today, the system's cooldown had just ended, and Ye Chen was about to head out to find a suitable recipient for a gift. But before he could leave, he sensed visitors approaching. A quick scan of their auras told him who they were: An Yuyi and her aunt, An Miaoli.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Had An Yuyi tattled, bringing her aunt to settle the score? He wasn't fazed. An Miaoli's arrival was perfect—her two-hundredfold multiplier far outstripped the random cultivators in the city.

Without waiting for them to announce themselves, Ye Chen opened the courtyard gate and invited them in with a warm smile.

His enthusiasm only deepened An Yuyi's conviction that Ye Chen was smitten with her aunt. When she came alone, he barely acknowledged her, but with her aunt present, he welcomed them before they even spoke.

An Miaoli, sensing his warmth, sighed inwardly. A suspicion crept into her mind: was Ye Chen doing this on purpose? Had he deliberately treated her niece coldly and given the Phoenix Blood to Li Feng to provoke An Yuyi into confronting her, forcing her to come here? If so, his tactics were alarmingly cunning.

...

The three settled into the courtyard for a casual chat.

To Ye Chen's surprise, they didn't come with accusations or even mention the Phoenix Blood. Instead, they engaged in light conversation. However, he could sense that An Miaoli, with her flawless beauty and near-perfect poise, was noticeably distant. She barely spoke, leaving An Yuyi to carry the conversation.

This left Ye Chen puzzled. Hadn't he told An Yuyi to ask her aunt? Did An Miaoli not clarify that he didn't like her niece? What was going on?

But Ye Chen wasn't one to dwell on mysteries. Whatever their deal was, it didn't matter as long as it didn't interfere with his gifting plans.

After chatting for a bit, he produced a translucent jade pendant imbued with spiritual energy and offered it to An Miaoli. "I came across this pendant recently. It calms the mind, purifies internal impurities, and nurtures the five organs. If worn during a breakthrough, it can ward off heart demons. I already have something similar, so I'd like to gift this to Senior An."

An Miaoli eyed the pendant, resisting the urge to frown. It was clearly useful for her niece, who was nearing her Golden Core breakthrough, yet Ye Chen insisted on giving it to her instead. She had no desire to accept it—she wanted no further ties with him.

But An Yuyi's eyes lit up. She was certain Ye Chen had chosen this gift for her, even if it was indirectly through her aunt. It was still his thoughtfulness, and she wanted anything he offered. Noticing her aunt's reluctance, An Yuyi tugged at her sleeve under the stone table, her eyes pleading pitifully.

Unable to resist her niece's gaze, An Miaoli's ethereal, fairy-like face showed a flicker of hesitation. Finally, she nodded, her slender hand accepting the glowing pendant. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye," she said coolly. "I'll send a return gift later."

In Ye Chen's mind, the system chimed with a two-hundredfold feedback notification. He couldn't help but smile. No critical hit, but a two-hundredfold multiplier was leaps and bounds better than the wild cultivators outside.

His genuine, heartfelt grin only deepened the two women's convictions about his feelings. An Yuyi, in particular, resolved to never visit Ye Chen again without her aunt in tow.

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