There are three ways," Chu Yuechan answered. "First, by conquering women. Second, by training the women you've already bonded with. And third, through dual cultivation with them. These actions will raise your level. Every time you level up, you'll unlock new rewards and gain access to more areas within the Fairy Gate."
No wonder Chu Yuechan was always encouraging me to find more women, Ye Chen thought.
Zhao Yanyan, who stood nearby, didn't understand what they were discussing but continued quietly browsing the scrolls.
Ye Chen hadn't yet claimed his level 2 reward, so he focused on the interface and mentally selected "Claim Reward."
A message appeared:
> Congratulations on reaching Level 2 as the Fairy Gate Master. Your rewards:
Marrow Pills ×3
Zither Lotus ×1
Heaven Peach Seedling ×1
Medicinal Garden Level 1 Growth Array Unlocked
Ye Chen examined the rewards carefully.
Marrow Pills: Useless for him, but perfect for helping Zhao Yanyan strengthen her foundation.
Zither Lotus: A spiritual instrument once used by flower elves on the battlefield. Though currently damaged, it was still classified as a level 3 spiritual weapon. Ye Chen guessed it might pair well with the Goddess Melody Technique and decided to give it to Zhao Yanyan.
Heaven Peach Seedling: A divine fruit that restores a cultivator's energy. No fruit in the entire Deva Realm could match its taste or recovery potential. It normally takes 100 days to mature.
Growth Array (Level 1): Accelerates plant, fruit, and herb growth by 50 times. With this, the peach could ripen in just two days instead of 100.
Ye Chen smiled with satisfaction. These rewards are better than I expected.
The road to strengthening himself—and those around him—was just beginning.
Ye Chen received all the rewards from the previous event, and without hesitation, he stored them in the Fairy Gate's internal space. The Fairy Gate had an advantage that even his Storage Ring couldn't match—it possessed an infinite storage capacity and was completely hidden from sight, making it incredibly convenient and secure.
"This is way more useful than a storage ring," Ye Chen muttered with satisfaction.
He turned to Zhao Yanyan, a warm smile on his face. "My wife, I have something special for you."
Ye Chen took out the Marrow Cleansing Pill and a beautiful spiritual zither known as the Zither Lotus, handing both to Zhao Yanyan.
Zhao Yanyan's eyes lit up the moment she saw the elegant zither. She had always loved traditional musical instruments, and this one immediately captured her heart. Carefully examining the item, she asked, "Is this… enchanted?"
Ye Chen nodded. "Yes. The Zither Lotus is a spiritual weapon. When used with the proper technique, its music can influence emotions, disrupt enemies, and even aid cultivation."
Just then, Chu Yuechan approached with a calm smile. "Yanyan, would you like me to teach you the techniques to use these items properly? Come with me."
Zhao Yanyan turned toward Ye Chen. "Husband, will you come too?"
Ye Chen shook his head. "You two go ahead. I'll join you shortly."
He wanted to take care of something first—planting the Heaven Peach Seeds he had recently acquired. So he hurried off to the Fairy Gate's medicinal garden.
Upon arrival, he searched for an empty patch of land. Thanks to the Growth Array Technique, the medicinal garden could support rapid plant growth, and Ye Chen could activate or deactivate the array as needed.
After carefully planting the Heaven Peach seedlings and adjusting the array settings, Ye Chen made his way to the practice room.
When he arrived, he found Zhao Yanyan attentively learning from Chu Yuechan, who was explaining fundamental techniques related to spiritual music and zither control. Yanyan was absorbing knowledge quickly, her talent shining through.
Not wanting to waste any time, Ye Chen moved to a corner and began refining his own techniques, pushing himself toward greater mastery.
Time passed without them noticing, and before long, an entire day had flown by.
By the end of their training session, Zhao Yanyan had already grasped the foundational use of both the Marrow Cleansing Pill's effect and the Zither Lotus technique. Like a child showing off a prized toy, she demonstrated her progress to Ye Chen with glowing enthusiasm.
Ye Chen chuckled at her excitement. "You're amazing."
Before leaving, Ye Chen gave Zhao Yanyan one of the three Fairy Gate Keys—a special spiritual token that allowed direct access to the Fairy Gate. The key took the form of a glowing mark that appeared on the back of her left hand, and it would only activate when she consciously willed it.
As Ye Chen and Zhao Yanyan exited the Fairy Gate, they found themselves back in the hotel room. A glance at the wall clock revealed it was already nine o'clock at night.
"My husband, I'm going to take a quick shower," Zhao Yanyan said sweetly before disappearing into the bathroom.
Ye Chen, feeling a bit drained from intense cultivation, lay back on the bed to rest.
Suddenly, a phone rang—not his, but Zhao Yanyan's. Curious, Ye Chen picked it up. The caller ID showed Lin Rouxi.
Looking toward the bathroom, Ye Chen hesitated, then answered the call.
"Yanyan? Where are you? Why haven't you come home yet?" Lin Rouxi's voice was filled with concern.
"Teacher Lin, this is Ye Chen. Yanyan is with me right now, so don't worry."
There was a short pause before her tone changed. "Ye Chen? Why do you have Yanyan's phone? And what do you mean she's with you?"
"Ah… she's in the shower right now, so I answered on her behalf," Ye Chen said, instantly realizing he had worded that poorly.
"What? Shower?! What exactly are you two doing together?!"
Before Ye Chen could reply, Zhao Yanyan stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.
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