'Damn it! How could this happen?! Could it be that someone sabotaged my plan?!'
At this moment, Ye Chen's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
He had schemed for a long time to seize this opportunity.
He knew that on the day of the spirit-root test, after he was inadvertently injured by Chu Ge's overwhelming presence, it was Elder Shui who stepped in and woke him in time.
That incident had given him ideas.
Using it as a starting point, he planned to look for a chance to establish a connection with Elder Shui.
According to his original plan, with this mission at hand, he would most likely be able to meet Elder Shui in person.
At that time, he could use the excuse of offering thanks and present the Wind-Silk Spirit Radiant Bamboo in his possession free of charge.
This was a crucial step in his plan. After repeated inquiries, he knew that Elder Shui was someone who was extremely generous in her dealings.
If he offered the spiritual herb without asking for anything in return, not only would she likely refuse to accept it, she would very probably look upon him in a new light.
Then, given Elder Shui's usual temperament and her attitude toward juniors, she would certainly take the initiative to offer to refine pills for him.
After putting up a token refusal, he would then produce the ancient pill formula he had obtained from the remnant soul in his mind.
In doing so, it would inevitably pique the interest of this elder, who was passionately devoted to the Dao of alchemy.
By then, not only would he obtain the mission rewards, he would also be able to befriend a remarkably powerful and stunningly beautiful great elder—killing multiple birds with one stone!
Ye Chen felt that his plan was exceedingly meticulous. He had considered the target's personality, preferences, and way of handling matters in every detail. The chance of success had been extremely high.
But now, the result was that his carefully crafted plan had died in the cradle before it could even take the first step!
All his efforts had gone to waste.
Gripping the Wind-Silk Spirit Radiant Bamboo in his hand, Ye Chen felt indescribably stifled and frustrated.
It felt as though he had swallowed a dead fly—disgusting and suffocating at the same time!
"What are you standing there for? Do you still want these spirit stones or not?"
Seeing that Ye Chen did not move, the disciple spoke impatiently.
Ye Chen took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the frustration in his heart.
He was unwilling to give up just like that.
But for the moment he could think of no good solution. With his plan disrupted, his mind felt like a pot of thick paste, his thoughts in complete disarray.
"Then let it be stored here for now. If someone from Shuiyue Peak comes to collect it, give it to them and tell them it's from me, Ye Chen, as repayment for Elder Shui's assistance that day."
"As for the spirit stones, there's no need for them anymore."
At this point, Ye Chen still felt a pang of pain. The amount of spirit stones involved was no small sum—enough to make any inner disciple green with envy.
But one cannot catch a wolf without sacrificing a lamb. If he wanted to form ties with Elder Shui, these expenditures were unavoidable.
"Heh, kid, you've certainly made a clever calculation."
"Helping you out isn't impossible—but this matter won't be easy to handle!"
The disciple's eyes rolled as he put on a you-know-what-I-mean expression. Fearing Ye Chen might not understand, he even rubbed his fingers together meaningfully.
Ye Chen's anger flared instantly.
Suppressing the urge to punch him on the spot, he reluctantly took out a storage pouch.
His already scarce cultivation resources shrank yet again.
"Since you've taken my things, make sure you deliver the message."
Ye Chen tossed out those words coldly.
"Hehehe, don't worry, brother. In the inner sect, who doesn't know that I, Liu Dazhu, handle things reliably? I'll definitely pass on your message. Rest assured!"
The disciple named Liu Dazhu spoke with a simple and honest grin.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Ye Chen no longer lingered and left directly.
His time was limited. For the duel with Chu Ge half a month later, he still needed to temper himself even harder!
Watching Ye Chen's departing figure, the honest smile on Liu Dazhu's face gradually faded, replaced by a smug expression.
'Idiot. You deserve to be fleeced by me. Still dreaming of climbing the ladder? You think you're worthy?'