Chapter 135: A Pleasant Surprise

"Little Ye, you must be mistaken. You meant to say Rare-grade or Bronze-grade sets, right?" The second eldest sister, Zui Xiangsi, paused for a moment before asking, her expression clearly showing she was convinced Ye Chen had misspoken.

Ye Chen laughed upon hearing this. "Second Sister, you don’t really think a magnificent illusion-type map offers nothing but experience, do you? The Southern Wilderness Demon Domain is divided into three stages. In the first stage, we opened dozens of treasure chests of Rare grade or higher. In the second stage, we killed over a thousand elite monsters, including a Silver-tier creature, a Gold-tier creature, and a Dark Gold-tier creature. Second Sister, do you need me to calculate the drop rate for you?"

"Dozens of treasure chests at Rare grade or above!"

"A thousand elite monsters!?"

"A Dark Gold-tier creature? Heavens, I’ve never even heard of anyone in the entire five-district area killing a monster of that level."

The women were stunned, letting out bursts of exclamations. Zui Xiangsi stared at Ye Chen with wide eyes, incredulous. "Little Ye, you aren't pulling our legs, are you? Can a fifteen-person squad really handle a thousand elite monsters? A Dark Gold-tier creature is a terrifyingly overpowered existence."

Ye Chen did not hide anything and immediately recounted the strategy they used to clear the Demon Trial Grounds. The women listened, calling it thrilling and exciting, wishing they could have experienced it themselves.

"So, you played a huge role, Little Ye. Those guys in your party really got a bargain. With over a thousand elite monsters, there must have been at least dozens of Bronze-grade pieces of equipment. They must be waking up from their dreams with a smile," Zui Xiangsi said with a tinge of envy. Her thoughts shifted, and she asked, "But how could they possibly agree to split a Silver-grade set with you? Even if you had agreed beforehand that magic-type gear was yours, based on your description, those people who would turn on their companions for mere experience would never tolerate you taking an entire Silver-grade set."

Ye Chen nodded. That was exactly why he hadn't openly kept those seven pieces of magic-type gear. They might have tolerated him taking one or two, but seven—especially when it included a full set—would likely have caused everyone except for the monk Ding Yuan to turn on him immediately. Internal conflict or even violence wouldn't have been surprising, as the value of a Silver-grade set was far greater than that of a single piece of Gold-grade equipment.

"So, this Silver-grade set wasn't something they gave me; I kept it for myself using a secret technique. And it’s not just this Silver-grade set; I also have a pair of Silver-grade rings that increase physical attack damage by 10%, along with 69 pieces of Bronze-grade equipment." As for why it wasn't 86 pieces of Bronze gear, that was because he had left 17 pieces for the monk Ding Yuan and his two companions, who were now all equipped in full Bronze sets.

Sixty-nine pieces of Bronze-grade equipment. This number left the women momentarily dazed. Although a pair of Silver-grade rings was of higher quality, they couldn't compare to nearly seventy pieces of Bronze equipment, so everyone's attention was focused on the latter.

"L-Little Ye, you... you really kept 69 pieces of Bronze gear?" Zui Xiangsi’s voice trembled. She no longer cared about the Silver-grade gear; no matter how strong such items were, they only bolstered individual strength and were extremely limited in quantity. But 69 pieces of Bronze gear—good heavens, that could arm every woman in their studio to the teeth. With that, the Qingyu Studio would definitely be able to instantly become the top team in Lieshan City. Zui Xiangsi was confident that as long as they held this advantage, with the skills of the women, they would only grow stronger. Perhaps they could not only restore their former glory but even surpass it.

"That’s right, 69 pieces. 32 for magic-types, 37 for physical-types. Jewelry, weapons, armor—everything is there, and there are even quite a few pieces with extreme single-attribute bonuses," Ye Chen said, not only clearing up Zui Xiangsi’s doubts but providing even more precise data.

The women’s breathing grew slightly rapid upon hearing this. But contrary to Ye Chen's expectations, although they were extremely eager, they all struggled to suppress their desires. Not a single one spoke up to claim them, and even the usually straightforward eldest sister wore a look of intense internal struggle.

"Eldest Sister, why aren't you saying anything? This is a great opportunity for our Qingyu to rise again. Besides, Little Ye isn't an outsider. If you won't say it, I will. Little Ye, today your Second Sister is going to be thick-skinned..."

Before Zui Xiangsi could finish, Jian Qingcheng interrupted her. "That’s enough, Xiangsi. This is 69 pieces of Bronze-grade equipment; converted to cash, that’s hundreds of thousands. Ye Chen still needs funds for his follow-up treatment. This is his personal gain..."

Ye Chen couldn't listen any longer. It pained him, so he said sternly, "Eldest Sister, you saved my life. Are you really going to haggle over money with me now? If we’re counting like that, how much is my life worth? Would I be paying you back for the rest of my life? Do you want me to owe you forever? These 69 pieces of equipment were meant for you all along. As for the follow-up treatment costs, there’s no need to worry about that now. Are we not going to be able to get equipment or make money in the future? I have faith in you all, and even more faith in myself! Besides, this equipment doesn't lose its value just because you wear it. In the future, when we replace it, we can sell it; it won't depreciate too much. Just consider it a loan to the studio."

Ye Chen’s heartfelt words brought a brief silence to the room. Several of the women had reddened eyes. Zui Xiangsi smiled brilliantly and gave Ye Chen a thumbs-up. "As expected of the man I saved—a real man. I like it."

Jian Qingcheng looked at Ye Chen deeply and nodded slowly. "Very well. Xiangsi didn't save the wrong person. I will accept these 69 pieces of Bronze gear on behalf of the sisters. Furthermore, when this batch of gear is eventually sold, I will make up for your loss at the current market rate. From now on, we are family—true family. I won't ask about your past, I won't judge your future. No matter how many friends or enemies you have, if you do not fail us in this life, we will certainly not fail you. I hope I will not be disappointed again."

Jian Qingcheng was naturally referring to the betrayal by Jian Wuxin and the others. It was clear that the incident had been a devastating blow to her. Ye Chen smiled faintly. "You certainly won't be disappointed."

"Alright, alright, why make the atmosphere so serious? Little Ye, tell us quickly, did you have any other gains? Your Second Sister is looking forward to unexpected surprises." Zui Xiangsi asked with a giggle.

"There are no more surprises for you, Second Sister, but I do have a surprise for Eldest Sister," Ye Chen laughed.

"What kind of surprise?" Jian Qingcheng’s guarded heart seemed to have opened a crack as she looked at Ye Chen with a hint of anticipation.

"A magic-type skill book: Earthfire Burst." Ever since he saw this skill at the auction, Ye Chen had been keeping an eye out for it. It was perfectly suited for the Eldest Sister, who was built for pure power. Her attack damage was already unquestionable; with this skill, the overall leveling speed of the studio’s women would definitely skyrocket.

"Earthfire Burst? Is that the skill book that Liehu Paoxiao bought at the auction?" Jian Qingcheng’s eyes lit up, and before she could speak, Zui Xiangsi jumped in to ask.

"That’s right, it’s exactly the same," Ye Chen nodded.

"That’s worth 2,000 gold! Little Ye, you are truly generous. Why don't you gift me eight or ten of them some day? I might even offer myself in return," Zui Xiangsi teased, then added with a wicked grin, "Hehe, Little Ye, you aren't trying to set your sights on Eldest Sister, are you? Getting her to 'offer herself' is going to be difficult, you’ll have to work hard."

"Shut up, you’re talking nonsense. Be careful or I’ll tear your mouth shut," Jian Qingcheng’s face darkened slightly. She was a very conservative person, and even now...

"The 2,000 gold was just them driving up the price; in reality, it’s worth about 700 or 800 gold. Second Sister’s staff is worth that much, too. The point is, this skill book is worth far more than its price in Eldest Sister’s hands and will be a huge boost to the studio’s overall strength," Ye Chen said.

"By the way, Little Ye, that Liehu Paoxiao has been clamoring about having a life-or-death feud with you lately. What heaven-defying thing did you do to him before you passed out?" Zui Xiangsi quickly changed the subject, fearing Jian Qingcheng would lose her temper.

"Ha, this actually has to do with Linghu as well. Come to think of it, Liehu Paoxiao should have gone to bother Linghu Shenyue instead. Without Linghu Shenyue, I never would have gotten that Nether Pill." Every time Ye Chen thought of Liehu Paoxiao now, he found the man quite amusing, especially the look of stupidity on his face after being struck by the staff coated with the Nether Pill.

"It has to do with Linghu? Tell us quickly." Zui Xiangsi’s appetite for gossip burned bright. Hearing that Linghu Shenyue had suffered a loss at Ye Chen’s hands made her even more interested, and the rest of the women were also drawn in.

Ye Chen smiled and recounted how Linghu Shenyue had tried to set a trap for him and the monk Ding Yuan, only to have him see through it and trap her instead. The women clapped and cheered, and even the Eldest Sister had a smile on her face.

"And then you used that Nether Pill to trap Liehu Paoxiao? When did this happen? Why didn't you tell us?" Zui Xiangsi pressed.

"It was the day after the auction. That guy bought a powerful area-of-effect skill; letting him level up freely would have been a disaster. Later, I used a Nether Spirit Pill to follow him out of the city. When he was leveling up, I coated my staff with the Nether Pill and struck him from behind. Oh, and I took him down while I was at it," Ye Chen said casually. Now, an enemy of Liehu Paoxiao’s caliber was not worth his concern; he was just a joke to him.

"No wonder, no wonder Liehu Paoxiao has been cursing on the forums all day as if you were his father’s killer," Zui Xiangsi laughed uncontrollably, and the other women couldn't help but giggle, all agreeing that Ye Chen was truly wicked. He had set the man back by half a month, and after half a month, it would be very difficult for Liehu Paoxiao to catch up with everyone else's pace.

"By the way, Ye Chen, *God’s Descent* had another update while you were in a coma. This adjustment was major; they added a Martial Soul system. We analyzed it, and it seems this might be very important in the future. However, many functions can only be researched after capturing a Martial Soul. The Martial Soul Secret Realm in Lieshan City opens tomorrow. Why don't you come with us to capture one? It might boost your strength," Jian Qingcheng suggested while explaining the system.

"Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow. But I think I'll hold off on capturing a Martial Soul for now. This Dragon Scale quest seems to have a lot to do with Martial Souls, and I don't want to mess things up," Ye Chen made up an excuse. He couldn't very well say that his Martial Soul slot was already reserved.