A ruthless bandit from the celestial realm, he began his cultivation journey after kidnapping the Em

"Junior sister, with so many spirit herb seeds, surely no one would notice if one or two were lost, right?"

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and said with a smile.

Lin Ningxue was taken aback for a moment, then immediately saw through Ye Chen's thoughts and explained with a wry smile.

"Senior brother, although these are third- or fourth-grade spirit herb seeds, they are not rare and are very cheap. They only become valuable when they are fully grown. No one will care if some of the spirit herb garden is lost."

"However... such spiritual herbs can only grow to maturity if planted in a spiritual herb garden rich in spiritual energy; they are extremely difficult to survive in other places..."

Her implication was that stealing the spirit herb seeds was pointless; without the spirit fields in the spirit herb garden, the disciples wouldn't be able to cultivate them even if they took them back to their own caves. Taking them would be a waste...

Ye Chen wasn't the only one who thought of this; every disciple who came to work at the Spirit Herb Garden had had the same idea.

After all, seeds aren't worth much, but mature grade three and four herbs are quite valuable. They can be used to refine grade three and four pills and can also be exchanged for a considerable amount of spirit stones, making it a highly profitable business...

However, to date, no disciple has been able to be trained to maturity elsewhere.

Unless they set up a spirit-gathering array to cultivate spirit herbs, but that would consume even more spirit stones. Firstly, outer disciples don't have that many spirit stones, and secondly, it would be a losing proposition...

"I see..."

Ye Chen nodded in understanding, realizing what Lin Ningxue meant, but he didn't give up on cultivating the spiritual herbs...

Just because others can't do something doesn't mean he can't do it either.

Since Lin Ningxue had said these spirit herb seeds were worthless, Ye Chen didn't stand on ceremony. He reached into the basin, grabbed a handful of seeds, and put them into his storage bag...

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

Lin Ningxue, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed at Ye Chen, looking completely bewildered.

"Senior brother, didn't you say you were only taking two or three?"

"You've taken way too much!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen waved his hand dismissively.

"Since we're already here, how can we not take some home?"

Hearing him say that, Lin Ningxue was both amused and exasperated. It wasn't a wasted trip after all.

Seeing this made her want to take a few seeds back to cultivate, but she knew in her heart that they wouldn't survive, so she was too lazy to bother.

Just as Lin Ningxue said, almost no one came to the Spirit Herb Garden. Apart from the elders who patrolled the spirit fields, no one checked identities.

As long as there are people working in the spirit fields, it doesn't matter who it is. They just distribute spirit stones to the registered disciples every month.

Only when the spirit field is damaged, or when the spirit herbs are missing or die, will the sect elders guarding the spirit herb garden be alerted.

Ye Chengou was perfectly safe in the herb garden. The only pity was that he couldn't cultivate there; otherwise, given the garden's abundant spiritual energy, his cultivation speed could have been even faster...

Ye Chen and Lin Ningxue didn't leave until evening, after watering all the spiritual herbs in the spiritual field with dew...

After a busy day, Ye Chen felt aches and pains in his back as he walked down the street.

"This kind of land is too hard to work in..."

"This work is too tiring, I, the Great King, am not doing it!"

As Ye Chen walked, he waved his hand and complained.

Five spirit stones a month is not worth earning...

Hearing this, Lin Ningxue, who was standing next to him, said with a wry smile.

"Since Senior Brother isn't going tomorrow, I'll speak to Elder Sun of the Herb Garden and tell him that Senior Brother 'Xu Xiao' won't be coming anymore, and ask him to find a disciple to replace him..."

After all, Ye Chen is currently using the identity of "Xu Xiao." He needs an excuse for not working at the spirit herb garden, lest the sect discover that Xu Xiao is already dead when they investigate...

Lin Ningxue buried the body herself; she didn't want this secret to be discovered.

Ye Chen was about to nod, but before he could even utter a single "okay," two disciples passed by...

"I heard that a female disciple from Xianxia Peak went missing yesterday. The patrolling disciples also dug up a male corpse in her cave, which was identified as Zhao Hai from Changqing Peak..."

"I've heard about it too. Apparently, it was done by a new handyman in the menial affairs department. I don't know if it's true or not..."

"How is that possible? How could a lowly servant with no spiritual roots possibly kill two disciples at the Qi Refining stage!"

"I think so too, but the Enforcement Hall and the patrolling disciples are both looking for this handyman. If they find him, even if he didn't do it, he'll still be in deep trouble..."

......

The two disciples walked further and further away, and their voices gradually became inaudible...

Ye Chen was startled, his expression changed slightly, his heart raced, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead...

Was the body discovered so quickly?

Logically, the patrolling disciples wouldn't be searching the cave every day, unless someone reports them...

Could it be... Wang Hao, the manager of the miscellaneous tasks department?!

After all, he was the only one who learned of Lin Qinshuang's disappearance from Ye Chen, so he must have been the one who informed the patrolling disciples. Furthermore, since Ye Chen beat him up before leaving, it's highly possible that the other party was trying to frame him...

As a result, Ye Chen undoubtedly became the target of public criticism and was wanted by the sect...

Regardless of whether the other party has evidence or not, it's like mud falling on your crotch—even if it's not excrement, it's still excrement, especially since he really did commit murder...

The only solution right now is to continue using the identity of "Xu Xiao," which will make it easier to move around within the sect and avoid revealing one's true identity...

Ye Chen turned to look at Lin Ningxue beside him and said with a serious expression.

"On the other hand... with such a wonderful place as the Spirit Herb Garden, who wouldn't want to enjoy farming to their heart's content?"

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

Lin Ningxue was stunned for a moment, looking at Ye Chen in front of her with a puzzled expression.

My senior brother was complaining about being too tired just a second ago, so why has he changed his mind now?

Besides, who really enjoys farming?

She was forced to farm for a living, to earn spirit stones, so what was her senior brother's motivation?

"Senior brother, are you sure?"

"Of course!" Ye Chen nodded seriously.

"But didn't you just say you were too tired?" Lin Ningxue asked hesitantly.

Ye Chen pursed his lips and pondered for two seconds before speaking.

"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their resolve and strengthens their body..."

Hearing Ye Chen say this, Lin Ningxue nodded with some skepticism.

"All right..."

"Then I'll come back tomorrow and ask my senior brother to come work together in the herb garden!"

Before they knew it, the two had arrived at Ye Chen's cave. Lin Ningxue stopped and prepared to head down the mountain...

She stayed here last night to tell Ye Chen about the Qingyun Sect and Baoping Continent, so she had no reason to stay tonight...

"Wait a minute..." Ye Chen called out as he watched Lin Ningxue walk down the mountain.

Lin Ningxue paused, turned around to look at Ye Chen, and asked in confusion.

"Is there anything else, Senior Brother?"

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, glanced at the cave next door, and then looked at Lin Ningxue and said.

Have you ever heard of relay races?

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?