I'm invincible once I descend the mountain; the beautiful CEO is forcing me to get our marriage

Ye An pressed the answer button.

The voice that came from the other end of the phone was not Chen Zheyuan's, but a clear, lively female voice.

"Hello, is this Ye An? This is Chen Daidai."

Ye An was somewhat surprised. Chen Zheyuan's sister?

"it's me."

"My brother's phone is dead, so I'm borrowing it for a bit." Chen Daidai's voice was filled with excitement. "This Saturday is my birthday, and I'd like to invite Sister Su to my birthday party... You can come too, it's in Xunling. Are you free?"

She finished speaking in one breath, seemingly a little nervous, waiting for Ye An's reply.

"Oh, by the way, my grandfather also said he wants to meet you," Chen Daidai added.

"Is General Chen looking for me?" Ye An asked.

"Hmm... I don't know the specifics either." Chen Daidai's voice was a little softer, "But I overheard Grandpa talking to his uncle, and it seems... there's news about the thing you need."

Ye An's fingers twitched as he held the phone.

He immediately understood.

After curing Chen Long's body, the old general asked him what he needed, and Ye An asked him to help keep an eye out for some rare and precious herbs.

It seems there's been progress on this matter.

"Okay, I'll go on Saturday," Ye An agreed.

Chen Daidai on the other end of the phone was overjoyed: "That's great! I'll send you the address and time! Will Sister Su come too?"

"She's busy with work, so it's uncertain. I'll ask her."

After hanging up the phone, Ye An stared at his phone screen, lost in thought.

He went to ask Su Wanqing about it.

As expected, she refused.

"There are too many backlogged documents this month, I definitely can't get away on Saturday." Su Wanqing said while sitting at her desk, flipping through the documents, with a hint of apology on her face. "Go by yourself, and please tell Dai Dai a happy birthday for me."

Ye An smiled as he looked at her focused expression.

Even after embarking on the path of spiritual cultivation, this woman's passion for her career has not diminished in the slightest.

For her, running a company is probably the greatest joy.

Ye An didn't try to persuade him further. He noted down the time of the birthday banquet and then stopped thinking about it.

For the next few days, he spent most of his time in the basement.

The spirit-guiding array was very effective, but problems also arose.

The magical artifacts that served as the foundation of the array had dimmed considerably after continuously drawing and converting spiritual energy.

This thing is essentially a consumable.

Each operation consumes the spiritual power contained within the magical artifact.

Although it is possible to re-inject spiritual energy to repair it, that would be too inefficient. It would be better to re-forge a few pieces using new materials.

"It's a pity that the spiritual energy of this underground river can only be utilized by the spirit-attracting array at less than one-tenth of its potential."

Ye An stood beside the formation, feeling a pang of regret.

However, even if it's only one-tenth, it's still quite considerable.

If this vast amount of water-based spiritual energy were used solely for his cultivation, it would be enough to push his cultivation level to the peak of the mid-stage of the Innate Realm in a very short time, or even to the threshold of the late-stage of the Innate Realm.

However, if the foundation is unstable, it will ultimately be a castle in the air.

……

Saturday arrived quickly.

In the afternoon, Ye An changed into clean casual clothes and asked Qian Duoduo to drive him to Xunling. They didn't arrive until evening.

The address Chen Daidai provided was for the Cuibinfu Villa District.

As the car drove in, Ye An glanced out the window. Although the villas here were considered high-end, they seemed quite ordinary compared to the Longquan Mansion where Su Wanqing lived.

It seems that although Chen Daidai is the granddaughter of General Chen Long, she is not as ostentatious as other wealthy families.

The car stopped in front of a two-story villa with its lights on.

Several cars were already parked at the entrance, and many well-dressed young people were coming and going in twos and threes, their laughter and chatter audible from a distance.

A girl in a white dress was standing at the door, greeting the guests with a smile.

She is the birthday girl tonight, Chen Daidai.

She looked very different today than when Ye An last met her.

She wore a white, fitted chiffon mini dress that accentuated her slender waist, and below the hem were a pair of long, fair legs.

She wore light makeup, delicate earrings, and her long hair was styled into soft waves that draped over her shoulders.

She doesn't look like a student at all, but rather like a sophisticated urban woman just starting her career, exuding maturity and elegance.

"Ye An, you're here!"

Chen Daidai spotted Ye An getting out of the car at a glance, her eyes lit up, and she quickly walked over to greet him.

Her gaze habitually drifted behind Ye An.

"Where is Sister Su?"

"She's busy with work and can't come." Ye An took a small wooden box out of his pocket and handed it over. "She asked me to wish you a happy birthday. This is a gift for you."

Chen Daidai took the wooden box, a hint of disappointment still showing on her face, but she quickly smiled again: "Thank you! It's enough that you came, no need to bring a gift."

Despite saying that, she still curiously opened the wooden box.

Inside the box, a jade hairpin lay quietly.

The hairpin has a very simple design; it is just a smooth piece of jade with a small, unidentified flower carved on the head. The carving itself looks quite ordinary.

Ye An inscribed a magic array inside, the effect of which was in no way inferior to the bronze mirror he gave to Master Guan.

As long as you wear this jade hairpin, your whole body will be enveloped in a small spirit-gathering array and constantly nourished by spiritual energy, and many ailments, big and small, will basically stop recurring.

Chen Daidai's smile faltered slightly.

This gift... is actually quite nice, but it's a bit too plain compared to others.

The gifts she received today included luxury handbags, designer perfumes, and limited-edition jewelry that a friend brought back from abroad.

The jade hairpin, nestled among them, looked out of place.

However, she only paused for a moment before closing the lid and smiling at Ye An, "Thank you, I like it very much."

Ye An nodded, unconcerned by her reaction, and asked directly, "Where is General Chen?"

His main purpose in coming today was to see Chen Long.

"Grandpa isn't here." Chen Daidai pointed inside the house. "Why don't you go in and play? There's lots of delicious food inside, and my classmates and friends are there too. I'll introduce them to you. After the banquet, I'll take you to find him."

Ye An thought about it and agreed, there was no rush.

He followed Chen Daidai into the villa.

Twenty or thirty young people gathered in the living room, their voices filled with music and laughter, creating a lively atmosphere.

Ye An's gaze swept across the room, and he noticed an interesting phenomenon: the vast majority of people present were girls with exquisite looks, and including himself, there were only a handful of men.

This discovery reminded him of Chen Daidai's unusual enthusiasm for Su Wanqing, and he immediately began to question her sexual orientation.

Chen Daidai pulled Ye An aside and introduced him to her close friends.

"This is Ye An, my brother's friend."

The girls sized up Ye An. He was dressed in ordinary casual clothes and had a handsome face, but he stood out somewhat among a group of well-dressed rich kids.

They smiled politely, said "hello," and then went back to chatting about the latest bags and cosmetics.

Ye An didn't care at all; he hadn't come to make friends anyway. He glanced around the crowd, found a sofa in a corner, sat down, and got himself a glass of juice.

He came here only to wait for Chen Long. As for the lively atmosphere among these young people, he couldn't join in, nor did he want to.

Just then, the appearance of a girl made Ye An pause for a moment.

The girl wore a light blue dress, had long hair that reached her waist, a pretty face, and a serene demeanor. As soon as she entered, several girls surrounded her, chattering excitedly, showing that she was very popular.

Ye An recognized her.

It was the same girl who was chased by the red-banded snake at Xunlong Mountain last time.

Coincidentally, the other person also saw him.

A hint of doubt flashed in the girl's eyes at first, but after confirming Ye An's identity, that tranquility was instantly replaced by surprise. She said something to her friend beside her, then lifted her skirt and walked straight towards Ye An.

This action drew curious glances from many people around.

Lin Chanyi was a minor celebrity in their circle. She came from a good family, was beautiful, and had a gentle personality. The men who pursued her could stretch from the entrance of the villa area to one end of the street. But she was polite and distant to everyone, especially to men, and rarely took the initiative to talk to them.

What's wrong with me today? Why would I actively seek out a seemingly ordinary man?

"We meet again." Lin Chanyi walked up to Ye An with a faint smile on her face and her voice was very gentle.

Ye An looked up and nodded: "It's you."

"I didn't have a chance to properly thank you last time on the mountain." Lin Chanyi's eyes were bright as she looked at Ye An. "My name is Lin Chanyi. I don't know your name yet?"

"Ye An".

"Brother Ye," Lin Chanyi called out naturally, then smiled and said, "Just call me Chanyi, that's what Dai Dai and the others call me."

Ye An hummed in response, without saying anything more.

His indifferent demeanor startled Lin Chanyi slightly. She had assumed that, given her looks and family background, if she took the initiative to speak to him, he would at least show some flattery or surprise. But the man before her was as calm as a deep pool of water, revealing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.

This only made her more certain that Ye An was no ordinary person.

That composure when facing monsters in the mountains, that powerful confidence emanating from every gesture, cannot be faked.

"Brother Ye, are you also here for Dai Dai's birthday party?" Lin Chanyi asked, trying to make conversation.

"Um."

"Are you Dai Dai's friend?"

"Her brother's friend."

The brief exchange left the atmosphere somewhat awkward. Lin Chanyi, however, didn't feel embarrassed. She blinked, curiously observing Ye An. This man possessed a very special aura, unlike any other man she had ever met.

Several girls nearby were surprised to see this.

"How did Chanyi end up chatting with him?"

"I don't recognize her. She looks so ordinary. Is she Dai Dai's friend?"

"Chanyi usually blushes when talking to boys, why is she being so proactive today?"

Their whispers were low, but Ye An still heard them. He glanced at Lin Chanyi and roughly understood what was going on. This girl probably mistook him for some reclusive master; her enthusiasm towards him likely stemmed from ulterior motives.

However, he didn't point it out.

Just then, Chen Daidai clapped her hands, attracting everyone's attention.

"Alright, alright, everyone's almost here, let's cut the cake!"

The living room lights dimmed, and someone pushed out a three-tiered cake. Eighteen candles were stuck on the cake, their flickering light illuminating Chen Daidai's excited and youthful face.

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...

Everyone surrounded her and sang "Happy Birthday".

Chen Daidai clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish in the candlelight. Then, she took a deep breath and blew out all the candles.

A round of applause and cheers erupted in the living room.

During this process, almost everyone's attention was focused on the birthday girl, Chen Daidai, except for Lin Chanyi, whose bright eyes kept glancing unconsciously at Ye An in the corner.

She noticed that Ye An was also watching them, but his gaze was calm, unlike the excitement of the others. He seemed more like an outsider observing a performance that had nothing to do with him.

"Alright, everyone, let's eat the cake!" Chen Daidai picked up a knife, ready to cut the cake.

Just then, the villa's door creaked open.

Two tall, handsome young men walked in.

The one in the lead was dressed in a well-tailored suit, had a refined demeanor, and a gentle smile on his face.

"Brother! Why are you so late!" As soon as Chen Daidai saw him, she immediately dropped the cake knife, ran over in surprise, and grabbed his arm.

The person who came was her brother, Chen Zheyuan.

"Something came up on the way and I was delayed." Chen Zheyuan smiled and patted his sister's head, then handed her an exquisitely wrapped gift box. "Happy birthday, Dai Dai."

His appearance immediately quieted down the living room, especially the girls, many of whom had their eyes light up.

Following behind Chen Zheyuan was another young man with more defined features and a colder expression. He simply nodded to Chen Daidai as a greeting.

His name is Chen Zhewen.

Lin Chanyi, who was standing not far from Ye An, lost some of her smile when she saw Chen Zhewen.

She nodded slightly in that direction and politely called out, "Senior Brother Chen, what brings you here again?"

Chen Zhewen's gaze swept over, lingering on Lin Chanyi for a second before landing on Ye An beside her, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Ye An remained seated on the sofa, holding a juice glass, his expression unchanged.

He wondered to himself, "If Chen Daidai's brother has arrived, then Chen Long must be coming soon too."

He didn't want to waste too much time at this boring banquet.

"Chanyi, who is this?" Chen Zhewen walked over with a perfectly timed smile that was neither offensive nor did it reveal the identity of the host.

"Senior Brother Chen," Lin Chanyi replied politely, "This is Ye An, Brother Ye. He's... Dai Dai's friend."