Defensive Barrier

"I'll handle it." Hearing Ye Chuan mention eating, Luo Xi took the initiative to shoulder the cooking task.

She tied on an apron and skillfully began prepping ingredients from the fridge.

"I'll help too." Bai Qianshuang followed her into the kitchen.

Seeing Luo Xi and Bai Qianshuang working together, Wang Yanran—as Ye Chuan's subordinate—naturally didn't dare sit around waiting for food. But just as she was about to pitch in, she was shooed away.

"Ah, I'll sweep and mop then." No sooner had Wang Yanran spoken than she spotted Lan Xiaoke, dressed in a maid outfit, huffing and puffing as she wiped the floor with a rag, while a robotic vacuum hummed nearby, sucking up dust.

Wang Yanran: "..."

Seriously? You all have such clearly defined roles?

"Yanran, just sit down. You're a guest, after all," Ye Chuan said. Truthfully, he regarded Wang Yanran as a friend—after all, such a considerate angel investor had naturally earned his approval.

"Alright then..." Wang Yanran reluctantly sat down to sip tea, though the sudden idleness left her feeling oddly unaccustomed.

Ye Chuan also picked up his phone, though he wasn’t mindlessly scrolling. Instead, he immediately opened the house renovation function.

Generally, he rarely bothered with exterior modifications.

But the fact that a spatial rift had appeared right outside his doorstep gave him a reason to reconsider.

At the very least, he needed to reinforce the house’s defenses.

Otherwise, if it collapsed, he’d have nowhere to cry about it.

"Ah, there it is. I knew the system wouldn’t pass up a chance to make money." Under the renovation tab, Ye Chuan found the option for a defensive barrier.

[Defensive Barrier: Can erect a protective shield around the house to prevent destruction.]

[Current level: Lv.1—Can block Tier 1 monsters. Upgrade for 500?]

Only 500?

For a moment, Ye Chuan felt the system was being unusually generous.

[Upgrade successful.]

[Current level: Lv.2—Can block Tier 2 monsters. Upgrade for 1000?]

Ye Chuan: "..."

Silently, he pressed upgrade.

[Current level: Lv.3—Can block Tier 3 monsters. Upgrade for 2000?]

A realization struck him—was this "Tier 3" referring to superhuman levels?

He stood and walked outside.

Releasing his spiritual sense, Ye Chuan confirmed the presence of a faint barrier enveloping the house, its energy weak—barely at the Qi Refining stage.

"Just as I thought—small-scale. No wonder the system seemed so 'generous.'" He smirked wryly.

Returning inside, Ye Chuan proceeded to upgrade relentlessly.

[Current level: Lv.4—Can block Tier 4 monsters. Upgrade for 4000?]

[Current level: Lv.5—Can block Tier 5 monsters. Upgrade for 6000?]

[Current level: Lv.6—Can block Tier 6 monsters. Upgrade for 9000?]

...

[Current level: Lv.31—Can block Tier 31 monsters. Upgrade for 5,000,000?]

Ye Chuan upgraded all the way to Level 31—roughly equivalent to the Golden Core stage.

"That cost a fortune. But this should be enough." Satisfied that the house was now safe from rift threats, he checked his wallet and sighed. No matter how much he earned, it never seemed to be enough.

It always vanished.

"Might as well renovate the exterior while I’m at it. It looks way too shabby." Seizing the opportunity, Ye Chuan used the system to completely overhaul the outside. The house was now clad in creamy-white tiles, every rusted spot replaced with pristine materials.

Even the old, battered front door was swapped for an electronic lock.

"Perfect." Nodding in approval at the transformation from a last-century relic to a modern-style home, Ye Chuan finally headed back inside.

"..."

But the moment he stepped in, a crucial oversight hit him.

He’d forgotten to tell everyone about the renovations.

"Luo Xi," he called toward the kitchen.

"Hmm?"

"I scheduled some workers to repaint the exterior. Don’t go outside for now," he said.

"Oh?"

Luo Xi, still chopping vegetables, barely registered the comment, merely humming in acknowledgment.

Thud-thud-thud. The knife deftly sliced potatoes into uniform strips, which she then scooped into a basin of water. The liquid instantly turned cloudy.

"It’s best to soak potatoes before stir-frying. They’re full of starch—if you don’t rinse them, they won’t be as crisp and will turn mushy," Luo Xi explained to Bai Qianshuang beside her.

The younger girl watched curiously, as if committing the technique to memory.

Luo Xi continued prepping, a loose strand of hair slipping down, partially obscuring her vision.

Noticing this, Bai Qianshuang reached over and gently tucked it behind her ear.

"Thanks." Luo Xi paused, then added, "By the way, Ye Chuan mentioned you’re from a place called the Tianxuan Continent. What’s it like there?"

At the mention of her homeland, Bai Qianshuang’s eyes flickered, her gaze drifting away. "Not a good place."

"Oh?" Sensing her reluctance, Luo Xi smoothly shifted topics. "That dress you’re wearing is adorable. Where’d you get it?"

Bai Qianshuang glanced down at her nightgown. "Adorable...? Ye Chuan bought it."

"Ye Chuan, huh?" Luo Xi pouted, letting out a soft huff. "That guy’s got money to burn. I thought he only bought clothes for me... Not that he did it often, but back then, we were broke, so I’ll let it slide."

Seeing Luo Xi muttering to herself, Bai Qianshuang spoke up. "Don’t be upset. Ye Chuan is kind."

Luo Xi blinked, then chuckled. "I’m not really angry... Qianshuang—can I call you that? You’re actually quite sweet, like a sheltered young lady."

"I shouldn’t be jealous of you anyway," she mused.

"Jealous? And 'young lady'..." Bai Qianshuang shook her head. "I’ve endured hardship since childhood."

Her days were nothing but relentless training.

Hardly the life of a pampered noble.

"Is that so? Then we’re alike. Ye Chuan and I struggled a lot too in the past... But honestly, those days were happy in their own way." Luo Xi’s voice softened with nostalgia.

"Yes. Hard, but happy." Bai Qianshuang nodded, recalling her time at the Jade Void Sect.

But the memory of its destruction twisted her heart.

"What’s wrong?" Luo Xi asked, noticing her expression darken.