I Really Want to Take a Puff

Night,

A bit too late at night.

Ye,

Ye Chuan.

Currently being tormented—

"Waaahhhh~" The wailing sounded like a vengeful ghost, chilling the air in the house by several degrees.

Ye Chuan sat on the couch, watching Lan Xiaoke float around in a frenzy, and said expressionlessly, "Annoying much? What are you crying for?"

Crying was one thing, but her face was covered in blood—downright creepy.

"I’m just a newbie, and he not only called me trash but also added me as a friend just to keep insulting me," Lan Xiaoke sniffled before bursting into tears again.

Ye Chuan rolled his eyes. "Then insult him back!"

"Waaahhh!" Lan Xiaoke cried even harder. "He said I talk like an old auntie!"

Seeing her like this, Ye Chuan offered a suggestion. "Here’s an idea—next time someone insults you, track them down in real life. You’re a ghost, for crying out loud. Act like one! What’s with all the whimpering?"

Lan Xiaoke’s sobs immediately quieted. Huh, that actually sounded like a plan.

Once she lured them out, she’d give them the scare of their lives.

What a big-boobed airhead of a ghost.

"So, did you talk to Bai Qianshuang today?" Ye Chuan asked. After all, Lan Xiaoke had promised to build a rapport with Bai Qianshuang, but there’d been zero progress lately.

Lan Xiaoke’s expression turned guilty. "We… didn’t meet today."

"Useless ghost."

"That’s so mean…"

Still, Ye Chuan knew this would take time. Noticing Lan Xiaoke hovering beside him, peeking curiously, he frowned. "What?"

"There’s this gun skin I really want… Ye Chuan, could you buy it for me?" she asked timidly.

"Already spending money on the game after just two days?"

"It’s fun! The guys even call me 'Mommy' and swarm around me."

"..." Ye Chuan refused outright. "No. Not until you sort things out with Bai Qianshuang."

Lan Xiaoke drooped like a wilted flower, burying her face in her backpack before phasing through the wall back to her room.

"Though—" Ye Chuan started.

Lan Xiaoke’s butt, halfway through the wall, popped back out with a muffled thud.

"Though?"

"How about this: you clean the house every day, and I’ll give you 100 bucks as allowance," Ye Chuan said.

Might as well put his ghostly servant to work.

Idle hands were the devil’s playground—time to earn her keep!

"Really?!" Lan Xiaoke’s head popped back out, instantly brightening. Cleaning was a piece of cake—she’d even lick the toilet spotless if she had to!

Pathetic excuse for a ghost.

Seeing her excitement, Ye Chuan waved her off, and she vanished into her room.

After sitting in the living room for a while, Ye Chuan pulled out his phone to check on the two girls.

Bai Qianshuang was, as usual, meditating on her bed. The spiritual energy in this world was pitifully thin, yet she persisted, absorbing every wisp she could.

A glance at the logs showed that the chibi version of Bai Qianshuang barely moved except to snack occasionally, spending most of her time in deep meditation.

Her chubby cheeks quivered slightly with each breath, giving her an oddly adorable vibe.

Ye Chuan mused that he’d love to help Bai Qianshuang somehow.

Right now, spirit stones and crystals were the only reliable options, but he couldn’t always bring them back from his adventures.

And—

Claiming they were "family heirlooms" every time was getting suspicious.

Once or twice was fine, but any more than that?

As he pondered, his phone buzzed.

[Recommended for You: Portable Mini Spirit Gathering Array, Limited-Time Offer: ¥99,999]

[Spirit Gathering Array: Generates spiritual energy out of thin air, usable by tenants and boosts cultivation speed for all.]

Ye Chuan: "..."

The stench of targeted ads was overwhelming.

Like how he’d mention needing toilet paper, and suddenly his shopping app bombarded him with tissue recommendations.

But ¥99,999? A bit steep, no?

"Still, if it speeds up my cultivation, it’s worth it," Ye Chuan reasoned. He’d just gotten ¥400,000 from Wang Yanran, so his wallet was feeling plump.

Screw it—full send!

Money doesn’t disappear; it just transforms into a different form of companionship!

After purchasing, the Mini Spirit Gathering Array appeared in the renovation interface. With a few taps, a faint cyan glow enveloped the entire house before fading.

Ye Chuan took a deep breath.

Cool minty freshness—refreshing!

Not bad.

Satisfied, he headed back to his room.

Meanwhile, in Bai Qianshuang’s room—

Mid-meditation, Bai Qianshuang’s eyes snapped open in shock.

"The spiritual energy… it just surged?"

Though still a far cry from the Heavenly Profound Continent, it was like comparing a single drop of water to a flowing stream!

Overjoyed, she immediately went all-out, absorbing the energy like a starved battery finally plugged in. Her aura grew stronger by the second—until, abruptly, the energy vanished.

"…?" Bai Qianshuang blinked.

Gone? Just like that?

She checked her cultivation progress—mostly restored, but the sudden cutoff left her frustratingly unfulfilled, like being denied climax at the edge.

"..."

On the other side, Ye Chuan checked the array’s status.

"Damn, she drained it already?"

Talk about thirsty.

[Spirit Gathering Array depleted. Replenish for ¥1,000?]

[Subscribe for Unlimited Spiritual Energy! Only ¥50,000/month.]

Ye Chuan: "..."

Seriously?!

Fine, ¥50,000 it was. If she kept guzzling energy like this, pay-per-use would bankrupt him.

Go big or go home—his golden core nukes needed funding anyway.

Full throttle!

…

Bai Qianshuang sat on the bed, her ahoge drooping in disappointment.

"Just a little more…"

After this taste, the trickle from before felt like scraps. She craved another hit.