But Ye Chuan thought again—since he had the chance to obtain the best, why not aim for the Heaven-tier Foundation Establishment?
Still, 280,000 was a bit too much.
That meant he’d need to collect two months’ worth of rent to afford it.
No, he needed to raise Bai Qianshuang or Lan Xiaoke’s favorability to boost his income. Otherwise, he’d have to visit Wang Yanran a few more times.
Considering the possibility of failure in alchemy, Ye Chuan decided to set aside the Foundation Establishment plan for now. He’d wait a few days, capture a Ghost King to gather funds, and then make his move.
Even though he had enough for one attempt, it was better to save up more.
Expensive or not, the system had given him such rapid leveling speed—he deserved this.
After reassuring himself, Ye Chuan prepared to head to school.
After washing up and opening the door, he found Lan Xiaoke floating mid-air in a dress, holding a rag as she wiped the cabinets. When she noticed Ye Chuan stepping out, she feigned surprise.
"Yo, you’re up early today, kid!"
Ye Chuan glanced up at her—since she was floating, he had a clear view of certain… prominent features, especially the ample curves beneath her dress.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Couldn’t sleep, so I started cleaning bright and early!" Lan Xiaoke emphasized her diligence, her visible eye twinkling.
Ye Chuan: "…"
Had he not checked the logs, he might’ve believed her. But this girl had spent the whole night gaming, occasionally indulging in… other activities.
Ghosts didn’t even need sleep, after all.
She was clearly putting on a show for him at this exact moment.
What a crafty little spirit.
Amused, Ye Chuan said, "Oh, so hardworking? Here’s an extra 100 bucks for your allowance today."
"Woohoo!" Lan Xiaoke’s wiping speed instantly doubled, her hands practically a blur.
Ye Chuan checked Bai Qianshuang’s status—no movement—then grabbed an umbrella and headed out.
"I’m off. Try to get along with Qianshuang," he called back.
"Be careful out there~~~"
Lan Xiaoke waved her rag. Hearing her voice, Ye Chuan paused. It had been so long since anyone had seen him off like this—not since his parents and grandfather passed.
It felt… nice.
Smiling, he shook his head and left.
The moment the door closed, Lan Xiaoke cheered, tossed the rag aside, and dived back into her room to game.
The air was crisp, the rain lighter now. The stone pavement glistened with moisture, puddles dotting the uneven ground.
From a distance, Ye Chuan spotted a familiar ponytailed girl jogging toward him—Luo Xi.
"Chuan, good morni—whoa?!" She slipped mid-step, nearly toppling sideways.
Ye Chuan moved lightning-fast, catching her in his arms.
Luo Xi, bracing for impact, blinked in surprise at the strong arms holding her. She glanced between Ye Chuan and where he’d stood moments ago. "How’d you get here so fast?"
It wasn’t far, but he’d crossed it in an instant!
"I’m Superman," Ye Chuan teased.
Blushing, Luo Xi closed her eyes. "Kiss me…"
Ye Chuan leaned down—
A few seconds later, Luo Xi’s eyes flew open. She squirmed free, backing away. "A kiss, not a pinch! And we’re outside!"
"So it’s fine at home?" Ye Chuan asked.
"…Maybe," she muttered, composing herself.
She stepped closer again, eyes sparkling. "Chuan, Mom’s getting better. Last night, she was praising you."
"Praising me for what?"
"For being amazing! Even the doctors couldn’t cure her, but your family’s remedy worked." Luo Xi tilted her head. "Ever thought of selling medicine for profit?"
Selling medicine…
Ye Chuan considered it.
Not a bad idea, but he lacked the proper licenses. Plus, peddling such potent remedies would draw unwanted attention.
He preferred his current life—raking in money and cultivation progress while lazing around. No need to show off. At most, he’d help Wang Yanran hunt ghosts.
As for more… ambitious ventures? He’d wait until he reached Bai Qianshuang’s level.
At the very least, he’d need nuke-proof durability.
For now, laying low was the way.
"Materials are hard to get. I’ll only make it for your mom," he said.
Luo Xi looked touched. "Chuan… you’ve done so much for us. We don’t know how to repay you."
"Don’t worry. I’ve already got their daughter."
"Dummy!"
They walked to school side by side, Luo Xi clinging to his arm. Despite the soggy path, Ye Chuan didn’t mind.
Maybe because they were so familiar, but he didn’t feel the fiery passion of a new romance—just a natural, effortless bond.
Truthfully, he’d always had feelings for Luo Xi.
With her long ponytail, fair skin, flawless figure, and bright personality, Luo Xi had been the school’s undisputed crush since high school.
But back then, reeling from his family’s deaths and his own poor health, Ye Chuan never dared to act on it.
Even knowing she liked him, he couldn’t take that step.
Now, though?
The tables had turned.
His childhood friend was sweet, soft, and all his.
At that thought, Ye Chuan pulled her closer. "Tighter."
"Huh?" Luo Xi blinked.
Just as they entered campus, a group approached them.
Ye Chuan recognized a few faces.
"The Taekwondo Club?" Luo Xi whispered, spotting Huang Haotian and his crew. "Chuan, what do they want?"
Ye Chuan shrugged. "Who cares?"
"Looking pretty cozy there," Huang Haotian sneered, eyeing their linked arms. "Feeling proud after beating us?"
"Not really," Ye Chuan said.
Huang Haotian faltered. Was this guy backing down now?
"Crushing a bunch of ants doesn’t make me proud," Ye Chuan added. "Even if it’s a dozen of them."
One sentence—and Huang Haotian lost it.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
