Loan Hero: Time's Up, Pay Back

"Good girl."

Jiang Che picked up Dong'er. Though the little lolita still seemed somewhat vacant, he could at least sense her thoughts now.

This meant Dong'er was gradually developing feelings of dependency, slowly forming her own soul.

Jiang Che gently patted Dong'er's head, and the little girl narrowed her eyes in contentment, nestling comfortably into his embrace.

Despite her petite frame, Dong'er was already at the half-step Grandmaster level of cultivation.

Originally just a system-controlled puppet at the peak of Transformation Realm, Jiang Che had poured his efforts into elevating her to this stage—no small feat.

With a flourish, Jiang Che conjured a pill in his palm.

This pill, called the Ascension Pill, had been left for him by Ye Qing's master in a hidden treasure trove. It could propel a peak Grandmaster directly into the Heavenly Grandmaster realm.

Of course, such pills were also available in his system's shop, but Young Master Jiang was nothing if not frugal.

"Here, Dong'er, take this pill. Your master will help you break through to Grandmaster. After that, I'll impart some Tai Chi martial insights to help you comprehend your Martial Domain."

Dong'er blinked blankly a couple of times before obediently parting her cherry-like lips.

True to his word, Jiang Che guided her, and soon Dong'er's cultivation surged into the Grandmaster realm!

A terrifying aura of Martial Domain unfurled around her!

Despite her innocent appearance, the Martial Domain Dong'er manifested was overwhelmingly domineering!

Every martial artist who advanced to Grandmaster had to comprehend their own Martial Domain—a foundational step in the martial path.

A Martial Domain was akin to a personal battlefield, and Dong'er's was inherited from Jiang Che.

Though Jiang Che's martial path was rooted in Tai Chi, its essence was both soft and unyielding. What Dong'er grasped from him was the most rigid aspect of Tai Chi—naturally carrying an air of dominance and might!

Still dazed, Dong'er didn’t even know how to rein in her overwhelming presence.

Her Martial Domain stretched hundreds of meters, drawing the attention of nearby high-level martial artists.

"You silly girl... you don’t even know how to hold back."

Jiang Che scooped her up, sighing helplessly.

Even as a peak Grandmaster himself, without external aids, he couldn’t easily subdue Dong'er now.

The gap between Grandmaster and Heavenly Grandmaster was like an insurmountable chasm!

A flicker of confusion crossed Dong'er’s face. She tilted her head, studying Jiang Che, then suddenly leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

The unexpected gesture caught Jiang Che off guard.

"Heh... Dong'er."

He chuckled, gently pinching the little lolita’s rosy cheeks with infinite tenderness.

...

Chen Ningshuang was growing anxious.

"Could Jiang Che have broken through to Grandmaster?"

A mix of emotions played across the young woman’s face. She had thought her own cultivation speed was impressive, yet she still couldn’t keep up with Jiang Che’s pace!

"No, I can’t just sit around waiting. Relying on dual cultivation with him every day—when will I ever catch up?"

She clenched her delicate fists, her gaze hardening with resolve.

"I have to rely on myself."

With that thought, she headed downstairs to the spirit herb field and began meditating.

Ten minutes later...

Chen Ningshuang’s expression soured with impatience.

"Why is this so slow? My talent isn’t weak, yet this speed isn’t even a tenth of what I get from dual cultivation."

"Forget it. I’d rather go back to sleep than this."

It’s easy to grow accustomed to luxury but hard to return to frugality.

At this moment, Chen Ningshuang resembled those students who swore to study hard—vowing to finish a test paper, only to give up after the first few questions.

......

At the headquarters of the Chosen Ones Association...

The vast conference hall was packed with hundreds of destiny-blessed individuals, giving off the vibe of a corporate press conference.

On stage stood the association’s vice president—Xu Rong.

"Last month, many of our members made outstanding contributions to the association. Now, it’s time to distribute their rewards..."

The eyes of many in the audience lit up—this was their favorite part of the month.

The "rewards" weren’t actual currency but points, exchangeable for treasures in the association’s headquarters.

"Member 118, Lin Chen—1,200 points."

"Member 119, Lin Chen—1,300 points."

"Member 120, Lin Chen—900 points..."

Despite the association having only a few hundred members, duplicate names were common, hence the numbering system.

When Xu Rong called Ye Qing’s name, his gaze carried a hint of pity.

"Newcomer 250—4,500 points!!!"

The announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd.

Even Ye Qing was stunned.

As a newcomer, how had he earned such a staggering amount in his first month?

The other chosen ones were indignant—until they saw Ye Qing’s condition.

His body was wrapped in bandages, and he hobbled on crutches, looking utterly miserable.

"Damn... this guy’s insane. Trading his life for points?"

"I can’t even envy him for this."

"Bro, even though we’re all blessed by fate and hard to kill, you’re taking this too far!"

A few, however, knew the truth—Chen Hao’s hypnosis hadn’t worked on them.

They didn’t begrudge Ye Qing his earnings. The poor guy had been swindled by Chen Hao for weeks, losing everything without even realizing it.

Xu Rong extended a hand with a smile. "Young man, you’ve had a rough time."

Still bewildered, Ye Qing stepped onto the stage. Though unsure why, he couldn’t help but grin.

His luck had been abysmal lately—stepping in dog poop, forgetting toilet paper, instant noodles without seasoning, soda cans without pull tabs. Peeing on his shoes, spilling soup on his pants, farting too hard, tearing toilet paper.

It felt like the entire world was against him!

Even his cultivation attempts risked deviation. But now... it was finally over!

His fortunes were turning!

As he approached the podium, Ye Qing began drafting a victory speech in his head, fantasizing about how to spend his windfall.

Stuck at the half-step Grandmaster bottleneck, he desperately needed an Ascension Pill.

In the association’s shop, it cost 10,000 points. At this rate, he’d have enough next month.

The thought made his lips curl into a smirk.

Just as he was about to speak, the space beside him twisted violently!

Then came a ghostly, chilling voice:

"Time’s up. Pay your debts."