Chapter 4: The Entire Bill Was Covered by Young Master Li!

Li Wudao sighed. Previously, he had been astonished by the rebate effect from Li Dabao. Now, by comparison, he realized the difference was over a hundred thousand miles. How could a ninth-grade Mysterious-tier pill even be mentioned in the same breath as an Imperial Scripture? Li Wudao secretly resolved that he must find a way to improve his relationship with that girl, Jiang Churan. Such high-quality "leeks"—no, wait—such excellent "wool" to shear; if he missed this opportunity, he wouldn't find another.

Before long, Li Wudao calmed down and attempted to cultivate the Martial Emperor’s Heart Scripture. "I wonder what the cultivation results will be like now that I have my current talent, augmented by the Imperial Scripture?" With the Imperial Scripture in hand, he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to cultivate a high-grade Yellow-tier martial art.

Two and a half hours later, a muffled sound came from within Li Wudao’s body, followed by a burst of martial aura radiating from his skin. The early stage of the Body Tempering Realm was achieved. Li Wudao was startled and drew in a sharp breath. He had only been testing it casually; he hadn't expected to break through. As far as he knew, Li Dabao, the most talented member of the Li family, had taken a full three months to break through to the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm. Even then, in the eyes of the family elders, that was already considered genius. Naturally, compared to the original owner who had been a good-for-nothing for ten years, it was indisputably impressive. But regardless, two hours from nothing to the early stage of Body Tempering—a cultivation speed like this was unheard of, even in the Xuantian Sect.

"Hmm, I wonder who has the faster cultivation speed, me or that girl?" Li Wudao suddenly felt curious. Now that his talent was comparable to Jiang Churan’s—she with her powerful destiny and bloodline, he with the support of the Imperial Scripture—it wasn't as if he lacked a chance. This thought flashed and vanished. Li Wudao did not become complacent and quickly immersed himself back into cultivation. Having drifted through the business world for nearly a decade, his temperament was already far beyond his peers; he had long since passed the stage of petty competitiveness.

The night passed without incident. Li Wudao cultivated for most of the night, taking only a brief nap. The next morning, he opened his eyes with a faint smile on his lips. Middle stage of the Body Tempering Realm. In just one night, he had broken through two minor realms. At this rate, he would have plenty of time before the Xuantian Sect’s entrance examination.

After eating, he heard a commotion coming from the manor. Today was the day to depart for the Xuantian Sect. Several talented disciples of the Li family had already boarded the carriages, accompanied by a group of guards to ensure safety along the way. In the crowd, Li Wudao spotted his young maid, like a budding narcissus, simple and pure. She was the only maid in the Li family daring enough to attempt the examination. However, as a maid, Jiang Churan was not qualified to ride in the carriages with the Li disciples and could only ride alongside the guards.

The young girl saw Li Wudao as well, but quickly turned her head away, showing little interest. In his previous life, Li Wudao’s aptitude had been mediocre; he couldn't even enter the outer sect and was merely a servant disciple. Even if he took the examination, it would just be a formality, and they would have no further contact. Li Wudao did not mind the maid’s coldness and took the initiative to approach her, gesturing toward his own luxurious carriage. Jiang Churan initially refused, but under Li Wudao’s "sincere schemes," she eventually had to yield. After all, she was only a girl, and the journey of tens of thousands of miles to the Xuantian Sect was an arduous trek. The carriage was not only spacious and comfortable, but it also meant she wouldn't have to endure the wind and sun. With this time, she could even squeeze in some cultivation; why not?

Thus, to the envy of the Li family guards, Jiang Churan sat inside Li Wudao’s carriage. Inside the compartment, the girl sat at the far end, arms crossed, eyes closed, radiating a sense of distance. She might as well have had "Don't touch me" written on her face.

Li Wudao had intended to have a heart-to-heart with the young maid, but seeing this, he could only give up in frustration. "Tch, so haughty... Is the Azure Phoenix bloodline and the bearing of an Empress really that special?" Li Wudao pouted, muttering to himself. Could a daughter of destiny just do whatever she wanted? Come to think of it, it actually seemed like she really could! Such a monster, even in dire straits or on the verge of death, would be reborn from the ashes; she was practically an unkillable cockroach.

Forget it, he couldn't afford to provoke this noble lady for the time being. But he couldn't just let it go either. When he achieved success in his cultivation, she’d better not let him catch her... Li Wudao secretly fumed, though he only fumed for a moment. When he looked at Jiang Churan again, he found the girl sitting cross-legged, already in a state of cultivation. Tsk, tsk, not only was she a monstrous talent, but she was also so diligent—how were others supposed to live?

Li Wudao settled his heart and began to cultivate as well. With the system in his hands, if he were left behind, it would be too shameful—he’d be worse than an AI. "Hmm?" Perhaps sensing something, Jiang Churan opened her eyes and glanced at him, looking slightly surprised. In her memory, this sycophantic young master had mediocre talent and she had never seen him cultivate before. How did he suddenly think of cultivating today? Was it just a whim, or was he trying to cram at the last minute? However, it didn't matter. In her previous life, Li Wudao had only been a servant disciple; the outcome would not change. Jiang Churan quickly withdrew her gaze and focused on her cultivation. Just as Sun Qian had told Li Wudao, they were not people of the same world; in the end, they were just passersby.

...

Night began to fall. After a long day of travel, the group hurried into the city just before the gates closed. Many were relieved; if they had been a moment later, they would have had to sleep in the wilderness. Li Wudao looked at the young maid, who was resting with her eyes closed, with a curious expression. As expected of a daughter of destiny, her luck was maxed out.

Because it was getting late, the group did not delay and found an inn to stay in. In his room, Li Wudao waited in vain for a system rebate notification. He was puzzled; he had paid for everyone’s rooms, so why was there no reaction? Was the investment value of room fees too low to trigger a rebate? Or did it have to be a direct investment made by him personally? Li Wudao suddenly remembered that he had given the banknotes to the steward to handle the arrangements. Pushing this question aside, he gradually entered a state of cultivation.

Half the night passed. Li Wudao’s realm climbed again, breaking through to the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm. His aura was steady, not at all like someone who had just broken through. He did not continue to cultivate but chose to get some sleep. Cultivation required a balance of work and rest; haste made waste. Constantly pushing oneself would lead to emotional instability.

He had a wonderful sleep. The next day, Li Wudao yawned and pushed open the door. Just as he went downstairs, he saw Jiang Churan walking toward him. Her steps were light and elegant, her waist slim, looking like a fairy from a painting descending to the mortal world. If she smiled, it would surely be bright and moving, captivating everyone. Unfortunately, the girl remained expressionless, passing him by calmly.

"You've reached the perfection of the Body Tempering Realm so quickly; impressive." Li Wudao’s eyes flickered; the young maid’s cultivation was plain to see before him. He felt the pressure. In just two days, she had also improved by a minor realm. Jiang Churan hadn't even awakened the ancient Azure Phoenix bloodline yet, and her cultivation speed was already so monstrous. If she fully awakened it, the gap would inevitably be even wider.

...

The first floor was the dining area. By now, quite a few people were sitting there, eating breakfast. The Li family disciples, along with the accompanying guards and servants—nearly thirty people in total—occupied five large tables. Li Wudao hadn't forgotten his hypothesis from last night; he instructed the steward to order dishes, but insisted that he personally settle the bill later. Afterwards, he sat down next to Jiang Churan with a natural look on his face. Given his current situation, if he didn't take the opportunity to "shear" more, he might not see the little maid once they entered the sect. After all, it was for the sake of becoming stronger; there was nothing shameful about that.

Jiang Churan glanced at him sideways but said nothing, wondering what he was thinking. Li Wudao, however, had no time to admire the girl’s world-class beauty. He looked around, using his Haotian Eyes to scan the crowd, not forgetting to search for suitable investment targets. Like the Li family disciples, he saw many young people traveling with their families, currently eating. Several of them had excellent talent and fortune. But the problem arose: how to approach them and make an investment?

...

Before long, breakfast was served. There were soup dumplings, bird’s nest porridge, stir-fried beef, and eight other dishes in total, the aroma mouth-watering. Because Li Wudao was at this table, the steward had followed the habits of the Prince’s manor. However, the treatment for others was far worse. Except for a few core clan members, most could only eat thin porridge, eggs, and pickles. Jiang Churan looked at the dishes, which were fragrant and appetizing, feeling a bit dazed. Although she was a noble Empress and had tasted all sorts of delicacies, at this time in her previous life, she had only been entitled to drink simple rice gruel.

Just as everyone was ready to eat, Li Wudao frowned, a plan forming in his mind. He turned and instructed the steward, "How can just these few dishes be enough? Bring more, fill the tables! Serve the other tables to the same standard. If people don't know better, they’ll think we can't afford it!"

Hearing this, the Li family members were all dumbfounded. Although the young master was kind-hearted, he had never rewarded the servants like this. Filling all five tables—how much money would that cost? At least a month’s wages were gone. However, they had underestimated their young master’s vision. Li Wudao stood up, walked to the middle of the hall, and declared loudly, "Friends, eat well and drink well! I’m in a good mood today, and I’ll pay for everyone’s meal!"

When his voice fell, there was silence. Then, thunderous applause and flattery erupted in the restaurant. "The young master is generous!" "..." The Li family members smiled bitterly and shook their heads. Their young master was truly throwing money away like dirt. However, some people present sneered at Li Wudao’s behavior, secretly cursing him as a spendthrift and a fool. There were seventy or eighty guests in total; with drinks, it would cost at least two thousand taels of silver. Aside from showing off, it was completely meaningless.

Jiang Churan was equally confused, blinking her eyelashes, unable to understand what medicine Li Wudao was selling in his gourd. This guy was a bit of a sycophant and a bit slow, but he couldn't be that stupid, could he? Li Wudao, the person involved, knew exactly what everyone was thinking. But without putting out some heavy bait, how could he catch a big fish? He chuckled inwardly, full of anticipation. Whether it would work or not depended on what happened next...