Volume One, Chapter Seven: Oh No, the Young Master Really Understands!

So, a hunt is definitely out of the question; I must find another way.

Wang Mu rubbed his temples. Looking down at the fat steward still kneeling before him, he asked with some surprise, "Is there any more bad news?"

"N-no... no more!"

"Then why are you still here?"

"..."

The fat steward wore a bitter expression. "Young Master, you didn't tell me to leave!"

Wang Mu thought for a moment, then tossed him a high-grade spirit stone. "Fine. You've worked hard these years, so consider this your bonus. Now, go do whatever it is you need to do!"

The fat steward caught the spirit stone nervously, his mind a blank, unable to process what just happened.

Wang Mu added, "Remember, do not try to hunt down Lin Yan on your own. If I find out, you know the consequences!"

Feeling the chill in Wang Mu’s voice, the fat steward’s legs tightened. He kowtowed repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes! This subordinate will strictly obey the Young Master’s orders!"

Wang Mu nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Go!"

The fat steward scrambled to his feet and hurried away into the night. It wasn't until he had left Longevity Island that he looked back, then glanced at the high-grade spirit stone, still warm from being clutched in his hand. It still felt surreal.

That was it? The Young Master actually let him go just like that? Not only was there no punishment, but there wasn't even a single word of rebuke. And he was even rewarded with a high-grade spirit stone? Was this really the legendary, temperamental, cold-blooded playboy of the Northern Territory?

...

Back on the island, Wang Mu's personal maids watched this scene, their beautiful faces filled with bewilderment. This was nothing like the Young Master’s usual style. In the past, the fat steward would have at least lost a layer of skin; if he had managed to survive at all, he would have had to thank the Young Master for his mercy. What had gotten into him today?

As they wondered, their Young Master fell into a daze again.

[Congratulations, you have successfully invested one high-grade spirit stone in Zhang Wanquan. Investment progress has reached 100%!]

[You will receive a 100% return on Zhang Wanquan’s subsequent cultivation progress!]

[……]

Just one high-grade spirit stone, and the investment progress was maxed out? Zhang Wanquan, oh Zhang Wanquan! You are way too cheap!

Wait! Wang Mu’s eyes lit up as a thought struck him. No matter who he invested in, the cultivation results returned by the system were extremely compressed, even more refined than those of an Earth Immortal. It was merely a question of quantity.

So... could it be possible that investing in a thousand ordinary people could rival one Child of Destiny? If a thousand weren't enough, what about ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Surely this was a viable path. After all, Children of Destiny were hard to find, but in this cultivation world, people with mediocre talent were as numerous as salted fish in the sea.

Wang Mu felt this was a path worth exploring. But as it was a matter of great importance, he had to test it first.

Wang Mu took a deep breath and ordered, "Call everyone on the island to assemble!"

A maid asked in surprise, "Everyone? Even the men?"

"???"

Wang Mu frowned, staring at the maid who spoke. What kind of talk was that? What did she think he wanted to do?

The maid quickly lowered her head. "Yes!"

...

A quarter of an hour later, all the cultivators on the island were gathered in front of Wang Mu's courtyard. There were men and women—those who arranged flowers, kept birds, played the zither, blew the flute, or danced... and many guards. Their cultivation levels varied, ranging from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.

The highest in cultivation was the island’s Grand Steward, Zixia, who had reached the early stage of the Golden Core realm. She appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen, with skin like congealed fat, wearing a long purple dress, her hair cascading down her waist like a waterfall—truly captivating. Despite her youthful appearance, she possessed a mature temperament. She was also highly capable, managing every affair on the island with perfect order.

[Name: Zixia]
[Race: Human]
[Realm: Early Golden Core]
[Aptitude: Peerless]
[Trait: Tempered by Fire. Cultivation speed increases through pain; the more painful, the more enjoyable!]
[Investment Evaluation: Aptitude is relatively poor; not recommended to waste resources.]

...

Peerless aptitude meant she had the potential to become a Nascent Soul Venerable. In the outside world, that was enough to stir up the clouds and rain and become a sect ancestor. Even within a Sacred Land, it would be more than enough to become an inner disciple. Yet, the system gave such a mediocre evaluation. Wang Mu found it quite abstract.

He couldn't help but look at Zixia twice more. Those two glances made Zixia, who usually wore a cold expression, panic. *Young Master, why are you suddenly looking at me? Why does that gaze seem to hold a sense of insult and belittlement? What is he planning?*

Zixia took a deep breath, lowered her head, and bowed. "Young Master, as you ordered, this servant has gathered everyone on the island here."

"You've worked hard, Zixia!" Wang Mu looked at her calmly, produced a pill bottle, and handed it to her. "This is your reward!"

Zixia: "!!!"

Her heart rate skyrocketed. She had been on Longevity Island for ten years, and apart from slaps and whips, she had never seen Wang Mu reward anyone with anything. *Offering favors without cause—it must be a trap or a scheme!*

Suddenly, Zixia recalled the incident a while back where the Young Master had forcibly taken an inner disciple. Her expression shifted slightly. *The Young Master has really grown up!*

"Young Master, this servant... is not yet prepared!" Zixia bit her lip, gathering her courage to say.

"???"

Wang Mu was confused. He was rewarding her with a pill; what did she need to be prepared for? And why was she blushing like a fool?

"If I grant it to you, just take it!" Wang Mu said coolly.

Hearing those emotionless words, Zixia’s heart skipped a beat. *Oh no, how did the Young Master know I liked this style?*

She knelt down, pressed her legs together, and bit her lip as she accepted the pill. She opened it and saw the contents, her eyes instantly welling up.

Nirvana Pill! A spirit pill for boosting cultivation! It was immensely valuable and more effective than ordinary pills of the same rank. However, its side effects were also very clear: the practitioner would suffer extreme pain during the refining process.

*It’s confirmed, the Young Master really knows!* Zixia’s delicate body trembled, her legs feeling weak.

...

Wang Mu ignored Zixia’s internal drama. He had more crates of high-grade spirit stones brought out and distributed one to every maid, attendant, and guard present—over five hundred people in total.

As expected, the system notifications rang out incessantly in his mind. The investment progress for everyone maxed out instantly. Following that, Wang Mu ordered everyone to sit down and cultivate on the spot. Though confused, they dared not defy his command and complied one by one.

...

[Congratulations, you have received a return on cultivation progress from Zixia!]
[Congratulations, you have received a return on cultivation progress from Wang Dachui!]
[Congratulations, you have received a return on cultivation progress from Chen Hu!]
[……]

The dense stream of notifications continued. Wang Mu could feel his cultivation increasing bit by bit. Although it was slow, it was undeniable!

When the night passed and Wang Mu opened his eyes again, the energy within him had already reached the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage!