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It feels good being rich. I suppose I was rich back in the pocket realm, but I was a minor back then and not allowed to make large purchases without my father’s permission. I was also rich while following Lucia, but I could only spend her money on things that she wanted, like food or luxuries. But now, with my own efforts, I’ve created a money-generating business with mind-boggling profits. It’ll take a few years for it to really get going, but at this point, I can spend freely whenever and wherever I want. Of course, the first thing to do is pay back my debts.
Softie’s grandmother didn’t really help me out all that much, but she did take me in as a disciple. I mostly used Lucia’s influence to get by in the sect, but it’s undeniable Softie’s grandmother was my backing for the short time that Lucia had no sway. Softie’s grandmother was injured pretty badly during the time Lucia and I were in the pocket realm, so I took a few medicinal pills from Pill Valley. They’re supposed to be high-ranked pills that can move a nation, but they gifted them to me thanks to the profits I’ve brought them. At first, they were concerned they’d only be able to sell a few of my alchemy stoves since one sect only needed to buy one to be set, so I gave them a very easy solution to their problem: planned obsolescence. After a certain number of uses, the stoves stop functioning, and Pill Valley makes another sale. They called me despicable for thinking up such a thing; then they immediately implemented the design.
Anyways, here I am, Softie’s grandmother’s room. As I’ve already learned from repeated experience, cultivators do not have a culture of knocking: As Black Devil Shu once asked, “How are you going to catch people doing immoral things if you knock first?” In fact, I’m surprised there’s even a door here. Ever since Lucia showed her strength, people started imitating her, including not living in caves to cultivate. I pushed open the door, and moans immediately entered my ears. Smackdab in the middle of the room, there was a bed with two people on it: Softie’s grandmother and Softie’s grandfather. …I should’ve knocked. I really should’ve knocked. I’ll just leave this bag of medicine on the floor with a note and exit before they notice me. I’m surprised they haven’t noticed me already. Aren’t they earth-realm experts? Shouldn’t they have hyperawareness of their surroundings?
Well, I did my duty as a disciple. Not only will those pills heal Softie’s grandmother, but they’ll also help her advance to the sky realm. Of course, I included pills for Softie’s grandfather too. Wouldn’t it be too sad if their lifespans didn’t match up? Now, I’ll go find Softie. She was bitching and moaning about wanting to see Lucia, and I have the resources to send her through a transportation gate now. I wonder how Lucia’s…, no, let’s not go down that train of thought. I’m finally free from her, why jinx it?
Teleportation is convenient. No wonder why Lucia did it so often upon reaching the earth realm. Is this Softie’s room? Am I going to walk in on her doing something immoral like her grandparents? Nah, Lucia’s not here, and the chance of Softie’s infatuation for Lucia—which might as well be a mental illness at this point—disappearing is nonexistent. But just in case, this time, I’m going to knock. I rapped on the door twice, and there was a shattering sound followed by a scream. I opened the door to see Softie standing over a broken teapot with a puddle of tea spreading along the wooden floor.
Softie turned towards me with wet eyes. “Why would you make such an atrocious sound? It scared me!”
…I don’t knock, I lose. I knock, I lose. What’s a woman supposed to do? Besides, isn’t Softie an earth-realm expert right now? She should have hyperawareness too! “What kind of ex-sky-realm expert gets startled by knocking!?”
“Don’t yell at me after making me drop my tea!” Softie’s lower lip trembled, and tears threatened to fall from her eyes. In the ten years that’ve passed, did she get even prettier? How is that even possible? It’s a shame her chest didn’t grow at all though. She shivered and hugged herself, covering her torso with her arms. “Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t tell me you’re going to sell me too!?”
Too…? “What do you mean too? I’ve never sold anyone!” My business practices are completely moral!
“I’ve seen those sky-realm experts gathering around you!”
Oh, those people. “I’m not selling them. They’re my … employees.” Right. It hasn’t been long since I’ve founded the Pentorn Armory. It turns out people are willing to do anything for sky-realm-ranked weapons, and I have quite a few of them. Pill Valley collects corpses—I knew collecting corpses was normal—and once I told them I could turn the corpses into earth-realm-ranked and sky-realm-ranked weapons, they called me a monster; then they immediately drafted up a contract to split the profits and gave me all the corpses. I’ve rented out a majority of the weapons at completely fair and honest prices, and a hundred of the weapons were used to hire bodyguards. So, I don’t sell people…. It’s more like I’m buying them. “Anyways, you wanted money to go see Lucia, right?”
Softie’s expression instantly cheered up and morphed into that of a well-behaved girl’s. “Oh, you were here to talk about that. Come in and have a seat. Would you like some tea?”
I’m always amazed at how quickly attitudes shift in the Immortal Continent. I stepped around the puddle of tea and took a seat on a chair close to the only window in Softie’s room. “Well, before we talk about that, I want to make sure you know what you’re getting into when you go off looking for Lucia.”
Softie’s expression froze but relaxed in an instant. “What do you mean?”
“So, Lucia went off and destroyed one tomb to take its inheritance. She went to another tomb and robbed the person who claimed that inheritance. And now she’s at a third tomb, presumably to claim that inheritance as well.”
Softie nodded. “That’s right. Lucia’s amazing. What’s the problem?”
This fanatic. “The problem is, those three tombs are the training grounds of the three strongest sects in that region, and she made enemies out of all of them. If you show up looking for Lucia, they’re going to be hostile towards you. And since you’re only an earth-realm expert because of the injury you suffered, you’re not going to have a good time.” Also, she’s too pretty for her own good, but I’m not going to mention that in case I inflate her ego.
“How do you know all this?”
“I purposely set up a branch store near Lucia to monitor her activities.” It’s not that I care about her. I set it up an armory there to know when to run. “Anyways, enough about that. I don’t mind if you go off and die to Lucia’s enemies, but Lucia would probably be depressed if you did. And if she’s depressed, she’ll destroy the world, which could impact my profits. So, I’ll fund you if you choose to go, but I’m heavily advising you not to.”
“I … understand,” Softie said and sighed. “It’s because I’m too weak, isn’t it? Not having power is a sin….”