My father's study was exactly as I remembered it—shelves lined with ledgers, the faint scent of medicinal herbs from samples scattered across his desk, and the man himself standing with his back to me, gazing out the window.
"Enter," he commanded without turning.
I stepped inside and cupped my hands, bowing a bit, "Father."
"Rise, my son." His voice carried that particular weight of a man accustomed to being obeyed.
When I stood, he finally turned to face me, his expression unreadable. "So you spoke with old Fang. Longer than I expected. Either you impressed him greatly, or..."
He paused, studying me intently. "There have been whispers, you know. A child too brilliant, too mature. Some say you might be possessed by the soul of a dead cultivator."
My blood ran cold, but I kept my expression neutral.
"But if old Fang didn't strike you down, then you're truly my son—just unusually gifted." He moved to his desk, retrieving a small silk pouch.
"The heavens occasionally bless us with such anomalies. I'm prepared to invest in that blessing."
"Thank you for your confidence, Father."
"Confidence costs nothing. Investment does." He set the pouch on the desk between us. "I'll offer you a monthly stipend of a thousand purple profound coins."
I couldn't help my sharp intake of breath. An average household in the Blue Wind Empire survived on three purple profound coins per year. This was... significant.
"Furthermore," he continued, "I have connections with an elder in the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region."
"This opportunity was passed down in our family as one of our ancestors had somehow been useful to the elder."
"When the time comes, I can arrange an introduction. He would take you under his protection—assuming you qualify for entry."
My mind raced. The Mighty Heavenly Sword Region—one of the four Sacred Grounds. But that also meant... if Yun Che's story had begun, or would begin, that place was doomed.
Still, the opportunity was too valuable to dismiss outright.
"And in return?" I asked, knowing there would be a price.
Father's smile was thin. "Two things. First, should you ever reach the Emperor Profound Realm, you will protect this family with your strength."
Emperor Profound—the seventh major realm. Few ever reached such heights, but if I did...
"Second, for my introduction to the elder, you will ensure that three of my other children or their descendants gain entry to the sect if they meet the qualifications. You will take responsibility for them within the sect."
I considered carefully.
The purple profound coins would be invaluable at the start of my cultivation journey, though I knew they'd become worthless later.
My thoughts drifted to the Purple Veined Divine Crystals—fifty kilograms of them—supposedly buried somewhere in the forest behind Floating Cloud City.
That cache alone could potentially carry someone to the Sovereign Profound Realm. But was it still there? Had the plot already begun?
The Mighty Heavenly Sword Region still stood, which meant Yun Che hadn't destroyed it yet. That gave me some sense of the timeline, but not enough.
"Your offer is generous, Father," I said carefully, though there was one question that was bugging me.
"But, I wanted to ask why? I may be more intelligent than my peers, but my potential for cultivation has not even been confirmed. Master Fang said my veins will fully mature when I'm twelve."
"If, for some reason, I do not qualify for the path of cultivation, wouldn't your investment be wasted?"
This question was the first thing that popped into my mind after hearing his offer.
He's expecting returns already, but as a merchant, he has surely thought about the fact that his investment might go down the drain if I am not suitable for the cultivation path.
A smile appeared on father's face as his lips parted, "You really are one of the rare ones. Any of my other children would have taken my offer without any second thoughts."
"To answer your question, I have indeed thought of that. But, if that happens, then I will simply have to put your genius to expanding the family business. That's how you will be repaying me for this stipend."
I see, so he already had a win-win situation planned in his mind.
Well, that's good to know.
"May I have time to consider? The sacred grounds don't accept disciples younger than fifteen, so I still have ten years."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Ten years to prepare, or ten years to waste?"
"To prepare. Master Fang made it clear that cultivating before twelve would damage my profound veins. Better to build a solid foundation."
"Hmm." His eyes relaxed a the mention of Master Fang.
Father moved around his desk, picked up the pouch, and held it out. "Take this—one month's stipend. Consider it a gesture of faith. You have until your seventh birthday to give me an answer about our arrangement."
I accepted the pouch with both hands and bowed. "Thank you, Father. I will not waste this opportunity."
"See that you don't. The Lin family has survived through careful investments. Don't make me regret this one."
I bowed again and turned to leave, my mind already calculating. One thousand purple profound coins per month for seven years... it was a fortune by mortal standards.
But I knew the exchange rates in the cultivation world. This much money equaled nothing to cultivators with actual strength in this world.
Still, it was a start. Without any special cheats or systems, I'd need every advantage I could get.
The knowledge from my previous life, my understanding of this world's future—these were my only edges.
As I walked back to my quarters, I clutched the heavy pouch.
First, I needed to strengthen my body as Master Fang advised.
Then, learn to sense and absorb profound energy. The timeline was still uncertain, but I had at least ten years before the sects would even consider me.
I paused in the courtyard, looking up at the sky.
Somewhere out there, the protagonists of this world might already be taking their first steps. Yun Che could be a child like me, or perhaps not even born yet. The uncertainty gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside.
Focus on what I could control. Build strength. Gather resources. And when the time came, I'd be ready to seize every opportunity this world offered.
The pouch of coins clinked softly as I walked. One thousand purple profound coins—my first step on a very long journey.
.....
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