The attending doctor's meaning was already obvious.
Translation: "Kid, you've only got a few days left. Hurry up and spend all your money before someone else gets to enjoy it after you're dead."
Chen Huaian returned helplessly to the hotel. It was already past 9 PM.
"Sigh, what use is money if this illness can't be cured even with it?"
He opened the game and saw that Li Qingran had already finished her meditation and was now sitting by the window, quietly gazing at the moonlight outside.
The little girl must be worried about what tomorrow will bring.
But she didn't need to be.
Because now he had 500,000 yuan in his bank account.
And in this game, 500,000 yuan was an astronomical amount.
You could do so much with that—just one Immortal-grade Hunyuan Butian Pill only cost 100,000.
With 500,000, you might even be able to buy the life of a Nascent Soul cultivator!
"If only I could spend money to buy my own life too…"
Chen Huaian shook his head.
Unfortunately, real life wasn't a game, and no one was going to deliver some heaven-defying miracle pill to him in the real world.
Tomorrow, Li Qingran would return to Qingyun Sect.
And he would be heading to Tianmen Mountain to record the show.
"Changing fate still depends on me. At least now I have 500,000 yuan—enough to do things I never dared to dream of before. In a way, isn't that changing my fate too?"
Lying on the bed, Chen Huaian stared at the ceiling and muttered to himself.
His previously anxious mind suddenly calmed down.
Things couldn't possibly get worse anymore.
Which meant every step from now on was a winning hand.
"Sigh, nothing else to do for now. I'll give that black cat some acupuncture."
He finally remembered the other living creature in the room.
He pulled the black cat out of the shoebox.
The cat had been sleeping. When placed on the sofa, its eyes were still dazed.
But it quickly came to its senses, let out a pitiful "meow", limped a few steps on the sofa, and turned to meow again.
How could Chen Huaian resist?
He looked at the black cat's limp leg and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Which acupuncture method should I use? That 'Meridian Opening Needle' was pretty effective last time… a bit risky, but it's already lame—if there are side effects, so be it. Besides, with my luck, nothing bad will happen."
Meanwhile, the black cat stared back, also thinking:
[Heh heh… Look how adorable this king is. Hurry, treat this king's injury—once healed, this king will be better prepared to steal your magical treasures… heh heh heh!]
"Alright then, 'Meridian Opening Needle' it is. Gotta risk it to win it!"
Chen Huaian picked up the silver needles and started working on the cat.
Half an hour later…
The black cat stared at its now truly crippled right leg, falling into deep thought.
[Tsk… Something's wrong. This isn't right…]
[Could it be… this kid doesn't actually know acupuncture? But my leg was fine before!]
It had only pretended to be lame—
but now it was actually lame.
A big face slowly came into view, blank and expressionless.
"You and I are fated."
Chen Huaian said with a solemn expression, masking his inner guilt.
He could tell that the black cat's right leg had lost all sensation—it was like a wooden club now.
Completely stiff.
"Since that's the case, I'll take responsibility. From now on, your name is kcid."
"In our world, naming a pet means you're taking it in. From now on, you'll grow up strong and healthy—I eat meat, you eat meat, no picky eating allowed…"
He rambled while placing the stunned black cat back into the shoebox and closing the lid.
He figured the dumb cat wouldn't understand anything.
Once he figured out how to use Meridian Opening Needle properly, he'd fix its leg again.
Then he grabbed his crutch and went downstairs to buy some steamed buns.
Now that he had money, he decided to splurge and add a chicken drumstick too.
Bang— the door shut.
The shoebox on the table began to tremble violently.
[AAAAHHH! MY LEG!!]
[Damn you human brat! Just wait—I'll get my revenge one day!]
…
Noon the next day.
Chen Huaian was fast asleep, while the phone on the table continued running the Electronic Girlfriend Game.
At exactly 12:00 noon, a game notification popped up:
[Your remaining lifespan: 72 days]
---
"Have you heard? That Li Qingran girl's returning to the sect!"
"Li Qingran? Who's that…"
"The one who injured the Chixiao Peak junior sister. I heard she did it on purpose. So bold—how does she even have the nerve to come back?"
"Whether it was on purpose or not—duels in sect tournaments always result in injuries, don't they? Why's Chixiao Peak being so dramatic?"
"Shh! Quiet, she's here!"
Everyone turned toward the sect gates.
No one had noticed when, but a slender figure had already appeared at the entrance.
She wore pale green and white Daoist robes, her black hair tied back with a white ribbon.
In her right hand, she held a moon-white flying sword.
A breeze lifted the strands of hair by her forehead, her robes and sword tassel fluttering gently in the morning wind.
Her pace wasn't fast, but within moments she had already walked to the main plaza in front of the sect hall.
"That's her? That's Li Qingran?"
"Huh… Everyone always said Mu Baishuang was the beauty of Chixiao Peak, and that Li Qingran got jealous when she took her spot… But looking at her now, Li Qingran is way more beautiful."
"Heh. She always was more beautiful than Mu Baishuang. I thought it was a shame when she was expelled from the sect…"
…
Li Qingran stood in the plaza, lifting her gaze to meet the countless eyes fixed on her.
There were about 1,200 disciples in Qingyun Sect—
She could clearly hear their buzzing whispers.
She didn't know what exactly they were saying.
But she could guess—
Nothing good.
"Li Qingran, there's nothing to be afraid of."
She gripped Su Xian tightly.
The sheath was ice-cold to the touch, the blade inside forged from thousand-year black iron.
Even through the scabbard, it exuded a faint frost-white chill, blending with the morning mist.
Yet she didn't feel cold.
Instead, a sense of calm began to fill her heart, easing her nerves.
She wasn't standing here alone.
And she was not without support.
Even if she couldn't see the senior's figure—
She could still feel it: that gentle gaze watching over her.
Every day, every night—
While she cultivated, ate, slept, or even bathed… that gaze was always there.
At first, she'd felt shy and embarrassed.
But now, without that gaze, she'd feel… uneasy.
At some point, she had grown deeply reliant on that presence.
She knew this wasn't good.
But she simply couldn't stop her heart.
Time passed.
The sun shifted slightly in the sky.
Soon, all the elders from the major peaks had arrived.
The grand doors of the Sect Hall swung open—
Sect Master Wu Duantian stepped out with three personal disciples.
From Chixiao Peak, five streaks of divine light flew out.
A green flying sword led the way, descending rapidly.
From its back, Elder Qingxuan leapt down, followed by disciples Xiao Yifeng, Yun Zimo, and Zhang Hanxiao.
The three Chixiao Peak inner disciples landed on the plaza one after another.
Lu Changtian arrived last, his flying sword carrying Mu Baishuang behind him.
Li Qingran and Mu Baishuang briefly locked eyes.
Her gaze was calm.
But Mu Baishuang flinched as if struck—
She quickly ducked behind Lu Changtian.
Suddenly, a loud shout exploded through the air, ringing in Li Qingran's ears like thunder.
"Li Qingran! Do you admit your guilt?!"