December draped the city in a brittle, cold beauty. With the Gaokao and university acceptance behind her, Ye Xia's life settled into a new rhythm centered on cultivation and consolidating her position within the Yun family. Her days were a grueling cycle: advanced martial arts training with a master hired by Yun Ming, deep meditation to consolidate her Kai, and managing her empire through encrypted channels.
The system, fueled by her relentless wasting—she was now incinerating 20 million RMB daily on failed deep-sea exploration ventures—hummed with potential. She checked her status, a now-familiar ritual.
System: Money Wasting System (Level 8)
Host: Ye Xia
Current Personal Funds: 1.2 Billion RMB
System Funds (Todays Quota): 20,000,000 RMB (0/20,000,000 Wasted)
Conversion Rate: 25%
Kai Reserve: 150 Units
Cultivation Stage: Late Body Refinement
Skills: Basic Cultivation Primer, Mountain Stream Style (Proficient)
New Function Unlocked: Spiritual Crafting (Basic).
[Spiritual Crafting (Basic): Host may now spend Kai to manifest simple spiritual tools or enhance existing objects. Initial cost: 50 Kai per attempt. Success rate depends on host's comprehension and material quality.]
This was a significant leap. She could now create her own weapons. The first thing she attempted was to enhance the jade pendant Grandma Wen had given her. Focusing 50 units of Kai, she poured her intent into the stone, visualizing it strengthening its energy-gathering properties. The pendant grew warm, and a faint, intricate pattern, like a frosty fern, bloomed on its surface. The Spirit Gathering Stone was now a Grade 2 artifact, doubling its efficacy.
Her new status brought new responsibilities. Yun Ming, acknowledging her unique "insight," asked her to oversee the family's investment in a cutting-edge bio-tech research institute. It was a legitimate front for their deeper interests in life-extending elixirs and spiritual enhancement.
It was at the institute's annual review board meeting that she met him.
Dr. Liam Kane was the institute's new lead researcher, hired away from a prestigious European university. He was young for his position, probably in his late twenties, with tousled brown hair, warm hazel eyes behind stylish glasses, and an easy, confident smile that disarmed the stuffy board members. He presented his team's work on cellular regeneration with a passion that was both intelligent and infectious.
But Ye Xia felt something else. A subtle, steady hum of energy emanating from him. It wasn't the sharp, aggressive Kai of a warrior like Leng Feng, nor the deep, calculating energy of Mo. It was a warm, creative, and incredibly controlled pulse. He was a cultivator, but his path was different. Alchemical.
After the meeting, he approached her, his smile genuine. "Miss Ye? Dr. Liam Kane. I was impressed by your questions. You have a remarkable grasp of complex biological systems for someone so young."
"Thank you, Dr. Kane," Ye Xia replied, her guard up but intrigued. "I find the intersection of science and… potential… fascinating."
"Call me Liam, please," he said, his eyes twinkling. "And I couldn't agree more. 'Potential' is the perfect word. We're not just studying biology; we're studying the very building blocks of life energy." He lowered his voice slightly. "Your uncle mentioned you have a… unique perspective on such matters."
So, Yun Ming had briefed him. Liam Kane was not just a scientist; he was an ally, or at least, someone trusted enough to be brought into the fold.
"As do you, I suspect," Ye Xia said, letting a hint of her own awareness show.
Liam's smile widened. "Ah. So you can feel it too. The Frostfire Pulse. It's a rare affinity. Great for alchemy, terrible for party tricks." He laughed, a warm, open sound. "I'd love to discuss it with you sometime. Compare notes."
He was handsome, brilliant, and shared her hidden world. He was everything that should be appealing. And yet, as Ye Xia agreed to a future meeting, her thoughts drifted to Mo, with his cold intensity and the complicated bond they shared. Liam Kane was a ray of sunshine, but her life was lived in the shadows and the cold fire of vengeance.