The carriage was a masterpiece of luxury. Plush velvet seats that swallowed you whole, gilded trim, and a suspension so smooth it felt like we were gliding on air. I was nestled on my mother's lap, watching the bustling city streets of the Yun clan's territory pass by the window. A contingent of a dozen guards in the clan's colors marched alongside us, their aura causing the common folk to instinctively clear a path.
Hey Z, see? I thought, soaking in the opulence. This is the power of money. This is what I was missing in my last life.
[Well,] Z conceded, his text appearing with a shimmer. [I can't even deny that. This beats your old streaming setup by a few thousand percent.]
If these regular guards are this imposing, how strong must the Crimson Troops be? I wondered aloud.
My mother, Li Mei, stroked my hair. "Don't you worry about that. They are strong enough to be on par with the elders of the family. You will be perfectly safe."
Oh, that strong? A wave of relief washed over me. That's comforting to hear. With bodyguards that powerful, my lazy life was practically guaranteed.
"So, where should we go, Fei'er?" my mother asked, her voice warm.
I thought for a moment. A real, proper city in a cultivation world... my mind, trained by a thousand games, went to the most logical place. Hmm, maybe a broth—
[HEY!] Z's text flashed red in my vision. [You can't say brothels, you idiot! Your mother is right here! Think of the reputation points! The wrong kind!]
I coughed, my face flushing. —a restaurant! A food place! Let's go to eat food!
My mother laughed, a light, musical sound. "Right, children are always hungry. But can you even eat solid food yet?"
No, but things like soup will do.
She smiled and directed the carriage driver. Soon, we arrived at a building that screamed exclusivity. It was a multi-story pagoda with intricate carvings, surrounded by a serene garden. Servants in pristine uniforms bowed deeply as we approached.
Oh, this looks like a Japanese-style ryokan, I mused, impressed.
"Japanese?" my mother asked, carrying me inside. "What's that?"
It's a... place, I said vaguely, my attention already elsewhere.
The interior was even more lavish. We were ushered into a private room with a low table and luxurious silk cushions. My mother placed me on a sofa that was probably stuffed with cloud fluff and phoenix down. As we settled, I could hear the hushed whispers from the main hall.
"...That's the Matriarch Li Mei..."
"...and the child! The one they say can speak!"
"...the rumored reincarnated immortal... just look at the guard detail..."
A wide, uncontrollable grin spread across my face. Ooh, Z! Listen! All these reputation points! Keep them coming!
[Control yourself!] Z chided. [Your mother is still here. Don't look like a greedy little tyrant.]
Oh, right. I schooled my features into what I hoped was a picture of innocent serenity as my mother began to gently feed me a delicious, spiritually-infused broth.
On the ride home, I was ecstatic. See? A single trip outside! How many points did we get?
My mother looked at me fondly. "I'll never understand what you're even talking about half the time, my little immortal."
Mother, I said, feeling a genuine surge of affection for this kind woman. Is there anything you want? I'll get it for you.
She pinched my cheeks. "Alright, my generous son. Get me a good ring."
Hey Z, you heard her. Buy a premium quality ring. Something nice.
[Okay! How about one with an integrated storage space? It's practical and luxurious.]
Ooh, that seems good! Do it!
[Transaction complete. Reputation Points: 5.]
A simple but elegant silver ring, inlaid with a small, clear gemstone, materialized in my hand as if from nowhere.
My mother gasped. "Where did that appear from?"
Huhu, I chuckled, putting on a mysterious air. Tricks you won't get.
She took the ring, and her spiritual sense probed it. Her eyes widened in shock. "A... a storage space! Fei'er, these are the rarest of the rare! Only the most powerful artificers can make them!"
Is that how it is in this world? A lightbulb went off in my head. Maybe I can make money selling these!
[Ooh!] Z cheered. [We can be rich! We wouldn't even need the clan's allowance!]
Hey, we'll take money from both, I decided. There's no one route to earning.
Back in my ridiculously luxurious room, I looked at the pile of books my father had provided—"A History of the Azure Dragon Continent," "Introduction to Qi Theory." They were dense.
I did ask for books, but they really did give an infant these tomes, I sighed, lying on my bed.
[Well, you did say you wanted to learn,] Z pointed out. [And the reputation points from our little trip are still trickling in every now and then.]
Just you wait, I thought, staring at the ceiling. I'll grow up and become strong enough to sleep all day, every day.
[Maybe you'll get married, too,] Z suggested slyly.
Oh, marry? The idea hadn't occurred to me. Maybe I should marry some rich girl. A princess or a sect leader's daughter. Double the funds for my lazy lifestyle.
[How much money do you even need?]
There's never "enough" when it comes to getting money, I replied sagely.
The door to my room creaked open without a knock. A man in the distinctive crimson and black armor of the elite troops stood there. He had a sharp, arrogant face and looked me over with disdain.
"Hey. You're the talk of the town," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "They say you can talk. Go on, say something."
I looked him dead in the eye. Didn't think the Crimson Troops hired dishwashers, too.
His face contorted in anger. "You little—! Hah! You don't even have a core, and now we're assigned to babysit you. We should be out on the borders, fighting real battles!"
Man, you're chattering too much. Are you here to whine or work? I'm hungry again. Take me to the kitchen.
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, stomping over and roughly picking me up. As he carried me out, he leaned in and whispered, "You're just a weird kid, born into a big family. Out there, with no core and that mouth, you'd have been killed already."
Anger, hot and sudden, flared in my chest. This guy was supposed to protect me, and here he was, insulting a baby. My tiny fist, fueled by a Level 2 stat boost and sheer irritation, shot out and connected with his jaw.
THWACK.
It wasn't enough to seriously hurt him, but it was enough to surprise him. He stumbled back, dropping me onto the soft rug.
"You damn kid!" he roared, clutching his face.
Suddenly, another presence filled the doorway. This man was broader, older, with a calm intensity that screamed "leader." His crimson armor was more ornate, and a long scar ran down his cheek.
"Kael. Stop," the man said, his voice low but carrying immense authority. "How far have you fallen that you would raise your hand against a child?"
"He hit me!" the guard, Kael, spluttered, pointing at me. "Look! I haven't even touched him!"
The leader ignored him, walked over, and picked me up effortlessly. His eyes, sharp and assessing, met mine. "So. Why'd you hit him?"
Well, I said, my voice calm. He was bullshitting.
A slow smirk spread across the leader's face. "Is that so?" He looked back at Kael. "Return to the barracks. You're on latrine duty for a month."
As Kael slunk away, the leader carried me towards the kitchen. "I'm Liang, commander of the Crimson Troops. You're a cool little guy, huh?"
So are you. Maybe you should work for me, I shot back.
He let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Haha! Look at this kid. People would be lining up for miles just for a chance to become a trainee for the Crimson Troops."
An idea sparked. Is that how it is? Well, give me a non-existent position. 'Honorary Consultant' or something. I won't do your training, but I'll do my own.
Liang looked intrigued. "Well, as long as you're strong enough, that's acceptable. The Troops respect strength, above all."
I'll need a salary, I added.
This time, he full-on grinned. "Huhu, I'll give you that."
And, I said, my tone turning serious, take me to see a real battlefield once in a while, after I'm ten.
Liang's eyes gleamed with approval. "I'm liking you more and more, kid."
After being fed, I was back in my room. Hey Z.
[Oh, so you finally remember me?] his text was tinged with mock hurt.
Sorry, it's not like I can talk to you in front of them.
[Well, true enough. So, what is it?]
What's my current level?
[You are Level 2.]
Just 2? I groaned.
[You're an infant, man! Level 2 is already high enough. You could probably beat up a small dog.]
So what's my limit before I turn one?
[You can reach Level 3 before your first birthday. The 'Slumbering Dragon's Repose' is doing most of the work.]
Let's do that, I said, feeling motivated. Hey, buy a sword technique book from the shop.
[Oh, starting already?]
The earlier the better. I need to at least look the part.
Z brought up the shop, and I picked a random, flashy-sounding one: "The Nine Celestial Swords of the Heavenly Aurora." It cost a few points, and the knowledge flooded into my mind. It was incredibly profound, but to me, it was just data. I promptly fell asleep.
I was jolted awake by a familiar gruff voice. "Hey, grandson! Get up!"
I blinked my eyes open. Oh, it's you, Gramps. What is it now?
"I wanna take you out to train!"
Huh? Wait, I'm just a child!
"I know, I know! You'll just watch others train! It'll be good for you to see the clan's strength!"
He swept me up and carried me out to the main training grounds. It was a vast, stone-paved field, and it was packed. Hundreds of clansmen, from teenagers to seasoned adults, were practicing sword forms, sparring, and meditating in unison. The air hummed with concentrated Qi.
Oh, there's a lot of people, I remarked, genuinely impressed.
Gramps puffed out his chest. "This is not even half the strength of the clan!"
He carried me to a high viewing stage overlooking the entire grounds and sat down, placing me on his lap. He cleared his throat, and his voice, amplified by Qi, boomed across the field.
"ATTENTION! This here is my grandson, Yun Feiyang, the Second Young Master of the Clan! He'll one day be a revered genius throughout the Central Plains!"
As one, the hundreds of cultivators below stopped, turned, and bowed deeply. "GOOD EVENING, YOUNG MASTER FEIYANG!"
A massive grin split my face. The adulation was intoxicating.
[Control your smirks!] Z warned. [You look like a villain.]
"Let the training commence!" Gramps declared.
For an hour, I watched. It was like a very violent, very precise dance. Then, Z spoke up.
[Hey, those people in the third quadrant... their form is incorrect. The footwork for 'Striding the Moon' is off by a few inches.]
Huh? Incorrect form?
Gramps, with his sharp hearing, looked down at me. "What're you talking about?"
Ooh, some of them are performing the sword forms wrong.
Gramps raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Have you even seen these sword forms before to know their mistakes?"
I smirked, the knowledge from the "Nine Celestial Swords" crystal clear in my mind. I'll point them out to you. You can check from here without them knowing.
I mentally described the positions of three or four specific trainees to my grandfather.
He squinted, focusing his powerful perception on the individuals I'd named. His expression shifted from skepticism to shock. They were, indeed, performing the movements incorrectly, flaws that were invisible from the ground but clear as day from our high vantage point to a trained eye.
He looked down at me, a slow, proud grin spreading across his face. "Hoho! My genius child! Your eyesight and perception are far better than these so-called teachers!" He then leaned in, his voice dropping to a bootlicking whisper. "Hey... can you give me a fist technique or two?"
Yes, why?
"I made a bet with the old man from the Fist Clan. He'll use sword techniques, and I'll use fist techniques. I need something to wipe that smug look off his face!"
Okay, I agreed. I'll give you some strong fist techniques later.
Gramps was practically vibrating with happiness.
Z, I thought. Guess these old men have their own way of entertainment.
[Seems so. A friendly wager between patriarchs.]
Right. Let's not give him a god-tier book that will cause a continental war. Just something good enough to decisively defeat the other old man.
[Already on it. Here you go.] A new manual appeared in my system inventory: "The Six Principles of the Shattering Mountain."
Oh, good. You already prepared it.
[I am your assistant, after all.]
The next morning, as my mother was feeding me breakfast, Gramps burst into the room.
"Grandson! Remember the deal we had?"
Yes, yes, I said. Here you go. I focused, and the manual for "The Six Principles of the Shattering Mountain" materialized in my hands. I handed it to him.
He took it as if it were sacred scripture and scurried out, cackling to himself.
That night, I was jolted awake by my door slamming open. Gramps stood there, his face a mixture of awe and fury.
"YOU!" he boomed, waking me from my "Slumbering Dragon's Repose." Zzz... who's stopping my cultivation... oh, it's you, Gramps.
"You... what did you give me?" he demanded, holding up the manual.
Wait, did you lose?
"Lose? QUITE THE OPPOSITE!" he roared. "I thought you gave me some basic fist technique manual after seeing it only had six moves! But..." He trailed off, his voice dropping to a whisper.
But what?
"They're... overpowered! I used the first principle, 'Crushing Pebble,' and I nearly shattered his spiritual sword! I had to hold back! I guess what's 'normal' for an immortal is just... different for us, huh?"
So, you won, then?
Gramps threw his head back and laughed. "HAHAH! Of course, I won! Once you're five and start the clan's formal training, I'm taking you to meet the other old coots from the Top Five Clans! I need to show you off!"
My eyes lit up. Ohhh! I could already hear the ding of reputation points.
"Well, I have to go celebrate properly!" he said, turning to leave.
See ya!
The moment he was gone, I turned to Z. Hey, did you hear that?
[Oh, about meeting the other clan leaders? That's a huge opportunity for—]
No! I interrupted. The "clan's formal training" thing! He said I have to start when I'm five! That sounds like... school.
[Well, even a genius has to go through the motions. It's expected.]
I know that, but... ugh. Lectures. Teachers. Waking up early.
[How about you buy this, then?] Z suggested, highlighting an item in the shop. "Eidetic Memory Module (Permanent)."
My mood instantly lifted. Oh, you beautiful, beautiful system! I purchased it without a second thought, feeling the upgrade settle in my mind. Now, I could read something once and remember it forever.
Now I'm all set for the academy, I thought, lying back down. Just four more years of napping until then.