What? I'm a genius?

Six hours for 220,000 salary?

What a joke.

Everyone else is thinking about slacking off at work, earning 9,000 an hour, and you're going all out like this?

Even though you signed the second contract, there's no need to go all out.

And 2,200 units of Cosmic Energy, is that even humanly possible?

"That much?"

Li Yi was also pleasantly surprised. To be honest, he didn't know the exact amount of work he had done in six hours.

"This is your salary. I hope you'll have the same state tomorrow. Our employer wants a large amount of Cosmic Energy. As long as you can capture a large amount of pure Cosmic Energy, we won't shortchange you a single cent," Supervisor Xu Ming said, reassuring Li Yi.

"Don't worry, with such a high salary, I'll risk my life to do my six hours of guiding work." Li Yi put on the face of a model employee.

Xu Ming said, "Among the guides who signed the second contract, your efficiency is extremely high. If you can maintain it, I will recommend to the employer that we sign a long-term contract with you and increase the unit price."

"Alright, the salaries have been distributed. Everyone, please continue your meal. I won't waste any more of your time."

Soon, he left with his assistant.

Li Yi held the thick stack of money, feeling very pleased.

This was the largest sum of money he had ever earned in his life. Before, he had only earned a total of 60,000 yuan working for Old Crow and the others.

Thinking about it now, it didn't seem worth it.

"Li Yi, you're amazing. 2,200 units of Cosmic Energy in six hours, that's not something an ordinary Cultivator can do. Tell me, did you just get lucky and encounter a wormhole energy surge?" Zhang Gao asked, a mix of surprise and envy in his voice.

Lu Jue, standing nearby, added, "I don't think it's luck. Li Yi, your Cultivation stat must be very high. Your efficiency in guiding Cosmic Energy is at least three times higher than that of an ordinary Cultivator, otherwise, you absolutely couldn't have earned 220,000 in six hours. Let me boldly estimate your Cultivation stat. 180%."

180% Cultivation stat?

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was stunned again, and then a word popped into their minds.

Genius.

Cultivators with a Cultivation stat of 100 were already rare, but if their Cultivation stat could reach 200%, they would be undisputed Cultivation geniuses.

If Li Yi's Cultivation stat was truly 180, he was almost there, even if he wasn't a genius.

Lu Jue was also shocked inwardly, but he knew that he was being conservative. If he were to be bolder, he might even say that Li Yi's Cultivation stat exceeded 200%.

Wu Zhen, not far away, fell silent. His Cultivation stat was only 60%, making him a very ordinary Cultivator. If Li Yi's Cultivation stat was true, then it was three times his own, and such a gap would also be reflected in his cultivation speed.

So, if nothing unexpected happened, the future Li Yi would leave him far behind, so far that he wouldn't even see his back.

Unless Wu Zhen's family also had a cultivation pod and could afford a guide.

But if his family had such conditions, why would he be out here working?

"Damn it," Wu Zhen cursed inwardly, a strange sense of unease starting to grow. He wasn't even thinking about finding an opportunity to get revenge on Li Yi anymore; he had to worry about whether others would get revenge on him.

"I-it's actually that high?"

Zhao Xiaoxiao also felt a pang of bitterness. This number filled her with despair.

Although she had estimated Li Yi's Cultivation stat to be not low before, she had only thought it was around 80% or 90% at most, never exceeding 100%.

But with this salary laid out, she realized how naive she had been and how much she had underestimated him.

While salary didn't represent everything, guiding 2,200 units of Cosmic Energy in six hours was enough to make people feel out of reach. Because if it were her, she couldn't have done it even if there was an energy surge.

One's own stats were there; if you couldn't do it, you couldn't do it.

This was the limit of one's innate talent, and nothing else mattered.

Li Yi understood that his first attempt at guiding Cosmic Energy had slightly exceeded expectations, which was why everyone was so shocked. His Cultivation stat wasn't as high as Lu Jue guessed; it was 80%, and that was with the help of a Mysterious Artifact.

However, since this misunderstanding had occurred, he would let them continue to misunderstand, to avoid raising suspicion.

With that thought, he smiled and said, "I don't know what my Cultivation stat is. I found a meditation room in the old district and started cultivating. I only took classes for three days, so I'm not very familiar with many things about cultivation."

"Damn, you're at this level after only three days of classes in a meditation room? And you still say you're not a genius? It's truly enraging to compare people." Zhang Gao couldn't help but curse.

Lu Jue was curious, "Li Yi, with your talent, you should have many relatives. Your boss is willing to support your cultivation, but don't your family or friends want to invest in you?"

People with high Cultivation stats easily attracted investors and patrons.

After all, this world was different from before. Establishing a beneficial relationship with a Cultivator with great potential could provide security in various aspects in the future.

Li Yi shrugged, "I don't have as good a life as you guys. My parents are Silent Ones, and they've been silent for six years. My family is destitute, and we can barely afford Nutrient Solution. How could I have the time and energy to cultivate? If it weren't for a friend pulling me along, I'd still be working and wouldn't even have the chance to cultivate."

Despite saying this, he knew very well that his cultivation relied entirely on the Mysterious Artifact, and his talent wasn't high. Without the Mysterious Artifact, it would take him at least two to three years to get started. And during those two to three years, there would be food and living expenses, plus his parents' Nutrient Solution – who would cover all that? Their family would have starved to death in their home long ago, their bodies rotted away.

"Your parents are Silent Ones? That explains it." At this moment, everyone understood.

Being Silent Ones meant they were once geniuses in cultivation. And with both parents being geniuses, their children's cultivation talent would definitely not be too low.

This was bloodline inheritance; one couldn't envy it.

Therefore, they understood why Li Yi, despite his high Cultivation stat, was living such a miserable life.

Feeding two Silent Ones for six years, how could it not be tragic?

"Li Yi, you've now embarked on the path of cultivation and possess such high cultivation stats. You'll definitely be able to enter the Golden Academy in the future and become an extraordinary figure. Right now, you're just a hidden dragon in the abyss; you'll soar into the sky sooner or later," Lu Jue said earnestly.

"I think so too. You're different from people like us. This current predicament is only temporary. Once you break free from these difficulties, your future will be limitless," Zhang Gao felt even more convinced that his judgment of Li Yi yesterday was correct.

Li Yi, however, smiled and said, "I'll take your kind words. I hope so."

In reality, he was secretly breaking out in a cold sweat.

He's no genius at all.

But for now, this genius persona needs to be established.

He still needs it to make money later.

Everyone continued eating, but Li Yi could clearly feel that everyone else was much more enthusiastic and polite. Even another Cultivator came over to apologize to him for what Wu Zhen had done earlier.

Only Zhao Xiaoxiao was still conflicted.

Zhao Xiaoxiao's current dilemma wasn't about whether to apologize, but rather how to apologize in a way that could smooth over the previous misunderstanding.

A simple apology would at most earn her a verbal "I don't mind," but a gap would still remain. It wasn't that simple to resolve the misunderstanding while also strengthening their relationship.

Li Yi didn't have time to dwell on past conflicts. All he wanted now was to make money, and no one could stop him.

Supervisor Xu Ming's words had motivated him, and the genius persona he'd established could prevent suspicion.

If he didn't seize this opportunity to make a fortune, who knew if another chance would ever come?

Therefore, after finishing his meal, Li Yi left in a hurry.

"You guys eat first. I'm full. I'm going back to my room to cultivate and make up for all the time I've lost."

Seeing Li Yi leave, the others couldn't help but sigh.

"It's one thing that Li Yi is a cultivation genius, but he's even more diligent than us. It's only right that he'll be successful in the future," Zhang Gao said, both envious and impressed.

"His cultivation time must be very short; he doesn't even know a lot of basic cultivation knowledge. It's a shame we can't measure his cultivation stats. I think my previous estimate was conservative," Lu Jue said while eating. "However, from his future salary, I should be able to deduce it with reasonable accuracy. After all, the first guiding job had an element of luck, but no matter how lucky, his cultivation stats must have exceeded 150%."

Zhao Xiaoxiao chimed in, asking, "Do you think Li Yi's cultivation stats have potential for further growth?"

Lu Jue glanced at her and chuckled, "Who knows? Maybe he's more than just a genius. Maybe he's not as high as I estimated. Aren't you a Cultivator too? Go and see for yourself. Don't ask me."

Zhao Xiaoxiao was rebuffed and didn't say anything, just silently turned and left.