Bitterness

"50,000 Federal Coins, and your parents can maintain their nutrient solution supply for another week. Remember to pay on time, or the hospital will stop the supply."

"I understand..."

Lu Xuan sat in the hospital room with the nutritional hibernation pod, the life monitor emitting a piercing beep, like a sledgehammer slowly bending his body.

[Extraordinary Calendar, May 6, 2030. Patient shows no abnormalities.]

Holding the electronic screen, the doctor recording the patient's condition lowered his head and spoke indifferently, "Monster activity has been frequent lately. A beast tide might erupt near Jinling City's Satellite City. Medical costs in all city hospitals will increase, so you'd best be prepared."

"Okay."

Lu Xuan's voice was slightly weary. He lowered his eyes to watch the doctor leave the room, then turned his head to look at the two people in the nutritional hibernation pod.

They were barely clinging to life, sustained by nutrient solution.

Even though they couldn't wake up, their basic life signs were maintained.

These were Lu Xuan's parents.

Eighteen years ago, Lu Xuan reincarnated into a parallel world similar to Earth. He had thought he would reach the pinnacle of life like the protagonists in novels, but fate had played a cruel joke on him.

An unknown virus invaded, causing this world to mutate.

Overnight, all life on the planet mutated, including humans.

Animals transformed into ferocious, bloodthirsty monsters, attacking human society with savage ferocity. Caught off guard, humanity faced an apocalyptic crisis.

At that time, nations without powerful weapons support were instantly annihilated.

The remaining countries formed the Human Federation, barely surviving.

It wasn't until later that scientists discovered humans' bodies had also evolved, able to absorb a substance called Spiritual Energy from the air for cultivation. Thus, Martial Artists capable of fighting monsters were born.

This marked the beginning of the Nirvana Era.

However, that era was now a century in the past.

In the current world, monsters and humans had reached a balance.

Of course, this didn't mean they had entered an era of peace. Monsters still launched beast tides from time to time, attacking human cities.

Lu Xuan's parents had been caught in one such beast tide, failing to evacuate in time. They had been injured and had remained unconscious since, requiring massive amounts of money daily just to keep them alive.

Saving a person in this world wasn't actually difficult.

However, that was from a Martial Artist's perspective. They cultivated vitality and possessed powerful physiques and strength, capable of fighting monsters and acquiring valuable items from them, such as mutant drugs or special substances... These things could even bring the dead back to life.

But Lu Xuan was not a Martial Artist.

He was just a child who had dropped out of school to work, desperately trying to earn enough for medical expenses.

But the speed of earning money could never keep up with the speed of price increases.

"The nutrient solution only went up to 50,000 last month..."

Lu Xuan leaned wearily against the wall, murmuring, "If I listen to the doctor, it'll probably go up next week. I hope it doesn't increase too much."

With his current job, earning 100,000 a month was already his limit.

Bzzzz--!

Just then, the communication watch on Lu Xuan's wrist vibrated. He tapped to answer, and a miniature, beautiful woman appeared before him as a virtual image.

"Are you Lu Ying's brother?"

The woman's voice was emotional and low.

Lu Xuan quickly straightened his posture and forced a smile, "Hello, I am Lu Ying's brother. Are you her teacher? Is my sister doing well at school?"

Lu Xuan had a sister who was attending high school.

She was three years younger than him.

The woman nodded, her full lips trembling slightly, "My name is Shen Liyue, Lu Ying's homeroom teacher. I'm specifically telling you that the little girl is training at my home, so she might be home a bit late."

"Haha~ It's fine, cultivation is important!" Lu Xuan chuckled.

But then, Shen Liyue's tone shifted, becoming more solemn, "Lu Ying's guardian, there's also something else I must tell you. Lu Ying's vitality has reached 900. She has the potential to become a Martial Artist before the High Martial Arts Assessment next month. You should know what that means."

900 vitality?

Lu Xuan's body stiffened slightly.

Everyone knew about Martial Artists.

Martial Artists cultivated from Tier 1 to Tier 9. The lower three tiers were low-level Martial Artists, the middle three were Intermediate Martial Artists, and the upper three were advanced Martial Artists.

Beyond that were Qi and Blood Martial Masters, Martial Dao Grandmasters, Martial Saints, and Martial Gods...

Monsters, unlike humans, were divided into low-level, intermediate, advanced, Awakened Level, Beast Lord Level, Calamity Level, and World-Ending Level...

Monsters absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, while humans refined vitality and Spiritual Energy.

1000 vitality was the threshold for a Martial Artist.

At 15 years old, 900 vitality?

This meant that Lu Xuan understood clearly: an unlimited future, the Four Top Martial Schools of Xia Nation to choose from, and the opportunity to become a pillar of the nation and humanity in the future!

"Teacher Shen, you mean...?"

"What I mean is," Shen Liyue organized her thoughts and said, "if your family's financial situation is good, try to buy Lu Ying some Heaven and Earth Spiritual Items to supplement her vitality during this last month. Ideally, every meal should be Low-level Monster meat..."

Lu Xuan understood.

It was a final push for the High Martial Arts Unified Examination.

Although a vitality score of 900 was enough to get into some higher martial schools, why not give it his all for a chance at one of the Four Top Martial Schools?

If his sister had this talent, how could he let it go to waste?

It was just money and Spiritual Items, wasn't it?

Lu Xuan had plenty of strength.

Hoo~ Lu Xuan let out a breath. "Teacher Shen, don't worry. I'll definitely provide Xiao Ying with the best conditions."

"Xiao Ying is very lucky to have a parent like you."

Shen Liyue nodded with relief. Just as she was about to end the call, Lu Xuan quickly spoke up:

"Teacher Shen, wait!"

"Hm?" Shen Liyue paused, looked up, and asked, "Lu Ying's parent, do you need something else?"

Lu Xuan's gaze fell on his parents lying in the Recovery Pods in the hospital room. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Teacher Shen, you're a Martial Artist, so you know more than I do. I want to ask, if someone suffers a severe injury and falls into a coma, are there any rare treasures that can heal them?"

It was rare to have a Martial Artist willing to talk to him, so he absolutely couldn't miss this opportunity.

"Hmm... this question, Lu Ying seems to have asked it before." Shen Liyue muttered, seemingly searching for something. After a while, she replied:

"The situation you're describing is somewhat similar to a vegetative state. In today's world, there are many things that can cure it. For example, Star Soul Grass, Sea Heart Floating Root, Ice Spirit Snow Ganoderma... however, these are all rare Spiritual Items, difficult to obtain even for Martial Artists."

Lu Xuan was very excited when he first heard the beginning of her words.

But Shen Liyue's later words chilled him. Things that were difficult for Martial Artists to obtain, how could they possibly be within his reach?

"Are there no common ones?" Lu Xuan asked unwillingly.

"Yes!" Shen Liyue nodded. "Earth Dragon Essence Blood. It's from a common High-level Monster, but it's quite expensive. One drop of essence blood costs 1 million Federal Coins."

One million Federal Coins for a drop of essence blood?!

Lu Xuan gasped, quickly calculating in his mind.

To save up a million?

If he didn't eat or drink, he should be able to save enough in five years.

But time wouldn't wait.

Could his parents hold on until then?

Lu Xuan fell silent.

Shen Liyue didn't stop, continuing to explain to him, "Earth Dragons aren't too rare. There are a few near our Jinling City, and usually, a High-level Martial Artist can kill one..."

High-level Martial Artist?

Lu Xuan shook his head. He wasn't even a Martial Artist, let alone a High-level Martial Artist.

Beep beep--!

The call ended. Lu Xuan took a breath and left the ward with his bag.

"One million Federal Coins for a drop of essence blood?"

"Monster meat for every meal."

Lu Xuan walked along the road, his mind constantly replaying the things that could heal his parents and the methods to help his sister make a breakthrough.

Whichever it was, in the end, it all came down to money.

Buying Earth Dragon Essence Blood cost money, helping his sister push for Martial Artist also cost money, and maintaining the nutrient solution for his parents cost money too.

Work!

The only thing he could do was to squeeze himself dry.

Lu Xuan puffed up his chest, determined to squeeze himself.

Unconsciously, he arrived at the Monster Disposal Warehouse.

The morning shift was over, and the afternoon shift was just beginning.

Monster disposal work wasn't easy and was extremely dangerous, as some monsters were very peculiar and might have a final burst of energy. For ordinary people like him, encountering one would be fatal.

Of course, the pay wasn't low either.

Working 4-6 hours a day, with a daily wage of 3000, he could earn about 100,000 a month.

Lu Xuan changed into his work clothes and started working.

While working, he asked a co-worker beside him, "Uncle Chen, what do you think is the fastest way for ordinary people like us to make money?"

The uncle, with a cigarette butt in his mouth, said, "Take out a loan, or go on an adventure with a Martial Artist."

Lu Xuan frowned deeply. "Go on an adventure with a Martial Artist?"

Lu Xuan knew about loans and had even considered it on the way here, but the interest rates were too high, and he was still hesitating. As for the other option, he was less familiar with it.

Uncle Chen nodded. "It means going with a Martial Artist team, helping them clean up monster corpses. If you're lucky, you can earn hundreds of thousands of Federal Coins in one trip!"

"That much?"

"Hmph!" Uncle Chen barked, curling his lip. "Monsters are as common as dogs in the wilderness. Do you think this money is easy to get? You can earn money, but you might lose your life!"

Lu Xuan shrugged helplessly.

He turned, intending to get back to work seriously, but suddenly froze. He noticed a mail icon had appeared in his vision at some point—

[Sender: Lu Xuan]

[Mail Type: Inheritance]

[Recipient: Lu Xuan]