The moment Jin Yuanbao heard there was money to be made, his eyes lit up.
Lin Chen took two Jade Slips from his Storage Pouch and sat cross-legged on the ground.
How could these children's picture books compare to the web novels of his previous life?
That line, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully a poor young man," had carried the dreams of so many people.
And that line, "The sword comes!" had made countless people's blood boil, their killing intent soaring to the heavens.
He had many classic novels stored in his mind. If he serialized them in this world, they would crush these children's picture books.
Relying on his memory, he engraved the novels onto the Jade Slips.
Of course, he only included a portion, stopping at just the right cliffhanger.
He had even used his Proficient-level Divine Seal Art to engrave illustrations, leaving them on the Jade Slips alongside the text.
When he had finished, he handed a Jade Slip to Jin Yuanbao. "Take a look and tell me what you think."
Jin Yuanbao looked puzzled, but took the Jade Slip and casually began to read.
To his surprise, he was instantly engrossed.
For a full half-hour, he didn't move at all. His expression shifted from excitement to gloom and back again...
By the time he came to, Lin Chen had already engraved a second Jade Slip.
Jin Yuanbao was brimming with excitement. He could see the business opportunity and hurried to ask, "Brother Chen, what's this story called?"
"It's called Nine Mysteries Leaving Fire Against the Heavens." Lin Chen answered casually.
Hearing that name, Jin Yuanbao shuddered from head to toe, his scalp tingling.
After a long moment, he asked solemnly, "Brother Chen, how do you plan to sell it?"
"It's simple. I'll provide you with the original manuscript at regular intervals. You can make printed copies and bind them into volumes. We'll split this long arc into a hundred volumes, print a hundred copies of each, and sell them in limited quantities..."
As Lin Chen explained, Jin Yuanbao felt as if his mind had been struck by a sudden bolt of enlightenment.
He felt that all his business tricks were worth less than a fart in front of Lin Chen.
This was a true business genius.
A hundred copies per installment, a hundred installments in total—that made ten thousand copies. Even if each copy sold for just three Spirit Stones, my goodness...
Thirty thousand Spirit Stones!
From what Lin Chen had said, the story would go on for a long time. Thirty thousand Spirit Stones were only the beginning.
As for the cost, it was negligible.
Hahaha...
Jin Yuanbao's eyes turned into Spirit Stones as he grinned foolishly, drool running from his mouth.
"Brother Chen, you're my second father! I'd be honored to call you my adoptive father!"
Having worked out the numbers, Jin Yuanbao rushed forward and hugged Lin Chen's leg.
Lin Chen kicked him away and handed him the other Jade Slip.
"This one's called Overbearing Immortal Lord Falls in Love with Me. Same formula, but it's aimed at female cultivators."
Before Jin Yuanbao could get over one surprise, Lin Chen gave him another.
Jin Yuanbao hurriedly began to read.
Compared to the first book's fiery, grand style, this one was more of a love story.
Even so, it kept him completely hooked.
"Wonderful! What a wonderful book!"
Half an hour later, Jin Yuanbao couldn't stop praising it. "Brother Chen, what happens next? Could you let me read the rest first?"
After finishing both stories, he was itching to know what happened next.
Lin Chen smiled. "Once you've made the copies, bring me a set. As for what comes next, we'll see how the market responds."
"Don't worry, Brother Chen."
Jin Yuanbao thumped his chest with a series of loud thuds, grabbed both Jade Slips, and rushed off in a hurry.
Looking at the Picture Book in his hand, Lin Chen couldn't help laughing. "How childish!"
With his hands behind his back, he returned to the open ground at the mountaintop.
He worked until nightfall, finally finishing all the vegetable plots.
No one came for dinner, so he ate a quick, simple meal.
Afterward, he returned to his room, where three Jade Slips lay before him.
Sword Control Art, Concealment Art, and Eternal Spring Art.
These had all been given to him by Ming Bufan.
"System, I can exchange for cultivation. Do I still need to practice cultivation techniques?"
[Of course you do. Cultivation techniques, training conditions, the environment, and so on are all major factors that affect cultivation speed]
[According to the data, the higher the grade of the cultivation technique and pills, the higher the level of comprehension and the faster the cultivation speed. In short, high-grade techniques and pills can save Spirit Stones]
As soon as Lin Chen heard that he could save Spirit Stones, his eyes lit up. He snatched up the Eternal Spring Art.
"System, cultivate the Eternal Spring Art."
[Ping! Deducted eighteen gold coins, exchanged for eighteen years of cultivation. Eternal Spring Art reached the beginner level]
A thunderclap rang through Lin Chen's mind, as if the clouds had parted to reveal a clear sky.
His understanding of cultivation and life instantly reached a new level.
He also understood Ming Bufan's intentions.
Though the Eternal Spring Art was a mid-grade Yellow Rank technique, its threshold was low and its foundations solid.
It could cultivate a steady stream of vitality and was highly effective at extending one's lifespan.
If he could cultivate it to the Great Achievement level, even a Qi Condensation Realm cultivator could extend their lifespan to two hundred years.
Since he had a Five Elements Root, outsiders believed he would likely remain in the Qi Condensation Realm for the rest of his life.
So Ming Bufan had chosen this technique for him with the best of intentions.
"System, what would happen if I cultivated the Eternal Spring Art to the Extreme Dao Realm?"
[Forever youthful, immortal for a thousand years]
Wow!
Lin Chen's eyes lit up. "How many Spirit Stones would I need to reach the Extreme Dao Realm?"
[Proficient Level requires 50 Spirit Stones and adds ten years to your lifespan. Minor Achievement requires 500 Spirit Stones and adds twenty years. Great Achievement requires 5,000 Spirit Stones and adds thirty years. Perfection requires 50,000 Spirit Stones and adds 40 years. Extreme Dao requires 500,000 Spirit Stones and adds nine hundred years]
Good grief!
Lin Chen nearly bit his tongue. "This is what you call a bonus?"
[Host, please do not question the system's expertise. The Eternal Spring Art is too low-level, so its bonus is limited. Only the transcendent Extreme Dao level offers a substantial improvement]
All right.
Lin Chen was speechless. He had still had 800 Spirit Stones in his pocket, and he'd thought it was a fortune.
Compared to the amount needed to exchange for cultivation, it was nothing but a drop in the ocean.
In that instant, his desire to make money surged once more.
Once he had established himself, he would expand into new markets.
He felt that the Green Mountain Sect alone probably couldn't support him.
A moment later, he had cultivated the Sword Control Art, Concealment Art, and Eternal Spring Art to the Proficient Level.
His Spirit Stones had dwindled to six hundred and fifty.
Lin Chen summed up what he had gained during this time.
He had the Body Forging Art for physical cultivation. Though it was only at the beginner level, it gave him the strength of ten thousand jin, and Low-Grade Artifacts couldn't injure him.
He had reached the beginner level in the Flame Primer and could condense Crimson Flame.
The Eternal Spring Art was Proficient.
The Concealment Art was Proficient, making it impossible for anyone in the same major realm to see through his cultivation.
The Sword Control Art was Proficient, allowing him to control a sword for attacks and fly on one.
Thinking of all this, Lin Chen couldn't contain his excitement.
He immediately refined the High-grade Artifact Sword that Third Senior Brother Qi Ruming had given him.
Ming Bufan had once told him that he needed at least a Spirit Artifact to make a life-bound treasure.
He didn't recommend refining a Magic Artifact into one.
It could easily be shattered in battle, damaging the cultivator's cultivation in turn.
Lin Chen was obedient. After a simple refinement, he headed straight outside.
He activated the Sword Control Art, and the long sword hovered steadily in midair.
He raised a hand and pointed. The Flying Sword shot out with a whoosh, striking a boulder ten meters away.
The rock exploded into rubble, and the Flying Sword flew back.
"Not bad!"
Lin Chen was very pleased. He guided the Flying Sword back and had it settle beneath his feet.
He stepped onto it, formed a sword seal with his fingers, and said, "Rise!"
The Flying Sword slowly floated into the air.
Two meters, three meters, eight meters, ten meters...
Following the memories of cultivation he had exchanged for, he easily soared a hundred meters into the sky.
At the Proficient Level, he could fly freely in midair and even perform some difficult maneuvers.
If he had a weapon in hand, he could fight in midair.
Once he started playing around, he couldn't stop.
After a quarter of an hour, Lin Chen suddenly felt a wave of emptiness inside him.
"Oh no, I'm out of spiritual power!"
He cried out as the Flying Sword was already running out of control.
Lin Chen let out a scream as he and the sword plummeted from a hundred meters up.
Before you continue