The First Pot of Gold

The clamor of the auction, muffled by the heavy door, had already faded into a distant, indistinct hum.

Inside the VIP room, that soothing, delicate fragrance still lingered.

Ya Fei reclined against the soft sofa, her fiery-red cheongsam shimmering beneath the lamplight.

She said nothing.

Her peach-blossom eyes, capable of captivating all who beheld them, rested quietly on Su Chen. As her gaze shifted, admiration, curiosity, and scrutiny mingled in her eyes, until they all melted into an increasingly keen interest.

This young man had surprised her far too many times.

First, there was the flawless quality of his "Rock Fire Seed."

Then there was his courage and cunning, far beyond his years. He had actually dared to stake himself as the wager in a high-stakes gamble with the Miteer Auction House.

And just now, in that bloodless battle downstairs, he had trampled the Jialie Clan's arrogance beneath his feet with an almost savage ferocity.

One thousand gold coins.

When she had called out that price, she had almost felt Jialie Bi's fury and killing intent, ready to erupt through the crystal wall.

Yet this young man had not even lifted an eyelid from beginning to end.

He had not been bidding.

He had used the Jialie Clan's reputation to give his "Rock Fire Seed" the grandest—and bloodiest—advertisement imaginable.

"Looks like our cooperation has been a great success."

In the end, Ya Fei was the first to speak. The deliberate, coquettish lilt in her voice had vanished, replaced by the competence and poise of a top-tier businesswoman, meeting him as an equal.

With a delicate turn of her hand, she produced a card made entirely of purple gold, its surface engraved with intricate magical patterns.

"As agreed, our auction house takes a ten percent commission on the one-thousand-gold-coin sale."

She gently slid the Purple Gold Card across the table in front of Su Chen.

"There are nine hundred gold coins on it."

Nine hundred gold coins.

That sum was enough to drive any mercenary group in Wutan City into a frenzy, enough to buy an ordinary family several lifetimes of luxurious, carefree living.

And now, it had been reduced to a light little card, lying quietly before him.

Su Chen's gaze fell on the card.

For a fleeting moment, his breath caught.

But he quickly regained his composure.

He did not reach for the card at once. Instead, he looked up at Ya Fei.

"I think our cooperation has only just begun."

At his words, Ya Fei's lips curved into a captivating smile.

"Of course."

She rose and walked over to Su Chen. Bending down, she brought her red lips close to his ear, her breath as sweet as orchids.

"From now on, the Miteer Auction House will take every 'Rock Fire Seed' you have."

"And..."

Her voice dropped even lower, carrying a bewitching warmth that only the two of them could hear.

"The price will only go up."

With that, she straightened and gave Su Chen a wink with those expressive peach-blossom eyes. Then she turned and walked away, her breathtaking waist swaying gracefully.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Silence settled over the room once more.

Su Chen sat on the sofa, motionless for a long while.

He reached out and picked up the Purple Gold Card.

It felt cool and metallic in his hand, yet surprisingly light.

But Su Chen felt as though he were holding up a heavy mountain.

This was the first pot of gold he had pried loose with his own hands since arriving in this world.

It was the foundation of his survival, the cornerstone of every plan he had for the future...

The night deepened.

By the time Su Chen returned to the dilapidated little courtyard, the moon was already high overhead.

He bolted the creaking wooden door, then braced it firmly with a battered table.

Only after doing all that did he finally let himself relax.

He did not light a lamp.

Guided only by the faint moonlight slipping through the window cracks, he walked to the center of the room.

He placed the Purple Gold Card, which represented nine hundred gold coins, on the only battered wooden table that was still more or less intact.

Then he simply stood there, looking at it.

The card reflected a dim violet glimmer in the gloom.

Its light was like a bottomless whirlpool, filled with fatal temptation.

Any fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy who suddenly gained enough wealth to change his life would probably have been dancing with excitement, already fantasizing about a future of fine clothes, good food, and beautiful women at his side.

But Su Chen did not.

There was not a trace of joy on his face.

Only a near-cold calm.

He knew full well that gold coins were just numbers.

In this cruel world, where Dou Qi reigned supreme, unless he could quickly turn those numbers into real strength, they were not wealth—they were a death warrant.

The lesson that a man with a treasure was guilty of possessing it had already been carved into his bones through bitter experience.

Su Chen slowly crouched down.

From the corner of the stove, he fished out a charred piece of wood.

Then he tore a corner from his worn-out coat and spread it flat across the table.

Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up the charcoal and began to write on the rough cloth.

His handwriting was crooked, yet every line was unmistakably clear and orderly.

First line: cultivation method.

A Dou Qi cultivation method was the foundation of all power in this world.

He did not even have the most basic Yellow Tier Low Grade method. He had spiritual power to spare, yet could not cultivate a single trace of Dou Qi.

That would not do.

He had to get a cultivation method that was at least Yellow Tier High Grade, or even Profound Tier Low Grade, before he could truly set foot on the path of cultivation.

Second line: combat skills.

Dou Qi was useless if he did not know how to wield it; he would still be a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

He did not need powerful offensive Dou Techniques.

What he needed was... speed.

A movement Dou Technique that would let him run faster than others when danger came.

And a defensive Dou Technique, too.

Running away was always the first choice for the weak.

Third line: armor.

No matter how fast he was, he could not outrun someone else's hidden arrow.

A set of close-fitting soft armor that would not hinder his movements was a must.

It might not withstand a full-power strike from a Dou Shi expert, but at a crucial moment, it could still save his life.

Fourth line: means of production.

This was the most important of all.

Refining and replicating the "Rock Fire Seed" consumed a great deal of spiritual power and required special containers.

He needed to buy a large batch of specially made jade bottles, better than the ones he had used before, along with materials that could help stabilize the energy.

That was the foundation for expanding production and growing his business.

Fifth line: pills.

Cultivation depended on wealth, companions, methods, and a place to practice.

Pills were the fastest shortcut to improvement.

First-grade pills that could aid cultivation and restore Dou Qi were essential consumables.

Sixth line: working capital.

Finally, he drew a horizontal line.

Beneath it, he wrote the last two words.

Reserve.

Always leave yourself a way out.

When he was done, Su Chen looked at the six clear plans on the cloth and let out a long breath.

This was the blueprint for everything he would do in the days ahead.

He would wring every last bit of value from those nine hundred gold coins and turn it all into strength and resources!

He carefully folded the piece of cloth and tucked it close to his body. Only then did he pick up the Purple Gold Card, walk over to the bed, and sink into a deep sleep.

That night, he slept more soundly than ever before.

The next morning.

Su Chen rose early.

He did not hurry out. Instead, he disguised himself in the courtyard.

He darkened his face further with soot from the bottom of the stove, then changed into an inconspicuous gray shirt he had picked up from the auction house, making his frame look even thinner.

Finally, he pulled an old, battered bamboo hat low over most of his face.

When he was done, he looked like a completely different person.

One could never be too careful.

He left the courtyard and headed straight for Wutan City's bustling central marketplace.

His first stop was the Thousand Herb Workshop.

It was the largest medicinal herb shop in Wutan City besides the Miteer Auction House.

"Welcome, sir. What can I get for you?"

A sharp-eyed clerk immediately came over to greet him.

Su Chen lowered his voice, making it sound a little hoarse.

"Do you have any first-grade pills that can aid cultivation?"

"Yes, yes!" The clerk's eyes lit up. "We just got in some Qi Gathering Powder. Fifty gold coins a bottle, and I guarantee it'll double your cultivation speed!"

Su Chen said nothing. He simply took a gold coin from his pocket and tossed it over.

"Let me see it first."

The clerk caught the coin, his smile growing wider, and quickly retrieved a jade bottle from the counter.

Su Chen took it, removed the stopper, and gave it a light sniff before sealing it again.

A surge of pure medicinal energy wafted out. It was the real thing.

"Ten bottles."

Su Chen spoke calmly.

The clerk froze, unable to believe his ears.

"Si-sir, how many did you say?"

"Ten bottles."

Su Chen repeated himself, then placed the Purple Gold Card on the counter.

The clerk's gaze fell on the card. The purple-gold emblem, marking the highest level of membership at the Miteer Auction House, made his pupils contract.

His smile vanished in an instant, replaced by sincere respect and apprehension.

He no longer dared to slack off. At the greatest speed he could manage, he packed up ten bottles of Qi Gathering Powder and presented them with both hands.

Su Chen put away the pills and the card, then turned and left without another word.

After he was gone, the entire Thousand Herb Workshop sank into a subdued buzz of discussion.

Next.

Su Chen went to the city's largest weapons shop, the "Hundred Refinement Pavilion," and bought a valuable Profound Tier Low Grade defensive soft armor in the same manner.

Then, at the "Secret Technique Studio," a shop specializing in cultivation methods and combat skills, he found a Yellow Tier High Grade Dou Qi cultivation method, the Boiling Blood Art, as well as a Yellow Tier High Grade movement Dou Technique, the Wind-Following Step.

Finally, he swept up all the jade bottles and materials on his list for containing the "Kindling" from several inconspicuous supply shops.

By the time he had finished and returned to his dilapidated little courtyard, night had fallen once more.

He braced the door shut.

Then he laid out all of that day's spoils on the ground, one item at a time.

Jade bottles of pills that gave off a medicinal fragrance.

Black soft armor that shimmered with a cold light.

Two scrolls of cultivation methods and combat skills that radiated an ancient aura.

And a small mountain of specially made jade bottles and materials.

Looking at it all, Su Chen felt, for the first time in this unfamiliar world, a confidence he had never known before.

He was no longer a penniless ant, liable to die soundlessly in some shadowy corner at any moment.

He had the means to survive.

He had a clear path to strength.

His gaze finally settled on the cultivation method scroll named Boiling Blood Art.

He reached out and slowly unfurled it.

A new beginning awaited him tonight.