Yes, I Have a System

Su Yuan took a document bearing the jade seal from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"Director Cao, this is the funding approval personally signed by His Majesty at the last court assembly in the Hall of Soaring Heavens, authorizing funds for the Southern Heavenly Gate project."

"As for the procedural matters, I'll have to trouble you and Director Xiao to keep a close eye on them. We mustn't delay the construction schedule."

When he handed over the document, the two thick envelopes had already been cleverly tucked beneath it.

The other man extended a finger and lightly rubbed the edge of the document.

His expression remained perfectly calm, but a faint smile flickered in his eyes.

"Mm. His Majesty's affairs are matters of utmost importance. Don't worry, Little Su. There won't be any delays."

Liu Yaoqing opened his mouth, seemingly intending to add a few flattering words.

Su Yuan immediately noticed and sharply turned to glare at him.

Liu Yaoqing hurriedly swallowed his words.

Su Yuan then smiled again at the man.

"Then we won't disturb you any longer, Director Cao. We'll take our leave."

With that, he practically dragged Liu Yaoqing out of the little courtyard.

Only after they had walked quite a distance did Liu Yaoqing finally lower his voice and ask.

"Lord Su, who exactly was that great figure? His cultivation didn't seem all that impressive, but he certainly put on quite the air."

Su Yuan patiently explained.

"What do you know? That was Cao Bao, a subordinate of the Dark Altar True Lord Zhao Gongming! He's one of the old generation who shed blood in the Investiture of the Gods War."

"If it weren't for the little bit of face my master gave me today, they might not even have opened the door for us! Is someone like that a person we can casually approach?"

"Good heavens, such an extraordinary figure. No wonder his appetite was so enormous."

Liu Yaoqing thought of the costly immortal wine, cosmetics, and exotic beasts, and his heart ached faintly.

"Those gifts were for Zhao Gongming and the Three Heavenly Maidens!"

Su Yuan cut him off.

"But what good things hasn't the God of Wealth's residence seen before? What we brought was merely a token of goodwill, a stone tossed in to test the waters."

Liu Yaoqing sighed.

"That was a million spirit stones. We threw it out and didn't even see a ripple."

Su Yuan scoffed.

"A million? That's nothing but a drop in the bucket!"

"Old Liu, you need to broaden your horizons. The Southern Heavenly Gate's two projects together have a total appropriation of eight hundred million spirit stones!"

"As long as Cao Bao accepted the gifts and signed today, the money would immediately land in our project department's account! What was a million? It wasn't even pocket change!"

Ten days later, seven hundred million spirit stones entered Su Yuan's pocket on schedule.

As for the remaining hundred million?

Don't ask.

The financial expenditure vouchers clearly stated eight hundred million.

Ask again, and you'd be rude.

Su Yuan swiftly earmarked two hundred million for cleaning up the bad debts from the previous project.

As for which suppliers would receive this "lifesaving money"...

Su Yuan lightly tapped the list with his fingertips, amusement in his eyes.

That depended on each supplier showing what they were capable of.

Those with connections could use them; those without could send gifts.

Those with instructions from higher-ups would naturally receive full payment.

Those without instructions from higher-ups but willing to pay up would receive payment in due order.

Those who neither sought connections nor paid up...

Could only receive delayed payment, slow payment, or reasonably scheduled payment.

He then earmarked another hundred million as startup advances for the new Southern Heavenly Gate project.

That truly couldn't be helped. It had to be paid.

Because Su Yuan knew those old hands beneath him far too well.

Every one of them refused to act until they saw tangible benefits.

Don't be fooled by how they had thumped their chests and shouted military pledges at yesterday's mobilization meeting.

That was all just for show. Shouting a few lines cost them nothing.

If he truly wanted them to work themselves to the bone, he had to smash them with real spirit stones!

That left four hundred million spirit stones, emanating an enticing misty aura.

Su Yuan swallowed, then reluctantly stored them in his storage pouch and tied it tightly around his waist.

Like a thief, he stealthily returned to his own cave abode.

He opened the secret chamber protected by layers of restrictions.

Facing the empty void, Su Yuan took a deep breath and murmured.

"System, activate."

Buzz—

A translucent screen instantly projected itself before him.

[Current cultivation: Early Celestial Immortal]

[Target cultivation: Mid Celestial Immortal]

[Upgrade required: 100 million spirit stones]

Then an intrusive pop-up advertisement appeared right in his face.

[The system's millennial anniversary celebration! Double rewards on your first top-up! Recharge 50 million now and instantly receive 100 million!]

Yes, Su Yuan also had a system.

These days, how could someone transmigrated into the cultivation world get by without a system?

This system had no daily check-ins.

No attribute-point allocation.

And certainly no beginner gift packs from some giant prize wheel.

It had only one function.

Pay to win.

No sense of spiritual energy? Spend one spirit stone.

No hope of Foundation Establishment? Spend one hundred spirit stones.

Poor Golden Core quality? Spend one thousand spirit stones.

Failed tribulation? Spend ten thousand spirit stones!

Someone stole your treasure in a secret realm? Pay to win!

Take whatever you have to say to my stats!

I didn't spend all this money to compete with you fairly!

It was precisely thanks to this simple, brutally direct system.

That Su Yuan, despite his utterly terrible spiritual roots, had forced his way into the Immortal Realm by spending money.

According to Su Yuan's years of "careful calculations,"

if he properly made use of benefits such as double first-top-up events every time,

he would probably need one hundred thousand trillion spirit stones to safely spend his way to the Quasi-Saint realm.

With a grand sweep of his hand, Su Yuan clicked twice.

His cultivation suddenly surged two stages.

It rose from early Celestial Immortal to the peak of the Celestial Immortal realm.

The price was four hundred million spirit stones, half of which vanished in an instant.

Only two hundred million warm, comforting spirit stones remained in his account.

Along with the system's continuously flashing prompt.

[Current cultivation: Peak Celestial Immortal]

[Target cultivation: Early Origin Immortal]

[Upgrade required: 200 million spirit stones]

[Upgrade: Yes/No]

Right now, he only needed to invest another two hundred million spirit stones to leap from the peak of late Celestial Immortal directly into the Origin Immortal realm!

Su Yuan's finger hovered over it, but he did not press down for a long time.

In the Heavenly Court conglomerate, cultivation and position were two parallel ladders of promotion. Neither could be lacking.

He had gone to great lengths, using the Southern Heavenly Gate project to grease palms above and below.

Only with great difficulty had he removed that irritating "deputy" from "deputy manager."

He had firmly secured a full Celestial Immortal-level post.

With his current peak Celestial Immortal cultivation paired with that full post, the fit was just right.

If he rashly broke through to Origin Immortal now, his cultivation would rise while his position failed to keep pace. That would be far from ideal.

After all, even the deputy director of the Heavenly Court Archives was an Origin Immortal-level position.

If he were transferred there, wouldn't that be an apparent promotion but an actual demotion?

To advance another step, he had to wait for an excellent opportunity.

He had to secure a higher position worthy of an Origin Immortal's cultivation.

"To let go is to gain. Only by giving something up can one gain something."

Su Yuan took a deep breath and reluctantly put the two hundred million spirit stones into his storage pouch.

Su Yuan decisively closed the system panel.

He picked up the storage pouch containing the enormous sum once more.

His figure flashed, turning into a streak of light as he headed straight for Beyond the Heavens.

A moment later, Su Yuan appeared before a quiet, ancient cave abode.

He straightened his robes and kneaded the muscles in his face.

He completely wiped away his usual insincere smile.

Replacing it with utmost respect and filial affection, he called out brightly.

"Master, your disciple Little Su has come to disturb you."