How Should I Spend This Money?

"Haha..."

"Hahaha..."

"Hahahahaha..."

As evening approached, Punk Lü Yuan, who had not disturbed Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan again after that morning, waited until he woke up naturally this time,

then eagerly called him into the consciousness space through the connection between them and began grinning foolishly without pause.

He slung an arm around Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's neck, paid no mind to his resentful look, and began holding forth:

"I laugh at this reincarnated Purple Mansion for lacking strategy, and this hundred-year-old hag for lacking wits."

"She thinks greed has risen in my heart and that I've fallen for her scheme, that I'll become nourishment to add bricks and tiles to her immortal path potential."

"But little does she know, her immortal path potential is the one that can't escape the palm of my hand."

That was right. Although Lü Yuan was indeed not the kind of person who would choose a future over money,

agreeing to Lin Qi's bet without thinking, as he had that morning, was certainly not his usual style.

After all, the stakes were by no means insignificant to him.

And there was one and only one reason he had acted that way that morning-

The Immortal Book had come through!

When Lin Qi first mentioned the bet, Lü Yuan had sensed something was off.

Although children in their capitalist cultivation world were indeed precocious, someone among their lower livestock had that kind of nerve?

There had to be something wrong.

Of course, he hadn't initially considered reincarnation. At his level, he couldn't come across that kind of information even online.

Punk Lü Yuan couldn't figure it out at the time, so, believing that there was strength in numbers, he woke Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan to discuss it.

Then, just as Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan was also unable to make sense of it after much thought and didn't know what advice to give...

His cheat, the Immortal Book, came through.

In the consciousness space, the Immortal Book landed in Punk Lü Yuan's hands of its own accord for the first time and stirred.

After a burst of radiance, words began appearing on the Immortal Book, successfully digging up information on both of Lin Qi's lives.

Otherwise known as doxing.

The Immortal Book even wrote clearly that she had still been a virgin at over a hundred years old in her previous life.

Oh my god, Lord Immortal Book, you doxed someone across an entire world. I'm scared to tears-

And that wasn't all. The Immortal Book had even deduced Lin Qi's plans and thoughts.

So, after reading the answer the Immortal Book gave him and confirming that he was certain to win,

Punk Lü Yuan had casually agreed to the bet before even hearing what Lin Qi wanted to compete in.

"She actually wants to compete with me in Spiritual Qi Aptitude. She wants to see whose Spiritual Qi Aptitude is higher during our standard Spiritual Qi Aptitude test for eight-year-olds."

"This hundred-year-old hag really doesn't know her own limits. She's a wealth-bringing child! She doesn't think she can surpass me, now that I have a Spirit Root, by cultivating the Secret Method she acquired in her previous life, does she?"

"No way, no way?"

Seeing that Punk Lü Yuan had completely lost his head with triumph, as though the fifteen thousand Spirit Stone Vouchers were already in his pocket,

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan couldn't help sighing and corrected him bluntly:

"First, you're already this carried away because the Immortal Book gave you advance knowledge. Aren't you afraid it'll all go wrong in the end?"

"Also, the Spirit Root is mine."

Punk Lü Yuan didn't say much in response. After all, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan didn't know the common knowledge on their side.

He merely waved a hand and flatly denied it. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible for it to go wrong."

"Let me explain what Spiritual Qi Aptitude is, and you'll understand."

"For example, two people have Spirit Roots of equal quality or the same number of Spirit Apertures, and they're equally diligent in their cultivation, yet one of them simply can't cultivate as fast as the other."

"Why?"

"What variable determines the difference between them?"

"The answer is Spiritual Qi Aptitude. Maybe it has a different name in your ancient cultivation world."

"Spiritual Qi Aptitude is determined at birth. By our standards, people born with Spirit Roots have a Spiritual Qi Aptitude of at least 50."

"And only those born with a Spiritual Qi Aptitude above 50 are born with Spirit Roots."

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan more or less understood. "Only those with a Spiritual Qi Aptitude above 50 are born with Spirit Roots..."

"Turn that around, and it means someone without an innate Spirit Root can never have a Spiritual Qi Aptitude above 50-"

Punk Lü Yuan nodded. "Exactly. So that Lin Qi's Spiritual Qi Aptitude can't possibly exceed 50."

"After all, if she had a Spirit Root, there's no way she'd still be a lower-level third-class worker."

"Of course, Spiritual Qi Aptitude can be improved after birth."

"Just as the Immortal Book wrote after doxing her, that Lin Qi has a Secret Method that can raise the Spirit Root Aptitude of someone below 30 by ten points after birth."

"But that's nowhere near enough for her to surpass me."

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan raised an eyebrow. "You're that confident?"

"Of course. After all, the best current method for raising Spiritual Qi Aptitude after birth is to implant an artificial Spirit Root."

Punk Lü Yuan smiled faintly and continued, "That's why I said she can't possibly beat me now that I have a Spirit Root."

"There are still two months until the standard test."

"Even the worst Spirit Root could raise my Spiritual Qi Aptitude above 40 in that time, let alone this Spirit Root I have, which let an illiterate like you enter Embryonic Breathing in half a day and is definitely top-grade."

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan pressed a hand to his brow, but didn't bother with this guy's foul mouth or his shamelessness in already claiming the Spirit Root as his own.

He simply pointed out a blind spot with a clear head. "But if you do that, aren't you afraid you won't be able to explain it if your Spiritual Qi attribute rises above 50?"

Punk Lü Yuan had of course thought of that, but as a matter of common knowledge, he wasn't worried about it at all.

"I forgot to explain. Once a Spirit Root implanted after birth is removed, Spiritual Qi Aptitude quickly drops below 50."

"Sorry, I thought you could have figured that out."

"After all, without that restriction, our capitalist cultivation world would have long since used one artificial Spirit Root to get everyone's Spiritual Qi Aptitude above 50."

This time, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan didn't indulge his instinctive sarcasm and kicked him hard in the shin.

"Speak properly, or I might not lend you the Spirit Root when the time comes."

Punk Lü Yuan immediately backed down, dropping to his knees and hugging Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's leg.

"Sorry, Dad, I was wrong."

"Don't be angry, Dad. Fifteen thousand Spirit Stone Vouchers are on the line. We absolutely can't act on impulse!"

"As long as you help me and we take turns using the Spirit Root over these two months, my Spirit Root Aptitude will definitely rise steadily above 50."

"Then, just before the test, you can take the Spirit Root back, and we'll be in an invincible position from the start!"

"Fifteen thousand Spirit Stone Vouchers, right there for the taking-"

"Dad, please don't hold it against me just because I couldn't watch my mouth earlier. I'm already thinking about how to spend that money!"

After Punk Lü Yuan's whole crying fit, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan was utterly convinced of his willingness to trade dignity for money.

He could see it now: for the right price, this guy would probably be willing to sell himself.

This guy's lack of a bottom line is unfathomable.