C3 Earn Money!

The following day, Wang Pingfan made his way to the Internal Affairs Division to collect his pay.

"What's the meaning of this? I usually receive five spirit stones. Why only one now? Are you looking down on me, Wang Cai?" Wang Pingfan fixed a stern gaze on the bespectacled man across from him.

Wang Cai adjusted his glasses and gave Wang Pingfan a sidelong glance. "Be grateful you're getting one at all. From now on, this is all you'll get. Or you can take two hundred gold taels instead. Your choice! Arguing won't help; these are the new rules set by the Patriarch."

Puzzled, Wang Pingfan inquired, "Rules set by my father? How come I'm not aware of them?"

"Young Master, your father is well aware of your extravagant lifestyle and has been tolerating it. However, this time you've crossed the line with the City Lord's daughter. To smooth things over, the clan has had to spend a considerable sum. As a result, your future allowance has been significantly reduced."

With a heavy sigh, Wang Pingfan resignedly accepted the two hundred gold taels. It seemed his plan to borrow money from his father was now off the table. He would have to figure things out one step at a time. "System, any good suggestions?" he asked.

"Alright, I'll head to the pharmacy right away." With that, Wang Pingfan stealthily made his way to the pharmacy and, unnoticed, swiped a formula. It was a common one, hardly worth much.

Minutes later, the system announced, "Master, the formula has been successfully upgraded. The Body Tempering Liquid has evolved into the Body Tempering Pill, effective for Martial Cultivators. Anyone can concoct the Body Tempering Liquid. It can clear blocked meridians in your body and can also be sold for money. With consistent use for six months, even an ordinary person can become a Martial Cultivator."

"Really? That's impressive," Wang Pingfan mused. "Considering that in the Wang family, it takes at least two years of Body Tempering to become a Martial Cultivator. The other major families are similar. It looks like there won't be any trouble selling this."

Wang Pingfan arrived at a pharmacy under the auspices of the Wang family. "Well, if it isn't the Young Master. What brings you here? Don't you usually spend your time at the brothel at the start of each month?" a servant inquired with a hint of surprise.

"Mind your own business. Just prepare the herbs listed on this paper for me," Wang Pingfan retorted.

The servant took the paper, looked it over, and after some quick calculations, remarked, "It'll cost about twenty taels of gold per dose, but you're eligible for a 20% discount."

"In that case, prepare herbs worth two hundred taels of gold for me." Wang Pingfan said, placing the money on the counter.

A short time later, the servant approached and said, "Young Master, I've prepared twenty-three sets of herbs for you. The change has been waived. May I ask what you intend to do with all these herbs?"

"That's none of your concern," Wang Pingfan replied, picking up his package. Before leaving, he turned back and added, "Keep this matter to yourself."

"Understood, Young Master," the servant responded, though he couldn't help but wonder if the young master was planning to delve into alchemy. But he quickly dismissed the thought; Wang Pingfan had shown no interest in martial cultivation, much less the complex art of alchemy. Perhaps he had purchased them for some frivolous purpose? The servant shook his head, deciding it was best not to dwell on it—as long as the payment was made, all was well.

Walking down the street, Wang Pingfan mused about the importance of staying discreet. Without the necessary strength, he couldn't risk revealing his intentions. Quietly amassing wealth was the true path to power. Once back in his room, he stealthily obtained a set of tools for preparing medicine from the pharmacy. Thankfully, this task didn't require the use of Pill Fire, or he wouldn't even qualify to enter the Pill Refining Room.

With the System's assistance, he learned that one batch of herbs could yield three portions of Body Tempering Liquid. Yet, his initial attempt ended in failure. "Damn it, wasn't this supposed to be easy? How did I fail on the first try?"

The System chided, "Master, your technique leaves much to be desired." Wang Pingfan sighed. Being mocked by a Holo-Brain was a new low, but he knew he had to persevere and improve.

Wang Pingfan continued his work and soon, a dark green liquid took shape in the second batch of medicine. "This must be a success," he mused. "Succeeding on my second try suggests I might just be a genius," Wang Pingfan thought to himself.

After toiling away all afternoon in his room, Wang Pingfan finally produced 50 servings of Body Tempering Liquid. Unsure of its effectiveness, he was eager to test it. "Holo-Brain, how should I use this Body Tempering Liquid?" Wang Pingfan inquired.

"Just pour it into water and soak yourself in it," the system instructed.

"Is it really that simple?" Wang Pingfan quickly fetched a wooden tub, filled it with water, and poured in the Body Tempering Liquid. As he submerged himself, his body felt as if it were engulfed in flames. The system then advised, "You must endure for a full two hours to see results."

Before long, the tub was filled with a black substance, emitting a foul odor. Wang Pingfan couldn't help but exclaim, "Exhilarating!"

With the toxins expelled from his body, he sensed a current of Qi swirling around his dantian. This was promising; sensing Qi meant he was on the verge of forming his Qi Sea, a definitive mark of a Martial Cultivator. A few more sessions and he would fully achieve the Martial Cultivator state. He thought to himself, "If it weren't for being poisoned, I would have reached this level much sooner."

Climbing out of the tub, Wang Pingfan swung his fist, feeling a surge of power throughout his body. It was hard to believe he could actually cultivate—such a feat would be inconceivable back on Earth Star. But then again, if transmigration were possible, so too could be cultivation.

Dressed and contemplative, Wang Pingfan realized, "I need to sell this Body Tempering Liquid to make some money. I'll head to the auction house tomorrow and hopefully fetch a handsome sum."

The following morning, Wang Pingfan set out with his goods, carefully disguised to avoid recognition. He approached the auction house and slipped in through a side entrance. "So this is the Royal Auction House?" he thought, impressed by the opulence. The Wang family truly spared no expense, establishing such grand auction houses in every county, each one exuding splendor and majesty.

He approached a staff member and inquired, "Do you accept medicinal liquids here?" The staff member responded, "Sir, please hold on for a moment. I'll find someone to assist you. In the meantime, feel free to relax in the room." With that, he hurried off backstage to find someone.

Shortly thereafter, the room's door swung open, and a server escorted an elderly man with graying hair inside. "Sir, this gentleman is our auction house's appraiser. If you have any items, he'll be happy to evaluate them for you."

Wang Pingfan set down his pack and produced a bottle of Body Tempering Liquid, asking, "Sir, could you tell me how much this might be worth?"

The appraiser accepted the bottle and queried, "What are its effects?" Wang Pingfan explained, "This is a special Body Tempering Liquid that significantly outperforms those available on the market. It can enable an ordinary person to complete Body Tempering in just six months and advance to the Martial Cultivator realm."

The appraiser's eyes sparkled with interest. "Really, just half a year? Young man, we don't take kindly to jests here."

Wang Pingfan assured him, "Elder, surely you have a method to test it. Once you do, you'll see the results for yourself. I assure you, there's no deception involved."

"Very well," the appraiser said, "if you could kindly wait here, sir, I will return shortly."

Wang Pingfan sipped his tea, his thoughts a mystery even to himself.