Chapter 2: Tenfold Cashback, Lin Miaoxuan's Struggle

Cao Xuan stammered as he began his attempt to strike up a conversation.

There was no helping it—he hadn't much experience in romance from his previous life. The sight before him had just caught his eye, and he'd summoned his courage in an instant to step forward.

Lin Miaoxuan, startled, was likewise an outer sect disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. She had come to Qingshan Market to purchase some cultivation resources, and to replenish her own stock of cosmetics and powders.

After all, as a disciple still in the Qi Refining stage, she was far from being able to cleanse her meridians and remold her appearance at will; a bit of makeup could still enhance her looks.

Not that Lin Miaoxuan lacked anything in the first place. Dressed simply, her light attire and understated grooming, paired with her cool demeanor, evoked the image of a first love or an unattainable muse.

One glance at Cao Xuan’s plain azure robe, unadorned by any cloud patterns, revealed he was just a probationary outer sect disciple like herself. His awkward, stuttering manner immediately extinguished any interest she might have harbored.

If it had been a two-pattern inner sect disciple, or even a three-pattern personal disciple who’d approached her, perhaps she would have been intrigued.

Though the title “Fairy” was pleasant to hear, Lin Miaoxuan was not so easily swayed—not by someone who wasn’t even a formally recognized one-pattern outer sect disciple.

Her voice was crisp and cool as she spoke: “Senior brother, is there something you need? If not, I’ll be on my way.”

Her words were perfectly measured: neither too brusque nor inviting any further advances.

Lin Miaoxuan’s frosty rejection did not deter Cao Xuan. He glanced at the prompts on his panel:

[Name: Lin Miaoxuan]

[Spiritual Root: Six-Temper Spiritual Root]

[Multiplier: 10x]

“A six-temper spiritual root—near the peak of mid-grade spiritual roots, much better than my barely-passable four-temper root!”

Cao Xuan was no novice; he knew cultivation was tied to spiritual roots.

In the cultivation world, spiritual roots ranged from one to nine tempers. Beyond that were the supreme, earth, heavenly, and the legendary flawless spiritual roots.

Lin Miaoxuan’s six-temper root was far from top-tier, but it was certainly superior to his own.

“Hey, system, apart from these, any other prompts? Like, options for how to answer in a romantic scenario or something?”

Cao Xuan waited, but the system remained silent, cold as though it considered him a hopeless sycophant.

“Fine, you’re aloof. You’re impressive.”

The system offered no further hints, acting as nothing more than a frosty task machine.

Cao Xuan sighed, but when he thought of the tenfold rebate, he hardened his resolve. Spending money on a female cultivator was a small price for such returns.

“Junior sister, I felt an instant kinship when I saw you. Would you care to stroll through the market with me?”

Lin Miaoxuan was amused and a little exasperated as she sized him up. Plain azure attire, average looks—not even a formal outer sect disciple.

“Senior brother, cultivators like ourselves should focus on cultivation, not waste time on distractions.”

Her meaning was clear: for a cultivator who wasn’t even formally an outer sect disciple, being called “senior brother” was already generous. He ought not overstep.

“My time is precious, you—” Lin Miaoxuan started, but was interrupted.

“How much—no, how many spirit stones?”

Cao Xuan had decided to go all in. If the system wanted him to spend, he would spend. Investing in women was easy enough.

Lin Miaoxuan’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean by that?”

A probationary outer sect disciple received only ten low-grade spirit stones a month, and most of that was spent on cultivation. Few could afford to have any left over.

This young man, starting with “how much,” clearly intended to offer money—first using a crass expression, then quickly correcting himself to “spirit stones.” Did he take her for a brothel girl?

In that instant, Lin Miaoxuan’s opinion of Cao Xuan sank even lower.

She turned to leave, but Cao Xuan grabbed her hand. “What are you—huh?”

She felt something odd in her palm: a leather pouch.

“Fairy, my name is Cao Xuan. May I ask your name? Here are ten low-grade spirit stones; I simply wish to get to know you.”

Lin Miaoxuan squeezed the pouch; it seemed to contain about ten stones. She used her spiritual sense to confirm the faint aura inside—genuine spirit stones.

In that moment, she hesitated.

People around them began whispering. She was reluctant to part with the ten spirit stones, and her thoughts became a battlefield.

“Lin Miaoxuan, it’s just ten low-grade spirit stones—why are you wavering?”

“No, these ten stones could buy two Qi-Gathering Pills or a bottle of Condensing Powder. They could help me break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining and become a full outer sect disciple. What’s the harm in a stroll?”

Clutching the pouch, Lin Miaoxuan turned and walked away, muttering, “Cao Xuan, was it? My name is Lin Miaoxuan. There are too many prying eyes here—come with me.”

Cao Xuan’s face lit up with excitement as he hurried after her.

Lin Miaoxuan caught his look from the corner of her eye and felt a twinge of disdain. Had he never seen a female cultivator before?

As for Cao Xuan, he was giddy as he consulted his panel.

[Ding~ Gifted Lin Miaoxuan ten low-grade spirit stones. Cashback processing…]

[Ding~ Lin Miaoxuan’s multiplier is 10x. Cashback: 100 spirit stones!]

[Ding~ Host has no storage artifact. Stones will be temporarily stored in system space!]

[Note: System space is for temporary storage only. Once withdrawn, items cannot be put back.]

Cao Xuan grumbled about not having access to the system space, but the thought of a hundred spirit stones made up for it.

“After all, this is the cultivation world. There will be storage pouches and rings later. No system space is normal.”

“Heh, the key is, with these hundred spirit stones, I could buy twenty Qi-Gathering Pills or ten bottles of Condensing Powder. I could break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining and become a formal outer sect disciple—just for buying a gift for a female cultivator!”

With these resources, he would have no problem advancing within half a year. Staying in the Azure Cloud Sect meant more chances to meet female cultivators—and thus, more resources to gain.

Han Tianzun had his little green bottle; he had his investment cashback system. Someday, he would ascend, return to Earth, and show off—who was to say it was impossible?

By the time Cao Xuan collected his thoughts, he and Lin Miaoxuan had arrived in a quiet alley.

At the sight of this secluded place, Cao Xuan’s heart skipped—this felt uncomfortably similar to those scenes in his past life, where he’d gone to certain alleys for… indescribable forms of charity.

The young lady didn’t ask for a car or a house; she kept him company and listened to his woes for an hour. What was wrong with giving her two hundred as a token of thanks?

Of course, these thoughts flashed through Cao Xuan’s mind in an instant. Lin Miaoxuan turned to him and raised the leather pouch.

“Let me make this clear: I’m only accompanying you for a walk. Don’t get any other ideas.”

“My cultivation time is precious. Spending an afternoon with you—these ten spirit stones are compensation. After this, we’ll have nothing to do with each other, and you’re not to gossip within the sect. Understood?”

“If you can’t agree, take your spirit stones back.”

She spoke as if making a great sacrifice, extending the pouch toward him.

Cao Xuan was startled.

He seemed to see the hundred spirit stones in his system space fading away…