Pay-to-Win Cultivation: I Get 10,000x Returns

Chapter 236: A Mere Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation, Only the Hem of My Robe Is Slightly Soiled

As he spoke, Zhang Xian flicked a finger. A streak of vibrant emerald light, brimming with life force, shot directly into Wang Meng’s chest.

Before the burly tiger demon could react, a surge of pure, gentle wood-attribute Qi flooded his system. It rushed through his limbs and meridians, knitting together internal injuries and soothing old aches in a matter of seconds.

Zhang Xian had actually sensed their auras the moment they approached the crater. But at that critical juncture, with the heavens trying to crush him into dust, he had no time for pleasantries.

This tribulation had been expensive.

Zhang Xian didn’t even want to calculate how many pills he had swallowed or how many high-tier talismans he had burned through. The ninth thunderbolt alone had hammered him for over an hour. Several of his top-grade defensive spirit treasures had been reduced to literal charcoal dust.

Fortunately, his inventory was deep.

He might look a bit disheveled—hair windblown, robes slightly scorched—but he had survived without any true danger.

Now, standing in the settling dust, he felt the profound Dao charm resonating within his bones. Inside his dantian, the Golden Core had shattered and reformed into a miniature, glowing infant—the Nascent Soul.

If Wang Meng and Lin Liuli weren’t watching, Zhang Xian might have wept tears of joy.

Finally. The Heavens actually treated me like a human being for once.

But in front of his audience, the tycoon maintained an image of absolute, untouchable cool. He dusted off his sleeve with a casual brush of his hand, his expression calm and indifferent.

His body language screamed a single message: A mere Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation? It barely soiled the hem of my robes.

Wang Meng’s weathered face flushed red. He scratched his head, looking sheepish.

“I see… this old man was too rash,” Wang Meng muttered. “With Brother Zhang’s current cultivation, if you were truly controlled by that monster, killing us would be as easy as turning over your hand. You wouldn’t need such an elaborate ruse.”

Zhang Xian smiled, but his eyes remained sharp as he turned to Lin Liuli.

“Forgive me,” he said seriously. “But I need to verify one last thing.”

He raised his hand. A hum of power vibrated through the air as a beam of pure, blinding white radiance coalesced in his palm—the Heaven-grade [Heart-Questioning Sword].

The sword light cascaded down like a waterfall, washing over both the tiger demon and the girl.

They stood unharmed. The holy light found no purchase on them, revealing no trace of sinister manipulation or dark arts.

Wang Meng shivered as the light pierced through to his very psyche. “Brother Zhang… what is this?”

“The [Heart-Questioning Sword],” Zhang Xian said, dismissing the light with a wave. “It cuts through deception. It discerns whether a cultivator’s mind is enslaved by evil arts.”

Only then did the tension finally bleed out of the air. The group truly relaxed, sitting down amidst the wreckage of the landscape to catch up.

They exchanged stories of their separation. When the conversation turned to the destruction of the flying boat and the death of every other survivor from the [Animal Crossing Association], Wang Meng’s shoulders slumped.

The tough, battle-hardened veteran looked suddenly old.

“Alas… the [Animal Crossing Association] had a heritage spanning thousands of years,” Wang Meng rasped, staring at the grey ground. “Now, only this old man remains. A solitary soul with no home.”

Beside him, Lin Liuli couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Wah!”

The little girl burst into loud, racking sobs. She had finally found a sense of belonging with Zhang Xian—a home, safety, food—only to have reality shatter it in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Xian’s expression darkened. He sighed softly, stepping forward to gently rub Little Liuli’s furry ears.

“Don’t cry,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “We will avenge them. That is a promise.”

Wang Meng took a deep breath, forcing himself to compose his emotions. “Brother Zhang, regarding that mind-control technique you mentioned… I recalled something from my early years.”

“Go on.”

“There was once a forbidden art called the [Great Dream Evolution Art],” Wang Meng said gravely. “It caused massive turmoil on the border between the Central Continent and the Western Region. It could rewrite a person’s memories and loyalty, making it impossible to guard against. History says it was quelled by the [Guiyuan Sect] and an alliance of major powers. I never expected… that the one mastering it now would be Grandmaster Taichu himself.”

Zhang Xian nodded slowly. “That matches. We don’t know how many experts he has silently enslaved, turning them into puppets on strings.”

“According to the records, the [Great Dream Evolution Art] has flaws,” Wang Meng continued, his analytical mind kicking in. “The control isn’t permanent. It weakens over time, and it struggles against strong willpower or high cultivation. Furthermore, its power diminishes if used repeatedly on the same target. If it were perfect, the world would have fallen into chaos long ago.”

“Our only option is to unite the righteous forces of the cultivation world,” Wang Meng concluded. “We must expose Grandmaster Taichu’s true face.”

A cold glint flashed in Zhang Xian’s eyes.

“As long as we find the right opportunity, I have a way to break the technique,” Zhang Xian said. “I can restore the consciousness of those he controls. Imagine an army of enslaved experts suddenly waking up… that would be the ultimate counterattack against the [Guiyuan Sect].”

Wang Meng nodded, but his brow remained furrowed. “Even if we succeed… we still have to deal with Grandmaster Taichu. He is a top-tier monster, half-step into Soul Formation…”

Zhang Xian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment, then waved his hand.

Two storage rings floated through the air, landing in front of Wang Meng and Lin Liuli.

“Take these. Inside are pills for healing and enhancing aptitude, cultivation techniques suited to your physiques, and a few spirit treasures. It should be enough for you to cultivate and survive here for a while.”

He paused, his gaze shifting to the horizon.

“I’ve left a wisp of divine sense in the rings so I can find you later. I plan to leave first. I need to deal with the Palace Master of Xuanzhao Palace waiting outside the perimeter. Once I’ve cleared the obstacles, I’ll return for you.”

Wang Meng froze. He stared at Zhang Xian, stunned.

“You… you’re going to hunt down the Xuanzhao Palace Master? Alone?” Wang Meng’s voice rose an octave. “He is a Great Cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage! You just finished your tribulation!”

Zhang Xian smiled. It was a calm smile, but it carried the weight of a mountain.

“It’s fine. Before my tribulation, I fought him to a draw. Now that I have formed my Nascent Soul… capturing him shouldn’t be a problem.”

Wang Meng was dumbfounded. He felt like he was listening to a fantasy novel.

Are you even listening to yourself?

A Golden Core cultivator fighting a late Nascent Soul to a draw? And now you think you can kill him just because you leveled up?

This completely overturned his understanding of cultivation logic. If anyone else had said this, Wang Meng would have scoffed in their face. But looking at Zhang Xian—at those tranquil eyes that seemed to hold the stars, and sensing the boundless, deep ocean of Qi rolling off him…

He recalled the world-destroying lightning storm that had just ended. Zhang Xian had walked out of that unscathed.

This young man could not be measured by common sense.

His monstrous talent was simply… perverse.

Hearing that Zhang Xian was leaving so soon, Lin Liuli’s mood plummeted. She pouted, her amber eyes filling with disappointment and reluctance.

“Benefactor…” she mumbled, clutching her sleeve. “Are you… going away again?”

Seeing the little girl’s aggrieved expression, Zhang Xian’s heart softened. He reached out and ruffled her hair.

“Be good, Little Liuli. Focus on your cultivation.”

As he spoke, he flipped his hand. An exquisitely crafted miniature model of a ship appeared, along with a jade control talisman. He handed them to her.

“This [Custom Flying Boat] is for you. It’s identical to the one we lived in before. You can refine and pilot it now, but to unleash its full potential, you’ll need to reach the Nascent Soul stage.”

Little Liuli took the beautiful model. Her eyes lit up for a second, but dimmed just as quickly. She hugged the toy tightly to her chest.

She didn’t want a flying boat. She wanted to stay by her Benefactor’s side. But she was a sensible girl now; she knew better than to be a burden. She swallowed her words.

[Ding! Successfully gifted Low Grade Spirit Treasure x5. Triggered Return: Received Spirit Treasure Essence x50.] [Ding! Successfully gifted Spirit Stones x1,000,000. Triggered Return: Received Supreme Spirit Stones x1,000,000.] [Ding! Successfully gifted Pill x200. Triggered Return: Received Jade God Pill x200.] [Ding! Successfully gifted Flying Boat x1. Triggered Return: Received Custom Flying Boat x1,000.]

[Custom Flying Boat: Heaven-grade integrated machinery. Features adaptive performance scaling based on the Host’s cultivation level.] [Note: Materials beyond Lin Liuli’s usage scope do not trigger system return at this time.]

Wang Meng held the storage ring, his hand trembling slightly. He watched Zhang Xian casually toss a fortress-grade flying boat to a child like it was a piece of candy.

Once again, the tiger demon was shell-shocked by this man’s outrageous wealth and bottomless pockets.

With him… perhaps miracles really are possible.

Wang Meng looked at the confident back of Zhang Xian, then down at the teary-eyed Lin Liuli. His face twisted in hesitation.

Zhang Xian noticed the look. “Brother Tiger, you look like you want to say something. Speak freely.”

Wang Meng took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn.

“This old man does indeed have a request,” he said firmly.