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

Zhang Xian stood by the bedside, his gaze tracing the haggard lines of Li Fuxi’s face. Even in her weakened state, her beauty remained, though it was now cast in a pale, fragile light.

“Master,” he asked, his voice low and laced with concern. “How are you feeling?”

Li Fuxi kept her head bowed, refusing to meet his eyes. “It is of no consequence. My Golden Core is shattered, yes, but the foundation remains. I can barely maintain the seventh stage of the Golden Core realm.”

She let out a soft, self-deprecating sigh. “I simply must avoid combat in the future. At the very least, I can still stand guard over Spirit Sword Peak.”

“Exactly!” Lin Yinyin chimed in instantly, moving to shield her master with desperate enthusiasm. “Master has me! I’ll work twice as hard these next few years. I’ll claw my way up to become an Inspector or something high-ranking. We’ll make Spirit Sword Peak flourish together. You won’t need to worry about a single thing.”

She shot Zhang Xian a glare sharp enough to draw blood. “And some people should go keep their fiancée company. We master and disciple will depart for the sect tomorrow. We wouldn’t want to be eyesores here.”

Zhang Xian looked at the two jealous women before him, feeling a strange mix of amusement and helplessness. The air in the room was thick enough to choke on.

Having reaped enormous gains today, his spirits were high. Seeing his master’s fragility beneath her forced composure, and Yinyin’s bristling, protective cuteness, felt incredibly vivid.

He stepped forward, closing the distance to the soft couch until he loomed over it. He leaned down, his burning gaze locking onto Li Fuxi’s downcast eyes. A bright, slightly roguish smile curled his lips.

“Master…”

Li Fuxi’s heart fluttered at the sudden proximity. Instinctively, she looked up.

“I’m afraid I have to disappoint you again,” Zhang Xian said, laughter dancing in his tone. “You want to run? Not a chance.”

Li Fuxi stared at his radiant smile, momentarily dazed.

Zhang Xian didn’t waste words. He took Li Fuxi’s hand and pressed a pill into her palm. It swirled with profound, mysterious light, and the moment it appeared, the spiritual energy in the room stirred, emitting a faint, resonant hum.

Lin Yinyin instantly forgot her anger. Her eyes went round as saucers. “Th-this… is this the Creation Immortal Pill?”

Li Fuxi’s gaze was glued to her palm. She recognized instantly that the aura of this pill far surpassed anything ordinary. But just as quickly, the light in her eyes dimmed.

She slowly shook her head; her voice trembled with resolve. “I cannot accept this.”

She tried to pull her hand away. “You promised Pavilion Master Yun in front of everyone in the main hall. You cannot go back on your word. This pill rightfully belongs to her.”

Her voice dropped, tinged with weary resignation. “Besides, I am truly tired. After this incident, I will not act recklessly again. It would be a waste on me.”

“That won’t do,” Zhang Xian cut her off decisively. His tone left no room for argument. “My goal is to nurture you to Nascent Soul, Soul Formation, and even higher realms! What is a shattered spiritual root or a cracked Golden Core to me?”

He leaned closer, his presence overwhelming. “You shatter it once, I’ll fix it once. You shatter it a thousand times, I’ll mend it a thousand times!”

As he spoke, he shot a glance at Lin Yinyin, who was watching with bated breath.

The girl understood immediately. She nimbly grabbed her small stool and scooted to the far side of the room, mouthing a silent “Go for it!” to Zhang Xian.

Zhang Xian sat on the edge of the couch. He leaned forward until he was almost nose-to-nose with Li Fuxi, studying her flushed cheeks and evasive eyes.

“Regarding Pavilion Master Yun, I have my own plans,” he murmured. “This pill was prepared specifically for you. Did you think you could repay your debt on the arena stage? Master, you’re thinking too simply.”

“I—” Li Fuxi, flustered by his heat, tried to retort.

Her wrist was suddenly seized by Zhang Xian’s warm, powerful hand.

“Mmph!”

Before she could react, Zhang Xian’s other hand gently pinched her chin. His cool fingertips exerted an irresistible force, prying her mouth open slightly.

In the next second, the pill, radiating immense vitality, was dropped precisely past her lips.

The elixir melted the instant it touched her tongue, transforming into a torrent of warmth that surged down her throat.

“Zhang Xian! What are you doing?!” Li Fuxi cried out, half in shame, half in anger. Her almond eyes went wide as she tried to struggle against his grip. “Even if you don’t give this to Yun Wanqing, you should keep it for yourself! It could resolve your False Core issue! It could let you advance!”

Zhang Xian held her hand tighter. He spoke over her panic, his voice low, clear, and carrying a terrifying seriousness.

“Li Fuxi. Be my woman.”

The words exploded in Li Fuxi’s mind like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

All her struggles, her shame, her anger, and her reason were blasted to dust in that instant. Her cheeks ignited, flushing a deep, alluring crimson.

[Ding! Current Favorability: 74.]

[Ding! Gift of Primordial Creation Pill successful. Triggered return: Primordial Creation Pill x100.]

[Primordial Creation Pill: Peak Earth-grade. Heals shattered Golden Cores and dispersed Nascent Souls; reverses foundation collapse. Activates and repairs meridians and spiritual roots. A legendary treasure that defies fate to reshape the Dao Foundation.]

“You… what nonsense are you spouting?!” Li Fuxi stammered, her composure shattering. “I… I am your master! This… this is unacceptable!”

Zhang Xian, seeing her flustered state, smiled deeply. Like a magician, he produced a few books from his spatial storage.

The covers were garish and unmistakable: Help, My Yandere Master Fell for Me and The Legend of the Condor Heroes. He waved them before her eyes.

“Master quite enjoys reading these, doesn’t she? What’s the matter?” He leaned in to whisper, “Isn’t the teacher-disciple dynamic even more exciting?”

“You… you…”

Li Fuxi stared at the mortifying titles. A rush of blood surged to her head, making her dizzy. She wished the floor would crack open and swallow her whole.

That wretched disciple! How did he know? And to bring them out now?

However, her indignant rebuke was choked off by a sudden, explosive surge of medicinal power erupting within her body.

“Mmph!” Li Fuxi grunted, her eyes flying wide open.

The pill transformed into tidal waves of warm energy. Her damaged meridians were rapidly repaired, forced open, and widened. Her shattered, dim Golden Core and dual spiritual roots began to glow like stars. Slowly, they began to rotate and coalesce, following a profound, mystical trajectory.

The sheer volume of power, the exquisite precision of the repair—it was overwhelming. This effect was terrifyingly potent, surpassing the Heaven-Seizing Heart-Mending Lotus Seed by magnitudes.

She could sense the repaired Golden Core possessed a spiritual essence purer and more powerful than her original one.

This is definitely not the Creation Immortal Pill.

A storm of shock raged in Li Fuxi’s heart. She looked sharply at Zhang Xian, her eyes filled with astonishment, confusion, and an inexpressible surge of gratitude.

This heaven-defying medicine could have resolved his False Core issue. It could have let him be reborn. And he gave it to her without a second thought?

Zhang Xian seemed to see through her turmoil. He gently patted the back of her hand, his voice soft yet firm.

“Master, rest assured. I have more where that came from. Just focus on your recovery. Yinyin and I will come see you again tomorrow.”

Li Fuxi looked at him, a thousand words stuck in her throat. In the end, she could only manage a soft, trembling sound.

“Mmm.”

She slowly closed her eyes, concentrating fully on guiding the vast medicinal power. Unlike last time, the joy of restoring her cultivation was drowned out by another emotion—something more turbulent, and infinitely sweeter.

Zhang Xian slowly stood up. He gave a meaningful look to the dumbfounded Lin Yinyin.

The two of them quietly tiptoed out of the room, leaving the master to her healing.