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

What baffled Wang Chuan most was the sword itself.

The blade managed to channel five contradictory elemental attributes simultaneously, a feat that completely overturned his understanding of cultivation theory. Furthermore, the spiritual pressure radiating from the weapon, combined with the absurdly sturdy protective barrier around Zhang Xian, suggested a grade of artifact far beyond ordinary Spirit Treasures.

There’s something wrong with this kid’s gear, Wang Chuan thought, his eyes narrowing.

With a thought, a white mist dense with Life Essence slithered along his own blade, extending toward Zhang Xian’s spirit sword like a viper. He intended to corrode the weapon directly.

However, the moment that usually unstoppable Life Essence touched Zhang Xian’s blade, it hissed and evaporated into nothingness.

“Save your energy, Ancestor,” Zhang Xian grinned, his expression shouting nouveau riche arrogance. “This is an Immortal Artifact. Your cheap parlor tricks can’t corrode it.”

Wang Chuan ignored the taunt. He knew the brat was full of lies, but his methods were undeniably bizarre.

He abruptly expanded his Divine Sense, sweeping over the entirety of the Yunmiao Sect in an instant. The feedback sent a shockwave through his mind.

Spirit Sword Peak was no longer just a mountain; it was a fortress wrapped in layer upon layer of formation screens, each emitting a soft, golden radiance. These formations were nested like intricate clockwork, channeling an endless stream of energy that specifically suppressed the corrosive properties of his Life Essence.

“Pure World Buddha Light?”

Wang Chuan understood instantly, a cold glint exploding in his eyes. “So that’s it. You extracted Jianchen’s memories and established a grand formation specifically targeting the flaws of my cultivation technique. Zhang Xian… you are truly calculating.”

Despite the revelation, the absolute confidence of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator kept panic at bay.

He was still certain he could kill Zhang Xian right here, wipe out the Yunmiao Sect, and retreat without a scratch.

Wang Chuan stopped holding back.

His sword light cascaded like a waterfall, drowning the peak in lethal radiance.

He switched targets fluidly. One moment, his strikes were vicious and tricky, aiming for the weak points in Li Fuxi’s fused swordsmanship. The next, he would snap toward Zhang Xian, unleashing fierce blows at his vital points.

Li Fuxi pushed her dual Heavenly Spiritual Roots to their limit. Her Sword Intent grew sharper, more perfect with every exchange. Though her cultivation realm was inferior, her Sword Heart was clear and bright, allowing her to barely withstand Wang Chuan’s storm-like offensive.

Zhang Xian, on the other hand, fought like an unkillable pay-to-win player.

Every inch of his body shimmered with the light of various Spirit Treasures. When Wang Chuan blasted his protective barrier, the shield would shudder violently and dim.

But then Zhang Xian would casually toss a pill into his mouth or crush a talisman.

Flash.

In the blink of an eye, the dim shield would blaze back to full strength.

The five-colored spirit sword in his hand was even more treacherous. It moved with a mind of its own, parrying Wang Chuan’s killing moves from impossible angles and occasionally launching a counterattack that forced the Nascent Soul ancestor to divert his attention.

As the battle dragged on, horror began to creep into Wang Chuan’s heart.

The resilience of these two ants far exceeded his imagination. Li Fuxi’s talent was heaven-defying; her raw damage output was approaching the threshold of the Nascent Soul realm.

And Zhang Xian? The kid was a bottomless pit.

Earth-Grade pills, high-tier talismans, rare Spirit Treasures—he threw them out as if they were garbage. His recovery rate was actually faster than Wang Chuan’s own reliance on Life Essence!

Even more alarming was Zhang Xian’s physical state.

A pale black flame burned faintly around his body. Driven by extreme Wind spiritual power, his speed and strength had climbed to an unbelievable level. His attacks were simply too fast for a Golden Core cultivator.

What kind of Golden Core stage is this? Even an ordinary early Nascent Soul cultivator might not match this intensity.

BANG!

Wang Chuan slammed another palm against Zhang Xian’s protective barrier. With a crisp CRACK, the shield finally shattered.

But Wang Chuan’s eyes twitched.

Inside the shattered shield… was another shield.

Zhang Xian used the impact force to slide backward, casually flinging a handful of Thunder Talismans into Wang Chuan’s face as a parting gift.

A shadow passed over Wang Chuan’s face. He realized he actually couldn’t break through. This brat’s defensive treasures were like infinite nesting dolls; break one layer, and there was always another. He was as tough as a ten-thousand-year-old turtle.

Forcing down the urge to curse like a sailor, a thought took root in Wang Chuan’s mind: I can’t drag this out.

He began to consider retreating.

It wasn’t fear. It was pragmatism. The battle had lost its meaning. Wang Chuan was a man of purpose; fighting a war of attrition in an enemy trap was foolish. Even if he won, the cost would outweigh the gains.

The Southern Domain was vast. He could always find another chance to kill them later.

Swoosh!

Wang Chuan’s figure shot backward. The space around him began to fluctuate violently as he prepared to tear open a void rift and teleport away.

But just as he was about to slip into the void, a phantom image of a massive chessboard manifested in the sky above the peak without warning.

The board was dotted with stars, radiating an ancient, majestic pressure.

A powerful restraining force slammed down.

The fluctuating space around Wang Chuan solidified instantly, like a lake freezing over in a heartbeat. His teleportation technique was forcibly interrupted.

“What?”

Wang Chuan’s expression turned utterly dark. He jerked his head up at the colossal chessboard in the sky, then looked down at Zhang Xian.

“Ancestor, leaving so soon?”

Zhang Xian stood amidst the chaos, dusting off his robes. “This [Star Dou Spirit Locking Array] is an import from the Central Continent’s Tianyuan Alliance. Just to keep a mighty Nascent Soul expert like you trapped for an hour costs me nearly ten thousand high-grade Spirit Stones. So… do you think I got my money’s worth?”

Only then did Wangchuan realize Zhang Xian hadn’t been joking earlier. He truly intended to kill him here.

“It seems you have gone to great pains,” Wang Chuan said, his voice dropping to a dangerous baritone. “You prepared for this for a long time.”

“Of course it took a long time!” Zhang Xian’s eyes sharpened like knives. “And not just here. Shangjing City, Cloud Raiment City, even the Shanchan Monastery—I set up a trap at every single location. I was just waiting for you, old man, to come knocking and throw yourself into the net!”

“Hahahaha!”

Wang Chuan didn’t rage. instead, he threw his head back and laughed. The sound was filled with absurdity and disbelief.

“Good! Good! Good! Today, I have truly been underestimated! A mere Golden Core dares to dream of keeping me here?”

His laughter cut off abruptly.

“Arrogant! Utterly arrogant!”

Boom!

An even more terrifying aura erupted from his body, a pressure heavy enough to crush the sky and earth. The entire Spirit Sword Peak trembled violently. A floating pavilion on a nearby precipice couldn’t withstand the shockwave; with a thunderous rumble, it collapsed and plummeted into the abyss.

Outside the formation, atop Qingmu Peak.

Liu Qingxuan, Liu Huaigu, and the masses of Yunmiao Sect disciples watched the direction of Spirit Sword Peak with grave expressions.

Although separated by layers of formation screens, the earth-shattering roars and the violent energy fluctuations of a mid-stage Nascent Soul battle were clearly transmitted to them.

Liu Qingxuan clenched her fists, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

Not long ago, Zhang Xian’s main body had suddenly appeared beside her, dropped a hasty command—”Evacuate everyone from Spirit Sword Peak and activate the highest level of the mountain protection array”—and vanished. Moments later, the apocalypse had started atop the peak.

Liu Huaigu’s face was pale, his eyes wide with shock and helplessness.

He had been at the ninth layer of the Golden Core for years. But feeling the shockwaves from the peak, he finally understood the chasm between himself and a true powerhouse.

The combat power displayed by Zhang Xian and Li Fuxi had completely transcended the scope of the Golden Core realm. And the figure they were besieging was powerful to the point of despair.

“Father, we…” Liu Qingxuan started.

Liu Huaigu stared at the peak, shrouded in chaotic light, and slowly shook his head. “This battle is beyond our ability to intervene. Going up there rashly would only add to their burden.”

He turned to the disciples behind him. “Stop gawking. Organize the evacuation immediately.”

However, the well-known writer Lu Renbing did the opposite.

He casually pulled a small folding stool out of his storage ring and sat down on the cliff edge.

“Old Peak Master, you jest,” Lu Renbing said with a fatalistic shrug. “If Zhang Xian loses, we have absolutely no chance of survival. Against a Nascent Soul monster, running a hundred miles or a thousand makes no difference—we’re dead either way.”

He patted his knees comfortably. “We might as well preserve some dignity and observe on the spot.”

Hearing this, the other disciples paused, then nodded in agreement.

Liu Qingxuan couldn’t help but manage a faint smile. Through her spiritual sense, she realized it wasn’t just Qingmu Peak.

On all the surrounding peaks, scattered disciples were staying put. They gathered at the periphery of the formation, terrified but mesmerized, witnessing a battle that would shock the world.