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

Chapter 258: No Need to Pretend to Be a Good Person

Zhang Xian ignored the moans of the crippled Wen Yan writhing on the deck. He turned and walked toward the inner cabin of the flying boat, leaving behind a cold ultimatum.

“Think it over. When you are ready to tell me the truth, I can restore your Nascent Soul—perhaps even make you stronger than before. If not… you can live out the rest of your days as a mortal, slowly savoring the taste of aging and death.”

Reaching the cabin door, he gave an order without looking back.

“Lu Yao. Watch her. Don’t let her die.”

Lu Yao froze for a moment. Then, a surge of twisted euphoria flooded her heart. Her voice trembled with excitement as she bowed deeply.

“Yes! Master! This servant will watch her closely!”

As the initial agony of her shattered Dantian subsided, Wen Yan was left with a crushing emptiness and despair. She struggled to lift her head, screaming venomous curses at Zhang Xian’s retreating back.

“Demon! I… I will kill you!”

Her gaze shifted to Lu Yao, who was beaming as if she had been granted a supreme honor. Recognizing the disciple from the Jinchangu, rage boiled in Wen Yan’s chest.

“You lowly cauldron! Traitor! You betr—”

SLAP!

A crisp, vicious backhand struck Wen Yan across the face.

Lu Yao withdrew her hand, her expression twisted with unprecedented satisfaction. She barked sharply, “Shut up! You are a prisoner! Whatever Master wants to know, you will confess! If you dare disrespect him again, I will teach you the meaning of suffering!”

Lu Yao felt her blood boil with adrenaline.

Once, Palace Master Wen Yan was a god in the clouds—someone Lu Yao wasn’t even qualified to speak to. Now, she was a prisoner at Lu Yao’s mercy, someone she could slap and humiliate at will. The intoxication of this status reversal was almost overwhelming.

Zhang Xian ignored the drama on the deck and stepped into the inner cabin.

He saw clearly that Lu Yao possessed some of Lin Yinyin’s cleverness and ambition, but her nature was far colder, more selfish, and prone to petty cruelty. During the earlier bombardment, his Divine Sense had caught her using her own Senior Brother Song Zhang and other Junior Brothers as human shields to survive.

He didn’t intend to keep such a viper around long-term. But for now, to pry open Wen Yan’s mouth, he didn’t mind having a ruthless hound at his disposal.

Inside the cabin, Zhang Xian closed his eyes to cultivate. Outside, a fallen Palace Master cursed in despair while a power-drunk disciple reveled in her new authority.

Seven days later.

The flying boat tore through the sea of clouds, approaching the border of the Southern Region.

In his meditation room, Zhang Xian opened his eyes, sensing a shift. He stood and walked out onto the deck.

Lu Yao was sitting there, looking smug. Seeing him emerge, she hurried forward.

“Master! The wretch is ready to talk!”

Zhang Xian’s gaze swept past her.

The former Palace Master of the Wendao Palace was curled up in a corner, looking utterly wretched. Strands of sweat-matted hair clung to her pale face. One cheek was swollen, and dried blood crusted the corner of her mouth. Rope burns and scabs marred her wrists—evidence of Lu Yao’s “care.”

Her luxurious robes were filthy and torn. There was not a trace left of the aloof, noble Palace Master.

Sensing Zhang Xian’s gaze, Wen Yan trembled. She slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were filled with unconcealable fear and humiliation.

“I…” Her voice was hoarse. “I can tell you what I know. Can you… really restore my cultivation?”

Zhang Xian looked at her with a tranquil gaze. “I never lie.”

He casually tossed a spirit fruit to Lu Yao. “This Marrow Cleansing Fruit is your reward. It will temper your Spirit Root.”

Lu Yao caught the fruit and fell to her knees, kowtowing repeatedly. “Thank you for your grace, Master!”

Zhang Xian ignored her and nodded to Wen Yan. “Follow me.”

Wen Yan struggled to her feet, stumbling slightly as she followed him into the ship’s interior.

They walked in silence until they reached a secure cultivation chamber. The door slid open soundlessly.

Wen Yan stepped inside and froze.

The ceiling was a dome of enchanted starlight, but what shocked her was the floor. It was paved entirely with High Grade Spirit Stones.

“This… all High Grade Spirit Stones?” she gasped.

She had seen wealth, but Zhang Xian’s extravagance was terrifying. The density of Spiritual Qi here far exceeded even the Thirty-Six Palaces of the Wendao Palace.

Combined with the memory of the sky-blotting fleet, a chilling thought took root in her mind: He is not from this world.

Zhang Xian noted her reaction—precisely the deterrent effect he wanted. He walked to a low tea table set with comfortable cushions.

“Sit.”

Wen Yan sat down stiffly.

Immediately, a puppet approached, placing trays of spirit fruits and delicate snacks on the table before brewing a pot of aromatic tea.

Zhang Xian took a sip, then pushed a small jade box toward her. Inside lay a single, radiant lotus seed.

“Eat something first.”

Stripped of her cultivation, Wen Yan was now mortal, and the gnawing hunger of seven days assaulted her. Her throat worked involuntarily as she looked at the food. After a moment’s hesitation, she picked up a pastry and took a bite.

It melted in her mouth. Pure, gentle Spiritual Qi flowed into her limbs, soothing her pain and exhaustion.

However, the relief only sharpened the emptiness in her Dantian and the humiliation of the past week. She trembled, her eyes reddening.

Zhang Xian watched her calmly.

“The Green Qiao Tea cleanses the mind and enhances comprehension. The Heaven-Seizing Heart-Mending Lotus Seed is a rare treasure capable of reshaping a shattered Golden Core and rebuilding your Dao Foundation.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

“I also possess pills that can elevate the grade of a Spirit Root, and holy medicines for healing. Transforming you into a possessor of a Heavenly Spirit Root is not difficult.”

“Of course,” he added, “that depends entirely on your future performance.”

Wen Yan’s eyes flickered wildly, an internal war raging behind them. In the end, the desire for power crushed her pride. She grabbed the lotus seed and swallowed it whole, then devoured several spirit fruits and downed the tea.

Warm vitality exploded in her stomach, rushing to her Dantian. She felt the shattered fragments of her foundation knitting together, a faint spark of life returning to her meridians.

She exhaled a long breath, physical relief washing over her.

But when she looked at Zhang Xian again, the hatred in her eyes remained undisguised.

“No need to pretend to be a good person here. My fall is entirely your doing. Even if I can cultivate again… by the time my lifespan runs out, I will never reach my peak.”