NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 22
Chapter 22 I Don’t Care About Money At All:
The moment Xu Xi stepped into his home and set his umbrella aside, a distinct notification chimed from his phone.
[Your debit card account 9527 received 300,000.00 yuan in Chinese currency today, and the available balance is 323,333.00 yuan.]
“So quick?” Xu Xi muttered, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at the message. He hadn’t expected such efficiency, though he supposed 300,000 yuan was a trivial amount for a Golden Core cultivator. For the Extraordinary Control Bureau, it was a matter of protocol to ensure the funds were promptly transferred.
Still, Xu Xi wasn’t particularly concerned about money. After changing into clean clothes, he lounged on the sofa, opened the Extraordinary House app, and navigated through its extensive trading network.
The sheer variety of items left him impressed.
Talismans, martial arts techniques, Qi and blood refinement secrets, ghost cultivation manuals, and even the forbidden arts of Hehuan. Then there were enchanted weapons like the Meteoric Iron Bow, Holy Light Enchanted Gatling Gun, and Sky Thunder Enhanced Armor-Piercing Bullets.
“The government certainly knows how to adapt,” Xu Xi mused as he scrolled, marveling at the seamless integration of modern technology and supernatural enhancements.
He began focusing on the essentials—materials and tools relevant to the four arts of immortal cultivation: alchemy, formations, talismans, and weapon refinement. Each category offered immense potential for enhancing his practice.
His mind drifted as he added items to his cart. “The Extraordinary House has a recycling feature. If I sell some of the Tianjian Sect’s secret techniques, I could earn a significant number of points. That would allow me to buy the items and information I need.”
He planned to utilize his mastery of the four arts to full advantage, aiming to build a self-sustaining system for cultivation, defense, and attack.
“Why buy finished products when the materials are far cheaper?” he reasoned. After all, the prices for finished items in the Extraordinary House were exorbitant compared to raw materials.
“Five years of spiritual energy revival is still too short. It’s likely the Control Bureau doesn’t yet have enough alchemists, formation masters, or talisman artisans to meet demand,” he concluded.
With that, Xu Xi methodically purchased materials like red fox eyes, dragon bones, and thundering gold spirit. His shopping spree only ended when his available points ran out.
“One thousand points aren’t nearly enough,” he grumbled, eyeing the tantalizing items he couldn’t afford. Beyond the materials for immortal cultivation, there were fascinating products from other supernatural systems, which he also longed to study.
“Patience,” he reminded himself. “It’s still early. I’ll focus on the essentials for now and expand later.”
Closing the app, Xu Xi leaned back and began adjusting his breathing.
…
A month passed swiftly.
In this time, Xu Xi adapted to his regained mobility and immersed himself in refining the materials he had purchased. With his skills, he crafted a full set of Spirit Gathering Arrays, a stockpile of Huanglong Pills to enhance cultivation speed, and even a horned dragon vine with his wood-rebirth ability.
The horned dragon vine became the foundation of his nascent magic weapon, the Withered Vine Sword—a blade infused with vitality and lethal precision.
Additionally, Xu Xi produced numerous talismans. Although not as powerful as his direct techniques, these served as a testament to his dedication to refining his craft.
Despite joining the Extraordinary Control Bureau, Xu Xi wasn’t overwhelmed with assignments. In the past month, he had only been called upon twice.
The first incident involved a mutated raptor from a fantasy world. The enormous beast spread its wings, casting a shadow over half the city. With a single green sword light from the Withered Vine Sword, Xu Xi split the creature in two, earning one million yuan, five hundred points, and various valuable materials.
The second event was a Hundred Ghosts Night Parade—a terrifying phenomenon of spectral entities flooding the city. Xu Xi’s wood-based magic, brimming with vitality, easily dispelled the ghostly horde, earning him 1.5 million yuan and nine hundred points.
After these battles, Xu Xi couldn’t help but remark, “Money really is just numbers. I don’t care about it at all.”
For Yanshan City, extraordinary disasters were not uncommon. However, most low-threat situations were handled by weaker extraordinary beings, allowing Xu Xi to reserve his strength for major threats.
As Director Zhang put it, “Good steel should be used on the blade.”
Xu Xi appreciated the arrangement, as it allowed him to focus on his cultivation without compromising his mission rewards.
“But you can never have too many points,” he mused. “I’ve seen some promising items recently, but I’ll need more points to buy them. If completing missions isn’t enough, I’ll have to turn to the Four Arts of Immortality.”
Among the four disciplines, alchemy seemed the most lucrative. Immortal pills were highly sought after, not just by cultivators but also by other extraordinary beings, particularly those from fantasy and martial arts systems.
“Refining and selling pills will be my first step toward financial independence,” Xu Xi decided as he browsed Extraordinary House for alchemical materials.
Just as he finalized another large purchase, a notification lit up his phone screen.
[Urgent message from Zhang Yaoguo: Danger. Come quickly!]