Income Upgraded, Next Upgrade Costs Too Much!
Some days later...
Since San Jing talked to him, a lot of cultivators are visiting his shop to eat there. They didn't cause any commotions when other mortals are eating together with them.
Zhou Lin is happy at that. He always heard that Cultivators are mostly arrogant ones who doesn't like to be compared to mortals. It is good that they are honoring the rules he laid out.
Though, despite knowing that they can pay in gold or silver coins like the other mortals, it seems like most of the cultivators have this weird thing at not wanting to pay in those currencies, and using spirit stones as their payment.
He actually didn't mind. Just curious why they are insistent on paying in Spirit Stones. He accepts it. Old Wang said these are precious, so he will see it as a good thing.
Other than that, Wang Shinyu is being used to her work as a waitress. She didn't need to help on cooking the Demon Beasts meat because, as Zhou Lin discovered, she can't actually cut their meat even if she used all of her cultivation strength, which is still very meager in his eyes.
Old Wang and the others seems to have stabilized their cultivation level. It seems like they have awakened some of their senses like Divine Sense. The effects is more pronounced at Old Wang as he actually looks youthful and handsome right now. His skin becoming smoother and his build becoming fit.
There are no troubles that came to him. The Gin Family just vanishes from the face of the earth, and he haven't heard of them ever since that night.
'This is a good thing! Peace is good after all!' He thought to himself with a smile.
His eyes then turned to the system in front of him. It's been almost two weeks before he finally got enough points. He has held himself back for a long time just to upgrade his income.
[Status]
Points: 1,022,300 (1/s) (+)
Physical Rank: Lower Stage Blood Purification (+)
Cultivation Rank: 1st Stage Sky Realm (+)
Spiritual Rank: Quarter Stage Platinum Core (+)
[Physique]
(Epic Class) Sky Mountain Boar Physique I (+)
[Bloodline]
(Epic Class) Sky Mountain Boar Bloodline I (+)
(Epic Class) Star Beast Wolf Bloodline I (+)
(Superior Class) Superior Golden Bee Bloodline I (+)
(Superior Class) Millennium Jade Snake Bloodline I (+)
(Super Class) Feral Wolf Bloodline I (+)
[Technique]
(Grade 95) Poison Mist I (+)
(Grade 98) Divine Sense X
(Grade 98) Presence Concealment X
(Grade 99) Appraisal X
(Grade 99) Defensive Aura X
(Grade 99) Enhanced Strikes X
(Grade 99) Pitch Control X
(Grade 99) Sprint X
[Abilities]
(Rank 75) Heavenly Lightning Control I (+)
(Rank 95) Lightning Control IV (+)
(Rank 95) Lightning Resistance III (+)
(Rank 95) Poison Resistance II (+)
(Rank 96) Fleeting Death Arts X
(Rank 97) Supreme Martial Arts X
(Rank 98) Art of Inheritance X
(Rank 99) Qi Manipulation X
(Rank 99) Shadow Training X
(Rank 100) Corpse Dismantling X
(Rank 100) Martial Arts X
(Rank 100) Mortal Bodybuilding X
(Rank 100) Normal Cooking X
(Rank 100) Normal Swordsmanship X
(Rank 100) Thought Acceleration X
(Rank 100) Writing X
"It's been so long... now I will upgrade my Income!" He exclaimed, before mentally poking the "+" button besides the points section.
[Upgrade your System Income? This will cost you 1,000,000 Points!] (Y/N)
"Yes!"
With a decisive nod, he mentally chose the Y button.
[Income Upgraded. Every second you will get 2 Points.]
His eyes lit up at that before looking at his status once more.
[Status]
Points: 22,308 (2/s) (+)
Physical Rank: Lower Stage Blood Purification (+)
Cultivation Rank: 1st Stage Sky Realm (+)
Spiritual Rank: Quarter Stage Platinum Core (+)
[Physique]
(Epic Class) Sky Mountain Boar Physique I (+)
[Bloodline]
(Epic Class) Sky Mountain Boar Bloodline I (+)
(Epic Class) Star Beast Wolf Bloodline I (+)
(Superior Class) Superior Golden Bee Bloodline I (+)
(Superior Class) Millennium Jade Snake Bloodline I (+)
(Super Class) Feral Wolf Bloodline I (+)
[Technique]
(Grade 95) Poison Mist I (+)
(Grade 98) Divine Sense X
(Grade 98) Presence Concealment X
(Grade 99) Appraisal X
(Grade 99) Defensive Aura X
(Grade 99) Enhanced Strikes X
(Grade 99) Pitch Control X
(Grade 99) Sprint X
[Abilities]
(Rank 75) Heavenly Lightning Control I (+)
(Rank 95) Lightning Control IV (+)
(Rank 95) Lightning Resistance III (+)
(Rank 95) Poison Resistance II (+)
(Rank 96) Fleeting Death Arts X
(Rank 97) Supreme Martial Arts X
(Rank 98) Art of Inheritance X
(Rank 99) Qi Manipulation X
(Rank 99) Shadow Training X
(Rank 100) Corpse Dismantling X
(Rank 100) Martial Arts X
(Rank 100) Mortal Bodybuilding X
(Rank 100) Normal Cooking X
(Rank 100) Normal Swordsmanship X
(Rank 100) Thought Acceleration X
(Rank 100) Writing X
"Good! Now my income has doubled!" He exclaims. Feeling excited about that.
He feels a bit curious about the next upgrade, so he tries mentally poking the "+" button once more. Then he froze, seeing the cost.
[Insufficient Points. You need 10,000,000 Points to upgrade your Income!]
"F*ck! It multiplied by ten!?" He felt like it is unreasonable.
Even if he can accumulate two points per seconds, it will take a long time before he can accumulate enough points to upgrade his income once more.
"... Almost two months!" He muttered as he tries to calculate it within his mind.
The time he needs to wait almost multiplied by five just thinking about it.
'What's next? Will I only get three points per second if I upgrade it? What if the costs for the next upgrade become 100,000,000? Wouldn't that take me more than a year!?' He thought, dreading the time it gets to that point.
He shakes his head at that, deciding to just accept it as it is.
"Forget about it. It's how this System works. I'll get to that point later..." He said. Deciding to leave it all on the future.
____________________________________________
On the neighboring town near the Cloud Wind City.
"That bastard!" Gin Xuo slams the mug on his hand on the table, causing a resounding clank. The others sitting together with him are only silently listening to him.
He has been wearing a robe that obscures most of his appearance, though it is undeniable that he is a cultivator. His cool features are still there. It's only ruined by the wrathful expression on his face.
"I can't believe those powerless mortals are daring to disobey me!?" He shouted once more, his brows knitting angrily.
He refused to walk away from the prestige that he has for all of his life. He sees himself as better than anyone. He doesn't think that the City Lord and the others are superior to him. He was raised, spoiled and taught that he is the star of this generation after all.
"It's all that bastard's fault!" He recalls about the image of Zhou Lin who mercilessly slaps both sides of his face with a sword artifact. It feels so humiliating.
He feels a lot of grievances about everything. The way they were thrown away from the city, the citizens he has suppressed who has come out to try and live their life normally as his family has been kicked out of the city, and Zhou Lin himself. He wanted to take revenge on all of them.
He doesn't like not being the star of the show. He only wanted to use his power so he can enjoy life, and suppressed others so he can feel powerful.
As he was contemplating about things, some people in dark robes walks closer to their table. The guards he has taken along with him who are sitting along with his table looks at them with suspicion on their eyes.
Gin Xuo notices the group of dark robed men approaching him. Glaring at them with an unwelcomed frown.
"Scram!" He simply shouted.
The one leading the dark robed person is unperturbed at his rude words. He takes off his robe and shows off a rough looking face beneath it. A scar runs along his left eye and going to his cheek.
"Aren't you the prodigy of the Gin Family? How fortunate! I was actually looking for you!" He said with an amicable smile.
Though, despite smiling like that, he has released his cultivation strength. Causing the others to feel suppressed at his strength.
'.... 2nd Stage of Mountain Realm!?' Gin Xuo thought with a shocked expression.
"Do you feel like talking with us now?" The man asks while still smiling at him.
That amicable smile looks so sinister to him now as he saw his eyes gazing at him, as if gazing at his prey.
".... W-what do you want?" He asks, trying to act tough even when his knees are shaking below the table.
"We heard that a mysterious cultivator causes the downfall of your family. It's the same cultivator who helped the City Lord from dealing with the dark cultivators on the festival, right?" He said, and he didn't let him respond as he continues. "We are actually looking for him. I wonder if you will help us?"
"That...." Gin Xuo felt a bit reluctant.
Even with all of his arrogance, he is not stupid enough as to not recognized the clear indication that these people are from an evil faction.
He really wanted to achieve his revenge. It is why he took the people only loyal to him and leave the family. Seeing them as useless and spineless at not fighting for their right to stay on the city.
Though, the fear of being humiliated and mercilessly smacked by the flat of a blade makes him anxious. Despite feeling so angry that he almost pukes blood, he felt indecisive as he tries to go and come back in a repeating manner. Always having second thoughts when he gets near on the gates of the city.
He estimates that the mysterious cultivator might have been a Mountain Realm expert. So even if he recklessly goes there, he will only find himself being smacked around and humiliated. He might even be killed, making his trip useless.
Though, even with those logical thoughts, he can't move on. He wants to vent his anger at someone. He can't be satisfied if he just let it be.
He stares at the man who smiles at him, before finally having the courage to ask.
"... What do you want from him?" He wonders if they are his friends or something.
Though the man leading them only smirks.
"Our good brother was killed by that mysterious cultivator. We came here to avenge him, and also take something important on that small city." The man with a scar on his eye said.
Gin Xuo perks up at that in excitement. "Great! Then I, Gin Xuo, will help you! May I ask for your name, Senior?" He asks, now looking very lively.
"Call me Da Feng. We are from the Ruthless Demon Sword Sect." He said with a smirk on his face.
Gin Xuo trembles at that in excitement. He knows of that sect. It's a demonic sect that causes a lot of destruction in pursuit of power. They are infamous from all over the empire, and even him who lives in a small city knows of their existence.
'So what if they are from an evil faction! I will use these people and have my revenge!' He thought, his eyes glinting maliciously as he grins.