103: Investing in the Future

Three days later, Green Bamboo Courtyard, inside the quiet room.

Qin Feng slowly withdrew his power, the pale green air currents swirling around him like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, all gathered into his Dantian. He opened his eyes, and a sharp light flashed within them for a moment, like a sword blade unsheathed by half an inch, piercingly sharp.

With a thought, the System panel that only he could see unfolded before his eyes:

[Name: Qin Feng]

[Age: 18 years old]

[Rank: Late-stage Grand Martial Master]

[Talents: Sword Heart (Elementary), Sword Bone (Elementary)]

[Cultivation Technique: Primordial Unity Qi Art (Third Layer, Middle Stage)] (Note: Quality evaluated as Earth Rank Low Grade)

[Martial Skills: Finger Sword Among Flowers (Earth Rank Advanced · Proficiency), Hundred Flowers Sword Technique (Earth Rank Advanced · Proficiency), Qingfeng Sword Art (Profound Rank Top Grade · Perfection), Wind Spirit Illusion Steps (Earth Rank Advanced · Entry), Butterfly Dance Steps (Profound Rank Advanced · Perfection), Breath Concealment Technique (Profound Rank Advanced · Major Achievement)...]

[Weapon: qingming sword (Profound Rank Top Grade)]

[Armor: Black Tortoise Armor (Profound Rank Advanced)]

[Status: Good, Meridians strong, Qi and blood abundant]

As his gaze swept over the panel, a satisfied curve couldn't help but form at the corner of Qin Feng's mouth.

"Wind Spirit Illusion Steps has finally reached the Entry level!"

During these three days, besides consolidating his cultivation, he had poured the vast majority of his energy into training this newly acquired Earth Rank Advanced movement technique. Earth Rank Advanced techniques were broad and profound; even with the extraordinary Comprehension Ability of his Sword Heart talent, three days was only enough to barely reach the Entry level, mastering the most basic force-exertion methods and footwork variations, still some distance from Minor Achievement. But even so, he could feel that his speed, flexibility, and grasp of combat timing had undergone a qualitative improvement.

"Looking at it now, except for my main Cultivation Technique, the Primordial Unity Qi Art, which is slightly weaker at Earth Rank Low Grade, my offensive Martial Skills and movement techniques are almost all top-tier," Qin Feng thought to himself. A Cultivation Technique is the Foundation of the Martial Dao, determining the quality and total amount of Internal Energy, and its importance is self-evident. Although the Primordial Unity Qi Art has good subsequent potential, its current Rank has indeed become a shortcoming. If there is an opportunity in the future, he must find a higher-Rank Cultivation Technique to replace it.

Pulling back his thoughts, he took out a jade bottle, which contained the incredibly precious earth core jade marrow. He carefully dripped a few drops of the milky-white jade marrow into the hot water of the bath bucket he had already prepared.

The jade marrow dissolved as soon as it hit the water, and the entire bucket of water instantly became as warm and moist as mutton-fat white jade, emitting a dense Spiritual Qi and a refreshing fragrance.

Qin Feng removed his clothes and stepped into the bucket.

“Hiss—”

A gentle yet incredibly majestic energy, like countless tiny warm currents, instantly penetrated through his pores and into his limbs and bones! This energy was not violent, yet it was pervasive, meticulously washing through every one of his Meridians and nourishing every inch of his flesh, blood, and bone.

He could clearly feel his Meridians becoming wider and tougher under the soaking of the jade marrow energy. Some subtle hidden injuries left from previous training or battles were also quietly repaired. The circulation of his Qi and blood became increasingly smooth and surging, and a numbing, itchy sensation came from deep within his bones, as if their density was increasing. Along with this, his Sword Heart and Sword Bone let out a joyful light hum, as if they were being washed even purer.

This earth core jade marrow truly lived up to its reputation! It had miraculous effects on tempering the physique and solidifying the Foundation.

The bath lasted for a full hour, until the water in the bucket became clear again and the energy was completely absorbed. Only then did Qin Feng stand up, still wanting more. Feeling the increasingly majestic and pure Internal Energy within him and a physique that was more than a level tougher, his confidence multiplied.

"With the earth core jade marrow and my previous accumulations, it won't be difficult to reach Grand Martial Master Great Perfection as soon as possible. Next will be striking for the Martial King Realm!"

A Martial King is a huge watershed on the path of martial cultivation. Once one steps into it, Internal Energy transforms into True Essence, allowing one to initially trigger Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to fly through the air, and one's Lifespan will also increase significantly. Both strength and status will undergo earth-shattering changes.

But a Breakthrough to Martial King is by no means easy.

"Out of a hundred Grand Martial Master Perfections, if there is no king breaking pill to help, I'm afraid fewer than ten will ultimately succeed in the Breakthrough!" Qin Feng's gaze was solemn. The king breaking pill, an Earth Rank Elementary Medicinal Pill, can greatly increase the success rate of condensing True Essence and breaking through the barrier; it is an almost essential pill for striking the Martial King Realm.

However, how precious are Earth Rank Medicinal Pills? Each one is worth a fortune and is often unavailable even if one has the money. With his current wealth... Just then, light footsteps came from outside the quiet room, carrying a hint of hesitation.

"Qin Feng, are you there?" It was Ji Ruxue's cold voice.

Qin Feng straightened his clothes and opened the door to the quiet room. He saw Ji Ruxue standing outside, still in her usual brisk black attire, her face cold and elegant, but her eyes held a bit less of her usual decisiveness and a bit more of a hard-to-express hesitation.

"Sister Xue, is something the matter?" Qin Feng stepped aside to let her in.

Ji Ruxue walked into the quiet room but did not sit down. She was silent for a moment, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilt of her dagger. Finally, she looked up and looked directly at Qin Feng, her tone carrying a kind of determination that was almost like a desperate gamble: "Qin Feng, I have an unreasonable request."

"Go ahead."

"How much... money do you still have? Can you... lend it to me?" This sentence seemed to take a great deal of her strength. After finishing, she turned her head slightly, as if not daring to look into Qin Feng's eyes. "This treasure hunt, although we obtained a Cultivation Technique Legacy and earth core jade marrow, I don't dare to easily sell these for fear of attracting unwanted attention. But my Senior Sister... she urgently needs money to save her life."

She paused, then suddenly turned her head back, her eyes becoming sharp and serious again as she added: "Or, if there's someone you want to kill, tell me the name and location, and I'll take care of it for you! For free! Consider it payment!"

Looking at her like this, Qin Feng understood in his heart. This cold-faced assassin had truly set aside all her pride and principles to save her Senior Sister.

"Hehe," Qin Feng gave a light chuckle, softening the somewhat heavy atmosphere, "How much do you need?"

Ji Ruxue pursed her lips: "Two hundred thousand gold coins... no, one hundred thousand gold coins! Just lend me one hundred thousand gold coins for now!" she quickly explained, "The Earth Rank Medicinal Pill needed to treat my Senior Sister costs two hundred and eighty thousand gold coins. I have eighty thousand saved up over the years, and my Senior Sister should be able to scrape together another hundred thousand on her end, so we're still short by a hundred thousand..."

Two hundred and eighty thousand gold coins! This was indeed an astronomical sum sufficient to bankrupt many small Families.

Qin Feng did not answer immediately, his mind quickly calculating. He had previously accumulated a fortune of about two hundred thousand gold coins through various "lucky finds" and his salary from the Hundred Flowers Tower. He had spent some earlier on purchasing cultivation resources and that Gold Cicada Armor. If he took out one hundred thousand... He pondered for a moment, and under Ji Ruxue's increasingly nervous gaze, he took out a Crystal Card from his Storage Pouch—the standard proof of stored gold coins on the continent—and handed it over.

"Here is one hundred thousand gold coins."

Ji Ruxue was stunned. Looking at the Crystal Card that was as light as a feather yet as heavy as a mountain, she actually forgot to take it for a moment. She hadn't expected Qin Feng to agree so... straightforwardly.

"Take it, saving someone is more important." Qin Feng pressed the Crystal Card into her hand.

The cold touch made Ji Ruxue snap back to her senses. She gripped the Crystal Card tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. She looked up at Qin Feng, and in those habitually icy eyes, extremely complex emotions swirled—gratitude, guilt, and a sense of relief.

"Thank you..." her voice was slightly raspy, "After I save her, I will definitely repay you! I will definitely pay back this money!"

"It's fine," Qin Feng waved his hand, his tone peaceful, "This treasure hunt was thanks to you. Our harvest is already huge, far beyond what a hundred thousand gold coins can compare to."

Watching Ji Ruxue leave with profuse thanks and eyes that were almost red, Qin Feng looked at the gold coins in his Storage Pouch, which had instantly shrunk to just over a hundred thousand. His mouth couldn't help but twitch; it would be a lie to say it didn't hurt.

One hundred thousand gold coins—how many cultivation resources could that buy? It could even barely touch the edge of some ordinary Earth Rank Medicinal Pills.

But he did not regret it.

"This woman, Ji Ruxue, although cold in nature, is loyal and heavy on sentiment; her character isn't bad. Helping her this time is like providing charcoal in the snow," Qin Feng mused to himself. "She's only sixteen years old and is already at the Martial Master Peak; such talent can be called a Prodigy, and her future potential is limitless. By forming this good bond today, when she grows up in the future, she might just become a great help to me."

Investing in people, especially in geniuses, is often more valuable than investing in dead objects.

However, because of this, the plan to purchase a 'king breaking pill' would have to be postponed once again. He stroked his chin, his gaze turning back to the System panel.

"It looks like I'll have to count on the System's next refresh to bring some news of a 'windfall'... or, should I think of other ways to make money quickly?"