Ten ten.

Ruan Mianmian’s eyes widened: “Xiao Yuanzi, you wouldn’t happen to be the illegitimate daughter of some great master, or the long-lost heiress of a sect leader, would you?”

Of course, that was impossible. In the original story, her role was limited to just two lines. The system had hastily assigned her an orphan status, and all her social connections in this world were within the Yunyu Sect.

Though Su Xiaoyuan appeared innocent, she was after all a university student educated in modern-day fraud prevention. Her first reaction to a sudden windfall was not joy but fear.

Could this be some new scam in the cultivation world?

Her suspicion was not unfounded. Though the Demon Lord had been eradicated five years earlier and his demonic followers either dead or exiled, scattered across the continents, they no longer posed a significant threat. Yet, the cultivation world remained a harsh place where the strong preyed on the weak.

Outside the protection of major sects, law and order were often lacking, with some no-man’s-lands as dangerous as the lawless zones of northern Myanmar.

Leaning close to Ruan Mianmian, Su Xiaoyuan whispered, “Could it be a scam?”

Ruan Mianmian’s brow furrowed in alarm as she glared at the middle-aged man, “You’re not a swindler, are you?”

Su Xiaoyuan sighed, covering her face.

The man didn’t seem angry. Chuckling, he said, “Fairy, you jest. I am Zhao, the shopkeeper of the city’s exchange bureau. Several elders of your sect know me well. If you have doubts, you may ask your respected master to verify.”

“I’m sorry, that’s not what we meant,” Su Xiaoyuan hurriedly replied. “But I just can’t imagine anyone giving me money. Could there be a mistake?”

The man said, “No mistake. The patron specifically requested these three jade slips be delivered to Fairy Su Xiaoyuan of the Yunyu Sect’s outer gate. May I ask if there is another fairy with the same name in your outer gate?”

Su Xiaoyuan shook her head in confusion.

Ruan Mianmian asked, “Who is your patron? Why not just say?”

The man hesitated, “It’s not that I wish to hide it, but the patron used an anonymous channel. The exchange bureau only knows the transaction; the patron’s identity is untraceable.”

So it was some kind of cryptocurrency!

Is the financial industry in the cultivation world really that advanced? Su Xiaoyuan was a bit stunned.

She was a mortal who loved money, and it would be a lie to say she wasn’t tempted by such a huge sum. But life was far more precious.

She would never dare to accept such an enormous sum of mysterious origin.

“I’m sorry, I can’t accept this... Please take it back...” She glanced at the glowing jade slips one last time.

Shopkeeper Zhao smiled and closed the box. “Fairy Su, if you have doubts, the funds can be temporarily stored at the bureau. You may come to retrieve them anytime.”

He paused. “By the way, stored under your account number, the annual interest rate is four percent, which means an interest of one thousand high-grade spirit stones every month. As per bureau custom, I can advance you the interest for this first month today.”

Su Xiaoyuan blinked.

“Let me put it another way: if one day someone really comes to claim this money back from you, you only need to return the principal.”

“Is that really allowed? Is it legal?” Su Xiaoyuan was still uneasy.

“Rest assured, Fairy Su. This money is stored in your name at the bureau, and the interest rightfully belongs to you. I’ve been in this business for one hundred and fifty years and have never made a mistake.” Zhao pulled out two olive-shaped blue sapphires from his sleeve.

Su Xiaoyuan recognized these as Sea Essence Stones, each worth five hundred high-grade spirit stones.

Though currency in the cultivation world was measured in spirit stones, even cultivators didn’t carry thousands on hand. For convenience, high-value gems were used to exchange large sums.

Zhao, claiming to be busy, left the two Sea Essence Stones behind and departed.

Su Xiaoyuan still hesitated to touch them.

Ruan Mianmian said, “The shopkeeper said the interest is guaranteed. You should take them.”

Su Xiaoyuan picked up a gem. A chill seeped from the stone into her palm, as if dipping her hand in icy seawater.

She handed one to Ruan Mianmian.

Ruan Mianmian refused, “This is for you. How can I take it?”

Su Xiaoyuan insisted, “I have no expenses now. When next month’s interest comes, I’ll buy you a new puppet.”

Ruan Mianmian still declined, “You’re going to get a new puppet too? I was bragging I’d get you a high-end one for twelve hundred spirit stones.”

“The boss ran off. What can we do?” Su Xiaoyuan took her hand and pressed the Sea Essence Stone into it. “Just consider it sharing the risk.”

Only then did Ruan Mianmian accept and hugged her tightly. “Xiao Yuanzi, you’re so good...”

“Because you’re good too.”

Suddenly wealthy, Su Xiaoyuan felt like she was walking on clouds, her whole person light-headed and floating.

Spirit stones’ purchasing power was complex and hard to equate with real-world money, but three hundred thousand spirit stones translated to over three million RMB.

The five hundred stones in her pocket represented the equivalent of two hundred part-time jobs walking spirit pets after school!

At Yunyu Sect, food and lodging were covered by the sect. She occasionally browsed the marketplace in Guo City, buying small items, and her part-time earnings were enough.

She didn’t want a new puppet, and even if she did, the nearby puppet specialty shops were gone. Leaving sect territory was much more troublesome than visiting the city.

Sudden wealth left her unsure what to do with such a fortune.

Back in her dorm, the feeling was surreal.

Opening the door, she saw her stunningly handsome puppet and suddenly realized what the money could be used for.

She could buy clothes, accessories, and equipment for her doll, change its appearance...

Unable to contain her excitement, Su Xiaoyuan exclaimed, “Fu Tingyun, I’ve got great news—I can afford to take care of you now!”

The puppet gave her a skeptical side glance, eyebrows lifting in disbelief.

Su Xiaoyuan wondered if she was imagining it. She pulled the precious Sea Essence Stone from her storage pouch.

“Look, this is a Sea Essence Stone, worth five hundred spirit stones. I can get one every month. Ahhh, how am I different from the richest person in the Three Realms, huh, Fu Tingyun...”

“No.” The genuine richest person in the Three Realms looked at the blushing girl with stars in her eyes and said honestly.

Being happy over just five hundred spirit stones a month—she wasn’t sure whether to call her naïve or inexperienced.

Su Xiaoyuan smiled sweetly. “Hey, you’re a puppet. You probably never saw this much money.”

She took his slender, cool fingers and generously placed the Sea Essence Stone in his palm. “Here, feel the magic of huge wealth.”

Fu Tingyun was speechless.

Su Xiaoyuan examined the stone again and again, played with it, then carefully packed it into her small fragrant pouch and slipped it inside her pillowcase before washing her face and changing clothes.

Just as she finished changing, Ruan Mianmian called from outside, “Xiao Yuanzi, time for class! Don’t forget to bring your puppet!”

Suddenly, Su Xiaoyuan remembered she was meeting Elder Qin today to have a formation array installed on her puppet.

It was like a bucket of cold water thrown on her, instantly waking her from the fantasy of sudden wealth.

Yes, this puppet was not just a doll but also an important teaching aid.

Su Xiaoyuan, an ordinary person with lofty ambitions, often dreamed of quickly rising to the level of Immortal Lord Lingyue and reuniting with her parents, but when faced with actual study, it was another matter.

She splashed cold water on her face and left with her puppet.

The first class in the afternoon was “Safety and Ethics of Spirit Collection,” held at Little Qing Hill.

As they walked, Su Xiaoyuan explained to her puppet, “Our sect has seven elders living on six islands. To attend an elder’s class, we must go to their island.”

“Little Qing Hill is Elder Bai’s island. Elder Bai’s true form is a nine-tailed fox. All disciples who are animal or plant spirits belong to his jurisdiction.”

“There are rainbow bridges between the islands. If you’re in a hurry, you can take a ferry, but it costs a ferry fee.”

“I worked part-time as a boatman once. One hour earns three high-grade spirit stones, but you have to compete for spots. I didn’t get one this month.”

Fu Tingyun was speechless—truly a tear-jerking tale.

They left early today and even skipped lunch to avoid taking the ferry, choosing to walk across the bridge.

Though Ruan Mianmian, a Golden Core stage cultivator, could fly, she insisted on accompanying her best friend on foot out of loyalty.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t understand saving a few medium-grade spirit stones by walking half an hour.

Even in the mortal world, he was born into royalty, a silver spoon in his mouth. There were no poor people in his world.

Arriving at Little Qing Hill’s schoolhouse, most students were already there.

Yunyu Sect forbade bringing spirit beasts to class but allowed puppets, as puppets were considered teaching aids.

Su Xiaoyuan’s new puppet immediately attracted attention as soon as she entered.

Familiar outer gate disciples greeted her, “Xiaoyuan, is that your new puppet? So handsome! Where did you buy it? Must have been expensive!”

She shook her head, “It’s alright, not expensive... bought it in Guo City, but that shop is gone now...”

She dodged the question and sat down with Fu Tingyun in a back corner.

There were three months left until the entrance exam. The course was complete, now in review.

After the class bell rang twice, Elder Bai walked in, dressed in fiery red.

Elder Bai’s human form was a mature youth of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, handsome features, loosely dressed in a robe with wide sleeves and a sash, unbuttoned down to his navel, revealing a broad, ivory-toned chest. His black hair was tied at the ends with a cloth band matching his robe.

Fu Tingyun had never seen such a casual, undignified outfit. Expressionless, he glanced at the girl beside him, who was staring blankly at the alluring fox spirit with flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

Su Xiaoyuan adored this style. Just imagining her puppet dressed like that made her heart race.

She knew she could never afford Elder Bai’s outfit but could look for similar styles at the market without magical power—they wouldn’t be too expensive.

She quickly glanced at Fu Tingyun. Right, she could get a white wig—that would suit that outfit perfectly!

The more she thought about it, the more excited she became, completely missing what Elder Bai was saying.

Just as she was daydreaming, Elder Bai suddenly said, “Su Xiaoyuan, you speak.”

She stood up abruptly, face blank.

Ruan Mianmian, sitting in front of her, turned and whispered, cupping her hand, “The first lesson’s focus... sword cultivators...”

Su Xiaoyuan hurriedly said, “The first lesson’s focus is... cherish life and avoid sword cultivators.”

Elder Bai nodded, “Correct. Expand on why one should avoid sword cultivators.”

Su Xiaoyuan’s face turned crimson as she frantically flipped through her notebook, “Because sword cultivators... sword cultivators...”

Finally, she found her notes and breathed a sigh of relief: “Because sword cultivators usually have poor quality but long-lasting swords, large instruments but poor skills, and nine out of ten swords break.”