Cultivation System
Chen Fengyun shook his head repeatedly, explaining that he was only interested in the Gao family’s collection, not because he coveted their possessions. Although his parents had ordinary jobs, they provided well enough for the family, so he had never been particularly enthusiastic about money.
“I knew you weren’t that kind of person, Madman. Isn’t this just a test for you?” Gao Xiaohua joked.
The Gao family’s collection amounted to just over a hundred pieces, displayed in a specially reinforced room. Shelves lined the walls, with a central row of wooden racks, and surveillance cameras in every corner. The entrance was secured with an automatic alarm and anti-theft door.
If Gao Xiaohua hadn’t brought Chen Fengyun in, any outsider touching the door would have triggered the alarm, and the surrounding area was monitored from every angle, so the Gao family would be alerted immediately.
However, Gao Xiaohua clearly had the authority to enter. He opened the door, disabled the surveillance, and only then invited Chen Fengyun into the collection room before closing the door behind them.
“What a dazzling array, Fatty. Your father must have spent a fortune on these,” Chen Fengyun said, gazing at the many artifacts, somewhat overwhelmed.
“My father doesn’t have many hobbies, except for collecting. Besides, he’s so rich that money’s all he’s got left. There aren’t many items here, but they’re worth half the family fortune,” Gao Xiaohua replied.
“Show off. ‘So poor that money’s all you’ve got’—how many people dare to say that?” Chen Fengyun said with mock disdain, though he showed no sign of envy.
The wealthy have their way of living, the less fortunate theirs. Happiness in a family isn’t measured by wealth, but by the sense of contentment.
“I’m not bragging to you. My father’s just like this, always lecturing me about his collection. You have no idea how much I resent it. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be like this—he fed me so many supplements as a child that I ended up this way. You can imagine how I feel.”
“Enough grumbling. Show me the collection. As the young master of the Gao family, your father must have told you all about it,” Chen Fengyun interrupted, having heard Gao Xiaohua complain before.
“These are three copper coins from the Zhenguan era of the Tang dynasty, issued when Li Shimin was emperor. A few years ago, my father bought them from an old farmer by the roadside in Anxi City, Shaanxi Province, for just five thousand yuan.
“This painting is supposedly an original by Wu Daozi. My father bought it at an auction in Hong Kong for 5.8 million. I can’t say if it’s genuine, but with my father’s intelligence, I suspect he’s been duped more than once.”
Piece by piece, Gao Xiaohua introduced the collection, recounting the stories behind each item with pride, despite his professed resentment toward his father.
“This one is special—it looks like an ordinary jade pillow, but it’s tied to a legend. Remember the story of the dream of Huang Liang? It’s said the protagonist slept on this very jade pillow.”
The two of them stood before a jade pillow about a foot long. Gao Xiaohua pointed at the yellowed jade, but Chen Fengyun remained skeptical.
“So, have you tried sleeping on it? Ever dreamt of Li Xiaoya?” Chen Fengyun asked.
“Heh, I’ve tried, but I never dreamt of her. That’s why I say my old man’s collection is probably fake.” Gao Xiaohua scratched his head and chuckled.
As they bantered, Chen Fengyun reached for the jade pillow. The moment he touched it, his mind was jolted by an intense sensation, as if something within him was yearning.
“What’s going on?” Startled, Chen Fengyun withdrew his hand, and the sensation vanished instantly, as if nothing had happened.
“What’s wrong? Afraid to even touch it? I told you it’s fake—handle it however you like. Even if you drop it, it’s no big deal,” Gao Xiaohua said casually, noticing Chen Fengyun’s hesitation. He handed the jade pillow to him.
As soon as he touched the jade pillow again, the strong vibration in his mind returned, along with a surge of information urging him to absorb the jade pillow’s unique energy.
Chen Fengyun realized that the source of the vibration and information was his cultivation interface in his mind. He hesitated, uncertain what would happen if he absorbed the jade pillow’s energy—what if it was damaged?
Yet the persistent vibration and yearning made him feel this was an opportunity—a chance to understand his cultivation interface and situation. After a moment’s thought, he steeled himself to absorb the energy.
Instantly, a unique energy vanished from the jade pillow, absorbed into his body, and then disappeared. To his relief, the jade pillow remained unchanged.
“Better be careful. If you really break it, your father will make me pay for it,” Chen Fengyun said nonchalantly, pretending to examine the pillow before returning it to its shelf.
He checked his cultivation interface and was shocked to see a change: the attribute points, previously at zero, had increased to two, and the plus signs after Spirit and Cultivation were now glowing.
“Could it be that these points can be used to enhance Spirit and Cultivation?”
Chen Fengyun speculated. The plus signs had only appeared after the attribute points increased, suggesting a connection.
“No matter, I’ll give it a try.”
He willed to enhance his Cultivation. Suddenly, a rush of spiritual energy poured into him, merging with his own and swiftly opening several more meridians, allowing him to clearly sense the flow of spiritual energy within.
“Attribute points really can enhance Cultivation. But after reaching the second level of Qi Refining, the plus sign goes dim again. Looks like it can’t be increased any further for now.”
He saw his Cultivation had indeed reached the second level of Qi Refining, but the plus sign was now dark, while only the Spirit plus sign remained lit, and there was just one attribute point left.
“Let’s try enhancing Spirit.”
He did so, using his last attribute point. A cool sensation swept through his mind, and he felt his Spirit sharpen instantly; it was as if the world around him had become brighter.
Just as he expected, once the attribute points dropped to zero, the plus sign after Spirit went dark as well. He surmised that only with enough attribute points could he enhance each option.
His cultivation interface now read:
Spirit Root: Mortal Grade, Level 10
Spirit: Mortal Grade, Level 2
Cultivation: Qi Refining, Level 2
Technique: Heaven and Earth Qi Nurturing Art (Mortal Grade, Level 3)
Skills: None
Magical Treasures: None
Attribute Points: None
Chen Fengyun was inwardly astonished. In this age of fading spiritual energy, true cultivation was thought impossible. Yet he had acquired such a miraculous system, converting special energies directly into attribute points, which could then be used to enhance his various abilities.
“How defiant is this? Even in this age, I might be able to continue cultivating and become strong.” Taking a deep breath, Chen Fengyun found a way forward and quietly suppressed his excitement.