The next day dawned gray and humid, the kind of weather that made even cultivators feel the weight of mortal drudgery. I stood at the southern gate, spear resting lazily against my shoulder, watching distant figures move like ants around the inheritance site.
What a good life this is.
Thirteen cultivators had entered the Rank 6 inheritance so far. Seven corpses had already been dragged out—twisted, broken, eyes wide with final regret. Most were lone wanderers chasing quick fortune, the kind who thought thin luck and bold hearts could conquer ancient traps. I almost smiled. It was strange how much human activity buzzed around the site while beast activity remained suspiciously low. The inheritance was clearly managing its feeding grounds well. Who knew how many more bodies would join the pile? Part of me genuinely wished they would all drop dead. More fertilizer. More leaked treasures. More smoke for me to inhale later.
Core Area – Clan Leader Hall
Deep within the protected heart of the Wen clan, the clan leader sat in his grand hall of polished spirit wood and hanging karma lanterns. A sealed letter from the inheritance exploration overseer rested in his hands. He read it once, then again, his brow furrowing.
"After my research, that voice inside the inheritance favors Bayley the most…" he murmured to himself. "I decided to send only him, yet he didn't come right away. Claimed he was seriously injured. When I asked the voice directly, it revealed the truth—his resources were exhausted, but the injuries were superficial. He faked it. Then the boy suddenly 'broke through' to Rank 1 High Tier the very next morning."
The leader leaned back in his throne-like chair, stroking his short beard with a sigh.
"I thought this was the perfect chance to marry my granddaughter to him. A white-luck orphan with such cunning and favor from a Rank 6 immortal… Sigh. Youngsters these days are really too hot-blooded and unpredictable."
He shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated, and set the letter aside. For now, he would wait and observe.
Outer Area – Southern Gate
Jack leaned against the wooden watchtower beside me, grinning like a man who had just won the lottery.
"We're gonna hit it rich and get promoted to Rank 2 in no time," he whispered excitedly. "But Bayley… are you sure it's fine to give me this many luck-induced accessories? They're easy to hide, sure, but still…"
I passed him another small pouch containing several low-grade luck charms and a Rank 1 spirit weapon with faint fortune resonance. "It's really fine. After all, we're brothers. I gained great benefits from that Burning Smoke. Consider it thanks."
The truth was colder and more calculated. The Wealth Burning Smoke could only relieve some built-up stress in my aperture and offered a minor healing property—reducing one day of injury recovery time. Since one day had already passed, I had roughly three days left before the full after-effects faded. According to my precise calculations, that was more than enough time and accumulated luck to push toward Rank 2. Once I reached Rank 2, these Rank 1 luck weapons and accessories would become largely useless to me. Better to invest them in Jack now. A loyal connection was worth far more than dusty trinkets.
We both chuckled and cracked open a jar of strong ale. It was decent stuff for outer guards—fiery, numbing, perfect for dulling the boredom of patrol duty. Especially since the monsters in this entire sector had already been wiped out by previous clan expeditions. The two of us held back tears of laughter as we endured this "honorable" guard life, finding our only real joy in secretly plundering the inheritance like it was a well-stocked morgue.
Since I couldn't push my cultivation aggressively for the next three days without risking backlash, I returned to our small shack after the shift. Lira was there, quietly meditating in the corner, her crimson luck thread visibly denser than before. She gave me a small nod—subordinate, not lover—but said nothing as I settled down.
I activated SK Toon, the strange crystalline entertainment artifact I had scavenged earlier. To my mild surprise, the Fate Channel was actually broadcasting tonight. I sat cross-legged, waiting patiently as ten minutes ticked by.
Then the program began.
It told the story of the Wealth Immortal—a legendary figure who had reached the absolute pinnacle of Rank 8. No one in recorded history had ever been stronger than him at that stage. On the glowing projection, the ancient cultivator appeared, his eyes sharp yet weary, his voice carrying across centuries:
"Life is full of lies and deceit. Your parents wish you to bring wealth. Your wife wishes you to bring wealth. Your children wish you to bring wealth. They can see the wealth in your hands, but not the love within it.
Remember, every dew stone you spend or receive is the love you have. Be yourself and cherish your life. Even fake love is sometimes more soothing to the soul than the real love that exists in this world. Such is the reality we live in."
The immortal had learned a mysterious forbidden skill that granted him temporary Rank 9 power. Everyone expected him to ascend to the next great realm. Instead, he chose a different end.
"After I ascend to Rank 9, the wealth I cherished as my life—the wealth that never lied to me, the wealth earned with my sweat and blood, the one and only goal I pursued—will become nothing but trash to me.
Since I have no regrets after accomplishing my goal, I wish to die peacefully."
He returned to his family home and lived out his final days in quiet seclusion. He died alone. Too many enemies had been made during his ruthless pursuit of fortune. His family was never found. Yet the one thing he left behind in the hearts of countless cultivators was pure admiration. Among so many who desperately chased eternal life, dying peacefully and without regret was an achievement few could claim.
The broadcast ended.
I sat in silence for a long time, the projection fading into glowing motes. A strange sense of enlightenment washed over me. Our paths were complete opposites—he had sacrificed lifespan and peace for boundless wealth. I wished to sacrifice wealth, connections, even temporary happiness for greater lifespan and control over my own fate. Two sides of the same cruel coin, yet somehow his story brought me clarity.
I lay down immediately after. If I pondered it any longer, sleep would evade me completely.
Tomorrow there would still be guard duty so i can't afford to waste my sleep