In Xianxia With The Investment Return System, Starting My Journey by taking Demon Empress as a Disciple (Patreon)

Chapter 6: A Hundred Years Just For Qi Condensation—System, Are You Messing with Me?

After receiving the reward for his disciple’s breakthrough, Chen Daoxuan found that he had gained a complete master of the Chaos Celestial Demon Art. It felt as though he had practiced its mystical arts millions of times and could now wield them with ease.

'If I just take on a few more disciples and have them train in these system techniques, won’t I, as their master, be able to fully master each one?’ Chen Daoxuan thought, feeling a surge of excitement.

He knew the system’s techniques were at the mythic-grade, surpassing even immortal-grade techniques, which now seemed no better than street trash by comparison.

“Let’s see what level I’ve reached with these 150 years of cultivation. I wonder if I’ve hit the Profound Sky Realm yet.”

After reveling in his new technique, Chen Daoxuan opened his personal stats panel with a thought. 

Considering that his disciple was now at the Profound Sky Realm, he figured he couldn’t possibly be at a lower level than her, right?

Even if he was also in the Profound Sky Realm, with a fully mastered mythic-grade technique like the Chaos Celestial Demon Art, Chen Daoxuan was confident he could overpower not just one but entire realms above his own!

However, as he looked at his stats panel, he was dumbfounded. He even closed and reopened it multiple times, but the information stayed the same each time.

[Host: Chen Daoxuan]

[Race: Human]

[Special Physique: Hongmeng Primordial Dao Body]

[Cultivation Technique: Chaos Celestial Demon Art (Perfected)]

[Talent: Hongmeng]

[Realm: First Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm]

“…Excuse me?”

“System, are you messing with me?”

“One hundred and fifty years of cultivation, and I’m only at first layer of the Qi Condensation Realm

“Even if those 150 years had been used on a pig, it should have reached at least the Sea of Qi Realm, if not the Void Sky Realm by now!”

Looking at his first layer of the Qi Condensation Realm status, Chen Daoxuan’s face darkened as he questioned the system repeatedly.

With his Hongmeng-level talent, shouldn’t his cultivation speed be phenomenal? And yet, 100 years had only gotten him to the Qi Condensation stage?

[The Hongmeng Primal Dao Body is the most formidable constitution in existence, stronger by countless orders of magnitude than any other special constitution. However, its cultivation requirements are also several million times higher.]

[But there’s no need for the host to worry; the Qi Condensation stage of the Hongmeng Primal Dao Body is still very powerful!]

The system’s message finally echoed in his mind after a long pause. Hearing this, Chen Daoxuan exhaled deeply.

“Oh, I see…”

“But… can you be more specific about ‘very powerful’?”

“Can my Qi Condensation stage handle someone in the Sea of Qi Realm?”

Chen Daoxuan didn’t care much about the stage name itself; power was all that mattered to him! If he was strong enough, what difference did it make if he was still at Qi Condensation?

The system, however, offered no further response, as if prompting him to discover the answer himself.

“Well, fine, whatever…”

“Guess I’ll just have to rely on my disciples to make enough progress so I, their master, can break through a bit sooner!”

Chen Daoxuan shook his head helplessly, though he was reassured by the fact that as long as his disciples advanced, he’d continue to receive rewards.

This time, he’d gained a century and a half of cultivation just from a Profound Sky breakthrough. If his disciples reached higher realms in the future…

Wouldn’t he then receive thousands, even tens of thousands of years of cultivation? Even if this body was a bottomless pit, surely he’d be able to fill it someday!

If one disciple isn’t enough, then take on two—If two won’t do, then three!

And if that’s not enough, I’ll recruit every genius as my disciple!

—But, no men! A proper master wouldn’t take on male disciples anyway.

After checking his cultivation, Chen Daoxuan examined his recently acquired system points.

System Points: 2153

Two thousand points had come from the initial system gift pack, 150 were rewarded from Leng Yanran’s breakthrough, and the remaining 3 points—those were probably from the three Profound Sky-level fighters he’d defeated earlier.

Chen Daoxuan quickly understood the value of system points: in the system’s shop, he could use them to exchange for all sorts of treasures and daily necessities—even directly for cultivation years! Each system point could grant one year of cultivation, demonstrating just how precious these points were.

After a moment’s consideration, he converted 153 of the points into cultivation years, keeping 2000 in reserve.

With those 153 years added, his level rose to the second layer of the Qi Condensation realm. But seeing that, Chen Daoxuan couldn’t help but twitch a bit—realizing now that each small level-up for him would require a century of cultivation!

“Fine, no need to go overboard on cultivation just yet,” he sighed, “I’m not planning on going outside soon, and I won’t need high-level cultivation right now. Better to save these points.”

Shaking his head, Chen Daoxuan pulled out an item from his reward pack: the Primordial Spirit Enlightenment Tea Tree. After selecting a spot, he planted the tree, which immediately took root, emitting a profound Daoist aura.

Even sitting under the tea tree was enough to help one naturally fall into states of enlightenment. 

Fortunately, he planted it within the invincible area of his temple, as outside, it likely wouldn’t survive long. 

The tree would drain an entire spirit vein dry without enough nourishment, let alone thrive!

As Chen Daoxuan was about to try a fresh leaf of Primordial Spirit Enlightenment Tea, Leng Yanran stepped out from the temple hall.

Having cleansed away the filth from battle and with the effects of the Bone-Cleansing Pill still working, Leng Yanran, already beautiful as a fairy in a painting, looked even more radiant.

Her demonic clan attire was revealing, her long legs showing through as she walked with grace, her figure curvaceous and elegant. 

What was most unexpected, however, was that after training in the Chaos Celestial Demon Art, her inborn charm had awakened, leaving a subtle, intricate violet mark across her smooth belly that perfectly matched her allure.

Turning to glance at her, Chen Daoxuan was momentarily spellbound, almost exclaiming, “Demoness, aid my cultivation!” But within his temple’s invincible zone, he quickly regained composure.

Leng Yanran, however, froze upon stepping out, her gaze fixated on her master. 

In her eyes, everything around her seemed to lose color, leaving only that one figure with sword-like brows, bright eyes, and a soft, calm smile. 

He stood with one hand behind his back, a Daoist aura radiating from him as if he was the very reason the Great Dao existed.

The breeze brushed past him, causing his hair to shift, and the tea tree behind him rustled gently as if adding to the poetic scene. 

If he were described as an immortal, it would feel like an understatement.

“Not bad,” Chen Daoxuan commented with a light smile, though it was unclear whether he was praising her cultivation or her bearing.

“This is all thanks to you, Master! I am unworthy…” Leng Yanran snapped out of her trance at his voice, immediately waving her hands, unwilling to accept his praise.

“Uh, the credit’s not entirely mine,” Chen Daoxuan chuckled softly, not bothering to explain further.

“Is there anything in cultivation you don’t understand?” he asked, steering the conversation away, “Or any other questions?”