Cultivation Is Money-Grabbing C36

Chapter 36: A Face Full of Falsehoods – Finally, Time to Slack Off

As the final match approached, Lian Mu decided to sneak out over the wall to make some money and fix up Fortune

Two rounds of the competition had already concluded, leaving seventy-five sword cultivators in contention. Those with ambitions of making it into the top ten and securing a master’s seat were spending the night rigorously training their swordsmanship, making the most of every free moment.

Meanwhile, someone like Lian Mu, who had no interest in taking a master, had mentally checked out after the second round. Since she had to stay regardless, she didn’t care how she spent the night.

Arriving at the Star-Plucking Tower, the first thing she did was head to the dining area and grab a pile of food.

“Money Grab?”

The Body cultivator Fangling Shiba, fresh out of the Transmission Mirror, spotted her from afar and walked over.

Lian Mu saw him too. After some time spent together, their relationship had improved—at the very least, he no longer seemed eager to fight her.

She handed him a plate of pink pastries. “Thanks for last time.”

Fangling Shiba had just finished slaying a Magical beast, his entire body reeking of blood, and every movement carried a faint killing intent. He accepted the pink pastries without a change in expression and sat down across from her.

“No need for thanks,” Fangling Shiba said. “That White Lark Sparrow i fought last time ended up surrendering of his own accord.”

Lian Mu: “He couldn’t beat you?”

Fangling Shiba: “Why do you sound so surprised? Is it really that shocking that he couldn’t beat me?”

Lian Mu: “…I always talk like this.”

“Money Grab, has anyone ever told you…” Fangling Shiba leaned in, “whenever you speak, it always sounds like you’re mocking people?”

Lian Mu: “?”

“I’m serious. I heard those guys dressed in all black talking about you. They all think… ‘That Cultivation Is Just a Money Grab girl sure has a punchable face, and she’s ridiculously arrogant.'”

Lian Mu: “???”

Fangling Shiba lowered his voice. “I’ve even heard the rumors—when you first arrived, you punched a Gold Beast to death, and when you got mad, you smashed a pill furnace.”

“You were the one who slaughtered a newly molted Gold Beast in the hunting grounds, hacking it into pieces and skinning it alive.”

And it wasn’t just once. Every time she took on a bounty, the targeted Magical beast inevitably met a gruesome fate—either flayed alive or gutted.

Not a single intact corpse remained after she was done. Even the black-clad bounty hunters couldn’t bear to look.

A rumor had even spread on the first floor of the Star-Plucking Tower: White Lark Sparrow was a lunatic who loved picking fights with sword cultivators, while Cultivation Is Just a Money Grab had a sadistic obsession with torturing Magical beasts.

“…Those were accidents. I’m actually a really nice person,” Lian Mu attempted to explain.

Fangling Shiba patted her on the shoulder. “No need to explain—I like having friends who are different.”

“Actually, I never finished my fight with White Lark Sparrow,” he added calmly. “That day, he insisted on making me speak, but I didn’t give him the chance. Then he suddenly forfeited, saying he had something urgent to attend to. He hasn’t shown up for the past two days.”

“He still has a bounty on me?” Lian Mu asked.

“Yeah, right on the most conspicuous spot on the south wall. He even left instructions not to let anyone else take it—he wants to fight you personally,” Fangling Shiba said with some envy. “Too bad I’m not a sword cultivator. I wish I had a rival chasing me around for duels.”

Lian Mu: “If I have a bounty on the first floor, will it affect me going to the second?”

She didn’t want to stay on the first floor anymore—the money here and the Magical beast ranks were no longer enough for her.

At her words, Fangling Shiba looked even more confused. “There’s a second floor?”

“You seriously didn’t know?” Lian Mu said. “This place has ten floors. Based on the number of bounties you’ve taken, you should’ve moved up to the second long ago. The beasts there are of higher rank.”

Fangling Shiba was clearly unaware. “…I’ll ask around later.”

They chatted for a while before Lian Mu took out a pill bottle, swallowed a qi-replenishing pill, and prepared to pick up a bounty.

Fangling Shiba noticed the pill in her hand and suddenly asked, “That pill looks pretty good. What grade is it?”

“No idea.” Lian Mu had made it herself and never bothered categorizing them—so long as it worked, she didn’t care.

Judging by the ingredients, it was probably between seventh and eighth grade. With her three spiritual roots, she couldn’t refine high-grade pills just yet—she’d have to improve over time.

She answered casually, “I just made it for fun. Nothing special.”

“You can refine pills? No wonder you blew up a pill furnace—I was wondering what you were doing in the alchemy room.”

Fangling Shiba knew little about alchemy, so he judged quality purely by appearance—if a pill was round and looked nice, it had to be good.

“Funny, I have a friend who’s an Alchemy Cultivator. She went home recently, but when she’s back, I’ll introduce you two.”

Lian Mu stood up. “Sure. Are you taking any bounties today? Want to team up?”

Fangling Shiba hesitated for a moment before saying, “I have something to do later, so I’ll pass. Maybe another time.”

“Alright.”

After he left, Lian Mu got back to business. She went to the north wall and took a few bounties—just enough to cover the cost of materials.

“You again?”

The spirit materials shop owner from last time recognized her immediately.

Lian Mu handed over the spirit stones. “Flame Gold and Mixed Dry Bone Powder—same grade as last time, but six parts less.”

She was only reforging her sword this time, so she didn’t need as much Flame Gold.

As he adjusted the quantities, the shop owner asked, “How’s the sword forging going?”

Lian Mu: “So-so.”

He handed her the adjusted Spatial Pouch. “Told you so—newbies like you need more practice. Jumping straight from artifact crafting to weapon forging? Impossible.”

Unless one had a single spiritual root, it was practically unheard of.

Lian Mu: “…”

She took the pouch and left without arguing.

Facai’s sword body had cracked. As soon as she pulled it from her Spatial Pouch, the stench of a Green Claw Toad’s stomach acid filled the room.

Lian Mu remained unfazed, but moments later, someone in the adjacent Artifact Refiners’ room burst out the door, retching audibly.

“Ugh—what the hell is that?!”

“Are you people in the Star-Plucking Tower insane? I’ve heard of incense, but who the hell burns stench?!”

A loud commotion erupted outside.

Lian Mu: “…”

Out of the last shred of her conscience, she tossed 300 spirit stones into an artifact box and bought a bottle of mist to mask the smell, cleansing the entire room.

The stink was soon replaced by the scent of magnolia, and the noise outside finally died down.

She placed Fortune on the forging platform and started repairs.

This time, she didn’t plan to add anything new. Facai’s current state suited her just fine.

After finishing, she checked the time—still early. So she headed to the alchemy room to make some pills.

Technically, the pill furnaces in Gui Xian Sect were better than those in the Star-Plucking Tower.

So why wasn’t she refining pills there?

Because ever since Guan Shize started leading a group of new disciples to Yinxing Peak every day, the peak master of Hanlai Peak had ordered all sword cultivators to stay away from Yinxing Peak without reason. Night patrols had also doubled.

Compared to Yinxing Peak, the Star-Plucking Tower was far more convenient. Besides, no one here knew her real identity.

As she left, she glanced at the bottom of the pill furnace on a whim. The paper slip from last time was gone—and a new one had appeared.

Lian Mu paused and pulled it out.

“Apologies for my previous abruptness and lack of consideration. If you’re willing to meet, I’ve left a gift on the tallest redwood in the forest behind the Star-Plucking Tower. I’ll return in a few days. If you’re unwilling, then it’s simply not meant to be. The gift will remain there—you’re free to take your time.”

Lian Mu raised an eyebrow. “The woods again?”

This kind of setup screamed trouble.

Considering the recent events, it was hard for Lian Mu not to suspect that someone was deliberately trying to cause her trouble, setting up a trap and waiting for her to take the bait—like that crazy Bai Lingque, for example.

Still, for the sake of the “meeting gift,” she tucked the note into her sleeve but didn’t leave a reply. She walked out calmly, pretending to know nothing.

Late that night, Lian Mu returned to Gui Xian Sect. She was exhausted and fell asleep the moment she lay down.

In her dreams, it felt like something was scratching at her. Half-asleep, she waved it away, rolled over, and pulled the blanket over her head before drifting back to sleep.

“The illusion realm is about to open. Are all junior sisters and brothers ready?”

“Yes!”

Seventy-five new disciples stood in formation and answered in unison. They were the elite chosen from a group of three hundred, their eyes filled with determination, their voices firm and resolute.

The third trial was a one-on-one battle against Magical beasts, held within the Illusion Realm. Each disciple would enter their own separate illusion, encountering different types of Magical beasts.

According to the elders, they had already experienced the Flame Beast Illusion during the entry test. This time, there would be only three types of Magical beasts—Water Beasts, Wood Beasts, and Earth Beasts.

“At least there are no Metal Beasts. That’s a relief.”

“What do Earth Beasts look like? I’ve never seen one before.”

“Not sure. I heard they’re pretty lazy, but most of them are poisonous. Water Beasts can merge with water and tend to move in groups. If you run into one near water, you’re in trouble—you won’t even be able to find it. Wood Beasts live alongside spirit plants and disguise themselves as vegetation to ambush people. None of them are easy to deal with.”

Before entering the illusion realm, a senior sister adjusted the Hun Tian Compass¹, while the disciples exchanged thoughts below.

They were all sword cultivators—formalities weren’t their thing. If they wanted to talk, they talked.

Lian Mu stood among them, sporting dark circles under her eyes, looking completely out of place compared to the energetic crowd.

The elders were also observing the trial from the cloud platform. Lian Mu glanced up—one was missing. Murong Yi didn’t seem to have come.

Guan Shize nudged her. “Did you not sleep well last night?”

Lian Mu’s face practically had the word “exhausted” written all over it. Guan Shize was worried she might collapse on the spot, so he handed her a Wakefulness Pill.

“Thanks.” Lian Mu swallowed it. “I’m fine.”

She really hadn’t slept well.

She hadn’t gone to bed particularly late the night before, and normally, nothing ever happened when she slept.

But last night, she kept feeling something scratching at her neck. She couldn’t stand it anymore and sat up to check, but there was nothing in the room.

After a whole night of this, she ended up completely sleepless. By morning, she was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. She just threw on her outer robe and hurried over.

To the others, Lian Mu didn’t look like someone here to fight Magical beasts. She looked like someone delivering herself as beast food.

Guan Shize warned her, “You’d better be careful. Once you’re inside the Pangu Illusion Realm, the Magical beasts won’t hold back.”

Lian Mu waved it off. “Isn’t it just an illusion? It’s all fake. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Guan Shize: “…You’re talking about the lowest-level illusion realms. Those are fake. The rest are real, just set in different locations. The only thing keeping you from dying is the protective Spirit Jade Token.”

But getting hurt? That was inevitable.

Lian Mu sighed. “Oh… I see.”

So, it was basically like the Demon Hunt competition at the Star-Plucking Tower.

Before she could ask more, the senior sister beside the Hun Tian Compass* stood up. Speaking as a fellow sword cultivator, she announced, “The Pangu Illusion Realm is now open. Please enter with your Spirit Jade Tokens.”

“May all fellow disciples have a smooth trial.”

The disciples began moving.

Guan Shize tapped Lian Mu’s elbow with his sword. “Let’s go.”

Lian Mu snapped out of her daze, hugged her sword, and followed Guan Shize into the illusion realm.

Finally, a trial where she could slack off.

Notes:

1. In the cultivation world, the Hun Tian Compass (混天仪) is often depicted as a powerful spatial artifact used for space manipulation, teleportation, and tracking spatial disturbances. ↩︎