Investing in the Reborn Empress, Rewarded With 10x Returns

Vespera did not wait for an answer. She released his wrist, spun on her heel, and walked away.

"A true menace," Theo muttered.

He decisively turned his back on his master. Theo knew Vespera thrived on disruption. She was an elder who operated on whims, treating the strict rules of the cultivation world as mere suggestions. Engaging with her teasing only invited further chaos. He had errands to run.

He didn’t bother using a jade compass to find his way...

The layout of the provincial capital was straightforward, strictly segregated by commerce tiers. He headed straight toward the Aurelian Central Plaza, situated a few miles deep into the merchant wards.

He needed two specific items.

Returning to the estate without a gift for Elara was a surefire way to endure days of endless pouting. The young princess had been training fiercely, and she deserved a reward.

Furthermore, Liana’s condition required immediate attention. Their nightly dual cultivation sessions were accelerating his growth tenfold, but the process was not without friction. Her Supreme Yin physique was naturally cold, while his Abyssal Forge radiated scorching heat.

The resulting clash generated immense amounts of refined qi, but it also left dangerous fissures in her delicate meridians. She needed a premium alchemical stabilizer.

The walk offered a welcome distraction. Theo’s own meridians burned with a lingering, abrasive heat.

The aftermath of his battle with the Syndicate assassins, combined with the strain of forcing his Inner Scenery cultivation, left his internal pathways bruised.

He ignored the ache and observed the city.

The central plaza was an entirely different world compared to the outer sect regions. There, disciples fought tooth and nail for a single low-grade spirit stone.

Here, towering pavilions displayed glowing holographic array projections that advertised items worth kingdoms.

Formations showcased advanced flying swords, rare beast-taming collars, and defensive talismans that cost more than a commoner earned in a lifetime.

Theo stopped briefly to admire a projection of a set of Dragon-Scale armor.

The craftsmanship was undeniable...

A proper set of defensive gear was on his future purchase list. Surviving the Syndicate’s assassination attempts had taught him the value of layered defense.

Eventually, he reached a towering structure known as the Heavenly Forge. It was a premier weapon dealer.

The interior was vast. The lighting was meticulously controlled to highlight the edge of every blade on display.

Weapons were arranged by grade.

Basic iron and steel tools sat near the entrance.

Deeper inside, spirit-infused weapons behind reinforced crystal cases demanded exorbitant sums.

At the very back, peak-grade armaments were sealed within isolated qi-barriers.

Theo bypassed the glowing displays. He approached the main counter where an attendant waited.

"I need a training sword," Theo stated. "Solid star-iron core. No sharp edges, but it must weigh at least five hundred pounds and withstand extreme blunt-force impact without snapping."

Elara’s physical strength was growing at an alarming rate. She had already snapped three standard training swords simply by swinging them too hard during Vespera’s conditioning drills.

She needed something indestructible, yet dull enough not to accidentally cleave a sparring partner in half.

The attendant blinked, confused. She tapped a jade ledger on the desk, searching the inventory.

"I apologize, young master. We carry star-iron broadswords, but they are fully sharpened combat artifacts. A blunt training sword of that weight and material..." She shook her head. "That would require a custom commission from one of our grandmasters. We do not stock such specific training tools."

Theo frowned.

He thanked the attendant and walked out. He would have to figure out Elara’s weapon situation later.

Perhaps he could commission a local blacksmith instead of a luxury pavilion.

Stepping back into the plaza, he shifted his focus. The area was packed with specialized merchants.

Apothecaries, array masters, and beast breeders operated side by side, catering to the capital’s wealthy elite.

He spotted a grand building adorned with the emblem of a mortar and pestle. The Thousand Herbs Pavilion.

Theo stepped inside. Rows of glowing alchemical fires danced in the background, monitored by junior apprentices.

A middle-aged alchemist evaluated him from behind a long wooden counter.

"I require Ice-Vein Lotus extract," Theo said, stepping up to the counter. "I need a month’s supply of the premium grade. Do not bring me the diluted standard."

The alchemist raised a brow but offered no unnecessary commentary.

She unlocked a sealed cabinet behind her and pulled out a polished wooden lockbox.

"Premium Ice-Vein extract. Highly volatile if mishandled," the alchemist said. She placed the box on the counter. "Two thousand spirit stones per vial. You asked for a thirty-day supply, which totals sixty thousand spirit stones. We offer a bulk discount, dropping the total to fifty-nine thousand five hundred."

Theo’s eye twitched.

Sixty thousand spirit stones, and the discount was a mere five hundred? It was almost insulting.

In the outer sect, a disciple could live comfortably for a year on five hundred stones. Here, it was thrown out as a negligible courtesy.

Before securing the bounty payout and the artifact lease, an expense like this would have bankrupted him instantly.

Now, he possessed the capital, but parting with such a vast sum still stung.

Yet, cheaper stabilizers were risky. Liana’s foundation was too important to compromise...

"I will take it," Theo said. He transferred the stones from his spatial ring.

As the alchemist processed the transaction, the burning ache in Theo’s meridians flared up.

He had been suppressing the discomfort for days. He briefly considered asking the alchemist for a batch of soothing pills for himself.

Before he could speak, a chime echoed in his mind.

[Ding!]

[The Crucible of Genesis has achieved a breakthrough.]

[Second Phase: Iron-Bone Forging Completed.]

[Third Phase: Golden Meridian Tempering Unlocked.]

[Rewards Distributed:]

[+100 Physical Strength]

[+100 Agility]

[+100 Constitution]

[+100 Inner Scenery Qi Reserves]

Theo froze.

A torrent of energy erupted from his dantian. His muscles seized as power flooded every fiber of his being.

The system rarely granted flat attribute boosts unless a major threshold was crossed... The Crucible of Genesis was a primordial body-tempering art.

For a few agonizing seconds, his entire body hummed. It felt as though his skeletal structure was being torn apart and rebuilt with unbreakable steel.

The sensation vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a profound, radiant warmth.

The abrasive burning in his meridians was gone. Reaching the Golden Meridian stage meant his internal pathways were now resilient enough to handle true, unadulterated karmic fire.

He could still sense the raw heat of his Abyssal Forge, but it no longer caused him pain. It was entirely under his command.

He stood motionless.

"Sir?" The alchemist was looking at him. She held out the wooden lockbox and a jade receipt.

Theo snapped out of his trance.

He took the lockbox, nodded to the alchemist, and walked out into the afternoon sun.

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