Chapter 18: What? I

Six hours, 220,000 yuan?

What joke is this?

Everyone wants to slack off at work and earn nine thousand an hour—you’re going this hard all of a sudden?

Even though you signed the second contract, you don’t need to kill yourself.

And two thousand two hundred units of cosmic energy—is that even humanly possible?

“That much?”

Li Yi also felt a surge of delight; honestly, he had no idea exactly how much he’d accomplished in six hours.

“This is your wage. Hope you maintain this state tomorrow—we need massive amounts of cosmic energy. As long as you keep capturing large quantities of pure cosmic energy, we won’t shortchange you a single cent.”

Supervisor Xu Ming said this, also trying to reassure Li Yi.

“Don’t worry—I’ll give my all in those six hours. With wages this high, I’ll risk my life for it.” Li Yi now wore the face of the perfect employee.

Xu Ming said: “Among those who signed the second contract, your efficiency is extremely high. If you can maintain this, I’ll recommend to the employer that we sign you to a long-term contract and raise your rate.”

“Alright, wages are distributed. Everyone, keep eating. I won’t waste your time anymore.”

Soon, he left with his assistant.

Li Yi held the thick stack of cash, feeling utterly delighted.

This was the largest sum he’d ever earned in his life—previously, when he’d worked for Lao Ya and others, he’d barely scraped together sixty thousand yuan total.

Now he thought of it and felt it wasn’t worth it.

“Li Yi, you’re incredible—two thousand two hundred units of cosmic energy in six hours? No ordinary cultivator could do that. Tell us, did you just get lucky and stumble into a cosmic wormhole eruption?” Zhang Gao was both astonished and envious.

Lu Jue beside him added: “I don’t think it’s luck. Li Yi, your cultivation value must be extremely high—your efficiency in guiding cosmic energy is at least three times that of an ordinary cultivator. Otherwise, you couldn’t earn 220,000 in six hours. Let me boldly guess your cultivation value… 180%.”

180% cultivation value?

At these words, everyone froze again, then a single word flashed in their minds.

Genius.

Cultivators with a value of 100% are already rare—but if your cultivation value reaches 200%, you’re unquestionably a cultivation genius.

If Li Yi’s value truly was 180%, he might as well be called a genius.

Lu Jue himself was stunned, but he knew he’d been conservative. If he’d dared to go further, he might have claimed Li Yi’s value exceeded 200%.

Nearby, Wu Zhen fell silent. His own cultivation value was only 60%—plain and ordinary. If Li Yi’s value was real, it was three times his. And that gap would show in cultivation speed.

So inevitably, in the future, Li Yi would leave him far behind—so far he’d never even see his shadow.

Unless Wu Zhen’s family also had a cultivation chamber and could afford a guide.

But if his family had such resources, why would he be working as a laborer?

“Damn.” Wu Zhen couldn’t help cursing inwardly, a sudden dread rising in his chest.

Forget seeking revenge on Li Yi—he now had to worry whether others might come after him.

“I, I didn’t expect it to be this high?”

Zhao Xiaoxiao’s heart turned bitter. This number filled her with despair.

She’d previously estimated Li Yi’s cultivation value wasn’t low—but at most, she’d thought it was 80% or 90%, never crossing 100%.

But now, seeing this wage, she realized how naive and underestimating she’d been.

Although wages don’t represent everything, guiding two thousand two hundred units of cosmic energy in six hours was utterly beyond reach. Even if she experienced a cosmic energy surge herself, she couldn’t do it.

The numbers were there—what you can’t do, you simply can’t.

This was a limit of innate talent, nothing else.

Li Yi now understood his first cosmic energy guidance had exceeded expectations—hence their shock. His cultivation value wasn’t nearly as high as Lu Jue guessed; it was exactly 80%, even with the wonder item.

But since this misunderstanding had formed, let them keep believing it—better to avoid suspicion.

Thinking this, he smiled and said: “I don’t even know my cultivation value. I just found a meditation room in the old district and started practicing. I only took three classes—I don’t understand much about cultivation.”

“Damn! After three classes in a meditation room, you’re this good? Don’t tell me you’re not a genius—this is enough to make anyone want to die of envy.” Zhang Gao blurted out a curse.

Lu Jue, curious, asked: “Li Yi, with talent like yours, you should have plenty of relatives. Your employer is willing to support you—surely no family or friends wanted to invest?”

High cultivation value naturally attracts investors and patrons.

After all, the world is no longer what it was—establishing a stake with a cultivator of great potential guarantees future advantages.

Li Yi shrugged: “I don’t have your luck. My parents are both Silent Ones—they’ve been silent for six years. My home is now bare, barely able to afford nutrient solution. How could I have time or energy to cultivate? If not for a friend pulling me up, I’d still be working menial jobs, never even getting a chance to cultivate.”

Still, he knew well: his cultivation relied entirely on the wonder item. His talent wasn’t high. Without it, he’d need two or three years just to enter the path—and who’d pay for his food, expenses, and his parents’ nutrient solution? They’d have starved to death long ago, their bodies rotting in the house.

“Both parents are Silent Ones? That explains it.” Everyone suddenly understood.

To become a Silent One meant they’d once been cultivation geniuses themselves. With both parents as geniuses, their child’s talent couldn’t possibly be low.

It was bloodline inheritance—nothing to envy.

So they now understood why Li Yi’s cultivation value was so high yet his life was so miserable.

Supporting two Silent Ones for six years—how could he not be poor?

“Li Yi, now that you’ve entered cultivation and possess such a high value, you’ll surely enter the Golden Academy and become a great figure. You’re just a coiled dragon in the depths—soon you’ll soar into the heavens.” Lu Jue spoke seriously.

“I agree. You’re not like us. This hardship is temporary. Once you escape it, your future is limitless.” Zhang Gao now felt even more certain his judgment of Li Yi yesterday had been right.

Li Yi smiled: “Thanks for your good wishes—I hope so.”

In truth, he was silently sweating.

He was no damn genius.

But he had to maintain this genius persona now.

His future earnings depended on it.

The others continued eating, but Li Yi clearly sensed their warmth and courtesy had increased. Even another cultivator came over to apologize for Wu Zhen’s earlier behavior.

Only Zhao Xiaoxiao remained troubled.

She wasn't agonizing over whether to apologize—she was figuring out how to apologize well enough to erase the misunderstanding.

A simple apology might earn only a verbal “it’s fine,” but the rift would remain. To truly resolve the misunderstanding and draw closer wasn’t simple.

Li Yi had no time to care about past grievances—he only wanted to make money. No one would stop him.

Supervisor Xu Ming’s words had given him motivation, and his fabricated genius persona shielded him from suspicion.

If he didn’t seize this chance to earn big, who knew if another would come?

So after eating, Li Yi quickly left.

“You guys eat on. I’m full—I’m going back to my room to cultivate and make up for lost time.”

Seeing Li Yi leave, the others sighed.

“Li Yi’s a cultivation genius, and he’s even harder-working than us—no wonder he’ll thrive.” Zhang Gao was both envious and admiring.

“He’s only been cultivating a short time and probably doesn’t even know the basics. Too bad we can’t measure his cultivation value—I think my estimate was too conservative.”

Lu Jue, still eating, said: “But from his future wages, I can deduce it with 90% accuracy. First-time guidance always involves some luck—but no matter how lucky, his cultivation value must exceed 150%.”

Zhao Xiaoxiao stepped closer and asked: “Do you think Li Yi’s cultivation value still has room to grow?”

Lu Jue glanced at her and smiled: “Who knows? Maybe he’s more than just a genius—or maybe he’s not as high as I estimated. Aren’t you a cultivator too? Go observe yourself. Don’t ask me.”

Zhao Xiaoxiao was rebuffed and said nothing, silently turning away.