The Hall of Administration smelled of old paper and bureaucratic malice.
Ye Tian walked in, followed by a nervous Fatty Wang. They were still buzzing from the adrenaline of mugging the "Welcome Committee" at the gate.
"Brother," Fatty whispered, clutching his new bag of loot. "Elder Zhao is in charge here. The guy whose disciple you launched into orbit during the tournament. Are we sure this is safe?"
"It's fine," Ye Tian said, adjusting his new Inner Sect robes. "I have the Sect Master's token. He can't kill me. He can only be petty."
They approached the main mahogany desk. Sitting behind it was an old man with a face like a dried prune.
Elder Zhao.
Zhao looked up. His eyes narrowed when he saw Ye Tian. If looks could kill, Ye Tian would have been reincarnated three times already.
"Ye Tian," Elder Zhao said, his voice dripping with venom. "You passed the assessment. Congratulations. I assume you are here to claim your cultivation abode?"
"I am here to claim my reward," Ye Tian said, slapping the Sect Master's token on the desk. "Top 10 finishers get a Grade-A residence. Hand it over."
Elder Zhao stared at the token. Then, a slow, malicious grin spread across his face.
"A Grade-A residence? Of course. We must reward our geniuses."
Zhao pulled out a large ledger. He flipped through the pages, pretending to look for a spot.
"Oh dear," Zhao smirked. "It seems all the Royal Pavilions are full. The 'Dragon Courtyard' is under renovation. The 'Phoenix Nest' has a termite infestation."
He tapped a stained entry at the bottom of the last page.
"This is the only one left," Zhao said, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Cave 404."
Fatty Wang gasped loud enough to be heard in the hallway. "Cave 404?! Elder, that's the 'Cursed Cave'! Every disciple who sleeps there goes mad within a week! They say at night, the walls bleed and the temperature drops low enough to freeze your soul!"
"It has character," Elder Zhao countered smoothly. "Very private. Deep underground. Perfect for... quiet reflection. Take it or leave it, Ye Tian. Or you can sleep in the stables."
Ye Tian looked at the ledger.
"System," he thought. "Scan Cave 404."
[Scanning...]
[Target: Cave 404.]
[Condition: Uninhabitable. Built directly on a clogged 'Frost Yin Leyline'.]
[Hazard: Toxic Yin energy leakage. Causes hallucinations and death.]
[Potential: If the leyline is filtered, it becomes a 'Pure Yin Paradise'.]
Ye Tian suppressed a smile. Elder Zhao, you are trying to murder me, but you are actually giving me a goldmine.
"This cave..." Ye Tian pretended to look hesitant. "It sounds... terrible."
"It's all we have!" Zhao said, stamping the key quickly before Ye Tian could change his mind. "Here! The key is yours! No refunds! Now get out of my sight!"
He threw a rusty, cold iron key at Ye Tian. "Sweet dreams, Genius."
Two Hours Later - The Edge of the Inner Sect.
Cave 404 was located in a dark, damp ravine far away from the other disciples. The entrance was covered in thick spiderwebs. A bone-chilling wind blew from the mouth of the cave.
"I'm not going in there," Fatty Wang shook his head vigorously. "I'll sleep outside. I value my sanity."
"Suit yourself," Ye Tian pushed the heavy stone door open.
CREAAAK.
Inside, it was freezing. Frost covered the stone walls. In the center of the room was a simple stone bed that looked more like a sacrificial altar. The air was heavy with black, toxic energy.
Ye Tian shivered. "Okay, this is actually haunted."
"System! I have money!" Ye Tian shouted. "I have 20,000 stones from the tournament and 500 from the robbery. Fix this dump!"
[Shop Accessed.]
[Problem: Toxic Yin Energy.]
[Solution: "Celestial Yang Renovation Package".]
[Includes: Divine Filtering Array, Luxury Furniture, Spirit-Gathering Pearl, and a Hot Tub.]
[Price: 10,000 Spirit Stones.]
Ye Tian winced. 10,000 stones was half his fortune. But living well was the best revenge.
"Buy it! Install immediately!"
[Payment Accepted. Renovation starting...]
HUMMM.
A golden light erupted from Ye Tian's body. It expanded, sweeping across the dark cave.
Where the light touched, the frost vanished, replaced by warm, polished spirit wood.
The toxic black air was sucked into a vent that materialized on the ceiling, filtered, and returned as pure, sweet-smelling white mist.
The stone altar transformed into a massive king-sized bed with silk sheets.
A glowing hot tub appeared in the corner, bubbling with steaming spirit water.
In three seconds, the "Cursed Cave" turned into a 5-Star Presidential Suite.
Ye Tian jumped onto the bed. It was soft. "Now this is cultivation."
The Next Morning.
Elder Zhao stood outside Cave 404 with a nasty smirk on his face. He had brought two disciples with a stretcher.
"Alright," Zhao rubbed his hands together. "Go in and drag the body out. He's probably frozen stiff or drooling madness by now. Be careful not to touch the walls."
The disciples nodded fearfully and pushed the heavy stone door open.
DING DONG.
A pleasant chime rang out as the door opened.
They froze.
A wave of warm, floral-scented air rushed out of the cave, hitting Elder Zhao in the face.
The inside of the cave didn't look like a tomb. It was glowing with golden light. Soft jazz music (provided by the System) was playing in the background.
Ye Tian was sitting in a silk robe at a mahogany table, sipping tea. Fatty Wang was in the corner, happily soaking in the hot tub and eating grapes.
"Oh, Elder Zhao," Ye Tian put down his teacup. "Good morning. Did you come to check on me? That's so thoughtful."
Elder Zhao's jaw dropped. He rushed into the room. He checked the corners. He checked the temperature.
It was... luxurious. The Spirit Qi was dense and pure.
"How..." Zhao stammered, his eyes bulging. "The ghosts... the cold... the toxic energy..."
"I didn't see any ghosts," Ye Tian lied smoothly, taking a bite of a spirit pastry. "Maybe they moved out? The Feng Shui here is actually amazing. I slept like a baby."
"Impossible!" Zhao roared. "This is a death trap! I mean... a challenge!"
"It's a paradise," Ye Tian corrected. "In fact, I should thank you, Elder. This is way better than those crowded dorms."
Fatty Wang waved from the hot tub. "Elder, the water is great! It exfoliates the pores! You should try it!"
Elder Zhao's face turned from pale to purple. He had given Ye Tian a punishment, and the kid had turned it into a vacation home.
He pointed a shaking finger at Ye Tian. "You... You..."
"Is there anything else, Elder?" Ye Tian asked innocently. "If not, please close the door. You're letting the expensive air conditioning out."
Zhao made a choking sound. He spun around and stormed out of the ravine, kicking a rock in frustration.
THUD.
"Ow! My toe!"
Ye Tian and Fatty watched him limp away.
"Brother," Fatty laughed, splashing water. "Being rich is awesome."