Lin Xuan stared at the softly glowing system panel hovering before him, the numbers etched into his vision with quiet finality.
[System Coins Available: 25][Required Coins: 30]
Five coins short.
In his previous life—or rather, in the memories of the body he now inhabited—this would have been the moment panic set in. Frustration. A frantic search for shortcuts. Perhaps even reckless cultivation, forcing the pill down his throat in the hope that raw luck would compensate for poor judgment.
Lin Xuan closed his eyes.
Then, slowly, he exhaled.
"Rushing now would only repeat the same mistake," he murmured.
The words weren't directed at anyone in particular. Not the system. Not fate. Not even the heavens that had tossed him into this fragile body. They were for himself.
He dismissed the purchase screen without hesitation.
The Low-Grade Body Recovery Pill remained untouched in his storage ring, its medicinal aura sealed and dormant. It wasn't going anywhere. Neither was the opportunity.
For the first time since awakening in this world, Lin Xuan felt something settle into place—not relief, but acceptance.
Power delayed was not power denied.
System Over Impulse
Lin Xuan opened the system interface again, this time not as a desperate cultivator seeking a lifeline, but as a planner.
His gaze sharpened.
"System," he said internally, "list all valid methods for earning system coins."
The response was immediate, crisp, and unembellished.
[Valid Methods for Earning System Currency:]
Quest Completion
System-Approved Growth Actions
Selling System-Recognized Items
Achievement Unlocks
Rare Events & Exceptional Outcomes
Note:External currency or items must be validated by the system to convert into system coins.Unverified transactions are invalid.
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly—not in irritation, but in appreciation.
"So exploitation is off the table," he thought.
No farming mortal gold. No abusing clan resources. No loopholes where influence replaced effort.
Fair.
More than fair, actually.
A system that could be cheated would eventually collapse under its own contradictions. This one had boundaries. Rules. Structure.
That meant it could be trusted.
And leveraged.
Why Alchemy Comes First
Lin Xuan leaned back against the edge of the bed, folding his arms as he reviewed the options in his mind.
Quests? Unpredictable, and often tied to combat or physical strain—both of which his current body could not afford.
Achievements? Valuable, but slow. Most required long-term milestones.
Rare events? Luck-dependent. Not a foundation.
That left two reliable paths.
System-approved growth actions.And selling system-recognized items.
Both pointed toward the same conclusion.
Alchemy.
It wasn't flashy. It didn't explode mountains or summon lightning. But it had three qualities Lin Xuan valued above all else right now:
Low Barrier to Entry
Scalability
Independence from Combat Strength
Most importantly, alchemy rewarded patience.
And patience, right now, was his greatest asset.
Lin Xuan reopened the system store.
His gaze locked onto a familiar listing.
[Alchemy Basics]Cost: 10 System Coins
Effect:– Grants foundational alchemy knowledge– Enables pill creation up to Stage 3– Introduces basic fire control and refinement theory– Failure rate remains high without practice
He didn't hesitate.
"Purchase."
[Purchase Successful]
[Alchemy Basics Integrated]
The sensation wasn't painful, nor was it overwhelming.
Information flowed in like a steady stream rather than a flood—definitions, diagrams, principles. The structure of medicinal herbs. The logic behind pill compatibility. The importance of balance between fire, ingredients, and timing.
Not mastery.
But literacy.
Enough to begin.
Lin Xuan opened his eyes slowly, his breathing measured.
"So this is what a clean knowledge transfer feels like," he thought.
No arrogance followed the infusion. No illusion that he could now call himself an alchemist.
He knew better.
Alchemy was not about knowing what to do—it was about executing it flawlessly under pressure.
And failure, according to the system, was not only possible.
It was expected.
A Producer's Mindset
With Alchemy Basics secured, Lin Xuan did not immediately look at the unique pill recipe.
That temptation was there, of course. The system store still listed it clearly, its description promising stability, expansion, and long-term cultivation benefits.
And its price.
20 System Coins.
Too expensive. Too risky. Too soon.
Instead, Lin Xuan scrolled downward.
He searched deliberately—not for power, but for stability.
A starter recipe.
Something normal. Something proven. Something boring.
His eyes paused.
[Basic Vitality Recovery Pill] - Cost: 10 System Coins
Tier: Common
Stage: 1
Effect:– Restores physical stamina– Mild Qi replenishment– High demand among low-stage cultivators
Ingredients:– Common herbs– Easily sourced
Failure Rate:– Moderate for beginners
Market Value:– Stable
Lin Xuan's lips curved slightly.
"This," he thought, "is a brick."
Not a sword. Not a miracle.
A brick.
With enough bricks, walls were built. Workshops. Influence. Safety.
He nodded once.
This was a pill people always needed. Injured disciples. Overworked guards. Adventurers pushing their limits.
Low margins.
High volume.
Perfect.
The World Beyond the Clan
As he considered logistics, memories surfaced again—not emotional ones, but structural knowledge.
The Heavenly Balance Trading Association.
Neutral. Efficient. Ruthless only in pricing.
They bought pills in bulk, verified quality, and resold them through shops and auctions. No favoritism. No clan bias. If your product was good, it sold.
Then there was the Alchemy Association.
Certification-based. Politically protected. Resource-backed.
An alchemist with their seal wasn't just a craftsman—he was an asset. One shielded by regulations and contracts.
Lin Xuan's thoughts aligned naturally.
First: prove capability.Second: obtain certification.Third: gain access to resources faster than any clan supply chain.
And once that happened?
Clan dependence would weaken.
Dramatically.
Limits Acknowledged
He lowered his gaze to his hands.
Qi still circulated within him—thin, cautious, like water through cracked channels. The system interface confirmed what he already felt.
Broken meridians.
That meant fire control would be sluggish. Precision would require extreme focus. Any lapse could result in instability—or outright failure.
Lin Xuan didn't flinch.
"First attempts may fail," he admitted quietly.
That was acceptable.
Failure now was cheaper than recklessness later.
He would not gamble his foundation for pride.
A Plan Takes Shape
By the time the sun dipped lower in the sky, Lin Xuan had organized his thoughts into a clear sequence.
Earn the remaining five system coins.Purchase the unique pill recipe.Stabilize his cultivation foundation.Enter the alchemy market legitimately.Reduce reliance on the Lin clan.Survive the first arc—cleanly.
No shortcuts.
No desperation.
Just progress.
He looked once more at the sealed pill in his storage ring, then at the silent furnace across the room.
"Power can wait," Lin Xuan thought.
His gaze hardened—not with ambition, but with resolve.
"Stability cannot."
And with that, he stood, already moving toward the next step—not as a survivor scrambling for breath, but as a cultivator laying his first brick.