“Isn’t that right? Prices keep going up, and who knows when the observatory will find a resource-rich planet.”

“The problem left behind by the Fiend Star still hasn’t been solved. Fiends run rampant in the wilderness, attacking human cities from time to time, and people still have the leisure to be distracted?”

“That’s true. Clearing out the sources of pollution in the wild and restoring the world should be our main goal.”

……

“Yezi.”

William Carter had just left the school gate when a young man about his age quickly caught up to him.

“Henry Cooper.”

“Did Ms. Bennett pull you aside for another ideological talk? She’s really nosy. Does your applying to the cultivation academy bother her that much?”

“Ms. Bennett was right. I’ve decided to give up on applying.”

“You finally came around…”

Henry Cooper blurted out in surprise, but then awkwardly added, “I didn’t mean it like that…”

“I get it. There’s only half a year left, and I haven’t even completed Foundation Establishment. Even if I take the exam, I won’t pass.”

William Carter said.

“Yezi, are you okay?”

Henry Cooper asked with concern.

“What could be wrong? Giving up on applying to the cultivation academy, I feel a huge weight off my shoulders.”

William Carter said with a grin.

“Really?”

“Truer than gold.”

William Carter smiled and said, “After all, you know how things are these days. The price of cultivation resources keeps rising. If you don’t have money, you can’t cultivate at all.”

Seeing that William Carter was in the mood to joke, Henry Cooper relaxed and said, “Exactly. Foundation Establishment herbs cost hundreds of thousands, Qi Refining spirit stones start at a hundred thousand. Cultivation is just burning money. Those resource companies are crazy for profit.”

“Yeah.”

William Carter nodded.

Henry Cooper chatted with him a bit more, and seeing that he really seemed to have let go of the idea of applying to the cultivation academy, he left at ease.

Watching him leave, William Carter rubbed his face, which was a bit stiff from smiling, and headed home.

At that moment, a ragged old man suddenly appeared in front of William Carter.

“Amazing, amazing! Young man, I saw a spiritual light shoot out from the top of your head. You’re a once-in-a-lifetime cultivation prodigy! As long as you buy this book from me…”

“Hold on.”

William Carter reached out to stop the old man, who had pulled out several thread-bound books, and said seriously, “At this point, I can’t hide it anymore. Listen carefully: I am actually a supreme being, but I got lost on the eternal path and have been stuck ever since, so my powers are hidden… As long as you’re willing to give me your book for free, and give me ten bucks, when I return to the top of the universe, I’ll take you along for the ride, make you look cool, and—wait, no, I’ll make you my number one general!”

The old man was stunned for a moment…

“Really?”

“Really!”

“For sure?”

“For sure!”

“Alright, then this old man will lend you a hand…”

After saying that, the old man walked toward William Carter: “Let me be your sacrifice and activate your destiny!”

“You…”

William Carter reached out to stop him.

But as soon as they touched, the old man instantly turned to dust!?

He turned into golden ashes, and with a gust of wind, scattered away.

……

“Sword Immortal? Monster?”

William Carter hurried home, still slightly out of breath.

A living person turned to ash the moment he touched him?

There’s no way that was some crazy scammer with special effects.

“Maybe… a street magician?”

William Carter sat in his chair for a while, gradually calming down.

Did he have anything worth scheming for?

Was it just a prank?

At that moment, the door to the master bedroom on the side of the living room opened, and a girl of about fifteen or sixteen with a ponytail came out.

She rubbed her eyes, looking like she’d just woken up, still a bit groggy. “Bro, you’re back? I thought you’d gone off with your sword to chase your dreams.”

“Why would I go off with my sword?”

“Why not!?”

As soon as he replied, the girl Olivia Carter perked up, came over, and stared at him with bright eyes, sizing him up: “This is your life, your destiny! Living in hardship, wandering the world, meeting a true immortal and soaring to the top. But don’t rush into it—wait a bit before you act. Remember, curiosity killed the cat, and impulsiveness is the devil.”

“Go, go, go.”

William Carter waved his hand.

“Wow, you’re in a mood. Did you roast someone?”

“Roast someone? Why would I do that?”

“Then someone must have roasted you.”

Olivia Carter said seriously, “Mr. Carter, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Sullivan, I told you to be careful, to be cautious. Don’t you know your own identity? If you really get into a fight, it’ll be a disaster. The other guy’s dad will want to kill you, his grandpa will want to kill you, and even his great-grandpa, who’s already in the emergency room, will jump out of bed and sprint a kilometer just to fight you to the death.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I’m telling the truth! Tell me, what’s your name?”

Before he could answer, Olivia Carter raised her voice, waving her fair little arm: “Your name is William Carter! Qin from the Qin family, Lin from the Lin family, Ye from the Ye family!”

“And your name is Olivia Carter, Su from the Su family.”

“That’s different.”