The biting wind whipped through the sparse courtyard, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and the faint, almost mocking aroma of medicinal herbs from the distant Inner Sect peaks. Lin Fan shivered, pulling his thin, patched outer disciple robe tighter around himself. He stared numbly at the single, dull, low-grade Spirit Stone resting in his palm – the entirety of his monthly allowance from the Azure Cloud Sect.
One low-grade Spirit Stone. Barely enough to sustain the most basic cultivation for a week, let alone make any meaningful progress in the grueling Qi Refinement Realm. He was already sixteen, and stuck at the third layer of Qi Refinement. In a place like the Azure Cloud Sect, where talent was paramount, his progress was laughably slow. Peers who had joined alongside him were already pushing towards the sixth or seventh layer, some even dreaming of Foundation Establishment.
Lin Fan sighed, the sound lost in the wind. His talent was mediocre, his background non-existent. He was just another nameless, faceless outer disciple among tens of thousands, destined to toil away at menial tasks until kicked out or dying of old age, never truly touching the path of cultivation immortality. Despair gnawed at him, a familiar, unwelcome companion.
What could he even do with one Spirit Stone? Buy a single, low-quality Qi Gathering Pill? Practice the sect's basic 'Azure Origin Chant' for a few extra hours, only to hit the same bottleneck? It felt utterly hopeless.
He slumped onto the rough wooden bench outside his dilapidated hut, the cold seeping into his bones. He closed his eyes, a wave of weariness washing over him. Maybe... maybe this path wasn't for him after all.
DING!
A sound, crisp and clear like a celestial bell, echoed directly inside his mind.
Lin Fan's eyes snapped open. He looked around wildly. Was someone playing a prank? The courtyard was deserted, save for a few other equally miserable-looking outer disciples shuffling back to their own huts far across the yard.
[Infinite Squandering System initialization complete.]
[Binding Host: Lin Fan.]
[Binding successful!]
A translucent blue screen shimmered into existence before Lin Fan's eyes, visible only to him. Lines of text scrolled across it, imbued with an aura that felt ancient and unbelievably powerful.
"W-what?" Lin Fan stammered, his heart suddenly pounding like a war drum. A system? Like the ones described in outlandish tales whispered among disciples – legendary artifacts or encounters that granted immense power? Could it be real?
[Welcome, Host Lin Fan!]
[This system is dedicated to helping the Host reach the pinnacle of existence through the unparalleled joy of squandering!]
Squandering? Lin Fan blinked, confused.
[Core Functions:][1. Infinite Wealth: Host possesses unlimited access to all forms of currency within the current world (Spirit Stones, Gold, etc.). Simply will it, and it shall appear.]
[2. System Points: Earned by squandering wealth, showing off, completing missions, and triggering envy/shock/admiration in others. Points are crucial for utilizing other system functions.]
[3. Lottery Draw: Expend System Points for a chance to draw items, skills, bloodlines, cultivation techniques, physique enhancements, etc., appropriate to the Host's current cultivation realm.]
[4. Daily Giveaway Quota: Host is encouraged to give away resources daily. Current Limit: 10,000 items per day. Giving items away generates System Points based on the value and reaction of recipients.]
[5. Missions: System will issue main and side missions to guide the Host and provide entertainment (and rewards!).]
Lin Fan's jaw dropped. Infinite... wealth? Unlimited Spirit Stones? He stared at the single, pitiful stone still clutched in his hand. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing mind. Could it be true?
System, he thought tentatively, focusing on the first function. Give me... give me ten mid-grade Spirit Stones.
Instantly, a faint spatial fluctuation occurred. Ten luminous, energy-rich stones, each radiating a presence far exceeding his low-grade one, materialized silently in his lap. They felt cool and smooth, thrumming with pure spiritual energy.
Lin Fan gasped, scrambling to gather them, his eyes wide with disbelief that rapidly turned into ecstatic joy. It was real! Mid-grade Spirit Stones! One was worth a hundred low-grade ones! Cultivating with these would be exponentially faster!
But the system said... infinite.
He took another, deeper breath, his eyes gleaming. System, give me... one thousand high-grade Spirit Stones!
WHOOSH!
A small mountain of brilliant, crystalline stones erupted before him, piling up on the dusty ground. The sheer density of spiritual energy radiating from them created a visible shimmer in the air. Each high-grade stone pulsed with power, making the previous mid-grade ones look like dull rocks. One high-grade stone was worth a hundred mid-grade, or ten thousand low-grade stones! This pile was worth ten million low-grade Spirit Stones! Enough to buy a small sect!
Lin Fan felt dizzy, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his sudden fortune. This wasn't just wealth; it was power, potential, freedom!
[Detected Host's successful use of Infinite Wealth. No System Points awarded for self-use.][Reminder: Squandering and giving away wealth generates System Points!]
Right. Points. He needed points for the Lottery Draw and potentially other future functions. Looking at the mountain of high-grade Spirit Stones, an idea sparked. How to squander? How to show off?
He glanced across the courtyard. A group of three outer disciples, led by a particularly arrogant youth named Zhao Feng, were mocking another disciple, laughing loudly. Zhao Feng was known for his minor talent (fifth layer Qi Refinement) and his bullying nature, especially towards those weaker like Lin Fan.
Perfect targets.
Lin Fan stood up, brushing dust off his robes. He waved his hand, and the mountain of high-grade Spirit Stones vanished back into the system's invisible storage. Then, focusing his will again, he manifested a hundred low-grade Qi Gathering Pills in his hands – the most basic, but still incredibly useful, pill for Qi Refinement disciples. Normally, one cost several low-grade Spirit Stones. A hundred was a small fortune for any outer disciple.
He walked calmly towards the group, his steps surprisingly steady despite the storm raging within him.
"Still struggling, Lin Fan?" Zhao Feng sneered, noticing him approach. "Maybe you should give up cultivating and just stick to cleaning the spirit beast stables. It suits your talent." His two lackeys snickered.
Lin Fan ignored the jibe. He stopped before them, holding out the mound of pills. "Who wants some Qi Gathering Pills?" he announced, his voice loud enough to carry across the nearby section of the courtyard. "I've got too many, feeling generous today."
The mocking laughter died instantly. Zhao Feng and his lackeys stared, stunned. Other disciples nearby, who had overheard, also turned their heads, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Are... are those Qi Gathering Pills?" one of Zhao Feng's lackeys stammered, his eyes glued to the pills.
"Lin Fan, did you steal these?" Zhao Feng demanded, suspicion and greed warring in his eyes. A hundred pills? Even his family wouldn't give him that many at once!
"Steal? Please." Lin Fan scoffed, radiating an air of nonchalant wealth he'd never possessed before. "Just surplus supplies. Take them if you want, first come, first served. I've got plenty more where these came from."
He deliberately dropped a few pills onto the ground as if they were worthless pebbles.
The effect was instantaneous.
"He's giving them away!" "Free pills!" "Are you serious, Lin Fan?"
Disciples started scrambling forward, their earlier apathy forgotten. Even Zhao Feng, after a moment of hesitation, lunged.
Lin Fan simply opened his hands, letting the pills scatter. Chaos erupted as disciples dove and fought over the small white pellets. Shouts, grunts, and cries of success filled the air.
DING![Detected successful squandering action!][Triggered emotions: Shock (+10 Points), Disbelief (+15 Points), Greed (+20 Points), Envy (+25 Points), Confusion (+5 Points)][Daily Giveaway Quota used: 100/10,000][Total System Points earned: 75]
A mere 75 points? Lin Fan frowned slightly. Perhaps low-grade pills weren't impactful enough. Still, it was a start. And the feeling... the feeling of casually tossing away resources others desperately craved, the looks on their faces – it was surprisingly exhilarating.
Ignoring the ongoing scramble, Lin Fan turned back towards his hut, a newfound confidence in his stride. He had infinite money and a way to gain power. The Azure Cloud Sect, the path of cultivation... his entire world had just been turned upside down.
Back inside his small, bare room, he pulled up the system interface again.
"System, show me the Lottery Draw."
[Lottery Draw initiated. Each draw costs 100 System Points. Draws yield rewards scaled to Host's current realm (Qi Refinement). Would you like to proceed?]
100 points? He only had 75. He needed to squander more, or perhaps give away more valuable items. Or... missions?
[New Novice Mission issued!]
[Mission: First Taste of Power]
[Description: Utilize a system-drawn reward to tangibly improve your standing or defeat a minor obstacle.]
[Reward: 200 System Points, 1x Bonus Low-Tier Lottery Ticket.]
Interesting. But first, he needed points for that initial draw. He looked at his empty hands. Giving away pills was effective, but maybe directly giving Spirit Stones?
He walked back to his doorway, manifesting ten mid-grade Spirit Stones. He spotted a timid-looking girl, Xiao Mei, who often helped him with chores and shared her meager food rations. She was watching the lingering commotion over the pills with wide, envious eyes from afar.
Lin Fan walked over to her. "Xiao Mei."
She jumped, startled. "S-Senior Brother Lin?"
Lin Fan smiled gently, pressing the ten mid-grade Spirit Stones into her hand. "Consider this a thank you for your past kindnesses. Use them well for your cultivation."
Xiao Mei gasped, staring at the luminous stones. Ten mid-grade Spirit Stones! This was more than she'd seen in her entire life! Tears welled up in her eyes. "Senior Brother Lin... this... I can't..."
"Take them," Lin Fan said firmly but kindly. "I have more than enough."
DING![Detected successful giveaway action!][Triggered emotions: Shock (+20 Points), Gratitude (+30 Points), Disbelief (+15 Points), Joy (+25 Points)]
[Daily Giveaway Quota used: 110/10,000][Total System Points earned: 90]
[Current System Points: 75 + 90 = 165]
Gratitude and Joy yield more points! Lin Fan noted. Giving genuinely seemed more rewarding than just inciting greed. And mid-grade stones were clearly more impactful.
He now had 165 points. Enough for a draw.
He retreated quickly to his hut again, eagerness bubbling within him. "System, use 100 points for a Lottery Draw!"
[Consuming 100 System Points. Initiating Qi Refinement Lottery Draw...]
A dazzling wheel of light appeared on the blue screen, covered in countless symbols representing items, techniques, pills, and more. It spun rapidly, colours blurring, before slowly coming to a stop.
DING!
[Congratulations, Host! You have drawn: 'Nine Cycles Refining Art' (Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique)]
[Description: A superior Qi Refinement technique allowing for faster absorption of spiritual energy, purer Qi refinement, and building a more solid foundation compared to basic techniques like 'Azure Origin Chant'.][System Bonus: Technique automatically mastered by Host.]
Instantly, vast amounts of information flooded Lin Fan's mind. Complex circulation pathways, breathing patterns, Qi manipulation methods – the entirety of the 'Nine Cycles Refining Art' became as familiar to him as breathing. He felt his internal Qi automatically shift, starting to circulate according to the new, vastly more efficient pathways. The ambient spiritual energy in his shabby hut seemed to eagerly flow towards him, absorbed and refined at a rate at least three times faster than before!
His cultivation, previously stagnant at the third layer, began to subtly climb. The bottleneck felt... less solid.
A wide grin spread across Lin Fan's face. Infinite money, points for showing off, lottery draws for powerful rewards...
"Zhao Feng," he murmured, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "And the Inner Sect... just you wait."
His life as a downtrodden outer disciple was officially over. The era of the Infinite Squandering Cultivator had just begun.