Chapter 22: Lu Ziji Is About to Shake the Cultivation World to Its Core
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Since the upcoming auction items didn’t interest Yun Zhi, she resumed chatting with Lu Ziji.
Yun Zhi: “Lu Ge, I didn’t expect your true personality to be like this…”
On Earth, Lu Ziji was a business magnate, a young prodigy. In the cultivation world, he was a top-tier genius cultivator, highly anticipated and gifted. Yet, despite his cold demeanor in public, he was surprisingly gossipy in private…
His personality was somewhat similar to Yun Zhi’s—cold on the surface, but once familiar, his talkative nature couldn’t be hidden. Opposite him was a close buddy who didn’t even need to respond immediately; they could just enjoy chatting endlessly on their own.
Lu Ziji said, “There’s no way around it. Life is just study, work, and cultivation—it’s so dull. Sometimes you just need a little diversion.”
Yun Zhi: …
So, watching her cousin’s antics was Lu’s way to spice up his boring life of study and work?
After that, Lu Ziji fully opened up and couldn’t stop talking.
Lu Ziji: “There’s no phone or internet here in the cultivation world, so even eating melon seeds is inconvenient. I can only browse old storybooks when bored.”
Lu Ziji: “These storybooks are ancient and dull; honestly, they’re awful. I almost want to write my own!”
Lu Ziji: “Oh right, Yun, I just thought of what kind of trade I want to make with you. I’ll have Zi Ji ask Lu Ziping to prepare some materials for me. Later, you can trade your stuff to me. I want to build a spiritual network in the cultivation world—real-time chat apps, news media, gossip forums, e-commerce, novel platforms, film and music platforms, short video platforms, map navigation… everything!”
Lu Ziji: “Carrying the burden of saving the world alone, I want to live a bit happier and more comfortably in this limited 500-year life. That’s not too much to ask!”
Yun Zhi was still a bit unprepared for Lu Ziji’s sudden self-expression. After he sent a flood of messages, she finally agreed, “Not too much, not too much!”
Lu Ziji: “I knew it! Yun, you really understand me!”
Lu Ziji: “Being a sword cultivator who saves the world is such a boring role! I want to shock the cultivation world a bit!”
Lu Ziji: “I’m going to draft a plan and make a list of supplies I want Zi Ji to get.”
He was full of energy.
Yun Zhi: “Um, Lu Ge, why don’t you just send me your supply list and I’ll forward it to Lu Ershao? Wouldn’t that be more convenient?”
Yun Zhi wasn’t trying to take on extra work, but she imagined Zi Ji being so focused on cultivation, only interested in slaying demons, and not much for socializing. Receiving so much irrelevant information at night would drive him crazy.
Lu Ziji: “No need, I’ll deal with Zi Ji directly.”
Lu Ziji: “I have to take care of all the dangers for Zi Ji. He risks his life constantly and even sacrifices himself to save the world. Why should he get to slack off?”
Lu Ziji: “If I can’t have it easy, neither can he. I’ll find him more things to do.”
He was ruthless, even to himself, aiming to treat everyone equally.
Yun Zhi: …
Her feelings were too complicated to describe. Her lofty image of Lu Ziji shattered completely, beyond repair, yet strangely, her admiration grew even stronger.
Honestly, with Lu Ziji’s cold exterior, hidden playful side, and his rich, handsome CEO identity, finding a partner in the modern world would be a breeze for him.
His emotional tribulation in the modern era would be a piece of cake!
She wondered who was so cruel as to swap the souls of Lu Ziji and Zi Ji.
Lu Ziji was willing to save the cultivation world, but before that, he would turn it upside down.
The cultivation world deprived him of many conveniences and pleasures from the modern world? Fine, then he would transform the cultivation world into what he wanted.
That was truly a magnate’s mindset!
Instead of complaining about the environment, change it!
Eventually, even if he willingly sacrificed himself, the cultivation world wouldn’t want to lose him!
As for Zi Ji… well, it was a bit tragic.
But Yun Zhi couldn’t sympathize; she even wanted to watch Zi Ji suffer from the chaos Lu Ziji caused—what a “mask of pain,” haha!
Yun Zhi replied, “Alright, Lu Ge, as long as you’re happy. You go ahead and be busy!”
Lu Ziji: “Ok!”
Unnoticed, the auction had reached its climax with the final three items.
First up was the Imperial Green Bracelet consigned by Yun Zhi.
This bracelet was traded to her by Cen Junfei from the apocalypse.
Items from the apocalypse were automatically sterilized by the system, so no worries about zombie viruses infecting the present world.
In previous auctions, the highest price for an Imperial Green Bracelet was 60 million.
The bracelet Yun Zhi consigned was just as fine as that one.
This time, wealthy wives or their husbands with strong finances were bidding.
Starting price was 30 million, with minimum increments of no less than 1 million each time.
Soon, the price reached 48 million.
Fewer bidders remained, but two rich wives were determined to win and kept raising their bids.
Then, from Lu Er’s long-suffering guests, a nightmare voice rang out: “58 million!”
The two rich wives who thought they were the last bidders were stunned: ???
They had wasted all their effort again!
Ah, if Lu Er wanted it, he should have bid earlier! Watching them want to raise but dare not was amusing.
This Lu Er was so annoying!
Yun Zhi heard one of those rich wives, who was among the last bidders, bitterly say: “Honey, Lu Er is so infuriating! When I get back, I’ll introduce my spendthrift niece to Lu Er and help him squander the Lu family fortune!”
Her husband retorted: “Come on, as if Lu Er would fall for your niece.”
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“Didn’t you hear? Last year Lu Er went on a blind date with Old Liu’s daughter. She said she’d never had a boyfriend before. But Lu Er went ahead and named all four boyfriends she had previously, including the ones she dated while cheating on her official boyfriend with 38 others.”
“He even provided over a dozen photos of her entering hotels with different men to prove he wasn’t lying.”
“Old Liu’s daughter ran away crying.”
“Now no one dares to arrange a marriage with her.”
“In this era, having multiple boyfriends or girlfriends before marriage is normal, but who can stand someone who lies all the time and likes to cheat on her official boyfriend?”
The rich wife nodded approvingly: “Exactly! Our son can’t marry someone like Old Liu’s daughter, or we won’t even know if the child is ours.”
Her husband continued: “The Lu family is strict about family values. Those with bad private behavior don’t even dare propose marriages to the Lus.”
“Your niece not only spends money like crazy but is also lecherous, ordering 30 male models in one night at a club.”
“If you introduce her, and the match doesn’t work out, you’ll just ruin her reputation!”
The rich wife suddenly asked: “How do you know my niece orders 30 male models at the club?”
The man blurted out: “Because she took away the two male models I usually book first…”
The rich wife screamed: “Ah! Cai Dahai, I’m not done with you! You actually go to clubs to book male models!”
Yun Zhi: …
She was just curious about the reaction of the rich wives who failed to get the Imperial Green Bracelet, and unexpectedly got served a big juicy gossip.
Chain of gossip!
Quietly, she retracted her spiritual energy and didn’t dare to be curious about the other rich wife’s reaction.
After the auction ended, Yun Zhi successfully received the payment from the auction house.
Normally, the auction house would take a 5% commission.
But they didn’t charge Yun Zhi a commission, only tax was deducted, likely on the Lu family’s orders.
Yun Zhi wanted to give Tao Qi the agreed commission, but he refused.
“Yun, you’ve helped me a lot, and I haven’t even thanked you properly. Just accompanying you to the auction is enough; I can’t take your money.”
Seeing Tao Qi’s insistence, Yun Zhi knew he wasn’t short on money, so she didn’t argue.
In the future, if she got anything good, she’d reserve some for Tao Qi at a friendly price.
Tao Qi wanted to accompany Yun Zhi to the Lu family, as he wasn’t fully at ease, but Yun Zhi refused. Some matters weren’t convenient with him around.
Tao Qi: “Call me anytime if you need me!”
They had booked an afternoon flight back to Z City, but it seemed they might not leave then.
Still, Yun Zhi said the ticket didn’t need to be canceled yet.
Tao Qi thought, after taking that powerful vitality medicine, she’d need several hours to wake up.
But during the wait, Yun Zhi seemed unable to help much. She planned to inform the Lu family about the medicine’s usage and then leave.
Visiting the Lu family wouldn’t take much time.
Leaving the auction house, Yun Zhi was surrounded and protected by four burly bodyguards. Lu Ziping had four bodyguards waiting at the entrance.
“Miss Yun, pleased to meet you. I’m Lu Ziping.”
Yun Zhi had heard plenty of gossip about this Lu Er from various sources during the auction, but this was her first time meeting him.
He looked bright and handsome but had a somewhat carefree aura.
Lu Ziping had always been overshadowed by his cousin Lu Ziji, constantly compared unfavorably in academics and business talent.
That was one thing, but Lu Er’s romantic life was full of ups and downs, and his unscrupulous cousin treated it as entertainment.
That cousin’s soul wasn’t even on Earth; he used another self to slave his cousin!
Lu Ziping’s position as the younger brother was truly tough.
The key was, Lu Ziping didn’t even realize it. He happily said, “I heard you can wake up my elder brother. Hurry up! I’m impatient to hand over the mess at the company… uh, a bunch of stuff back to him! I don’t want to deal with this crappy job for another day.”
Yun Zhi: …
Well, it wasn’t really Lu Ziji’s fault for being a bad elder brother.
In other wealthy families, siblings feigned brotherly love but secretly schemed and fought for inheritance, even dancing on the edge of criminal law.
The goal was to eliminate other siblings so the estate would be theirs.
But the Lu family was… quite unique.
Lu Ziji found study and work unbearably dull, so he let his younger brother endure the pains of love.
Lu Ziping found work unbearably dull. He wanted his brother to bear the burdens of inheritance; he just wanted to relax and receive dividends.
Yun Zhi smiled wryly.
Her new elder brother would be quite different from the old one.
Though the soul was essentially the same, different life experiences had shaped very different personalities.
The cultivation world was a place where people secluded themselves for months, years, decades, or even centuries!
Everyone was basically a homebody!
She suspected that even if Zi Ji woke up with Lu Ziji’s 24 years of memory and business knowledge, he wouldn’t obediently go to work every day.
If Lu Ziping tried to persuade him too much, he might get beaten up!
Sword cultivators acted rather than talked!
Zi Ji had become an ordinary person, without spiritual energy, but his physical skills remained. Fighting Lu Ziping would still be easy.
Yun Zhi couldn’t wait to see that scene!
“All right, then please take me to see your elder brother now, Lu Er!”
Lu Ziping was slightly stunned and asked, “Miss Yun, don’t you want to negotiate any other conditions?”
Grandpa had told him beforehand that anyone who bid 999 to buy the white jade dragon figurine today was the noble person who could awaken his elder brother. No matter what conditions they asked for, as long as the price didn’t exceed 1% of Lu Corporation’s shares, they could be accepted immediately.
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If it exceeded that amount, they would need his grandfather’s approval.
As long as it wasn’t too outrageous, Grandpa would eventually agree, though reluctantly.
To put it in context, Lu Ziping had only 2% of Lu Corporation’s shares after three or four years of managing it.
And he was the legitimate grandson!
Only Lu Ziping was greatly favored by Grandpa, holding 10% of the shares.
Yun Zhi said, “No need. You’ve already been paid in advance, haven’t you?”
She pointed to the large portable safe held by the head bodyguard.
Inside was the white jade dragon figurine.
Besides, she also had the tendon-washing and marrow-purifying pill Lu Ziji gave her, which was already plenty.
After experiencing the Yun family’s bankruptcy and dramatic ups and downs, Yun Zhi had come to terms with money—enough was enough. If there was more, spend more; if less, spend less.
Clothes and shoes costing tens of thousands were sometimes less comfortable than those costing a few hundred or a thousand.
Contentment brought happiness!
Lu Ziping said no more and took Yun Zhi into two of the rowed Rolls-Royces.
…
Forty minutes later, the car arrived at the Lu family’s villa estate on the outskirts of Haicheng.
This was where Lu Ziji’s body was resting.
Grandpa Lu Dezhang was already waiting.
He was a distinguished-looking elder gentleman.
Though in his seventies, he appeared in his sixties, with perfectly groomed hair.
He looked nothing like the “scheming old man” Lu Ziji had described.
After some greetings, Yun Zhi, accompanied by Grandpa Lu and Lu Ziping, saw Lu Ziji’s body lying on the hospital bed—four years in a deep sleep.
Lu Ziji had collapsed while working late in the office, discovered by his assistant and rushed to the hospital.
Both Western and Chinese doctors examined him, saying he was not ill but couldn’t wake up for unknown reasons.
He had been asleep for four years.
But Lu Ziji didn’t resemble a typical long-term comatose patient—pale, emaciated, with muscle atrophy.
Instead, he looked younger and healthier than when he first fell asleep!
His face was cold and handsome, skin like jade, rosy and radiant, looking like he was simply sleeping.
His apparent age was neither the current 28 nor the 24 when he lost consciousness, but more like 21 or 22—about Yun Zhi’s age.
Yun Zhi guessed this was due to Zi Ji’s strong soul power nourishing the body.
But this nourishment wasn’t enough to strengthen the body to withstand the soul of a Golden Core cultivator.
Grandpa sighed, “Ziji’s illness is strange. I think the way to wake him will be unusual too. There are no cameras in the room, and we won’t watch the process. Ziping, let’s step outside and leave the space to Miss Yun.”
Yun Zhi didn’t want to feed Lu Ziji the tranquilizing body pill in front of Grandpa and Lu Ziping, fearing she couldn’t explain the medicine’s source, effects, or inspection reports.
She could bluff about the first two but had no inspection report!
Plus, there was only one pill—if she sent it for inspection, she would have nothing left for Zi Ji.
Fortunately, Grandpa left first, likely as Lu Ziji had instructed.
Lu Ziji said that although Zi Ji couldn’t wake, he was aware of everything happening outside.
Though Yun Zhi was the only one awake in the room, she felt as if someone was watching her.
The feeling was creepy.
Yun Zhi approached the bed and took the small jade bottle containing the tranquilizing body pill from her personal space. She grasped the handsome man’s chin roughly, forcing him to open his mouth, quickly stuffing the pill in.
The pill dissolved immediately.
But according to Lu Ziji, it would take three days to fully digest and officially wake up.
Yun Zhi spoke as if to the air, “When you wake, remember to come get your storage ring. It’s something you specifically told me to hand over personally.”
After discovering some of Lu Ziji’s quirks, Yun Zhi thought his arrangement wasn’t to trouble her but purely to trouble Zi Ji.
After all, Lu Ziji was the one paying her—likely using Zi Ji’s hard-earned savings… cough.
Having said that, Yun Zhi dashed out of the room.
Zi Ji, lying there conscious but unable to open his eyes, thought: … Damn Lu Ziji!!!
A woman pinched his chin, and her finger accidentally touched his lips—he was now impure!
He suddenly didn’t want to wake up, sensing a heap of trouble waiting.
No, he must wake—when awake, he’d wash his face and brush his teeth ten times, no, a hundred times!
…
Yun Zhi had no idea she was despised for feeding Zi Ji a pill.
If she knew, she’d just sigh and say: No wonder the system gave 80 years to “urge Zi Ji to fall in love” as a task…
Some people are born destined to be alone; even 800 years might not get them a partner!
Yun Zhi told Grandpa Lu and Lu Ziping that “Lu Ziji” would take three days to wake and then left the Lu family.