Chapter 6: Earning a Living for Myself

Li Fu felt as though he were brimming with energy; even running at a hundred-meter sprint seemed insufficient to exhaust his vigor. Accompanying Professor Xiaoying’s unique breathing technique, his body rose and fell like rolling waves. With each completed cycle, he inhaled vital energy and exhaled turbid air. He felt astonishingly light, his mind exceptionally clear, and his body overflowing with strength. Though the morning was only a few degrees above freezing, Li Fu sensed no cold at all. It was as if a furnace burned within him, constantly absorbing the energy of the world around and tempering his body, leaving him warm throughout.

“Master, that should do for now.”

After more than ten laps, Xiaoying’s voice echoed in his mind once again.

Li Fu let out a long breath, gradually slowing his steps. The sprint lessened to a jog; he knew well enough not to halt abruptly after such exertion, but to wind down slowly.

“Xiaoying, I feel completely invigorated, my mind is crystal clear—this breathing method is truly miraculous!”

After jogging a few more laps, Li Fu finally stopped, pacing leisurely while conversing with Xiaoying in his mind. He could hardly contain his excitement; who would have thought this seemingly simple breathing technique could yield such impressive results?

“Hmph! Master, you must understand—this is the supreme breathing method of the Supercivilization Han Technological Empire, distilled from the research of countless predecessors into a top foundational technique. This is only the beginning; far greater wonders await. If other civilizations in the universe learned of this, it would surely provoke storms of bloodshed.”

In his mind, Xiaoying raised her nose proudly, as if everything were perfectly natural.

“It’s truly a method that seizes the workings of heaven and earth, a secret that rivals the sun and moon. Thank you, Xiaoying.”

Li Fu deeply agreed. Just one morning’s practice had brought about a transformative change. He’d often exercised and could run a dozen laps without issue, but never before had he managed to sprint a hundred meters for over ten laps. Had Xiaoying not asked him to stop, he felt he could have kept running endlessly, his body filled with inexhaustible power.

“No need for thanks, Master. This is what I am meant to do.”

From Xiaoying’s mental presence came a wave of joy, clearly relishing his gratitude.

Chatting as he walked toward the cafeteria, he prepared to honor his “Temple of the Five Viscera.” For some reason, Li Fu felt ravenous enough to devour an entire ox.

“Xiaoying, why am I so hungry? I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Master, this is perfectly normal. After training, cultivators expend tremendous energy and must replenish it. The simplest way is, of course, by eating.”

“So that’s how it is!”

Half an hour later, Li Fu let out a discreet burp, rubbing his now flat stomach, wondering where all that food had gone. Normally, he could only eat two buns, a bowl of porridge, and a single stuffed bun for breakfast. Yet this morning, he’d eaten twenty buns, ten stuffed buns, and five bowls of porridge. To avoid drawing strange looks, he’d had to buy from different windows—his appetite was simply prodigious!

“Heavens! At this rate, I’ll eat myself into poverty. My meals have increased tenfold—my living expenses won’t cover this!”

After swiping his card for one last bun, Li Fu stared at the pitiful balance remaining, suddenly realizing how hard it would be to support himself. His appetite was truly alarming.

“Hehe, Master, this is only the beginning. As you progress in your cultivation, your appetite will grow, and you’ll need even more energy. What you just ate was all low-grade food; for now it’s enough, but soon it won’t suffice. You’ll have to eat meat—beef, ideally.”

Xiaoying’s latest announcement left Li Fu with a splitting headache.

“I can’t afford buns, let alone beef!”

Li Fu couldn’t help but cover his face in despair. His life felt truly miserable—he couldn’t even feed himself.

“I really need to think of a way to make money. Even if my family increased my meal allowance, it still wouldn’t be enough. I have to find a way to support myself.”

In his mind, Li Fu began considering how to earn money. After all, a grown man couldn’t fail to provide for himself.

“Xiaoying, I must earn my own living, or I won’t even be able to feed myself.”

“Master, you’re absolutely right. Given your situation, you need to earn money to improve your life. Living on nothing but buns and porridge will seriously hinder your cultivation. There’s an old saying on Earth—Dharma, companion, wealth, and place are the four essentials of cultivation.”

“Now you have the top method, but you can’t do without the other three. Only with all these conditions can you hope to reach higher stages of cultivation.”

Xiaoying smiled supportively in his mind. Cultivation was no simple matter—it required effort and good external conditions. Food alone was already a major challenge for Li Fu.

“Right, money—it all comes down to money!”

Money-making schemes filled Li Fu’s mind, but he couldn’t immediately think of anything suitable.

“Tutoring or washing dishes, waiting tables—those jobs are enough for pocket money, but not nearly enough to buy beef for myself.”

“I must start my own business, become my own boss. Only then can I hope to support myself.”

From the outset, Li Fu dismissed the idea of working for others. With the Civilization Seed of a supercivilization in his possession and countless high-tech skills at his fingertips, working for someone else would be absurd.

“Entrepreneurship… nine out of ten startups fail, and the tenth is struggling to survive.”

Thinking of starting a business, Li Fu recalled a popular saying: entrepreneurship was anything but easy. The initial investment, returns, sales, and all the miscellaneous challenges made it a daunting task.

Most startups didn’t last six months. Those that survived a year were rare, and companies still standing after three years were the true standouts. Among young people, entrepreneurship was all the rage, but of the countless hopefuls, few truly succeeded.

“I’m starting with nothing, no capital, no connections, not even a starting point.”

Li Fu frowned, pondering deeply as he walked on.

Starting a business was no easy feat, especially for someone like Li Fu with neither resources nor connections. He didn’t even have the capital to get started.

When he returned to the dormitory, it was already past nine. Since there were no classes, the other three occupants were still fast asleep. On a wintry morning, nothing was more delightful than burrowing under the covers—except perhaps playing games.

“Master, master, your grandson is calling! Your grandson is calling!”

Just as Li Fu sat before his computer, worrying, his roommate Wang Wanli’s unique ringtone shattered the quiet. The ringtone was so distinctive that Li Fu couldn’t help but shake his head each time he heard it. He’d never once called Wang Wanli himself.

“Hello? It’s early; why aren’t you sleeping? What do you want?”

Wang Wanli, still squinting, fumbled for his phone and answered in a lazy tone.

“Still in bed? Do you even know what time it is? Get online now! Our team’s match against the Soaring Squad is about to start. If you’re not here, I’m replacing you immediately.”

At the other end of the line, a voice barked. Drowsiness vanished from Wang Wanli, who sprung out of bed.

“Coming, coming! Don’t replace me!”

He hurriedly dressed—no time to brush his teeth or wash his face—and immediately turned on his Apple computer to log into a game called League of Heroes.

“How could this happen? I set an alarm! I almost missed the match.”

Wang Wanli muttered while anxiously eyeing the login screen and the clock, clearly on edge.

The game he played, called King’s Alliance, was a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), famous throughout China and the world for its playability, fair competition, accessibility, and high-definition graphics, dominating the gaming industry.

In China alone, it boasted hundreds of millions of players, with over a hundred million monthly active users. Though it was free to play, quarterly revenues reached $582 million—over 3.5 billion yuan—a veritable gold mine, raking in profits like mad.

Watching Wang Wanli, who had gone from dozing in bed to being completely absorbed in the game in an instant, Li Fu’s eyes lit up. Suddenly, he saw a promising business opportunity.

“Haha, I’ve got it! Make games—small investment, low cost, and if it takes off, you could be counting money until your hands cramp.”

Watching his roommate completely absorbed in the game, Li Fu realized the boundless potential of online games. The King’s Alliance alone was infamous for its money-making prowess. In a flash, Li Fu decided on his first entrepreneurial direction.

P.S.: This new book needs your support—please collect, click, and recommend as much as possible. Regarding whether to start a company, I personally think it’s necessary. With high technology, you need a company to have the capital to follow your chosen path; at least, you won’t be beholden to others for money.