The Celestial Ember Continent glowed under twin crimson moons, its valleys shimmering with veins of spirit ore that pulsed like heartbeats. At the edge of a glowing crater, a young man named Wei Chen appeared in a burst of silver light, his casual Earth jacket swapped for robes of molten gold, embroidered with dragons that seemed to writhe. The air thrummed with raw energy, and the distant roars of spirit beasts echoed through the misty peaks.
"Okay, what's the deal?" Wei Chen muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. Moments ago, he'd been tinkering with his budget gaming PC, dreaming of riches. Now, he stood in a world straight out of his favorite cultivation novels. "Isekai jackpot or cosmic prank?"
A vibrant chime rang in his mind, followed by a voice dripping with theatrical flair. "Greetings, Host! You have been chosen as the bearer of the Divine Extravagance System! Spend to reign, squander to ascend! The grander your expenditures, the mightier your power. Hoard, and you stagnate; splurge, and you conquer! Are you prepared to become the Sovereign of Extravagance?"
Wei Chen's lips curled into a smirk. "Spend big to win big? That's my kind of cheat code." As a broke tech enthusiast, he'd always fantasized about throwing money around like a mogul. "What's in the welcome package?"
"Initiation gift: 3,000,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones in your Celestial Vault. Bonus: One Prismatic Thunder Orb. Spend with audacity to claim your first reward!"
A ruby amulet materialized around his neck, its inner space packed with a glittering sea of spirit stones and a fist-sized orb crackling with violet lightning. Wei Chen let out a low whistle. "Enough to buy a kingdom. Alright, let's see what this place has going on."
A sudden clash of steel and shouts broke his thoughts. Below the crater, a young woman in frayed violet robes stood atop a boulder, her spear warding off five cultivators in black armor. Her aura flickered at the Spirit Forging Realm, weak but steady, while her attackers radiated Core Formation strength. A glowing blue crystal hung from her waist, pulsing faintly.
"Surrender the Azure Tide Crystal, Liang Ruo!" growled a scar-faced man, his axe blazing with dark flames. "The Obsidian Fang Clan doesn't ask twice!"
Liang Ruo's eyes flashed with resolve. "This crystal is my sect's last hope. You'll have to bury me first!"
Wei Chen raised an eyebrow. He didn't know this woman, but her defiance sparked something in him—memories of standing up to loan sharks who'd hounded his family. Plus, this was a chance to flex his new system. "Yo, System, can I drop some cash to save the day?"
"Affirmative! Expenditures for spectacle, heroism, or sheer excess will yield rewards. Recommendation: Go overboard."
Wei Chen grinned, vaulting down the crater's edge with a flourish, his robes catching the moonlight like a beacon. He landed between Liang Ruo and her attackers, kicking up a swirl of embers. The Obsidian Fang cultivators froze, eyeing the stranger who had no cultivation aura yet exuded an eerie confidence.
"Who's this clown?" the scar-faced leader sneered. "Another stray begging for a beating?"
Wei Chen ignored him, flashing a grin at Liang Ruo. "You holding up, miss? I'm Wei Chen, new in town. Not a fan of gang-ups."
Liang Ruo's brow furrowed, her spear still raised. "Back off, stranger. They're Core Formation experts. You don't even have a spiritual pulse!"
Wei Chen chuckled, raising his amulet. "Don't need one when I've got bank. System, let's drop 300,000 spirit stones on something that screams 'don't mess with me.'"
"Expenditure approved! Activating Celestial Cascade Barrage!"
The twin moons dimmed as a radiant storm gathered overhead. Thousands of crystalline meteors, each pulsing with Spirit Forging peak energy, rained down in a dazzling arc. They didn't strike the enemies but formed a glowing dome around them, crackling with thunder that pinned the cultivators in place. The ground shook, and the air sang with power.
The scar-faced man's axe clattered to the ground. "A formation?! How does a mortal command such might?!"
Wei Chen tossed a handful of spirit stones skyward, where they burst into a kaleidoscope of lightning dragons, each roar sending tremors through the trapped cultivators. "It's not might—it's money," he said, winking at Liang Ruo. "Pretty sweet, huh?"
"Expenditure successful! Reward: Cultivation breakthrough to Spirit Forging 2nd Stage. Bonus: Dragonflame Sash (High-Grade Artifact)."
Energy surged through Wei Chen's veins, his body igniting with a faint spiritual glow. His robes gained a sash that flickered with fiery dragon motifs, amplifying his presence. Liang Ruo stared, her spear lowering. "You just burned enough spirit stones to rebuild a sect… for a cage and a light show? Are you mad?"
"Mad? Nah. Loaded." Wei Chen turned to the trapped cultivators. "So, you gonna say sorry to the lady, or do I buy your clan's headquarters and turn it into my personal arcade?"
The Obsidian Fang cultivators dropped to their knees, sweat beading on their faces. "We yield, Young Master! Mercy, please!"
"Beat it," Wei Chen said, snapping his fingers. The dome vanished, and the cultivators scrambled away, tails between their legs. He turned to Liang Ruo, who clutched the Azure Tide Crystal, her expression torn between awe and frustration.
"You're a lunatic," she said. "That crystal's valuable, but you could've bought a dozen with what you spent. Why interfere?"
Wei Chen shrugged. "Felt like it. Bullies are the worst, and I've got cash to burn. So, what's the deal with that crystal?"
Liang Ruo hesitated, then exhaled. "I'm Liang Ruo, an elder of the Azure Tide Sect. This crystal powers our sect's protective array. Without it, we'll fall to rival clans. I'm trying to save my people, not chase glory. But you… why squander such wealth?"
Wei Chen grinned. "Squander? That's my ticket to the top. Hang with me, Ruo. We're gonna make this continent our playground."
"System Notification: Mission unlocked—Spend 10,000,000 Spirit Stones in ten days to unlock the Extravagant Sovereign's First Trial. Reward: Unknown Celestial Relic."
Wei Chen's eyes lit up. "Game on."