Merging with Demon Spirits

Chapter 160: Chapter 141: Just Want to Make Money

King’s Throne Challenge, Lin Feng ascended the First Throne and became the Newcomer King.

To say he was in the limelight would be no exaggeration.

Compared to past years, the national college entrance season’s challenge, the Three Heroic Academies, and the Nine Elite Joint Schools, this year was truly spectacular, stars shining bright.

This was widely acknowledged as the era with the most geniuses and the highest quality in recent decades.

Even so, in the Martial Artist Forum’s fan-voted Top Ten Rookies, Lin Feng still secured first place by an overwhelming margin, crushing Ye Qiu and Yun Kai.

Right now, everyone was wondering: what kind of Demon Spirit would he refine?

Lately, talk of this topic had quietly become a national hot subject.

And today, after Lin Feng took the First Throne, showing everyone his strength and talent, and three days later would gain entry to the Demon Spirit Realm, the heat reached its peak.

If he could actually refine a Ninth Grade Demon Spirit or an Earth Chart Demon Spirit, Lin Feng would no doubt become the brightest new star in the Glory Alliance.

But the higher you stand, the harder you fall.

Three days later, when the nationwide expectation turned into one big, self-directed farce and joke, Lin Feng would face a torrential storm of mockery and abuse.

”The biggest scam in history!!!”

”The top scorer in the college entrance exam swindled billions!”

Lin Feng could already imagine all the click-bait headlines on TV and in the media three days from now.

By then, he would become the con artist in everyone’s eyes.

Yet, facing the imminent storm, Lin Feng was remarkably calm.

From the very start of the plan, he knew this day would come.

This kind of lie couldn’t last long, anyway.

Lin Feng never regretted it.

If a lie could bring in billions, so what if he endured the worst ridicule?

It’s nothing, doesn’t even itch or hurt.

Two years!

Two years is plenty.

Two years is enough for him to display monstrous martial arts talent, shattering people’s perception of geniuses again and again.

Two years, while his classmates would still be at Second or Third Grade, even the top geniuses at best Fourth Grade, he would have already broken through to Seventh or even Eighth Grade, standing far above them all.

When that time comes, so what if he hasn’t refined a Demon Spirit?

Who could still compare to him?

And it’s not that Lin Feng can’t refine Demon Spirits—it’s just that his Soul Power is limited, and with the Nightmare’s existence, he can only refine the lowest-level Demon Spirits.

And although low-level Demon Spirits have a low rank, it’s not like there’s no chance for them to evolve into Advanced Demon Spirits.

Every Demon Spirit, theoretically, has infinite evolution potential.

It’s just that, compared to growth, evolution is ten thousand times harder.

Growth only means feeding Soul Power, letting the Demon Spirit mature. Evolution, though, is a bloodline transformation—this needs massive resources, and more importantly, you must know the evolutionary path; if not, no amount of resources will help.

If there’s no evolution route, then only endless attempts can be made.

Lin Feng already had a target for the second Demon Spirit he wanted to refine. If he succeeded in evolving it, he believed that even a basic-level Demon Spirit could stun everyone.

So, it’s just two years.

For two years, he would be the target of everyone’s ridicule and abuse.

But in two years, he’d make his comeback and soar over the dragon gate.

For Lin Feng, time is life—he cannot waste even a second of these two years.

He didn’t want to dwell on the coming storm, just like that classic meme circulating online for years: ”I don’t give a damn about any of that bullshit now, I just want to make money!”

Make money!

Before he becomes a public enemy scammer, all Lin Feng wants is to make money!

He wants to turn his current fame into real value, to convert it into real New Coin.

Within these two days, he intended to make a big score to pay for Nightmare’s meals.

Nightmare’s appetite is huge, and lately it’s only been growing.

From requiring a Soul Nourishing Pill every three days right after refinement, to now needing one a day, in just a few months the appetite tripled.

One Soul Nourishing Pill is two hundred thousand, six million a month, seventy-two million a year.

To Lin Feng, who now has over three billion, seventy-two million is nothing.

But as Nightmare gets stronger, its hunger will only keep multiplying, even multiplying several times over.

This money just won’t last more than a few years.

Nightmare may have given him monstrous martial arts talent, but it’s also like a Life-Chasing Talisman, relentlessly driving Lin Feng to run full force ahead, daring not pause for even a second.

With that thought, Lin Feng asked Yang Fan, ”So far, how many endorsement deals, and how many clubs are interested?”

Yang Fan took out his phone, checked for a bit, and then looked up at Lin Feng: ”A total of 47 vendors and companies have inquired; only 19 meet the requirements. The lowest endorsement fee is twenty million a year, the highest is sixty million a year.”

”As for clubs, there are 7 A-level and 5 S-level clubs who’ve offered contracts. The best terms are from Wind-Grabbing and Ju Xing. Wind-Grabbing is ten years, 1.2 billion, an 80-20 split; Ju Xing is ten years, 1.5 billion, also 80-20.”

”Hmm, Ju Xing?” Lin Feng was a bit surprised.

He hadn’t expected Ju Xing, who once looked down on him, to make such a generous offer even before he’d refined a Demon Spirit—far more generous than Wind-Grabbing. Deserves its Glory Alliance reputation as a big spender.

”Ju Xing knows about me and Ya Ge, and still wants to sign me? They’re not worried about annoying Ya Ge? Or do they want a couple combo?”

That thought flashed through Lin Feng’s mind.

”Brother Feng, even though Ju Xing offered more, I honestly think Wind-Grabbing Club is way more sincere! Ever since the end of the King’s Throne Challenge, they’ve called over a dozen times to contact Little Mushroom Head about the signing. Their manager said they’ll come to Red Cloud tomorrow to talk with you in person.” Yang Fan sighed.

The King’s Throne Challenge ended.

Lin Feng had claimed the First Throne with absolute strength, making him an instant darling to sponsors—this was even more sensational than when he became the national top scorer.

In just a few hours, forty-seven sponsors and companies called, seeking endorsement partnerships.

Though Lin Feng was still far from a Glory superstar, to pull endorsements so early in his college years, and at such high prices—only Ye Qiu, Yun Kai and a handful of others could compare.

”Yeah, this is important. Handle it in person. It must be settled by tomorrow.”

”Brother Feng, why the rush?”

Yang Fan looked at Lin Feng, hesitated, then glanced around, and finally whispered.

In three days, as reward for the First Throne, Lin Feng could enter the Demon Spirit Realm to pick a Demon Spirit.

The Demon Spirit Realm, legend says, is a special space full of rare, powerful Demon Spirits.

If Lin Feng really could refine an Earth Chart Demon Spirit, why not wait a few more days?

By then, his endorsement would be worth far more, maybe several times more.

In this world, nobody is stupid!

Those sponsors and companies are even sharper—Yang Fan knew they were gambling.

They’re betting Lin Feng can refine a Ninth Grade, or even Earth Chart Demon Spirit.

This move is common.

Many scouts from the Glory Professional Club sign rookie talents on Awakening Day, or in early stages of their rise, as investments.

Out of dozens signed, if even one succeeds, they profit. Even if the team doesn’t need the player, they can transfer him for a fee.

Likewise, many companies pick their future brand faces by betting this way.

This is like back when Zhou Fu was the first to get Lin Feng as a brand ambassador.

At that time, Lin Feng was just an Eighth Rank Body Cultivator, with no fame. Zhou Fu saw his potential.

No question, he hit the jackpot.

When Lin Feng blew up on the Martial Artist Forum, climbed the Glory Rookie Chart, and became national top scorer, and now First Throne, Huating became the hottest restaurant in Jiang City.

Foodies flooded in every day, and more than half were Lin Feng’s fans.

In just a few short months, Huating opened 23 new branches in Jiang City, and Zhou Fu’s net worth multiplied.

Many businesses gave investment offers, giving Huating a current valuation of 600 million.

Once, it would’ve only been worth 100 million at most.

Simply put, 500 million in value came from Lin Feng as brand ambassador.

From 18 million to 500 million—almost a thirtyfold return.

And as Lin Feng gets even stronger, Huating will only get more valuable.

Everyone agrees—Zhou Fu scored big.

It’s examples like Zhou Fu’s success that make so many eager to hunt for the next ”steal.”

”Yeah, Brother Feng, why not wait a few days?”

Dong Yunan was equally puzzled.

Clearly, not just Yang Fan—Little Sister Dong and the others were also curious. Even if they believed in Lin Feng, this move really didn’t make sense.

”Just in case!”

Lin Feng shot Yang Fan a glance, not explaining much.

A lie always needs several more lies to back it up.

If you can’t explain it, better not to say anything.

Since Lin Feng didn’t want to talk, even with doubts, Yang Fan dared not keep asking—he only felt even less at ease in his heart.

”Maybe...”

Looking at Lin Feng’s eyes, faintly cold, Yang Fan’s gaze flickered as he forced down his guesses.

”Brother Feng?”

Yun Kai was also puzzled but didn’t suspect anything else.

In his view, Lin Feng’s talent was indisputable.

Gao Hai thought the same; Little Sister Dong was a bit doubtful, but with Yang Fan silent, she didn’t dare to pursue it either.

After the King’s Throne Challenge, Little Sister Dong felt a touch of awe for Lin Feng and dared not act as boldly as she once did.