Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [24]

“If I hear people spreading rumors again, I’ll tell them the truth!” Xiangling huffed, clearly displeased with how the rumors had spiraled out of control.

Jiang Bai waved a hand dismissively. “It’s fine. Let them talk. No one outside even knows who I am.”

“But won’t this hurt your reputation…?”

“What reputation? I’m just some nobody. People don’t even know my name.”

Even though Jiang Bai seemed unconcerned, Xiangling wasn’t about to stand idly by.

If she overheard anyone discussing Jiang Bai again, she would definitely speak up for him.

Jiang Bai understood her kindness, but he didn’t feel like these rumors were enough to bother him.

As long as he never admitted to being that resurrected person, who would connect the rumors to him?

Like Hu Tao had said—if his name was going to spread, it would be under the title of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s Soul Ferryman.

At the dining table, Hu Tao, now stuffed with water instead of food, let out a burp and reluctantly put down her chopsticks.

What a shame! So much delicious food, and she had gone and filled her stomach with water. How frustrating!

“Jiang Bai, you have to finish everything. No wasting food!” She turned to him with a pointed look.

“No problem!” Jiang Bai, already focused on eating, gave her an OK gesture.

With food this good, of course he wasn’t going to waste it. He had to do justice to Xiangling’s cooking skills!

Xiangling, now full, rested her chin on her hands and watched Jiang Bai eat. She had just realized that he was the perfect taste-tester.

If he could stomach Sweet Flower-Steamed Mist Flower, then things like Slime Condensed Mushrooms should be no problem either, right?

“Jiang Bai, next time, be my taste-tester for a new dish!”

“Sure!” Jiang Bai agreed without hesitation, completely unaware of the bizarre culinary journey that awaited him.

…

After finishing the meal, Jiang Bai took the opportunity to ask about elemental power usage.

Both Xiangling and Hu Tao were Vision holders, so they were bound to have more experience than someone like him, who had only just started using elemental energy.

“Oh, that’s easy!”

In the wide-open training ground, Xiangling conjured a spear in her hand. Flames blazed at the tip, burning fiercely yet leaving the weapon itself unharmed. The red tassel beneath the spearhead swayed in the wind, vibrant and striking.

“Once you have a Vision, you can wield the corresponding element. At first, it feels unfamiliar, but once you master it, it becomes as natural as moving your own limbs.”

She twirled her spear gracefully before driving it into the ground. As it struck, flames erupted in a fiery explosion, leaving a scorched crater.

The scattered flames flickered for a moment before Guoba opened his mouth and inhaled them all into his belly.

“Guoba, fire breath!”

At Xiangling’s command, Guoba transformed into a miniature flamethrower, spewing an intense jet of flames. The heat in the air was palpable.

“Amazing!” Jiang Bai applauded in admiration.

Clearly, she was holding back for the sake of demonstration—otherwise, this small training ground wouldn’t have survived.

“Even with a Vision, you can’t neglect combat training. A Vision is just a tool; it won’t make you invincible overnight.” Hu Tao patted Jiang Bai’s shoulder like a wise senior.

“That’s what my master says too!” Xiangling nodded sagely.

“I started training because my dad was worried about me running into danger while traveling. But the more places I visited, the more I wanted to hunt for exotic ingredients and create dishes I’d never tried before. So I kept training while searching for new ingredients, cooking along the way. And before I knew it, there weren’t many monsters left that could even scratch me!”

“Lulu~”

Guoba puffed out a small flame, as if to show off his own prowess.

Jiang Bai nodded.

Even though Xiangling looked young, her strength was undeniable. That brief demonstration was enough for him to tell—any monster that crossed her path wouldn’t have a good time.

Considering her love for food, she had probably turned every edible creature she encountered into a meal.

“How did you train your elemental control?”

Jiang Bai had noticed how precisely she controlled her Pyro energy—she could keep flames burning at her spear’s tip without scorching the tassel, and even after an explosion, the spear itself remained unharmed.

Meanwhile, he could only create temporary constructs—things like stone stools and chairs that would eventually disappear.

“Oh, that’s easy! Cooking!” Xiangling declared proudly.

“Every dish requires different levels of heat. Some need high flames for a quick stir-fry, while others need a slow simmer. Maintaining the right temperature for the right duration takes precise fire control, and as a chef, I have to master that. Over time, I’ve just gotten better and better at it!”

Because she had a Pyro Vision, she could sense the temperature of the flames she produced, making it easy to control them. Years of practice had honed her mastery to perfection.

Her method wouldn’t work for Jiang Bai, but it was still valuable insight.

In short—practice.

Only through constant practice could he develop precise control and seamless execution.

“Director Hu, show me something too.” Jiang Bai turned to Hu Tao.

“You’ve already seen what I can do.”

“That doesn’t count.” Jiang Bai deadpanned. Burning a half-dead Hilichurl was not a demonstration.

“Alright, alright.” Hu Tao shrugged, acting as if she was doing him a huge favor.

“Unlike Xiangling, I need real combat to show my skills.” She twirled her spear and leapt into the center of the training ground. “So, Jiang Bai—let’s spar. Let me see what you’ve got!”

“Alright, just don’t go too hard on me, Director Hu.”

Jiang Bai walked over to the weapon rack and grabbed a spear.

Against a polearm user, swords wouldn’t be the best choice. The saying ‘longer weapons have the advantage’ existed for a reason—sword users often found themselves at a disadvantage before they could even get close.

He wasn’t sure what weapon suited him best yet, so he planned to test different ones and switch if necessary.

“Here I come!”

Hu Tao crouched slightly, running four fingers along her spear’s shaft before gripping it tightly.

In the sunlight, her seven-foot-long polearm gleamed with a faint crimson glow as a layer of Pyro energy enveloped it.

The blazing spearhead lunged toward Jiang Bai at lightning speed, forming an impenetrable web of attacks.

Jiang Bai’s expression sharpened. His battle instincts surged through his body once more.

He pushed off with his right foot, flipping backward midair. While airborne, he twisted his wrist and brought his spear down hard.

A powerful strike collided with Hu Tao’s weapon, forcing it downward. The impact sent cracks splintering across the ground.

Hu Tao’s grip trembled from the force. She stared at Jiang Bai in shock.

“You’re that strong?!”

For a brief moment, it felt like her spear had been struck by a boulder. She had nearly lost her grip.

Her gaze turned serious.

Losing to her own subordinate? That would be way too embarrassing.

—

T/N: Heh personal skill [Instinct] what grade idk yet

This is a fan translation of 胡桃拿我冲业绩 by 余溯. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!