The modifications Ke Xiao had selected for Xia Li were, of course, quite satisfactory.

  If he'd had to choose himself, he wouldn't have known where to start—he could only go by feeling.

  There were too many Spirit Core, Heaven Chip, and prosthetic models. Through proper matching, they could bring out twelve-tenths of their effectiveness. But improper matching could cause operational conflicts, preventing the modifications from showing their true power.

  "The stuff is great, just a bit expensive."

  Xia Li was satisfied, but had opinions about the price.

  Nearly four thousand spirit stones!

  An ordinary person working hard for a month earned about one spirit stone. Four thousand spirit stones was more than an ordinary person could earn in a lifetime—not to mention the twelve thousand spirit stones needed for Heaven-path Foundation Establishment.

  "As long as it's not expensive for you. You're not the type who toils for a month just to earn one or two spirit stones."

  "Since the spiritual energy revival, the Matthew effect has become even more pronounced. The strong get stronger, the weak stay weak—there's no helping it."

  "And the average monthly salary in the lower district is actually three spirit stones. If you're willing to work hard, you can actually earn ten spirit stones a month."

  "As for the upper district... average monthly salary is around twenty spirit stones. People aren't doing as badly as you imagine."

  Ke Xiao began educating Xia Li about salary and price levels. Xia Li was indeed wealthy, but only at the upper district's comfortable middle-class level—not truly rich.

  "I mean the price tiers. Before, Spirit Cores were just a dozen spirit stones. Now they're several thousand. Golden Core stage must cost tens of thousands?"

  Xia Li had thought his pace of earning spirit stones on the other side was fast enough, but Heaven-path Foundation Establishment plus new modifications had burned through sixteen thousand spirit stones just like that. Even Xia Li was feeling the pressure.

  "The best Golden Core Spirit Cores do cost tens of thousands. But you're comparing entry-level Qi Refining Spirit Cores to the best Foundation Establishment Spirit Cores—isn't that a bit unfair?"

  "For example, computer chips from your era were chips, and the Heaven Chip in your head is also a chip—but can they be compared?"

  "You can certainly economize and go the cheapest route. For a hundred spirit stones, I can set you up with everything you need for Foundation Establishment."

  Ke Xiao hadn't expected this little tycoon to complain about prices now. She hadn't even brought out the truly best Foundation Establishment equipment—what she'd configured for Xia Li balanced cost-effectiveness.

  "Alright... looks like I'm still poor. Need to work harder to earn spirit stones."

  Xia Li had really thought his looted hundred-thousand-plus spirit stones were a fortune, enough to last until Nascent Soul. Now it seemed they'd only last until Golden Core at most.

  "I won't say more—you get what you pay for. This set of modifications can simultaneously fight dozens of trash Foundation Establishment cultivators. Your call."

  "Install this set."

  "Alright. Also, are you considering adding more prosthetics?"

  "Adding more?"

  "Meaning giving up your current body."

  "No."

  Xia Li shook his head decisively. Prosthetics were powerful, but if his right arm hadn't been severed, he wouldn't have chosen prosthetics.

  The body, hair, and skin...

  These were the only things his parents had left him.

  When his cultivation grew stronger later, he was even considering limb regeneration.

  "What about embedded modifications? This is the latest technology—you can get the benefits of prosthetic technology while keeping your flesh-and-blood body."

  "Sis Ke... I'm poor. Don't!"

  Xia Li now understood what Ke Xiao was trying to do. All this talk was to promote her services.

  "Just try it! The old modification pod didn't have this function, but the current one can do embedded modifications. It'd be a waste not to."

  "How many spirit stones?"

  "Not expensive. I've already designed the plan—one thousand eight hundred spirit stones for the full set."

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  "This... this..."

  Xia Li could afford it, but Ke Xiao's current expression was exactly like a researcher's enthusiasm toward a test subject. Xia Li was very aware that Ke Xiao wanted to practice her skills on him.

  "Absolutely worth it, absolutely powerful. Can't lose, can't go wrong!"

  "Give me an introduction first!"

  Xia Li was still worried about being messed up. Seeing Xia Li relent, Ke Xiao immediately sent him a file.

  It was a human body transparency diagram. Notably, the figure was missing an arm—clearly modeled after him.

  The figure's internal organs each had mechanical devices of different shapes implanted. The skeleton was covered with shadows.

  Xia Li reached out and tapped the heart area on the diagram. Information immediately popped up.

  *High-Density Cardiac Mesh: Improves heart function. Allows the heart to pump under overload conditions, with protective and restorative effects on the heart during overload states.*

  Then Xia Li tapped other options—all introductions to embedded modifications.

  High-Energy Lung Pump, Adrenal Harmonizer, Composite Fiber Liver Shell, Enhanced Digestive Inner Stomach...

  Spirit-Conducting Exoskeleton, Nano-Muscle Membrane...

  These devices achieved maximum body enhancement and protection while preserving the flesh-and-blood body.

  After reading through, Xia Li could only sigh.

  "Amazing!"

  "But if these modifications need frequent replacement, isn't that a bit troublesome?"

  That would mean he'd constantly be going under the knife. Even though the modification pod was intelligent, with micro-invasive implantation followed by immediate body repair, the process still made Xia Li somewhat uncomfortable.

  "With a modification pod, what's there to fear? For you, it's just sleeping through it. Plus, what I've selected can last at least one full major realm. Installing or not?"

  "Then let's install it... I'll test the waters."

  "Lie down. Prepare to welcome a stronger, more perfect you."

  Ke Xiao gestured for Xia Li to proceed. Xia Li walked toward the modification pod. It seemed that every time he lay down and woke up, his body's capabilities would undergo a leap in evolution.

  People of this era were long accustomed to body modifications. Those with no technology on their bodies were actually rare.

  Xia Li knew he had to get used to this process, or he'd become an old fogey clinging to outdated notions.

  He couldn't accept full-body prostheticization, but full-body embedded modifications didn't seem unacceptable.

  "Preserving the flesh-and-blood body, developing the body's hidden potential, while also gaining the benefits of prosthetic technology—new technology really is something."

  Xia Li couldn't help but sigh, then lay down in the modification pod.

  "Technology always evolves, the world changes daily. I personally don't advocate full-body prostheticization either, but embedded modifications achieve a balance between life and technology."

  "You have flesh and blood. You are a person with a warm body."

  "At the same time, you're also a full-body embedded modification... semi-biological, semi-mechanical superhuman. Traditional Dao and cutting-edge technology integrated—isn't this also a kind of yin-yang balance?"

  As Ke Xiao spoke, Xia Li gradually relaxed under the influence of the sedative gas and sank into slumber.

  He dreamed again.

  On the balcony of his old home, the puppy lay beside him wagging its tail.

  His sister leaned against the balcony railing enjoying the evening breeze, looking up at the crescent moon in the sky, singing a poem.

  "People have sorrows and joys, partings and reunions. The moon waxes and wanes..."

  "These things have been hard to perfect since ancient times..."

  As she sang, his sister suddenly stopped, as if she'd forgotten the words.

  "Hard to perfect since ancient times... but the future can perfect them!"

  "If the future won't work, then wait for an even more distant future. Big bro, we'll definitely meet in the far future!"

  "If the future won't come, then I'll come myself!"

  His sister seemed to have made some kind of resolution.