Grand Return System-Chapter 93: Gold and Return

Gold and Return

After practicing under Leon’s guidance, Rias wiped the faint sweat from her forehead and turned toward Selena with bright, competitive eyes.

"Senior Sister," she said eagerly, flame still flickering faintly around her fingertips, "why don’t we have a round?"

She had just learned the Floral Hand Strike. Her blood was still hot. Sparring with Leon was like trying to move a mountain with bare hands. But Selena—

That was different.

Selena was strong, yes.

But not unreachable.

With their realms suppressed to a similar level, the gap between them wasn’t vast. The real difference lay in experience. Selena had trained longer in the Amethyst Mist Sword and possessed deeper combat comprehension.

Selena looked at her calmly. The breeze lifted her silver hair, the pale sash at her waist fluttering softly.

"Alright," she said without hesitation. "Come."

Leon stood to the side.

And once again—

He was forgotten.

The two girls moved to the center of the bamboo clearing, smiling at each other with barely concealed excitement.

Leon folded his arms.

"...Hmph."

He watched them exchange playful yet sharp blows—ice against flame, sword light colliding with crimson palm shadows.

What am I thinking...

His mouth twitched slightly.

My students are united. Supporting each other. I should be proud.

A brief silence.

Why does it feel like I’ve been replaced?

He stared at them.

Ridiculous. I’m their Teacher. How can I feel jealous of my own students?

He coughed lightly to himself.

Am I losing my mind?

The two girls laughed as Rias narrowly dodged an icy sword arc, countering with a blooming spiral of flame. Selena pivoted cleanly, dispersing the fire with a precise strike.

They were improving.

And Leon... was standing there like a certified background character.

Just then—

[Ding...]

A mechanical chime echoed in his mind.

[You taught your student the Floral Hand Strike. Triggering Critical Hit Return.]

[Activate?]

Leon’s eyes sharpened.

"Activate."

[Congratulations. Ten-thousand-times Critical Strike triggered.]

[You have obtained a God-grade cultivation technique: Ultimate Hand Strike.]

Leon: "!!!"

For a split second, his composure cracked.

"...What the—"

He swallowed the rest of the curse before it escaped his lips.

Information flooded into his mind instantly.

The Ultimate Hand Strike.

Unlike the elegant, adaptive Floral Hand Strike, this technique was tyrannical.

Absolute.

It condensed mana into a singular collapsing point—compressing space itself before unleashing it outward in a devastating burst. Not flashy. Not decorative.

One strike.

One annihilation.

It didn’t flow like petals.

It crushed like a falling star.

Leon stood still, absorbing the details, heart pounding once.

This... is overkill.

Even for him.

A faint smile curved at the corner of his mouth.

The Grand Return System truly lived up to its name.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The bamboo forest grew quieter. The sparring grew sharper. Ice and flame began to move with rhythm instead of chaos.

This morning, Leon sat cross-legged inside the training hall, meditating.

Mana circulated steadily through his meridians. The Ultimate Hand Strike’s principles replayed silently in his mind, refining, compressing.

Then—

"Here! Yes—this is the place! Put everything down carefully!"

Voices broke the calm.

Leon opened his eyes slowly.

Outside, a group of laborers struggled up the Academy Premises path, sweating as they carried several large wooden chests.

They stacked them in front of the training hall.

Leon stepped out, puzzled.

"You are?"

Then he saw the familiar green-eyed youth standing behind them.

Harry Taylor.

The corner of Leon’s mouth twitched.

"Hehe, Senior!" Harry walked forward shamelessly, Kevin beside him. "Didn’t expect it to be me, right?"

Kevin bowed slightly.

"Guardian Elder Leon," he said respectfully, "this is Young Master Harry of the Taylor family in Ashford City. He suddenly came to pay respects today and said he wished to deliver some treasures to Amethyst Summit Division. Headmaster Mike asked me to bring him up."

Leon nodded slowly.

He looked at Harry.

"What treasures are you delivering?" he asked calmly. "Don’t tell me you’re plotting something."

Harry slapped his chest confidently.

"Senior, you misunderstand! My father personally instructed me to deliver these. It’s our way of repaying Senior’s guidance."

Leon raised an eyebrow.

"Repayment?"

He walked toward the chests and casually opened one.

Golden light burst outward.

For a moment—

He was nearly blinded.

Coin.

Stacks upon stacks of coin.

Refined, gleaming, heavy.

Leon froze.

...Is this real?

He opened another chest.

More coin.

And another.

More.

His heart skipped once.

So much?

He had lived on this lonely division for years. Amethyst Summit Division was practically poor enough to survive on wind and dew.

He had been calculating expenses quietly these past weeks.

And now—

Coin piled like a small mountain before him.

The Taylor family... is outrageous.

Leon inhaled slowly.

No wonder other division masters occasionally visited Ashford City to "maintain relations."

So this is why.

He felt his pulse quicken.

This... this is how wealth flows.

But outwardly—

He remained perfectly calm.

Harry, meanwhile, stood proudly.

Leon turned to him with composed dignity.

"Yes. Young Master Harry is thoughtful."

He folded his hands behind his back.

"As cultivators, we are not particularly interested in worldly possessions."

Harry blinked.

Leon continued smoothly.

"However... since the Taylor family is so sincere, refusing would indeed seem impolite."

A pause.

"In that case, I will reluctantly accept it."

Inside—

Reluctantly?

If you brought two more carts, I’d reluctantly accept those too.

But his face was serene as still water.

Harry grinned broadly.

"Senior approves? Good! My father said if you felt it wasn’t enough, we could always send more next time."

Leon’s heartbeat jumped.

"...That won’t be necessary," he said lightly.

...For now.

The bamboo forest swayed gently in the wind.

Behind him, Selena and Rias had stopped sparring, staring at the mountain of coin with wide eyes.

Amethyst Summit Division—

For the first time in years—

Looked rich.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Grand Return System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scoturn777

Creator of Grand Return System

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