Sounds like a lot.
But this was Tokyo, one of the highest cost-of-living cities in the world.
Two million, converted into yen, was about forty million or so.
Not even enough to reach a small goal.
Kaito's current residence was near Ikebukuro West Exit, in a standalone house less than ten years old.
The layout was a common 3LDK. Standard three bedrooms and one living room, with a dining area and separate bath and toilet.
The reason for choosing this place was simple. First, convenient transportation: only a ten-minute walk from the nearest train station.
Second, the atmosphere in Ikebukuro was fairly similar to his previous country layout.
The only downside might be the rent being a bit expensive.
Just the rent alone cost several hundred thousand yen a month, not something an average working-class person could afford.
But for Kaito, this wasn't really a problem. As a cultivator, there were simply too many ways to make money.
Of course, as a disciple of a righteous sect: a gentleman loves wealth but takes it the right way.
Kaito didn't plan to do things like robbing and plundering. He was going to stick to his old trade: exorcising demons and slaying spirits.
This world did indeed have malevolent spirits, and likely contained some supernatural power.
It's just that due to the scarcity of spiritual energy, the ceiling was destined not to be high.
The reason he was so sure was because, on the day he transmigrated, Kaito discovered a female ghost seeking lives hovering in his bedroom.
Though his body was riddled with Dao injuries from the heavenly tribulation, and his cultivation had plummeted, that low-level ghost was still easily slapped to death by Kaito.
What surprised him was that after the female ghost died, she actually gave him a wisp of merit.
Although pitifully small, merit was not a mortal object. It was a reward directly issued by the Heavenly Dao.
Just that nearly imperceptible strand of merit was equivalent to him cultivating bitterly for a whole month, and even nourished his Dao wounds.
Starting an exorcism business could both earn considerable compensation and collect merit, helping him recover faster.
'This is a win-winmeaning I win twice.'
Still, daily cultivation couldn't be skipped. Though healing by circulating energy was inefficient, over time it added up, and the results weren't to be underestimated.
"It's already nine o'clock, huh", Exiting cultivation, Kaito glanced at the time on his phone, then casually headed to the kitchen, planning to make some dinner.
Truth be told, with his current cultivation, he had long reached the stage of not needing food. Even not eating for decades wouldn't be a problem.
But in his previous life, he cultivated bitterly for four hundred years. Either in seclusion or in combat, extinguishing all desires, he lived like a machine that only knew cultivation.
So this life, Kaito planned to live a bit more relaxed.
Sleep when he needed to sleep, eat when he wanted to eat. Cultivation, of course, couldn't be abandoned. But there was no need to pour all his energy into it like last time.
As for the Path of Ruthlessness?
Not even a dog would cultivate that.
"Out of ingredients already?", Looking at the empty fridge, he rubbed his brow, "Forget it, better go downstairs and buy some."
He took off the Shuka Academy uniform, changed into a clean outfit. White short-sleeved shirt, and long denim pants.
Very casual attire, but his charm didn't lessen a bit. In fact, it added a refreshing youthfulness.
Next to the residential area was a commercial street, with lots of convenience stores open 24/7.
"Drinks, snacks, wagyu get some ribs too, and stock up on water", Carrying big and small bags out the convenience store's door, and rejecting the sixth beautiful girl's attempt at striking up a conversation, Kaito was about to leave, when his footsteps suddenly paused.
"Yo, handsome guy, all alone?"
"Wanna come play a fun game with your big sisters? We can even teach you how to ascend the DUA throne~"
"Hey hey, give me your contact info. I'm really into you~"
A few tanned, black-skinned gyaru girls with colorful hair and playful expressions came close with fiery eyes, clearly surrounding him with bad intentions.
Kaito: "..."
As a former Nascent Soul Heavenly Lord, an awe-inspiring existence infinitely close to the word "Immortal"
Even though he was now heavily injured, with his cultivation greatly reduced, his life level had not changed.
In other words, the weaker the existence, the more easily they were attracted to him.
And this was already with Kaito deliberately suppressing his aura. Otherwise, at first sight, ordinary people would instantly go "aba aba" and fall into chaos, worship him as a god, and be willing to sacrifice anything.
Even now, though he remained extraordinarily attractive, people would still be amazed and stunned. But wouldn't lose all rationality, drooling like fools after recovery.
Those who could make it into Shuka Academy at least had basic discipline.
Even if their hearts were screaming to fast-forward into harmonious unity with Kaito, they wouldn't immediately run up and beg for mercy.
But these gyaru wandering the city's shadows weren't nearly as restrained.
A super top-tier hottie.
Simply hundreds or thousands of times more handsome than any celebrity idol.
If they could sleep with him once, they'd profit for three yearseven dying would be worth it.
In this life, Kaito didn't resist romantic or intimate matters. If he met a suitable Dao partner, he wouldn't refuse.
But this kind of rotten peach blossom served on a platter? No thanks.
Just as he was about to use a little trick, like a Bewitching Spell or something, to make them scram back to where they came from, a cold female voice suddenly rang out beside him.
"Hello? Is this the police? Yes, there are a few nymphos hereplease send someone immediately The location is"
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Chapter 3: Togawa Sakiko
Togawa Sakiko has been in a very bad mood lately.
Losing his position as a council member and her father being kicked out of the house, she didn't stay in the Togawa household to continue being an ignorant rich young lady, but instead chose to leave with her father.
Originally, she had hoped her father could pull himself together and take back everything that belonged to him, but he ended up like a stray dog with a broken spine, losing all his spirit.
He didn't go out to work and support the family, becoming a useless drunk who spent every day in a daze, drowning in the numbness of alcohol and unable to escape.
Even so, Togawa Sakiko silently carried the heavy burden of life, balancing her studies while also busy with part-time jobs.
Rent, utilities, and her lousy father's beer money, all this heavy pressure fell upon the immature shoulders of this eighteen-year-old girl, making her unable to breathe.
Especially tonight.
During her part-time job as customer service, she encountered a troublesome caller, got scolded harshly and even got complained about, resulting in her bonus for this month being deducted.
'So hungry I haven't eaten anything all day.'
But after just paying the rent, the money left in her pocket wasn't even enough to buy a half-price pork cutlet bento.
'That bastard dad's dinner isn't settled either'
Togawa Sakiko wandered aimlessly along the bustling streets of Tokyo, looking at the endless stream of cars, and suddenly had the impulse to dive into them headfirst.
'Living is really exhausting.'
From the corner of her eye, she unintentionally caught sight of a boy wearing pale-colored clothes walking out from the front of a convenience store nearby, carrying large and small bags.
'Those bags are stuffed full all food?'
'So hungry'
'But it's okay, tomorrow is payday.'
'Sakiko, hang in there!'
Just as Togawa Sakiko collected her emotions and was about to leave, she saw several gyaru girls with tanned skin approaching the boy with ill intentions, surrounding him in the middle.
Even though there was some distance, and she couldn't hear what they were saying, it was definitely not a friendly greeting like, "Have you eaten?"
'Is it sexual harassment?'
Sakiko sighed, but in the end, she still couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"Hey! You bastard, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Hearing someone had called the police, the red-haired gyaru in the lead panicked a little and retorted fiercely but weakly.
"We were just inviting him to hang out, that's all!"
The other two gyaru also chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah, just a normal invite to hang out!"
"Mind your own business!"
"You can say all that to the police later."
Togawa Sakiko crossed her arms, her beautiful eyes cold as ice and snow, "Of course, whether they believe you or not is another matter."
"Damn it! I'll remember you!"
They were just ordinary gyaru after all. Though unwilling, they had no way to deal with Sakiko, who now radiated the full aura of a noble lady.
After throwing out a useless threat, they fled quickly.
"Are you okay?", After confirming the three gyaru had all run away and disappeared, Togawa Sakiko finally put away her phone and looked at the boy beside her.
Or more accurately, looked at the bag in his hand.
Looking closer now there really were a lot of high-end ingredients inside, and also very fresh bottled water
"I'm fine," Kaito shook his head, "Thanks for your help."
The girl in front of him had blue hair, styled in a rare over-the-shoulder double ponytail, looking pretty like a doll. Only her amber pupils lacked energy, carrying an aura like an old soul.
"I'm Togawa Sakiko," Sakiko finally managed to pull her gaze away from the bag in Kaito's hand. When speaking, making eye contact was part of her upbringing as a Togawa family member.
Then, the girl froze.
Kaito was used to people showing that infatuated look when facing him, especially women.
No matter what, Miss Togawa had helped him a bit just now, even though he didn't need it. Still, kindness from strangers was always precious.
"A little token of appreciation," He handed several ten-thousand yen bills in front of Sakiko, speaking concisely, "It's nothing, please accept it."
Although the girl thought her sneaky gaze at the bag just now was subtle, it didn't escape the sharp eyes of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Not to mention the little gulp she secretly swallowed
'You're really hungry, huh? Even reacting to a pile of unprocessed ingredients.'
"S-Sorry! That was rude of mestockings!"
Sakiko snapped out of it like waking from a dream, even accidentally blurting out her old catchphrase.
'I actually stared blankly at a stranger boy for so long?'
Even if the other party truly had a world-class face, staring at him like that without blinking was definitely not what a proper lady should do.
Just as the bowing Sakiko looked up again, she saw the ten-thousand yen bills in front of her and instinctively frowned.
"Thanks for your kindness, but no need," She saved him just to save him, not for a reward.
Maybe that seemed a bit lofty, but even after being beaten down by society, Sakiko didn't want to change her principles of being a decent person.
Besides
Accepting this money gave her a shameful feeling of being given charity.
"Perhaps you misunderstood something," Seeing the girl's face didn't look too good, Kaito thought for a moment and said again, "Have you heard the story of Zigong redeeming a captive?"
Zigong ransomed a captive but refused to accept the official compensation. When Confucius heard of it, he said what Zigong did was wrong. Doing good without accepting rewards would discourage people's enthusiasm for doing righteous deeds.
As the former young lady of the Togawa family, Sakiko not only had excellent grades but also read classical texts from various countries. With a little thought, she understood Kaito's point.
But she still shook her head, her soft wavy hair swaying with the motion, "I just did a trivial thing, this money is too much."
Like a stubborn and rigid little blue octopus.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard the octopus girl's mouth was, her empty little belly still felt soft to the touch.
"Grr grr", The sound of a hungry stomach quietly rang out.
Though not loud, it was enough for both of them to hear clearly.
Sakiko: "..."
Kaito tried to ignore her reddening ears and pretty face, pretending nothing had happened.
"In that case, how about I treat you to a meal?"
Sakiko really wanted to refuse, but already thoroughly embarrassed, she now had a bit of a self-destructive attitude.
'Anyway I already turned down the money.'
'It's just one meal, no big deal, right?'
"This is my home."
After leading Togawa Sakiko all the way home, Kaito casually opened the door.
"Miss Togawa can rest on the sofa for a bit first. I'll go to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Any allergies?"
"None," Togawa Sakiko shook her head. After changing shoes at the entrance, she sat upright, hands instinctively holding her skirt hem, looking a bit reserved.
She hadn't expected that this beautiful boy she randomly met on the street actually lived so close to her.
To be precise, their homes were only separated by a single streetjust a few steps away, and they could visit each other.
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Chapter 4: Good Night
"Don't be so nervous."
Kaito made her a cup of black tea, comforting her, "Just treat it like your own home."
He had a good impression of Miss Togawa.
Clearly in dire straits, unable to even get enough to eat, and yet still able to summon the courage to extend a helping hand to a stranger on the roadside.
This kind-heartedness was rare and precious.
Without a doubt, Togawa Sakiko was a good person.
And good people should be rewarded.
Seeing that staying here would only make Miss Togawa uncomfortable, Kaito chatted with her for a bit more, then excused himself to handle the ingredients and turned to enter the kitchen.
Only after he left did Sakiko finally let out a breath of relief.
Come to think of it, for a delicate girl like her, meeting a strange boy for the first time and entering his home was actually quite a dangerous thing.
