Over the past few weeks, the Tian family household had completely transformed.
The results of Li Tian’s quietly executed plans were now visible in pure numbers.
Total earnings—
1,000 silver coins.
When Li Hua heard the amount, he thought he had misheard.
The first uncle, the third uncle—everyone’s mind went blank.
Without any drama, Li Tian said directly,
“Seven hundred silver coins—clear all debts.”
That day, not only the loan sharks but even the small creditors arrived.
One by one, every single debt was repaid.
The Tian family—
which had been sinking just days ago—
now stood completely debt-free.
For the first time, Li Hua looked at his son differently.
This wasn’t a foolish boy.
This was… dangerous—in a good way.
---
That night, Li Tian sat alone.
A pile of silver coins lay on the table.
But there was no greed in his eyes—only vision.
“Just surviving isn’t my goal,” he thought.
“I’ll live a life of luxury.
With power. With money.”
The sugar business had stabilized.
Now he needed the next step—
a monopoly-level product.
And then… a flash of red lit up his mind.
Chili.
In this world—at this Ming-dynasty–level time period—
people only knew salt, a little black pepper, and basic spices.
“Spicy” meant bitter or mildly herbal—
but chili heat?
A completely foreign concept.
A slow smile formed on Li Tian’s lips.
“Perfect.”
---
The next day, he arranged seeds.
Planted chilies on a small piece of farmland.
Proper drying.
Precise grinding.
Moisture control.
The result?
Bright red chili powder.
Not just strong—
but addictive.
He tasted a pinch himself.
The heat attacked his brain instantly.
“After this,” Li Tian said,
“this world’s food will taste bland.”
---
But he didn’t go straight to the market.
He went to inns and hotels.
At a mid-level inn, he asked the chef to prepare a simple dish—
rice + a little meat + chili.
The chef took one bite.
Then another.
Then his eyes widened.
“This… what is this?”
Li Tian replied calmly,
“A spice that awakens hunger.”
From that day onward, a new dish appeared at the inn—
Red Fire Meat.
Customer reactions were always the same—
sweat, shock, then laughter.
“Bring more!”
Word began to spread.
Other inns. Other hotels.
Li Tian started selling chili powder wholesale—
while keeping exclusive supply of certain special dishes to himself.
The price?
High.
Demand?
Explosive.
People began to say—
“Food tastes worthless without that red powder.”
---
That night, Li Tian wore his silk robe—
not flashy, but classy.
He lifted a glass of wine and looked down at the bazaar through the window.
“Sugar helped me stand,” he thought.
“Chili… will make me rule.”
In the Murim world—
where people sought power through swords and cultivation—
Li Tian was building an empire through taste and trade.
And this was only the beginning.