12: Heaven's bill, merit hunting ground

Within his Dantian, the newly generated spiritual Qi flowed like a warm stream, slowly coursing through his limbs and bones.

Qi Refining, eighth level.

This long-lost sensation of abundant power made the corners of his mouth curve upwards uncontrollably.

However, at this very moment.

A crimson warning, more searing than ever before, burned in his vision.

"WARNING: Your actions have severely interfered with a major Karma event, causing irreversible changes to the world line."

"Your existence has attracted the attention of a low-level 'heavenly dao watcher'."

"The probability of your 'Karma backlash' has increased from 'extremely low' to 'medium'."

The smile on Lu Yuan's face froze.

heavenly dao watcher?

These five characters felt less like words and more like an absolute rule stemming from the world's foundation, carrying an undeniable pressure and indifference that made his heart clench suddenly.

This was not a vendetta between Cultivators.

It was not a calculable risk.

This was the cold gaze of the entire world's rules.

He didn't even have time to fully grasp this bone-chilling coldness when a new market update refreshed on the Exchange's light screen.

"Market Anomaly: Due to the severe injury of 'Pill Fanatic' Liu Xuan, his rival Sect, 'Blazing Fire Valley', has begun hostile acquisitions targeting his industries and spheres of influence."

"A large number of related 'merger', 'bankruptcy', and 'change of ownership' options have been listed for trading."

Lu Yuan's gaze shifted from the glaring crimson warning to this entirely new trading section, filled with bloodshed and opportunities.

He slowly exhaled a turbid breath.

The euphoria in his heart was rapidly cooled by this sudden shadow, replaced by a sense of calm.

Risk.

Unknown risk was the greatest enemy in trading.

He had to figure out what this so-called "heavenly dao watcher" actually was.

"Exchange, query detailed information on 'heavenly dao watcher'."

His thought was sent out like a command, and a new line of golden text appeared before his eyes.

"Querying Advanced concept information requires payment of 1 Karma Point. Confirm?"

Lu Yuan's eyebrow twitched.

The Exchange, as expected, never did charity.

But now was not the time to be stingy; information cost was a necessary expense.

"Confirm."

"Payment successful."

"heavenly dao watcher: The world's self-repair and balance mechanism. Not an independent life form, but an extension of the Heavenly Dao's will. When an individual's disturbance to the world line exceeds a safe threshold, it triggers the Watcher's intervention. It will correct or eliminate the target through 'accidents', 'coincidences', 'bad luck', and other forms until the Karma disturbance returns to normal levels."

Accidents.

Coincidences.

Bad luck.

Lu Yuan looked at these words, cold sweat soaking the fabric on his back.

Weren't these the very methods he used to eliminate Li Mo and Qian Baobao?

His "rule weapon," which he relied on for survival, had now turned its barrel on himself.

Before he could think further, on the Exchange panel, a crimson countdown began to tick mercilessly after the words "Karma backlash probability: Medium."

"3 days: 00 hours: 00 minutes"

The cold numbers struck his heart one by one.

In three days, the first backlash would arrive.

"Solution."

Lu Yuan's voice was a little dry; he forced himself into a trader's analytical mode, searching for a way to break the situation.

The light screen flickered.

A new section named [Risk Management] slowly unfolded in his vision.

Two options were clearly listed on it.

"Option One: Karma Isolation Insurance (Elementary)"

"Effect: Upon purchase, can completely exempt one Karma backlash of 'medium' intensity or below."

"Price: 30 karma points."

"Option Two: Karma Offset"

"Effect: By completing 'Karma events' beneficial to the world, world Karma can be accumulated to permanently reduce or offset Karma backlash probability."

Lu Yuan's gaze locked onto the price of Option One.

Thirty karma points.

The one hundred thirty karma points he had just acquired, still warm in his grasp, were about to be forcibly cut by nearly a quarter.

He understood.

This was not insurance at all.

This was a "tax."

It was the stamp duty he had to pay to the "regulatory authority"—the Heavenly Dao—for engaging in high-risk, high-reward transactions in this market!

The cost of any business that yielded huge profits with no capital would always be priced in places you couldn't see.

Now, the bill had arrived.

A suffocating feeling rose in his chest, a trader's instinctive resistance to shrinking profits.

But reason told him that this money had to be paid.

Survival was the prerequisite for all transactions.

He looked at the crimson countdown, a flicker of resolve in his eyes.

"Purchase [Karma Isolation Insurance]."

"Confirm payment of 30 karma points?"

"Confirm."

As his thought settled, the karma points on the panel jumped from 130 to 100.

The glaring countdown also disappeared.

The probability of [Karma Backlash], meanwhile, dropped from medium back to "low."

The shadow hanging over him temporarily dispersed, but Lu Yuan knew this was only a temporary measure.

As long as he continued to trade, the next "bill" would eventually come, and the price would only get higher.

He had to find a sustainable business model that could stably offset risk.

His gaze naturally fell on Option Two, [Karma Offset].

"Spend 0.1 Karma, scan within a hundred-mile radius for 'high Karma events' that can be executed soon."

On the light screen, countless fragmented information streams flashed by.

A moment later, a highlighted piece of information firmly captured his full attention.

"High Karma Event (Locked)"

"Event Description: In three days, Blood Fiend Sect Outer Sect Disciple 'Zhou Mu', to Cultivate an evil technique, will travel to Wang Family Village, a hundred miles away, to blood sacrifice over three hundred Mortals of the entire village."

"Mission Objective: Prevent this event from happening."

"Estimated Karma gain: 50 points."

Lu Yuan's pupils slightly contracted.

Preventing a massacre could earn fifty karma points.

This deal would not only completely resolve his current backlash hidden danger but even yield a profit.

In his eyes, there was no longer any trace of apprehension towards the heavenly dao watcher.

Instead, there was the coldness and focus of a hunter discovering a new hunting ground.

So-called "Karma," it turned out, could also be quantified and actively hunted as a form of profit.

His gaze shifted slightly, and in the corner of the [Risk Management] section, he saw a gray, unlocked option.

"Karma Exchange (Not Yet Open)"

Could Karma itself, in the future, also become a tradable commodity?

Lu Yuan temporarily suppressed this thought.

The immediate priority was to deal with that Blood Fiend Sect Disciple named Zhou Mu.

And securely pocket those fifty karma points.