59: The First Step to Becoming a God

Inside the secret chamber, a deathly silence reigned.

Lu Yuan sat cross-legged, his eyelids tightly shut.

His breathing was as steady as an ancient, unchanging glacier, devoid of any of the previous disorder and weakness.

Within his Dantian Qi Sea, a brilliant golden pill hovered, each rotation seemingly in sync with the pulse of the entire Universe.

The intricate, intertwining patterns on the surface of the Golden Core were no longer inert.

They were alive.

Sealing the coldest, most profound secrets of Heaven and Earth.

As the Golden Core rotated, the surrounding space underwent imperceptible distortions.

A speck of dust, which should have fallen straight along its predetermined trajectory.

Yet, as it drifted within three feet of Lu Yuan, it unexpectedly traced a tiny arc, its final landing point deviating from its original position in its “fate.”

Lu Yuan did not open his eyes.

But he “saw” it.

In his Divine Sense perception, the world was deconstructed.

Mountains, air, Spiritual Qi, and even light and darkness, were all connected by countless threads, thick or thin, bright or dim, forming an boundless net of Karma.

Each breath was the cause that stirred the flow of air.

A single thought was the effect that determined the dust's destination.

This was the authority granted to him by the karma dao pill.

He was no longer merely a passive observer, a gambler who capitalized on the cracks in the rules.

He had gained the qualification to manipulate the threads of Karma.

Although this qualification was so weak that it only allowed him to move the most insignificant pawn on the edge of the chessboard.

But from “nothing” to “something” was already the demarcation between god and man.

His mind plunged directly into the deepest part of his consciousness.

That familiar Exchange interface had undergone a complete transformation.

The ancient bronze hue was steeped in a deep dark gold, and every character on the interface was forged from flowing light, exuding an undeniable majesty.

“Exchange Seat: Institutional Seat”

These six words floated at the very top of the interface.

Not a crown.

It was a throne.

Lu Yuan’s attention was fixed on the newly unlocked permission.

“Contract Creation”

No explanation.

Because the rule-maker did not need to explain to anyone.

Lu Yuan’s thoughts stirred slightly, intending to understand the essence of this authority.

His gaze fell upon the ordinary teacup in front of him, which had been used for water.

When his will connected with “Contract Creation.”

Above the teacup, lines of new, golden decrees appeared, available for his will to edit.

“Subject Definition: Qing Shi Teacup (Karma Number: 7354)”

“Contract Type: ...”

“Core Term Definition: The state of this teacup being ‘intact’ or ‘shattered’ after one incense stick’s time.”

“...”

A violent drumbeat exploded in his chest.

He understood.

“Contract Creation” granted him the power to define “reality.”

He was no longer limited to choosing goods from the shelves provided by the Exchange.

From now on, he could create “goods” himself, define “games” himself, and then invite the entire world to become his trading counterpart.

This discovery caused a huge problem that had always lingered in his mind to suddenly become clear.

Qingyun Sect.

This Sect, which he regarded as a safe house and his first “asset,” always suffered from a severe lack of resources and stagnant development.

It was severely undervalued due to a lack of startup capital, left to struggle in the mud.

And now… he had found the tool to monetize this “future” in advance.

Lu Yuan slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly penetrating the thick stone walls, overlooking the entire Qingyun Mountain Range.

Mountain gates, halls, Disciples, Spiritual Veins… all these physical entities rapidly blurred and disintegrated in his eyes.

They transformed into streams of wildly fluctuating data, eventually converging into a vast, constantly undulating abstract concept — “Sect Luck.”

He took a deep breath and unhesitatingly activated another powerful function of the Exchange.

“Sandbox Simulation”

“Simulation Target: Issue financial derivatives related to the ‘Qingyun Sect Future Hundred-Year Luck Index.’”

“Start.”

In an instant, his mind was no longer his mind.

It was a Chaos sea composed of countless timelines.

In one timeline, he successfully created “Qingyun Sect Luck Index Futures” and issued them at Wanbao Tower. The market reaction was lukewarm, so he used the profits from the bloody trade route to forcefully push up the index, attracting the first batch of speculators. The Sect developed, forming a positive cycle, eventually becoming a major power.

In another timeline, his plan was seen as a provocation by hostile forces. They teamed up with capital magnates, shorting the index fiercely in the market, while simultaneously launching devastating attacks on Qingyun Sect’s physical industries. Market panic and stampedes occurred, the Sect’s credibility went bankrupt, and it was ultimately besieged by angry “investors,” turning into scorched earth.

In yet another timeline, a hidden ancient force quietly absorbed enough “shares” in the market, seizing control of the Sect without bloodshed, turning Qingyun Sect into a Puppet to be exploited at will.

Countless successes, billions of failures.

The simulation ended.

A cold sensation climbed segment by segment up Lu Yuan’s spine, rushing straight to the top of his head.

This was not fear.

It was excitement.

This was a shortcut to Heaven.

And a cliff leading directly to Hell.

Both the risks and rewards were incredibly immense.

And he, as the “issuer” and “ultimate dealer” of all this, would stand at the end of all timelines, harvesting everything.

Lu Yuan’s gaze, from initial shock, to absolute resolve, finally transformed into a bottomless stillness.

He had long been accustomed to dancing on a tightrope.

And only a gamble of this magnitude was worthy of his “Institutional Seat” status.

He slowly rose.

The stone door of the secret chamber silently opened behind him.

The light from outside poured in, stretching his shadow on the ground like a demon god.

Inside the Sect’s main hall.

Several Foundation Establishment Elders who remained were sitting upright, their expressions respectful, yet unable to conceal their apprehension.

They had been waiting for a long time.

The moment Lu Yuan's figure appeared at the hall entrance, everyone instinctively stood up.

They felt the Golden Core aura, far surpassing those of the same cultivation level, profound as an abyss and oppressive as Hell, and their awe almost overflowed their chests.

Lu Yuan walked to the main seat and sat down, his gaze indifferently sweeping over everyone present.

He did not discuss the details of his Core Formation, nor did he inquire about the Sect’s recent situation.

He merely announced a plan in a tone so calm that it froze the air in the entire hall.

“I have decided.”

His voice was not loud, but it clearly struck everyone’s hearts.

“To package Qingyun Sect.”

“And issue options to the entire cultivation world, to raise capital.”