62: Bargain-picking time

The two words, “Qing Yue,” resounded like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens within the core trading hub of Wanbao Tower.

The steward responsible for monitoring trembled violently.

The warm teacup in his hand slipped out, shattering on the mirror-smooth floor.

He ignored the scalding tea splashing his Daoist robe, staring at the glaring source identifier on the light screen, a choked sound escaping his throat as if an invisible hand was gripping him.

Fairy Qing Yue.

That mysterious existence who, over several centuries, had only made a handful of transactions in Wanbao Tower’s (Ten Thousand Treasures Tower) records, yet each time caused an enormous stir.

Every one of her entries came on the eve of a major reversal.

But this time, she was betting on a weak Qingyun Sect, which everyone believed was doomed to be annihilated... The wrath of the Purple Gold Wang Family would not cease for anyone’s entry.

Wang Teng’s command, carrying the will to crush everything, was unleashed with a roar.

Three days later.

The night was inky black, the moon hidden and stars sunken.

On the border of the Qingyun Sect’s territory, an affiliated Spirit Stone mine named “Crimson Flame Valley” was suddenly engulfed by soaring flames and blood-red light.

“Enemy attack!”

A shrill cry pierced the night sky, only to be drowned out by violent spiritual energy explosions.

Three Golden Core Cultivators from the Purple Gold Wang Family, leading nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment elites, launched a devastating surprise attack on this poorly defended mine.

The light of Magic Treasures tore through the darkness, and also through flesh and blood.

The Disciples of the Qingyun Sect guarding the mine couldn’t even organize effective resistance before falling in droves into pools of blood.

In their eyes, the final despair and unwillingness were frozen.

In just half an hour.

When the Cultivators of the Purple Gold Wang Family departed with sneers, Crimson Flame Valley, which once operated day and night, providing thirty percent of the Sect’s income, had been reduced to scorched earth and ruins.

The earth wailed, and the air was filled with the sickening stench of blood and sulfur.

The news, through Wanbao Tower’s (Ten Thousand Treasures Tower) pervasive intelligence network, spread immediately to the ears of all Cultivators following this wager.

Wanbao Tower Headquarters.

On the enormous trading light screen, the golden numbers of the “Qingyun Sect Comprehensive Strength Index” began to flash wildly, then plummeted like a kite with a broken string.

Each jump represented the evaporation of massive amounts of Spirit Stones.

“It’s falling! It’s crashing through!”

“Crimson Flame Valley is destroyed, the Qingyun Sect’s Foundation is broken, this game is dead!”

“Sell quickly! If you don’t sell now, it’ll truly become worthless paper!”

Panic spread like a plague.

Those Loose Cultivators who had been swayed by “Fairy Qing Yue’s” entry a few days ago and bought “Qingyun Sect wins” with speculative intentions, now completely collapsed.

They frantically sold their contracts, fearing they would be a step too late.

The stampede began.

Qingyun Sect, Deliberation Hall.

The atmosphere was colder than a deep winter ice cellar.

“Lu Yuan!”

An old man with white hair and beard slammed the table, his withered hand showing prominent veins from the force.

“Is this the plan you spoke of? Is this your explanation to the Sect?”

“Crimson Flame Valley is gone! One hundred thirty-seven Disciples, not even their bones remain!”

Another Elder’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice trembling.

“The Sect’s annual income is sharply reduced by thirty percent; what will we use to cultivate Disciples? What will we use to maintain the operation of the mountain-protecting Formation?”

“You used the Sect’s Luck as a wager, and now, we have lost completely!”

“You must be held responsible for this!”

Accusations and questions surged like a tide towards the calm figure seated at the head.

Lu Yuan sat there, expressionless.

His fingers tapped gently on the armrest, producing a steady, rhythmic sound that was utterly out of place with the agitated atmosphere in the hall.

He did not look at the agitated Elders, his gaze seeming to pierce through the hall, looking towards the distant sky.

After a long time, his tapping fingers stopped.

“Give up.”

His voice was very soft, yet it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

“What?”

The Elders were stunned.

“All peripheral industries of the Sect, spiritual fields, shops, market towns, will all strategically contract.”

Lu Yuan spoke slowly, his tone unruffled.

“All Core Disciples and resources will be withdrawn to the main peak of Qingyun.”

“Why? That is our Sect’s Foundation of several hundred years!”

“Because…”

Lu Yuan finally turned his head, his deep eyes sweeping over everyone present, his gaze frighteningly calm.

“The war has only just begun.”

At the moment of market despair and the imminent collapse of trust within the Sect.

Lu Yuan returned to his Immortal Cave.

On the light screen before him, the interface of the Great Dao Options Exchange displayed the dreadful K-line chart for the “Qingyun Sect wins” contract.

It had fallen to an incredibly low price.

Its value was almost zero.

Lu Yuan’s eyes were calm as he began to silently buy in batches all the karma points he had accumulated through several transactions, as well as all the profits he had obtained from Wanbao Tower.

Buying this “worthless paper” that everyone else had abandoned.

Just then, a clear and cold Divine Thought crossed the Void Realm.

“What are you doing?”

It was Han Yuexi.

Lu Yuan did not look up, merely replying with four simple words.

“Value investing.”

Inside the Purple Gold Wang Family, there was jubilation.

Patriarch Wang Teng held the battle report, laughing heartily, publicly declaring to the outside world that Lu Yuan was nothing but a sensationalist clown, and the demise of the Qingyun Sect was a foregone conclusion.

The entire cultivation world seemed to have accepted this fact.

No one knew.

In a remote Mortal kingdom tens of thousands of miles from the Eastern Continent.

Deep in a desert with sandstorms raging.

Su Qing, dressed in a green robe, was covered in dust from travel.

Following the guidance of the ancient map Lu Yuan had given her, she had been searching here for seven days and seven nights.

Finally, beneath a dilapidated temple buried by sandstorms for countless years.

She pushed open a stone slab weighing over ten thousand catties with all her strength.

Beneath the stone slab, an ancient teleportation Formation, covered in dust and cobwebs, inscribed with countless profound runes, lay quietly there.

At the center of the Formation, a dim stone emitted a faint light when it sensed the unique Lunar spiritual energy on Su Qing’s body.