64: You bid, God buys

Three days later, at the foot of Mount Longhu, a strange sweet and bloody scent permeated the air.

A plant never seen before broke through the hard earth, growing tenaciously.

Its main stem was layered, looking like crumpled and then spread-out gray cloth, exuding a bizarre texture.

The leaves looked as if they were messily cut from yellow paper used in ritual ceremonies; their edges were sharp, yet their veins were as deep as ink marks.

Most eye-catching were the tightly closed flower buds at the tips of the branches, their entire bodies shimmering as if golden flames were slowly burning within.

Zhang Xuanyi squatted beside this weird plant, his expression as focused as an old farmer inspecting his most precious crop.

He casually plucked a tender leaf, stuffed it into his mouth without hesitation, and chewed carefully.

A moment later, he frowned and spat it out in disgust.

"Pah, the flavor isn't right. It's a bit bland; needs some spice."

Nearby, Su Qingzhu was using a specialized instrument to record the energy fluctuations dissipating around the plant. Hearing this, her eye twitched, and she quickly wrote a line in her notebook: 'Subject performed physical contact and taste testing on the "Power of Will plant" sample; preliminary feedback is "poor mouthfeel".'

She pushed up her glasses, shifting her attention away from Zhang Xuanyi's eccentric behavior, and reported: "According to the latest intelligence summary from the Ninth Division of National Security, within these three days, over two thousand people nationwide have obtained varying degrees of abnormal effects through 'Power Of Will' transactions. The most typical case is a paralyzed youth living in Xichuan. He made a vow of 'never stealing' in front of the Dao Market ruins, using it as a price to exchange for the hope of standing up again. Although he couldn't walk immediately, at the moment he made the wish, a weak sense of Qi was briefly activated in his body! This is a miracle that neither modern medicine nor metaphysics can explain!"

Zhang Xuanyi grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, his eyes flashing with a hint of craftiness and realization: "That's why, Qingzhu. The Dao of this world has never been something high-and-mighty Tianshis or Sects bestow upon you with golden seals and jade scrolls for it to be yours. The Dao is something you 'wish' for, word by word, from the heaven, earth, and all things, using your own determination and sacrifice."

The night deepened, and the mountain wind grew colder.

Cui Wujiu sat cross-legged on a bluestone ten paces away from that "Power of Will plant."

The broken blade that had accompanied him for many years lay across his knees, its body reflecting a grim cold light under the moon.

He kept his eyes closed and his breathing steady, but beneath his open lapel, the black rune branded on his heart by the System crawled slowly like a living thing. Its color was deeper than it had been three days ago, faintly emitting an ominous aura.

"It's urging me," Cui Wujiu's voice was hoarse and low, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat. "The residual will of that 'System' wants me to... go destroy that stall."

Not far away, Zhang Xuanyi was leisurely cracking melon seeds, accurately spitting the shells into a small dirt pit three meters away. Hearing this, he didn't even look up as he said, "Then go ahead. Anyway, you can't beat me."

The corner of Cui Wujiu's mouth curled into a cold arc as he opened his eyes. The past madness was gone, leaving only a settled coldness and determination: "I'm not going. I am now a 'Contract Breaker,' viewed by it as a bug that must be purged. This identity is perfect for guarding this 'Land of Breach' born from a 'breach of contract'."

Just as his voice fell, a marvelous scene occurred.

On that "Power of Will plant," a leaf shimmering with golden flame light seemed to be moved by the wind, drifting down leisurely and landing squarely on Cui Wujiu's shoulder.

The golden flame flashed and vanished like warm water, seeping into his body.

Cui Wujiu shuddered violently and looked down at his chest.

That black rune, which had been crawling frantically and emitting an ominous aura, actually stopped its restlessness temporarily under the soothing of the golden flame. Even the bone-deep stinging pain lessened significantly.

Su Qingzhu, who had been observing silently, couldn't help but let out a soft sigh, her tone carrying a bit of shock and confusion: "This stall... is it saving him?"

Zhang Xuanyi finished the last melon seed, clapped his hands, and stood up. He looked at Cui Wujiu and then at the plant, his smile meaningful: "It isn't saving anyone; it's just following the new rules—all things have wishes, and all wishes have a price. Cui Wujiu made a wish of 'protection,' so it repaid him with the price of 'tranquility.' It's perfectly fair."

At the hour of Zishi, the moment of transition between Yin and Yang.

A sudden transformation occurred at the foot of Mount Longhu!

All the flower buds on that "Power of Will plant" burst into bloom at the same instant!

There was no fragrance and no nectar, only dazzling streaks of golden flame erupting from the stamens, converging into a thick pillar of light that soared into the sky, tearing through the night as if it wanted to burn a hole in the firmament!

The moment the golden flame pillar rose, the entire land of Huaxia and the world of all Outliers experienced a violent tremor.

At the Under Heaven Society headquarters in the capital, a "fist soul candy" treasured by a core member melted into a puddle of scalding syrup in his pocket without warning.

On the shores of the East Sea, the "heavenly eye mung beans" purchased at a high price by a certain Loose Cultivator sprouted on their own in his secluded cultivation room, growing strange tender seedlings.

And in countless corners, those photocopy yellow papers that had once flowed out of the Dao Market and were revered as supreme treasures by believers spontaneously ignited at this moment, turning into flying ash.

All items tainted with the aura of the "Dao Market" completed their final mission under the call of this soaring golden flame.

At the same time, a cold, broken, yet newly majestic electronic voice reassembled and rang out in Zhang Xuanyi's mind:

"Detecting massive convergence of Power Of Will... Rule reshaping complete..."

"Lv. 8—Yuanli Market, officially opened."

"Commodity generation rule changed: Determined by 'Wish'."

Zhang Xuanyi felt the familiar yet strange power flowing through his body. He raised his hand and gently stroked the now scalding main stem of the plant, his smile as bright as a child who had received all the candy in the world.

"Did you hear that?" he laughed softly, as if speaking to the air, or perhaps declaring to some invisible enemy, "This time, I'm the System myself."

The next morning, at the first light of dawn.

From the direction of Tianshi Mansion, a golden light more brilliant than the rising sun pierced the sky, carrying the sound of a majestic dragon roar as it sped toward the foot of the mountain.

It was a golden decree personally written by the current Tianshi of Tianshi Mansion. On it, cinnabar secret script wrote the Heavenly Law Order: "The Dao Market disturbs the universe, but since its source lies within the Dao Sect, it should rightfully return under the jurisdiction of Tianshi Mansion. Ninth Cloth Master Zhang Xuanyi is to enter the mansion immediately for investiture; his past crimes are pardoned, and he shall jointly manage the order of the Mystic Gate."

This golden decree contained the majesty and dharma power inherited by Tianshi Mansion for a thousand years. Wherever it passed, all laws were repelled. Ordinary Outliers would feel their spirits tremble just by looking at it, not daring to harbor the slightest thought of disobedience.

However, just as this overbearing golden decree was about to fly down to the mountain gate and declare the absolute authority of Tianshi Mansion, another change occurred!

The newborn "Yuanli Market" suddenly erupted with even more intense golden flames, forming a massive vortex.

The golden decree seemed to be grabbed by an invisible giant hand. No matter how it struggled, it couldn't advance another inch. Finally, it was sucked tight by the golden flame vortex, suspended in mid-air, neither rising nor falling—an extremely awkward position!

At the foot of the mountain, the hundreds of Outliers who had rushed over upon hearing the news were in an uproar.

Zhang Xuanyi walked out slowly from behind the plant with his hands in his pockets. He looked up at the golden decree trembling in the golden flames as if looking at an item for sale.

"Old rules," his voice wasn't loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire valley. "If you want to buy, you have to quote a price."

He extended a finger, pointing from afar at the golden decree, his voice suddenly rising and echoing through the clouds:

"This item is called 'The Tianshi's Authority'! Now, it is a commodity! I shall set the price—a Power Of Will transaction! Everyone present, who is willing to give up one year of their Lifespan for the 'freedom' where everyone can cultivate? Who is willing to sever one of their Qi pathways cultivated over many years to uncover the covered-up 'truth'? Who is willing to abandon the reputation of the Sect they've earned in their lifetime so that everyone under heaven can claim 'justice'?"

His words were like thunder, exploding in everyone's hearts.

In an instant, the deathly silence among the crowd at the foot of the mountain was broken.

An old Loose Cultivator with a broken leg who had been abandoned by his Sect showed a look of determination in his eyes. He pulled out a dagger and, without hesitation, slashed a bone-deep wound in his palm, letting the blood drip onto the earth: "I am willing! I am willing to trade one year of my Lifespan for a world of free cultivation!"

A young woman who had been wrongly accused of desertion and had no way to explain herself was covered in tears. she suddenly struck her own Dantian with a palm, spitting out a mouthful of blood, actually severing one of her hard-cultivated Foundation pathways on the spot: "I am willing! I am willing to use one pathway of Qi to exchange for the truth being revealed to the world!"

Even more so, a burly man from a prestigious family publicly tore up the Sect token representing his identity and roared toward the sky: "I am willing! I am willing to discard this empty name for a bright and clear world where everyone has justice!"

"I am willing!"

"I am also willing!"

One, two, ten, a hundred... countless suppressed, ignored, and hurt Souls erupted at this moment.

They either dripped blood, severed pathways, burned contracts, or tore tokens, using their most precious things as offerings to make their wishes for freedom, truth, and justice.

Visible rays of Power Of Will light rose from them, converging into an unstoppable torrent that frantically surged into the "Yuanli Market"!

The golden flames surged, their power overwhelming!

Under the impact of this Power Of Will torrent forged from the blood, tears, and determination of hundreds, the golden decree representing the supreme authority of Tianshi Mansion let out a wail. The cinnabar secret script on it rapidly dissolved, and finally, with a "bang," it completely transformed into the purest Power Of Will energy, which was absorbed by the "Yuanli Market" and integrated into a new tender leaf.

The golden flames slowly receded, and on the main stem of that strange plant, light and shadow shifted, finally revealing four ancient characters:

All Laws Await a Price.

Su Qingzhu stood in the distance. On the tablet in her hand, the real-time satellite monitoring map was showing an astonishing scene—at the moment the golden decree was swallowed, hundreds of spontaneously formed "Power Of Will stalls" simultaneously emerged across Huaxia, from bustling cities to remote villages.

They took various forms; some were just a piece of yellow paper stuck on a wall, others were a glowing stone, but without exception, they were all absorbing the weak Power Of Will emitted by the people around them.

Even outside the heavily guarded Under Heaven Society stronghold building, someone had quietly posted a slip of paper under the cover of night that read, "Amulet papers for sale at half price, sincere wishing."

She took a deep breath and walked to Zhang Xuanyi's side, her voice trembling slightly: "What you ignited is more than just this one stall's fire at the foot of Mount Longhu."

Zhang Xuanyi pulled a grass root from the ground and bit it in his mouth. He looked up at the sky, which had become exceptionally clear and high after being baptized by the golden flames, and smiled like a gambler who had won everything.

"Yeah," he said softly, "now... it's Heaven's turn to buy my Dao."

In an unnoticed corner, on the back of the new tender leaf that had absorbed the essence of the Tianshi's golden decree, a line of tiny characters made of light, barely visible, quietly emerged and then quickly faded away:

"The Twelfth, in position."

That night, Mount Longhu was sleepless.

And that strange plant that had swallowed the Tianshi's golden decree, in the silence, absorbed the Power Of Will of a hundred people and a single Heavenly Law, beginning its true, frantic growth in the darkness where no one noticed.