302: Chapter 302 The Cultivator Uprising in the Spirit Qi Starfield

On the third day of the tree of heavenly dao's feedback, the Spiritual Energy Star Domain exploded.

Lin Chen was in the Dead Silence Star Domain handling the post-disaster reconstruction accounts when he suddenly received an emergency communication from Zhang Hao. In the video, Zhang Hao's face was pale, with sword light and flames filling the background.

"Boss! Something big has happened in the Spiritual Energy Star Domain! Those Cultivators have gone mad!"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow and switched to the surveillance feed of the Spiritual Energy Star Domain.

In the feed, the once orderly "Cultivation Base Exchange" was now billowing with thick smoke. Hundreds of Cultivators, wielding Magical Artifacts, were charging the exchange's gates. Outside the gates, the guarding Ghost Soldiers were retreating step by step, with three already hacked to the ground.

On the exchange's screens, loan data flickered wildly—those Cultivators were frantically withdrawing their mortgaged cultivation bases, completely disregarding the consequences of default.

The leader of the uprising was a Nascent Soul Cultivator with long white hair and a beard, wielding a flying sword that shimmered with golden light. Standing atop the ruins of the exchange, he shouted to the surrounding Cultivators:

"Fellow Daoists! That merchant Lin Chen has treated us like beasts of burden with his Cultivation Base Loans! Now that the Zeroing Storm has just passed and his strength is greatly depleted, this is the perfect opportunity for us to rise up! From this day forth, the Spiritual Energy Star Domain belongs to the Cultivators' self-governance! For all who join us, your loans for the next hundred years will be completely waived!"

"Great!" Hundreds of people responded in unison.

Lin Chen watched this scene and fell silent for three seconds.

Then, he smiled.

That smile sent a chill down Zhang Hao's spine—though he didn't know what the boss was going to do, he knew those Cultivators were in for a rough time.

"Arrogant Dragon," Lin Chen spoke.

"Here!" Arrogant Dragon had long been unable to restrain himself.

"Go to the Spiritual Energy Star Domain and capture that old man leading them. I want him alive."

"Understood!"

Arrogant Dragon transformed into a streak of sword light and instantly vanished from the Dead Silence Star Domain.

Lin Chen opened a communication channel, simultaneously connecting to all Cultivators in the Spiritual Energy Star Domain—including those rebelling and those who weren't.

"Everyone, I am Lin Chen."

In the video, the reveling Cultivators instantly fell silent.

The Nascent Soul Cultivator sneered, "Lin Chen, you've come at just the right time. Today, our Spiritual Energy Star Domain rises in revolt. If you know what's good for you, get out of our territory quietly. Otherwise—"

"Otherwise what?" Lin Chen interrupted him.

The Nascent Soul Cultivator was stunned, momentarily speechless.

Lin Chen continued, "Do you know how much money you owe me?"

He pulled up a set of data and projected it onto the sky of the Spiritual Energy Star Domain.

It was a long list, detailing every Cultivator's loan amount, interest, and repayment deadline.

The Nascent Soul Cultivator's name was prominently at the top: Loan of 300 billion, accumulated interest of 470 billion, with 327 years remaining on the repayment term.

"Do you see?" Lin Chen said, "Every single one of you owes me money. Now that you're revolting, are you trying to dodge your debts?"

The Nascent Soul Cultivator sneered, "So what if we dodge them? You're just a merchant; do you think you can kill us all?"

Lin Chen smiled.

"Kill you? No, if I kill you, who will pay me back?"

He paused, his tone becoming playful:

"I hereby announce that for all Cultivators participating in the uprising, their loan interest will double. For those who report the rebels, their loans will be completely waived."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd of Cultivators in the Spiritual Energy Star Domain instantly erupted into a frenzy.

Someone whispered, "Double interest? I won't be able to pay that back even if I die..."

The person next to him immediately retorted, "Are you stupid? If we revolt now, we won't have to pay back anything later!"

"But can the uprising succeed? Lin Chen even survived the Zeroing Storm..."

"Cut the crap, whose side are you on anyway?"

Amidst the chaos, an inconspicuous Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator quietly backed away and vanished into the crowd.

Three minutes later, Arrogant Dragon returned, carrying a white-haired old man.

That old man was the Nascent Soul Cultivator, now being held by Arrogant Dragon like a little chick, his face full of disbelief.

"You... how could you be so fast?!"

Arrogant Dragon tossed him in front of Lin Chen and clapped his hands. "With such meager cultivation, you still dared to revolt?"

Lin Chen looked down at the old man and said slowly:

"Do you know why you revolted, yet no one notified me?"

The Nascent Soul Cultivator was stunned.

Lin Chen pointed to the screen.

On the screen, a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator was kneeling before the Temporary Management Station of the Spiritual Energy Star Domain, saying excitedly, "I'm reporting them! I'm reporting all the rebels! I have the list! I was right there when they were having their meeting!"

The Nascent Soul Cultivator's face instantly turned deathly pale.

"A traitor... there's a traitor..."

Lin Chen smiled.

"A traitor? No, he just wants to survive."

He stood up, walked over to the Nascent Soul Cultivator, and looked down at him.

"I'll give you two choices."

"One, accept punishment. Your loan interest will triple, and your repayment term will be shortened to thirty years. Pay it off within thirty years, or your entire cultivation base will be confiscated."

"Two, redeem yourself through service. Clearly identify all the planners, supporters, and bystanders of this uprising. For every one you name, your interest will be reduced by 10%. Identify them all, and your interest will return to its original rate."

The Nascent Soul Cultivator trembled all over.

"You... you're forcing me to betray my fellow Daoists!"

Lin Chen nodded.

"Correct."

The Nascent Soul Cultivator fell silent.

Three seconds later.

"I'll talk."

Arrogant Dragon whispered from the side, "Boss, you're way too ruthless..."

Lin Chen ignored him.

He opened the system, looking at the reported names, marking, categorizing, and processing them one by one.

The marked Cultivators soon received a system notification:

[Dear customer, due to your participation in illegal uprising activities, your loan interest has been doubled. Please pay it off within 327 years, or your cultivation base will be forcibly auctioned.]

Some collapsed and wept on the spot, some knelt and begged for mercy, and some tried to flee, only to be smacked back one by one by Arrogant Dragon's sword.

Three hours later, the uprising was completely suppressed.

Lin Chen sat beneath the tree of heavenly dao, looking at the regained control of the loan data, and nodded with satisfaction.

Zhang Hao approached. "Boss, what about those traitors... I mean, the whistleblowers? Are you really going to waive their interest?"

Lin Chen glanced at him.

"What I say, I mean."

He opened the system and sent a message to that Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator:

[Your loan has been fully waived. Thank you for your report. Should there be a next time, we welcome further cooperation.]

Upon receiving the message, the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator immediately kowtowed three times to Lin Chen.

Arrogant Dragon watched this, his mouth twitching. "Boss, you're practically encouraging betrayal..."

Lin Chen smiled.

"Betrayal? This is called a rational choice."

He stood up and looked at the distant Spiritual Energy Star Domain.

"Remember, in my territory, betrayal has a cost, and loyalty has its rewards."

"Whoever wants to rebel, first calculate whether you can afford to pay back your debts."

In the distance, the sun was setting over the Spiritual Energy Star Domain.

The cries of those Cultivators gradually faded into the wind.