Chapter 17: When Others Fear, I Increase Positions
Chapter 17: When Others Fear, I Double Down
Zhao Xuhe knew perfectly well that Substitute Death Yin Puppets had become a complete bubble by now, ready to burst at any moment and crash entirely.
But he believed that with his sharp instincts, he could exit the market in time.
So when Lü Yang contacted him, saying he had already cashed out and wanted to repay the 2,000 Contribution Points loan he had borrowed earlier, Zhao Xuhe actually felt sorry for him.
"Rash! Junior Brother, you're being too rash!"
"Can't you see the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets is still rising? And this is before the war has even started! Once the real fighting begins, demand will far outstrip supply!"
"Right now, while prices haven't skyrocketed too much yet, I suggest you buy back in immediately."
Despite Zhao Xuhe's fervent persuasion, Lü Yang remained rational.
Though he was also tempted by the soaring prices of Substitute Death Yin Puppets and even regretted selling so early, he understood Zhao Xuhe's motives all too well.
Concern for him?
Don't be naive—he just wanted more people to enter the market!
The more people who joined, the better his chances of cashing out and escaping unscathed.
"Hold steady. I won't rush."
"This lifetime, I'll observe the situation and confirm the peak price. Next lifetime, I'll repeat the same operation—that's when I'll truly make my fortune..."
With the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes in hand, I can only profit, never lose!
With that thought, Lü Yang's mood instantly balanced out. He settled the loan with Zhao Xuhe and immediately went into seclusion, cutting himself off from the outside world.
......
While Lü Yang was in seclusion, the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets continued to soar.
Because the Primordial Saint Sect had indeed begun preparations for war!
Large numbers of disciples received transfer orders and left the sect one after another, their destinations unknown... Under such circumstances, the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets naturally couldn't drop even slightly.
No matter how expensive they became, those about to be sent to the Righteous-Demonic War had no choice but to grit their teeth and buy them.
After all, money could always be earned again—but life only came once.
Amid this frenzy, more and more people chose to enter the market, most of whom weren't ordinary disciples but actual scions of noble families.
Compared to ordinary disciples, these aristocratic disciples came from wealthy backgrounds, with elders who were at least Foundation Establishment True Persons. The Contribution Points they could mobilize far surpassed those of ordinary disciples. Thus, once they entered the market, the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets—which had already shown signs of slowing—suddenly skyrocketed again.
Three thousand, four thousand, five thousand...
Clearly, this price had long surpassed the actual value of Substitute Death Yin Puppets. Some, gripped by fear, even began cashing out.
Naturally, this led to a drop in prices.
A similar panic gradually spread, yet many others—especially those who had weathered the first dip—remained full of confidence.
"Don't panic! This is just a technical correction!"
"Selling now? It's far too early!"
This time, Zhao Xuhe believed he had learned his lesson.
Last time, he had exited too early, only to re-enter and suffer a small loss instead of making a profit. How could he possibly make the same mistake twice?
"The Righteous-Demonic War hasn't even started yet! The market still has plenty of Substitute Death Yin Puppets, so at first glance, it might seem like prices have peaked. But once the fighting begins, Substitute Death Yin Puppets will be consumed in massive quantities, with no equivalent substitutes available. At that point, everyone will have to come back and buy!"
"And when that happens, prices will inevitably surge for the third time!"
"What's a mere five thousand Contribution Points? Seven thousand—even ten thousand—is possible! When lives are at stake and supply runs dry, people will sell everything they own to buy them!"
Zhao Xuhe felt his analysis was flawless.
"So while those fools sell out of fear... I'll double down!"
With that thought, Zhao Xuhe not only poured all his savings into the market but even took out loans, borrowing a massive sum on the credit of the Three Rivers Association.
He went all in.
Of course, Zhao Xuhe wasn't the only "genius"—others made the same judgment and began sweeping up Substitute Death Yin Puppets in bulk.
As a result, the recently fallen prices began to rebound.
Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe—who had initially been slightly uncertain—felt as if he had swallowed a stabilizing pill. He became utterly convinced that going all-in had been a stroke of brilliance.
Then, early the next morning.
A voice resounded from the Sacred Fire Cliff, instantly spreading throughout the Primordial Saint Sect, both inside and out.
"Recently, under the personal arrangements of our Sect Master True Lord, disciples were openly mobilized to simulate war preparations while covertly launching a surprise attack on the Jiangnan Mass Grave."
"Thus, it is with great pleasure that we announce to all disciples."
"Just yesterday, the Jiangnan Mass Grave was personally reclaimed by the Sect Master True Lord. Simultaneously, the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion has contacted the Sect Master, expressing willingness to negotiate peace with the Saint Sect."
...... It exploded.
Literally. The moment the news spread, an explosion erupted from a certain cave residence—someone had suffered qi deviation and self-destructed.
Then, All Sounds Ceased.
The vast Primordial Saint Sect, which just yesterday had been brimming with vitality and fierce competition, now fell into a suffocating silence thick with terror.
Because everyone understood: the recapture of the Jiangnan Mass Grave meant the supply of Substitute Death Yin Puppets would no longer be scarce. The Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion's willingness to negotiate meant the Righteous-Demonic War was indefinitely postponed... More importantly, this announcement had been issued through disciple tokens—equivalent to an official proclamation.
So it couldn't possibly be fake.
The Substitute Death Yin Puppet bubble burst in that instant, sending prices plummeting from their peak of seven thousand in a freefall.
Five thousand, three thousand, one thousand, two hundred.
The price that had taken over a month to climb now crashed back to its original level in less than fifteen minutes—and was still falling!
Everyone wanted to sell, but no one was willing to buy.
Especially those who had hoarded large quantities of Substitute Death Yin Puppets—they could only watch helplessly as prices plunged below rock bottom, their wealth evaporating before their eyes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
That night, deafening explosions echoed through the Primordial Saint Sect at regular intervals. No one knew how many had suffered Dao Heart shattering as a result.
Inside his cave residence, Zhao Xuhe had long since fainted.
When he finally opened his eyes, his expression remained dazed, as if trapped in a dream: "What a nightmare... I actually dreamed the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets crashed... Hahaha..."
Then he checked the current price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets.
100 Contribution Points per puppet.
"...Must be a mistake."
After a long silence, Zhao Xuhe turned off his disciple token, took a deep breath, then tremblingly reopened it to check the price again.
50 Contribution Points per puppet.
"Pfft—!!!"
Zhao Xuhe immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, his face flushing crimson as his qi plummeted to rock bottom alongside the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets.
"I... hate... this...!"
Before he could think further, Zhao Xuhe desperately suppressed his rampaging thoughts, regulating his breathing and circulating his qi to narrowly avoid a full-blown qi deviation.
Just then, a voice came from outside his cave residence.
"Senior Brother Zhao, Lü Yang is here to visit."
"Lü Yang?"
Zhao Xuhe froze for a long moment before remembering this junior brother of his. Then he recalled how Lü Yang had cashed out early and repaid his loan, while he himself had now lost everything...
"Pfft!"
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Zhao Xuhe staggered to the door, where Lü Yang stood refreshed and energetic, waving enthusiastically at him:
"Senior Brother, how much did you earn today?"
Boom!
With a muffled explosion, Zhao Xuhe clenched his teeth so hard that cracks formed across his body from the rampant qi tearing through his flesh, blood seeping out in thin trails.
Lü Yang immediately feigned alarm: "Senior Brother!? Are you alright?"
"...I'm fine."
Zhao Xuhe forced out a strained smile. "By the way, Junior Brother Lü, I recently discovered an ancient cultivator's cave residence. There seem to be quite a few treasures inside."
As he spoke, a murderous glint flashed in Zhao Xuhe's eyes, his voice grinding out between clenched teeth:
"Would you... be interested?"