[Name: Destiny]
Attribute: Energy
Effect: Luck +80, lasting for thirty minutes
Description: A mysterious energy born from the origin itself. Perhaps, before it fades, fortune will favor you, and even the heavens will lend a hand.
Price: Not for sale.
Bai Yin stared at the panel, dumbfounded.
"Eighty points of luck?" he muttered. "That's… absurd. I could trip, choke on water, and still end up breaking through by accident."
His amusement faded as his eyes landed on one word in the description—Origin.
The panel rarely mentioned physical objects. During the last small world's settlement reward, he had received one-fifth of an Origin Stone, still undergoing transformation in the Demon Dimension. And now, he had acquired this energy—Destiny.
The pattern was clear.
The panel wasn't just giving random rewards; it was analyzing the two small worlds, distilling their essence, and converting them into tangible resources for him.
An experiment of sorts.
But since this was energy, Bai Yin's mind immediately began racing with possibilities. There were precedents—like Super Abyss, a substance extracted from the energy of the abyss itself.
[Name: Chaoyuan]
Attribute: Energy
Effect: Highly corrosive and assimilative to Abyssal energy. When used, the ratio is 1:7, capable of causing irreversible true damage to all beings touched by abyssal corruption.
Description: Pure, transcendent abyssal energy—both evolution and poison to the abyss.
Price: 1 gold coin.
If used for flesh and blood transformation, and if successful, the resulting lifeform would possess extremely high-tier attributes—a natural counter to the abyss, though technically still part of it.
By comparison, the Origin Energy of Destiny—likely extracted from the Black Death and Night small worlds—represented the essence of life itself, the raw material from which all living things were born.
And if that was true... then the implications were staggering.
Bai Yin could, in theory, create an entity capable of defying the abyss, reshaping its balance—or perhaps even causing large-scale collapses within its corrupted realms.
As for using it himself?
The thirty-minute duration wasn't particularly useful for his current goals. His luck was already high, and with Luo Ning's help in the upcoming Saint Inheritance, he wouldn't need additional fortune until then.
Between the rare chance at a Saint's inheritance and the potential of weakening the abyss, Bai Yin chose the latter without hesitation.
After all, his extraction methods had evolved far beyond what ordinary alchemists could comprehend. His current technique combined the exclusive extraction skill of the ninth-order legend Healy and a special skill point investment, making him perhaps the most advanced extractor alive.
Even the Alchemy Sages of the Star Federation would fall short of his precision.
And if his development continued, Bai Yin was confident that one day he'd be able to extract Destiny itself directly.
If his abyssal experiment succeeded, the resulting entities—creatures forged from death, hell, and the underworld—would become weapons against every plane hostile to Shia.
And when that time came, only the Ancient Gods would stand as Shia's true enemies.
"Boss brother."
Luo Ning's soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Bai Yin smiled faintly, taking out a Dawn Badge from the Demon Dimension and tossing it to the attendant nearby. Then he reached out and gently patted Luo Ning's head.
"You've worked hard, Luo Ning."
She blushed slightly, feeling his hand. "No, it's nothing… and I'm not a kid anymore, Boss."
Bai Yin chuckled, withdrawing his hand. "You've grown, yes—but you'll always be a child in my eyes."
"I don't want to be," she muttered, embarrassed.
"Then keep growing stronger," he said, smiling faintly. "Contact me if you need anything. I'll be in seclusion for a while."
As he left, Zero began updating him with reports about Dongwu City's rapid changes. The city had grown immensely—its extraordinary population now exceeding five million. Departments had expanded, officials reorganized, and yet the administration remained efficient under Eric's practical governance.
When Bai Yin reached the Finance Department, the deputy financial officer, Gert, was already waiting, holding a spatial ring.
"Lord, everything you requested is here," Gert said breathlessly. "Over three hundred extraordinary plants have been gathered so far. More are being sourced and will be delivered to your residence soon."
Bai Yin nodded, taking the ring. "Well done."
He stored the materials directly into the Time Slowdown Zone of the Demon Dimension, ensuring they would remain active during the transformation process. Time there flowed at a drastically reduced rate—an hour outside equaled only a moment within—allowing him to sustain even delicate plants indefinitely.
Just then, a familiar voice called out.
"My friend, are you out of seclusion?"
It was Sabo, the chief financial officer.
Bai Yin turned to him. "Did you find the Space-Time Stone plane?"
"No," Sabo replied, his grin widening, "but I brought something back you'll want to see."
"Send it to the City Lord's treasury. I'm busy."
"The quantity's a bit... more than you expect." Sabo smirked. "I tried storing it there—but the vault's already full."
Bai Yin frowned. "How much are we talking about?"
"In the last world," Sabo said proudly, "players dug up around ten million Space-Time Stones before the Federation claimed the plane. I brought back hundreds of millions."
Bai Yin paused, momentarily speechless. "...Show me."
Sabo led him to the Finance Office, where he opened a dark spatial portal reeking faintly of corruption.
"Come," he said, stepping through.
Bai Yin followed—and froze.
An endless ocean of Space-Time Stones stretched before him, glittering in faint blue hues. They were piled into glittering hills, faint ripples of temporal energy flowing like liquid light between them.
[Name: Space-Time Stone]
Attribute: Mineral
Effect: Contains stable temporal-spatial energy.
Description: The crystallization of time and space—an essential component for advanced formations. If you listen closely, you might sense the rhythm of eternity itself.
Price: 10 gold coins.
Bai Yin ignored the listed price; it was laughable. To the Federation, one stone would fetch a minimum of a thousand gold coins wholesale.
Extending his spiritual sense, Bai Yin swept up a wave of stones, hundreds of meters across, into his own spatial storage.
Sabo sighed, shaking his head in awe. "Your control over space never ceases to amaze me."
Bai Yin smiled faintly. "It's versatile enough. Though this subspace of yours—it's temporary, isn't it?"
"Of course," Sabo replied. "Safer that way. I'd rather lose a few stones to turbulence than risk a full breach in the city's main vault."
"Fair." Bai Yin nodded, then added, "By the way, why haven't you begun development on the grand hospital and medical academy you proposed?"
Sabo hesitated. "The academy's open, but... we still lack doctors for the hospital."
"Then start building anyway," Bai Yin said firmly. "We'll need official institutions ready. When the time comes, I'll have Irene oversee the staff."
Sabo's eyes lit up. "With Miss Irene in charge, the hospital's reputation will soar. We could even expand across multiple districts—"
"Don't overdo it," Bai Yin interrupted mildly. "If everything becomes official, independent doctors will vanish. Balance is key."
Sabo chuckled. "You've changed, my friend. Since when do you turn down gold coins?"
"It's not about change," Bai Yin said quietly. "It's about time. Within a hundred years, the gods will descend. When the laws of the world shift, prosperity must be built on hope. A content people will strengthen Shia far more than hoarded wealth."
"I don't understand politics," Sabo grumbled. "I just want resources."
Bai Yin looked at him for a long moment, then said softly, "When despair turns to hope, people fight to protect it. That's the true strength of a nation."
Sabo scratched his head. "So that's why the Federation hasn't done this before?"
"Too costly," Bai Yin replied. "Dongwu City's progress is an anomaly."
Sabo clicked his tongue. "Politicians. Always filthy."
Bai Yin smiled faintly. "Perhaps. But for now, even filth has created a paradise worth defending."