Trading Power, a Twisted World, the Changing of Cause and Effect!

He is before my eyes.

He is on high.

The little boy sat calmly cross-legged, a deathly grayness swirling within the three eyes on his forehead.

His tone was slow and deep, carrying an unfathomable sense of majesty.

You can call me True Person.

True Person?

Hu Zhongli was alarmed. Over the years, he had come into contact with many cults, but he had never touched the will of an Orthodox God.

The term "True Person" seems to originate from a heretical Daoist cult.

Hu Zhongli's heart pounded. Was this the 'master' the three-eyed boy had spoken of?

Lost in thought.

The 'boy' seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly:

"I am merely a servant standing beside the Celestial Venerable."

Heavenly Venerable.

Waiter.

Hu Zhongli's lips trembled as he suppressed the immense pressure, raised his head, and glanced at the 'boy'.

It's incredibly high, beyond words.

It's like standing at the foot of a majestic mountain, looking up at the summit that pierces the clouds;

It's like being on a lone boat, drifting on a boundless sea.

Suddenly looking up,

I saw a massive wave that stretched to the sky and blocked out the sun and moon.

That sense of grandeur, oppression, and suffocation

Is this merely Divine Attendant?

Hu Zhongli found it absurd; he had seen beings standing in the realm of gods, but he had never experienced such oppressive pressure!

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant spoke quietly:

"Heavenly Venerable, who governs the Way of Heaven and resides above Heaven, now uses the power of creation to send a messenger to the mortal world. The reason for seeking you here is that the world is in chaos and it is time to save it."

Hu Zhongli was completely bewildered by what he heard: the power of creation, the world in chaos, and more.

"Salvation?"

He murmured to himself unconsciously.

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant had taken over the messenger's body, nodded slightly, his eyes slightly raised, as if gazing from an infinitely high and infinitely deep place, and sighed softly:

The world is sick.

Hu Zhongli's pupils contracted.

Zhang Fusheng remained calm and composed, his true spirit residing in the Eight Sceneries Palace of the Divine Realm, atop a mysterious and profound futon.

With an infinitely high position, one descends one's thoughts into the body of the Subordinate Soul.

He didn't hesitate to copy the words of the Buddhist monk—making slight modifications to form his own set of ideas.

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant whispered:

"The world is sick; yin and yang are out of balance, rites and music have collapsed, and people are acting perversely. Heaven is acting as earth, and earth is acting as heaven; gods are no longer gods, and immortals are no longer immortals."

A look of melancholy appeared on the little boy's face:

"The Celestial Venerable awoke from the ruins of the old world, sitting to intercept the calamities of the past, seeking to harmonize Yin and Yang, and to separate all things into black and white."

Hu Zhongli was left feeling dizzy and bewildered by what he heard.

This is the effect Zhang Fusheng wanted.

"In this way, we can use what we have to make up for what we lack."

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant lowered his gaze, staring intently at the elderly, near-death Golden Councilor, confirming that it was indeed this person who needed the Longevity Great Medicine.

So, he said calmly at that moment:

"Why do you wish to prolong your life, which is nearing its end? Are you clinging to life? Or are you afraid of death?"

Hu Zhongli took a deep breath to calm his turbulent emotions. Two hundred years of high position had filled him with trepidation, but he was by no means someone who would bow down and worship at the sight of a deity.

He frankly stated:

"They both cherish life and fear death, but more than anything, they want to see the scenery at a higher level and witness the splendor of the Innate Great Realm."

"How many years of life do you desire?" the Heavenly Venerate's Attendant asked calmly.

"Ten years."

The old councilor's eyes shone brightly:

"If I could gain ten more years of life, my vital essence would be replenished once more, and given that I was already nearing the point of sealing my furnace, my spiritual realm would only be three strands away from being sealed."

"I'm 30% confident I can bet on becoming an Innate Person!"

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant countered:

"Thirty percent? Is that enough?"

"The path of cultivation is one of relentless progress; even three-tenths is enough!" The old councilor still retained some of the boldness of his youth.

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant chuckled:

"If I grant you thirty years of life, what are your chances of breaking through to the next realm?"

Hu Zhongli paused for a moment, then held up five fingers:

"Fifty percent!"

"If I were to give you another fifteen years of meditation and spiritual refinement, how confident would you be?"

The old councilor was stunned:

"How could such a thing happen in the world?"

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant simply said:

"Answer."

The Golden Councilor paused for a moment:

"Ninety-eight percent!"

"Good."

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant smiled, then suddenly changed the subject:

"All things are in balance, yin and yang are in harmony; every gift comes with a price—this is the rule of the Celestial Venerable."

"Thirty years of lifespan, fifteen years of cultivation, or rather, a 98% chance of breaking through to the Innate Realm—what price do you think one should pay?"

Hu Zhongli was lost in thought:

I don't know either.

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant disagreed:

"Is it your cultivation level? Or some wondrous technique you've learned?"

Hu Zhongli remained silent. To break through the Innate Realm, one must achieve perfect harmony within oneself. If one damages one's cultivation and loses the wondrous methods, then that perfect harmony will be broken.

He was neither greedy for life nor afraid of death.

What we seek is merely what is innate.

The Heavenly Venerate's Attendant was still speaking casually:

"Or is it a Supreme Treasure, or perhaps... your power?"

Hu Zhongli was stunned:

"Can power also be a price to pay?"

"Can."

Zhang Fusheng stared at him, a slight ripple in his heart. What he was going to do this time was, in fact, an experiment.

What happens if power is traded?

"If you truly possess such power, I am willing to offer all the authority I hold as the price."

"Good."

Zhang Fusheng gave a thumbs up, then mentally communicated with the Contract Book, retrieving the thirty years of lifespan and fifteen years of contemplative past he had received as a share.

He drew up a contract.

Another question:

"Are you truly willing to do this?"

"I'm willing!"

The contract has been signed.

Thirty years of lifespan and fifteen years of Visualization Method were completely absorbed into Hu Zhongli's body, while the power belonging to the [Golden Councilor] was also stripped away.

This is something whose specific form cannot be described.

This is simply a concept.

Zhang Fusheng hesitated for a moment, then entrusted this power to Zhou Muneo. If any unforeseen circumstances arose, Zhou Muneo would bear the responsibility.

If there are no problems, and as his Subordinate Soul, if he wants to take back this power, he only needs to make another transaction.

The Subordinate Soul will never refuse.

They couldn't refuse.

They were originally Zhang Fusheng's property.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Hu Zhongli gradually became younger; although the change was slight, one could still see his aged body radiating vitality.

Third minute,

The old man opened his eyes, and the past fifteen years of arduous cultivation surged through his mind. He looked at the Heavenly Venerate's Attendant with reverence and bowed deeply.

"Such immense power truly exists in this world."

Hu Zhongli muttered to himself, and as he spoke, he saw the imposing aura surrounding the little boy dissipate.

Instead, a semi-transparent old man appeared beside the little boy.

Zhou Muneo was initially bewildered, then hurriedly jumped off the wooden table and bowed to the illusory old man:

"I've met you in True Person!"

He also has the memory of what just happened.

Zhang Fusheng nodded slightly. As Subordinate Soul constructed from the Immortal Thought, it could exert an effect similar to the High Heaven Token.

In other words, one can use Subordinate Soul to extend one's divine thoughts and transform them into the illusion of 'Zhong Shan'.

However, this time out of caution,

Zhang Fusheng did this while sitting upright on a futon, and his thoughts carried a lofty and high status—which, in the illusion, also seemed to be the case.

"While you may not be high enough to be ranked Above High Heaven, congratulations, you are now a member of the Gaotian Association."

Zhong Shan spoke calmly, gazing at Hu Zhongli, who was still immersed in the incredible power.

He asked:

When do you plan to break through to the Innate Realm?

Hu Zhongli came to his senses, feeling the changes within himself, and the things that had suddenly appeared outside of his life's journey.

Yet it was a truly real fifteen-year experience.

He took a deep breath and murmured:

"We only need to prepare for a few more days to send a request to the deities existing in the Different Dimension landscape anchored within my divine realm."

"Once the other party accepts me, I can break through the Great Limit my spiritual power and advance to the Innate Realm."

Zhang Fusheng's heart skipped a beat.

What's the meaning?

What is the connection between breaking through the Great Limit of the mind and deities from Different Dimension?

The Innate Great Realm, the Innate Great Realm.

In cults, this level is also known as "Divine Envoy" or "one favored by the gods".

Hu Zhongli snapped out of his daze, glanced at the illusory old man with awe, and then asked in confusion:

"The world seems to have changed."

Zhang Fusheng snapped out of his daze and subconsciously looked at the bewildered Zhou Muneo.

Identity can be traded, and so can power.

But Zhou Muneo,

In what way was this [power] obtained?

He wasn't the only one who was puzzled; Hu Zhongli was even more puzzled.

After obtaining the consent of the 'True Person',

Hu Zhongli picked up a bell from the wooden table and shook it gently; the illusion of 'Zhong Shan' gradually became transparent.

A few seconds later.

The mahogany door was slowly opened by two waiters, and the butler strode in.

He bowed his head to Hu Zhongli – "Master."

Then.

He then looked at the little boy with a contemptuous and indifferent attitude.

The butler said calmly:

"Your Excellency, the handover is complete. According to Federation law, you are now the new Golden Councilor. We will be leaving this building."

"Handover?" Hu Zhongli interrupted, "When did the handover begin?"

The butler was taken aback:

"Sir, an hour ago..."

Both Hu Zhongli and Zhang Fusheng, who had been quietly observing the area, were taken aback.

An hour ago,

Zhou Muneo had barely arrived outside the Council Building and hadn't even had a chance to see the butler yet.

Hu Zhongli's throat bobbed, and his voice involuntarily rose three octaves:

"Bring me the records. All the records!"

"Yes, sir."

The butler left in a hurry, only to return a moment later.

Hu Zhongli flipped through the documents and materials, and even pulled up the building's surveillance footage. The more he watched, the more alarmed he became.

"Alright, I understand. You can go now."

The butler didn't even glance at the newly appointed Federation Golden Councilor, bowed to his master, and quietly left.

The illusory image of Zhong Shan quietly appeared.

Hu Zhongli looked at the mysterious Heavenly Venerate's Attendant in a daze, with a clearly visible sense of awe:

"The world has really changed."

The phantom simply stood there calmly, seemingly used to it all, unmoved.

Zhang Fusheng's heart was also in turmoil.

The world has truly changed.

Three hours ago, the capital issued the regulations and delivered them to the Golden Province.

One hour and 48 minutes ago, the Eighth Councilor of the Golden Province officially began the handover process.

48 minutes ago, surveillance footage showed Zhou Muneo being respectfully ushered into the building—an event that never actually happened.

This appeared out of thin air.

Five minutes earlier, the handover was completed, and the governor's congratulatory message had been delivered to the Council Building.

Hu Zhongli picked up a file in a daze; it contained the resume of the newly Golden Councilor Zhou Muneo.

This makes no sense.

He muttered to himself.

The resume was almost entirely blank.

There was also an investigation report about Zhou Muneo that didn't actually exist.

The report indicates that a few days prior, during a power struggle in the Federation capital, a series of almost impossible coincidences occurred...

This child, whose identity was even that of an unregistered resident, was actually appointed as the new councilor of the Golden Province!

Large drops of sweat streamed down Hu Zhongli's forehead as he murmured:

"I knew about this incident beforehand."

"And now, the outcome of the incident remains unchanged—except for the addition of this outrageous appointment."

He looked at the illusory old man and the little boy, with the deepest awe and trembling, and spoke almost in a dreamlike voice:

The world hasn't changed.

"It has been altered and distorted."

Zhong Shan stood quietly, his gaze sweeping over the thick stack of documents.

A deep shiver ran through me.

He wasn't much better off than Hu Zhongli, and he was genuinely shocked as well.

Tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of small events all experienced subtle, negligible shifts.

This subtle shift eventually intertwined and coalesced into an irresistible force, ultimately erupting within the already unfolding power struggle.

That incident led to an additional consequence—an undocumented child became a member of parliament.

Cause and effect? Timeline? History?

It's likely that all of them are involved.

The cause was just one transaction, a transaction that allowed the Contract Book to cool down for only two hundred days.

However, Contract Book have distorted the world because of this.

Hu Zhongli took several deep breaths, finally calming himself down, and said somewhat haltingly:

"The envoy's status as a member of parliament may not last long."

The illusory 'Zhong Shan' nodded slightly and said lightly:

"Of course, my Lord has only distorted the past, not shaped the future."

The Contract Book merely altered countless causes and effects, leading to Zhou Muneo's fate of becoming a councilor.

But what happens after becoming a member of parliament?

Then things will return to normal.

The outcome of an absurd and farcical struggle will naturally be quickly corrected by the Federation, but even a second of congressional power is still power.

The outcome of Contract Book transaction will always give you a 'gain,' but that's all it guarantees.

Zhang Fusheng doubted that he would entrust this power to a stray dog.

The stray dog, through a series of bizarre and unbelievable coincidences, will become a short-lived Golden Councilor.

As for how long it will take to lose power?

That's outside the scope of the transaction.

It is not under the Contract Book.

What the hell is Contract Book?!

He was terrified, but his expression remained unchanged.

Zhong Shan spoke calmly:

"Power. The Lord doesn't care."

"The Celestial Venerable is merely following the principle of balance. Now that you have paid the price, let's leave it at that."

"Your status as a member of parliament will soon be returned to you, but..."

Zhang Fusheng stared at Hu Zhongli:

"The envoy will accompany you, and as a member of the Gaotian Association, if you can gain the favor of the Heavenly Venerable, you will naturally have the opportunity to enter the Above High Heaven."

"To have a real opportunity to meet the Heavenly Venerable."

"The Celestial Venerable's transformation of this world will begin in the Golden Province, which will unleash a great tide that will eventually sweep everything away."

"Until."

"The world's disease has been cured."

"Gods are gods, immortals are immortals, and Buddhas are still Buddhas—that belongs to a glorious era from countless ages ago."

"It will come again."

"Heavenly Venerable One!" the two people and one shadow exclaimed in unison.