A Contribution, a Seat

Heavenly Venerable.

Boundless Heavenly Venerate.

Regardless of which one, Zhang Fusheng at this moment is fully deserving of this lofty title.

It was only because of the seemingly ordinary futon beneath him.

Not long ago,

Zhang Fusheng had just sat down when he sensed something was wrong.

Own

It's been exaggerated.

His status had risen dramatically, but he couldn't comprehend the extraordinary abilities that came with such a high status.

But this doesn't prevent Zhang Fusheng from appearing to outsiders as Orthodox God or celestial being.

Only

Looking at the four people before him and listening to them chanting "Boundless Heavenly Venerate," Zhang Fusheng felt a sense of unease—why did this scene seem so familiar?

The thought had barely formed in my mind.

At this very moment, when the four people chanted the name of the Boundless Heavenly Venerate, Zhang Fusheng was shrouded in darkness, his body floating amidst the myriad layers of the universe.

He vaguely saw a scene: a person with a pair of pitch-black eyes gazing upwards from an infinitely low place, looking towards this place!

The sudden appearance of those eyes startled Zhang Fusheng, who reacted instantly.

Is it... Black Eyes?

No, it's the Black Eyes of the past.

Can he really see a glimpse of the future?

He could actually see the scenery within the [Eight Sceneries Palace]?

Even if it's just a projection or a reflection of the real Eight Sceneries Palace?

My future was actually seen!

Doesn't that mean the future is predetermined?

Doesn't this mean that everything was already planned?

What about all my efforts then?

What about my diligence then?

So what are the hardships I endured over those ten-plus days, relying on my astonishing perseverance and unparalleled talent?

Is it worthless?

Is it a joke?

Why should the future be predetermined?

Zhang Fusheng stared into those dark eyes.

Look, look!

Look at your mother!!

Now.

He looked at Shi Zhengyuan, who called himself the Celestial Venerable, with trepidation.

Suddenly, [Celestial Venerable] reached out and poked something.

The instant the finger was poked out,

In a daze, Shi Zhengyuan seemed to see a pair of pitch-black eyes, and one of them was struck precisely by the [Celestial Venerable].

'Smack!'

The eye exploded, becoming a hollow.

The mysterious celestial being withdrew his finger, his tone calm:

"One contribution, one seat."

The four were still bewildered by the sudden appearance and subsequent destruction of their eyes when they heard the Celestial Venerable's words.

In a daze,

They saw a figure slowly emerge, an elderly man standing before the Celestial Venerable like a servant.

'Zhong Shan'.

He began:

"Only those who give their all will be granted First Seat place in the Above High Heaven."

This illusion, quietly woven by Zhang Fusheng, surveyed the scene and said calmly:

"I am Zhong Shan, you may also call me the True Person, the representative of the Heavenly Venerable in the human world."

Agent?

"Dedication?" Shi Zhengyuan, also shrouded in darkness, spoke subconsciously, his voice becoming naturally obscure and indistinguishable.

He saw that in front of the mysterious celestial being, a servant named Zhong Shan, who called himself the True Person, slowly began to explain.

Dedication, grace, Exchange Heaven and Dao

Zhong Shan explained, which was also the reason Zhang Fusheng created this illusion—the Celestial Venerable himself was giving a lengthy explanation.

That's a bit beneath them.

As Zhang Fusheng manipulated the illusion to give a detailed explanation, he swallowed hard.

The past has changed.

The moment that eyeball was popped out, another memory of mine was added, and it was slightly altered.

It was when I first entered Bar No. 19 and first saw the bartender, Black Eyes.

His Black Eyes turned into a one-eyed dragon.

Yes, it turned into a single eye directly, rather than having one eye blown off while it was staring at him!

The implication behind this is rather terrifying.

"So, the time I poked him wasn't when he was spying on me, but at an even earlier moment?"

"No, to be more precise, it hit the 'root', making it clear that this eye never existed?"

"Thus, Black Eyes always had only one eye, yet he still saw my 'future'—with that one eye."

"In his view, he had never had both eyes intact; he had always been one-eyed."

"It's always been like this."

Zhang Fusheng subconsciously glanced at the cushion beneath his buttocks.

This thing.

While being spied on, Zhang Fusheng could clearly feel that the Eight Sceneries Palace and the futon beneath him bestowed upon him some unimaginable power.

Unfortunately, this unimaginable power is limited to this place, limited only to the projection of the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Zhang Fusheng had reason to suspect that...

This was because the Eight Sceneries Palace felt offended, and thus used that finger strike to teach a small lesson to a certain audacious fellow.

But strangely, the Black Eyes gave Zhang Fusheng a sense of familiarity. Why was it familiar?

What mythological source gives those eyes their distinctive features?

So, the future is not actually predetermined?

Zhang Fusheng pondered.

He didn't know.

At this point, Shi Zhengyuan, Huang Qiuxian, and Du Mingsheng had mostly understood what was going on, but they still found it unbelievable.

Can lifespan, Root Bone, comprehension, cultivation level, and even all things tangible and intangible be exchanged and traded?

How is that possible?

They looked cautiously at this mysterious celestial being, and Huang Qiuxian was the first to ask a question:

Why did you organize this Gaotian Association?

The Celestial Venerable calmly raised his head and said slowly and deliberately:

"The way of Heaven is to take from those who have more than enough and give to those who have less than enough. I act on behalf of Heaven and allow all beings to exchange what they have in excess for what they lack."

Huang Qiuxian asked again, tentatively:

Are you from Different Dimension?

"Different Dimension?"

The Celestial Venerable chuckled lightly and said casually:

"You mean those little brats who have usurped the throne?"

Everyone was startled. What did it mean to steal the throne?

Is it referring to the gods in Different Dimension whose divine positions were stolen?

"One contribution, one seat."

The attendant, usually standing on the 'Zhong Shan' (a type of bell tower) in front of the Celestial Venerable, spoke gently:

"Offer whatever you wish: a skill, a period of cultivation, or even lifespan, spiritual attainment, or treasures. My lord does not care."

He looked around:

"Once you have obtained your seats, you may freely exchange them with each other, including lifespan, Root Bone, comprehension, cultivation level, and destiny."

"All things, both tangible and intangible, all concretely existing concepts."

"You can also continue to contribute in exchange for more seats to give to outsiders."

"My Lord, the God of Heaven, He is merely a witness."

The voice of 'Zhong Shan' rose and fell in cadence, while the Heavenly Venerable sat cross-legged, calmly overlooking everything, like a supreme being looking down upon the vast Mortal World.

"Each exchange requires offering a sacrifice of Star Beast Meat at an altar, and three-tenths of the exchanged items to be offered Above High Heaven."

After a pause, 'Zhong Shan' continued in a hoarse voice:

"The darkness within you can be unveiled at any time. You can choose whether or not to reveal your true identities to others in the Gaotian Association."

After reciting what seemed to be an ancient rule that had existed for countless years, 'Zhong Shan' concluded by saying:

"One contribution, one seat"

A long silence followed.

Du Mingsheng forward and asked cautiously:

"Since anything can be offered to gain a seat, then could some secret information also be offered?"

Zhang Fusheng, shrouded in darkness, frowned. News?

What's the use of a hammer!

However, he needs to make a breakthrough, and apart from Chen Nuanyu, most of these people are probably still skeptical.

Once the first step is completed, they will naturally start trading with each other, bringing in more people to join, and thus increasing the trading volume, creating a cycle.

And you don't have to do anything, or rather, you just need to sit.

They provide the Star Beast Meat, and whatever they trade, they pay a 30% 'tax'.

This tax is enough.

As his thoughts raced, the Celestial Venerable remained silent, subtly manipulating the phantom resembling Zhong Shan to speak:

"Information?"

Zhong Shan said calmly:

"I have said that my Lord does not care about your offerings, but you must be sincere."

"My Lord is all-knowing; how can news be considered an offering? Therefore..."

The Celestial Venerable suddenly spoke, his Dao Sound vast and boundless:

"Since this is the first offering made in the Above High Heaven of this era, let it be permitted."

Zhong Shan bows in greeting:

"Yes, Heavenly Venerable."

He immediately gave Du Mingsheng a slight nod.

Du Mingsheng hesitated, while the other three watched him quietly, waiting to see what would happen.

Moment.

Du Mingsheng took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and then revealed what he considered to be the most important piece of confidential information:

"The Western Sect of Daoism is suspected of having knowledge of the whereabouts of the Sea-Calming Divine Needle Iron."

"Suspected?" Zhong Shan interrupted coldly.

Du Mingsheng hesitated for a moment, then said again:

"A Buddhist disciple, a disciple of the Mandala System, is about to arrive or has already arrived in a city called 'Jiangzhou' in the Golden Province."

"His goal is to find the Living Buddha of the Spirit Mountain System in Jiangzhou City, and then kill him."

Zhang Fusheng, who was sitting upright on the futon, twitched his eyelids, Shi Zhengyuan suddenly raised his head.

In dead silence.

'Zhong Shan' spoke coldly:

"You are granted First Seat."

Du Mingsheng a sigh of relief. (The transaction...)

His mind was quick; wanting to verify whether it was true or false, he simply said:

"Since everything can be traded, I'd like to exchange my lifespan for spiritual cultivation. Who is willing to make the trade with me?"

Huang Qiuxian stepped forward:

"I can, how do you want to change it?"

Du Mingsheng replied:

"One year of lifespan in exchange for one year of spiritual cultivation—I can only afford to live a maximum of one hundred years."

"Two years of lifespan, one year of spiritual cultivation." Although Huang Qiuxian was nearing death, he sensed that this guy seemed to have a very long lifespan.

Give me a hundred years at once!

Du Mingsheng nodded without hesitation:

"Can."

Huang Qiuxian then looked at the mysterious Celestial Venerable and the attendant/proxy person named Zhong Shan.

You must dedicate yourself wholeheartedly.

"May I offer a particular skill in exchange for a seat in heaven?"

"Can."

Zhong Shan nodded slightly.

"But it must be a technique you know and have practiced for more than ten years; only then can it be considered valuable and worthy of being offered."

Huang Qiuxian pondered, "A technique from over ten years ago?"

Five Thunder Technique?

No, no, what if I give it away and then really forget how to use the Five Thunders Art?

That.

He hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and with a powerful punch, he unleashed a faint hissing sound from the Yin Snake True Intent!

"I offer my Snake Fist, a technique that Limit-Breaking limits, as a tribute."

On the futon, in the dim, impenetrable light, Zhang Fusheng's face broke into a bright smile.