Zhao Xuhe knew full well that the Substitute Death Puppet had become a complete bubble, poised to burst and collapse at any moment.
Yet he was confident his sharp insight would let him exit in time.
So when Lü Yang contacted him, saying he'd already cashed out and wanted to repay the 2,000 contribution points he'd borrowed, Zhao Xuhe felt a pang of pity for him.
"Rash! Junior Brother, you were too hasty!"
"Can't you see the Substitute Death Puppet price is still rising? The war hasn't even started! Once the real war begins, that's when supply will truly dry up!"
"Before it's too late, I suggest you buy back in."
Faced with Zhao Xuhe's fervent persuasion, Lü Yang stayed rational.
Though he too coveted the soaring puppet prices and even regretted selling early, he understood Zhao Xuhe's real motive.
Worried about him?
Don't be naive—he wanted more people to enter the market!
After all, the more people who jumped in, the more opportunities he'd have to cash out and exit.
"I'll wait. I'm not in a hurry."
"I'll observe the situation this life, confirm the peak price, then replicate it next life. That will be my chance to make a fortune."
With the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], I only profit, never lose!
With that thought, Lü Yang's mood instantly balanced. He directly settled the loan with Zhao Xuhe and went into seclusion, shutting out the outside world.
While Lü Yang cultivated in isolation, the price of Substitute Yin Puppets continued its meteoric rise.
Because the Primordial Sacred Sect had indeed begun wartime mobilization!
Disciples received orders in droves and left the sect one after another, their destinations unknown. Under these circumstances, the price of Substitute Yin Puppets couldn't possibly fall.
No matter how high it climbed, those about to be sent to the front lines of the righteous-demonic war could only grit their teeth and buy.
Wealth can be regained, but life has only one.
Driven by this, more and people poured into the market—not just ordinary disciples this time, but genuine young masters from wealthy clans.
Compared to ordinary disciples, these scions came from affluent backgrounds; their elders were at least Foundation Establishment True Persons. The contribution points they could mobilize were undeniably greater. Once they entered the market, the puppet prices, which had shown signs of slowing, surged again.
Three thousand… four thousand… five thousand…
Clearly, this price no longer matched the puppet's actual value. Some, gripped by fear, began to exit.
Naturally, prices dipped.
Panic slowly spread, yet many others—especially those who'd lived through the first dip—remained confident.
"Don't panic! This is just a technical correction!"
"Sell now? It's far too early!"
This time, Zhao Xuhe felt he'd learned his lesson.
Last time, he'd exited too early, not only missing profits but taking a small loss when he re-entered. How could he make the same mistake twice?
"The righteous-demonic war hasn't even started! There are still plenty of puppets on the market, so superficially, the price looks peaked. But once war breaks out, puppets will be consumed en masse, and there's no alternative product. Everyone will have to come back and buy!"
"Then, the price will definitely see a third surge!"
"What's a mere five thousand? Seven thousand, even ten thousand, is possible! When there's no market and it's life or death, people will sell everything to buy!"
Zhao Xuhe believed his analysis was flawless.
"So, while those fools sell in fear, I'll buy more!"
With that, Zhao Xuhe not only invested all his savings but also borrowed heavily, leveraging the Sanhe Society's reputation to secure a huge loan.
He went all in.
Of course, Zhao Xuhe wasn't the only "smart one." Others made the same judgment and began buying up the market dip.
Influenced by this, the recently fallen prices began to climb again.
Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe—who'd been slightly uncertain—felt reassured. His all-in decision was incredibly wise.
Then, early the next morning…
A voice echoed from the Sacred Flame Cliff, instantly resonating throughout the entire Primordial Sacred Sect.
"Recently, our Sect Master, the True Monarch, personally orchestrated a stratagem: openly mobilizing disciples for war preparations, while secretly launching a surprise attack on the Jiangnan Corpse-Grounds."
"Thus, I am pleased to announce to all disciples—"
"Just yesterday, the Jiangnan Corpse-Grounds were personally recaptured by the True Monarch. Simultaneously, the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion has contacted our Sect Master, expressing willingness to negotiate peace with the Sacred Sect."
Boom.
Literally, the moment the news spread, an explosion erupted from a cave abode—as if someone had suffered qi deviation and self-destructed.
Then, dead silence.
The vast Primordial Sacred Sect, yesterday a scene of vibrant life and bustling activity, was now gripped by a terrifying, suffocating stillness.
Everyone understood: the recapture of the Jiangnan Corpse-Grounds meant the puppet supply was no longer scarce. The Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion's peace overture meant the righteous-demonic war was far from imminent.
Most importantly, this news was broadcast via disciple tokens—equivalent to an official announcement.
It couldn't be fake.
The Substitute Puppet bubble burst at that moment.
The price plummeted from its peak of seven thousand.
Five thousand… three thousand… one thousand… two hundred…
The price that had taken over a month to climb crashed back to its origin in a mere quarter-hour, and kept falling!
Everyone wanted to sell. No one was willing to buy.
Those who'd hoarded large numbers of Substitute Yin Puppets could only watch helplessly as the price collapsed and their wealth evaporated.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
That night, deafening explosions echoed across the Primordial Sacred Sect at regular intervals, shattering the Dao hearts of countless disciples.
In his cave abode, Zhao Xuhe had already fainted.
When he opened his eyes, his expression remained dazed, as if in a dream: "How terrifying… I actually dreamed the Substitute Yin Puppet price crashed… Hahaha…"
Then he checked the puppet price again.
100 contribution points per puppet.
"…I must be seeing things."
After a long silence, Zhao Xuhe turned off his disciple token, took a deep breath, then—with trembling hands—turned it back on to check the Substitute Yin Puppet price.
50 contribution points per puppet.
"Pfft—!!!"
Zhao Xuhe spat a mouthful of blood on the spot, his face purpling, his aura crashing to rock bottom—just like the puppet price.
"I HATE THIS!!!"
No time for thought—Zhao Xuhe desperately suppressed the raging turmoil in his heart, regulating his breath and circulating his true qi, barely avoiding a full qi deviation.
Just then, a voice came from outside his cave.
"Senior Brother Zhao, Lü Yang has come to visit."
"Lü Yang?"
Zhao Xuhe was stunned for a long moment before remembering that junior brother. Then he recalled how the other had exited early and repaid his loan, while he himself was now bankrupt.
"Pfft!"
Wiping blood from his mouth, Zhao Xuhe staggered to the door, only to see Lü Yang standing there, fresh and energetic, waving enthusiastically:
"Senior Brother! How much did you earn today?"
BANG!
With a loud crack, Zhao Xuhe clenched his teeth, true qi surging wildly through his body, splitting his skin and seeping blood.
Lü Yang's face instantly paled with "shock": "Senior Brother!? Are you alright!?"
"I'm fine."
Zhao Xuhe forced a smile. "By the way, Junior Brother Lü, I recently discovered a predecessor's cave abode. Seems to hold quite a few treasures."
A fierce glint flashed in his bloodshot eyes as he forced out the question through gritted teeth:
"I wonder if you'd be interested, Junior Brother?"