Chapter 3: If Money Can Solve It, Then It's Not a Problem

A few days later, in the early morning.

As usual, Lu Yuan exercised to wash away his fatigue. Afterward, he sat at the table enjoying his breakfast. The television in the living room filled the air with voices and news reports.

“Three days ago, a traveler who reached the summit of Mount Tai claimed to have seen ten thousand rays of rosy light break through the clouds, revealing a celestial palace. This has sparked heated discussion online, but experts have confirmed it was a mirage.”

“Another earthquake has occurred in the Sichuan-Chongqing region. The tremor was mild, and rescue teams have already been dispatched. At present, no casualties have been reported.”

“Dense fog has recently shrouded the eastern Taihang Mountains. Two tourist groups have lost contact. Experts advise caution when traveling in the near future.”

“Perhaps the global transformation began long ago, only no one paid it any mind,” Lu Yuan mused as he listened to the news broadcast. These incidents seemed ordinary enough, nothing to arouse suspicion. But upon closer thought, they appeared to be laced with hidden meanings, signs of something portentous.

Maybe the authorities were already aware and had been quietly making preparations, suppressing all unusual occurrences in order to maintain stability.

With this thought, a sense of urgency welled up within Lu Yuan. There was just over a month left; time was desperately short.

He had to act quickly and seize every opportunity.

The phone rang.

Lu Yuan glanced at the caller ID: Manager Zhang from Rongsheng Realty. Without hesitation, he answered.

“Hello, is this Mr. Lu? This is Zhang from Rongsheng,” the courteous voice said. “All the paperwork for the farm you purchased on the outskirts of Wuzhou has been processed. The property contract is ready, except…”

“Except what?” Lu Yuan frowned.

“The seller suddenly raised the price at the last minute. Originally it was twenty million, but now they want twenty-five million.”

Manager Zhang sounded hesitant. “That land isn’t worth nearly that much. Would you like to wait a while? I could try to negotiate the price down for you.”

“No need. Twenty-five million is fine. Settle it as soon as possible,” Lu Yuan replied, his tone calm.

“Ah... Alright, Mr. Lu. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure everything is finished in the next few days.” The man on the other end stammered, surprised at Lu Yuan’s decisiveness. In all his years as a real estate agent, he’d never met a buyer so straightforward—agreeing to an extra five million without even blinking?

But he quickly recovered; the larger the sum, the higher his commission.

“There’s one more thing, Mr. Lu. You may need to come by in person to sign the paperwork.”

“I’ve already authorized Rongsheng to handle everything on my behalf. You can sign for me.”

“Are you certain you don’t want to come in person?”

The lawyer on the line could hardly believe it. This was over twenty million—no trivial matter. Was all this confidence just the privilege of the wealthy?

“I’m certain. Once it’s done, mail the contract to the address I gave you.”

“Rongsheng is a reputable company—I trust your work. That’s all.”

Lu Yuan ended the call without another word.

His time was precious—he couldn’t afford the slightest distraction, nor did he seem concerned by the transaction. What were a few million, compared to the true value of that farm in his eyes?

In his memory, it wouldn’t be long before Wuzhou would witness a once-in-a-millennium meteor shower. Among those meteors, one especially important stone would fall from the heavens—landing precisely on the farm he’d purchased.

Within that celestial meteor lay an unparalleled sword embryo, a divine artifact from beyond the stars, more valuable than anything money could buy. This was the real reason Lu Yuan was so determined to secure the farm—even at a higher price—so he could be the first to search for it when the time came.

Having settled these matters, he picked up his phone, found a contact in his chat app, and typed a message.

Lu Yuan: Attorney Wang, have you made arrangements with Mount Dragon and Tiger?

The reply came almost instantly.

Attorney Wang: Hello, Mr. Lu. I’ve been reaching out, but there are still some issues.

Lu Yuan: If it’s a matter of money, that’s not a problem. I can increase the offer.

Attorney Wang: Not exactly. It’s just that the Taoist priests at Mount Dragon and Tiger are difficult to communicate with. Many people have been making donations recently—they ask for your patience.

Lu Yuan: Ten million. Keep negotiating.

...

Attorney Wang: Understood.

The conversation ended.

Lu Yuan smiled at the screen, thinking of Mount Dragon and Tiger.

Mount Dragon and Tiger was the ancestral home of Taoism, shrouded in myth. After the global upheaval, its significance only grew, producing many great figures.

Of course, Lu Yuan’s generous donation wasn’t just to curry favor with the temple or seek protection. He had another, far more important reason.

A wordless stone stele.

That stele contained a supreme Taoist divine power. In his past life, someone had used it to sweep across the world, unmatched and invincible.

At present, only Lu Yuan knew of its existence.

He intended to use this knowledge to secure the stele before anyone else.

According to the temple’s rules, a donor of sufficient generosity could establish a private layperson's sanctuary on Mount Dragon and Tiger. The stele was too heavy to remove openly; the only way was to have it included within the boundaries of his sanctuary through a large donation, then find another way to retrieve it.

For Lu Yuan, as long as money could solve a problem, it wasn’t a problem at all.

“Once the land in Wuzhou and the donation to Mount Dragon and Tiger are settled, my preparations will be more or less complete.” Lu Yuan exhaled slowly. This was only the beginning. He had an array of plans yet to put in motion—every second counted.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left everything to others to handle.

Moreover, once these matters were concluded, he would have to leave Shanghai as well—he simply couldn’t be everywhere at once.

He glanced at his phone; it was almost nine o’clock.

He quickly finished his breakfast, tidied up, and stepped out to the garage.

There was only one car inside—a 2025 Mercedes G63, the latest model, worth around four million yuan.

Of course, compared to his net worth, this amount was negligible. He’d bought it simply for its practicality.

“I wonder what my old classmates will think when they see me show up to the reunion in this car,” Lu Yuan mused.

In truth, he’d been exceptionally low-key in college, ordinary in every way. His parents believed in raising their son frugally, fearing that early exposure to wealth would corrupt his character and stunt his growth. As a result, all his university friends assumed his family was strictly middle class.

He slid the key in, started the engine, and drove out of the villa.