Dao of Money

Chen Ren removed the mask and robes from his body and could not help but let out a sigh of relief. That had gone far better than he had expected.

Thank hea-

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Wang Jun, who had been placed on a podium to his right, suddenly burst out laughing.

“What was that even?” the severed head asked.

Chen Ren turned toward him.

Wang Jun deepened his voice mockingly. “I am Eternal.” Then he laughed again. “Did you not have any better name? You sounded like some old fools I used to know who thought giving themselves grand titles would make them look scarier.”

“Shut up.” Wang Jun only looked more amused. “I did what I had to do. I could not think of anything better at that moment, and it is not as if I could use my real name. Eternal suits someone who rules the Pagoda of Eternity.”

“Then you should have just called yourself Pagoda Master,” Wang Jun said. “Though, that would have been equally bad.”

Chen Ren stared at him. “Do you really want to argue with someone who owns the entire pagoda?”

Wang Jun snorted. “What are you going to do? Cage me and put me up as an exhibition?”

Chen Ren almost said that it was not a bad idea. Before he could, the Watcher returned.

He looked at the two of them and smiled. “It seems things are going well. The whole pagoda is talking about you, Lord Eternal.”

Chen Ren frowned at once. Wang Jun started laughing again.

“Please do not call me that,” Chen Ren said.

“As you wish,” the Watcher replied, though his expression said he found the whole thing far too amusing.

Chen Ren ignored that and forced himself to focus. “Either way, have the arrangements been made?”

The Watcher nodded. “Yes. Every lord in the pagoda has been notified.” He paused, then added, “Some of them may not be willing to attend for various reasons, but all of them know you hold authority now. Even if they have disagreements, they cannot reject your words if you use the power of the pagoda.”

The Watcher had already explained that part to Chen Ren in detail. It was simple, at least in theory.

Although Chen Ren did not feel any different, he now possessed a kind of spiritual authority over every being inside the pagoda. That included the living residents, the zombies, the monsters, the puppets, and even the floor lords.

When Chen Ren first heard that, he had let out a sigh of relief.

After all, he had made enemies of far too many people inside the pagoda. More than one floor lord had reasons to dislike him, and a few probably had reasons to hate him outright. He had been worried that taking control of the pagoda would immediately turn into a battle against all of them.

But apparently, that would not happen. If he truly used his authority, they would have no choice but to submit.

That solved a major problem. The only exception was the Watcher.

Even though the Watcher listened to him and acted almost like an attendant, Chen Ren did not have complete authority over him. The Watcher was tied to the pagoda differently from the others, and Chen Ren guessed that was intentional.

Probably so the owner could not become a complete tyrant.

That was fine with him.

He was not planning to become one anyway. If the Watcher could help manage the pagoda according to what Chen Ren wanted, then that was more than enough for now. Chen Ren did not need blind obedience from everyone. He needed order, information, and a way to make sure the pagoda became useful instead of collapsing into chaos.

For now, though, he needed to speak with the floor lords.

Before that, he spent nearly an hour watching the screens with Wang Jun and the Watcher.

The entire pagoda was still reacting to his announcement.

Goldspire City seemed to be the loudest. The streets were packed with climbers, merchants, guards, and natives arguing over what Eternal’s appearance meant. Some thought he was an ancient immortal who had finally awakened. Others thought that he was the creator of the pagoda himself. A few were already claiming that the pagoda would become far more dangerous now.

Even the disciples from the Guardian sects had gathered there.

They stood in groups, speaking quietly among themselves as they tried to understand what changes might be coming. Their expressions were cautious, and Chen Ren could almost see the calculations happening behind their eyes. If the pagoda had a lord now, then every sect outside would want to know what that meant for them.

Chen Ren watched it all with a complicated expression. His decision to hide his identity had definitely been the right one.

Finally, the Watcher turned toward him.

“The lords are all gathered in the meeting room now, Lord Eternal.”

Chen Ren frowned again. He really did not like being called that.

“Why do you keep calling me that?” he asked.

The Watcher looked at him calmly. “It helps me get used to addressing you properly. Since you chose that name for the announcement, I believe we should use it in official settings.”

Chen Ren stared at him.

“It will give more weight to your identity as the pagoda master,” the Watcher continued. “Compared to your identity as an ordinary cultivator.”

He didn’t argue with that.

As much as he disliked the name, the Watcher had a point. If he wanted to keep Chen Ren separate from Eternal, then the people inside the pagoda had to treat them as two different existences. One was a sect leader and cultivator. The other was the mysterious new lord of the Pagoda of Eternity.

So he only nodded.

The Watcher smiled and opened another tear in reality.

Chen Ren picked up Wang Jun and walked through it.

Like before, the tear opened into another room. This one was far larger than the Watcher’s chamber, with a long table in the middle and seats placed around it. The air felt thick with the pressure of several powerful beings gathered in one place.

Not every seat was filled. But at least ten floor lords had arrived for the meeting, and that was more than enough for Chen Ren.

He recognised quite a few of them immediately.

City Lord Xiangrui of Goldspire City was seated near the front. Shrey sat not far from him, arms crossed, staring at Chen Ren as if trying to understand how the annoying climber from before had somehow become his superior. Zombie Queen Vesrya was also easy to spot.

The three of them were practically boring holes into him with their eyes.

They clearly had not expected this.

Chen Ren could hardly blame them. If their positions were reversed, he would also struggle to accept that someone who had talked to him casually not long ago was now standing above them.

Other than those three, there were several lords the Watcher had already told him about.

One was a man in dirty robes sitting with his head slightly lowered, looking as if he had been dragged out of sleep. A sword rested on the table in front of him, plain and old, but the moment Chen Ren looked at it, he felt a faint sharpness touch his skin. That was Daoist Ruhan, the lord of the first floor.

Beside him sat a woman with vines instead of hair. The green strands moved slowly around her shoulders, some blooming with small flowers while others twisted like snakes. Her skin carried the faint colour of bark, and her eyes were a deep emerald. She was Lady Sylene, the lord of the third floor.

At the back of the room stood a huge yeti-like beast with white fur, thick arms, and two curved horns rising from its head. It was too large for any chair, so it simply remained standing with its arms crossed, snorting at Chen Ren as if already unimpressed. That was Grahm, lord of the fourth floor.

There was also a man in dark armour, likely the lord of the seventh floor. His helmet rested on the table, but even without it, his face looked as if it had been carved from stone. A scar ran down one side of his cheek, and his hands never moved far from the sword at his waist.

The ninth floor lord was easier to guess. He looked like a pirate. A long coat hung over his shoulders, several rings decorated his fingers, and a curved blade rested against his chair. He had a relaxed smile on his face, but his eyes were too watchful for Chen Ren to mistake him as harmless.

Then there was the lord of the Grand Library.

Chen Ren recognised him immediately by the sheer hatred in his eyes.

The man looked like he was one step away from getting up and trying to kill him on the spot. His robes were neat, his hair was tied back, and he carried the air of someone who valued order above all else. Unfortunately, Chen Ren had caused a lot of disorder in his library.

That was probably why the man looked the least pleased to be here.

Chen Ren looked over all of them and tightened his grip around Wang Jun slightly.

The severed head whispered, “This is going to be fun.”

Chen Ren ignored him. He had a feeling it was going to be anything but. Other than that, there was the Watcher, representing the last floor.

Several other lords were missing.

The Watcher had already explained why. Some were sleeping, some were occupied with their own matters, and some were simply indifferent to changes within the pagoda because those changes did not truly affect them. Honestly, that made sense. Most cultivators never reached past the tenth floor anyway, so for the lords of the higher floors, this new ownership might feel like a distant matter.

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After giving all of them a careful look, Chen Ren decided not to waste time.

“Hello, everyone,” he said. “I am sure some of you already know me.”

Several eyes narrowed at him.

“But my name is Chen Ren,” he continued. “Or Eternal, if that is what you prefer to call me.”

A few of the lords snorted at that. Chen Ren ignored them.

“I know I have had differences with some of you here,” he said. “But as the first and only cultivator to conquer the Pagoda of Eternity, and the one who gained the inheritance of Sect Leader Yuren, who created all of you, I hope we will get along well from now on.”

Zombie Queen Vesrya stood up immediately.

“How did you even reach the last floor?” she asked, her eyes fixed on him. “You were weak the last time we met. Even now, you do not seem that strong.”

Chen Ren only smiled. “Things change.” Vesrya’s expression did not shift. “The pagoda was always designed to be conquered in a specific way, and I did that.”

He had no intention of telling them that luck had played a large role in it. That would only make the lords trust and respect him even less. Right now, he needed them to see him as the rightful owner, not as some lucky climber who had stumbled into authority by accident.

Before Vesrya could speak again, City Lord Xiangrui suddenly smiled.

“Yes,” he said. “We should listen to Chen Ren. He and I have had more than a few dealings, and he has been nothing less than my little brother. Honestly,” City Lord Xiangrui continued, “I was even thinking of taking him as a disciple.”

Shrey snorted at that.

“I bet you did not even give him an hour of your time and threatened to kill him multiple times,” he said. “But now you are trying to build a relationship because he is above you.”

City Lord Xiangrui’s smile disappeared. “You know nothing about me, merchant.”

Shrey opened his mouth to fire back, but before he could say anything, the lord of the Grand Library punched the table.

The sound echoed through the meeting room.

“Shut up, you two,” he said. “We are not here to fight among ourselves.”

Lady Sylene grinned, the vines in her hair shifting slightly. “Cranky after waking from your sleep, Archivist Yorren?”

The man growled. “Yes. Our new master has a lot to do with that.” Then he turned toward Chen Ren. “I would like my collection back.”?

Chen Ren did not hesitate. “You will get it back once I have copied everything.”

Archivist Yorren’s face darkened. “You are the pagoda master, Eternal. You should act better than a thief.”

Chen Ren looked at him calmly

“The manuals were also given to you, were they not?” he asked. “And I am sure you obtained some of them through more underhanded methods.”

Yorren’s eyes narrowed.

“From what the Watcher told me,” Chen Ren continued, “you used to steal from the other lords quite often.”

Before coming here, Chen Ren had asked the Watcher a lot of questions about the floor lords. As it turned out, Yorren spent so much time in hibernation not because he was lazy, but because of old injuries. Injuries he had gained during the days when he wanted every book and manual inside the pagoda for himself.

Just as Chen Ren expected, the lord of the Grand Library quietened down.

His expression turned ugly, but he lowered his head and said nothing more.

Chen Ren did not give the argument a chance to continue. He looked away from Yorren and turned his attention back to the rest of the lords seated around the table.

He knew most of them were feeling more than a little uncomfortable. Confused too. If he had been in their position, he probably would have felt the same way.

This was like an upstart walking into a company and declaring himself the owner out of nowhere, completely disregarding all the experienced people who had been keeping the place running for years. Chen Ren would have hated that too.

But this was the reality now.

He had conquered the pagoda. He had inherited it. And whether the lords liked it or not, the authority had passed to him.

That did not mean he wanted them as enemies.

If anything, that would only make his life harder. So instead of pushing his authority immediately, Chen Ren decided it was better to comfort them first and make sure they did not see him as someone who only wanted to stand above them and give orders.

“I know this is difficult for all of you,” Chen Ren said. “Not long ago, I was only a climber. Now, I have conquered the pagoda and gained the authority to decide its future.”

Several of the lords watched him without speaking.

“I was also given a choice,” Chen Ren continued. “I could preserve the pagoda, or I could destroy it.”

Zombie Queen Vesrya’s eyes sharpened. “Are you saying you did us a favour?”

“No,” Chen Ren said. “I am not. I am saying the reason I refused to let the pagoda be destroyed is because I understand the value in all of you,” Chen Ren continued. “The value in what you do. The value in your lives, your strength, your floors, and the roles you have carried for centuries.”

He let his gaze move across them one by one.

“With all of you, I want to make the Pagoda of Eternity greater than it has ever been,” he said. “I want it wealthier, stronger, and filled with climbers for the next millennia. Not as a dying inheritance left behind by the Azure Immortal Sect, but as a place that continues to grow.”

“And how are you going to achieve that?” Lady Sylene asked.

Chen Ren smiled. “I have a few things planned,” he said. “Changes that I believe will benefit everyone.”

Some of the lords exchanged glances.

“After all,” Chen Ren continued, “all of you have been doing mostly the same thing for a very long time. The same trials. The same floors. The same rules. The same methods of dealing with climbers.”

He placed one hand on the table.

“That may have worked before,” he said. “But the pagoda has awakened again, and the world outside has changed. If we want the Pagoda of Eternity to become more than a relic people risk their lives in, then we need to change with it. And I believe that change can make all of us richer.”

The seventh floor lord raised his hand.

“And why should we follow all of this simply because it is different?” he asked. “Our priorities have always been taking care of our floors and families.”

Shrey immediately shot back, “Only you have such a big family.”

“You should find someone too, instead of drinking every single day.”

Chen Ren frowned before another argument could begin.

The lords really did love to fight.

“I know all of you do not have much incentive to follow me right now,” Chen Ren said. “And I am not going to force my authority on you. That is not how I work.”

Some of the lords looked at him with more interest after that.

“What I want to offer you is something that has not been granted to you in a very long time,” Chen Ren continued.

Shrey raised his eyebrows. “And what would that be?”

Chen Ren smiled slightly.

He had already thought this through with the Watcher before coming here. There were not many things all the lords wanted equally. Some might desire artifacts. Some might want manuals. Some cared about resources, while others only cared about their own floors. None of those things would be enough to make them cooperate with him and each other.

Certainly not long-term. And Chen Ren needed something long-term.

He needed something that could unite them, or at least make them willing to listen to him. After all, puppets or not, powerful beings rarely respected someone weaker than them. Authority from the pagoda helped, but true loyalty would not come from that alone.

So he took a long pause. The room remained silent around him. Even the lords who had looked bored before were now watching him more carefully.

“What I offer you is a chance,” he said. “A chance not only to remain in the pagoda, but to step into the outside world. Only I have the way to make that a reality.”

He looked across the gathered floor lords, letting the weight of his words settle properly.

“So follow me,” Chen Ren said. “Follow me not only so the Pagoda of Eternity can rise higher than ever before, but so the outside world can see your majesty as well.”

***

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