Thus, the mastermind behind the speculation of Spirit Mist Grass prices in the twelfth lifetime, Eminence Qingmu Huasheng, abandoned his role as market manipulator and joined the fray to chase profits himself.
Many other shadow players shared Qingmu's perspective, and driven by these individuals, the price of Spirit Mist Grass began its second surge after briefly stabilizing at 35 points.
The day after, prices skyrocketed to 50 points before falling back to 45. Then, they fluctuated erratically between 45 and 50 points.
This dramatic doubling of Spirit Mist Grass prices in such a short time became a heated conversation topic among cultivators. Whenever someone brought it up, their faces would flush with excitement, as if certain the price would inevitably reach one hundred points.
Gradually, even latecomers found themselves irresistibly drawn in. Many cultivators who hadn't even known what Spirit Mist Grass was began paying attention and participating.
Influenced by this frenzy, the price successfully broke through the 50-point threshold on the third day, climbing to 54 points.
Within Thousand Li Hall on Myriad Immortals Island, Li Fan asked again, "Fellow Daoist Jiao, shouldn't we sell now?"
Jiao Xiuyuan's eyes burned with greed as he vehemently shook his head. "No, no, no! We've just barely gotten started! Right now, Spirit Mist Grass is still just Spirit Mist Grass. When it becomes more than just grass, that's when we'll truly profit! It's close; I can feel it. We're just one step away!"
He Zhenghao shared identical sentiments. "Fellow Daoist Li Fan, remember to hold firmly to your Spirit Mist Grass. Don't believe those predicting a crash. Those are rumors spread by those who haven't entered the market yet and are trying to drive prices down. Trust my judgment. Prices will keep rising!"
As if confirming their words, the price continued its volatile ascent over the following days, eventually reaching 66 points.
Within the Tianxuan Mirror, Li Fan shook his head. It seems we're just one spark away from true madness. Of course, that same spark could also burst this bubble.
Li Fan examined his current holdings; he currently held 2900 stalks of Spirit Mist Grass. Without hesitation, he sold 1000 stalks.
Here, he discovered another benefit of being within the Myriad Immortals Alliance system: the opportunity to repurchase items at market price, the number of times corresponding to one's permission level.
At the Yan 5 rank, he received three opportunities annually to sell materials at the Tianxuan Mirror's current prices. Thus, Li Fan sold his Spirit Mist Grass at 66 contribution points each, immediately gaining 66,000 contribution points. His heart remained calm as he continued observing how the turmoil would evolve.
When Spirit Mist Grass reached 69 points, its rise finally stalled. Some previously frenzied individuals began recognizing that the price had been inflated too much, and there was a risk of collapse. Following Li Fan's example, they chose to secure their profits, even attempting to counsel friends to remain rational.
Prices dipped slightly accordingly, but were quickly pulled back up by the greater number of speculative cultivators. Yet they never managed to break through the 69-point barrier.
Bulls and bears engaged in brutal combat at this point, fighting for five or six days without any decisive outcome.
Just as the stalemate persisted, the situation transformed in a way Li Fan never anticipated—the variable Jiao Xiuyuan had spoken of had finally arrived.
On this day, the slightly manic voices of Jiao Xiuyuan and He Zhenghao reached him simultaneously.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Li Fan, what do you think of my foresight? The price of Spirit Mist Grass is about to soar to the heavens!"
"It’s here! The business opportunity with tenfold profits has finally arrived!"
Startled from his cultivation, Li Fan checked the price of Spirit Mist Grass. At first glance, he thought he must be seeing things.
One hundred thirty-five contribution points per stalk.
Li Fan stared blankly at the number for a moment, then looked again.
It was now 166 contribution points per stalk, and the number was continue to rise at an astonishing speed.
How could this be? Li Fan wondered inwardly, bewildered.
He quickly inquired, and Jiao Xiuyuan and He Zhenghao answered him one after the other, their voices trembling with excitement.
"Just moments ago, news broke. Hidden Dragon Abyss, Phoenix Mist City, Cangmang Mountain... These major sites cultivating Spirit Mist Grass within the Myriad Immortals Alliance were simultaneously attacked by unknown cultivators.
"All the Spirit Mist Grass planted there has been destroyed!
"These maniacs even completely wrecked the unique environments required to nurture Spirit Mist Grass in those cultitavtion grounds!
"This means that for a very long time, no new Spirit Mist Grass will grow anywhere in the Myriad Immortals Alliance!"
These people... they actually dared... Li Fan fell into silent contemplation.
He couldn’t help but recall a well-known adage from his life before transmigrating:
“With 10% profit, capital is freely employed; with 20%, it grows lively; with 50%, it becomes bold; for 100%, it tramples all human laws; and with 300%, there is no crime it will not risk, even at the cost of its neck."[1]
Even in another world, it seemed nothing had changed. And here, the profits far exceeded a mere threefold.
The news of the simultaneous attacks on cultivation sites instantly caused the price of Spirit Mist Grass to soar through the roof.
In the time it took an incense stick to burn, it surged from around 160 points to 212, and showed no signs of stopping.
Those cultivators who had previously sold off their Spirit Mist Grass at around sixty points tearfully bought back in, filled with regret.
Witnessing the trend of another explosive price surge, those who already held Spirit Mist Grass but still had surplus funds couldn’t resist the urge to buy more.
In the Tianxuan Mirror, the price of Spirit Mist Grass began another irrational, mania-fueled climb.
Two hundred fifty-five, two hundred eighty-two, two hundred ninety-nine... Soon, it surpassed three hundred points.
By this point, the vast majority of cultivators clearly understood that the price of Spirit Mist Grass had become a pure bubble. But they were all gambling, betting that they could escape unscathed before the bubble burst, and in the process, earn contribution points they could never accumulate in a lifetime of labor.
Human greed was laid utterly bare.
The volatility of this surge sent a chill down Li Fan's spine, and a profound sense of unease welled up within him.
When the price hit 310 points, Li Fan didn't hesitate. He sold every last one of his remaining 1900 stalks of Spirit Mist Grass.
They vanished without a ripple, instantly devoured by the cultivators who had lost all reason.
Five hundred and eighty-nine thousand contribution points.
Added to his previous sixty-six thousand, Li Fan stared at his total of 650,000 contribution points, feeling as if he were dreaming.
1. from Karl Marx's Das Kapital ☜