Time slipped by like water flowing through a stream.
After a day of deep consolidation and practice, Xia Chuan felt his body surge with a newfound strength. He had completely stabilized his cultivation at the peak of the Bronze Realm, and a faint but undeniable energy hinted that the Silver Warrior level was within reach. His internal Qi was growing at an astonishing rate, and it wouldn't be long before he broke through, perhaps even reaching the Golden Warrior level.
"The host," the Book of Wisdom spoke with its usual calm tone, "with your current rate of cultivation, you'll soon become a much more powerful warrior. However, as your cultivation deepens, the movements generated by your Qi flow will become increasingly significant. I suggest you relocate to a larger space. Not only will it ensure your safety, but it will also help keep your activities from attracting unnecessary attention."
Xia Chuan sighed. He understood the Book of Wisdom's advice. His cultivation method, blending caves and absorbing Qi, was inherently explosive. His body, like a vast cavern, absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth at an alarming rate. The vibrations it created would inevitably attract attention, and living in a densely populated area only heightened the risk of exposure.
The problem was that he was an orphan, with no inheritance and no wealth. The house he lived in was rented, not owned, and upgrading to a larger one seemed like an impossible dream.
"I know, but money is the issue," Xia Chuan replied.
The Book of Wisdom, ever pragmatic, responded confidently, "Master, money is not a problem at all."
Xia Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how would you solve that?"
He had considered making money by selling items from the micro world, but after some thought, he realized the items were too small to fetch any real value on Xuanhuang Star. Besides, leaking any such items could expose his secret, so he abandoned the idea.
The Book of Wisdom continued, its voice unhurried. "Making money is simple. It's a matter of buying low and selling high. This principle applies universally in business."
Xia Chuan nodded. He understood. Whether it was in the clothing industry, catering, or any other field, the basic tenet of profit was always the same. The essence of business was simple, but the key question remained: How to make that money?
The Book of Wisdom seemed to sense his curiosity. "In fact, after spending a day analyzing the world around you, I have gathered substantial information. If you wish to earn a large amount of wealth quickly, the best method in your world is through stocks or futures trading."
"Stocks? Futures?" Xia Chuan blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected the Book of Wisdom to have such profound knowledge of Xuanhuangxing, let alone its financial systems.
"Indeed," the Book of Wisdom continued, "one of my unique abilities is an extraordinary calculation power that exceeds all computers of Xuanhuangxing. By analyzing vast amounts of information, I can predict future trends with uncanny accuracy. Speculating on futures is child's play for me."
Xia Chuan listened intently, his interest piqued.
The Book of Wisdom spoke with growing confidence, "Based on my research, I have identified several key markets that are experiencing extreme volatility. Recent natural and man-made disasters on Xuanhuangxing have caused the prices of various commodities to skyrocket—oil, gold, silver, steel, coal—all of these have seen dramatic fluctuations. You could make significant gains by speculating on these markets."
"Is there such a thing?" Xia Chuan murmured, excitement bubbling within him. "Then let's give it a try. Let's fry futures."
The plan was set. Futures trading seemed like the perfect opportunity—leverage was high, and it could make a lot of money in a short time. With twenty times the leverage, a small investment could quickly snowball into significant wealth. The advantage of futures over stocks was clear: the returns could be magnified exponentially.
And with the Book of Wisdom's unique ability to predict future outcomes, this endeavor seemed like a surefire way to make money. If the Book of Wisdom could accurately forecast the movements of the stock and futures markets, then whether it was stocks or futures, the results would be the same—quick and easy profit.
But most importantly, this method would be discrete. No one would know his movements. All he needed was a computer, and the transactions would leave no traces, no external signs that could lead back to him.
Without further hesitation, Xia Chuan opened his computer, launching both his futures trading software and the necessary tools. He had already created accounts for both stocks and futures months ago, so there was no need for additional setup.
His bank card still had one hundred thousand yuan, a modest sum to start with. With the leverage of twenty times, this would give him access to two million yuan—a solid start for his ambitious plans.
As the futures page opened, his screen filled with price charts: coal, soybeans, gold, silver, apples, oil... The options were numerous, each one brimming with potential.
It was then that Xia Chuan felt a strange sensation. Deep within his consciousness, the Book of Wisdom stirred. His mind began to shift. His body felt lighter, his awareness sharper. It was as if he had transcended his human form and became one with the algorithms. His soul seemed to enter an ethereal state of absolute rationality, free from distractions, purely focused on the task at hand.
He felt like a supercomputer—data flowing endlessly, calculations unfolding in real-time. His consciousness absorbed the torrent of information, processing it at lightning speed.
"Coal futures are about to rise by 7% in three minutes."
"Soybean futures will drop 5% in ten minutes."
"Oil futures are set to climb 10% in twenty minutes."
The predictions came to him with crystal clarity, each one more accurate than the last. At this moment, Xia Chuan felt as if he had become a god, with the power to foresee the future and the knowledge to act on it.
His hands moved quickly, almost automatically. Buy. Sell. Buy. Sell.
His account balance began to grow rapidly. One hundred thousand... five hundred thousand... one million... five million... ten million. Each transaction added to his wealth, and the numbers on the screen kept climbing at an alarming rate.
Xia Chuan was in the zone. His focus was absolute, his every decision a calculated move based on the flood of data pouring into his mind. The world around him seemed to disappear as he engaged in the dance of numbers and predictions, each move a step closer to wealth.
Minutes passed in a blur. With every second, the numbers on his screen skyrocketed, and the profits accumulated faster than he could have ever imagined. He was no longer just a participant in the market; he had become its master. With the Book of Wisdom guiding him, he was seeing the future unfold before his eyes, and it was glorious.