Chapter 986: Zhang Yu’s Law Edict Matrix
Regarding the profit distribution of thunder tribulation resources, Zhang Yu had already gained a detailed understanding before signing the betting agreement.
Based on the total scale of the thunder tribulation triggered by each cultivator, minus the thunder tribulation resources required for the cultivator’s own body tempering, the remaining thunder tribulation resources would be traded for Immortal Coins. Then, after deducting storage fees, late fees, thunder tribulation tax, and other expenses, the final remainder was the profit.
This profit would then be distributed according to the betting agreement and bonds.
“Of that, 22% of the profit belongs to you, and the rest will be allocated to the bondholders according to their bond shares…”
“Because the scale of the thunder tribulation you triggered this time is so massive, we don’t need to wait until your Tribulation Transcendence ends to start trading the thunder tribulation resources…”
“Also, if you don’t need us to help store the thunder tribulation, you can save a large amount of fees…”
“As for the tax portion, we will process it for you in advance…”
After listing a series of specific and complex figures one by one, Hong Shanlang finally calculated Zhang Yu’s annual earnings.
“Around 100 million Immortal Coins in the first year, and about 100 to 200 million Immortal Coins each year thereafter. The exact profit will depend on price fluctuations in thunder tribulation resources…”
Looking at the profit data floating before his eyes, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly with emotion. “Without even realizing it, I’ve stepped across the threshold of earning over 100 million a year.”
The Sect Examination Clone said with great regret, “What a shame, what a pity we couldn’t buy our own bonds. Otherwise, if we bought our own bonds and then announced that we could self-produce thunder tribulations, we might have driven the bond price sky-high and made ten or a hundred times more money than we make now…”
Naturally, according to the rules, during the process of undergoing thunder tribulation, the tribulator not only couldn’t buy bonds themselves, but they were also forbidden from manipulating others into buying them.
The Sect Examination Clone thought to himself, “After all, having the audacity to manipulate the market from behind the scenes like that is an exclusive privilege reserved at least for Immortals, or even Immortal Emperors. A mere tribulation transcender simply doesn’t qualify.”
Browsing the news, Immortal Slayer said indifferently, “Setting aside illegal operations like buying your own bonds, do you really think the news of self-produced thunder tribulations could actually be made public? Once announced, it would give the bonds boundless expectations and inevitably send the bond price skyrocketing in a short period of time.”
“If there are Immortals among those shorting the bonds… it will inflict unprecedented losses upon them.”
“And now… the Immortal Emperor voluntarily had us withhold this news. Perhaps some Immortals begged for mercy and handed over what the Immortal Emperor wanted, which is why he had us suppress the news to minimize the Immortals’ losses.”
“I’m afraid that was the Immortal Emperor’s true objective all along, rather than purely making money in the bond market.”
The Sect Examination Clone also grumbled in dissatisfaction, “It’s bad enough we can’t speculate on our own bonds, but negotiating a 22% cut back then was settling for far too little! Hundreds of millions of Immortal Coins every year, just handed out to these poor ghosts — isn’t that a waste?”
At the thought of this, the Sect Examination Clone felt as though his heart were bleeding.
While the Sect Examination Clone and Immortal Slayer were in discussion, Fu Ji stared intently at Zhang Yu’s annual earnings of over a hundred million Immortal Coins.
“Over a hundred million Immortal Coins a year…” Fu Ji thought to herself. “Zhang Yu’s income level has skyrocketed yet again. When is he going to give us a bigger raise?”
Yet Fu Ji knew she couldn’t say those words out loud, especially since she felt the distance between herself and Zhang Yu had grown even wider lately.
“Lately, Zhang Yu, Immortal Slayer, and the Sect Examination Clone seem to have been keeping things from me.”
“They won’t tell me the specific details of the seventh thunder tribulation either.”
“And that ‘Earth’ mentioned by the Immortal Emperor seemed to have shocked Zhang Yu and the others immensely, but they never told me why.”
Fu Ji thought to herself, “Is there really a place called Earth in the First Layer of Kunxu?”
Meanwhile, on the other side, Zhang Yu’s mind was already planning how to spend the money.
With an annual income of hundreds of millions of Immortal Coins, Zhang Yu had truly never possessed so much wealth before. At this moment, countless ideas were already flooding his mind, one expenditure after another.
All sorts of medicinal pills, blueprints, magical artifacts, services… danced and surfaced in his thoughts one by one.
He was secretly delighted, “Now I can buy True Inheritance Techniques, Strategic Techniques, and Basic Techniques at will.”
“Even Sect-Guarding Techniques…”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “If I save up for a few more years, I should be able to afford those, too.”
At this moment, Zhang Yu felt his Immortal Dao Potential soar drastically. Items that had long been gathering dust in his favorites list now sprang out one after another.
Among them, the one that caught his attention the most was an Immortal Sect Sect-Guarding Technique called “Great Freedom Inconceivable Power.”
“With this cultivation art, combined with the earlier Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering, plus Kunlun in the Palm and Kunlun-Uprooting Heaven-Overturning Mystic Power…”
A flicker of anticipation crossed Zhang Yu’s heart. “Then I’ll have gathered the ten cultivation arts required for [Inverted Kunlun] and can unlock its ultimate effect.”
At the same time, the price of Great Freedom Inconceivable Power surfaced before his eyes.
“Original price: 1.5 billion Immortal Coins and 5 million Dao Merit. But with my discount, that’ll be 1.05 billion Immortal Coins and 3.5 million Dao Merit.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “In terms of Dao Merit, from the time I took down the Former Days Salary King, through all my subsequent repeated contributions, plus the Dao Merit I gain each month from my current post, I’m already not far from 3.5 million.”
“However, with my upcoming annual income, it might still take six to seven years to scrape together these 1.05 billion Immortal Coins.”
“Do I really have to wait another six or seven years?”
Pondering this, Zhang Yu finished up the paperwork with Hong Shanlang and returned to the Myriad Laws Sect first.
Because he could leave his Tribulation Transcendence on idle at any time, unless strictly necessary… he no longer needed to go to the thunder-striking address arranged by the Heavenly Sword Sect to undergo tribulations.
As soon as Zhang Yu returned to the Myriad Laws Sect, he received a message from Dugu Ming.
The next moment, Zhang Yu’s projection appeared inside the Heavenly Surveillance Hall’s Dharma Realm office.
Besides Dugu Ming’s projection, Le Mulan’s projection was also standing to the side within the office.
Looking at Zhang Yu before him, waves of jealousy and envy surged in Dugu Ming’s heart.
He was jealous of the scale of the thunder tribulation Zhang Yu had triggered this time, and even more jealous of Zhang Yu’s current standing in the eyes of the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor.
Especially at the thought that the Feather Book, which the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor had obtained from the Reformist Faction, was about to be handed over to Zhang Yu, Dugu Ming wished desperately that he could take his place.
Thinking about how all his years of hard work had not drawn as much of the Immortal Emperor’s attention as Zhang Yu had in just a few years at the sect, Dugu Ming felt the jealousy in his heart tinged with a trace of bitterness.
“What merit or ability does this kid have to gain such immense favor from the Immortal Emperor? I could do it too; I could learn it too.”
Though emotions stirred slightly within him, Dugu Ming maintained a warm, radiant smile on the surface. Looking at Zhang Yu with utmost goodwill, he said, “Profound Monarch Zhang, congratulations on successfully overcoming the seventh thunder tribulation and spreading the renowned prestige of our Myriad Laws Sect.”
Zhang Yu replied, “It is all thanks to the Immortal Emperor’s nurturing and the sect’s cultivation. May I ask what Heavenly Monarch Dugu has invited me here for today?”
Dugu Ming said, “The Reformist Faction understands the bigger picture. Fa Liuyuan has already handed over the Feather Book.”
Zhang Yu’s heart stirred, sensing that a fierce struggle seemed to be concealed within that single brief sentence.
“There is no way the Reformist Faction would hand over the Feather Book so easily. The Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor must have used some kind of leverage…”
While Zhang Yu was deep in thought, Dugu Ming continued, “However, the higher-ups need to study this Feather Book for a bit. It will be given to you in one or two months.”
“This timing works out well for you to use this period to properly consolidate your Tribulation Transcendence Realm cultivation. Once you receive the Feather Book, you will officially participate in the plan to confiscate the Books of the world.”
“When the time comes, Le Mulan will be responsible for liaising with you.”
Zhang Yu glanced at Le Mulan beside him, and she gave him a faint smile.
Retracting his projection, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Study it? The Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor isn’t planning to tamper with the Feather Book before handing it over to me, is he?”
Shaking his head, Zhang Yu temporarily set aside his suspicions. He sent a projection down into the Former Days Graveyard, meeting with Kuang Tianqing inside a secret stronghold of the Reincarnation Group.
Zhang Yu: “The Feather Book you mentioned is almost in my hands.”
Kuang Tianqing: “Rest assured, sir. As soon as you secure the Feather Book, the ten Evil Gods we promised will be delivered immediately.”
Concluding the secret transmission, Zhang Yu thought, “I didn’t expect that after this thunder tribulation, I’d get a new Feather Book… and the upgrade to my own Feather Book would also be nearing completion.”
Returning to the Inner Enclosure Grotto-Heaven and stepping back into his office at the Effectiveness Department, Zhang Yu soon received congratulations from numerous subordinates. He then crossed the Dharma Realm to meet with Yu Xinghan and Magnetic Pole.
Yu Xinghan said, “Minister, your tribulation transcendence this time has awed all Ten Sects! Any cultivator below who followed along and placed their bets made a fortune as well.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly. Looking through the messages from Ye Xingxuan, Feng Tingting, Shi Huaiyu, Mo Shangjin, and the others, he could sense that this time… it wasn’t just his own income that had surged. As long as his employees trusted him enough, they all earned Immortal Coins to varying degrees, their assets expanding by a round.
Looking up, Zhang Yu turned to Yu Xinghan and Magnetic Pole, saying, “Xinghan, Teacher Magnetic Pole, did the Law Establishment go smoothly this time?”
Yu Xinghan and Magnetic Pole immediately reported the process of their Law Establishment, especially the specific contents of the Law Edicts they had ultimately established.
The Law Edict established by Yu Xinghan was named Law Edict Review.
Its specific content dictated that within the Law Edict Expiration Date, should the lawmaker encounter special circumstances such as a major debt default, major litigation, bankruptcy, or losing contact, the review department held the authority to initiate a special review regarding the Law Edict Expiration Date. If the review failed to pass, relevant banning procedures for the Law Edict Expiration Date could be triggered without needing to wait for the 50-year period to expire.
As for Magnetic Pole on the other side, the Law Edict she established was named Law Edict Ban.
Its specific content was that during the review process related to a Law Edict’s Expiration Date, if the review department determined that the continuation of the Law Edict would disrupt regional order or trigger systemic risks, it could directly rule against renewal without going through a full review, prematurely initiating the ban procedures related to the Law Edict Expiration Date.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Of these two Law Edicts, one can bypass the fifty-year validity period and initiate a review at any time when needed.”
“The other allows for bypassing the review process and directly banning a Law Edict when necessary.”
“And the external interface for these two Law Edicts — or rather, the decisive authority — still remains in the hands of the Law Edict Management Committee, which is controlled by the Immortal Emperor.”
Zhang Yu pondered in his mind, “In other words, as long as these two Law Edicts are passed, Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor will have greater latitude… He can restrict Law Edicts, directly initiate reviews of any Law Edict when necessary, and even bypass procedures entirely to ban them.”
Zhang Yu believed that such greater latitude of control over Law Edicts and greater authority was definitely something Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor wanted, and something he would never miss out on.
“Such overbearing Law Edicts shouldn’t have passed so easily in the first place.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “After all, on top of the Law Edict Expiration Date, this essentially places another tightening curse over the head of every Law Establishment cultivator.”
“However, with my help, Yu Xinghan and Teacher Magnetic Pole have already laid a deep foundation, making their own competitiveness formidable. And the key factor… is the appeal these two Law Edicts hold for the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor, as well as the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor’s current prestige within the sect…”
It was precisely due to these considerations that Zhang Yu had discussed and formulated these two Law Edicts with Yu Xinghan and Magnetic Pole.
And listening to the reports from Yu Xinghan and Magnetic Pole, the process of Law Establishment had indeed gone as smoothly as Zhang Yu had anticipated.
Yu Xinghan was heard saying, “…I truly didn’t expect the entire process to go so smoothly. As you predicted, our two Law Edicts struck right at the heart of what the Immortal Emperor needed.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly. At the same time, he circulated the Emperor Creation Seed and the Innate Dao-Vindication Scripture in his mind, sensing his Bloodline Mystic Power and feeling the reach of his bloodline’s power extending toward Yu Xinghan and Magnetic Pole.
“To outsiders, although Yu Xinghan and Teacher Magnetic Pole’s Law Edicts support me, they are not under my control.”
“Little do they know that through the Emperor Creation Seed and the Innate Dao-Vindication Scripture, I can directly seize control of their Law Edicts at any time.”
“However… whether it’s my Expiration Date Law Edict or the two of theirs, in the end, we only possess executive authority.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “The one who decides how to dispose of the Law Edicts is still the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor.”
Zhang Yu understood that if he hadn’t surrendered this decision-making power, the Law Edicts belonging to him, Yu Xinghan, and Magnetic Pole would never have been passed.
Immortal Slayer said, “In the future, if our Law Edicts are elevated into a Dao Lineage, yet the decision-making authority remains in the hands of the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor, we will forever be constrained by him.”
“We must carefully plan step by step, making preparations to eventually break free from the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor’s control, so that we can stand against him.”
Zhang Yu nodded, his mind already contemplating the next candidate to enact legislation in support of him.
In the days that followed, Zhang Yu kept a low profile. Aside from handling some routine work each day, he devoted his time to consolidating his Tribulation Transcendence cultivation base.
In just one short month, his Dao Heart reached level 62 (13.59%), his magic power broke through 20 million units, and his physical strength surged to 63.55 points.
Aside from that, he had also cultivated numerous basic cultivation arts of the Tribulation Transcendence Realm.
Back when he was undergoing his Tribulation Transcendence at the thunder-striking address, he had to focus entirely on resisting the thunder tribulation and tempering his body, leaving him no free time for such things.
Now, having cultivated numerous basic cultivation arts, he also advanced the Chain Formation Diagram he had chosen, the Dao Enlightenment Sacred Body, to the level of (12/12).
Meanwhile, the first payout from the thunder tribulation transactions had already arrived, adding over ten million more to Zhang Yu’s account.
However, soon enough… these funds were almost completely drained.
Vanishing alongside them was the enormous loan Zhang Yu had only recently received.
Relying on the anticipated revenue brought by the thunder tribulations, Zhang Yu had applied for a loan of over one billion.
Then, in one go, he spent 1.05 billion Immortal Coins and 3.5 million Dao merits, finally purchasing the Great Freedom Inconceivable Power art, bringing him on the verge of completing the Inverted Kunlun set.
Just as Zhang Yu was concentrating on cultivating this art, Dugu Ming sent a message: “The Feather Book has arrived. Come pick it up.”