"From this day forth, Xuanhuang Town will only be responsible for the safety of its residents within its domain. It will no longer provide free resources. All necessities must now be acquired by oneself. Whether one amasses great wealth or remains in poverty depends solely on individual ability. The town will only set up gruel kitchens to provide the most basic aid to newcomers arriving in Xuanhuang Town."
A public notice was suddenly posted before the townspeople.
Naturally, some scholars began reading the contents aloud quickly, and word of mouth spread like wildfire.
In the blink of an eye, the entire Xuanhuang Town knew of this decision.
A man burst out laughing on the spot, "Good! Good! Excellent! I've been waiting for this day. My craft has been passed down for generations. I specialize in making gold and silver jewelry, jade carvings, stone sculptures, and ornamental beads—my skills are unmatched. I used to wonder whether my craft would ever become useful. Now I see—it is the foundation of my livelihood! All my cultivation resources will come from my handiwork."
This middle-aged man radiated confidence and joy. His craft, though intricate, was nearly useless in a world ravaged by chaos. One could neither earn money nor food with it—it seemed worthless.
But now, with the privatization system officially launched and self-sufficiency encouraged, his craftsmanship had real value again. Xuanhuang Town's powerful defenses kept it secure—over the past three months, even with frequent beast attacks, the Iron-Blood Great Wall had held firm, and all threats had been slain before breaching its defenses. Flying beasts couldn't get past the arrow towers and magic towers, which shot them down with ease.
The town was safe.
Now, with this reform, people no longer had to worry about food and clothing. Women's love for exquisite jewelry was natural. In these settled times, having such a skill meant one would never go hungry. It was a foundation for survival.
"My chance has come. Before the Cataclysm, I was a nationally known lingerie designer. I created many best-selling pieces. Even here in the Eternal Continent, few women can resist the allure of perfect lingerie. Besides, I still have that heavenly treasure I acquired—it pairs perfectly with my designs, like wings on a tiger. Thankfully, I didn't lose it."
A young woman's eyes sparkled with joy. She exuded a unique intellectual charm and quiet confidence. Upon hearing of privatization, she was already calculating how to live a better life in the town—her strengths lay in her craft and talent.
As a woman herself, she understood perfectly that women were weakest against clothing—beautiful garments are universally adored. Even cultivators were no exception.
Currently, the women of the town wore overly plain clothes. Underwear was still just chest wraps, which was unacceptable. She had to change that.
"I heard that the Mayor Yi Tianxing possesses a treasure called the Cloudweaver Loom, capable of producing a strange fabric known as Mist Brocade. They say it's already been produced in large quantities and is more wondrous than any cloth before it—light, soft, and extremely comfortable to wear. With this fabric, my designs will be even more refined."
She murmured expectantly.
News of the Cloudweaver Loom had not been kept secret. Some Mist Brocade had already been woven, although it had yet to be released. With privatization underway, it would certainly enter the market.
And such people—those with skills and ambition—were everywhere.
Many believed in their abilities, though they'd lacked the chance to fully express them. Now, with the removal of restrictions and the encouragement of self-reliance, they could carve out better lives and earn more cultivation resources.
Without hesitation, townspeople began heading to the Myriad Treasures Hall, using their Heaven Register Cards to claim a bag of rice and ten Eternal Coins. For now, their residences remained unchanged. Only when a man and woman married and formed a new family would a property deed be issued for a home of their own. Resource claims were recorded directly into the Heaven Register.
All of this was fed into the Star Network.
If one could see it, they would notice hundreds of thousands of tiny starlights blinking in the sky, each containing vast information. Every person's contributions and data were archived within the Star Network, accessible at any time. After receiving one's starter resources, a record would appear in the Heaven Register Card—making double claims impossible.
The system was airtight, flawless in execution—extremely advanced.
"This is the Eternal Coin! I can feel the pure energy inside. If I want, I can absorb and refine it into cultivation true qi. It even contains a mysterious power that enhances cultivation speed. Just holding it makes me feel clearer, more focused. Incredible!"
One citizen held a bag of rice and the ten gleaming Eternal Coins, standing outside, marveling.
The ancient seal script of 'Eternal' and 'Xuanhuang' engraved on the coins exuded grandeur. Blowing gently across the hole in the center produced a clear, melodious chime. Round outside, square inside—it was aesthetically perfect. People couldn't help but grow fond of it.
In their hands, the coins were nearly impossible to put down.
Previously, hardly anyone had managed to get their hands on Eternal Coins.
Only by holding them now could people truly appreciate their weight—and the joy was immense. One coin could buy a hundred jin of rice. With ten coins, no one would starve. These coins became the first capital, allowing them to earn more wealth.
"To openly release resources and shift all of Xuanhuang Town toward privatization—what audacity! And to give every citizen ten Eternal Coins... Based on my knowledge, the town has over 400,000 residents, meaning this alone cost over four million Eternal Coins. Unbelievable. The strength behind this is terrifying."
A villager from outside the town gasped in awe.
"If only we were Xuanhuang citizens—we could have gotten ten Eternal Coins for free! What a deal! But now that people have money, they'll definitely spend it. We must send word back to prepare specialty goods and bring them to Xuanhuang. With goods, they'll sell like hotcakes."
Someone else was overjoyed.
Now that the people had wealth, they would surely spend it—even a fraction of those millions of Eternal Coins would be a massive profit for any merchants.
"Distributing Eternal Coins to ordinary citizens—it's clear they want to fully establish Eternal Coins as the mainstream currency. Astounding! Truly astounding. Once Eternal Coins begin circulating freely, their status will become unshakable."
Someone's eyes gleamed as they grasped the deeper implication.
With Eternal Coins replacing all other currencies, and supported by town infrastructure, the implications were massive. It meant the town had enough reserves to maintain circulation—a monumental milestone.
Privatization efforts, under the management of Huang Chengyan and others, were proceeding in an orderly fashion.
With the military's deterrence, the town's good reputation, and the people's own desire for private ownership, the transition moved swiftly and smoothly. Many citizens immediately took their coins to buy materials and began crafting goods—ready to show their talents.
At this moment, in the Core Space—
Yi Tianxing appeared within the void.
"The Money Tree has grown so tall already. Not easy at all."
He gazed at the Money Tree floating in the air—it now stood over four to five meters high, its branches thicker and longer, radiating golden and white light. In the void, one could see white Eternal Coins forming from thin air and merging with the tree, strengthening it.
Clatter!
With a gentle shake, golden Eternal Coins began falling from its branches, landing with clear, ringing sounds, piling up like mountains. They contained recondensed pure energy, ready to enter circulation again.
Falling with them were white and black pearls, glimmering like precious gems.
"The speed of gathering wish power has increased dramatically—two or three times faster than before. This must be the result of the Eternal Coins finally entering full circulation."
"Before, over 400,000 citizens generated a thousand Wish Pearls and Demonic Desire Pearls daily. Now that's two to three thousand per day. The benefits are enormous."
He could feel wish power and desire gathering into the Money Tree like a flowing river, creating those special pearls at a remarkable rate—as if he'd tapped a true spring of vitality.
"With Demonic Desire Pearls, we can ensure an adequate Eternal Coin reserve. So now, refine all the Wish Pearls and forge the Celestial City!"
Looking at the mountain of Wish Pearls, Yi Tianxing made a decisive command.
One by one, the pearls rose, melting into liquid under divine flame, disappearing as they flowed into the Supreme Embryo.
At the embryo's edge, jade-like radiance began to form—a small section began taking solid form, about five meters across, glistening like flawless white jade. It was the first solidified piece of the Celestial City's body.