"Still sensible."
Xiao nodded slightly, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes as he withdrew the oppressive aura of his Golden Core.
Then he took out an exquisite token from his sleeve and flicked it forward.
The token floated steadily in the air before Caine.
"Since you have successfully eliminated all the High Table's senior executives, the High Table will now be led by you."
"You will receive two gold spirit coins every year as compensation."
"I hope you will not disappoint me, Caine."
Hearing this, Caine felt both excitement and a heavy weight settle upon his shoulders.
He knew that accepting this role meant enormous responsibility.
But he was willing.
Caine had always harbored deep feelings toward the High Table.
He wanted not only to restore it but to transform it.
Deep in his heart, he wished to build an organization that truly felt like a family.
An organization of equality, friendship, and mutual support.
Not the cold and ruthless system that once relied on rigid rules to oppress or slaughter its lower members.
Yet Caine understood one thing clearly.
If he wished to change the rules of the High Table, he would first need the approval of Clan Leader Hassan.
If he could not obtain that approval, he would rather relinquish the position entirely than inherit a broken system he could not reform.
So, he gathered his courage and asked,
"Clan Leader Hassan… may I modify some of the existing rules appropriately?"
Xiao seemed to have seen through Caine's thoughts.
After a brief silence, he replied calmly.
"Everything remains as before."
"But the law allows for mercy."
The moment Caine heard this, relief flooded his heart.
A smile spread across his face.
He stepped forward and grasped the floating token firmly.
Without hesitation, Caine knelt on one knee and declared loudly,
"I will always serve the High Table."
"From this day forward, I will remain loyal unto death!"
Hassan's meaning had been perfectly clear.
The rules themselves would not change.
But their interpretation would belong to the enforcer.
As long as the framework remained intact, Caine could apply those rules according to circumstance.
And Caine understood the implications very well.
After all, countless scholars throughout history had completely changed the meaning of laws simply by interpreting every word carefully.
With Hassan's approval secured, Caine could now act with confidence.
"Clan Leader Hassan, I have one more matter."
Caine concentrated.
With a small expenditure of spiritual energy, he condensed a Golden Book Jade Page.
This was another basic spell.
It allowed memories to be directly recorded into a jade page that could be read instantly through divine sense.
The page contained the Soul Dantian Method Caine cultivated.
Xiao extended his hand from afar.
The jade page flew into his palm.
After examining it carefully, he flicked his finger.
Five hundred gold spirit coins suddenly appeared in the air before Caine.
The overwhelming spiritual energy they emitted nearly made Caine lose himself.
Having just completed Foundation Establishment, he desperately needed spiritual energy.
But he also understood immediately—
These coins were not meant for him to absorb.
As Caine expected, Xiao immediately transmitted a list into his mind.
Caine examined it carefully.
It resembled a vast treasure catalog.
Hundreds of magical techniques were listed.
Dozens of cultivation manuals were included.
Among them were the Golden Core Methods he had long desired.
And there were seven different versions.
At the end of each technique and manual, a clear number was marked.
Those numbers represented the amount of spirit coins required to exchange for them.
"These are the collected works accumulated by the Hassan Clan over hundreds of years," Xiao said calmly.
"Take whatever you want."
As he spoke, he added the Soul Dantian Method to the list.
Price: 500 gold spirit coins.
Not a single coin more.
Caine stared at the catalog with widening eyes.
The more he read, the stronger his desire became.
He wanted them all.
Every single technique.
Unfortunately, the five hundred gold spirit coins he had received could only purchase one of the most basic Golden Core methods.
The more powerful ones were far beyond his reach.
Still, Cyber Cultivation differed from traditional cultivation.
Mistakes could be corrected later.
Advancing with an average Golden Core now did not permanently limit his future potential.
He could improve later.
Most other spells and techniques required at least twenty gold spirit coins.
He simply could not afford them.
However, one technique caught his attention.
It cost only one gold spirit coin.
Its name was—
The Art of Alchemy.
According to the description, it seemed capable of creating spirit coins.
In other words…
Money.
Caine's heart stirred.
He still possessed one original gold coin.
If the description was accurate, purchasing it would not be a loss.
Of course, he suspected there must be a trap somewhere.
But Clan Leader Hassan had no reason to deceive him over such a trivial matter.
Besides, the price was clearly set at one gold spirit coin.
It almost felt as if the technique had been prepared specifically for him.
After thinking it over, Caine made his decision.
He exchanged five hundred gold spirit coins for a Golden Core method.
Then he used the final coin to purchase The Art of Alchemy.
"Good. The transaction is complete."
"You may leave."
"When you have earned enough gold spirit coins, you may return to me at any time."
After collecting the coins, Xiao flicked his finger.
The contents of both techniques immediately flowed into Caine's mind.
Then Xiao casually dismissed him.
After leaving the Hassan Clan estate, Caine sat quietly inside the returning vehicle.
He began studying The Art of Alchemy carefully.
But when he finished reading it—
He nearly exploded in frustration.
He had known there must be a trap.
And indeed, there was.
A huge one.
The reason was simple.
This so-called technique was essentially a system designed to exploit the labor of lower-level cultivators.
Yes.
It could indeed produce spirit coins.
But the cost was one's own spiritual energy.
A cultivator had to condense spirit coins directly from their own accumulated energy.
Under normal circumstances, even if a Cyber Cultivator trained diligently every day, the energy gained in a single day could only produce one copper spirit coin.
Thirty copper coins equaled one silver spirit coin.
Twelve silver coins equaled one gold spirit coin.
In other words—
A cultivator would need nearly an entire year of work just to produce a single gold spirit coin.
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