Deep within the Heavens Secret Pavilion, inside an unremarkable wooden cottage nestled in the misty mountains, an old man sat quietly in meditation.
Dressed in plain linen robes, his long white beard and hair draped like flowing silk. As if sensing a disturbance in the world, he slowly opened his eyes.
They were unassuming—yet held a mysterious brilliance, as though they could pierce through the veils of time and space itself.
"The abyss stirs once more. Cause and effect grow muddled."
"After centuries of peace, the Azure Continent may soon know chaos again."
"I wonder… how my two disciples will seize this fleeting opportunity."
The old man spoke softly to himself. His tone was calm, devoid of fear or confusion, as though all events—no matter how cataclysmic—were already part of a greater design.
He was none other than Wen Tianji, the head of the Heavens Secret Pavilion, and master of Chen Mo and Chen Yiyi.
Though he could not discern the cause and effect surrounding Luo Chuan, he could still observe the web of fate surrounding the customers of Origin Mall—and naturally, Chen Yiyi and Chen Mo were among them.
Meanwhile, in the depths of the ancient ruins, the World Tree shuddered violently.
Even the ground beneath it trembled.
Strange, glowing patterns pulsed across its bark, branches, and leaves, radiating an oppressive madness.
Its roots—vast and mountain-sized—burst forth from the earth like awakening dragons, twisting and writhing through the air.
A scene of imminent destruction.
"Boss, what do we do?!" Yao Ziyan called out, panic lacing her voice.
Luo Chuan didn't reply immediately.
He simply stared at the World Tree, deep in thought, his expression as tranquil as ever—untouched by the chaos unraveling around them.
Then, a flicker of inspiration crossed his gaze.
"Ziyan," he said suddenly, "can you feel the vitality—or the lack of it—within Origin Mall?"
"Huh?" Yao Ziyan blinked, caught completely off guard. "Boss… is this really the time for that?"
Her voice carried a trace of disbelief. She didn't understand what he was getting at.
Before she could ask more, Ji Wuhui—also nearby—spoke up.
"Boss… do you have a plan?"
Faced with the corruption of the World Tree by the abyss, Ji Wuhui felt like an ant before a divine storm. Powerless.
The other customers of Origin Mall chimed in too, their voices urgent. All eyes were on Luo Chuan.
In this moment, he was their last hope.
Luo Chuan fell silent for a few seconds, then murmured thoughtfully:
"If this World Tree were just a potted plant in Origin Mall... it would look quite nice."
Silence fell.
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
"...A potted plant?"
Was he serious?
The World Tree—a monstrous, abyss-infested entity on the verge of mass destruction—he wanted to put it in a pot?
But then they saw his face. Calm. Thoughtful. Serious.
Not a hint of sarcasm.
Suddenly, they remembered—the boss never joked.
Not like this.
Which meant…
He was serious.
The cultivators from the ancient ruins, who had learned of Origin Mall's existence, were now on the verge of a breakdown.
Had the world gone mad?
This was insanity!
To treat such a terrifying, world-ending force like some decorative plant?
Their faith in reality was crumbling.
Some were already regretting staying behind. Why didn't they just run while they had the chance?
RUMBLE!
A deafening quake echoed from all directions.
At the same time, those who had previously fled the ruins came running back—screaming.
Panic gripped their hearts.
"AAAAHHH! Run for your lives!"
"Why are there so many monsters in the ruins?!"
"I just joined my sect—I don't want to die here!"
Looking closer, everyone saw what they were fleeing from—
Countless abyssal monsters were pouring out of the ruins, their shrieks echoing like the wails of the damned.
And they were coming straight for them.