"Come, come! Everyone take a look! It won't take much of your time, but I guarantee it'll be fascinating and fun!"
A crisp, youthful voice echoed from within the crowd. Despite the volume, the tone wasn't grating—it was actually somewhat friendly and approachable.
"Let's go take a look."
Yi Tianxing and Cai Yan exchanged glances, their faces showing a hint of amusement as they made their way through the gathered crowd. Although the area was surrounded by a large group of people, when they approached, an invisible force seemed to part the crowd for them. No one resisted or even noticed the change—it all felt completely natural. Soon, they were at the front and could clearly see what was going on.
In front of them stood a young man in a cyan robe, exuding natural confidence and charisma. Even surrounded by a curious crowd, he remained composed and unflustered. He clearly had a strong, steady mindset.
In front of him was a basin—a golden-yellow ceramic bowl that looked… unusual, not like a typical vessel.
"Dear elders, uncles, and fellow villagers, my name is Shen," the young man began respectfully. "By fortune's favor, I've cultivated a unique divine ability: the Treasure Basin. As long as you place a treasure into this basin, I can activate the divine technique to double it—one becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes eight—until it's overflowing with riches. I feel heaven has been too generous, and to avoid exhausting my fortune, I've decided to share this blessing with all of you."
The young man named Shen bowed deeply as he spoke.
"What? A Treasure Basin that can duplicate items? That's absurd! Is he dreaming?"
"This has to be a scam. You think you can fool us with such obvious trickery? Try it, and we'll haul you off to the authorities! The Six Doors won't be so kind."
"You think we're that gullible? Better stop before you dig your own grave."
The onlookers chuckled and shook their heads.
These days, the people weren't ignorant commoners. Many had embarked on the path of cultivation, learning all manner of mystical arts and divine techniques. While such a trick might have worked in the past, now they simply scoffed at it.
A basin that multiplies wealth? Preposterous.
Still, despite their skepticism, their eyes betrayed curiosity.
"Heh, think it's a scam? Try it for yourself and see."
Shen smiled, completely unfazed by the crowd's doubts. He pulled out a shimmering Eternal Coin and, under the watchful gaze of everyone present, dropped it into the Treasure Basin.
Ding!
A clear chime rang out as the Eternal Coin hit the basin, spinning within it. Everyone could see—this was indeed a genuine Eternal Coin. That much was obvious to their trained eyes.
Even though most of them were convinced it was a hoax, instinctively, all eyes were drawn to the basin.
Ding!
Another chime echoed—and then, incredibly, a second Eternal Coin appeared. It didn't fall from above or pop out from underneath. No—under hundreds of gazes, it emerged from the basin, seemingly splitting from the original as if duplicated right before their eyes.
"It… duplicated?!"
"No way! I didn't see any tricks, no spatial fluctuations—nothing! It just… appeared!"
"Could this basin actually create treasures out of thin air? That's insane! This defies everything we know!"
The crowd collectively gasped, stunned into silence by the impossible scene.
If this was real… then the Treasure Basin was a heaven-defying artifact.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Before anyone could recover, the basin began rapidly filling with Eternal Coins, multiplying at a visible rate until it overflowed with glittering gold. Hundreds of coins glittered in the sunlight—an overwhelming sight.
Everyone stared in awe. Just one coin had turned into hundreds. This was… obscene wealth. Unbelievable.
"Everyone is welcome to examine the coins and see if they're real."
Shen's grin widened as he invited the people forward.
Without hesitation, people rushed up, each grabbing a coin—some biting it, others attempting to refine it. The results?
Teeth nearly cracked, and refinement was smooth—the coins were genuine. They contained true world energy and pure willing force.
"They're real!"
"No doubt about it—genuine Eternal Coins!"
"This basin… it actually produces real money! One into two, two into four—it's miraculous!"
Shock spread like wildfire. The reactions were raw and genuine.
Eternal Coins weren't just currency—they were the exclusive money of the Great Yi Dynasty. Outside factions had tried everything to replicate them—to counterfeit or reverse-engineer the method of creation—but had failed utterly. Control over their issuance made their value absolute.
"Interesting," Yi Tianxing murmured, flipping an Eternal Coin with his finger. It let out a crisp, vibrating ring.
"Is it real?" Cai Yan asked through divine sense.
"It's real," Yi Tianxing nodded. "But it's definitely not conjured from nothing. These coins carry traces of mortal usage—they've been in circulation. They're not newly minted."
"That's curious. Even I couldn't spot the method used. Does the basin really gather treasures?" Cai Yan frowned slightly, puzzled.
She had been watching closely, yet saw nothing to indicate any deception. If this was a trick, it was masterfully executed.
"This kind of sleight-of-hand might fool others, but not me. I've already seen through it. But let's not be hasty—let's see what this kid is really after."
Yi Tianxing smiled faintly, the divine light of Yin and Yang swirling in his eyes.
"Young man, does this basin only work on coins?"
The crowd was beginning to believe, their attitudes shifting. Now they were eager.
"Of course not," Shen replied enthusiastically. "The Treasure Basin works on anything. Put it in, and it doubles. Don't believe me? Try it yourself."
He then added loudly, "This treasure and technique were never meant for me alone. That's why the basin is placed here for anyone to use. I won't charge a single Eternal Coin. Everything is done by your own hands. I don't touch a thing. If you think I'm scamming anyone—feel free to arrest me and take me to the magistrate."
Then, he stepped back, giving the basin wide berth. His attitude was selfless, altruistic—practically noble.
"Of course, using the divine art requires spiritual power. I'm not strong, and if everyone tries to multiply things a hundredfold, I won't last long. So this time, we'll limit it—one becomes two. That's all. You put one item in, take two out. Everything is done by you. I won't interfere. You can monitor me closely."
Though a hundredfold duplication would be more tempting, doubling was still unbelievable. It was free gain. Who could resist?
"I'll try! I have a piece of Silver Star Stone. Let's see if it duplicates."
A bounty hunter stepped forward and placed a piece of shimmering silver material into the basin.
With a flash of light, a second identical piece appeared. He took both out—same weight, same aura, completely indistinguishable.
"It worked!"
"I'll try! I've got a Heavenly Gang Pill—let's see!"
"I've got a talisman—let's test it!"
The crowd erupted. One by one, people began placing their treasures into the basin.
And without exception, everything doubled. The joy on their faces was palpable—pure happiness.
This really was fortune falling from the sky.
"…Why do I feel like something's off?" Cai Yan whispered to Yi Tianxing, her brow furrowed.