The heavens stirred once more.
Above the newly established Heavenly Mall, a vast golden lotus unfurled across the sky—its petals rippling through space like a proclamation of dominion. Thousands stared upward as light twisted into form. A door. A ring. A gate.
And then—it opened.
> [System Notification: Nexus Gate Unlocked]
Function: Realm-Warping Transportation, Cross-Territory Trade, and Supply-Line Expansion
Status: Anchor Incomplete. Initial Power Required: 500 Karma Credits or 1 Core Territory
Li Tianyu narrowed his eyes at the interface.
"System," he said, arms behind his back, "project the anchor site."
A three-dimensional hologram shimmered into the air beside him. It was a map—no, a plan. The blueprint of a city not yet built, divided into functional sectors: residential housing, artifact workshops, spiritual cultivation towers, market blocks, arena platforms, and the Golden Lotus Bank.
> Site Name: Pending
Current Level: 0
Territory Control: 1/100,000
Suggested Name: Golden Root Capital
"Name confirmed," Tianyu said. "This shall be the capital of commerce that rewrites the Heavens."
> [Golden Root Capital Established.]
[You are now Sovereign of a Core Nexus Territory.]
[Nexus Gate Activation Commencing…]
The air pulsed.
A gigantic gate, two hundred meters tall, rose from the earth behind the mall like a divine monument. Its frame shimmered with runes of every language—ancient human script, beast clan markings, even Abyssal and Divine glyphs. It didn't belong to a single world.
It belonged to all of them.
Yun'er stumbled back, eyes wide. "That gate… it links to other realms?"
Tianyu nodded. "Not just realms. Entire economies. Civilizations. Even planes no one's touched in millions of years."
"But how do we use it?" she asked.
He smiled, tapping the floating interface.
> Nexus Gate Access Conditions:
Realm Keys (Locked)
Spirit Trade Routes (Inactive)
Cross-System Clearance (Pending Approval from Nexus Authority)
Current Option Available: Seize Clearance by Force.
He selected it without hesitation.
> [Force Seizure Mode Activated.]
[Warning: This will trigger hostile reaction from Ancient Nexus Custodians.]
[Combat Level: Unknown | Estimated Threat: Mythic-Class]
[Proceed?]
Tianyu didn't blink.
"Proceed."
---
Moments Later – In the Sky Above
The clouds parted not with thunder but with laws.
From the spiraling center of the Nexus Gate descended a figure—tall, cloaked in golden light, with no face, only a mask carved from platinum and inscribed with interlocking symbols.
It spoke no words.
Instead, it raised a finger—and the world warped.
> [Nexus Custodian: Tier – Mythic | Class – Void Enforcer | Title: Debt Collector of Realms]
"System," Tianyu said calmly, "battle interface."
The golden mall flared with energy. A grid unfolded over the plaza. Dozens of automatic weapon turrets rotated from the merchant stalls. The floating auction screens shimmered—now doubling as tactical displays.
> [Summoning Unit: Gold-Class Spirit Treasurer – Deploying!]
[Storefront Shield Array Activated!]
[Auctioneer Skill: Price Crash – Ready to Deploy!]
Yun'er ducked behind a protective stall. "You're insane!"
"No," he said, stepping forward and letting golden qi wrap around his hands like flame. "I'm an entrepreneur."
---
Combat Sequence: Tycoon vs. Nexus
The Custodian launched a ray of lawlight, intending to erase the mall and the surrounding realm.
But Tianyu, armed with the Tycoon Sovereign Title, struck it down using a skill that should not exist—
> [Skill: Business Negotiation – Rewrite Divine Trade Contract]
Effect: Void Enforcer's mission clause altered. Nexus rights transferred to User.]
The divine contract behind the custodian's mask cracked.
The figure trembled.
> [Hostile Entity: Nexus Custodian – RETREAT INITIATED]
[You have acquired: Realm Warp Authority Lv.1]
As the Custodian faded, Nexus Gate fully activated.
The sky exploded in portals—gates to other worlds, floating above Golden Root Capital like silver moons.
And behind Tianyu, his System interface updated again.
> [Congratulations!]
[You have seized your first Trade Node of the Multiverse.]
[Nexus Gate now links to: 1/999,999 realms.]
He turned to Yun'er, who stared at the shifting gate, half in awe, half in disbelief.
"Where does it lead first?" she asked.
Tianyu grinned.
"To a plane where gods hoard wealth like dragons."
He cracked his knuckles.
"I'm going to audit them."