The first ray of sunlight in the morning shone through the curtains. Qi Yun was busy in his room. He had been awake for several days straight, and the lights in the room had not dimmed once.
Qi Yun yawned and wiped his face with his hands to shake off the drowsiness.
Before him stood a massive instrument, more than two meters tall. At its center was a crystal-clear gemstone, surrounded by intricate, mesmerizing patterns.
Though the design was beautiful, it couldn't compare to the gem itself. The energy contained in this gem, if known to the world, would surely cause worldwide turmoil.
Qi Yun had spent several nights carefully assembling the instrument based on detailed blueprints. It took him almost a year just to collect all the necessary materials.
Now, after all the effort, it was finally time to see the results.
With a flick of a switch, the instrument hummed to life, and the gemstone began to pulse with a powerful energy, its fluctuations rippling outward under an unseen force.
The waves of energy expanded from Qi Yun's position, quickly enveloping the entire Earth.
Far away in the Himalayas, the Supreme Mage, the Ancient One, suddenly opened her eyes, sensing a strange force brushing against her being.
This power felt cold and ruthless. The Ancient One attempted to trace it but found herself unable to. The energy swept through too quickly, vanishing without leaving a trace.
At the very moment this power spread, an unnoticed yet significant change occurred in the flow of time—an anomaly, undetectable but undeniable.
"Troubling times," the Ancient One muttered softly, before closing her eyes and returning to her meditative state.
Back in New York, Qi Yun stood anxiously before the instrument. The success of his endeavor hinged on whether it would function properly. If it failed, his entire plan would be delayed, and he would lose a golden opportunity.
Fortunately, Qi Yun had been incredibly lucky over the years. Where others met death, he survived—gaining the rare ability to travel through time, along with a host of other advantages.
"Time anchoring successful. World connection stable..." a cold, automated voice echoed in his mind. He had heard this voice countless times before, so it no longer surprised him.
"Did it work...?" Qi Yun took a deep breath and opened his main god panel.
Lord God of Reincarnation: Qi Yun
Number of people contracted: 0
Linked worlds: 1
Worlds owned: 0
"Yes!" Qi Yun exclaimed with excitement.
After all his hard work, he had finally succeeded!
As a bare-bones lord with only one World Core, achieving success meant Qi Yun had struck it big, like winning the cosmic lottery.
When the instrument completed its mission, it powered down and crumbled into dust, saving Qi Yun the trouble of disposing of it.
After a quick wash, Qi Yun walked out of the room. The sunlight outside felt almost blinding.
How long had he been holed up in there?
He adjusted to the brightness and stretched before heading to a nearby fast food restaurant.
Since his time travel, much of his focus had been spent solving identity issues. The remaining time, however, was only enough to afford the cheapest fast food after buying materials for his inventions.
"Once my career takes off, I'll buy all the finest steaks, eat one, throw one away, and just look at one!" Qi Yun thought to himself while chewing on a burger.
The TV in the restaurant was broadcasting an economic news program.
"Professor Kane, what are your thoughts on Tony Stark's disappearance?" the host inquired softly.
"The disappearance of that playboy will certainly affect Stark Industries, something we've already seen in the market," Professor Kane responded with a serious tone.
"Recently, Stark Industries' stock has plummeted by 30%. Do you foresee further declines?" the host continued.
"No, the stock drop is a short-term correction caused by Stark's absence. For investors, this is actually an excellent opportunity to buy shares at a bargain price," Professor Kane responded with an air of authority, despite his words sounding like nonsense.
The host, unsurprised, nodded along. After all, the show was funded by investors with stakes in Stark Industries.
"But Tony Stark is the CEO of the company. His disappearance, with no word on whether he's alive or dead, could further drag down the stock price," the host persisted.
"Haha, you're not as good as me when it comes to the economy. For professional insights, better listen to experts," Professor Kane laughed, dismissing the question. "Tony Stark is just the figurehead. The real power behind Stark Industries is Mr. Obadiah Stane..."
Qi Yun couldn't help but yawn while listening to this televised nonsense. Did this so-called professor really think people were gullible?
Anyone with half a brain could see he was being paid by Stane to hype up his potential takeover of Stark Industries.
Stark Industries, no matter how much its stock dipped, was still a behemoth in the business world.
After tossing his trash into the bin, Qi Yun walked out. To be honest, if he weren't short on cash, he would've gone straight to the stock market and shorted Stark Industries. With knowledge of the plot, he could make a guaranteed profit.
And when Tony Stark returned, he could go long, ride the wave of Iron Man's reveal, and make a fortune. If Tony revealed the truth and shut down the weapons division, Qi Yun could sell short again. This business would be a no-lose deal for someone with his knowledge of economics!
But Qi Yun had more important things to focus on.
On his way back to his room, he overheard New Yorkers discussing Tony Stark's disappearance. The story had dominated the headlines for days.
It seemed countless people had lost money due to this event. Stark Industries, once considered as stable as gold, had plunged into uncertainty.
In the past, the company's stock had been one of the safest investments on the market. But without Tony Stark at the helm, all those who had bet on it were now paying the price.
Those speculators had lost everything—some even leaped to their deaths, overwhelmed by the crash.
Once back in his room, Qi Yun locked the curtains and bolted the door, transforming the place into a secretive hideaway.
And no, this wouldn't turn into a secret room murder mystery—after all, the "Death God student" was still a long way off from appearing in this world.