I Trick Players Into Offering Their Souls, and They Beg for More

[Shameless capitalist and demonic cultivator + cyber merit scams + players who talk themselves into everything]

Xia Tian, the most relentless workaholic in the cultivation world, is on the verge of death after being struck by heavenly tribulation. Somehow, he turns his life-bound treasure, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, into a cybernetic artifact.

“Senior Brother, you really think players will willingly sacrifice their souls?”

“Of course! It’s called an immersive cultivation experience!”

He carves a blood-sacrifice formation into the gaming headsets, claims it’s a breakthrough in “holographic technology,” and tricks players into uploading their consciousness.

Bystander: You can fly and cultivate for free? Godfather, hand over the headset!

Player: Bro, the guide says we sacrifice our souls, but that’s just part of the story, right?

Xia Tian: Right, it’s all just a setting. (In the literal, physical sense.)

Player: The starter village is called the Ten Thousand Souls Banner? Makes sense! Devour teammates to get stronger? So realistic!

Until one day...

A Buddhist cultivator spots the demonic energy soaring above Xia Tian’s head, yet his merit shines brighter than a Bodhisattva’s. “Benefactor, have you liberated a hundred thousand vengeful souls?”

Looking at the players inside the banner, competing so fiercely that they’ve cultivated their way to ascension, Xia Tian says, “Could it be... they were having so much fun that they purified themselves?”