Extraterrestrial demons invaded; I laid the groundwork eight years in advance.

As night deepened, the tranquility of the living room was broken by the vibration of a cell phone.

Li Zhou glanced at the screen; it was a call from an encrypted channel. He looked at his wife with a slightly apologetic expression.

Song Yaru didn't ask any more questions, only whispered "Go wash up early," and turned to walk into the bedroom.

Li Zhou answered the phone.

The caller was Chen Qiming, one of the earliest members of the Myth Club. He made his fortune in real estate, and his properties span five continents, with assets all over the world.

"Li Zhou, tell me the truth." Chen Qiming cut to the chase. "At today's press conference, you said 'the creator is someone else.' Who is it? Is it the person behind you? Everyone in the club has been guessing for so many years, so stop hiding it."

Li Zhou picked up his water glass and took a sip.

"Mr. Chen, I can't answer that question. The creator doesn't want to reveal his identity, and I respect his wishes. Since its inception, the club has relied on resource sharing and mutual benefit, not on prying into anyone's background."

Chen Qiming clicked his tongue, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice: "Alright, let's change the subject. When will Dawn release the higher-level cultivation methods? Didn't the club distribute some methods for strengthening the body and prolonging life back then? Now that spiritual energy has recovered and demons are running rampant, I need some means to protect myself, right?"

Li Zhou remained silent for a moment.

"It's not that we won't share higher-level cultivation methods, it's that we can't just share them casually. Cultivation isn't a business. If you force yourself to practice advanced techniques before you've reached the required level, at best your meridians will be disordered, and at worst you'll suffer a qi deviation. Mr. Chen, you should first solidify your foundation and stabilize your apprentice-level cultivation before we talk about it."

"I acquired some ancient martial arts cultivation methods and practiced them for over ten days, which only made my body feel a little better." Chen Qiming's voice carried a clear sense of frustration. "Do you Dawn people fly?"

"The members of Dawn train for more than ten hours every day. Their achievements are earned by risking their lives on the battlefield." Li Zhou's tone was calm. "If you are willing to get up at five o'clock every morning to practice standing meditation, run with weights, and engage in actual combat with monsters, your progress will also be very fast."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, then a sigh came through: "Never mind, I'll practice some more here. Mr. Li, please take care of things at the club."

"Yes."

  

Li Zhou hung up the phone, rubbed his temples, and before he could put his phone down, the screen lit up again.

The caller was Su Zhenguo—a senior member of the Myth Club.

Li Zhou answered the call.

"Mr. Li, the press conference went well." Su Zhenguo's voice was much calmer than Chen Qiming's, without any probing or complaint. "I'm bothering you so late because I wanted to confirm one thing—can ordinary people really practice that cultivation method? Are there any hidden dangers?"

"Don't worry, President Su." Li Zhou's tone relaxed a bit. "The design of the three cultivation methods has undergone long-term testing. Among the tens of thousands of members of Dawn Cultivation who have practiced them so far, there hasn't been a single case of physical injury caused by the methods themselves. But the premise is to proceed step by step and not to rush for quick results."

"That's good." Su Zhenguo paused, his tone revealing a hint of sincerity. "There's one more thing. My daughter, Su Wan, has just returned to the country and is slowly taking over the family business. She's not yet familiar with all the ins and outs. You have extensive connections in the business world, so I hope you can take care of her and give her some pointers."

Li Zhou was slightly taken aback, then said, "Mr. Su, you're too kind. Miss Su Wan is young and promising; I will do my best to help in any way I can."

"Then I'll have to trouble you." Su Zhenguo said and hung up the phone.

Li Zhou put down his phone, leaned back on the sofa, and stared at the ceiling.

Myth Club, that was in 2019.

At that time, Shuguang Group was just starting out. Although Xiao Cheng's stock trading provided financial support, things like connections, resources, and channels couldn't be solved simply by having money.

So Shen Bai proposed an idea—to create an elite club to attract influential figures. The conditions for joining would not be membership fees, but rather land, channels, and connections.

As an early benefit, Shen Bai also created some simple health preservation methods, which were distributed to members through the club. These methods did indeed have the effect of strengthening the body and prolonging life, and seemed quite miraculous before the spiritual energy recovered. However, compared to true cultivation methods, they were merely superficial.

And so the Myth Club was established. The first batch of members consisted of only seven people, all of whom were selected by Shen Bai through Xiao Cheng. They were people with resources, vision, and decent character.

Li Zhou leaned back on the sofa, recalling the scene of his first meeting with these seven people. He was not yet twenty-five years old then, and his palms were sweating profusely in front of a group of business veterans. Shen Bai relayed messages to him in real time through Xiao Cheng, and he repeated them sentence by sentence, managing to keep the meeting afloat.

Li Zhou, as the legal representative of the Shuguang Group, serves as the chairman of the club, responsible for daily operations and external liaison. However, Li Zhou never acts like the owner, and the members all vaguely suspect that there are deeper forces behind the Shuguang Group.

Later, the Dawn Group expanded rapidly. Club members used their resources and influence to provide crucial support to the group in various aspects.

In return, Shen Bai provided them with an upgraded version of the health preservation method through Li Zhou, granted the Dawn Group priority cooperation rights, and made a promise: the Dawn Group would protect the families of club members in the event of major changes.

By 2025, the Myth Club had grown into a behemoth. Its members numbered over a hundred, including political figures and business tycoons from various countries.

After the spiritual energy was restored, the value of the Myth Club declined.

Because the rules of the game have changed—the world is no longer dominated by capital and connections, but by strength and extraordinary resources.

Those once powerful figures can't even defeat a mere apprentice-level monster. They still have resources, but their influence has diminished considerably.

This is why Chen Qiming and Su Zhenguo called so urgently. They sensed the changing times, knew their bargaining chips were depreciating, and wanted to find a way out in advance.

Li Zhou understands them, but he can't give them more.

Shen Bai's principles were clear: cultivation methods belong to all humanity, but higher-level techniques and resources can only be given to those willing to stand on the front lines. It's not a transaction, it's a responsibility.

Li Zhou got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The skyline of Shanghai was outlined by a bright line in the darkness, and the cruise ships on the Yunjiang River were lit up with colorful lights and moved slowly.

He contacted Shen Bai in his mind: "Sir, the club called a few times to test the high-level cultivation method, but I dealt with it."

Shen Bai's voice was calm: "You've worked hard. They'll understand sooner or later that cultivation isn't something money can buy. But the future global defense system and social stability will still need their strength."

"Since we need their help, let's open a channel within the club—in exchange for extraordinary items and protection from Dawn members by completing tasks. We can also provide guidance for those who want to cultivate."

"But there's a prerequisite—all of this must be earned through tangible contributions. To gain it, you must first do your part for the world."

"clear."

Communication was cut off.

Li Zhou glanced at his daughter's room.

He turned off the living room lights and went into the bedroom.