“Where did you cultivate previously, Fellow Daoist?”
Within the grand array of Liuli Island, inside a mountain pavilion, He Zhenghao sat opposite Li Fan.
He brought out a pot of spiritual tea, filled Li Fan's cup, and asked.
“I was originally an independent cultivator from Yuandao Province. A few years ago, while searching for an opportunity to break through, I came to the Congyun Sea.” Li Fan took a sip of tea and continued, “I have now reached late Foundation Establishment. To plan ahead, I wish to prepare for my future Core Formation method.”
“Foundation Establishment methods are already the upper limit of what ordinary independent cultivators can hope to encounter. Relying on one’s own efforts to find a Golden Core cultivation method is exceedingly difficult. After turning it over in my mind, I decided to abandon my former ways as an independent cultivator and join the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals,” Li Fan explained with a long sigh.
“You need not take it to heart, Fellow Daoist. I know that many independent cultivators outside misunderstand our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, believing that our members are treated like beasts of burden, ordered about at will with no freedom to speak of. How thoroughly mistaken they are!” He Zhenghao spoke with eloquent ease.
“The contribution points used throughout our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals are really no different from spirit stones. In essence, everyone relies on their own efforts to obtain cultivation resources; the Alliance merely coordinates and manages the distribution.”
“What is more, the Alliance possesses such a spiritual treasure as the Heavenly Profound Mirror, which has extraordinary wonders. You will see for yourself in just a moment, Fellow Daoist.” With a smile, He Zhenghao lifted his teacup and took a drink.
“I have heard that recommending a cultivator to join the Alliance yields a corresponding reward in contribution points?” Li Fan asked out of the blue.
“Cough, cough...” He Zhenghao seemed to choke on his tea. He coughed a few times and set down his cup.
“You are remarkably well-informed, Fellow Daoist! Rest assured, I naturally understand the rules! When the time comes, I’ll split half of the contribution points with you!” He patted his chest, giving his word.
Li Fan gave He Zhenghao an inscrutable glance, then nodded slowly. “In that case, please lead the way, Fellow Daoist. I can hardly wait!”
He Zhenghao suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, but it vanished instantly, and he dismissed it as mere imagination.
Hearing Li Fan's words, he immediately said, “Wait a moment, Fellow Daoist. I will go fetch a transit talisman for you first. Otherwise, stepping onto the island rashly will trigger an attack from the Ten Thousand Immortals Grand Array.”
Li Fan nodded. “I have heard of this as well. Go ahead, Fellow Daoist!”
He Zhenghao activated the teleportation formation and departed for Wanxian Island.
Li Fan sipped his tea while waiting.
Before long, He Zhenghao returned.
“You only need to leave a strand of your aura on it, Fellow Daoist,” He Zhenghao said as he handed the transit talisman to Li Fan.
Li Fan did so with practiced ease.
“Once you have officially joined the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, remember to return this talisman. Otherwise, you will have to compensate its equivalent value in contribution points.”
“A tiny piece like this...” He Zhenghao seemed about to say more, but suddenly checked himself.
“Haha, never mind that. Fellow Daoist, let us go!”
Li Fan nodded, and the two traveled through the teleportation formation to Wanxian Island.
Just as before, He Zhenghao introduced every detail of Wanxian Island to Li Fan.
Only this time, his explanations were far more thorough than in the previous two instances.
“Just ahead lies the Heavenly Profound Mirror. This spiritual treasure boasts boundless wonders; once you begin using it, you truly cannot live without it!”
“Later, when your contribution points are plentiful, you can even purchase a separate mirror clone to carry around with you.”
Talking without pause along the way, the two entered the space within the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
“This fellow daoist is the late Foundation Establishment cultivator I reported earlier, who wishes to join our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals,” He Zhenghao announced.
After a moment, the voice of the Heavenly Profound Mirror rang out.
“Recommending one late Foundation Establishment cultivator. Recorded as upper-grade Class C merit, converted to 3,000 contribution points. Current total contribution points: 4,140 points.”
He Zhenghao froze, seemingly suspecting his ears had deceived him.
“How much?”
The Heavenly Profound Mirror repeated itself.
His face filled with shock, He Zhenghao turned back to look at Li Fan, his mouth working, yet completely unable to utter a single word.
“What is it? Is something the matter?” Li Fan asked knowingly.
“May I ask... how old are you, Fellow Daoist?”
After a while, He Zhenghao finally asked in a cautious, probing tone.
Li Fan feigned hesitation for a moment before sighing. “To tell the truth, more than twenty-nine years have passed since my birth.
“Yet having spent so much time, I remain stuck at late Foundation Establishment, with the Golden Core realm still out of sight. I am truly ashamed to speak of it!”
Hearing this, He Zhenghao's face flushed crimson at once. His mouth opened and shut, but no words came out for quite a while.
Only after a long silence did he force a strained smile. “You must be joking, Fellow Daoist. A late Foundation Establishment cultivator at twenty-nine years old...
“Late Foundation Establishment at twenty-nine...”
He Zhenghao wracked his brain before finally squeezing out four words: “A peerless genius!”
“I cannot accept such praise, not at all!” Li Fan shook his head repeatedly.
“Do you know, Fellow Daoist, that a true peerless genius can form a core after just eight years of cultivation?
“And what is more, slay a Dao Integration cultivator while still in the Golden Core realm! I fall far short of that!”
Li Fan spoke with utmost earnestness.
“Heh, heh...” What Li Fan described lay far beyond He Zhenghao's comprehension.
Not knowing how to answer, he could only offer an awkward smile.
Fortunately, he was a seasoned veteran of the world after all, and hurriedly changed the subject.
Pulling out a mountain-shaped communication talisman and handing it to Li Fan, He Zhenghao said warmly, “Since you sought me out to recommend you, Fellow Daoist, that means you think highly of me, He Zhenghao.
“If you ever need my help with anything in the future, just say the word. Although my cultivation is somewhat modest, I do have a bit of a network here on Wanxian Island.”
Li Fan accepted the communication talisman without speaking, merely looking at He Zhenghao with a smile.
He Zhenghao blinked, then smacked his forehead with an expression of sudden realization.
“If not for your reminder, Fellow Daoist, I almost forgot.” With a flicker of reluctance in his eyes, He Zhenghao transferred 1,500 contribution points to Li Fan.
Only then did Li Fan nod with satisfaction, before asking, “You must have been in the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals for quite some time now, Fellow Daoist. How is it that your contribution points seem rather tight?”
He Zhenghao immediately perked up and launched into an explanation: “You don't understand, Fellow Daoist! If you accumulate a lot of contribution points but never spend them, just keeping them on hand, they sit idle and won't grow on their own.
“However, if you take advantage of low prices to buy and stockpile hard commodities like Spirit Mist Grass and Tongxuan Wood using contribution points...
“And then sell them off once their prices rise...
“You turn a profit!
“Although the fluctuations are usually slight and the margin per stalk isn't large, if you buy in sufficient bulk, each cycle yields a tidy sum.”
He Zhenghao beamed with smug satisfaction.
“This is what is known as investing!
“Little do you know, Fellow Daoist, I am thoroughly versed in the art of investment.”
*‘No wonder you dared to go all-in with your entire fortune in the past. It turns out you'd already gotten a taste of easy profits on a regular basis,’* Li Fan thought to himself, looking at He Zhenghao with an odd expression.
“Judging by your expression, Fellow Daoist, do you doubt me?” He Zhenghao looked slightly miffed.
He promptly declared, “How about this:
“The next time a major opportunity to profit comes along, I will notify you so we can do it together.
“That way, you can witness firsthand what I, He Zhenghao, am capable of!”
Chapter 164