Li Fan impassively examined the object in his hand.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary azure-blue liuli sphere. Upon closer inspection, however, a shifting radiance flowed within, as though a vast azure sea was gestating inside its depths.
"Wonder of Heaven and Earth: Vast Sea Pearl (Nascent)."
"Where vast seas perish, vast seas are born."
Li Fan had never dreamed he would encounter a wonder of heaven and earth here!
Moreover, it was one still in gestation, not yet fully formed.
Suppressing his surge of excitement, Li Fan set the Vast Sea Pearl back down where he had found it.
Feigning utter indifference, he turned to browse the surrounding items.
Until Traveling Agent Wu announced that time was up, Li Fan did not spare the Vast Sea Pearl a single glance.
Yin Yuzhen stepped out holding several items, her expression caught between regret and delight.
"Aren't you going to pick a few things? It's rare for Traveling Agent Wu to be so generous. Opportunities like this don't come twice," Yin Yuzhen said upon noticing Li Fan's empty hands.
Traveling Agent Wu chimed in, "Shopkeeper Yin is right. How could one enter a mountain of treasures only to return empty-handed? Wouldn't that mean looking down on me, Wu?"
Li Fan thought to himself, *It's good that both of you brought it up, or I would have had to suggest it myself.*
"In that case, it would be impolite of me to decline." Li Fan strolled over to where the pearl lay, selected a jade carving, and then casually picked up the Vast Sea Pearl along with it.
"I'll just take these two," Li Fan said offhandedly.
The carving was shaped like an ancient tree. Traveling Agent Wu glanced at it and praised, "Elder, you have an eye for quality. I acquired this ancient tree jade carving on an island in the far north of the Congyun Sea where goods were dirt-cheap. A primitive tribe worshipped it for thousands of years, and it possesses subtle wonders. If an ordinary mortal keeps it at home, it calms the mind, sharpens concentration, and strengthens the body."
Traveling Agent Wu lauded the jade tree effusively, but merely spared the Vast Sea Pearl a fleeting glance without saying a word about it.
"I owe my good fortune to Traveling Agent Wu," Li Fan replied with an arched-hands salute, appearing thoroughly pleased.
"What about this one?" Li Fan asked, idly turning the Vast Sea Pearl in his hand.
"Oh, that? I picked it up from a fisherman on Liuyun Island." Traveling Agent Wu pondered for a moment before recalling. "Nothing special about it—I just thought it looked curious, so I took it off his hands."
*Liuyun Island...* Li Fan firmly committed the name to memory.
Then he swiftly changed the subject. "Shopkeeper Yin, what did you choose?"
Traveling Agent Wu's attention immediately shifted to Yin Yuzhen.
Seeing that she had selected a painting, a pair of jade bracelets, and a gemstone, he enthusiastically launched into introductions for each of her picks.
Li Fan listened perfunctorily, his mind entirely consumed by the wonder of heaven and earth, the Vast Sea Pearl.
While Li Fan was still lost in thought, the two sides concluded their transaction.
The Wanhua Merchant Guild obtained a massive cache of treasures, while Yin Yuzhen amassed a considerable fortune in gold and silver.
"Shopkeeper Yin, may fate bring us together again," Traveling Agent Wu said with a wistful sigh, then piloted the Wanhua flying boat out of sight.
On the journey back, despite Yin Yuzhen's bountiful haul, she could not conceal the furrow of worry between her brows.
"Are you concerned about Tianbao Pavilion's future business?" Li Fan asked.
"Yes. Without the Wanhua Merchant Guild, we lose a crucial distribution channel. I'm afraid Tianbao Pavilion's profits will take a heavy blow from now on," Yin Yuzhen lamented. "I wonder why the guild is suddenly withdrawing from the Congyun Sea."
"When the carriage reaches the mountain, a way will open. There is no need to fret excessively." Unable to think of any immediate remedy, Li Fan could only offer words of comfort.
Yin Yuzhen nodded, though it was plain she took little solace in them.
Returning to Liuli Island, Li Fan parted ways with Yin Yuzhen and hurried back to Tingyou Building.
Barring the heavy doors tight, Li Fan took out the Vast Sea Pearl in his private quarters.
"The original intent of this trip was merely to verify whether Star Sea Flowing Sand was meteoric iron. To obtain such a treasure was a truly unexpected boon." Looking at the pearl in his palm, Li Fan was overjoyed.
"Yet I wonder what special qualities this Vast Sea Pearl possesses?"
In Li Fan's understanding, every wonder of heaven and earth represented a particular property or law of the world.
The Horned Dragon Branch used the small to overcome the great through predation and devourment; the sleeve sword Daoxuan embodied an unyielding will with the power to slow and corrode; and the Step-Halting Broken Stele carried inscribed edicts and exercised command upon receiving instructions.
Why was this small glasslike sphere named the Vast Sea? Could it truly harbor an entire ocean within?
Li Fan held the Vast Sea Pearl up before his eyes and lost himself in that profound, mesmerizing blue, his mind drifting in wonder.
Unfortunately, after studying it for half a day, Li Fan still could not decipher its unique qualities.
Perhaps only a true cultivator could fathom its mysteries!
Li Fan let out a long sigh and reluctantly stored the Vast Sea Pearl away with utmost care.
Should he absorb it now?
Li Fan had hesitated for a moment. But according to True Reversion's feedback, the Vast Sea Pearl was only in its nascent stage; absorbing it now would likely yield a mere one to two percent recharging progress.
Better than nothing, but it was far better to let it fully mature before absorbing it later.
At any rate, since the item was already in his possession, there was no fear of it escaping.
Only after a long while did Li Fan calm his exhilaration over obtaining a wonder of heaven and earth.
With his mind settled, he immersed himself once more in cultivating the Xuanhuang Mind-Clearing Incantation.
A few days later, Li Fan was startled awake by a frantic pounding at his door.
Dawn had not yet broken. Who could be disturbing him at this hour?
Wary, Li Fan slipped a dagger into his sleeve before heading to the entrance.
"Who is it?"
"Brother Li, it's me!"
Xiao Heng's voice carried through the door.
*Why is this lad looking for me now? Did Tianbao Pavilion fail to arrange the residence I promised him?*
A flicker of doubt crossed Li Fan's mind, but he unlatched the door and ushered Xiao Heng inside.
Xiao Heng's face was pale with panic and distress.
"Sit down and speak."
Once they were in the inner room, Xiao Heng blurted out in distress, "Brother Li, disaster has struck! The news that we were smuggled in from the Li Realm has been leaked!"
"Who leaked it?" Li Fan asked, caught by surprise.
"We don't know either! But now everyone on the island knows we aren't natives of the Great Cultivation World, and that we were brought here illegally through Tianbao Pavilion. Rumor has it the immortal master is beside himself with fury and plans to arrest and execute every last one of us. Some among our people were terrified out of their wits and fled by boat under cover of night. The rest of us have no idea what to do."
"Everyone said you would surely have a solution, Brother Li, and sent me to consult you right away," Xiao Heng explained breathlessly.
After hearing him out, Li Fan pondered briefly, then let out a soft chuckle. "No need to worry. This matter poses no serious threat."
Xiao Heng froze. "Why do you say that, Brother Li?"
Li Fan sneered. "Does the government send advance notice before rounding up outlaws? If they truly meant to kill you all, your heads would have rolled long ago. How would you have been given the news in advance, leaving you free to flee into the night or leisurely gather to discuss countermeasures?"
"Brother Li, do you mean... someone intentionally leaked this news just to scare us?" Xiao Heng realized in sudden enlightenment.
"But why would they do that?" he asked, thoroughly perplexed.
"The way I see it, this isn't directed at us." Li Fan rose abruptly to his feet. "Their target is Tianbao Pavilion."
Chapter 37