“Fellow Daoist, where did you cultivate before?”
Inside the pavilion on the mountaintop of Liuli Island, He Zhenghao and Li Fan sat facing each other.
He poured a pot of spirit tea, filled Li Fan’s cup, and then asked.
“I was originally a loose cultivator in the Yuandao Province. In the past few years, while seeking a breakthrough opportunity, I arrived at the Cong Yun Sea,” Li Fan took a sip of tea and continued, “I am now in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. As a precaution, I want to prepare for the future Golden Core cultivation method.”
“Foundation Establishment is the limit for ordinary loose cultivators. By exploring on my own, it’s extremely difficult to find a Golden Core cultivation method. After much consideration, I decided to abandon my previous loose cultivation philosophy and join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.” Li Fan sighed and explained.
“Fellow Daoist, there’s no need to worry. I know that many loose cultivators in the outside world have misunderstandings about our Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. They think that our cultivators are like cattle and horses, being driven and having no freedom. This is a great misconception!” He Zhenghao explained confidently.
“The contribution points we use in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance are essentially no different from spirit stones. Essentially, everyone relies on their own efforts to obtain cultivation resources. It’s just that within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, there is centralized arrangement.”
“Moreover, the alliance also has treasures like the Tianxuan Mirror, which is extremely useful. When you witness it, you’ll understand.” He Zhenghao smiled and said, lifting the teacup to take a sip.
“I heard that recommending cultivators to join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance comes with corresponding contribution point rewards?” Li Fan suddenly asked.
“Cough, cough…” He Zhenghao seemed to have choked and coughed a few times before putting down the teacup.
“Fellow Daoist, you are quite well-informed! Rest assured, I understand the rules! When the time comes, I will share half of the contribution points I obtain!” He patted his chest and assured.
Li Fan inexplicably glanced at He Zhenghao, then nodded slowly, “So be it, please guide me, fellow Daoist. I can’t wait any longer!”
He Zhenghao suddenly felt a chill on his back but quickly dismissed it, thinking it was just an illusion.
Hearing Li Fan’s words, he immediately said, “Fellow Daoist, wait a moment. Let me go and get the passage token for you. Otherwise, if you rush onto the island, you will be attacked by the Ten Thousand Immortals Guardian Formation.”
Li Fan nodded, “I’ve heard about this. Fellow Daoist, please go!”
He Zhenghao activated the teleportation array and went to Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
Li Fan, on the other hand, waited while drinking tea.
Not long after, He Zhenghao returned.
“Fellow Daoist, just leave behind a trace of your aura.” Handing the passage token to Li Fan, He Zhenghao said.
Li Fan did it with ease.
“When you officially join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, remember to return this token. Otherwise, you’ll have to compensate for the corresponding value in contribution points.”
“Such a small piece…” He Zhenghao was about to say something more but suddenly changed his words.
“Hehe, forget it. Fellow Daoist, let’s go!”
Li Fan nodded, and the two of them passed through the teleportation array, arriving at Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
As before, He Zhenghao introduced Li Fan to the various things on Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
But this time, it was more detailed than the previous two times.
“Not far ahead is the Tianxuan Mirror. This Celestial Treasure is incredibly versatile. Once you use it, you won’t be able to part with it!”
“When your contribution points are abundant in the future, you can even buy a Tianxuan Minor Mirror to carry with you.”
The conversation continued all the way until the two entered the space of the Tianxuan Mirror.
“This fellow Daoist is the Foundation Establishment cultivator I reported before who wanted to join our Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.” He Zhenghao said.
After a while, the voice of the Tianxuan Mirror sounded.
“Introducing a Foundation Establishment cultivator, recorded as a high-ranking third-grade merit, equivalent to 3000 contribution points. Current total contribution points: 4140 points.”
He Zhenghao was stunned, suspecting that he had misheard.
“How much?” He Zhenghao asked again.
So the Tianxuan Mirror repeated it once more.
He Zhenghao looked back at Li Fan with a face of shock and opened his mouth, but couldn’t utter a word.
“What’s the matter? Any problem?” Li Fan knowingly asked.
“I don’t know… may I ask, fellow Daoist, how old are you now?” He Zhenghao cautiously inquired after a while.
Li Fan pretended to hesitate for a while before sighing, “To be honest, I have been alive for more than twenty-nine years.”
“But spending so much time and still struggling in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, with the Golden Core distant and unreachable, it’s really embarrassing to mention this!”
He Zhenghao immediately turned red, his mouth opened, but he couldn’t say a word.
After a long time, he forced a somewhat awkward smile, “Fellow Daoist, you’re joking. The late stage of Foundation Establishment at twenty-nine…”
“The late stage of Foundation Establishment at twenty-nine…”
He Zhenghao thought for a long time before finally squeezing out the words “heavenly genius.”
“No, no, that’s not true.” Li Fan shook his head repeatedly.
“Fellow Daoist, do you know that a true heavenly genius can form a Golden Core within eight years of cultivation?”
“They can even jump from Golden Core to Dao Integration; I am far from it!”
Li Fan said seriously.
“Heh…” What Li Fan said exceeded He Zhenghao’s understanding.
Not knowing how to respond, he had to show an embarrassed smile.
Fortunately, he was an old hand in the cultivation world, quickly changing the topic.
Taking out a Communication Talisman shaped like a mountain peak, He Zhenghao handed it to Li Fan and said enthusiastically, “Since fellow Daoist is looking for my recommendation, it means you hold me, He Zhenghao, in high regard.”
“In the future, if there is anything I, He Zhenghao, can help you with, feel free to ask. Although my cultivation level is a bit low, I still have some connections on Ten Thousand Immortals Island.”
Li Fan took the Communication Talisman without saying a word, smiling at He Zhenghao.
He Zhenghao was first stunned, then slapped his head with a look of realization.
“If it wasn’t for fellow Daoist reminding me, I almost forgot.” With a hint of reluctance in his eyes, He Zhenghao transferred 1500 contribution points to Li Fan.
Li Fan nodded in satisfaction and then asked, “Fellow Daoist has probably been a member of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance for quite some time. Why does it seem like your contribution points are not very abundant?”
He Zhenghao immediately became energetic and began to explain to Li Fan, “Fellow Daoist, you don’t know! If you have too many contribution points but never use them, they will remain forever stagnant.”
“But if you use the contribution points to invest in commodities like Spirit Mist Grass and Tongxuan Wood when their prices are low, you can stock up.”
“Wait until their prices rise, then sell them.”
“You can profit from it.”
“Although the fluctuations are usually small, and each plant doesn’t earn much, if you buy a large quantity each time, it still turns out to be a decent profit.”
He Zhenghao was proud of himself.
“This is what we call investment!”
“Fellow Daoist, you don’t know, but I am well-versed in the art of investment.”
“No wonder you dared to go all-in with your entire wealth before. It turns out you’ve tasted the sweetness beforehand.”
Li Fan looked at He Zhenghao with a strange expression, thinking in his heart.
“Fellow Daoist, you seem to doubt what I said?” He Zhenghao was a bit unhappy.
He immediately said, “Okay, let’s do it this way.”
“When there is an opportunity for a big profit next time, I will invite fellow Daoist to join in.”
“Then, fellow Daoist can witness my skills!”