“Fellow Daoist, are you willing to go with us?”
Looking at Kou Hong’s inquiry, Li Fan decisively chose to refuse.
Their journey should not have any danger, but it was destined not to yield any harvest. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have turned into enemies over a cultivation technique nine years later.
The flourishing business of the Mingyue Palace’s breakthrough loaning operation was unfolding rapidly. How could Li Fan leave for the Abyss of Cangwu to search for some meteor at this time?
Seeing that Li Fan did not agree, Kou Hong felt quite regretful, but he still said confidently, “Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Li Fan. If there’s any significant gain this time, I won’t forget to leave you a share!”
Li Fan chuckled, expressing his understanding of the goodwill.
This matter was just a trivial episode. Soon, Li Fan cast it aside and reserved a fraction of his mental focus to monitor the Mingyue Palace’s operations.
The majority of his energy was once again invested in the endless study of formations.
There was still the allure of 320,000 contribution points beckoning to Li Fan, leaving him no choice but to strive for them.
By the time the 42nd year reached its halfway point, with the complete recovery of the first batch of debts in the Mingyue Palace, it marked the entry of the breakthrough loaning operation into a new stage.
In three years, the Mingyue Palace’s assets had more than doubled. The initial 100,000 contribution points had turned into over 200,000, lent out again to cultivators.
It became a constantly growing gold mine.
At this point, disregarding those who had already settled their debts, the number of cultivators owing debts to the Mingyue Palace had reached twenty-five.
Every month, nearly 30,000 contribution points were being reclaimed. The Mingyue Palace’s reputation was growing, attracting cultivators from other provinces to come and try their luck.
Li Fan ordered the relaxation of restrictions, lending to anyone as long as they had enough contribution points.
Under the principle of money begetting money, the Mingyue Palace’s business scale expanded rapidly, making it challenging for Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei to handle the increasing number of debtors each month.
Fortunately, during these years, Li Fan encountered two individuals with outstanding talents – one named Zhuge Yu and the other named Sima Cang.
Both of them completed the Foundation Establishment process in just a few years and were only slightly less talented than Xiao Heng.
So, Li Fan did not collect their contribution points, and instead generously gave them Heavenly Treasures and Foundation Establishment cultivation techniques for free.
After completing their Foundation Establishment cultivation, these two were grateful to Li Fan for his selfless and compassionate breakthrough loans. They voluntarily joined the Mingyue Palace, contributing their efforts to the breakthrough loaning operation.
After observing them for a while, Li Fan agreed to their requests. However, the core secrets of the Mingyue Palace were kept from them, and they were assigned to debt collection duties.
However, Li Fan did not mistreat them. Besides the fixed annual reward of 5,000 contribution points, they received a three percent commission for every debt they collected.
Though the percentage wasn’t substantial, it motivated them greatly.
The addition of Zhuge Yu and Sima Cang eased the pressure on the debt collectors. But as the scale continued to grow, it would still not be enough.
So, Li Fan kept an eye out. Once he encountered talents suitable for the breakthrough loaning operation, he would immediately bring them under his command.
The conspicuous and ostentatious wealth accumulation of the Mingyue Palace naturally attracted the attention of others.
First came a cultivator in the later stage of the Golden Core realm, attempting to probe the truth of the Mingyue Palace.
At this time, Li Fan was still in seclusion, not showing himself. He transformed his body into the Mingyue Lake and executed a Cong Yun Sword.
The sword shadows were chilling.
This Golden Core realm cultivator, in front of many Foundation Establishment cultivators, was powerless, beheaded by a single sword.
The witnessing cultivators were shaken, and their awe of the mysterious Mingyue Palace deepened.
However, Li Fan had no trace of complacency in his heart. He knew that inevitably, the attention of higher-level cultivators would be drawn to them.
As expected, the day arrived sooner than anticipated.
“Weakness is the original sin.”
Li Fan sighed in his heart but dared not delay for a moment. He began preparing to escape.
He spent a hefty sum to purchase a one-time random teleportation array in the Tianxuan Realm, placing it near the treasure vault.
Once activated, the teleportation array would self-destruct, and the explosion would destroy tens of thousands of Dao resonance artifacts along with the Mingyue Palace.
He also upgraded and modified the Spirit Illusory Wave Formation. The upgraded formation was capable of withstanding attacks from all Nascent Soul cultivators and could even resist a Soul Transformation cultivator for a short time.
During this period, Li Fan was confident that he could calmly leave through the teleportation array when the crisis approached.
As the crisis loomed, instead of retracting the breakthrough loaning operation, Li Fan, driven by the idea of making one last fortune, expanded the operation more aggressively.
The probes from higher-level cultivators came later than expected.
In the 43rd year, a mid-Nascent Soul stage cultivator arrived at the Mingyue Lake, seeking an audience with the owner of the Mingyue Palace.
Li Fan merely activated the Spirit Illusory Wave Formation, refusing to meet the guest.
This Nascent Soul True Monarch seemed to be a discerning person. After releasing a casual attack and testing the protective grand array, he refrained from seeking disgrace and left after a polite gesture.
After the Golden Core stage came the Nascent Soul stage. Would the next stage be Soul Transformation?
Li Fan, watching the departing figure of the Nascent Soul cultivator, wore a gloomy expression.
Even though this Nascent Soul cultivator didn’t get to meet the true owner of the Mingyue Palace, his purpose had already been achieved.
There must be no cultivators of mid-Nascent Soul or higher within the Mingyue Palace; otherwise, they wouldn’t have chosen to shut themselves in and refuse to meet.
Having their secrets exposed, the mysterious aura vanished, and the debt collection actions became increasingly difficult.
First, Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei were ambushed, almost losing their lives. Fortunately, the treasures given by Li Fan protected them, allowing them to escape.
However, Zhuge Yu and Sima Cang were not as fortunate. Sima Cang was captured, and his life or death remained uncertain. Zhuge Yu returned heavily injured and unconscious.
As the situation rapidly changed, with a pile of external debts about to become unrecoverable, Li Fan, facing a grim reality, directly activated the Formless Killing Intent, killing two or three malicious cultivators who refused to pay their debts.
This temporarily suppressed the evil tendencies towards not repaying debts.
“Starting a business on my own is really difficult,” Li Fan sighed as he watched the dejected crowd in the Mingyue Palace.
“Hold on for just a little longer. Fortunately, I feel that breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage is not far away.”
“If things don’t work out, I’ll change my name, move to a different province, and start over.”
Under dire circumstances, the Mingyue Palace temporarily suspended the breakthrough loaning operation, focused on reclaiming contribution points, and prepared to evacuate at any time.
However, it seemed that fate was on Li Fan’s side this time. A sudden major event occurred, causing the Yuandao Prefecture to descend once again into chaos.
The majority of Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators were affected, and they became embroiled in endless battles.
They had no time to spare for the Mingyue Palace.
The two geniuses of the Blue Feather Sect in the Yuandao Prefecture, Dugu Xi and Dugu Shi.
Both have gone missing.