In the White Bone Realm, Li Fan, who held the highest authority, looked at the excited Ye Feipeng and the equally happy Xiao Heng, nodding secretly.
“After playing with these kids for so long, the groundwork has been laid.”
“In the future, unless something unexpected happens, I can sit back and enjoy the returns on my investment without having to bother with anything.”
To make his fabricated lies look as real as possible, Li Fan spared no effort and spent a considerable amount of resources.
This included but was not limited to a necklace that integrated communication formations and ritual formations, a transmission formation disguised as an altar, a Foundation Establishment puppet, an illusion stone that faked the signs of a cultivator’s fall, and so on.
The reason for such meticulous planning in this world, including leasing and transforming the pre-expedition realm and fabricating non-existent stories of ancient immortal experiences, was because of Li Fan’s considerations.
Firstly, if he directly supported them with cultivation techniques as a cultivator, it would be fine at the beginning when these prodigies were still young and naïve.
However, as they grew older and realized the preciousness of cultivation techniques, suspicions and doubts might arise, and they might question if there were hidden costs or a conspiracy behind the scenes.
Once doubt crept in, it could lead to numerous complications. By disguising the gift of cultivation techniques as the natural encounters of these prodigies, the worry of hidden motives could be avoided.
Secondly, after establishing the organization known as the “Immortal Revival Organization,” he could comfortably play the role of a detached investor. He no longer needed to tirelessly search for exceptionally talented individuals to invest in personally.
Talents attracted each other. During the journey and adventures of prodigies like Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei, they were likely to encounter companions with outstanding talents.
Without Li Fan’s intervention, the the number of members of the Immortal Revival Organization would naturally increase.
He could let these prodigies grow freely, focus on his own cultivation, and enjoy the returns from the expansion of the Immortal Revival Organization.
Thirdly, the background of the Immortal Revival Organization’s grudge against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would naturally add a layer of pressure on Xiao Heng and others.
Pressure provides motivation, allowing them to squeeze out their full potential in cultivation, and Li Fan could recover his investment more quickly.
Li Fan clearly remembered that in the previous life, Xiao Heng took more than ten years to eliminate the miasma within his body due to a lack of pressure.
However, in this life, under the pressure of being stranded on a deserted island and carrying the burden of revenge, Xiao Heng spontaneously began cultivation the day after obtaining the “Sea Fixing Sword Technique” technique.
The difference between the two scenarios was significant.
As for the small “Immortal Revival Organization,” and whether it would attract the attention of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance…
When Li Fan disguised himself as a skull, he had already explained to Xiao Heng that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was powerful, and the organization’s main focus was on developing and strengthening its own forces.
Before reaching the Nascent Soul realm, it was advisable not to directly confront the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Even if Xiao Heng was a genius, it would take several years for him to reach the Nascent Soul stage. Li Fan might not even live long enough to witness it.
…
In summary, the seeds had been planted. Now, all that was left was to patiently wait for the prodigies of Immortal Revival Organization to grow, and then Li Fan could reap the rewards.
After being busy for a total of two months, Li Fan returned to the Ten Thousand Immortals Island. The tenth year after the anchor point had arrived.
Although the “Mountain Meditation Technique” allowed him to passively receive benefits, Li Fan was not the type to rely entirely on others for everything. He didn’t neglect his own cultivation.
Throughout the tenth year, Li Fan diligently spent his time in seclusion.
The Tianxuan Mirror’s enlightenment didn’t stop for a moment. This one year was equivalent to twenty years of ordinary cultivation.
Then, on a certain day, a substantial feedback of cultivation suddenly appeared in Li Fan’s dantian, awakening him from his cultivation.
The amount of cultivation feedback was equivalent to three or four years of his usual efforts.
Unexpectedly, the first substantial feedback came not from the prodigies in the separated world but from He Zhenghao!
Just now, he had successfully advanced from the mid-Foundation Establishment to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
“Fellow Daoist He has accumulated quite a bit and has broken through so quickly.”
“It seems that his statement about achieving the Golden Core stage within fifty years wasn’t an empty boast.”
At this moment, Li Fan also received the good news sent by He Zhenghao.
Li Fan waived the interest He Zhenghao owed him this year as encouragement, urging him to continue working hard and strive for Golden Core as soon as possible.
Then, he checked the messages he missed during the closed-door cultivation.
Zhang Zhiliang’s research on the Mountain and River Formation was nearing completion. He sent a message, inquiring about Li Fan’s self-study progress in the Formation Dao.
Upon his return, there would be an assessment of Li Fan’s proficiency.
This, naturally, did not worry Li Fan, who had previously studied formations under Zhang Zhiliang for more than ten years in his previous life.
Among the other unimportant greeting messages, one from Jiang Zhengji of the Martial Hall caught Li Fan’s interest.
He asked if Li Fan had recently seen a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
It seemed like a mass message, but Li Fan recognized the Foundation Establishment cultivator Jiang Zhengji was referring to. It was the Foundation Establishment Grandmaster who had been smuggled in from a Land of Immortal Extinction.
Li Fan inquired further from Jiang Zhengji and learned what had happened.
Recently, this Foundation Establishment Grandmaster, who had been relatively low-key, suddenly intensified his promotional efforts. With slogans like guaranteed success in Foundation Establishment and a ninety percent reduction in the time needed, he attracted many late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators who were preparing for Foundation Establishment.
They still had considerable trust in this Foundation Establishment Grandmaster. After contributing their points, they began to cultivate on the spot under the careful guidance of the master.
However, when they woke up from the Foundation Establishment process, whether successful or not, they angrily discovered that the Foundation Establishment Grandmaster, who had been guiding them all along, was actually just an illusion.
The real Foundation Establishment Grandmaster had long since vanished.
The cultivators realized they had been deceived. According to later statistics, at least more than a hundred cultivators had gathered on the island at that time. Two thousand contribution points were not a small amount, even for a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator.
Feeling disgruntled and disregarding their pride, they chose to report to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance didn’t take such a small matter seriously, but they still had to perform their due diligence.
Therefore, the Martial Hall ordered Jiang Zhengji to thoroughly investigate the case.
When Jiang Zhengji arrived at the scene to investigate, it was already empty, and he couldn’t find anything.
Moreover, these people seemed quite skillful.
Even when Jiang Zhengji sought the help of the Heavenly Secrets Hall’s Elder Gongsun to deduce their whereabouts, he couldn’t find a trace.
If a mission couldn’t be completed, merits would be deducted, and permission levels would be reduced.
Helplessly, Jiang Zhengji had to try his luck and sent a mass message to his friends, asking if anyone had seen the trace of the Foundation Establishment Grandmaster.
…
After understanding the ins and outs of the matter, Li Fan, with interest, stroked his chin.
“According to the normal trajectory, they should have been quietly running a scam, accumulating contribution points slowly.”
“Why would they go for something big and then just run away?”
“Could it be that they also speculated on Spirit Mist Grass?”
Li Fan couldn’t help but think of this possibility.
Thinking about it, there was indeed a certain possibility.
After all, during the twelfth life, they were not far from exchanging for the “Sea Swallowing Eternal Life Technique.”
Taking a risk might allow them to complete the mission fifty years ahead of schedule.
Li Fan could even imagine that when Spirit Mist Grass initially surged, they might have been tempted, but their opinions on using decades of savings to speculate might not have been unanimous.
However, as the price of Spirit Mist Grass continued to rise, opposing opinions would weaken.
Finally, after hesitating and finally agreeing to enter, intending to make a profit and leave at an opportune time, the Tianxuan Mirror caused a stir, and the price of Spirit Mist Grass collapsed.
They were left empty-handed.
“Perhaps they didn’t use all their savings, but the losses were definitely heavy. That’s why they took the risk, planning to make a quick profit and run.”
“One hundred people, that’s two hundred thousand contribution points. This scam is far faster than investing.”
After some thought, Li Fan replied to Jiang Zhengji, “If possible, friend, you can search along the way towards Yongliang Province. There might be results.”
After a while, Jiang Zhengji replied, “Fellow Daoist, do you mean they went to seek refuge with the Five Elders Association? Hmph, betraying the alliance is a grave crime. If I catch them…”
“Regardless, thank you, fellow Daoist!”
Li Fan politely said a few more words and put away the communication token, pondering quietly.
He wasn’t particularly concerned about the Foundation Establishment Grandmaster’s early escape.
What Li Fan was really concerned about was that the impact of the Spirit Mist Grass incident seemed to exceed his expectations.
He had vaguely felt that he had missed something previously.
Now, after this incident, Li Fan finally understood what he had overlooked.
Li Fan searched for the prices of spiritual plants and herbs in the Tianxuan Mirror.
As expected, there was an aura of despair everywhere, and the situation was unbearable.
Many even fell below their cost of production.
“In the twelfth life, the collapse of prices was caused by the first batch of mature spiritual plants from the Wood Attribute Subworld being sold on a large scale in the thirteenth year.”
“But in this life, due to the announcement of the Tianxuan Mirror, all the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance know in advance about the abundant spiritual plants in that subworld.”
“The price drop was foreseeable. In order to sell the herbs in their hands quickly, cultivators squeezed each other, leading to the early collapse of spiritual plant prices.”
“However, that’s not the main point.”
“The main point is…”
“The Minor Medicine King Cauldrons.”
Recalling the culprit that had once caused his demise, a glint of light flashed in Li Fan’s eyes.
“The collapse of herb prices naturally means that no one will buy the small cauldron used for planting herbs.”
“No one will commission Jiao Xiuyuan. Will he still go to the Medicine King Sect’s ruins to dig out the Minor Medicine King Cauldrons?”
“At this point, the Minor Medicine King Cauldron is worthless.”
“However, once the real Medicine King’s Cauldron returns, it will become a treasure that everyone competes for.”