“If fellow Daoist is worried about not being able to protect the operation, you can spend some money to find backers. A simple thirty-seventy split, and you’re good to go. It’s always better than selling privately and exposing yourself to greater risk.”
“With fellow Daoist’s cultivation in the Ten Thousand Puppets Dao, dealing with these powerful individuals shouldn’t be a safety concern. You can get in touch with a few of them and then make a decision.”
Li Fan spoke fluently, providing Jiao Xiuyuan with detailed instructions on what to pay attention to. He analyzed how to handle special situations and solve potential issues. Every detail seemed as if he had personally experienced it.
Jiao Xiuyuan listened attentively, completely engrossed in the discussion. Even after Li Fan finished speaking, he remained deeply immersed, taking a while to snap out of it.
“Hehe, in this way, does fellow Daoist still worry about not being able to sell these Minor Medicine King Cauldrons?” Li Fan asked with a smile.
Awakening from contemplation, Jiao Xiuyuan sighed and admired, “Fellow Daoist’s talents are rare in the world. Many of these ingenious thoughts about the business path are unheard of. Listening to just one of your insights is worth decades of my hard cultivation!”
“Even just the value of fellow Daoist’s plan is a hundred times more valuable than those little cauldrons.”
“The Minor Medicine King Cauldrons that fellow Daoist needs this time, I will give them to you for free. If I truly profit from your plan with the Minor Medicine King Cauldrons, I won’t be stingy. I will definitely share some of the profits with you!” Jiao Xiuyuan guaranteed with a pat on his chest.
“I’m afraid that by that time, my main body will have long returned to the heavens!” Li Fan thought to himself, but he remained calm, graciously accepting the four Minor Medicine King Cauldrons that Jiao Xiuyuan had gifted him.
Afterward, he concluded the conversation with Jiao Xiuyuan.
“Wait for Jiao Xiuyuan to make arrangements, let the events ferment, and it will take some time.”
“This plan is both false and true, so I’m not afraid it won’t work.”
“To avoid the prophecy coming true and my clone being investigated in reverse, this clone can’t be kept. It needs to be sacrificed before the incident.”
“Well, I can take a closer look to see how the execution of Crimson Flame in this life is different.”
“And when the fifteenth year has arrived, and the meteor falls on Cangwu Province, and the Medicine King Cauldron really returns to the Xuanhuang Realm…”
“There should be many cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm who can connect the meteor with the Medicine King Cauldron.”
“The fierce struggle and looting of this life should happen earlier.”
“I can’t guarantee that cultivators above the Nascent Soul realm won’t participate in the looting. I won’t keep the Minor Medicine King Cauldrons on my body.”
“Maybe I can give some to the young fellows of the Immortal Revival Organization if their strength is enough by then…”
“I am also quite curious about this boat cauldron that broke through the sky thousands of years ago.”
“I can use the children as my eyes to explore the Medicine King Cauldron when it returns.”
“If there really is a great opportunity, I can seek it in the next few lives.”
The seeds had been planted, and Li Fan was waiting for the events to unfold.
“The mission of this clone is complete. I should consider making a trip to the Jiushan Province Wanfa Chamber of Commerce and buying some techniques.”
With these thoughts, Li Fan began searching for companions in the Tianxuan Mirror.
Everything went smoothly.
Seven days later, a team composed of a Nascent Soul, three Golden Core cultivators, and more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators was successfully formed.
When the agreed departure date arrived and Li Fan saw the members of the team, after some casual conversation, he learned that the leading Nascent Soul cultivator was actually an acquaintance.
Of course, it was a one-sided acquaintance.
Li Fan knew him, but he didn’t know Li Fan. This person was none other than the Greenwood Rebirth True Lord.
No longer the puppet master of the previous Spirit Mist Grass incident, he had become an active participant in this world.
Greenwood Rebirth True Lord had also suffered heavy losses. Along with the premature exposure of the Wood Attribute Subworld, his vital source of income, cultivating medicinal herbs, had been severely affected. Income had plummeted.
Faced with extreme helplessness, Greenwood had no choice but to begin transforming his business.
Being a Nascent Soul True Lord, he could undertake various tasks. Over the past few years, through various attempts, Greenwood had found a relatively easy way to earn contribution points: transporting goods.
Going to the Jiushan Province Wanfa Chamber of Commerce, purchasing some goods, and then selling them privately in the Cong Yun Sea, earning the price difference. A round trip yielded considerable profits.
Although Jiushan Province was quite chaotic, with the rule of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance being weak, there was always the risk of being attacked at any time.
However, with his strength at the Nascent Soul stage, self-preservation was not a problem.
This way, Greenwood, who had tasted the sweetness, based on the principle of making a little more profit, began to lead the teams on his journeys.
As long as a certain amount of contribution points were paid, one could join Greenwood’s team and receive his protection along the way.
One thousand for Foundation Establishment, six hundred for Golden Core.
In one trip, Greenwood could earn nearly twenty thousand contribution points.
After paying the contribution points, Li Fan followed the team and set off.
Due to the excessive consumption, the group did not directly use cross-province teleportation. Instead, they first teleported to the edge of the Cong Yun Sea, entering the territory of Shilin Province.
Then, they transferred through the teleportation formation in Shilin City to reach Xuanshi City near the Jiushan Province.
Afterward, they flew from Xuanshi City all the way to the Jiushan Province.
Jiushan Province was named after the nine continuous mountain ranges within its borders. [1]
Each mountain range was like a towering city wall, spanning the earth.
Moreover, each of these nine mountain ranges had its own mysteries.
Cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, without cultivating a Dharma Domain, couldn’t fly over the mountain ranges.
They could only traverse through mountain passes like ordinary people.
Every year, there were some disbelieving cultivators who, in attempting to fly over the mountain ranges, ended up falling and dying on the mountain cliffs.
The location of the Wanfa Chamber of Commerce was on the last mountain of the nine mountain ranges, Mount Tianchang.
Li Fan’s clone followed the team and set off toward their destination.
Meanwhile, his main body, after three months of cultivation, suddenly awakened from seclusion.
He sensed that Ye Feipeng on the deserted island had started to show signs of activity.
The perspective shifted to the deserted island.
Ye Feipeng hid on the side, watching as Xiao Heng practiced the killing move “Water Dragon Song.”
The spectacular scene of thousands of water dragons dancing in unison made Ye Feipeng envious.
“Although the technique I cultivate, ‘Canghai Wave Treading,’ is well suited for the vast ocean, it’s not as imposing as Xiao Heng’s move. The combat effect seems to be slightly inferior as well.”
Ye Feipeng’s eyes rolled as he silently pondered.
“No, my techniques and innate talent are not as good as Xiao Heng’s.”
“At this rate, I’ll really be left far behind.”
“If I think about it, it seems that the day when Zhang Haobo gets his opportunity is also approaching…”
Ye Feipeng made a decision.
Taking advantage of Xiao Heng being immersed in his cultivation, Ye Feipeng quietly left the deserted island alone.
He flew toward the direction of Liuli Island.
Li Fan smiled faintly and, through the teleportation formation, arrived first on Liuli Island.
To ensure that the situation remained under his control, Li Fan needed to be present in person.
Seven days later.
Zhang Haobo, who was still just an ordinary person, led the Cangyuan Ship and began another fishing trip at sea.
Naturally, Zhang Haobo was unaware that there was always a pair of eyes above him, watching him closely.
Also, Ye Feipeng, who was monitoring Zhang Haobo, did not notice that, from a more distant location, another pair of eyes were gazing at both of them.
On the Cangyuan Ship, Zhang Haobo looked somewhat absent-minded.
He surveyed the surrounding sea, and suddenly, a somewhat familiar-looking reef caught his eye.
With a sudden shock, he ordered his subordinates to drop anchor and stop the ship here.
Then, relying on his proficiency in swimming, he dove into the sea.
In this shallow seabed, Zhang Haobo, relying on his premonition, searched around.
Soon after, a skeleton sleeping on the seabed attracted his attention.
He first returned to the surface for a breath of air.
When he dove underwater again, wanting to investigate, Zhang Haobo was bewildered to find that the skeleton that was just there had suddenly disappeared.
He didn’t see that not far away, Ye Feipeng, full of excitement, took out a jade slip from the skeleton’s arms.
Carefully reading it, Ye Feipeng muttered, “A shocking palm, covering the sea with a single hand…”
“All living beings have their own consciousness.”
“So does the Cong Yun Sea…”
“So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is…”
A glimmer of enlightenment flashed in Ye Feipeng’s eyes.
*****
[1] Jiushan translates literally to “nine mountains.”