“Damn it, give me back my money!”
“Who would’ve thought that Li Fan would suddenly become so ‘kind-hearted’? The fundraising plan, which had been suspended for so long, restarted without warning! Not only that, but he even removed the upper limit on contributions! Turns out this was all a setup to swindle us!”
“Exactly! His deduction abilities have reached such perfection that he could foresee even the ceasefire between the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders Association. Do you really think he couldn’t predict this? I say he took this opportunity to exploit his brothers!”
“No way! With the wealth and status the Lord Envoy now commands, would he really care about such a trivial amount of money from us?”
“Maybe not if it was just one person or even ten. But this time, there are tens of thousands of cultivators contributing! With so much credit at stake, even an Immortal Sage of Dao Integration would be tempted, let alone a minor envoy in a provincial domain! You’ll see—when we go to He Zhenghao to demand our credit back, he’ll surely make all kinds of excuses!”
Under the instigation of some cultivators, panic and anger spread like wildfire.
Crowds gathered in front of the Administration Bureau Hall, refusing to leave for a long time.
Normally, unrelated individuals were not allowed to congregate in the central core area of the Immortal City. However, this fundraising event involved so many people that even many cultivators within the system had contributed their entire savings.
Now that the techniques were available at half price, they couldn’t afford the required credit all at once. While they didn’t dare trouble their direct superiors, they didn’t hesitate to let these outside forces “advocate for their rights” on their behalf, turning a blind eye to the chaos.
Outside was a chaotic uproar, but inside the Administration Hall, He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan appeared entirely unconcerned, at ease in their respective seats.
“A bunch of fools!”
“They agreed to five years. Five years is five years! How long has it been, and now they’re clamoring for an early redemption of their credit?”
“Do they think the contracts I painstakingly signed with them are worthless?”
He Zhenghao sneered as his gaze swept across the display of the Tianxuan Mirror before him.
“Dragon Soars Through Nine Transformations—Soul Transformation technique, 950,000 credits. With it, one can transcend mortality, reshape the body, and defy fate…”
“Mountains and Rivers in the Sleeve—Soul Transformation technique, 1,000,000 credits. Mastery allows one to sweep mountains and rivers with a single gesture…”
One after another, techniques he had once dared not even dream of were now at his fingertips, ready for him to choose without hesitation.
After following Li Fan for just a few short years, he was no longer the cautious steward of Liuli Island, counting every credit to the last decimal.
“Although these Soul Transformation techniques are excellent, they still feel lacking. Why not go all the way and exchange for a Dao Integration technique directly? Opportunities like this are rare.”
The thought once sparked in He Zhenghao’s mind could no longer be suppressed.
After carefully examining the descriptions of a few Dao Integration techniques, the previously tempting Soul Transformation techniques now seemed dull in comparison.
“Hmm… these Dao Integration techniques are extraordinary. The cheapest is 2 million credits, and the ones suitable for me cost even more.”
“But that doesn’t mean there’s no way to make it work…”
He Zhenghao began to devise a plan in his mind.
Meanwhile, Gao Yuan sat silently nearby, his excitement evident in his eyes as he browsed the list of techniques.
However, Zhou Qingang, seated between them, remained unmoved, sitting in quiet contemplation.
“Zhou Qingang’s ability to maintain composure is truly remarkable. To resist such temptation… No wonder the Lord Envoy values him more and more,” both He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan thought as they glanced at Zhou Qingang.
Ever since cultivators began demanding early credit redemption, the three of them had taken refuge in the Administration Bureau Hall, shutting the doors and pretending not to see the chaos outside.
After a long silence, Zhou Qingang finally broke it:
“Letting this commotion continue isn’t a solution. While we may not care what they think, if their anger leads to reckless accusations, it could tarnish the Lord Envoy’s reputation.”
“Public opinion is a powerful thing! If rumors spread, outsiders might genuinely believe the Lord Envoy is some greedy, small-minded person!”
Gao Yuan quickly echoed Zhou Qingang’s concerns: “Indeed! The Lord Envoy intends to use this matter to win people’s hearts. If this drags on, it might hinder his plans!”
He Zhenghao looked up, a little stunned. “Do you two have any suggestions?”
“The Lord Envoy has already given instructions, hasn’t he? It’s clearly stated in the contracts: early redemption is allowed, but it comes with a penalty—one-third of the credits—and a lifetime ban from future fundraising plans.”
“Just go out there and explain it to them. If they insist, then return their credits. Keep a record of their names, and I’ll report them to the Lord Envoy. Won’t that resolve the issue?” Zhou Qingang said calmly.
He Zhenghao groaned inwardly: “Easy for you to say! A third of their credits? That’s a huge amount painstakingly saved over time. How many would be willing to accept that? They’d tear me apart!”
He glanced pleadingly at Gao Yuan, who merely avoided eye contact, pretending not to hear.
“Fellow Daoist He?”
Hearing Zhou Qingang’s increasingly firm tone, He Zhenghao had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree.
The moment He Zhenghao stepped outside the Administration Bureau Hall, the previously noisy crowd fell silent, all eyes on him.
“Bang!”
The doors behind him slammed shut, leaving He Zhenghao to face the crowd with a forced smile that was more pitiful than cheerful. “Everyone, please allow me to explain!”
…
While He Zhenghao was racking his brains to reason with the crowd, Han Yi remained in a state of deep regret.
After the announcement of discounted techniques, despite being penniless, Han Yi had reviewed the list out of curiosity.
What he saw threw him into a spiral of frustration.
One of the techniques, Void Tribulation Primordial Codex, was perfect for avoiding disasters and surviving tribulations.
As a Soul Transformation technique, it was available for only 1.1 million credits at half price.
“With this, I could greatly reduce the backlash from my ‘Heavenly Fortune Scripture’. No more random disasters falling upon me…”
“It’s absolutely perfect for me…”
The more he thought about it, the deeper his regret grew.
“Damn it! Why couldn’t I keep my hands to myself back then?”
Overwhelmed with frustration, Han Yi felt a tightness in his chest and nearly coughed up blood.
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