Chapter 259: Chapter 501-505: Ingeniously Resolving the Crisis by Seizing the Opportunity (6k+ words)
A massive stone giant extended its right hand, and Li Fan flew into its palm.
The stone giant then held Li Fan and presented him before everyone.
Li Fan scanned the densely packed cultivators present, his expression serious, and spoke, "Not long ago, I was recognized by the seniors and appointed as the acting island lord, tasked with rebuilding the Congyun Immortal City."
"Although I am naturally idle, I suddenly received this heavy responsibility and felt a tremendous pressure."
"But I dare not disappoint the Immortal Alliance and the seniors who entrusted me. So, in front of Jingyuan Gongzi, I made a military order to rebuild the Immortal City within half a year."
"The time is short, and the task is heavy. But I believe that with the concerted efforts of us Congyun Sea cultivators, we can surely achieve our goal."
"To have an entire immortal city abducted is unheard of!"
Li Fan pointed to the massive pit below and said, "As long as this ruin exists for a day, it will be an indelible shame on us Congyun Sea cultivators!"
"I hope that all of you can join me in wiping away this shame!"
After speaking, Li Fan bowed deeply to the crowd.
The cultivators were moved, some sincerely, and some reluctantly reciprocated the gesture.
"On the day the Immortal City is rebuilt, I will be here to reward merits and punish wrongs, celebrating with all of you!"
After Li Fan stood up, he spoke loudly again.
The sound spread far and wide, echoing for a long time.
People looked at Li Fan with various expressions.
"Gao Yuan!"
After a moment of silence, Li Fan suddenly spoke.
"Here!" Gao Yuan, with a flushed face, flew out.
"For me, read the personnel transfer order for the reconstruction of the Immortal City!" Li Fan instructed.
"Yes!"
Gao Yuan, with a triumphant look, looked around, cleared his throat, and took out a scroll from his storage ring. Injecting spiritual power into his voice, he read it aloud with great effort.
"Summoned to guard Liuli Island, He Zhenghao is appointed as the Chief Inspector, overseeing and supervising all matters related to the procurement and consumption of materials during the reconstruction of the Immortal City."
"Summoned to control Huitong Island, Peituo is appointed as the overall commander, overseeing the security matters during the reconstruction of the Immortal City."
"Summoned to guard Taian Island, Zhou Qing'ang is appointed as the overall commander, coordinating communication matters during the reconstruction of the Immortal City."
...
As each personnel transfer order was read out, the cultivators' faces became subtle.
Because they found that the named cultivators were exactly the group that had just greeted Li Fan.
So everyone suddenly realized.
So, you knew early on that Li Fan was acting as the interim island lord, and you all surrendered?
And this Li Fan is too straightforward, he didn't even try to hide it. It's all about favoritism!
Look at He Zhenghao, Peituo, Zhou Qing'ang, and others. At most, they are at the peak of Golden Core cultivation. Is their status even above those Nascent Soul cultivators? Is this appropriate?
Although everyone complained in their hearts, they also felt regret for not being clever enough to act earlier.
After the list was read out, Gao Yuan returned to the crowd, and Li Fan smiled. "The reconstruction of the Immortal City is a vast project. I have my shortcomings in planning."
"Moreover, within Congyun Sea, there are many talents, and it's inevitable that some have been overlooked. So, I appoint Gao Yuan as the Chief Eunuch. If anyone wants to contribute to the reconstruction of the Immortal City, they can come to him."
With these words, the cultivators who were originally dissatisfied because they missed the opportunity suddenly became active.
"Everyone!" Li Fan concluded.
"The Five Elders attacked, and our Congyun Sea suffered heavy losses."
"The Island's Political Hall, Array Strategy Hall, Martial Arts Hall..."
"Almost the entire army was wiped out! This led to many vacant positions on the island, and we in Congyun Sea can't even handle normal affairs from a distance."
Speaking up to this point, Li Fan paused slightly.
He sighed and glanced over the crowd, saying expectantly, "I hope that, with your efforts, we can quickly restore the former glory of Congyun Sea!"
Congyun Sea cultivators are unclear about whether there is glory in Congyun Sea, but Li Fan's words are crystal clear:
Due to the sudden attack by the Five Elders, numerous positions on the island are now vacant! The hundred or so people under my command are far from enough to fill these vacancies! If any of you have the capability, come quickly! This opportunity is rare. Wait until half a year later when the Immortal City is built, and it will be too late!
The cultivators suddenly realized.
Yes, these positions are currently nothing but "empty roles" created solely for the purpose of rebuilding the Immortal City.
Titles like "Overall Commander" and "Chief Inspector" sound good but derive their authority solely from Li Fan's "authorization" as the acting island lord.
On the day the Immortal City is rebuilt, these positions will lose their value and significance. Instead, what Li Fan mentioned about "rewarding merits and punishing wrongs" is the real deal.
If one can contribute during the reconstruction and gain a position within the structure of the Wanxian Alliance...
At this point, the hearts of the cultivators suddenly quickened.
The difficulty of the entrance exam is extremely high, and advancing after officially joining the Wanxian Alliance is even more challenging.
Li Island Lord is right! This is a rare opportunity!
At this moment, many eyes subtly turned towards Gao Yuan, and they were secretly contemplating how to deal with this favored person in front of Li Island Lord.
After some encouraging words, Li Fan declared the successful conclusion of the ceremony. The official reconstruction of the Immortal City would commence tomorrow.
Seeing this, Dantai Can, on the flying boat, unexpectedly did not wait for the crowd to disperse or greet Li Fan. Instead, he directly steered the boat and departed.
Judging by his expression, he seemed extremely gloomy.
However, the cultivators were mostly immersed in the fantasy of achieving success, paying little attention to this scene.
Li Fan, watching Dantai Can's departing figure, sneered inwardly.
It was similar to the speculations of the cultivators present today. Shen Yu Zi, Jing Xuan, Guang Wu, Huangfu Song, and others were invited by Li Fan through their contributions.
As for this rising star from the Dantai family, he had no blood relation and even harbored some grudges. It was impossible for him to be swayed by contributions.
The reason he came to congratulate Li Fan was naturally due to the contract he was forced to sign with Jiao Xiuyuan during the Pu Xian Zhen Ye turmoil.
To fulfill three requests within his capability.
So, even though Dantai Can secretly made trouble this time, he had to come and congratulate Li Fan.
For someone like him, with high self-esteem, being played by Li Fan this time was undoubtedly a loss of face.
Such shameful matters would certainly not be spoken openly to others.
So, in the eyes of some people, Dantai Can's contradictory actions appeared very strange.
As for worsening relations with Dantai Can, it was not within Li Fan's consideration at all.
After all, the identity of this Tianji Sect cultivator would eventually be discarded, and having many debts would only bring unnecessary burdens.
The urgent matter was to build Congyun Immortal City.
Although relying on seizing the opportunity, Li Fan garnered support and solved the problem of having no one capable.
But there was still a fatal trouble.
Li Fan recalled Jiao Xiuyuan's words: "The quantity of materials on the list is sufficient to successfully build a floating Immortal City."
"But..."
"That's under the condition of no mistakes."
"In the actual construction process, there will be material losses due to mistakes."
"Some things are easy to handle; I can sell them to fellow daoists at a low price through certain channels."
"But some special materials are strictly controlled by the Wanxian Alliance and cannot be bought even with contributions."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 502: Chaotic Formation
"Even Jiao Xiuyuan says so. It seems that these strategic materials from the Wanxian Alliance can't be procured through conventional means," Li Fan contemplated silently.
He knew very well that for a massive project like rebuilding an entire floating Immortal City, achieving zero loss was impossible. The Immortal City was like a huge and intricate instrument. If certain critical components were missing, it might not operate normally.
Even if he could somehow cover it up, it would undoubtedly attract reports from those secretly watching.
So...
"The person who tied the bell must untie it," Li Fan squinted his eyes.
These behind-the-scenes figures plotting against him were doing it for grudges or gains. They certainly didn't want to escalate things to a point where higher-level investigations would be triggered.
In the end, Congyun Immortal City would undoubtedly be rebuilt. This was the highest will of the Wanxian Alliance, and no one could oppose it.
As for who completed the reconstruction work, the Wanxian Alliance didn't really care. However, it was crucial for Li Fan and the future prospects of the cultivators following him.
"The part of the material list that was deducted is definitely still with Zhou Kebao and the others."
"Now, what needs to be done is to find a way to make them spit out what they swallowed."
Thinking of this, Li Fan activated the invisible killing intent, focusing on Zhou Kebao.
In a dim room on the Dust Crossing Boat,
Zhou Kebao was anxiously pacing back and forth. In front of him, an indistinct figure kept flickering.
After a while, the figure stopped moving, and several figures appeared.
"How is it? What did Dantai Can say?" Zhou Kebao asked eagerly.
"The message has been sent, but there's no reply."
"He didn't reply to me either."
"He directly rejected it!"
Different voices suddenly sounded.
Zhou Kebao's face turned red like a pig's liver, and he wanted to curse directly. However, his mouth trembled slightly, and he ultimately held back.
After a moment of silence, a figure on the opposite side couldn't help but ask, "What does Dantai Can mean? He instigated us before. Why did he suddenly change his mind and stand on Li Fan's side?"
"Yeah, why did he suddenly turn against us when he was egging us on before?"
"Enough! Stop arguing!" When the crowd was discussing, a voice with magnetic charm suddenly scolded.
This person seemed to have extremely high prestige. When he spoke, all the other cultivators quieted down.
"At present, it seems that we've fallen into Dantai Can's trap."
He calmly analyzed, "First, he used Li Fan's contribution of tens of millions as bait to lure us."
"After we spent a considerable amount of money, he opened the so-called 'path' he provided, intending to force Li Fan into submission."
"At this point, he counterattacks..."
Zhou Kebao slammed the table suddenly, "This doesn't make sense! What does Dantai Can want? Although we can't compare with his Dantai family, if we unite, we're not easy to mess with! For no reason, why does Dantai Can want to make so many enemies?"
This statement received many people's agreement, and it was evident that they truly couldn't understand Dantai Can's actions.
"Perhaps, Dantai Can doesn't want to oppose us but aims to completely subdue us!" At this moment, a figure suddenly spoke.
"I heard that, due to the recent Pu Xian Zhen Ye incident, Dantai Can was criticized by the Li Xiuxian Venerable. His position in the family is currently precarious. Even some of his original subordinates have defected to other branches of the Dantai family."
"He must want to consolidate his position in any way possible. So, he set his sights on us."
This statement made everyone contemplate.
"Yes! Now it seems that his plan is very successful. We are now in a difficult situation! The plan to pressure Li Fan with the construction period of Congyun Immortal City seems to have failed. Li Fan and Dantai Can are in cahoots. The materials we withheld, he probably doesn't lack at all."
"Transmission Method Spirit Bone, Heavenly Profound Crystal Fragments, Dark-Spirit Ancient Wood..."
"These things are strictly forbidden for personal hoarding. It's fine to keep them for a short time, but if we can't use them for a long time and they are discovered..."
Zhou Kebao couldn't help shivering.
"We want to sell them, but besides building the Immortal City, there's no other use for these things!"
"Nowadays, apart from Congyun Sea, where is there a floating city under construction?"
"That brat Dantai Can is really despicable! I'm afraid he will come to threaten us soon!"
"Hiss, it's very likely. After all, whether it's withholding building materials or bribing in secret, it's something that can't be seen in the light of day."
Chapter 502: Disarrayed Formation
The more they discussed, the more agitated everyone became.
Once again, the stern voice calmed the crowd.
"Don't panic; the situation may not be as bad as we think."
"Everything is just speculation on our part. It's possible that we are scaring ourselves."
"So, since we can't reach Dantai Can, let's gather some information from Li Fan first. Let's see what's really going on."
Hearing this, Zhou Kebao nodded.
"Although this person is an ancient cultivator, he is quite mysterious. With Golden Core cultivation, he can stir up a storm and has connections with many senior Nascent Soul cultivators. We must not be careless," the person cautioned.
"Friend Long, please rest assured; I will handle it carefully," Zhou Kebao assured.
As the shadows gradually dispersed, Li Fan withdrew his gaze.
"So, it's a group of disorganized individuals," he sneered.
Now, he carefully considered how to peel off a layer from these people.
---
Zhou Kebao's patience turned out to be beyond Li Fan's expectations.
Despite the vigorous start of the reconstruction work of Congyun Immortal City and the arrival of over a dozen supporting cultivators from the Wanxian Alliance headquarters, Zhou Kebao showed no signs of probing Li Fan.
He acted as if nothing had happened, greeting Li Fan as usual every day.
If it weren't for the vivid record of their conversations in his mind, Li Fan would have thought that what he had seen was an illusion.
However, Li Fan's patience was also considerable.
"Don't be hasty; let's play with him."
With more than four months left until the deadline for completing the reconstruction of the Immortal City, Li Fan could afford to wait.
After replenishing some routine materials through Jiao Xiuyuan, the basic construction progress of the Immortal City was not delayed at all.
The main buildings like the long-distance teleportation array, Tianxuan Mirror, and the Policy Hall were to be constructed collectively in the final stages.
Not to mention the materials in hand, which provided an opportunity for trial and error.
So, Li Fan wasn't in a hurry at all.
Of course, while building Congyun Immortal City, he didn't forget the task given by Dantai Can.
To construct the "Mystic Heaven Locking Abyss Formation" within the foundation of the Immortal City.
Li Fan's proficiency in formation dao had reached a certain level. Having personally participated in the construction of the "Heavenly Profound Locking Spirit Formation," his insights far surpassed ordinary cultivators.
In the diagram of the Mystic Heaven Locking Abyss Formation, Li Fan unexpectedly saw the shadow of the Locking Spirit Formation.
Chapter 503: Body and Mind Unfree
The underlying structure of the formation was different, but the sense of imprisonment and isolation remained the same.
Li Fan could even make a bold guess: the inspiration for the Heavenly Profound Locking Spirit Formation might come from this Mystic Heaven Locking Abyss Formation.
The term "Mystic Heaven" was hard not to associate with the long-lost Mystic Heaven Sect in the river of history.
"Could it be that the mysterious phenomena in the world can be traced back to the time when Mystic Heaven Sect still existed?"
"That would mean encountering bizarre occurrences even in the Fallen Immortal Realm?"
Li Fan contemplated the formation while letting his thoughts wander.
The formation diagram was made by a special method, encrypted with several restrictions, making it impossible for outsiders to see the complete structure of the Locking Abyss Formation.
It allowed those not versed in formations to output the formation with simple operations.
"This thing is amazing!" After studying for a long time, Li Fan temporarily gave up on the idea of obtaining the complete structure of the Locking Abyss Formation and sighed.
During the breaks in the daily inspections of the construction progress, when no one was paying attention, Li Fan inscribed the Mystic Heaven Locking Abyss Formation on the slowly forming Congyun Immortal City.
While Li Fan was deeply engrossed in contemplating how to build the floating city, the consciousness attached to the puppet's body in the Five Elders' territory thousands of miles away was experiencing some discomfort.
Since arriving at the Bamboo Cottage and listening to the scholar's lectures, almost two months had passed.
He gained little insight into the specific situation of the Five Elders' organization. Instead, he was forced to memorize many legends about cultivators changing their fate in the "Human Dao Heavenly Realm."
Wang Linlang, obsessed with beauty, vowed to "never allow people to see old age." As a result, within the Human Dao Heavenly Realm, even elderly mortals had shining black hair.
Yue Chengjin, abandoned by his beloved, harbored resentment, cursing "lovers in the world will eventually become siblings." This led to various tragedies in love occurring for decades. Fortunately, due to the power of a genuinely loving couple's wishes, the "becoming siblings" rule was eventually reversed.
Qu Su, who loved fishing but often returned empty-handed, made a grand vow: all fish in the world would bite the bait. As a result, everyone became a master fisherman.
...
Countless tales like these were initially entertaining, but after listening for three consecutive months, it became a bit unbearable.
Like the other cultivators in front of the Bamboo Cottage, Li Fan couldn't control his own body.
He couldn't even block out the scholar's words; he was forced to accept them.
Li Fan even discovered that everything the scholar said seemed to be deeply imprinted in his mind, making it impossible to forget.
So, everyone wore a look of frustration, undergoing the scholar's brainwashing.
One day, after lecturing for a long time, the scholar finally felt a bit tired.
He stood up, stretched lazily.
"As the saying goes, seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. Even if I speak for a hundred years, it's not as good as you personally experiencing it."
The scholar looked at the Wanxian Alliance cultivators present, showing a kind smile. "I'll give you three years. During these three years, you are free to go anywhere under the jurisdiction of the Five Elders."
"After three years, you will return here. I hope you can tell me your thoughts on the Five Elders at that time."
With that, the scholar turned and walked into the Bamboo Cottage.
As the bamboo door closed with a bang, the restraints on everyone disappeared.
"What does this mean? Are we allowed to leave now?"
The Wanxian Alliance cultivators were puzzled.
"Is there a conspiracy?"
"This Daoist friend seems to be scared. Now we are like meat on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered. Is there any need for conspiracies against us?"
"Humph! Why suppress others' spirits and destroy one's own prestige!"
"Hehe, although Daoist Lü Fan's words were a bit harsh, they make a lot of sense in my opinion."
...
Although everyone was talking at once, not a single person dared to stand up and leave the valley.
Li Fan shook his head slightly, paying them no mind.
He walked directly towards the direction he came from, drawing the attention of the crowd.
As he moved further from the bamboo house, his compressed body slowly returned to normal.
Apart from that, there was no obstruction.
Walking out of the long tunnel, reaching outside the cave, Li Fan found that the armored cultivators responsible for guarding earlier were also gone.
Flying into the air, he attempted to find the traces of Wanxian Island.
However, where Wanxian Island was originally located was now empty, leaving no trace.
"I wonder if the Five Elders have found what they wanted."
Li Fan swept his gaze around, feeling a sense of loneliness, not knowing where to go in this vast world.
In the midst of self-pity, he suddenly realized something was amiss.
Was he not the type to indulge in sentimental thoughts and artificial poses? Why would such thoughts inexplicably arise?
A fleeting image of the scholar crossed his mind.
Was it him?
While Li Fan was silently shocked, he suddenly heard shouts from below, "Friend Jiao, Friend Jiao!"
Stunned, Li Fan realized they were calling him.
Looking in the direction of the voices, he saw the cultivator named Lü Fan.
"Friend Jiao, where are you headed? How about we travel together?" Lü Fan walked out of the cave, scanned the surroundings, spotted Li Fan, and hurriedly followed.
Seeing Li Fan looking at him without responding, Lü Fan explained, "The Five Elders' territory is vast, not under the jurisdiction of the Wanxian Alliance. In this unfamiliar foreign land, it's better to travel together for mutual care."
"I heard that among the Five Elders' domains, the 'Land of No Worries' is the most sought after. Not only does it have various unimaginable pleasures, but it also has extraordinary items like the 'No Worries Crystal,' which, when consumed, makes one feel ethereal, as if ascending to paradise." Lü Fan's tone was somewhat excited.
Li Fan stared at him for a while and asked, "I remember, Friend, you previously held the position of 'Recorder' in the Congyun Sea's Bureau of Governance. You enjoyed the stipend of the Wanxian Alliance, and now that you've regained freedom, why not think of returning to your homeland? Instead, you seem eager to join the Five Elders. Why is that?"
Upon hearing this, Lü Fan was suddenly stunned, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. His face turned extremely pale.
Li Fan understood.
"It's indeed the trickery of that scholar."
"The Five Elders' ability to manipulate minds is impressive."
Lü Fan mumbled, "Such a clever technique. Even if I'm aware that my thoughts are being influenced, I still can't make any changes."
After a moment, Lü Fan sighed deeply.
"No wonder the Five Elders are so at ease letting us leave. Even though I'm now aware that my thoughts are being affected, I still can't muster the desire to return home."
Lü Fan continued in a murmur, "Even though I know the Wanxian Alliance is my homeland, I can't generate the thought of wanting to go back."
While Lü Fan was rambling, he suddenly noticed that Li Fan was flying straight into the distance.
"Friend Jiao, where are you going? Take me with you!"
"To the One-Heart Immortal Sect!" Li Fan replied without looking back.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 504: First Exploration of the Five Elders' Association
The known regions within the territory of the Five Elders' Association are the Land of No Worries, the True Realm, the One-Heart Immortal Sect, and the Realm of Human Dao.
As for the last one, it remains unknown for now, as the scholar never mentioned it during his lectures, adding an air of mystery.
Currently, the exploration of the True Realm and the One-Heart Immortal Sect poses the highest risks, while the Realm of Human Dao and the Land of No Worries present minimal threats.
However, Li Fan, fully aware of the danger, chose to venture into the One-Heart Immortal Sect. The real reason was not just his long-standing admiration for Senior Sister Zhao. In fact, it was an opportunity to explore the territory of the One-Heart Immortal Venerable while manipulating the puppet with a rare chance.
Based on the scholar's explanation, within the One-Heart Immortal Sect, not all cultivators become part of Senior Sister Zhao. She is highly selective, only allowing the elite after thorough screening. Even ordinary cultivators don't easily make the cut, let alone puppets made of wood. Therefore, the likelihood of Li Fan being targeted is minimal.
Moreover, the puppet is one of Jiao Xiuyuan's avatars, equipped with a self-destruct mechanism. Even if Senior Sister Zhao ever decides to consume it, all she'll get is a piece of withered wood. The trace of consciousness attached to it has long dissipated.
Of course, the terrifying power of the Eternal Life Immortal Venerable should not be underestimated.
Li Fan rushed northward, actively reducing his consciousness along the way, erasing all memories except for the thought of heading to the One-Heart Immortal Sect.
The side effects were evident; controlling the puppet with weakened consciousness made it appear stiff and less intelligent, resembling a not-so-bright Jiao Xiuyuan.
But as long as he could convey what he saw, heard, and felt to his true self, it was sufficient.
Li Fan controlled the puppet, continuously approaching the One-Heart Immortal Sect.
"Friend Jiao, wait for me." Shortly after, Lü Fan finally caught up, panting. "I've thought about it, and I'll go with you."
"While the Land of No Worries has many rare things, it wouldn't be bad to see the extraordinary Senior Sister Zhao with my own eyes." Lü Fan expressed a hint of longing.
Li Fan glanced at him and asked casually, "Who are you, Friend?"
Lü Fan couldn't help but feel stunned.
Seeing that Li Fan didn't seem to be joking, Lü Fan carefully observed and thought there might be an issue with Jiao Xiuyuan's puppet. Thus, he had to reintroduce himself.
Li Fan nodded slightly without saying anything, maintaining his speed.
Lü Fan felt a bit depressed, but since he had already spoken, he couldn't directly change his mind.
The two proceeded in silence, getting closer to the territory of the One-Heart Immortal Sect.
In the territory of the Five Elders' Association, there were naturally teleportation arrays. However, these were only set up in towns within the states, and those like them, who had not yet assimilated, didn't have the qualifications to use them.
Unlike the Wanxian Alliance, each state did not have a central immortal city. Instead, there were large towns scattered throughout, where mortals and cultivators coexisted. The city was divided into inner and outer regions by circular walls, with cultivators residing in the inner city and mortals in the outer city, avoiding interference.
In addition to towns, there were various caves and mountain gates built by cultivators in the wild.
Overall, the layout was remarkably similar to the ancient cultivation world.
The customs were vastly different, with the only similarity being the White Mist Barrier that traversed the heavens and the earth, serving as the boundary between states.
Chapter 505: Exploration of the One-Heart Immortal Sect
Currently, Li Fan is located in the Realm of Human Dao, in the Undetermined State.
Passing through the devouring elemental White Mist Barrier ahead leads to the adjacent Profound Yin State.
Surprisingly, next to the White Mist Barrier, a gathering of people caught Li Fan's attention. Like common merchants, they were shouting and selling something.
"Puxian True Boat, thirty thousand Divine Soul Points per boat, buy two get one free, and large quantities come with worry-free benefits!"
"Anyone who wants to pass through the White Mist Barrier, just take a look. Only one hundred Divine Soul Points to ride the Puxian True Boat, saving fifteen days of lifespan! One hundred Divine Soul Points, can't be cheated, can't be deceived!"
"Offering a large number of Puxian boats for rent, interested parties please contact us quickly!"
...
The shouts echoed continuously, creating a lively atmosphere like a marketplace for mortals.
The words from their mouths caught Lü Fan's attention.
"Friend Jiao, come and take a look! It's a flying boat entirely constructed from a large number of Puxian True Leaves!" Lü Fan checked it out and couldn't help but exclaim.
Seeing Li Fan's clueless expression due to his memory loss, Lü Fan had to patiently explain, "After the Puxian True Leaf incident, the news of artifacts made from this material, which can reduce the consumption of lifespan by the devouring White Mist, got out. That's why their prices haven't plummeted."
"But it was only a rumor, and I've never seen the actual effective artifacts until now. I didn't expect that they would be everywhere in the Five Elders' Association..."
Originally expecting a response from Li Fan, he found that Li Fan still looked confused.
Lü Fan sighed at the communication barrier and stopped explaining, turning to inquire from the nearby merchant cultivators.
The so-called Divine Soul Points are the universal currency in the Five Elders' Association, equivalent to the contribution points in the Wanxian Alliance.
As long as one joins the Five Elders' Association, they can obtain free cultivation techniques, but in return, they must sign a soul contract.
It is said that after accumulating a certain number of Divine Soul Points, one can dissolve the soul contract and redeem themselves.
However, very few cultivators manage to do so. Most choose to exchange their Divine Soul Points for higher-level cultivation techniques, enhancing their ability to earn more points.
Not only selling themselves, but contracts are also involved in various transactions and aspects of life in the Five Elders' Association.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 505: Martial Repository of Sect Transmission
In ancient times, cultivators had no taboos in their actions.
They massacred living beings to refine artifacts, destroyed mountains and seas, burned forests and submerged lands, disregarded agreements, betrayed promises, engaged in murder and profiteering, seeking only personal gain...
All of these were considered normal.
The reason behind this was that as one's cultivation realm increased and personal strength grew, the constraints on cultivators diminished.
For example, if a Nascent Divinity cultivator coveted a treasure accidentally obtained by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was easy for them to kill and seize it for themselves. In such a situation, how many would choose to obtain the treasure through "trade"?
Similarly, when a Foundation Establishment cultivator faced the proposal of "trade" from a Nascent Divinity cultivator much stronger than themselves, would they dare to refuse? If the other party broke the agreement and turned hostile, what could they do? They could only endure silently and be grateful that their life was spared.
When the parties involved in a trade were in unequal states, fairness in the trade was non-existent.
However, in the current Five Elders' Association and even the entire Xuanhuang Realm, this situation had undergone a thorough change.
This change was due to the existence of various contracts.
The Divine Soul Contract that Five Elders' Association cultivators signed when selling themselves, the Business Contract that Li Fan had used multiple times, and the special golden contract used to buy and sell cultivation techniques...
This ubiquitous mysterious power placed genuine restrictions on cultivators.
Even Core Formation cultivators couldn't resist the power of a contract. Once signed, they had to abide by it.
Driven by contracts, order was established.
If the Heaven Abyss Mirror and the Array Command Jade were the foundations of the Wanxian Alliance, then "contracts" were the lifeblood of the Five Elders' Association.
Now, let's talk about "Divine Soul Points." The essence of Divine Soul Points was a special energy hidden in the depths of the soul through the power of a contract.
Besides being used for daily transactions, Divine Soul Points had a special purpose. They could be used to open the "Sect Repository Martial Arts."
There, countless cultivation techniques, scriptures, and treasures originating from ancient immortal sects, like a vast sea, were available for exchange.
What's more, inside the Sect Repository Martial Arts, there were true and illusory scenes of many ancient sects from the ancient times.
The power creating these realistic illusions was extremely similar to the Fallen Immortal Realm. In that space, cultivators could explore many extinct ancient sects. Inside these sects were the images of many ancient cultivators. Most of them lacked self-awareness, existing only as empty shells. However, in actual combat, their power was nearly indistinguishable from that of real people.
Five Elders' Association cultivators could consume Divine Soul Points to repeatedly spar with these ancient cultivators, enhancing their own combat strength. Inside the Sect Repository Martial Arts, any injuries wouldn't affect the real body and would only cause slight damage to the soul. Moreover, this soul injury could be healed by consuming Divine Soul Points.
In theory, if one had enough Divine Soul Points, even a recently-cultivated mortal could become extremely powerful through continuous battles.
With the Divine Soul Contract as a constraint, the Five Elders' Association didn't need to deliberately suppress the combat strength of the general cultivators like the Wanxian Alliance did.
Of course, all of this wasn't free and had to be earned by the cultivators themselves.
At this moment, on the border of the Undetermined State, next to the White Mist Barrier, Lü Fan looked at various Puxian True Boats, feeling very tempted. Unfortunately, not being a member of the Five Elders' Association, he had no Divine Soul Points and could only look on with envy.
At this time, a vendor came over to strike up a conversation, "You two should be from the Wanxian Alliance, right? Haven't joined our Five Elders' Association yet?"
Hearing this, Lü Fan's expression changed slightly. He vigilantly scanned the surroundings, lowered his voice, and nodded, "Indeed. May I ask how this friend is called and how you could tell?"
The vendor led the two to his stall and said, "No need to be so nervous. I'm Gu Binliang, specializing in some buying and selling."
"As for how I could tell..." Gu Binliang smiled faintly, "The feeling is completely different whether you've signed the Divine Soul Contract or not. I happened to hear about the recent capture of a group of Wanxian Alliance cultivators, undergoing 're-education,' so I made this guess."
Chapter 505: Sect's Martial Repository
Seeing Lü Fan looking a bit nervous, Gu Binliang continued, "Actually, for cultivators from the Wanxian Alliance like you, most members of our Five Elders' Association don't harbor any hostility. After all, there have been many cultivators captured in the past, undergo re-education, change their ways, and ultimately become members of our Five Elders' Association."
"And these people are often more loyal than ordinary members!"
Hearing this, Lü Fan's expression couldn't help but become somewhat unsightly.
Gu Binliang, skilled in observing others, immediately bypassed this topic and asked, "Friend, are you interested in the Puxian True Boats but distressed by a lack of Divine Soul Points?"
"Indeed," Lü Fan nodded.
"No need to worry. If you don't have Divine Soul Points, you probably have some standardized spirit stones on you," Gu Binliang said with a smile.
"I do have some," Lü Fan said with some surprise, but then a hint of doubt flashed on his face, "Does your Five Elders' Association also use these standardized spirit stones?"
"Hehe, friend, you're quite knowledgeable. Since they are standardized spirit stones, they are jointly manufactured and mutually recognized by both the Wanxian Alliance and the Five Elders' Association. However, most members of our Five Elders' Association don't need them. Exchanging them for Divine Soul Points is a bit troublesome, so they don't accept them."
"But for me, it doesn't matter. As a true businessman, I still need a considerable number of standardized spirit stones for intermediary transactions," Gu Binliang explained.
"A true businessman..." Lü Fan instantly understood the other party's meaning, "Then please trouble this friend to give me a Puxian True Boat."
With a wave of Gu Binliang's hand, dozens of miniature flying boats appeared in front of Lü Fan.
He enthusiastically explained the differences between them to Lü Fan.
After a short while, the two happily completed the transaction.
As Lü Fan was about to leave, Gu Binliang called him back, "Friend, do you have any idle items on you? Walking in the territory of the Five Elders' Association without Divine Soul Points can be very inconvenient. I can use Divine Soul Points to exchange with you."
Saying this, he took out a humanoid statuette whose appearance couldn't be discerned.
"This is the 'Manifested World Heavenly Lord Statue,' which can be used to store Divine Soul Points. Even if you're not a member of the Five Elders' Association, you can use it to trade with other cultivators."
Hearing this, Lü Fan couldn't help but feel tempted.
He immediately rummaged through the items in his storage ring. Gu Binliang, being an open-minded person, bought whatever Lü Fan was willing to sell.
When the number of Divine Soul Points stored in the Manifested World Heavenly Lord Statue reached fifty thousand, Lü Fan finally couldn't find anything else to sell.
"If you have any needs in the future, feel free to come find me," Gu Binliang said with a smiling face, handing over a communication talisman.
(End of this chapter)
Weekly Power Status
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