Chapter 546-550: Mistaken for a Heavenly Sovereign (6k words)

"Different from us ordinary folks, Master must have greater ambitions. The positions in these Immortal Alliance offices that we crave may not be in his eyes. Although Master conceals it well, those who are truly infatuated with power can see through it with a glance," Gao Yuan said in a profound tone.

He Zhenghao, upon hearing this, solemnized his expression and nodded in agreement.

"As far as I know, Master Secret Envoy was actually forced to take on the role of acting Island Lord for Wan Xian Island. The mission to rebuild the Immortal City was, in fact, a forced move," Gao Yuan suddenly revealed some inside information.

He Zhenghao was surprised, showing a look of wonder, "Is that so?"

Gao Yuan nodded, "Although I don't know what's behind this, fortunately, Master Secret Envoy eventually completed this task."

"By the way, it also changed the fate of many of us."

"Now, although he serves as the Secret Envoy, overseeing the political affairs of the Cloudmist Sea region, I speculate that he may not have the interest to personally manage each and every matter."

"I also believe that with Master's extraordinary talents, wasting time on these mundane matters would be a real waste."

"What Master needs is a stage even grander. As for these trivial matters, there are people below to handle them in an orderly manner when he is absent."

Gao Yuan analyzed bit by bit.

"These two tasks he assigned us this time are such a test."

"And that split-soul jade slip is a trap."

"Once we lose control of the situation, to the point where we need to consult Master Secret Envoy..."

"Perhaps our positions won't change much, but in his heart, we will undoubtedly be labeled as incompetent."

Gao Yuan said in a deep voice.

He Zhenghao was shocked, "Is it really necessary to go to such lengths?"

Gao Yuan snorted, "I don't know if you've noticed, but have you ever paid attention to the way Master looks at us?"

"The way he looks at us? What's wrong with that?" He Zhenghao was somewhat puzzled and quickly asked for clarification.

"Although Master appears friendly on the surface, sometimes even humble, in reality..."

Gao Yuan's eyes flashed with a trace of horror.

"In the depths of his eyes, when he looks at all of us, it's the same."

"It's like how we cultivators look at ordinary people like ants..."

"No, that's not right..." Gao Yuan shook his head, frowned, as if trying to find the right words.

After a moment, he suddenly pointed to the tables and chairs in the council chamber, saying in a deep voice, "That's right. In his eyes, all of us are like these, just simple tools."

"As if not in the same level of existence. For him, all of us are probably just simple tools..."

"When I was still guarding the entrance of the Political Affairs Hall, I once had the honor to see a Dao Fusion cultivator. But even a Dao Fusion Immortal Venerable didn't seem as indifferent as Master..."

"I heard that Master is a cultivator from the ancient Tianji Sect. Due to certain circumstances, he has been in a deep sleep until now, and his cultivation has also fallen to the Golden Core realm."

"Previously, there were rumors that Master killed several Yuan Ying cultivators in cooperation. So, what was his cultivation during the ancient peak of the era?"

Gao Yuan's voice became smaller and smaller, and a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.

He Zhenghao couldn't help but shiver.

The meaning in Gao Yuan's words was already quite clear.

Chapter 547: Suspicions of an Eternal Realm Cultivator

He suspected that, in ancient times, Li Fan was actually a cultivator in the Eternal Realm.

Because, as everyone knows, once one enters the Eternal Realm, they truly transcend.

The essence of life undergoes a change, and compared to cultivators in realms like Dao Fusion, Nascent Soul, and Yuan Ying, they are no longer on the same level.

To be able to look at all beings with indifference and equality, perhaps only the powerful cultivators in the Eternal Realm can achieve this.

Once accepting this viewpoint and combining it with Li Fan's various astonishing deeds in the past...

Everything suddenly became so reasonable.

Among cultivators proficient in divination arts, there are many, but it has never been heard that anyone could use it like Li Fan did—lifting and doubling wealth effortlessly.

If divination arts were really that magical, then probably all cultivators in the world would be fighting to learn it.

For thousands of years, the reason why divination arts have always been lukewarm naturally has its reasons.

With the greedy nature of cultivators dominating the heavens and earth, there is no reason to leave any benefits unclaimed.

Only an Eternal Venerable, who has cultivated divination arts to the extreme, might be able to easily see through the future.

In the secret messages circulating in the Cloudmist Sea, the sudden blockade of Wan Xian Island and the subsequent surprise attack by the Five Elders to seize the entire island were all because of a certain prophecy.

Although everyone says that the renowned Gongsun Qixuan derived this prophecy.

But privately, there are rumors that Gongsun Qixuan was also influenced by Li Fan's divination arts.

Moreover, if Li Fan was once an Eternal Venerable, then killing Yuan Ying with Golden Core cultivation, and using puppets with Nascent Soul cultivation as mounts...

All these things would no longer be surprising.

If he couldn't do these things, then how could he be called an Eternal Venerable?

...

In the Political Affairs Hall's council chamber, there was a moment of absolute silence.

A kind of eerie atmosphere brewed between He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan.

The more they thought about it, the more they felt that these speculations were reasonable and had a basis.

As a result, their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably.

One reason was the natural fear of powerful beings in the Eternal Realm.

Secondly...

Being considered a confidant by an Eternal Venerable, even if it's only temporary and on the surface...

This was also an absolutely honorable thing.

With thoughts surging in their hearts, the two of them indulged in various fantasies and couldn't calm down for a long time.

In the end, it was He Zhenghao who spoke first.

He cleared his throat and said softly, "Brother Gao, this matter is all your speculation."

"It's better not to easily tell others about it."

"Only you and I need to know."

Gao Yuan glanced at He Zhenghao and nodded slightly, "I am well aware of this matter."

The two smiled at each other, and everything was understood without words.

There was still one superficial line they didn't say.

If Li Fan is indeed an Eternal Venerable, then serving him now.

Once his injuries recover completely, and his cultivation is restored...

By that time, their stage will no longer be this corner of the Cloudmist Sea.

He Zhenghao even recalled the ambition that had long been extinguished in his wife's eyes, and it faintly reignited.

---

In the depths of the Political Affairs Hall.

Li Fan withdrew his attention, summoned a water mirror, and touched his chin, scrutinizing himself in the mirror.

"The gaze that disregards everything..."

He stared at his own eyes in a daze.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 547: The True Weakness

Li Fan didn't know how long it had been since he had taken a good look at himself.

Subconsciously, the image he perceived of himself in his mind was frozen in the appearance of a frail scholar at the age of 20.

After all, regardless of how his appearance aged, once he activated the "Return to True," he would revert to this appearance at the anchor point.

So, for Li Fan, aging was, in fact, a false proposition.

The three things that all creatures in the world greatly fear—old age, sickness, and death—were, for him, merely temporary "states" that he could escape from at any moment.

Even the changes happening to himself were somewhat "disregarded" by Li Fan.

Moreover, this vast world of the Yellow Dao was also treated with a certain degree of indifference.

Kou Hong, Dao Xuanzi, He Zhenghao, Zhang Zhiliang, Xiao Heng...

For these people, with each reincarnation, their destinies changed with Li Fan's actions.

An enemy who fought to the death in the previous life might become a close friend sharing a drink in the next life. In the life after, they might even become loyal subordinates.

What about later?

Perhaps they would become innocent souls affected by Li Fan during his battles with others.

But...

Regardless of their experiences, once Li Fan activated the "Return to True," their "states" would return to the anchor point chosen by Li Fan.

So, for them, did the experiences of each life have some kind of illusory meaning?

People often like to say things like "The world doesn't revolve around you, why should others always accommodate you?" when mocking some extremely selfish individuals.

However, for Li Fan, at least in this world, the Yellow Dao world where he resided.

It did revolve around him, at least to a certain extent.

With a thought, the world resets.

The past becomes nothing more than smoke.

In such a situation, how could Li Fan treat the beings in this world as equals?

Even if it was only through the use of the extraordinary treasure "Return to True," Li Fan, who could reverse time, couldn't consider the living beings in the Yellow Dao as his "equals."

Li Fan stared at himself in the mirror for a long time but didn't discover the "silent" change that Gao Yuan mentioned.

This might indicate that even Li Fan himself hadn't noticed some kind of subtle, imperceptible transformation happening to him.

Just like how, despite the repeated use of "Return to True," his "mental age" was steadily increasing.

Li Fan's body was not as unchanging as he thought.

"Return to True" could reverse time, but as the carrier of "Return to True," Li Fan also had the ability to "change" even under the effect of "Return to True."

"I thought my acting skills were already excellent..." Li Fan said with a slight self-mockery.

Li Fan closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his gaze seemed to have undergone a subtle change.

It became more agile, vivid, and there was a hint of affection for everything around him.

Li Fan continued to observe carefully, adjusting without stopping.

After a long time, he finally stopped.

"I've temporarily changed it."

"However, acting is still acting. No matter how realistic it seems, it's not real."

"In this world, there are too many people with unimaginable abilities. Even an ordinary sentry cultivator in the Cloudmist Sea has such sharp perceptual abilities."

"If I want to deceive everyone in the world, I'm afraid it's not possible at the moment."

"But it doesn't matter; it's not a big flaw."

"There are people in the world who are truly heartless and unyielding."

Regarding this little episode, Li Fan only made some adjustments to himself and didn't take it too seriously.

However, Gao Yuan and the others speculating that Li Fan might be a fallen Eternal Venerable made him feel somewhat amused.

"I actually don't have any deep intentions. I just wanted to find an excuse to avoid the possible outbreak of the Tianlingzhou Great War in the future."

Alone, Li Fan quietly left Wanxian Island and infiltrated the depths of the sea.

He went deep into a trench tens of thousands of meters below the sea to ensure no one was tracking him.

Only then did Li Fan activate the "Mysterious Spirit Transformation," reverting to his original appearance.

He temporarily buried all the items he obtained from the Wanxian Alliance since entering the world with the identity of an "Ancient Celestial Mechanism Sect cultivator." Using the "Heaven Concealing Art," he concealed and sealed everything.

Naked, Li Fan transformed clothing for himself and returned to the surface.

First, he borrowed a set of fitting clothes from a nearby mortal island, then headed straight for the island where the "Empire" and others were located.

In no time, he arrived at his destination.

Since he didn't conceal his aura, the Empire's Holy Master, the green phoenix bird that used to be by Xu Ke's side, sent a divine sense warning as he approached.

"Friend, what brings you here?"

Li Fan stopped in mid-air, stood there, and smiled slightly.

He only replied with the word "Alliance."

Shortly after, Xiao Qing personally flew out to greet him.

After observing Li Fan for a while, she led him to a secret room on the island.

It seemed that Li Chenfeng was not on the island, and the locking effect of Locking Spirit by Wuxiang also temporarily lost its effect.

Li Fan replayed the recorded images in his sea of consciousness and found that he had left the Yellow Dao world.

However, the departure location this time was different from the one when he returned to the Empire last time.

"Not the Empire, but another small world?"

Li Fan's heart moved, but he didn't reveal anything, just quietly remembered it.

"Is this friend also from the Multiverse Alliance?" Xiao Qing straightforwardly asked.

"Yes. I come on behalf of the Master to inform everyone that our cooperation may have to be temporarily suspended," Li Fan said calmly.

"What?!" Even though Xiao Qing had lived for thousands of years, hearing such sudden news was still astonishing.

She stood up directly, her phoenix eyes staring at Li Fan intently.

"What does this mean?"

Immediately after, she looked at Li Fan with some suspicion, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Are you really from the Multiverse Alliance?"

She even began to doubt Li Fan's identity.

A hint of killing intent flowed slowly in the air. Li Fan arched his hand, indicating Xiao Qing not to be too nervous.

He explained, "It's not that the Multiverse Alliance intends to renege, but there are reasons for this."

"Not only you, the Empire, but also all other small worlds, we have temporarily cut off contact with them."

"The higher-ups mean for everyone to lay low for a while and wait for things to settle down."

Xiao Qing's tightly locked brows did not relax at all. Just as she was about to speak, Li Fan continued, "I know you are eager to leave the Yellow Dao world."

"But the situation is indeed special, and we have no choice."

"After all, we gained a lot in our last transaction. We even want to complete the remaining part of the transaction as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 548: Doubts Reveal the Celestial Mechanism

"Hehe, the beast soul bead you gave us last time is really useful. Especially the one sealed with the remnants of the Red Nine Heads, it's truly extraordinary. That Blue Jade Chang guy, originally just a slightly stronger ordinary person with some martial arts skills. But after absorbing it, his combat power skyrocketed. Our ordinary Nascent Divinity cultivators are no match for him in sparring," Li Fan spoke unreservedly, not mincing words.

Upon hearing the name "Red Nine Heads," Xiao Qing's expression changed slightly. Then, when Li Fan mentioned someone successfully withstanding the oppressive aura of the Nine-headed Bird and absorbing the beast soul bead, her delicate body trembled slightly, and she exclaimed, "Impossible! How can an ordinary person withstand that guy's murderous aura..."

Li Fan, with an unyielding expression, retorted, "Rare things are not strange. The Multiverse Alliance is full of talents. What kind of extraordinary people haven't we seen? Just because your Empire couldn't find a suitable candidate doesn't mean we can't. Do you think that after one deal with us, you can be on par with us?"

Li Fan seemed like an inexperienced young man, bluntly expressing his thoughts without understanding the concept of diplomacy.

With a disdainful expression, he continued, "The Multiverse Alliance is here to help you; that's why we traded with you. There are so many small worlds around the Yellow Dao, and we don't lack your contribution."

"It's you who need the Multiverse Alliance's help, not the other way around."

...

After hearing Li Fan's extremely unpleasant words, Xiao Qing's complexion became extremely unsightly. However, she managed to hold back and didn't explode.

Li Fan, on the other hand, didn't notice the lack of response and stopped talking midway, perhaps realizing it was becoming uninteresting.

Xiao Qing's gaze towards Li Fan became somewhat unfriendly.

However, after this encounter, she no longer doubted Li Fan's identity.

Continuing the previous topic, she asked softly, "Since everyone thinks the trade is beneficial, why would you suddenly decide to terminate it?"

Li Fan sighed and truthfully replied, "It's because of an irresistible force."

Leaning forward slightly, he approached and whispered, "According to our intelligence, there is likely to be a major war between the Wanxian Alliance and the Five Elders soon."

"As you know, during the time approaching war, tension is at its highest. The saying goes, 'Secure the inside before dealing with the outside.' If, during this time, the Wanxian Alliance discovers any traces of the Multiverse Alliance, they might concentrate their forces to eliminate the internal threat before fighting the Five Elders."

Li Fan shook his head without the slightest embarrassment, "To be honest, although we have always advocated attacking the cultivation world, compared to the Wanxian Alliance and the Five Elders, our organization still has a bit of a gap in strength. We can't deny that."

"We still need to accumulate strength. So, for now, we can only temporarily avoid the limelight."

Suddenly, Li Fan's expression became somewhat excited, "Moreover, this is a rare opportunity. The Wanxian Alliance and the Five Elders haven't had a major clash for many years."

"This upcoming war will undoubtedly be unprecedented in scale and intensity. They fight each other, and we lurk in the shadows, fishing in troubled waters."

"Who knows, we might even reap some benefits."

Looking at Li Fan's triumphant appearance, Xiao Qing was somewhat skeptical about the so-called "imminent war" he mentioned.

The Empire also had its own sources of intelligence.

Over the years, although there were not many lawbreakers, they were scattered throughout the Yellow Dao world.

During her return to the cultivation world, Xiao Qing had already established contact with most of them.

Because of their existence, Xiao Qing actually had some understanding of the current situation in the Yellow Dao world.

After all, great winds start from small ripples.

If the upcoming war is truly as intense as the other party claimed, there should be some signs before its outbreak.

"Perhaps they missed some details..."

While Xiao Qing was lost in thought, Li Fan was completely indifferent to what she might be thinking. Instead, he shamelessly asked Xiao Qing for the "Beast Soul Beads."

"Oh, this time I came, and my brothers are all very envious. Just give me some local specialties to bring back."

"Miss Qing, Saint Qing."

"Anyway, you guys in the Empire need as many of these things as you want, just give me some casually. I can report back after that."

Looking at Li Fan's playful appearance, Xiao Qing was almost amused.

However, there was no need to argue with such a person.

Thinking this way, Xiao Qing took out two beast soul beads equivalent to the strength of the Golden Core stage and handed them over. But the other party was still not satisfied and wanted more.

This time, Xiao Qing didn't hold back, directly issuing an order to drive him away.

"I really don't have any more beast soul beads with me. Fellow Daoist, please leave!"

Li Fan's expression changed rapidly. Just now, he was calling her a respected saint, but now, hearing Xiao Qing say this, he immediately showed a displeased look. With a cold snort, he didn't even say goodbye and flew away.

"Why does the Multiverse Alliance have such people?"

"If it were in our Empire, he would have been thrown to feed the Rift Realm Whales long ago!"

Xiao Qing was annoyed to the point of itching teeth.

"The Daoist friend from the last transaction was so much better."

She remembered the satisfaction of both sides during the previous trade, and the subsequent transfer of goods was also handled very properly.

"Unfortunately, that person seems to be busy and can't spare the time," Xiao Qing thought with some regret.

Recalling her thoughts, she began to contact the Empire's covert agents, inquiring about any anomalies in the Wanxian Alliance recently and if there were any signs of an upcoming war.

Soon, her subordinates, the lawbreakers, responded one after another.

Everything was normal, with no news of war at all.

Now, Xiao Qing was somewhat uncertain.

"Is it true or false?"

---

While this Empire Saint was scratching her head, He Zhenghao had already counted the money to the point of cramping.

With a smiling face, he recorded each contribution point transfer truthfully and responded responsibly to the creditors.

"Friend Qin, rest assured, I've received the contribution points. Just relax and wait for a windfall!"

"Brother Wei, I've noted your ten thousand contribution points. Ah, I know you gathered it by sacrificing everything. Who hasn't done that? Rest assured, can the Lord not make up for your losses?"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 549: The Genius of Investment

The progress of this contribution drive exceeded He Zhenghao's expectations. When he revealed the news that Li Fan was about to restart the fundraising plan, the multitude of cultivators in the Cong Yunhai were afraid of missing this rare opportunity for wealth. They rushed to transfer contribution points to He Zhenghao without hesitation.

He Zhenghao was busy and overwhelmed, experiencing both pain and joy. In less than seven days, he had already achieved half of the goal, receiving nearly 53 million contribution points.

Handling such a huge amount of contribution points subtly changed He Zhenghao's mindset.

"Ah, what kind of days was I living before meeting Lord Secret Envoy?"

"For a mere two or three hundred thousand contribution points, I lived frugally, living in constant fear every day."

"It was really tough!"

Looking back on the past, He Zhenghao couldn't help but shake his head slightly, sighing.

"Fortunately, those hard days are gone and won't come back!"

He Zhenghao looked at the continuously rising numbers in the statistics, feeling uncontrollably excited. If everything went smoothly, after the completion of this fundraising, Lord Secret Envoy should, like the previous times, share a portion of the profit with me...

Even if it's only one percent...

No, as long as there's one-third of one percent, He Zhenghao would be satisfied. After all, with the Lord Secret Envoy's abilities, making a profit equivalent to the principal each time shouldn't be difficult.

Calculating this way, it meant he would receive a reward of at least 300,000 contribution points...

Thinking of this, He Zhenghao's face involuntarily showed a silly smile.

After a long time, he finally snapped out of his fantasy. He planned to transfer the contribution points in his hands to Lord Secret Envoy. However, something unexpected happened.

The Tianxuan Mirror actually prompted that it couldn't find the trading partner, and the transfer failed.

Large drops of sweat dripped from He Zhenghao's forehead.

There were only two possible reasons for this situation. One, he had the wrong target for the transfer, choosing a nonexistent person. Two, the other party temporarily suspended all functional permissions in the Tianxuan Mirror.

He Zhenghao quickly realized where the problem was. The first situation was obviously impossible. Lord Secret Envoy was appointed by the Immortal Alliance, a leading figure in the area.

So...

He also recalled what Li Fan had said before with profound meaning, about going into deep seclusion and not allowing anyone to disturb him. Li Fan had even left a body-splitting jade slip for emergency use.

"Oh no!" He Zhenghao slapped his thigh suddenly.

"It seems like what that brat Gao Yuan said is true; it's a test from Lord Secret Envoy."

He Zhenghao looked at the astronomical numbers on his account, and his face turned pale. The contribution points that looked pleasing to the eye now seemed like death warrants.

"Disaster, disaster. Although my investment ability is indeed extraordinary, it depends on the situation."

"I can manage tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of contribution points reluctantly."

"But handling billions of contribution points, I dare not operate."

"If I happen to make a profit, it's fine. But if I incur losses, won't I have to compensate?"

The more He Zhenghao thought about it, the more terrified he became.

He was well aware that those cultivators who addressed him warmly as "Brother He" or "Friend He" today did so based on the premise that they could make money.

Once their hard-earned contribution points were at risk in this fundraising plan, He Zhenghao feared they would be the first to tear him apart alive.

He Zhenghao felt dizzy for a moment, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed.

In this instant, the thought of "taking the money and fleeing" flashed through his mind. Fortunately, he managed to maintain some semblance of sanity.

Shaking his head to dispel the suicidal idea, He Zhenghao regained his composure and urgently sought out Gao Yuan.

Upon hearing the news, Gao Yuan's expression turned serious. Rather than hastily giving advice, he habitually frowned, tapped the table, and fell into contemplation.

Not daring to disturb Gao Yuan, He Zhenghao anxiously waited on the side.

After a while, Gao Yuan's brow relaxed, and the gloominess disappeared from his face. He reassured, "Friend He, rest assured. You don't need to act recklessly. Just patiently wait for Lord Secret Envoy's orders."

He Zhenghao was astonished, "What does Brother Gao mean?"

Gao Yuan smiled and confidently said, "Lord Secret Envoy is a person of great importance. While he may not care much about this billion contribution points himself, even I understand that such a huge sum is beyond the control of ordinary individuals."

"Although you, Friend He, have a good reputation, it seems you lack the confidence to manage and profit from such a large amount."

He Zhenghao nodded in agreement.

Gao Yuan continued, "Exactly. Since we both understand this, how could Lord Secret Envoy not? Remember the secondary jade slip he left for us. Lord Secret Envoy instructed us to use it to contact him."

"But think about it, this jade slip contains a strand of his divine consciousness. Therefore, he can naturally contact us through it."

He Zhenghao suddenly realized.

"As for how to handle this billion contribution points, Lord Secret Envoy must have made arrangements long ago. Friend He, just follow Lord Secret Envoy's instructions, complete the fundraising, and then await his guidance."

"Remember, those of us in subordinate positions must avoid acting independently and being overly clever," Gao Yuan advised.

"This time, Friend, you are fortunate to have come to me for advice rather than panic and directly use that secondary jade slip to report to Lord Secret Envoy."

"Otherwise, you might have failed this test," Gao Yuan emphasized.

He Zhenghao frowned, contemplated for a while, and took a deep breath. He quickly got up, bowed to Gao Yuan, and said, "Thank you, Brother Gao, for coming to my aid. If there's anything I can help you with in the future, feel free to ask!"

"Hehe, Brother He, you're being too serious. In the future, working under Lord Secret Envoy, you and I need to support each other," Gao Yuan replied politely.

With Gao Yuan's guidance, He Zhenghao finally felt relieved. He hurriedly returned to continue his fundraising plan.

Watching He Zhenghao's departing figure, Gao Yuan's eyes were inexplicably deep. He had repeatedly tried to recruit He Zhenghao because he sensed that this person held a somewhat special position in Lord Secret Envoy's eyes.

Although all were "tools," there was undoubtedly a distinction between close and distant ones. Those that were handy tended to be used repeatedly.

And it seemed that He Zhenghao fell into this category.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 550: Accumulate and Dwell in Wonders

Leaving aside Gao Yuan's insightful thoughts, let's return to He Zhenghao.

In an uneasy state of mind, it took him about ten days to finally complete the fundraising of one billion contribution points. Following Gao Yuan's advice, he patiently awaited Li Fan's next command.

This period was quite unbearable for He Zhenghao. Despite the apparent reasonableness, Gao Yuan's deductions were purely personal speculations. As for what Lord Secret Envoy was thinking...

Who could truly say?

Maybe he had the idea of letting me, He Zhenghao, manage that one billion contribution points?

Although He Zhenghao maintained a calm appearance, his mind was in turmoil. It felt as if he were a condemned prisoner awaiting his fate, tortured by the passing of time.

He truly experienced what the ancient cultivators referred to as the "invasion of the heart demon."

Fortunately, He Zhenghao's luck held. Just when he thought he could hardly endure any longer, he suddenly felt mysterious fluctuations from his storage ring.

Excited, He Zhenghao hastily composed himself and then retrieved the small metallic figure.

"Lord, do you have something for me?" He respectfully asked as he placed the figure on the table.

"Use the one billion contribution points you raised to quickly purchase the items listed here," Li Fan's voice came from the metallic figurine.

"You don't necessarily have to buy from the Tianxuan Mirror. Consider prioritizing items with slightly lower quality but much lower prices. Shortly after, when the prices of these items rise, you can sell them."

After briefing He Zhenghao on the task, Li Fan's voice gradually faded away.

In He Zhenghao's mind, there was now a blank space, like thunder echoing.

"Gao Yuan was wrong!"

"This time, Lord Secret Envoy really intends to entrust me, He Zhenghao, to operate this one billion contribution points!"

After a brief pause in thought, He Zhenghao slowly recovered. However, this time, he lacked the fear and helplessness he felt before.

Instead, he felt an inexplicable excitement and passion.

Although relying solely on his abilities might be insufficient, with the guidance of Lord Secret Envoy, it was an entirely different story!

Investment, in essence, is quite simple.

It's just about having information that others don't.

As long as you know information that others don't, even a pig could lie down and make money!

He Zhenghao's body trembled slightly, and his mind quickly read through the list Li Fan provided.

"Heaven Soothing Pill, Violent Qi Powder, Madness-Inducing Intent Pill..."

"Standard Heavenly Gang Armor, Divine Martial Thunder..."

"Hundred Battles Formation Diagram..."

The more He Zhenghao read, the more furrowed his brow became, and a look of confusion covered his face.

It was completely different from what he had anticipated.

He Zhenghao initially thought that Li Fan would instruct him to purchase rare ores, spirit woods, and other raw materials. With the complete control of the Tianxuan Mirror, the price fluctuations of these items wouldn't be too significant. At most, they would fluctuate by about twenty percent up or down. Even if he unfortunately bought at the highest point, holding them for a long enough time would allow him to reach another peak in prices. By then, selling would only result in a loss of some transaction fees, which could be easily ignored with a high enough merit level.

However, this time, the list of items Li Fan instructed to purchase consisted entirely of finished products.

And...

Chapter 550: Accumulating and Dwelling in Wonders

All the items listed were things used in battles, such as pills, magical tools, and formation diagrams.

Pills were understandable; cultivators exploring sect remnants might encounter danger, so it made sense to carry some for emergencies.

However, items like the Heavenly Gang Armor and Divine Martial Thunder were weapons most cultivators wouldn't use unless in a life-and-death struggle.

Not to mention those formation diagrams.

He Zhenghao checked the market's trading records for these items, and there were very few transactions. They were basically unsought.

The prices remained stable because these were mass-produced items with ample inventory.

Would the prices of these things rise?

Even though Li Fan had demonstrated his extraordinary prophetic ability in the past, He Zhenghao couldn't help but harbor deep doubts.

Do I really need to buy these things in large quantities?

He Zhenghao hesitated for a moment. However, Gao Yuan's admonitions echoed in his mind.

"We, as subordinates, may lack the ability, but the most important thing is to be obedient."

"Whatever the Lord asks us to do, we must resolutely and efficiently complete."

"Otherwise, with so many cultivators in the Congyun Sea, and us not being prodigies, why would the Lord favor us?"

...

He Zhenghao gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Even though I don't fully understand, I'll follow the Lord's instructions."

"Moreover, these pills and magical tools are widely known. Mentioning something cheap and effective, they will be the first to come to mind."

"Even if the Lord's prophecy fails, it shouldn't lead to significant losses."

He comforted himself in this way.

With determination, He Zhenghao, now focused, quickly sought advice from his various friends.

He Zhenghao was currently a hot commodity.

Upon hearing that he needed help, many cultivators enthusiastically provided suggestions.

After contacting and comparing the prices from over ten sources, He Zhenghao began his purchasing venture.

With a big client inquiring about products with accumulated inventory, these sellers naturally smiled. To expedite transactions and prevent the other party from backing out, they offered very favorable prices.

Although one billion contribution points seemed like a lot, when divided among the various types of pills and magical tools, it wasn't much.

Slightly larger production workshops could easily meet He Zhenghao's requirements.

As a result, the progress of the purchases happened faster than He Zhenghao expected.

When he had spent all the contribution points he raised, exchanging them for a pile of seemingly useless "junk," even though it was Li Fan's orders, He Zhenghao felt a bit hollow inside.

A surreal feeling lingered in his heart for a long time.

This unusual reaction from He Zhenghao, though he was already quite cautious, couldn't escape the attention of some people.

In the eyes of the public, every move He Zhenghao made not only represented himself. Everyone knew he was Li Fan's confidant. Such large-scale purchases, without Li Fan's instructions, would be suspicious.

Could it be that this ancient cultivator from the Upheaval Sky Sect has inferred something again?

Will the prices of these purchased items rise?

Many people hesitated for a moment, considering taking action.

However...

With the tragic case of Puxian Zhenyecao before them, more cultivators learned from experience, suspecting that Li Fan might be intentionally inflating prices.

They chose to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

(End of this chapter)