Chapter 158: Development Amidst Twists and Turns

"Brother Li Fan, are you willing to join us on this journey?"

Looking at Kou Hong's inquiry, Li Fan decisively chose to refuse.

Their journey should not pose any danger.

But it was also destined to yield no results.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have become enemies over a manual of Nascent Soul cultivation nine years later.

The grand plan of guiding cultivation in the Bright Moon Palace was unfolding rapidly, and there was no way Li Fan would divert his attention to search for some Fire Meteor in the Abyss of Cangwu.

Seeing that Li Fan didn't agree, Kou Hong couldn't help but feel regretful, but still confidently said, "Don't worry, Brother Li Fan. If there's a significant opportunity this time, I'll definitely remember to leave you a share!"

Li Fan chuckled, expressing his understanding.

This matter was just a trivial episode, and Li Fan quickly pushed it out of his mind, reserving a bit of mental focus for the Bright Moon Palace business.

While the majority of his energy was once again invested in the endless study of formations.

The lure of the remaining 320,000 contribution points was too tempting for Li Fan to ignore.

As the time reached mid-42nd anchored year, with the complete recovery of the first batch of debts in the Bright Moon Palace, it marked the beginning of a new phase in the cultivation guidance business.

In three years, the assets of the Bright Moon Palace had more than doubled. The initial 100,000 contribution points had transformed into over 200,000, being borrowed by cultivators once again.

Becoming a continuously growing golden mountain.

At this point, the number of cultivators owing debts to the Bright Moon Palace, excluding those who had settled, had reached twenty-five.

Nearly 30,000 contribution points were recovered every month.

The reputation of the Bright Moon Palace was growing, attracting cultivators from other states who wanted to try their luck.

Li Fan ordered the removal of restrictions, allowing immediate lending as long as the contribution points were sufficient.

With money generating more money, the business scale of the Bright Moon Palace expanded even more rapidly, causing Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei to struggle in the face of the increasing number of debtors each month.

Fortunately, over these years, Li Fan encountered two individuals with exceptional talents—Zhu Ge Yu and Si Ma Cang.

Both of them completed the Qi Refining process in just a few years, with their innate talents slightly inferior to Xiao Heng.

So, instead of taking their contribution points, Li Fan generously gifted them rare treasures and foundational cultivation techniques after they completed Foundation Building.

Upon reaching Foundation Building, they gratefully joined the Bright Moon Palace, contributing their efforts to the cultivation guidance business.

After observing them for a while, Li Fan agreed to their request.

However, the core secrets of the Bright Moon Palace were kept away from them, and they were assigned to debt collection tasks.

Nevertheless, Li Fan didn't mistreat them.

In addition to the fixed annual reward of 5,000 contribution points, they received a three percent commission for each debt collected.

Although the percentage wasn't high, it motivated them to work enthusiastically.

The addition of Zhu Ge Yu and Si Ma Cang eased the pressure on debt collection for a while, but with the growing scale, it was clear that more hands would be needed.

So, Li Fan kept an eye out, ready to recruit any talent he encountered in the cultivation guidance business.

The grand display of wealth by the Bright Moon Palace inevitably attracted the attention of others.

First, a Golden Core stage cultivator attempted to probe the truth of the Bright Moon Palace.

At that time, Li Fan didn't personally appear. He transformed into the Moon Lake and wielded the Cloud Sword.

With a chilly sword aura, the Golden Core cultivator, observed by many Qi Refining cultivators, was beheaded without any resistance.

Witnessing this scene, the onlookers were shaken, and their awe for the mysterious Bright Moon Palace deepened.

Yet, Li Fan had no hint of pride. He knew that eventually, the attention of higher-level cultivators was inevitable.

It was anticipated, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

"The original sin of being weak." Li Fan sighed inwardly, not daring to delay any longer and started preparing for evacuation.

He spent a considerable amount to purchase a one-time random teleportation array at the Heaven Profound Realm.

It was set up near the treasure trove.

Once activated, the teleportation array would self-destruct.

The aftermath of the explosion would destroy tens of thousands of Dao Rhyme artifacts along with the Bright Moon Palace.

He then upgraded and modified the Kan Ling Illusionary Wave Grand Array.

The upgraded array could withstand attacks from any Nascent Soul cultivator and could resist a Divine Transformation expert for a moment.

During this period, Li Fan felt that the breakthrough to the mid-Foundation Building stage was not far away.

If necessary, he could escape through the teleportation array.

In the face of the impending crisis, Li Fan didn't shrink back. Instead, with the idea of making one last fortune, he expanded the cultivation guidance business even more crazily.

The probing of higher-level cultivators came later than expected.

In the 43rd anchored year, a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator came to the Moon Lake, seeking an audience with the owner of the Bright Moon Palace.

Li Fan simply opened the Kan Ling Illusionary Wave Grand Array, refusing to meet the visitor.

This Nascent Soul expert seemed discerning. After casually launching an attack and testing the defensive array, he no longer insisted and left on his own.

After Golden Core came Nascent Soul, could Divine Transformation be next?

Watching the departing figure of the Nascent Soul cultivator, Li Fan's expression darkened.

Although this Nascent Soul cultivator couldn't see the true owner of the Bright Moon Palace, his purpose had been achieved.

There certainly were no cultivators of mid-Nascent Soul or higher inside the Bright Moon Palace.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen to shut themselves away.

Exposed, the sense of mystery disappeared.

The debt collection actions also became increasingly difficult.

First, Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei were ambushed, almost losing their lives.

Fortunately, the treasures given by Li Fan protected them, allowing them to escape.

Zhu Ge Yu and Si Ma Cang weren't as lucky.

Si Ma Cang was captured, his life and death uncertain.

Zhu Ge Yu returned with severe injuries, unconscious.

The situation took a sudden turn for the worse, and it seemed that the recovery of external debts was about to become impossible.

Under these circumstances, Li Fan, with a heavy heart, activated the No-Phantom Killing Machine, killing two or three cultivators who maliciously withheld their debts.

This temporarily suppressed the trend of debts not being repaid.

"Starting your own business is really tough." Looking at the dejected crowd in the Bright Moon Palace, Li Fan couldn't help but sigh.

"Survive one day at a time. Fortunately, I feel that breaking through to the mid-Foundation Building stage is not far off."

"If things don't work out, I'll change my name, move to another state, and start over."

In the face of adversity, the Bright Moon Palace temporarily halted the cultivation guidance business.

They focused on retrieving contribution points, preparing for an imminent evacuation.

However, it seemed that fate was rare this time, standing on Li

 Fan's side.

A sudden major event occurred, plunging the Source Dao State back into a bloodbath.

The majority of Nascent Soul and Divine Transformation cultivators were affected, entangled in endless battles.

No one had time to care about the small Bright Moon Palace.

Two outstanding talents from the Blue Feather sect in the Source Dao State, Du Gu Xi and Du Gu Shi, went missing simultaneously.

(End of this chapter)