Chapter 69 – So It Was You All Along

Before entering seclusion, Li Fan had set a minimum threshold of 100 contribution points.

Once it dropped below that number, the assisted cultivation mode would forcibly interrupt.

It felt like being jolted awake from a wonderful dream. Li Fan felt a wave of irritation in his chest, though fortunately, the emotion was quickly suppressed.

“These contribution points are draining way too fast.”

The days of holding a fortune of over three thousand points felt like just yesterday, yet in the blink of an eye, he was empty-handed again.

“There’s still roughly two years before the Cloud-Water Celestial Palace opens. Before then, I need to find a way to earn some contribution points and build up my strength.”

He began browsing the Celestial Mystery Mirror’s task page once more.

Li Fan chose to completely ignore the official tasks issued by the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Even at the late Qi Refining stage, the official tasks available to him were still all low-reward, low-risk assignments.

For example, serving as an assistant to pill refiners, artifact forgers, or talisman crafters, or helping maintain and inspect various formations across the Cloud Sea.

Safe as they were, the contribution points trickled in far too slowly.

If Li Fan were inclined to study pill refining or artifact forging, it wouldn’t be out of the question to consider them.

But with the Cloud-Water Celestial Palace opening imminent, the most important thing right now was to get his hands on 《The Cloud-Water Chart》 first.

Unfortunately, Li Fan’s luck didn’t seem to be on his side this time.

After looking for a long while, he couldn’t find a single task that suited him.

After some thought, Li Fan took out the communication talisman He Zhenghao had given him and sent a message.

“Fellow Daoist He, might you know of any method to quickly earn contribution points? I’ve been searching the Celestial Mystery Mirror for ages, and most tasks only pay a few dozen points. My cultivation alone costs thirty points a day. At this rate, when will I ever be able to afford a Foundation Establishment technique?”

Li Fan spoke in a tone of complaint.

After sending the message, Li Fan set the communication talisman aside.

While waiting for He Zhenghao’s reply, he resumed his cultivation.

Without the aid of Spirit Awakening, his cultivation speed was considerably slower, but at least he was still making gradual progress.

Three days passed before He Zhenghao finally sent a reply.

“Hahaha, that’s just how our Myriad Immortals Alliance works. Newly joined cultivators typically need several years of hard work before they can afford a single technique. Everyone goes through this.”

“However…”

He Zhenghao shifted his tone and continued, “Since you joined on my recommendation, it’s only natural that I lend you a hand.”

“After all, I too hope that you’ll reach the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible!”

“But this matter isn’t something I can discuss over a communication talisman. If you’re willing, come to Glazed Glass Island. We can talk in person.”

…

Li Fan had originally just been asking casually with a try-and-see attitude, not expecting He Zhenghao to give such a definitive answer so readily.

“He truly is the Timely Rain. But there’s always a reason behind everything…” Recalling how He Zhenghao had been consistently generous toward others across both lifetimes—quite the anomaly among cultivators—Li Fan fell into thought.

Without hesitation, he exited the Celestial Mystery Mirror and headed straight for Glazed Glass Island.

Within the island protection formation of Glazed Glass Island, He Zhenghao sat in a pavilion atop a mountain peak, drinking tea. He had clearly been waiting for quite some time.

“It seems you couldn’t wait,” He Zhenghao said with a hearty laugh upon seeing Li Fan.

He clapped his hands, and the mountain beneath their feet suddenly began to tremble.

Then Li Fan witnessed the extraordinary sight of all the surrounding mountains rising upward in unison.

But he quickly realized the truth.

It wasn’t the other mountains rising—it was the mountain they stood on that was descending.

The mountain sank rapidly, soon dropping below ground level and arriving in a space filled with silvery clouds and mist.

Li Fan looked up. The rolling mountain ranges within the island protection formation now appeared like stars floating overhead.

The mountains were scattered, yet seemed to follow some underlying pattern that unified them into a whole.

They appeared still, yet were in constant motion.

Seeing Li Fan’s expression, He Zhenghao couldn’t help but look pleased. “What do you think of my Mountain-River Star Formation, Fellow Daoist?”

Li Fan had never seen the true face of Glazed Glass Island’s protection formation in his previous life either. Now, seeing it for the first time, he spoke with genuine admiration, “The Mountain-River Star Formation… it’s truly extraordinary. But why does Glazed Glass Island’s protection formation seem to be…”

He Zhenghao already knew what Li Fan was about to ask, and grew even more pleased. “That’s because the formation on Glazed Glass Island was built by me personally, so naturally it’s different from those on other islands.”

Li Fan was genuinely surprised. “I didn’t expect you to also be well-versed in formations, Fellow Daoist.”

But then a hint of doubt crept in. “A formation as vast as the Mountain-River Star Formation—you were able to construct it at the Foundation Establishment stage?”

He Zhenghao coughed and said solemnly, “Naturally, I had assistance. But the formation’s design and layout were absolutely led by me.”

“I won’t hide it from you, Fellow Daoist. The singular treasure upon which I based my Foundation Establishment was a Mountain-River Hundred-Vein Formation Chart. Because of this, I possess a talent for formations that ordinary cultivators simply cannot match. Speaking purely of formation mastery and setting aside cultivation level, even a typical Nascent Soul formation master might not surpass me.” He Zhenghao spoke with full confidence.

“I see…” Li Fan nodded, then asked, “So what exactly is this matter you mentioned, Fellow Daoist He? Why all the secrecy and elaborate arrangements?”

He Zhenghao said with a sly smile, “It’s nothing major, really. It’s just a bit… taboo.”

“Are you aware, Fellow Daoist, that many years ago, all the mortals in the cultivation world were collectively exiled to various small worlds on the periphery?”

Li Fan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’ve heard something about it.”

He Zhenghao continued, “Actually, these small worlds contain quite a few valuable things that can be exchanged for substantial contribution points. But collecting them single-handedly is time-consuming and labor-intensive—hardly worth the effort.”

“However, the powerful and influential mortals in these small worlds are often desperately scheming for a way to return to the cultivation world. So…”

Li Fan already understood what He Zhenghao was planning. “So?”

“We can use that as leverage and have those mortals collect resources for us. As it happens, I know of one such small world called Great Li. It’s quite vast, with several types of precious treasures to be found. There’s even a good amount of Star Sea Flowing Sand.”

“Star Sea Flowing Sand is a common material used in setting up formations. Typically, a jin (500 g) of it is worth between two and three contribution points…”

He Zhenghao went on at length with his explanation, but noticed Li Fan’s gaze growing increasingly strange. He couldn’t help feeling a bit awkward.

He then said, “Don’t look at me like that. I know what you’re thinking.”

“How could a dignified cultivator stoop so low as to do something like this, right?”

“But what you don’t realize, Fellow Daoist, is that if you don’t do it, someone else will.”

“Strip-mine a small world once every decade or so, and you can net over two thousand contribution points each time. Get a few such worlds going, and wouldn’t that be equivalent to earning an extra two thousand-plus contribution points every year for free?”

“Now that I’ve laid it all out for you—doesn’t it sound perfectly reasonable?”