Chapter 70 – Seeking a Nascent Soul Method

Listening to He Zhenghao’s rambling explanation, Li Fan watched the figure before him gradually overlap with a memory from his previous life — the cultivator he had encountered upon first entering the cultivation world, the one who had rescued that group of travelers from the separated realm.

“Well, well. So it was you all along, stealing from within your own post! No wonder the Heavenly Treasure House was running a smuggling operation right under your nose without ever getting into trouble. Even in my past life, when rumors of the Heavenly Treasure House smuggling mortals were known across the entire island, nothing ever came of it.”

Thinking it over carefully — it made sense.

Given He Zhenghao’s famously greedy nature, how could he possibly let such easy profit slip to someone else?

It was entirely reasonable.

Li Fan felt somewhat speechless, though he quickly came to terms with reality.

“So what does Fellow Daoist He have in mind?”

Seeing that Li Fan raised no objection, He Zhenghao brightened immediately. “It’s simple. I only need Fellow Daoist to make a trip to the separated realm and bring back the supplies I had the people there collect for me ten years ago.”

“After selling those supplies, we split the contribution points earned — half for you, half for me.”

“I’m bound to the defense of Glazed Glass Island and cannot get away. I had originally planned to find someone else to work with, but then Fellow Daoist sent me a message, so I switched to contacting you instead.”

He thought it over. There was genuinely little risk in this arrangement.

Over a thousand contribution points in thirty days far exceeded what most available tasks could offer.

“How long would a round trip take?” This was something he had to clarify in advance — Li Fan had no intention of missing the opening of Cloud-Water Celestial Palace.

“Don’t worry, twenty to thirty days at most. It won’t interfere with Fellow Daoist’s cultivation,” He Zhenghao assured.

“Very well. I accept.”

He Zhenghao smiled with satisfaction and produced a small wooden boat, handing it to Li Fan. “Once you’ve collected the supplies, hand this to the mortals in the separated realm. After that, you needn’t concern yourself with anything else.”

Li Fan took it and examined it. The wooden boat bore some resemblance to the Taiyan Vessel, yet was far less refined.

“It’s just an ordinary wooden boat with a few formation arrays carved into it — not a proper magical instrument. Even so, it’s more than enough to carry those mortals safely through the immortal-barren grand formation and bring them here,” He Zhenghao explained.

“Of course, the formation’s power can only sustain a single crossing. Once they arrive in the cultivation world, the arrays on the boat will have exhausted their energy and dissolve on their own.”

“This is simply a precaution against those mortals attempting to replicate it.”

“Fellow Daoist He is truly thorough in his thinking,” Li Fan said, without a great deal of sincerity.

He Zhenghao laughed heartily and paid it no mind.

He then produced a spirit talisman and, with some reluctance, handed it to Li Fan.

“Regardless of anything else, helping mortals cross over is something that can’t be done openly. If another cultivator happens to see you, it wouldn’t just be a matter of losing face — you might also have to answer to the Myriad Immortals Alliance. To be safe, Fellow Daoist should keep this Form-Concealing Talisman on your person to avoid being recognized.”

Li Fan nodded and accepted it without comment.

“This Form-Concealing Talisman can conceal both your form and your aura — it’s an advanced version of the qi-concealing talisman. Once activated, even a Core Formation stage cultivator cannot see through it. It is truly indispensable for killing—”

“Truly indispensable for any cultivator venturing abroad.” He Zhenghao caught himself, then added with a note of regret: “The only pity is that the Spirit Mist Grass needed to craft the Form-Concealing Talisman is rather scarce, which has kept its price persistently high.”

“Fifty contribution points per talisman.”

“That said, if Fellow Daoist ever needs more in the future, you can seek out a cultivator on Ten Thousand Immortals Island by the name of Jiao Xiuyuan. He has a large stock of defective Form-Concealing Talismans, apparently discarded rejects from the Talisman Hall on Ten Thousand Immortals Island. Despite being called defective, they still function normally — they simply aren’t as effective, and can only fool Foundation Establishment cultivators.”

“But the price is low — only twenty contribution points. If you’re heading out in the future, young friend, it wouldn’t hurt to keep a few on hand.” He Zhenghao continued his tireless tutoring.

Afterward, He Zhenghao walked Li Fan through all the precautions for traveling to the separated realm and the various situations he might encounter there in careful detail.

With all preparations complete, Li Fan made ready to set out for the separated realm.

His aim was to go quickly and return quickly.

Yet just before departing, Li Fan could not help himself, and spoke up: “Fellow Daoist He, there is one matter I have long been somewhat puzzled about — though I’m not sure whether I ought to ask…”

He Zhenghao looked momentarily taken aback, then said, “Go ahead and speak freely.”

“Fellow Daoist He, you are a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, holding the post of guardian of Glazed Glass Island, and a master of formation arrays at that. By rights, you shouldn’t be so short on contribution points. Why is it that…”

“…you still appear to be rather strapped?” Li Fan paused, choosing his words diplomatically.

He Zhenghao assumed Li Fan was worried about his own future prospects within the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

He gave a rueful smile and explained: “Fellow Daoist misunderstands. Within the Myriad Immortals Alliance, Foundation Establishment cultivators may not have unlimited freedom with contribution points, but they certainly don’t end up as pinched as I am.”

“Oh? What difficulty is Fellow Daoist He finding hard to speak of?” Li Fan asked with genuine curiosity.

“To speak plainly — I have set my sights on a Nascent Soul cultivation method. It meshes remarkably well with my Foundation Establishment singularity. If I could switch to cultivating that method, I would certainly attain the Golden Core within a hundred years, and even the Nascent Soul stage would be all but guaranteed.” A flash of longing crossed He Zhenghao’s eyes.

“The trouble is that a true Nascent Soul art is extraordinarily precious. Even after saving for a long time, the contribution points I need are still far more than what I have.”

“So I have no choice but to scrimp and save wherever I can.” He sighed. “And even doing that, I have no idea when I’ll ever manage to redeem it.”

“Nor do I know whether, before that day comes, this method I’ve been longing for might be redeemed by someone else first.”

He Zhenghao sighed.

Then, as if remembering something, he turned back to Li Fan: “Right — you’re already at the late Qi Refining stage now. When the time comes to choose your Foundation Establishment method, if you have the means, be sure to choose one that is compatible with your Foundation Establishment singularity. Not only will your cultivation proceed with far greater efficiency, but there will be many other benefits as well. Due to the restrictions of the Celestial Mystery Mirror, I cannot say too much about the specifics. But keep that point in mind, and you won’t go wrong.”

“Compatibility between one’s Foundation Establishment singularity and one’s cultivation method…” Li Fan murmured, nodding slowly.

Then he heard He Zhenghao sigh again: “In truth, the method I currently cultivate is itself extraordinary — something I came across by chance in my youth while exploring an obscure cave dwelling. It contains all manner of wondrous techniques.”

“The pity is that the cultivation difficulty is exceptionally high. Even advancing a single minor realm takes decades, sometimes over a century.”

“If the Foundation Establishment stage is already this grueling, then were I to press on with this method into the Core Formation stage, I would certainly exhaust my lifespan before ever achieving a breakthrough — death and dissolution of my Dao would be inevitable.”

“Changing my method is truly an act of necessity, not choice.” Having said all this, He Zhenghao fell into a deep silence.

Li Fan listened, cupped his hands in farewell, and set off directly for the separated realm.

He Zhenghao watched Li Fan’s departing figure and sighed inwardly once more.

There was, in truth, one thing he had left unsaid.

It was true that the Sitting Mountain Art allowed him to receive nourishment in return for helping junior cultivators — but…

The path of cultivation was simply too cruel.

Over the years, he had cast his net wide, raising up one promising junior after another.

And yet the vast majority had died without explanation before long, never even reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

To encounter someone like Li Fan — so young, yet already at the late Qi Refining stage — was already a stroke of heaven-sent fortune.

After all, how many true talents could there be in the world, waiting to be found by the likes of him?