suí zhe jìng tǐ líng chí suǒ xū cái liào de gōng bù ， liú lí dǎo biǎo miàn shàng hái shì fēng píng làng jìng ， shí zé zǎo yǐ àn liú yǒng dòng 。
随着净体灵池所需材料的公布，琉璃岛表面上还是风平浪静，实则早已暗流涌动。
With the announcement of the materials needed for the Purification Spirit Pool, Lustrous Isle appeared calm on the surface, but beneath it, things were already stirring.
jiù lián yī xiē bù guān xīn cǐ shì de pǔ tōng rén dōu zhī dào le dǎo shàng de dà shì lì rú jīn dōu zài xún zhǎo yī yàng jiào zuò xīng hǎi liú shā de dōng xī 。
就连一些不关心此事的普通人都知道了岛上的大势力如今都在寻找一样叫做星海流沙的东西。
Even ordinary people who didn't care about this matter knew that the major powers on the island were now searching for something called Star Sea Flowing Sand.
lǐ fán àn zhōng dǎ tàn wú guǒ ， zhè tiān ， què yíng lái le yī wèi yì liào zhī wài de kè rén 。
李凡暗中打探无果，这天，却迎来了一位意料之外的客人。
Li Fan secretly inquired without success. That day, he was greeted by an unexpected guest—Xiao Heng, whom Li Fan had met when he first arrived in the world of cultivators.
zhèng shì lǐ fán dāng chū gāng lái xiū xiān jiè yù dào le lí jiè zhōng rén ， xiāo héng 。
正是李凡当初刚来修仙界遇到了离界中人，萧恒。
"Feel free to sit down," Li Fan said as he poured him a cup of tea.
“ suí biàn zuò 。” lǐ fán gěi tā zhēn le bēi chá 。
“随便坐。”李凡给他斟了杯茶。
Xiao Heng looked around at Li Fan's current residence with envy and nostalgia in his eyes.
xiāo héng dǎ liàng zhe lǐ fán xiàn rú jīn de zhù chù ， yǎn zhōng mǎn shì xiàn mù yǔ huái niàn 。
萧恒打量着李凡现如今的住处，眼中满是羡慕与怀念。
"Do you know why I've come to see you, little brother?" He asked amiably. "I have quite the good impression of you."
“ bù zhī xiǎo xiōng dì zhǎo wǒ yǒu shén me shì me ？” tā duì zhè xiāo héng yìn xiàng hái bú cuò ， hé qì dì chū shēng wèn dào 。
“不知小兄弟找我有什么事么？”他对这萧恒印象还不错，和气地出声问道。
Xiao Heng first scanned the surroundings cautiously before leaning in close and whispering, "I heard that Uncle Li has also been searching for Star Sea Flowing Sand recently?"
xiāo héng xiān shì jǐng tì dì sǎo shì le xià sì zhōu ， suí hòu còu shàng qián ， xiǎo shēng shuō dào ：“ tīng shuō lǐ lǎo gē zuì jìn yě zài xún zhǎo xīng hǎi liú shā ？”
萧恒先是警惕地扫视了下四周，随后凑上前，小声说道：“听说李老哥最近也在寻找星海流沙？”
Li Fan's eyes narrowed. "Indeed. I am old now; to cultivate, I can only rely on the Purification Spirit Pool. Do you know about this item?"
lǐ fán yǎn shén yī níng ：“ bù cuò 。 wǒ nián jì yǐ gāo ， xiǎng yào xiū xíng ， zhǐ néng kào jìng tǐ líng chí 。 zěn me ， nǐ zhī dào zhè dōng xī ？”
李凡眼神一凝：“不错。我年纪已高，想要修行，只能靠净体灵池。怎么，你知道这东西？”
Xiao Heng swallowed hard before nodding. "Yes. When Immortal Master descended upon Great Li and promised that anyone who gathered the necessary supplies could be taken to the world of cultivators, Star Sea Flowing Sand was among those materials."
xiāo héng yàn le yàn kǒu shuǐ ， diǎn le diǎn tóu ：“ shì de ， dāng chū xiān shī jiàng lín dà lí ， xǔ nuò zhǐ yào còu qí tā suǒ xū yào de wù zī ， jiù néng dài yī pī rén qián wǎng xiū xiān dà shì jiè 。 zhè qí zhōng ， jiù yǒu xīng hǎi liú shā 。”
萧恒咽了咽口水，点了点头：“是的，当初仙师降临大离，许诺只要凑齐他所需要的物资，就能带一批人前往修仙大世界。这其中，就有星海流沙。”
Li Fan was taken aback. "Really? I don't recall this at all."
lǐ fán yī lèng ， suí hòu yǒu xiē yí huò de shuō dào ：“ yǒu me ？ wǒ zěn me duì cǐ méi yǒu yìn xiàng ？”
李凡一愣，随后有些疑惑的说道：“有么？我怎么对此没有印象？”
Previously, he had also asked around in Great Li, but everyone claimed ignorance, which is why he was curious.
zhī qián lǐ fán yě zhǎo dà lí nà qún rén xún wèn guò ， yě dōu shì fēn fēn biǎo shì bù zhī qíng ， suǒ yǐ cái yǒu cǐ wèn 。
之前李凡也找大离那群人询问过，也都是纷纷表示不知情，所以才有此问。
Xiao Heng felt a bit embarrassed and explained, "When the list of supplies was announced to the public, several items were already removed as part of an internal quota. My family received Star Sea Flowing Sand."
xiāo héng yī tīng ， yǒu xiē gān gà ：“ dāng chū zài zhāo gào tiān xià zhī shí ， qīng dān shàng de nèi róng jiù yǐ jīng jiǎn qù le jǐ yàng ， zuò wéi nèi dìng de míng é ， fēn gěi le dà lí gè dà shì jiā 。 fēn dào wǒ jiā suǒ xū sōu jí de ， jiù shì zhè xīng hǎi liú shā 。”
萧恒一听，有些尴尬：“当初在昭告天下之时，清单上的内容就已经减去了几样，作为内定的名额，分给了大离各大世家。分到我家所需搜集的，就是这星海流沙。”
Li Fan nodded slowly.
lǐ fán huǎn huǎn diǎn tóu 。
李凡缓缓点头。
"Tell me your conditions," Li Fan said bluntly.
“ shuō ba ， nǐ de tiáo jiàn shì shén me ？” lǐ fán kāi mén jiàn shān de wèn dào 。
“说吧，你的条件是什么？”李凡开门见山的问道。
Seeing how direct Li Fan was being, Xiao Heng felt a bit awkward and blushed. "When you paid to bury Changyu, it was a favor. I shouldn't have asked for this, but the life on Lustrous Isle is too hard. I don't have your abilities; I still live in the outskirts slums, working hard every day just to make ends meet..."
jiàn lǐ fán zhè me zhí jiē ， xiāo héng fǎn dào shì yǒu xiē bù hǎo yì sī le ， zhàng hóng le liǎn ， jiě shì dào ：“ dāng chū nǐ chū qián ān zàng le zhǎng yù ， yě suàn shì duì wǒ yǒu ēn 。 wǒ běn bù yīng gāi rú cǐ ， shí zài shì zhè liú lí dǎo shàng de rì zi tài nán áo 。 wǒ méi yǒu lǐ lǎo gē nǐ zhè me dà de běn shì ， rú jīn hái zhù zài jiāo wài de pín mín kū lǐ ， měi tiān dōu yào gàn kǔ lì wéi chí shēng huó ……”
见李凡这么直接，萧恒反倒是有些不好意思了，涨红了脸，解释道：“当初你出钱安葬了长玉，也算是对我有恩。我本不应该如此，实在是这琉璃岛上的日子太难熬。我没有李老哥你这么大的本事，如今还住在郊外的贫民窟里，每天都要干苦力维持生活……”
Xiao Heng rambled on, and Li Fan chuckled, interrupting him.
xiāo héng xù xù dāo dāo dì shuō zhe ， lǐ fán qīng qīng yī xiào ， dǎ duàn le tā 。
萧恒絮絮叨叨地说着，李凡轻轻一笑，打断了他。
"Enough said. I understand your difficulties. This item is essential for me. If you can provide any clues, no matter what you need, I will do my best to fulfill it."
“ huà bù bì duō shuō ， nǐ de nán chǔ wǒ yě zhī dào 。 cǐ wù wǒ zhì zài bì děi ， zhǐ yào nǐ néng tí gōng xiàn suǒ ， yǒu shén me yāo qiú jǐn guǎn tí ， wǒ yí dìng jǐn liàng mǎn zú 。”
“话不必多说，你的难处我也知道。此物我志在必得，只要你能提供线索，有什么要求尽管提，我一定尽量满足。”
Xiao Heng was deeply grateful: "Thank you, Uncle."
xiāo héng shí fēn gǎn jī ：“ rú cǐ wǒ jiù xiān xiè xiè lǎo gē le 。”
萧恒十分感激：“如此我就先谢谢老哥了。”
He paused before adding with a sigh, "Actually, this Star Sea Flowing Sand isn't rare; the difference lies in the Immortal Master's title. Without the list and its descriptions of materials, I wouldn't know that Star Sea Flowing Sand is just meteoric iron from the sky."
tā dùn le dùn ， suí hòu yǒu xiē gǎn kǎi de shuō dào ：“ qí shí cǐ wù shuō lái bìng bù xī yǒu ， zhǐ shì xiān shī de chēng hū yǔ wǒ men fán rén bù tóng ér yǐ 。 dāng rán ， ruò bú shì dāng chū suí qīng dān yī qǐ fù dài le gè cái liào de shuō míng ， wǒ yě bú huì zhī dào ， qí shí suǒ wèi de xīng hǎi liú shā ， jiù shì tiān shàng de yǔn tiě ér yǐ 。”
他顿了顿，随后有些感慨的说道：“其实此物说来并不稀有，只是仙师的称呼与我们凡人不同而已。当然，若不是当初随清单一起附带了各材料的说明，我也不会知道，其实所谓的星海流沙，就是天上的陨铁而已。”
Li Fan pondered for a moment before understanding dawned on him: "Star Sea Flowing Sand... So it is. But does only any meteoric iron do? Are there other special requirements?"
lǐ fán tīng le ， xì xì zhuó mó ， suí hòu huǎng rán dà wù ：“ xīng hǎi liú shā …… yuán lái rú cǐ 。 kě zhǐ yào shì yǔn tiě jiù xíng le me ？ hái yǒu shén me qí tā tè shū de yāo qiú ？”
李凡听了，细细琢磨，随后恍然大悟：“星海流沙……原来如此。可只要是陨铁就行了么？还有什么其他特殊的要求？”
"Yes, yes," Xiao Heng nodded repeatedly as he detailed his specific conditions.
“ yǒu de ， yǒu de 。”
“有的，有的。”
"Firstly, the appearance of the meteoric iron must be good; those with dents and scratches are out. Secondly, each piece should weigh at least fifty catties. Then..."
xiāo héng lián lián diǎn tóu ， suí hòu màn màn jiāng jù tǐ yāo qiú yī yī dào lái 。
萧恒连连点头，随后慢慢将具体要求一一道来。
While listening, Li Fan committed these details to memory.
“ shǒu xiān ， zhè yǔn tiě wài guān yào hǎo ， biǎo miàn kēng kēng wā wā de jiù bù xíng 。 qí cì ， yī kuài de zhěng tǐ zhòng liàng zuì shǎo yào zài wǔ shí jīn yǐ shàng 。 rán hòu ……”
“首先，这陨铁外观要好，表面坑坑洼洼的就不行。其次，一块的整体重量最少要在五十斤以上。然后……”
After Xiao Heng finished speaking, Li Fan didn't forget his promise.
lǐ fán yī biān tīng zhe ， yī biān jiāng qí láo láo jì zài nǎo hǎi zhōng 。
李凡一边听着，一边将其牢牢记在脑海中。
"What do you want?"
děng xiāo héng shuō wán ， lǐ fán yě méi wàng jì tā de chéng nuò 。
等萧恒说完，李凡也没忘记他的承诺。
Xiao Heng whispered, "I just need a decent garden and a slightly easier job. Of course, if I could have some maids, that would be even better."
“ shuō ba ， nǐ xiǎng yào xiē shén me 。”
“说吧，你想要些什么。”
Li Fan had expected Xiao Heng to ask for more, but he was pleasantly surprised by how simple the request was.
xiāo héng xiǎo shēng shuō dào ：“ wǒ zhǐ xiǎng yào gè xiàng yàng diǎn de yuàn zi ， wài jiā yī fèn shāo wēi qīng sōng diǎn de gōng zuò jiù xíng 。 dāng rán ， ruò shì néng yǒu jǐ míng shì nǚ jiù gèng hǎo le 。”
萧恒小声说道：“我只想要个像样点的院子，外加一份稍微轻松点的工作就行。当然，若是能有几名侍女就更好了。”
"Surprisingly, Son of South Town Governor, you only want this much? You can add a bit more; in Tianbao Tower, I still have some influence."
lǐ fán yǐ jīng zuò hǎo le xiāo héng shī zi dà kāi kǒu de zhǔn bèi ， cǐ kè què jiàn duì fāng rú cǐ jiǎn dān jiù néng mǎn zú ， bù yóu dì xiào zhe yáo le yáo tóu 。
李凡已经做好了萧恒狮子大开口的准备，此刻却见对方如此简单就能满足，不由地笑着摇了摇头。
Xiao Heng politely declined. "I know my limits. A good life without too much toil is enough for me. Sudden wealth might bring disaster."
“ méi xiǎng dào táng táng zhèn nán wáng zhī zi ， jiù zhè me diǎn yāo qiú ？ bù fáng zài jiā yì diǎn ， wǒ zài tiān bǎo lóu zhōng ， hái shì néng shuō de shàng huà de 。”
“没想到堂堂镇南王之子，就这么点要求？不妨再加一点，我在天宝楼中，还是能说的上话的。”
Li Fan nodded and didn't press further.
xiāo héng wǎn jù le ：“ wǒ qīng chǔ wǒ zì jǐ de néng nài 。 néng gòu chī hǎo zhù hǎo ， bù yòng huó de nà me lèi ， wǒ jiù yǐ jīng hěn mǎn zú le 。 ruò shì tū rán yǒu le ràng rén yǎn hóng de cái fù ， fǎn ér róng yì zhāo lái zāi huò 。”
萧恒婉拒了：“我清楚我自己的能耐。能够吃好住好，不用活的那么累，我就已经很满足了。若是突然有了让人眼红的财富，反而容易招来灾祸。”
After a few more pleasantries, Xiao Heng left.
lǐ fán diǎn le diǎn tóu ， yě bù zài qiǎng qiú 。
李凡点了点头，也不再强求。
"Any plans to cultivate? After all, it's not worth the trouble of coming here if you don't plan on doing anything," Li Fan asked as he saw him off.
liǎng rén yòu hán xuān le jǐ jù hòu ， xiāo héng gào bié 。
两人又寒暄了几句后，萧恒告别。
"I'll think about it later. I have no interest in cultivation; reading that Xuanhuang Qixin Spell makes me drowsy, and I'm not sure how long it will take to rid myself of the Immortal-Demon Mist."
“ yǒu méi yǒu xiū xíng de dǎ suàn ？ bì jìng qiān nán wàn kǔ lái dào zhè xiū xiān dà shì jiè ， yě bù néng bái pǎo le yī tàng bú shì ？” lín bié zhī jì ， lǐ fán tū rán wèn dào 。
“有没有修行的打算？毕竟千难万苦来到这修仙大世界，也不能白跑了一趟不是？”临别之际，李凡突然问道。
Xiao Heng left without a backward glance.
“ rì hòu zài shuō ba 。 duì xiū xiān shí zài méi yǒu xìng qù ， nà 《 xuán huáng qīng xīn zhòu 》 yī dú jiù hūn hūn yù shuì ， wán quán qū chú zhàng qì yě bù zhī dào yào duō jiǔ 。” xiāo héng yì xìng lán shān de huí dá dào ， tóu yě bù huí de lí kāi le 。
“日后再说吧。对修仙实在没有兴趣，那《玄黄清心咒》一读就昏昏欲睡，完全祛除瘴气也不知道要多久。”萧恒意兴阑珊的回答道，头也不回的离开了。
After seeing Xiao Heng off, Li Fan hurried to Tianbao Tower.
sòng zǒu xiāo héng ， lǐ fán cōng cōng gǎn wǎng tiān bǎo lóu 。
送走萧恒，李凡匆匆赶往天宝楼。
Meeting Yin Yuzhen, Li Fan repeated Xiao Heng's account about Star Sea Flowing Sand.
jiàn dào le yīn yǔ zhēn ， lǐ fán chóng fù le biàn xiāo héng guān yú xīng hǎi liú shā de lùn shù 。
见到了殷雨珍，李凡重复了遍萧恒关于星海流沙的论述。
"Star Sea Flowing Sand is just meteoric iron? So simple?" Yin Yuzhen was surprised. "Is this Vast Abyss trustworthy?"
“ xīng hǎi liú shā jiù shì yǔn tiě ？ zhè me jiǎn dān ？” yīn yǔ zhēn yǒu xiē yì wài 。“ zhè ge jiào xiāo héng de kě xìn me ？”
“星海流沙就是陨铁？这么简单？”殷雨珍有些意外。“这个叫萧恒的可信么？”
Li Fan affirmed, "He seems honest."
“ yīng gāi méi yǒu shuō huǎng 。” lǐ fán kěn dìng dào 。
“应该没有说谎。”李凡肯定道。
"But we shouldn't take his word for it," Li Fan suddenly changed the subject. "Didn't you say that a representative from Wan Hua Chamber of Commerce will be coming to Lustrous Isle soon? We can probe him later."
“ dàn yě bù néng bù zuò yìn zhèng 。” lǐ fán tū rán huà yīn yī zhuǎn ，“ nǐ bú shì shuō bù jiǔ hòu wàn huá shāng huì de shāng huì xíng zǒu jiù yào lái liú lí dǎo me ， dào shí hòu bù fáng cóng tā kǒu zhōng tàn gè xū shí 。”
“但也不能不做印证。”李凡突然话音一转，“你不是说不久后万华商会的商会行走就要来琉璃岛么，到时候不妨从他口中探个虚实。”
"That's a good idea," Yin Yuzhen agreed. "It would save us some expenses."
“ shì gè hǎo zhǔ yì 。” yīn yǔ zhēn zàn tóng dào ，“ rú guǒ néng shěng xià yī bǐ fèi yòng shì zài hǎo bù guò le 。”
“是个好主意。”殷雨珍赞同道，“如果能省下一笔费用是再好不过了。”
"Regardless, we need to secretly buy meteoric iron that meets the requirements. Not many people know about this yet; it might change in the future. Also, when purchasing, mix other items with the meteoric iron to avoid suspicion and confusion. At the same time, spread false rumors about Star Sea Flowing Sand in the market."
“ bù guǎn zěn me yàng ， hái shì yào xiān àn zhōng gòu mǎi fú hé yāo qiú de yǔn tiě 。 xiàn zài zhī dào cǐ wù de rén hái bù duō ， zài guò bù jiǔ jiù shuō bù dìng le 。 lìng wài ， cǎi gòu shí bì xū hùn zá zhe qí tā dōng xī yì qǐ gòu mǎi ， yòng lái yǎn rén ěr mù 、 hùn xiáo shì tīng 。 tóng shí ， kě yǐ mìng rén zài shì chǎng shàng fàng chū guān yú xīng hǎi liú shā de jiǎ xiāo xī ， jiāng shuǐ jiǎo hún 。”
“不管怎么样，还是要先暗中购买符合要求的陨铁。现在知道此物的人还不多，再过不久就说不定了。另外，采购时必须混杂着其他东西一起购买，用来掩人耳目、混淆视听。同时，可以命人在市场上放出关于星海流沙的假消息，将水搅浑。”
Li Fan thought for a moment before giving further instructions.
lǐ fán xiǎng le xiǎng ， yòu nài xīn zhǔ fù dào 。
李凡想了想，又耐心嘱咐道。
To ensure his place in the Purification Spirit Pool, Li Fan needed meticulous planning.
wèi le què bǎo jìng tǐ líng chí de míng é guī shǔ ， lǐ fán xū yào zuò hǎo wàn quán de móu huà 。
为了确保净体灵池的名额归属，李凡需要做好万全的谋划。
"Uncle, you're really something. I only knew you had a Divine Sensory Treasure Body; I didn't expect this," Yin Yuzhen's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she saw Li Fan's organized plans.
“ dà shū nǐ hái zhēn shì bù jiǎn dān a 。 yǐ qián zhǐ zhī dào nǐ shì tōng líng bǎo tǐ ， méi xiǎng dào nǐ hái yǒu zhè me yī shǒu 。” yīn yǔ zhēn jiàn dào lǐ fán zhè xiē yǒu tiáo bù wěn de bù shǔ ， yǎn zhōng dùn shí fàn qǐ yī sī hào qí 。
“大叔你还真是不简单啊。以前只知道你是通灵宝体，没想到你还有这么一手。”殷雨珍见到李凡这些有条不紊的部署，眼中顿时泛起一丝好奇。
"What did you do before?" Yin Yuzhen asked.
“ dà shū nǐ yǐ qián shì gàn shén me de ？” yīn yǔ zhēn bù yóu dì wèn dào 。
“大叔你以前是干什么的？”殷雨珍不由地问道。
"Just taught people to read," Li Fan evaded.
“ jiào rén dú shū de ér yǐ 。” lǐ fán fū yǎn dào 。
“教人读书的而已。”李凡敷衍道。
Yin Yuzhen was unconvinced.
yīn yǔ zhēn yī liǎn bù xìn 。
殷雨珍一脸不信。
"Alright, handle it; I need to go cultivate. Don't disturb me unless there are special circumstances. By the way, deal with what Vast Abyss said too." With those words, Li Fan left Tianbao Tower.
“ hǎo le ， shì qíng jiù jiāo gěi nǐ qù bàn ， wǒ hái yào qù xiū xíng 。 chú fēi yǒu tè shū zhuàng kuàng ， fǒu zé bú yào dǎ rǎo wǒ 。 duì le ， wǒ dā yìng xiāo héng de shì nǐ yě shùn biàn chǔ lǐ le 。” lǐ fán zuì hòu jiāo dài le jù ， suí hòu jiù lí kāi le tiān bǎo lóu 。
“好了，事情就交给你去办，我还要去修行。除非有特殊状况，否则不要打扰我。对了，我答应萧恒的事你也顺便处理了。”李凡最后交代了句，随后就离开了天宝楼。
"Great fortune, why is it always great fortune?" Yin Yuzhen pondered as she felt Li Fan's direction, her eyes full of confusion.
“ dà jí ， zěn me yòu huì shì dà jí ？” yīn yǔ zhēn zhēng zhēng de gǎn shòu zhe lǐ fán lí qù de fāng xiàng ， yǎn shén zhōng mǎn shì bù jiě 。
“大吉，怎么又会是大吉？”殷雨珍怔怔的感受着李凡离去的方向，眼神中满是不解。
Since meeting Li Fan, every task he had given her had been marked by great fortune. This almost made her believe that her ability to avoid misfortune and seek good luck was failing.
zì cóng hé lǐ fán xiāng shí yǐ lái ， měi cì duì lǐ fán jiāo dài suǒ zuò de shì qíng ， tā de yù gǎn dōu xiǎn shì shì dà jí zhī zhào 。
自从和李凡相识以来，每次对李凡交代所做的事情，她的预感都显示是大吉之兆。
Before encountering Li Fan, she hadn't experienced any great fortunes.
zhè jī hū ràng yīn yǔ zhēn yǐ wéi zì jǐ qū jí bì xiōng de běn lǐng shī líng le 。
这几乎让殷雨珍以为自己趋吉避凶的本领失灵了。
Instead, when she had wanted to swallow the Departing Dust Pill and embark on the path of cultivation, she foresaw immense danger ahead—certainly a great ill omen.
With the announcement of the materials needed for the Purification Spirit Pool, Lustrous Isle appeared calm on the surface, but beneath it, things were already stirring.
Even ordinary people who didn't care about this matter knew that the major powers on the island were now searching for something called Star Sea Flowing Sand.
Li Fan secretly inquired without success. That day, he was greeted by an unexpected guest—Xiao Heng, whom Li Fan had met when he first arrived in the world of cultivators.
"Feel free to sit down," Li Fan said as he poured him a cup of tea.
Xiao Heng looked around at Li Fan's current residence with envy and nostalgia in his eyes.
"Do you know why I've come to see you, little brother?" He asked amiably. "I have quite the good impression of you."
Xiao Heng first scanned the surroundings cautiously before leaning in close and whispering, "I heard that Uncle Li has also been searching for Star Sea Flowing Sand recently?"
Li Fan's eyes narrowed. "Indeed. I am old now; to cultivate, I can only rely on the Purification Spirit Pool. Do you know about this item?"
Xiao Heng swallowed hard before nodding. "Yes. When Immortal Master descended upon Great Li and promised that anyone who gathered the necessary supplies could be taken to the world of cultivators, Star Sea Flowing Sand was among those materials."
Li Fan was taken aback. "Really? I don't recall this at all."
Previously, he had also asked around in Great Li, but everyone claimed ignorance, which is why he was curious.
Xiao Heng felt a bit embarrassed and explained, "When the list of supplies was announced to the public, several items were already removed as part of an internal quota. My family received Star Sea Flowing Sand."
Li Fan nodded slowly.
"Tell me your conditions," Li Fan said bluntly.
Seeing how direct Li Fan was being, Xiao Heng felt a bit awkward and blushed. "When you paid to bury Changyu, it was a favor. I shouldn't have asked for this, but the life on Lustrous Isle is too hard. I don't have your abilities; I still live in the outskirts slums, working hard every day just to make ends meet..."
Xiao Heng rambled on, and Li Fan chuckled, interrupting him.
"Enough said. I understand your difficulties. This item is essential for me. If you can provide any clues, no matter what you need, I will do my best to fulfill it."
Xiao Heng was deeply grateful: "Thank you, Uncle."
He paused before adding with a sigh, "Actually, this Star Sea Flowing Sand isn't rare; the difference lies in the Immortal Master's title. Without the list and its descriptions of materials, I wouldn't know that Star Sea Flowing Sand is just meteoric iron from the sky."
Li Fan pondered for a moment before understanding dawned on him: "Star Sea Flowing Sand... So it is. But does only any meteoric iron do? Are there other special requirements?"
"Yes, yes," Xiao Heng nodded repeatedly as he detailed his specific conditions.
"Firstly, the appearance of the meteoric iron must be good; those with dents and scratches are out. Secondly, each piece should weigh at least fifty catties. Then..."
While listening, Li Fan committed these details to memory.
After Xiao Heng finished speaking, Li Fan didn't forget his promise.
"What do you want?"
Xiao Heng whispered, "I just need a decent garden and a slightly easier job. Of course, if I could have some maids, that would be even better."
Li Fan had expected Xiao Heng to ask for more, but he was pleasantly surprised by how simple the request was.
"Surprisingly, Son of South Town Governor, you only want this much? You can add a bit more; in Tianbao Tower, I still have some influence."
Xiao Heng politely declined. "I know my limits. A good life without too much toil is enough for me. Sudden wealth might bring disaster."
Li Fan nodded and didn't press further.
After a few more pleasantries, Xiao Heng left.
"Any plans to cultivate? After all, it's not worth the trouble of coming here if you don't plan on doing anything," Li Fan asked as he saw him off.
"I'll think about it later. I have no interest in cultivation; reading that Xuanhuang Qixin Spell makes me drowsy, and I'm not sure how long it will take to rid myself of the Immortal-Demon Mist."
Xiao Heng left without a backward glance.
After seeing Xiao Heng off, Li Fan hurried to Tianbao Tower.
Meeting Yin Yuzhen, Li Fan repeated Xiao Heng's account about Star Sea Flowing Sand.
"Star Sea Flowing Sand is just meteoric iron? So simple?" Yin Yuzhen was surprised. "Is this Vast Abyss trustworthy?"
Li Fan affirmed, "He seems honest."
"But we shouldn't take his word for it," Li Fan suddenly changed the subject. "Didn't you say that a representative from Wan Hua Chamber of Commerce will be coming to Lustrous Isle soon? We can probe him later."
"That's a good idea," Yin Yuzhen agreed. "It would save us some expenses."
"Regardless, we need to secretly buy meteoric iron that meets the requirements. Not many people know about this yet; it might change in the future. Also, when purchasing, mix other items with the meteoric iron to avoid suspicion and confusion. At the same time, spread false rumors about Star Sea Flowing Sand in the market."
Li Fan thought for a moment before giving further instructions.
To ensure his place in the Purification Spirit Pool, Li Fan needed meticulous planning.
"Uncle, you're really something. I only knew you had a Divine Sensory Treasure Body; I didn't expect this," Yin Yuzhen's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she saw Li Fan's organized plans.
"What did you do before?" Yin Yuzhen asked.
"Just taught people to read," Li Fan evaded.
Yin Yuzhen was unconvinced.
"Alright, handle it; I need to go cultivate. Don't disturb me unless there are special circumstances. By the way, deal with what Vast Abyss said too." With those words, Li Fan left Tianbao Tower.
"Great fortune, why is it always great fortune?" Yin Yuzhen pondered as she felt Li Fan's direction, her eyes full of confusion.
Since meeting Li Fan, every task he had given her had been marked by great fortune. This almost made her believe that her ability to avoid misfortune and seek good luck was failing.
Before encountering Li Fan, she hadn't experienced any great fortunes.
Instead, when she had wanted to swallow the Departing Dust Pill and embark on the path of cultivation, she foresaw immense danger ahead—certainly a great ill omen.