lǐ fán bù dòng shēng sè de dǎ liàng zhuó shǒu lǐ de wù pǐn 。
李凡不动声色的打量着手里的物品。
Li Fan silently sized up the item in his hand.
zhà yī yǎn kàn shàng qù zhǐ shì gè pǔ tōng de bì lán sè liú lí qiú ， dàn shì zǐ xì guān chá ， jiù néng fā xiàn qiú tǐ nèi bù guāng huá liú zhuǎn ， sì hū yǒu yī piàn wèi lán zhèng zài qí zhōng yùn yù 。
乍一眼看上去只是个普通的碧蓝色琉璃球，但是仔细观察，就能发现球体内部光华流转，似乎有一片蔚蓝正在其中孕育。
At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary greenish-blue lustrous ball. But upon closer inspection, one could see that its interior was radiating with a faint blue light, as if a vast ocean were forming within it.
“ tiān dì qí wù ： cāng hǎi zhū （ chū ）。”
“天地奇物：沧海珠（初）。”
"Celestial Wonder: Pearl of the Vast Sea (初级)."
“ yǒu cāng hǎi shì ， zì yǒu cāng hǎi shēng 。”
“有沧海逝，自有沧海生。”
"There is a passing tide; there will always be a return."
lǐ fán wàn wàn méi xiǎng dào ， zài zhè lǐ jū rán néng yù jiàn yí gè tiān dì qí wù ！
李凡万万没想到，在这里居然能遇见一个天地奇物！
Li Fan never expected to encounter such a celestial wonder here!
ér qiě shì zhèng zài yùn yù zhōng ， hái wèi wán quán chéng xíng de tiān dì qí wù 。
而且是正在孕育中，还未完全成型的天地奇物。
And this one was still in its early stages of formation, not yet fully formed.
qiáng yā xià jī dòng de xīn qíng ， lǐ fán bǎ cāng hǎi zhū fàng huí yuán lái de dì fāng 。
强压下激动的心情，李凡把沧海珠放回原来的地方。
He suppressed his excitement and returned the Pearl of the Vast Sea to its original place. Pretending nonchalance, he began examining other items around him.
tā zhuāng zuò yī fù háo bù zài yì de yàng zi ， kàn qǐ le zhōu biān qí tā de dōng xī 。
他装作一副毫不在意的样子，看起了周边其他的东西。
Until Wu Xingzhao announced that time had run out, Li Fan did not look back at the Pearl of the Vast Sea again.
zhí dào wú xíng zǒu xuān bù shí jiān yǐ dào ， tā dōu méi yǒu zài kàn nà cāng hǎi zhū yī yǎn 。
直到吴行走宣布时间已到，他都没有再看那沧海珠一眼。
Yin Yuzhen, feeling both disappointed and excited, came forward with several items in hand.
yīn yǔ zhēn yòu shì yí hàn ， yòu shì xīng fèn de ná zhe jǐ jiàn dōng xī zǒu le chū lái 。
殷雨珍又是遗憾，又是兴奋的拿着几件东西走了出来。
"Didn't you pick anything? Wu Xingzhao is being so generous; if you miss this opportunity, there won’t be another chance." Yin Yuzhen noticed Li Fan's empty hands and commented.
“ nǐ bù tiāo jǐ jiàn me ？ nán dé wú xíng zǒu zhè me dà fāng ， guò le zhè ge cūn jiù méi zhè ge diàn le 。” yīn yǔ zhēn piē jiàn lǐ fán liǎng shǒu kōng kōng ， bù yóu dì shuō dào 。
“你不挑几件么？难得吴行走这么大方，过了这个村就没这个店了。”殷雨珍瞥见李凡两手空空，不由地说道。
Wu Xingzhao also chimed in: "Yin Master is right. How can one enter a treasure mountain without bringing anything? It would be disrespectful to me."
wú xíng yě shuō dào ：“ yīn zhǎng guì shuō de duì ， nǎ yǒu rù bǎo shān què kōng shǒu ér guī de dào lǐ ， qǐ bù shì kàn bù qǐ wǒ wú mǒu rén ？”
吴行也说道：“殷掌柜说的对，哪有入宝山却空手而归的道理，岂不是看不起我吴某人？”
Li Fan thought, at least they said that; otherwise, I would have had to carry it myself.
lǐ fán xīn xiǎng ， hái hǎo nǐ men liǎng zhè me shuō le ， fǒu zé wǒ zì jǐ yě shì yào tí de 。
李凡心想，还好你们两这么说了，否则我自己也是要提的。
"Then I'll accept this with grace." He walked over to the Pearl of the Vast Sea and selected an ancient jade statue. Afterward, he casually took the pearl along with him.
“ rú cǐ jiù què zhī bù gōng le 。” tā zǒu dào cāng hǎi zhū fù jìn ， xuǎn le yī zuò yù zhì diāo xiàng ， zhī hòu yòu suí shǒu jiāng cāng hǎi zhū yì qǐ ná zhe 。
“如此就却之不恭了。”他走到沧海珠附近，选了一座玉制雕像，之后又随手将沧海珠一起拿着。
"I’ll take these two," Li Fan said nonchalantly.
“ jiù ná zhè liǎng yàng ba 。” lǐ fán yǒu xiē suí yì dì shuō dào 。
“就拿这两样吧。”李凡有些随意地说道。
The statue resembled an ancient tree. Wu Xingzhao looked at it and praised: "Elder has good eyesight. This jade statue of an ancient tree was found on a cheap island in the northernmost part of the Cloud Sea."
nà diāo xiàng shì yī kē gǔ shù mú yàng ， wú xíng zǒu kàn le yī yǎn ， chēng zàn dào ：“ zhǎng lǎo hǎo yǎn guāng 。 zhè gǔ shù yù xiàng nǎi shì wǒ zì cóng yún hǎi zuì běi fāng de yí gè pián yi dǎo yǔ zhōng xún dé de 。”
那雕像是一颗古树模样，吴行走看了一眼，称赞道：“长老好眼光。这古树玉像乃是我自从云海最北方的一个便宜岛屿中寻得的。”
"For thousands of years, this statue was worshipped by a primitive tribe on the island, imbued with divine power. Ordinary people can place it at home to calm their minds and strengthen their bodies," Wu Xingzhao boasted about the jade tree statue but only glanced at the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
“ zhè yù xiàng bèi dǎo zhōng yí gè yuán shǐ bù zú gòng fèng le shù qiān nián ， pǒ jù shén miào 。 pǔ tōng rén fàng zài jiā zhōng ， yǒu jìng xīn níng shén 、 qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ zhī xiào 。” wú xíng zǒu dà sì chuī pěng zhè yù shù diāo xiàng ， què zhǐ kàn le cāng hǎi zhū yī yǎn jiù méi yǒu zài tí 。
“这玉像被岛中一个原始部族供奉了数千年，颇具神妙。普通人放在家中，有静心凝神、强身健体之效。”吴行走大肆吹捧这玉树雕像，却只看了沧海珠一眼就没有再提。
"Thanks to Wu Xingzhao." Li Fan bowed and expressed his joy.
“ tuō wú xíng zǒu de fú 。” lǐ fán gǒng le gǒng shǒu ， yě shì pǒ wèi gāo xìng dì shuō dào 。
“托吴行走的福。”李凡拱了拱手，也是颇为高兴地说道。
"What about this?" Li Fan played with the Pearl of the Vast Sea, asking.
“ nà zhè ge ne ？” lǐ fán bǎ wán zhe cāng hǎi zhū ， wèn dào 。
“那这个呢？”李凡把玩着沧海珠，问道。
"Oh, that. I received it from a fisherman on Flowing Cloud Island," Wu Xingzhao thought for a moment before recalling, "It’s not particularly special; just seemed unusual enough to pick up."
“ ó ， zhè ge a 。 zhè shì wǒ zài liú yún dǎo shàng yí gè yú fū shǒu zhōng shōu dào de 。” wú xíng zǒu xiǎng le yī huì ， cái huí yì qǐ lái ，“ zhè dào méi shén me tè shū de ， zhǐ shì kàn zhe yǒu xiē xī qí ， jiù shùn shǒu shōu le 。”
“哦，这个啊。这是我在流云岛上一个渔夫手中收到的。”吴行走想了一会，才回忆起来，“这倒没什么特殊的，只是看着有些稀奇，就顺手收了。”
"Flowing Cloud Island…" Li Fan mentally noted the name.
“ liú yún dǎo ……” lǐ fán jiāng zhè míng zì láo láo jì zài xīn zhōng 。
“流云岛……”李凡将这名字牢牢记在心中。
He quickly changed the subject: "Yin Master, what did you choose?"
suí hòu lián máng chà kāi huà tí ：“ yīn zhǎng guì nǐ xuǎn de shì shén me ？”
随后连忙岔开话题：“殷掌柜你选的是什么？”
Wu Xingzhao's gaze immediately shifted to Yin Yuzhen.
wú xíng zǒu de shì xiàn dùn shí zhuǎn dào yīn yǔ zhēn nà biān 。
吴行走的视线顿时转到殷雨珍那边。
Seeing her select a painting, a pair of jade bracelets, and a gemstone, he enthusiastically introduced these items to both of them.
jiàn yīn yǔ zhēn xuǎn zhōng de yī fú huà 、 yī duì yù zhuó 、 yī kē bǎo shí ， yòu xìng zhì gāo áng dì xiàng èr rén jiè shào qǐ zhè jǐ yàng dōng xī lái 。
见殷雨珍选中的一幅画、一对玉镯、一颗宝石，又兴致高昂地向二人介绍起这几样东西来。
Li Fan listened politely but his thoughts were entirely on the celestial wonder, the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
lǐ fán fū yǎn de tīng zhe ， xīn sī què shì quán dōu pǎo dào le nà tiān dì qí wù cāng hǎi zhū shàng 。
李凡敷衍的听着，心思却是全都跑到了那天地奇物沧海珠上。
---
jiù zài lǐ fán de xīn shén huǎng hū jiān ， shuāng fāng jié shù le zhè cì jiāo yì 。
就在李凡的心神恍惚间，双方结束了这次交易。
In Li Fan’s daze, the transaction concluded. The Heavenly Splendor Chamber of Commerce acquired numerous treasures, while Yin Yuzhen accumulated a substantial amount of wealth.
tiān huá shāng huì huò dé le yī dà pī zhēn bǎo ， ér yīn yǔ zhēn zé jī zǎn le dà liàng de jīn yín 。
天华商会获得了一大批珍宝，而殷雨珍则积攒了大量的金银。
"Yin Master, we will meet again," Wu Xingzhao sighed and vanished in his flying boat, Wan Hua.
“ yīn zhǎng guì ， zán men yǒu yuán zài jiàn 。” wú xíng zǒu gǎn kǎi yī shēng ， jià shǐ zhe wàn huá hào fēi zhōu xiāo shī zài èr rén de shì xiàn zhōng 。
“殷掌柜，咱们有缘再见。”吴行走感慨一声，驾驶着万华号飞舟消失在二人的视线中。
On their way back, despite her bountiful收获, Yin Yuzhen still couldn't hide her worry.
huí qù de lù shàng ， yīn yǔ zhēn suī rán cǐ cì shōu huò mǎn mǎn ， dàn réng rán nán yǎn méi jiān chóu sī 。
回去的路上，殷雨珍虽然此次收获满满，但仍然难掩眉间愁思。
"Are you worried about the future business at the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion?" Li Fan asked.
“ shì zài dān xīn tiān bǎo lóu rì hòu de shēng yì me ？” lǐ fán wèn dào 。
“是在担心天宝楼日后的生意么？”李凡问道。
"Yes, with the sudden departure of the Wan Hua Chamber of Commerce, we have lost an important sales channel. The profits for the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion will likely suffer," Yin Yuzhen lamented, "I wonder why the Wan Hua Chamber of Commerce suddenly left the Cloud Sea."
“ shì a ， méi le wàn huá shāng huì ， shǎo le yí gè zhòng yào de xiāo huò qú dào 。 kǒng pà wǎng hòu tiān bǎo lóu de lì rùn yào dà dǎ zhé kòu le 。” yīn yǔ zhēn āi tàn dào ，“ bù zhī dào wàn huá shāng huì wèi shén me huì tū rán chè lí cóng yún hǎi 。”
“是啊，没了万华商会，少了一个重要的销货渠道。恐怕往后天宝楼的利润要大打折扣了。”殷雨珍哀叹道，“不知道万华商会为什么会突然撤离从云海。”
"There is a path ahead; there's no need to worry too much." Li Fan offered some comfort since he couldn't think of any good solutions.
“ chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù 。 yě bù yòng guò fèn dān xīn 。” lǐ fán yī shí jiān yě méi xiǎng chū shén me hǎo bàn fǎ ， zhǐ hǎo chū yán ān wèi 。
“车到山前必有路。也不用过分担心。”李凡一时间也没想出什么好办法，只好出言安慰。
Yin Yuzhen nodded but clearly wasn’t listening.
yīn yǔ zhēn diǎn le diǎn tóu ， què shì míng xiǎn méi yǒu tīng jìn qù 。
殷雨珍点了点头，却是明显没有听进去。
Upon returning to Lustrous Isle, Li Fan bid farewell to Yin Yuzhen and hurried back to the Whispering Tower.
huí dào le liú lí dǎo ， lǐ fán gào bié le yīn yǔ zhēn ， cōng cōng huí dào le tīng yōu lóu zhōng 。
回到了琉璃岛，李凡告别了殷雨珍，匆匆回到了听幽楼中。
He tightly closed the door and took out the Pearl of the Vast Sea in his room.
jiāng dà mén jǐn jǐn fēng bì ， lǐ fán yú fáng jiān zhōng ná chū le cāng hǎi zhū 。
将大门紧紧封闭，李凡于房间中拿出了沧海珠。
"This journey was intended only to verify if Star Sea Flowing Sand is meteoric iron. To find such a treasure is truly unexpected good fortune." Li Fan looked at the pearl, filled with joy.
“ cǐ xíng běn yì zhǐ shì wèi le yàn zhèng xīng hǎi liú shā shì fǒu wèi yǔn tiě ， méi xiǎng dào néng dé cǐ bǎo wù ， zhēn shì yì wài zhī xǐ 。” lǐ fán kàn zhuó shǒu zhōng de cāng hǎi zhū ， xǐ bù zì shèng 。
“此行本意只是为了验证星海流沙是否为陨铁，没想到能得此宝物，真是意外之喜。”李凡看着手中的沧海珠，喜不自胜。
"But what special qualities does this Pearl of the Vast Sea possess?"
“ zhǐ shì bù zhī ， zhè cāng hǎi zhū yǒu hé tè shū zhī chù ？”
“只是不知，这沧海珠有何特殊之处？”
In Li Fan’s understanding, each celestial wonder represented some characteristic or rule of the cosmos.
zài lǐ fán de rèn zhī zhōng ， měi gè tiān dì qí wù ， dōu dài biǎo zhe tiān dì jiān mǒu zhǒng tè xìng 、 guī zé 。
在李凡的认知中，每个天地奇物，都代表着天地间某种特性、规则。
The Qionglong Branch was about gaining from small beginnings and consuming; the Rusted Sword Dao Xuan had unyielding willpower and delayed rusting abilities.
qiú lóng zhī shì yǐ xiǎo bó dà 、 xíng tūn shì zhī shì ； xiù jiàn dào xuán zé shì bù qū yì zhì 、 yǒu chí huǎn xiù huà zhī néng 。
虬龙枝是以小博大、行吞噬之事；袖剑道玄则是不屈意志、有迟缓锈化之能。
The Stopstep Wrecked Stele was a testament to the written laws and commands.
zhǐ bù cán bēi zé shì bèi shū xiě lǜ lìng 、 lǐng shòu mìng xíng shì 。
止步残碑则是被书写律令、领授命行事。
Why is this tiny lustrous pearl called the Pearl of the Vast Sea? Could there really be an ocean within it?
zhè xiǎo xiǎo de liú lí zhū ， yòu wèi hé míng wèi cāng hǎi ne ？ nán bù chéng ， zhè lǐ miàn zhēn de yùn cáng zhe yī piàn hǎi yáng ？
这小小的琉璃珠，又为何名为沧海呢？难不成，这里面真的蕴藏着一片海洋？
Li Fan held up the Pearl of the Vast Sea, lost in its deep blue light, entranced.
lǐ fán jǔ qǐ cāng hǎi zhū ， chén jìn zài nà yī mǒ shēn suì de lán sè zhōng ， shén chí mù xuàn 。
李凡举起沧海珠，沉浸在那一抹深邃的蓝色中，神驰目眩。
Unfortunately, after much research, Li Fan still couldn’t uncover any special qualities of the pearl. Perhaps only cultivators could truly understand its mysteries!
kě xī de shì ， lǐ fán yán jiū le bàn tiān ， yě méi néng yán jiū chū cāng hǎi zhū de tè shū zhī chù 。
可惜的是，李凡研究了半天，也没能研究出沧海珠的特殊之处。
Sighing deeply, he carefully stored the Pearl of the Vast Sea away.
huò xǔ zhǐ yǒu xiū xiān zhě cái néng yī kuī qí ào miào ba ！
或许只有修仙者才能一窥其奥妙吧！
Should I absorb it now?
lǐ fán cháng tàn yì kǒu qì ， yī yī bù shě dì jiāng cāng hǎi zhū xiǎo xīn dì shōu nà qǐ lái 。
李凡长叹一口气，依依不舍地将沧海珠小心地收纳起来。
Li Fan hesitated for a moment but according to [Truly Real]'s feedback, this pearl was still in its initial state and absorbing it would likely increase his energy charge by only 1%-2%.
yào bù yào xiàn zài jiù jiāng qí xī shōu ne ？
要不要现在就将其吸收呢？
Better than nothing; better to wait until it fully forms before absorbing it.
lǐ fán yě céng yóu yù le piàn kè ， dàn shì gēn jù 【 hái zhēn 】 de fǎn kuì ， zhè cāng hǎi zhū hái zhǐ shì chū shēng zhuàng tài ， ruò shì xī shōu ， kǒng pà zhǐ néng zēng jiā 1%-2% de chōng néng jìn dù 。
李凡也曾犹豫了片刻，但是根据【还真】的反馈，这沧海珠还只是初生状态，若是吸收，恐怕只能增加1%-2%的充能进度。
Since he already had the item, there was no need to worry about it escaping.
liáo shèng yú wú ， bù rú fàng zhe děng zhe rì hòu tā wán quán chéng xíng zài xī shōu 。
聊胜于无，不如放着等着日后它完全成型再吸收。
After a long time, Li Fan finally calmed down from the excitement of acquiring the celestial wonder.
fǎn zhèng cǐ wù yǐ jīng luò zài zì jǐ shǒu zhōng ， bù pà tā pǎo diào 。
反正此物已经落在自己手中，不怕它跑掉。
---
xǔ jiǔ ， lǐ fán cái cóng dé dào tiān dì qí wù de jīng xǐ zhōng píng fù xià lái 。
许久，李凡才从得到天地奇物的惊喜中平复下来。
Settling his mind, Li Fan immersed himself in the cultivation of The Yellow and Green Heart-Cleansing Spell.
jìng xià xīn lái hòu ， lǐ fán yòu kāi shǐ chén jìn zài le 《 xuán huáng qīng xīn zhòu 》 de xiū xíng zhōng 。
静下心来后，李凡又开始沉浸在了《玄黄清心咒》的修行中。
One day, an urgent knocking on the door woke him up.
jǐ rì hòu de yī tiān ， lǐ fán bèi yī zhèn jí cù de qiāo mén shēng jīng xǐng 。
几日后的一天，李凡被一阵急促的敲门声惊醒。
It was still early morning; who could be disturbing him at this hour?
cǐ shí tiān hái méi liàng ， bù zhī dào shén me rén zhè shí hòu guò lái dǎ rǎo ？
此时天还没亮，不知道什么人这时候过来打扰？
Li Fan cautiously took out a dagger and hid it before opening the door to greet Xiao Heng.
jǐn shèn de lǐ fán ná chū yī bǐng bǐ shǒu ， cáng zài xiù zhōng ， qián qù kāi mén 。
谨慎的李凡拿出一柄匕首，藏在袖中，前去开门。
"Who is it?"
“ shuí ？”
“谁？”
"It’s me, Brother Li."
“ lǐ dà gē ， shì wǒ 。”
“李大哥，是我。”
Xiao Heng's voice came from outside.
mén wài zhuàn lái xiāo héng de shēng yīn 。
门外传来萧恒的声音。
What does this kid want now? Could he have forgotten about the residential arrangement I promised him?
zhè xiǎo zi zhè shí hòu zhǎo wǒ gàn shén me ？ nán bù chéng wǒ dā yìng tā de zhù zhái tiān bǎo lóu méi gěi tā bàn ？
这小子这时候找我干什么？难不成我答应他的住宅天宝楼没给他办？
Li Fan felt a bit puzzled but still opened the door and let Xiao Heng in.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī yí huò ， bù guò tā hái shì dǎ kāi le mén ， jiāng xiāo héng lǐng le jìn lái 。
李凡心中闪过一丝疑惑，不过他还是打开了门，将萧恒领了进来。
Xiao Heng looked anxious and panicked.
xiāo héng de liǎn shàng yī piàn jiāo jí yǔ jīng huāng 。
萧恒的脸上一片焦急与惊慌。
"Come sit down and talk."
“ zuò xià shuō 。”
“坐下说。”
Inside, Xiao Heng said urgently: "Brother Li, something terrible has happened! We've been discovered; our attempt to cross from another realm was exposed!"
èr rén lái dào wū nèi ， xiāo héng jí qiè de shuō dào ：“ lǐ dà gē ， dà shì bù hǎo le ！ wǒ men shì cóng lí jiè tōu dù ér lái zhī shì ， xiè lòu le ！”
二人来到屋内，萧恒急切的说道：“李大哥，大事不好了！我们是从离界偷渡而来之事，泄露了！”
"Who leaked this information?" Li Fan was surprised and asked.
“ shuí zǒu lòu le fēng shēng ？” lǐ fán yǒu xiē yì wài ， chū shēng wèn dào 。
“谁走漏了风声？”李凡有些意外，出声问道。
"We don’t know. But everyone on the island now knows that we’re not original inhabitants of the world of cultivators but arrived here through the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. They say the Immortal Master is furious, planning to arrest and kill us all. Some people are so terrified they fled last night in boats. The rest are at a loss."
“ wǒ men yě bù zhī 。 zhǐ bù guò dǎo shàng xiàn zài dōu zhī dào le wǒ men bú shì xiū xiān dà shì jiè de yuán zhù mín ， ér shì tōng guò tiān bǎo lóu tōu dù lái dào zhè de 。 jù shuō xiān shī zhèn nù yì cháng ， yào bǎ dà jiā quán dōu zhuā qǐ lái shā le 。 wǒ men zhōng de yǒu xiē rén hài pà zhì jí ， lián yè jiù huà zhe chuán táo zǒu le 。 shèng xià de yě shí zài bù zhī dào zěn me bàn 。”
“我们也不知。只不过岛上现在都知道了我们不是修仙大世界的原住民，而是通过天宝楼偷渡来到这的。据说仙师震怒异常，要把大家全都抓起来杀了。我们中的有些人害怕至极，连夜就划着船逃走了。剩下的也实在不知道怎么办。”
"They said you must have some solution; I came over immediately to ask for your help," Xiao Heng explained.
“ tā men dōu shuō lǐ dà gē nǐ kěn dìng yǒu bàn fǎ ， ràng wǒ gǎn jǐn guò lái wèn wèn nǐ 。” xiāo héng lián shēng jiě shì dào 。
“他们都说李大哥你肯定有办法，让我赶紧过来问问你。”萧恒连声解释道。
Li Fan listened, thought for a moment, then chuckled: "Don’t worry; this matter is not serious."
lǐ fán tīng wán ， lüè yī sī suǒ ， què shì qīng xiào yī shēng ：“ bù yòng dān xīn ， cǐ shì bìng wú dà ài 。”
李凡听完，略一思索，却是轻笑一声：“不用担心，此事并无大碍。”
Xiao Heng was stunned: "Brother Li, why do you say that?"
xiāo héng lèng zhù le ：“ lǐ dà gē hé chū cǐ yán ？”
萧恒愣住了：“李大哥何出此言？”
Li Fan sneered: "Do officials announce their intentions before hunting bandits? If they really wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. How could they let you know and then escape openly with a plan?"
lǐ fán lěng xiào ：“ nán bù chéng guān fǔ bǔ shā zéi kòu hái yào shì xiān tōng zhī me ？ ruò shì zhēn de yào shā nǐ men ， nǐ men zǎo jiù shēn shǒu yì chù le 。 hái néng ràng nǐ men zhī dào le xiāo xī ， rán hòu táng ér huáng zhī de táo pǎo 、 shāng yì duì cè ？”
李凡冷笑：“难不成官府捕杀贼寇还要事先通知么？若是真的要杀你们，你们早就身首异处了。还能让你们知道了消息，然后堂而皇之的逃跑、商议对策？”
"Your meaning is that this message was intentionally spread to scare us?" Xiao Heng understood after hearing Li Fan's explanation.
“ lǐ dà gē nǐ de yì si shì ， zhè shì gù yì fàng chū de xiāo xī ， xià hǔ wǒ men de ？” xiāo héng tīng wán ， yě shì huǎng rán dà wù 。
“李大哥你的意思是，这是故意放出的消息，吓唬我们的？”萧恒听完，也是恍然大悟。
"Why would they do that?" he asked, puzzled.
“ kě zhè yòu shì wèi shén me ne ？” tā suí hòu yòu mǎn liǎn yí huò dào 。
“可这又是为什么呢？”他随后又满脸疑惑道。
"In my opinion, the target isn’t us." Li Fan suddenly stood up. "Their aim is the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion."
Li Fan silently sized up the item in his hand.
At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary greenish-blue lustrous ball. But upon closer inspection, one could see that its interior was radiating with a faint blue light, as if a vast ocean were forming within it.
"Celestial Wonder: Pearl of the Vast Sea (初级)."
"There is a passing tide; there will always be a return."
Li Fan never expected to encounter such a celestial wonder here!
And this one was still in its early stages of formation, not yet fully formed.
He suppressed his excitement and returned the Pearl of the Vast Sea to its original place. Pretending nonchalance, he began examining other items around him.
Until Wu Xingzhao announced that time had run out, Li Fan did not look back at the Pearl of the Vast Sea again.
Yin Yuzhen, feeling both disappointed and excited, came forward with several items in hand.
"Didn't you pick anything? Wu Xingzhao is being so generous; if you miss this opportunity, there won’t be another chance." Yin Yuzhen noticed Li Fan's empty hands and commented.
Wu Xingzhao also chimed in: "Yin Master is right. How can one enter a treasure mountain without bringing anything? It would be disrespectful to me."
Li Fan thought, at least they said that; otherwise, I would have had to carry it myself.
"Then I'll accept this with grace." He walked over to the Pearl of the Vast Sea and selected an ancient jade statue. Afterward, he casually took the pearl along with him.
"I’ll take these two," Li Fan said nonchalantly.
The statue resembled an ancient tree. Wu Xingzhao looked at it and praised: "Elder has good eyesight. This jade statue of an ancient tree was found on a cheap island in the northernmost part of the Cloud Sea."
"For thousands of years, this statue was worshipped by a primitive tribe on the island, imbued with divine power. Ordinary people can place it at home to calm their minds and strengthen their bodies," Wu Xingzhao boasted about the jade tree statue but only glanced at the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
"Thanks to Wu Xingzhao." Li Fan bowed and expressed his joy.
"What about this?" Li Fan played with the Pearl of the Vast Sea, asking.
"Oh, that. I received it from a fisherman on Flowing Cloud Island," Wu Xingzhao thought for a moment before recalling, "It’s not particularly special; just seemed unusual enough to pick up."
"Flowing Cloud Island…" Li Fan mentally noted the name.
He quickly changed the subject: "Yin Master, what did you choose?"
Wu Xingzhao's gaze immediately shifted to Yin Yuzhen.
Seeing her select a painting, a pair of jade bracelets, and a gemstone, he enthusiastically introduced these items to both of them.
Li Fan listened politely but his thoughts were entirely on the celestial wonder, the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
---
In Li Fan’s daze, the transaction concluded. The Heavenly Splendor Chamber of Commerce acquired numerous treasures, while Yin Yuzhen accumulated a substantial amount of wealth.
"Yin Master, we will meet again," Wu Xingzhao sighed and vanished in his flying boat, Wan Hua.
On their way back, despite her bountiful收获, Yin Yuzhen still couldn't hide her worry.
"Are you worried about the future business at the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion?" Li Fan asked.
"Yes, with the sudden departure of the Wan Hua Chamber of Commerce, we have lost an important sales channel. The profits for the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion will likely suffer," Yin Yuzhen lamented, "I wonder why the Wan Hua Chamber of Commerce suddenly left the Cloud Sea."
"There is a path ahead; there's no need to worry too much." Li Fan offered some comfort since he couldn't think of any good solutions.
Yin Yuzhen nodded but clearly wasn’t listening.
Upon returning to Lustrous Isle, Li Fan bid farewell to Yin Yuzhen and hurried back to the Whispering Tower.
He tightly closed the door and took out the Pearl of the Vast Sea in his room.
"This journey was intended only to verify if Star Sea Flowing Sand is meteoric iron. To find such a treasure is truly unexpected good fortune." Li Fan looked at the pearl, filled with joy.
"But what special qualities does this Pearl of the Vast Sea possess?"
In Li Fan’s understanding, each celestial wonder represented some characteristic or rule of the cosmos.
The Qionglong Branch was about gaining from small beginnings and consuming; the Rusted Sword Dao Xuan had unyielding willpower and delayed rusting abilities.
The Stopstep Wrecked Stele was a testament to the written laws and commands.
Why is this tiny lustrous pearl called the Pearl of the Vast Sea? Could there really be an ocean within it?
Li Fan held up the Pearl of the Vast Sea, lost in its deep blue light, entranced.
Unfortunately, after much research, Li Fan still couldn’t uncover any special qualities of the pearl. Perhaps only cultivators could truly understand its mysteries!
Sighing deeply, he carefully stored the Pearl of the Vast Sea away.
Should I absorb it now?
Li Fan hesitated for a moment but according to [Truly Real]'s feedback, this pearl was still in its initial state and absorbing it would likely increase his energy charge by only 1%-2%.
Better than nothing; better to wait until it fully forms before absorbing it.
Since he already had the item, there was no need to worry about it escaping.
After a long time, Li Fan finally calmed down from the excitement of acquiring the celestial wonder.
---
Settling his mind, Li Fan immersed himself in the cultivation of The Yellow and Green Heart-Cleansing Spell.
One day, an urgent knocking on the door woke him up.
It was still early morning; who could be disturbing him at this hour?
Li Fan cautiously took out a dagger and hid it before opening the door to greet Xiao Heng.
"Who is it?"
"It’s me, Brother Li."
Xiao Heng's voice came from outside.
What does this kid want now? Could he have forgotten about the residential arrangement I promised him?
Li Fan felt a bit puzzled but still opened the door and let Xiao Heng in.
Xiao Heng looked anxious and panicked.
"Come sit down and talk."
Inside, Xiao Heng said urgently: "Brother Li, something terrible has happened! We've been discovered; our attempt to cross from another realm was exposed!"
"Who leaked this information?" Li Fan was surprised and asked.
"We don’t know. But everyone on the island now knows that we’re not original inhabitants of the world of cultivators but arrived here through the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. They say the Immortal Master is furious, planning to arrest and kill us all. Some people are so terrified they fled last night in boats. The rest are at a loss."
"They said you must have some solution; I came over immediately to ask for your help," Xiao Heng explained.
Li Fan listened, thought for a moment, then chuckled: "Don’t worry; this matter is not serious."
Xiao Heng was stunned: "Brother Li, why do you say that?"
Li Fan sneered: "Do officials announce their intentions before hunting bandits? If they really wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. How could they let you know and then escape openly with a plan?"
"Your meaning is that this message was intentionally spread to scare us?" Xiao Heng understood after hearing Li Fan's explanation.
"Why would they do that?" he asked, puzzled.
"In my opinion, the target isn’t us." Li Fan suddenly stood up. "Their aim is the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion."