“ zhè shí hòu ， jiù shì dào yǒu nǐ nà wàn qiān kuǐ lěi pài shàng yòng chǎng de shí hòu le 。”
“这时候，就是道友你那万千傀儡派上用场的时候了。”
"Right now, it's time for your myriad puppets to come into play," Li Fan said with a mysterious smile, whispering softly.
lǐ fán shén mì yī xiào ， dī shēng ěr yǔ piàn kè 。
李凡神秘一笑，低声耳语片刻。
Jiao Xiuyuan's eyes lit up as he nodded repeatedly in agreement.
jiāo xiū yuǎn wén yán yǎn jīng yī liàng ， lián lián diǎn tóu 。
焦修远闻言眼睛一亮，连连点头。
At the same time, within various ruins of ancient sects in the town walls of the Ten Thousand Immortals League, countless identical faces began recounting stories to those around them.
yú cǐ tóng shí ， wàn xiān méng de zhèn shǒu chéng chí zhōng ， gè zhǒng huāng jiāo yě wài de zōng mén yí jì nèi 。
于此同时，万仙盟的镇守城池中，各种荒郊野外的宗门遗迹内。
The protagonist of these tales was an ancient sect member who had just awakened after a thousand years of slumber. This person possessed the secret technique of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect's derivation and calculation art, wielded the treasure known as the "Heavenly Earth Dharma Dice," and could comprehend yin-yang and understand the workings of creation.
wú shù jù xiāng tóng de miàn kǒng ， dōu kāi shǐ cháo zhe shēn biān rén jiǎng shù qǐ le gù shì 。
无数具相同的面孔，都开始朝着身边人讲述起了故事。
Moreover, they could pierce through time to foresee the future.
gù shì de zhǔ rén wēng ， nǎi shì yī míng chén shuì qiān nián fāng cái sū xǐng de shàng gǔ tiān jī zōng xiū shì 。
故事的主人翁，乃是一名沉睡千年方才苏醒的上古天机宗修士。
If one were to seek their guidance, countless opportunities would be within reach. Not just reversing destiny, but overnight wealth was a certainty.
cǐ rén shēn jù tiān jī zōng tuī yǎn mì shù ， shǒu chí zhì bǎo 【 tiān dì qián kūn tóu 】， néng gòu tōng yīn yáng 、 xiǎo zào huà 。
此人身具天机宗推衍秘术，手持至宝【天地乾坤骰】，能够通阴阳、晓造化。
Cunyun Sea's He Zhenghao was a living example. If one doubted it, all they had to do was inquire!
gèng néng kān pò shí guāng ， yù jiàn wèi lái 。
更能勘破时光，预见未来。
In any case, Jiao Xiuyuan portrayed Li Fan as a master of incredible skill, comparable to an ancient supreme being.
ruò shì néng dé dào tā de zhǐ diǎn ， zhǒng zhǒng jī yuán kě wèi tuò shǒu kě dé 。
若是能得到他的指点，种种机缘可谓唾手可得。
Such exaggerated claims were met with disbelief by most cultivators. They shook their heads and dismissed them as yet another attempt by some immortal scion to boost their reputation through grandiose promises.
bù tí nì tiān gǎi mìng ， yī yè bào fù dìng shì děng xián zhī shì 。
不提逆天改命，一夜暴富定是等闲之事。
However, a small portion of the cultivators became interested in Li Fan.
cóng yún hǎi de hé zhèng hào ， jiù shì huó shēng shēng de lì zi 。
丛云海的何正浩，就是活生生的例子。
They began asking Jiao Xiuyuan for more details. But Jiao Xiuyuan remained silent again.
rú guǒ bù xìn ， yī dǎ tàn biàn zhī ！
如果不信，一打探便知！
Curiosity once sparked was hard to extinguish. Many cultivators turned to Cunyun Sea's friends, and they were shocked to find that perhaps this wasn't just empty talk. In Cunyun Sea, a group of cultivators had indeed made substantial profits following Li Fan's guidance.
zǒng zhī ， jiāo xiū yuǎn de miáo shù zhōng ， shì bǎ lǐ fán chuī dé shén hū qí jì ， kān bǐ shàng gǔ tōng tiān dà néng 。
总之，焦修远的描述中，是把李凡吹得神乎其技，堪比上古通天大能。
Unable to contact Li Fan, they settled for reaching out to He Zhenghao and the other participants in his first fundraising effort.
rú cǐ kuā zhāng zhī yán ， dà bù fèn xiū shì zì shì bù xìn 。
如此夸张之言，大部分修士自是不信。
He Zhenghao was somewhat bewildered by the numerous inquiries flooding him, leaving him at a loss. He could only reply instinctively.
yáo yáo tóu ， zhǐ dāng yòu shì nǎ jiā xiān èr dài wéi le zì shēn míng hào zào shì ， gù zuò xué tou 。
摇摇头，只当又是哪家仙二代为了自身名号造势，故作噱头。
The same went for the other participants in the fundraising efforts.
dàn réng rán yǒu jí xiǎo bù fèn de xiū shì ， duì lǐ fán lái le xìng qù 。
但仍然有极小部分的修士，对李凡来了兴趣。
Thus, the information was confirmed. Some were disappointed because the first round of contributions had only yielded 200,000 contribution points. This seemed like an old trick—move money from one pocket to another—that any cultivator could easily pull off.
tā men fēn fēn xiàng jiāo xiū yuǎn dǎ tàn qǐ le jù tǐ qíng kuàng 。
他们纷纷向焦修远打探起了具体情况。
Others, after analyzing the list of participants, secretly rejoiced, believing they had found a rare opportunity. They noticed that among them was a cultivator named Zhou Peng.
jiāo xiū yuǎn zhè shí zé yòu bì kǒu bù tán le 。
焦修远这时则又闭口不谈了。
Zhou Peng, though not highly ranked in cultivation, had an intimate relationship with Senior Gu Sansun from Cunyun Sea's Heavenly Mechanism Hall. Even those outside Cunyun Sea knew of the name Gu Qiuanxian.
bèi gōu qǐ le hào qí xīn ， zěn me yòu néng qīng yì xī miè ？ xīn yǎng nán nài zhī xià ， xǔ duō xiū shì xiàng cóng yún hǎi de hǎo yǒu fā qǐ le xún wèn 。
被勾起了好奇心，怎么又能轻易熄灭？心痒难耐之下，许多修士向丛云海的好友发起了询问。
If Li Fan were indeed a fraud, would Zhou Peng fall for it?
tā men zhèn jīng de fā xiàn ， yě xǔ cǐ shì bìng bú shì shén me xū jiǎ hú yán 。
他们震惊的发现，也许此事并不是什么虚假胡言。
From Zhou Peng's consistent efforts to contribute everything he had, it seemed that this ancient sect member was no ordinary figure!
zài cóng yún hǎi zhōng ， zhēn de yǒu yī qún xiū shì ， kào zhe lǐ fán de zhǐ diǎn ， dà zhuàn tè zhuàn 。
在丛云海中，真的有一群修士，靠着李凡的指点，大赚特赚。
After another round of inquiries, while fewer cultivators sought out Li Fan's contact information, they became more fervent in their interest.
lián xì bù shàng lǐ fán ， yú shì tā men biàn tuì ér qiú qí cì ， zhǎo dào le hé zhèng hào 、 yǐ jí cān yù lǐ fán dì yī cì mù jí de xiū shì 。
联系不上李凡，于是他们便退而求其次，找到了何正浩、以及参与李凡第一次募集的修士。
In the Thousand Miles Hall, Li Fan remained unperturbed as Jiao Xiuyuan relayed feedback. For over a week, he let public opinion ferment before saying, "Jiao Daoist Friend, it seems we can proceed with the next phase."
cǐ shí de hé zhèng hào yǒu diǎn fā mēng ， wú shù tiáo xún wèn xùn xī bù duàn fú xiàn ， ràng tā bù zhī suǒ cuò 。
此时的何正浩有点发蒙，无数条询问讯息不断浮现，让他不知所措。
"Indeed," Jiao Xiuyuan chuckled and his aura once again faded.
zhǐ dé xià yì shí de huí fù 。
只得下意识的回复。
Meanwhile, throughout the Ten Thousand Immortals League, whether watching from the sidelines or desperately seeking Li Fan's contact information, cultivators received new news from Jiao Xiuyuan. So many cultivators wanted to approach him; Master Li Fan was truly overwhelmed.
qí yú cān jiā mù jí de xiū shì jiē shì rú cǐ 。
其余参加募集的修士皆是如此。
In response to numerous accusations of being a fraud, Li Fan decided to prove his worth and commissioned Jiao Xiuyuan to relay the message. The date was set for three days hence.
yú shì xiāo xī dé dào le zhèng shí 。
于是消息得到了证实。
The announcement caused a stir. Those who believed in Li Fan were cautiously optimistic. Those who had always thought he was a fraud were openly dismissive, eagerly waiting for him to fail.
yǒu de rén dà shī suǒ wàng ， yīn wèi dì yī qī mù jí zhǐ yǒu qū qū èr shí wàn gòng xiàn dù 。
有的人大失所望，因为第一期募集只有区区二十万贡献度。
Regardless of their stance, the topic was now at the forefront of everyone's minds.
ér zhè kàn shàng qù míng xiǎn jiù shì chāi dōng qiáng 、 bǔ xī qiáng de lǎo tào piàn shù ， huàn zuò tā men zì jǐ dōu néng qīng yì zuò dào 。
而这看上去明显就是拆东墙、补西墙的老套骗术，换做他们自己都能轻易做到。
With those purely interested in the spectacle, most low and middle-ranking cultivators within the Ten Thousand Immortals League looked forward to Li Fan's performance three days hence. Those above the transformation realm were less concerned about such trivial matters, only a few casting glances their way.
ér yǒu de rén zài yán jiū le yī fān cān yù mù jí xiū shì de míng dān hòu ， què shì àn zì qiè xǐ ， rèn wéi zì jǐ zhǎo dào le nán dé jī yuán 。
而有的人在研究了一番参与募集修士的名单后，却是暗自窃喜，认为自己找到了难得机缘。
As the agreed-upon time approached, the usually deserted entrance of the Thousand Miles Hall was now crowded with people eagerly watching Jiao Xiuyuan for Li Fan's statement.
yīn wèi tā men fā xiàn ， míng dān zhōng yǒu yī wèi jiào zuò zhōu péng de xiū shì 。
因为他们发现，名单中有一位叫做周鹏的修士。
Jiao Xiuyuan's puppets moved in unison, their expressions identical. He swept his gaze over the crowd and said solemnly, "Li Fan Daoist Friend said that to prove he is not a fraud and defend the honor of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect."
ér zhōu péng zhè rén ， suī rán xiū wèi bù gāo 。 dàn shì què yǔ cóng yún hǎi tiān jī táng de gōng sūn zhǎng lǎo guān xì fěi qiǎn 。
而周鹏这人，虽然修为不高。但是却与丛云海天机堂的公孙长老关系匪浅。
"He risked shortening his lifespan by activating secret techniques and successfully foresaw the future once more!"
gōng sūn qǐ xuán zhī míng ， nǎ pà cóng yún hǎi wài de xiū shì ， yě shì yǒu suǒ ěr wén 。
公孙启玄之名，哪怕丛云海外的修士，也是有所耳闻。
Jiao Xiuyuan paused, drawing everyone's attention. After a moment, he declared loudly, "He saw it! In the near future, the item known as [Purusha True Leaf] will see its price skyrocket!"
rú guǒ zhè lǐ fán zhēn de shì piàn zi ， zhōu péng huì shǎ shǎ de shàng dàng ma ？
如果这李凡真的是骗子，周鹏会傻傻的上当吗？
"Even causing an upheaval in the entire Ten Thousand Immortals League!"
cóng zhōu péng měi cì cān yù mù jí ， dōu jī hū jiāng zì jǐ shēn jiā quán dōu yā shàng lái kàn ， zhè míng shàng gǔ tiān jī zōng xiū shì ， kǒng pà dí què bù jiǎn dān ！
从周鹏每次参与募集，都几乎将自己身家全都压上来看，这名上古天机宗修士，恐怕的确不简单！
Silence fell over the crowd as they had yet to process his words. Jiao Xiuyuan darted back into the Thousand Miles Hall with a flash, and the door slammed shut.
yú shì ， yòu jīng guò yī lún shāi xuǎn zhī hòu ， suī rán dǎ tīng lǐ fán lián xì fāng shì de xiū shì shù liàng jiǎn shǎo le 。
于是，又经过一轮筛选之后，虽然打听李凡联系方式的修士数量减少了。
No matter how much people shouted outside, there was no response.
dàn shì què gèng wéi rè chén le 。
但是却更为热忱了。
"Purusha True Leaf? What is this? Price skyrocketing? Is it real...?" Most of the onlookers were bewildered, half-believing, half-doubting.
qiān lǐ táng zhōng ， tīng zhe jiāo xiū yuǎn chuán lái de fǎn kuì xiāo xī ， lǐ fán wěn zuò diào yú tái ， miàn wú yì sè 。
千里堂中，听着焦修远传来的反馈消息，李凡稳坐钓鱼台，面无异色。
Some quick-witted ones returned to their Sky Mirror and searched for the item's price. They were astonished to find that as soon as Jiao Xiuyuan made his announcement, the price of Purusha True Leaf had shot up from 265 points to a straight line.
rú cǐ rèn yóu yú lùn fā jiào le shí duō tiān ， dāng gōng zhòng duì lǐ fán de tǎo lùn dù zhú jiàn kāi shǐ xià jiàng de shí hòu 。
如此任由舆论发酵了十多天，当公众对李凡的讨论度逐渐开始下降的时候。
"Stay rational! The price is rising because too many people are buying it instantly."
“ jiāo dào yǒu ， kàn lái kě yǐ kāi shǐ xià yī bù jì huà le 。” lǐ fán chén shēng dào 。
“焦道友，看来可以开始下一步计划了。”李凡沉声道。
"This so-called Li Fan must have stockpiled a large amount in advance. He's waiting for everyone to drive the price up before selling his goods!"
“ bù cuò ， dào yǒu qiě wǒ kàn wǒ shǒu duàn 。” jiāo xiū yuǎn hēi hēi yī xiào ， qì xī zài cì chén jì xià qù 。
“不错，道友且我看我手段。”焦修远嘿嘿一笑，气息再次沉寂下去。
A wise man analyzed and advised his fellow cultivators to remain calm, but the price was already climbing.
yú cǐ tóng shí ， wàn xiān méng gè chù ， wú lùn shì kàn rè nào de xiū shì ， hái shì kǔ qiú lǐ fán lián xì fāng shì ér bù dé de xiū shì 。
于此同时，万仙盟各处，无论是看热闹的修士，还是苦求李凡联系方式而不得的修士。
If the price would eventually fall, they could still make a small profit by selling their stocks before it did!
tā men dōu cóng jiāo xiū yuǎn nà lǐ dé dào le xīn de xiāo xī 。
他们都从焦修远那里得到了新的消息。
More people, seeing the rising price of Purusha True Leaf, couldn't resist buying some. Though each person's purchase wasn't significant, collectively, the number of cultivators was substantial.
zuì jìn shí zài yǒu tài duō de xiū shì xiǎng yào zhǎo shàng mén ， lǐ fán dà shī zhēn de shì bù kān qí rǎo 。
最近实在有太多的修士想要找上门，李凡大师真的是不堪其扰。
Thus, the upward trend in the price of Purusha True Leaf accelerated even further. In a short time, it rose from 265 points to 300 points.
tóng shí miàn duì zhū duō “ piàn zi ” de zhǐ zé ， lǐ fán gèng shì jué dìng zì zhèng shí lì 。
同时面对诸多“骗子”的指责，李凡更是决定自证实力。
While Li Fan and Jiao Xiuyuan were frantically buying stock,
yú shì wěi tuō jiāo xiū yuǎn tǒng yī chuán dì xùn xī 。
于是委托焦修远统一传递讯息。
in a courtyard somewhere in the Heavencapital prefecture (Central Star Region),
shí jiān dìng zài sān rì zhī hòu 。
时间定在三日之后。
"Daoist DanTai! Trouble! Check the price of Purusha True Leaf! 310..."
xiāo xī yī chū ， biàn yǐn qǐ le hōng dòng 。
消息一出，便引起了轰动。
"No, it's already 320!"
xiāng xìn lǐ fán de ， yǐn yǐn qī dài 。
相信李凡的，隐隐期待。
When DanTai Canshu finally processed what was happening, the price had reached 340 points.
ér nà xiē cóng tóu dào wěi dōu rèn wéi lǐ fán shì piàn zi de ， zé mǎn shì bù xiè ， děng zhe lǐ fán chū chǒu 。
而那些从头到尾都认为李凡是骗子的，则满是不屑，等着李凡出丑。
"Not good!"
bù guǎn xìn yǔ bù xìn ， zǒng zhī huà tí dù shì lā mǎn le 。
不管信与不信，总之话题度是拉满了。
"Don't worry about the price; buy all the Purusha True Leaf you can from the market and bring them back!"
jiā shàng nà xiē chún cuì kàn rè nào de xiū shì 。
加上那些纯粹看热闹的修士。
He shouted in frustration.
"Right now, it's time for your myriad puppets to come into play," Li Fan said with a mysterious smile, whispering softly.
Jiao Xiuyuan's eyes lit up as he nodded repeatedly in agreement.
At the same time, within various ruins of ancient sects in the town walls of the Ten Thousand Immortals League, countless identical faces began recounting stories to those around them.
The protagonist of these tales was an ancient sect member who had just awakened after a thousand years of slumber. This person possessed the secret technique of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect's derivation and calculation art, wielded the treasure known as the "Heavenly Earth Dharma Dice," and could comprehend yin-yang and understand the workings of creation.
Moreover, they could pierce through time to foresee the future.
If one were to seek their guidance, countless opportunities would be within reach. Not just reversing destiny, but overnight wealth was a certainty.
Cunyun Sea's He Zhenghao was a living example. If one doubted it, all they had to do was inquire!
In any case, Jiao Xiuyuan portrayed Li Fan as a master of incredible skill, comparable to an ancient supreme being.
Such exaggerated claims were met with disbelief by most cultivators. They shook their heads and dismissed them as yet another attempt by some immortal scion to boost their reputation through grandiose promises.
However, a small portion of the cultivators became interested in Li Fan.
They began asking Jiao Xiuyuan for more details. But Jiao Xiuyuan remained silent again.
Curiosity once sparked was hard to extinguish. Many cultivators turned to Cunyun Sea's friends, and they were shocked to find that perhaps this wasn't just empty talk. In Cunyun Sea, a group of cultivators had indeed made substantial profits following Li Fan's guidance.
Unable to contact Li Fan, they settled for reaching out to He Zhenghao and the other participants in his first fundraising effort.
He Zhenghao was somewhat bewildered by the numerous inquiries flooding him, leaving him at a loss. He could only reply instinctively.
The same went for the other participants in the fundraising efforts.
Thus, the information was confirmed. Some were disappointed because the first round of contributions had only yielded 200,000 contribution points. This seemed like an old trick—move money from one pocket to another—that any cultivator could easily pull off.
Others, after analyzing the list of participants, secretly rejoiced, believing they had found a rare opportunity. They noticed that among them was a cultivator named Zhou Peng.
Zhou Peng, though not highly ranked in cultivation, had an intimate relationship with Senior Gu Sansun from Cunyun Sea's Heavenly Mechanism Hall. Even those outside Cunyun Sea knew of the name Gu Qiuanxian.
If Li Fan were indeed a fraud, would Zhou Peng fall for it?
From Zhou Peng's consistent efforts to contribute everything he had, it seemed that this ancient sect member was no ordinary figure!
After another round of inquiries, while fewer cultivators sought out Li Fan's contact information, they became more fervent in their interest.
In the Thousand Miles Hall, Li Fan remained unperturbed as Jiao Xiuyuan relayed feedback. For over a week, he let public opinion ferment before saying, "Jiao Daoist Friend, it seems we can proceed with the next phase."
"Indeed," Jiao Xiuyuan chuckled and his aura once again faded.
Meanwhile, throughout the Ten Thousand Immortals League, whether watching from the sidelines or desperately seeking Li Fan's contact information, cultivators received new news from Jiao Xiuyuan. So many cultivators wanted to approach him; Master Li Fan was truly overwhelmed.
In response to numerous accusations of being a fraud, Li Fan decided to prove his worth and commissioned Jiao Xiuyuan to relay the message. The date was set for three days hence.
The announcement caused a stir. Those who believed in Li Fan were cautiously optimistic. Those who had always thought he was a fraud were openly dismissive, eagerly waiting for him to fail.
Regardless of their stance, the topic was now at the forefront of everyone's minds.
With those purely interested in the spectacle, most low and middle-ranking cultivators within the Ten Thousand Immortals League looked forward to Li Fan's performance three days hence. Those above the transformation realm were less concerned about such trivial matters, only a few casting glances their way.
As the agreed-upon time approached, the usually deserted entrance of the Thousand Miles Hall was now crowded with people eagerly watching Jiao Xiuyuan for Li Fan's statement.
Jiao Xiuyuan's puppets moved in unison, their expressions identical. He swept his gaze over the crowd and said solemnly, "Li Fan Daoist Friend said that to prove he is not a fraud and defend the honor of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect."
"He risked shortening his lifespan by activating secret techniques and successfully foresaw the future once more!"
Jiao Xiuyuan paused, drawing everyone's attention. After a moment, he declared loudly, "He saw it! In the near future, the item known as [Purusha True Leaf] will see its price skyrocket!"
"Even causing an upheaval in the entire Ten Thousand Immortals League!"
Silence fell over the crowd as they had yet to process his words. Jiao Xiuyuan darted back into the Thousand Miles Hall with a flash, and the door slammed shut.
No matter how much people shouted outside, there was no response.
"Purusha True Leaf? What is this? Price skyrocketing? Is it real...?" Most of the onlookers were bewildered, half-believing, half-doubting.
Some quick-witted ones returned to their Sky Mirror and searched for the item's price. They were astonished to find that as soon as Jiao Xiuyuan made his announcement, the price of Purusha True Leaf had shot up from 265 points to a straight line.
"Stay rational! The price is rising because too many people are buying it instantly."
"This so-called Li Fan must have stockpiled a large amount in advance. He's waiting for everyone to drive the price up before selling his goods!"
A wise man analyzed and advised his fellow cultivators to remain calm, but the price was already climbing.
If the price would eventually fall, they could still make a small profit by selling their stocks before it did!
More people, seeing the rising price of Purusha True Leaf, couldn't resist buying some. Though each person's purchase wasn't significant, collectively, the number of cultivators was substantial.
Thus, the upward trend in the price of Purusha True Leaf accelerated even further. In a short time, it rose from 265 points to 300 points.
While Li Fan and Jiao Xiuyuan were frantically buying stock,
in a courtyard somewhere in the Heavencapital prefecture (Central Star Region),
"Daoist DanTai! Trouble! Check the price of Purusha True Leaf! 310..."
"No, it's already 320!"
When DanTai Canshu finally processed what was happening, the price had reached 340 points.
"Not good!"
"Don't worry about the price; buy all the Purusha True Leaf you can from the market and bring them back!"
He shouted in frustration.