“ tài ān guǒ měi nián guī dìng xū yào shàng jiāo de shù liàng shì sān shí méi ， duō xià lái de kě yǐ zì jǐ liú zhe ， jiù dāng shì zhèn shǒu yī zhí de fú lì le 。”
“泰安果每年规定需要上交的数量是三十枚，多下来的可以自己留着，就当是镇守一职的福利了。”
"Each year, the Tai'an Fruit that needs to be submitted is thirty. Any surplus can be kept by yourself as a perk of your role."
“ píng jūn xià lái měi nián kě yǐ cún xià liǎng méi tài ān guǒ 。 tiān xuán jìng zhōng ， tài ān guǒ de jià gé yì bān zài 90 dào 100 diǎn gòng xiàn dù zuǒ yòu 。”
“平均下来每年可以存下两枚泰安果。天玄镜中，泰安果的价格一般在90到100点贡献度左右。”
"On average, you could save two Tai'an Fruits per year. In the Ten Thousand Immortals Island, it's rare for someone at the Qi Condensation Stage to earn 1000 points in contribution annually."
“ suǒ yǐ jiā qǐ lái suàn de huà ， xiǎo yǒu dāng zhè dài lǐ zhèn shǒu de bào chóu zhe shí bù suàn dī le 。” hé zhèng hào xiào hē hē dì gěi lǐ fán jiè shào zhe 。
“所以加起来算的话，小友当这代理镇守的报酬着实不算低了。”何正浩笑呵呵地给李凡介绍着。
"So, considering all this, the compensation for you acting as my substitute is quite generous," He Zhenghao said with a smile.
lǐ fán diǎn le diǎn tóu ， suī rán zhè hé zhèng hào shǐ le xiē xiǎo shǒu duàn ， dàn zhè huà dǎo shì bù jiǎ 。
李凡点了点头，虽然这何正浩使了些小手段，但这话倒是不假。
Li Fan nodded. Although He Zhenghao had used some tricks, his words were not entirely false. In the Ten Thousand Immortals Island, it was indeed rare for someone at the Qi Condensation Stage to earn 1000 points in contribution annually.
wàn xiān dǎo zhōng ， liàn qì qī jiù néng měi nián yǒu 1000 diǎn gòng xiàn dù jìn zhàng de ， jué duì shì fèng máo lín jiǎo le 。
万仙岛中，炼气期就能每年有1000点贡献度进账的，绝对是凤毛麟角了。
He Zhenghao would benefit from this arrangement, and Li Fan could enjoy a bit of the spoils as well.
cǐ shì hé zhèng hào chī ròu ， shùn dài zhe lǐ fán hē diǎn tāng 。
此事何正浩吃肉，顺带着李凡喝点汤。
"Thank you very much," Li Fan said with a bow.
“ hái yào duō xiè qián bèi le 。” lǐ fán gǒng shǒu dào 。
“还要多谢前辈了。”李凡拱手道。
"It's nothing. I'm just helping out someone who is part of my domain. As long as your cultivation improves in the future, it will be worth it..." He Zhenghao was about to continue when he suddenly paused and looked at Li Fan curiously.
“ hǎo shuō ， hǎo shuō 。 nǐ shì cóng wǒ zhèn shǒu dǎo yǔ chū shēn ， wǒ tí xié nǐ yě shì yīng yǒu zhī yì 。 zhǐ yào rì hòu nǐ xiū wèi jīng jìn ， jiù bù wǎng wǒ ……” hé zhèng hào zhèng shuō zhe ， tū rán dùn zhù le 。
“好说，好说。你是从我镇守岛屿出身，我提携你也是应有之意。只要日后你修为精进，就不枉我……”何正浩正说着，突然顿住了。
"Did you break through to the middle stage of Qi Condensation?"
qīng yí le shēng ， yòng lüè dài jīng xǐ de yǔ qì dǎ liàng zhe lǐ fán ：“ nǐ tū pò dào liàn qì zhōng qī le ？”
轻咦了声，用略带惊喜的语气打量着李凡：“你突破到炼气中期了？”
Li Fan's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected his use of the Qi Induction Talisman to be detected so easily.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yī jīng ， méi xiǎng dào zì jǐ yòng le yǐn qì fú hái néng bèi duì fāng kàn chū lái 。
李凡心中一惊，没想到自己用了引气符还能被对方看出来。
He nodded, admitting openly, "Yes. My relationship with Xiao Heng is quite close. Before he left, he left me an Earthattribute cultivation method. This technique suits me well and I've made rapid progress. Just a few days ago, I broke through."
dāng xià diǎn diǎn tóu ， dà fāng chéng rèn ：“ bù cuò 。 wǒ yǔ xiāo héng guān xì fěi qiǎn ， tā wài chū qián céng liú xià yī mén shuǐ shǔ xìng gōng fǎ gěi wǒ 。 zhè gōng fǎ yǔ wǒ xiāng xìng pǒ hé ， xiū liàn qǐ lái jìn bù shén sù 。 qián jǐ rì gāng gāng tū pò 。”
当下点点头，大方承认：“不错。我与萧恒关系匪浅，他外出前曾留下一门水属性功法给我。这功法与我相性颇合，修炼起来进步神速。前几日刚刚突破。”
"Ha ha, you act very cautiously. If not for the special nature of my technique, I might have missed it. Did you use the Conceal Qi Talisman?"
“ hē hē ， xiǎo yǒu xíng shì pǒ wèi jǐn shèn a 。 yào bú shì wǒ gōng fǎ tè shū ， xiǎn xiē méi kàn chū lái 。 shì yòng le yǐn qì fú ？”
“呵呵，小友行事颇为谨慎啊。要不是我功法特殊，险些没看出来。是用了隐气符？”
Li Fan nodded.
lǐ fán diǎn diǎn tóu 。
李凡点点头。
"I can understand that; after all, better safe than sorry. In this world of cultivators, there are many people with ulterior motives..." He Zhenghao continued, then suddenly noticed something odd in Li Fan's gaze and quickly changed the subject: "I didn't expect your relationship with Xiao Heng to be so good. He specifically left you a technique."
“ dào yě kě yǐ lǐ jiě ， bì jìng xiǎo xīn wú dà cuò 。 zhè xiū xiān jiè zhōng ， jū xīn pǒ cè zhī rén shí zài bù zài shǎo shù ……” hé zhèng hào zhèng shuō zhe ， tū rán fā jué lǐ fán kàn zì jǐ de yǎn shén yǒu xiē qí guài ， lián máng dǎ le gè hā hā ， chà kāi le huà tí ：“ méi xiǎng dào nǐ gēn nà xiāo héng guān xì rú cǐ zhī hǎo ， tā hái zhuān mén gěi nǐ liú xià le yī mén gōng fǎ 。”
“倒也可以理解，毕竟小心无大错。这修仙界中，居心叵测之人实在不在少数……”何正浩正说着，突然发觉李凡看自己的眼神有些奇怪，连忙打了个哈哈，岔开了话题：“没想到你跟那萧恒关系如此之好，他还专门给你留下了一门功法。”
"Xiao Heng is truly a prodigy. After just a few years of cultivation, he's almost at Foundation Establishment. His future prospects are limitless!" It was clear that He Zhenghao had been keeping an eye on Xiao Heng and spoke with great admiration.
“ xiāo héng cǐ rén kě zhēn shì tiān zòng qí cái ， xiū xíng zhè cái jǐ nián a ， dōu kuài yào zhù jī le 。 qián tú bù kě xiàn liàng a ！” xiǎn rán hé zhèng hào yě yì zhí zài guān zhù zhe xiāo héng ， cǐ shí shuō qǐ hěn shì gǎn kǎi hé xiàn mù 。
“萧恒此人可真是天纵奇才，修行这才几年啊，都快要筑基了。前途不可限量啊！”显然何正浩也一直在关注着萧恒，此时说起很是感慨和羡慕。
"He could even reach the Golden Core stage or even the Yuaninfant (in the context of Daoist cultivation, this often refers to a specific stage) realm in the future. You're truly blessed to have such a close relationship with him."
“ wèi lái chéng jiù jīn dān ， nǎi zhì yuán yīng dōu bú shì bù kě néng 。 xiǎo yǒu nǐ gēn tā guān xì mò nì ， yě zhēn shì fú yuán shēn hòu a 。”
“未来成就金丹，乃至元婴都不是不可能。小友你跟他关系莫逆，也真是福缘深厚啊。”
He Zhenghao's tone became increasingly enthusiastic as he spoke.
hé zhèng hào shuō zhe ， yǔ qì yuè fā rè qíng qǐ lái 。
何正浩说着，语气越发热情起来。
"Meeting you is also a fortunate event," Li Fan said, praising He Zhenghao casually.
“ néng yù jiàn qián bèi ， yě shì yī jiàn xìng shì 。” lǐ fán suí kǒu chuī pěng dào 。
“能遇见前辈，也是一件幸事。”李凡随口吹捧道。
He Zhenghao laughed heartily and seemed very pleased.
hé zhèng hào wén yán ， hā hā dà xiào ， hěn shì gāo xìng 。
何正浩闻言，哈哈大笑，很是高兴。
At that moment, his steps paused as he turned to look in the direction of the city: "Fortunately, there's a Tai'an Fruit ripe right now. I'll demonstrate how to harvest it for you."
jiù zài zhè shí ， tā de jiǎo bù yī dùn ， zhuǎn tóu kàn zhe chéng zhōng mǒu gè fāng xiàng ：“ zhèng qiǎo ， xiàn zài yǒu méi tài ān guǒ chéng shú le 。 wǒ jiù wèi xiǎo yǒu yǎn shì yī fān ， rú hé cǎi zhāi zhè tài ān guǒ 。”
就在这时，他的脚步一顿，转头看着城中某个方向：“正巧，现在有枚泰安果成熟了。我就为小友演示一番，如何采摘这泰安果。”
Li Fan nodded and followed He Zhenghao to a house outside the city.
lǐ fán diǎn tóu ， gēn zhe hé zhèng hào lái dào le yī chù zhái zi miàn qián 。
李凡点头，跟着何正浩来到了一处宅子面前。
Before entering the courtyard, Li Fan heard cries of mourning.
hái méi jìn rù yuàn zi ， jiù tīng dào le zhèn zhèn kū háo shēng 。
还没进入院子，就听到了阵阵哭嚎声。
He walked inside and found several human-faced fruits kneeling in the house, wearing white robes and black mourning clothes.
zǒu le jìn qù ， lǐ fán cái fā xiàn zhái zi lǐ guì zhe shí jǐ méi rén liǎn guǒ shí ， pī má dài xiào ， shēn zhe bái yī 。
走了进去，李凡才发现宅子里跪着十几枚人脸果实，披麻戴孝，身着白衣。
In the center of the room was a coffin containing what appeared to be a sleeping human-faced fruit. Its eyes were closed, its mouth slightly skewed into an eerie smile, and it lay motionless.
zhōng yāng de yī fù guān cái zhōng ， tǎng zhe yí gè hǎo sì shú shuì zháo de rén liǎn guǒ shí 。
中央的一副棺材中，躺着一个好似熟睡着的人脸果实。
The other human-faced fruits inside the house did not notice Li Fan's arrival; they were all grieving for their lost relatives.
guǒ shí bì zhuó yǎn ， xié wāi zhe zuǐ ， lù zhe yī sī guǐ yì de wēi xiào ， shēn tǐ zé shì yī dòng bù dòng 。
果实闭着眼，斜歪着嘴，露着一丝诡异的微笑，身体则是一动不动。
This scene looked both comical and terrifying.
zhái zi zhōng de yī zhòng rén liǎn guǒ shí quán dōu méi yǒu chá jué dào lǐ fán èr rén de dào lái ， zhǐ shì zài wèi qīn rén de lí qù ér āi tòng 。
宅子中的一众人脸果实全都没有察觉到李凡二人的到来，只是在为亲人的离去而哀痛。
As he approached, Li Fan smelled a strange fragrance emanating from the coffin.
chǎng zhōng de zhè yī fú huà miàn kàn shàng qù yǒu xiē huá jī ér kǒng bù 。
场中的这一幅画面看上去有些滑稽而恐怖。
He Zhenghao approached the coffin and muttered something before pointing his finger at the smiling human-faced fruit inside.
zǒu de jìn le ， lǐ fán cái wén dào yī gǔ qí yì de xiāng wèi cóng guān cái zhōng piāo chū 。
走的近了，李凡才闻到一股奇异的香味从棺材中飘出。
A soft light enveloped it, and the smiling human-faced fruit slowly rose out of the coffin, floating in mid-air. It then gradually shrunk into a small, bright red fruit.
hé zhèng hào lái dào guān cái páng ， kǒu zhōng niàn niàn yǒu cí ， cháo zhe qí nèi de xiào liǎn guǒ shí méi xīn yì diǎn 。
何正浩来到棺材旁，口中念念有词，朝着其内的笑脸果实眉心一点。
As the Tai'an Fruit took shape, the other human-faced fruits wearing mourning clothes suddenly became silent.
yī zhèn róu guāng lǒng zhào ， xiào liǎn guǒ shí màn màn cóng guān cái zhōng fú qǐ ， piāo zài bàn kōng zhōng 。
一阵柔光笼罩，笑脸果实慢慢从棺材中浮起，飘在半空中。
Their white robes vanished, and their expressions turned from sorrow to confusion.
suí hòu màn màn suō xiǎo ， huà zuò le yī méi xiǎo xiǎo de xiān hóng sè guǒ shí 。
随后慢慢缩小，化作了一枚小小的鲜红色果实。
After a moment of aimless wandering, these fruits eventually dispersed silently.
ér suí zhe tài ān guǒ de chéng xíng ， nà xiē shēn chuān xiào fú de rén liǎn guǒ shí ， quán dōu dǒu rán jiān ān jìng le xià lái 。
而随着泰安果的成型，那些身穿孝服的人脸果实，全都陡然间安静了下来。
"How did it go?" He Zhenghao handed Li Fan the Tai'an Fruit.
tā men shēn shàng de bái sè xiào fú màn màn xiāo shī ， liǎn shàng de shén qíng yě shì yóu bēi tòng zhú jiàn zhuǎn biàn wèi mí máng 。
他们身上的白色孝服慢慢消失，脸上的神情也是由悲痛逐渐转变为迷茫。
"It's quite unusual," Li Fan said, feeling somewhat unsettled by what he had just witnessed, though he managed to reply.
máng rán de sì chù zhāng wàng le piàn kè ， zhè xiē guǒ shí zuì zhōng zài chén mò zhōng sàn qù le 。
茫然的四处张望了片刻，这些果实最终在沉默中散去了。
Li Fan held the Tai'an Fruit and examined it closely. It resembled an apple but was a striking red color. A continuous flow of fragrance emanated from it.
“ rú hé ？” hé zhèng hào jiāng tài ān guǒ dì gěi lǐ fán 。
“如何？”何正浩将泰安果递给李凡。
This scent seemed to penetrate deep into one's soul, making Li Fan involuntarily swallow.
“ shèn shì qí yì 。” zhè cǎi zhāi tài ān guǒ de yí mù kàn de lǐ fán bù zhī wèi hé xīn zhōng yǒu xiē fā máo ， zhǐ shì miǎn qiǎng huí dá dào 。
“甚是奇异。”这采摘泰安果的一幕看的李凡不知为何心中有些发毛，只是勉强回答道。
"Have you ever tasted this Tai'an Fruit? You might as well try it," He Zhenghao suggested.
lǐ fán jiāng zhè méi tài ān guǒ ná zài shǒu zhōng ， zǐ xì guān chá 。
李凡将这枚泰安果拿在手中，仔细观察。
"For cultivators like us, anything that increases lifespan has a natural allure. The longer the effect lasts, the more tempting it becomes," He Zhenghao added with a smile when he saw Li Fan's hesitation.
guǒ shí hé jì yì zhōng de píng guǒ zhǎng de lèi sì ， zhǐ shì zhè yán sè shèn zhì hóng de yǒu xiē cì yǎn 。
果实和记忆中的苹果长的类似，只是这颜色甚至红的有些刺眼。
Sure enough, the fragrance seemed to accumulate over time. As Li Fan wavered, its scent grew stronger.
bìng qiě yī gǔ gǔ xiāng qì yuán yuán bù duàn dì cóng tài ān guǒ zhōng piāo chū 。
并且一股股香气源源不断地从泰安果中飘出。
The hunger pangs stirred from within him.
zhè xiāng qì sì hū néng shèn tòu jìn rén de líng hún shēn chù ， lǐ fán wén le ， bù yóu zì zhǔ dì yàn le yàn kǒu shuǐ 。
这香气似乎能渗透进人的灵魂深处，李凡闻了，不由自主地咽了咽口水。
After a moment, Li Fan no longer hesitated and swallowed the Tai'an Fruit whole.
“ xiǎo yǒu hái méi yǒu chī guò zhè tài ān guǒ ba ， bù rú xiān cháng yī cháng 。” hé zhèng hào jiàn yì dào 。
“小友还没有吃过这泰安果吧，不如先尝一尝。”何正浩建议道。
His hunger vanished instantly. Despite it being just a small fruit, he burped after eating it, feeling as if he had eaten a full meal.
“ zēng jiā shòu yuán zhī wù ， duì wǒ bèi xiū shì yǒu zhe tiān rán de xī yǐn lì 。 chí xù yuè jiǔ ， yòu huò lì yě jiù yuè dà 。” hé zhèng hào kàn zhe lǐ fán yǒu xiē yóu yù de yàng zi ， xiào mī mī dì bǔ chōng dào 。
“增加寿元之物，对我辈修士有着天然的吸引力。持续越久，诱惑力也就越大。”何正浩看着李凡有些犹豫的样子，笑眯眯地补充道。
Checking his "True Reality" panel, Li Fan saw that his physiological age limit increased by five years.
guǒ rán ， nà xiāng qì de xiào guǒ fǎng fú huì jī lěi yì bān ， suí zhe lǐ fán de yóu yù bù jué ， qí xiāng wèi yě yuè lái yuè nóng hòu 。
果然，那香气的效果仿佛会积累一般，随着李凡的犹豫不决，其香味也越来越浓厚。
He tasted the fruit and said, "This unique item that can increase lifespan is something I've never encountered before. It's truly remarkable. The only downside is its appearance—it looks too human-like, which is quite unsettling."
xiāng qì yǐn dòng zhī xià ， yī gǔ gǔ jī è gǎn cóng nèi xīn shēn chù yǒng chū 。
香气引动之下，一股股饥饿感从内心深处涌出。
He Zhenghao smiled and replied, "The Tai'an Fruit originated from humans, so it naturally looks like them."
yú shì ， piàn kè zhī hòu ， lǐ fán bù zài yóu yù ， jiāng zhè méi tài ān guǒ hú lún tūn xià 。
于是，片刻之后，李凡不再犹豫，将这枚泰安果囫囵吞下。
Li Fan's expression froze.
jī è gǎn dùn shí xiāo shī ， suī rán zhǐ shì xiǎo xiǎo de yī méi ， lǐ fán chī le zhī hòu yī rán dǎ le gè bǎo gé ， fǎng fú chī xià le yī dùn dà cān yì bān 。
饥饿感顿时消失，虽然只是小小的一枚，李凡吃了之后依然打了个饱嗝，仿佛吃下了一顿大餐一般。
Suppressing the nausea in his stomach, he asked in shock, "Are all these Tai'an Fruits real people in this city?"
lǐ fán chá kàn zì jǐ de 【 hái zhēn 】 miàn bǎn ， guǒ rán shēng lǐ nián líng shàng xiàn zēng jiā le 5 suì 。
李凡查看自己的【还真】面板，果然生理年龄上限增加了5岁。
He Zhenghao was not impressed by Li Fan's reaction but understood that as a newcomer to the cultivation world, he would be surprised. He continued explaining: "Technically speaking, the Tai'an Fruit is just a fruit and not human."
zá le zā zuǐ ， lǐ fán huí wèi zhe tài ān guǒ de wèi dào ：“ zhè néng zēng jiā shòu yuán de qí wù ， wǒ hái shì dì yī cì yù dào ， dàng zhēn shì bù fán 。 jiù shì zhè mú yàng guài le diǎn ， zhǎng de gēn rén yì bān ， kàn shàng qù shèn dé huāng 。”
砸了咂嘴，李凡回味着泰安果的味道：“这能增加寿元的奇物，我还是第一次遇到，当真是不凡。就是这模样怪了点，长的跟人一般，看上去瘆得慌。”
Li Fan felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this but still had concerns: "What do you mean when you say it originated from humans?"
hé zhèng hào xiào zhe huí yìng ：“ zhè tài ān guǒ jiù shì yóu rén biàn huà ér lái de ， dāng rán kàn shàng qù xiàng 。”
何正浩笑着回应：“这泰安果就是由人变化而来的，当然看上去像。”
"This brings us to the origin of the Tai'an Fruit," He Zhenghao said as he led Li Fan back up into the air above the city.
lǐ fán de biǎo qíng dùn shí níng gù le 。
李凡的表情顿时凝固了。
"Five hundred years ago, this Tai'an Island was just an ordinary island. The surrounding seas had no valuable resources, and only a few thousand commoners lived there for generations."
yā zhì zhù dù zhōng de fān jiāng dǎo hǎi ， lǐ fán yǒu xiē jīng hài dì wèn dào ：“ zhè chéng lǐ de tài ān guǒ dōu shì zhēn de rén ？”
压制住肚中的翻江倒海，李凡有些惊骇地问道：“这城里的泰安果都是真的人？”
"There are countless such islands in the Congyun Sea."
hé zhèng hào duì lǐ fán de fǎn yìng yǒu xiē bù yǐ wéi rán 。
何正浩对李凡的反应有些不以为然。
"But one day, everything changed."
bù guò lǐ fán bì jìng gāng jìn rù xiū xiān jiè bù jiǔ ， tā dǎo shì yě néng lǐ jiě ， yú shì jì xù jiě shì dào ：“ yán gé yì yì shàng lái jiǎng ， tài ān guǒ jiù shì shǔ yú guǒ shí ， bú shì rén lèi 。”
不过李凡毕竟刚进入修仙界不久，他倒是也能理解，于是继续解释道：“严格意义上来讲，泰安果就是属于果实，不是人类。”
"The people on neighboring islands noticed that they hadn't seen any residents of Tai'an Island for quite some time. Previously, merchants would occasionally visit each other, but it had been over a year since anyone from Tai'an Island appeared."
lǐ fán wén yán shāo wēi sōng le kǒu qì ， dàn shì hái shì xīn yǒu jiè huái ：“ nà yóu rén biàn huà ér lái dào dǐ shì shén me yì si ？”
李凡闻言稍微松了口气，但是还是心有介怀：“那由人变化而来到底是什么意思？”
"Driven by curiosity, some people set sail to investigate the island."
“ zhè jiù yào shuō dào zhè tài ān guǒ de yóu lái le 。” hé zhèng hào dài zhe lǐ fán ， yī biān fǎn huí fēi dào zhè zuò chéng shì de shàng fāng ， yī biān shuō dào 。
“这就要说到这泰安果的由来了。”何正浩带着李凡，一边返回飞到这座城市的上方，一边说道。
"But every group that went never returned."
“ wǔ bǎi nián qián ， zhè tài ān dǎo hái zhǐ shì yī zuò shí fēn pǔ tōng de dǎo yǔ 。 dǎo yǔ zhōu biān hǎi yù méi yǒu shén me yǒu jià zhí de tè chǎn ， dǎo shàng yě zhǐ yǒu jǐ qiān míng fán rén shì dài jū zhù zài zhè lǐ 。”
“五百年前，这泰安岛还只是一座十分普通的岛屿。岛屿周边海域没有什么有价值的特产，岛上也只有几千名凡人世代居住在这里。”
Realizing something was wrong, they quickly reported this to the current island guardian.
“ zhè zhǒng xiǎo dǎo cóng yún hǎi zhōng bù zhī dào yǒu duō shǎo 。”
“这种小岛丛云海中不知道有多少。”
At the time, the guardian was already at the Golden Core stage. Even so, he was deeply frightened upon seeing what had happened on Tai'an Island.
"Each year, the Tai'an Fruit that needs to be submitted is thirty. Any surplus can be kept by yourself as a perk of your role."
"On average, you could save two Tai'an Fruits per year. In the Ten Thousand Immortals Island, it's rare for someone at the Qi Condensation Stage to earn 1000 points in contribution annually."
"So, considering all this, the compensation for you acting as my substitute is quite generous," He Zhenghao said with a smile.
Li Fan nodded. Although He Zhenghao had used some tricks, his words were not entirely false. In the Ten Thousand Immortals Island, it was indeed rare for someone at the Qi Condensation Stage to earn 1000 points in contribution annually.
He Zhenghao would benefit from this arrangement, and Li Fan could enjoy a bit of the spoils as well.
"Thank you very much," Li Fan said with a bow.
"It's nothing. I'm just helping out someone who is part of my domain. As long as your cultivation improves in the future, it will be worth it..." He Zhenghao was about to continue when he suddenly paused and looked at Li Fan curiously.
"Did you break through to the middle stage of Qi Condensation?"
Li Fan's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected his use of the Qi Induction Talisman to be detected so easily.
He nodded, admitting openly, "Yes. My relationship with Xiao Heng is quite close. Before he left, he left me an Earthattribute cultivation method. This technique suits me well and I've made rapid progress. Just a few days ago, I broke through."
"Ha ha, you act very cautiously. If not for the special nature of my technique, I might have missed it. Did you use the Conceal Qi Talisman?"
Li Fan nodded.
"I can understand that; after all, better safe than sorry. In this world of cultivators, there are many people with ulterior motives..." He Zhenghao continued, then suddenly noticed something odd in Li Fan's gaze and quickly changed the subject: "I didn't expect your relationship with Xiao Heng to be so good. He specifically left you a technique."
"Xiao Heng is truly a prodigy. After just a few years of cultivation, he's almost at Foundation Establishment. His future prospects are limitless!" It was clear that He Zhenghao had been keeping an eye on Xiao Heng and spoke with great admiration.
"He could even reach the Golden Core stage or even the Yuaninfant (in the context of Daoist cultivation, this often refers to a specific stage) realm in the future. You're truly blessed to have such a close relationship with him."
He Zhenghao's tone became increasingly enthusiastic as he spoke.
"Meeting you is also a fortunate event," Li Fan said, praising He Zhenghao casually.
He Zhenghao laughed heartily and seemed very pleased.
At that moment, his steps paused as he turned to look in the direction of the city: "Fortunately, there's a Tai'an Fruit ripe right now. I'll demonstrate how to harvest it for you."
Li Fan nodded and followed He Zhenghao to a house outside the city.
Before entering the courtyard, Li Fan heard cries of mourning.
He walked inside and found several human-faced fruits kneeling in the house, wearing white robes and black mourning clothes.
In the center of the room was a coffin containing what appeared to be a sleeping human-faced fruit. Its eyes were closed, its mouth slightly skewed into an eerie smile, and it lay motionless.
The other human-faced fruits inside the house did not notice Li Fan's arrival; they were all grieving for their lost relatives.
This scene looked both comical and terrifying.
As he approached, Li Fan smelled a strange fragrance emanating from the coffin.
He Zhenghao approached the coffin and muttered something before pointing his finger at the smiling human-faced fruit inside.
A soft light enveloped it, and the smiling human-faced fruit slowly rose out of the coffin, floating in mid-air. It then gradually shrunk into a small, bright red fruit.
As the Tai'an Fruit took shape, the other human-faced fruits wearing mourning clothes suddenly became silent.
Their white robes vanished, and their expressions turned from sorrow to confusion.
After a moment of aimless wandering, these fruits eventually dispersed silently.
"How did it go?" He Zhenghao handed Li Fan the Tai'an Fruit.
"It's quite unusual," Li Fan said, feeling somewhat unsettled by what he had just witnessed, though he managed to reply.
Li Fan held the Tai'an Fruit and examined it closely. It resembled an apple but was a striking red color. A continuous flow of fragrance emanated from it.
This scent seemed to penetrate deep into one's soul, making Li Fan involuntarily swallow.
"Have you ever tasted this Tai'an Fruit? You might as well try it," He Zhenghao suggested.
"For cultivators like us, anything that increases lifespan has a natural allure. The longer the effect lasts, the more tempting it becomes," He Zhenghao added with a smile when he saw Li Fan's hesitation.
Sure enough, the fragrance seemed to accumulate over time. As Li Fan wavered, its scent grew stronger.
The hunger pangs stirred from within him.
After a moment, Li Fan no longer hesitated and swallowed the Tai'an Fruit whole.
His hunger vanished instantly. Despite it being just a small fruit, he burped after eating it, feeling as if he had eaten a full meal.
Checking his "True Reality" panel, Li Fan saw that his physiological age limit increased by five years.
He tasted the fruit and said, "This unique item that can increase lifespan is something I've never encountered before. It's truly remarkable. The only downside is its appearance—it looks too human-like, which is quite unsettling."
He Zhenghao smiled and replied, "The Tai'an Fruit originated from humans, so it naturally looks like them."
Li Fan's expression froze.
Suppressing the nausea in his stomach, he asked in shock, "Are all these Tai'an Fruits real people in this city?"
He Zhenghao was not impressed by Li Fan's reaction but understood that as a newcomer to the cultivation world, he would be surprised. He continued explaining: "Technically speaking, the Tai'an Fruit is just a fruit and not human."
Li Fan felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this but still had concerns: "What do you mean when you say it originated from humans?"
"This brings us to the origin of the Tai'an Fruit," He Zhenghao said as he led Li Fan back up into the air above the city.
"Five hundred years ago, this Tai'an Island was just an ordinary island. The surrounding seas had no valuable resources, and only a few thousand commoners lived there for generations."
"There are countless such islands in the Congyun Sea."
"But one day, everything changed."
"The people on neighboring islands noticed that they hadn't seen any residents of Tai'an Island for quite some time. Previously, merchants would occasionally visit each other, but it had been over a year since anyone from Tai'an Island appeared."
"Driven by curiosity, some people set sail to investigate the island."
"But every group that went never returned."
Realizing something was wrong, they quickly reported this to the current island guardian.
At the time, the guardian was already at the Golden Core stage. Even so, he was deeply frightened upon seeing what had happened on Tai'an Island.