tīng zhe hé zhèng hào xù xù dāo dāo de jiě shì 。
听着何正浩絮絮叨叨的解释。
Listening to He Zhenghao's incessant explanation, Li Fan found himself comparing the figure before him with that of a cultivator he had met in his previous life when he first entered the world of cultivation.
lǐ fán yǎn qián tā de shēn yǐng ， jiàn jiàn hé shàng yī shì chū rù xiū xiān jiè shí ， yù dào de nà ge jiù le lí jiè yī xíng rén de xiū xiān zhě shēn yǐng chóng hé zài le yì qǐ 。
李凡眼前他的身影，渐渐和上一世初入修仙界时，遇到的那个救了离界一行人的修仙者身影重合在了一起。
"Good! So it was you who stole from the treasury? No wonder there haven't been any issues with the smuggling business under your nose at Tianbao Tower. Even the rumors about Tianbao Tower's past smuggling activities are known throughout the island, yet no trouble has come our way."
“ hǎo a ， yuán lái shì nǐ xiǎo zi jiān shǒu zì dào ！ nán guài tiān bǎo lóu zài nǐ yǎn pí zi dǐ xià zuò tōu dù shēng yì ， què yì zhí méi chū shén me shì ne 。 shèn zhì shàng yī bèi zi tiān bǎo lóu tōu dù fán rén de chuán yán mǎn dǎo jiē zhī ， dōu méi yǒu yǐn lái shén me má fán 。”
“好啊，原来是你小子监守自盗！难怪天宝楼在你眼皮子底下做偷渡生意，却一直没出什么事呢。甚至上一辈子天宝楼偷渡凡人的传言满岛皆知，都没有引来什么麻烦。”
Upon reflection, this made sense.
zǐ xì yī xiǎng ， què shí 。
仔细一想，确实。
Given He Zhenghao’s greedy nature, how could he possibly let such a fat chance slip away?
yǐ hé zhèng hào rú cǐ tān cái de xìng gé ， yòu zěn me kě néng jiāng zuǐ biān de féi ròu ràng gěi bié rén ne ？
以何正浩如此贪财的性格，又怎么可能将嘴边的肥肉让给别人呢？
It was logical.
hěn hé lǐ 。
很合理。
Li Fan couldn’t help but feel speechless. However, he quickly accepted reality.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yǒu xiē wú yǔ ， bù guò hái shì hěn kuài jiē shòu le xiàn shí 。
李凡心中有些无语，不过还是很快接受了现实。
"What do you mean by that?"
“ nà hé dào yǒu de yì si shì ？”
“那何道友的意思是？”
Seeing Li Fan didn't oppose him, He Zhenghao became delighted: "This matter is simple. All I need from you is to run an errand for me and bring back the supplies I had asked the people of Lustrous Isle to gather ten years ago."
hé zhèng hào kàn dào lǐ fán méi yǒu fǎn duì ， dùn shí biàn dé hěn gāo xìng ：“ cǐ shì jiǎn dān 。 zhǐ xū dào yǒu tì wǒ pǎo yī tàng lí jiè ， jiāng shí nián qián wǒ ràng lí jiè zhōng rén sōu jí de wù zī dài huí lái gěi wǒ jiù xíng 。”
何正浩看到李凡没有反对，顿时变得很高兴：“此事简单。只需道友替我跑一趟离界，将十年前我让离界中人搜集的物资带回来给我就行。”
"The proceeds from selling these supplies will be split evenly between us—half for each of us."
“ zhè xiē wù zī biàn mài zhī hòu ， suǒ de gòng xiàn dù nǐ wǒ yī rén yí bàn 。”
“这些物资变卖之后，所得贡献度你我一人一半。”
"I must guard Lustrous Isle, so I can't take this task. Originally, I planned to find someone else to collaborate with, but your message came just in time."
“ wǒ xū zhèn shǒu liú lí dǎo ， tuō bù kāi shēn 。 yuán xiān zhǔn bèi zhǎo qí tā rén hé zuò de ， zhèng hǎo dào yǒu gěi wǒ fā xùn xī ， jiù gǎi wéi lián xì nǐ le 。”
“我需镇守琉璃岛，脱不开身。原先准备找其他人合作的，正好道友给我发讯息，就改为联系你了。”
After some thought, he realized there was indeed little risk involved.
xiǎng le xiǎng ， cǐ shì què shí méi yǒu shén me fēng xiǎn 。
想了想，此事确实没有什么风险。
Thirty days and over a thousand points of contribution—far more than usual tasks.
sān shí tiān yī qiān duō diǎn gòng xiàn dù ， yě yuǎn chāo yì bān suǒ néng jiē dào de rèn wù le 。
三十天一千多点贡献度，也远超一般所能接到的任务了。
"How long will it take for the round trip?" Li Fan asked, needing to clarify this before missing out on the opening of Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
“ bù zhī wǎng fǎn yī tàng xū yào duō zhǎng shí jiān ？” zhè ge bì xū yào tí qián wèn qīng chǔ ， lǐ fán kě bù xiǎng cuò guò yún shuǐ tiān gōng de kāi qǐ 。
“不知往返一趟需要多长时间？”这个必须要提前问清楚，李凡可不想错过云水天宫的开启。
"Don't worry. It won’t take more than twenty or thirty days, and it won’t interfere with your cultivation," He Zhenghao assured him.
“ fàng xīn ， zuì duō zhǐ xū èr sān shí tiān ， bú huì dān gē dào yǒu xiū xíng 。” hé zhèng hào bǎo zhèng dào 。
“放心，最多只需二三十天，不会耽搁道友修行。”何正浩保证道。
"Alright, then I accept."
“ hǎo ， nà cǐ shì wǒ yīng xià le 。”
“好，那此事我应下了。”
He Zhenghao smiled contentedly and handed Li Fan a small wooden boat: "Once you gather the supplies, hand this to the people of Lustrous Isle. You don't need to worry about anything else."
hé zhèng hào mǎn yì dì yī xiào ， yòu ná chū yī zhī xiǎo xiǎo de mù chuán dì gěi lǐ fán ：“ ná dào wù zī hòu ， nǐ jiāng cǐ wù jiāo gěi lí jiè fán rén ， qí tā jiù bù yòng guǎn le 。”
何正浩满意地一笑，又拿出一只小小的木船递给李凡：“拿到物资后，你将此物交给离界凡人，其他就不用管了。”
Li Fan took it and examined it. The wooden boat resembled Taiyin Boat but was far less refined.
lǐ fán jiē guò yī kàn ， mù chuán yǔ tài yǎn zhōu yǒu xiē xiāng sì ， què yuǎn méi yǒu nà me jīng zhì 。
李凡接过一看，木船与太衍舟有些相似，却远没有那么精致。
"It’s just an ordinary wooden boat with some minor magical arrays carved on it; not a magic tool. However, it is sufficient to protect the people of Lustrous Isle as they pass through the Great Desolation Array," He Zhenghao explained.
“ zhǐ shì juān kè le xiē xǔ fǎ zhèn de pǔ tōng mù chuán ér yǐ ， bú shì shén me fǎ qì 。 bù guò yě zú yǐ hù yòu nà xiē fán rén chuān guò xiān jué dà zhèn ， lái dào zhè lǐ le 。” hé zhèng hào jiě shì dào 。
“只是镌刻了些许法阵的普通木船而已，不是什么法器。不过也足以护佑那些凡人穿过仙绝大阵，来到这里了。”何正浩解释道。
"Of course, the strength of this array only allows for one passage. Once you arrive in the world of cultivation, the magical arrays on the boat will deplete and dissipate."
“ dāng rán ， zhèn fǎ de qiáng dù yě zhǐ zhī chí chuān yuè yī cì ér yǐ 。 lái dào zhè xiū xiān jiè hòu ， mù chuán shàng de zhèn fǎ jiù huì néng liàng hào jìn ， zì xíng xiāo sàn 。”
“当然，阵法的强度也只支持穿越一次而已。来到这修仙界后，木船上的阵法就会能量耗尽，自行消散。”
"This is also to prevent others from imitating it."
“ zhè yě shì wèi le fáng zhǐ nà xiē fán rén fǎng zhì ér yǐ 。”
“这也是为了防止那些凡人仿制而已。”
He Zhenghao chuckled, not minding his own words: "You are truly thoughtful." He then took out a spirit token and handed it to Li Fan with some reluctance.
“ hé dào yǒu zhēn shì shēn sī shú lǜ 。” lǐ fán yán bù yóu zhōng dào 。
“何道友真是深思熟虑。”李凡言不由衷道。
"Regardless of anything else, helping people smuggle is still something that can't be seen in the open. If other cultivators see us, we might lose face and even face accusations from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. For safety’s sake, you should keep this form-concealment token with you to avoid being recognized."
hé zhèng hào hā hā yī xiào ， yě bù zài yì 。
何正浩哈哈一笑，也不在意。
Li Fan nodded and accepted it.
yòu tāo chū yī méi líng fú ， yǒu xiē yī yī bù shě dì ， dì gěi le lǐ fán 。
又掏出一枚灵符，有些依依不舍地，递给了李凡。
"This form-concealment token can hide your appearance and aura—it's an advanced version of the hidden spirit token. Even a Golden Core cultivator cannot discern its true nature after use," He Zhenghao continued, pausing for effect: "It’s essential for any cultivator to have."
“ bù guǎn zěn me shuō ， bāng zhù fán rén tōu dù yī shì hái shì jiàn bù dé guāng de 。 wàn yī bèi bié de xiū shì zhuàng jiàn ， diū le liǎn miàn bù shuō ， shuō bù dé hái yào miàn duì wàn xiān méng de jié zé 。 xiǎo xīn qǐ jiàn ， dào yǒu hái shì jiāng cǐ cáng xíng fú dài zài shēn shàng ， bì miǎn bèi rén rèn chū 。”
“不管怎么说，帮助凡人偷渡一事还是见不得光的。万一被别的修士撞见，丢了脸面不说，说不得还要面对万仙盟的诘责。小心起见，道友还是将此藏形符带在身上，避免被人认出。”
"Unfortunately, the spirit fog grass required to draw this form-concealment token is quite rare, driving up its price."
lǐ fán zì shì diǎn tóu shōu xià 。
李凡自是点头收下。
"One token costs 50 points of contribution."
“ zhè cáng xíng fú kě yǐ yǐn nì shēn xíng 、 qì xī ， nǎi shì yǐn qì fú de jìn jiē bǎn běn 。 shǐ yòng zhī hòu nǎ pà jīn dān jìng xiū shì dōu bù néng kàn pò 。 shí nǎi shā rén ……”
“这藏形符可以隐匿身形、气息，乃是隐气符的进阶版本。使用之后哪怕金丹境修士都不能看破。实乃杀人……”
"But if you need it in the future, you can find a cultivator named Jiao Xiuyuan on Ten Thousand Immortals Island. He has many substandard form-concealment tokens that were discarded from the Ten Thousand Immortals Token Hall. Although they are called substandard, they still work. The effect is just not as good; only Foundation Establishment cultivators can't see through it."
“ shí nǎi wǒ xiū shì wài chū bì bèi wù pǐn 。” hé zhèng hào dùn le dùn ， yòu yǒu xiē wǎn xī dào ：“ zhǐ kě xī huì zhì zhè cáng xíng fú suǒ xū de líng wù cǎo bǐ jiào xī shǎo ， dǎo zhì cáng xíng fú jià gé yì zhí jū gāo bù xià 。”
“实乃我修士外出必备物品。”何正浩顿了顿，又有些惋惜道：“只可惜绘制这藏形符所需的灵雾草比较稀少，导致藏形符价格一直居高不下。”
"Fortunately, they are inexpensive—only 20 points of contribution. If you ever travel in the future, consider preparing a few," He Zhenghao continued to educate Li Fan.
“ yī méi jiù xū yào 50 diǎn gòng xiàn dù 。”
“一枚就需要50点贡献度。”
After detailing various precautions and scenarios for his journey to Lustrous Isle, everything was set. Li Fan prepared to leave for Lustrous Isle as soon as possible.
“ bù guò ， yǐ hòu dào yǒu rú guǒ yǒu xū yào ， kě yǐ qù wàn xiān dǎo zhōng xún zhǎo yī míng jiào zuò jiāo xiū yuǎn de xiū shì 。 cǐ rén nà lǐ yǒu dà liàng cáng xíng fú de cán cì pǐn ， jù shuō shì cóng wàn xiān dǎo fú táng zhōng táo tài xià lái de 。 suī rán bèi chēng zuò cán cì pǐn ， dàn yě néng zhào cháng shǐ yòng 。 zhǐ shì xiào guǒ bù tài hǎo ， zhǐ néng ràng zhù jī xiū shì wú fǎ kàn pò 。”
“不过，以后道友如果有需要，可以去万仙岛中寻找一名叫做焦修远的修士。此人那里有大量藏形符的残次品，据说是从万仙岛符堂中淘汰下来的。虽然被称作残次品，但也能照常使用。只是效果不太好，只能让筑基修士无法看破。”
However, before he left, he couldn't help but ask: "He Daoist, there's something I've always been curious about, but I'm not sure if it’s appropriate to ask..."
“ dàn hǎo zài jià gé dī lián ， zhǐ yào 20 diǎn gòng xiàn dù 。 xiǎo yǒu nǐ yǐ hòu ruò shì wài chū ， bù fáng zhǔn bèi shǎo xǔ 。” hé zhèng hào yòu zī zī bù juàn de wèi lǐ fán kē pǔ 。
“但好在价格低廉，只要20点贡献度。小友你以后若是外出，不妨准备少许。”何正浩又孜孜不倦的为李凡科普。
He Zhenghao paused, then said, "Speak freely."
zhī hòu hé zhèng hào yòu jiāng qián wǎng lí jiè de zhù yì shì xiàng yǐ jí kě néng yù jiàn de gè zhǒng qíng kuàng dōu wèi lǐ fán xiáng xì jiǎng shù le yī biàn 。
之后何正浩又将前往离界的注意事项以及可能遇见的各种情况都为李凡详细讲述了一遍。
"Since you are a Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding Lustrous Isle and an expert in array techniques, one would think that your contribution points wouldn’t be so tight. Why... still seem somewhat desperate?"
zhè zhī hòu ， yī qiè zhǔn bèi jiù xù ， lǐ fán biàn zhǔn bèi dòng shēn qián wǎng lí jiè 。
这之后，一切准备就绪，李凡便准备动身前往离界。
Li Fan hesitated before asking more delicately: "Why do you look so constrained?"
lì qiú zǎo qù zǎo huí 。
力求早去早回。
He Zhenghao smiled wryly and explained: "You misunderstood. While Foundation Establishment cultivators may not have as much freedom with their contribution points, I am far from being in a comfortable position."
bù guò ， zài lín xíng zhī qián ， lǐ fán hái shì rěn bú zhù ， chū shēng xún wèn ：“ hé dào yǒu ， yǒu yī shì ， wǒ yì zhí yǒu xiē bù jiě 。 què yòu bù zhī dào gāi bù gāi wèn ……”
不过，在临行之前，李凡还是忍不住，出声询问：“何道友，有一事，我一直有些不解。却又不知道该不该问……”
"Oh? What's the issue?" Li Fan asked curiously.
hé zhèng hào yī lèng ， suí jí shuō dào ：“ dàn shuō wú fáng 。”
何正浩一愣，随即说道：“但说无妨。”
"In truth, I've set my eyes on an Infant Essence cultivation technique that complements my unique Foundation Establishment item perfectly. If I were to switch to this technique, I would definitely achieve a Golden Core within a century, and even reaching the Infant Essence realm is almost certain," He Zhenghao's eyes gleamed with desire.
“ hé dào yǒu nǐ nǎi zhù jī qī xiū shì ， lǐng liú lí dǎo zhèn shǒu zhí wèi 。 yòu shì zhèn fǎ dà jiā ， àn lǐ lái shuō ， yīng gāi bú shì nà me quē gòng xiàn dù cái shì 。 wèi hé ……”
“何道友你乃筑基期修士，领琉璃岛镇守职位。又是阵法大家，按理来说，应该不是那么缺贡献度才是。为何……”
"Unfortunately, such infant essence true techniques are incredibly precious. Even after saving up for a long time, I still fall short."
“…… réng rán kàn shàng qù yǒu xiē jiǒng pò ？” lǐ fán chén yín le xià ， wěi wǎn dì wèn dào 。
“……仍然看上去有些窘迫？”李凡沉吟了下，委婉地问道。
"So, I can only save where I can," he sighed. "Even then, it’s uncertain when I might be able to exchange them."
hé zhèng hào yǐ wéi lǐ fán shì dān xīn yǐ hòu zài wàn xiān méng de qián tú 。
何正浩以为李凡是担心以后在万仙盟的前途。
"And who knows if this technique I've been longing for will be taken by someone else before that?"
kǔ xiào yī shēng ， jiě shì dào ：“ dào yǒu wù huì le 。 wàn xiān méng nèi ， zhù jī xiū shì suī rán gòng xiàn dù yī rán méi yǒu nà me zì yóu ， dàn jué bú huì xiàng wǒ zhè bān 。”
苦笑一声，解释道：“道友误会了。万仙盟内，筑基修士虽然贡献度依然没有那么自由，但绝不会像我这般。”
He Zhenghao sighed.
“ ó ？ hé dào yǒu yǒu hé nán yán zhī yǐn ？” lǐ fán qí dào 。
“哦？何道友有何难言之隐？”李凡奇道。
Recalling something, He Zhenghao said: "By the way, you are now at late Qi Refining. When selecting Foundation Establishment techniques, remember to choose one that complements your unique Foundation Establishment item. This not only makes future cultivation more efficient but also brings other benefits. Due to restrictions from the Heavenly Array Mirror, I can’t tell you too much. Just keep this in mind."
“ shí bù xiāng mán ， wǒ kàn shàng le yī mén yuán yīng gōng fǎ ， cǐ gōng fǎ yǔ wǒ zhù jī qí wù shèn shì xiāng hé 。 ruò néng gǎi xiū nà mén gōng fǎ ， bǎi nián nèi wǒ bì dìng néng chéng jiù jīn dān ， shèn zhì yuán yīng jìng yě shì shí ná jiǔ wěn 。” hé zhèng hào de yǎn guāng zhōng shǎn guò yī sī kě wàng 。
“实不相瞒，我看上了一门元婴功法，此功法与我筑基奇物甚是相合。若能改修那门功法，百年内我必定能成就金丹，甚至元婴境也是十拿九稳。”何正浩的眼光中闪过一丝渴望。
"Unique Foundation Establishment items and cultivation techniques complement each other..." Li Fan nodded slowly.
“ kě xī de shì ， yuán yīng zhēn gōng ， shí zài tài guò zhēn guì 。 suǒ xū gòng xiàn dù jí shǐ wǒ zǎn le xǔ jiǔ ， yě hái chà xǔ duō 。”
“可惜的是，元婴真功，实在太过珍贵。所需贡献度即使我攒了许久，也还差许多。”
He then heard He Zhenghao sigh: "Actually, the technique I am cultivating now is also extraordinary. It was discovered by chance during my exploration of a nameless cave when I was young. There are many inexplicable methods within."
“ suǒ yǐ ， zhǐ néng píng shí néng shěng zé shěng le 。” tā tàn le kǒu qì 。“ jiù suàn zhè yàng ， yě bù zhī hé nián hé yuè néng gòu jiāng qí duì huàn 。”
“所以，只能平时能省则省了。”他叹了口气。“就算这样，也不知何年何月能够将其兑换。”
"Unfortunately, it’s too difficult to cultivate; it takes decades or even centuries just to advance one small realm."
“ yòu bù zhī zài cǐ zhī qián ， zhè mén wǒ xīn xīn niàn niàn de gōng fǎ ， huì bú huì tí qián bèi rén duì huàn zǒu ne ？”
“又不知在此之前，这门我心心念念的功法，会不会提前被人兑换走呢？”
"At this stage, Foundation Establishment cultivation is already extremely challenging. If I were at the Golden Core stage and forced myself to practice this technique, I would exhaust my lifespan before reaching that stage."
hé zhèng hào tàn xī dào 。
何正浩叹息道。
"Switching techniques is a last resort," He Zhenghao fell silent after his words.
suí hòu yòu xiǎng qǐ le shén me ， duì lǐ fán shuō dào ：“ duì le ， nǐ rú jīn yǐ jīng shì liàn qì hòu qī le 。 tiāo xuǎn zhù jī qī gōng fǎ shí ， rú guǒ yǒu tiáo jiàn ， qiè jì yào tiāo xuǎn yǔ zì shēn zhù jī qí wù xiāng xìng xiāng hé de 。 rú cǐ ， bù jǐn yǐ hòu xiū liàn qǐ lái ， shì bàn gōng bèi 。 hái huì yǒu gèng duō qí tā hǎo chù 。 jù tǐ de yóu yú tiān xuán jìng xiàn zhì ， wǒ yě bù néng gēn nǐ jiǎng tài duō 。 zǒng zhī nǐ jì zhù zhè diǎn ， zhǔn méi yǒu cuò 。”
随后又想起了什么，对李凡说道：“对了，你如今已经是炼气后期了。挑选筑基期功法时，如果有条件，切记要挑选与自身筑基奇物相性相合的。如此，不仅以后修炼起来，事半功倍。还会有更多其他好处。具体的由于天玄镜限制，我也不能跟你讲太多。总之你记住这点，准没有错。”
Li Fan bowed and headed towards Lustrous Isle.
“ zhù jī qí wù yǔ gōng fǎ xiàng xìng xiāng hé me ……” lǐ fán wén yán ， huǎn huǎn diǎn tóu 。
“筑基奇物与功法相性相合么……”李凡闻言，缓缓点头。
He Zhenghao watched Li Fan's retreating figure with another sigh.
què yòu tīng hé zhèng hào tàn xī dào ：“ qí shí wǒ xiàn zài xiū xíng de zhè mén gōng fǎ ， yě shì jí wéi bù fán 。 nǎi shì wǒ nián qīng shí yú yī wú míng dòng fǔ tàn suǒ shí yì wài suǒ de 。 qí zhōng yǒu zhǒng zhǒng bù kě sī yì de fǎ mén 。”
却又听何正浩叹息道：“其实我现在修行的这门功法，也是极为不凡。乃是我年轻时于一无名洞府探索时意外所得。其中有种种不可思议的法门。”
There was something he hadn’t said:
“ zhǐ kě xī ， xiū xíng de nán dù tài gāo le yì diǎn ， dòng zhé jǐ shí shàng bǎi nián cái néng tí gāo yí gè xiǎo jìng jiè 。”
“只可惜，修行的难度太高了一点，动辄几十上百年才能提高一个小境界。”
While the Sit-and-Watch Decree could benefit from helping junior cultivators, cultivation is truly arduous.
“ zhù jī qī yǐ jīng shì rú cǐ zhī nán ， ruò shì wǒ jīn dān qī hái qiáng xíng xiū liàn zhè mén gōng fǎ ， bì rán děng bú dào wǒ jìng jiè tū pò ， jiù yào xiān shòu yuán hào jìn ， shēn sǐ dào xiāo le 。”
“筑基期已经是如此之难，若是我金丹期还强行修炼这门功法，必然等不到我境界突破，就要先寿元耗尽，身死道消了。”
Over these years, he had spread his net widely to support younger talents.
“ gǎi huàn gōng fǎ ， yě shí zài shì wú nài zhī jǔ 。” yī xí huà shuō bà ， hé zhèng hào xiàn rù le shēn shēn de chén mò zhī zhōng 。
“改换功法，也实在是无奈之举。”一席话说罢，何正浩陷入了深深的沉默之中。
Most of them died mysteriously shortly after, never reaching even Foundation Establishment.
lǐ fán tīng le ， gǒng le gǒng shǒu ， zhí wǎng lí jiè qù le 。
李凡听了，拱了拱手，直往离界去了。
Encountering a genius like Li Fan, who was already at late Qi Refining in his youth, was a stroke of luck indeed. After all, how many geniuses could he possibly come across?
Listening to He Zhenghao's incessant explanation, Li Fan found himself comparing the figure before him with that of a cultivator he had met in his previous life when he first entered the world of cultivation.
"Good! So it was you who stole from the treasury? No wonder there haven't been any issues with the smuggling business under your nose at Tianbao Tower. Even the rumors about Tianbao Tower's past smuggling activities are known throughout the island, yet no trouble has come our way."
Upon reflection, this made sense.
Given He Zhenghao’s greedy nature, how could he possibly let such a fat chance slip away?
It was logical.
Li Fan couldn’t help but feel speechless. However, he quickly accepted reality.
"What do you mean by that?"
Seeing Li Fan didn't oppose him, He Zhenghao became delighted: "This matter is simple. All I need from you is to run an errand for me and bring back the supplies I had asked the people of Lustrous Isle to gather ten years ago."
"The proceeds from selling these supplies will be split evenly between us—half for each of us."
"I must guard Lustrous Isle, so I can't take this task. Originally, I planned to find someone else to collaborate with, but your message came just in time."
After some thought, he realized there was indeed little risk involved.
Thirty days and over a thousand points of contribution—far more than usual tasks.
"How long will it take for the round trip?" Li Fan asked, needing to clarify this before missing out on the opening of Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
"Don't worry. It won’t take more than twenty or thirty days, and it won’t interfere with your cultivation," He Zhenghao assured him.
"Alright, then I accept."
He Zhenghao smiled contentedly and handed Li Fan a small wooden boat: "Once you gather the supplies, hand this to the people of Lustrous Isle. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Li Fan took it and examined it. The wooden boat resembled Taiyin Boat but was far less refined.
"It’s just an ordinary wooden boat with some minor magical arrays carved on it; not a magic tool. However, it is sufficient to protect the people of Lustrous Isle as they pass through the Great Desolation Array," He Zhenghao explained.
"Of course, the strength of this array only allows for one passage. Once you arrive in the world of cultivation, the magical arrays on the boat will deplete and dissipate."
"This is also to prevent others from imitating it."
He Zhenghao chuckled, not minding his own words: "You are truly thoughtful." He then took out a spirit token and handed it to Li Fan with some reluctance.
"Regardless of anything else, helping people smuggle is still something that can't be seen in the open. If other cultivators see us, we might lose face and even face accusations from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. For safety’s sake, you should keep this form-concealment token with you to avoid being recognized."
Li Fan nodded and accepted it.
"This form-concealment token can hide your appearance and aura—it's an advanced version of the hidden spirit token. Even a Golden Core cultivator cannot discern its true nature after use," He Zhenghao continued, pausing for effect: "It’s essential for any cultivator to have."
"Unfortunately, the spirit fog grass required to draw this form-concealment token is quite rare, driving up its price."
"One token costs 50 points of contribution."
"But if you need it in the future, you can find a cultivator named Jiao Xiuyuan on Ten Thousand Immortals Island. He has many substandard form-concealment tokens that were discarded from the Ten Thousand Immortals Token Hall. Although they are called substandard, they still work. The effect is just not as good; only Foundation Establishment cultivators can't see through it."
"Fortunately, they are inexpensive—only 20 points of contribution. If you ever travel in the future, consider preparing a few," He Zhenghao continued to educate Li Fan.
After detailing various precautions and scenarios for his journey to Lustrous Isle, everything was set. Li Fan prepared to leave for Lustrous Isle as soon as possible.
However, before he left, he couldn't help but ask: "He Daoist, there's something I've always been curious about, but I'm not sure if it’s appropriate to ask..."
He Zhenghao paused, then said, "Speak freely."
"Since you are a Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding Lustrous Isle and an expert in array techniques, one would think that your contribution points wouldn’t be so tight. Why... still seem somewhat desperate?"
Li Fan hesitated before asking more delicately: "Why do you look so constrained?"
He Zhenghao smiled wryly and explained: "You misunderstood. While Foundation Establishment cultivators may not have as much freedom with their contribution points, I am far from being in a comfortable position."
"Oh? What's the issue?" Li Fan asked curiously.
"In truth, I've set my eyes on an Infant Essence cultivation technique that complements my unique Foundation Establishment item perfectly. If I were to switch to this technique, I would definitely achieve a Golden Core within a century, and even reaching the Infant Essence realm is almost certain," He Zhenghao's eyes gleamed with desire.
"Unfortunately, such infant essence true techniques are incredibly precious. Even after saving up for a long time, I still fall short."
"So, I can only save where I can," he sighed. "Even then, it’s uncertain when I might be able to exchange them."
"And who knows if this technique I've been longing for will be taken by someone else before that?"
He Zhenghao sighed.
Recalling something, He Zhenghao said: "By the way, you are now at late Qi Refining. When selecting Foundation Establishment techniques, remember to choose one that complements your unique Foundation Establishment item. This not only makes future cultivation more efficient but also brings other benefits. Due to restrictions from the Heavenly Array Mirror, I can’t tell you too much. Just keep this in mind."
"Unique Foundation Establishment items and cultivation techniques complement each other..." Li Fan nodded slowly.
He then heard He Zhenghao sigh: "Actually, the technique I am cultivating now is also extraordinary. It was discovered by chance during my exploration of a nameless cave when I was young. There are many inexplicable methods within."
"Unfortunately, it’s too difficult to cultivate; it takes decades or even centuries just to advance one small realm."
"At this stage, Foundation Establishment cultivation is already extremely challenging. If I were at the Golden Core stage and forced myself to practice this technique, I would exhaust my lifespan before reaching that stage."
"Switching techniques is a last resort," He Zhenghao fell silent after his words.
Li Fan bowed and headed towards Lustrous Isle.
He Zhenghao watched Li Fan's retreating figure with another sigh.
There was something he hadn’t said:
While the Sit-and-Watch Decree could benefit from helping junior cultivators, cultivation is truly arduous.
Over these years, he had spread his net widely to support younger talents.
Most of them died mysteriously shortly after, never reaching even Foundation Establishment.
Encountering a genius like Li Fan, who was already at late Qi Refining in his youth, was a stroke of luck indeed. After all, how many geniuses could he possibly come across?