← 我的模拟长生路

第七十章 欲求元婴法

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?

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