Chapter 465
"Ten million contribution points?! Is he crazy?" The human face exclaimed in shock.
However, it quickly regained composure.
"Hmph, his appetite is really growing larger by the day. But is he certain that what happened on the Island of Ten Thousand Immortals is worth that much?"
Li Fan cautiously added after observing the other's expression, "He has other conditions too."
"Payment first, delivery after."
"And he also said that whether we proceed with the trade is entirely up to us, he's not forcing us. But he guarantees that this piece of information is worth far more. He's offering this price because he's risking his life and considers us old customers."
Hearing such outrageous conditions, the human face no longer appeared as agitated as before.
After thinking deeply for a moment, he said, "This is a serious matter. I'll go seek instructions first. Stay here and don't move."
With that, the image on the stone vanished instantly.
Li Fan patiently waited. A stick of incense later, the human face reappeared.
"Agree to his terms!" he said decisively.
"Boss?!" Li Fan was shocked at the other's bold decision.
"Earlier, He Zhenghao said that the risks of this trade are too great, and it would be inconvenient for him to show up directly, so a middleman is required. If we want to trade, we are to send the spirit stones to this island. Just tell them you are from the 'Federation of All Worlds,' and don't worry about anything else. Just hand the spirit stones over." Li Fan gave a set of coordinates, which pointed to the island where Li Chenfeng and the others from the Empire were located.
"Once he's sure the spirit stones have been received, he'll send us the information," Li Fan quickly added.
"The 'Federation Of all Worlds'—what is that?"
"Could it be..." The human face seemed to have realized something and suddenly fell silent.
"At the latest, the spirit stones will arrive the day after tomorrow. Go keep an eye on He Zhenghao, and don't let him escape," the human face instructed.
"Yes, boss," Li Fan replied obediently.
"This is quite a gamble. If we win, we'll have achieved great merit. But if we lose..." The human face muttered to himself, clearly anxious.
Such a large amount and such an unreliable transaction method were things the human face had never encountered before, and it showed in his expression.
"Boss, don't worry. Based on my interactions with He Zhenghao over this time, I believe he is trustworthy," Li Fan reassured.
"Let's hope so. Go now."
After ending the communication, Li Fan hurried back to Tai'an Island, while also using the sensor of the "Formless Killing Intent" to monitor Li Chenfeng's situation.
Two days later.
A cultivator in black robes appeared above the Empire's island, looking around cautiously as instructed.
A woman in a blue dress suddenly appeared in front of him.
The two faced off, their expressions both somewhat tense.
According to the transaction procedure, the black-robed cultivator reported his identity: "I am a cultivator from the Federation Of all Worlds."
With that, he threw over a storage ring.
The woman in blue caught it and inspected it, her pupils narrowing sharply.
"You..."
She was about to say something, but the black-robed cultivator simply waved his hand and left without a word.
The blue-dressed woman stood there in disbelief, frozen in place.
"Master!"
Li Chenfeng, sensing something was wrong, quickly flew over to investigate.
The blue-dressed woman handed him the storage ring, and after Li Chenfeng inspected it, he too was left in a daze.
"Master, what on earth...?" Li Chenfeng was full of confusion.
"It seems we weren't as prepared as we thought." The woman in blue smiled bitterly.
...
"The Five Elders Association really is efficient, never dragging their feet!" Sensing how smoothly the transaction was proceeding, Li Fan couldn't help but praise inwardly.
He then headed to Liuli Island, had a cup of tea with He Zhenghao, and quickly set off to the rendezvous point.
Activating the communication with the human face, Li Fan appeared somewhat bewildered and anxious.
"What about the information He Zhenghao was supposed to deliver?" The human face wasted no time with pleasantries and asked directly.
"He quietly told me already," Li Fan said softly. "Just one phrase."
"Hmm?"
Li Fan placed his palms on the stone and focused his mind, transmitting the message.
"Tianxuan Spirit Locking..."
"Xuanhuang Returns..."
"Union?"
On the other end, silence descended completely.
Moments later, faint chaotic noises could be heard, the commotion growing louder.
"The transaction is complete. Continue to lay low. If anything unusual happens, I'll contact you again." Despite trying to remain calm, Li Fan could still detect a hint of fear in the human face's voice.
The stone disintegrated into dust, and the communication was cut off.
"Zhou Qingang" still wore a confused expression as he returned to Tai'an Island.
It wasn't until he reached the secluded depths of the island's protective formation that he returned to his normal self.
"With the interference from the Five Elders Association, even if the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance tries to set up the Tianxuan Spirit Locking Formation, they may find it beyond their capabilities."
"How things will unfold still remains to be seen."
Li Fan narrowed his eyes as his attention shifted back to his true self on Ten Thousand Immortal Island.
After some investigation, Li Fan was released from confinement.
His testimony matched that of the surviving cultivators at the time, with nothing out of the ordinary.
The Immortal Alliance's primary focus remained on the whereabouts of Gongsun Qixuan.
It was his deduction that triggered the strange and terrifying green light.
Although Li Fan had deduced some results beforehand, the actual situation showed that Gongsun Qixuan's deduction ability was superior.
Figuring out what Gongsun Qixuan had seen at the time became the most critical task.
Ten Thousand Immortal Island remained on lockdown.
However, those cultivators who had been interrogated were allowed to move freely on the island after signing confidentiality agreements.
Although the events of that day couldn't be discussed in detail, Li Fan's extraordinary deducing ability, as demonstrated in the skyrocketing price of Samantabhadra True Leaf and the strange events at the Martial Hall, was widely acknowledged.
As a result, many cultivators began to flock to Li Fan.
Unable to access the Tianxuan Mirror and seeking peace, Li Fan decided to hide at the Qianli Hall.
Qianli Hall had been closed since the day it was blocked, its doors tightly shut.
Li Fan used the secret passage from before to re-enter.
Once inside, he found that although Jiao Xiuyuan was present, he appeared dazed and expressionless.
No matter how much Li Fan called out, Jiao Xiuyuan didn't respond at all.
It was as if the puppet had lost control due to the destruction of the Dao Stone in his previous life, but this time, it seemed even worse.
Li Fan observed carefully for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully.
"It must be Lu Xichan's seal that severed the connection between the puppet and its original body."
"As expected from the chief of the Strategy Formation Hall, her methods are extraordinary."
"However, she would never imagine that the world still holds a divine technique like the 'Profound True Spirit Transformation.'"
Li Fan couldn't help but feel a little sense of pride.
With nothing else to do, he strolled around the deserted Qianli Hall.