"I am Li Fan. May I know how I should address you, Fellow Daoist?" Li Fan cupped his hands in greeting.
The young man's eyes lit up at this. "What a coincidence, we share the same family name. I'm Li Chenfeng.
"By the way, when you go in, try bargaining. You can probably get a spot for just 1800 contribution points," Li Chenfeng whispered.
"Thank you, Brother Li! However, I haven't found a suitable Curio of heaven and earth yet. I came here mainly to observe the Foundation Establishment Master's methods before making a decision," Li Fan explained.
"Oh, that's fine too. There are plenty like you every year. The master doesn't mind observers as long as you stay quiet and don't cause any disruptions," Li Chenfeng said casually, though he added a firm warning: "Just make sure you remain silent. Don’t disturb him."
Li Fan nodded and followed the path into the courtyard. From a distance, he could hear a voice.
"Calm your mind and focus. Meditate deeply...
"Do you know why I chose this remote location? Because there is nothing but water for thousands of li in every direction. The laws of the Great Dao are relatively pure here.
“If you were to attempt your breakthrough on Myriad Immortals Island, you would face countless distractions, slowing your progress toward Foundation Establishment."
As Li Fan drew closer, he saw five Qi Refinement cultivators seated cross-legged in the courtyard's open space.
Each radiated a profound, mysterious aura, as though they were on the verge of breaking through and achieving Foundation Establishment at any moment.
Li Fan's mind stirred, and Formless Killing Mechanism immediately began locking onto them.
One, two, three... By the fourth, he was already straining.
Including Zhang Haobo, my current limit is five people.
"Under my guidance, 265 cultivators have successfully established their foundations. Most of them completed the process faster than expected. You, too, will—"
The solemn Foundation Establishment Master, who had been earnestly sharing his expertise, suddenly paused.
He glanced up at the sky with a puzzled expression, scrutinizing it for a long moment but ultimately detecting nothing.
Muttering quietly to himself, he continued, "You, too, will establish your foundations in significantly less time!"
This Foundation Establishment Master is no ordinary man. He could faintly sense Formless Killing Mechanism? Li Fan felt a chill run down his spine.
If his cultivation level were just a bit higher, he might have been able to trace it back to me.
I must never underestimate the talents in this world. I need to be even more cautious when using Formless Killing Mechanism in the future.
Just as Li Fan was inwardly sobered by this realization, one of the cultivators in the courtyard seemed to experience a sudden epiphany following the master's words. His aura surged explosively from the Qi Refinement realm to the Dao Establishment realm.
Once his energy stabilized, the man opened his eyes, beaming with joy. He bowed deeply to the Foundation Establishment Master. "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I, Xiao, am eternally grateful!"
The Foundation Establishment Master patted his shoulder approvingly and smiled, stroking his beard.
Then, the man surnamed Xiao swiftly departed.
The remaining cultivators in the courtyard visibly perked up, their confidence renewed.
"The first person to achieve Foundation Establishment has emerged, a full ten days ahead of schedule. Who will be next?" the Foundation Establishment Master prompted encouragingly.
Watching from the sidelines, Li Fan felt overwhelming absurdity wash over him.
That cultivator surnamed Xiao happened to be one of the four currently marked by Formless Killing Mechanism.
While outwardly, he certainly appeared to have broken through to Foundation Establishment, Li Fan could see what actually happened with perfect clarity through the perspective of Heaven Watches and Earth Listens.
There was no trace of laws coalescing within that man. His aura had just swelled to the level of Foundation Establishment, while his actual strength remained firmly within the Qi Refinement realm. It was clearly nothing more than an illusion, much like the effects of the Aura Exaltation Talisman.
Moreover, this person hadn't actually left at all. He simply circled around the compound before secretly returning. His clothes and features shifted and transformed, and in an instant, he became an entirely different person.
Was this so-called Foundation Establishment Master actually a fraud?
Li Fan took another look at the white-haired, youthful-faced, ethereal-looking Foundation Establishment Master. He couldn't help but marvel at the sheer number of “extraordinary talents” the world produced.
But right then, another cultivator began to show faint signs of an impending breakthrough, as if inspired by the success of the one surnamed Xiao.
Li Fan's interest sharpened. This time, the breakthrough was genuine.
Through the perspective of heaven and earth, Li Fan saw a sorrowful sea lotus begin to coalesce within that cultivator's dantian. Li Fan immediately focused his entire attention on the cultivator, intently observing and comprehending the myriad changes occurring within him.
Once the sea lotus fully formed, the cultivator's aura erupted violently. This time, it was a true Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The man opened his eyes, his face radiant with joy. "Master, thank you!" The words were brief, but the depth of his gratitude was unmistakable.
"Go now. Do not disturb those who have yet to break through."
The man nodded, departing excitedly.
Perhaps he isn't a complete fraud after all.
He also pretended to take his leave, but in reality, he secretly stayed on the island, observing the situation of the remaining three.
Over the next several days, another two successfully broke through. The final one dragged on for over half a month before barely managing his breakthrough. He didn’t speak a word afterward, only let out a long, weary sigh before hastily taking his leave.
Whether it’s real or fake is unimportant. What matters is making the Qi Refinement cultivators believe it's real. With sufficient confidence bolstering them, it could indeed accelerate their comprehension and enable them to achieve an early breakthrough.
After all, the breakthrough itself doesn't fail. Even if one or two occasionally see no effect, seeing others succeed would make them assume the problem lies with themselves.
Taking a step back, even if someone realized it was a scam, this Foundation Establishment Master is at the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm. Not only would they be no match for him, but they'd certainly be too ashamed to publicly announce they'd been swindled.
If they did, all two hundred-plus cultivators who'd successfully established their foundations here would surely come looking for trouble. They'd have no choice but to swallow their anger and bear the humiliation in silence.
Fascinating. Truly fascinating. This Foundation Establishment Master is quite the character.
Having figured out the key points, Li Fan couldn't help but admire the scheme.
Two thousand contribution points per person didn't seem like much. But multiplied by 265 cultivators, it amounted to a staggering profit of nearly 530,000 contribution points!
I wonder just how long this Foundation Establishment Master has been in business. Li Fan thought, a slightly dangerous idea beginning to form in his mind.
For a time after that, Li Fan continued to lurk in the vicinity of the island.
Using Formless Killing Mechanism, Li Fan locked onto the cultivators who had come after hearing of the master's reputation, gaining insights from their breakthroughs.
In less than three months, Li Fan had observed the breakthrough processes of over forty Qi Refinement cultivators. His understanding of establishing a Dao Foundation steadily deepened.
Just then, a ripple came through from Zhang Haobo's side.
It seemed Zhang Haobo had reached the peak of the late-stage Qi Refinement realm. He was now seeking his own opportunity for advancement.