Li Fan chuckled softly. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said, noting the absolute confidence shining in He Zhenghao’s eyes.
He Zhenghao continued boasting about his past achievements—how he'd doubled his contribution points in ten years, how one big score was equivalent to years of hard labor.
Only when Li Fan gave him a meaningful look did he reluctantly stop and take his leave.
The Tianxuan Mirror's notification sounded at just the right moment.
“Cultivator Li Fan, welcome to the Myriad Immortals Alliance. As a benefit, you will receive 1000 complimentary contribution points. You may use contribution points to redeem spirit stones, techniques, artifacts, and more.
"You have received 1500 contribution points from He Zhenghao.
"Your current total contribution points: 2500."
Though he was starting this life with 2500 contribution points, such a paltry amount could hardly stir any emotional reaction in Li Fan, who had once possessed over a million. Moreover, at the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm, activating the Tianxuan Mirror’s epiphanic state boost cost a staggering 300 contribution points per day.
Li Fan had come to understand that 300 contribution points represented roughly what an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could earn in around a month doing low-risk tasks.
Cultivators typically spent most of the month running errands, then cultivated for one day in the epiphanic state. Then it was back to running errands. The cycle was endless.
Occasionally, with luck, one might land a high-reward, low-risk mission.
After a full year, one would only be able to accumulate a pitiful handful of contribution points.
Working like beasts of burden—this was the fate of ordinary cultivators in the Myriad Immortals Alliance. As for those unwilling to accept it, who wanted to gamble for more? Well, then one had to face the risk of death.
As someone who could keep starting over, Li Fan would never sink to such a fate. Employing his old tricks, he purchased a storage ring, made a trip out and back, then converted the gold, silver, and other valuables from the Taiyan Boat along with the Halt Stele Fragment. He obtained 2831 contribution points.
Still too little!
Li Fan remembered that in about half a year, the Dracowhale exotic beast, which had gained sentience after devouring numerous Liuli Pearls, would destroy the Spirit Mist Grass island. Eminence Qingmu Huasheng would use this opportunity to set a trap and reap a massive harvest.
Li Fan naturally didn't want to miss out on such a feast. He needed to accumulate enough contribution points before then to participate.
Li Fan's gaze fell on the mission to gather Blueblood Coral. Without hesitation, he accepted it once more. Then, using a teleportation array, he arrived at Mistcrow Island in the northwest region of Congyun Sea.
The guardian of Mistcrow Island was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator. His stooped form was hidden within black robes, and his expression was veiled.
An eerie aura emanated from him, pushing away anyone within a thousand li without a word.
Li Fan nodded slightly in his direction before proceeding on his way.
Once outside the island protection array, Li Fan looked up. The island was perpetually shrouded in a layer of gray mist. Within the haze, shadowy flocks of flying birds could faintly be seen.
Li Fan flew close to the gray mist, using his spiritual power to capture one of the birds for closer examination.
"Caw! Caw!"
The bird was naturally the so-called mistcrow. It had no physical body, being entirely composed of the gray fog. The mistcrow struggled, flapping its wings and trying to peck at Li Fan with its large, curved beak.
Where his spiritual power touched the gray mist, a faint burning sensation occurred, surprising Li Fan somewhat.
These mistcrows seem somewhat useful, but only those from the Heavenly Mechanism Hall would know.
After studying it for a while without gaining any insights, he released it back into the mist.
Then he attended to his main business and flew westward from Mistcrow Island.
After flying over two hundred li, Li Fan suppressed his aura and dove beneath the sea.
Within the sprawling underwater ruins that stretched for dozens of li grew a prominent stalk of Blueblood Coral. It was completely transparent, emitting a faint, ethereal glow.
Various marine creatures had established their homes around this coral.
A sea snake with strength equivalent to the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm lurked in the surroundings, guarding it.
This tranquil and beautiful scene was abruptly shattered by Li Fan's arrival.
He activated the Insect Binding divine ability as Return to Truth transformed into the Deepsea Pearl.
With One Congyun Sword Strike, the sea snake instantly lost its life.
Huh? After my Foundation Establishment Curio transformed into the Deepsea Pearl, my technique's power actually received a slight boost within the Congyun Sea?
Feeling that there was something different about that sword strike, Li Fan carefully perceived the sensations emanating from around him.
This feeling... is it a sense of familiarity emanating from the Congyun Sea? Does it consider the Deepsea Pearl a fellow brother?
Li Fan chuckled dismissively, paying it no mind, and focused his gaze on the Blueblood Coral.
With a rumbling sound, the Blueblood Coral was uprooted and stored within his spatial ring.
Seeing their home destroyed, countless creatures scattered in panic, fleeing for their lives.
Li Fan showed no awareness that he had just been an agent of destruction.
That's three thousand contribution points acquired. It was even easier than loaning out techniques.
Li Fan remembered that Elder Chen from the Medicine Hall consistently purchased this Blueblood Coral. So he carefully recalled the other locations in the Congyun Sea where it could be found.
Hmm, it seems there's another one not far from here, in an underwater canyon. I might as well take that one too.
Thus, without much effort, Li Fan dug up another stalk of Blueblood Coral.
Returning to the Tianxuan Mirror, he selected the task submission option.
After the other party received the two stalks of coral, he quickly received the mission reward. Six thousand contribution points were now his.
"Elder Chen, I wonder what pill you’re intending to refine with this Blueblood Coral?" Li Fan casually asked.
Perhaps owing to the fact that had provided two stalks of Blueblood Coral, a reply came through after a while.
"The Frostwill Severance Pill, needed to explore a certain secret realm. If you can find more of this coral in the future, you can trade them with me. I'll take as many as you have."
Frostwill Severance Pill, huh. Li Fan contemplated the pill's name.
With the mission completed, Li Fan now possessed over ten thousand contribution points. And only three days had passed since he joined the Myriad Immortals Alliance. The speed at which he accumulated contribution points was truly astonishing.
Li Fan's gaze returned to that most eye-catching bounty mission.
The one hundred thousand contribution points for the Cloudwater Model... I cannot miss it in this lifetime either.
But that old fellow called the Heavenly Physician is somewhat sinister. Judging by his strength, he's at least a Dao Unity Immortal Venerable.
The memory of his very thoughts being frozen in their tracks by that black-robed Dao Unity cultivator in Yuandao Province remained vivid in his mind. Naturally, Li Fan had no intention of confronting the Heavenly Physician with his true self.
Looks like I'll need to forge an avatar after all.
He gathered all the materials required for crafting the avatar, then descended into the depths of the sea to retrieve the Skycrystal Spirit Sand.
With everything in hand, he made straight for the cave dwelling where Sikong Yi had concealed himself.
Sikong Yi and his avatar Baili Chen moved like phantoms, and their whereabouts shifted constantly. Attempting to track them through the Heaven-Swapping Art's resonance risked alerting them, potentially prompting them to flee through a teleportation array.
A prolonged chase would only bring unnecessary complications. It was better to wait right at the rabbit’s burrow until it returned.