During his twelfth lifetime, Li Fan had possessed total assets exceeding a million contribution points, but that had been accumulated over years of diligently running Brightmoon Palace’s technique transmission business.
It wasn't exactly blood, sweat and tears, but it was hard-earned currency nonetheless.
Still, it was nothing compared to now, where he had gained 650,000 contribution points practically effortlessly, just by seizing the opportunity to drive speculation.
This enormous windfall came so easily that it gave Li Fan an intensely surreal feeling.
Collecting himself slightly, he looked at He Zhenghao and Jiao Xiuyuan, both still lost in their fervent greed. His true self and avatar couldn't help but speak out simultaneously in admonishment.
"Stop now, Fellow Daoist He!"
"Stop now, Fellow Daoist Jiao!"
"You've earned enough already! There's still time to pull out!"
Though they were in different locations, their reactions were remarkably similar.
"Stop now? How could we? This surge in Spirit Mist Grass prices has only just begun!
"The destruction of those cultivation sites proves that major players have truly entered the market. Three hundred contribution points isn't the end point, it's the starting line! Don't sabotage your own opportunities, Fellow Daoist!" He Zhenghao analyzed with precision, dismissing Li Fan's advice entirely.
"Not enough, still not enough! The opportunity hasn't expired yet; wait a bit longer!" Though Jiao Xiuyuan was slightly more rational, he still harbored enormous greed, hoping to squeeze every last drop of profit.
Seeing them like this, Li Fan knew deep down that they wouldn't listen to anyone's counsel now.
Good advice cannot reach those hell-bent on their own destruction.
I wonder how many obsessed cultivators will be bankrupted and have their Dao Hearts shattered after this.
Li Fan sighed inwardly.
The Spirit Mist Grass price bubble burst faster than Li Fan had anticipated. It also came as a surprise to the vast majority of cultivators.
Just as Spirit Mist Grass prices were soaring triumphantly, breaking through the 350 point barrier and seemingly headed toward 400 points, every cultivator frantically purchasing Spirit Mist Grass from the Tianxuan Mirror suddenly heard the same mechanical, icy voice of the Tianxuan Mirror in their minds.
"Due to significant abnormal fluctuations in Spirit Mist Grass prices in recent days, and to ensure the stable and harmonious development of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, the following declaration is issued.
"Three months ago, the Myriad Immortals Alliance discovered a sealed grotto-heaven. This grotto-heaven is extremely vast, with exceptionally concentrated wood attribute spiritual qi, and an extraordinary abundance of varieties of spirit plants and herbs.
"Preliminary estimates indicate that this grotto-heaven alone can produce approximately ten million stalks of Spirit Mist Grass annually.
"This fully meets the Alliance's various production and consumption needs."
The cultivators paid no attention to the Tianxuan Mirror's subsequent words. When they heard that the annual production of Spirit Mist Grass was ten million stalks, the expressions on their faces froze solid. Then boundless terror instantly descended, seizing their hearts.
Though rumors had circulated earlier about that wood attribute grotto-heaven's incredible productivity, no one had been willing to believe such news amid the Spirit Mist Grass's price surge.
They thought it was a scheme spread by ill-intentioned individuals to disrupt the market, and refused to believe the news was genuine.
But now, the announcement came directly from the Tianxuan Mirror itself.
As the foundational platform of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, where all resource transactions occurred, no one doubted the Tianxuan Mirror's words.
Therefore, after the Tianxuan Mirror's announcement was released, all cultivators felt like they had been struck by lightning.
Only one thought remained in their minds: Run.
Run as fast as possible, and try to cut losses as far as possible.
But every cultivator knew the price of Spirit Mist Grass had completely collapsed. Everyone wanted to sell the Spirit Mist Grass they held, and no one was willing to buy anymore.
The final straw that broke the camel’s back was the Tianxuan Mirror directly announcing a precise, single buyback price of four contribution points per stalk.
The cultivators tried to exercise their privileges to sell to the Tianxuan Mirror at the real-time price, only to find that the Tianxuan Mirror refused to proceed with the purchase.
Thus, Li Fan witnessed a scene he would never forget.
The price of Spirit Mist Grass plummeted like a waterfall, crashing downward without restraint. The numbers shifted rapidly, dropping from three digits to two digits, then from two digits to a single digit.
In just a dozen breaths, the price of Spirit Mist Grass fell from nearly 400 points to four points, a 99% collapse in an instant.
Inside Thousand Li Hall, Jiao Xiuyuan’s face was frozen in a dazed expression.
“I, Jiao Xiuyuan... never make losing deals...” After forcing these words out with difficulty, cracks began to appear all over his body, and his vital aura rapidly faded.
In an instant, Jiao Xiuyuan transformed from a living man into a withered, broken piece of wood. It fell to the ground with a thud, shattering into several fragments.
“Fellow Daoist Jiao!” Li Fan exclaimed in feigned shock, stepping forward to examine the remains.
“I... am... fine.” Jiao Xiuyuan’s gritted voice came from under the counter.
Another intact Jiao Xiuyuan crawled out from a pile of miscellaneous items, his dark face twisting into a smile uglier than tears.
“The potential of this business opportunity wasn’t even exhausted yet, but the Tianxuan Mirror cut it off with a single word... This time... the losses are devastating.”
Li Fan also pretended to look utterly defeated. “I advised you to pull out earlier, Fellow Daoist, but you wouldn’t listen.
“Your 30% share has also vanished into thin air. If you had cashed out at three hundred points. No, even at two hundred points, the profits would have been unimaginable...”
Bang!
Cracks once again appeared all over this newly emerged Jiao Xiuyuan, and he exploded into countless fragments.
“You... stop talking. Let me... catch my breath...”
Yet another Jiao Xiuyuan slowly crawled out from the pile of miscellaneous items, his face pained as if his heart were bleeding.
Seeing this, Li Fan seemed to snap back to his senses. His gaze shifted between the wooden fragments scattered across the floor and Jiao Xiuyuan, a look of horror on his face. “Fellow Daoist Jiao... are you even human?”
This change in subject seemed to suit Jiao Xiuyuan just fine. He coughed lightly and waved a hand. “No need to panic, Fellow Daoist. Of course I’m human. It’s just that I cultivate the Myriad Puppets Dao.”
“Myriad Puppets Dao?” Li Fan narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t tell me... all the Thousand Li Halls across the cultivation world are run by your puppets?” Li Fan asked, already knowing the answer.
“Heh, exactly. Business is tough, and I have to manage everything myself. Hiring more people just adds to the costs. Sometimes, spreading yourself too thin isn’t necessarily a good thing!” Jiao Xiuyuan lay down weakly, exhaustion evident in his voice.
“Like this time...the explosion of so many puppets will cost me...”
Before he could finish speaking, this puppet also exploded with a deafening roar.
"Fellow Daoist, please don't speak. Let me have a moment of quiet," Jiao Xiuyuan's feeble voice drifted from beneath the pile of debris.
A communication spirit talisman flew over to Li Fan.
"We'll talk another time..."
Li Fan's avatar weighed the communication spirit talisman in his hand, then quietly stepped out of Thousand Li Hall.