"Sensing heavenly mechanisms... Sitting on immortals..."
He Zhenghao's eyes lit up, as if he had just gleaned some incredible piece of information from the words of this senior, Li Fan.
Just as he was eagerly anticipating more, the other man suddenly fell silent.
This nearly drove He Zhenghao mad with impatience. He opened his mouth to speak several times, only to close it again.
"What? We cultivate the same technique now. It would be a miracle if we didn't draw blades on each other. And you still hope for me to give you pointers?" Li Fan sneered.
Yet He Zhenghao could see that this senior only looked fierce. He wasn't truly a wicked man.
He hurriedly said, "Your insight is as sharp as a torch, Senior. Your observation is indeed accurate. Although the Mountain-Sitting Art is a peerless divine technique, my progress has always been far too slow. I've long harbored thoughts of changing techniques.
"Please rest assured, Senior, I would absolutely never compete with you for this technique."
Hearing He Zhenghao's declaration, Li Fan's expression softened a few degrees further. "At least you know what's good for you. Saves me from adding to my tally of sins."
He Zhenghao ventured to ask, "However, I have cultivated the Mountain-Sitting Art for over a hundred years after all. I've poured much blood, sweat, and tears into it.
"I only know I might have been practicing it incorrectly, but I don't know what its proper method of cultivation truly is. It truly leaves me full of regret.
"I still hope you can resolve my confusion, Senior."
He Zhenghao spoke with sincerity.
Li Fan studied him carefully.
He Zhenghao actually felt a surge of nervousness, the kind he hadn't experienced since he was a mortal laying eyes on a cultivator for the very first time.
"Alright," Li Fan said after a long while, letting out a soft sigh. "Though originally separated by millennia, we now cultivate the same technique. The fate we share is truly not shallow. Heavenly mechanisms are inscrutable. Perhaps it was also the will of heaven that I awoke to meet you.
"That cave dwelling where you obtained the technique, it was also..." Li Fan shook his head and abruptly stopped.
His expression turned serious. "Since you also cultivate the Mountain-Sitting Art, you naturally know its essence lies entirely in reward-reaping."
He Zhenghao nodded repeatedly.
Li Fan continued, "But the transformation of mountains and rivers is measured in thousands of years. Relying solely on 'sitting on mountains' makes cultivation far too slow. Frankly speaking, it probably doesn't even rank as a third-rate technique."
He Zhenghao found himself agreeing more and more.
"Therefore, if you want to cultivate the Mountain-Sitting Art quickly, you must rely on 'sitting on immortals'!" Li Fan's words fell with decisive weight.
"Aid cultivators in dire straits. Once their fortune turns and they soar into the heavens, their cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds, and we naturally reap great benefits.
"Furthermore, while the feedback from one person may be small, by casting a wide net, little accumulates into much, and sand gathers into a tower. How could cultivation possibly be slow then?
"However..." Li Fan's tone shifted. "The key lies right here. Although there are many cultivators under heaven, those who can advance step by step from Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, to Golden Core and Nascent Soul... are ultimately only a small fraction.
"Without special methods, blindly placing your bets is not only inefficient, but more often than not, it's wasted effort.
"I imagine this is the reason for your painfully slow progress."
He Zhenghao hurriedly nodded.
"So, the key is how to find the right people.
"It's called the sympathetic resonance between heaven and man. The existence of a world-shaking talent is sure to produce a reaction in the energy mechanisms of heaven and earth.
"My Heavenly Mechanisms Sect possesses a secret art. Based on the changes in the energy mechanisms between heaven and earth, it can locate the various extraordinary, dazzling talents in this world ahead of time.
"If, before they grow to their full potential, one bestows favors upon them..."
Li Fan stopped speaking, but He Zhenghao heart’s surged with excitement as he listened.
"In that case, cultivating the Mountain-Sitting Art would be a hundred—no, a thousand times faster!
“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!” He looked utterly enraptured, lost in a beautiful fantasy of his own.
It was Li Fan’s cold snort that finally jerked him back to reality.
“Enough. You have the answer you wanted. When will you change your technique?
“With the Dissolution Chapter of the Taishang Primordial True Scripture at your disposal, it shouldn’t affect you much,” Li Fan demanded.
He Zhenghao’s expression faltered slightly, a touch of embarrassment coloring his features. “The technique I wish to redeem requires a rather substantial number of contribution points.
“My funds are currently a bit tight. I’m afraid...”
Li Fan’s face abruptly darkened. “Are you making a fool of me? If that’s the case, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Seeing a flash of black light in the other’s eyes, every hair on He Zhenghao’s body stood on end.
It felt like being targeted by a primordial beast; alarm bells screamed within his mind.
He Zhenghao hurriedly said with a pained expression, “It’s true! It’s true!
“The technique I have my eye on is called the Mountain River Hidden Dragon Art, requiring 250,000 contribution points...” He spoke rapidly, spilling all his secrets in one breath.
“Oh?” The black light in Li Fan’s eyes did not fade. “Then how many contribution points have you saved up so far?”
He Zhenghao hesitated.
“I usually only keep a little over a thousand contribution points on hand for emergencies. The rest is dispersed across various channels as investments.”
He Zhenghao produced a Mini Tianxuan Mirror and glanced at it. His expression shifted slightly.
“All totaled up... I should have about 160... 150,000.” Having said this, he cautiously stole a glance at Li Fan.
Contrary to his expectations, Li Fan showed no anger.
Instead, he nodded. “Hmm. Still short by about a hundred thousand contribution points.
“A month should be about enough.”
With that, he flicked a finger.
He Zhenghao felt a thread of icy energy drill into his body.
When he tried to sense where it had gone, he found it undetectable.
Li Fan said coldly, “This is my Heavenly Mechanisms Sect’s secret art, the Spirit-Binding Lock. None but the caster can undo it.
“When the time is up, if the Spirit-Binding Lock remains, it will reduce you to ashes, annihilating both your body and your Dao!”
Upon hearing this, He Zhenghao’s face turned deathly pale.
“Remember to switch your cultivation technique within one month. Otherwise...” Li Fan shot He Zhenghao a final glance and prepared to fly away.
He Zhenghao couldn’t stop himself from lamenting, “Senior, aren’t you asking for the impossible? Turning 150,000 into 250,000 in one month? You might as well just kill—”
Li Fan suddenly returned, landing right in front of He Zhenghao.
He Zhenghao choked back his words.
“You’re such a noisy little brat. I’ve already been exceedingly merciful in giving you this much time.
“You can’t turn 150,000 into 250,000 in a month? Then what are you even investing for?”
Li Fan spoke with clear impatience.
He Zhenghao mumbled something under his breath, wearing an expression of suppressed indignation.
Li Fan immediately flew into a rage. “What is that look on your face?”
He Zhenghao had no choice but to steel himself and say, "It's not that I'm making excuses, it's just that..."
Li Fan waved his hand dismissively. "You really are like mud that can't be plastered to a wall.[1] Such a simple task, and you act as if it's a matter of life and death.
"If I were to handle it myself, it wouldn't take a month. Seven or eight days would be more than enough."
The expression on He Zhenghao's face said it all.
Li Fan sneered. "What? You don't believe me?"
"How about we make a wager?"
For once, He Zhenghao found some backbone. "A wager it is! But if you lose, Senior, you can't go back on your word!"
1. 烂泥扶不上墙, Chinese idiom used to express deep disappointment in someone who fails to improve or meet expectations despite guidance or support. ☜