Li Fan swept his gaze over the storage ring.
Five thousand top-grade spirit stones were stacked neatly inside, crystalline and mesmerizing.
Five million contribution points—it was the largest sum he had ever seen across all his simulation cycles.
Bolstered by the new methodology, even an utterly untalented person could use this immense fortune to defy the heavens, rewrite their destiny, and reach the Spirit Transformation realm at least.
Yet Li Fan glanced at it without a flicker of excitement on his face. He took out one spirit stone, rolling it idly in his palm.
"Fine quality," he remarked offhandedly.
To possess such staggering wealth yet remain so composed... And it was clearly no act—he genuinely didn't seem to care, or perhaps was simply accustomed to it?
Just who was this guy?
The Five Elders Council cultivator standing opposite Li Fan studied him carefully, his mind churning with suspicion at Li Fan's demeanor and actions. Still, he decided to probe further.
"You dare act so arrogantly here, brat?" he said coldly. "Aren't you afraid we'll just kill you?"
Li Fan wore an expression of utter nonchalance. "I’m absolutely terrified. Who isn't afraid of death?"
He shot the man a challenging look that was nothing like fear. "But I'm just a courier. My life's worthless. What's the point in killing me? Besides, I know for a fact you won't lay a finger on me."
Li Fan put the spirit stone away, straightened his posture, and adopted a serious expression.
"Oh? And why is that?" the Five Elders Council cultivator asked, intrigued.
"Isn't it obvious? Anyone who can drop five million contribution points on exam questions is clearly not short on funds. They'd have no reason to go back on their word and ruin their reputation over a paltry sum like this.
“Kill me, and you get this year's exam questions for free. But what about next time? Or the time after that? Can you guarantee you'll find another reliable trading partner like us?"
Hearing this, the Five Elders Council cultivator gradually shed his mocking expression, turning serious.
"Moreover," Li Fan continued, narrowing his eyes slightly, "aside from the entrance exam materials, aren't you interested in other... more confidential items?"
"More confidential items?!" The cultivator was instantly both shocked and thrilled. "Such as?" he pressed eagerly.
Li Fan snorted but didn't answer directly. Instead, he spoke vaguely, "There’s plenty of good stuff. If the price is right, we can get you anything you can imagine, and things you can't even dream of."
His words made the other man's heart itch with desire.
But Li Fan abruptly cut himself off, changing tack. "However, we're also well aware of the dangers involved in trading such items. So, we'll have to open up access gradually, depending on how our cooperation progresses. Don't get ahead of yourselves. Let's complete this transaction first."
Li Fan glanced at "Zhou Qing'ang" and the blurry Five Elders Council cultivator, then slumped back into a lazy posture.
The cultivator nodded slowly, asking no further questions. Feeling the ten jade slips within the storage ring, he sent a voice transmission to "Zhou Qing'ang": "You keep an eye on him here. I'll be back shortly." His tone was unfriendly, clearly displeased with Zhou Qing'ang's intelligence failure this time.
Li Fan's avatar gave a slight nod, then fixed his true self with a gaze brimming with killing intent.
Just as the Five Elders Council cultivator was about to leave, Li Fan added, as if suddenly remembering something, "There are ten jade slips in the ring, all containing the exam questions.
"They come with a Contract attached, stipulating that each jade slip can only be viewed by one person.
"Furthermore, the contents cannot be disclosed to others. Only by signing the Contract can one read the jade slip.
"I trust you are well aware of the power of a Contract, so I won't elaborate.”
The Five Elders Council cultivator had already sensed that familiar aura from the jade slips, and since “Zhou Qing’ang” had previously mentioned the questions were limited to ten recipients, he was not surprised.
He replied with a bland, “Understood,” before turning and leaving the secret chamber.
That left Li Fan’s true self and his avatar facing one another.
Although he detected no obvious surveillance methods within the chamber, Li Fan did not relax in the slightest. He maintained his performance flawlessly.
The avatar, playing the role of “Zhou Qing’ang,” kept his gaze locked onto his true self like a hawk, never letting him out of sight. Meanwhile, the true self periodically showed irritation, returning sharp, hostile glances.
Thus, time slipped by in silence as Li Fan honed his acting craft.
In the blink of an eye, six days passed.
On the final afternoon of the recruitment examination, the same Five Elders Council cultivator finally reentered the chamber.
His features were still obscured, but Li Fan could faintly sense an unmistakable trace of excitement about him.
“Fellow Daoist, your methods are truly extraordinary. Every single examination question over the seven days was correct. You have my admiration!”
His tone carried genuine respect.
“When conducting business,” Li Fan replied as he rose and dusted off his sleeves, “one must uphold the principle of trust. If I charge a high price, I naturally provide goods worthy of it.”
“May I leave now?” he asked calmly.
“Not yet.” The cultivator quickly raised a hand to stop him.
Li Fan’s expression darkened at once, as though ready to cause trouble, but the man hurriedly clarified.
“We have inconvenienced you by making you wait for so long, Fellow Daoist. Please accept this as a small token of our appreciation.”
As he spoke, he produced a small vial.
Li Fan accepted it and swept it with his divine sense.
Inside were nineteen Dao Comprehension Pills.
He fell silent for a moment, his gaze shifting between “Zhou Qing’ang” and the Five Elders Council cultivator.
Then he laughed loudly.
“Interesting. It seems we will be doing business often in the future. I’ll accept this gift.”
He kept the pills, strode out of the chamber without another word, and departed Youlan Island.
Once he was gone, “Zhou Qing’ang” adopted a puzzled expression.
“What did he mean by that?” he asked.
The Five Elders Council cultivator snorted coldly and turned to glare at Li Fan’s avatar.
“Your intelligence work this time was severely flawed.
“It is highly likely you’ve been deceived by He Zhenghao from the very beginning. That man is undoubtedly not as simple as he appears.”
Li Fan’s expression changed drastically as he feigned shock. “What makes you say that?”
“We were not the only ones attempting to obtain the examination questions from the Myriad Immortals Alliance this time.
“But the Alliance’s security was exceptionally tight, causing all usual channels to fail.
“Yet, we alone succeeded, and the accuracy of the questions was terrifyingly precise...”
His voice grew low and heavy.
“He Zhenghao’s backing is likely far more complicated than just the Heng family of Tianyu.”
“Really?” Li Fan’s avatar asked, his expression a mask of disbelief.
The cultivator shot him a look filled with disappointment.
“From that man’s demeanor just now, it’s obvious that this was not their first time conducting such a transaction.”