To manipulate prices and maximize profits, Tantai Can and his group had flooded the market with the bulk of their Samantabhadra True Leaf stockpile, manufacturing the illusion of abundant supply. This lured unsuspecting cultivators into their trap, where they could be harvested at leisure.
But now, that same Samantabhadra True Leaf, once a reliable source of profit, had become their death warrant.
The moment cultivators began snatching it up in a frenzy, Tantai Can grasped the dire consequences they would ultimately face if no action were taken. He made his decision without hesitation: recover every last leaf at any cost.
The order ignited a price surge that left onlookers utterly bewildered. In what felt like an instant, the price rocketed from just over three hundred contribution points to four hundred, and showed no sign of stopping.
The spectacle left the watching cultivators dumbfounded.
“Something's wrong.” The thought surfaced in every mind.
“Could this Samantabhadra True Leaf have some hidden use no one knows about?”
Speculation ran wild. Those who had already bought in quietly congratulated themselves, watching the price soar with barely concealed excitement. Even those who had once dismissed Li Fan's prediction as an outright scam found their doubts wavering. Seeing others around them gain instant wealth was enough to break their hesitation, and they too joined the buying frenzy.
Tantai Can and his group watched it all unfold, their expressions darkening by the moment.
At this rate, every contribution point they had accumulated over the years would be wiped out in a single stroke.
"Fellow Daoist Tantai..."
Tantai Can raised a hand. "We admit defeat this time. Keep buying back.
"As long as the green hills remain, we'll never lack for firewood. If we can just weather this crisis..."
A flash of cold ruthlessness crossed his handsome face.
The others gritted their teeth and said nothing, throwing themselves back into the bidding war against cultivators who had by now turned practically maniacal.
Time crawled. Contribution points bled out like water from a cracked vessel, but the deficit was a bottomless pit—no amount of spending seemed to make a dent. Even with their considerable personal wealth, the strain was beginning to show.
Still, Tantai Can had not given the order to change course. They wiped cold sweat from their brows and pressed on, nerves wound tight.
The tension was suffocating.
Then Tantai Can produced a communication spirit talisman, its surface flickering with light. He read it, and something in his expression eased. He sent a reply, and when he looked up, his composure had returned.
The others noticed the shift and exhaled with relief, sensing that some favorable development was in motion.
***
Meanwhile, in the Thousand Li Hall of the Congyun Sea...
Li Fan and Jiao Xiuyuan had moved early, securing large quantities of Samantabhadra True Leaf at low prices during the initial bulk-purchase phase. Now they sat back with broad smiles, watching its price shoot toward the heavens.
True to his principle of locking in gains, Li Fan had already begun cautiously offloading a portion of his holdings. Persuaded by his reasoning, Jiao Xiuyuan had followed suit, selling off a modest amount as well.
The two were discussing their next move when Jiao Xiuyuan's expression suddenly stilled.
A moment later, he turned to Li Fan with a smile. "Tantai Can has sent word through an intermediary. Care to hear it?"
"No harm in listening," Li Fan said.
"Ahem." Jiao Xiuyuan's voice shifted, his impression of the other man uncannily precise: "Brother Jiao, one should always leave room in any dealing so that future encounters may be amicable. How about giving me some face this time?"
Li Fan let out a quiet chuckle.
But rather than offer his own opinion, he turned to Jiao Xiuyuan first. "Brother Jiao, what do you think?"
Jiao Xiuyuan gave a cold, humorless laugh. "A mere junior of the Tantai family dares speak to me of face? If their family patriarch came in person, that might be a different matter."
Li Fan's thoughts stirred, though he let it pass without comment. He clapped his hands in appreciation. "Fellow Daoist Jiao, you are nothing if not decisive."
Then, shifting his tone, he added, "That said, there's no harm in agreeing to their terms."
The words caught Jiao Xiuyuan completely off guard. He stared at Li Fan. "You don't strike me as the merciful sort. Why the sudden kindness?"
"Kindness?" Li Fan shook his head. "No. I simply see more profit to be made."
The word profit was all it took. Jiao Xiuyuan leaned forward at once. "How so?"
"My earlier divinations didn't only reveal that the price of Samantabhadra True Leaf would skyrocket," Li Fan said, measured and unhurried. "They also showed that this disturbance would grow too large to ignore, large enough that the Myriad Immortals Alliance would eventually be forced to intervene and restore order."
"And we won't have long to wait."
Jiao Xiuyuan caught on immediately. "You mean the price will plummet once they step in?"
"Precisely. But the exact moment is impossible to predict — it could come at any time. If we're still holding Samantabhadra True Leaf when the Myriad Immortals Alliance acts, whatever remains in our hands could become worthless overnight.
"So why not negotiate a fair price with Tantai Can's people now, and sell them our entire remaining inventory in one clean transaction?
"It eliminates our exposure, turns us another substantial profit, and leaves Tantai Can indebted to us in the bargain."
Li Fan laid out his reasoning calmly.
Jiao Xiuyuan's eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily. "Fellow Daoist Li Fan, you are a true genius of commerce. Let's do exactly that."
He closed his eyes, clearly wasting no time in sending his reply to Tantai Can.
Li Fan kept his attention on the Mini Tianxuan Mirror, watching the still-churning prices and quietly calculating how to navigate the ripple effects this turmoil would leave in its wake.
A short while later, Jiao Xiuyuan surfaced from his meditative state.
"It's settled. Tantai Can's side has agreed to take all our remaining Samantabhadra True Leaf at 1300 contribution points per leaf. They've also promised to fulfill three requests within their capabilities, at a time of our choosing. I judged that we had reached their true bottom line, so I took the liberty of finalizing the contract on our behalf."
"A trivial matter, no need to explain yourself," Li Fan said. He transferred his remaining Samantabhadra True Leaf to Jiao Xiuyuan and instructed him to complete the exchange.
Then he glanced at the current price displayed in the Tianxuan Mirror.
Nine hundred and thirty contribution points per stalk and still climbing, with no downturn in sight.
On the surface, Tantai Can and his group came out ahead. But...
Li Fan sneered inwardly and settled in to wait for the Tianxuan Mirror's final, decisive word.
It did not take long. Shortly after Jiao Xiuyuan confirmed the transaction was complete, a voice rang out in the minds of every Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivator standing before a Tianxuan Mirror.
It was cold, mechanical, and utterly without mercy—exactly as Li Fan had heard it in his past lifetime.
"In light of the recent severe and abnormal price fluctuations of Samantabhadra True Leaf, and to ensure the stable and harmonious development of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, the following declaration is hereby issued."