"Ten million contribution points?! Is he insane?" The stone-face's voice cracked with the outburst.
But it quickly regained its composure.
"Hmph. His appetite grows ever larger. But is he certain the events on Myriad Immortals Island are worth such a sum?"
Li Fan studied the other's expression, then cautiously added, "He has other conditions.
"Payment first, goods after.
"And he said the choice to trade is ours alone. He won't force it. But he dares to guarantee that the value of this information far exceeds the price. He's risking his life to offer it at this rate, and only because we are a longstanding customer.”
Rather than growing more agitated, the stone-face grew calmer upon hearing such outrageous terms. After careful consideration, it said, "This matter is of great importance. I must seek instructions first. Wait here. Do not move."
The image on the broken stone vanished instantly.
Li Fan waited. Within the time it took to burn an incense stick, the face reappeared.
"Agree to it!" it declared.
"Boss?!" This time, it was Li Fan who was shocked.
"He Zhenghao said earlier that this transaction carries immense risk. It's inconvenient for him to appear directly. A relay is needed.
"If we are willing to make the trade, we are to deliver the spirit stones to this island. We are only to say we are from the Myriad Worlds Coalition and ask no further questions. Just hand over the spirit stones." Li Fan provided the coordinates of an island, the very island where Li Chenfeng and the others of the Empire were located.
"Only after he confirms receipt of the spirit stones will he deliver the information to us," Li Fan added hastily.
"The Myriad Worlds Coalition... what is that? Could it be..." The face seemed to realize something and fell abruptly silent.
"The spirit stones will be delivered the day after tomorrow at the latest. Keep an eye on He Zhenghao. Don't let him slip away," it instructed.
"Yes, Boss," Li Fan agreed.
"This is a high-stakes gamble. If we win, we'll have performed a monumental service. If we lose..." the face murmured to itself.
Clearly, a transaction of such magnitude conducted in such an unreliable manner was a first even for the stone-face. It couldn't help but seem somewhat apprehensive.
"Don't worry, Boss. Based on my recent interactions with He Zhenghao, I believe he is trustworthy," Li Fan said without hesitation.
"I hope so. You may go."
After ending the communication, Li Fan hurried back to Tai'an Island, simultaneously using Formless Killing Mechanism to monitor the situation on Li Chenfeng's end.
Two days later, a cultivator in black robes descended from the sky above the island occupied by the Empire and looked around.
A woman in green robes appeared abruptly before him.
The two faced each other, their expressions equally grave.
Following the transaction procedure, the black-robed cultivator stated his identity first: "I am a cultivator of the Myriad Worlds Coalition."
He tossed a storage ring over.
The woman in green caught it. After examining its contents, her pupils contracted sharply.
"You—"
She was about to speak when the other party simply waved a hand and turned to leave.
He left the green-robed woman standing there, dumbfounded, her face a mask of disbelief.
"Holy Master!"
Sensing something amiss, Li Chenfeng hurried forward. The woman in green handed him the storage ring, and after examining it, Li Chenfeng fell into the same stunned silence.
"Holy Master, what in the world..." Li Chenfeng felt nothing but confusion.
"It seems our preparations this time might still be insufficient," the woman in green said with a bitter smile.
The Five Elders Council truly is efficient. They never leave loose ends!
Sensing how smoothly the transaction had proceeded, Li Fan couldn't help but silently praise them.
He then set off for Liuli Island. After sharing another cup of tea with He Zhenghao, Li Fan headed straight for the rendezvous point.
After completing the usual communication protocol with the stone-face, Li Fan feigned confusion and apprehension.
"What message does He Zhenghao have to convey?" The face skipped any pleasantries and went straight to the point.
"He secretly told me just two phrases,”Li Fan whispered.
"Hmm?"
Li Fan pressed his palms against the broken stone, concentrated his will, and transmitted the words.
"Tianxuan Soul-Locking...
"Xuanhuang... unified?"
Absolute silence fell on the other side.
A moment later, faint, chaotic noise bled through. The commotion was immense.
"The transaction is complete. Continue lying low. I will contact you again if circumstances require it." Despite the obvious restraint, Li Fan still detected a trace of terror in the face's words.
The broken stone crumbled to dust, severing the connection.
"Zhou Qing'ang" kept his bewildered expression all the way back to Tai'an Island.
Only deep within the uninhabited core of the island protection array did he allow himself to return to normal.
With the Five Elders Council acting as a check, even if the Myriad Immortals Alliance wishes to establish the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array in this lifetime, they likely lack the strength to do so.
The specifics of how events will unfold require further observation.
Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly and shifted his attention back to his true self on Myriad Immortals Island.
After a period of investigation, Li Fan was released from the little black room. His testimony matched that of the other surviving cultivators perfectly, with nothing unusual to note.
The Alliance's main focus remained on the whereabouts of Gongsun Qixuan. It was his divination that had triggered that inexplicable, terrifying green light.
Although Li Fan had achieved some divination results first, the actual scale of the commotion made it clear that Gongsun Qixuan's divination abilities were superior. Learning what he had seen in that moment became the most critical matter.
Myriad Immortals Island remained under lockdown. However, cultivators who had already undergone interrogation were free to move about the island after signing confidentiality agreements.
While they couldn't discuss the events of that day in detail, Li Fan's near-miraculous divination abilities, demonstrated during both the Samantabhadra True Leaf price surge incident and the Martial Hall anomaly, had been witnessed by all. Consequently, many cultivators began seeking to curry favor with him.
Unable to enter the Tianxuan Mirror, Li Fan had no choice but to take refuge in the Thousand Li Hall for some peace.
The Thousand Li Hall had remained closed since that day, its doors shut tight. However, Li Fan still managed to re-enter through the previous secret passage.
Inside the shop, he found Jiao Xiuyuan present, but the man's expression was vacant, his eyes dull. No matter how Li Fan called to him, he showed no reaction whatsoever.
It was exactly like the time in a past life when the Dao Transformation Stone had shattered, and he lost control of his puppet. Only this time, it seemed even worse.
Li Fan observed carefully for a moment, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
It must be Lu Xichan's blockade that severed the connection between the puppet and its true master.
The methods of the Strategy Array Hall's Chief are indeed extraordinary.
Yet she could never have imagined that a divine art like Arcana True Spirit Transformation exists in this world.
A flicker of smug satisfaction stirred within him.
With nothing pressing to attend to, he began to wander idly through the empty expanse of the Thousand Li Hall.