Before entering seclusion, Li Fan had set a minimum threshold of one hundred contribution points.
Once it dropped below that number, the Assisted Cultivation Mode would forcibly terminate.
It felt like being rudely awaken from a deep, satisfying sleep. A wave of irritation washed over him, though he quickly suppressed it.
These contribution points vanish far too quickly.
It seemed like just yesterday when he’d possessed over three thousand points. Yet now, in the blink of an eye, his reserves were drained dry.
Cloudwater Palace opens in roughly two years. Before then, I must find a way to earn more contribution points and strengthen myself.
He immediately began browsing the board on the Tianxuan Mirror again.
Li Fan chose to ignore the mission tasks officially issued by the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
Even at the late-stage Qi Refinement realm, the available official tasks were still all low-reward, minimal-risk tasks.
Such tasks included assisting alchemists, artifact forgers, or talisman crafters, or helping to maintain and inspect the arrays scattered throughout the Congyun Sea.
It was safe, yes, but far too inefficient for earning contribution points.
If Li Fan had any intention of studying alchemy or artifact forging, he might have considered them.
But with Cloudwater Palace’s opening imminent, his top priority was securing the Cloudwater Model first.
Unfortunately, luck didn’t seem to be on his side this time. After a long search, he still couldn’t find a suitable mission.
After some thought, Li Fan took out the communication spirit talisman He Zhenghao had given him and sent a message.
“Brother He, do you know any methods to quickly obtain contribution points? I’ve been looking in the Tianxuan Mirror for ages. Most missions only offer a few dozen points, but my cultivation consumes thirty points a day. At this rate, how will I ever afford a Foundation Establishment technique?” Li Fan adopted a frustrated tone.
Once the message was sent, he set the spirit talisman aside.
While waiting for He Zhenghao’s reply, Li Fan resumed his cultivation.
Lacking the epiphanic state boost, his progress was significantly slower, but at least he was still inching forward.
Three days passed before He Zhenghao finally replied.
“Haha, that’s just how our Myriad Immortals Alliance is. New cultivators often need to toil for years to redeem a single technique. Everyone goes through it.
“However...” He Zhenghao’s tone shifted. “Since I was the one who referred you, it’s only natural for me to lend a hand.
“After all, I too hope you’ll reach Foundation Establishment soon!
“But this isn’t a matter for discussion over spirit talismans. If you’re willing, come to Liuli Island. We’ll speak face to face.”
Li Fan had only asked him on a whim and wasn’t expecting much, so He Zhenghao’s prompt and definite reply came as a surprise.
A true Timely Rain. But there’s always a reason behind such generosity...
He recalled how He Zhenghao had always been remarkably generous across the two lifetimes he had known him. It was rather abnormal among cultivators.
Without hesitation, he left the Tianxuan Mirror and headed straight for Liuli Island.
Within Liuli Island’s protection array, He Zhenghao was drinking tea in a pavilion atop a mountain peak, clearly having waited for some time.
“It seems you couldn’t wait, Fellow Daoist,” He Zhenghao laughed upon seeing Li Fan.
He clapped his hands, and the mountain beneath their feet suddenly trembled.
Immediately after, Li Fan witnessed an astonishing sight: all the mountains in the surrounding mountain range rose upward as one.
However, Li Fan quickly realized the truth.
It wasn’t that the other mountains were rising; it was the mountain beneath his feet that was falling.
The mountain plummeted downward at tremendous speed, soon sinking below ground level and arriving within a space filled with silvery mist.
Li Fan looked up. The mountain range within the island protection array now floated above his head like a cluster of stars.
The mountains and rivers were dispersed, yet they seemed to form a cohesive whole following some underlying pattern.
They appeared motionless, yet were in constant, subtle motion.
Noting Li Fan’s expression, He Zhenghao wore a look of slight pride. “What do you think of my Mountain River Constellation Array, Fellow Daoist?”
Even in his previous life, Li Fan had never witnessed the true form of Liuli Island’s protective array. Seeing it now, he spoke with genuine admiration: “The Mountain River Constellation Array is truly extraordinary. However, why does Liuli Island’s protective array seem...”
He Zhenghao already knew what Li Fan was about to ask and grew even prouder. “That’s because Liuli Island’s array was personally constructed by me. Naturally, it differs from those on other islands.”
Li Fan was genuinely surprised. “I hadn’t expected Fellow Daoist to be so proficient in array cultivation!”
However, he added doubtfully. “An array of this scale... and you constructed it with only Foundation Establishment cultivation?”
He Zhenghao coughed and adopted a serious expression. “Naturally, I had assistance. But the arrangement of the array was absolutely led by me.
“To be frank with you, Fellow Daoist, my Foundation Establishment Curio is a Mountain River Hundred Veins Array Diagram. Thus, my talent in array cultivation far surpasses that of ordinary cultivators.
“Setting cultivation aside, when it comes purely to arrays, even ordinary array masters at the Nascent Soul realm may not necessarily be my match.” He Zhenghao spoke with full confidence.
“So that’s how it is...” Li Fan nodded, then asked further: “I wonder, Fellow Daoist He, what is this matter you spoke of? Why all the secrecy and elaborate arrangements?”
He Zhenghao said with a smile, “It’s nothing major, really. It’s just... somewhat against the rules.
“Fellow Daoist, are you aware that many years ago, all mortals of the cultivation world were exiled to various surrounding minor worlds?”
Li Fan narrowed his eyes. “I’ve heard some rumors.”
He Zhenghao continued, “Actually, these minor worlds contain quite a few valuable resources that can be exchanged for a significant number of contribution points. But gathering them alone is time-consuming and laborious, hardly worth the effort.
“However, the powerful and influential mortals within these minor worlds are often eager to return to the cultivation world. So...”
Li Fan already understood what He Zhenghao intended. “So?”
“We can use this as a condition to have those mortals gather resources for us. Coincidentally, I know of one such minor world called Great Li. It’s quite vast, produces several types of precious treasures, and even has a considerable amount of Starsea Driftsand.
“Starsea Driftsand is a common material for setting up arrays. Usually, one catty costs between two to three contribution points...”
He Zhenghao explained the matter at great length, but he noticed the look in Li Fan’s eyes growing stranger and stranger, which made him somewhat uncomfortable.
He promptly said, “Don’t look at me like that. I know what you’re thinking.
“How could a proper cultivator possibly lower themselves to do such a thing, right?
“But what you may not realize, Fellow Daoist, is if you don’t do this kind of work, someone else will.
“A single minor world, harvested once every dozen years, can yield over two thousand contribution points. Secure a few more such worlds, and it’s like gaining two thousand points for free every year.
“See? When I lay it out like that, doesn’t it start to sound perfectly reasonable?”