Chapter 619: Discrepancies Between Xuanhuang’s Past And Present
Chapter 619: Discrepancies Between Xuanhuang’s Past And Present
One had to understand that in Linghu Chang's memories, this Liu San was a master of alchemy.
Even a figure of his caliber had needed three full attempts to adapt to the differences between past and present pill refinement?
Li Fan observed it all, silently considering.
"I'll take this Longevity Pill to Fellow Daoist Zhou first, to see what it fetches," he said to Liu San. "Old Liu, keep up the hard work. Refine all the raw materials in the storage ring into pills as quickly as possible."
"Young Master, rest assured!" Liu San nodded readily. After allowing the disciples only a brief rest, he resumed the pill refinement process.
Li Fan stepped out of the Xuanhuang Cauldron, tossing and catching the freshly refined Longevity Pill idly in his hand.
Selling this under the name "Li Fan of the Heavenly Mechanisms Sect" wouldn't be wise. After a moment's consideration, he shifted back to his original appearance and set off for Congyun City.
When he had purchased the Tianling Flower, Li Fan had joined the Myriad Immortals Alliance through Huang Ranqi, guardian of Chongwu Island, registering under his original face and creating an entirely separate identity for himself.
Now, activating A Single Hand Veils the Heavens, he entered the Tianxuan Mirror and produced the Longevity Pill.
He had the mirror appraise it first, free of charge.
Longevity Pill: Low-grade. Extends lifespan by 168 years.
Li Fan's eyelid twitched.
Even after familiarizing himself with the differences between old and new, the quality of Liu San's first pill was still rather pitiful. It fell well short of the promised mid-grade, three-hundred-year extension.
He checked the recent transaction prices for lifespan-extending treasures on the market, then listed the pill at thirty percent above that range, setting the asking price at fifty thousand contribution points.
It sold almost instantly.
Li Fan stared for a moment before he understood.
Lifespan-extending treasures were items where a single dose offered almost no further effect upon subsequent use. And since Longevity Pills had never appeared on the Myriad Immortals Alliance market before, each one represented over a solid century of additional life for cultivators who needed it. Naturally, it would command a premium over more common options.
And beyond that...
Just as he had expected, a message soon arrived from the buyer.
"Fellow Daoist, do you have any more Longevity Pills? I have a feeling this pill is different from other lifespan-extending treasures. It seems like I can benefit from further doses."
Li Fan replied with feigned surprise. "Really? Such a thing is possible? Then did I sell it for too little?"
The buyer wasn't fooled and pressed on. "Heh, Fellow Daoist, don't jest. That pill was clearly refined very recently. How could you possibly be unaware of its properties?"
Li Fan kept up the act. "Heh, Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. I simply chanced upon it at a roadside stall. I only sensed it was an unusual pill, I truly had no idea it could extend lifespans.
"How about this: if you truly need more, I can go back and check. Hopefully the stall owner is still there."
He was met with silence from the other side.
After a long moment, the buyer said, with strained patience, "Fine. If you come across more in the future, you can find me in Tianquan Province. My name is Zhao Tianlong."
Li Fan didn't reply, directly hanging up.
The value of the Longevity Pill is even higher than I'd estimated. Even relying entirely on the Tianxuan Mirror for raw materials, there's a fortune to be made here. But to maximize profit, I need to control supply. And there's no reason to limit myself to bartering for contribution points. I can specify the resources I actually need.
He considered further. The Myriad Immortals Alliance wasn't his only market. Perhaps he could open a sales channel within the Five Elders Council as well.
After all, one could never have too much of something as valuable as the Truth-Binding Fruit.
If he could bring one or two more Dao Unity cultivators under his thumb, his position would strengthen considerably.
I'll wait until I have more finished product. Li Fan then made a show of leaving Congyun City before quietly switching back to his identity as a Heavenly Mechanisms Sect cultivator.
He returned to the Tianxuan Mirror and contacted Ximen Yu.
"Fellow Daoist Ximen, how is the task progressing?"
A long pause followed before a reply came through.
"Well, I've finished the analysis for most locations, but I've run into trouble with a few."
"Oh? What kind of trouble?" Li Fan asked, his interest sharpening.
Ximen Yu first transmitted the locations where his ancient-to-modern comparisons were complete, then said: "Green Ox Ridge, Longevity Valley, Heaven-Overturning River... No matter what I try, I cannot find any trace of these places in the present world.
"I'll be honest. Situations like this have come up in my research before, but they were rare. I have to say, Fellow Daoist, your luck is truly remarkable. You picked a few dozen locations at random, and so many have simply ceased to exist." A note of exasperation crept into his voice. "I won't be able to fulfill your request in full, so I'll refund the excess contribution points."
Li Fan's eyes flickered.
"Completely vanished? Fellow Daoist Ximen, do you have any idea why?" he asked.
"There are several possibilities. The first is the natural shifting of heaven and earth. Over the ages, as seas become mulberry fields, such places may have long since disappeared. The second involves the White Mist Barriers. Those locations may lie within areas now sealed off by the White Mist Barriers, which is why they can't be found.
"As for the third..." Ximen Yu trailed off.
"Do you have difficulty revealing it, Fellow Daoist?" Li Fan asked, somewhat surprised.
"It's not that. My speculation is far-fetched, and I have no evidence to support it. I'd rather not embarrass myself." Ximen Yu sounded hesitant.
That only made Li Fan more interested. "Please, speak freely. Someone with your breadth of knowledge is rare in this world, Fellow Daoist. Allow me to broaden my horizons."
Perhaps it had been a long time since anyone had expressed such confidence in him. Ximen Yu's tone shifted, becoming excited
"You might not believe this, Fellow Daoist, but through years of comparing ancient and modern topography, I've found that a significant portion of the ancient regions of the Xuanhuang World are simply... missing. As though someone took a blade and carved out pieces of it.
"And yet..." His tone grew puzzled. "Other places appear to have materialized from nothing. Terrains that never existed in the ancient cultivation world.
"So taken together, compared to ancient times, the Xuanhuang World as a whole has not shrunk. It has grown larger.
"It is truly bizarre. I cannot make sense of it."
Li Fan's eyes narrowed. "Fellow Daoist, how confident are you in this conclusion?"
"Completely confident. Within the Fallen Immortal Realm, there exists a full panorama of the ancient Xuanhuang World. Most cultivators can only glimpse fragments of it each time they enter, but over the years I have gathered accounts from numerous cultivators and largely reconstructed the original shape of the ancient cultivation world. Comparing past and present, this is the only conclusion!" Ximen Yu's certainty was absolute.