Though Sun Zhang chose to avoid him, Li Fan was not one to give up so easily.
From the moment he offered comforting words to Su Changyu, it was clear this man was no villain. His previous cold demeanor was likely just a way to avoid entanglements with mortals from the Immortal Forsaken Lands.
Li Fan preferred dealing with people whose personalities he somewhat understood over complete strangers.
So Li Fan turned back and once again stood before the Tianbao Pavilion.
“You again? Do you have a death wish?” The black-clothed guard at the entrance glared at Li Fan with open hostility.
Li Fan smiled faintly. “I’ve come to do business with your Tianbao Pavilion. You’d drive a customer away without even hearing them out? Is this how Tianbao Pavilion treats its guests?”
He deliberately raised his voice, drawing curious glances from passersby.
“You—” The guard’s face flushed with anger, and he moved to strike, but was held back by his companion.
After someone went inside to consult, the guard returned with clear reluctance and ushered Li Fan in. He was seated in a guest room, and a female attendant served him a cup of tea.
Li Fan took a sip. As the tea warmed his stomach, a comforting heat spread throughout his body. Within moments, he felt as if he’d been basking in the winter sun for hours—thoroughly warmed, even slightly feverish.
“Excellent tea!” Li Fan couldn’t help but praise.
“Dayu Yanlong. It grows near the underwater volcanic vents around Dayu Island. Only a dozen or so plants exist. With the destruction of Dayu Island, this tea has temporarily become a lost treasure.” A man walked in with a smile, speaking unhurriedly. It was Sun Zhang.
“Then I am indebted to you for this privilege, Elder Sun.” Li Fan showed no hesitation, downing the remaining tea in one gulp.
Only after Li Fan set the cup down did Sun Zhang narrow his eyes and ask slowly, “The matter of Great Li is concluded. There should be no further ties between us. Why have you sought me out again?”
His tone was blunt, and his eyes hid a sharp killing intent, as if Li Fan’s answer would determine whether he lived or died.
Ignoring the accusatory tone, Li Fan smiled in response. “You misunderstand me. I truly am here to discuss a business proposition.”
“Business? You?” Sun Zhang first looked stunned, then scoffed, scrutinizing Li Fan from head to toe.
Li Fan’s expression remained unchanged, his smile unwavering.
Seeing this, Sun Zhang gradually grew serious. “What is it?”
“Might Tianbao Pavilion have any interest in securing spots on the fleet going to sea?” Li Fan said slowly.
“On every voyage, ships in the fleet earn massive profits from Liuli Fish and other produce of the sea, and that is without counting the occasional treasures they haul up. To say our Tianbao Pavilion has no interest would be a lie.
“But Manager Qian holds the fleet slot allocations in an iron grip. It’s not just our Tianbao Pavilion; even Manager Zhao finds it extremely difficult to secure an additional spot. You are a newcomer. What possible means do you have to set your sights on this matter?” Sun Zhang stared intently at Li Fan, as if trying to read the truth from his face.
“I have a method to persuade him. I just need you to arrange a meeting between myself and Manager Zhao,” Li Fan stated with unwavering confidence.
Seeing Li Fan’s absolute certainty, Sun Zhang momentarily wavered, unsure how to proceed.
“Then let him see Manager Zhao. It’s no difficult matter. If he fails, we can just chop him up and feed him to the fish.” Just then, a somewhat languid voice drifted in from outside the room.
Li Fan’s eyes sharpened as he saw a woman in pale yellow robes step inside. Her face was veiled, and her voice sounded young, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, but her curvaceous figure radiated a mature allure.
“Greetings, Shopkeeper,” Sun Zhang said immediately, rising to his feet and offering a respectful bow upon seeing the woman in yellow.
“Then I thank you in advance, Shopkeeper,” Li Fan said, his expression unchanged as he cupped his hands in a salute.
“You seem rather confident, and you don’t strike me as the type to boast idly,” the woman in yellow said, tilting her head as she sat down opposite Li Fan. She began studying him with open curiosity.
“I am a man of my word. When I make a promise, I keep it,” Li Fan stated plainly.
The woman in yellow let out a soft, tinkling laugh.
“If you truly succeed, our Tianbao Pavilion will, of course, require a corresponding share of the benefits.”
“According to the island’s rules, one may keep thirty percent of the proceeds from a voyage. I will take none of that thirty percent. Half will go to Manager Zhao, and the other half will be given to your Tianbao Pavilion.” Li Fan nodded, his words startling everyone present.
The woman in yellow was momentarily stunned.
She looked him over again, more carefully this time. “How strange. If that’s the case, then what is it you want after going through all this trouble?”
“I only want a spot in the Body Purification Spirit Pool that opens once every three years,” Li Fan stated frankly.
“Oh?” The woman was truly shocked now. She stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to confirm she hadn’t misheard.
Li Fan met her gaze without the slightest hesitation.
“Hahahaha...” The woman in yellow burst into uproarious laughter, as if she’d just heard the most hilarious joke in her life.
“Oh, please, uncle. You’re already this old, and you still want to cultivate immortality like the others?” She laughed for a good while, barely managing to get the words out before another wave of laughter overtook her.
Sun Zhang looked at Li Fan, his face also a mask of utter skepticism.
Li Fan simply watched the laughing woman in silence.
The woman’s laughter gradually subsided.
“Ha... ha...”
Finally, it died out into an awkward, forced chuckle, and she composed herself, looking somewhat abashed.
“I seek eternal life. Even if it costs me my life, I will have no regrets,” Li Fan said quietly.
The woman in yellow fell silent for a long time.
“Very well. I agree to this,” she declared finally. “Once a date is settled, I will send someone to notify you.”
“Then it is settled. I live outside the city walls, in row six, unit seven. You can find me there.” Li Fan cupped his hands once more, turned, and left.
Only the woman in yellow and Sun Zhang remained in the room.
After a long silence, Sun Zhang could no longer hold back. “Shopkeeper, that spot in the Body Purification Spirit Pool...”
“The competition for Body Purification Spirit Pool spots is fierce every year, but our Tianbao Pavilion doesn’t lack the strength to contend for one. Furthermore, if he can truly secure a slot in the fleet for us, the profits from that expedition alone would roughly offset the cost of a single spirit pool spot in roughly five years. This is a deal with no risk of loss for us.” The woman in yellow waved a dismissive hand.
“It’s just...” She frowned, a delicate crease forming on her brow as she looked in the direction Li Fan had departed.
“What is it?” Sun Zhang couldn’t help but ask.
“That man’s eyes... they were terrifying...” The woman in yellow patted her chest lightly, as if still somewhat shaken.
Sun Zhang was taken aback.
***
On the way back, Li Fan stopped by an apothecary and purchased the Xuanhuang Heart Clarification Sutra, along with the accompanying medicinal herbs.
Even if everything went smoothly, the Body Purification Spirit Pool wouldn’t open for another two years. That was far too long to waste doing nothing.
He might as well try cultivating the Xuanhuang Heart Clarification Sutra first and see what effect it had. Perhaps his talent was so astounding that he wouldn’t even need the full two years to purge the miasma from his body on his own?
For the next several days, Li Fan remained at home, cultivating and waiting for his meeting with Manager Zhao.
But before he could even meet Manager Zhao, shocking news reached him:
Su Changyu was dead.