Chapter 26: Clever Words Persuade the Crowd

Although Sun Zhang chose to avoid him, Li Fan wouldn't give up so easily.

From the way he couldn't help but comfort Su Changyu that day, it was clear that he was at least not an evil person. The reason for his perpetually cold demeanor was likely just an unwillingness to get too involved with mortals from the Land of Immortal Desolation.

Compared to strangers, Li Fan preferred to deal with people whose backgrounds he knew.

So Li Fan returned, once again arriving in front of the Tianbao Tower.

“Why are you back, kid? Are you looking for trouble?” The burly man in black at the entrance eyed Li Fan warily, speaking fiercely.

Li Fan smiled slightly. “I’m here to do business with your Tianbao Tower. You want to turn people away without even talking? Is that how Tianbao Tower treats its guests?”

Li Fan deliberately raised his voice, drawing glances from people nearby.

“You…” The big man immediately became enraged and was about to charge forward to hit him, but he was stopped by someone next to him.

After going back to ask for instructions, the big man, looking somewhat disgruntled, led Li Fan inside.

They settled into a reception room, and a maid served a cup of tea.

Li Fan unhurriedly took a sip. As the tea entered his stomach, he immediately felt a warm current flow from his stomach throughout his entire body.

In just a moment, Li Fan felt as if he had been basking in the winter sun for over half an hour—warm all over, even a little hot.

“Excellent tea!” Li Fan couldn’t help but praise.

“Dayu Yanlong tea grows in the underwater volcanic craters around Dayu Island, with only a dozen or so plants existing. Now that Dayu Island has been destroyed, this Dayu Yanlong has temporarily become a rare delicacy.” A person entered with a smile, speaking slowly. It was Sun Zhang.

“Then I’m benefiting from Elder Sun’s generosity,” Li Fan said, not standing on ceremony, and drank the remaining tea in one gulp.

Once Li Fan set down the teacup, Sun Zhang squinted his eyes and slowly asked, “The matter with Dali is concluded. There should be no more entanglement between us. Why have you sought me out again now?”

Sun Zhang’s tone was far from polite, and his eyes concealed a hint of murderous intent, as if he would act to kill Li Fan if his answer wasn’t satisfactory.

Li Fan paid no mind to Sun Zhang’s accusatory tone and replied with a smile, “Elder Sun misunderstands. I am indeed here to discuss a business deal.”

“Business? You?” Sun Zhang was first startled, then scoffed as he scrutinized Li Fan.

Li Fan’s expression remained unchanged; he simply smiled without speaking.

Seeing this, Sun Zhang gradually became serious. “What kind of business?”

“I wonder if Tianbao Pavilion is interested in a spot on the deep-sea exploration fleet,” Li Fan said slowly.

“Every time the fleet goes to sea, not to mention the occasional treasures that can be salvaged, just the Glass Fish and other sea specialties are enough to make a fortune. It’s impossible for our Tianbao Tower to not be interested.”

“However, the fleet quotas are firmly controlled by Steward Qian. It’s extremely difficult for us, Tianbao Tower, let alone Steward Zhao, to secure even one more spot. You’re a newcomer, what makes you think you can lay claim to it?” Sun Zhang stared intently at Li Fan, as if trying to discern something from his face.

“If I can meet Steward Zhao, I have my own way to persuade him,” Li Fan said confidently.

Seeing Li Fan’s certainty, Sun Zhang was momentarily undecided.

“Then let him meet Steward Zhao. It’s not a difficult matter. If it doesn’t work out, just chop him up and throw him into the sea to feed the fish.” Just then, a somewhat languid voice came from outside the room.

Li Fan’s eyes narrowed. A woman dressed in pale yellow, with a veil covering her face, entered.

From her voice, the woman sounded only seventeen or eighteen, but her curvaceous figure exuded a mature and alluring aura.

“Greetings, Shopkeeper,” Sun Zhang said, immediately standing up and respectfully greeting the woman in yellow.

“Then I thank the Shopkeeper in advance,” Li Fan said, his expression unchanged, cupping his hands in a polite gesture.

“You seem quite confident, not like someone just making empty boasts.” Sitting opposite Li Fan, the woman in yellow tilted her head, looking at him with some curiosity.

“I have always kept my word and been true to my promises,” Li Fan stated calmly.

The woman in yellow let out a soft chuckle.

“If this truly succeeds, our Tianbao Tower will need to extract a corresponding benefit.”

“According to the island’s rules, three tenths of the harvest from each voyage can be kept. I don’t want any of that three tenths for myself. Half will go to Steward Zhao, and half to your Tianbao Tower.” Li Fan nodded in agreement, his words surprising.

The woman in yellow was momentarily stunned.

She then scrutinized Li Fan again. “That’s strange. If that’s the case, what is it that you’re going to such great lengths for?”

“All I want is a spot in the Spirit Cleansing Pond, which opens once every three years,” Li Fan admitted.

“Oh…” The woman was truly astonished this time. She looked at Li Fan several times, as if to confirm that she hadn’t misheard.

Li Fan met her gaze, his eyes firm.

“Hahahahaha…” As if she had heard an incredibly funny joke, the woman in yellow burst out laughing.

“Oh please, Uncle, you’re already so old, and you still want to learn how to cultivate immortality like others?” After laughing for a while, she managed to stop with some difficulty, barely getting out a sentence before bursting into laughter again.

Sun Zhang looked at Li Fan, his face also filled with disbelief.

Li Fan simply watched the woman in yellow silently.

The woman’s laughter gradually subsided.

“Ha… ha…”

Finally, she let out a dry laugh and sheepishly returned to normal.

“To seek longevity, even if it means death, I have no regrets,” Li Fan stated calmly.

The woman in yellow remained silent for a long time.

“Alright, I agree to this,” she finally decided. “Once a date is set, I’ll send someone to notify you.”

“Then it’s settled. I live in house number seven, section six, outside the city. You can find me there.” Li Fan cupped his hands and turned to leave.

Only the woman in yellow and Sun Zhang remained in the room.

After a long silence, Sun Zhang couldn’t help but say, “Shopkeeper, about that Spirit Cleansing Pond spot…”

“While the Spirit Cleansing Pond spots are fiercely contested on the island every year, our Tianbao Tower isn’t without the power to compete. Moreover, if he genuinely manages to secure a deep-sea exploration fleet, the profits from the fleet in just about five years would barely be enough to offset the cost of one spot. This is a guaranteed profit, no loss.” The woman in yellow dismissed his concern.

“However…” She furrowed her pretty brows, looking in the direction Li Fan had left, and muttered to herself.

“What?” Sun Zhang couldn’t help but ask.

“That man’s eyes… they looked so scary…” The woman in yellow patted her chest, seemingly still shaken.

Sun Zhang was momentarily dumbfounded.

On his way back, Li Fan stopped at an apothecary to buy the “Profound Yellow Mind-Cleansing Incantation” and its accompanying medicinal ingredients.

Even if everything went smoothly, the Spirit Cleansing Pond wouldn’t open for another two years.

He couldn’t waste such a long period of time.

He might as well practice the “Profound Yellow Mind-Cleansing Incantation” first to see its effects. Perhaps Li Fan’s talent was astonishing, and he could dispel all the miasma from his body in less than two years?

For the next few days, Li Fan remained at home, cultivating and waiting to meet Steward Zhao.

Who would have thought that before he even met Steward Zhao, Li Fan would hear some rather shocking news.

Su Changyu was dead.