Chapter 429: Secret Room Casts Suspicion

Li Fan scanned the storage ring. Inside, five thousand standard high-grade spirit stones were neatly stacked, crystal clear and captivating. Five million contribution points—this was the largest sum Li Fan had ever seen since his continuous reincarnations. Even a complete good-for-nothing, with the new cultivation methods, could use this immense amount of contribution points to defy fate and reach at least the Nascent Soul stage. Yet, Li Fan merely glanced at it, showing no sign of excitement.

Taking out a spirit stone to fiddle with in his hand, Li Fan casually remarked, "The quality is good!" To remain so calm with such a large fortune in hand... It wasn't an act; he genuinely didn't seem to care, or perhaps he was simply accustomed to it. Just who was this person? The Elder Council cultivator, who had been scrutinizing Li Fan from across the room, mumbled inwardly as he observed Li Fan's demeanor and actions. Nevertheless, he decided to test him further. He then coldly stated, "Kid, aren't you afraid we'll kill you for being so arrogant here?"

Li Fan looked utterly unconcerned. "Afraid? Terrified! Who isn't afraid of death?" He challenged the other person with a glance, showing no trace of fear. "But I'm just an errand runner, a worthless life. What good would killing me do? Besides, I understand that you would never harm me."

Li Fan put away the spirit stone, sat up straight, and adopted a serious expression. "Oh? Do tell," the Elder Council cultivator asked with interest. "It's obvious, isn't it? Anyone willing to spend five million contribution points on exam questions must be quite wealthy. It's not worth going back on your word and ruining your reputation for such a small amount of contribution points. If you kill me, you'll get this year's exam questions for free. But what about next time, or the time after that? Can you guarantee you'll find another reliable trading partner like us?"

Hearing Li Fan's words, the Elder Council cultivator gradually dropped his playful demeanor and became serious. "Furthermore, besides the entrance exam questions, aren't you interested in other, more confidential information?" Li Fan asked, his eyes narrowed.

"More confidential information!" The Elder Council cultivator was instantly surprised and delighted. He quickly asked, "Such as?" Li Fan grunted, not answering directly, but vaguely stating, "There's plenty of good stuff! As long as you can afford the price, we can get you anything you can imagine, and even things you can't!" These words made the other party's heart itch with desire.

But Li Fan suddenly stopped, changing the subject. "However, you also know the risks involved in trading such things. Therefore, we'll gradually open up based on the specifics of our cooperation. Don't think too much for now; let's complete this transaction first!"

Li Fan glanced at "Zhou Qing'ang" and the Elder Council cultivator, whose figure was blurred, then reverted to his lazy demeanor. The Elder Council cultivator nodded slowly, no longer pressing the issue. Feeling the ten jade slips in his storage ring, he transmitted a message to "Zhou Qing'ang": "You keep an eye on him here. I'll be right back!" His tone was unfriendly, clearly indicating his dissatisfaction with "Zhou Qing'ang's" intelligence work this time. Li Fan's clone nodded slightly, then glared fiercely at the main body with murderous intent in his eyes.

Just as the Elder Council cultivator was about to leave, Li Fan seemed to suddenly remember something and added, "There are ten jade slips in the ring, all containing the grand exam questions. Additionally, a contract is attached. It stipulates that each jade slip can only be viewed by one person. Furthermore, the content cannot be disseminated. Only by signing the contract can one read the jade slip's content. I'm sure you're aware of the contract's power, so I won't elaborate."

The Elder Council cultivator had already sensed that familiar power within, and "Zhou Qing'ang" had previously mentioned that the exam questions were limited to ten people. So he wasn't surprised, merely stating a faint "Understood" before leaving the secret room. Li Fan's main body and his clone were left to confront each other.

Although no surveillance methods were detected, Li Fan didn't lower his guard and continued to play his part fully. "Zhou Qing'ang," played by the clone, continuously stared intensely at the main body, never letting him out of sight, while the main body occasionally showed annoyance, glaring back with a displeased expression. Thus, time quietly passed as Li Fan practiced his acting.

In the blink of an eye, six days passed. On the afternoon of the final day of the entrance exam, the Elder Council cultivator finally re-entered the room. His appearance was still concealed, but Li Fan could faintly sense his excitement. "Fellow Daoist, your methods are indeed extraordinary. The seven days of exam questions were perfectly accurate. I'm impressed! Truly impressed!" He spoke with genuine sincerity.

"When doing business, one must prioritize trustworthiness! Since we quoted such a high price, we naturally have to deliver!" Li Fan stood up and patted his body. "Can I leave now?" Li Fan asked.

"Wait!" The Elder Council cultivator quickly stopped him. "Hmm?" Li Fan's expression darkened, and he was about to react, but then he heard the other party explain. "I apologize for keeping you here for so long, so please accept this small token of our appreciation." As he spoke, the Elder Council cultivator handed over a small bottle.

"This is..." Li Fan took it, swept his divine sense over it, and discovered it contained nineteen Enlightenment Pills. He put on a thoughtful expression, looking again at "Zhou Qing'ang" and the Elder Council cultivator. However, he said nothing more, only burst into laughter. "Interesting. It seems we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future. I'll accept this!"

Li Fan put away the Enlightenment Pills, stepped out of the secret room, and left Orchid Island.

"Zhou Qing'ang" feigned confusion and asked perplexedly, "What did he mean by that?" The Elder Council cultivator let out a cold snort, turned, and glared at Li Fan's clone. "There's a big problem with your intelligence gathering this time! It's very likely you've been deceived by He Zhenghao all along. This person is definitely not as simple as he appears."

Li Fan's face changed drastically, looking somewhat bewildered. "Why do you say that?" "For this entrance exam, we weren't the only ones trying to get the questions from the Myriad Immortals Alliance. But coincidentally, the Myriad Immortals Alliance was extremely strict with secrecy this time. Many previous channels became ineffective, and only we succeeded. Moreover, the accuracy of the exam questions was terrifyingly high..." The Elder Council cultivator's voice was deep. "He Zhenghao's background is probably not as simple as merely the Tianyu Heng family."

"Such a thing?" Li Fan, upon hearing this, was filled with shock. The Elder Council cultivator glared at him, looking as if he were disappointed in him. "From that person's performance just now, it's clear this isn't their first time doing something like this."