Chapter 449

Rats in the Immortal Alliance

Jiao Xiuyuan said with some excitement, "Are you saying that, at that point, even if someone sells Puxian True Leaves to them at an exorbitant price, they'd still have to bite the bullet and buy them to fulfill their return agreement? And if we corner most of the Puxian True Leaves market share, forcing their hand… we could easily make several times the profit!"

"Brilliant!" Jiao Xiuyuan exclaimed involuntarily, slapping his thigh as he grasped the key points.

"Fellow Daoist Jiao truly is a business genius!" Li Fan nodded, praising him.

Paying no mind to Li Fan's compliment, Jiao Xiuyuan's expression shifted, and he furrowed his brow, pondering carefully for a moment. The excitement on his face slowly faded, and he shook his head, saying, "Fellow Daoist, your idea is indeed brilliant, but it seems too idealistic."

"What if, when the other party borrowed Puxian True Leaves on credit, the contract they signed contained a clause allowing them to return it with equivalent contribution points? What if they were unwilling to buy back the Puxian True Leaves, even if it meant risking repercussions for breaching the contract?"

"Too many unpredictable variables, too high a risk."

Li Fan said with a hint of nonchalance, "What business in this world is without risk? Compared to the profit it can yield, I think it's worth a try."

Jiao Xiuyuan's expression flickered, and he was about to reply, but then he heard Li Fan say, "Moreover, I believe that even if the other party gives up contending with us and pulls out, the large quantity of Puxian True Leaves we acquire will still result in more profit than loss."

"What makes you say so, Fellow Daoist?" Jiao Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, asking with some disbelief.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Fan's mouth as he extended his right index finger. A moment later, a crystal-clear icosahedron die materialized above it, rapidly spinning and revealing many fragmented images.

Stunned for a moment, Jiao Xiuyuan recognized the treasure in Li Fan's hand and exclaimed, "Heaven and Earth Qiankun Die?!"

Just as he was about to examine the images on the die more closely, Li Fan immediately put it away.

"This matter, after my deduction, is highly likely to be true," Li Fan said solemnly.

Jiao Xiuyuan looked at Li Fan's confident demeanor and couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.

"Let me inquire further." After saying this, the puppet in front of Li Fan went completely silent, as if it had lost its main controlling consciousness.

Li Fan was not in a hurry; he stood quietly aside, waiting patiently.

This wait lasted for a day and a night.

When life returned to Jiao Xiuyuan's body, he suddenly opened his eyes, his face lit up with joy: "There's a chance!"

"Oh? What did you find out, Fellow Daoist?" Li Fan asked with great interest.

Jiao Xiuyuan leaned closer and lowered his voice: "According to reliable sources, the ones manipulating the price of Puxian True Leaves are several God Transformation cultivators led by Tantai Can from Tianshu State. Their backgrounds, to varying degrees, are connected to the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters. And the Sagely Discernment Talismans used in various regions are essentially monopolized by them."

"Tantai Can..." The surname was too distinctive, making Li Fan involuntarily recall Tantai Tao, the formation path genius who had died tragically in his previous life. "Could it be the same family?" Li Fan wondered inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued to listen.

Jiao Xiuyuan spoke volubly: "The reality differs somewhat from our conjecture. Because they control the production line of Sagely Discernment Talismans, these individuals have accumulated a large quantity of Puxian True Leaves. The Myriad Immortals Alliance collects a limited number of Sagely Discernment Talismans each year, making the profit too slow. Thus, this group of people began to harbor ill intentions. Some of them used a portion of the Puxian True Leaves they possessed as collateral to borrow a large amount of contribution points from Qingfeng Hall. At the same time, the rest, conversely, borrowed Puxian True Leaves on credit from Qingfeng Hall. Through this back-and-forth, the Puxian True Leaves returned to their hands. Simultaneously, they profited by acquiring an equivalent value in contribution points."

Hearing this, Li Fan frowned slightly, interrupting Jiao Xiuyuan: "I recall that Qingfeng Hall's interest rates are quite high, aren't they? How much profit can they make by doing this? Furthermore, once they have the contribution points, why would they go through the extra trouble of loaning out the Puxian True Leaves again?"

Jiao Xiuyuan smiled and said, "That's why I said there was an opportunity to exploit. Because, nominally, these Puxian True Leaves are the property of the Myriad Immortals Alliance. As Sagely Discernment Talismans involve Myriad Immortals Alliance secrets, control measures must naturally be implemented. Tantai Can and his group merely obtained their positions, responsible for manufacturing Sagely Discernment Talismans, due to their respective powerful backgrounds. Every so often, the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters dispatches people for routine inspections. Although they have internal connections and can get advance notice, they still have to maintain appearances. At the very least, their official accounts cannot show too much deficit."

Jiao Xiuyuan scoffed lightly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "Even though the profits from this operation are already shockingly high, they remain unsatisfied. They presumptuously mortgaged them, exchanged them for enormous contribution points, leveraged their position, and stirred up trouble in the market. And this group of people has deep backgrounds and well-informed connections. So they've always succeeded, earning substantial profits. Qingfeng Hall's interest rates truly mean nothing to them. Not to mention anything else, just regarding these Puxian True Leaves: almost the entire stock of the Myriad Immortals Alliance is in their hands. Manipulating prices is effortless for them, and preying on unsuspecting cultivators is absolutely no trouble at all."

Li Fan slowly nodded, understanding the methods Tantai Can and his group employed. To put it plainly, they were misappropriating the Myriad Immortals Alliance's strategic resources and exchanging them for contribution points. Then, using insider information, they bought low and sold high, earning a profit for themselves.

"Such a crime is no small matter. For Fellow Daoist Jiao to have uncovered this so clearly, your capabilities are truly extraordinary!" Li Fan came back to his senses and exclaimed in admiration.

Jiao Xiuyuan waved his hand, "It's also because these people are utterly unscrupulous and too arrogant! Not only do they fail to maintain strict secrecy, but they also use this information as bragging rights in casual conversations. That's how I managed to find out. Otherwise, how could I know such private matters!"

Li Fan smiled, not dwelling on that point, but instead discussed with Jiao Xiuyuan the feasibility of targeting Tantai Can's group.

"This way, my previous concerns are no longer an issue. No matter what, they are bound to retrieve the Puxian True Leaves. They must do so, even if it means losing everything. Otherwise, once their scheme comes to light, even their powerful backers won't be able to protect them. At that point, bankruptcy won't be the only issue. Death and the dissipation of their cultivation would be a welcome outcome." Jiao Xiuyuan's face hardened, and he said definitively.

"Excellent!" Li Fan clapped, his face showing approval.

"My only concern is that you and I, being few in number and weak in strength, might not be a match for our opponents," Jiao Xiuyuan said suddenly. "If we can't strike a fatal blow, and the other side reacts, our plan might very well fail."