Chapter 476: Li Fan, the Skilled Healer

"With Fellow Daoist Baili here, these cultivators are surely destined for a wasted trip," Han Wuyou scanned his surroundings and whispered with a smile.

"You can't say that. Besides the Cloudwater Scroll, there must be other opportunities within the Cloudwater Celestial Palace," Sikong Yi replied calmly, his eyes fixed on the increasingly spectacular anomaly in the sky.

"Even the greatest opportunity probably can't compare to this Cloudwater Scroll," Han Wuyou shook his head.

Sikong Yi was a little surprised: "What makes you say that?"

"Haha, people only care about the hundred thousand contribution points, and their eyes are blinded by it. In reality, they've overlooked the true opportunity," Han Wuyou smiled slightly.

"What's most important in cultivation? Background! Connections!" he reiterated.

"In my opinion, the true value of this Cloudwater Scroll is the chance to build a relationship with the senior who posted the mission."

"Anyone who can casually offer a reward of a hundred thousand contribution points must be at least at the Soul Transformation stage. If one could establish a connection with him, even just exchanging a few words, it would make a significant difference for an ordinary cultivator," Han Wuyou explained softly.

"If you could even get a stable method of contact, that would completely change your destiny."

Hearing this, Sikong Yi looked thoughtful.

A moment later, he slowly nodded.

As the three chatted, a blue light swept across the Sea of Cloud Thickets, and the Cloudwater Celestial Palace officially opened.

Sikong Yi, Baili Chen, and Han Wuyou, along with many other cultivators, flew inside.

After some twists and turns, they safely passed Qin Tang's test.

However, as they ventured deeper, for reasons unknown, the trio attracted the attention of another group of cultivators.

They ended up inexplicably getting into a fight.

The opposing group outnumbered them and were superior in overall cultivation.

Ultimately, Han Wuyou perished in the siege, dying with unfulfilled regrets.

Sikong Yi, however, narrowly survived, relying on the incredibly potent life-saving ability of the "Heaven-Stealing Sun-Shifting Art."

Continuously pushing forward, albeit disheveled, towards the location of the Taiyi Hall in his memory, Sikong Yi's heart felt icy cold.

"Truly, life is unpredictable. Someone like Fellow Daoist Han should have had a boundless future. To die here so inexplicably..."

Remembering his eloquent and spirited demeanor from just a short while ago, Sikong Yi felt a sense of melancholy and loss.

Although they had only known each other for a short time, Sikong Yi already considered him a confidant.

Alas, heaven envies talent!

Sikong Yi unconsciously touched a storage ring in his hand.

He had swiftly retrieved it from Han Wuyou's body after seeing him dismembered.

Han Wuyou was indeed very wealthy; the ring was filled with various formation diagrams and magic artifacts.

It also contained spirit stones worth about ten thousand contribution points, and most importantly, dozens of communication talismans.

"Connections, background..."

Sikong Yi repeated these words to himself, the sadness in his eyes gradually fading.

"Fellow Daoist Han, rest in peace. I will live well for you!"

Using Fellow Daoist Han's life as a sacrifice, the subsequent actions indeed proceeded much more smoothly.

After passing the Worm Daoist's trial, Sikong Yi endured the excruciating pain of being pierced by ten thousand swords and arrived at the plaza in front of Taiyi Hall.

The surroundings were completely silent, with only him present.

Suppressing his excitement, Sikong Yi controlled his clone and activated the "Sea-Stabilizing Divine Sword Art."

"Baili Chen, 165th generation personal disciple of the Cloudwater Celestial Palace, requests an audience with Ancestor Taiyi!" he called out loudly.

The ground trembled, and he ultimately succeeded in tricking the disoriented Turtle-Snake monster into handing over the Cloudwater Scroll.

After requesting to be teleported out of the Cloudwater Celestial Palace, Sikong Yi feigned a normal expression and headed straight for Myriad Immortals Island.

The journey was eventful but safe, and he successfully returned to the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

His clone, Baili Chen, chose to submit the completed mission.

"Unable to verify the authenticity of the 'Cloudwater Scroll.' Please wait."

The Heavenly Profound Mirror's response made Sikong Yi's heart skip a beat.

"Even the Heavenly Profound Mirror can't verify it? What else is this Cloudwater Scroll for, besides being a miniature landscape?" Before Sikong Yi could ponder this, the next prompt from the Heavenly Profound Mirror caused an even greater shock to his heart.

"The mission publisher... requests to visit your space. Do you accept?"

"It's here! It's here!" Sikong Yi was momentarily stunned, then his heart began to pound violently.

His blood surged throughout his body, and Han Wuyou's words from earlier couldn't help but resurface in his mind.

"The true opportunity: connections!"

For a moment, numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.

After taking a deep breath and calming himself, Sikong Yi said gravely, "Accept."

A moment later, a white-haired old man with a kindly face appeared before him.

Sikong Yi respectfully bowed, then with trembling hands, offered the multicolored model.

The old man took the Cloudwater Scroll, examined it carefully, and was filled with emotions.

His cloudy eyes kept moving, as if recalling something.

"What is the Cloudwater Celestial Palace like now?" he asked.

Sikong Yi swallowed hard and stammered his reply.

The old man did not seem to mind Sikong Yi's nervousness.

He simply listened to Sikong Yi's descriptions, nodding slightly from time to time.

After Sikong Yi finished speaking, the Heavenly Profound Mirror space fell into a long silence once more.

He looked at the kindly old man standing still before him, seemingly lost in the past.

Han Wuyou's words resurfaced in his mind again.

"In today's cultivation world, simply relying on courage and fighting prowess is useless. You need background, you need connections!"

His heart beat faster and faster, and in the end, he couldn't hold back.

Gathering his courage, he asked, "Senior, is there anything else I can do for you?"

The Heavenly Physician looked up and glanced at Sikong Yi.

Sikong Yi immediately felt his heart clench and stop beating.

His entire body seemed to freeze, and his mind stopped thinking.

After an unknown period, he heard the other party chuckle softly: "Very well. I happen to have something I need you to do."

"Go to the Cloudwater Celestial Palace for me again and just place this item there."

As he spoke, the old man took out a small white jade statue and handed it to Sikong Yi.

Upon hearing this, Sikong Yi was ecstatic.

However, he dared not show any hint of it on his face, cautiously taking the statue.

Looking closely, the white jade statue seemed to have nothing special about it; it merely looked exactly like the old man before him.

"I will certainly not fail your trust, Senior!" Sikong Yi put away the statue and said gravely.

"As for the reward..." The old man stared at Sikong Yi for a moment, then slowly said, "It will be another hundred thousand contribution points!"

As he spoke, Sikong Yi received a notification from the Heavenly Profound Mirror that two hundred thousand contribution points had been deposited.

Sikong Yi's mind instantly went blank.

It was only after the old man's figure had disappeared from the Heavenly Profound Mirror for a long time that he regained his thoughts.

"Just a simple errand, and it's another hundred thousand contribution points!"

"This senior is probably far beyond the Soul Transformation stage!"

"An opportunity, a true opportunity!"

"If I relied solely on myself, who knows how long it would take to accumulate a hundred thousand contribution points! Now, with a word from a major figure, I've obtained it effortlessly."

"Fellow Daoist Han truly didn't deceive me!"

Under the surge of emotion, Sikong Yi felt as if he saw a brilliant future before him and couldn't help but let out a long howl.

After calming down, daring not to delay the white-haired old man's instructions, he once again headed straight for the Cloudwater Celestial Palace.

The statue in his storage ring emitted a white light and flew directly into the sky.

It dissolved and vanished.

Having completed the mission, Sikong Yi let out a long sigh of relief. Seeing no one around, he quietly departed.

Not long after, a hidden figure quietly appeared outside the Cloudwater Celestial Palace.

It was Li Fan.

"Heavenly Physician..."

"Hmph!"

He watched Sikong Yi's retreating back, a cold sneer forming in his heart.