Chapter 536: High Yuan Can Recognize People

He Zhenghao glanced briefly at Gao Yuan, then quickly pledged his loyalty to Li Fan. Li Fan remained noncommittal. He simply took two small metal figurines from his storage ring, which bore some resemblance to himself, and handed one to each of them.

"These are Spirit-Splitting Jade Slips. Each contains a wisp of my divine consciousness, akin to a partial clone," Li Fan said calmly. "While I'm in seclusion, I will cut off all contact with the outside world. If you encounter any truly urgent situations, you can use these to reach me."

Gao Yuan and He Zhenghao carefully put away the metal figurines, feeling a sudden surge of flattered surprise. They were not unfamiliar with Spirit-Splitting Jade Slips; such items were typically given only to highly trusted and close juniors, serving as a tool for personal, dedicated instruction. The fact that the Envoy had entrusted them with something so important clearly demonstrated his absolute trust in them! Gao Yuan and He Zhenghao's hearts stirred with emotion, and they bowed in thanks once more.

"You may leave," Li Fan said, nodding slightly with an impassive face, then dismissed them.

Inside the Administrative Hall's council chamber, He Zhenghao was organizing a list of relevant cultivators.

Ever since Li Fan's sudden announcement of a temporary halt to the contribution points fundraising plan, many cultivators who had hesitated and chosen to observe regretted their decision deeply. After all, Li Fan's fundraising plan had already run for several phases; each time, the contribution points were returned with interest as scheduled, sometimes even ahead of time. The public's worry that Li Fan might abscond with the funds had never materialized. Consequently, these cultivators, who had initially chosen to wait and see, gradually began to trust Li Fan. They were eagerly hoping to be included in the next fundraising round, but who knew Li Fan would just stop doing it on a whim?

"It seems we've judged a noble man by our own petty standards. Master Li is Master Li, after all," they all sighed with regret at the time.

And once they heard that Li Fan had been appointed acting island master of Wanxian Island, their lingering concerns vanished completely. They knew that He Zhenghao was in charge of Li Fan's fundraising plans, so these cultivators, using various methods, sought out He Zhenghao. They also presented small tokens of their appreciation, urging He Zhenghao to prioritize them should Li Fan's fundraising plan ever restart.

If even bystanders felt this way, how much more so did those who had already profited from the previous fundraising rounds? They had already spoken to He Zhenghao much earlier.

"Heh heh, I was worried there were too many people and not enough to go around. Now it's fine, one hundred million contribution points, everyone gets a share." He Zhenghao happily listed name after name, then began sending out messages en masse, saying, "Friend, there's news about the matter you asked me to look into! I have definite information..."

Unlike He Zhenghao's excited expression, Gao Yuan's face showed a hint of doubt. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, and his eyes narrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.

After a long while, He Zhenghao, having busied himself for some time, stretched and eased his body's fatigue. It was then that he finally noticed Gao Yuan's unusual demeanor. He couldn't help but ask with some surprise, "Brother Gao, what's wrong?"

"I'm wondering about the deeper meaning behind these two tasks the Envoy has given us," Gao Yuan said with a solemn expression.

"Deeper meaning? Wasn't it quite clear, this..." He Zhenghao first chuckled, dismissing it as Gao Yuan overthinking things. But then, he paused slightly. He glanced around, leaned in, and asked in a low voice, "Brother, what's your insightful opinion?"

Gao Yuan said gravely, "The Envoy always plans carefully before acting; he never does anything without purpose. However, these two matters he's entrusted to us this time seem a bit odd."

He Zhenghao was somewhat puzzled. "Odd? How so?"

"Friend, do you think one hundred million contribution points is a lot?" Gao Yuan didn't answer directly but instead asked a rhetorical question.

"A lot, of course it's a lot," He Zhenghao replied as if it were obvious, feeling bewildered.

Gao Yuan chuckled lightly. "One hundred million contribution points—I also believe that's a figure hard to achieve in a lifetime. But... Brother He, try to recall, when the Envoy mentioned the number one hundred million, did his tone or expression show any fluctuations?"

He Zhenghao couldn't help but freeze. He furrowed his brow, and after a moment, shook his head.

Gao Yuan said leisurely, "Exactly. It was as if it were a trivial matter, like eating or drinking. The Envoy merely mentioned it casually, without any further instructions. Instead, he repeatedly emphasized that he was going into deep seclusion and would cut off all contact with the outside world. Is a mere one hundred million contribution points really worth such a solemn approach from the Envoy?"

Upon hearing this, He Zhenghao was about to retort. But after careful consideration and recalling Li Fan's disdain for wealth that he had revealed during their previous interactions, he became somewhat hesitant again. After mulling it over for a moment, He Zhenghao slowly nodded. "There is something amiss. When I first met the Envoy, he demonstrated his frightening ability to accumulate wealth. He doubled contribution points in less than seven days. With such methods, one hundred million contribution points is probably just a slightly larger number in his eyes."

Gao Yuan nodded heavily. "Precisely. Even when the Envoy was a lone rogue cultivator, he might not have placed much importance on one hundred million contribution points. Not to mention, he is now effectively the ruling master of the Cloud Sea region. I've never heard of any provincial leader going into deep seclusion purely for one hundred million contribution points. The Envoy's claim that it's a significant matter requiring careful preparation is purely an excuse!" A sharp glint flashed in Gao Yuan's eyes as he stated firmly.

He Zhenghao thought for a moment and then slowly nodded in agreement.

"But what exactly does the Envoy mean?" he asked, puzzled. "Congyun City has just been rebuilt, and everything is waiting to be revitalized. Why would he choose this specific time to go into seclusion?"

Gao Yuan, however, had a clear plan in mind and said confidently, "In my opinion, this is a test from the Envoy."

"A test?" He Zhenghao asked, somewhat bewildered.

"That's right," Gao Yuan affirmed confidently. "As you know, Friend, I've always been skilled at understanding people. After interacting with someone for a while, I can generally grasp their character and temperament. The Envoy... while I wouldn't claim to see him perfectly clearly, one thing is beyond doubt." Gao Yuan lowered his voice. "He is naturally free-spirited and would never willingly be tied down by governmental trifles."