The prices of items sold within the Profound Mirror are not fixed. They are regulated by the Profound Mirror and directly correlate with the number of people purchasing the items.
For instance, when the news broke that Glass Pearls were out of stock and Glass Pills could not be refined for a period, it immediately spurred a wave of frantic buying. Some genuinely needed Glass Pills to accelerate their cultivation, but many, like Li Fan, aimed to hoard them for profit.
Consequently, the price of Glass Pills surged from 6 points to 9 points in a short time. This sudden price change also caught the attention of those who were unaware. After some inquiries, they learned about the impending scarcity of Glass Pearls and quickly joined the buying frenzy. The price of Glass Pills soared again, briefly reaching an astonishing 12 points per pill.
Seeing the opportunity, Li Fan decided to sell all the Glass Pills he had. Naturally, he sold them directly to the Profound Mirror. Due to the high demand, the Profound Mirror's purchase price was not as low as when it bought the Fragmented Stele, but rather a "high price" of 10 points per pill.
Li Fan, not being greedy, promptly sold all 350 Glass Pills he possessed. With 3500 points of contribution earned, plus the remaining 129 points from before, Li Fan's total contribution points now amounted to 3629!
After Li Fan's sale, the market's fervor gradually cooled. The price of 12 points per pill clearly exceeded the intrinsic value of Glass Pills. After all, the effects of Glass Pills were not irreplaceable, with many other pills offering similar functions. The popularity of Glass Pills was primarily due to their affordability. The temporary price surge was merely a result of market participants losing their rationality due to the sudden news.
Once everyone calmed down, the price of Glass Pills returned to a relatively reasonable and stable 8 points per pill. At this point, Li Fan purchased 100 Glass Pills for his own cultivation, spending 800 points and leaving him with 2829 points.
Through this maneuver, Li Fan not only increased his contribution points by 600 but also acquired 100 Glass Pills for free! The 600 points of contribution were equivalent to a year's savings for a diligent, task-focused qi refining cultivator. Not to mention the 100 Glass Pills, which were as good as hard currency.
"Truly, it's like wearing a golden belt for committing crimes, while those who build bridges and repair roads leave no corpses behind!" Li Fan mused.
However, despite his musings, Li Fan's spending speed as a beneficiary was unaffected. He purchased various items, useful or not, such as "Introduction to Formations," "Basic Alchemy," "Foundations of Artifact Crafting," and "Illustrated Guide to Treasures of the Immortal Cultivation World." He also bought common items for cultivators like protective robes, concealment talismans, basic fusion formations, and beginner alchemy kits.
As his storage ring gradually filled, his contribution points rapidly dwindled to 346. Yet, Li Fan felt no regret. After finishing his purchases, he consumed a Glass Pill and activated the auxiliary cultivation mode, beginning his practice of the "Minor Origin Water Technique."
The abundant water-attributed spiritual qi surged forth, allowing Li Fan to once again experience the rapid cultivation speed of a genius. With the Profound Mirror's auxiliary cultivation mode and the effects of the Glass Pill, Li Fan's cultivation progress was astonishingly swift.
In just two days, Li Fan broke through the early stage of qi refining. Over the next three days, he cultivated the "Minor Origin Water Technique" to the peak of the mid-stage qi refining. Without any bottlenecks, the process was smooth and exhilarating, leaving him wanting more!
Li Fan was deeply immersed in this method of cultivation, so when his practice automatically halted due to the lack of the late-stage qi refining portion of the "Minor Origin Water Technique," he felt a profound sense of loss and emptiness.
Fortunately, the 600-point contribution cost for the late-stage portion of the "Minor Origin Water Technique" helped him regain his composure. Just as he contemplated selling some Glass Pills to acquire the next part of the technique, he received a visit request from He Zhenghao.
After some thought, Li Fan retrieved a newly purchased concealment talisman from his storage ring and wore it before allowing He Zhenghao to enter.
Upon seeing Li Fan, He Zhenghao excitedly said, "I've arranged everything with the guardian of Tai'an. Next, I'll take you to meet him and accept the commission."
He Zhenghao then handed a spirit talisman to Li Fan, instructing, "Wear this on you. Remember, when we meet, don't speak much. Leave everything to me."
Li Fan took the spirit talisman and examined it, his expression darkening. If he hadn't recently bought an identical one, he wouldn't have recognized it.
This spirit talisman was called the "Prestige Talisman," which had the opposite effect of a concealment talisman. While a concealment talisman hid one's cultivation, a prestige talisman was used to disguise oneself as a cultivator of a certain realm.
He Zhenghao intended for Li Fan to disguise himself as a foundation establishment cultivator! Clearly, the notion that a qi refining cultivator could guard an island was just a ploy to deceive Li Fan. He Zhenghao had long planned for Li Fan to impersonate a foundation establishment cultivator, accept the commission from Tai'an Island's guardian, and earn the difference!
It's well known that hiring a foundation establishment cultivator costs significantly more contribution points than hiring a qi refining cultivator.
Unaware of Li Fan's displeasure, He Zhenghao cheerfully introduced the guardian of Tai'an Island: Zhou Qing'ang. Li Fan, unable to expose He Zhenghao, forced a smile and greeted Zhou Qing'ang.
"This person is not to be trusted!" Li Fan silently criticized, glancing at the smiling He Zhenghao.
Zhou Qing'ang looked at Li Fan with satisfaction and immediately issued a directed commission to He Zhenghao. After accepting the commission, He Zhenghao turned to Li Fan and issued the task.
"During Zhou Qing'ang's quest for opportunities, replace him in guarding Tai'an Island. Compensation: 800 contribution points per year."
Fortunately, He Zhenghao wasn't excessively greedy. Given the circumstances, Li Fan had no choice but to accept the task.
After handing a jade token to He Zhenghao, Zhou Qing'ang eagerly departed to seek his breakthrough opportunity. Watching him leave, He Zhenghao sighed in relief and solemnly handed the token to Li Fan, saying, "This is the guardian token of Tai'an Island. With it, you can control the island protection array. Take care to keep it safe."
Li Fan accepted the token, and the two of them used the teleportation array to arrive at Tai'an Island.
Unlike the grandiose Glass Island with its towering peaks, Tai'an Island's protection array resembled a bustling city. What set it apart was that the city's inhabitants were all fruits with bizarre human faces.
These fruits lived like real people, working, living, marrying, and having children within the city formed by the array, completing their life cycle.
"This is Tai'an Island's specialty, the Tai'an Fruit," He Zhenghao explained to Li Fan as they strolled through the city, pointing at the ceaselessly moving "crowd."
"When these fruit-formed people die, it signifies that the Tai'an Fruit has ripened. Consuming a ripe Tai'an Fruit can extend the lifespan of a cultivator at or below the foundation establishment stage by five years."
"However, it only works the first time it's consumed," He Zhenghao lamented.
(End of Chapter)