"The required annual quota for the Tai'an Fruit is thirty pieces. Any surplus can be kept as a benefit for holding the position of guardian."
"On average, you can save two Tai'an Fruits each year. In the Profound Mirror, the price of a Tai'an Fruit is generally around 90 to 100 contribution points."
"So, when you add it all up, the reward for acting as this proxy guardian is quite substantial," He Zhenghao cheerfully explained to Li Fan.
Li Fan nodded. Although He Zhenghao had used some tricks, his words were not false.
In the Ten Thousand Immortals Island, it's extremely rare for someone at the Qi Refinement stage to earn 1000 contribution points annually.
In this matter, He Zhenghao feasts on the meat, while Li Fan drinks the soup.
"Thank you, senior," Li Fan cupped his hands in gratitude.
"You're welcome. You emerged from the island I guard, so it's only right for me to support you. As long as you advance in your cultivation, it won't be in vain..." He Zhenghao was saying when he suddenly paused.
With a hint of surprise, he scrutinized Li Fan, "Have you broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement?"
Li Fan was startled. He hadn't expected that even with the Concealment Talisman, he could still be seen through.
He nodded and openly admitted, "Indeed. I have a close relationship with Xiao Heng. Before he left, he gave me a water-attribute cultivation method. This method suits me well, and my progress has been rapid. I just broke through a few days ago."
"Hehe, you are quite cautious, young friend. If it weren't for my special cultivation method, I might not have noticed. Did you use a Concealment Talisman?"
Li Fan nodded.
"Understandable, as caution never hurts. In this Immortal Cultivation World, there are indeed many with ulterior motives..." He Zhenghao was saying when he noticed Li Fan's peculiar gaze and quickly changed the topic with a laugh, "I didn't expect you to have such a good relationship with Xiao Heng, and he even left you a cultivation method."
"Xiao Heng is truly a prodigy. He's been cultivating for just a few years and is already close to forming his Foundation. His future is limitless!" Clearly, He Zhenghao had been paying attention to Xiao Heng, and he spoke with admiration and envy.
"Achieving the Golden Core, or even the Nascent Soul, is not impossible. You are truly fortunate to have such a close relationship with him."
He Zhenghao's tone grew more enthusiastic as he spoke.
"Meeting you, senior, is also a stroke of luck," Li Fan casually complimented.
He Zhenghao laughed heartily, clearly pleased.
At this moment, he paused, turning his head to look in a certain direction within the city, "Coincidentally, a Tai'an Fruit has just matured. Let me demonstrate to you how to harvest this Tai'an Fruit."
Li Fan nodded and followed He Zhenghao to a residence.
Before entering the courtyard, they heard the sound of wailing.
Inside, Li Fan found dozens of human-faced fruits kneeling, dressed in mourning clothes and white garments.
In the center was a coffin, inside which lay a human-faced fruit that seemed to be asleep.
The fruit had its eyes closed, a crooked mouth with a strange smile, and remained motionless.
The human-faced fruits in the courtyard were unaware of Li Fan and He Zhenghao's presence, mourning the loss of a loved one.
The scene was both comical and eerie.
As they approached, Li Fan caught a peculiar fragrance emanating from the coffin.
He Zhenghao stood by the coffin, muttering incantations, and touched the brow of the smiling fruit.
A gentle light enveloped it, and the smiling fruit slowly floated out of the coffin, hovering in mid-air.
It then gradually shrank, transforming into a small, bright red fruit.
As the Tai'an Fruit took shape, the mourning human-faced fruits suddenly quieted down.
Their white mourning clothes faded, and their expressions shifted from grief to confusion.
After a moment of bewilderment, the fruits dispersed in silence.
"What do you think?" He Zhenghao handed the Tai'an Fruit to Li Fan.
"Quite peculiar." The scene of harvesting the Tai'an Fruit made Li Fan feel uneasy, but he managed to respond.
Li Fan held the Tai'an Fruit, examining it closely.
The fruit resembled an apple, but its color was an intense, almost glaring red.
A continuous fragrance wafted from the Tai'an Fruit.
The aroma seemed to penetrate deep into one's soul, causing Li Fan to swallow involuntarily.
"You haven't tasted a Tai'an Fruit yet, have you? Why not try it?" He Zhenghao suggested.
"Items that increase lifespan naturally attract us cultivators. The longer the allure, the stronger the temptation," He Zhenghao added with a smile, seeing Li Fan's hesitation.
Indeed, the fragrance seemed to accumulate, growing stronger as Li Fan hesitated.
Driven by the aroma, a deep-seated hunger arose.
Moments later, Li Fan no longer hesitated and swallowed the Tai'an Fruit whole.
The hunger vanished instantly. Despite its small size, Li Fan felt as if he had eaten a grand feast, even letting out a satisfied burp.
Checking his [Return to Origin] panel, Li Fan noticed his biological age limit had increased by five years.
Smacking his lips, Li Fan savored the taste of the Tai'an Fruit, "This is my first encounter with such a miraculous item that increases lifespan. Truly extraordinary. Though its appearance is a bit unsettling, looking so human-like."
He Zhenghao chuckled, "The Tai'an Fruit is indeed transformed from humans, so naturally, it resembles them."
Li Fan's expression froze.
Suppressing the turmoil in his stomach, Li Fan asked with some horror, "Are all the Tai'an Fruits in this city real people?"
He Zhenghao seemed unfazed by Li Fan's reaction.
However, understanding that Li Fan was new to the Immortal Cultivation World, he continued to explain, "Strictly speaking, the Tai'an Fruit is a fruit, not a human."
Li Fan sighed in slight relief but remained concerned, "Then what does it mean by transformed from humans?"
"This brings us to the origin of the Tai'an Fruit," He Zhenghao said as he led Li Fan, flying above the city.
"Five hundred years ago, Tai'an Island was just an ordinary island. The surrounding sea had no valuable resources, and only a few thousand mortals lived there for generations."
"Such small islands are countless in the Congyun Sea."
"But one day, everything changed."
"First, the mortals on nearby islands noticed that they hadn't seen any residents from Tai'an Island for a long time. Previously, there were occasional visits from island traders, but they hadn't been seen for over a year."
"Driven by curiosity, some ventured to Tai'an Island to investigate."
"Unexpectedly, those who went never returned."
"Realizing something was amiss, people quickly reported the matter to the island's guardian at the time."
"The guardian was already a Golden Core stage cultivator. Even so, upon seeing what had transpired on Tai'an Island, he was deeply terrified."
(End of Chapter)