Li Fan calmly examined the item in his hand.
At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary azure glass ball, but upon closer inspection, one could see the ever-changing light within the sphere, as if a vast blue sea was gestating within.
"Heavenly Treasure[1]: Canghai Pearl (Initial Stage)."
"Out of the Canghai sea comes life."
Li Fan was utterly astonished. He hadn't expected to encounter a Heavenly Treasure here!
And it was still in the process of gestation, not yet fully formed.
Suppressing his excitement, Li Fan placed the Canghai Pearl back in its original spot.
He pretended to be nonchalant, examining the other items around.
He didn't even cast a glance at the Canghai Pearl until Wu Xingzou announced that the time was up.
Yin Yuzhen felt both disappointed and excited as she walked out, clutching a few items.
"You're not picking anything? Wu Xingzou is being so generous. It's a rare chance; you won't find another shop like this once we leave." Yin Yuzhen noticed that Li Fan's hands were empty and couldn't help but comment.
Wu Xingzou chimed in, "The manager is right. It's not proper to leave empty-handed after entering a treasure trove. It seems like you don't think much of me."
Li Fan thought to himself, "It's a good thing you both mentioned it; otherwise, I would've had to bring it up."
"In that case, I won't be impolite." He walked over to the vicinity of the Canghai Pearl, picked a jade statue almost at random, a statue resembling an ancient tree, and casually picked up the Canghai Pearl along with it.
"I'll take these two." Li Fan said in a somewhat casual manner.
Wu Xingzou praised, "Elder has a good eye. This jade statue in the form of an ancient tree was found on a remote island in the farthest north of the Cong Yun Sea."
"This jade statue has been worshipped by a primitive tribe on the island for thousands of years and possesses an air of mystery. Ordinary people, if they place it at home, can achieve a calming and fortifying effect for their mind and body."
Wu Xingzou highly praised the jade tree statue, glancing at the Canghai Pearl just once and then never mentioning it again.
"My thanks for your generosity." Li Fan cupped his hands and said happily.
"And what about this?" Li Fan played with the Canghai Pearl and asked.
"Oh, this one. I acquired this from a fisherman on Flowing Cloud Island," Wu Xingzou recalled after a moment. "There's nothing particularly special about it; I just found it intriguing, so I took it."
"Flowing Cloud Island..." Li Fan firmly etched the name in his mind.
Then he quickly changed the topic, "Manager, what did you choose?"
Wu Xingzou's gaze shifted to Yin Yuzhen.
Seeing that Yin Yuzhen had chosen a painting, a pair of jade bracelets, and a gemstone, he enthusiastically introduced these items to them.
Li Fan listened absently, his mind focused entirely on the Canghai Pearl.
In the midst of Li Fan's distracted thoughts, the transaction between the two sides came to an end.
The Wanhua Chamber of Commerce obtained a large number of treasures, while Yin Yuzhen amassed a significant amount of gold and silver.
"Manager Yin, we may meet again," Wu Xingzou sighed, steering the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce airship, disappearing from sight of the two.
On the way back, despite the abundant gains from this transaction, Yin Yuzhen couldn't hide her worries.
"Are you worried about Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's future business?" Li Fan asked.
"Yes, without the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce, we lose a significant sales channel. I'm afraid Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's profits will take a big hit in the future," Yin Yuzhen lamented. "I don't know why Wanhua Chamber of Commerce suddenly withdrew from the Cong Yun Sea."
"If you have products to sell, there will be a way. There's no need to worry excessively," Li Fan couldn't think of a good solution for the moment and could only offer words of comfort.
Yin Yuzhen nodded, but it was clear she didn't take much solace.
Back on Liuli Island, Li Fan bid farewell to Yin Yuzhen and hurried back to his home.
Closing the door tightly, Li Fan took out the Canghai Pearl in his room.
"The original purpose of this trip was just to verify whether the Starry Sea Quicksand is meteorite iron. I didn't expect to obtain this treasure. It's a pleasant surprise," Li Fan looked at the Canghai Pearl in his hand, overjoyed.
"I just don't know what makes this Canghai Pearl special?"
In Li Fan's understanding, each Heavenly Treasure represented a certain characteristic or rule of the world.
The Gnarled Dragon Branch represented achieving great things through small beginnings and the act of engulfing.
The Rust Sword Dao Xuan symbolized an unyielding will and the ability to resist slow decay.
The Stone Tablet of Prohibition embodied following the inscribed laws and performing actions accordingly.
What special characteristic or rule did this small azure pearl called the Canghai Pearl represent?
Li Fan held up the Canghai Pearl and immersed himself in the deep blue color, his mind reeling.
Unfortunately, despite studying it for quite some time, Li Fan couldn't discern the special feature of the Canghai Pearl.
Perhaps only cultivators can glimpse its mysteries!
Li Fan sighed deeply and carefully stored the Canghai Pearl.
Should he absorb it to recharge now?
Li Fan hesitated for a moment, but according to [Truth]'s feedback, the Canghai Pearl was still in its initial state. If consumed, it would probably only increase the charging progress by 1-2%.
It was essentially nothing. It would be better to wait for it to fully form before consumption.
After all, the item was already in his hands; he wasn't worried about it running away.
It took a long time for Li Fan to calm down from the surprise of obtaining a Heavenly Treasure.
After settling down, Li Fan immersed himself in the cultivation of the "Cleansing Heart Mantra."
A few days later, Li Fan was awakened by an urgent knocking on his door.
It wasn't even dawn yet; who could be coming to disturb him at this hour?
Cautious, Li Fan took out a dagger, concealed it in his sleeve, and went to open the door.
"Who is it?"
"Brother Li, it's me."
Xiao Heng's voice came from outside.
What is this kid looking for me for at this hour? Could it be that he didn't receive the residence I prepared for him?
Li Fan felt a hint of doubt, but he still opened the door and let Xiao Heng in.
Panic and anxiety were written all over Xiao Heng's face.
"Sit down and speak."
The two of them entered the room, and Xiao Heng anxiously said, "Brother Li, something big has happened! It's about the fact that we were smuggled from the Land of Immortal Extinction; the news has leaked!"
"Who leaked the news?" Li Fan was somewhat surprised and asked.
"We don't know. But everyone on the island now knows that we're not natives of the Immortal Realm, and instead came here through the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. It is said that the Immortal Master is extremely furious and wants to catch us all and kill us. Some of us were extremely frightened and fled on boats in the dead of night. The rest of us don't know what to do."
"They all say that Brother Li must have a way, so they asked me to come and ask you quickly." Xiao Heng explained anxiously.
Li Fan listened and pondered for a moment, then chuckled lightly, "Don't worry, this matter is not a big deal."
Xiao Heng was stunned, "Brother Li, why do you say that?"
Li Fan sneered, "Do you think the government would announce in advance when they're going to capture thieves? If they really wanted to kill you, you would have been dead long ago. Would they let you know the news, and then allow you to escape and discuss countermeasures openly?"
"Brother Li, are you saying this was intentionally leaked to scare us?" Xiao Heng realized, too.
"But why would they do this?" he asked with a puzzled expression.
"In my opinion, this matter probably isn't directed at us." Li Fan suddenly stood up. "Their target is likely the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion."
*****
[1] I might have used a few different terms for "Heavenly Treasure", but I'll stick with this one from now. A more accurate translation would be "Heaven and Earth Wonder," but that's quite wordy and doesn't make as much sense in English. Essentially, they're just naturally formed treasures, and when a cultivator uses one to build their foundation, they'll become "Foundation Treasures," like Kou Hong's dragon branch or Dao Xuanzi's sword.