Chapter 191 Bubble of Greed

“Smelled a business opportunity? What do you mean by that?” Li Fan asked, looking at Jiao Xiuyuan with interest.

Jiao Xiuyuan looked smug. “It’s like some people can seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. I, Jiao Xiuyuan, have been able to easily find the path to huge profits from countless complicated and useless pieces of information since I was young! This is instinct, and it’s also a talent. Others can’t envy it!”

He glanced at Li Fan again and said, “The moment Fellow Daoist left me, an immense sense of loss surged in my heart.”

“It was as if I had personally watched a large amount of contribution points leave me, and my heart was bleeding!”

“Therefore, I am certain that what Fellow Daoist said is true!” Jiao Xiuyuan concluded.

Li Fan was a little surprised, not expecting him to actually have such a talent.

However, recalling the scenes of his previous interactions with Jiao Xiuyuan, Li Fan slowly nodded.

“Since that’s the case, what price are you prepared to offer, Fellow Daoist?”

Jiao Xiuyuan pondered for a moment, then held up three fingers.

“What does this mean? Three thousand contribution points?” Li Fan looked for a while, unable to understand what it represented, and asked in confusion.

Jiao Xiuyuan said in a deep voice, “Thirty percent. Thirty percent of the profits generated by the information Fellow Daoist provides.”

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, somewhat disbelieving. “That generous?”

Jiao Xiuyuan smiled. “Fellow Daoist is not a businessman after all, so you don’t understand the true value of a piece of information that is ahead of its time and perfectly opportune.”

“Under specific circumstances, a single piece of information can yield hundreds or even thousands of times the profit.”

“If you can get thousands of times the profit by paying only thirty percent, why wouldn’t you do it?” Jiao Xiuyuan’s eyes were full of shrewdness.

Li Fan couldn’t help but applaud, “Fellow Daoist speaks truly, but words alone are not enough. How can I ensure that you won’t go back on your word then?”

Jiao Xiuyuan scoffed, “It seems Fellow Daoist truly doesn’t understand the Way of Business. Doing business, of course, has its rules.”

He pulled out a shimmering golden foil paper from somewhere, and using his hand as a pen, quickly wrote down the agreed-upon terms on it.

He showed it to Li Fan for confirmation, then unhesitatingly wrote down his own name.

“Fellow Daoist, please!” He handed the foil paper to Li Fan.

Li Fan read it carefully again, and finally wrote down the Clone’s name: Lin Fan.

The golden foil paper instantly split into three copies; two flew towards Jiao Xiuyuan and Li Fan, while the other flew into the sky, its final destination unknown.

A moment later, Li Fan felt an inexplicable power descend upon the Clone.

This power restricted and bound the Clone, requiring it to fulfill the agreed-upon terms on the golden foil paper.

It was as if it had become the Clone’s own will, with no possibility of going back on it.

Instead, it would actively work to fulfill the agreement.

“A power that changes mental cognition…” Sensing the inexplicable change in his heart, the Clone was startled.

Immediately after, sensing it, Li Fan’s true body within the tianxuan mirror was not affected.

“The Day Stealing Sun Replacement Art is indeed marvelous.” He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, Li Fan praised in his heart.

On the Clone’s side, due to the power of the golden foil paper, he immediately began to recount the news that Lingwu Grass Island might have been attacked by a Dragon Whale, and all the lingwu grass on the island had been destroyed.

“Lingwu Grass Island destroyed?” Jiao Xiuyuan’s eyes became incredibly greedy upon hearing this.

“Fellow Daoist, wait, let me inquire!”

With that, he closed his eyes.

After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes. “The news is correct!”

He excitedly paced back and forth. “Congyun Sea Lingwu Island is one of the largest cultivation grounds for lingwu grass. At least one-fifth of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance’s lingwu grass comes from here.”

“Now that all the lingwu grass on the island has been destroyed, the price of lingwu grass is bound to skyrocket in a short period.”

“The prices of by-products like the Hiding Talisman will also surge.”

Suddenly, he paused, his brows slightly furrowed. “But, after all, these are only things used from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core Stage, and they are also grown in other places. Even if the price rises, it will at most increase by half, and that’s about it.”

“Compared to the business opportunity I vaguely foresaw, it’s far too little.”

“Where exactly is the problem?”

He thought for a long time but couldn’t find the answer.

Jiao Xiuyuan instantly became somewhat agitated.

An unsettling Aura began to emanate from his body.

Li Fan listened to Jiao Xiuyuan’s murmuring, also deep in thought.

Various anecdotes he had heard before his Transmigration; a small group of people like He Zhenghao were eagerly preparing to seize this opportunity to make a fortune; after the price of lingwu grass rose, it immediately attracted a crowd to follow suit…

As various clues connected, Li Fan instantly understood.

He patted Jiao Xiuyuan’s shoulder and said in a deep voice, “This business opportunity is not about the lingwu grass, but about people!”

Jiao Xiuyuan was slightly stunned, his eyes first filled with a hint of confusion.

Then, he instantly cleared up and said in great delight, “Fellow Daoist’s words have awakened me! That’s right, the dozens of times profit comes from people, not from the grass!”

While enlightening Jiao Xiuyuan, Li Fan’s true body also began purchasing lingwu grass within the tianxuan mirror.

Unfortunately, after some consumption, his true body only had over two thousand contribution points left, which was barely better than nothing.

Jiao Xiuyuan’s Aura changed at this moment, no longer the previous wretched appearance, but instead possessing an inexplicable domineering Aura: “To profit from people, I must be the house.”

“As the saying goes, if you don’t give up a child, you can’t catch a wolf.”

He didn’t seem to make any move, but a moment later, Li Fan saw that the price of lingwu grass began to soar at a visible speed.

19, 20, 21…

In an instant, the price of lingwu grass surged to 22 points.

“Thousand Mile Hall, spread throughout the Cultivation World…” Li Fan’s eyelids twitched; this Jiao Xiuyuan really wasn’t exaggerating.

And at this time, Jiao Xiuyuan’s actions had only just begun.

“Since I am the house, I shall invite all guests to take their seats.” He let out a low chuckle.

Afterward, he seemed to fall into a deep sleep, unmoving.

For a moment, the Thousand Mile Hall fell silent.

Li Fan, however, knew what he was doing.

Jiao Xiuyuan must be using his countless Puppets, spread throughout the entire Cultivation World, to fully disseminate the news of Lingwu Grass Island’s destruction.

The fermentation of the matter would take time, so he just had to wait patiently.

Just then, He Zhenghao’s extremely excited message arrived belatedly.

“Fellow Daoist Li Fan! Do you still remember when I told you I would help you make a fortune?!”

“Now is the opportunity!”

“I received confirmed news that the island where lingwu grass is grown was attacked by an exotic Dragon Whale, and all the lingwu grass on the island has been destroyed.”

“The price of lingwu grass will definitely skyrocket!”

“If you don’t believe me, look, in just a short time, it has already risen from 18 points to 22 points!”

“But it doesn’t matter, it will definitely rise again!”

“This is an opportunity not to be missed, Fellow Daoist, act quickly!”

A mysterious smile appeared on Li Fan’s lips, and he quickly replied: “Thank you, Fellow Daoist He, I have already bought in with my full position.”

…

When the bubble descends, everyone understands that this bubble will burst with a poke.

But in the face of huge profits, everyone loses their reason and rushes in regardless of the consequences.

As Jiao Xiuyuan’s countless Puppets began to exert their power, a piece of news began to spread throughout the Cultivation World.

And it spread wider and wider, gradually becoming known to everyone.

The price of lingwu grass is going to rise.

Thus, the bubble began its first expansion.