Chapter 596: A Debate That Cannot Be Settled

No. This technique might as well have been tailor-made for me. I absolutely cannot miss this opportunity!

Han Yi paced back and forth, muttering to himself.

A penalty of one-third. My principal is 910,000. If I can successfully retrieve the points, that leaves six hundred thousand...

A sharp pang of regret shot through him. His expression twisted with conflict.

I'm still over five hundred thousand short! If I push myself and risk another backlash within a year, earning that much again isn't impossible. But using it so frequently will likely damage my foundation.

He wrestled with the dilemma for a long time before finally reaching a resolution.

I used to believe that mastering providence was all I needed to guarantee success in my cultivation. But judging by these past few years, providence is not omnipotent. To achieve Dao Unity, or even eternal life, relying on providence alone is far from sufficient. Resources, connections—these matter just as much.

This is a rare opportunity, one that hardly comes once in a thousand years. When heaven offers a gift, to refuse is to invite calamity.

With that, Han Yi headed straight for the Administration Hall of Congyun City.

On the way, he had already heard that a large crowd had gathered there. Like him, they all wanted to redeem their contribution points early. He had initially felt a flicker of relief at the thought. There was strength in numbers, and it might make things easier.

When he actually arrived, though, his heart sank.

Only a sparse few people remained, their faces as wilted as frost-bitten eggplants, utterly listless.

"Did something else go wrong?" he asked, a thread of unease in his voice.

The answer turned out to be unexpectedly simple, and his worry dissolved as quickly as it had risen.

"As long as you're willing to pay the thirty percent penalty, you can take your contribution points? No other conditions?"

Having clarified the situation, Han Yi let out a long breath.

A cultivator across from him watched this with visible indignation. "That's one-third of your capital, Fellow Daoist, yet you look as though it doesn't trouble you at all."

Han Yi shook his head. "A bet is a bet. The contract stated the terms clearly from the beginning. I signed it, and even if I regret it now, I won't complain. I originally expected Secretary-Envoy Li Fan's people to take advantage of everyone's urgent need for funds and make new demands. But it seems they've actually kept their word."

The speaker meant no harm, but the listeners took offense. Han Yi's words visibly stung several of the cultivators present.

"You there, aren't you one of Li Fan's plants? The way you talk, anyone would think you're thanking him for cheating you out of your points!"

"Exactly! This Fellow Daoist looks completely unfamiliar. Everything about him screams that he was hired by Li Fan to stir up trouble! Everyone, don't be fooled by his poisonous words!"

"His intentions are truly despicable!"

In an instant, Han Yi found himself the inexplicable target of the crowd's frustration. He stood there, too stunned to respond, utterly bewildered.

Fortunately, He Zhenghao witnessed the scene and stepped in before things could escalate further.

"What is this nonsense? What this Fellow Daoist says makes perfect sense. A bet is a bet! The Secretary-Envoy didn't force a single one of you to sign that agreement. Some of you practically begged to join the fundraising. So how is it that now, every last one of you is turning your backs and pretending otherwise?"

He Zhenghao delivered this scolding with formidable presence. The other cultivators didn't dare argue with him directly and retreated in sullen silence.

Once they had withdrawn, He Zhenghao's expression softened as he turned to the one cultivator who had spoken in Li Fan's defense. "And how should I address you, Fellow Daoist?"

"I am Han Yi!" Han Yi knew this man was He Zhenghao, the one in charge of the fundraising plan, and the key figure who could help him retrieve his contribution points. He felt a spike of nerves.

"Haha, relax a little, Fellow Daoist Han." He Zhenghao had dealt with tens of thousands of cultivators by now and saw right through Han Yi's state of mind.

Recalling the instructions Li Fan had sent earlier, an idea took shape. "In times like these, cultivators as reasonable as you are rare indeed," he said, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Don't be misled by all these rumors flying around. Secretary-Envoy Li is no fraud. On the contrary, he is a generous man. Knowing that many cultivators are urgently short on contribution points right now, he gave specific instructions: if someone truly has difficulties, the penalty fee can be waived."

Han Yi stared at him. "Really?"

He Zhenghao's face turned solemn. "Secretary-Envoy Li's word is his bond. Come, Fellow Daoist Han, I'll handle the formalities for you right away."

Overjoyed, Han Yi hurried after him. A short while later, he stood staring at his recovered 910,000 contribution points, a tumult of emotions rising in his chest.

Has my luck finally turned?

But upon second thought, Han Yi vaguely felt his tribulation wasn't over yet.

No, it's more that this Li Fan truly lives up to his reputation. His magnanimity is extraordinary. A penalty that large, and he forgave it without a second thought. Those cultivators earlier were judging a gentleman's heart by their own petty measure.

Even as he felt quietly grateful toward Li Fan, the thought lingered in his mind.

What Han Yi didn't know was that this was precisely the reaction Li Fan had intended.

Li Fan had relayed his instructions through Zhou Qing'ang: when cultivators came to settle their breached contracts, the penalty fee was to be waived at discretion for roughly half of them. The operation would earn a little less, but it muddied the waters considerably.

Those who had their penalties waived, having received this favor, would naturally speak up in Li Fan's defense when they heard others slander him. But the losses suffered by the rest were real and tangible. They were not going to be easily persuaded. Arguments were inevitable.

With each side insisting they were right, what might have been one-sided accusations and condemnation became a genuine dispute between two factions.

Bystanders watching the spectacle from the outside would find it difficult to take either side at face value. The negative impact would be diluted as much as possible, and if anyone inquired about the matter, one could simply sigh and say, "It's complicated. They argue back and forth and can't agree."

Li Fan's move was ultimately a delaying tactic, designed to pacify the cultivators who were still watching and waiting, who had not yet retrieved their contribution points.

If he acted too harshly, those people might grow suspicious and conclude he was genuinely preparing to flee. Once their doubts were temporarily suppressed, he only needed to wait for the Crimson Flame Sea Scorching event to arrive, and he could write the final chapter of his plans in the Congyun Sea.

As Li Fan had anticipated, the matter stirred up considerable noise but eventually faded from people's minds. With the deadline for the discounted techniques drawing closer by the day, cultivators poured the vast majority of their effort into earning contribution points, racing to redeem their chosen techniques before the window closed.

Han Yi was no different.

Perhaps because everyone was short on contribution points at once, he searched for a long time, moving from one place to another without finding a suitable opportunity. Left with no other option, he activated the Heavenly Providence Scripture and sought a turning point through its guidance.

It led him out of the Congyun Sea entirely, directing him inland, toward the heart of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

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