A powerful patron has fallen? A battle of acting skills ensues!

After watching Uncle Meng leave, Li Jianping looked at the small courtyard ahead.

The Sect Master of the Three Saints Sect, who had initially become fearful upon hearing Su Wu's voice, had now regained his confidence.

He recalled the content of his previous contact with the Old Ancestor through the three saints stone tablet.

"Unworthy Disciple Li Jianping is here to ask the Old Ancestor: have any powerhouses from outside the domain descended upon the Qianyuan Continent?"

When the Old Ancestor of the Three Saints Sect ascended, he had placed a Formation over the world of the Qianyuan Continent.

The original intent of this Formation was to accurately sense if any powerhouses from outside the domain, whom the Qianyuan Continent could not handle, had descended.

"No powerhouses from outside the domain have descended. Li Jianping, what exactly happened on the Qianyuan Continent?" the Old Ancestor continued to press.

"The one in the Heavenly Dao Realm who descended upon the Qianyuan Continent back then has returned."

"Impossible!" the Old Ancestor's authoritative voice came from within the stone tablet. "In these past dozen or so years, I have already investigated the powerhouses who descended upon our Qianyuan Continent back then."

"Over a decade ago, after they descended upon the Qianyuan Continent and left their child in our care, they entered a Limitless Realm Secret Realm."

"It is said that this Secret Realm was left behind by the strongest person in the Outer Void back then, the Chaos Dao Lord. It is extremely perilous; let alone those only in the Heavenly Dao Realm, even those in the Limitless Realm could die inside!"

"If they were able to come out alive, the entire Outer Void would know about it; it's impossible for there to be no news at all until now."

"The 'descent' you speak of might just be a wisp of a pre-prepared split soul or will."

"I see. I apologize for disturbing the Old Ancestor. This unworthy Disciple will take his leave."

Having learned the truth, Li Jianping immediately severed the connection with the stone tablet.

Those few short sentences had already caused several more cracks to appear on the three saints stone tablet.

However, the Old Ancestor of the Three Saints Sect, located in the Outer Void, was now extremely anxious.

He hadn't even finished speaking before the other side cut off the communication.

Unfortunately, at this moment, he was inside a Secret Realm where he could only receive information from the outside but could not send messages out.

"The preservation of a will means the person isn't dead, and that will can also unleash a strike with the full power of the Heavenly Dao Realm. I hope Li Jianping has some sense and doesn't ruin the foundation I left behind..."

"No! I'm still worried. Once I leave this Secret Realm, I must return to the Qianyuan Continent to check the situation!"

...Back to the present.

With the contact from the Old Ancestor, plus having eavesdropped on the conversation between Su Ming and Old Man Meng just now.

Li Jianping now had a clear understanding of the situation.

Su Ming's parents hadn't returned to the Qianyuan Continent at all; they were likely struggling for their own survival!

In other words, the backer Su Ming relied on most had actually fallen long ago!

However, the treasure in Su Ming's hands was still very threatening; he had to find a way to get it.

With this thing, wouldn't the Qianyuan Continent become the domain of their Three Saints Sect alone?

Of course, this series of plans had to be handled carefully to prevent Su Ming from being driven to desperation and taking everyone down with him.

To deal with a young man, one must use another young man. In a competition between peers, would Su Ming still have the face to use that item as a threat?

"First, lower my stance and give him some benefits, then select a Disciple from the younger generation to be the core of the plan's execution..."

Li Jianping already had a suitable candidate in mind, and that was Chu Fan.

"If everything goes smoothly..." With great ambition, Li Jianping walked into Su Ming's small courtyard.

Upon seeing Su Ming, Li Jianping revealed a kind smile and spoke first: "Su Ming, I am truly sorry. The Sect has owed you much in the past. These are compensations for you, and I hope you can go further on the path of cultivation."

Taking the spatial ring handed over by Li Jianping, Su Ming immediately held a chaos spirit crystal and said, "Just these? Sect Master, you seem... a bit lacking in sincerity."

Facing Su Ming's continued extortion, Li Jianping was not annoyed but instead sneered inwardly.

"A brat is just a brat. Give him a bit of sunshine and he beams; does he still think someone is backing him?"

"Fine, I'll raise you up to the clouds first, and then let you experience the taste of falling into Hell!"

With the same kind smile on his face, Li Jianping said, "What other compensation do you need? Just say the word."

"I remember there's a spatial ring with a very large capacity in the sect treasure vault. Give it to me and stuff some other treasures inside, and I'll be magnanimous and let bygones be bygones. Otherwise, when my father returns, hmph hmph hmph..."

Su Ming answered Li Jianping arrogantly, his nose practically pointing to the sky.

Li Jianping was trying to lull him into a false sense of security, but wasn't he doing the same to Li Jianping?

After recalling what Su Ming was talking about, Li Jianping agreed immediately: "Fine, I'll go to the sect treasure vault and get it for you right now!"

He wasn't afraid of him asking; he was afraid of him not asking.

Watching Li Jianping leave, the expression on Su Ming's face returned to coldness.

"Li Jianping, I really have to thank you for helping me get one of Chu Fan's greatest opportunities in advance!"

Su Ming had originally planned to select this item through the Sect Grand Competition, but now there was no need, as Li Jianping would deliver it right to him.

Su Ming wasn't worried at all that Li Jianping would brush him off, because the man was clever and knew the price of being caught doing a perfunctory job.

Besides, to outsiders, that thing really was just an ordinary large-capacity Storage Ring; there was no need to be perfunctory.

But in reality, this ring was a map pointing to a mysterious ruin, as well as the key to open it.

Without the resources and treasures obtained from that ruin, it would have been impossible for Chu Fan to rise so quickly, even surpassing the cultivation speed of the Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord.

Soon, Li Jianping returned once more and delivered the turquoise-colored Storage Ring to Su Ming.

"Here is the item you wanted. I've also put the other treasures inside."

"Sect Master, when Uncle Meng returns, I'll have him check whether this is real or fake. If you've lied to me, you know what the consequences will be."

"How could I? You just have too deep a misunderstanding of me."

"Is that so? I don't think so. If there's nothing else, you can leave. I'm going to continue cultivating."

Li Jianping tactfully left the courtyard, but at the same time, he mocked Su Ming's self-righteous caution in his heart.

What's the harm in giving you a small Storage Ring? As for the resources given, they were just leftovers obtained from your Guardian and already digested.

All in all, he only lost two Storage Rings. What was the difference between that and losing nothing at all?

Now, it was time for him to check on Chu Fan's situation.

While flying away from Chenyang Peak, Li Jianping heard Su Ming's unrestrained laughter.

"Laugh all you want. The happier you are now, the more miserable you'll be in the future!"

However, only Su Ming himself and the System knew what that unrestrained laughter truly represented.

[Host, you're laughing like a villain right now.]

"So what? To those protagonists chosen by destiny, aren't I just a villain? System, play it for me again and tell me how many destiny points I just earned!"

[Congratulations to the Host for intercepting Chu Fan's core Opportunity. You have obtained 100,000 destiny points.]