After Chief Lu and her entourage vanished from sight, the cultivators on-site immediately began buzzing with excitement and communicating via divine sense.
"I knew a big shot was coming, but I never imagined it would be Chief Lu herself!"
"Forgive my ignorance, but who exactly is this Chief Lu?"
"You're kidding, right? Which province are you? from How do you not know the title of the Chief Array Master of our Strategy Array Hall?"
"With Chief Lu's Dao Unity cultivation, she could sweep the entire Spirit-Transforming Ravine with her divine sense. Why would she need to inspect each location personally?"
"You don't understand. Appearances must be maintained. If she just came and left without a proper inspection, wouldn't it seem like—"
"Brother, watch your words!"
Li Fan did not join the lively discussion. Having faintly sensed an immensely powerful divine sense sweeping back and forth over the Spirit-Transforming Ravine, he simply carried on with his array unit inspections as if nothing were amiss.
They all know we need to put on a show, yet they still foolishly gossip via divine sense right under her nose. Do they really think divine sense transmissions are absolutely secure? Li Fan shook his head inwardly.
He kept his eyes downcast and his mind focused, steadfastly refusing to participate in such suicidal behavior.
After the initial excitement died down, an order that made everyone groan inwardly was issued.
The Chief would depart in two days. Before then, everyone needed to push harder to complete the construction of the entire Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array.
Although it was nearly finished based on their original progress, compressing the remaining work into just two days meant the workload had suddenly multiplied severalfold.
But this order came directly from Dongfang Yao, phrased with extreme severity. Everyone also knew that Chief Lu was present, so they dared not complain. They could only throw themselves into their work with desperation.
For Li Fan, however, it was just a matter of working non-stop without rest—a routine affair. His expression remained utterly unchanged.
To prevent errors in the rush, Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao would occasionally appear to check the progress.
As for Lu Xichan herself, apart from that single appearance, she never showed herself before the crowd again. No one knew what she was busy with.
But in Li Fan's perception, that immense divine sense enveloping the Spirit-Transforming Ravine never left for a single moment. So he remained diligent and meticulous, not displaying the slightest abnormality.
Time flew by amidst the hard labor. In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
Just as they were about to install the Tianxuan hub device, completing the Soul-Locking Array, Chief Lu finally reappeared.
"I will install this Tianxuan Mirror surface myself," she declared, a request that startled everyone.
Though surprised, no one dared disobey Chief Lu's command.
Dongfang Yao, looking somewhat tense, handed the phantom crimson form of the Tianxuan hub device to Lu Xichan.
Under the watchful eyes of all, Chief Lu placed the Tianxuan Mirror surface within in the central zone of the array.
The mirror seemed intimately familiar with her. It required almost no guidance, obediently finding its precise position and interfacing with the peripheral arrays.
The scene mirrored what Li Fan had witnessed outside the Roaring Abyss.
Threads of green light spread outward from the central hub device.
Hmm?
Li Fan, however, noticed something. This Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array seemed to be subtly difference from the one he had constructed.
He showed no outward sign of this realization. Yet inwardly, his mind raced.
What's different?
If judged purely on the knowledge of array theory, Chief Lu's work was flawless, without a single crack to be found. Yet, Li Fan had a nagging feeling that this same Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array had undergone some crucial, distinct alteration.
He watched quietly as the Soul-Locking Array took form.
That sensation of being constantly watched reappeared. Li Fan's heart lurched, and he instantly understood the source of his unease.
The very moment the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array was completed, the previously transparent, pattern-like array that had enveloped the Spirit-Transforming Ravine vanished simultaneously. The immense divine sense he had detected during this period also disappeared without a trace.
It all seemed perfectly logical. Anyone who noticed would simply assume Chief Lu had withdrawn her power now that the array was finished.
But Li Fan thought otherwise.
A bold idea suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Both the identical deployment method of that unknown array and the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array, and their strikingly similar functions of all-seeing surveillance, caused him to speculate wildly.
It didn't vanish... it merged? Did the two become one? Or is it just lying dormant?
Li Fan's gaze remained placid, but a storm raged within him.
Is she building a backdoor for herself into the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array?
As the first Dao Unity Array Master to propose the implementation of the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array, Lu Xichan undoubtedly possessed the capability to do so. But her motive eluded him.
Is she doing this as a precaution against potentially losing control of the array in the future? Or does she have another purpose?
Once the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array is universally implemented, controlling the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array would mean wielding supreme authority.
The Chief Array Master of the Strategy Array Hall is still just an array master. There remains a significant gap between her and the true pinnacle of power.
Perhaps she intends to use the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array to make that qualitative leap.
She might even be able to catch a glimpse of the Eternal Life realm.
As Li Fan's thoughts continued to spiral, the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array, the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array was completed under Chief Lu's personal efforts, and thunderous applause broke out among the cultivators within the Spirit-Transforming Ravine.
Lu Xichan also allowed herself a rare smile, and her expression softened as she looked down at the cultivators below. When her gaze swept over the face of an elderly man with white hair, her eyes suddenly sharpened.
This person... seemed familiar?
Lu Xichan felt a flicker of surprise. A mere Golden Core cultivator shouldn't have caught her attention.
Her thoughts spun rapidly, memories flooding her mind in an instant. Abruptly, they settled on a scene from several years ago, when her daughter had returned after going missing for a time.
Her daughter, Lu Xuejing, had been captured by Old Man Fisher due to blind arrogance. Fortunately, a cultivator later exchanged an item he was carrying for her daughter's return.
Her daughter, having narrowly escaped with her life, had been about to offer her thanks to that cultivator. But he had seemed to be in a hurry, departing in haste before she could do so.
She knew nothing of her savior’s name or background, only his face.
At the time, her daughter had used the Water Mirror Art to show her the cultivator’s appearance. She had committed it to memory immediately.
It should be this man. Yet, how had this person aged so drastically in such a short span of time?
“Who is that man?” Lu Xichan sent a voice transmission to Dongfang Yao.
Seeing both the Chief and Brother Dongfang turn their gazes toward Li Fan, Huangfu Song only had one thought: I knew it!