Dongfang Yao felt a flicker of nervousness. "This man is named Li Fan, and he is..." He gave Chief Lu Xichan a concise summary of Li Fan's background.
Huangfu Song hadn't voluntarily offered any information about this person, but Dongfang Yao had noticed the peculiar look in his brother's eyes as he looked at Li Fan that day. He understood exactly what kind of man his brother was, thus he had immediately begun investigating discreetly.
Whether it was the rumors of Li Fan's many unconventional actions or the astonishing speed at which his deeds spread, it all led Dongfang Yao to believe this man was anything but ordinary.
It was likely that even Huangfu Song's inexplicable visit this time had something to do with Li Fan. And now, Chief Lu's sudden inquiry confirmed his suspicions.
However, even if one had a guess, one must know what could be said and what should remain unspoken.
Dongfang Yao understood this perfectly. As a subordinate, his job was to cooperate with his superiors. Trying to be clever and inadvertently disrupting the plans of someone higher up could ruin one's prospects.
And that was the least of the worries. One might simply vanish, dead for reasons unknown.
With this thought in mind, Dongfang Yao dared not delay. He meticulously recounted all the surface information he had gathered, holding nothing back.
Lu Xichan sensed that these two subordinates seemed to harbor some schemes of their own, but she had no intention of probing deeper. Very few things in this world warranted her attention, and these two Spirit Transformation array masters clearly weren't among them.
Meeting her daughter's savior, however, was a surprise. She had heard the name Li Fan before. To risk one's life to save another in peril was truly rare in this day and age.
More importantly, his many actions, including persisting on the front lines of array construction despite his dwindling lifespan, were worthy of making an example of, something to be celebrated and widely promoted.
Perhaps this man was a true, born sage, naturally morally pristine. Or perhaps his cultivation technique was special, and his actions were purely for personal gain.
For the Myriad Immortals Alliance, the motive didn't matter. What mattered was that he had actually done those deeds, and making the vast majority of cultivators in the world believe it.
For the name of an insignificant Golden Core cultivator to reach her ears, there were undoubtedly familiar hands at work behind the scenes.
Lu Xichan was not surprised in the least. If she guessed correctly, should Li Fan be on the verge of death before the completion of the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array’s universal implementation, the Alliance would step in to preserve his life.
They would then use him for further propaganda, like buying a legendary steed for a thousand pieces of gold.[1]
Using every resource to its fullest extent was their custom.
The figures of several Dao Imparters flashed through her mind, casting an immediate shadow over her heart.
As followers of the Heavenly Venerable Dao Teacher who had spread his teachings most actively and founded the original Myriad Immortals Alliance, the Dao Imparters had held the Alliance's highest ruling authority ever since the Heavenly Venerable's disappearance.
When it came to cultivation, each was at least her equal. Furthermore, the fact that they survived countless calamities over thousands of years meant no one dared underestimate them. And that was without mentioning the rumors that they had grasped a method to restrain the Tianxuan Mirror...
The Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array is only the first step. Lu Xichan snorted inwardly before suppressing her thoughts.
Her gaze returned to the aged cultivator below. They think they have everything under control. I wonder how they would react if I were to intervene and stir the pot myself.
Though he had once been her daughter's savior, Lu Xichan had previously never felt the need to go out of her way to repay the debt.
After all, he had saved her daughter and then departed swiftly without making any demands. In Lu Xichan's eyes, that meant Li Fan himself had forfeited the opportunity.
But now, this man had reappeared before her as a pawn of that group. This made Lu Xichan reconsider.
After a moment of contemplation, she checked Li Fan's ranking on the golden leaderboard.
Forty-fifth place. Perhaps I can lend him a hand...
With this in mind, she turned to Dongfang Yao and Huangfu Song and asked, "What do you two think of this man?"
Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao exchanged a glance, grumbling in their hearts.
With you asking so pointedly, how could we possibly speak ill of him? Having connections sure is nice.
With a tinge of envy, the two of them began to sing Li Fan's praises, one after the other, extolling him as if he were a peerless treasure fallen from the heavens. If Li Fan himself were here to hear these compliments, even his aged face would likely flush with embarrassment.
When they had finished, Lu Xichan nodded. "He has sacrificed so much for the universal implementation of the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array, yet the Alliance has issued no corresponding reward. That is truly remiss. If this continues, will it not harden the hearts of cultivators everywhere?"
Both Huangfu and Dongfang were shrewd men. Hearing the implied meaning behind Chief Lu's words, they were inwardly alarmed but dared not respond.
They listened quietly as she continued, "If I were unaware, that would be one thing. But now that I have personally witnessed this, I cannot simply stand by.
“However, this would be overstepping my bounds. It would be unfortunate if it caused misunderstandings and gossip from certain quarters. At this critical juncture, our Myriad Immortals Alliance must be united, from top to bottom. Do you two have any good suggestions?"
The two men suddenly recalled certain rumors they had heard.
After a brief consideration, they understood the subtext of Chief Lu's words. But this was high-level politicking—far beyond the involvement of minor functionaries like themselves.
They inwardly groaned with dismay.
Feeling Lu Xichan's gaze sweeping over them, both felt an indescribable pressure.
When a superior asks a question, one cannot remain silent.
Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.
At this critical moment, Huangfu Song suddenly remembered his previous conversations with Li Fan.
A flash of inspiration struck. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Chief, this humble subordinate has had several personal conversations with this Li Fan. Although his lifespan is nearly exhausted, he is still willing to dedicate himself until his last breath.
“Our Myriad Immortals Alliance never mistreats those who have rendered service. However, this man strives so desperately yet remains only in the forties or fifties in rank. If we show him special favor, those ranked above him might voice complaints.
“It would be more... justifiable if his ranking were slightly higher."
Huangfu Song paused, then added, "He once confided in me privately that when he dies, his only regret would be that he could not visit all the wondrous secret realms of our Myriad Immortals Alliance..."
The statement seemed to come out of nowhere. Yet Lu Xichan and Dongfang Yao, both familiar with the competition's scoring rules, immediately grasped the hidden meaning.
"That is a good method," Lu Xichan said with a slight nod, indicating her approval of Huangfu Song's suggestion.
Huangfu Song let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Before he could fully relax, Chief Lu spoke again. "Do you have any recommendations for destinations?"
Huangfu Song's heart immediately leapt back into his throat.
In that instant, Li Fan's words flashed through his mind. Gritting his teeth, Huangfu Song replied, "This humble subordinate believes the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens, the Boundless Sea, and similar secret realms would be excellent choices."
1. abbreviation of "千金买马骨" (To spend a thousand pieces of gold to buy horse bones).
The idiom comes from a parable about a king who desperately wanted a legendary swift horse. To demonstrate his sincerity and extravagant commitment, he paid 1,000 pieces of gold for the bones of a such a horse that had already died. This shocking act convinced people far and wide that he would pay any price for a living horse, and soon true masters and rare steeds flocked to his kingdom.
Thus, it means to make a dramatic, costly, and symbolic gesture to prove one's genuine desire and commitment, thereby attracting the truly valuable people or things one seeks. ☜