"Fellow Daoist Li, after you."
The square-jawed cultivator addressed Li Fan in a low, measured tone.
Earlier, while quietly observing the group's discussions, Li Fan had caught the man's surname from Zhou Kebao: Long.
Among their group, he was the unspoken leader.
And on the Commercial Contract signed with Zhou Kebao, there was only one cultivator with the surname Long.
The conclusion was clear enough.
Long Yueyou.
It was not a common surname. During his time at Immortal Venerable Jicheng's Garrison Command back in Tianquan Province, Li Fan had heard of the Long Family of Tianquan.
The Long Family had no Dao Unity elder holding high office in the Myriad Immortals Alliance, not as the Tantai Family did. But they were exceptionally close-knit, with members spread throughout every level of the Immortal Alliance.
Most held grassroots positions, yet united, they were a force not to be taken lightly.
Whether this Long Yueyou had any connection to that family, Li Fan couldn't say.
These thoughts passed through his mind in an instant. He kept his expression neutral and looked at Long Yueyou as though seeing a stranger. "And you are?"
Long Yueyou smiled slightly, his bearing carrying an air of quiet pride, and said nothing.
His underlings immediately rushed to make the introductions.
It was exactly as Li Fan had guessed.
"My respects! My respects!" Li Fan cupped his hands in a hurried salute, putting on a convincing show of being caught off guard.
Inwardly, his estimation of Long Yueyou had already dropped several notches.
Long Yueyou acknowledged him with a nod.
Li Fan didn't mind. Surrounded by the other cultivators, the two of them followed behind Zhou Kebao, flying up into the floating city in the sky.
The protective grand array wasn't activated, allowing free and unimpeded flight within the city.
Li Fan had never seen an immortal city of the Myriad Immortals Alliance from this vantage point before.
There was something distinctly different about looking down upon it.
Zhou Kebao began introducing the city's layout and various facilities to Li Fan.
Truth be told, even without his explanations, Li Fan could clearly see that this immortal city cave dwelling was indeed identical to the typical Myriad Immortals Alliance sky cities in every way.
After a thorough tour and inspection of each building, Li Fan nodded in satisfaction.
Seeing the time was about right, Zhou Kebao took out a command token shimmering with seven-colored radiance and handed it over.
"This is the control hub for this cave dwelling. Once refined with a drop of your heart's blood, you can manipulate the corresponding arrays within the city at will.
"In addition to the basic functions all immortal cities possess, we have, as per your request, specially incorporated many additional features such as ultra-long-distance teleportation, illusory mirages, and mustard seed microcosms.
"Of course, Fellow Daoist, you can also grant other cultivators access and control over these arrays..."
Zhou Kebao diligently walked Li Fan through the immortal city cave dwelling's various functions and offered a few thoughtful reminders along the way.
"Ultra-long-distance teleportation consumes a massive amount of energy. Besides top-grade spirit stones, it also requires a certain quantity of rare materials like Shattervoid Sand and Orbit-Stabilizing Profound Crystal, which are quite expensive on the market. If you have any needs, Fellow Daoist, you can always come to us. We offer good prices." Zhou Kebao said with a grin, drawing a round of laughter from the surrounding cultivators.
"Ah, one more thing. Ultra-long-distance teleportation requires the precise spatial coordinates of the target location. Otherwise, a slight positional deviation during the teleportation process would be a minor concern. The real trouble is accidentally ending up in the endless void..." Zhou Kebao's expression turned solemn.
Li Fan nodded.
"And finally, there's the self-destruct function you repeatedly emphasized." Zhou Kebao's tone shifted, carrying a faint edge of tension.
"We went to considerable trouble to fulfill this particular requirement of yours.
"During the city's construction, we incorporated special materials throughout that can trigger Silent Annihilation Thunder.
"Furthermore, since we forged this immortal city cave dwelling using artifact-refining techniques, the artifact itself possesses an inherent self-destruct function capable of harming enemies."
Zhou Kebao paused.
"According to our calculations, if this cave dwelling were to detonate suddenly, even a Dao Unity cultivator caught unprepared would suffer severe injuries."
Silence fell over the group.
The cultivators present, including Long Yueyou, all looked at Li Fan with slightly odd expressions.
Yet none of them pressed for details.
As Li Fan himself had said before, he had already been attacked by a spy from the Five Elders Council. Given his considerable personal wealth, carrying such a formidable weapon for self-defense was... perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?
Regardless of Li Fan's true intentions, as long as they sold this cave dwelling immortal city and secured the contribution points, that was all that mattered.
At worst, they would simply avoid provoking this person unless absolutely necessary and keep their distance.
That was the shared conclusion among Zhou Kebao and the others.
Amid somewhat awkward laughter, the group let the matter drop.
After Li Fan transferred the remaining contribution points, he refined the multi-colored cave dwelling control token under everyone's witness.
Looking down at the massive city below, a feeling of perfect control welled up within him, as though it was an extension of his own arm.
Simultaneously, the methods for operating its various functions surfaced in his mind.
With a single thought, the immortal city cave dwelling shrank to a tiny speck of light and vanished into Li Fan's dantian.
"A fine treasure!"
Li Fan offered his applause.
"If you have any further needs in the future, Fellow Daoist, you can always come to us again.
"As long as the contribution points are sufficient, anything is possible."
Zhou Kebao said with a beaming smile.
"In that case, I may trouble you all frequently from now on!" Li Fan swept his gaze across the group, smiling.
Another round of laughter followed.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Li Fan excused himself from the vanguard realm, citing the imminent completion of Congyun City and pressing official duties.
"He's the type whose boldness knows no bounds. Unless necessary, do not make him an enemy," Long Yueyou remarked, watching Li Fan's figure recede into the distance.
"Indeed, what normal cultivator would carry such a terrifying monstrosity on their person? If he were to go mad and detonate it inside some immortal city..."
"Tsk tsk..."
"He's an ancient cultivator. It's normal. It would be more peculiar if he were genuinely wholeheartedly loyal to our Myriad Immortals Alliance."
"Hah, well, the contribution points are in hand. It has nothing to do with us anyway."
The group chatted on with indifferent smiles.
***
The Congyun Sea.
Li Fan inspected the cave dwelling immortal city resting quietly within his dantian, and his heart immediately felt much more settled.
With this destructive power for self-defense, coupled with a portion of Myriad Mortal Essence Blood bound within Return to Truth's space, he believed that even when facing a Dao Unity cultivator, he now possessed sufficient means to deter them.
As for whether Zhou Kebao and the others had left any hidden backdoors within this cave dwelling, Li Fan couldn't care less. Its fate was already sealed.
Before the identity of "Li Fan, cultivator of the ancient Heavenly Mechanisms Sect" completely vanished, it would erupt in one final, brilliant flash of light within the territory of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
Several possible future scenes flashed through his mind in an instant, and a cold sneer rose inwardly.
After a moment, he settled his thoughts.
Before the formal commencement of the Congyun City’s inauguration ceremony, Li Fan once again boarded the Dust-Crossing Boat and requested an audience with Diyi Jinglun.
"Lord Jinglun, after months of arduous work, the Alliance's task is complete. The matter you entrusted to me has also been handled accordingly. As for..." Li Fan spoke with deliberate circumspection, but he believed Diyi Jinglun was an intelligent man who would understand his meaning.
Diyi Jinglun, however, did not even look up. He kept his head bowed, brow furrowed, scrutinizing the constantly flickering information on the documents before him.
"Rest assured, the Alliance never fails to reward those who have rendered service. The corresponding rewards were decided long ago. I originally intended to have them announced at the inauguration ceremony. Since you are so eager, you may review them now."
Diyi Jinglun lightly tapped the desk. A stream of light shot toward Li Fan. Unable to dodge in time, he absorbed it, and a stream of information materialized in his mind.
"Li Fan, Acting Island Master of Congyun Island, has toiled diligently day and night, overseeing the construction of Congyun City with commendable merit.
"He is hereby promoted to the position of Secretary-Envoy of the Congyun City Administration Hall, empowered to act with full authority on all administrative matters in the absence of the Island Master from the province.
"Furthermore, he is awarded one hundred thousand contribution points and a Grade A+ merit."
"The Alliance never fails to reward those who have rendered service." That phrase sounds rather familiar. But the rewards for this mission do live up to those words.
Reading the order issued by the Administration Hall headquarters carefully, Li Fan realized the actual authority of the Secretary-Envoy position he was about to assume was nothing to scoff at.
In the practical operation of regional administration, many matters were ultimately decided by the Administration Hall's Secretary-Envoys.
Only special incidents reaching a certain level of severity required reporting to the Immortal City Lord for approval.
After all, the trivial affairs within a single province were far too numerous. If the City Lord had to personally attend to every matter, great or small, they would likely be overwhelmed even with several avatars.
Moreover, most Immortal City Lords across the provinces were at the Spirit Transformation realm.
At that level of cultivation, who wouldn't wish to advance further and achieve Dao Unity?
One had to understand that upon stepping into the Dao Unity realm, one's status became fundamentally different from Spirit Transformation cultivators. On a smaller scale, one became the true master of a province. On a larger scale, one could be transferred from local posts to the heartlands of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, entering the core of power.
Therefore, City Lords had to ensure ample time for cultivation. As their assistants, the Secretary-Envoys were meant to help shoulder the burden of administrative duties.
Generally, a province would have three to five Secretary-Envoys. However, the situation in the Congyun Sea was special. The uppermost echelon had been reassigned elsewhere by a single order, their whereabouts unknown. The mid and lower-level cultivators had almost entirely been captured by the Five Elders Council.
To get the rebuilt Congyun City operational as quickly as possible, the Administration Hall headquarters had, for the time being, appointed only one Secretary-Envoy.
Li Fan had also been granted considerable permissions. For the currently vacant positions, he had the authority to personally recommend candidates for one-third of them. The remainder would be filled by cultivators transferred from other provinces in the near future.
If the two Spirit Transformation Immortal Eminences, Hong Xi and Zi Yun, do not return, then in Congyun City, my word will be law. A flicker of excitement crossed his face. These past months of relentless work have not been in vain.
"Thank you for your patronage, Sir!" Li Fan declared with fervent conviction. "From this day forward, this humble official shall serve you faithfully, striving to repay your great recognition and trust!"