Chief Lu Arrives

Many buildings were suspended above the teal river, supported by only a few stone pillars. The giant whale-like beast exhaled a stream of air, gently setting the Dust-Crossing Boat down onto an open platform. Then, it leaped down into the river waters below. An extraordinarily bizarre scene unfolded. A strange beast of such immense size plunged into the teal river without kicking up a single splash. It merely stirred concentric ripples, proving that the whale leaping into the river had not been an illusion. Dongfang led everyone off the Dust-Crossing Boat and along a covered corridor, heading from the platform toward the nearby complex of buildings. Walking above the river, everyone felt a degree of trepidation, terrified that the stone pillars below might collapse and send them tumbling into the waters. This teal river water seemed to share a common origin with the Spirit-Dissolving Stone. Boundless river waters converged here, pushing the suppression of spiritual energy to its absolute limit, and the power within Li Fan's body fell entirely dormant. Bereft of cultivation to sustain him, Li Fan, whose natural lifespan was nearing its end, felt the ravages of old age weigh on him all the more acutely. Taking just a few steps left him somewhat short of breath, as if he might buckle at any moment and collapse to the ground. Even as apprehension gripped his heart, Li Fan attempted to call upon True Reversion within his mind, finding that it could still function normally. Only then did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief. "This godforsaken place—only people like you could stand staying here. Even though it's not my first time, I still can't get used to it." Having walked for quite a while, they finally arrived in a grand hall. Huangfu Song wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed. "There's no helping it; Life-Bearing Beads are limited. Building the grand formation is an urgent task that can't afford delays. I've distributed every last one to my subordinates to rush the schedule as much as possible, leaving none to spare. Otherwise, I would have gladly lent you one to take the edge off, Brother Huangfu," Dongfang said with a smile. Huangfu Song waved his hand. "Duty comes first, duty comes first. The sooner we finish our business and leave this damn place, the better." Dongfang nodded and was just about to speak when his expression changed slightly. A streak of blue light suddenly flew in from outside and came to a halt right before him. Li Fan looked over and saw that it was a petite blue bird. It fluttered its wings unceasingly, chirping away as though conveying a message. Dongfang seemed able to understand this bird's chirps. As it cried out, he rose abruptly to his feet, his face turning increasingly grave. "I understand. You may go," Dongfang said. The blue bird dissolved back into a streak of blue light and vanished in an instant. "What's the matter?" Seeing Dongfang look as though facing a formidable enemy, Huangfu Song could not help asking out of curiosity. Dongfang cupped his fists. "Brother Huangfu, forgive me, but I can no longer keep you company. I just received short-notice word. The Chief will be arriving for an inspection shortly, so I must make haste and conduct another round of patrols to ensure nothing goes amiss." Hearing this, Huangfu Song was also startled. He quickly stood up and asked, "Chief? Which Chief?" Dongfang offered a wry smile. "Who else could put me on edge like this? The paramount Chief, of course." Huangfu Song gasped in dismay. "Lu—" Before he could finish, Dongfang cut him off. "Shh! Brother Huangfu, so long as you know, keep it to yourself. On no account let word spread." Learning that his superior's superior was coming for an inspection, Huangfu Song grew tense as well. "Understood, understood. Official duties come first; go attend to your affairs, Brother Dongfang. Rumor has it that this lady is genuinely hard to deal with..." Huangfu Song nodded in agreement, intending to say more, when he suddenly froze in place. The shock on his face could no longer be concealed as he snapped his head around to stare at Li Fan, who was sitting quietly to the side. He saw the visibly aged Li Fan resting with eyes closed, seemingly entirely indifferent to their conversation. *Is this why he wanted to come here?* *How could that be?!* *A coincidence, or...* Huangfu Song was no ordinary man after all. After a moment, he suppressed the odd look on his face. Sensing something, Dongfang also glanced in Li Fan's direction, but did not press for details, excusing himself and leaving. Once Dongfang had left, Huangfu Song could contain himself no longer. He pulled Li Fan into an empty room alone, lowered his voice, and glared fixedly at Li Fan. "Boy, did you already know Chief Lu was coming?" Li Fan merely smiled faintly, neither denying nor confirming it. Seeing this, Huangfu Song felt certain he understood. He drew in a sharp breath. As a member of the Tianyu Province Formation Planning Hall, Huangfu Song knew all too well how exalted this Chief Lu's standing was. Leaving aside her personal Dao Integration realm cultivation, the sheer authority she commanded as the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals' Chief Formation Master—overseeing all formation affairs throughout the Alliance—meant crushing Huangfu Song would be as effortless as squashing an ant. Strictly speaking, every formation master across the Alliance's Formation Planning Halls was her subordinate. Moreover, this Chief Lu's methods were notoriously ruthless. Those who had once vied with her for the position of Chief were, shortly after she took office, suppressed one after another under various pretexts and vanished from the mortal world. Such brazen retaliation not only failed to provoke any outcry, but actually enjoyed the staunch backing of the Alliance's highest decision-making tier. Then, her series of swift, decisive reforms and several instances of harsh punishment left the formation masters across the Formation Planning Halls trembling like cicadas in winter. Huangfu Song had even heard Ji Hongdao mention in passing that the implementation plan for the Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking Formation had been first proposed by this very Chief Lu. Innumerable rumors about her surfaced in his mind, causing cold sweat to break out across Huangfu Song's brow. Such an imposing figure! And yet, this plain-looking junior before him, seemingly utterly without background, had actually known her itinerary several days in advance? What did that imply? Even if Chief Lu herself wasn't his patron, he had to be exceptionally close to her. ... At this thought, Huangfu Song felt his mouth go dry. *No wonder every time I looked at this kid, he seemed so extraordinarily poised and unlike ordinary people. Turns out he really does have backing—and such rock-solid backing at that!* Li Fan's past experiences flashed through Huangfu Song's mind, and realization dawned on him. *No wonder he fought so desperately to climb the rankings, completely unconcerned even when facing death from old age! Turns out he has nothing to fear! No wonder his grand reputation for selfless devotion spread so rapidly, sweeping almost through the entire Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals! Turns out it was premeditated all along! Selfless sacrifice, my foot—he was just seizing the chance to burnish his credentials!* ... Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and he cursed under his breath. Regardless of how fiercely he complained inwardly, Huangfu Song plastered a radiant smile across his face. "Little Li... ahem, Young Friend Li Fan, you truly are a master who hides his light under a bushel! With connections like this, why hide them? You're treating me like a total outsider, aren't you!" Li Fan's expression remained unchanged. "Senior Huangfu, I have no idea what you've guessed. But I suspect you've misunderstood. This junior definitely has no backing whatsoever," he said gravely. *Keep pretending, keep putting on an act. You're just worried about the optics.* Despite his inner thoughts, Huangfu Song immediately nodded with solemn conviction. "I understand. I understand!"