Dongfang Yao felt a faint tension in his chest. "This person is named Li Fan. He is..."
Succinct and concise, he gave Lu Xichan a brief overview of Li Fan's background.
Although Huangfu Song had never proactively mentioned anything about this man, the moment Dongfang Yao had caught that peculiar look in his eyes when watching Li Fan the other day, he had taken notice.
Knowing full well what kind of person his brother was, Dongfang Yao had immediately conducted a quiet investigation of his own.
Whether it was Li Fan's extraordinary actions in the rumors or the astounding speed at which word of his deeds spread, everything led Dongfang Yao to believe that this man was by no means simple.
Huangfu Song's unexpected arrival here might very well have been because of this Li Fan.
And now that Chief Lu had suddenly asked about him, it indeed confirmed his suspicion.
Still, even if he had guessed the truth, Dongfang Yao was naturally crystal clear on what could be said and what could not.
As a subordinate, all he needed to do was cooperate with his superior.
If he tried to be clever and ruined some big shot's scheme from above, losing all future prospects would be the least of his worries—he would likely meet a sudden, untimely death.
With that in mind, Dongfang Yao did not dare dally, detailing everything he had uncovered on the surface without holding anything back.
Lu Xichan sensed that her two subordinates had their own little thoughts, but had no intention of probing deeper.
Few things in this world were worthy of her attention, and these two Soul Formation formation masters were obviously not among them.
Rather, it was her daughter's savior who surprised her somewhat.
She had heard Li Fan's name before.
Someone willing to disregard his own life to rescue others in times of crisis was exceedingly rare in this day and age.
More importantly, remaining on the front line of formation construction even with his lifespan nearing its end was an exemplary deed well worth publicizing and extolling to the utmost.
Perhaps the man was truly a born saint of lofty virtue, or perhaps he cultivated a peculiar technique and his actions were purely driven by profit.
To the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, none of that mattered.
What mattered was that he had genuinely done those things.
What mattered was making most cultivators across the realm believe it.
For the name of a mere Golden Core cultivator to reach her ears, there was naturally the hand of certain acquaintances behind it.
Lu Xichan was not the least bit surprised by this.
If she guessed correctly, should Li Fan be on the verge of perishing before the formations were fully constructed, the alliance would step in to preserve his life, using it as an opportunity for another round of publicity—just like buying the bones of a thousand-li steed for a thousand pieces of gold.
Extracting the utmost value from everything was their customary way of doing things.
As the figures of several Dharma Transmitters flashed through her mind, a haze instantly welled up in Lu Xichan's heart.
As the earliest cohort who had actively followed the Dharma-Transmitting Heavenly Venerable to preach the Dao and found the original Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, the Dharma Transmitters had held the alliance's supreme authority ever since the Heavenly Venerable vanished.
To say nothing of their cultivation—none of which was beneath Lu Xichan's—the sheer ability to survive countless calamities over thousands of years and endure to this day made it so that no one dared underestimate them.
Not to mention, they even faintly held the methods to rein in the Heavenly Profound Mirror...
"Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking is merely the first step."
Lu Xichan gave a cold snort in her heart and suppressed her thoughts.
Her gaze drifted back down to the decrepit, aging cultivator below.
'They believe everything is under their control. I wonder how they will react if I step in and meddle halfway through.'
Before this, even though he had saved her daughter's life, Lu Xichan had never intended to go out of her way to repay him.
After all, he had departed in haste after rescuing her daughter without making any requests.
In Lu Xichan's eyes, that meant Li Fan had forfeited the opportunity himself.
Yet now, he had appeared before her eyes once more as a pawn of that faction.
This made Lu Xichan change her mind.
After pondering for a moment, she checked Li Fan's standing on the Grand Competition Gold Ranking.
"Forty-fifth."
'Perhaps I can lend him a helping hand...'
With that thought, she turned to Dongfang Yao and Huangfu Song and asked, "What do the two of you think of this person?"
Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao exchanged a glance, their thoughts churning.
Since you've gone out of your way to ask like this, could we possibly speak ill of him?
It really pays to have a powerful backer.
Filled with envy, the two began chiming in one after another, praising Li Fan to the heavens, describing him as a peerless paragon without equal in heaven or earth.
Had Li Fan been there to hear these accolades, even his old face would likely have blushed red.
Once they were about done, Lu Xichan nodded as well. "He has sacrificed so much to spread the Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking Formation, yet the alliance has never issued an appropriate reward. That is truly rather uncalled-for.
"If things continue like this, wouldn't it chill the hearts of cultivators throughout the world?"
Both Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao were shrewd men.
Hearing the hidden meaning in Chief Lu's words, they felt a jolt of alarm, not daring to interject.
They only heard her continue, "Had I been unaware, that would be one thing. But now that I have witnessed it in person, I certainly cannot just stand by and do nothing.
"Still, meddling in matters beyond my purview might lead to misunderstandings and rumors from certain people, which wouldn't be ideal.
"At such a critical juncture, our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals ought to be united in purpose from top to bottom.
"Do the two of you have any good ideas?"
The two suddenly recalled certain rumors they had occasionally heard in ordinary times, and after a moment's thought, understood the implication behind Chief Lu's words.
Yet how could small pawns like them dare get entangled in a struggle among the highest echelon?
Both inwardly groaned in distress.
Feeling Lu Xichan's gaze sweeping back and forth across them, both men felt an unspeakable pressure.
When a superior asks a question, how could they dare remain silent?
Cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. At the critical moment, Huangfu Song suddenly remembered the conversation he had had with Li Fan earlier.
A flash of inspiration struck, and gritting his teeth, he said, "Chief, if I may report: this subordinate previously had several heart-to-heart talks with Li Fan. Though his lifespan is near its end, he is still willing to dedicate himself until his final breath.
"Our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals never mistreats those who render meritorious service. However, despite risking his life like this, he still ranks only in the forties or fifties. If we grant him special favor, the cultivators ranked ahead of him might grumble.
"If his ranking were slightly higher, it would seem much more natural."
Huangfu Song paused, then continued, "He once told me in private that he would die with no regrets—only lamenting that he could not witness the many wondrous secret realms of our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals..."
This sentence came out of nowhere, seemingly without head or tail.
Yet Lu Xichan and Dongfang Yao, well-versed in the Grand Competition's scoring rules, naturally understood the hidden meaning behind those words.
"That is indeed a good method." Lu Xichan gave a slight nod, approving Huangfu Song's suggestion.
Huangfu Song could not help sighing in relief.
Before he could fully relax, however, he heard Chief Lu ask again:
"Do you have any recommended destinations?"
Huangfu Song's heart shot right back into his throat.
Recalling Li Fan's words from back then in an instant, Huangfu Song could only brace himself and say, "Secret realms such as the Five Elements Great Grotto-Heaven or the Boundless Sea, this subordinate believes, are both excellent choices."
Chapter 377