Though every one of these cultivators had heard the name of Li Fan, only a select few were aware that he had been appointed Acting Island Master.
Thus, when the message arrived, everyone was stunned.
Discontent soon followed in their hearts.
"Granted, you, Master Li, possess the ability to divine heavenly secrets, but at the end of the day, you're only at the Golden Core realm. There are plenty of surviving Nascent Soul cultivators in the Congyun Sea—what makes you worthy of being Island Master?"
"Everyone knows Li Fan is immensely wealthy. Could he have bought his way to the top?"
"And putting on such a grand show with this reconstruction ceremony..."
Countless suspicious thoughts churned.
Yet regardless of their thoughts, the position of Acting Island Master had been officially issued and verified by the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals headquarters. Even if they harbored contempt in their hearts, none dared defy the order.
Most adopted the mindset of watching a spectacle unfold, waiting for the designated day to arrive.
Seven days passed in a flash, and the cultivators of the Congyun Sea gathered at the former site of Wanxian Island.
Even some cultivators who were not part of the establishment caught wind of it and rushed over to join the commotion.
Conversing among themselves as they gazed upon the bottomless black abyss on the sea's surface and recalled the past of Wanxian Island, all were moved to profound sighs.
As time trickled by, more and more cultivators arrived to observe the ceremony.
Yet the main figure, Li Fan, was nowhere to be seen.
Murmurs of discontent and speculation inevitably arose among the crowd.
Right then, a beam of light streaked through the air from afar, drawing everyone's attention.
"To celebrate Fellow Daoist Li Fan's ascension to Acting Island Master of Wanxian Island, Shenyuzi of Tianyun Province specially presents a scroll of the Heavenly Fortune Cinnabar Scripture as a token of goodwill!"
The light came to a halt above the crowd, revealing a handsome, fair-featured Daoist boy.
Holding a horsetail whisk, he called out loudly and tossed a scroll upward.
The scroll expanded upon catching the wind, and amid the gasps of the onlookers, transformed in an instant into what seemed like a soaring dragon coiling through the sky.
Seven-colored radiance burst continuously from the scroll before the Heavenly Fortune Cinnabar Scripture vanished beneath the watchful eyes of all.
The Daoist boy bowed slightly toward the empty air, then completely ignored the onlookers below, turned into a streak of light, and flew straight away.
"Fellow daoists, look! Doesn't this place feel different than before?"
"Naturally! It is said the Heavenly Fortune Cinnabar Scripture has the power to gather fortune and defy destiny. With such a treasure blessing this place, the reconstruction of our immortal city is bound to succeed without a hitch!"
"Hiss... Just who is this Shenyuzi? To casually give away such a precious treasure?"
The gathered cultivators buzzed with discussion.
Yet before they could calm down, another streak of light arrived from the horizon.
"In celebration of..."
"Daoist Jingxuan of Tianyun Province specially gifts the Sea-Calming Azure Ox as a token of goodwill!"
A young Daoist appeared before the crowd, leading an azure ox.
The azure ox let out a low bellow and assumed its Heaven-and-Earth form, its body instantly swelling until it was as massive as a sprawling mountain range.
"Moo!"
The ox's bellow reverberated across the Congyun Sea, after which it dissolved into a beam of azure light that scattered toward every corner of the waters.
"Hiss! What a grand gesture! With this treasure, the Congyun Sea is guaranteed at least three years of calm seas and gentle winds!" a discerning cultivator cried out in astonishment.
"Just what relation does this Daoist Jingxuan have with Island Master Li Fan?"
While the crowd was left in shocked bewilderment, several more streaks of light arrived one after another, delivering various congratulatory gifts.
Guangwu of Tianquan Province, Huangfu Song of Tianyu Province...
All were formidable cultivators from the heartland of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.
"Every single one of these people is at least at the Soul Formation realm..." After inquiring and checking their identities, the cultivators present could not help marveling in secret.
"It seems our Island Master has formidable backing. No wonder he was entrusted with such a heavy responsibility despite only being a Golden Core."
"Not necessarily. None of those figures came in person; they merely sent subordinates with gifts. It's quite likely our Island Master paid them to put on a show just to puff himself up!" Still, some held differing opinions.
Amid the endless chatter, the successive flashes of gift-bearing lights gradually ceased.
Just when everyone thought Island Master Li Fan was about to make his entrance, a lavish flying ship tore through the sky.
With thirty-six Nascent Soul cultivators clearing the path, an exceptionally handsome young cultivator dressed in white, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, slowly descended into their midst.
"Tantai Can of Tianshu Province offers congratulations to Island Master Li Fan!"
The thirty-six Nascent Soul cultivators shouted in unison.
The sudden display shocked the Congyun Sea cultivators into dead silence.
"Tantai Can? The Tantai clan!"
Those who knew the depths of the Tantai clan's power were shaken to the core.
And even those who had no idea who Tantai Can was were rendered speechless by the sight of thirty-six Nascent Soul cultivators leading the vanguard.
Watching from afar aboard the Dust-Crossing Boat high in the sky, Zhou Kebao suddenly sprang to his feet, his face full of disbelief.
"Tantai Can? Why would he come here?" His eyes were filled with confusion. "This makes no sense at all!"
After a long silence, a flicker of terror crossed Zhou Kebao's face.
"Could it be... that they joined forces to set up a trap?"
Suspicious and shaken, Zhou Kebao retrieved a communication talisman and hurriedly reported this unexpected development to his accomplices.
...
With Tantai Can's appearance, the atmosphere had reached a fever pitch.
Now, it was finally time for Li Fan to show himself.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Immense rumblings thundered incessantly from the distance, as if some primeval behemoth were rapidly approaching.
"Look, quick! What is that?!" A sharp-eyed cultivator looked toward the source of the sound and spotted something extraordinary.
A colossal stone golem towering between heaven and earth appeared on the horizon.
It strode through the Congyun Sea, the waters barely reaching halfway up its calves.
Though its body was monstrously immense, it moved with astonishing speed.
Striding across the ocean, every step it took caused the Congyun Sea to shudder.
In the blink of an eye, the stone golem had already drawn close to the former site of Wanxian Island.
The baffled cultivators, fearing another surprise attack from the Five Elders Association, grew instantly tense.
Sensing the aura radiating from the colossal stone golem, every cultivator turned pale.
"Peak Soul Formation?!"
As the stone golem drew nearer, several cultivators, unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure, even drew their magical treasures in self-defense.
Right at that moment, over a hundred cultivators led by Gao Yuan, He Zhenghao, and Zhou Qing'ang flew out together, as if they had rehearsed the movement a hundred times.
Bowing toward the colossal stone golem, they hailed in unison, "We respectfully welcome the Island Master!"
"Hahaha, at ease, everyone!" A hearty laugh drifted down from atop the stone golem's head.
Only then did the crowd realize that standing upon the head of this Soul Formation stone golem was a cultivator!
And that person was none other than Li Fan!
A dignified Soul Formation Immortal Lord allowed Li Fan, a mere Golden Core, to stand upon its head.
This was by no means something that could be bought with contribution points.
To be able to move prominent cultivators across the heartland of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, and to have even a Soul Formation figure willingly let itself be trodden beneath his feet—
Just what kind of background did Island Master Li Fan possess?
Setting aside the stunned Congyun Sea cultivators, even Tantai Can, who had remained impassive aboard his flying boat, watched Li Fan above him with a faint ripple of emotion in his eyes.
Chapter 498