"You can't possibly expect me to step in and buy back all the materials you embezzled." Li Fan's expression remained unchanged as he took a slow sip of tea, eyeing Zhou Kebao. "I may be relatively well-off, but my contribution points didn't just blow in on the wind. Besides building an immortal city, those materials don't seem to have much other use."
Zhou Kebao hurriedly shook his head. "How could we be so ungrateful and foolish?"
He cast a cautious glance at Li Fan, bowing obsequiously. "To tell the truth, I came to see you, Fellow Daoist, in the spirit of prizing peace above all..."
Li Fan slammed his teacup down with a loud bang, cutting Zhou Kebao off mid-sentence and jolting him upright.
Li Fan's expression turned grim, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes. "Peace above all? That didn't seem to be your plan before.
"Embezzling so many materials—and right after I staked my life on a military pledge. You were trying to drive me, Li Fan, to a dead end."
Zhou Kebao waved his hands frantically, explaining in a trembling voice, "Never! Never! From start to finish, the most we were ever after was money..."
Li Fan remained noncommittal, speaking flatly, "Things having reached this point, I won't hold it against you any longer..."
Zhou Kebao's face filled with disbelief.
Before he could sigh in relief, however, Li Fan continued, "However, once Congyun Immortal City is officially completed, not a single detail will be spared in my report to the higher-ups.
"After all, completing an immortal city without wasting even a scrap of material—doesn't that just prove how capable I, Li Fan, truly am?
"This ought to be proclaimed across the realm so everyone knows. If every city master under the heavens were like me, wouldn't the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals annex the Five Elders Association in no time?
"What do you say, Fellow Daoist Zhou?" Li Fan said brazenly.
"Haha, Fellow Daoist, you joke." Zhou Kebao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, already grasping the implicit threat in Li Fan's words.
"Whatever demands you have, Fellow Daoist, please don't hesitate to voice them. We will definitely satisfy them. Just please, let us not blow this out of proportion," Zhou Kebao promised, thumping his chest.
"Don't look at what I want; look at what you have to offer." Li Fan stepped forward and patted Zhou Kebao on the shoulder.
"Contribution points? Do I look like I lack those?"
A look of pride appeared on Li Fan's face. "My deductive arts are renowned across the world. Parlaying wealth into greater wealth is child's play for me. So-called contribution points are nothing more than a string of numbers in my eyes."
Zhou Kebao shuddered slightly.
"Furthermore, once Congyun Immortal City is finished, the rewards from above certainly won't be meager. By then, as a regional dignitary, my authority level will soar as well.
"With contribution points and authority, how many things in this world are beyond my reach?
"What, then, could you possibly offer to move me?"
Li Fan's gaze burned intently as he pinned Zhou Kebao with his stare.
Pressed by Li Fan's piercing gaze, Zhou Kebao could only feel that every word made total sense. His mind fell into utter chaos, and for a moment he could not devise a suitable answer.
"Once you've thought it through, come back to see me. I have official business to attend to. Excuse me!" Li Fan ordered coldly, showing him the door.
Zhou Kebao retreated with a gloomy expression.
Li Fan's meaning was crystal clear.
Their interference could be forgiven and forgotten.
However, they had to produce compensation of sufficient worth.
"A demand with no specifics is the hardest to satisfy," Zhou Kebao sighed softly.
He looked back at Li Fan's room.
In the short time since he had stepped out, seven or eight different cultivators had already bustled in and out with deferential, tense expressions.
'His momentum has already been established; he cannot be openly opposed.
'In that case, we might as well seize this chance to turn an enemy into a friend. From what I see, he isn't the petty type to bear grudges over every slight. As long as the bargaining chip is good enough, there's no need to worry about failing to move him.'
Thoughts raced through Zhou Kebao's mind, and he made up his mind in an instant.
He hurried back to confer with his partners.
Five days later, Zhou Kebao reappeared before Li Fan, brimming with confidence.
"Fellow Daoist, please take a look at this."
He pointed into the air, and a miniature projection of a floating city appeared aloft.
"What is the meaning of this?" Li Fan studied it for a moment without deciphering its purpose.
Keeping his composure, he asked aloud.
Seeing Li Fan's reaction, Zhou Kebao grew even more confident, a mysterious smile gracing his lips.
"An immortal abode that is indistinguishable from—or even superior to—a floating immortal city of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals...
"I wonder if Fellow Daoist is interested?" Zhou Kebao asked softly in a measured cadence.
"Hmm?" Li Fan's gaze focused, and he turned to scrutinize the miniature scene in the air once more.
His mind whirred, and he could not help but inhale a sharp breath of cold air.
"The materials you embezzled were actually more than double what was allocated to me? Aren't your guts a bit too big?"
Zhou Kebao hurriedly said, "Haha, you misunderstand, Fellow Daoist.
"While we did withhold quite a bit earlier to plot against you, it was far from enough to construct another complete floating city.
"In truth, these materials are surpluses we accumulated over the years from repair and renovation projects across various provinces' immortal cities.
"As you know, Fellow Daoist Li, when the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals allocates materials for public works, they budget generously to account for all sorts of unexpected incidents. Meanwhile, those of us who work in this trade regularly achieve minimal actual wastage through practice.
"Thus, there is always surplus material left over each time. Naturally, that excess couldn't be handed back in, so it ended up in our pockets."
...
Zhou Kebao smiled faintly, pausing there. Everything remained unspoken, yet understood.
"Over the years, we accumulated these materials. Rather than letting them continue gathering dust in a warehouse, it would be far better to put them to good use resolving this misunderstanding between us.
"Using public property for private gain, turning an immortal city into an abode. Haha, I dare say that even in our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, such a thing is rare."
Li Fan stared intently at the continuously rotating image of the immortal city, visibly tempted.
Seeing this, Zhou Kebao redoubled his pitch.
"This immortal city abode, apart from being unable to link directly with the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals headquarters, can feature facilities identical to ordinary immortal cities in every other aspect.
"Of course, if you find it too conspicuous, Fellow Daoist, we can also provide a concealment function. Structures like the Administration Hall and Martial Practice Hall can remain hidden during ordinary times and summoned only when needed.
"Inside the immortal city abode, we will also leave ample room for future renovations.
"If you ever wish to reinforce protective formations and restrictions down the line, it will be effortless.
"Naturally, if you are willing to chip in some contribution points, we wouldn't mind doing the work for you.
"And if you are generous enough, long-distance teleportation formations or even a virtual mustard-seed miniaturization array can all be discussed.
"A portable, defensible, and offensive immortal city abode with built-in teleportation capabilities...
"Are you satisfied, Fellow Daoist?" Zhou Kebao asked enticingly.
Li Fan threw his head back and laughed heartily in response.
Chapter 529