The Final Con

Liuli Island. He Zhenghao looked upon the island he had guarded for decades as garrison, then glanced at his successor standing beside him, bowing, nodding, and speaking in subservient tones. He could not help but feel a surge of pride swelling in his chest. Once upon a time, he had been just like this man—trembling with dread and uneasiness whenever higher-ups came to inspect, terrified of displeasing his superiors. Yet now, after merely a few years, he, He Zhenghao, had become the very sort of "grand figure" he used to revere. After offering a few words of encouragement to the junior named Zhao Changli, He Zhenghao made his familiar way into the Mountains and Rivers Stellar Formation. Towering peaks hung suspended overhead, shielding the area from any prying eyes. The cultivators invited by He Zhenghao had already been waiting here for quite some time. "Daoist He!" The moment He Zhenghao appeared, they warmly called out greetings to him. In their eyes, if Li Fan was the God of Wealth, then He Zhenghao was none other than the attendant boy who dispensed that wealth. After pleasantries were exchanged, one cultivator could not wait and asked, "Daoist He, the Master Secret Emissary divined that the war is about to end? There isn't the slightest sign of it! Just today, I heard the Alliance declare they would fight to the bitter end..." Before the man could finish, he was cut off by a chorus of overlapping voices. "The Master Secret Emissary's divinatory arts reach to the heavens and plumb the depths of the earth! How could he possibly be wrong? If you don't believe it, why bother coming today?" "Heheh, Daoist He, pay him no mind. Please, explain the uncapped fundraising scheme to us in detail." ... He Zhenghao pressed his hands down, and the area instantly fell quiet. With a smile on his face, he began laying out the specifics for everyone. Receiving He Zhenghao's personal confirmation, the cultivators were beside themselves with excitement. Yet because the scale of this fundraising was simply too massive, He Zhenghao alone was not enough to hold down the fort. Doubts inevitably lingered in the minds of some cultivators. Right at that moment, Li Fan made his entrance. A beam of silver radiance cascaded down from among the floating mountains above. Clad in a white Daoist robe and treading upon starlight, Li Fan appeared unhurried, yet arrived in an instant, descending into the clearing. Rhythms and waves of profound resonance emanated from his person, capturing the attention of every single cultivator on the spot. Those who had been invited by He Zhenghao were, of course, men of great means who had seen the world. Even so, confronted by the lingering aura exuding from Li Fan, every one of them was thoroughly awestruck. It was as though they were directly beholding the infinitely abstruse Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Even catching the faintest trace of it caused all manner of insights to surface uncontrollably within their minds. One cultivator on the spot was even overcome with wild ecstasy, as if having attained an epiphany; discarding all decorum, he closed his eyes and began meditating right then and there. "What kind of majesty is this? Even a Soul Formation Immortal Lord falls far short of this, doesn't he?" "Could it be... the Master Secret Emissary has restored his original realm?" The crowd exchanged glances, unable to conceal their shock. "I have been in secluded cultivation for a long time and gained a few negligible insights. I have yet to adjust and rein them all in. It seems I have made a fool of myself before you all," Li Fan said blandly. Their hearts trembled violently, thoughts running wild, and they hurried to utter deferential denials. Li Fan nodded slightly. After waiting a moment for silence to return, he slowly spoke: "During this seclusion, while my cultivation took another step forward, I also took the opportunity to repair my Heavenly Mechanism Sect's supreme treasure, the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Die. "Originally, when I was interrogated at the Martial Practice Hall, this object was damaged while forcibly divining the secrets of heaven. Although repairing it was a simple matter, I vaguely felt that the time had not yet come, so I never acted." As Li Fan spoke, a crystal-clear regular icosahedral die emerged above his palm. It spun ceaselessly, and through its exquisite facets, one could faintly glimpse countless images flickering past in rapid succession. "Not long ago, my cultivation bore fruit. Inspiration struck, and knowing the time was ripe, I fully restored it. "In doing so, I indeed caught a glimpse of a certain possibility for the future." A chill ran through everyone's hearts. They gathered their spirits and listened with rapt attention. "The two Soul Formation Immortal Lords, Hongxi and Ziyun, may return to Congyun Immortal City before long. As you all know, though I currently oversee the civil affairs of the Congyun Sea, it was only because neither of them was present that I temporarily took charge." Li Fan's expression showed no ripple of emotion, as if he were recounting something wholly unrelated to himself. "Once they return, by both reason and custom, I must return power to them. "I am an ancient cultivator, accustomed to wandering idle like a stray cloud or wild crane, and I have no desire to be constrained by others. Perhaps after this, I shall resign from my post as Secret Script Emissary, depart the Congyun Sea, and travel the Alliance's hinterlands. "My time administering this domain brought me together with you all in a shared destiny. Without your generous support, I could never have successfully accomplished the reconstruction of the immortal city. "Therefore, before stepping down, I have decided to lend you all one final helping hand." Li Fan's gaze swept over the crowd. "After this, our karmic bond will be concluded, and I fear we shall have no further dealings." As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar erupted. None of the cultivators present were fools. Although Li Fan claimed on the surface that he was unwilling to vie for power and wished to wander far away, if he truly had no desire to contest it, he could have simply stepped down and walked away. Why orchestrate such a massive fundraising campaign to rally hearts and minds? *So that's it! He wants to seize power for himself and is seeking our backing!* *Naturally! In the end, it's the highest governing post of an entire province. It's not so easy to let go once you've held it.* Many cultivators felt a sudden flash of enlightenment. They recalled how those who had remained loyal supporters of Li Fan—such as He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan—had all been entrusted with great responsibilities and placed into critical positions after his previous triumphs. They felt their opportunity had arrived. "The Master Secret Emissary need not worry! We will follow your lead to the ends of the earth!" "Indeed! Immortal Lords Hongxi and Ziyun may have had decent reputations, but when they were in power, they remained lofty and cold, showing no warmth. How could they compare to the master, who leads us fellow Daoists to strike it rich together?" "I won't hide it from you: I've been fortunate enough to participate in every one of the Master Secret Emissary's fundraising campaigns. Combined with my own ventures, in just a few years, my net worth has surged more than sixfold!" "I was a bit slower on the uptake, but even mine has doubled!" "Support the Master Secret Emissary!" "Follow the master to amass great wealth and attest to the Great Dao!" ... With one person taking the lead, the rest immediately chimed in, voicing their unanimous support for Li Fan. Li Fan cast an imperceptible glance toward He Zhenghao. Quick to react, He Zhenghao immediately produced the pre-prepared covenants and rosters from his storage ring, handling the fundraising on the spot. Under such an impassioned atmosphere and beneath Li Fan's watchful gaze, even those who had initially been reluctant had no choice but to dig into their savings and contribute. *Just to build up momentum for my entrance, I used up a piece of Humanity Stardust and several Dao Comprehension Pills.* *I must be sure to recoup my costs from you all,* Li Fan thought to himself.