“If only a single person defected, that would be one thing, but I fear they might use our Medicine King Sect as a sacrificial offering to claim credit.”
Liu San’s brows knitted slightly. “Therefore, it is best for the Young Master to make thorough preparations.”
Li Fan feigned inner conflict before ultimately letting out a long sigh and reluctantly agreeing.
“Within the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, all things are available. As long as one has enough contribution points, exchanging for a technique of strict control is no difficult matter.
“It is just that I already owe quite a lot of contribution points…”
Hearing this, Liu San immediately thumped his chest, telling Li Fan not to worry.
“When I returned this time, I took some mature top-grade medicinal herbs from the Valley of Longevity along the way. They should allow us to refine a batch of exquisite Longevity Pills.”
Li Fan nodded. “In that case, I will have to trouble you once again, Elder Liu.”
Liu San brushed it off entirely and immediately led a group of disciples to begin refining Longevity Pills.
Li Fan, meanwhile, exited the Medicine King Cauldron, intending to return to Congyun Immortal City.
He needed to make some preparations for the upcoming evacuation.
After the Congyun Sea vanished, the Alliance would likely investigate any surviving cultivators originally from the area.
The members of the Medicine King Sect were all considered registered inhabitants of the Congyun Sea.
If only they managed to survive this catastrophe unscathed, it would almost certainly arouse suspicion.
Therefore, Li Fan planned to fish in troubled waters. He would find an excuse to send another group of people out of the Congyun Sea—at least double the number of registered cultivators from the Medicine King Sect—so that their survival would appear plausible.
Names flashed through Li Fan’s mind one by one. Just as he took to the air to depart, he suddenly heard the wail of an infant.
Li Fan paused, slightly startled. Sweeping his divine sense across the area, his expression turned rather peculiar.
As it turned out, these were full-blooded youths, after all. Having reached the age of awakening romantic affection and spending day and night together on the island, it was inevitable that sparks would fly.
What surprised Li Fan even more was that the baby’s mother was the very woman who had been Han Wuyou’s mother in his previous life.
Yet the father was now someone entirely different.
“Does this mean that in this lifetime, Han Wuyou will never exist in this world?
“Is there truly nothing predestined? Or does the so-called mandate of heaven shift constantly in response to the living beings on earth?”
Li Fan narrowed his eyes, falling into deep thought.
The birth of a new life always brought hope to people, especially to these youths who had been confined for so long.
Looking at the baby girl’s wrinkled little face, each of them beamed with heartfelt joy, grinning foolishly.
Su Xiaomei was clamoring incessantly, bouncing about in sheer excitement and begging to hold the baby girl, only to be firmly stopped by Xiao Heng.
Watching this heartwarming scene on the island, a similar scene from long ago flashed before Li Fan’s eyes.
A faint ripple stirred in his gaze.
Yet very quickly, it faded away.
“Without attaining longevity, all is ultimately in vain.”
He had witnessed far too many scenes of the white-haired burying the young, and had personally experienced parting in life and death many times over. He had long ceased to be moved by such things.
His heart turned icy once more. Lingering no longer, Li Fan flew toward Congyun Immortal City among the clouds.
Upon returning to the city, Li Fan spotted a familiar figure.
“Her? Has she also sensed the danger facing her elderly father after all?” Li Fan’s eyes flickered.
Sitting inside a room in the Administration Hall, looking around curiously, was a young woman. It was none other than He Zhenghao’s daughter, He Xinxin.
And He Zhenghao, who was usually rather indolent and seldom overwhelmed with work, looked exceedingly busy at the moment.
“Lord He, you must help our island with this matter!”
“My lord, Tai’an Island’s harvest of Tai’an fruit has been poor this year. Could you show some leniency?”
…
A crowd of people thronged behind He Zhenghao, trailing him into the room.
He Xinxin first studied He Zhenghao. Once she confirmed that he was indeed her father, a flicker of pleasant surprise appeared on her face.
Then, seeing him surrounded by the crowd and bustling with importance, a look of bewilderment emerged.
After all, she was young and could not hide her feelings.
Taking in every nuance of his daughter’s expressions, He Zhenghao could not help feeling rather proud of himself.
“Ahem…”
With a solemn face, he reprimanded the crowd, “Haven’t I told you all that I have important business to attend to right now? How about this: come back tomorrow, and I will be sure to handle everything properly for you!”
The cultivators surrounding He Zhenghao exchanged glances and nodded in agreement one after another.
They dispersed in a flurry, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Watching this, Li Fan found it rather amusing. Clearly, that crowd had all been hired by He Zhenghao to play along in a performance, purely to show off his authority in front of his daughter.
*What petty schemes…*
Li Fan continued to observe in secret.
Meeting his daughter for the first time, He Zhenghao appeared somewhat nervous. He stared at He Xinxin for a long time before muttering to himself, “You look so much like her… truly so much alike…”
He Xinxin also looked timidly toward He Zhenghao, and when their gazes met, she hurriedly looked away.
After a long silence, He Xinxin finally gathered her courage and called softly, “Fa… father…”
Tears instantly blurred He Zhenghao’s eyes.
Suppressing them quickly, he hurried forward and took He Xinxin’s small hands into his.
“Ah.”
“Let me have a good look at you…”
He Zhenghao felt as though he were dreaming.
“Never did I imagine that I actually had a daughter…”
He Xinxin’s eyes reddened as well, and she began to sob softly.
The reunion of a father and daughter separated for many years was naturally a deeply moving scene.
Only after quite some time did their emotions settle.
He Xinxin said, “Originally, I wanted to come find you a few years ago, Father, but Mother suddenly appeared and went out of her way to stop me.
“No matter what, she wouldn’t let me come over. So it ended up being delayed.”
He Xinxin pouted, looking very vexed.
Hearing this, He Zhenghao looked somewhat dejected.
“I let the two of you down. It was only natural for your mother not to let you see me; don’t blame her.”
As he spoke, He Zhenghao paused in surprise. “Then why did your mother suddenly let you come now?
“Could it be that she forgave me and had a change of heart?”
He Zhenghao grew overjoyed.
He Xinxin blushed slightly, tugged at He Zhenghao’s sleeve, and shook her head gently.
“No, Father. Mother doesn’t know. After I succeeded in Foundation Establishment, I secretly slipped away behind her back.”
He Xinxin stuck out her tongue, looking embarrassed.
He Zhenghao stiffened slightly, a sheepish look appearing on his face.
Seeing this, He Xinxin immediately changed the subject.
“You don’t know, Father, but I risked getting scolded to come here because I have an extremely important matter to warn you about.”
He Xinxin wore an earnest, solemn look.
“What important matter could that be?” Though He Zhenghao did not think much of it, he still leaned in to listen upon seeing how serious his daughter looked.
Lowering her voice, He Xinxin whispered, “When I made my breakthrough, I had a premonition that your life was in mortal danger, Father.
“That was why I traveled thousands of li to come here.
“I realized the danger originates from this Congyun Sea. Come back with me, Father! As long as you leave this place and return to Tianyu Province, you will be completely safe.”
Chapter 630