The last trick

Liuli Island.

He Zhenghao looked at the island he had guarded for decades, then at the bowing and nodding successor Town Guardian standing subserviently beside him, and a wave of pride surged in his heart.

Once upon a time, he too was like this, feeling fearful and uneasy when someone from above came to inspect.

He was afraid of being blamed by his superiors.

But now, in just a few short years, He Zhenghao has become one of those “important figures” he once looked up to.

After encouraging the Junior named Zhao Changli, He Zhenghao, familiar with the routine, entered the Mountain and Rivers Star Array.

The mountains hung overhead, obscuring any potential prying from the outside world.

The Cultivators invited by He Zhenghao had already been waiting there for a long time.

“Fellow Daoist He!”

As soon as He Zhenghao appeared, they all enthusiastically greeted him. In their eyes, if Li Fan was the God of Wealth, then He Zhenghao was the standard Dispenser of Wealth.

After some pleasantries, a Cultivator impatiently asked, “Fellow Daoist He, did Lord Secret Envoy deduce that the war is ending? There are no signs at all. Today, I even heard the Immortal Alliance declare they would fight to the death…”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the chattering crowd.

“Lord Secret Envoy’s deduction skills are heaven-reaching; how could he be wrong? If you don’t believe him, why did you even come today?”

“Heh heh, Fellow Daoist He, ignore him. Please tell us in detail about this uncapped fundraising plan.”

…

He Zhenghao pressed his hands down virtually, and the hall instantly fell silent.

With a smile, he began to explain the details to everyone.

The Cultivators were all extremely excited to receive confirmation from He Zhenghao himself.

However, since the scale of this fundraising was too large, He Zhenghao alone couldn't control the situation. Some Cultivators inevitably still had some doubts in their hearts.

Just then, Li Fan appeared.

A silver radiance streamed down from the mountains in the sky.

Li Fan, dressed in a white Daoist robe, stepped on starlight, appearing unhurried but arriving in an instant, descending into the hall.

Waves of rhythmic fluctuations emanated from Li Fan’s body.

In an instant, it attracted the attention of all the Cultivators.

Everyone present, being invited by He Zhenghao, naturally possessed considerable wealth and had seen the world.

But facing the residual Qi on Li Fan’s body at this moment, they were all deeply shaken.

It was as if they were directly facing the infinitely profound Great Dao of Heaven and Earth; just a slight touch caused various insights to spontaneously emerge in their minds.

One Cultivator even showed a look of ecstasy, seemingly enlightened on the spot. Without regard for the occasion, he directly closed his eyes and began to cultivate.

“What kind of power is this? Even an Immortal Lord in the Soul Transformation Realm is far from this, right?”

“Could it be that Lord Secret Envoy has recovered his original Realm?”

Everyone exchanged glances, unable to hide the shock in their hearts.

“I have been in seclusion for a long time and have gained some insignificant insights, which I am still unable to fully adapt to and contain.”

“I have made you all laugh.” Li Fan said indifferently.

Everyone’s hearts trembled, their imaginations running wild, and they repeatedly said they wouldn’t dare.

Li Fan nodded slightly, and after a moment of quiet, he slowly said, “During this seclusion, while my cultivation advanced further, I also took the opportunity to repair the Tianji Sect’s supreme treasure, the heaven and earth qiankun dice.”

“This item was damaged when I forcefully deduced heavenly secrets during my trial at Yanwu Hall. Although repairing it was a simple matter, I had a faint premonition that the time was not right. Hence, I never acted.”

As Li Fan spoke, a crystal-clear icosahedral dice appeared in his palm.

It rotated continuously, and from its exquisite facets, countless rapidly flickering images could vaguely be seen.

“Some time ago, my cultivation bore fruit. And then, as if by divine inspiration, I knew it was time to fully restore it.”

“In this process, I indeed saw a glimmer of possibility for the future.”

Everyone’s hearts tightened, and they all perked up, listening carefully.

“Immortal Lords Hongxi and Ziyun may return to Congyun Immortal City soon. As you know, although I currently oversee the government affairs of Congyun Sea, it is merely a temporary takeover because these two are not present.”

Li Fan’s expression showed no波动, as if he was talking about something unrelated to himself.

“Once they return, both emotionally and logically, I must hand over power.”

“I am an ancient Cultivator, accustomed to being a free spirit and unconstrained. I do not wish to be controlled by others. Perhaps from now on, I will resign from the position of Secretary-character Envoy, leave Congyun Sea, and travel to the core of the Immortal Alliance.”

“My involvement in governing a region has, after all, created a karmic connection with you all. My successful completion of the task of rebuilding the Immortal City would not have been possible without your strong support.”

“Therefore, I have decided to help you one last time before I resign.”

Li Fan’s gaze swept over everyone: “After this matter, our karmic connection will end, and there will likely be no further involvement.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in an uproar.

No one present was foolish. Although Li Fan overtly claimed that he did not wish to contend for power and thus intended to leave, if he truly had no such intention, he could have simply resigned and departed.

Why bother with such a grand fundraising event to win people’s hearts?

“So that’s it! He wants to seize power for himself and seek our support!”

“Indeed, no matter what, he is the highest administrator of a province. It’s not that easy to just give it up.”

Many Cultivators present suddenly realized.

Recalling how all those who had been loyal supporters of Li Fan, such as He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan, were all heavily promoted and held key positions after his victory in the struggle.

They felt that an opportunity had arrived.

“Lord Secret Envoy, there is no need to worry. We will certainly follow your lead!”

“That’s right, while Immortal Lords Hongxi and Ziyun have good reputations, during their tenure, they were mostly aloof and unapproachable. How could they be like you, leading Fellow Daoists to get rich together?”

“To be honest, everyone, I have been fortunate enough to participate in Lord Secret Envoy’s fundraising plans every time. Coupled with my own operations, in just a few years, my net worth has increased more than sixfold compared to what it was initially!”

“Although I was a bit late to realize, I’ve also doubled my wealth!”

“Support Lord Secret Envoy!”

“Follow the Lord, get rich, and attain the Dao!”

…

As soon as one person took the lead, it immediately elicited a response from the Cultivators present, who all spoke in unison, expressing their support for Li Fan.

Li Fan’s gaze subtly swept over He Zhenghao. He reacted quickly, immediately taking out the already prepared contract and roster from his storage ring.

Fundraising began on the spot.

And in such an enthusiastic atmosphere, and under Li Fan’s watchful gaze, even those who were originally unwilling had to contribute some of their savings.

“To create momentum, I used a piece of Humanity Star Dust and several enlightenment pills when I appeared.”

“Don’t take it back from you.”

Li Fan thought to himself.