Chapter 853: The Immortal Alliance Spreads Its Branches
"They didn't seize this rare opportunity to polish their family disciples' credentials."
"Could it be they're really being impartial, fair and just?"
A flicker of doubt crossed Li Fan's mind.
However, knowing the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, he suspected things weren't that simple.
"Let's look at it from another angle."
"Perhaps this 'Thirty-Three Immortal Elects' business isn't such a great opportunity after all. That might be why the major families are deliberately staying away."
A glint appeared in Li Fan's eyes.
This speculation coincidentally aligned with the premonition he had about Wei Qizheng's ultimate fate.
"Thirty-three Dao Integration cultivators... As long as the Longevity Celestial Venerables don't intervene, that's a force strong enough to sway the entire war."
Li Fan's interest was piqued.
Based on the information he had, the Dharma Spreader had likely left the Xuanhuang Realm for some reason.
He had only left behind a sliver of his divine consciousness.
He would only return if true chaos erupted or if the Xuanhuang Realm was on the brink of destruction.
On the surface, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Council appeared evenly matched.
In reality, without the Dharma Spreader to keep them in check, the Alliance was at a severe disadvantage against the Five Elders Council and its five Longevity stage masters.
"It was just like in the 114th simulation, when they tried to create the Xuanwang to counter the Longevity Celestial Venerables."
"The Thirty-Three Immortal Elects of this lifetime must also be related to the goal of creating a power capable of contending with the Longevity stage," Li Fan realized with a flash of insight.
"Both sides have made their opening moves. Now, it's just a matter of seeing how this game of chess unfolds!"
Previously, the Five Elders Council had tried to contact him again.
But Li Fan had ignored all their attempts.
The resources he had acquired from the Five Elders Council were sufficient for now.
Li Fan decided to observe how the situation developed before planning his next move.
He committed all the information on the three hundred-plus cultivators from the list to memory.
Then, Li Fan crushed the list to dust, and his consciousness once again enveloped the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven.
By now, he had successfully reached the peak of the Golden Core stage.
The process of devouring the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven had officially begun.
Tentacles formed by the Root of Heaven and Earth crept through the gaps between the cave-heavens, spreading into each elemental cave-heaven and temporarily lying dormant.
The Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven was simply too vast. His only option was to first accumulate power and cultivate a sufficient number of tendrils from the Root of Heaven and Earth.
Only then could he devour the entire cave-heaven in a single stroke.
There were no shortcuts; it was a task that required slow, patient effort.
The only silver lining was that the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven had not yet birthed anything resembling a Heavenly Dao or a world consciousness.
Even its instinctual defense mechanisms were exceedingly weak.
As a result, Li Fan's invasion proceeded with exceptional smoothness.
Within the five distinct elemental cave-heavens, the dense tendrils spread slowly, like a world-ending storm cloud gathering on the horizon.
Time flew.
The million-plus contribution points his clone, Ji Shaoli, had lavished were not spent in vain.
When the final appointments were announced, a joyous atmosphere once again filled Haixuan Island.
"Tianyun Province, Array Strategy Hall."
He Zhenghao was overcome with excitement, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts.
Though it was merely the lowest-ranking position for a staff array master, Tianyun Province was in the heartland of the Immortal Alliance. The pay and prospects were worlds apart from his old post as a guardian in the Cong Yun Sea.
"Joining the Congyun Mutual Aid Association was the best decision I've ever made," he thought.
"It's just one small step, but I've finally taken it! One day, I will return to Tianyu Province in glory!"
"Ruoshui..."
Just as He Zhenghao's emotions were running high, Ji Shaoli's figure appeared before the group once more.
Knowing that Ji Shaoli must have exerted considerable influence in the assignment process, everyone quickly bowed to express their gratitude.
"Heh, we're all family here, no need for such formalities," Ji Shaoli said with a wave of his hand.
"However..."
His tone then shifted. "Since all of you are about to leave the Cong Yun Sea..."
"...there are a few things I no longer need to conceal from you."
Everyone tensed, realizing the veil was about to be lifted from the mysterious Mutual Aid Association. They listened intently.
"The Congyun Mutual Aid Association is merely a small branch of the Xuanhuang Mutual Aid Association, operating here in the Cong Yun Sea."
"Our Association's influence extends across the entire Xuanhuang Realm. So even when you go to your new posts, you won't have to worry about losing the organization's support."
Everyone had long suspected as much.
After all, how could a small, regional organization possibly have known the examination questions in advance?
Ji Shaoli's gaze swept over the group. Seeing their calm reactions, he nodded in satisfaction.
"I should clarify, however, that the various provincial branches of the Association do have a certain competitive relationship. Since you all joined through me, your membership will remain affiliated with the Cong Yun Sea branch for the next ten years."
"For this reason, the leaders of other regions won't be contacting you for the time being. Until that ten-year period is over, I will remain your direct point of contact."
"It might seem a bit cumbersome, but it's a necessary measure to prevent unhealthy competition," Ji Shaoli explained slowly.
No one showed any surprise upon hearing this.
However, a Golden Core cultivator named Yu Hongjian finally couldn't hold back his curiosity. "Daoist Ji," he began, "I wonder, what was the true purpose for founding this Mutual Aid Association?"
"It can't really just be for mutual aid, can it?"
As he spoke, the same question surfaced in everyone's eyes.
"That's right. Since we joined, we've received nothing but help from the organization, but we've never been asked to contribute anything..."
"...It's rather unsettling," Yu Hongjian added quietly.
Ji Shaoli smiled faintly. "Rest assured. For now, you are all still too weak. Just focus on your cultivation."
"The day will come when the organization requires your service."
Even though Ji Shaoli himself was only at the Golden Core stage, no one present objected to his assessment that they were "too weak."
After all, they had all seen a cultivator who seemed to be a Dao Integration expert acting with the utmost respect in Ji Shaoli's presence.
Clearly, there was far more to Ji Shaoli than met the eye.
Similarly, Ji Shaoli's words seemed intended to reassure them.
But in truth, they only made them more uneasy.
Everyone knows there's no such thing as a free lunch.
The aid the Association had given them was so significant it was tantamount to granting them a new life.
For now, no tasks had been assigned.
But if the day ever came when the Association needed their "help"...
They exchanged almost imperceptible glances.
But it was too late now; there was no turning back.
They buried their unease deep within their hearts, not daring to let even a hint of it show.
Instead, they began discussing the potential scrutiny they might face upon assuming their new positions.
Time passed.
Within ten days, all five of them had taken their leave, heading to their respective provinces to assume their new duties.
For a while, Haixuan Island felt rather quiet.
Ji Shaoli, meanwhile, was reading a message with a look of surprise.
Zhong Shentong, the one he had been watching, had inexplicably broken through.
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