yī zhī yòu yī zhī tàn xiǎn duì wǔ ， kāi shǐ yán zhe yí jì fēi xíng de fāng xiàng ， sōu xún qǐ tā de xià luò 。
一支又一支探险队伍，开始沿着遗迹飞行的方向，搜寻起它的下落。
Exploration teams began to search for the relic's location, following its flight path.
lǐ fán zé shì zài tiān xuán jìng zhōng zhé fú bù dòng ， jìng dài jié guǒ 。
李凡则是在天玄镜中蛰伏不动，静待结果。
Li Fan remained motionless within the Heavenly Dao Mirror, awaiting news.
sān gè yuè hòu ， yí jì de tàn suǒ huán méi yǒu tè bié de jìn zhǎn 。
三个月后，遗迹的探索还没有特别的进展。
Three months passed with no significant progress in exploring the relic. However, Hao Zhenghao sent an excited message first: "Friend Li Fan, good news!" "After some maneuvering, I've secured three possible positions, each in a different state."
hé zhèng hào què qiǎng xiān xīng fèn de fā lái xiāo xī 。
何正浩却抢先兴奋的发来消息。
Li Fan replied immediately, "Oh? Tell me about it."
“ lǐ fán dào yǒu ， hǎo xiāo xī 。”
“李凡道友，好消息。”
"The first is the leader of the Performance Hall in Taihua State." "Taihua State isn't far from Cunyun Sea. It's known for its Taihua Mountains that span the entire region, often called the Mountain Back State." "With countless peaks, my cultivation speed would be much faster here compared to Cunyun Sea."
“ jīng guò wǒ yī fān yùn zuò ， zhēng qǔ dào le sān gè kě néng zhí wèi ， fēn bié wèi yú bù tóng de zhōu 。”
“经过我一番运作，争取到了三个可能职位，分别位于不同的州。”
"The second is a counselor at the Strategy Hall in Qingwei State." "Qingwei State lies south of Tianyu State. Although it's still far away, it's significantly closer than Cunyun Sea."
“ dào yǒu nǐ bāng wǒ cān móu cān móu 。”
“道友你帮我参谋参谋。”
"The third is the governor of Tianyun State," Hao Zhenghao continued, "which isn't too far from Tianyu State. Therefore, competition for this position is fierce." "It’s merely a city governorship at best, but it’s close to the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and easier to advance."
lǐ fán dāng jí huí fù :“ ó ？ shuō lái tīng tīng 。”
李凡当即回复:“哦？说来听听。”
Hao Zhenghao slowly revealed his recent efforts: "Tianyun State..."
“ dì yí gè ， tài huá zhōu yǎn wǔ táng lǐng duì 。”
“第一个，太华州演武堂领队。”
Li Fan pondered briefly before replying, "Let's not rush into a decision. I have acquaintances in Tianyun State who can help you gather more information."
“ tài huá zhōu jù lí cóng yún hǎi bù yuǎn ， zhōu nèi yī tiáo tài huà shān mài ， héng guàn quán jìng ， yòu bèi chēng wéi shān bèi shàng de zhōu 。”
“太华州距离丛云海不远，州内一条太华山脉，横贯全境，又被称为山背上的州。”
Hearing this, Hao Zhenghao was taken aback. "Friend, do you even have connections in Tianyun State?"
“ shān fēng lín lì ， bù zhī fán jǐ 。 wǒ qù cǐ zhōu ， xiū liàn sù dù bǐ qǐ zài cóng yún hǎi ， hái yào kuài shàng xǔ duō 。”
“山峰林立，不知凡几。我去此州，修炼速度比起在丛云海，还要快上许多。”
"Ha ha, no guarantees. Let’s give it a try; wait for my news," Li Fan said calmly.
“ dì èr gè ， qīng wēi zhōu cè zhèn táng cān shì 。”
“第二个，清微州策阵堂参事。”
Hao Zhenghao agreed eagerly.
“ qīng wēi zhōu zài tiān yǔ zhōu nán fāng ， suī shuō yī rán jù lí hěn yuǎn ， dàn hé cóng yún hǎi xiāng bǐ ， nà shì jìn shàng tài duō 。”
“清微州在天禹州南方，虽说依然距离很远，但和丛云海相比，那是近上太多。”
Li Fan contacted Dao Xuanzi and explained the situation: "Senior, any leads?"
“ dì sān gè ， tiān yùn zhōu zhèn shǒu 。”
“第三个，天运州镇守。”
Dao Xuanzi simply replied, "I’ll ask around."
“ zhè tiān yùn zhōu zài tiān yǔ zhōu xī bù bù yuǎn 。 gù ér zhí wèi jìng zhēng shí fēn jī liè 。”
“这天运州在天禹州西部不远。故而职位竞争十分激烈。”
There was no further response.
“ diào dòng guò qù yě jǐn jǐn shì gè píng jí de chéng shì zhèn shǒu zhí wèi 。”
“调动过去也仅仅是个平级的城市镇守职位。”
Li Fan remained patient, waiting.
“ hǎo chù shì lí wàn xiān méng zǒng bù jiào jìn ， shēng qiān yě bǐ qí tā dì fāng róng yì yī xiē 。”
“好处是离万仙盟总部较近，升迁也比其他地方容易一些。”
After a while, a cultivator named Jingxuan Dao Ren requested to add Li Fan as a friend. He also came from Tianyun State.
hé zhèng hào huǎn huǎn jiāng zì jǐ zhè duàn shí jiān de nǔ lì jié guǒ dào chū 。
何正浩缓缓将自己这段时间的努力结果道出。
Li Fan’s heart stirred; he quickly accepted the request.
“ tiān yùn zhōu ……”
“天运州……”
Jingxuan's hearty voice rang through: "Haha, is it Li Fan Junior Friend? I heard from the Oracle that you have a friend who wants to take up a position in our Tianyun State?"
lǐ fán chén yín piàn kè ， huí fù dào :“ xiān bù zháo jí zuò jué dìng 。 wǒ zài tiān yùn zhōu yǒu shú shí de xiū shì ， bāng nǐ dǎ tàn dǎ tàn ， kàn shì fǒu néng gèng jìn yí bù 。”
李凡沉吟片刻，回复道:“先不着急做决定。我在天运州有熟识的修士，帮你打探打探，看是否能更进一步。”
"Four-element Golden Core, zzzz, impressive," Jingxuan said. "How about asking him if he’s interested in joining our Garrison Office?"
hé zhèng hào wén yán shí fēn chī jīng :“ dào yǒu jū rán zài tiān yùn zhōu dōu yǒu guān xì ？”
何正浩闻言十分吃惊:“道友居然在天运州都有关系？”
"Haha, due to the aftermath of last year's battle, there are still some vacant positions that haven’t been filled."
“ hē hē ， bù gǎn bǎo zhèng 。 gū qiě yī shì ， dào yǒu děng wǒ xiāo xī 。” lǐ fán dàn dàn dào 。
“呵呵，不敢保证。姑且一试，道友等我消息。”李凡澹澹道。
Li Fan was momentarily stunned and asked, "Senior Jingxuan, what exactly is the Garrison Office?"
hé zhèng hào lián shēng chēng shì 。
何正浩连声称是。
Jingxuan was taken aback. He hadn't expected Li Fan not to know about it.
yú shì lǐ fán lián xì shàng shén yù zi ， shuō míng le cǐ zhōng qíng kuàng 。
于是李凡联系上神谕子，说明了此中情况。
However, he quickly realized Li Fan’s remote origins and explained, "The Garrison Office is a unique organization within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
“ qián bèi kě yǒu mén lù ？”
“前辈可有门路？”
"Directly responsible to the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, its main duty is to suppress minor threats and safeguard the core region's stability. In emergencies, it can be deployed elsewhere for combat."
shén yù zi zhǐ shì huí le jù :“ wǒ bāng nǐ wèn wèn 。”
神谕子只是回了句:“我帮你问问。”
Jingxuan’s explanation made Li Fan understand that it was similar to the garrison camp outside Xiancheng City in Daxuan State.
jiù zài wú fǎn yìng 。
就再无反应。
"It should be a significant position," he thought. "But it might require frequent battles. I wonder if Hao Zhenghao would agree."
lǐ fán yě bù zháo jí ， nài xīn děng dài 。
李凡也不着急，耐心等待。
Li Fan pondered for a moment, then contacted Jingxuan and relayed the situation to Hao Zhenghao: "Garrison Office?" Hao Zhenghao was genuinely surprised.
bàn tiān zhī hòu ， yī wèi jiào zuò jīng xuán dào rén de xiū shì ， qǐng qiú tiān jiā lǐ fán wèi hǎo yǒu 。
半天之后，一位叫做京玄道人的修士，请求添加李凡为好友。
He had been in Tianyu State before and knew what the Garrison Office entailed—just like the Guardian Hall, it reported directly to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters.
tóng yàng lái zì tiān yùn zhōu 。
同样来自天运州。
Generally, members of the Garrison Office were a half-level higher than local cultivators.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yī dòng ， lián máng tōng guò 。
李凡心中一动，连忙通过。
"Friend Li Fan truly has deep connections; he managed to secure this position," Hao Zhenghao thought. "Though dangerous, it might be worth it."
jīng xuán háo shuǎng de shēng yīn chuán lái 。
京玄豪爽的声音传来。
A vision of a beautiful woman flashed in his mind. He gritted his teeth and agreed.
“ hā hā hā ， shì lǐ fán xiǎo yǒu ba ？ cóng shén yù nà tīng shuō ， nǐ yǒu hǎo yǒu xiǎng yào lái wǒ men tiān yùn zhōu rèn zhí ？”
“哈哈哈，是李凡小友吧？从神谕那听说，你有好友想要来我们天运州任职？”
After learning of Hao Zhenghao’s decision, Li Fan replied to Jingxuan: "Sure!" Jingxuan was pleased.
“ sì fǎ jīn dān ， zé zé ， hòu shēng kě wèi a 。”
“四法金丹，啧啧，后生可畏啊。”
"Tell your friend to come to Tianyun State as a governor first," he said. "Once he has three years' experience, I’ll use my connections to transfer him into the Garrison Office."
“ zhè yàng ， nǐ wèn tā yǒu méi yǒu xìng qù lái wǒ men tiān yùn zhōu wèi shù yuàn ？”
“这样，你问他有没有兴趣来我们天运州卫戍院？”
Jingxuan then carefully outlined some注意事项 before ending their communication. Li Fan relayed this to Hao Zhenghao word for word.
“ hē hē ， yīn wèi qián jǐ nián de nà chǎng dà zhàn ， hái yǒu yī xiē kòng quē de wèi zhì ， yì zhí méi yǒu bǔ shàng 。”
“呵呵，因为前几年的那场大战，还有一些空缺的位置，一直没有补上。”
After listening intently, Hao Zhenghao hurried off to plan his future.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng wēi wēi yí zhèng ， bù yóu dì wèn dào :“ jīng xuán qián bèi ， bù zhī zhè wèi shù yuàn ……”
李凡心中微微一怔，不由地问道:“京玄前辈，不知这卫戍院……”
With the matter settled, Li Fan thought about it and transferred 100,000 contribution points each to Dao Xuanzi and Jingxuan as a token of appreciation. He charged Hao Zhenghao for these expenses.
jīng xuán yě shì lèng zhù le 。
京玄也是愣住了。
...
méi xiǎng dào lǐ fán jū rán lián wèi shù yuàn shì shén me dōu bù zhī dào 。
没想到李凡居然连卫戍院是什么都不知道。
In Tianyun State, receiving the contribution points, Dao Xuanzi was momentarily surprised before laughing.
bù guò suí jí xiǎng dào lǐ fán chū shēn piān yuǎn ， huǎng rán míng bái ， jiě shì dào :“ wèi shù yuàn nǎi shì wàn xiān méng fù dì tè yǒu de zǔ zhī 。”
不过随即想到李凡出身偏远，恍然明白，解释道:“卫戍院乃是万仙盟腹地特有的组织。”
Jingxuan immediately sent a message: "Old Trickster, did you receive Li Xiao’s contribution transfer? 100,000 contribution points! I remember he’s only at the Foundation Establishment stage. What a generous gesture!"
“ zhí jiē duì wàn xiān méng zǒng bù fù zé ， zhǔ yào zhí zé jiù shì zhèn shā xiāo xiǎo ， shǒu wèi fù dì ān dìng 。”
“直接对万仙盟总部负责，主要职责就是镇杀宵小，守卫腹地安定。”
Dao Xuanzi replied with a smile, "At least it's more generous than when we were Foundation Establishment."
“ bì yào shí kè ， hái huì tīng cóng jǐn jí diào lìng ， qián wǎng qí tā zhōu zuò zhàn 。”
“必要时刻，还会听从紧急调令，前往其他州作战。”
"I merely passed on a message and got the same reward as you. Jingxuan, are you upset?"
jīng xuán zhè me yī shuō ， lǐ fán jiù míng bái le 。
京玄这么一说，李凡就明白了。
Jingxuan laughed heartily: "Hahaha, equal treatment for all, this little kid is interesting."
shí zhì shàng gēn zài dà xuán shí ， nà zhī zhù shǒu zài xuán jīng chéng wài ， zhǐ tīng lǐ fán mìng lìng 、 shǒu wèi jīng chéng ān quán de shù wèi yíng ， shì yí gè yì si 。
实质上跟在大玄时，那支驻守在玄京城外，只听李凡命令、守卫京城安全的戍卫营，是一个意思。
"Good, good. I think he’s much better than Elder Guangwu."
“ yīng gāi suàn de shàng shì gè yào zhí 。”
“应该算的上是个要职。”
"Receiving benefits, use your mind. Don’t mess things up. If it ruins my reputation, hah..."
“ bù guò sì hū yào jīng cháng zhàn dòu 。 bù zhī yǐ rú jīn hé zhèng hào de xìng zi ， kěn bù kěn dā yìng 。”
“不过似乎要经常战斗。不知以如今何正浩的性子，肯不肯答应。”
"Messing up? Who do you think I’m talking about?" Jingxuan snorted and went silent.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng sī cǔn piàn kè ， gēn jīng xuán dǎ le shēng zhāo hū ， yòu lián xì shàng le hé zhèng hào ， jiāng qíng kuàng shuō míng 。
李凡心中思忖片刻，跟京玄打了声招呼，又联系上了何正浩，将情况说明。
...
“ wèi shù yuàn ？” zhè xià hé zhèng hào zhēn de yǒu xiē zhèn jīng le 。
“卫戍院？”这下何正浩真的有些震惊了。
Time passed, and three months later, Hao Zhenghao received his assignment order: Governor of Guangan Town in Tianyun State.
tā nián qīng shí kě shì zài tiān yǔ zhōu dài guò yī zhèn shí jiān de ， dāng rán míng bái wèi shù yuàn shì shén me 。
他年轻时可是在天禹州待过一阵时间的，当然明白卫戍院是什么。
The total cost was 80,000 contribution points, borrowed from Li Fan.
hé hù fǎ táng yī yàng ， dōu shì zhí jiē tīng mìng yú wàn xiān méng zǒng bù de jī gòu 。
和护法堂一样，都是直接听命于万仙盟总部的机构。
Hao Zhenghao, with no financial worries, took the loan without hesitation.
yì bān lái shuō ， wèi shù yuàn chéng yuán ， bǐ běn dì qí tā bù mén xiū shì ， dì wèi yào gāo shàng bàn jí 。
一般来说，卫戍院成员，比本地其他部门修士，地位要高上半级。
Li Fan was generous and lent him as much as needed.
zhǐ zài hù fǎ táng zhī xià 。
只在护法堂之下。
Before leaving, Hao Zhenghao vowed that once he settled in Tianyun State, he would try to get Li Fan transferred there too.
“ lǐ fán dào yǒu dàng zhēn shì shēn bù kě cè a ， jū rán néng móu qiú dào zhè ge zhí wèi 。”
“李凡道友当真是深不可测啊，居然能谋求到这个职位。”
Li Fan merely patted Hao Zhenghao on the shoulder before he left.
“ suī shuō yǒu diǎn wēi xiǎn ， dàn shì ……”
“虽说有点危险，但是……”
After Hao Zhenghao’s departure, Li Fan spent his days secluded within the Heavenly Dao Mirror, not venturing out, focusing on cultivation.
hé zhèng hào nǎo hǎi zhōng shà shí fú xiàn guò yī dào qiàn yǐng 。
何正浩脑海中霎时浮现过一道倩影。
Soon, it was time for the 23rd year anchor point.
dāng jí yǎo yǎo yá ， dā yìng xià lái 。
当即咬咬牙，答应下来。
The rising relic had finally been found, located in a thousand-mile swamp at the center of Jiushan State.
lǐ fán zhī xiǎo le hé zhèng hào de jué yì hòu ， yě huí fù le jīng xuán dào rén 。
李凡知晓了何正浩的决意后，也回复了京玄道人。
Upon exploration, its origins were revealed: an ancient Immortal Sect called Chaoyuan Sect.
“ hǎo ！” jīng xuán hěn shì gāo xìng 。
“好！”京玄很是高兴。
Though not as famous as Tai Shang or Da Dao sects, it was still a prominent and well-known sect before the Great Calamity.
“ nǐ ràng nǐ nà wèi yǒu rén ， xiān dào wǒ men tiān yùn zhōu lái ， dāng yī míng zhèn shǒu 。”
“你让你那位友人，先到我们天运州来，当一名镇守。”
Based on previous experience with exploring sect ruins, there would be abundant treasures inside.
“ gàn mǎn sān nián ， zǎn xiē zī lì ， wǒ jiù huì fā dòng guān xì ， bǎ tā diào rù jìn wèi shù yuàn 。”
“干满三年，攒些资历，我就会发动关系，把他调入进卫戍院。”
The news attracted many cultivators to Jiushan State for exploration, making the already chaotic state even more unstable.
jiē xià lái ， jīng xuán yòu zǐ xì jiāo dài le yī xiē zhù yì shì xiàng ， zhī hòu cái duàn kāi tōng xùn 。
接下来，京玄又仔细交代了一些注意事项，之后才断开通讯。
Even members of the Five Elders Association, after simple disguises, boldly entered to explore the relic, showing their audacity.
lǐ fán yòu yī zì bù luò de zhuǎn dá gěi hé zhèng hào 。
李凡又一字不落的转达给何正浩。
This revealed the weak control the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had over Jiushan State.
hé zhèng hào rèn zhēn tīng wán zhī hòu ， yòu jí cōng cōng wèi zì jǐ qián tú máng lù qù le 。
何正浩认真听完之后，又急匆匆为自己前途忙碌去了。
The alliance hadn’t intended to intervene much in normal exploration, but a message arrived that enraged them: Luo Xi, an Immortal Transformation cultivator from the Five Elders Association, explored the relic openly and arrogantly.
ān jìng xià lái de lǐ fán xiǎng le xiǎng ， suī rán shì qíng hái méi bàn chéng 。
安静下来的李凡想了想，虽然事情还没办成。
He not only revealed his Five Elders Association identity but also injured or killed many Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance explorers.
dàn hái shì gěi shén yù zi hé jīng xuán èr rén ， yī rén zhuǎn le shí wàn gòng xiàn dù guò qù 。
但还是给神谕子和京玄二人，一人转了十万贡献度过去。
After obtaining some treasure, he left with arrogance.
yǐ biǎo xiè yì 。
以表谢意。
On my turf, such audacity? It was a slap in the face.
dāng rán ， shì bǎ zhè bǐ zhàng ， jì zài le hé zhèng hào tóu shàng 。
当然，是把这笔账，记在了何正浩头上。
However, doubts arose: such behavior suggested possible treachery.
……
……
Was the Five Elders Association planning another war?
tiān yùn zhōu 。
天运州。
Regardless, they couldn’t afford to lose face. The alliance quickly dispatched several Immortal Transformation cultivators to Jiushan State as reinforcements and issued a stern warning: no Five Elders Association members were allowed in Jiushan State; any who dared would be killed.
Exploration teams began to search for the relic's location, following its flight path.
Li Fan remained motionless within the Heavenly Dao Mirror, awaiting news.
Three months passed with no significant progress in exploring the relic. However, Hao Zhenghao sent an excited message first: "Friend Li Fan, good news!" "After some maneuvering, I've secured three possible positions, each in a different state."
Li Fan replied immediately, "Oh? Tell me about it."
"The first is the leader of the Performance Hall in Taihua State." "Taihua State isn't far from Cunyun Sea. It's known for its Taihua Mountains that span the entire region, often called the Mountain Back State." "With countless peaks, my cultivation speed would be much faster here compared to Cunyun Sea."
"The second is a counselor at the Strategy Hall in Qingwei State." "Qingwei State lies south of Tianyu State. Although it's still far away, it's significantly closer than Cunyun Sea."
"The third is the governor of Tianyun State," Hao Zhenghao continued, "which isn't too far from Tianyu State. Therefore, competition for this position is fierce." "It’s merely a city governorship at best, but it’s close to the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and easier to advance."
Hao Zhenghao slowly revealed his recent efforts: "Tianyun State..."
Li Fan pondered briefly before replying, "Let's not rush into a decision. I have acquaintances in Tianyun State who can help you gather more information."
Hearing this, Hao Zhenghao was taken aback. "Friend, do you even have connections in Tianyun State?"
"Ha ha, no guarantees. Let’s give it a try; wait for my news," Li Fan said calmly.
Hao Zhenghao agreed eagerly.
Li Fan contacted Dao Xuanzi and explained the situation: "Senior, any leads?"
Dao Xuanzi simply replied, "I’ll ask around."
There was no further response.
Li Fan remained patient, waiting.
After a while, a cultivator named Jingxuan Dao Ren requested to add Li Fan as a friend. He also came from Tianyun State.
Li Fan’s heart stirred; he quickly accepted the request.
Jingxuan's hearty voice rang through: "Haha, is it Li Fan Junior Friend? I heard from the Oracle that you have a friend who wants to take up a position in our Tianyun State?"
"Four-element Golden Core, zzzz, impressive," Jingxuan said. "How about asking him if he’s interested in joining our Garrison Office?"
"Haha, due to the aftermath of last year's battle, there are still some vacant positions that haven’t been filled."
Li Fan was momentarily stunned and asked, "Senior Jingxuan, what exactly is the Garrison Office?"
Jingxuan was taken aback. He hadn't expected Li Fan not to know about it.
However, he quickly realized Li Fan’s remote origins and explained, "The Garrison Office is a unique organization within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
"Directly responsible to the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, its main duty is to suppress minor threats and safeguard the core region's stability. In emergencies, it can be deployed elsewhere for combat."
Jingxuan’s explanation made Li Fan understand that it was similar to the garrison camp outside Xiancheng City in Daxuan State.
"It should be a significant position," he thought. "But it might require frequent battles. I wonder if Hao Zhenghao would agree."
Li Fan pondered for a moment, then contacted Jingxuan and relayed the situation to Hao Zhenghao: "Garrison Office?" Hao Zhenghao was genuinely surprised.
He had been in Tianyu State before and knew what the Garrison Office entailed—just like the Guardian Hall, it reported directly to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters.
Generally, members of the Garrison Office were a half-level higher than local cultivators.
"Friend Li Fan truly has deep connections; he managed to secure this position," Hao Zhenghao thought. "Though dangerous, it might be worth it."
A vision of a beautiful woman flashed in his mind. He gritted his teeth and agreed.
After learning of Hao Zhenghao’s decision, Li Fan replied to Jingxuan: "Sure!" Jingxuan was pleased.
"Tell your friend to come to Tianyun State as a governor first," he said. "Once he has three years' experience, I’ll use my connections to transfer him into the Garrison Office."
Jingxuan then carefully outlined some注意事项 before ending their communication. Li Fan relayed this to Hao Zhenghao word for word.
After listening intently, Hao Zhenghao hurried off to plan his future.
With the matter settled, Li Fan thought about it and transferred 100,000 contribution points each to Dao Xuanzi and Jingxuan as a token of appreciation. He charged Hao Zhenghao for these expenses.
...
In Tianyun State, receiving the contribution points, Dao Xuanzi was momentarily surprised before laughing.
Jingxuan immediately sent a message: "Old Trickster, did you receive Li Xiao’s contribution transfer? 100,000 contribution points! I remember he’s only at the Foundation Establishment stage. What a generous gesture!"
Dao Xuanzi replied with a smile, "At least it's more generous than when we were Foundation Establishment."
"I merely passed on a message and got the same reward as you. Jingxuan, are you upset?"
Jingxuan laughed heartily: "Hahaha, equal treatment for all, this little kid is interesting."
"Good, good. I think he’s much better than Elder Guangwu."
"Receiving benefits, use your mind. Don’t mess things up. If it ruins my reputation, hah..."
"Messing up? Who do you think I’m talking about?" Jingxuan snorted and went silent.
...
Time passed, and three months later, Hao Zhenghao received his assignment order: Governor of Guangan Town in Tianyun State.
The total cost was 80,000 contribution points, borrowed from Li Fan.
Hao Zhenghao, with no financial worries, took the loan without hesitation.
Li Fan was generous and lent him as much as needed.
Before leaving, Hao Zhenghao vowed that once he settled in Tianyun State, he would try to get Li Fan transferred there too.
Li Fan merely patted Hao Zhenghao on the shoulder before he left.
After Hao Zhenghao’s departure, Li Fan spent his days secluded within the Heavenly Dao Mirror, not venturing out, focusing on cultivation.
Soon, it was time for the 23rd year anchor point.
The rising relic had finally been found, located in a thousand-mile swamp at the center of Jiushan State.
Upon exploration, its origins were revealed: an ancient Immortal Sect called Chaoyuan Sect.
Though not as famous as Tai Shang or Da Dao sects, it was still a prominent and well-known sect before the Great Calamity.
Based on previous experience with exploring sect ruins, there would be abundant treasures inside.
The news attracted many cultivators to Jiushan State for exploration, making the already chaotic state even more unstable.
Even members of the Five Elders Association, after simple disguises, boldly entered to explore the relic, showing their audacity.
This revealed the weak control the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had over Jiushan State.
The alliance hadn’t intended to intervene much in normal exploration, but a message arrived that enraged them: Luo Xi, an Immortal Transformation cultivator from the Five Elders Association, explored the relic openly and arrogantly.
He not only revealed his Five Elders Association identity but also injured or killed many Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance explorers.
After obtaining some treasure, he left with arrogance.
On my turf, such audacity? It was a slap in the face.
However, doubts arose: such behavior suggested possible treachery.
Was the Five Elders Association planning another war?
Regardless, they couldn’t afford to lose face. The alliance quickly dispatched several Immortal Transformation cultivators to Jiushan State as reinforcements and issued a stern warning: no Five Elders Association members were allowed in Jiushan State; any who dared would be killed.