「 lián jiāo xiū yuǎn dōu zhè me shuō ， kàn lái zhè xiē wàn xiān méng de zhàn lüè wù zī ， shì zhēn de wú fǎ tōng guò cháng guī fāng shì cǎi gòu le 。」
「连焦修远都这么说，看来这些万仙盟的战略物资，是真的无法通过常规方式采购了。」
"Even Jiao Xiu Yuan said so, it seems these strategic resources of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance really can't be procured through conventional means."
lǐ fán xīn zhōng àn zì sī cǔn 。
李凡心中暗自思忖。
Li Fan pondered this in his heart.
tā hěn qīng chǔ ， xiàng chóng jiàn yī zhěng zuò fú kōng xiān chéng zhè yàng de dà gōng chéng ， shì bù kě néng zuò dào líng sǔn hào de 。
他很清楚，像重建一整座浮空仙城这样的大工程，是不可能做到零损耗的。
He was well aware that such a large-scale project as rebuilding an entire floating immortal city couldn’t possibly be done without any losses.
ér xiān chéng jiù xiàng yí gè jù dà ér jīng mì de yí qì ， shǎo le mǒu xiē guān jiàn bù jiàn hòu ， shuō bù dìng jiù wú fǎ zhèng cháng yùn zhuàn 。
而仙城就像一个巨大而精密的仪器，少了某些关键部件后，说不定就无法正常运转。
The immortal city was like a huge and intricate machine. Without certain key components, it might not function properly.
jiù suàn zì jǐ néng tōng guò mǒu zhǒng fāng shì zhē yǎn guò qù ， shì bì yě huì zāo dào nà xiē àn zhōng kuī sì zhī rén de jǔ bào 。
就算自己能通过某种方式遮掩过去，势必也会遭到那些暗中窥伺之人的举报。
Even if he could somehow cover up the shortfall, it would inevitably attract the attention of those who were secretly watching him.
「 jiě líng hái xū xì líng rén 。」 lǐ fán shuāng yǎn wēi mī 。
「解铃还须系铃人。」李凡双眼微眯。
"Unraveling this knot requires tying another one." Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.
zhè qún mù hòu zhī rén suàn jì zì jǐ ， wú fēi shì wèi chóu 、 wèi lì 。
这群幕后之人算计自己，无非是为仇、为利。
Thesebehind the scenes figures had plotted against him for revenge or gain. They didn’t want to let things spiral out of control and draw higher-level scrutiny.
tā men yě jué bù xiǎng bǎ shì qíng zuì zhōng nào dào wú fǎ shōu shí ， yǐn lái gèng gāo céng de tàn chá 。
他们也绝不想把事情最终闹到无法收拾，引来更高层的探查。
The reconstruction of Cunyun Immortal City would eventually be completed. This was the highest will from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, and no one could defy it.
cóng yún xiān chéng ， dào zuì hòu bì jiāng wán chéng chóng jiàn 。
丛云仙城，到最后必将完成重建。
But who would complete this work mattered a great deal for Li Fan and his followers.
zhè shì lái zì wàn xiān méng de zuì gāo yì zhì ， shuí yě wú fǎ wéi nì 。
这是来自万仙盟的最高意志，谁也无法违逆。
"The part of the supplies that were deducted must still be with Zhou Kebao and co."
zhì yú chóng jiàn gōng zuò zài shéi de shǒu zhōng wán chéng ， wàn xiān méng qí shí bìng bù zài hū 。
至于重建工作在谁的手中完成，万仙盟其实并不在乎。
"Now we just need to find a way to make them return what they took in."
dàn què shì guān lǐ fán yǐ jí zhè yī zhòng zhuī suí tā de xiū shì de wèi lái qián tú 。
但却事关李凡以及这一众追随他的修士的未来前途。
With these thoughts, Li Fan activated his Formless Killing Mechanism and focused on Zhou Kebao.
「 wù zī qīng dān zhōng bèi kè kòu de bù fèn ， yí dìng hái zài zhōu kè bǎo tā men nà lǐ 。」
「物资清单中被克扣的部分，一定还在周克宝他们那里。」
In a dimly lit room aboard the Dao Dust Boat, Zhou Kebao was pacing anxiously. In front of him, an indistinct light flickered continuously.
「 xiàn zài yào zuò de ， jiù shì xiǎng bàn fǎ ràng tā men bǎ tūn jìn qù de gěi tǔ chū lái 。」
「现在要做的，就是想办法让他们把吞进去的给吐出来。」
Soon, the light stopped moving, and several figures appeared within it.
niàn jí cǐ chù ， lǐ fán fā dòng wú xiāng shā jī ， shì jiǎo luò zài zhōu kè bǎo shēn shàng 。
念及此处，李凡发动无相杀机，视角落在周克宝身上。
"How did he respond? What did Dantai Can say?" Zhou Kebao asked urgently.
dù chén zhōu zhōng yī chù yīn àn de fáng jiān zhōng 。
渡尘舟中一处阴暗的房间中。
"The message has been sent, but there's no reply."
zhōu kè bǎo zhèng jiāo jí dì lái huí zǒu dòng ， zài tā miàn qián ， yī dào kàn bù qīng mú yàng de guāng yǐng bù duàn shǎn dòng 。
周克宝正焦急地来回走动，在他面前，一道看不清模样的光影不断闪动。
"Nor have I received any response."
bù jiǔ zhī hòu ， guāng yǐng tíng zhǐ yuè dòng ， jǐ dào rén yǐng chū xiàn qí zhōng 。
不久之后，光影停止跃动，几道人影出现其中。
"He outright rejected us!"
「 zěn me yàng ？ tán tái càn tā zěn me shuō ？」 zhōu kè bǎo jí qiè de wèn dào 。
「怎么样？澹台灿他怎么说？」周克宝急切的问道。
Different voices suddenly erupted.
「 xiāo xī fā guò qù le ， méi yǒu huí fù 。」
「消息发过去了，没有回复。」
Zhou Kebao’s face turned a deep liver color as he was furious. He wanted to curse out loud, but his lips trembled and he managed to hold back.
「 yě méi yǒu huí wǒ 。」
「也没有回我。」
After a moment of silence, another figure couldn’t resist asking: "What does Dantai Can mean by this?"
「 zhí jiē jù shōu le ！」
「直接拒收了！」
"Exactly! Before, he incited us, why would he suddenly change his mind and side with Li Fan?"
bù tóng de shēng yīn dùn shí xiǎng qǐ 。
不同的声音顿时响起。
"Enough! Stop arguing!" A deep, magnetic voice suddenly interrupted the commotion. This individual seemed to have a high authority, as everyone fell silent upon his command.
zhōu kè bǎo dùn shí liǎn zhǎng chéng le zhū gān sè ， qì de xiǎng yào zhí jiē mà niáng 。 bù guò zuǐ wēi wēi chàn dǒu ， zuì zhōng hái shì rěn zhù le 。
周克宝顿时脸涨成了猪肝色，气的想要直接骂娘。不过嘴微微颤抖，最终还是忍住了。
"At present, it seems we've fallen into Dantai Can's trap."
chén mò piàn kè zhī hòu ， duì miàn yī dào rén yǐng rěn bú zhù chū shēng xún wèn ：「 tā tán tái càn dào dǐ shén me yì si ？」
沉默片刻之后，对面一道人影忍不住出声询问：「他澹台灿到底什么意思？」
He analyzed calmly: "Firstly, he used Li Fan’s millions of contribution points as bait to lure us in."
「 shì a ， zhī qián tā hái suō shǐ wǒ men ne ， zěn me tū rán jiān gǎi zhǔ yì 、 zhàn zài lǐ fán nà biān le ？」
「是啊，之前他还唆使我们呢，怎么突然间改主意、站在李凡那边了？」
"After we spent considerable resources and established the so-called 'connections' he provided, trying to force Li Fan to comply,"
「 xíng le ！ dōu bié chǎo le ！」 zhòng rén yì lùn fēn fēn de shí hòu ， yī dào chōng mǎn cí xìng de sǎng yīn hū de chū shēng hē chì 。
「行了！都别吵了！」众人议论纷纷的时候，一道充满磁性的嗓音忽的出声呵斥。
"Then, at this moment, he turned against us..."
cǐ rén sì hū wēi xìn jí gāo ， tā yī fā huà ， qí yú xiū shì quán dōu ān jìng xià lái 。
此人似乎威信极高，他一发话，其余修士全都安静下来。
Zhou Kebao slammed his fist on the table. "This doesn’t make sense! What does Dantai Can gain from this? Although we can't compare ourselves with the Dantai family, united, we are not easily dealt with! Why would Dantai Can provoke so many enemies for no reason?"
「 mù qián lái kàn ， wǒ men sì hū zhe le nà tán tái càn de tào le 。」
「目前来看，我们似乎着了那澹台灿的套了。」
His words resonated with everyone’s thoughts, as they couldn’t understand Dantai Can's actions.
tā lěng jìng de fēn xī zhe ：「 xiān shì yǐ lǐ fán shēn shàng nà shù qiān wàn gòng xiàn dù wèi yòu ěr ， yǐn wǒ men shàng gōu 。」
他冷静的分析着：「先是以李凡身上那数千万贡献度为诱饵，引我们上钩。」
"Perhaps, Dantai Can isn't trying to oppose us; he wants to completely subdue us!" At this moment, another figure spoke up.
「 děng wǒ men hào fèi bù shǎo qián cái ， dǎ tōng le tā tí gōng de suǒ wèi 【 mén lù 】， xiǎng yào bī pò lǐ fán jiù fàn zhī hòu 。」
「等我们耗费不少钱财，打通了他提供的所谓【门路】，想要逼迫李凡就范之后。」
"I've heard that due to the recent incident involving True Leaf Puqian, Dantai Can was criticized by Immortal Master Li. His position in his family has been precarious recently. Even some of his advisors have switched sides and joined other branches of the Dantai family."
「 tā zhè shí zài fǎn gē yī jī ……」
「他这时再反戈一击……」
"He must be trying every means possible to consolidate his own position, which is why he targeted us."
zhōu kè bǎo měng dì yī pāi zhuō zi ：「 zhè shuō bù tōng a ！ tán tái càn tā tú shén me ne ？ wǒ men zhè xiē rén ， suī rán bù néng gēn tā tán tái jiā xiāng tí bìng lùn ， dàn tuán jié qǐ lái ， yě bú shì hǎo rě de ！ tán tái càn píng bái wú gù 、 wèi hé yào shù rú cǐ duō zhī dí ？」
周克宝勐地一拍桌子：「这说不通啊！澹台灿他图什么呢？我们这些人，虽然不能跟他澹台家相提并论，但团结起来，也不是好惹的！澹台灿平白无故、为何要树如此多之敌？」
This statement prompted everyone to think deeply.
cǐ yán yǐn dé zhòng rén fēn fēn fù hè ， xiǎn rán duì yú tán tái càn de jǔ dòng ， zhe shí wú fǎ lǐ jiě 。
此言引得众人纷纷附和，显然对于澹台灿的举动，着实无法理解。
"Exactly! Now it seems his plan is working. We are in a difficult situation now! Our attempt to pressure Li Fan with Cunyun Immortal City's construction schedule has failed. Dantai Can and Li Fan are colluding; the materials we withheld, he should have plenty of."
「 shuō bù dìng ， tán tái càn bú shì xiǎng gēn wǒ men dí duì ， ér shì xiǎng chè dǐ shōu fú wǒ men ！」 jiù zài zhè shí ， yī dào rén yǐng hū de shuō dào 。
「说不定，澹台灿不是想跟我们敌对，而是想彻底收服我们！」就在这时，一道人影忽的说道。
"[Formless Heavenly Lock], [Celestial Xuan Shattered Crystal], [Transformed Ancient Wood]..."
「 wǒ tīng shuō ， yīn wèi bù jiǔ qián pǔ xián zhēn yè shì jiàn ， tán tái càn shòu dào le lí ruò xiān zūn de diǎn míng pī píng 。 zhè duàn shí jiān ， tā zài jiā zú zhōng de dì wèi jí wéi bù miào 。 shèn zhì yuán běn tā de yī xiē mù liáo ， yě yǒu bù shǎo zhuǎn tóu tán tái jiā de qí tā zǐ dì 。」
「我听说，因为不久前普闲真叶事件，澹台灿受到了璃渃仙尊的点名批评。这段时间，他在家族中的地位极为不妙。甚至原本他的一些幕僚，也有不少转投澹台家的其他子弟。」
"All these items are strictly prohibited from personal possession. We can hide them for a short while, but if they're discovered..." Zhou Kebao shuddered.
「 tā dìng rán huì xiǎng jǐn gè zhǒng fāng fǎ ， gǒng gù zì shēn dì wèi 。 suǒ yǐ ， tā cái dīng shàng le wǒ men 。」
「他定然会想尽各种方法，巩固自身地位。所以，他才盯上了我们。」
"We wanted to sell them, but what use do we have for such things besides building the immortal city?"
cǐ yán yī chū ， yǐn dé zhòng rén níng shén sī kǎo 。
此言一出，引得众人凝神思考。
"Now that there's no other floating cities under construction in the world except Cunyun Sea."
「 bù cuò ！ xiàn zài kàn lái ， tā de jì cè hěn chéng gōng 。 wǒ men rú jīn yǐ jīng qí hǔ nán xià le ！ xiǎng yào yǐ cóng yún xiān chéng de gōng qī wēi bī lǐ fán de jì huà ， xiǎn rán yǐ jīng pào tāng le 。 lǐ fán hé tán tái càn hàng xiè yī qì ， wǒ men nà xiē kè kòu de cái liào ， tā yīng gāi gēn běn bù quē 。」
「不错！现在看来，他的计策很成功。我们如今已经骑虎难下了！想要以丛云仙城的工期威逼李凡的计划，显然已经泡汤了。李凡和澹台灿沆瀣一气，我们那些克扣的材料，他应该根本不缺。」
"Dantai Can is truly despicable! He will likely come to threaten us soon!"
「【 chuán
「【传
"Shh, it’s very possible. After all, both withholding construction materials and covert bribery are shady matters."
fǎ líng hái 】、【 tiān xuán suì jīng 】、【 huà yōu gǔ mù 】……」
法灵骸】、【天玄碎晶】、【化幽古木】……」
The more they discussed, the more agitated they became.
「 zhè xiē dōng xī kě dōu shì yán jìn gè rén sī cáng de 。 wǒ men duǎn shí jiān nèi wǔ zài shǒu lǐ hái méi shén me wèn tí ， ruò yì zhí yòng bù chū qù ， yào shì bèi chá dào de huà ……」 zhōu kè bǎo bù jīn dǎ le gè duō suo 。
「这些东西可都是严禁个人私藏的。我们短时间内捂在手里还没什么问题，若一直用不出去，要是被查到的话……」周克宝不禁打了个哆嗦。
Still, that authoritative voice soothed them down.
「 wǒ men dǎo shì xiǎng mài ， kě zhè xiē wán yì ， chú le jiàn zào xiān chéng ， yě méi qí tā yòng chǔ a ！」
「我们倒是想卖，可这些玩意，除了建造仙城，也没其他用处啊！」
"Don’t panic; things aren't as bad as we think."
「 rú jīn tiān dǐ xià chú le cóng yún hǎi ， nǎ hái yǒu zhèng zài shī gōng de xuán kōng chéng 。」
「如今天底下除了丛云海，哪还有正在施工的悬空城。」
"All this is just our speculation, possibly just scaring ourselves."
「 tán tái càn xiǎo ér ， guǒ rán bēi bǐ ！ kǒng pà bù jiǔ zhī hòu ， tā jiù huì shàng mén wēi xié le ！」
「澹台灿小儿，果然卑鄙！恐怕不久之后，他就会上门威胁了！」
"Since we can't contact Dantai Can, let's first probe Li Fan. See what’s really going on."
「 sī ， hěn yǒu kě néng 。 bì jìng wú lùn shì kè kòu jiàn chéng cái liào 、 hái shì àn zhōng xíng huì ， dōu shì jiàn bù dé guāng de shì qíng 。」
「嘶，很有可能。毕竟无论是克扣建城材料、还是暗中行贿，都是见不得光的事情。」
Zhou Kebao nodded in agreement.
yuè tǎo lùn ， zhòng rén jiù yuè shì fán zào 。
越讨论，众人就越是烦躁。
"Although he’s an ancient cultivator, he’s quite mysterious. With his Golden Core cultivation, he can stir up storms and connect with many veteran Spirit Transformation cultivators; we shouldn’t take him lightly," the other said.
hái shì nà wēi yán zhī shēng ， ān fǔ le zhòng rén 。
还是那威严之声，安抚了众人。
"Friend Dragon, please rest assured, I will be cautious." Zhou Kebao readily agreed.
「 bú yào zì luàn zhèn jiǎo ， qíng kuàng hái méi wǒ men xiǎng de nà me zāo 。」
「不要自乱阵脚，情况还没我们想的那么糟。」
The light gradually dissipated as Li Fan withdrew his gaze.
「 yī qiè dōu zhǐ shì wǒ men de cāi cè ér yǐ ， yǒu kě néng zhǐ shì wǒ men zì jǐ zài xià hǔ zì jǐ 。」
「一切都只是我们的猜测而已，有可能只是我们自己在吓唬自己。」
"Turns out they’re just a bunch of loose cannons." He chuckled.
「 zhè yàng ， tán tái càn nà biān jì rán lián xì bù shàng ， jiù xiān cóng lǐ fán nà biān dǎ tàn dǎ tàn kǒu fēng 。 kàn kàn dào dǐ shén me qíng kuàng 。」
「这样，澹台灿那边既然联系不上，就先从李凡那边打探打探口风。看看到底什么情况。」
He carefully pondered how to peel off some layers from these people.
zhōu kè bǎo wén yán ， diǎn le diǎn tóu 。
周克宝闻言，点了点头。
-----------------
「 cǐ rén suī shì shàng gǔ xiū shì ， dàn shì pǒ wèi shén mì 。 jīn dān xiū wèi ， biàn néng jiǎo dòng fēng yǔ ， gēn xǔ duō lǎo pái huà shén chě shàng guān xì ， bù kě dà yì 。」 nà rén dīng zhǔ dào 。
「此人虽是上古修士，但是颇为神秘。金丹修为，便能搅动风雨，跟许多老牌化神扯上关系，不可大意。」那人叮嘱道。
Zhou Kebao’s patience was somewhat beyond what Li Fan expected.
「 lóng dào yǒu qǐng fàng xīn ， wǒ zì xǐng de 。」 zhōu kè bǎo mǎn kǒu dā yìng 。
「龙道友请放心，我自省的。」周克宝满口答应。
As the reconstruction of Cunyun Immortal City progressed, and over ten support cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters arrived, he still didn’t test Li Fan.
guāng yǐng zhú jiàn sàn qù ， lǐ fán yě suí zhī shōu huí shì xiàn 。
光影逐渐散去，李凡也随之收回视线。
He just acted as if nothing had changed, greeting him normally every day.
「 yuán lái shì yī qún wū hé zhī zhòng 。」 tā shěn rán yī xiào 。
「原来是一群乌合之众。」他哂然一笑。
If not for the clear record in his mind of their conversations, Li Fan might have thought it was all a hallucination.
dāng xià zǐ xì sī kǎo zhe ， rú hé néng cóng zhè qún rén shēn shàng ， bā xià yī céng pí lái 。
当下仔细思考着，如何能从这群人身上，扒下一层皮来。
But Li Fan’s patience was also excellent.
-----------------
-----------------
"We don't need to rush. We can wait."
zhōu kè bǎo de nài xìng ， què shì yǒu diǎn chāo hū lǐ fán de yì liào 。
周克宝的耐性，却是有点超乎李凡的意料。
With over four months left before the completion deadline, Li Fan had no urgency.
dāng cóng yún xiān chéng de chóng jiàn gōng zuò hōng hōng liè liè zhǎn kāi ， lái zì wàn xiān méng zǒng bù de shí duō míng zhī yuán xiū shì yě lù xù dá dào zhī hòu ， tā què yī rán méi yǒu duì lǐ fán jì jìn xíng shì tàn 。
当丛云仙城的重建工作轰轰烈烈展开，来自万仙盟总部的十多名支援修士也陆续达到之后，他却依然没有对李凡记进行试探。
After replenishing some conventional supplies through Jiao Xiu Yuan, the basic construction of the immortal city proceeded without any delays.
zhǐ shì zhuāng zuò ruò wú qí shì de yàng zi ， měi tiān rú wǎng cháng yì bān ， hé lǐ fán dǎ zhe zhāo hū 。
只是装作若无其事的样子，每天如往常一般，和李凡打着招呼。
The long-distance teleportation array, Celestial Xuan Mirror, and Administrative Hall were to be built collectively at the end.
yào bú shì nǎo zi lǐ huà dào shí qīng qīng chǔ chǔ de jiāng tā men de duì huà rú shí jì lù xià lái ， lǐ fán dōu hái yǐ wéi zì jǐ suǒ jiàn de zhǐ shì yī cháng cuò jué 。
要不是脑子里化道石清清楚楚的将他们的对话如实记录下来，李凡都还以为自己所见的只是一场错觉。
Moreover, he still had a chance to make mistakes with his current resources.
dàn shì ， lǐ fán de nài xīn yě shì hěn hǎo 。
但是，李凡的耐心也是很好。
So Li Fan wasn’t in a hurry.
「 bù jí ， gēn tā shuǎ shuǎ 。」
「不急，跟他耍耍。」
Of course, while building Cunyun Immortal City, he didn't forget about the first Jing Lún's instructions.
lí xiān chéng wán chéng chóng jiàn de zuì hòu qī xiàn hái yǒu sì gè duō yuè de shí jiān ， lǐ fán dà kě děng dé 。
离仙城完成重建的最后期限还有四个多月的时间，李凡大可等得。
He installed the [Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array] within the foundation of the immortal city.
tōng guò jiāo xiū yuǎn ， jiāng yī xiē cháng guī wù zī bǔ qí zhī hòu 。
通过焦修远，将一些常规物资补齐之后。
Li Fan’s array techniques had already shown some progress. He had even personally participated in the construction of the [Celestial Xuan Locking Spirit Array], giving him a far broader perspective than ordinary cultivators.
xiān chéng de jī chǔ jiàn zào jìn dù ， zé shì yì diǎn dōu méi yǒu dān wù 。
仙城的基础建造进度，则是一点都没有耽误。
In the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Diagram, Li Fan clearly saw the shadow of the locking spirit array.
"Even Jiao Xiu Yuan said so, it seems these strategic resources of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance really can't be procured through conventional means."
Li Fan pondered this in his heart.
He was well aware that such a large-scale project as rebuilding an entire floating immortal city couldn’t possibly be done without any losses.
The immortal city was like a huge and intricate machine. Without certain key components, it might not function properly.
Even if he could somehow cover up the shortfall, it would inevitably attract the attention of those who were secretly watching him.
So...
"Unraveling this knot requires tying another one." Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Thesebehind the scenes figures had plotted against him for revenge or gain. They didn’t want to let things spiral out of control and draw higher-level scrutiny.
The reconstruction of Cunyun Immortal City would eventually be completed. This was the highest will from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, and no one could defy it.
But who would complete this work mattered a great deal for Li Fan and his followers.
"The part of the supplies that were deducted must still be with Zhou Kebao and co."
"Now we just need to find a way to make them return what they took in."
With these thoughts, Li Fan activated his Formless Killing Mechanism and focused on Zhou Kebao.
In a dimly lit room aboard the Dao Dust Boat, Zhou Kebao was pacing anxiously. In front of him, an indistinct light flickered continuously.
Soon, the light stopped moving, and several figures appeared within it.
"How did he respond? What did Dantai Can say?" Zhou Kebao asked urgently.
"The message has been sent, but there's no reply."
"Nor have I received any response."
"He outright rejected us!"
Different voices suddenly erupted.
Zhou Kebao’s face turned a deep liver color as he was furious. He wanted to curse out loud, but his lips trembled and he managed to hold back.
After a moment of silence, another figure couldn’t resist asking: "What does Dantai Can mean by this?"
"Exactly! Before, he incited us, why would he suddenly change his mind and side with Li Fan?"
"Enough! Stop arguing!" A deep, magnetic voice suddenly interrupted the commotion. This individual seemed to have a high authority, as everyone fell silent upon his command.
"At present, it seems we've fallen into Dantai Can's trap."
He analyzed calmly: "Firstly, he used Li Fan’s millions of contribution points as bait to lure us in."
"After we spent considerable resources and established the so-called 'connections' he provided, trying to force Li Fan to comply,"
"Then, at this moment, he turned against us..."
Zhou Kebao slammed his fist on the table. "This doesn’t make sense! What does Dantai Can gain from this? Although we can't compare ourselves with the Dantai family, united, we are not easily dealt with! Why would Dantai Can provoke so many enemies for no reason?"
His words resonated with everyone’s thoughts, as they couldn’t understand Dantai Can's actions.
"Perhaps, Dantai Can isn't trying to oppose us; he wants to completely subdue us!" At this moment, another figure spoke up.
"I've heard that due to the recent incident involving True Leaf Puqian, Dantai Can was criticized by Immortal Master Li. His position in his family has been precarious recently. Even some of his advisors have switched sides and joined other branches of the Dantai family."
"He must be trying every means possible to consolidate his own position, which is why he targeted us."
This statement prompted everyone to think deeply.
"Exactly! Now it seems his plan is working. We are in a difficult situation now! Our attempt to pressure Li Fan with Cunyun Immortal City's construction schedule has failed. Dantai Can and Li Fan are colluding; the materials we withheld, he should have plenty of."
"[Formless Heavenly Lock], [Celestial Xuan Shattered Crystal], [Transformed Ancient Wood]..."
"All these items are strictly prohibited from personal possession. We can hide them for a short while, but if they're discovered..." Zhou Kebao shuddered.
"We wanted to sell them, but what use do we have for such things besides building the immortal city?"
"Now that there's no other floating cities under construction in the world except Cunyun Sea."
"Dantai Can is truly despicable! He will likely come to threaten us soon!"
"Shh, it’s very possible. After all, both withholding construction materials and covert bribery are shady matters."
The more they discussed, the more agitated they became.
Still, that authoritative voice soothed them down.
"Don’t panic; things aren't as bad as we think."
"All this is just our speculation, possibly just scaring ourselves."
"Since we can't contact Dantai Can, let's first probe Li Fan. See what’s really going on."
Zhou Kebao nodded in agreement.
"Although he’s an ancient cultivator, he’s quite mysterious. With his Golden Core cultivation, he can stir up storms and connect with many veteran Spirit Transformation cultivators; we shouldn’t take him lightly," the other said.
"Friend Dragon, please rest assured, I will be cautious." Zhou Kebao readily agreed.
The light gradually dissipated as Li Fan withdrew his gaze.
"Turns out they’re just a bunch of loose cannons." He chuckled.
He carefully pondered how to peel off some layers from these people.
-----------------
Zhou Kebao’s patience was somewhat beyond what Li Fan expected.
As the reconstruction of Cunyun Immortal City progressed, and over ten support cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters arrived, he still didn’t test Li Fan.
He just acted as if nothing had changed, greeting him normally every day.
If not for the clear record in his mind of their conversations, Li Fan might have thought it was all a hallucination.
But Li Fan’s patience was also excellent.
"We don't need to rush. We can wait."
With over four months left before the completion deadline, Li Fan had no urgency.
After replenishing some conventional supplies through Jiao Xiu Yuan, the basic construction of the immortal city proceeded without any delays.
The long-distance teleportation array, Celestial Xuan Mirror, and Administrative Hall were to be built collectively at the end.
Moreover, he still had a chance to make mistakes with his current resources.
So Li Fan wasn’t in a hurry.
Of course, while building Cunyun Immortal City, he didn't forget about the first Jing Lún's instructions.
He installed the [Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array] within the foundation of the immortal city.
Li Fan’s array techniques had already shown some progress. He had even personally participated in the construction of the [Celestial Xuan Locking Spirit Array], giving him a far broader perspective than ordinary cultivators.
In the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Diagram, Li Fan clearly saw the shadow of the locking spirit array.