Chapter 23: Naturalization of Liuli Island

While Li Fan was deep in thought, a somewhat chubby young man approached him from not far away.

The young man slapped Li Fan's shoulder, acting quite familiar. "Brother, you look a bit unfamiliar. What official position do you hold in Dali? Or are you a wealthy merchant from some province?"

Li Fan slapped the young man's hand off his shoulder, then stared at him coldly, saying nothing.

The chubby young man immediately felt as if he was being stared at by a poisonous snake, and a chill ran down his spine.

Although he felt a bit ashamed to be intimidated by a single glance, the chubby young man was perceptive. Li Fan looked ordinary, but the subtle aura of authority, powerful without anger, clearly indicated he had long held a high position.

He was no simple person!

The chubby young man reached his conclusion in an instant, then discreetly left.

Seeing this, everyone realized Li Fan was not particularly approachable, so no one tried to strike up a conversation with him afterward.

Amidst the flickering lights, the voices of the crowd gradually faded, and one by one, everyone fell asleep.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, before dawn, everyone was awakened.

A middle-aged man with a long beard, dressed in a green robe, walked up to the crowd with his hands behind his back.

"Soon, I will take you to collect your household registration. Once you have it, you will officially become members of Liuli Island," the middle-aged man said coldly, looking around.

Hearing the middle-aged man's words, everyone showed signs of excitement.

"Remember, do not say what should not be said. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee your safety," the man added, narrowing his eyes.

Everyone knew that what they were doing was clandestine, so they all nodded in agreement.

Afterward, at the middle-aged man's instruction, Li Fan and the others all changed into ragged clothes.

They were then taught a standardized story.

"You are all residents of Dayu Island in the west. Because you suffered a wind disaster and your island was destroyed, you fled here. If anyone asks, that is what you say."

Everyone agreed without exception.

Then, led by the middle-aged man and under the watchful eyes of four or five burly men in black, the group followed a secret passage out of the grotto and emerged above ground.

They wound through the city's residential areas, taking numerous turns for an unknown duration, until they finally arrived in front of a mansion.

Li Fan noticed that although their group of dozens was quite large, most island residents merely glanced at them before losing interest, apparently accustomed to such sights.

They did not enter through the main gate of the mansion. Soon after a servant went in to announce their arrival, he returned and led the group through a side door on the left into a large hall.

The hall was quite spacious. Before Li Fan and the others arrived, two or three other groups, totaling over a hundred people, had already gathered there.

Even so, it didn't feel crowded.

The middle-aged man motioned for everyone to wait patiently.

Soon, it was Li Fan's group's turn.

"Steward Zhao!" the middle-aged man greeted.

"Are these the disaster victims who need to be registered?" Steward Zhao, who appeared to be fifty or sixty years old and somewhat aged, said with a half-smile after his unusually sharp gaze swept across the crowd. "Sun Zhang, these disaster victims are all either rich or noble!"

Sun Zhang remained unperturbed, merely sighing. "Indeed. They were all wealthy and influential families from Dayu Island before. Unfortunately, without the protection of the immortal masters, a natural disaster struck, and all their riches and glory became nothing but a bubble. Now, they have no choice but to travel thousands of miles to our Liuli Island for refuge."

With that, Sun Zhang subtly took something from his embrace and handed it to Steward Zhao.

Steward Zhao glanced at it, accepted it, and then sighed. "The wind disaster raged a few days ago, even affecting our Liuli Island. The western islands suffered even greater losses; it's said that over two hundred islands were flattened, and countless mortals returned to the sea."

"Fortunately, the immortal masters showed mercy and instructed us to assist the victims. It's good that your Tianbao Pavilion is so dedicated! Rest assured, I will report this faithfully to the Island Lord. When the immortal masters bestow their rewards, you will surely receive your share."

Sun Zhang was overjoyed to hear this and continued to offer flattering words.

Steward Zhao processed the registration for everyone while listening.

Soon, it was Li Fan's turn. Steward Zhao glanced at Li Fan, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"What is your name?" Steward Zhao asked.

"Li Fan," Li Fan answered truthfully.

"Come, drip a drop of your fresh blood on it." Steward Zhao's brush moved fluidly, writing 'Li Fan' on a rectangular object that resembled neither jade nor paper, then handed it over.

Li Fan bit his finger and let the blood drip.

Subsequently, the blood seemed to gain sentience, seeping into the two characters 'Li Fan'.

"Keep this spirit talisman safe; it will be your proof of identity from now on. You must present this talisman for all matters on the island, such as receiving work, distributing food, or undergoing inspections. Do not lose it." Unlike his demeanor with others, Steward Zhao was noticeably much friendlier to Li Fan and gave him an extra instruction.

This caused Sun Zhang and the others to cast sidelong glances.

Unsure what Steward Zhao had perceived, Li Fan did not offer further thanks. After nodding, he put away the spirit talisman and walked straight to the side.

The household registration distribution was very efficient, and soon, everyone in the group received their Liuli Island household registration.

Everyone's expressions were excited.

Leaving that place, they did not return to the previous grotto. Instead, Sun Zhang led them to the courtyard of a large house.

"Now that you have your household registration, the contract can be signed, right?" Sun Zhang said to Su Changyu, who was among the group.

Su Changyu carefully took out a thin piece of paper from his embrace, then bit his finger and solemnly wrote his name in blood.

No sooner had he finished signing than the thin paper spontaneously combusted, turning into a wisp of green smoke that drifted off to an unknown place.

After burning, only a small, final remnant of the contract remained.

"It is the so-called 'three covenants to completion.' In the future, once we are completely settled, I will sign the final contract as agreed," Su Changyu said, neither humble nor overbearing.

"Hmph, dealing with you outsiders is troublesome. If it weren't for... the immortal masters, our Tianbao Pavilion wouldn't be making this losing business deal," Sun Zhang snorted, a hint of displeasure in his voice.

However, he didn't say much more after that, instead instructing everyone on what they needed to pay attention to on the island.

"Any resident of Liuli Island can claim a residence with their household registration talisman. Although it's in the remote outer areas on the northernmost part of the island, at least you'll have shelter from wind and rain. Furthermore, for the first year after registration, you can receive a certain amount of free grain each month. Of course, if you're accustomed to delicacies and can't stomach this free relief food, you can also go enjoy lavish meals on the island at your own expense."

After saying a great deal, Sun Zhang's throat was dry, so he paused to rest, only to suddenly hear Su Changyu ask a question.

"If we wish to cultivate, how should we proceed?"

This was precisely what Li Fan was concerned about, and he immediately perked up his ears, listening intently.