Chapter 490: The Taste of Power

Li Fan briefly explained to him the matter of rebuilding Congyunhai Immortal City and invited him for a meeting. His tone was friendly, without any pretense of being an island lord. This made Gao Yuan feel somewhat flattered.

Gao Yuan, who had worked hard for most of his life on Wanxian Island, knew that these so-called "acting" or "deputy" officials were often more difficult to deal with than those officially appointed. Although he didn't know why this well-known Heavenly Secret Sect cultivator would choose him, he was currently his highest-ranking direct superior and could not be neglected. Gao Yuan quickly tidied himself up and rushed towards the agreed meeting place.

As for defecting… that was just pure grumbling. Defecting was out of the question; not only was the risk extremely high, but Gao Yuan was also a member of the system within the Myriad Immortals Alliance. If he truly defected to the Five Elders' Council, would he, without any special skills, live better than he did now? He was more likely to be discarded and ignored after all valuable information was extracted from his mind. He wasn't that foolish.

Suppressing the jumbled thoughts in his mind, Gao Yuan pondered the reason why this newly appointed acting island lord wanted to meet him while on his way. After a long time, he finally reached the agreed meeting place: Tai'an Island.

The island's protective formation opened, revealing a passage, and Gao Yuan flew into the formation. As far as his eyes could see, Acting Island Lord Li Fan was seated in front. Meanwhile, Zhou Qing'ang, the guardian of Tai'an Island, stood awkwardly to the side, sweating profusely and looking very nervous. The two seemed to be discussing some sensitive topic and abruptly stopped when they saw Gao Yuan arrive.

Witnessing this scene, Gao Yuan's heart sank. The guardian of Tai'an Island was, in terms of official rank, still a level higher than himself. The fact that he was so flustered in front of Li Fan indicated that this ancient Heavenly Secret cultivator was indeed not so easy to deal with. Gao Yuan, who had met countless people, immediately braced himself, stepped forward, and bowed.

"Greetings, Island Lord!"

"You're here," Li Fan said, looking at Gao Yuan with a kind smile. "Do you know why I've asked you to come here?" Li Fan inquired.

Gao Yuan muttered to himself inwardly but quickly replied, "This humble one does not know."

"I heard you were on guard duty at the entrance of the Government Affairs Hall before?" After a moment of silence, just as Gao Yuan began to feel uneasy, Li Fan finally asked.

"That is correct, Island Lord," Gao Yuan replied respectfully, even though he knew the question was rhetorical.

"How long have you been employed?"

"Over ninety-eight years."

"A century has passed in a flash. You've worked hard..."

"You've been employed for a century without a single job transfer; have you ever harbored any resentment?"

"This humble one would not dare," Gao Yuan quickly shook his head, his heart tightening, to express his loyalty.

"Very good." Li Fan nodded in approval, then shifted to the main topic.

"Every time a cultivator joins the system, they must undergo the test of the White Jade Heart-Questioning Platform within the Government Affairs Hall. They also frequently visit the Government Affairs Hall for daily business. I presume you have some understanding of the cultivators within the Congyunhai system, wouldn't you agree?" Li Fan asked.

"To be honest, Island Lord, I wouldn't dare boast. However, I am certainly clear on their basic information," Gao Yuan slightly raised his head, glanced at Li Fan, and then added, "At the very least, I must not mistake one person for another. Furthermore, I make sure to understand who has a good temper, who has powerful backing and cannot be offended—I make it my business to know all these ins and outs."

"Our line of work is lowly. If one is not careful and offends someone they shouldn't, there will be no good outcome."

"Very well then, help me identify which of these cultivators are suitable!" Li Fan ignored Gao Yuan's grumbling. With a wave of his hand, a dense cluster of cultivator portraits, like a galaxy of stars, instantly appeared before Gao Yuan.

"Suitable people?" Gao Yuan was momentarily stunned. However, linking this to the great task of rebuilding the Immortal City that the Island Lord had mentioned earlier, his heart suddenly began to pound.

"As you know, I only recently awakened, and I'm not very familiar with the personnel within Congyunhai," Li Fan quietly stated from in front of him. "Taking on such a massive responsibility so suddenly, I'm quite anxious, fearing I might mess it up."

"As the saying goes, 'a craftsman must sharpen his tools to do his work well.' To successfully complete this task, I need to assemble a capable team."

"Since you have some knowledge of them, why not help me deliberate?"

"When the Immortal City is founded in the future, your contributions will certainly not be forgotten!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuan immediately felt his throat go dry. He looked at the cultivators he once had to greet cautiously, now laid out before him, entirely at his discretion to choose. In the past, he could only look up to them, but now, he could easily decide their fates. With just a word from him, they would join the new Island Lord's team to achieve great things.

"Is this the taste of power?" His heart immediately began to pound uncontrollably. His face turned crimson, and with his heart surging, Gao Yuan couldn't help but feel a little light-headed.

However, he was not completely carried away by this momentary, illusory glory. He clearly knew that the "power" he currently held was entirely bestowed upon him by Island Lord Li. Before the Congyun Immortal City was built, all of this was a castle in the air, seemingly wonderful, but it could collapse and cease to exist with the slightest misstep.

But... if the Immortal City was successfully built, this power would have the chance to become real. The feeling of being able to freely manipulate destinies was too wonderful, making Gao Yuan, who was experiencing it for the first time, unable to stop. So he secretly vowed to do his utmost to seize this rare opportunity and complete the transformation of his career. He immediately began introducing the cultivators to Li Fan one by one, according to the list.

Time slowly passed. Li Fan listened patiently to Gao Yuan's explanations, his heart filled with pleasant surprises. The abilities of this doorman cultivator, whom he had coincidentally met during his previous life's induction into the Myriad Immortals Alliance, far exceeded his expectations. Not only did he know the basic information of every cultivator like the back of his hand, but he also had some understanding of their temperaments and the complex relationships that might exist behind them.

"I've really struck gold." As Gao Yuan continued his detailed introductions, Li Fan grew increasingly satisfied with him. "Even minor figures have their uses," he thought. "This is precisely where I can leverage an opportunity to break through this situation." One by one, suitable cultivators were selected by Li Fan and noted in his mind.

Half a month later, all surviving cultivators within the Congyunhai system received a message from the acting island lord. In seven days, the Congyun Immortal City Reconstruction Ceremony would be held at the original location of Wanxian Island. All personnel were required to attend on time.