Chapter 534: Desiring to Destroy the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance

"So that's how it is," Li Fan nodded slightly, his face betraying no emotion. His voice, however, held a touch of regret. "A single oversight in a hundred careful plans, not a fault in strategy."

"Hmph, for you to have deceived us for so long, what impressive methods you possess!" The human face on the smooth broken stone flickered in and out of view, betraying the immense turmoil within him.

"I should have realized something was amiss earlier. With that boy Zhou Qing'an's mediocre abilities, he managed to accomplish several extraordinary feats in just a few years..."

"Previously, I was blinded by these impressive results, simply assuming he had defied fate and his luck had turned."

"Now that I think about it, a single instance could be explained by good luck. But for good fortune to favor him repeatedly..."

"Hmph, Zhou Qing'an isn't someone destined for greatness," the human face said slowly, a hint of vexation in its voice.

The human face, however, continued to stare at Li Fan, hoping to discern an expression of triumph or similar emotion.

Yet, Li Fan's expression remained entirely unchanged. Not even a flicker of panic after his identity had been thoroughly exposed.

This, surprisingly, left the human face on the broken stone feeling unsettled and uncertain, causing it to gradually fall silent.

The underwater ruins fell into a profound silence.

After a while, the human face finally couldn't suppress its urge to speak, asking in a deep voice, "Just who are you?!"

"The questions for the Myriad Immortals Alliance's Grand Entrance Exam, what transpired on Myriad Immortals Island the day it was sealed..."

"These are all absolute secrets. Anyone privy to such information must hold a high position within the Myriad Immortals Alliance. To sell it to us for mere contribution points..."

"Was it to gain our trust, intending to infiltrate us in return?"

After a period of meticulous reasoning, the human face concluded that Li Fan was one of their own.

"Relax, I am no spy for the Myriad Immortals Alliance," Li Fan stated calmly. "Quite the opposite, our objectives, yours and mine, are identical."

"Both aiming to..."

"Overthrow the Myriad Immortals Alliance!"

"What?" Li Fan's voice was soft, yet to the human face, it struck like a peal of thunder.

"You..." The human face seemed to recoil in extreme shock, staring blankly at Li Fan.

A moment later, however, it quickly recovered, its voice filled with disbelief: "Trying to deceive me again?"

As if oblivious to the other party's reaction, Li Fan continued, "The Immortal Alliance is unjust, treating cultivators across the world as mere chattel, exploiting them without restraint. Although it seems the Myriad Immortals Alliance's rule is now unshakeable, and all beings have submitted... yet..."

Li Fan's tone shifted, becoming sharp and full of soaring conviction: "We cultivators defy the heavens. If we fear not even the heavens, then what is a mere Myriad Immortals Alliance to us?!"

"Among the vast multitude of beings, there will always be those who would rather die than not rise up. Who would rather perish in battle than live like caged livestock, as they do now!"

"Give me liberty, or give me death!"

His conviction reached its peak, and even the human face opposite him, hearing such impassioned words, was visibly stirred.

Just then, Li Fan abruptly shifted his tone: "However, the Immortal Alliance wields immense power. Without mastering the correct methods of struggle, acting rashly would be tantamount to suicide."

"While we do not fear death, neither do we wish to waste our precious lives without making any meaningful contribution."

"Therefore..." Li Fan cast a meaningful glance at the human face.

On the smooth broken stone, the human face fell silent upon hearing this, then spoke thoughtfully, "So, you set your sights on our Five Elders Society?"

Li Fan admitted frankly, "Precisely. Although current intelligence suggests your Five Elders Society isn't exactly benevolent, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Li Fan continued, his tone subtle yet frank, "Or, perhaps, when two tigers fight, one is bound to be wounded. Let you tear each other apart in a dog-eat-dog struggle to the death. Then, we shall emerge to cleanse the world and remake the cosmos!"

The human face looked as though it had heard the most preposterous words in existence; it didn't even bother to laugh, merely scoffing, "So, you're a bunch of madmen."

Li Fan was unperturbed, stating with a serious expression, "When the Dharma-imparting Celestial Venerable of old sought to establish new laws and transform the world, I imagine most people considered him an absolute madman."

"After all, the rigorous rule of the Ten Immortal Sects back then was in no way inferior to the Myriad Immortals Alliance's current dominion."

"But where are the Ten Immortal Sects now?"

"If the Dharma-imparting one succeeded, how can we be sure our Heaven-Overturning Society..."

As if having revealed too much, Li Fan paused slightly, then corrected himself: "How can we be sure we cannot?"

The human face narrowed its eyes, casting a deep gaze at Li Fan, and offered no further comment.

"In a sense, we are natural allies at this moment, aren't we?" Li Fan continued.

"In fact, according to our current operational strategy, we presently have no plans to oppose your Five Elders Society."

"We harbor no ill will. As is evident from the various pieces of intelligence I've previously provided, if we had intended to secretly obstruct you, we could certainly have caused your Five Elders Society significant losses without your knowledge."

"The reason I contacted you using Daoist Zhou Qing'an's identity is simply that, within this territory of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, neither your identities nor mine can withstand scrutiny. If someone were to suddenly approach you directly, you would likely assume your identities had been exposed and immediately flee."

"Heh heh, I understand people like you all too well."

"Oh, speaking of Zhou Qing'an, I just remembered. He's still alive. It wouldn't be out of the question to return him to you."

Li Fan spoke fluently and at length.

The other party's expression, however, was not pleased: "That fool, let him fend for himself!"

After a moment, the human face suppressed its temper, holding back its anger, and said in a deep voice, "You've said all this, are you still seeking to cooperate with us?"

Li Fan chuckled wryly and countered, "Why ask the obvious? After realizing Zhou Qing'an was exposed, you didn't immediately cut off communication. Instead, you've been chatting with me for quite some time. Isn't it because you're uncertain of my identity and are still hoping for the top-secret intelligence I might provide?"

"Surely, the Five Elders Society's intelligence organization isn't so idle, is it?"

The human face scoffed, yet offered no rebuttal, implicitly acknowledging Li Fan's point.

"Alright, now that we're being frank, some things can be said directly. We recently obtained a new piece of top-secret information," Li Fan stated slowly, observing the human face's reaction.

As expected, the other party's expression subtly shifted, and a flicker of desire appeared in its eyes.

"For him, whether I am truly Zhou Qing'an or a genuine mole for the Five Elders Society is completely irrelevant. What matters is whether I can provide him with the Myriad Immortals Alliance's secrets."

"No spy wishes to maintain their identity for a lifetime. They dream of achieving great merit, then retiring honorably. From that point on, living without fear, enjoying a life of peace and comfort. Those are the days they truly yearn for."

"And I can help him achieve that."