Chapter 625: Zhenghao's Ambition

"What are you afraid of now?"

These words were akin to a dagger piercing the heart. Upon hearing them, He Zhenghao immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

"This humble one has no ulterior motives, Sir, please see clearly!" he declared at once.

"Think it over carefully, and act accordingly!" Li Fan snorted coldly, and then his phantom image shattered, vanishing without a trace.

It was a long time before He Zhenghao dared to straighten his hunched posture.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he let out a long breath. Then, suddenly remembering his daughter was nearby, he cleared his throat, instantly regaining his composure.

Fortunately, He Xingxing hadn't noticed her father's embarrassment. Instead, she patted her chest with a small hand and exclaimed, "Senior Li's power is truly immense! He's almost comparable to those Dao-harmonizing Immortals I've seen at home. He really scared me to death."

"Hmph, naturally. The Emissary Lord is very likely to be a long..." He Zhenghao stopped abruptly mid-sentence, realizing his words were inappropriate.

Luckily, his daughter didn't notice the implication of his words, so He Zhenghao quickly changed the subject.

"What exactly did the Lord mean by what he just said?"

"He didn't directly deny Xingxing's divination results, only saying that he wouldn't leave..."

A moment later, a hint of alarm flashed in He Zhenghao's eyes.

"Could it be that a shocking change will really occur in Congyun Sea?"

He fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, deep within the Bureau of Governance, Li Fan, who had observed every subtle change in He Zhenghao's expression, felt no ripples in his heart.

"Will he abandon power and flee for his life? Or will he cling to a sliver of hope, unwilling to leave for the sake of power and wealth..."

"Fellow Daoist He, what will be your choice?"

Based on Li Fan's understanding of He Zhenghao, there was no doubt he would choose to stay in Congyun Sea. Yet, he still hoped that He Zhenghao in this world might offer a surprise.

No longer focusing on He Zhenghao, Li Fan used the Emissary Command Token to summon numerous members of Congyun Sea's system.

"The Lord hasn't summoned us for a long time. I wonder what urgent matter this is?"

"It is a bit strange; I haven't heard of any important tasks recently."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves.

He Zhenghao, meanwhile, remained in a state of indecision, his expression unsettled.

Gao Yuan noticed this and showed a thoughtful expression. He didn't ask immediately but stored the observation in his mind.

Soon after, once everyone had gathered, Li Fan gracefully appeared.

"Greetings, Emissary Lord!" everyone saluted.

"No need to be formal, please sit," Li Fan said with a kindly expression.

"I haven't called you here today for any urgent matter. As you know, although I am the Secret Emissary of Congyun Immortal City, I have always refrained from managing its affairs. The governance of Congyun Sea has never been neglected; in fact, its overall annual ranking among all prefectures has even risen, which is undoubtedly thanks to all of your efforts."

Li Fan paused, scanning the expressions of those present, then continued, "As the saying goes, 'return a favor with a favor.' I have recently divined an opportunity, and I thought it fitting to inform you all."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators present all brightened their eyes. What kind of person was Li Fan? He was a master who wouldn't even bat an eye at millions of contribution points.

The opportunity he spoke of must be extraordinary! Thus, they all looked at Li Fan with eager anticipation.

"I have divined that soon, a grotto-heaven will emerge from beneath the Congyun Sea. The opportunity lies within this grotto-heaven!" Li Fan stated in a deep voice.

As soon as these words were uttered, the cultivators grew somewhat restless.

"Of course, opportunities always coexist with danger. Whether you choose to pursue it is entirely up to you." Li Fan said the last sentence indifferently, revealing a half-smile before finally vanishing from their sight.

Once they confirmed Li Fan had departed, the hall immediately erupted into a buzz.

"What exactly does the Emissary Lord mean by this? To call us all this way just for such a simple statement?"

"Strange! Truly strange!"

"A grotto-heaven beneath the sea, perhaps an ancient sect's ruin? If the Lord calls it an opportunity and goes to such lengths, it must be extraordinary!"

The faces of the crowd showed excitement, and they discussed animatedly.

He Zhenghao, however, felt even more bewildered, his mind filled with doubts.

"Fellow Daoist He, do you perhaps know something?"

Just then, he suddenly heard a telepathic message from Gao Yuan.

After a moment of contemplation, He Zhenghao briefly explained the recent events to Gao Yuan, wanting to hear his opinion.

"A change is about to occur in Congyun Sea?" Gao Yuan was startled at first but remained impassive.

"But the Lord said he himself wouldn't leave. After questioning your intentions, he then announced the grotto-heaven opportunity..."

Gao Yuan's mind raced, and he quickly began to ponder.

Before long, an idea struck Gao Yuan, and he reached a conclusion.

"So that's it!"

"Brother Gao, enlighten me!" He Zhenghao pressed him eagerly, as if he had found a savior.

"The Lord is using this grotto-heaven opportunity to enlighten us. A strange change is occurring in Congyun Sea, yet the Lord is unwilling to leave. Why is that?"

"Because opportunity and crisis coexist!" Gao Yuan said excitedly, "With the resources the Lord currently commands, an opportunity he values so highly..."

"I'm afraid it can only be that ultimate step to ascension..."

"The Soul of Heaven and Earth?"

He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan's gazes met, both thinking of the same thing.

"So that's how it is..." He Zhenghao murmured, as if everything suddenly made sense.

"The Lord's cultivation fell from the Longevity Realm. To re-attain Longevity Dao, he likely still needs to follow the steps of the new method. For him, he certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity to harmonize with the Dao. I've heard that when the Soul of Heaven and Earth descends, it will inevitably trigger a bloodbath. At that time, let alone we Golden Core cultivators, even Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators might not escape harm."

"The Soul of Heaven and Earth is about to descend, but this matter cannot be spoken of directly. Under the influence of heavenly secrets, unpredictable variables might occur. As the Lord's old subordinates, he cannot bear to see us perish in vain during the calamity. So he found another way, using this method to enlighten us."

He Zhenghao suddenly realized the truth.

While his heart swelled with excitement, a certain inappropriate emotion also began to emerge.

"The Soul of Heaven and Earth..."

He Zhenghao's eyes narrowed.

"So, Brother Gao, what are your thoughts?" After a while, he asked Gao Yuan, whose expression was also changing.

"Fellow Daoist He, have you heard a saying?" Gao Yuan looked at He Zhenghao.

"What?"

"No greater merit than following a dragon to ascend!" Gao Yuan said softly.

"If the Lord successfully harmonizes with the Dao, and we, his subordinates who remained steadfastly by his side..."

As He Zhenghao listened, the flame of ambition suddenly ignited in his heart.

Even deeper in his mind, a thought surfaced that he dared not reveal in the slightest.

The Soul of Heaven and Earth belongs to the virtuous.

If the Emissary Lord fails to sacrifice and absorb the Soul of Heaven and Earth, then might there be a sliver of an opportunity for himself?

It should be known that such incidents were not unheard of in the history of the Profound Yellow Realm.