Chapter 96: Wan Cang Pavilion Opportunity

"Hmm?" Li Fan turned to look at Steward Zhao.

Facing the legendary immortal master, Steward Zhao couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He carefully chose his words and asked cautiously, "This immortal master... it seems you had a good relationship with Immortal Master He?"

Li Fan was about to answer when he suddenly remembered something. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Fellow Daoist He and I have been acquainted for over forty years, and he often looked out for me. I was away on business and never knew he had passed away. Seeing Fellow Daoist He's memorial tablet today came as a great shock." He added, "I can only offer him a stick of incense..."

Li Fan shook his head and sighed.

Steward Zhao also expressed with emotion, "It's been twenty-six days since I learned of Immortal Master He's death and set up this memorial hall for him. You, Immortal Master, are the first, and only, person to come and pay respects." He continued, "Dozens of immortal masters have visited the island, either to search for his belongings or to contend for the position of the Guardian Immortal Master of Liuli Island. Now that the new Guardian Immortal Master has taken office, it will be difficult for me to keep my position as steward. I've been unable to fulfill Immortal Master He's dying wish, and I feel truly ashamed about it. Fortunately, I met you today."

Steward Zhao looked relieved. "Fellow Daoist He's wish?" Li Fan was surprised.

"Yes. Before his death, Immortal Master He entrusted something to me, instructing me that if anything were to happen to him, I should give it to the first fellow Daoist who came to pay respects after his passing," Steward Zhao answered truthfully.

"Why would he entrust something to you, a mortal?" Li Fan was somewhat surprised by Steward Zhao's answer.

"To be honest, Immortal Master. Many years ago, by chance, I once saved Immortal Master He's life. He originally wanted to take me in as a disciple, but I feared the difficulties of cultivation and only asked for a simple job. Throughout these years, I've served Immortal Master He. That's why I earned his considerable trust," Steward Zhao said, his face a mix of pride and sadness.

It seemed there was such an event. In his previous life, he had indeed heard Steward Zhao mention it. Li Fan nodded.

"Besides, keeping it with me was quite secure. After all, who would expect an immortal master's belongings to be entrusted to a mere mortal? The immortal masters who have come and gone these past days have never even given me a proper look..." Steward Zhao stopped mid-sentence, realizing his impropriety, and quickly halted.

He quickly turned and retrieved a small square box from beneath He Zhenghao's memorial tablet. This small box seemed to have the effect of blocking divine sense; even standing right in front of it, Li Fan hadn't detected it.

"The item in this box is Immortal Master He's possession. What it's specifically for, I couldn't tell you," Steward Zhao said nervously as he handed over the box.

Li Fan opened the box and saw a spiritual talisman shaped like a swastika symbol. It looked familiar. "Isn't this..."

Li Fan took out an identical one from his storage ring; only the aura on the talisman was different. It was precisely the transit talisman that visiting cultivators needed to carry when entering or leaving Myriad Immortals Island for the first time. Li Fan remembered He Zhenghao mentioning its value of 100 contribution points when he first introduced it. But what was this thing for? Li Fan was momentarily puzzled.

Nevertheless, he put away the wooden box. Looking at the somewhat nervous Steward Zhao, Li Fan thought for a moment and said, "I will speak with the new Guardian on your behalf. As for whether you can keep your position, I cannot guarantee it."

Steward Zhao was overjoyed by this and immediately knelt, kowtowing repeatedly. Li Fan waved his hand and flew away.

Steward Zhao remained prostrated on the ground, not daring to move. After a long wait, he slowly got up. Looking at He Zhenghao's memorial tablet, he quietly murmured, "Finally, I've managed to pass on this hot potato. These past days, seeing immortal masters flying overhead, I haven't been able to sleep well. The person just now didn't lie, and he was indeed the first to pay his respects to you. Handing your belongings to him fulfills your dying wish. And my conscience can finally be at ease."

After a long silence, Steward Zhao whispered again, "Cultivating immortality... you cultivated until the very end, only to die even earlier than me. And no one even collected your remains. How meaningless."

Li Fan, holding the wooden box, entered the island's protective formation and met the unfamiliar cultivator again. The unfamiliar cultivator was named Ning Wenxing, who had taken office as the new Guardian of Liuli Island after a series of contests.

Li Fan didn't mention Steward Zhao's relationship with He Zhenghao; he simply stated that Steward Zhao was an old acquaintance of his and asked if his position as the steward of financial affairs on Liuli Island could be retained for him. It was merely a mortal's post, so Ning Wenxing considered it for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

Li Fan expressed his gratitude. After exchanging communication talismans, Li Fan quickly returned to the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

After some searching, Li Fan finally understood the function of that transit talisman. Besides serving as an entry pass to Myriad Immortals Island, the talisman could also be used as a voucher for depositing and retrieving items. These items were not stored within the Heavenly Profound Mirror but in a place called the "Myriad Vault Pavilion." Typically, nothing particularly valuable was stored there. Often, it was simply an inheritance left by cultivators for their mortal relatives as a precaution during their lifetime. Only after a cultivator's death could their mortal relatives use the talisman to retrieve the inheritance. Therefore, the Myriad Vault Pavilion was not on Myriad Immortals Island but on Orchid Island, north of the Cloud Sea.

Having understood the talisman's purpose, Li Fan wasted no time. He made a trip to Orchid Island and finally retrieved He Zhenghao's personal effects. It was a jade slip. Li Fan initially thought it might be a cultivation technique. Only after reading through its contents did he understand.

The jade slip contained an unfinished work by He Zhenghao: "Detailed Explanations of the Hundred Vein Formation Diagrams." The book meticulously documented He Zhenghao's various unique insights and innovative ideas regarding formations over the years.

Along with the book, there was also a message from He Zhenghao. He stated that his entire life had been dedicated solely to the path of formations. After decades of arduous and painstaking effort, he had only managed to complete most of "Detailed Explanations of the Hundred Vein Formation Diagrams." His current expedition into the ancient cave, by all accounts, posed little risk. However, he believed in preparing for the worst, even if the chances were slim. Should he meet an unfortunate end, his death would be a minor matter. His true fear was that his life's work, "Detailed Explanations of the Hundred Vein Formation Diagrams," would become obscured and forever buried. Therefore, he had made arrangements, hoping that any acquaintance who received the talisman would hand "Detailed Explanations of the Hundred Vein Formation Diagrams" to any formation master on Myriad Immortals Island, with the hope that it could be completed.

Finally, He Zhenghao couldn't help but complain a little. He spoke of the many benefits of the "Mountain-Sitting Manual" that he cultivated. Unfortunately, it was extremely difficult to practice. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to risk venturing into this ancient cave just to change his cultivation technique.

"The Mountain-Sitting Manual? Fellow Daoist He, you've certainly left me with a challenge," Li Fan thought. Putting away the jade slip, an inexplicable gleam flickered in Li Fan's eyes.