Chapter 632: He Zhenghao’s Dilemma

"Danger?" He Zhenghao blinked, caught off guard.

Then he waved dismissively, a laugh rumbling in his chest. "Xinxin, you worry too much! Your father now handles the governance of the Congyun Sea. I spend my days in the Administration Hall, not out on adventures. What danger could possibly find me here?"

"It's true!" Seeing her father's disbelief, He Xinxin stomped her foot in frustration.

She leaned in and lowered her voice. "Father, you don't understand. My Foundation Establishment Curio has been with me since birth. It's called the Dao Pattern Compass. And the technique I cultivate, the Heavenly Web of the Dao, was custom-tailored for me by Mother..."

He Zhenghao clicked his tongue in surprise as he listened to his daughter's explanation.

He had thought that by riding the coattails of the Secretary-Envoy and raking in enough contribution points to make a name for himself, he had become someone of real import. Not half bad, all things considered.

But compared to the Heng family of Tianyu Province, an ancient cultivator clan with deep foundations, he was still leagues behind. At the very least, having a technique designed specifically for him was something far beyond his current reach.

The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"It's a real, life-threatening danger, Father. You should come with me." He Xinxin ran the divination again right in front of him, and the outcome remained the same. The result was heart-chilling. She couldn't help but urge him once more.

Watching her earnest pleas, He Zhenghao began to doubt himself.

Impossible. How could there be a life-or-death crisis here in Congyun City? I've been obedient lately. Nothing that would anger the Secretary-Envoy. He frowned, but the confusion only deepened.

Could it be... the Five Elders Council is trying the same trick again? A surprise attack on Congyun Immortal City? A memory from the old days of the Congyun Sea surfaced suddenly, and he jolted.

No. Didn't we just hold an Amity Conference? His certainty wavered.

He paced the room, his face tight with anxious indecision.

He Xinxin watched her father hesitate, unable to make up his mind, and worry knotted in her chest. His reaction was nothing like what she'd expected. She had imagined he would drop everything and follow her back to Tianyu Province the moment he heard the divination result.

A flicker of resentment kindled within her. Why didn't he trust her?

He Zhenghao didn't notice the change stirring in his daughter's heart. He was still mired in his own indecision.

It wasn't that he disbelieved her. He knew the power of the Heng family of Tianyu Province all too well, having witnessed it firsthand back in the day. And the Heavenly Web of the Dao crafted for her was clearly no ordinary technique.

But he, a penniless, forgotten island guardian, had become the voice of authority in the Congyun Sea. Countless cultivators now vied to curry favor with him.

This was hard-won. How could he throw it all away on his daughter's word alone?

Besides, his roots were here, in the Congyun Sea. Without the network of relationships he'd painstakingly built, he was nothing.

Even if he returned to Tianyu Province, what then? Golden Core cultivators were as common as dirt there. He wouldn't even qualify as a guard for the Heng family.

How could he face Heng Ruoshui?

As the thoughts slowly coalesced, He Zhenghao reached his decision.

His eyes flickered, and a plan took shape. He plastered a smile on his face. "Xinxin, my dear..."

He Xinxin shot him a glare, her cheeks puffed with indignation.

He Zhenghao felt a twinge of embarrassment, but he quickly composed himself, his expression turning serious. "I know you care about me. I understand that your technique is extraordinary. But the world is full of uncertainties. Divination is, after all, just divination.

"It only reveals one possible future. Whether that future will actually come to pass... I doubt even an Eternal Heavenly Venerable would stake their life on it."

He Xinxin bristled at his words, but for a moment she couldn't find a way to refute him.

He Zhenghao pressed on. "Besides, speaking of divination, my direct superior, Li Fan, the Secretary-Envoy of the Congyun Sea and a cultivator of the ancient Heavenly Mechanisms Sect, is far superior to you!

"He is truly awe-inspiring, a talent that shakes the past and startles the present! I am the Secretary-Envoy's trusted confidant. If I were truly walking into danger, why wouldn't he warn me?"

He Xinxin's eyes went wide. "Li Fan of the Heavenly Mechanisms Sect?"

She had heard his name before. He had accurately predicted several major events concerning the Myriad Immortals Alliance, things she herself had been unable to foresee. For a moment, she wondered whether she had actually miscalculated.

He Zhenghao saw his opening and pressed his advantage.

"If you're still not at ease, I'll ask the Secretary-Envoy myself, right in front of you."

With that, he produced a Consciousness Jade Slip and began the summoning ritual.

Within moments, Li Fan's silhouette materialized in the air above the room.

"What do you want?" Li Fan asked, his expression flat and his voice cool.

As he spoke, his gaze drifted casually to He Xinxin. The young woman was bold, meeting his eyes without a shred of fear. It was He Zhenghao who grew timid, lowering his head as he spoke.

"Sir, might I ask whether any upheaval is about to befall the Congyun Sea?" After explaining the situation, he looked up at Li Fan, a flicker of desperate hope in his eyes.

A heavy silence settled over the room.

In the projection, the Qiankun Heavenly Mechanisms Die seemed to spin endlessly in Li Fan's palm.

"Dao Pattern Compass? The Heng family of Tianyu's reputation is well-deserved."

After a long pause, Li Fan did not answer He Zhenghao's question directly. Instead, he looked at He Xinxin, a note of genuine admiration in his voice. "Your daughter's talent is extraordinary. One day, her achievements will surely rival my own."

He Zhenghao's heart seized. He hadn't expected the Secretary-Envoy to see through his daughter's secrets with a single glance.

He Xinxin was equally stunned, her mouth falling open in a small “o” of surprise.

"You flatter her, Sir..." He Zhenghao stammered.

"The younger generation is formidable." Li Fan shook his head slowly. He seemed to drift into some private memory, a wistful look crossing his face.

Then he raised a finger and pointed it directly at He Xinxin's forehead.

"Sir!" He Zhenghao's face went pale. But in the next instant, he realized Li Fan had no ill intent; he was imparting something to his daughter. He let out a slow breath.

Soon, the trails of golden light faded, and He Xinxin came back to herself.

She inspected the knowledge that had suddenly taken shape in her mind.

Taiwei Celestial Calculus, Thousand Mechanisms Enigma Record, Treatise on Energy Mechanism Flow...

These were texts of the ancient Heavenly Mechanisms Sect. And they were versions she had never seen before.

He Xinxin's eyes sparkled, a brilliant smile blooming across her face. She bowed immediately, her voice soft. "Thank you, Senior."

"No need for that. Finding the right person is not easy." Li Fan waved a dismissive hand. "And besides, it's hardly anything valuable."

Then his gaze shifted to He Zhenghao.

He Zhenghao's heart seized in his chest.

"Will something go wrong in the Congyun Sea?" Li Fan asked with a light chuckle. "I'm not going anywhere, He Zhenghao. What are you so afraid of?"