My Longevity Simulation - Chapter 1202: Chief of the Guardian Hall
After all, the Dao Deviation Stone Mother was an existence that had successfully escaped calamities on the scale of the Xuanhuang Realm’s extinction. Li Fan would not underestimate it.
“There is no need to rush for quick success. In this life, I can first become an absolutely reliable partner, earn the Taiyan Sect’s trust, and thereby learn more of its hidden secrets.”
“As for myself, I will first perfect this formation for data contamination. If the opportunity arises, I can test it with a small trial and see its effects.”
The Derivation Jade Space provided Li Fan with sufficiently safe time that would not be disturbed by the outside world.
Aside from occasionally having to deal with the little loli’s strikes, the rest of the time could be considered quite leisurely.
The exchanges among the three guarding elders had also grown increasingly rare. Each was immersed in their own world.
However, on this day, a special group arrived in the Derivation Jade Space.
They lacked the Attendee Jade Token, yet they had received special approval from the Immortal Alliance. Led by the chief elder of the Guardian Hall, they came here.
The usually somewhat languid Hua Yueye now appeared a little tense. He repeatedly greeted: “Greetings, Elder Xu.”
Li Fan noticed that not only the other two guardians but even the typically carefree, fearless little girl of the Derivation Law Jade had become much more restrained.
While paying respects along with them, Li Fan looked at the white-haired old man before him, who seemed blind in both eyes. Information about this chief of the Guardian Hall flashed through his mind.
“Xu Yuanzian has served as chief of the Guardian Hall for more than three thousand years. Though he appears approachable on the surface, he is actually eccentric and rigid in temperament. He adheres to Immortal Alliance regulations to the point of pedantry and shows no mercy. Even when Dharma-Transmitters come and wish to bend the rules, it is impossible. He is highly regarded by Dharma-Transmitter Jiang. Though other Dharma-Transmitters may dislike him, none can do anything about it.”
“As someone capable of holding the position of chief of the Guardian Hall, Xu Yuanzian’s own strength is unfathomably deep and far beyond ordinary Dao Integration cultivators. The Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s sole record of slaying a Dao Integration cultivator and recovering a leaked cultivation method was achieved by this person. It was clean and decisive, so swift that onlookers had no time to react.”
Xu Yuanzian stated the purpose of his visit: “The Immortal Alliance’s grand examination has only recently concluded. These young ones are among the outstanding participants. By special approval from the Dharma-Transmitter Council, they are permitted to use the Derivation Law Jade once to deduce a Dao Integration-grade cultivation method.”
“Hmm?”
“How can this be?!”
The three guardians and the Derivation little girl were all somewhat surprised.
The little girl pouted, about to complain further.
But after catching a glimpse of Xu Yuanzian’s expression, she cautiously swallowed her words.
Li Fan reacted the fastest. He nodded and said: “Please have the chief present the council’s seal.”
His face was serious, showing no leniency simply because the other was his superior.
Xu Yuanzian cooperated fully and projected a seal.
Sensing the aura of a Dharma-Transmitter surrounding it, Li Fan carefully verified the information within. Only then did he nod to indicate the inspection had passed.
He postponed the cultivators who had been waiting for deduction and arranged for the Derivation Law Jade to handle the tasks of these newly recruited Immortal Alliance cultivators first.
There were sixteen in total, varying in age and cultivation level.
The massive Derivation light sphere continuously rotated. The little girl worked on the deductions with puffed-up cheeks.
While this group waited in line for their cultivation methods to be deduced, Li Fan curiously transmitted a question to Xu Yuanzian: “Chief, forgive this junior’s poor eyesight, but these cultivators… do not seem to possess particularly outstanding aptitude. Why is the Immortal Alliance treating them so preferentially?”
The transmission did not avoid the other two guardians. They too showed curiosity in their eyes.
Yet what came in response was only silence.
Xu Yuanzian said nothing, as if he had not heard Li Fan’s transmission at all.
The two guardians tactfully withdrew their gazes.
Li Fan did not press further. The scene fell into an eerie silence.
Only when the sixteen had all completed their cultivation method deductions and were about to depart did Xu Yuanzian suddenly reply.
“This question is actually something I would also like to know.”
“But there are too many unknowns in the world. There is no need to understand everything. It is enough to simply perform one’s own duties well.”
“Since the Dharma-Transmitter Council has decided this, they must have their reasons. We subordinates only need to obey orders.”
The three guardians all bowed slightly, indicating they had learned from this.
Only after Xu Yuanzian had completely left the Derivation Jade Space did they dare to converse.
“The chief truly lives up to his reputation for being rigid.”
“Fellow Daoist Sun reacted very quickly this time. The chief likes precisely the kind of rule-following attitude you showed just now. It’s settled; you’ve entered the chief’s good graces. In five hundred years when you leave, he will surely choose you as the next chief.” Hua Yueye teased with a laugh.
Li Fan ignored their banter. First, he recorded and reported the special use of the Derivation Law Jade this time in accordance with regulations.
Then he said lightly: “Being chief of the Guardian Hall is even more like imprisonment than our job here. I have no interest in it.”
“I still have a lovely wife waiting for me to return home.”
Half serious, half joking, it drew hearty laughter from the two guardians.
This matter was merely a small interlude in the process of guarding the Derivation Law Jade.
Soon enough, the others put it behind them.
Of course, except for Li Fan.
Because…
Among those sixteen people was unmistakably one planted by the Holy Dynasty of Great Qi within the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance.
His name was Yang Fei.
Li Fan knew him, but he did not know Li Fan.
That did not diminish the alertness in Li Fan’s heart.
The Immortal Alliance never acted without meaning. For these sixteen, who had only just joined the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, to receive such preferential treatment made it hard not to suspect that some scheme lay behind it.
“It cannot be another case like the previous Chosen Immortal, used as sacrifices to awaken the power left by the Immortal Ancestor in stone statues scattered everywhere? No, that does not fit. If they were sacrifices, they were destined to die. There would be no need to waste the Derivation Law Jade’s computational power…”
Li Fan keenly sensed the abnormality behind this.
Meanwhile, in the Sun family’s underground secret chamber, his clone had finally waited for the right moment.
Sun Luyuan came to the chamber once more, his eyes bloodshot.
His face showed struggle, yet in the end he still took out a small Tianxuan Mirror.
Then, using his own essence blood to nourish Sun Luyao within the Boundless Mirror, he explained: “The pressure from above is truly too great. Forgive your brother.”
“I originally thought I could swear to die rather than comply. But when I look at the faces of everyone in the Sun family…”
Sun Luyao manifested as a black shadow, taking form. Following Li Fan’s clone’s instructions, he comforted: “Brother, I understand. It’s fine. Just leave it to me.”
Sun Luyuan trembled slightly upon hearing this. His fists clenched tightly, nails nearly piercing deep into his flesh.
At this moment, the information he had previously uncovered about the Holy Dynasty of Great Qi surfaced again in his mind.
“Perhaps I could try making contact with them.”
“Being a dog for a lifetime still carries the risk of being beheaded at any moment. Maybe this so-called Great Qi could truly bring me some surprises?”
The Boundless Mirror pretended to search within the Tianxuan Mirror for information related to the Tianxuan Mirror’s clone.
In reality, it was probing the reason why those sixteen cultivators received such preferential treatment.
