White Lotus Sect Was Playing a Grand Game!

East Floating City.

Spirit beast mounts and flying artifacts of all sizes converged from every direction, slowly settling onto the plaza.

The wide streets bustled with people, carts, and horses.

The shop assistants at the spiritual artifact stores called out to passersby, using dazzling light-and-shadow spells.

Immortal light swayed in the taverns atop the pavilions, while the intoxicating aroma of wine spilled out.

Shouts rang out from the auction house, and the pleasant chime of a successful bid echoed across the city.

A flourishing immortal market...

Fan Ni walked down the broad avenue with the Horse Immortal and Ox Immortal.

The Horse Immortal was named Ma Xianhong. He was a two-star Immortal Master, and quite handsome.

The Ox Immortal was named Niu Pingtian. He was an eight-star Immortal Monarch, with a sturdy build.

Seeing that it was their first time in East Floating City, Fan Ni set aside his Immortal Venerable airs and kindly introduced them to the city's local customs, famous sights, history, and even its pleasure quarters...

"In short, if you want to eat anything or have some fun, just tell me."

The Ox and Horse Immortals broke out in goosebumps.

They had heard about Fan Ni's peculiar tastes. There were even rumors that when he lost to the eight-star Immortal Sect Master Kunpeng Brothers all those years ago, it wasn't because he lacked strength, but for some rather disgraceful reasons.

"We need to return to the sect as soon as possible and report to Elder Lu. Please hurry and make the arrangements, Elder Fan."

"Just what kind of person is your Elder Lu?"

"We haven't been in the sect long, so we don't know. You can ask him yourself, Elder Fan."

"..."

The three continued onward.

White Lotus Sect had a resplendent shop in a prime spot on East Floating City's main street.

It was called the White Lotus Immortal Palace.

The White Lotus Immortal Palace mainly sold spiritual swords, artifacts, pills, and manuals explaining cultivation techniques produced by White Lotus Sect. It was quite well known in East Floating City.

The shopkeeper was a short, plump elder at the Immortal Sect Master level, named Jin Fangshuo.

He had once been an artifact-refining elder of White Lotus Sect and commanded considerable respect within the sect. Now that he was old, they had sent him to manage a shop with a very nice income.

However, Jin Fangshuo was only an Immortal Sect Master, and his status was still a full rank below Fan Ni's, who was a half-step Immortal Venerable.

Fan Ni went straight to the White Lotus Immortal Palace to see Jin Fangshuo. Without a word, he tossed him several pieces of meat on toothpicks.

"Jin Fangshuo greets Elder Fan."

"Try some."

The plump old man swallowed a piece of meat, and his aged face suddenly lit up. Despite his years, he looked as if he were about to ascend to immortality.

"This flavor..."

"This is Kun meat."

Jin Fangshuo's old eyes froze. After a long moment, he hastily cupped his hands.

"Congratulations, Elder Fan. After a thousand years, you've finally slain the wicked beast with your own hands."

But Fan Ni showed no sign of joy.

"Senior Brother Jin, I have a personal favor to ask of you."

"As long as it doesn't violate the sect's rules, please, go ahead."

"This time, I took advantage of the Beast Tide's rampage to track Kunpeng Brothers all the way to Bamboo Spring Sect's territory and attack them. We were evenly matched, until Sect Master Liu happened to come to my aid. Only then did I kill Golden Peng and that Void Kun."

Jin Fangshuo's old face stiffened.

"Sect Master Liu has that kind of strength?"

"Of course not, but her constitution countered Golden Peng. I seized the chance to break their combined immortal technique and kill them both. To repay Sect Master Liu, I plan to leave Void Kun with Bamboo Spring Sect and have their people cook him up for a banquet for all the immortals of East Floating City, helping them develop their business in Azure Phoenix City."

"Elder Fan is truly repaying even a drop of kindness with a gushing spring. But this is no small matter. Should we inform the Sect Master?"

"The Sect Master has plenty on his plate. This little matter isn't worth troubling him over. After Senior Yun Zhonghe's departure, this is a personal grudge between me and Kunpeng Brothers. I'll be staying here for a while."

With that, Fan Ni stuffed a large number of Immortal Crystals into Jin Fangshuo's hands, leaving him no chance to refuse.

Then Fan Ni told him about Lu Ya's marketing plan.

Jin Fangshuo listened, feeling quite impressed.

"Elder Fan, you've got quite the vision. Rest assured, I'll see to everything."

"I'll be staying upstairs. Use my name for the promotion, and if any problems arise, I'll handle them myself."

"Very well."

Nearby.

The Ox and Horse Immortals were left utterly dumbfounded by Fan Ni's performance.

The credit had clearly belonged to Elder Lu, yet somehow it had all become Fan Ni's. Not only had he washed away the humiliation of the past, he had also made up a story about Sect Master Liu's intervention, using it as an excuse to repay her kindness and support Azure Phoenix City.

The story was airtight, killing three birds with one stone. More miraculously, given Elder Lu's easygoing, unambitious temperament, he wouldn't just overlook Fan Ni's actions—he might even think more highly of him.

Who would've thought this guy was both well-endowed and brains to match?

Several hours later.

News that Fan Ni had slain Void Kun and had him cooked up in Bamboo Spring Sect spread throughout East Floating City.

At first, some people were skeptical. Then, little by little, people began scanning the codes to claim Kun meat.

After tasting it, they discovered that Kun meat's deliciousness was beyond belief.

That wasn't all. The spiritual energy within the Kun meat was so pure it couldn't be surpassed—not even pills could compare!

All of East Floating City erupted. Countless immortals came to scan the code and claim Kun meat, and the bold, wealthy ones even scanned the code to get a bamboo slip before heading straight to Bamboo Spring Sect.

Fan Ni's good name spread throughout East Float in a single day.

For a time, people on every street and in every alley eagerly discussed Fan Ni over their meals and tea.

"Elder Fan has finally rid the people of a menace!"

"White Lotus Sect truly is East Float's pride."

"A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Who would've thought Elder Fan really was a man of his word?"

"Is the cooking in Azure Phoenix City really that good?"

"They cooked this Kun meat to such delicious perfection, and its spiritual energy is so pure."

"I want to go to Bamboo Spring Sect and try some, but I don't know if it's safe."

"It's safe. They say Elder Fan specially made Protective Bamboo Slips to guard against Sect Master Liu."

"That doesn't surprise me at all. Elder Fan dislikes humans and likes Beast Immortals, so he naturally won't be affected by Liu Xuanye. I don't think there's anything wrong with the Protective Bamboo Slips he made."

"I feel like things are a little too convenient. Maybe White Lotus Sect and Bamboo Spring Sect have close ties, and they're lending a hand this time. Or perhaps White Lotus Sect has already secretly absorbed Bamboo Spring Sect, using it to develop its business in the immortal city."

"And I think there are plenty of suspicious things about this Beast Tide rampage, too."

"White Lotus Sect is playing a grand game!"

"If that's true, I want to open a shop in Azure Phoenix City. East Floating City is right under the Immortal Court's nose, after all, and plenty of businesses regulated by the Immortal Court can't operate here."

"In any case, let's go take a look first."

"Let's scan the code!"

Evening.

At the East Floating Immortal Court's residence, Xingtian Pavilion, on the second-highest floor.

Black Stone hurriedly pushed open the Chief's room.

A woman stood by the window, her back turned. She wore an immortal robe embroidered with auspicious clouds, and her silver hair was tied to one side like a waterfall.

Her one-star Immortal Venerable cultivation had been tempered by the passage of time, leaving her with an air of unadorned restraint and calm.

"Is this about White Lotus Sect?"

Black Stone abruptly stopped, deliberately sounding surprised.

"You know about it too, Dean?"

The Dean in question was the head of East Floating Immortal Academy. After the former East Floating Chief, Li Wuxie, had been demoted and sent to herd sheep, she was the only Immortal Venerable left in East Floating City, and was temporarily acting as East Floating Chief.

The silver-haired woman gave a slight nod.

"What do you want to say?"

"I believe it's unlikely that White Lotus Sect is working with Bamboo Spring Sect. This may simply be Fan Ni's personal decision."

"Do you have any evidence?"

Black Stone couldn't exactly say that Bamboo Spring Sect might have an Immortal Venerable-level expert who had roasted an Immortal Court Hunting Falcon.

He was certain this matter had to be connected to Lu Ya... After all, who else but him would think of roasting a Giant Kun alive?

"No evidence. Just a hunch."

The silver-haired woman sighed softly.

"Liu Xuanye and Wine Fox Immortal were both once my students. If not for their physical conditions, either of them might have been able to kill Kunpeng Brothers alone. Do they really need to rely on someone like Fan Ni now?"

"The Beast Tide is out of control, and the cause is unknown. There may be a major development deep within the beast lair. At any moment, it could sweep over any Floating Mountain in East Floating District. Without an Immortal Venerable guarding it, a Floating Mountain would struggle to survive."

"There are rumors that Wine Fox Immortal caused the Beast Tide to run wild. Though she was once my student, I don't know her very well. It's strange—I'm not even authorized to look at her Immortal Court records."

"The last person who tried to force their way into her records is now herding sheep."

"What do you think?"

"I've always believed Wine Fox Immortal stands on the Immortal Court's side. Otherwise, with the way she operates, she would've been dismissed by the Immortal Court long ago."

"Wait, wasn't Li Wuxie dismissed for having an affair with a Snake Immortal from the Immortal Tail, and didn't they supposedly have a half-snake baby girl?"

"The other party wasn't from the Immortal Tail."

Black Stone emphasized this, then made another request.

"Please bring Chief Li back. This isn't the time for him to be herding sheep. East Floating City needs his strength."

"You're asking me to violate the Immortal Court's order of exile?"

"Chief Li's personal matter was just a misunderstanding and a pretext. He'll soon be reinstated. Besides, if we apply to the Colored Cloud Immortal Court for reinforcements now, it'll be too late by the time we get through the procedures."

The silver-haired woman shook her head and turned around, revealing a refined face that looked somewhat aged.

"I understand that you're concerned for your former leader, but the Beast Tide hasn't yet become as urgent as you suggest. For now, we should focus on Bamboo Spring Sect's plans to establish a city. Let's see how White Lotus Sect responds before deciding what to do."

"Yes."