December soon arrived.
At Crouching Tiger Hill and the Ironstone Tower, red decorations and colorful banners adorned every corner, filling the place with a festive air.
Famous Foundation Establishment cultivators and powerful aristocratic clans from around Suyang arrived one after another to join the grand celebration marking the settlement's opening.
"Fellow Daoist Li, congratulations! What a joyous occasion!"
"With the administrative seat of Crouching Tiger Hill completed, this place can now be called a market district. Our Suyang region is gaining yet another power."
"Artisan Li, we must keep in closer contact from now on..."
Most of those who came were familiar faces.
Of Zhen Zhuo, Lin Jiang, and Mo Yuehe, only Mo Yuehe came as their representative, since someone had to remain behind to guard against attacks. Still, none of their gifts or goodwill was missing.
Each of them sent well over a hundred thousand in spirit stones and talisman coins alone, along with a dazzling array of spirit materials and minerals that might be needed during the settlement's early days.
In particular, the magnetic ore, blacksteel, true water, spirit mercury, and other materials Li Chen currently lacked were worth hundreds of thousands.
Feng Mingzhu also gave Li Chen some Puppet Master knowledge and diagrams for Craftsman-grade Mechanism Devices, improving Li Chen's opinion of him.
So he wasn't truly an iron rooster unwilling to part with a single feather. At crucial moments, he certainly knew how to win people's hearts.
Before long, as Li Chen moved through the crowd, he seemed to sense something and turned to look in another direction. Sure enough, Qi Yuetian had arrived.
Before he reached Li Chen, an ethereal fragrance like secluded orchids drifted over ahead of him. His long robes fluttered as always, and his manner remained gentle and refined.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist