" Grandmaster Long, you've arrived!"
Situ Le's expression changed slightly, but he regained his composure as he stood up. Long Zaitian held an extraordinary position in Luo Cheng and was like a close friend to his father. If he wanted to succeed as the city lord, he would need the approval of this Grandmaster Long.
"Xiao Le, what happened to Brother Situ? He was fine before, how could he suddenly pass away?" Long Zaitian's face was solemn, his eyes like sharp swords, staring straight into people's hearts, locked on Situ Le.
The Kamui of the Shackle Realm expert was too strong, causing Situ Le to feel a chill run down his spine and a sense of dread.
" Grandmaster Long, this is what happened..."
Situ Le recounted what had happened, and Long Zaitian frowned, saying, "This is too sudden."
Fearing that Grandmaster Long would suspect him of plotting against his father, Situ Le hurriedly explained, " Grandmaster Long, my father suffered a mild stroke eight years ago. Thanks to timely treatment, he recovered and is now able to walk and think clearly. We thought that with the great changes in the world and the help of a spiritual being, he could not escape his fate."
"Hey, Xiao Le, please accept my condolences. Let me see Brother Situ."
" Grandmaster Long, please."
Inside the crystal coffin, the old city lord Situ Hua lay peacefully, seemingly without much regret before his death.
Long Zaitian used his powerful mental energy to sense the situation and check it out.
Suddenly, he was filled with horror and understood everything.
Seeing Grandmaster Long standing there in a daze, his body trembling, Situ Le assumed he couldn't accept the news of his father Situ Hua's sudden death. He thought to himself, " Grandmaster Long and my father had only known each other for a little over a month, yet he's showing such genuine emotion. This is just too absurd."
Situ Le began to suspect that his father's stroke recurrence, which was so sudden, might be the work of the Long Zaitian.
Without evidence, he could only speculate, but his primary objective at the moment was still to seize the position of city lord.
Outside the mourning hall, Xiao Tian and some others stood with their bodies half-bowed, seemingly in silent mourning and prayer.
"That guy, the Lord of the Tomb, said he wanted me to become the city lord. Now that city lord has suddenly died of a storm, will Long Zaitian be the one to make the arrangements next?"
"But that doesn't make sense either. Long Zaitian has been modified by me using the art of weapon forging, and he no longer possesses the power left behind by the tomb's master. Could the problem lie with that city lord's corpse?"
Xiao Tian looked up, his gaze sweeping across the body. His Enhanced Byakugan suddenly flashed and changed, seeing through the transparent crystal coffin to the true nature of the corpse of the deceased city Situ Hua.
When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out.
What was originally a normal living person, as observed by the Enhanced Byakugan, is a whole formed by numerous Qi channels, energy pathways, and organ distribution structures.
Upon death, the energy lines vanish, and the essential structure of the organs is completely destroyed.
However, there was something strange about the corpse of City Situ Hua! Inside his brain, there was a worm emitting a dark green light, lying dormant there, emitting a wireless signal similar to WIFI.
"Interesting! So that's how it is!"
Xiao Tian was secretly delighted. It turned out that City Situ Hua had long been controlled by the Lord of the Tomb, who was remotely controlling him from underground.
"Damn it, so that worm is the thing sealed inside the wax pill I ate, destined to grow into a worm. Tsk tsk tsk, too bad, you dog in the tomb, you think you can trick me? You're still too green."
" Grandmaster Long, although Luo Cheng is relatively safe at the moment, it is frequently attacked by ferocious and brutal mutated monsters. Although I also hope to keep vigil for my father for seven days and give him a grand funeral, the situation is not right. I personally think it is better to bury my father as soon as possible and hold a simple funeral to avoid disrupting the management order in Luo Cheng."
Situ Le suggested.
Grandmaster Long glanced at Situ Le. He was well aware of Situ Le's cunning and scheming nature. However, it was surprising that Brother Situ had died so suddenly, actually murdered by that guy, who had even sent him a message.
"It seems that the Bodhi Group and Jade Void Palace have not yet completely resolved the existence within the tomb. Perhaps the tomb is seeking a way out. Although I, Long, have escaped control, I have also fallen into another form of control."
Grandmaster Long suddenly had selfish thoughts.
"Xiao Le, the situation in Luo Cheng is indeed delicate right now. Luo Cheng cannot be without a city lord for even a day. So let's get things done as soon as possible. I'm sure Brother Situ would understand your thoughts if he knew in the afterlife."
"Sigh... If my father doesn't understand down there and wants to come to me in a dream to scold me, I'll accept it. Grandmaster Long, please." Situ Le said, feigning sadness.
Situ Hua's funeral was held quickly. Many of the old men in the city lord's mansion were used to the cold reception after someone's death, and they began to propose and decide on a new city lord.
" Grandmaster Long has made tremendous contributions to Luo Cheng. He has killed a King Level creature, protected the city's residents, and restrained the Evolver Evolver the city, preventing them from causing trouble. The Evolver city guard he organized protects the lives and property of every resident of Luo Cheng at all times. I propose that the Shinjo lord should be Long Zaitian Grandmaster."
"I think it's acceptable! I'll accept Grandmaster Long as the city lord!"
Situ Le was extremely displeased, even though he had expected this to happen.
" Grandmaster Long is the one everyone wants, what do you think?" Situ Le decided to strike later. If Grandmaster Long wanted to take the position, he couldn't stop him, but if Grandmaster Long didn't want to take it, then his chances would be much greater.
Grandmaster Long saw through Situ Le's thoughts, glanced at the high-ranking officials of the City Lord's Mansion, and sighed, "Gentlemen, I'm sorry, but I'm a rough man. I can offer advice on killing King Level creatures and fighting monsters, but I'm not capable of being the City Lord and managing Luo Cheng. Let's find a more suitable candidate for the position."
" Grandmaster Long, the position of city lord is rightfully yours! The people certainly hope that you can take this position! Besides, with our assistance, there haven't been any major changes in Luo Cheng, and it continues to operate as usual. Grandmaster Long can continue his cultivation and do his own thing," said one of the Council of Elders.
"That's right, Grandmaster Long, besides you, I can't think of anyone else who could sit in the position of city lord."
Situ Le was furious. These dogs, these bastards, calling Grandmaster Long one after another, had they really forgotten how much his City Lord's Mansion had spent supporting these people?
With his father dead, these people had no intention of helping him at all. Among the younger generation, his cultivation as Evolver was quite remarkable, ranking among the top.
"Gentlemen, there's no need to persuade me any further. I, Long, will absolutely not accept this position of city lord." Long Zaitian's attitude was resolute.
For a time, all the advisors and high-ranking officials in the city lord's mansion were troubled and looked embarrassed.
"Since Grandmaster Long has no interest in the position of city lord, I think it would be better to let Situ Le succeed him. Situ Le is the son of the former city lord and has been working with City Lord Situ for seven or eight years. Situ Le is familiar with all the procedures and has participated in many projects in Luo Cheng. He has considerable experience. Although he is still young, he is currently the only good candidate besides Grandmaster Long."
Situ Le chuckled inwardly. Finally, his faction had made a voice heard. It was worth the favors he had given them; they weren't exactly ungrateful.
" Elder Li's analysis is correct. The situation in Luo Cheng is dire. Why don't we hold a meeting to discuss it and then make a final decision?"
"Alright."
Seeing this, Grandmaster Long couldn't help but say, "Gentlemen, I have a suggestion."
Everyone stared intently at Grandmaster Long.
" Grandmaster Long, please speak."
Grandmaster Long laughed and said, "Previously, you all hoped that I would take on the position of city lord. Your implication was that you only wanted me to be a city lord who could keep things in check. I know your abilities and that you are responsible for the various departments within the city. The position of city lord represents more of the future direction of Luo Cheng and the decisions of the people. If Situ Le were to directly succeed to the position, it would be somewhat inappropriate for the people. Why not hold a general election and let those with virtue and ability give it a try?"
" Luo Cheng doesn't Luo Cheng to just one family; it Luo Cheng to everyone."
Situ Le's face turned ugly; he could no longer hold back. Grandmaster Long was clearly trying to block his path.
He was furious; if he weren't so weak, he would have attacked Long Zaitian directly.
" Grandmaster Long's suggestion is good. Luo Cheng Luo Cheng to everyone." Situ Le changed instantly, and he said with a smile.
"Since Grandmaster Long has proposed it and Situ Le agrees, why don't we hold a general election and properly plan the elements and conditions for running for city lord?"
"Yes, Grandmaster Long, I would be grateful if you could offer some advice."
Grandmaster Long smiled and said, "The position of city lord is of great significance. In the future, in this desolate yet newly born world, he will be a guiding light, leading the people of the city to uphold their hopes for a better life amidst this great change. Therefore, I personally believe that the first requirement is that his strength cannot be too weak; at least he should be in the late stage of the Awakening Realm, or even better, in the Shackle Realm."
" Grandmaster Long is absolutely right." Situ Le was just at the right point in his cultivation, quickly smiled and agreed, though inwardly he was cursing Grandmaster Long 4,000 times over.
" Grandmaster Long's point is excellent. Secondly, moral character is very important. The city lord must never be a person of moral depravity or a heinous villain."
"Good."
Xiao Tian, standing on the edge, watched as the group began to discuss, and he was so bored he wanted to yawn.
"City Lord election? Tsk tsk, if I don't register, do you think the position of city lord will ever fall into my hands?" Xiao Tian thought maliciously.
As dusk fell, the city's high-ranking officials finished their final discussion and ordered a notice to be posted at the entrance of the city lord's mansion. Additionally, the official website of Luo Cheng also pushed out the news.
This left many people who were simply staying at home speechless and their eyes lit up!
Almost 90% of the people want to be the city lord!
The decision-making team had anticipated this, and the first round eliminated more than 80% of them.
During this time, Xiao Tian neither registered nor got involved. Instead, he returned to the villa to take care of Chu Feng, whose resurrection was uncertain, and to give Zhou Quan pointers (purely by beating him up).
Xiao Tian has been feeling down lately because he made the right choice between the two difficult options he had faced, but the reward he was entitled to hadn't been given.
This puzzled him greatly, as this was the first time the Immortal Heavenly Dao System had ever been in standby mode and not functioning.
Xiao Tian could only wait, staring blankly.
The seeds of Chu Feng, nourished by Xiao Tian's spiritual water, grew stronger day and night, and in just a few days, they sprouted and blossomed.
Zhou Quan was also alarmed, feeling that Chu Feng's resurrection was just around the corner.
" Brother Tian, there's a city lord election going around, and I secretly signed you up. I wonder if you'll have a chance of winning. Should I go and help you out? What if you succeed? With the city lord position, you can get a lot of rare and precious treasures to speed up Fengzi's resurrection."
"Damn!" Xiao Tian was dumbfounded. He hadn't even signed up, but this fat guy had.
"Fatty! You've ruined my plans!" Xiao Tian couldn't help but feel a pain in his teeth.
" Brother Tian, what's wrong?" Zhou Quan looked completely innocent and took a few steps back.
In the City Lord's Mansion, the Elder Council, many elders, Grandmaster Long, and Situ Le were reviewing the remaining list of candidates for City Lord from the second phase.
Grandmaster Long is currently reviewing an interesting candidate list.
Candidate: Xiao Tian
Gender: Male
Nationality: Country H
Ethnicity: Dragon Clan
Level: Shackle Realm (I've killed many King Level creatures! It's true, and the facts will prove it. I wouldn't be afraid even if Grandmaster Long himself went into battle.)
"Interesting." Grandmaster Long approved the list immediately.
" Grandmaster Long, this list of yours is quite interesting. This Xiao Tian is truly arrogant."
Grandmaster Long laughed and said, "Whether it's true or not, it's easy to tell at a glance. Let's leave him until the end. There are quite a few experts in the city. If we can find one, it will be a good thing for Luo Cheng."
" Grandmaster Long is right, but I'm afraid Xiao Tian is just a simpleton, an inflatable fool. If all the candidates are like that, it will only make our screening process more difficult."
"It's alright. You can decide for yourselves what else you want. This is the first time I've seen this one, so I'll keep it. I'll deal with it myself later."
The elders had no objections, and even Situ Le looked on with anticipation, hoping that day would come soon.
The following day, the city lord's mansion published the information of the 1,000 candidates who had passed the review on the official website of Luo Cheng, and the public would vote on the results. The top 100 would advance to the next round.
This system is overseen by designated personnel. Some prominent online figures have been invited to the city lord's mansion, ostensibly for tea, but in reality for oversight, to prevent them from causing trouble and disrupting the true fairness of the election.
Situ Le's popularity is very high, and his popularity has skyrocketed. As the son of the former city lord, Situ Le has done a lot for Luo Cheng, just like Grandmaster Long and the former city Situ Hua. Situ Le has also made appearances and even personally led teams to carry out many important tasks. Many people also have a good impression of him.
Situ Le's purine count was the highest on the list, which pleased Situ Le greatly. He secretly thought that the people in the city had discerning eyes.
"Young Master, you truly are the one everyone has been waiting for!"
Situ Le was very pleased; he was satisfied with the result, which was also within his expectations.
With the deadline fast approaching and only two hours remaining, a dark horse emerged!
The outrageous statements made by candidate Xiao Tian in his campaign materials have garnered him a lot of praise!
According to the priming mechanism, each person can primate three people. In the last two hours, Xiao Tian's priming count rose rapidly, and in the last five minutes, he directly overtook Situ Le was at the top of the list.
Situ Le was so angry that he smashed all the antiques in his house to pieces!
"Find Xiao Tian! I need all his information!"
Xiao Tian was speechless. He confirmed that Zhou Quan hadn't helped him defecate; it was entirely the "kindness" of the people in the city.
"Fatty, if I lose to Grandmaster Long, you can expect to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair."
" Brother Tian, don't rush to break my legs. How can you be so self-deprecating? I believe that with the facts and real battles to come, you can definitely stand up to Grandmaster Long. I believe in you! After all, you are Fairy Yun Shang's fellow disciple!"
Meeting Zhou Quan's trusting gaze, Xiao Tian really wanted to kick him.