However, when these people saw the completed Lan Family Fort, they were immediately awestruck and excited by the grand blueprint for its future.
This was the foundation of the Lan family for decades, perhaps even centuries!
As long as the Lan Family Fort stood, the Lan family would endure.
Conversely, these individuals became the most eager to relocate.
With the completion of the Lan Family Fort, the Lan family almost entirely moved in, leaving only a few elderly caretakers in the Lan Mansion in Jiangnan City.
Soon, a message spread from the Lan Family Fort, along with countless invitations.
In three days, the Lan family would hold a completion ceremony, inviting all the powerful figures of Jiangnan City to witness and celebrate together.
Upon receiving these invitations, the various prominent families and forces in Jiangnan City fell into a brief silence.
This was not merely an invitation to a ceremony, but also a clarion call for the Lan family's rise in Jiangnan City.
After the ceremony, Jiangnan City would likely become a scene of confrontation between the City Lord's Mansion, the Li family, and the Lan Family Fort.
It was unlikely that the City Lord's Mansion, the Li family, would allow such a situation to arise.
At this moment, many powerful individuals silently turned their gaze towards the City Lord's Mansion at the heart of Jiangnan City.
That person was no benevolent soul.
Although he had rarely made a move in recent years, his fearsome reputation was still etched in their memories.
Ling Fan of the Lan family had crippled his son and snatched the lucrative Fire Crystal mine from him. How could he possibly let this go?
It was highly probable that the Lan Family Fort's completion ceremony would not be a peaceful affair.
...
The City Lord's Mansion, the Li family.
The Li family had also received an invitation from the Lan Family Fort.
As a strongman from the City Lord's Mansion tremblingly delivered the invitation into the dim and oppressive great hall, a terrifying storm seemed to brew within.
"Is this a show of defiance towards this City Lord? Good! Very good! It has been many years since anyone dared to challenge the authority of the Li family of Jiangnan City."
"Go inform Liang Shan Master that in three days, during the Lan Family Fort's ceremony, it will be the day of the Lan family's demise."
"Yes!"
...
At this time, within the Lan Family Fort, a scene of joyous festivity prevailed. The inhabitants were unaware of the immense danger lurking beneath the surface of this tranquility.
Everyone was busy preparing for the Lan Family Fort's completion ceremony in three days. Lanterns and colorful banners adorned the Lan Family Fort, making it as bright as day even at night.
Lan Tianxiong, Lan Junjie, and Li Huimei worked tirelessly every day, yet they felt no fatigue, their bodies filled with energy.
After all, this was a momentous occasion that brought honor to their ancestors. What did a little toil matter when the primary goal was to host a grand, solemn, and lively ceremony?
The Weapons Workshop had also relocated to the Lan Family Fort, occupying a large area in the northwest. The sounds of hammering and clanging echoed from within daily, a scene of bustling activity.
Following the Lan family's triumphant victory in the weapon competition, not only had the previously lost artisans returned, but many new artisans had also been recruited, drawn by the Lan family's reputation. Among them were renowned craftsmen with exquisite skills, leading to the unprecedented expansion of the Lan family's Weapons Workshop.
Li Shan's face was also constantly wreathed in smiles, rarely ceasing, even in his sleep.
He was a craftsman who achieved breakthroughs through diligent accumulation. Over the past month or two, he had finally begun to fully grasp Ling Fan's guidance, advancing further and solidifying his position as a top-tier craftsman, steadily progressing towards becoming a Yellow-grade Weapon Master.
However, to truly reach the level of a Yellow-grade Weapon Master, it would require a considerable amount of time and a step-by-step approach.
But for someone like Li Shan, who knew contentment, becoming a top-tier craftsman was already immensely satisfying.
All these changes were brought about by the son-in-law for the Lan family.
Whenever Li Shan had a moment of leisure, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
He wondered what great deed the son-in-law was secretly undertaking now.
Li Shan couldn't help but think.
To this day, he still couldn't comprehend how such a young boy, the son-in-law, could accomplish so many incredible things.
A Yellow-grade Weapon Master, the creation of nine-patterned spirit weapons from thin air, a martial prodigy who defeated a Xuan Gang realm expert while in the Kai Mai realm...
Ling Fan had rarely shown himself.
Yet, every member of the Lan family thought of him and spoke of him frequently.
This was indeed a peculiar matter.
Even Li Huimei, his mother-in-law who had previously disliked Ling Fan the most, now constantly mentioned him, unable to feel at ease without praising and boasting about him dozens or hundreds of times a day.
On a tall building in the Lan Family Fort, this was a room specially built for Ling Fan and Lan Xueyi.
In front of the bedroom was a spacious open-air balcony. Pushing open the door revealed a breathtaking view of lush green mountains, cascading waterfalls, and ethereal mist.
At this moment, Lan Xueyi sat quietly on the balcony, leaning back lazily, her exquisite figure on full display.
Like other members of the Lan family, seeing the current prosperity of the Lan family, Ling Fan's image inevitably surfaced in her mind.
All of this originated from this young man.
Her husband.
"Who exactly are you?"
Lan Xueyi suddenly recalled a sentence Ling Fan had spoken when they were at the Weapons Workshop.
At that time, facing the accusations and ridicule of everyone, Ling Fan had said, "That is merely because your mortal eyes cannot comprehend the existence you are speaking with."
Lan Xueyi still remembered it clearly. When Ling Fan said those words, his demeanor shifted, his voice becoming cold and ethereal, as if possessing the aura of a celestial dragon looking down upon all beings.
"Could you truly be a banished immortal from the heavens?"
Lan Xueyi couldn't help but wonder.
...
Just as the Lan family's completion ceremony was being meticulously prepared and all parties were paying close attention.
At this moment, deep within the Fire Crystal mine.
Ling Fan had maintained a motionless posture for many days. His eyes were open, and if one looked closely, they would see countless profound black demonic talismans constantly flickering in and out of existence.
"It is time to collect the Demonic Fire Red Lotus."
Ling Fan spoke softly, breaking the silence.
Cold and decisive.
He never procrastinated in his actions.
At this moment, he was indeed the legendary powerhouse who had suppressed the myriad heavens and ten celestial realms in his previous life.
Within his eyes, seventy-two demonic talisman formations lit up in sequence, and a black demonic lotus imprint appeared in each eye.
The moment the imprints appeared, an invisible pull was exerted upon the Demonic Fire Red Lotus.
Boom!
Just then, an anomaly occurred.
As if sensing a threat, the Demonic Fire Red Lotus unleashed an incredibly terrifying destructive aura. The scarlet demonic flames surged violently, burning towards Ling Fan.
Furthermore, the surrounding fire spiritual energy seemed to be controlled by the Demonic Fire Red Lotus, immediately showing signs of rampage. Streams of fire flowed like countless dancing fire serpents, being devoured by the Demonic Fire Red Lotus, forming an immensely colossal, blazing red lotus.
Spiritual fires like this possessed strong sentience and were notoriously difficult to tame. How could it willingly be controlled and harnessed by another?
Such terrifying fiery power even caused the void to crackle and pop. For anyone else, even a Heavenly Yuan realm martial grandmaster, they would likely be terrified and flee in disarray at the sight of this Demonic Fire Red Lotus, let alone harbor any thoughts of subduing it.
The slightest carelessness could result in being reduced to ashes.
But this Demonic Fire Red Lotus was facing Ling Fan!