Chapter 573

“Lord Secret Envoy!”

“Lord Secret Envoy!”

...

Zhou Qingang's voice wasn’t loud, but when it reached He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan’s ears, it was like a thunderclap.

He Zhenghao was stunned for a moment, his face immediately turning pale. “Lord Secret Envoy has emerged from seclusion? How come I wasn’t informed?”

Gao Yuan also appeared utterly shocked, his expression full of disbelief.

However, what Zhou Qingang said next offered them a sliver of relief.

“The Secret Envoy has not yet emerged,” Zhou Qingang said lightly. “But if anyone thinks their petty schemes can escape the attention of the Secret Envoy in seclusion, that would be laughable.”

His words were filled with implication as he cast a sharp gaze at the two men.

He Zhenghao, feeling guilty, laughed awkwardly. “We all know the Secret Envoy possesses heaven-penetrating abilities; none of us would dare to deceive him!”

Gao Yuan, previously calm and confident, now broke into a cold sweat. His mind raced for a countermeasure as he hastily echoed He Zhenghao’s words.

Li Fan, seeing their feigned ignorance, sneered inwardly.

He raised his voice and sternly rebuked:

“You two, embezzling the recruitment funds behind the Secret Envoy’s back; behaving recklessly while he’s away; treating the laws of the Immortal Alliance as if they’re nothing; selling official positions for massive profits…”

“Do you really think such acts can escape the all-seeing eyes of the Secret Envoy?”

“How could you be so foolish?”

He Zhenghao, struck as if by lightning, trembled uncontrollably. Gao Yuan’s face turned ashen, his mouth opening and closing without forming a single word.

“Hmph! Don’t be deceived by the fact that the Secret Envoy outwardly appears to be only at the Golden Core stage. You both should know his true power is terrifying.” R

“While he might not claim to know all things without leaving his chambers, do you really believe the filth within this tiny Congyun Sea can elude his discerning gaze?” Li Fan declared with pride.

“Since the time, He Zhenghao, when you privately pocketed unclaimed recruitment funds, the Secret Envoy has been watching you.”

Hearing this, He Zhenghao’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

“I...” He Zhenghao tried to defend himself, but his voice was bitter, unable to muster an excuse.

Zhou Qing'ang sighed lightly.

“However, the Secret Envoy doesn’t care about such minor contributions. After all, you were the first to follow him upon his awakening. He chose to turn a blind eye, considering it a reward for your hard work.”

“But the things you’ve done over the past two years have deeply disappointed him.”

Zhou Qingang’s tone turned cold:

“Selling official titles—is it wrong? Many in the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance do the same. The Secret Envoy is not ignorant of human nature and wouldn’t oppose it outright.”

“If you had openly applied to the Secret Envoy to profit from such actions, he might have even lent you a hand!”

“But your grave mistake was acting on your own in everything. The wealth you’ve amassed from selling positions likely exceeds a million contribution points.”

“Did you ever report even once to the Secret Envoy? These acts violate the laws of the Immortal Alliance. If they were exposed one day, the higher-ups would surely hold the Secret Envoy, as Congyun City’s highest-ranking official, accountable.”

“Your greed is bad enough, but implicating the Secret Envoy as a scapegoat? Your intentions are truly despicable!” Zhou Qingang roared.

He Zhenghao, still sitting on the ground, felt aggrieved.

He wanted to argue, saying that the Secret Envoy himself had warned them not to disturb him without urgent matters. How could he possibly report illegal actions like embezzlement? Was he supposed to court death?

But no matter how valid his reasoning, it was useless to say it now.

Looking back on his actions over the past two years, He Zhenghao felt as though he had been dreaming.

The contribution points he had worked so hard to earn and cherished deeply now appeared as mere numbers in his eyes, devoid of real value. Even spending hundreds of thousands of points in an instant no longer fazed him.

The vast sums under his control had unknowingly changed his mindset.

Originally, he had sworn to follow the Secret Envoy—rumored to be a Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign who had fallen in cultivation—and to achieve great things under his leadership. He had hoped to return triumphantly to Tianyu Prefecture and reconcile with Heng Ruoshui.

But as time passed, he became lost in the flattery of others and the seemingly endless stream of contribution points. He forgot his lofty ambitions and focused solely on gaining more through unscrupulous means to indulge himself.

“Why must it be Heng Ruoshui?” he once thought. “With enough contribution points, what kind of female cultivator could I not have?”

Now, thinking back, he found it laughable.

At the time, though, he had been hopelessly ensnared in greed.

Scenes from the past flashed through his mind. He Zhenghao, drenched in sweat, felt as though he had just been pulled from water.

“How did I become like this?” He Zhenghao felt nothing but regret and bewilderment.

“Will the Secret Envoy show me any mercy?” He shivered, imagining his demise at the hands of Li Fan.

Yet, a glimmer of hope remained in his heart. The logic was simple: if the Secret Envoy had already decided to punish him, why bother sending Zhou Qing'ang to say so much?

His patient persuasion and his earlier mention of "doubling the 160,000 contribution points" suggested there might still be room for negotiation.

Thinking of this, He Zhenghao raised his head to look at Zhou Qingang.

Li Fan, noticing He Zhenghao’s long silence and the despair in his eyes, saw him suddenly look up. Smiling faintly, Li Fan spoke again:

“Although your crimes are severe, you were among the first to follow the Lord Secret Envoy.”

“Therefore, the Secret Envoy has decided to give you one last chance to redeem yourselves.”

These words ignited a flicker of hope in both He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan’s eyes.

“Please guide us!” Gao Yuan quickly bowed and asked.

“As I mentioned earlier, the war in Tianling Prefecture is nearing its end.”

“The Secret Envoy’s instructions are simple…” Li Fan paused before continuing resolutely:

“Seize this final opportunity.”

“Take as much as you can!”

His unwavering tone echoed throughout the hall.

Hearing this, the two men exchanged bewildered glances, doubt creeping onto their faces as they turned to Zhou Qingang.