"Manager, this doesn't seem good," Sun Zhang lamented, feeling a pang of sorrow. "We acquired that yard with a hefty sum, intending to bribe Steward Zhao. We can't just give it away so easily to this lad, can we?"
"If we are to give it to him, we should wait until he helps us seize the fleet."
The woman in yellow garments replied, "Do what you're told. If we wait too long, I'm afraid the gift will be much bigger than a courtyard."
Muttering to himself privately, Sun Zhang ultimately dared not defy the orders of his superior and obediently sent the land deed to Li Fan's hands.
Li Fan didn't refuse. There was no need to move anything either. He moved into the Eastern Street courtyard that very day.
Compared to the slums outside the city, the surroundings of this yard were significantly better. At the alley's entrance, official personnel from Liuli Mansion maintained order and security. The small courtyard was also more spacious than the previous residence, comprising a main house with three rooms and two wings on each side. Although not overly large, it was sufficient for Li Fan's single occupancy.
Turning down several maidservants sent by the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, Li Fan settled down in the courtyard and patiently awaited the fleet's next departure.
He initially thought it wouldn't take long, but an unforeseen event postponed the departure indefinitely.
A calamity approached—a tempest!
Li Fan had heard numerous discussions about storms on Liuli Island during conversations among its residents, but he hadn't paid much attention. He thought it would be similar to typhoons or hurricanes he had encountered before crossing over, just a larger storm.
However, when the tempest actually arrived, Li Fan realized he was sorely mistaken!
On that day, while Li Fan was practicing the "Cleansing Heart Mantra" as usual in his home, he suddenly heard booming sounds outside.
The strange and shrill sound dominated the island's sky, quickly spreading across the entire Liuli Island.
"Quick, get back home! The tempest is coming!"
"May the Immortal Master protect us, protect us!"
"Mother, where are you? Come home quickly!"
...
Chaos erupted on the island, with panicked and fearful cries filling the air. Li Fan was momentarily puzzled.
Suddenly, he saw a blue curtain of light in the sky above Liuli Island.
The light screen resembled an inverted giant bowl, spanning the entire island and covering everything within.
"The island protection formation has been activated. No need to panic! Stay at home and don't go out!" A clear female voice accompanied the appearance of the light screen, spreading across the island.
"May the Immortal Master be merciful!"
Listening to the chorus of voices around him, Li Fan looked up and carefully observed the island protection formation.
The blue light flickered, isolating the island from the outside.
On the light screen, obscure characters, unfamiliar to Li Fan, occasionally appeared, looking extraordinarily mysterious.
Like the cries of ghosts, the howling winds gradually started, resonating in the air.
The ripples on the light screen rippled, blocking the fierce wind.
Inside the light screen, it was calm.
The sky began to pour down torrential rain.
The raindrops were so dense they almost formed a line, striking the light screen.
Ripples spread on the light screen, deflecting all of the torrential rain.
Outside, the storm roared, but inside, it was tranquil.
"So, this is the power of an Immortal?"
Li Fan admired secretly.
Although he had witnessed the destructive power of Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi, who could both obliterate an entire city with ease, seeing this island protection formation still made him eagerly yearn for it.
The tremendous waves continued for nearly half an hour.
Gradually, the rain subsided, and the wind diminished.
Just when Li Fan thought the tempest was about to end, he suddenly sensed something was amiss.
The sky not only didn't clear up but darkened further.
Countless dark clouds appeared from nowhere, layer upon layer, seemingly endless, pressing down towards the island.
In an instant, the heavens and the earth turned pitch black.
The thick dark clouds seemed within arm's reach, almost tangible.
The clouds appeared to be brewing something, plunging Liuli Island into a brief silence.
The silence was soon shattered.
"Boom!"
A thunderous sound exploded near Li Fan's ears.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Deafening roars, like thunder, erupted from all directions, incessant and unending.
Like an endless symphony without a conclusion, it reverberated through the heavens and the earth.
In the midst of this tremendous sound, Li Fan felt his head spinning, eyes dazzling, and chest pressed as if by a massive boulder, making it difficult to breathe. Touching his nose, he realized fresh blood was flowing.
Li Fan was alarmed, planning to rush back into the house for cover, but suddenly, he felt the ground violently shaking beneath his feet.
As the world spun around him, Li Fan quickly lost balance and fell to the ground.
It seemed like being continuously struck by something, the earth trembled violently.
Looking up, Li Fan saw a sight that almost took his breath away.
A wall of water, of indeterminable height, occupied his entire field of vision. Under the assault of the roaring winds, it descended towards Liuli Island with a force that could shatter anything.
The monstrous wave was about to fall, burying everything beneath it.
Li Fan couldn't help but raise his hands instinctively to shield himself.
"Boom!"
The wave crashed against the blue light screen.
The light screen distorted for a moment as if it was going to shatter.
However, after a burst of blue light, the light screen returned to normal.
Like rocks by the seashore, standing firm amidst the huge waves.
Unable to engulf Liuli Island, the furious sea seemed to be infuriated.
Wave after wave relentlessly assaulted, a tempest of the last days.
Li Fan, lost in this chaotic scene, felt as if an era had passed.
When the tempest finally subsided after what seemed like an eternity, survivors on the island knelt down, weeping in gratitude.
Li Fan, under the incessant discussions of the islanders, received even more astonishing news.
This tempest experienced by Liuli Island was considered relatively small in scale.
Fifteen years ago, the tempest's might was several times stronger than this one.
At that time, the island protection formation almost couldn't hold, forcing it to shrink its protective range.
Thus, after the tempest, the areas not protected by the formation were ravaged.
The island's size was reduced to a third of its original size.
In the following decade and a half after the tempest, Liuli Island gathered survivors and slowly began to recover.
"A tempest... so this is what a tempest is."
Li Fan was profoundly moved.
The power of nature was truly terrifying!