It was, after all, at that very time that the two of them appeared together on the third level.
Tian Yi then added, "You don't know Lord Li's background. He is a pioneer sent by the General Bureau to support us here on Donghai Island, but he also came with his own mission."
"I've seen Lord Li's mission. It seems to be an examination task for entering the General Bureau's upper echelons. With Lord Li's strength, he shouldn't have been unable to get out."
Tian Yi suddenly wiped away a tear.
"Lord Li stayed behind to trap the islanders inside, which is why he couldn't get out in time!"
Indeed, since their return, not a single islander had appeared. Lord Li had managed to accomplish this.
The crowd lowered their heads.
Especially the villagers who had been under the islanders' rule, they looked as if they had committed a mistake, daring not to raise their heads.
Such a master had died for them, and no one present could bear the responsibility alone.
Some, in their sorrow, secretly wiped away tears. A young man with his whole life ahead of him, a genius full of spirit, had perished just like that.
Most importantly, he had died saving them, saving Donghai Island.
Based on this merit alone, he deserved their respect!
Not to mention that Lord Li had also stepped in to help them regain their standing against the islanders at the time!
The man Lord Li had saved now had his eyes red and his fists clenched.
As the atmosphere reached its peak, Tian Yi seized the moment to say, "I think we can fulfill a wish for Lord Li!"
A villager asked, "What wish? What can we do?"
Tian Yi said earnestly, "Although this matter falls under the purview of us managers, your role is also significant. You will need to provide testimony for me later."
Then Tian Yi explained his idea.
It was simple: first, publicize Lord Li's deeds throughout Donghai Island, establishing his heroic acts, and then leverage this momentum to have the General Bureau's auditors, who had accompanied them, process this with special consideration, listing Lord Li as having passed.
This idea was immediately met with support from the other managers and soldiers from the General Bureau.
Although they had not been there for long, they had long harbored intense dissatisfaction with the islanders. Not only had those fellows forcibly invaded Donghai Island, but they also intentionally showed them disrespect while they were working.
If they hadn't known that they were all special cultivators, they might have lost their temper and acted long ago!
Of course, speaking of taking action, one must mention Tian Yi's good brother, one of their own who was killed by the islanders.
This was a blood feud!
With the managers themselves adopting this stance, the villagers had no excessive worries and also expressed their support.
Only Feishu, the spokesperson for the villagers, had an unnatural expression.
Tian Yi noticed this as well, but after everyone returned to the General Bureau's camp, he sought out Feishu alone.
"Feishu, do you have any different opinions?"
Feishu shook his head, but it was unclear whether he had none or was unwilling to voice them.
Tian Yi's brows furrowed. He suddenly thought of his brother.
Thus, he revealed everything about his brother's situation.
In any case, with the help of his companion and the premium seaweed, his brother's situation was not a major issue, and there was no need to keep it a secret anymore.
In fact, there was no concealment; his brother would have told him these things upon waking up anyway.
What Tian Yi did not expect was that the anticipated scene of support driven by gratitude did not occur. Instead, Feishu's expression became somewhat conflicted.
"Feishu, what exactly is going on?"
Tian Yi's brows were tightly knit. He couldn't understand why, after he had said all that, Feishu was still hesitant.
This matter didn't require them to take any risks; they merely had to speak up. Lord Li had helped them immensely with his life, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a life-saving grace. Could they not even help with this?
Tian Yi's heart was filled with disappointment towards Feishu. He hadn't expected that someone with such high prestige among the villagers would be like this.
"You misunderstand."
Tian Yi was naturally unable to hide his emotions. Feishu, as the villagers' spokesperson, knew his thoughts well.
"You don't know, but we also have our difficulties. The General Bureau has always wanted to obtain the secret techniques from me."
Feishu sighed. "Others are fine, but if I also speak out, they might use this opportunity to exert pressure. At that time, I fear it might affect Lord Li's matter."
Tian Yi's brows were tightly knit.
"There's such a thing? But didn't the General Bureau say they couldn't pressure ordinary people?"
This was also one of the General Bureau's rules.
As the public spokesperson for Shangjing, their authority had already reached a relative peak. If such a situation were not restricted, who knew when it might blow up!
Therefore, to better restrain their subordinates, one of the most stringent rules of the General Bureau was not to coerce or entice ordinary people!
Feishu chuckled, "I can understand the spirit, but if a small-minded person wants to target you, what can you do? Can your current position manage them?"
Tian Yi's expression froze.
Feishu continued, "Manager Tian, this is not because I am narrow-minded or afraid of trouble, but because, in my view, the risk is simply too great."
"Towards Lord Li, I also feel immense gratitude."
With Feishu having said so much, Tian Yi could no longer interject.
"Alas, I didn't expect such a thing to happen."
However, Tian Yi quickly regained his spirits.
"But don't worry, Feishu, I will report this matter for you. I refuse to believe that the General Bureau doesn't have any good people who can deal with these rascals!"
Feishu only nodded, his expression showing little change.
Tian Yi did not know that he was not the first to say such a thing.
But after so many years, he had grown from a child into a family head, and this matter always ended inconclusively.
Not a single person had fulfilled their promise!
As a result, they were still being bullied by the islanders.
The intricacies of this were something that perhaps only an old hand like Lord Li would understand!
On the other side, as the people from Heilin came out and were apprehended with bewildered expressions, and with the appearance of other villagers, the news that Li Chonglou had wiped out the islanders in the mine spread like wildfire among the three major powers.
First was the islander side, one of the involved parties. Not only had the Heilin people turned around and invaded their territory, but their most important underground mine stronghold had also been wiped out by someone else?
Fury!
Besides fury, there was only fury!
The authorities stationed by the islanders in Donghai Island immediately ordered a full-scale assault on the General Bureau's camp!
The battle was on the verge of breaking out!
However, Wang Bing, as the squad leader, was overjoyed.
"These guys are in a hurry. Doing something so foolish, isn't this practically giving me an opportunity?"
Wang Bing immediately had people contact the hosts of Donghai Island, namely the old madman and the other one.
On the rooftop of the building.
The two either had just returned or had been standing there the entire time, their positions unchanged.