The village had changed.
Under Li Fan's ration system, work was organized, laziness punished, effort rewarded.
But order alone was fragile.
Even now, the villagers whispered behind closed doors, questioning Old He's judgment—or the strange boy who had guided it.
Li Fan observed quietly.
Fear lasts only as long as the threat. Belief lasts forever.
He knew the next step was to formalize control without exposing himself.
One evening, Li Fan approached Old He as the elders gathered near the fire.
"Chief," he said softly, "our village grows in strength. But we need a way to make decisions faster, so everyone knows who is responsible."
Old He frowned. "And what do you suggest, child?"
Li Fan's eyes gleamed with calculated certainty.
"We create a council. Five people—one for each major task in the village. Each responsible for their team. If disputes arise, the council will decide."
He paused, letting the idea sink in.
"Hunters, farmers, water, firewood, repair… each team chooses a representative. They answer to the village and to the chief."
Old He scratched his beard, thinking.
"It… could work. But who chooses the representatives?"
Li Fan smiled faintly.
"The teams themselves. They will choose people they respect. But the council answers to the chief—and through the chief, to… me."
The elders blinked. "To you?"
Li Fan shrugged innocently.
"I only help the chief organize. I am still just a child."
Within days, the council was formed.
Li Fan made sure of three things:
Each representative was loyal or easily influenced
Each representative respected him more than they respected Old He
He remained unseen as the real power
The council met daily under the pretense of advising the chief.
But Li Fan guided every decision with a few simple phrases:
"I think it would be better if…"
"Perhaps the hunters will work harder if…"
"What if we rewarded the water team more?"
The adults nodded, never suspecting the subtle strings being pulled.
By the end of the first week, the council acted exactly as he intended.
Orders passed through the council were executed without question.
Old He still held the title of chief, but the villagers began to look at Li Fan for guidance.
Even Old He began to defer to the boy's advice more often.
That night, he sat on the same boulder he had once climbed, looking down at the village.
Children slept, mothers stitched, fathers rested.
But the order, the quiet efficiency, the subtle obedience… it was all because of him.
A tiny smile touched his lips.
One day, this village will not be enough.One day, mortals, cultivators, even the heavens themselves will bow to someone who understands the rules.
But for now…
He was still a six-year-old boy, eating porridge by the fire, watched over by ordinary mortal parents.
And yet, already, the first threads of power were woven.
Li Fan whispered to himself:
"Power begins with order.Order begins with loyalty.Loyalty begins with understanding.And understanding… is everything."
In the quiet village of Stone Seed Hamlet, under the watchful eyes of mortals who thought themselves wise, a new ruler was born.
Not with strength.Not with cultivation.Not with divine favor.
But with knowledge, calculation, and patience.
The first steps toward unifying a universe had begun.