Chapter 1031-1035: Mysterious Eruption in the Cloud Ocean (6k+ words)

Li Fan's words sounded perfectly reasonable.

However, he also knew that the reason he could effortlessly upgrade the Xuantian Lock-Seclusion Formation was entirely due to the Dissociation Disk's benefits.

Not to mention, it was the super version after the fusion of two lifetimes.

If it were an ordinary Daoist proficient in array formations, they probably wouldn't be able to understand this ancient great formation.

With these thoughts in mind, Li Fan withdrew his gaze from the passage to the secluded depths.

The frequent and bizarre eruptions in the Xuanhuang Realm should probably be an event five hundred years later.

This current life of the Xuanhuang Realm obviously wouldn't last that long.

"Let me try the power after using the 'Erroneous Transformation of the Heavenly Dao.'"

Li Fan concentrated, focusing on the thin thread connected to the Heavenly Essence Golden Seal.

Then, exerting a bit of force, he falsely commanded the power of the heavens and the earth, giving the incorrect order to make the Golden Seal return to the heavens and the earth.

In the passage to the secluded depths, the Golden Seal seemed somewhat puzzled by this unexpected command.

If it left at this moment, there would undoubtedly be a risk of a large-scale outbreak of anomalies for some time.

However, as the Heavenly Essence, a manifestation of the will of the heavens and the earth, there naturally wouldn't be a situation where it would contradict its own will.

So, after a moment of hesitation, the Heavenly Essence Golden Seal once again transformed from a golden chain into a human form.

Then, it gradually faded and eventually disappeared between the heavens and the earth.

The moment the Golden Seal disappeared, Li Fan saw a large amount of dark and turbid matter violently spewing out from the dark and unobservable area below.

Invisible and intangible, it spread like a living creature, spontaneously diffusing in all directions.

In response to this dark substance, the heavens and the earth also reacted quickly.

A sudden sense of imminent danger surged in Li Fan's mind. Making a quick decision, he immediately severed the connection with the heavenly net and fled far from the Cloud Ocean.

Perhaps busy dealing with the mysterious crisis, the heavens and the earth did not detect Li Fan's false command that disrupted the heavenly mandate.

Li Fan, at a distance, observed that after the dissipation of the Golden Seal, two new Heavenly Essences were about to be born in the Cloud Ocean.

Li Fan, who had tested his "Erroneous Transformation of the Heavenly Dao," was very satisfied with the results.

The level of the Heavenly Essence was higher than that of the changes in the heavens and the earth.

Since he could falsely command the heavens and the earth and mobilize the Heavenly Essence, dealing with the changes in the heavens and the earth within a certain range was naturally not a big problem.

"I can even use this method to create chaos within the Xuanhuang Realm first. Then, by taking advantage of the situation, 'create' the Heavenly Essences needed to solve the problem." Li Fan's thoughts diverged and flourished.

"However, doing so will undoubtedly attract the attention of the heavens and the earth. It's a one-time thing, and it's not very useful."

Li Fan, far from the Cloud Ocean, continuously monitored the situation leaked from the passage to the secluded depths through the Tianxuan Mirror.

It appeared peaceful, incredibly calm.

No slightest abnormality occurred.

However, even before the cultivators noticed, there were already some strange occurrences gradually happening on Wuxian Island.

Qianli Hall.

"What in the world! Why don't the accounts match this month?"

Jiao Xiuyuan frowned, recalculating the profits for this month.

But he found that he was actually at a loss.

Blood surged, and at any moment, he would uncontrollably spew out a mouthful of old blood.

Jiao Xiuyuan forcefully suppressed the irritability in his heart and carefully checked again.

The result was accurate.

"It's strange. I clearly remember that this month should have been a small profit. How could there be a loss?"

Jiao Xiuyuan was puzzled.

Without entertaining any more guests, he closed the door tightly.

Then, he meticulously reviewed the transactions that occurred on Wuxian Island this month.

In the end, he discovered where the problem was.

"Yes, there's an account that hasn't been settled."

"Who owes the debt?"

Jiao Xiuyuan muttered, and as he searched, the expression on his face became increasingly serious.

Because he found that the person who owed him a debt disappeared without any reason.

Not only was there no memory of this person in his mind, but there was also no information about this person in the Tianxuan Mirror.

It was as if this person had never existed.

"This..."

Jiao Xiuyuan's first reaction was that he encountered a powerful individual.

"Which friend is playing a joke on me, Jiao?!"

A trace of anger appeared on his dark face.

However, Jiao Xiuyuan soon became puzzled.

"Is it necessary for just a mere ten thousand contribution points?"

Calm down, Jiao Xiuyuan, who had already sensed that something was amiss, went out to investigate and confirmed his suspicions.

"Sure enough, it's not just one person who disappeared inexplicably."

Jiao Xiuyuan's eyes rolled, immediately took out a jade slip, and recorded his findings.

The bizarre eruptions in the Cloud Ocean were not limited to this.

On one island, all the residents turned into faceless monsters overnight.

Everyone saw their normal selves in the mirror, but when looking at others, there was only a faceless appearance.

Moreover, they could not understand each other's words.

In extreme fear, the people on the island killed each other, and in the end, only one survivor remained.

There was also a fishing boat that went out to fish, and when it returned to the island, no crew members appeared for a long time.

The residents of the island curiously went on board to check and found that all the crew members had turned into skeletons.

The interior of the ship also seemed to have aged hundreds of years, worn and dilapidated.

...

All sorts of bizarre and strange occurrences.

Li Fan, the instigator, found them intriguing.

"Each anomaly should correspond to specific rules. If you can decipher the secrets of these rules when the anomalies occur, not only can you survive, but you might also grasp some of the power of these new rules."

"If cultivators represent the power of the old laws of heaven and earth, then these new laws..."

"Might give rise to an entirely new system of power."

After merging with the heavens and the earth, Li Fan's comprehension seemed to have improved significantly.

He instantly thought of many things.

"However, these so-called new laws are only temporary during the integration process. Once the Xuanhuang Realm devours and completes the fusion, the old laws will be restored."

"These new laws will naturally be eradicated as heresy."

"Moreover, the Patriarch Tianzun and even the Wuxian Alliance should not allow such power to exist in the world."

"But I hope that the more of this existence, the better."

Observing in secret, Li Fan discerned the profitable aspects of this disaster.

Immediately, he set off again towards the Cloud Ocean, attempting to search for creatures that survived the anomalies and mastered the anomalous power.

In the heavenly view, those dark and wriggling entities, like worms, were very clear.

There was no risk of being affected.

Li Fan observed from the periphery every time he arrived at a location.

It had to be said that for ordinary beings, surviving in the anomalies was indeed extremely difficult.

Li Fan passed by more than a dozen places where anomalies occurred but failed to find a single survivor.

However, perseverance paid off. In the end, he found his target on an island named Fan Yong.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 1032: Weak Overcoming the Strong

Fan Yong Island, aptly named.

"Fàn" means fence or enclosure, and "Yōng" means useless.

This island is located in an extremely remote sea area, with no other islands within a radius of thousands of miles. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that the spiritual energy in this sea area is all concentrated on Fan Yong Island, resulting in abundant rainfall and extremely rich resources on this large island every year.

Even without any human cultivation, the naturally produced crops are enough to ensure that the residents on the island have no worries about clothing and food.

Even several large warehouses on the island are filled with grain, slowly rotting away without anyone caring.

And this situation seems to have persisted since the birth of the Cloud Ocean.

This has led to a phenomenon: the residents of Fan Yong Island no longer face survival pressure. Apart from eating and sleeping every day, the most common activity is an event called "Shuai Dou."

In this event, the participants fight in the nude, and the winner will obtain the loser's social status for a month. This includes the right to dispose of the opponent's assets and exercise the opponent's social authority.

Except for actions harmful to the island, everything else is permitted.

For the loser during this month, they can only watch helplessly as the other person becomes another version of themselves.

Squandering their own property, sleeping with their own wives...

Of course, if they feel dissatisfied, they can challenge again after a month.

However, if they lose again in the second round, the duration of the continuation will double to two months.

And so on.

As the only and most popular entertainment activity on the island, every Shuai Dou event attracts almost the entire population of Fan Yong Island to watch.

People cheer and cheer, the participants fight with red eyes, and the families of the participants are extremely nervous.

However, after the recent Shuai Dou event, something unbelievable happened to all the spectators.

The winner actually, in full view of everyone, turned into the appearance of the loser!

And the original loser, inexplicably disappeared in public!

Even more strangely, despite such a bizarre phenomenon, the residents on the island did not stop the Shuai Dou competition.

On the contrary, their enthusiasm swelled even more.

Win one person, truly win everything about them! What could be more exciting than this?

Initially, people did look at this new Shuai Dou with such an attitude.

However, soon they realized that something was wrong.

Then panic began to spread on Fan Yong Island.

However, the Shuai Dou did not stop because of this...

Because this game was no longer something they could control.

Under the shroud of weirdness, at least half the number of people on Fan Yong Island would engage in Shuai Dou every day, forcibly taking effect regardless of the will of the two parties.

The loser would disappear, and the winner would transform into the appearance of the loser.

Not only the physical appearance changed, but even the body's capabilities would undergo corresponding changes.

Only the inner self remained dominated by the winner, absorbing the memories of the loser.

And during the competition, the mental state of both parties would be affected. They would go all out and not intentionally concede.

As time passed day by day, with Shuai Dou continuously taking place, the population on the island rapidly decreased.

Some people couldn't bear it and chose to end their own lives.

The remaining people experienced changes in their identities in one competition after another.

When Li Fan finally found the only survivor on Fan Yong Island and sorted out the twists and turns from his chaotic memories of over a hundred thousand copies, he couldn't help but feel a palpitation.

The mysterious and eerie power on Fan Yong Island had disappeared.

And the one in front of him, with a body that looked like a cylinder and facial features almost submerged in flesh, with only a few vertical lines left, was the final winner.

This originally should have been the weakest existence on Fan Yong Island.

Because of its excessively heavy weight, it was even difficult to raise its arms and move. Therefore, in every Shuai Dou, it couldn't even fight back and would lose the competition without fail.

But the will within this body was a collection of over a hundred thousand people on Fan Yong Island. Dominating it was an absolute victor who had been winning continuously.

Every victory seemed to allow it to devour some strength from the opponent. Now, the weight it occupied in the overall will was more powerful than the sum of all the others.

However, after experiencing such a nightmare-like scene, this fleshy ball was on the verge of collapse.

Sitting dumbfounded on the ground, its face filled with confusion.

Just as Li Fan appeared in front of him, he instinctively wanted to initiate a Shuai Dou competition.

At that moment, Li Fan vaguely felt a dark power emanating from the opponent's body, like invisible tentacles trying to attach to him.

However, Li Fan snorted coldly and concealed his traces, making these dark forces grasp at nothing.

The fat figure continued to sit dumbfounded in place.

Li Fan had a premonition that if he hadn't avoided the Shuai Dou competition just now, after becoming the winner, he would also transform into the appearance of the current dignitary.

As for whether his cultivation realm would be retained, it was unknown.

"This ability..."

Li Fan immediately thought of Mo Ruhu Bin's Mirror Replacement.

However, what happened on Fan Yong Island was evidently weaker and had more limitations than Mo Ruhu Bin's ability.

But if used properly, it still unquestionably counted as a formidable ability.

Although it seemed that this Shuai Dou competition would eventually cause the winner to continuously regress towards weakness...

That was in the context of the strong defeating the weak.

What if it was the weak overcoming the strong?

Wouldn't it be step by step, relying on this ability to achieve a rapid transformation of strength in a short time?

Generally, the weak meant defeat, and the strong meant victory.

But for Li Fan, there were too many ways to achieve victory by overcoming the strong with the weak.

Thinking of this, Li Fan couldn't help but become interested.

He casually grabbed a Foundation Establishment cultivator outside and, regardless of their terrified gaze, directly immobilized them with the Binding Insect. Then, he tossed them in front of the fat ball.

Driven by instinct, the fat ball extended an invitation for a Shuai Dou competition to the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Although the fat ball's body was almost immobile, it was dominated by a powerful soul.

Looking at the healthy but motionless body in front of him, the originally confused eyes of the fat ball instantly burst into a fierce survival light.

Struggling for almost half a day, he finally completed the competition.

However, to his extreme disappointment, although he won the match, he did not transform into the opponent's appearance.

After a moment of confusion, he immediately understood the reason.

Because this competition was not fair.

External forces interfered with the match...

So, the match result was invalid!

Thinking of the suddenly appearing residents who did not originally belong to the island, he instantly realized that there were other people hidden on the island!

Moreover...

The method that could immobilize people was highly likely to be the legendary Immortal's technique!

Thinking to this point, excitement surged in his heart.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 1033: The Righteous Confrontation

Tears flowed, and the round body fell to the ground with difficulty.

He pleaded for the Immortal to save his life.

At this moment, Li Fan revealed his figure.

"It seems that when outsiders intervene, the rules become ineffective. Only by winning the competition entirely on his own will it be effective," Li Fan thought in his mind.

Without wasting words with the round ball, Li Fan stared at the opponent, and an invisible force suddenly descended.

While shattering the continuous wails in the opponent's mind, turning them into consciousness nutrients, Li Fan also performed a liposuction surgery.

After a small half-day, the survivor, who had returned to normal size and had consciousness powerful enough to rival an ordinary Yuan Ying stage cultivator, slowly woke up.

"Jiang Nian'er, you residents of Fan Yong Island occupy the heavenly favor but are always neglectful and ignore the heavenly blessings. Therefore, heaven has sent calamity upon you," Li Fan said.

"I, moved by heaven's benevolence and seeing you genuinely pitiable, have extended a helping hand."

Li Fan's voice was like thunder, and his divine sense directly entered the opponent's mind, deeply imprinting his words.

"Thank you for the Immortal's grace, thank you for the Immortal's grace..."

In no time, the now normal Jiang Nian'er cried and kowtowed continuously on the ground.

"I only wish to follow by the Immortal's side from now on, to be a servant, to repay the favor of resurrection..."

Even with the consciousness of over a hundred thousand ordinary people easily brainwashed by Li Fan, Jiang Nian'er sincerely spoke.

Li Fan didn't respond, just said solemnly, "This is calamity but also a tremendous opportunity."

"Do you want to be my disciple..."

"But you don't qualify yet. Start by following by my side and be a Daoist disciple. See how you perform in the future. If you satisfy me..."

Li Fan said calmly.

Jiang Nian'er kowtowed again to express gratitude, never daring to lift his head.

"He is your test!"

Li Fan pointed to the immobile Foundation Establishment cultivator beside him.

"In the world of cultivators, they are divided into Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment..."

After briefly introducing the cultivation forms in the Xuan Huang Realm, Li Fan continued, "This person is a Foundation Establishment Late-stage cultivator."

"You need to defeat him with your own strength!"

"I have limited patience and will only give you fifteen days."

Jiang Nian'er's body instantly stiffened.

Although he didn't understand what kind of strength a Foundation Establishment Late-stage cultivator would possess, he had seen the Immortals flying around in the sky before.

The power to fly, control wind and rain—how could he, a mere mortal, surpass them?

Fifteen days, what could he accomplish?

Li Fan saw Jiang Nian'er's fear and smiled, "Rest assured, I won't let you do something meaningless and suicidal."

Pointing lightly at Jiang Nian'er's forehead, Li Fan imparted a foundational Qi Condensation technique and a set of basic formation skills.

"With what I teach you, it should be enough for you to handle him."

"Of course, if you can't digest this content within fifteen days..."

"In that case, the fortunate one will become him." Li Fan looked at the unnamed Foundation Establishment cultivator and said with a smile.

Jiang Nian'er's heart tightened, hastily sat down, and began to comprehend the content Li Fan had imparted.

"Absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, control its aura..."

Starting from the most basic knowledge of cultivation, a brand-new cultivation world unfolded before Jiang Nian'er.

Although his divine sense intensity was almost the same as a Yuan Ying cultivator, Jiang Nian'er obviously hadn't adapted to how to use this power yet.

Still, like an ordinary person, he carefully read each word, seemingly afraid of missing any details.

Until night fell, he suddenly woke up.

Has it been half a day already?

Thinking of the fifteen-day death deadline, an immense invisible pressure surged into Jiang Nian'er's heart.

"I can't slow down; I need to be faster."

It must be said that Jiang Nian'er truly deserved to be the big winner among over a hundred thousand people.

He quickly mastered not only speed reading but also multitasking.

While studying the entry-level cultivation techniques, he also began to delve into formations.

Three days later, Li Fan sensed a spiritual energy fluctuation in Jiang Nian'er.

"Three days for Qi Refining, it seems your aptitude is average."

Due to the previous influence of the mysterious and eerie force, the immortal-mortal poison on Jiang Nian'er's body was almost non-existent.

Although this skipped the step of purging the poison, accomplishing Qi absorption within three days showcased his above-average aptitude.

However, Li Fan had seen too many geniuses, so his standards were naturally higher.

Aptitude wasn't something Li Fan cared about in Jiang Nian'er; it wasn't his focus.

He continued observing Jiang Nian'er's choices.

Without disappointing Li Fan, after successfully entering the Qi Refining stage and practicing for a while, Jiang Nian'er discovered that he couldn't advance within the remaining twelve days.

So, Jiang Nian'er nearly devoted all his energy to studying the entry-level formation given by Li Fan.

The basic formation taught by Li Fan, even in terms of power, was more than sufficient to trap Foundation Establishment cultivators, and it had been specially simplified for Qi Refining cultivators to use.

"As long as you're not too foolish to forget to accumulate the spiritual power needed to maintain the formation."

Li Fan showed a mysterious smile.

In truth, the outcome between the two didn't matter to him.

In any case, the winner would inherit the mysterious power, and they couldn't escape his control, serving him.

What Li Fan truly wanted was to observe the specific changes that occurred during the completion of identity consumption under the influence of the mysterious rules.

"The mysterious rules can indeed be regarded as the principles of heaven and earth."

"It is just a part of the world's integration process, born during the transition, not recognized by the heavenly way of the Xuan Huang Realm."

"We cultivators who possess the mysterious are bound to face heavenly condemnation."

"But this heavenly condemnation..."

Li Fan shook his head slightly in his heart; he had never been afraid!

Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye.

"The deadline has arrived, let's begin."

On this day, Li Fan suddenly spoke, breaking the island's tranquility.

At the same time, he instantly lifted the restrictions on the Foundation Establishment cultivator for a moment, allowing him to hear the conversation between Li Fan and Jiang Nian'er.

"Just a little Qi Refining cultivator who has just practiced for ten days wants to surpass me?"

"It's a great shame, and I will use your blood to wash away this disgrace."

His eyes turned red, and the moment he gained freedom, he summoned his Foundation Establishment magical treasure.

A straight wooden stick appeared in the sky, instantly targeting Jiang Nian'er.

It was about to launch an attack to crush him.

However...

He suddenly found his vision blur, and the opponent's figure inexplicably disappeared.

"What?" The Foundation Establishment cultivator was surprised.

Looking around, he realized that he had appeared in a bamboo sea without knowing when.

The previous encounter on the deserted island seemed like an illusion.

Outside the formation, Jiang Nian'er barely maintained the Bamboo Sea Trapping Dragon Formation and let out a sigh of relief.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 1034: Eternal Shadow in the Heart

Even before Li Fan released the restrictions on the Foundation Establishment cultivator, Jiang Nian'er had already awakened early from his cultivation.

His spirit was on high alert, and the process of setting up formations repeated in his mind.

Now a Qi Refining cultivator, he was well aware that he couldn't withstand even a single move against an opponent in the Foundation Establishment realm.

It was either getting killed by the opponent in a single move, or...

Setting up the formation before the opponent acted!

Facing life and death, Jiang Nian'er unleashed his full potential.

Although it was his first time setting up a formation, it appeared as if it had been practiced a thousand times, forming in an instant.

Watching his opponent in the Bamboo Sea Trapping Dragon Formation search for an escape, Jiang Nian'er knew he had already won half of this competition.

Next, it would depend on who could endure more between him and the opponent.

A hint of determination flashed in Jiang Nian'er's eyes as he once again squeezed out his potential.

The speed of absorbing the spiritual energy of the surrounding heaven and earth increased.

"Out of over a hundred thousand people on the island, I'm the only one who survived! How can I die here!"

"Even if you're a Foundation Establishment cultivator, don't think you can defeat me!"

A hint of ruthlessness arose in Jiang Nian'er's heart.

In response, the colors of heaven and earth changed within the Bamboo Sea Trapping Dragon Formation. Countless bamboo leaves, like green flying knives, rushed towards the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

...

"It seems he won't have a problem winning this battle."

Every change in Jiang Nian'er was clearly seen by Li Fan.

While helping Jiang Nian'er reshape his body, Li Fan had also placed countless spiritual lines within his body.

After all, to thoroughly observe the process of mysterious devouring, some preparation was necessary.

This fair duel didn't last long.

Being an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, he might have exhausted all his energy just to exchange for a Foundation Establishment technique.

It was evident that he was clueless about formations. After raging helplessly in the Trapping Dragon Formation for most of the day, he was eventually completely defeated.

His life was hanging by a thread.

Jiang Nian'er didn't immediately dispel the formation but silently looked at the opponent outside the formation. "In this match, I have won."

"It's coming..." Li Fan's spirit shook.

From the perspective of heaven and earth, he clearly saw that with Jiang Nian'er's words, the previously dormant dark energy suddenly boiled.

It was like an expanding shadowy behemoth, covering the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Then it completely engulfed him.

Jiang Nian'er's original body became somewhat blurry.

The mysterious dark power completely connected him to the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Like a pair of giant hands, forcibly squeezing them together.

After a moment...

Jiang Nian'er disappeared from where he stood.

In the formation, the Foundation Establishment cultivator, who was on the verge of death, suddenly flashed a glint in his eyes.

Like a withered tree in spring, his aura multiplied a hundredfold.

He stayed still for a moment, then completely digested the memories in the Foundation Establishment cultivator's mind.

"Weak prey is the food of the strong. Who said you lost..."

He muttered to himself, and his eyes gradually transformed from confusion to determination.

Li Fan could see that in Jiang Nian'er's sea of consciousness, the consciousness belonging to the original Foundation Establishment cultivator was wailing like a resentful ghost.

Apart from that, there were no other means of resistance. It was easily suppressed by Jiang Nian'er.

Familiarizing himself with his new body, Jiang Nian'er slowly stood up and, with a wave of his hand, dispelled the Trapping Dragon Formation.

Then, he slowly knelt in front of Li Fan.

"How does it feel to have the strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?" Li Fan asked with a smile.

"Very strong. But compared to Senior..." Jiang Nian'er dared not lift his head.

"Hehe, with your current ability, as long as you continue devouring step by step—from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, and then to Nascent Soul..." 

"Isn't it just a matter of time before you surpass me?"

As soon as Li Fan said this, Jiang Nian'er was instantly struck as if by lightning, and his body uncontrollably trembled slightly.

Because this was exactly what he had thought deep in his heart!

Without making any excuse or denial, Jiang Nian'er felt a chilling coldness in his heart.

He knew that his little life was in the hands of the other party, maintaining a posture with his forehead against the ground, not daring to move.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Jiang Nian'er felt his entire body's clothes soaked in cold sweat.

At this moment, Li Fan's voice was heard.

"Get up."

Jiang Nian'er finally relaxed, feeling a great burden lifted.

"As a cultivator advances, the gap between realms becomes wider."

"Those who can defeat a Golden Core cultivator with Foundation Establishment cultivation are ignorant. But those who can surpass longevity through Dao integration..."

"It's unprecedented."

"If you want revenge on me, then reach the realm of longevity first."

Jiang Nian'er felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, the joy of victory in the duel disappearing instantly.

"Realm of longevity..."

These three words were like an insurmountable mountain, making him breathless.

After waiting for almost half a day without hearing any sound from the other side, Jiang Nian'er mustered the courage to look up.

It turned out that the mysterious person had disappeared at some point.

Jiang Nian'er was stunned, looking around; indeed, he was the only one left on Fanyong Island.

Feeling drained, Jiang Nian'er sat on the ground.

Various memories since the outbreak of the mysterious power surged in his mind like tides but eventually subsided.

"From now on, I am Wen Nianyu."

First, he checked his belongings and then flew towards Wanxian Island.

Initially, his flying trajectory was a bit erratic, but later it became a straight line, and his speed increased.

...

Li Fan's figure slowly appeared.

"This kid has good adaptability."

"Let him go back to Wanxian Alliance first, see if the alliance officials can detect the mysterious power he possesses."

Li Fan had already observed the process of the assimilation and devouring quite clearly.

In fact, Jiang Nian'er was not very useful to him now.

However, Li Fan had a vague feeling that perhaps Jiang Nian'er's style and methods might bring him some surprises.

"Mysterious power is, in fact, a rule of heaven and earth and can also be utilized."

"Previously, it was used to make the Fentian Arrows and could even have a significant impact on the Xuan Network that has replaced the heavens."

"If corresponded to the rules of the Xuan Huang Realm, it would create chaos in the regions, with mysterious and unpredictable occurrences."

Finding and completing a research goal, Li Fan did not immediately leave the Congyun Sea. Instead, he continued to travel between various locations where mysterious outbreaks occurred.

Occasionally, he saw cultivators from the Wanxian Alliance's Tianjitang and Yanwutang dealing with the situation, but most areas had fallen into complete silence.

Facing such a massive outbreak of mystery in the Congyun Sea region, it seemed a bit overwhelming.

However, with the return of Gongsun Qixuan, the situation improved.

Gongsun Qixuan, the head of the Tianjitang in Congyun Sea.

Physically frail and sickly, he looked like a scholar.

He had been responsible for monitoring the mysterious conditions in Congyun Sea.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 1035: Xuanhuang Self-Circulation

Li Fan had met Gongsun Qixuan early on.

In the subsequent eras, it seemed that Gongsun Qixuan's figure was always behind the strange changes in the Xuan Network.

In this era, he was inexplicably transferred to the headquarters of Wanxian Alliance's Strategy Pavilion, participating in the development of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array.

...

All of these indicated that Gongsun Qixuan was extraordinary. After a few communications with the Tianxuan Mirror's avatar, Li Fan also gained some understanding of Gongsun Qixuan's identity.

He was the observation target and human template when the Tianxuan Mirror created human avatars.

As for why Gongsun Qixuan was chosen from among many Wanxian Alliance cultivators, the Tianxuan Mirror's avatar explained it as random and luck.

Li Fan, of course, didn't believe that.

Based on his memory and observations, Gongsun Qixuan's temperament indeed bore some resemblance to the Tianxuan Mirror's avatar.

Li Fan even suspected that he might be another human avatar in the Xuantian Realm.

If one were to search for information about this person in the Tianxuan Mirror, everything seemed normal. However, digging a little deeper, one could discover that all the information was fabricated.

Before he took up his position in the Congyun Sea, his whereabouts were a mystery, unknown to anyone.

As if sensing Li Fan's hidden observation, Gongsun Qixuan subtly glanced at the sky.

However, he quickly withdrew his gaze, cleared his throat, and commanded his subordinates to deal with the mysterious events.

The way he handled it was also peculiar. He took out a small figure woven from dry grass and threw it into the air.

Then, the subordinates of the Tianjitang, very cooperatively, placed smaller grass figures in various corners of the area where mysterious outbreaks occurred.

Through Li Fan's observation, he found that the mysterious dark power did not corrode these Tianjitang cultivators who had entered recklessly.

Instead, it was deeply attracted by the small grass figures they held.

Like long dragons, it was sucked into the grass figures.

"Hmm?"

Li Fan suddenly became interested.

Upon closer inspection, Li Fan found that these grass figures seemed to have their own lives. With the influx of dark power, different expressions such as strange smiles, pain, and anger appeared on their faces.

You could even hear subtle rustling sounds from them.

These grass figures were like nodes, absorbing the dark power and then transferring it to the largest grass figure in the air.

The process of clearing the anomalies lasted for three days.

In the end, the anomalies that had spread in this area completely disappeared, and the normal celestial principles of the Xuantian Realm once again took the upper hand.

When Gongsun Qixuan retrieved the grass figure in the air, something that made Li Fan's pupils slightly shrink happened.

On the surface, it seemed that Gongsun Qixuan had put the grass figure back into his arms.

But in reality...

He was more like opening a huge mouth and abruptly swallowing the grass figure.

In an instant, Li Fan felt that a layer of darkness had enveloped Gongsun Qixuan.

And his coughing became more frequent.

It was only when they rushed to the next location of a mysterious outbreak that things slightly improved.

Of course, not all anomalies would be dealt with by Gongsun Qixuan using grass figures.

After detailed investigation, for most anomalies where there was no risk of spreading, Gongsun Qixuan ordered his men to seal off the area.

Observing from the clouds, Li Fan looked at this scene and thought, "For those with minor threats, let the Xuanhuang Realm's celestial principles naturally digest them. For those that are uncontrolled and intensifying, use paper figures to suck them into your own body."

In Li Fan's current view, Gongsun Qixuan had become a collection of several anomalies, with many twisted and chaotic rules intertwined, giving people a chilling feeling.

If he were to die suddenly, and the strange collective inside him were to erupt simultaneously, I'm afraid the land of several states would instantly become a scene of devastation.

"No wonder I always feel something strange every time I see this guy."

"Including the body accommodating the Dao..."

"This is probably not something a cultivator's body can handle."

A trace of fear flashed in Li Fan's eyes, and he slightly increased the distance in tracking.

Recalling Gongsun Qixuan's words about his fabricated "Tianxuan Locking Spirit, Xuanhuang Unification," Li Fan suddenly speculated about Gongsun Qixuan's true identity.

"Tianxuan Mirror wants to simulate human avatars. With its attitude as a divine tool, how could it genuinely observe and learn from ordinary humans?"

"To achieve something, the easiest way is to find precedents and learn from pioneers..."

"So..."

A glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes, and various clues instantly merged.

"The object of the divine tool's learning should naturally be an existing divine tool that has successfully transformed into a human!"

"Gongsun Qixuan should be one of the disappeared divine tools in the Xuanhuang Realm, transformed into a human!"

From the previous Kunqian Bone Hand possessed by Oushang Tian, which might have been the remains of an immortal, it seemed.

Everything in the Xuanhuang Realm was involved in the operation of the heavenly Dao, the cycle of the world.

Those disappeared divine tools were likely the same.

"To transform into a human, or become a wonder of the heavens, or..."

Suddenly, Li Fan seemed to understand how Jiang, the transmitter of almost divine abilities, got his powers.

"Maybe it also comes from the transformation of divine tools..."

Understanding the intricacies, Li Fan's gaze toward Gongsun Qixuan had already changed drastically.

There was a hint of greed in his fear, along with some caution and vigilance.

Divine tools, once touched by the word 'divine,' were absolutely not to be underestimated.

Moreover, Gongsun Qixuan had long fallen into the sight of the Tianxuan Mirror and was like a timed bomb with countless anomalies attached, ready to explode at any moment.

"Although it's a rare treasure, it's something you can see but can't touch."

Li Fan stared for a long time but ultimately sighed softly and slowly withdrew his gaze.

"Besides, in this world, I currently have a cooperative relationship with the Tianxuan Mirror. The main task is to cut off the net of True Immortals first."

"No rush, I've already discovered his true identity. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future..."

The desire in Li Fan's eyes slowly disappeared.

Meanwhile, below, Gongsun Qixuan frowned slightly, as if sensing something.

He calculated with his fingers but couldn't figure out anything.

In Li Fan's mind, scenes of interactions with Gongsun Qixuan surfaced again.

"It seems that his original form might be a divine tool related to deduction."

"But judging from his current performance after transforming into a human, it seems that his power has decreased quite a bit."

Li Fan rubbed his chin.

"But this has given me some inspiration."

"In the Xuanhuang Realm, there are still many secrets waiting to be unearthed."

"In the past, the Xuanhuang Realm had many beings approaching the level of divine tools. Not to mention the fusion of many cultivation worlds—so many worlds. Can't there be beings of equal status?"

"Even though a portion has been taken away by the Transmitter, there should still be some fish that slipped through the net."

"Previously, I was restricted. It's not just about tools; humans might actually be the bigger treasures."

(End of this chapter)