Chapter 271: Precious Treasure to Restore the Soul

The automatic protection of 'Return to Truth' was like a heavy ship anchor, firmly anchoring Li Fan on the ocean of thoughts. It prevented him from being stirred by extremely realistic illusions, which could lead to the situation where the mind affected the physical body.

At the same time, Li Fan remained vigilant, staring at the charging numbers of 'Return to Truth.' If the progress declined, he intended to activate it immediately and return to the anchor point.

So, with ample mental preparation, Li Fan patiently waited for the next changes brought by the 'Mind Horse.'

The speed at which wounds appeared became faster and faster, but Li Fan remained steadfast. Regardless of how many wounds appeared on his body or how weakened he became due to severe injuries, he just calmly watched the charging progress without being swayed.

After a long time, seemingly because these injuries couldn't intimidate Li Fan, a new change occurred. Flames ignited from the 'Mind Horse' corpse. At the same time, Li Fan felt an unbearable heat descending upon himself.

"Ah..."

He couldn't help but let out a low roar. He even saw his own body slowly turning into ashes in the flames.

"It's fake, all fake..."

The charging progress of 'Return to Truth' remained motionless, indicating that there was no fatal danger. Everything was just an extremely realistic illusion.

Li Fan held firm to his belief.

The raging flames continued to flicker, and Li Fan struggled in indescribable pain.

After an unknown amount of time, the prolonged suffering gradually subsided. When the 'Mind Horse' corpse on the ground was completely burned to ashes, the illusions entwining Li Fan finally disappeared.

Looking at himself in the mirror again, he had restored his human appearance.

Moreover, Li Fan felt that he had become somewhat stronger. Not in terms of physical body or cultivation level but in terms of soul.

Li Fan carefully pondered the changes in himself.

"If we compare divine consciousness to a person's muscles, divine soul is like a person's skeleton, formed congenitally. Only special methods, such as breakthroughs in cultivation realms and the effects of certain natural treasures, can strengthen it."

"Ordinary methods can't affect it at all."

"And now, I feel that my 'skeleton' has clearly increased in size."

Li Fan hadn't experienced this feeling of getting stronger for a long time. Even the sensation brought by advancing one small realm in cultivation couldn't compare.

If there was a comparison, it would be with the time when he successfully cultivated Qi and laid the foundation. That kind of advancement in a major realm could be comparable.

After some experimentation, Li Fan found that although his cultivation level hadn't improved, the intensity of his divine consciousness had been affected and increased to a considerable extent.

And the speed at which his thoughts operated seemed even more fluid.

"The 'Mind Horse' is indeed a good treasure!"

"Although the method of realization is a bit strange, the effect is quite good."

Gone was the fear in his heart, replaced by an inevitable greed.

"Heart Monkey, Mind Horse."

"The Heart Monkey represents the transformed cultivator. If there are no surprises, it seems that this Mind Horse should also be formed by a cultivator."

Recalling the completely identical 'Mind Horse' corpse from earlier, Li Fan suddenly had a guess.

"I have 'Return to Truth' helping me cheat, so I can easily pass through the effects of the Mind Horse."

"But if one's will is not so firm and they really die..."

"I'm afraid the previous 'Mind Horse' died like this."

"So, Zhang Zhiliang's meaning is quite clear."

"It's both a reward and a test."

"If you can't even pass the Mind Horse's test, it means you are not qualified to represent the Congyun Sea, go to Tianyu State, and inherit his Zhang Zhiliang's unique skills. If you die, then so be it."

"Tsk tsk, after advancing to the Divine Transformation realm, Zhang Zhiliang's mentality is really different from before."

"In the past, with just Qi refining cultivation, I could receive his special attention and be granted the 'Infinite Law.'"

"Now..."

Thinking of this, Li Fan couldn't help but feel emotional. He then sent a report message to Zhang Zhiliang.

Zhang Zhiliang was somewhat surprised that Li Fan could digest the Mind Horse so quickly.

"Hmm? It seems your willpower is even more resilient than I imagined."

"Very good! Among the three, you are the first to achieve this."

"As a reward!"

Speaking, Zhang Zhiliang sent an item through the Tianxuan Mirror.

This item was a glowing white cube, precisely the array crown that Li Fan had been coveting for a long time.

After receiving it, Li Fan couldn't help but feel pleasantly surprised and repeatedly said, "Thank you, Master, for your generosity."

"This array crown is a gift for you. It contains over a hundred different arrays layered together. During your leisure time, you can dissect and study it."

"If you can construct a thirty-layered array crown on your own, you can be considered an array master."

Zhang Zhiliang instructed, "The Mind Horse's effect on enhancing the soul doesn't just happen once. For a long time, it will have a nourishing effect on your soul."

"During this period, you better focus on cultivating quietly and avoid conflict with others."

"Maximize its effects."

"Hehe, maybe you've also figured it out. The Mind Horse was once a cultivator."

"And the one I gave you, in its past life, was a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"If you can fully absorb its effects and double the strength of your soul, it shouldn't be a problem."

Li Fan hadn't expected these additional benefits and quickly expressed his gratitude to Zhang Zhiliang again.

However, Zhang Zhiliang on the other end hung up the communication without responding further.

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator..."

"Falling in the end, unable to escape the fate of becoming someone else's nourishment." Li Fan shook his head inwardly.

Li Fan suddenly remembered the Laughing Face Fruit he had seen on Taian Island in the past.

"At that time, the Laughing Face Fruit seemed to only affect ordinary people on the islands. If a cultivator were turned into a Laughing Face Fruit, would a more potent effect appear?"

"All of them are people transformed into beneficial foreign objects—Laughing Face Fruit, Heart Monkey, Mind Horse..."

"I wonder if there's any connection."

Li Fan felt that there might be some hidden secrets in all of this, giving him a strange feeling.

It felt out of place yet somewhat familiar.

After thinking for a while, the blue crystal in his mind continuously emitted light, and scenes of past experiences flashed before his eyes.

Li Fan finally realized where this sense of familiarity came from.

"School remnants, strange?"

Li Fan pondered for a moment, somewhat uncertain.

But this contradicted the current rules of cultivation, completely unreasonable. The seemingly systematic laws that were unique yet still continued were connected.

"It's said that the strange only exists within the remnants of the school."

"If the two are really related, what does that indicate?"

Li Fan thought of the investigation he had undergone in Tianjitang after the green ox pulled the cart.

In front of the giant map of the Congyun Sea, the frail cultivator had said, "Another case?"

Li Fan vaguely guessed something.

(End of this chapter)