Chapter 189: Celestial Venerable and Holy Being

The Golden Core beast was jointly subdued by Jiang Zhengji and Du Xingchang.

The red-haired exotic beasts on Wanlai Island finally showed expressions of fear.

They began to flee towards the distance.

Some even tried to jump into the sea to escape.

However, the purple formation that Jiang Zhengji had previously set up had already completely sealed Wanlai Island.

"Kill!"

Jiang Zhengji gave the command, and the Tianbian Squad once again ruthlessly and efficiently slaughtered.

At this moment, Li Fan also appeared as if he had finished resting, activating the Heavenly Spirit Fire Dragon Formation. Occasionally, he swung a faint blue sword light, harvesting the lives of the red-haired exotic beasts.

This time, there were no more twists.

Half a day later, at sunset, only one-fourth of the red-haired exotic beasts on Wanlai Island remained after the slaughter.

"Stop!"

At this moment, Jiang Zhengji finally spoke again.

Snow fell again, and he once again used the method he used to capture the Golden Core beast.

Most of the remaining red-haired exotic beasts on the island turned into tiny snowmen.

He then collected them, and it was unclear where he hid them.

"This mission went relatively smoothly. We can return to the island," he said slowly.

The exhausted five-person squad all breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Fan also appeared to be overdrawn.

"Thanks to the fellow daoist this time. If it weren't for those crucial formations, I doubt they would have successfully passed the test," on the way back, Jiang Zhengji politely said to Li Fan.

Li Fan looked embarrassed, "Throughout the process, it was the fellow daoists from the Martial Arts Hall who made the effort. I only arranged some formations and didn't actually kill many exotic beasts."

Jiang Zhengji smiled, "Isn't that how formation masters should be? I see that fellow daoist's proficiency in formations is not weak. Although not comparable to those masters, the role played in actual combat is huge. Especially that Tangled Muddy Water Formation, it's really exquisite."

"I have participated in the clearing tasks dozens of times and have encountered many formation masters. But someone like fellow daoist, with such outstanding adaptability, is really rare."

Li Fan shook his head, "You're overly praising me, just a moment of inspiration."

Then he curiously asked, "Fellow daoist has participated in dozens of clearing tasks? Could it be that these red-haired exotic beasts have some special value? Otherwise, why not simply exterminate them all at once?"

Jiang Zhengji nodded, saying, "Fellow daoist's guess is correct. These red-haired exotic beasts do have some use."

"I captured a large number of them alive before, not killing them all because of this reason."

"The Martial Arts Hall headquarters has a task that requires collecting a certain quantity of treasures and exotic beasts capable of absorbing sound from various places each year."

"Although the red-haired exotic beasts are somewhat weaker, their large numbers perfectly meet the requirements of the headquarters."

"The headquarters is also very satisfied with the sound-absorbing effect of these red-haired exotic beasts. The quantity we have to hand in every year is increasing."

Speaking to this point, Jiang Zhengji showed a pleased expression.

"But these red-haired exotic beasts have no natural enemies, and there is no need to worry about a lack of food. They reproduce too quickly."

"Moreover, they can devour their own kind for evolution. If their numbers become too high, there might be a chance of evolving into a Nascent Soul realm monster."

"That would be troublesome. To avoid such a situation, we need to regularly clean up the exotic beasts on the island."

Jiang Zhengji explained with a smile.

"So, the quantity of these red-haired exotic beasts should not be too much, nor too little."

"Keeping it at a relatively low level is the best."

"Not too much, nor too little," Li Fan nodded slowly and muttered to himself.

He seemed to recall something, subtly looked up at the sky, and then fell into contemplation.

Silent all the way, the group returned safely to Wanxian Island. Li Fan and the others bid farewell.

Back in the Tianxuan Mirror, Li Fan added Du Xingchang and the others as friends.

Sitting in the Tianxuan Mirror, Li Fan frowned.

He recalled the time of the twelfth generation when, due to the frenzied cultivation technique, a large number of Foundation Establishment cultivators were cultivated in advance. This even attracted the pursuit of Harmony Path cultivators.

"Not too many" is because the new technique sweeps across heaven and earth. If the number of cultivators is allowed to expand recklessly, the resources of heaven and earth will be depleted?

"Why not too few for the number of cultivators?" 

"If one has already achieved immortality, why bother caring about cultivators like ants?"

"The establishment of the Wanxian Alliance, even the Five Elders Association, is intentionally cultivating cultivators."

"The red-haired exotic beasts are useful to the Wanxian Alliance, so it is necessary to ensure a certain quantity."

"What use do cultivators have for the Immortal Venerable?"

Before traversing, Li Fan heard the saying that all under the Saint were ants.

Saints were high above, viewing all things as mere dogs.

The life and death of all things in the world did not enter the eyes of the Saint.

Even if a great calamity descended, and sentient beings suffered, the Saint would look upon it indifferently, caring little.

Why did the Immortal Venerables of the Xuanhuang Realm need a certain quantity of cultivators?

After endless slaughter brought by different immortal techniques.

On a wasteland of cultivation, the Heavenly Venerable who had achieved immortality, why did he create the Wanxian Alliance?

Compassion?

Or...

In an instant, various answers appeared in Li Fan's mind.

But obviously, at this moment, none could be confirmed.

He could only deeply bury them in his heart, waiting to verify them in the future.

Calming down his turbulent emotions, Li Fan checked his authority level.

The reward for completing the task of clearing the red-haired exotic beasts was a lower-grade Yijing.

The actual increase in authority level was sixty.

After completing just this one task, Li Fan's authority level increased to Yan San, with a progress of sixty percent.

"It seems that in the early stages, the increase in authority level is quite easy."

Li Fan then checked the newly appeared martial arts.

Unfortunately, he still didn't find anything that could increase the ability to multitask.

In the next period, Li Fan accepted and completed two merit tasks.

One was upper-grade Bing Gong, and the other was lower-grade Yijing.

The process of completing the tasks was very smooth, without any twists.

While getting to know many members within the Wanxian Island system, Li Fan's authority level also upgraded to Yan Wu.

The annual limit for accepting merit tasks three times had been reached, but he still hadn't found a suitable martial art.

"It seems that even with the infinite derivation of the Yian Fa Jue within the Wanxian Alliance, the ability to multitask is still a very precious method."

"I wonder at what authority level the exchange list will appear."

"The details of item exchanges for different authority levels are confidential and cannot be spread casually. The higher the authority level, the higher the confidentiality. If leaked carelessly, it could result in a deduction of merits or even be pursued and killed."

"If not for this, I could ask someone on the side to get an idea."

"Now, I can only wait for another opportunity to try to increase the authority level as much as possible."

During this period, the situation in the Tai'an Island guarded by Zhou Qingang remained normal.

However, Li Fan was very patient.

He believed that before the arrival of the Crimson Flame Sea, Zhou Qingang would definitely reveal himself.

(End of this chapter)