"Chapter 956-960: Li Fan Eases Han Hai's Worries" (7.5k+ words)

"By the way, maybe I can extract some useful information from Heavenly Physician when reporting back."

With this in mind, Li Fan separated another strand of his consciousness and entered the interior of the blue-white sphere.

Perhaps influenced by Li Fan's recent provocation, the speed of the black light circulating on Han Hai's blue-white sphere was several times faster than before.

Like triggering a fierce storm, it made the once serene blue-white sphere somewhat chaotic.

As a result, the frequency and intensity of the shockwaves released by Han Hai to the outside world were constantly increasing.

"It seems that the extreme instability of emotions is indeed caused by the torment of nightmares over the years and the desire for revenge."

Like a compassionate healer with a benevolent jug, Li Fan began to contemplate how to resolve Han Hai's condition.

The path of healing is mostly the same.

Throughout history, people like Han Hai, unable to extricate themselves from past hatred, are not uncommon.

It didn't take long for Li Fan to find a solution.

During the interval when the explosive shockwaves subsided, Li Fan's strand of consciousness once again rushed into the black storm on the sphere.

It was still a recurring nightmare scene.

However, perhaps due to Han Hai's extreme emotional instability, the scenes seen from Li Fan's first-person perspective were all covered with a black-yellow filter.

Moreover, they were constantly in a state of vibration.

This made the originally horrifying and abnormal scenes of slaughter appear even more eerie and terrifying.

Li Fan lurked in secret, quietly waiting for the "plot" to unfold.

Soon, it came to the time when Han Hai "discovered" the true identity of the murderer.

Han Hai's body trembled slightly, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face: "Heavenly Physician? Are you the Heavenly Physician!?"

The murderer also cooperated very well, revealing a slightly sinister smile: "Hehehe, right. I am the Heavenly Physician!"

Upon receiving the answer, Han Hai's entire body's veins popped out, and his eyes widened in anger.

Just as his mind was about to be engulfed by anger...

At this moment, a cold and emotionless voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

Elusive yet pouring like heavy rain, it instantly extinguished Han Hai's endless anger: "Don't be deceived by the other party!"

"Take a closer look at who he really is!"

"This person is utterly heartless and cruel. How can such an evildoer easily admit his true identity?"

"Be clear-headed! The heavy responsibility of revenge rests on you alone! There must be no mistakes!"

In the constant whispering, Han Hai couldn't help but shudder.

"Right, right..."

"How could he admit it so easily when I asked?"

"There must be something fishy about it..."

"Who exactly is he? Who are you!"

Muttering in his mouth, Han Hai looked again at the murderer in front of him.

What shocked him was that due to his suspicion, the opponent's appearance and aura once again changed.

No longer resembling the Heavenly Physician, but transforming into the serious and stern figure of the Heavenly Yu Venerable!

"No, how could Heavenly Yu Venerable do such a thing?!"

Frantically shaking his head, Han Hai seemed to want to cast away this terrifying thought.

As his doubts multiplied, the appearance of the murderer kept changing.

"Heavenly Blessed Venerable? Heavenly Melody Venerable? Heavenly Elegant..."

The only thing that remained unchanged was the aura of the murderer representing the authority of the Heavenly Law Realm.

Enemies were within reach, yet there was no ability to seek revenge. This was already an extremely tragic matter.

However, what was even more tragic was the inability to identify the true identity of the enemy.

Unable to find a specific target for revenge.

The surrounding scenes shook even more violently, and in the black-yellow-filtered view, cracks appeared.

Finally, Han Hai could no longer bear this torment.

The scene shattered with a resounding explosion.

The powerful energy released buried everything in this nightmare.

"Done!"

Li Fan's consciousness thought so before disappearing.

"At Han Hai's residence, outside the blue light sphere."

"With Han Hai's temporary mental breakdown, the intermittent shockwaves that occasionally surged outward, disrupting seals and restrictions, finally came to a halt."

"The deep-seated hatred, now turned into confusion about the identity of the enemy. It seems that Han Hai should be temporarily calm for a while."

"However, as time passes, he will probably find new revenge targets again."

"Well... It will probably still be the 'Heavenly Physician.'"

"Over the thousands of years, it's clear that the Heavenly Physician has treated Han Hai more than once. Otherwise, considering the torment he experienced in those nightmares, he wouldn't maintain a certain level of clarity."

"But each time, he eventually returns to the conclusion that the Heavenly Physician is the culprit..."

"Perhaps because, in Han Hai's subconscious, among the various venerables in the Heavenly Law Realm, only the 'Heavenly Physician' is most likely to commit such atrocities."

"After pondering for a moment, Li Fan confirmed the reason for this phenomenon."

"In fact, Li Fan could understand Han Hai's cognition. The methods of healing recorded in 'Recovering the Sky Record' and 'Heavenly Physician Immortal Scripture' sometimes contradict common values."

"More extreme than 'fighting poison with poison.'"

"The ultimate goal is to cure the disease and achieve the objective, with no consideration for the means used in the process."

"Take Li Fan's 'treatment' of Han Hai this time; the healing process could be summarized as 'deception.'"

"Although Han Hai will no longer feel the suffering caused by hatred, he remains immersed in endless confusion."

"Healed, yet not completely healed."

"At least, Li Fan had indeed resolved the initial 'symptoms' he needed to treat."

"This is the way of the Heavenly Physician, a consistent principle."

"It may conflict with the values of ordinary people."

"But Li Fan used it without any psychological barriers."

"Heavenly Physician..."

Li Fan's eyes flickered slightly, gently converging his thoughts.

Having confirmed that his treatment was effective, and Han Hai would not attack the seals in the short term, Li Fan began repairing the restrictions.

The 'Hidden World Concealment' restrictions were extremely complex.

Li Fan had only dabbled in one restriction in his previous reincarnations.

However, once you understand one, you understand all. Arrays and restrictions share many similarities.

What the Heavenly Physician imparted was exceptionally detailed.

The entire process went smoothly without any mistakes.

Half a month passed, and the loosened seals were finally reinforced.

Cloud and Water Celestial Palace once again fell into absolute silence.

"For them, perhaps eternal slumber is the best outcome."

Li Fan sighed in his heart, placing a jug of wine gently at the feet of the statue in the Qin Tang.

Afterward, he flew away silently, leaving the place.

Outside the Cloud and Water Celestial Palace, the anomalies that had appeared in the sky earlier had disappeared.

Everything returned to its previous calm state.

For a moment, Li Fan couldn't think of a way to contact the Heavenly Physician.

So, he simply bowed towards the sky, expressing that he had completed the mission.

(End of this chapter)

"Chapter 957: Gift from the Heavenly Physician"

"Subsequently, Li Fan deliberately slowed down and leisurely returned to the entrance of the Spirit Wood Realm."

"As expected, halfway there, the voice of the Heavenly Physician echoed in his mind again."

"Well done."

"Apparently, the Heavenly Physician sensed that the seals of the Cloud and Water Celestial Palace had been reinforced."

"With your help, it indeed saved me some trouble."

"If I were to go..."

"The Heavenly Physician chuckled, and then stopped speaking."

"While reinforcing the seals, I encountered some issues." Without waiting for the Heavenly Physician to speak again, Li Fan proactively reported everything that happened in the Cloud and Water Celestial Palace.

After a long silence, Li Fan couldn't help but ask, "Venerable, what exactly happened back then..."

It seemed that Li Fan's use of the term "Venerable" stirred memories deep in the Heavenly Physician's mind.

His tone unexpectedly showed a bit of fluctuation. "You could discover the hidden truth in Han Hai's consciousness. It's quite unexpected for someone with your qualifications. No wonder, with your aptitude, Tian Jue would regard you as his successor..."

Li Fan's expression stiffened slightly.

"The events of that year..."

"Leave that burden to me. Knowing too much won't benefit you."

"You're still too weak now. When you reach the pinnacle of Harmonious Dao, perhaps you'll be qualified to know."

The Heavenly Physician unusually explained a few more sentences.

Li Fan hesitated but ultimately nodded slightly.

"By the way, how is your study of 'Recovering the Sky Record'? Are there any parts that are difficult to understand?"

After a moment, the Heavenly Physician asked again. It seemed that he intended to personally clarify any doubts for Li Fan.

How could Li Fan miss this golden opportunity? He immediately brought up the questions he had during his self-study.

The Heavenly Physician was patient and answered each question.

Truly the Heavenly Physician, his insights into the path of 'healing' had reached an extraordinary level.

In just a few words, Li Fan had profound realizations.

Moreover, within the Heavenly Physician's words, new perspectives emerged that were not recorded in the 'Recovering the Sky Record.'

Li Fan absorbed the Heavenly Physician's teachings eagerly.

Good times are always short-lived.

Shortly afterward, it seemed that the Heavenly Physician encountered something and interrupted the lesson.

"You were hiding in a small world before, so I spent some effort but couldn't find you."

Li Fan's heart trembled, ready to respond.

But he heard the Heavenly Physician continue, "Hmm, it's a good choice. Before you have cultivated successfully, it's safer to stay in a small world."

"Continue your cultivation. Remember, techniques are secondary. What truly matters is contemplation on the operation of the Heavenly Dao and the essence of the world."

"No matter how powerful a technique is, it ultimately belongs to someone else. Only what truly suits you is the most perfect technique."

Upon hearing these words, Li Fan felt like he was struck by lightning, and his mind shook violently.

"The technique that truly suits oneself?"

His eyes were confused, immersed in endless contemplation.

"A wise man hides his capabilities and bides his time. The current Xuanhuang Realm is not your true stage. Just wait a bit longer..." The Heavenly Physician's tone was profound, hinting at something.

Then, a golden light descended from the sky.

Swiftly flying and arriving in an instant before Li Fan.

Li Fan, who had just come out of contemplation, looked closely and saw a floating golden needle before him.

"Hehe, the once-famous 'Needle Descends, No One Escapes the Cycle of Reincarnation.'"

"If I can leave a few, perhaps it can preserve some spark."

The Heavenly Physician's faint voice spoke.

"This needle is for your protection. As long as the needle is intact, the person won't perish."

Li Fan's face showed joy. "Thank you, Venerable!"

However, the Heavenly Physician did not respond again.

Without neglecting etiquette, Li Fan continued to bow towards the sky.

"Afterward, looking at the golden needle in front of him, his expression was inexplicable."

"In the end, he reached out to try to touch it."

"It didn't resemble a tangible needle and had no chill to it."

"Instead, Li Fan felt a warm flow, flowing into his body along his palm."

"In an instant, a protective shell formed, enveloping his entire soul."

"Li Fan felt as if his soul was soaking in a warm spring, feeling moist and comfortable."

"For the first time, he experienced a sense of security he had never felt before."

"Good treasure!"

"This thought echoed in Li Fan's mind. Then, he hurriedly headed towards the entrance of the Spirit Wood Realm."

"Upon returning to the Spirit Wood Realm, Li Fan keenly sensed a slight increase in the concentration of spiritual energy."

"It seems that the tree people's 'afforestation' project has achieved preliminary results."

"Without disturbing them, Li Fan went straight to the location of the faceless stone statue."

"When his consciousness connected with the faceless stone statue, images of the World Union and the followers of the Compassionate Immortal of the Mortal World appeared in his mind."

"Only then did Li Fan breathe a sigh of relief."

"Both body and mind now had a true sense of security."

"Although it was preliminarily confirmed that, for practitioners in the Tianfa Realm, the Heavenly Physician was indeed 'kind.'"

"Li Fan did not relax his guard."

"Always wary of the Heavenly Physician's mind-reading ability."

"Even if it wasn't face-to-face, just a golden needle from the other side was no exception."

"Without ruling out the possibility that the Heavenly Physician might sense his thoughts through this golden needle, Li Fan, who had suffered a major loss before, how could he accept the golden needle without any reservations?"

"At the moment, the only card Li Fan could think of to counter the Heavenly Physician was this faceless stone statue."

"The true strength of the Faceless True Immortal was obviously above that of the Heavenly Physician."

"Under the interference of its statue, it should be able to shield the Heavenly Physician's perception."

"Even if Li Fan knew this was somewhat of a double-edged sword, he still did it."

"After all, apart from Xuantian King, no one had truly seen the Faceless True Immortal."

"But the Heavenly Physician was a real opponent now."

"Although there are some risks, there is no doubt that the gains are enormous."

"Forget about this golden needle; just the guidance from the Heavenly Physician alone is worth ten years of my hard cultivation."

"Moreover, there is his final reminder."

"The operation of the Heavenly Dao, the essence of the world..."

"The technique that truly suits oneself..."

"Li Fan squinted his eyes, gradually forming a preliminary idea in his mind."

"But for now, he set it aside and started studying the golden needle given by the Heavenly Physician."

"Although it was a gift from someone else, it felt as if it had been with him since birth."

"No need for any refining steps; he could control it at will."

"Li Fan had never heard of such a method."

"With a thought, the golden needle reappeared in front of Li Fan."

"It's not made of any metallic material..."

"After repeatedly observing with his divine sense, Li Fan first concluded this."

"Moreover..."

"After comparing the memory of the golden needle with the one in front of him using the recorded images from the Dao Transformation Stone, Li Fan made a new discovery."

"It seems that a unique change occurred after it came into contact with my soul."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 958 Balancing the Dual Immortal Forces

Like prescribing the right medicine, the golden needle gifted by the Heavenly Physician underwent a transformation upon contact with Li Fan's soul.

Following the shape of Li Fan's soul, a tightly wrapped protective layer formed on the periphery.

"No wonder it can be used without refining; it's as compatible with the soul as a custom-made magical treasure."

"And..."

Li Fan squinted his eyes, using the power of his soul to initiate an impact on this layer of the golden needle's protection from the inside out.

At the moment the soul impact collided with the protective layer, Li Fan felt a soft force dispersing, creating ripples spreading around the point of impact.

The impact force was evenly distributed, easily resolved.

After continuous testing, Li Fan gave the evaluation of "as solid as gold."

"However, the protection of the golden needle is limited to the soul. If it's just damage to the physical body, its protective effect is not as good as ordinary armor magical treasures."

"The needle does not perish, and the person does not die..."

"The Heavenly Physician's words are not exaggerated. As long as the soul is intact, with his strength, reshaping the physical body is a simple matter."

"To destroy the soul, one must first break through the protection layer of the golden needle."

"Even..."

Suddenly, an image appeared in Li Fan's mind.

In the moment before the golden needle shattered from a fatal blow, golden light soared into the sky, carrying Li Fan's soul, flying back to the hands of the Heavenly Physician.

Li Fan could be sure that the Heavenly Physician still had a certain degree of control over the sent-out golden needle.

This was undoubtedly due to the care for the "current sole heir of the Tianfa Realm," but for Li Fan, it was not a good thing.

By the bedside, how could he allow others to sleep peacefully?

With Li Fan's personality, it was absolutely impossible to let something he couldn't completely control envelop his soul.

Other things aside, if the soul were frozen, making it impossible to return, it would truly be irreversible!

"Is there any method to enjoy the protection of the golden needle while ensuring absolute safety..."

In front of the faceless stone statue, Li Fan began to ponder.

In fact, the cards Li Fan could currently wield to restrain the Heavenly Physician's power were not many.

Moreover, they were all unpredictable variables.

Such as chaos, hunger, gray mildew, and so on.

A slight oversight could lead to the consequences of the destruction of the Xuanhuang Realm and mutual annihilation.

After much thought, Li Fan finally set his sights on the golden wish power generated by the faceless stone statue.

The golden wish power had been stored by Li Fan in his heavenly body. Every time it was about to be filled, the golden wish power would compress itself without Li Fan having to manipulate it.

Therefore, despite the tremendous accumulation of golden wish power during this time, it still hadn't filled even one heavenly body.

However, this heavenly body, in the shape of Li Fan, looked dazzling with golden light, appearing extraordinarily sacred.

Golden wish power was a presence beyond the hierarchical system of forces Li Fan currently encountered, and Li Fan had not found a way to use it.

The only thing he could do was guide it.

"Wish power, wish power..."

"Could it be activated according to what I think in my heart, calling upon its power?"

Li Fan's heart suddenly moved, and he began to experiment.

The result was obvious; it was as if they were completely two different species—the golden wish power remained indifferent to Li Fan's call.

After unsuccessful attempts, Li Fan had no choice but to change his approach.

He created another heavenly body, slowly guiding the golden wish power into it. At the same time, he activated the transformation of the heavenly body into a long rope-like form.

Like a conduit, carrying the slowly accumulating golden wish power.

As this conduit wound around the golden needle protective layer enveloping Li Fan's soul, it slowly weaved into an outer layer.

Throughout the process, Li Fan was extremely cautious.

Whether it was the Heavenly Physician's golden needle or the golden wish power, they were forces he currently couldn't control.

Only by guiding and forming a mutual restraint between these two can he feel a bit at ease.

Indeed, doing so outside of his own soul is extremely dangerous.

A slight mistake could lead to the total destruction of his soul.

But with risks present, Li Fan still had the qualifications to boldly attempt it!

"If things do change, these two will definitely be the first to notice each other as colossal entities. Subconsciously ignoring me as a mere ant. It's inherent in their nature."

"It's even safer for me to face both of them together than to face either of them alone."

This is the so-called way of balance.

Li Fan looked at the heavenly body filled with golden wish power, resembling golden threads, intertwining with the golden needle protection, and nodded in satisfaction.

If the Heavenly Physician's golden needle erupted, it would undoubtedly trigger the golden wish power first.

Conversely, the opposite was also true.

And if Li Fan were to suffer a fatal external blow, the attacker would face a double counterattack from the Heavenly Physician's golden needle and the golden wish power.

Inappropriately comparing, Li Fan currently resembled having two connected bombs strapped to his body.

Any action that could cause harm to Li Fan would completely detonate these bombs.

Li Fan believed that even the Eternal Heaven Sovereign would not fare well under simultaneous attacks from these two forces.

Even at critical moments, Li Fan could actively detonate these two bombs, achieving unexpected effects!

"Seize the opportunity, flexibly navigate, and adapt to the situation. This is where my true colors shine..."

After the balance between the two was finally achieved, Li Fan silently admired his masterpiece, feeling a bit proud.

But he quickly came to his senses.

"This is just a temporary expedient measure. If I can thoroughly study the Heavenly Physician's golden needle and form my own soul protection..."

"Since the Heavenly Physician can do it, I have no reason not to."

Li Fan carefully felt the energy attributes of the Heavenly Physician's golden needle outside his soul, combined with the content of "Heavenly Physician's Immortal Classic" and "Heavenly Patching Record," silently pondering.

So it went on for an unknown amount of time.

Li Fan was awakened by an image in his mind.

It turned out that the task he had assigned to the followers of the Compassionate Immortal of the Red Dust to find someone who could reconstruct the appearance of a deceased cultivator from their skull had finally made progress.

Originally, Li Fan thought it would be a simple matter, but in reality, in the vast Xuanhuang Realm, besides Li Fan, there was no one else who had this need.

Since there was no practical value, there were naturally no cultivators studying this technique.

It wasn't until Li Fan issued the task reward that cultivators attempted to do so with the lure of benefits.

"Tongyan State, Luo Shuzhen."

After obtaining information about the target cultivator, Li Fan thought for a moment and ultimately decided to personally intervene.

Concerning someone still in True Immortal rank, he had to take it seriously.

His figure darted, like a ghost.

Soon, Li Fan arrived in front of Luo Shuzhen's cave.

Like the Strange Individuals such as Senior Yin and West Gate Feather, this Luo Shuzhen also did not like living with others.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 959: Resolving the Mystery of Immortality and Mortality

Residing on a remote mountain peak in Tongyan State, Li Fan expended quite an effort to find this place.

Outside the cave, Li Fan vaguely felt waves of eerie breath emanating from within.

There were also many faint whispers, lingering in his ears.

Just like vengeful spirits as rumored.

But Li Fan was very clear that there were no ghost cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm.

After a cultivator fell, in the majority of cases, their souls returned directly to the heavens.

Only in extremely rare cases could some residual soul be retained.

Even preserving complete memories from their lifetime was difficult, let alone cultivating with a remnant soul.

Of course, the peculiar beings from the Cloud, Water, and Heaven Palace were exceptions.

They were beyond the scope of ordinary discussions.

Li Fan snorted, and the whispers around him instantly disappeared.

Striding into Luo Shuzhen's cave, he saw scattered human skeletons arranged in various poses all over.

They were all arranged in different positions, giving the impression that they were still alive.

A dwarf cultivator whose height only reached Li Fan's knees was earnestly talking to one of the skeletons, "Third Brother, don't worry. I know you're dissatisfied with the new bride I found for you."

"It's okay; I've found another one for you. You should also advise Fourth Brother. It's embarrassing not to find a Dao companion in life; do you want to be forever lonely even after death?"

Rambling on, with a serious expression.

Just like the skeleton in front of him was still alive.

Li Fan watched expressionlessly, coughed lightly, and woke up the immersed dwarf cultivator.

"Huh? Who are you?" The dwarf cultivator looked up, as if trying hard to see Li Fan's appearance.

However, Li Fan had already changed his appearance and covered himself up.

The dwarf cultivator couldn't see anything.

"You are the cultivator who can reconstruct the appearance of the deceased from the skull?" Li Fan explained his purpose.

The dwarf cultivator finally came to his senses, nodding repeatedly, "Yes, yes, that's me."

He rubbed his hands, "I've been waiting for you for half a day. They said that completing the reconstruction task would earn a minimum reward of ten thousand contribution points?"

Li Fan smiled slightly, nodding, "Rest assured, you won't miss your reward."

"But, are you really confident?" Li Fan looked down at the other party, intensified his tone, and asked again.

The invisible pressure made the dwarf cultivator shiver involuntarily.

But soon, he patted his chest loudly, assuring, "I, Luo Shuzhen, have been dealing with the dead since I was a child. In my eyes, they are not just a pile of skeletons! They are all living people! If I can't do it, I'm afraid no one in this world can!"

Only then did Li Fan slowly say, "Then, let's begin."

He set up an array around, sealing off Luo Shuzhen's cave.

Then, Li Fan projected the skull-shaped object from the center of the divine artifact museum into the air.

At first, Luo Shuzhen was a little absent-minded, still occasionally glancing at the skeletons placed in his cave.

But as the skull gradually took shape, Luo Shuzhen's attention was slowly drawn in.

When the skull was completely formed, Luo Shuzhen completely froze. He involuntarily approached the projection, looking dazed.

"Too perfect..."

"How can there be such a perfect cranial structure in the world?" Luo Shuzhen murmured to himself.

"Perfect?" Li Fan frowned slightly.

Thinking that Li Fan was questioning, Luo Shuzhen immediately explained excitedly, "Isn't this perfect? Look at this frontal bone, this parietal bone, and this occipital bone..."

"Indescribable. The proportions and combinations are so perfect."

"Absolutely, absolutely..."

After holding back for a long time, Luo Shuzhen finally uttered eight words, "Perfect and flawless, like it was created by heaven."

Li Fan slowly narrowed his eyes.

Without waiting for Li Fan to urge him, Luo Shuzhen couldn't wait to actively restore the appearance of the skull in its previous life.

His method was also very strange, not through any secret technique.

Chapter 959: Unraveling the Enigma of Immortality and Mortality

Li Fan cautiously attempted to communicate with the skull, feeling uneasy.

However, it was just a projection, and naturally, it couldn't respond to Luo Shuzhen.

Yet, Luo Shuzhen seemed to genuinely receive a response, growing more and more excited.

Just as Li Fan was suspicious, he saw Luo Shuzhen waving his right hand in the air, starting to depict the appearance of the skull's past life.

So, Li Fan patiently waited again.

As the appearance gradually reconstructed, the expression on Li Fan's face also became more and more serious.

When the image finally appeared in front of Li Fan...

He tried hard to control his expression, attempting to conceal his shock.

Staring at the image in the air for a long time, Li Fan asked in a low voice, "Are you... sure you didn't make a mistake?"

Even though he knew it was a meaningless question, Li Fan still asked.

Sure enough, Luo Shuzhen reacted very excitedly, "Mistaken? You can doubt my..."

Before the other party finished speaking, Li Fan took a deep breath, waved his sleeve, and suppressed Luo Shuzhen along with everything in his cave into the Five Elements Heavenly Cave.

Then, he erased all traces of this place.

"How could it be him?"

Standing in the air for a long time, Li Fan still couldn't understand.

Unable to face this fact.

"The first cultivator infected with Immortal Mortal Plague. The first cultivator infected with Immortal Mortal Plague..."

Li Fan contemplated for a long time, then flew towards the dense cloud sea.

Naturally, his target was Yin Shangren, who was also conducting research on the Immortal Mortal Plague.

In Li Fan's perception, Yin Shangren's research had not yet yielded final results.

But Yin Shangren seemed to sense something, becoming somewhat hesitant and hesitant.

The frequency of experiments had obviously decreased.

Even...

He seemed reluctant to carry out the final verification.

Moving at the fastest speed, Li Fan quickly arrived in front of Yin Shangren.

Yin Shangren was quite surprised by Li Fan's sudden appearance.

Just as he was about to speak, Li Fan took the initiative to wave his hand, stopping him.

"Fellow Yin, regarding the first cultivator infected with the Immortal Mortal Plague..."

"I've made an astonishing discovery."

Yin Shangren trembled all over, looking at Li Fan with an unbelieving expression.

"This result is too incredible. It can't be explained at all. You should have a premonition, right?"

Yin Shangren remained silent for a while, bitterly nodding.

Li Fan took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "So, please start the final verification."

"I also want to ask for your help in confirming it."

Standing still for a long time, Yin Shangren sighed dejectedly and then led Li Fan to the front of the laboratory.

Through the transparent outer wall, Li Fan could vaguely see the white rib Yin Shangren held.

With dense white mist constantly spraying from the surroundings, it filled the entire area.

Yin Shangren kept pinching his fingers, changing his expression.

Under his manipulation, the mist gradually lightened.

Slowly, it seemed like something was flowing into the white rib in the air.

When the transparent area was completely emptied, Yin Shangren, who had guessed the truth, turned pale and fell to the ground.

"Sure enough, sure enough."

He murmured to himself.

Li Fan slowly stated the answer.

"The first cultivator infected with the Immortal Mortal Plague is also the one who created the Immortal Mortal Plague."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 960: Eternal Lord of the Myriad Ages

"The first cultivator infected with Immortal Mortal Plague is also the one who created it."

...

Li Fan's voice faintly echoed.

Yin Shangren did not refute; he just grabbed his hair forcefully, seemingly very distressed by this fact.

"How is this possible? How is this possible..." he kept whispering, his expression confused and sorrowful.

After a prolonged silence, Li Fan continued slowly, "The Immortal Mortal Plague violates the principles of heaven and earth."

"The one who can create the Immortal Mortal Plague..."

"Only the Eternal Lord! In other words, what we have before us is the remains of a newly created Eternal Lord."

"The moment the Immortal Mortal Plague was born within him, following the rules set by the new Eternal Lord, he obtained the realm of eternal life. But at the same time..."

"The rule power named Immortal Mortal Plague began to rampage and destroy within him."

"Though mortal, one can kill immortals. The power of the Immortal Mortal Plague is well-known in the Xuanhuang Realm. But I believe that if the Eternal Lord wanted to preserve his own life, he could have done it. However, he deliberately didn't."

"Because once he did, it meant he would destroy the rules he had created. Although it wouldn't lead to the failure of the reverse law..."

Li Fan paused, seemingly pondering and deducing.

After a moment, he said with conviction, "But it's very likely to leave a loophole: the Eternal Lord can ignore the power of the Immortal Mortal Plague."

"To prevent such a thing from happening, he allowed the Immortal Mortal Plague to devour him. It's equivalent to burying himself..."

"What he gained was only one result: cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm, regardless of their cultivation level, from Qi Refinement to Eternal Lord, all fall under the influence of the Immortal Mortal Plague."

Li Fan looked solemn, "But..."

"What does this ultimately mean?"

"Over the millennia, the Immortal Mortal Plague has been virtually nonexistent. As long as you handle it carefully, cultivators can still freely slaughter mortals, right?"

"And this Eternal Lord, what exactly is his purpose? Why would he risk his life to create the Immortal Mortal Plague?"

Thick doubts appeared on Li Fan's face.

This wasn't a pretense but a genuine feeling.

Yin Shangren remained silent.

He gently waved his hand, and the transparent barrier in front of him disappeared. He carefully picked up the white rib on the ground, treating it as if it were a rare treasure, gently caressing it.

"Back then, when I first saw this rib, the appearance of its owner's past life seemed to appear before my eyes."

"It was such a perfect countenance! All the gorgeous words in the world combined cannot describe its uniqueness."

"However, this perfect person died from being infected with the Immortal Mortal Plague. At that time, I secretly swore that I would find the culprit who created the Immortal Mortal Plague and caused the demise of this perfect person. Then..."

Yin Shangren bitterly smiled, "But I never thought that after searching for so many years, the so-called murderer was right in front of me."

"And I never knew, never knew!"

Deeply moved, Yin Shangren suddenly coughed up a large amount of blood.

After wiping it away gently, Yin Shangren held the rib tightly, veins bulging on his hand.

Li Fan watched this scene, and in his mind, the image of the first time he saw Yin Shangren appeared.

It was no different from now, with disheveled clothes.

Muttering to himself incessantly, "I must find you, I must find you..."

And now, he finally found the so-called murderer.

But this result was not something he could easily accept.

For most of his life, he had been searching, and the so-called culprit was the victim himself.

How ironic.

"No wonder every time, he committed suicide shortly after finding the truth," Li Fan thought silently.

Li Fan suddenly remembered the previous life when Su Changyu came to this Yin Island by chance and received the cultivation method [Establishing Foundations with My Qi].

The reason Yin Shangren acted like this was because Su Changyu tried to save the mortals on the island.

At that time, Yin Shangren asked, "Why? Why do you, a cultivator, want to save these mortals?"

Now, it seemed that he wasn't just questioning Su Changyu.

More than that, he couldn't understand the actions of the Eternal Lord who created the Immortal Mortal Plague.

Not only Yin Shangren, but Li Fan also couldn't comprehend such behavior.

Even if someone in the world were noble to such an extent, willing to sacrifice their life to protect mortals...

But at the very least, it had to be effective for the sacrifice to have meaning, right?

From the current situation in the Xuanhuang Realm, the plight of mortals has only improved slightly. They are still easily slaughtered by cultivators, unable to defend themselves.

Just like Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi back in the day.

Foundation Building stage cultivators can effortlessly level a mortal city.

Compared to before the birth of the Immortal Mortal Plague, everything seems to be fundamentally unchanged.

If that's all he wanted...

Then it's not noble; it's foolish.

Li Fan believes that a cultivator who can defy the principles of heaven and earth cannot be such a person.

So, what is his true purpose?

While Li Fan is contemplating, Yin Shangren stands up unsteadily, placing the white rib on his chest and carefully storing it.

After some thought, Li Fan still raises his doubts.

Yin Shangren smiles bitterly, "Friend, haven't you figured it out yet? He is not only for the mortals in the world but also for the cultivators."

"Cultivators?" Li Fan trembles, seeming to recall something.

"After the Transcendent Law Lord defied the principles of heaven and earth and established a new law, all cultivators in the world must cultivate according to the new law. Theoretically, from now on, no matter how talented or gifted a cultivator is, they absolutely cannot break free from the framework set by the Transcendent Law."

"Destined to be forever suppressed by the Transcendent Law. In a sense, for cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm, the Transcendent Law is an invincible existence." Yin Shangren seems to be in a strange mental state, speaking intermittently.

Li Fan suddenly envisions a scene.

A figure in white sighs, "I can't step onto the immortal path ahead because the Transcendent Law Lord is above!"

"But, he, at the cost of his own life, created a possibility for Xuanhuang cultivators. A possibility that can threaten the Transcendent Law." Yin Shangren pauses for a moment before continuing.

"As fellow Eternal Lords, although their strength in battle may be far superior to the Transcendent Law, their status is actually the same. Since the Immortal Mortal Plague can cause fatal damage to him, similarly..."

"The Immortal Mortal Plague can also severely wound or even kill the Transcendent Law Lord!" Yin Shangren's voice inexplicably rises a bit, appearing somewhat excited.

"After the Great Tribulation, the Transcendent Law Lord has almost disappeared from the world. Even though the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was later reestablished, he rarely appeared. How do you know there isn't a reason for this? Because he's afraid! Haha!"

Yin Shangren's expression gradually becomes somewhat insane.

"He not only found a way to kill the Transcendent Law for the cultivators of the world, but also pointed out a path to completely defeat the Transcendent Law! Although relying solely on the Immortal Mortal Plague to want to kill the Transcendent Law Lord..."

"Although there is a possibility, the success rate is too low, too low."

"But the method he pointed out to break the Transcendent Law order is absolutely feasible!" Yin Shangren, shaken by his emotions, suddenly spits out a mouthful of blood.

"Since the Immortal Mortal Plague can be a weakness for the Transcendent Law, why not create more weaknesses? As long as there is a powerful being who can achieve the realm of eternal life, willing to sacrifice themselves..."

"The weaknesses of the Transcendent Law will inevitably increase. One day, it will be riddled with holes, easily pierced through!"

Yin Shangren stares with wide eyes.

"As long as there is someone like him, willing to sacrifice themselves..."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan remains silent.

Wanting everyone in the world to have such enlightenment...

It's really too demanding.

One is the carefree and unrestrained longevity, and the other is risking one's life for a possibility of an elusive future...

Any normal person knows how to choose.

But he is not an ordinary person.

Yin Shangren sneers, "Xuanhuang has been around for thousands of years, and there hasn't been a second cultivator who did such a thing."

"It's really damn! All should die..."

Li Fan consoles, "Friend Yin, don't be too extreme."

However, Yin Shangren completely ignores Li Fan. He even looks at Li Fan with a gradually hostile gaze, saying disdainfully, "Do you understand anything?"

He takes out the white rib from his chest, saying scornfully, "I know, are cultivators in the world all cherish life? How many people cultivate because they are afraid of death?"

"But how can your lives be compared to his?"

"He... he..."

Yin Shangren's eyes show subtle traces of blood flowing out. "He was originally the Eternal Lord!"

This statement is like a thunderbolt, striking Li Fan's soul.

Even with his composure, he couldn't help but exclaim, "What?"

"He was originally the Eternal Lord? What does that mean?"

Li Fan quickly asks for clarification.

"What does it mean? Literally. Before the ancient law disappeared, the last one who obtained the power of eternal life and became the Eternal Lord!" Yin Shangren says word by word.

"Only with the bones of the ancient Eternal Lord can one achieve such a state, as if gifted by the heavens..."

As Yin Shangren speaks, he fondly strokes the rib bone.

Then his gaze suddenly becomes sinister, staring at Li Fan.

After a moment of confrontation, Yin Shangren suddenly looks up at the sky, his eyes becoming suspicious and confused.

At the same time, he murmurs to himself, "And, he is not like those thieves. His longevity was actively bestowed by this world."

"He could have left here..."

Li Fan doesn't disturb him, silently recording all of Yin Shangren's words.

"Ancient Eternal Lord? And it's a different realm of longevity."

"No wonder he is invincible whether in the Beast Taming Sect or the Sky Sword Sect."

"However, what exactly turned him into the Eternal Lord?"

"Or, when he ascended in one step, did he not just advance from a mortal to the Nascent Divinity realm?"

"Instead, did he transform from a mortal into the Eternal Lord in one breath?"

Li Fan can't help but feel absurd.

This kind of progression is simply unprecedented!

"If that's really the case, it's too far-fetched."

"Even if favored by the will of heaven, it shouldn't be treated like this."

"Where is the pride of heaven, it's simply like treating one's own father."

"Could it be that he saved the Xuanhuang Realm in his previous life..."

Thinking like this, a sudden thought inexplicably surfaces in Li Fan's mind.

He is slightly stunned.

"No... that's impossible, right?"

Quickly organizing his thoughts, but the speculation in his heart becomes clearer.

Similarly, they are both perfect individuals.

Similarly, they are both concerned about the sentient beings in the Xuanhuang Realm.

King of the Xuan Realm mysteriously disappeared.

Several years later, another mortal was born in the world.

Favored by the will of heaven, even the treatment has reached an absurd level.

All these are interconnected, forming a vague answer.

Li Fan can't help but think, "Could it be..."

"Mr. Bai is the reincarnation of the King of the Xuan Realm?"

Yes, the appearance after the skull is restored is exactly the same as Mr. Bai.

And the reason why the first person infected by the Immortal Mortal Plague is surnamed Su...

It's because...

Li Fan can't help but think of the scene he witnessed in the Fallen Immortal Realm years ago.

"A dog is a defective product that has been abandoned. If it weren't for Little White..."

Huangfa Luya is explaining to Li Fan when he is ruthlessly kicked from behind.

After that, he patted his butt, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Lu Ya quickly changed his words, "If it weren't for Mr. Bai's help in treating him, I'm afraid the dog would have died long ago."

...

Yes, the reason Mr. Bai is called Mr. Bai is because the orphans in Ningyuan City gave him this title after hearing the nickname "Little White." Perhaps, they are not very clear about the true name of the world's best person.

With Mr. Bai's personality, even if he knows it's a misunderstanding, he probably won't stop or correct the children.

As long as the children are happy.

After all, Mr. Bai sounds nice as a name.

"Su Bai..."

"Is this his name?"

"Using the old method to achieve longevity, defying the laws of heaven and earth, then establishing a new method for longevity."

"I originally thought that no one in the world could achieve this, but unexpectedly..."

Li Fan remembers the conversation between Sun Qi and Sun Liancheng he heard earlier.

"The more favored by heaven and earth, the harder it is to go against the laws of heaven and earth."

"The more severe the backlash."

"In such a situation, he can still defy the laws of heaven and earth..."

Li Fan couldn't help but become more silent.

Thoughts surged, and he didn't know how much time had passed.

The abnormality in front of him brought Li Fan back to reality.

There is a strange energy fluctuation on Yin Shangren's body.

Li Fan also noticed that Yin Shangren's current state is very abnormal.

It seems like there is a possibility of going berserk at any moment.

But in this state, he also seems to have become capable of probing many mysteries between heaven and earth, thoroughly understanding the past and present lives of the owner of the rib.

"Why? Why?"

Yin Shangren painfully grabs his head, and a vertical line in the center of his body slowly appears.

It seems like it might split open at any moment.

Li Fan quietly moves away a bit.

Yin Shangren keeps rolling on the ground in pain, and Li Fan faintly hears explosions coming from the secret room under Yinshan Island, where Yin Shangren's countless bodies are stored.

Continuous vibrations and faint explosions.

After an unknown amount of time, Yin Shangren suddenly jumps up, his face extremely excited, "I figured it out!"

(End of this chapter)