Chapter 446-450: Summoning the Sun After a Thousand Years (6.5k words)

Before "Blue" could speak, the Oracle Child shook his dust whisk.

The sky darkened, and a piece of golden-charactered paper, filled with symbols, appeared above the island.

It covered the sky, as if it was about to suppress all the people of the Empire in the next second.

Blue's expression changed suddenly. Two streams of green light, like sharp blades, flew into the sky.

They collided with the giant piece of paper.

The golden paper was torn in half, revealing the sky once again.

However, the golden characters on the paper did not disappear. Instead, they fluttered down towards the ground.

From Blue's body, countless light blades emerged, one by one, dissolving the characters.

It was evident that both sides were restraining each other in their clash.

The anomalies they triggered were limited to the surroundings of the island, and even spectators like Li Fan, Li Chenfeng, and others were not affected at all.

After a moment, when Blue completely suppressed the Oracle Child's golden talisman and suppressed her anger, she was about to question the other party's intentions.

However, she found that the mysterious person who had cast the golden talisman had left on his own after saying something to Li Fan.

Blue squinted her eyes, choosing not to stop him.

She watched as Li Fan approached openly.

"What do you mean by the Multiverse Alliance?"

At this moment, Blue asked with a frosty demeanor.

Li Fan shrugged, "We mean no harm. But since we're cooperating, we naturally need to see your strength and whether it's worth it."

"Fortunately, you've barely gained recognition from above."

Blue snorted coldly, staring at Li Fan.

Li Fan, however, was indifferent and smiled, "The Alliance has agreed to your proposed cooperation plan."

"We'll help the Empire speed up its plan to leave the Xuanhuang Realm, and you need to integrate a portion of your forces into the Alliance."

"But well..."

Li Fan paused slightly, "Considering the current situation of both parties, the organization believes that we can gradually implement the cooperation plan."

"What do you mean by 'gradually'?" Blue's tone slowed.

Li Fan threw a storage ring over, and after Blue received and checked it, she was surprised.

Inside, there were various supplies that the Empire needed.

Ling Crystals, Ten Thousand Flowers Bi Green Silk, and Universal Arm Vortex...

Although the quantity was a bit less, every category was complete.

Having left the Xuanhuang Realm for thousands of years, she didn't know the current prices of goods.

However, Blue also knew that the value of the items in this storage ring was definitely not low.

So, her expression gradually softened.

"This is the first batch of supplies."

"The quantity you need is too large, and to avoid detection by Xuanhuang Realm forces, we can only purchase them gradually in batches."

Li Fan explained.

Blue nodded, feeling that there was some reason in his words.

"At the same time, we are also looking for a safe and secretive location for the future Empire branch."

"Safety and confidentiality must be guaranteed absolutely. It's not easy to find such a place in the current Xuanhuang Realm. So, we still need to wait for some time."

Li Fan continued.

"To dispel your doubts and demonstrate the organization's sincerity, consider these supplies as a free contribution to the Empire."

"After about a year when the next batch of supplies is purchased, I will come again."

"However, at that time, we, the Multiverse Alliance, hope to see the Empire's attitude."

"Then we can discuss the next steps of our cooperation."

Li Fan bowed slightly, didn't wait for Blue's reply, and left directly.

"Saint..."

Li Chenfeng looked at Blue, wanting to say something but hesitated.

Chapter 446: Calling the Sun for a Thousand Years

Blue frowned and carefully examined the storage ring. After finding nothing suspicious, she cautiously put it away.

"For now, it seems that the intention of cooperation from the other side is relatively sincere."

"He's right. We can gradually open up cooperation. First, exchange some less important technologies with them."

"If anything unexpected happens, we can cut losses in time."

Blue said to Li Chenfeng and others.

"I need to go back for a while and discuss with the Empress and Hong."

What Blue didn't say was that for some reason, she always felt something inexplicable on the envoy from the Multiverse Alliance.

It seemed far more complicated than it appeared on the surface.

On Wanxian Island,

After expressing gratitude to the Oracle Child again, Li Fan, as usual, searched and examined information through the Tianxuan Mirror.

The results of the entrance exam have been gradually announced, causing both joy and sorrow.

There were still controversies over the recruitment of certain positions.

However, these disputes quickly disappeared.

In the southwest sea area of Cloud Sea, a wind disaster raged, and more than ten mortal islands were destroyed.

The price of the special product, Azure Profound Dew, experienced a slight fluctuation. Li Fan bought low and sold high, making a small profit.

The Taihua Mountain Range, one of the ten veins of the Taihua State Taihua Mountain, suddenly collapsed for unknown reasons.

When Li Fan swept across this piece of information, his gaze slightly condensed.

"Hmm? The Taihua Mountain Range has ten veins? I remember in the previous life, there were only nine."

"It seems that the casualties this time are quite severe."

Li Fan pondered for a moment but didn't delve deeper.

He just made a key note of it and continued to browse other news.

Afterward, Li Fan separately searched for the recent situation of "Fisherman Old Man," "Wu Chier," "Zhong Shentong," "Shuo Feng," and others.

The Fisherman Old Man still wandered around the central four states of Wanxian Alliance.

Wu Chier and Zhong Shentong had not gained much fame.

Shuo Feng had not resumed cultivation yet and remained a well-known Nascent Divinity Immortal Monarch.

Li Fan speculated about the possible time of their adventures based on the experiences of the previous life.

...

One month later, Li Fan woke up from seclusion.

Feeling that the time was about right, he directly transferred the 500,000 contribution points to He Zhenghao.

"This time, luck is good. I quickly sensed an opportunity and achieved the goal early."

Li Fan said lazily.

After a moment, He Zhenghao's voice came in surprise, "Senior's divine abilities are truly unimaginable!"

"Hehe. The secret technique of the sect is unavoidable. The next recruitment will still be at the previously scheduled time. Go and explain it to them."

After instructing, Li Fan didn't pay attention to He Zhenghao anymore and swallowed another Enlightenment Pill, entering seclusion again.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the ninth year since the anchoring.

During this period, Li Fan's layout began to show initial results.

Twenty or so strands of feedback on cultivation, more or less, emerged in Li Fan's dantian successively.

Combined with nearly a year of intensive cultivation aided by Enlightenment Pills, Li Fan reached the bottleneck of the Advanced Golden Elixir Stage.

Fortunately, he was only troubled by the "Calamity of Heaven" bottleneck for more than ten days.

He smoothly advanced to the late stage of the Golden Elixir.

Li Fan exhaled slowly, temporarily stopping cultivation.

"Next, whether to intimidate the people of the Empire or explore the void of Tianlingzhou, it's a bit inadequate to act alone."

"Perhaps, I can find some assistance."

After contemplating for a moment, Li Fan quietly left Wanxian Island.

He headed straight to the Tianyang Cave Mansion.

After numerous attempts along the way, he finally managed to transform a face that looked somewhat similar to Tianyang's second senior brother, Ling Xiao.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 447: Re-establishing the Body and Transforming the Dao

Nine years have passed, and the Tianyang Cave Mansion has not yet emerged.

Hidden deep inside an underwater volcano in the Sleeping Sea, it remained unknown to outsiders.

Li Fan, based on the information obtained from Tianyang's legacy, especially the "Earthfire Returning to Origin Array," spent considerable effort to determine the location of the Cave Mansion.

After activating several protective talismans, Li Fan carefully entered the Cave Mansion.

Currently, Tianyang True Immortal was in a peculiar state of being neither dead nor alive.

From the eternal legacy, Li Fan learned that, aside from Tianyang, all others who embarked on the path of body transformation had participated in a great battle from ancient times and never returned.

Tianyang himself firmly believed that his master and senior brothers would definitely come back.

Fearing that they might not find him upon their return, Tianyang stayed in the body transformation Dao Cave Mansion, refusing to leave.

Unexpectedly, after several years, intruders broke into the Cave Mansion. Tianyang intended to resist but was no match.

Relying on the treasures left by his senior brothers before leaving, he barely managed to preserve his life.

After that, the young Tianyang began his wandering life in the cultivation world.

During his struggles, he gradually realized that his aptitude was not as exceptional as his senior brothers claimed, and he was not the hope for the revival of the body transformation Dao.

Not to mention standing shoulder to shoulder with his senior brothers, he was probably not even comparable to ordinary Golden Elixir cultivators.

However, despite all this, his master and senior brothers still entrusted their last hope to him.

Whenever he recalled their words like "Tianyang, your aptitude is incomparable in the world. Get well soon, the revival of the body transformation Dao depends on you," he felt a sense of incapability.

Now, looking at how he couldn't even protect the sect's Cave Mansion, Tianyang was full of self-hatred.

But reality doesn't change based on one's emotions.

Tianyang estimated that if he didn't have other fortuitous encounters, the Golden Elixir stage would probably be his limit.

To not disappoint his master and senior brothers, Tianyang decided to gamble everything. He chose the method of discarding the physical body and completely transforming into a puppet, defying fate.

His remaining years were all devoted to preparing for this.

Finding a suitable location to set up the "Earthfire Returning to Origin Array," gathering materials, refining puppets...

After everything was ready, Tianyang resolutely completed the transformation into a puppet.

He then entered deep slumber in the veins of the earth, intending to use the power of the earth's fire to refine the puppet and elevate its status.

If nothing went wrong, Tianyang would complete the transformation within five hundred years, ascending to a powerful existence not inferior to Nascent Divinity Immortal Monarchs.

However, things took an unexpected turn.

During the five hundred years, lands rose and fell, and seas turned into mountains.

Changes in the earth's veins resulted in a significant reduction in the effectiveness of the "Earthfire Returning to Origin Array." Moreover, the materials Tianyang originally used to refine the puppet were only ordinary.

This caused the puppet's advancement process to be exceptionally slow.

What was supposed to take five hundred years turned into thousands of years.

As the years passed, even in his sleep, Tianyang's consciousness slowly wore away.

Losing most of his subjective thoughts, only the obsession of "Tianyang's life is not inferior to others" remained in the world.

Li Fan speculated that it might have been the "Sky Overturning Palm" that turned the Cloud Mountain Range into the Cloud Sea, which caused the failure of Tianyang's plan.

"Tianyang's life, unfortunate among men..." Li Fan shook his head and arrived at the square outside the Cave Mansion.

After carefully observing for a moment, Li Fan, like a ghost, turned into a thin line and safely passed through the twists and turns.

Without triggering any mechanisms or prohibitions, Li Fan smoothly reached the depths of the Cave Mansion.

There, a set of child-sized skeletal remains sat.

In reality, due to Tianyang's congenital deficiency, he always maintained the size of his childhood body.

Li Fan remained cautious and approached slowly.

Suddenly, a creaking sound came from underground.

Li Fan's heart moved, and he quickly retreated.

Following that, seventeen black and red puppets emerged, aggressively attacking.

Li Fan activated his body transformation Dao technique and shouted loudly, "Junior Brother, don't you recognize me?"

The puppet mechanisms were indifferent and merciless. They continued to attack Li Fan.

Attacking him in unison.

Fortunately, they had the characteristic of being "weak against the weak and strong against the strong."

A sword light forced the puppets to retreat. Li Fan moved among the puppets, continuously calling out Tianyang's name.

Slowly, the puppet mechanisms became somewhat hesitant in their movements.

At this moment, Li Fan took out a projection stone and projected Ling Xiao's masterpiece in the air.

Now, the mechanical puppets gradually stopped their attacks.

Looking up at the text and images in the air.

"Sec..."

"Senior... Brother?"

The somewhat dull composite mechanical sound rang out.

Li Fan laughed, "Junior Brother, long time no see, are you well?"

"Sec... Senior Brother!"

Bang!

Cracks appeared on the bodies of the seventeen puppets, and then, like broken porcelain, they all shattered.

The fragments on the ground dissolved and wriggled, eventually forming a small Tianyang puppet.

He flew to Li Fan's side and tilted his head to look at Li Fan.

Looking at the seemingly unfamiliar man in front of him, Tianyang felt a bit confused.

Li Fan patted Tianyang's shoulder, "Let's go, Senior Brother will take you home!"

The Tianyang puppet was stunned.

A rumbling sound came from the depths of the sea, continuously trembling, as if something was about to break through the ground.

Li Fan chuckled, "Junior Brother, don't be so excited. In today's era, there are still many bad people outside. It wouldn't be good if someone found out."

As if understanding the meaning in Li Fan's words, the puppet nodded after a long time.

In an instant, the seabed became quiet again.

With Li Fan's help, it took three days for Tianyang to retrieve all the various body components buried underground that had already been shattered.

Reintegrated into one, he quietly followed behind Li Fan.

Li Fan used a secret technique to conceal their breath.

He also brought the Tianyang bones with eternal memories from the Cave Mansion.

The two of them rushed all the way to the unnamed deserted island where the people from the previous life were staying.

After spending more than ten days, Li Fan, following the appearance of the body transformation Dao sect from his past life, easily opened up a Cave Mansion.

After setting up hidden and protective formations, Li Fan looked at Tianyang and instructed, "Junior Brother, you wait for me here. I'll be back soon."

Tianyang obediently nodded.

After Li Fan left, he entered his original room and sat down quietly.

In the Tianxuan Mirror.

"It's a bit disadvantageous to awaken Tianyang a few years earlier."

"It hasn't been completely refined, and there's still a gap from reaching the peak Nascent Divinity. But I can help him complete it."

After some research and searching, with the purchase of various rare materials, contribution points flowed out like water.

Two days later, Li Fan returned to the unnamed island with resources stored in several storage rings.

"Grey Xuan Drill, Dust Willow Xuan Stone, Crimson Spirit Copper..."

"Junior Brother, these are things your original body can absorb to strengthen itself."

"As for your usual practice, stay in this 'Returning to Origin Array.' It will help with your refinement..."

Li Fan carefully instructed Tianyang.

Tianyang listened attentively.

One more chapter to come later.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 448: Resolving Deviation According to the Plan

At this moment, the Tianyang puppet still acted instinctively.

Teaching him to use the "Returning to Origin Array" to refine and strengthen himself took quite some effort from Li Fan.

Fortunately, Tianyang was obedient to Li Fan, even the clumsiest student could gradually learn through continuous attempts.

Seeing Tianyang's gradually proficient movements, Li Fan felt a sense of satisfaction.

"If someone comes to disturb, Junior Brother, don't kill. Capture and imprison them, and I'll handle it when I come back."

"If you encounter someone you can't beat, Junior Brother, don't be stubborn. Slip away quietly and meet up with me to discuss."

...

After instructing Tianyang, Li Fan flew out and closed the Cave Mansion.

"The highest combat power on the surface of the Cloud Mist Sea is just those Nascent Divinity cultivators."

"Now, with Tianyang as my support, I can do much more."

Looking down at the unnamed island below, Li Fan smiled slightly, "From now on, you will be called the Body Transformation Island."

"After Tianyang completes his self-repair, he can also help me refine mechanical puppets."

"With abundant materials, refining puppets with Nascent Soul-level power should not be difficult."

"Although mechanical puppets cannot be compared to real Nascent Soul cultivators, they are not afraid of consumption and can overwhelm enemies with quantity."

The more Li Fan thought about it, the more pleased he felt.

After a while, his mind gradually calmed down, and he took out the Tianyang bones from the storage ring.

He still received a prompt that "Return True" could absorb it, but the hunger feeling was gone.

After thinking for a moment, Li Fan decided not to absorb it.

"I have obtained everything I can from Tianyang's memories. Absorbing again doesn't have much significance."

"Better to keep it; it might come in handy later."

Cultivators in the Xuan Huang Realm must have a way to use "Eternal Memories."

Even in the previous life, when he reached the authority level of "Divide Thirty," he did not find any relevant information.

Thinking of Eternal Memories, Li Fan couldn't help but think of the skull of the first cultivator infected with Immortal Mortal Pestilence that he saw in his previous life.

"Perhaps, it is precisely because it is attached to Eternal Memories that it is placed in the central part of the Museum of Divine Treasures."

His thoughts converged.

Li Fan did not return to the Myriad Immortals Island but quietly came to the outskirts of the Crystal Island.

He found the giant crystal fish, concealed his aura, and descended to the bottom of the sea.

Rather than directly taking action, he waited for something.

Minute by minute passed, and when the time came to the point when Li Fan reincarnated into the cultivation world, using the inexhaustible killing technique to kill the giant crystal fish.

Only then did Li Fan follow suit and take the exquisite crystal bead.

With an ample supply of Enlightenment Pills, the role of this crystal bead became dispensable.

However, Li Fan didn't kill the giant crystal fish for this item; it was to ensure that the Spirit Mist Grass island was attacked and a series of chain reactions occurred.

The reason for not taking action when anchoring for 8 years was to avoid the influence caused by temporal deviations.

Everything in the world is constantly evolving dynamically, interconnected with each other.

Entering the Xuan Huang Realm a year earlier, like a stone falling into a pond, would affect many affairs.

Li Fan couldn't guarantee that the experiences from the past few lives wouldn't change in this life.

What he could do was to minimize the deviation as much as possible.

"Promoting the Spirit Mist Grass event is related to the Great Battle of Tian Lingzhou, the reward offered by the Supreme Immortal, and the appearance of the Heavenly Profound Soul-Locking Formation."

"It must not go wrong."

"If it doesn't work..."

In the blink of an eye, the giant crystal fish's corpse disappeared, and a thread of fresh blood floated upwards.

A trace of killing intent flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

After completing this task, Li Fan made another trip and collected two Blue Blood Corals.

Although the contribution points gained from this task were insignificant for the current Li Fan, it could help him get acquainted with the Nascent Soul cultivator Chen Ying from the Medicine Hall.

Moreover, this person would go to the Five Elements Grand Dao in the future.

As long as he monitored him with the inexhaustible killing technique, when the Great Battle of Tian Lingzhou broke out, Li Fan would know about it first, seizing the opportunity to muddy the waters.

Back in the Tianxuan Mirror, Li Fan chose to submit the task.

At the same time, he inquired whether the other party was refining the "Frozen Emotion Extinguishing Pill."

"Relying solely on the main medicine, you can deduce the pill I want to refine? Could it be that Fellow Daoist is also proficient in this?"

Sure enough, curiosity was aroused, and Chen Ying sent an inquiry.

"Hehe, I don't understand alchemy. I just know a bit of deduction and calculation." Li Fan replied with a smile.

"I want to explore the Fallen Immortal Realm and vaguely feel that Fellow Daoist's alchemy might be helpful. So, I have this question."

Chen Ying exclaimed, "The art of deduction is unexpectedly mysterious..."

"Wait, could you be the Ancient Celestial Mechanism cultivator who awakened from a deep sleep?"

At this moment, looking at Li Fan's name, Chen Ying remembered something and asked in surprise.

"Hehe, that's correct. However, it's just an empty name; Fellow Daoist doesn't need to take it seriously!" Li Fan modestly said.

But Chen Ying was thoroughly interested.

He insisted on personally meeting Li Fan.

And he even offered to give Li Fan some "Frozen Emotion Extinguishing Pills" for free.

Li Fan pretended to decline but had to agree in the end.

The two arranged to meet on Myriad Immortals Island, at Chen Ying's residence.

As is well known, cultivators can buy Cave Mansions to live on Myriad Immortals Island.

However, the prices are high.

None of the cultivators Li Fan befriended in the previous lives were so extravagant.

Even Zhang Zhiliang did not choose to buy a residence and enjoy it.

"It seems that alchemy is more lucrative than array formations."

Thinking like this, Li Fan arrived at Chen Ying's Cave Mansion.

Sensing Li Fan's arrival, a green door opened with a bang.

Although the exterior appeared simple and small, entering it was like entering another world.

It seemed like walking into a valley, with continuous spirit fields growing various types of herbs and spiritual plants.

The density of spiritual energy in the valley was not very high, and Li Fan did not see anyone in charge of caring for it.

But all these spiritual plants were thriving.

Li Fan speculated that it might be related to the layers of different-colored restrictions covering the spirit fields.

"Ah, Fellow Daoist Li Fan, you finally came!" Chen Ying's hearty laughter came from afar.

Li Fan looked over and saw him emerging from a group of crops taller than ordinary people.

Ignoring his somewhat disheveled appearance, Chen Ying flew straight towards Li Fan.

"Eight Profound Grass... but ordinary ones don't seem to grow this tall."

"I heard that Chen Ying is not only proficient in alchemy but also very skilled in cultivating spiritual plants. Seeing it today, it's indeed well-deserved."

Li Fan's mind became active.

"Friend Chen Ying, I've heard so much about you!" He greeted with a friendly tone, bowing slightly.

Suddenly, his expression changed, staring fixedly at Chen Ying.

Chen Ying felt a bit inexplicable and touched his own face.

"What's wrong, Friend Li Fan?"

Seeing Li Fan's expression as if facing a great enemy, he couldn't help asking.

"By observing Friend's appearance, I'm afraid there will be a bloody disaster in the coming days!"

Li Fan shook his head, speaking with a deep tone.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 449: Knowing Heaven Wants to Defy Fate

"Bloody disaster?" Chen Ying looked at Li Fan with a serious expression, somewhat puzzled.

"What's this about?" Having not expected such a surprise from the Ancient Celestial Mechanism cultivator during their first meeting, Chen Ying asked skeptically.

Li Fan didn't immediately answer; instead, he wore a solemn expression, closed his eyes, and began to calculate with finger gestures.

Seeing this, Chen Ying stood aside, not daring to disturb him.

The deduction continued for the duration of an incense stick burning.

Li Fan's breath fluctuated, and his complexion became paler.

This made Chen Ying nervous, mirroring Li Fan's tension.

Suddenly, Li Fan opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Friend Li Fan, are you okay?"

Startled, Chen Ying was about to check on him.

"It's alright, just a bit of backlash." Li Fan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and waved it off.

Before Chen Ying could react, Li Fan stared at him intently and asked, "Friend Chen, are you planning a journey far away soon?"

Chen Ying was initially puzzled but then suddenly alarmed.

Not long ago, he did receive an order from the headquarters to go to a newly discovered Wood Attribute Cave Heaven.

However, he hadn't mentioned this matter to anyone yet. How did Li Fan know?

Could it be that he really saw something through the art of deduction?

Hastily, Chen Ying took out a Vitality Embracing Pill and handed it to Li Fan.

"Friend, take this pill to alleviate your injuries."

After Li Fan swallowed it and his condition improved, Chen Ying asked solemnly, "Indeed, I have plans to leave the Cloudmist Sea due to some reasons. Is the bloody disaster you mentioned related to this journey?"

Li Fan nodded slowly, "Returning sooner is better; the longer you stay away, the more dangerous it may become."

Hearing this, Chen Ying's heart sank.

For a mission like this, if it took more than a decade, there would be little chance of returning.

Doesn't that mean, as long as he goes, it's destined to be perilous?

Thinking of this, Chen Ying couldn't help but entertain rebellious thoughts.

But it was just wishful thinking.

The summons from the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters did not allow a junior Nascent Soul cultivator like him to refuse.

No way to avoid it, a dead end?

No wonder he had been feeling a bit uneasy lately but couldn't find the reason.

It turned out to be here!

Chen Ying's face instantly became extremely unpleasant.

After a moment of silence, he looked at Li Fan beside him, and a thought occurred to him.

"This trip can't be avoided; please, Friend, save me!" Chen Ying said with hope in his eyes.

Li Fan sighed lightly, "Knowing Heaven is easy; defying it is hard. I can barely glimpse into future mysteries through divination. To defy fate, well..."

"Friend, you're really putting me in a difficult position."

"However, I can offer you some advice."

"Just take the necessary precautions; I can't guarantee absolute effectiveness."

Just as Chen Ying was extremely disappointed, Li Fan changed his tone suddenly.

"Friend, please speak!"

Li Fan assessed Chen Ying for a moment and then asked, "Forgive my boldness, but if it comes to a life-and-death struggle, how is your combat power?"

Chen Ying, feeling a bit embarrassed, replied, "It's a matter of specialization. Alchemy, cultivating plants—I'm skilled. As for fighting…"

Chen Ying shook his head.

Li Fan continued, "If faced with a sudden attack, how's your ability to protect yourself? Defensive techniques, concealment, escape methods—do you usually prepare for these?"

"The Myriad Immortals Alliance has been peaceful for a long time, and I've always been benevolent. These things, I feel they're unnecessary in normal times..." Chen Ying answered honestly.

With a sigh, Li Fan said, "That's it! Friend, you have no sense of vigilance at all. If calamity suddenly strikes and you're caught off guard, it's naturally easy to fall."

"Since avoiding this calamity is impossible, you can only face it head-on."

"I see that you were able to buy such a Cave Mansion on Myriad Immortals Island, indicating your wealth. The current plan is to break the bank to avoid disaster!"

"In the Heavenly Mirror, there are many defensive treasures and techniques. Friend, do not be stingy; purchase and strengthen yourself as much as possible."

"If one can withstand the attacks of a Harmony Dao cultivator for a moment, perhaps they can find a glimmer of hope," Li Fan explained.

"Attacks from a Harmony Dao Venerable?" Chen Ying was shocked.

With the contribution points he had accumulated over the years, he might indeed be able to buy one or two treasures capable of resisting attacks from Harmony Dao cultivators if he were to go all-in. However, those contribution points were meant for exchanging Harmony Dao techniques. If the calamity Li Fan spoke of didn't occur, it would mean wasting so many contribution points, and everything would have to be accumulated from scratch.

"Isn't this a bit..." Chen Ying couldn't help but ask, but Li Fan subtly shook his head.

"I've said my piece. Whether you believe it or not, it's no longer my concern!"

Li Fan turned to leave, but Chen Ying hurriedly stopped him.

"Friend, you came in haste, but you can't leave in haste! I'll repay the debt of saving my life in the future. Let me at least show my hospitality today!" Suppressing various thoughts in his heart, Chen Ying showed Li Fan around his Cave Mansion.

After introducing the unique prohibition methods for nurturing spirit plants, Chen Ying personally refined a furnace of pills in front of him. During their conversation, Chen Ying found that Li Fan, being an ancient cultivator, was indeed knowledgeable. Although he wasn't well-versed in alchemy, his understanding of various medicinal principles was profound, and some of his insights were quite enlightening.

Li Fan stayed in Chen Ying's Cave Mansion for a full seven days, bidding farewell in Chen Ying's reluctant farewell.

Before leaving, Chen Ying generously gave Li Fan a bottle of "Insight Pills."

These pills, made using his unique methods, were effective for breakthroughs from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul stage. The materials were rare, and the probability of successful pill formation was astonishingly low. Chen Ying didn't have much in stock and usually didn't use them for trade but reserved them as gifts for special occasions. This gift was also a gesture of reciprocation, as Chen Ying noticed that Li Fan's cultivation had already recovered to the later stages of the Golden Core, about to form his Nascent Soul.

"This person is not someone who deceives others with mysticism but truly possesses talents and knowledge," Chen Ying contemplated silently after seeing Li Fan off.

"Blood calamity... Just a few contribution points. If lost, I can earn them back. At most, it's just a bit more effort, making a few more batches of pills."

"If I die, everything will be over."

"Better to believe that it exists than to believe that it doesn't."

Thinking of this, Chen Ying made up his mind.

Opening the Heavenly Mirror in his Cave Mansion, he began searching and browsing.

...

"I wonder if Chen Ying can escape this calamity."

Leaving the Cave Mansion, with layers of restrictions blocking any specific sensing, Li Fan lost the exact perception of Chen Ying. He could only vaguely feel the presence of his aura.

"It all depends on his own destiny."

Li Fan didn't dwell on it any longer, leaving the residential area on Myriad Immortals Island and returning to the Heavenly Mirror.

"If I didn't know that the entire Cloudmist Sea would disappear soon, I might consider buying a Cave Mansion."

Feeling the relatively cramped space in the Heavenly Mirror, Li Fan couldn't help but entertain this thought.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 450: Forging the Celestial Bird

It wasn't just for the sake of enjoyment; it was to better align with the identity of an "Investment Master" of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect.

After all, having the ability to double your capital every two years and still squeezing into the Heavenly Mirror like an ordinary cultivator all day long seemed a bit unjustifiable.

Although one could attribute it to a reclusive nature, considering the possible publicity effect of "buying a Cave Mansion on Myriad Immortals Island shortly after joining the Immortal Alliance," Li Fan did contemplate the idea of purchasing one.

However, after some searching, he reluctantly gave up. It wasn't just about having contribution points; there were requirements for the internal ranking system of the Immortal Alliance and the need for a "Residence Permit" issued by the Political Affairs Hall on Myriad Immortals Island to qualify for buying a Cave Mansion.

This Residence Permit was usually only granted to cultivators who had made special contributions to the local Immortal Alliance. There were rumored alternative channels for private purchases, but the authenticity of such claims remained uncertain.

"Let's just stay in the Heavenly Mirror honestly."

Li Fan dismissed the thought.

Taking out the "Insight Pill" Chen Ying had given him, he swallowed it and carefully felt the changes in himself.

It was somewhat similar to the effect of the "Enlightenment Pill." However, while the Enlightenment Pill provided comprehensive assistance in comprehending techniques, deducing secret arts, and advancing cultivation realms, the Insight Pill could only be felt when Li Fan wanted to break through.

"It's like a low-end, specialized version of the Enlightenment Pill."

"The Enlightenment Pill is rare even within the Immortal Alliance, but this Insight Pill isn't bad."

Avoiding waste, Li Fan seized the duration of the pill's effect to cultivate.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Fan was awakened by a mysterious sensation in his mind.

It turned out that the restrictions on entering the Falling Immortal Realm had disappeared, and he could go again.

"It seems more immersive than previous retreats. I feel like I've narrowed my eyes for a moment, and so much time has passed."

"Indeed, there's some knack to it."

"With such talent, I hope he can escape this calamity."

Thinking this, Li Fan set up a ritual around him.

"Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun!"

Muttering under his breath, the next second, in the midst of a whirlwind, Li Fan descended once again into the Falling Immortal Realm.

As expected, he was enveloped by an unknown liquid, surrounded by darkness.

Once again, he became the Celestial Bird still within its eggshell.

Drowsiness and weakness were everywhere.

Li Fan tried to absorb the liquid around him, attempting to stay awake.

While contemplating a countermeasure, he recalled, "Based on the experience of Ye Feipeng from the previous life, the 'Creation Furnace Technique' is also effective against demonic beasts like the Celestial Bird."

"Although my body is currently too fragile, forcibly invoking the power of the hidden cultivation might not withstand the backlash."

"However, with Xu Ke by my side, there should be no problem."

"Let's give it a try. If it doesn't work, I can always start over."

In an instant, Li Fan made up his mind.

Focusing his mind, like a giant hammer, he fiercely struck inside his body.

"What's happening here?"

A scorching force suddenly burst forth from within, seemingly burning everything.

Consciousness was on the verge of being dissolved. In a daze, Li Fan seemed to hear Xu Ke's faint exclamation.

Then, he fell into silence.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Fan gradually woke up.

Instinctively checking his condition, Li Fan found that he was several times stronger than before he passed out.

The hidden cultivation power he had initially activated continued to emerge from all parts of his body, transforming the Celestial Bird's body.

In the dark liquid surrounding him, there seemed to be another kind of energy.

Dotted with stars, it emitted a fiery red glow.

"Nicely done, Xu Ke."

Li Fan greedily devoured a few mouthfuls, feeling much more spirited.

"What is this..."

Taste of the Red Light Dots

The taste of the red light dots was reminiscent of a certain mountain fruit that Xu Ke had fed to the Celestial Bird in a previous life.

"A great tonic, Xu Ke, you indeed have a way. You truly deserve the favor of destiny."

Li Fan was now relieved.

After completely digesting the consumed substance and feeling his body return to its optimal state, Li Fan focused his mind again and launched an attack on his hidden cultivation power.

"What's going on again?"

Before falling into a coma, Li Fan seemed to have heard Xu Ke's miserable cry.

True to his promise, Xu Ke had spent another effort to rescue the dying Celestial Bird.

In this way, Li Fan, without any worries, forcefully operated the "Creation Furnace Technique."

Each time he couldn't bear it, he could rely on Xu Ke's almost miraculous luck to find a corresponding solution.

After repeating this seven times, the surrounding liquid had been completely absorbed, and Li Fan felt it was time.

Letting out a loud cry, Li Fan grabbed the eggshell.

Cracks spread, and then there was a bright light.

Li Fan broke out of the shell.

After swallowing the shattered eggshell, he looked at the astonished Xu Ke and patted him on the head.

"It's over, it's over. The 'Communication' of the 'Beast Control Technique' hasn't been completed. How did it come out?"

"Now, isn't it a waste?"

With a mournful face, Xu Ke kept muttering.

Li Fan unceremoniously gave him a claw, conveying the meaning of "hungry."

With a strange cry, Xu Ke had to take Li Fan to search for food in the mountains.

While practicing the "Creation Furnace Technique," Li Fan sensed the connection between himself and Xu Ke.

The energy of a faintly cold breath was imperceptibly circulating throughout his body, seemingly responding to Xu Ke beneath him.

If it weren't for Li Fan practicing the "Creation Furnace Technique" and gaining preliminary control over his body, it would be difficult to detect.

It was this energy of a faintly cold breath that made Li Fan subtly feel an affinity for Xu Ke.

However, because Li Fan had autonomously broken out of the shell in this life, that unbreakable relationship had not yet formed.

"Is this the 'Beast Control Technique'?"

Li Fan pondered.

He gave Xu Ke another claw, causing him to cry out in pain.

Li Fan resumed cultivating the divine power of "Destiny Is Within Me."

Absorbing Xu Ke's overflowing luck, Li Fan felt a sudden boost in his spirit.

Under the dual influence of the "Creation Furnace Technique" and "Destiny Is Within Me," Li Fan's strength soared, despite being in its infancy.

Moreover, perhaps due to the last life's reverse cultivation of the Dao heart, strengthening his own divine soul and willpower, Li Fan's influence from the Phoenix's temperament had diminished considerably.

At least there wouldn't be a situation where his behavior got out of control.

Over a month later, when Xu Ke wasn't paying attention, Li Fan tested his strength on wild demonic beasts in the mountains.

Common Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts were no longer his match.

One day, as usual, Xu Ke led Li Fan to forage for food.

Suddenly, an unexpected guest blocked their way.

It was Song Yang, who had always coveted the Celestial Bird.

Li Fan noticed the gaze of the black two-headed snake coiled around Song Yang's neck and sneered.

A subtle but substantial killing intent formed and attacked it.

The black two-headed snake immediately trembled and curled into a ball.

(End of this chapter)