Chapter 391- 395: Tianxuan's Genesis (6.5k words)

A crisis vanished into thin air.

After the calm, thunderous applause echoed on the massive Dust Crossing Boat.

The formation masters and many collaborative builders, witnessing the incredible power of their creation after years of hard work, couldn't conceal their excitement.

Li Fan also joined in the applause, his face filled with contentment.

However, a thought emerged in his mind that he couldn't suppress.

The Wan Xian Alliance had meticulously constructed the mighty Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array. However, once the task was complete, would the Wan Xian Alliance truly let the builders of these formations, like Li Fan, live?

It's not that Li Fan was overly suspicious.

"Peace is a general's command, and the general is not allowed to see peace" is a common practice throughout history.

After mortal emperors built their tombs, they would execute all the craftsmen involved to prevent leaks.

Li Fan had little confidence in the Wan Xian Alliance.

If it was only a monitoring array, there might still be a glimmer of hope for the formation masters responsible for its construction.

However, now that the Locking Spirit Array had demonstrated such power...

It was hard to imagine how much it concealed in the shadows.

The stronger the actual power of the Locking Spirit Array, the more dim the prospects for the formation masters.

"Perhaps my anticipation of the Wan Xian Alliance extending my lifespan is related to this."

"After all, we are all destined to die eventually; why go to such lengths?"

As Li Fan pondered future strategies, the exclamations of the crowd redirected his attention to the void below.

After the big explosion, the location of the original Five Elements Great Cave was now empty except for the huge green net of the Locking Spirit Array.

"Is that... the energy of the five elements?"

After careful sensing, Li Fan's expression changed.

Using the extinguished void as a canvas and the absorbed various attribute energies as pigments, the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array, like a precision machine, slowly reconstructed the already annihilated Five Elements Great Cave.

This process, comparable to the creation of the world, was vividly displayed before the Wan Xian Alliance cultivators.

Blue waves rolled in the azure waters, towering giant trees grew rapidly, and blazing flames surged...

Everything from the past Five Elements Great Cave scenes reappeared at a speed far beyond Li Fan's comprehension.

This magnificent spectacle captivated the minds of all the cultivators on the Dust Crossing Boat.

They dared not make a sound, fearing to disturb the great creation of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array.

Time passed slowly.

After an unknown duration, a brand-new Five Elements Great Cave appeared in the world.

Although it seemed much smaller than the original in scale, it had restored the original balanced state of the five elements through the recalibration of the Tianxuan Mirror.

After completing its masterpiece, the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array, like actors after a performance, slowly disappeared from everyone's view.

Only a group of stunned Wan Xian Alliance cultivators remained, surrounded by silence and astonishment.

"This method..."

Li Fan took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and excitement in his heart, and quickly analyzed the situation rationally.

"It's different from real creation. It's not making something out of nothing but rather the rearrangement of matter."

"Moreover, it seems like there are no living beings in this newly formed realm, just a pure recombination of spiritual energy."

"Even so, the power demonstrated by the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array is still terrifying."

"It seems to have deciphered the unity of the Five Elements and then proceeded with reverse engineering."

"An empty Five Elements Great Cave without living beings, strangely imbalanced attributes, and the prepared Eternal Calamity Essence Metal had a stern order to complete the formation construction before the unity of the Five Elements."

"Perhaps the intentional occurrence of the explosion in this Great Cave was for a reason—to allow the Tianxuan Mirror to complete the analysis of the Five Elements Transformation."

Seemingly confirming Li Fan's speculation, after the new Five Elements Great Cave was completed, many black-robed cultivators flew out from the Dust Crossing Boat.

They each flew to different Great Caves, placing the originally transferred living beings of the Five Elements.

In no time, this newly-born Great Cave gradually became vibrant again.

At this moment, a notification from Qi Buyi came through the Supervising Heaven Record.

The Five Elements Great Cave Locking Spirit Array was successfully completed, and the Dust Crossing Boat would return to Tianchen Prefecture for a three-day celebration.

They not only prepared many rare spirit foods and teas for everyone to taste for free but also considered the time spent building formations within the Five Elements Great Cave as part of the unified and fixed speed for increasing the points in the grand competition.

As this news spread, cultivators woke up from the shock brought by the Locking Spirit Array, excitedly discussing the upcoming events.

"At present, the Locking Spirit Array is not yet completely built, so there shouldn't be an immediate threat to our lives." Looking at the discussions among the cultivators, Li Fan thought for a moment and felt that it wasn't time for a death sentence.

While contemplating, Li Fan suddenly sensed some movement from an item in his storage ring.

Without revealing anything, he quietly entered the Dust Crossing Boat, found an unmanned cabin, and took out the item.

It was the key that controlled the White Bone Precursor Realm, the Left Hand of the White Bone.

A subtle fluctuation emanated from it.

Li Fan sensed it slightly and his expression became somewhat trance-like.

"Hello, fellow Daoist. I couldn't contact you through Seeking Immortality, so I had to use this method to notify you."

"The thirty-year lease period has expired. Does the White Bone Precursor Realm need to renew the lease?"

"If needed, please contact me before the expiration date."

"Otherwise, the previous key will lose its effect, and you won't be able to enter the White Bone Precursor Realm again."

"The items and scenes left in the Precursor Realm will be temporarily preserved for you for three months."

"After three months, I will proceed with clearance."

A somewhat familiar voice echoed in Li Fan's mind.

It was the true owner of the White Bone Precursor Realm, the cultivator who claimed to be the Violet Mist Immortal Lord.

Li Fan had rented the White Bone Precursor Realm for thirty years to fool the people leaving the realm. Now, it was the end of the 38th year, and the lease period was up.

The Violet Mist Immortal Lord sent an inquiry message.

"The construction of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array started in the 29th year, and unexpectedly, ten years have passed so quickly."

After a moment of thought, Li Fan temporarily did not reply to the Violet Mist Immortal Lord.

Waiting for the Dust Crossing Boat to return to Tianchen Prefecture, where cultivators would go to the Thousand Star Pavilion for a grand feast and celebration.

However, Li Fan alone came to the Dao Discussion Tower in the city.

Renting a private courtyard, Li Fan casually set up protective formations, entered the White Bone Precursor Realm, and left four small Medicine King Cauldrons. Then, he used the Five Elements Annihilation Sword to destroy his arrangements.

After that, using his permissions, he left an image in the Precursor Realm.

Returning to the real world, Li Fan destroyed the Left Hand of the White Bone, completely cutting off the last connection to the Precursor Realm.

"The purchase of the Precursor Realm in this world was handled by my clone Lin Fan."

"Next, no matter what happens, it shouldn't be traced back to me."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 392: Ten Years Away from Confusion

"So many years have passed, and if everything goes as expected, the Medicine King True Cauldron from the Cangwu Abyss should have appeared in the world."

"I hope that Su Xiaomei and the others can keep these four small cauldrons so that I can glimpse the secrets of the Medicine King Cauldron."

Before leaving the Dao Discussion Tower courtyard, Li Fan checked the Tianxuan Mirror once again.

Firstly, he checked the rankings in the Grand Competition.

He still held an undisputed second place.

After more than two years of frantically scoring points within the Five Elements Great Cave, he had opened up a considerable gap with the third-place contestant.

If there were no major changes in the future, it was likely to end with this ranking.

As for the first place, Guo Yezhong, due to the unique and unsolvable points deduction, was far above Li Fan.

Currently, there seemed to be no hope of surpassing him.

Li Fan stared at Guo Yezhong's name, "Dissolution Disc..."

"Perhaps the Wanxian League never intended to send it out in the first place."

With a cold snort, Li Fan closed the rankings and checked the communications he had received over the years.

Due to being in various secret realms, communication talismans couldn't connect with the outside world. Most messages were sent to the Tianxuan Mirror space. They were mostly casual greetings from He Zhenghao, Jingxuan Daoist, and others, with no significant events.

Li Fan quickly skimmed through them.

Finally, he checked his merit level.

"Derived Thirty-One."

Seeing this number, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart.

"It's worthy of being Wanxian League's thousand-year project. I only participated in the construction of three major formations, and my merit level skyrocketed to thirty-one."

"If one were to slowly accumulate merit points through regular missions, it would probably take a lifetime to reach this height at the Golden Core cultivation level."

Participating in the construction of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array came with merit rewards. After completing each formation, settlements were done in real-time, as explained by Ji Hongdao during the mobilization.

After reaching merit level thirty-one, Li Fan unlocked new privileges.

Firstly, there were some small benefits.

He could apply for a free visit to certain scenic spots of Wanxian League, such as the previously seen God Treasury Museum. Another benefit was the ability to apply for cross-regional lateral transfers for official positions. If He Zhenghao had this privilege initially, he wouldn't have had to trouble the Oracle Disciple and Jingxuan Daoist; he could have directly transferred to Tianyu Prefecture.

Apart from these, Li Fan valued even more the decryption of some forbidden information.

Many pieces of information that couldn't be searched before were now visible in the Tianxuan Mirror.

For example, the ten-yearly information on the Wanxian League's entrance exam.

Li Fan's eyes flickered as he noted down the questions for the ninth year of anchoring.

While Li Fan eagerly browsed various pieces of information, two days passed in a hurry.

On the last day of rest, Li Fan received messages from Gu Youguang and Xiang Liu.

They had looked around but didn't see Li Fan in the Thousand Star Pavilion. Worried, they sent inquiries.

After replying that he was safe, Li Fan returned to the celebration scene at the last moment.

Inside the Thousand Star Pavilion, lights were bright, and people filled the area, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Feeling a bit tired, so I went to rest for a while. I hope you understand." Li Fan said with a smile.

Gu Youguang and Xiang Liu both nodded repeatedly, looking very understanding.

"But it's really a pity." Gu Youguang shook his head and sighed.

"Oh? How so?" Li Fan asked.

Xiang Liu continued, "Fellow Daoist, you might not know, but yesterday, the renowned 'Enigmatic Fairy' from Wanxian League came to offer condolences."

"Fellow Daoist missed the opportunity to see her beauty, truly a great pity!"

Gu Youguang also agreed, "Enigmatic Fairy, peerlessly beautiful, rarely seen. The images I collected can't capture even a thousandth of her charm. That beauty has exceeded the limits of words. Only by seeing her with your own eyes can you truly understand her unparalleled reputation."

Li Fan thought it was something important, but it turned out to be about a woman.

He chuckled dismissively, "As a dying old man, do I still care about such things?"

Gu Youguang solemnly lowered his voice, "If Fellow Daoist has the chance to have an intimate encounter, it might bring about an opportunity to defy fate."

"Enigmatic Fairy has a unique constitution..."

"Hmm, you understand."

Li Fan smiled and shook his head.

Xiang Liu also sensed that this topic was not appropriate and quickly changed the subject, "Fellow Daoist, what are your plans next?"

"Senior Qi has already publicly announced the overall construction progress of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array in Wanxian League. All cultivators who participated in the construction of the Five Elements Great Cave can freely choose their next targets."

Saying this, he took out a jade-like crystal from his storage ring and handed it to Li Fan.

After Li Fan took a look, he was somewhat surprised.

"Why is the construction progress so fast?"

Compared to what he had seen from Huangfu Song more than two years ago, the visible progress of the Locking Spirit Array construction task was almost complete.

The overall progress was close to 95%.

"It's not because those opposing voices caused a commotion."

Gu Youguang shrugged, "The recent wave of opposition against the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array is becoming more intense. In some places, there have even been instances of using force to stop the construction. Although it was immediately suppressed, it also indicates the danger of the situation."

"To avoid long dreams at night, everyone has been going all out during this time, without a moment's rest."

Xiang Liu also sighed, "I really don't understand why some people have such strong opposing views."

"If they saw the performance of the Locking Spirit Array in the Five Elements Great Cave, they would definitely change their minds," Gu Youguang said seriously. "Unfortunately, Senior Qi has made it clear that it is top-secret information and cannot be disclosed. Otherwise, it would be good to explain it to them."

Li Fan nodded on the surface, but in his heart, he complained, "If those opponents really saw the power of the Locking Spirit Array with their own eyes, they might risk their lives to stop it."

"No matter, when the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array is truly popularized, all doubts will be self-destructive." Just as the three of them were talking, the voice of Qi Buyi suddenly came.

Li Fan and the others were surprised and quickly bowed to her.

Qi Buyi waved her hand, seemingly a little drunk from drinking a lot of spirit wine.

She said to Li Fan, "Rest assured, Wanxian League will never mistreat those who have made contributions. The matter of extending your life has been approved, and treasures will be delivered soon. If there are no accidents, the additional lifespan will be enough for you to persist until breaking through the Yuanying stage."

Xiang Liu and Gu Youguang were overjoyed.

Li Fan also showed a grateful expression, thanking Qi Buyi.

While they were talking, sunlight shone into the Thousand Star Pavilion.

"Well, it's dawn."

"Just like this dark night will eventually pass."

"With the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array, Wanxian League will surely usher in an incredibly bright future."

Qi Buyi's gaze was dreamy, but her words were incredibly firm.

Li Fan and the others exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

Just at this moment, many pieces of information appeared in Li Fan's mind out of thin air.

It was the experiences of the previously inexplicably disappeared clone.

"Source Daozhou, the missing ten years..."

In an instant, Li Fan's expression couldn't help but change.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 393: Profound and Mysterious Heavenly Operation Scripture

"Friend Li Fan, are you alright?"

Qi Buyi and the others noticed that Li Fan's expression suddenly became somewhat unpleasant and asked with concern.

Li Fan forced a smile, "Maybe I'm getting old and not used to the lively atmosphere here. Suddenly, I feel a bit uncomfortable."

Gu Youguang, upon hearing this, felt a bit self-blame, "If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered Friend Daoist to rest!"

Li Fan waved his hand slightly, "Brother Gu, no need to feel guilty. I'll go back and rest."

Xiang and Gu both nodded.

Before leaving, Qi Buyi looked at Li Fan and suddenly asked, "Can you tell me how, in the past few years, even though you knew your end was approaching, you managed to maintain such an optimistic and fearless state?"

Xiang Liu and Gu Youguang were also curious, casting questioning glances at Li Fan.

Li Fan paused for a moment and said calmly, "Treat every day as if it were the last, and then you won't be afraid of death."

"That's all."

Qi Buyi's eyes revealed a strange light, nodding slowly.

"Next, before the end of the competition, I will arrange a slightly easier but still crucial task for you regarding the construction of the Locking Spirit Array."

"It's what you deserve."

After a moment, Qi Buyi spoke.

Li Fan's face showed no excitement, just saying lightly, "Thank you, Senior Qi."

Then, he bid farewell to everyone and returned to the small courtyard he rented in the Daoist Pavilion.

In the secret room, Li Fan sorted out the sudden reappearance of the clone's experiences in his mind and recalled the measures he had taken earlier.

Taking out the blank jade slip from the storage ring, indeed, the recorded content had been restored.

When the clone Xiao Fan and Han Yi left the Wanxian League headquarters, they decided to travel together to Source Daozhou.

At that time, it was approaching the anchor of 29 years, and the "missing ten years of Source Daozhou" incident was about to occur.

To test the influence of the entity that lingered above Source Daozhou, Li Fan decided to engrave this matter in the jade slip with a cipher only he knew.

For comparison, Li Fan also inscribed the characters "Dao" and "Yuan" on two other blank jade slips.

As expected by Li Fan.

When the time reached anchor 29 years, Li Fan unconsciously lost his memory of Source Daozhou and everything related to it.

Even the existence of the clone in Source Daozhou was ignored by himself.

Not only memory but the recorded information in the jade slip also became blank.

Only the characters "Dao" and "Yuan" were preserved.

"Cannot remember, cannot recall..." Li Fan's expression became extremely solemn.

"If I weren't unable to condense the clone, it would be difficult to detect any clues."

"However, even so, despite being aware that something was wrong, I still couldn't recall anything related to Source Daozhou."

"Until now, in anchor 39 years..."

"The disappeared Source Daozhou reappeared on the earth."

"In fact, even now that I know what happened to the clone, the clone is still completely unaware of all this..."

At the same time, in Source Daozhou.

"Friend Xiao Fan, what's wrong with you?" Han Yi turned around, looking at Xiao Fan, who suddenly stopped. She asked with some surprise.

At this moment, they were on their way to a relic of the Heavenly Capital.

According to legend, in ancient times, the "Heavenly Capital" hung high above the nine heavens, known as the source of Dao, the leader of all teachings.

Later, for unknown reasons, the "Heavenly Capital" fell to the ground, forming more than a dozen relics within the current boundaries of Source Daozhou.

Their goal this time was one of them.

He had a premonition that there might be a great opportunity waiting for them ahead.

Thinking of this, Han Yi glanced at Xiao Fan again.

"This person's luck is unclear and hard to discern. According to the records in the 'Heavenly Operation Scripture,' it's either that the fortune is too strong, beyond the range I can currently discern, or the fortune is too weak, almost negligible, making it impossible to distinguish."

"He can obtain the Life-Prolonging Fruit and extend his life by three hundred years; it's definitely the former. This trip might be an opportunity to make use of his luck."

Han Yi thought to himself.

The "Heavenly Operation Scripture" is the cultivation technique he practices, created by observing the ancient mystical beast, the "Destiny Profound Bird."

This technique is the reason he obtained the top prize at the fishing contest and started the Heavenly Feather Pill in the Blue Feather Treasure Box.

The "Heavenly Operation Scripture" has many extraordinary uses, but the most crucial point is its ability to control one's own luck.

According to the scripture, the fortune of living beings is not fixed but constantly interacts with the external world.

If one cannot control their own luck, it will be continuously depleted in one "lucky" event after another.

By cultivating the "Heavenly Operation Scripture," one can normally converge their own fortune, avoiding wasting it on unnecessary matters.

Then, at a critical moment, release the accumulated fortune explosively.

This can lead to almost achieving whatever one desires.

Of course, there are unavoidable side effects. After the outbreak, there will be a long period of decline.

During this time, everything will go wrong, even drinking cold water will feel like getting stuck in one's teeth.

The solution is to find someone with strong luck to follow and borrow their luck to dispel the bad luck.

Clone Xiao Fan, however, couldn't know Han Yi's thoughts.

At the moment of recovery from the disappeared ten years, the experiences shared from the main body flooded into his mind.

However, his senses did not feel the missing time at all.

The significant contrast brought about a sense of discomfort to the clone.

But in front of Han Yi, the clone did not reveal anything. He remained calm and followed.

"It's nothing, just suddenly thought of some old things." The clone raised his head and looked at the sky with an inexplicable expression.

"Oh? Friend Xiao, have you also been to Source Daozhou?" Han Yi asked with curiosity.

"Hehe, that was a long time ago."

During the casual chat, the two individuals with their own schemes set off towards the Heavenly Capital ruins once again.

As for Li Fan's main body in Tianchenzhou, after comprehending the feelings of the clone, he was lost in thought.

"Although 'it' has temporarily disappeared, the influence remains. It is reflected in the beings within Source Daozhou, completely unaware that ten years of time have been swallowed."

"The clone, even in the knowledge of the established facts, still couldn't perceive anything unusual."

"The power to distort cognition is formidable."

"I can quickly perceive it not because I have freed myself from 'its' influence but because..."

"My cognition is based on the experience of being swallowed for ten years in the twelfth lifetime, not in this present lifetime."

"Although 'its' power is strong, it cannot penetrate through time."

Thinking to this point, Li Fan let out a deep breath.

The subtle shadows brought by 'it' slowly dissipated from his heart.

"For now, it seems that as long as I eliminate the traces left by it on me, there shouldn't be any major problems."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 394: Understanding the Secrets of Chaos

"Now is not the time to rush. When Huaxu returns to the peak of Dissolving Mountain and waits for the complete charging of Nine Years, it's the perfect time to do this."

"As for what exactly is the 'it' hovering above Source Daozhou, perhaps we can only find out when we achieve the status of Longevity Supreme in the future. Before that, we should just navigate around it."

One concern temporarily resolved.

As this world approaches its end, Li Fan organized his current situation.

In the uninterrupted days of setting up formations for more than ten years, Li Fan, with the secret technique of the "One with the Dao," did not neglect other matters.

He finally completed reading the "Heavenly Physician Immortal Canon."

From this magnificent masterpiece, Li Fan could vaguely glimpse the thoughts of the Heavenly Physician.

The Heavenly Physician believed that everything in the world could be treated.

From stones, plants, birds and beasts, to humans, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, and even the world itself.

In front of a true "healer," there is no fundamental difference.

Practicing medicine, starting from small to large, summarizing progress.

Persisting in this, one can transform from healing people to healing the world.

Although the "Heavenly Physician Immortal Canon" does not mention any cultivation methods, there seem to be many mysteries hidden between the lines.

"Unfortunately, my talent is still lacking a bit. If one is a true genius, they might be able to comprehend a technique from it."

"Perhaps I can use another method."

Li Fan squinted his eyes, and a daring thought flashed through his mind.

But soon, he suppressed it.

"Forget it, the risk is still too high."

"The Heavenly Physician is mysterious and unpredictable. If he senses that the 'Heavenly Physician Immortal Canon' has been passed down in the world, who knows what kind of changes it might bring."

"If I study it myself, it's just a matter of spending more time."

Combining the understanding of living beings in the "Heavenly Physician Immortal Canon," Li Fan also continued to modify and improve the "Creation Furnace Technique."

"Master Tianyang's 'Eternal Remembrance' has one last chance. Currently, there is not much certainty of success. I'll give it a try when my lifespan is about to end."

"Zhang Zhiliang's 'Infinite Law,' over the years, I have gradually understood its essence. With continuous formations, my proficiency in the art of formations has made rapid progress. In theory and practice, an ordinary Yuanying stage formation master might not surpass me."

"There's also the Xuanhuang Refining Heart Mantra and the 'Life and Death Profound Technique.' With both combined, it can quickly increase the strength of the soul. Although I am still in the process of recovery since the first attempt, for me, time is what I have in abundance."

...

In the sea of consciousness, the blue crystal emitted a brilliant blue light.

With the blessing of mystical techniques, although Li Fan had learned a lot, it wasn't chaotic.

"Besides what I've already mastered, there are two other things that are equally useful to me."

Thinking of this, Li Fan used his hand as a pen, quickly writing the character "luan" in the void.

It seemed like an unusual energy was converging towards the strokes.

Li Fan stared closely at the changes happening within.

Unfortunately, it seemed like his understanding was not enough, and the character "luan" ultimately failed to form.

After persisting for a moment, it dispersed into nothingness, leaving no trace.

"Luan..."

With a wave of his hand, Li Fan unleashed a Five Elements Annihilation Sword, erasing any lingering traces of its aura, and entered into contemplation.

This character "luan" was imitated from the "luan" character stone where Li Fan was trapped before in the Newborn Mystery Land.

By copying the character "luan," Li Fan could open a passage to escape.

However, afterward, Li Fan always felt that the character "luan" was not merely a simple switch for the passage.

The bizarre scenes of transformation at the center of the mystery land seemed to be closely related.

"If I can comprehend it, no..."

"I'm afraid that just reproducing this 'luan' character would be a supernatural technique comparable to my Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword."

In addition to the character "luan," there was also the scene of the Five Elements returning to One, the massive explosion annihilating everything, and the scene of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array "Reversing Five Elements to One."

"At present, my Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword only uses the generation of the Five Elements as its power."

"But in reality, the circulation of the Five Elements itself can produce tremendous destructive power."

"Perhaps I can combine this force that annihilates everything to refine a new version of the Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword."

Li Fan was contemplating the power of the five elements in his dantian.

...

In the mysterious and vast Xuanhuang realm, where the law cannot be cultivated together, there were no benevolent teachers or helpful friends. All cultivation knowledge was a highly cherished treasure, and to obtain it, one had to pay a corresponding price. The true secrets were hidden in high places, out of reach.

In such a cultivation world, Li Fan, who wanted to gain power far beyond others, had to rely on his own exploration.

Unfortunately, worldly matters were not concluded yet, and just two days later, Li Fan was awakened by a transmission.

It was a message from Qi Buyi.

First, he inquired about Li Fan's recovery, then instructed him to visit the Thousand Star Monastery.

Li Fan did not interrupt his process of understanding. He merely separated a strand of consciousness to control his journey.

"Next, you don't need to work so hard. Just follow the person in charge of the inspection."

Qi Buyi smiled and said to Li Fan, "The one you're teaming up with is Huangfu Song. Since you're acquainted, it should be convenient for you. Your points won't be much less than constructing formations, and you can secure your second-place ranking."

"Normally, this position wouldn't be assigned to competitive formation masters like you. But if it's you, I believe others won't say much." She spoke and handed over another Heavenly Inspection Record.

The previous record and the Escape Heaven Shuttle were already handed in upon leaving the Five Elements Cave Heaven, but this time it was different.

There was no distribution information for various materials, only a simplified map of the various states in the Xuanhuang realm.

It looked very similar to the miniature seen in the teleportation array space.

"You can check the work-related details and fellow colleagues through the Heavenly Inspection Record," Qi Buyi explained diligently.

Most of Li Fan's attention was still immersed in comprehending his mystical techniques, and he nodded somewhat absentmindedly.

Seeing this, Qi Buyi sighed inwardly, "He's deteriorating more and more. It seems like his demise is not far off. I wonder when those life-extending treasures will be delivered."

After bidding farewell to Qi Buyi, Li Fan contacted Huangfu Song through the Heavenly Inspection Record.

The fatty's tone became increasingly polite.

After the two met in the Transmission Square of Tianchenzhou, they used a teleportation array to reach Lanlinzhou, where the Soul-Locking Array was nearing completion.

This state was located in the far south of the Xuanhuang realm, relatively remote.

They had to pass through several barriers on the way.

After passing through countless white mist barriers, it exacerbated Li Fan's already declining condition.

His eyes looked cloudy and dull.

Although Li Fan was actually immersed in the comprehension of mystical techniques, it didn't prevent others from misunderstanding him.

At the very least, Huangfu Song was somewhat frightened, fearing that Li Fan might die right beside him.

"Hehe, friend, just rest later. Leave everything to me."

Huangfu Song said so.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 395: Stirring Flames at the Abyss Bottom

Although Lanlinzhou is located in a remote area, its natural scenery is quite unique.

Stone pillar-shaped peaks hang in mid-air, resembling a forest of a thousand needles.

Below the floating mountains is a terrifying forbidden zone entirely composed of black ashes. Even flying thousands of feet above at this moment, Li Fan could still feel the unsettling aura emanating from below.

Standing on the Dust Crossing Boat, Huangfu Song observed the scenery below, and his expression couldn't help but change slightly. "This is truly a desolate place."

"Compared to this ghostly place, the Wanhua Blazing Sands we saw earlier can't be considered perilous."

Li Fan, hearing this, also looked down into the deep valley.

In the ocean of black ashes, faintly visible dark flames that hadn't extinguished could still be seen.

Occasionally, a gentle breeze would lift a trace of pitch-black ash from the ocean, fluttering and soaring, hitting the Dust Crossing Boat where Li Fan stood.

The seemingly weightless ashes, at the moment of collision with the protective shield of the Dust Crossing Boat, caused a violent shake.

As if struck by a tremendous impact, a small hole appeared in the crimson light layer.

Then, ripple after ripple surged out, spreading in all directions.

Even with only a bit of his consciousness controlling his body, Li Fan was astonished by the scene before him.

Unable to help himself, he asked, "What is this black ash stuff?!"

Huangfu Song first steered the Dust Crossing Boat upward, avoiding the ash raised by the deep valley. Then he explained, "This is the residue left after the burning of the 'Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire.' All signs of life have disappeared, leaving only the lingering power of annihilation."

"It's quite bizarre; it's better to steer clear of it as much as possible."

As he spoke, the Dust Crossing Boat accelerated, heading rapidly toward the central area of Lanlinzhou.

Looking at the seemingly endless, pitch-black, and desolate world below, Huangfu Song couldn't help but sigh, "Fortunately, back then, we used tens of thousands of mountains as a formation to control the 'Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire' within Lanlinzhou. Otherwise, the surrounding areas might have suffered the same fate."

"Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire?" The aura of black ash permeating the air made the already frail Li Fan feel even more uncomfortable. He furrowed his brows, pondering silently.

He seemed to have come across this name somewhere.

In his Dao knowledge sea, the radiance of the Dao-inscription flickered. After a moment, fragments of previously read information suddenly surfaced.

"Cangwu State, twenty-eight mountains and rivers.

One year, one month, overnight disappearance, leaving only an abyss with an invisible bottom.

Extraordinary geographical feature, the Cangwu Mountains and Rivers Diagram, originated from this."

...

"The ninth year after the disappearance of the Cangwu State's mountains and rivers, a black, liquid-like flame surged from the abyss."

"Savage flames raged uncontrollably and couldn't be extinguished. People at that time called it the 'Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire.'"

Li Fan then asked, "Is this the black fire that spewed out from the abyss in Cangwu?"

Huangfu Song was slightly stunned at first, then squinted, as if recalling something.

After a long time, he nodded, "That's right. After the appearance of the Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire from the Cangwu Abyss, it spread to the surrounding areas."

"Several states in a row suffered. It was only controlled when it reached the vicinity of Lanlinzhou."

Li Fan was suddenly amazed.

Cangwu State was in the southwest corner of the Xuanhuang realm, and Lanlinzhou was almost directly to the south.

The range of devastation caused by the Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire seemed quite extensive.

"You don't need to worry, young friend. Since that incident, the Ashen Silencing Flowing Fire has not reappeared."

"After that catastrophic event, the cause remains a mystery."

"At first, some in the alliance suspected the Five Elders Society's involvement. However, after on-site investigations, they denied it."

"That was truly the might of heaven and earth, probably beyond the reach of cultivators."

Huangfu Song shared his insights with Li Fan while joking.

After less than half a day, they reached their destination.

"Before inspecting the Soul-Locking Array, let's pay a visit to the person in charge of Lanlinzhou who lives here."

Pointing to a needle-like mountain piercing through the clouds in the distance, Huangfu Song said to Li Fan.

Li Fan's thoughts turned, and he already guessed who the senior Huangfu Song was referring to.

"You mean the former commander of the Tianyu State Garrison Command, Senior Guan Xingxiu?" Huangfu Song nodded with a smile, then put away the Dust Crossing Boat, leading everyone to fly towards a small courtyard at the top of the mountain.

"All familiar faces, no need to be so formal. Come in, I won't personally welcome you, young man!" A voice echoed from afar.

"In that case, thanks, Senior!" Huangfu Song smiled and responded repeatedly.

Indicating for the other cultivators to wait at the door, the chubby guy led only Li Fan into the courtyard.

The courtyard was quite simple, with only a single pine tree standing alone.

Beneath the pine tree, a middle-aged cultivator lay leisurely on a long bench, gently swaying.

Holding a palm-leaf fan, he occasionally fanned himself.

"Long time no see, Senior, still as graceful as ever!" Huangfu Song bowed respectfully.

Li Fan also followed, saying, "Greetings, Senior Guan!"

"You're Li Fan, right? I've heard about your deeds." Guan Xingxiu glanced at Li Fan, showing a playful expression. "Your tenacity is much stronger than mine."

Li Fan's heart jumped, and he replied in a muffled voice, "Hehe, Senior is too kind."

Huangfu Song interjected at this time, "Although Li Fan, Junior here, is determined, he still falls short compared to Senior. In the Tianyu State, who doesn't know..."

Before he finished speaking, Guan Xingxiu interrupted.

"Kid, heroes don't dwell on past glories. I'm now in such a miserable state, and you still come here to preach about my past. What's your intention?" Guan Xingxiu's gaze roamed over Huangfu Song, showing displeasure.

Huangfu Song, who didn't expect to hit the wrong note, said awkwardly, "Senior, you know my intention."

"Give me some courage; I wouldn't dare oppose you even if I had the guts."

Guan Xingxiu snorted but returned to a normal expression.

With a slightly disheartened expression, he said, "You kid is really boring."

"Alright, since I'm here, meeting old friends after a long time, it's not bad that you came to visit."

"I already understand what you mean; go ahead with confidence."

"With me here, this one-acre three-part land of Lanlinzhou won't be turned upside down."

After saying that, Guan Xingxiu gently fanned the palm-leaf fan, and a small golden sword suddenly appeared, flying into Huangfu Song's hand.

"It's been a long time since I appeared in front of everyone. I want to see if anyone really wants to test the sharpness of my sword."

Huangfu Song was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you, Senior!"

"Oh, right..." Putting away the golden flying sword, Huangfu Song wanted to say something more.

But Guan Xingxiu stopped him.

"I've carefully considered Junior Ji's suggestion. But now, as a Nascent Divinity cultivator, I won't be of much help even if I go."

"In addition, the previous leader has already passed away, and the position of the Supreme Commander has been settled."

"I have no intention of competing for anything anymore."

"You guys can go!"

After speaking, Guan Xingxiu waved the palm-leaf fan.

After a gust of wind, Li Fan and Huangfu Song were already sent out of the courtyard.

(End of this chapter)