Chapter 681-685 Facing Mr. Bai (6.5k+ words)

"Hey, it's hard to explain. Just go and see for yourself. Senior Brother Zhao, who was in the Foundation Establishment stage before, wanted to teach this person a lesson but was knocked down by a single sword."

"I've heard about it too. That guy looks like nothing more than a Qi Cultivation cultivator. Do you think it's possible? He must have sneaked into the sect. I think he's up to no good."

"Hurry up, we might miss the match."

...

Amidst the clamor, Li Fan followed the crowd and arrived at a martial arena.

At the same time, he understood the information about this body.

Ji Zhaoxuan, Foundation Establishment cultivation, inner disciple of the Tianjian Sect.

He was silent and reserved, not fond of socializing, wholeheartedly immersed in the path of the sword.

"Senior Brother Chen, please enlighten me!"

A pleasant voice made Li Fan tremble, instantly snapping him back to reality.

Because the owner of this voice was incredibly familiar to Li Fan – none other than Mr. Bai!

Li Fan looked in the direction of the voice, only to find that the cultivator who spoke had an ordinary appearance, completely different from Mr. Bai. However, the aura unintentionally exuded from him made Li Fan certain that he was Mr. Bai without a doubt!

"He probably changed his appearance because his original appearance attracted too much attention."

"But now, what is the current situation? Why did he pretend to be an ordinary person and join the Tianjian Sect?"

Countless doubts surged in Li Fan's mind.

With questions in mind, Li Fan continued to look towards the center of the arena.

After the Foundation Establishment cultivator named Chen was defeated by the seemingly Qi Cultivation cultivator Mr. Bai, he did not show a completely unacceptable demeanor. Instead, he cupped his hands and sincerely said, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

Then, with a hint of joy, he passed by the crowd and disappeared, entering seclusion for contemplation.

The spectators were in an uproar.

They all understood that this "Qi Cultivation" cultivator was definitely not as simple as he seemed.

At this moment, Li Fan finally discovered something.

His gaze locked onto the wooden sword held by Mr. Bai.

"This sword..."

Li Fan was instantly shocked.

Quickly inquiring with his fellow disciples, he learned that when Mr. Bai started the competition, he didn't have a suitable weapon in his hands. So, he casually picked a piece from the nearby trees and created this wooden sword.

Upon hearing this fact, Li Fan was once again struck with shock.

"No mistake, this wooden sword is the same as the one Shuo Feng will have in the future."

"The marvel of the heavens, the [Sword]!"

"How is this possible? Such a remarkable object, created by Mr. Bai on a whim?"

"What cultivation level has he reached?"

This discovery plunged Li Fan's thoughts into confusion.

The marvel of the heavens, the [Sword], is the convergence of the laws of the world regarding the sword.

In theory, it can only be conceived by borrowing the marvels of heaven and earth.

But now, in Mr. Bai's hands, it was casually created like a child's toy.

So, how deep was Mr. Bai's comprehension of the sword, and even the principles of heaven and earth?

This exceeded Li Fan's imagination.

Just as Li Fan was almost dazed, another Yuanying-stage sword cultivator came, controlling sword energy.

He used a set of forty-nine Mother-Son Swords, raining down like a storm of pear blossoms, attacking Mr. Bai.

Mr. Bai raised his hand and lightly swung his sword.

The forty-nine Mother-Son Swords instantly turned against their master, creating chaos.

But in the blink of an eye, the sword cultivator had already been defeated.

"Did you guys notice? He's even stronger than when he fought Senior Brother Chen just now!"

"He must be hiding his cultivation and playing with us!"

"Now Senior Brother must intervene. I wonder if he's sober yet."

Chapter 681 Facing Mr. Bai

Amidst the discussions of the crowd, memories of Tianjian Sect's Senior Brother emerged in Li Fan's mind.

The senior disciple of Tianjian Sect for a thousand years.

In reality, his seniority exceeded even the current sect master's.

However, he was naturally lazy, disliked managing affairs, and only loved drinking. Using the excuse of "forever being the senior brother of all junior disciples," he continuously held the title of "Senior Brother."

His name: Situ Yao.

Back then, Senior Brother Situ Yao was known as the number one martial force in the world. This led many martial cultivators, driven by their martial spirit, to come and challenge him.

Fed up with it, Situ Yao somehow procured two large stones and placed them at the sect's entrance. He carved the words "No trespassing for the idle" and "Put away your weapons for the visitors" with his sword.

It was said that after carving the words, Situ Yao immediately drank a pot of good wine and laughed heartily, claiming that he would be peaceful from now on.

Sure enough, after that, the majority of challengers couldn't even break through the restriction of the two giant stones at the entrance. They instantly realized the immense gap in strength and had to leave in embarrassment.

...

"Hiss, it seems that Situ Yao is also an extraordinary figure."

Several years later, Li Fan, who had seen the stones that had now become extraordinary artifacts, couldn't help but think so.

"But obviously, compared to Mr. Bai, he still has a considerable gap."

"One is just a marvel among men, while the other has reached the realm of the marvel of heaven..."

"It's truly unbelievable."

Situ Yao's legendary status added a layer of mystery to Mr. Bai.

At this moment, facing challenges from disciples of the Tianjian Sect, Mr. Bai, with his immeasurable strength, accepted all challengers.

With just one move, he defeated them all.

The defeated disciples of Tianjian Sect were not dismayed. Instead, each of them was delighted, as if gaining a lot from this "exchange."

Realizing this rare opportunity, the disciples were eager to try.

Li Fan seized the opportunity and stood in front of Mr. Bai before the others.

Even though he could regard all beings in the Xuanhuang Realm as insignificant, Li Fan's heart was still slightly nervous in the presence of the extremely mysterious Mr. Bai.

Because this time, entering the Immortal Falling Realm was in possession mode, and he couldn't use his own divine abilities.

Taking a deep breath, Li Fan recalled the cultivation technique practiced by the possessed Ji Zhaoxuan.

It was an obscure method of condensing qi into a sword.

But one method comprehended all methods.

Using the qi sword as a basis, Li Fan could display some of the power of the divine ability [Breaking Heaven Heart Sword] that he had comprehended.

"Please enlighten me, sir."

Li Fan said in a deep voice.

The next moment, as his mind turned, several strands of sword intent filled with black malevolent energy suddenly appeared around Mr. Bai.

The black sword emitted a long roar, as if it wanted to cut Mr. Bai into countless pieces.

"Not bad. Your creativity is good, but is your heart in harmony with the sword?"

When the black sword was about to strike Mr. Bai, it suddenly stopped in mid-air.

Time, for some reason, came to a standstill.

In Li Fan's ears, he faintly heard Mr. Bai's pleasant words.

"Use the sword as a tool, and the sword will treat you as a tool."

Boom!

As if a thunderbolt tore through the mist, countless inspirations appeared in Li Fan's mind.

The myriad possibilities of the [Breaking Heaven Heart Sword] unfolded before Li Fan.

He was suddenly overwhelmed, not knowing how to choose.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 682: Swords of Fellow Junior Disciples

"So, a sword can be used like this!"

Just like when Li Fan first saw the perfect version of "Heavenly Furnace Technique" taught by Mr. Bai and then completely lost himself in it, this time, after receiving guidance from Mr. Bai, Li Fan was also immersed in the profound mysteries of the [Breaking Heaven Heart Sword], unable to extricate himself.

Without even uttering the customary polite words like "Thank you for the guidance," he was in a daze, not even aware of how to leave the sparring arena.

After an unknown amount of time passed, it was the collective shouts of "Senior Brother" from the outside world that finally woke Li Fan from his enlightenment.

Following the gaze of the crowd, Li Fan saw Situ Yao, who was walking unsteadily, seemingly not yet sober, being forcibly supported into the arena by two Tianjian Sect disciples.

"Where's the wine?" Situ Yao belched, ignoring Mr. Bai across from him, and asked hazily to the left and right.

"Situ, why pretend to be drunk?" Mr. Bai was not annoyed but smiled and said.

After hearing this, Situ Yao no longer insisted on playing dumb. He cleared his throat, stood up straight, and looked at Mr. Bai.

A hint of helplessness appeared on his face. "Really, I originally wanted to maintain the face of being the Senior Brother of Tianjian Sect. But now that you've exposed it, it seems I have no choice but to fight."

Situ Yao took out a wine gourd from somewhere, took a big sip, then stared at Mr. Bai for a while.

"Can't win, can't win," he muttered under his breath.

Although Situ Yao's words were soft, they caused a commotion among the observing cultivators. It's worth noting that Situ Yao's actual combat power was considered the best in Tianjian Sect. He hadn't seriously made a move for many years, and no one knew where his ultimate strength lay.

But even such an absolute powerhouse, when facing Mr. Bai, not only did he not start the fight, but he actively declared that he wasn't Mr. Bai's opponent!

Considering Situ Yao's temperament, if he couldn't win, he wouldn't bother lying.

Who exactly is this seemingly ordinary man, and where did he come from?

For a while, the eyes of everyone in Tianjian Sect were focused on Mr. Bai, filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

"Knowing it's impossible but still doing it. Isn't this your life motto, Senior Situ?" Seeing Situ Yao hesitating to take action, Mr. Bai encouraged him instead.

"That sword of yours has been hidden for a long time. It's time to bring it out for a test."

His tone was light, but it sounded like thunder in Situ Yao's ears.

A mysterious aura suddenly surged from Situ Yao's body. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Mr. Bai, a hint of doubt passing through his eyes.

However, after all, he was an elite with top-notch mentality. In an instant, he calmed down and smoothed out the doubts and surprise in his heart.

"If that's the case, I won't be disrespectful." Situ Yao's tone became serious.

Taking a step forward, Situ Yao extended his right hand, sweeping his gaze around the Tianjian Sect disciples watching the battle.

With a serious tone, he said, "Fellow junior disciples, the swords are here."

All the cultivators of Tianjian Sect, regardless of their location, heard Situ Yao's words at this moment.

After a brief moment of hesitation, without any hesitation, they threw their personal flying swords into the sky.

As the Senior Brother of Tianjian Sect, Situ Yao had taken care of every new disciple, directly or indirectly, without any pretense of being a senior. Whenever junior disciples were in trouble, Senior Brother would always step forward. He even helped based on relationships rather than principles.

Having been the Senior Brother for many years, which disciple had not received his favor, either directly or indirectly?

Now that the Senior Brother asked to borrow their swords, who would have the reason to refuse?

In an instant, thousands of flying swords soared into the sky, heading towards Situ Yao.

Facing Situ Yao.

The cultivators of Tianjian Sect, with their entire cultivation strength, almost all surpassed their own flying swords.

Starting from the Foundation Establishment stage, they painstakingly crafted their flying swords, not sparing any effort. While enhancing their strength and lethality, they gradually achieved a telepathic connection with their swords.

Therefore, at this moment, with Situ Yao's shout of "Swords are here."

What mobilized wasn't just thousands of flying swords.

It was almost more than half of Tianjian Sect's combat power.

Thousands of sword auras crisscrossed, emitting different dazzling lights. With Situ Yao overturning his hand to point, the sword qi roared toward Mr. Bai, slashing through the air.

Countless flying swords converged as if forming a giant sword that traversed the heavens and earth.

A distant gaze locked onto Mr. Bai, swiftly approaching.

It seemed that in the next moment, Mr. Bai was about to be pierced by thousands of swords and die a miserable death on the spot.

However, there was no panic on Mr. Bai's face. He just showed a faint smile and then raised the wooden sword in his hand, facing the thousands of swords.

Hum...

A sound of swords resonated from the wooden sword. In an instant, time seemed to stand still. Where the sword sound passed, the thousands of flying swords first stopped their flight and remained suspended in the air. Then the sword bodies trembled violently, as if fiercely resisting something. Finally...

The first flying sword lost control and fell from the sky. It pierced into the ground and swayed slightly.

Then came the second, the third...

In an instant, thousands of flying swords fell from the sky like a torrential rain, landing on the earth. Dense and numerous, within a small space, they formed an incredibly dense sword mound.

Not even the hem of Mr. Bai's clothes touched, and Situ Yao's technique that he had cultivated for most of his life was broken.

At this moment, Tianjian Sect fell into a deathly silence.

Mr. Bai's wooden sword emitted another sword sound. After that, all disciples, including Li Fan, witnessed an unforgettable scene.

All the flying swords inserted into the ground bent their bodies towards the direction where Mr. Bai was, voluntarily bowing like subjects paying respect to their emperor.

Mr. Bai stood with the sword in hand, his expression indifferent.

"Who are you..." At this moment, Situ Yao seemed to remember something. His pupils contracted, and he exclaimed.

Mr. Bai smiled faintly and waved the wooden sword again. Thousands of flying swords returned to their owners' bodies.

"I came here today to ask for a favor." Mr. Bai casually threw the wooden sword aside and smiled at Situ Yao.

"Please speak." Situ Yao's tone was full of respect.

Mr. Bai looked around but remained silent.

Situ Yao suddenly slapped his forehead. "Follow me."

Saying that, he led Mr. Bai towards the main hall of Tianjian Sect.

Only the bewildered and still shocked cultivators were left on the ground, unable to recover.

"Is this the true strength of the ancient cultivation world, the power of real experts?" Li Fan was also stunned by the momentum of Situ Yao's sword just now.

He vaguely felt that if the power of most of Tianjian Sect's cultivators was gathered, if that giant sword was successfully unleashed, it might be enough to tear open a rift in the Xuanhuang Realm.

On the other hand, the fact that Mr. Bai casually resolved this sword wasn't very surprising.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 683: Traces of the Past

After all, based on the information currently available, Mr. Bai's status has risen even higher. It seems to exceed the power limit of ordinary cultivators, and it may even be related to the true immortal who created the entire Meteor Immortal Realm.

Situ Yao's sword, powerful as it may be, is destined to pale in front of an immortal.

After a long time, disciples of Tianjian Sect finally woke up from the shock of the scene just now. They didn't dare to make loud noises, fearing it might disturb Mr. Bai who was still in the sect.

However, in whispered conversations, some were even hysterically venting their astonishment.

At this moment, a figure appeared under everyone's gaze and suddenly flew to the side of the wooden sword that Mr. Bai had thrown.

It was Li Fan.

Ignoring the hostile gazes from other cultivators who wanted to kill him, Li Fan took a deep breath and tightly gripped the wooden sword.

In a trance, it seemed as if a white light illuminated the heavens and the earth. Countless mysteries about "swords" instantly evolved in his mind, and Li Fan became entranced.

But in the next moment...

Intense vibrations came, and the hand that Li Fan tightly held the wooden sword in became empty.

Li Fan snapped out of his enlightenment.

Feeling a hint of annoyance and reluctance, Li Fan realized that for some reason, he was already several yards away.

Other cultivators, seeing this, also tried to pull out the wooden sword like Li Fan.

But without exception, just holding it for a moment, the wooden sword would bounce them away.

"Well, think about it. How could something from such a powerful being be easily taken by us?"

"I'm afraid that maybe only Big Senior Brother can pull it out."

...

Everyone expressed regret, greedily looking at the lonely wooden sword in the field, wiping the drool from the corners of their mouths.

Similar to what happened in real history, Mr. Bai did not take the wooden sword. Silently, he left Tianjian Sect.

He and Situ Yao seemed to have said something, but from that day on, Tianjian Sect had a mission.

That is to forge a divine weapon called "Cleaving Boundary," only existing in the sect's legends.

At all costs.

Li Fan, as an inner disciple, naturally had to contribute to this cause. Similar to other disciples, he extracted insights from the wooden sword and infused them into the elemental stone named "Sword Embryo."

Then, continuously injecting countless elemental stones containing everyone's insights into the huge pit behind Tianjian Sect's back mountain.

Using the molten fire to forge the prototype of the Cleaving Boundary divine weapon.

Although he didn't know the purpose of forging the Cleaving Boundary, the prestige of Big Senior Brother Situ Yao was extremely high. Moreover, Mr. Bai's earth-shattering power completely convinced everyone in Tianjian Sect.

So, regarding this matter, the disciples didn't have much complaint. Instead, they could improve their own cultivation and swordsmanship by gaining insights from the wooden sword. Why not?

Time passed quickly in such days.

Li Fan was still not satisfied, but this journey in the Meteor Immortal Realm had come to an end.

The surrounding scenes faded, and Li Fan returned to the distorted transparent bubble space.

The three scenes became dim and non-selectable. Li Fan didn't immediately exit but pondered on the experiences in Tianjian Sect.

"From the timeline, 'Tianjian Sect Sword Forging' should have occurred after 'Ningyuan Longevity Fruit' and before 'Beast-Taming Sect Changes.'"

"I didn't expect that the forging of the Cleaving Boundary divine weapon by Tianjian Sect was also suggested by Mr. Bai. Cultivating the Cleaving Boundary Whale and forging the Cleaving Boundary divine weapon..."

"Exactly what is Mr. Bai planning?"

"At first glance, it seems like he's preparing for the upcoming great calamity, securing a retreat. But is it really so?"

Judging others by oneself, Li Fan always felt that behind all this, Mr. Bai might have other secrets unknown to others.

However, Mr. Bai was too mysterious. His thoughts were not something the current Li Fan could speculate on.

After thinking for a long time, Li Fan ultimately gained nothing and had to put it aside for now.

"In the Meteor Immortal Realm, there's also a convergence of the laws of the sword. If it can be brought out of the Meteor Immortal Realm, I wonder what the consequences will be?"

Back in the mortal realm's Great Profound Small World, Li Fan had conducted similar experiments.

He knew that there couldn't exist two identical wonders of the world in the heavens and the earth.

If, for some special reason, two of them did exist, they would later merge and elevate each other.

The weak would vanish, and the strong would persist.

"Although the wooden sword in Shuo Feng's hands is known as a wonder of the heavens, I always feel that the one in Mr. Bai's hands thousands of years ago was its complete form."

"After enduring the wind and frost for thousands of years, its power might have diminished."

"So, if I can bring the wooden sword out, wouldn't it be..."

"Interesting."

As if he could see the scene where Shuo Feng suddenly lost his own foundation wonder, Li Fan shook his head slightly.

"Thinking too far ahead. Let's see how this harvest turns out first."

Leaving the Meteor Immortal Mirror and returning to Changsheng Valley, Li Fan tried to recall his experiences within Tianjian Sect this time.

After a moment, a hint of disappointment appeared on his face.

"No completion of obsession; it seems insights cannot be brought out."

"Wait..."

Li Fan's eyes flashed. He flicked his finger, and countless blue sword lights suddenly flashed through the void in front of the secret chamber.

Staring closely at the Poxian Heart Sword that kept leaping, a familiar feeling surged into his heart.

"So, although memories and insights cannot be brought into the real world, the traces of enlightenment remain."

"Just like the tide rising and falling, eventually returning to the sea. But on the beach, it leaves its own mark."

"In this way, even if direct insights are not obtained, it is greatly beneficial for me to deduce divine abilities. It's like gaining a lot of proficiency out of nowhere."

Li Fan felt a slight joy in his heart. Taking advantage of the familiarity that hadn't faded, his mind immersed itself in the comprehension of the "sword" dao.

After an unknown amount of time, he was awakened by the message from Fang Zaiji.

It turned out that he had been in seclusion for more than half a year. Li Fan was informed that the protective treasures like the white robe and folding fan he had ordered to be forged were already completed.

"Indeed, cultivation knows no time." Li Fan sighed faintly, not in a hurry to go out.

Instead, he first checked the situation in the Meteor Immortal Realm.

Compared to the time limits of the first two entries into the "Tianjian Sect Sword Forging," it seemed to have extended.

Even though half a year had passed, it would still take about five months before he could enter again.

"It seems the power level of the contact has increased quite a bit?"

Li Fan speculated in his mind.

Without lingering too much, Li Fan only noted the next time to enter in his mind. After that, he came out of seclusion and met the excited and proud Fang Zaiji.

"Haha, Sect Master, I really performed exceptionally well this time. The treasures I forged, even someone like Liu San wouldn't be able to easily break through the defense!"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 684: Peerless Dashing Young Master

"That's because these things are urgently needed by the Young Master. I was afraid I would accidentally destroy them, so I didn't use my full strength at all," Shuo San scolded Fang Zaiji and then looked at Li Fan, explaining.

"But Young Master, to be honest, the treasures Mr. Fang refined this time are really good. They were made with heart."

Hearing Shuo San's words, Fang Zaiji immediately smiled and said, "Of course, the Sect Master lent me the Medicine King True Cauldron for research for so long. There should be some gains."

...

Watching these two bicker, Li Fan smiled faintly.

"Mr. Fang, why don't you take out the treasures and let me have a look. I'm a bit impatient," said a voice, and it was from the clone Xu Bai.

While Li Fan's main body explored the Meteor Immortal Realm and comprehended the Dao of the sword for half a year, the clone stayed in the Beast Realm, continuing to comprehend the principles of the Five Elements and the world.

This body was extremely compatible with the Beast Realm, making it easy to comprehend. Its talent was not inferior to any so-called genius.

Both of them had long been accustomed to the existence of the clone. At this moment, seeing Xu Bai suddenly appear in the secret room, they didn't find it surprising.

"Young Master, please look."

Fang Zaiji looked proud, waved his hand, and four light clusters appeared in front of everyone.

Inside the light clusters were a white robe, a folding fan, a sachet, and a jade pendant.

"The Pure Light Lustrous Robe is made from rare materials such as hundred-color lustrous glass and floating life pure light. It's invulnerable to all dust and impervious to calamities. It can ignore conventional attacks below the Harmonizing Dao realm. Even if a cultivator in the Harmonizing Dao realm wants to break its defense, it would take some effort."

"The Invisible Hundred Flowers Folding Fan is made from materials such as Invisible Stone and Tianyao Jade. The fan is painted with a pattern of hundreds of flowers competing for beauty, but it actually seals hundreds of kinds of real flowers. You can choose and mix the fragrances of hundreds of flowers at will. Besides, its most significant use is to create an illusion that attracts the attention of the enemy in a critical moment. The main body can then quietly escape hundreds of miles away..."

"The Thousand Knots Entangling Silk Pouch, besides its regular storage function, can also put female cultivators that you fancy into it. By entangling them with a thousand knots, changing their thoughts bit by bit, even if they were sworn enemies, they can slowly change their minds and eventually fall in love with the owner of the Thousand Knots Entangling Silk Pouch. It will be everlasting."

Fang Zaiji talked endlessly, very excited.

Li Fan and Shuo San had a strange expression on their faces.

"The last one, Heaven's Treasure Hundred Vehicle License. Besides its appearance, the mode of transportation is also very important. It's really a loss of demeanor to travel like ordinary cultivators, flying through the air or riding a sword. Inside this license, there are seals for hundreds of flying cars and flying boats of various kinds. No matter where you go, you can choose as you wish."

"Each flying treasure has a sufficiently large space reserved. Even if you load more than a dozen or twenty girls, it will be more than enough..."

"Cough, Mr. Fang, let's stop here."

Li Fan's face twitched, and the clone Xu Bai spoke helplessly.

Fang Zaiji also sensed that the atmosphere was a bit subtle at this moment. After observing for a while, he wisely instructed Xu Bai to refine these four treasures.

"Refining with blood and divine consciousness not only makes the treasures recognize their master, but also, when suffering a heavy blow, these four treasures can jointly share the damage."

...

After a small half-day, Xu Bai melted all these treasures.

Wearing a white robe, holding a folding fan. The sachet turned into a small string, hanging at the end of the folding fan. The jade pendant was worn on the body.

"Swoosh!"

Xu Bai opened the folding fan, gently fanning, a layer of shining white light enveloped him, and a fragrance emanated from his body.

"What a dashing young master." Shuo San's eyes lit up, unable to help but praise.

As the saying goes, people rely on clothing. Originally, Xu Bai was born very handsome, with an excellent temperament. At this moment, under the careful design and creation of Fang Zaiji, he looked like a heavenly being, making people lose their minds when they looked at him.

Fang Zaiji also couldn't help but praise slightly.

However, after a while, he frowned: "But I always feel like it's missing something."

Shuo San was a bit puzzled: "What's missing? I think it's already perfect."

Fang Zaiji suddenly realized and clapped his hands: "So-called beauties match heroes. The Young Master, as if he were a celestial being, without a beautiful woman by his side, is indeed a pity!"

Stroking his head, Shuo San, who always wanted to refute Fang Zaiji a few words, surprisingly nodded slightly, indicating his agreement.

"Hehe."

Chapter 684: Peerless Dashing Young Master

Xu Bai smiled but didn't answer.

"How is the implementation of the disciples' immersion plan?" After admiring Xu Bai's flourishing beauty, Li Fan finally brought up the main topic.

Shuo San returned to his senses and said seriously, "In the past six months, nearly two hundred disciples have left Changsheng Valley. According to your instructions, they have scattered to different regions, lurking there."

"While spreading the news of the Heavenly Spirit Flower, they also pay attention to collecting all noteworthy information. Through the connection of the Great Dream Chronicles Formation, they feed back the information to the headquarters of Changsheng Valley."

"I have also established a dedicated organization to organize and classify this information, extracting useful parts..."

This convenience made Shuo San reliable. Without Li Fan giving individual instructions, he orderly handled everything.

Satisfied with what he heard, Li Fan instructed, "Very good. The disciples don't need to seek merit, just avoid mistakes. In ordinary times, just consider themselves as ordinary Wanxian League cultivators. Prioritize their own safety."

Shuo San nodded in agreement.

"However..." He looked at Li Fan, hesitated, and then said, "Is Young Master considering awakening more people as a large number of disciples immerse themselves in the mortal world?"

Li Fan pondered for a moment and ultimately shook his head, "Currently, we don't have any spare techniques at hand. Even if we wake them up, besides causing more trouble, the benefits are not significant."

"As for those exotic beasts in the Beast Realm, we can use them first. With my clone suppressing one realm, they won't have any rebellious thoughts."

"Take it step by step. We are reviving the Medicine King Sect. There's no rush."

Hearing this, Shuo San nodded slowly.

"But it's also coming soon. This time, if there are no accidents, we can get a batch of ownerless techniques. Shuo Lao, just be patient and wait." Li Fan once again painted a bright future.

After careful instructions, both the main body and the clone Xu Bai left Changsheng Valley.

After passing through the white mist barrier, they went their separate ways.

The main body changed its appearance, turning into a middle-aged cultivator, heading straight for Qihong Island in Leyangzhou.

As for the clone Xu Bai, he gracefully headed towards Tianlingzhou.

Let's first talk about the main body.

This time, Li Fan's goal in Leyangzhou was the one who researched the changes in ancient and modern terrain, Ximen Yu.

He had detailed maps comparing the differences in terrain between the Xuanhuang Realm's ancient and modern times.

Li Fan wanted to use these maps to go to the Nangong Holy Beast Mountain of that year.

The purpose was to confirm whether the demon clan's retreat plan was successful.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 685: Yueyang's Dried Branch Appears

Although it was known from Little Black's memory and the dying dialogue with the Crimson Nine-Headed that the demon clan should have successfully evacuated, it was, after all, conveyed by several people, and there might be some distortion.

Seeing is believing.

If, under Emperor Yi's leadership, the demon clan could truly pass through the Nangong Holy Beast Mountain and tear through the void to leave, it would indicate that the Heavenly Sword Sect had also achieved this in the past.

Perhaps in the next exploration of the Meteor Immortal Realm, it would be worthwhile to focus on studying how to forge the divine weapon that could tear through realms.

Being able to leave oneself a way out was one thing, but this kind of secret technique would undoubtedly be of great interest to both the Wanxian League and the Five Elders Association.

Leyangzhou was located in the southwest of the Wanxian League, not too far from the central four states.

There was a large lake in the area called Yueyang Lake.

The state was named after the lake.

It was said that every sunrise, a magnificent scene of the red sun leaping out of the lake could be seen. At that moment, the concentration of solar energy far exceeded that of other regions. Absorbing and comprehending for a moment could be equivalent to several days of ordinary cultivation.

Because of this, a group of cultivators had gathered around Yueyang Lake. Moreover, the lake was extremely abundant in resources. The fish in the lake, influenced by the rich solar energy every day, became different from ordinary species. The flesh was delicious, and consuming it felt like ingesting fire attribute spirit stones, warming the whole body.

Relying on this large lake, many cultivators with mediocre aptitudes could progress very quickly.

Of course, such good things naturally attracted the envy of people from all over. To prevent outsiders from coming to snatch resources, the cultivators of Yueyangzhou spontaneously formed an alliance. They claimed a vast area around Yueyang Lake as their own.

Foreign cultivators who came to Yueyangzhou to gain resources could only compete for those areas that were divided up and of inferior quality.

After spending more than ten days, Li Fan entered Leyangzhou.

In an instant, he felt several pairs of eyes on him.

However, when they saw that Li Fan did not fly in the direction of Yueyang Lake, they slowly withdrew their tracking gazes.

Not bothering with these people, Li Fan flew towards Qihong Island.

Qihong Island was located on a tributary that flowed into Yueyang Lake, next to the Jinxia River.

Every time the sun rose over Yueyang Lake, the golden brilliance would also appear on the Jinxia River.

It could be considered the residual sunlight of pure solar energy, but for some reason, it was tainted with a trace of death energy and couldn't be absorbed by cultivators.

As a result, few cultivators came here, making it one of the quieter areas in Yueyangzhou.

Ximen Yu's name was quite famous in this place. Without much effort, Li Fan found his cave residence.

From the outside, he could hear Ximen Yu's shouting, "I've told you so many times. If you want a complete study of ancient and modern terrain, come find me on Qihong Island. It will be blocked if transmitted through the Tianxuan Mirror."

"What? You don't believe that the Wanxian League would have such a thing happen, and I'm lying to you? You want to expose me as a fraud to others?"

"You...!"

After Ximen Yu's angry cursing ended, Li Fan said loudly, "Is Daoist Ximen here?"

"I am Han Wuyou. I specially came to visit you after hearing about your reputation!"

"Come in." Ximen Yu's lazy voice came from inside.

The door opened wide, and Li Fan entered the cave.

It wasn't big inside and didn't have much decoration.

There were jade slips scattered all over the ground, and there were even many paper books and wooden slips.

Li Fan swept over them and found that the characters on them were unfamiliar.

"Are you here for the study of ancient and modern terrain?" Without lifting his head, Ximen Yu stared at a long-dead branch that had grown out of the ground in his cave, and asked.

"Yes." Li Fan was straightforward.

Ximen Yu pointed casually, and a paper book flew out from the messy ground. "Ten thousand contribution points. It needs to be kept confidential and cannot be resold."

At the same time, a golden light and the book flew to Li Fan.

Li Fan smiled, signed the contract, and threw ten superb spirit stones over.

For the time being, he put away the "Study of Ancient and Modern Terrain" without reading it in detail.

Li Fan didn't rush to leave. Instead, he asked with interest, "Why doesn't Daoist Ximen use jade slips to record? Instead, you use these paper books."

Ximen Yu's actions of studying the withered branches paused, and he glanced at Li Fan, saying indifferently, "The contents carved into jade slips generally can only be preserved for ten thousand years. If the spiritual energy is lost, this time will be even shorter."

"But using the Sha's ink and writing on paper made from the Evergreen Tree, it can last for thirty to fifty thousand years without fading."

"If it is directly carved on the Evergreen Wood, even after a hundred thousand years, it can still be clearly seen."

Hearing this, Li Fan smiled and said, "Friend, your consideration is truly extraordinary, often counting in thousands of years..."

"A thousand years later, whether the Xuanhuang Realm is still there or not, it is still unknown," Li Fan sighed.

Suddenly, Ximen Yu turned his head, his eyes becoming serious.

"Friend, what do you mean by that?" Ximen Yu asked with some surprise.

Li Fan looked a bit puzzled, "Just casually sighing. What's wrong?"

"Humph. In that case, you can leave." After giving Li Fan a once-over, Ximen Yu turned his head and no longer spoke.

"Until we meet again!" Li Fan arched his hand and was about to leave.

Boom!

Just as he walked to the entrance of the cave, he suddenly felt the earth shaking slightly.

A familiar yet unfamiliar energy appeared in Li Fan's senses.

Unable to help himself, Li Fan turned around to see a yellowish energy burst from the withered branch under Ximen Yu's observation.

Ximen Yu seemed to have been waiting for a long time. He took out a small white jade bottle and sucked all the yellow spray into it.

The eruption lasted for a full half a stick of incense before gradually subsiding.

Looking at this harvest, Ximen Yu showed a satisfied smile.

"Is this the power of the earth's veins?" Li Fan approached, curious.

Ximen Yu's expression changed, he put away the jade bottle, and blocked Li Fan's line of sight from staring at the withered branch.

"Friend seems to have some knowledge. Yes, I have completed my study of ancient and modern terrain, and now I am researching the earth's veins."

"It involves personal privacy. It's better not to inquire randomly, friend." Ximen Yu's tone was unfriendly.

Li Fan showed a hint of apology on his face, "It's not my intention. It's just that, I feel a bit familiar with this withered branch of yours."

"Hmm?" Ximen Yu was slightly stunned, and then his expression changed slightly. "Friend, don't tease me!"

"I, always speak the truth." Li Fan said seriously.

"Once, in Tianlingzhou, I also encountered such a withered branch in the wilderness. After touching it, I seemed to have come to an unknown space."

"A dilapidated giant tree stood tall, making people feel desolate. Before waiting for a long time, I woke up from the scene."

"The withered branch in my hand had disappeared, as if it was all a dream."

Li Fan sighed slightly, "Friend's withered branch is somewhat similar to what I saw back then. However, there seems to be some slight differences..."

The more Ximen Yu listened, the more surprised his expression became.

At the end of Li Fan's words, he waved his hand to close the entrance of the cave, and asked in a deep voice, "Friend, where did you see that withered branch in Tianlingzhou?"

(End of this chapter)