Suddenly breaking free from the entanglement, yet the crisis was far from over.
The devouring white mist continuously consumed Li Fan’s lifespan, even more fiercely than within the maze.
Within the vast white mist, Li Fan once again sensed the location of the Broken Palm Immortal City.
In the next moment, he unleashed the Purple Sky Escape Technique to its utmost and flew towards it swiftly.
Just as Li Fan gradually distanced himself from the maze where the chaotic characters were, a strange, seemingly familiar ripple emanated from behind him.
Even the endless expanse of white mist seemed to ripple.
“Hm?”
Without turning his head, Li Fan could still feel that the maze of chaotic stones seemed to be gradually disappearing.
Or perhaps, hiding.
There was still a considerable distance to the Eternal Immortal Stronghold from here.
And under the relentless consumption of the devouring white mist, Li Fan’s age was increasing rapidly.
As he moved towards the Abyssal Roar, the speed of his lifespan being devoured also accelerated.
156, 178, 193…
Li Fan stared at the constantly changing numbers on the Truth Panel, and a long-lost sense of weakness surged in his heart.
The instant aging made him feel as if he had returned to being the elderly Grand Master Da Xuan.
The Eternal Immortal Stronghold was within reach, but Li Fan estimated that with the remaining lifespan, it would be extremely difficult to cross the distance ahead.
With determination in his heart, without the slightest hesitation, Li Fan took out the Life-Extending Fruit from his storage ring and swallowed it in one gulp.
A majestic vitality surged from his abdomen.
In an instant, like a rushing river, it spread throughout his body.
The feeling of aging and weakness suddenly disappeared, and Li Fan’s physiological age limit changed from the original 599 to 899.
With a burst of energy, Li Fan, like a purple thunderbolt, tore through the vast white mist.
Straight towards the Broken Palm Immortal City.
“Although Senior Zhang’s Purple Sky Divine Thunder Escape is much faster than the escape techniques I’ve seen in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, it’s still too slow!”
“Without the True Manual of the Purple Sky Divine Thunder Technique, it’s still somewhat lacking.”
“It’s usually not a big deal, but the importance of escape technique speed is evident at critical moments like this.”
264, 378, 492…
As his age rapidly increased, Li Fan gradually transformed from a youthful scholar appearance into that of a middle-aged man.
Yet, his mind remained extraordinarily calm, unaffected by the passage of life.
“If there’s a chance, I must find a superior escape technique.”
“Aside from the Pearl of Derivation, Zhong Shentong’s Seven-Colored Divine Light seems to be quite good.”
“To surpass the speed of the Yuanying Stage during the Foundation Establishment Stage…”
While recalling the deeds of Zhong Shentong, Li Fan was getting closer and closer to the Eternal Immortal Stronghold.
567, 689, 734…
“Who goes there!?”
A furious roar echoed from the green stone broken palm and struck Li Fan through the white mist.
Li Fan’s flying speed immediately slowed down.
Cursing inwardly, he instantly memorized the voice of this person.
With a calm and steady expression, Li Fan calmly declared, “I am Li Fan, a Golden Core Formation Master under Director Ji’s tutelage.”
“Responsible for assisting in the construction of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array outside the Abyssal Roar.”
“Help!”
At the same time, he pulled out a piece of green stone made into a broken finger from his bosom.
It was precisely with this token left to him by the Cold Response garment earlier that Li Fan could still accurately locate the position of the Eternal Immortal Stronghold amidst the vast white mist and the tide of demonic voices.
“What?”
A hint of surprise and panic could be heard in the voice.
Li Fan accelerated again, flying towards the torn wrist of the broken palm.
The previous call for help had indeed been effective.
An entrance had indeed opened there.
Li Fan dashed in like lightning.
The influence of the surrounding white mist disappeared in an instant, and Li Fan’s physiological age at this moment finally stabilized at 842/899.
Approaching the end of his life, the final limit approaching.
A pervasive sense of weakness spread throughout his body, and Li Fan couldn’t even control the angle of his flight, crashing straight to the ground.
It took a long time for him to finally come to a stop.
“Cough…”
Li Fan was about to say something when he coughed up a mouthful of blood and passed out directly.
A cultivator with white hair and a look that seemed to be on the verge of falling appeared in the Eternal Immortal Stronghold in such a conspicuous manner.
Naturally, it immediately attracted the attention of the crowd.
Coincidentally, the Eternal Immortal Stronghold had been isolated by the tide for some time, causing even more rumors to spread in secret.
All sorts of rumors were flying around.
Some even solemnly swore that this demonic tide was entirely the conspiracy of the Five Elders Alliance.
Now that the Five Elders Alliance had launched a counteroffensive, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was in a losing streak.
It was feared that the Eternal Immortal Stronghold would change hands soon.
Fortunately, the owner of the Broken Palm Immortal City, Master Shang, intervened and promptly suppressed these increasingly outrageous rumors.
The rumor mongers were hung in the center of the city, lashed day and night as a warning to others.
…
In the darkness.
Though Li Fan’s body was in a state of unconsciousness.
But his consciousness was incredibly clear.
This was a highly contradictory state.
But just as he now felt both the strength of rejuvenation and the weakness of aging simultaneously.
It was indeed a real existence.
The weakness naturally stemmed from the fact that this body of his in this world was on the brink of exhaustion, not far from its end.
While the strength came from the aspect of the soul.
After Li Fan had experienced various hardships, survived numerous life-and-death situations.
He finally arrived at the Eternal Immortal Stronghold.
And he actually completed the requirements of the “Reverse Cultivation of Dao Heart” operation.
The stifling and indignant feeling in his heart suddenly dissipated.
In the great grinding mill of heart refinement, an unprecedented source of nourishment also arrived.
Drops of icy coolness nourished the soul.
A sense of growth emerged in Li Fan’s heart, comparable to breaking through realms.
And the growth of the soul was not just a one-time occurrence.
It was like a continuous trickle, never-ending.
“With every action, there’s a reward. This is the reward for the Reverse Cultivation of Dao Heart operation.”
“But I’m afraid we have to wait until we truly rescue the people inside the Jiaxu Base before the entire reverse cultivation action can be considered truly concluded.”
“Even though there was a special bonus the first time, the effect of this Xuanhuang Heart Refinement Mantra is still too terrifying.”
Li Fan carefully felt the continuous growth of his own soul.
It even made him feel like he could discard his body and exist directly as a soul.
After an unknown amount of time.
Sensing someone approaching beside his sleeping body.
Li Fan’s mind moved, controlling his body to gradually awaken.
The sensation of his body once again took the upper hand, and a sense of powerlessness surged into his heart.
With a light cough, Li Fan struggled to sit up.
“Fellow Daoist, awake?!” A member of the Qingxuan Army hurried over to support Li Fan.
“Fellow Daoist Li Fan, we have verified your identity with the Strategy Hall.”
“What exactly happened? At this moment, you should be inside the Jiaxu Base, why did you return to the Eternal Immortal Stronghold?”
“And you even turned into this…”
He seemed to be full of questions, firing off a barrage of questions.
Li Fan, however, noticed that at the moment he woke up, a shadow suddenly appeared in the corner of the room.
Although it was almost imperceptible, with Li Fan’s strengthened soul, he could clearly sense it.
Without changing his expression, Li Fan slowly recounted his experience.