After swallowing the medicine, Li Fan felt a little more energized.
Using the medicinal effect as a springboard, he activated a trace of hidden power within his body.
“Pu!”
He coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, which startled his master, Guang Yangzi.
At the same time, the Creation Forge Art began to circulate.
Guang yangzi hurriedly went back to prepare more medicinal herbs for Li Fan.
Li Fan, taking advantage of this opportunity, carefully examined his physical condition.
Recalling the relevant case records in the Heavenly Doctor’s Immortal Scripture, he pondered countermeasures.
His body was incredibly weak, and after only a short while, he felt dizzy and lightheaded.
He had no choice but to clear his mind and rest.
Once he regained a bit of strength, he continued to contemplate.
This went on for three days.
Li Fan, drawing on the Heavenly Doctor’s Immortal Scripture, modified the prescription he had taken during the second stage of his “擬化” (Imitation).
After much persuasion, he finally convinced Guang yangzi to change the medicine.
The new prescription proved to be exceptionally effective.
Coupled with the Creation Forge Art continuously improving his physique, within two months, Li Fan was able to walk with difficulty.
“Little Junior Brother, you are truly amazing! The prescription actually worked! How did you know about it?” His second senior brother, Lingxiao, asked as he helped Li Fan to his feet.
“It just appeared in my mind!” Li Fan said with wide eyes, filled with innocence.
“Little Junior Brother is extraordinary! Perhaps he is the hope for the revival of our Body Transformation Dao!” Their third senior brother, Lian chang, couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
Li Fan chuckled foolishly.
“The first step has been successful.
The key now is to become stronger than Senior Brother Si Xing within the next six years, before the arrival of the Summoning Immortal Order.
To replace him in the war and prevent him from witnessing the tragic sight of the Body Transformation Dao disciples dying one after another.
This is the obsession of Tian Yang.” Li Fan thought to himself.
“Senior Brother Si Xing is at the Golden Core stage. To surpass him within six years, relying on conventional cultivation would be a fool’s dream.
I have to find another way.” Li Fan’s eyes flickered.
One day, he privately approached his master, Guang Yangzi.
“Self Body Transformation?” Guang Yangzi’s expression changed drastically when confronted with his junior disciple’s question.
“Where did you hear that? Did Lingxiao, that little rascal, start spreading rumors again?” Guang Yangzi fumed, his beard bristling and his eyes narrowed.
“Master, I came up with it myself,” Li Fan said earnestly.
“The Body Transformation Dao’s cultivation technique, “Transforming into Others at Will,” is extraordinary in its ability to utilize external objects.
But I suddenly wondered, what exactly constitutes an external object?
Senior Brother’s sword, Second Senior Brother’s brush, Third Senior Brother’s bell, these are all external objects.
So, can this frail body of mine be considered an external object?
Through continuous refinement with the technique, the “Transformed Objects” of my senior brothers become increasingly powerful. If I can treat my own body as a “Transformed Object,” wouldn’t that mean I can change my physique?
I won’t be as weak as I am now.” Li Fan stated each word clearly.
Guang Yangzi’s expression also shifted continuously.
After a long silence, he sighed.
“Tian Yang, you are truly a genius! At such a young age, you have such insight. You are truly…”
Guang Yangzi stroked Tian Yang’s head, his voice filled with a hint of relief. “Having a disciple like you, our Body Transformation Dao will surely prosper!”
“Indeed, cultivating the “Transforming into Others at Will” technique can achieve “Self Body Transformation.”
But…” Guang Yangzi’s expression suddenly turned serious as he looked at Li Fan, his voice heavy. “However, my disciple, you must never try it.”
Li Fan tilted his head up to look at his master, his young face filled with confusion. “Why, Master?”
Guang Yangzi’s expression seemed to wander, as if lost in thought for a moment. Then, he explained to Li Fan, “The most important aspect of “Transforming into Others at Will” is “Unification of Self and Object.”
“Self Body Transformation, in theory, is indeed feasible. It’s the most perfect choice of the technique.
But…”
Guang Yangzi sighed.
“It’s too difficult! Too difficult!”
“Compared to ordinary objects, the human body is incredibly complex.
Objects can be continuously experimented with to achieve a higher degree of compatibility with the self. If mistakes occur during cultivation, only the transformed object is damaged.
But with Self Body Transformation, you must constantly use your own physical body as the experimental ground.
The slightest error will result in serious injury.
Physical damage is one thing. The most terrifying aspect is the damage to the spirit.
Guang Yangzi’s eyes flashed with a hint of sadness. “Once, I had a brilliant senior brother. His talent was unmatched, the highest I had ever seen.
He was considered the “First Person of the Body Transformation Dao in a Thousand Years,” with great expectations placed on him by our master.
However, he was arrogant and believed he could succeed in cultivating “Self Body Transformation.”
He ignored everyone’s advice and forcefully cultivated.
The result…”
Guang Yangzi paused.
“Initially, he was just a bit erratic, and everyone was trying to heal him.
But later, his madness worsened. He couldn’t distinguish between reality and fantasy.
One night, he went on a rampage.
The number of casualties was countless.
From that day forward, our Body Transformation Dao declined…”
Speaking of this, Guang Yangzi shook his head slightly.
“So, my dear disciple, remember this. You must never try it!” Guang Yangzi warned with utmost seriousness.
Li Fan nodded repeatedly. “Yes! I understand, Master!”
After bidding farewell to Guang Yangzi, Li Fan returned to his room.
After much deliberation, Li Fan abandoned his plan to forcibly cultivate Self Body Transformation.
Just like “Self-Foundation Establishment,” this Self Body Transformation was not something ordinary people could achieve.
Judging from Master Tian Yang’s later situation, he also did not choose this path.
“Puppet…”
Recalling the Nascent Soul puppet from years later, Li Fan gradually formed a plan in his mind.
The next day, Li Fan approached his senior brothers and told them he wanted a puppet.
“Don’t worry, Little Junior Brother. Leave it to me! Lately, I’ve been overflowing with inspiration, my penmanship is superb, and I’ve written several books. They are the pinnacle of my career!” Second Senior Brother Lingxiao assured him, thumping his chest. “I’ll go to the market and sell them, then choose the most handsome puppet for you!”
…
A few days later, Li Fan got his wish and obtained a mechanical puppet.
Lingxiao beamed with pride. “Little Junior Brother, this puppet is said to be at the Golden Core level. It took me a lot of effort to buy it from someone!”
“Senior Brother, you are amazing! Thank you, Senior Brother!” Li Fan complimented him before grabbing the puppet and dashing off without a trace.
“Little Junior Brother’s body seems to be recovering better and better!” Lingxiao remarked with a sigh.
Inside his private chamber, Li Fan placed the puppet in front of him and cut a wound on his hand.
He dripped his fresh blood onto the puppet.
Simultaneously, he activated the “Transforming into Others at Will” technique, refining the puppet while sensing the subtle changes occurring within it.
Li Fan had abandoned the idea of Self Body Transformation.
But he hadn’t given up entirely.
His plan could be seen as a form of Self Body Transformation under special circumstances.
It was even more extreme.
That is, to abandon this physical body and completely transform himself into a puppet.
Just like the real Master Tian Yang did in history.
However, Tian Yang later chose to absorb earthfire to refine and enhance the puppet.
Li Fan’s solution, however, was to become a puppet and then achieve Self Body Transformation.
Undoubtedly, this was a self-destructive approach.
The gap between a Golden Core puppet and the human body’s limit was immeasurable.
But for Li Fan, who desperately wanted to increase his combat strength, it was the best option.
Cultivating “Self Body Transformation” with a puppet body significantly reduced the difficulty.
First, the precision of a puppet was far less than that of the human body, making it easier to achieve “Unification of Self and Object.”
Second, there was no need to worry about self-injury.
Repairing a puppet was much easier, as long as materials were plentiful.
And once the puppet completed its “Self Body Transformation” cultivation, the combat power it could unleash in the state of unification would be several times stronger than simply using the puppet as a “Transformed Object.”
“The first step is to shed my physical body and merge with the puppet.”
Li Fan’s execution of this technique from “Transforming into Others at Will” was exceptionally smooth.
“It must be because Tian Yang’s body was a premature birth, and his soul and body were not very harmonious,” Li Fan mused.
Thus, Li Fan began his personal cultivation plan, concealing it from the other Body Transformation Dao disciples.
This plan was too bizarre, even Guang Yangzi did not notice the changes happening to his junior disciple.
He simply thought Li Fan was incredibly fond of the puppet Lingxiao had bought for him, to the point of never leaving it behind.
Time flew by.
Six years passed in the blink of an eye.
The Summoning Immortal Bell rang, and the Summoning Immortal Order arrived.
The three Body Transformation Dao disciples argued about who should go to answer the call.
At that moment, Li Fan, along with his puppet, suddenly appeared before them.
“Senior Brother Si Xing, Senior Brother Lingxiao, Senior Brother Lianchang.
I think I should go.”
Lingxiao, Lianchang, and Si Xing were utterly dumbfounded as they looked at Li Fan with his serious expression.
“Little Junior Brother, what are you saying? This isn’t a game…” Lingxiao began, but then he froze.
Because the puppet standing behind Li Fan had spoken those words.
“Bang! Bang!”
The puppet took a step forward, approaching the three senior brothers.
“Going to war is a matter of life and death. If someone has to go, it should be the strongest among us!
Senior Brothers, what do you think?”
Li Fan looked at Senior Brother Si Xing, Lingxiao, and Lianchang, asking softly.
“Tian Yang! You! You’re being reckless!” Guang Yangzi was the first to see the changes that had occurred to Li Fan.
His face turned pale, and he wanted to step forward, but he stopped as if he had thought of something.
His slightly trembling hands betrayed the turmoil within him.
“You… you knew this day would come?”
Guang Yangzi asked in a stammer.
Li Fan smiled but did not answer.
He looked at his senior brothers. “Please, Senior Brothers, enlighten me!”
The three senior brothers gradually recovered from their shock.
Looking at their junior brother’s transformed puppet body, their eyes were filled with regret and sorrow.
For a moment, they stood there speechless.
It was Senior Brother Si Xing who finally took action.
He summoned his own blade, thin as a cicada’s wing and emerald green, and pointed it at Li Fan.
“Junior Brother, this matter is best left to me.
How can a senior brother let his junior brother go to his death?!”
Li Fan’s figure flickered, and he punched, landing beside his senior brother.
“Senior Brother, don’t underestimate me!”
Sensing the immense force of the blow, Si Xing’s face changed slightly.
His green blade danced, attempting to block Li Fan.
But the blade, which was usually invincible, left no mark whatsoever on Li Fan’s body.
This puppet’s body was not only extremely hard.
It was also several times faster than an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
His movements were large and open, and various strange and unusual mechanisms shot out from different parts of his body.
For a while, Si Xing could only dodge clumsily.
“Junior Brother Tian Yang, it seems you’ve put in a lot of effort. But even so, I cannot let you go in my place!”
“Be careful!”
Si Xing eyebrows rose, and his figure turned into a stream of light, merging with the green blade.
“Zheng!”
The blade trembled slightly, emitting a clear chime.
Then, the blade’s body, like flowing water, extended forward and backward.
“Sword Water Heavenly Heart!”
Senior Brother Si Xing’s voice rang out from within the blade.
The water-like sword energy arrived instantly.
Upon striking Li Fan’s puppet body, it did not dissipate like before.
Instead, it reflected back like light.
It flowed in the air for a moment, then instantly changed direction, attacking Li Fan from the other side.
It was still deflected by Li Fan’s hard body.
It arched and returned in an instant.
The flowing sword energy became increasingly faster, appearing like a massive water net slowly enveloping the bulky puppet in its center.
Currently, Li Fan was only a puppet body, and most of his divine powers were unusable.
Under Si Xing’s relentless attack, Li Fan gradually fell into a disadvantage.
“Ancient cultivators are truly formidable.” Li Fan thought to himself, his expression turning serious.
The puppet let out a roar that shook the heavens, its body emitting a crimson glow.
It vibrated and transformed, instantly changing from a humanoid form to a giant hand.
It skillfully bypassed the sword energy blockade of the Sword Water Heavenly Heart, reaching above the water net.
It expanded further.
The shadow it cast enveloped all the water swords, then pressed down on them.
This was the “Overturning Heaven Palm” he had comprehended.
Executed with the puppet’s massive body, it had a sense of overwhelming power.
“Such divine power!”
Senior Brother Si Xing exclaimed in excitement.
“I have a move as well. Please enlighten me, Junior Brother!”
“Heavenly Will Like Water, Formless and Supreme!”
“Sword Name: Heavenly Form!”
The water swords flowing beneath the Overturning Heaven Palm instantly vanished.
But Li Fan felt a strange sense of danger.
“Swoosh!”
Invisible sword energy flashed.
Before the giant hand could press down, a thin cut appeared on its back.
Li Fan fixed his gaze on the surrounding space.
But he couldn’t find Si Xing’ trace.
Another sword cut emerged.
Li Fan channeled his spiritual energy, attempting to heal his injury.
However, he discovered that the sword cut seemed to have invisible sword energy attached to it, preventing the wound from healing.
The sword cuts appeared faster and faster.
In an instant, Li Fan’s body was covered in wounds.
“Little Junior Brother, surrender!”
Senior Brother Si Xing’s voice echoed from all directions.
But he remained invisible.
“Senior Brother’s divine powers are truly amazing!”
Li Fan sincerely praised him.
“But…”
Li Fan suddenly raised his voice.
“I have one more move. If Senior Brother can block it, I’ll surrender immediately!”
“Good! I’ll be waiting!” Si Xing replied.
Li Fan suppressed his momentum.
After a moment, he said to his second senior brother, Lingxiao, “Senior Brother Lingxiao, please lend me your brush!”
“Ah?” Lingxiao was initially stunned.
“Oh, alright!” Then, a brush flew towards him, which Li Fan grasped.
He poured his spiritual energy into it, and with a single stroke, he wrote in the air.
It was…
The character “乱” (Chaos).
The moment the character descended, terrifying cracks suddenly appeared on Li Fan’s body.
He could no longer maintain the form of a giant hand and reverted back to his humanoid puppet form, falling to the ground.
“This kind of consumption…”
Li Fan was slightly horrified.
The hard body made of special stones was disintegrating.
Many parts were shattering directly.
This was the divine power Li Fan had comprehended from the “Chaos Stone” in the Maze. Its power far exceeded his expectations.
The caster was suffering such terrible side effects.
Not to mention Senior Brother Si Xing, who was directly facing the “Chaos” character.
His Heavenly Form state retreated, and he emerged clumsily.
But in the face of “Chaos,” he was unable to move.
His spiritual energy went berserk, beyond his control.
His transformed object, the green blade, was also flying around like a headless chicken.
“Pu!”
Si Xing’s arm bent in an unnatural direction, and a look of horror flashed in his eyes.
Because he realized that this change was about to happen all over his body.
“Enough!”
At that critical moment, Guang Yangzi finally intervened.
His transformed object was a willow tree.
The green willow stood in front of Si XIng, its branches wildly whipping around.
After a long time, everything gradually calmed down.
The willow tree disappeared, and the back of Guang Yangzi’s hand, which was hidden behind his back, trembled slightly.
Si Xing looked at Li Fan, who was also severely injured and lying on the ground, his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.
“You won, Junior Brother,” he said softly.
Li Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Tian Yang, that move you just…” Guang Yangzi looked at his junior disciple, unable to finish his sentence.
After a moment, he sighed and gave up asking.
“Never mind. I can see that you have a big secret.
But you’re willing to join our Body Transformation Dao, which is a blessing for our declining sect.”
Guang Yangzi, disheartened, waved his hand and left.
Si Xing, for a while, didn’t know what to say.
Only Second Senior Brother Lingxiao was shouting and fussing, hurriedly treating Li Fan’s wounds.
…
A puppet body, as long as there were enough materials, could easily heal from even the most serious injuries.
Lingxiao went back to the market and returned shortly after, and Li Fan was healed.
Under the gaze of Master Guang Yangzi and his three senior brothers, Li Fan, accompanied by the Summoning Immortal Envoy who had come to urge him on, left the Body Transformation Dao.
He set off for the battlefield.
The surrounding scenery suddenly froze.
Then, like shattered glass, it exploded.
Turning into specks of light, they all poured into Li Fan’s mind.
Thousands of years ago, Tian Yang True Man’s memories, clear and vivid, surfaced.
Including the “Transforming into Others at Will” technique, the puppet-making methods, and even the “Earthfire Ascending Yuan Formation” for refining and upgrading puppet levels, all of them were as if he had experienced them personally, firmly imprinted in his memory.
But Li Fan had no time to examine these things at the moment.
Because his mind was completely captured by the prompt from “Truth.”
“Though dead, still alive, true spirit undying.”
“Transforming into Objects, traversing the ages.”
“The “Overhaul” function has been unlocked.”