The underlying structure of the formation differed, but the sense of confinement and sealing everything off was identical.
Li Fan could even make a bold assumption: the inspiration for the Tianxuan Spirit-Locking Formation might very well have come from this ‘Xuantian Nether-Locking Formation’.
The term “Xuantian” was hard for Li Fan not to associate with the Xuantian Sect, which had long disappeared in the annals of history.
“Could it be that the strange occurrences in the world can be traced back to the time when the Xuantian Sect still existed?”
“Does this mean that even in the Fallen Immortal Realm, one could encounter strange anomalies?”
Li Fan pondered while studying the formation diagram, his thoughts wandering.
The formation diagram was crafted using some special technique and was encrypted with several restrictions, making it impossible for outsiders to view the complete structure of the Nether-Locking Formation.
It allowed those who were not skilled in formations to operate the formation in a simplified manner, outputting its effects externally.
“This is quite ingenious!” After studying it for a long time, Li Fan temporarily gave up on understanding the full structure of the Nether-Locking Formation and sighed in admiration.
While Li Fan was exhausting his efforts to build the floating city, far away in the “territory of the Five Elders Association”, a trace of consciousness attached to a puppet’s body was enduring some suffering.
Since arriving at the bamboo hut to listen to the scholar’s lectures, more than two months had passed.
He hadn’t gained much more insight into the specific situation of the Five Elders Association, but instead had been forced to memorize many legends about cultivators altering the world in the ‘Humane Heavenly Domain’.
Wang Linlang loved beauty and swore, “No one in the world shall see white hair.” As a result, in the Humane Heavenly Domain, even the elderly mortals had shiny black hair.
Yue Chengjin, abandoned by his lover, grew resentful and cursed, “All lovers shall become siblings.” This led to decades of tragic, forbidden love stories. Fortunately, the rule was reversed through the sincere wishes of a truly loving couple.
Qu Su loved fishing but often returned empty-handed, so he made a grand vow: all fish in the world would bite the bait upon seeing it. Thus, everyone became a master angler.
…
There were countless such tales. Initially, they were amusing, but after hearing them continuously for three months, it became unbearable.
Like the other cultivators in front of the bamboo pavilion, Li Fan found that he couldn’t control his body.
He couldn’t block out the scholar’s words and was forced to listen.
Li Fan even realized that everything the scholar said seemed to be deeply engraved in his mind, impossible to forget even if he tried.
Thus, everyone had a resentful look on their faces as they unwillingly accepted the scholar’s brainwashing.
Finally, one day, the scholar, who had been lecturing for so long, seemed to feel a bit fatigued.
He stood up and stretched lazily.
“As the saying goes, ‘Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.’ No matter how much I talk, it won’t compare to you experiencing it yourselves.”
The scholar looked at the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance present and smiled kindly. “I will give you three years. During these three years, you may freely visit any place under the jurisdiction of the Five Elders Association.”
“After three years, you will return here. At that time, I hope you will tell me your thoughts on the Five Elders Association.”
After speaking, the scholar turned and slowly walked into the bamboo house.
As the bamboo door slammed shut, the restrictions binding everyone vanished.
“What does this mean? Are we really free to leave?”
The cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance were puzzled and hesitant.
“Could this be some kind of trap?”
“You’re too jumpy, friend. We are already like fish on the chopping board, ready to be slaughtered. Do they even need to use tricks on us?”
“Hmph! Why belittle ourselves and boost the enemy’s morale?”
“Heh, in my opinion, as unpleasant as Brother Lu Fan’s words were, they made sense.”
…
Despite their chatter, none of them dared to move or leave the valley.
Li Fan shook his head slightly and ignored them.
He headed straight in the direction he came from, attracting the attention of everyone.
As he moved further away from the bamboo house, his compressed body slowly returned to normal.
Other than that, there was no obstruction.
After exiting the long tunnel and reaching outside the cave, Li Fan noticed that the armored cultivators guarding them earlier were nowhere to be seen.
He soared into the air, trying to locate the Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
But the area where the island once was was now completely empty, without a single trace left behind.
“I wonder if the Five Elders Association has found what they were looking for.”
Li Fan scanned the surroundings and couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness, as vast as the heavens and earth, not knowing where to go.
While feeling melancholic, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
He wasn’t the type to indulge in sorrow and sentimentality, so why was he having such thoughts now?
A flash of the scholar’s image crossed his mind.
Was it him?
Just as Li Fan was inwardly startled, he suddenly heard someone calling out from afar: “Brother Jiao! Brother Jiao!”
Startled, Li Fan realized they were calling him.
Looking towards the voice, he saw that it was the cultivator named Lu Fan.
“Brother Jiao, where are you headed? Why don’t we travel together?” Lu Fan had exited the cave and quickly found Li Fan, hurriedly catching up.
Seeing that Li Fan was staring at him without responding, Lu Fan explained, “The Five Elders Association’s territory is vast, no less than that of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. In a foreign land, it would be better to have someone to watch your back.”
“I heard that within the Five Elders Association’s domains, the “Carefree Paradise” is the most desirable place. Not only are there incredible pleasures, but there’s also a rare item called the ‘Carefree Crystal Grid’, which makes you feel as though you’re floating like an immortal, ascending to paradise…” Lu Fan spoke excitedly.
Li Fan stared at him for a moment and asked, “As I recall, Brother Lu was once a clerk in the Congyun Sea Administration. Having received the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance’s pay, now that you’re free again, why not think about returning home? Why do you seem so eager to join the Five Elders Association?”
Lu Fan froze at the question.
Cold sweat began to drip from his forehead, and his face turned deathly pale.
Seeing this, Li Fan knew the answer.
“So, it’s the scholar’s doing.”
“The Five Elders Association sure knows how to manipulate people’s minds.”
Lu Fan muttered to himself, “What a clever trick. If Brother Jiao hadn’t reminded me, I wouldn’t have realized it.”
After a moment of reflection, Lu Fan sighed deeply.
“No wonder the Five Elders Association is so confident in letting us go. Even though I now know my thoughts have been influenced, I still can’t change them.”
“Even though I know the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is my home, I can’t bring myself to want to return…”
Lu Fan was rambling, but suddenly realized that Li Fan had already flown far away.
“Brother Jiao, where are you going? Take me with you!”
“To the One-Heart Immortal Sect!” Li Fan replied without looking back.