The green slime covering the ground seemed to retain some form of self-awareness even after Sima Changkong’s death.
Like a writhing worm, it crawled slowly toward the surrounding area.
The hard surface of the Crystal Palace emitted a sizzling sound as it was corroded by the green slime.
Witnessing this terrifying scene, Li Fan couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
“What a domineering Mysterious Net!”
“It can even trace the medium trying to record it and obliterate the target.”
“Wait…” Realizing something, Li Fan’s expression changed.
He pulled out a blood-red talisman from his storage ring and concentrated his mind on it. “Daoist Sima, are you alright?”
He waited for a long time but received no response.
The Mysterious Net’s pursuit ability was frighteningly powerful.
Initially, Li Fan thought only the clone in the Congyun Sea was destroyed. But now, it seemed…
Sima Changkong’s fate was sealed.
The blood-red communication talisman was crafted with Sima Changkong’s own blood essence, a unique refinement.
As long as any of Sima Changkong’s Blood-Split Clones existed in the world, Li Fan could contact him through it.
But now, all his attempts to communicate were met with silence.
The outcome was clear.
The image of Sima Changkong’s laughter, discussions over wine, and philosophical debates with Li Fan remained vivid in his mind.
But life is unpredictable—here one moment, gone the next.
“Sima Changkong, farewell! I’ll find you in the next life for a drink!”
Li Fan didn’t feel overwhelming sadness; instead, he shook his head lightly, wielded the ‘Five Elements Annihilation Sword’, and destroyed the underwater Crystal Palace, creating a makeshift tomb for Sima Changkong.
“To achieve this level of destruction…”
“The Mysterious Net’s offensive power is even stronger than I remember from my previous life.”
“This is no half-finished product,” Li Fan said grimly.
Since the anchor point nine years ago, many Nascent Soul and higher-level cultivators from various states’ Tianji and Formation Halls were summoned to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters.
After that, there had been no news from them.
Later, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance issued a ‘Recruitment Order’, gathering the most talented formation masters from across the land.
Four years had passed since then, and now it seemed they had produced results.
“The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance has revealed their trump card. Let’s see how the Five Elders Association responds next.”
“With my earlier warning, they shouldn’t be entirely unprepared.”
“Unfortunately, the battlefield in Tianling Prefecture is too dangerous. The only one capable of live updates, Daoist Sima, has perished.”
“The detailed battle situation is still unclear,” Li Fan thought with a trace of regret.
However, one thing was certain: with a weapon like the Mysterious Net, the war in Tianling Prefecture was nearing its conclusion.
“It’s progressing faster than expected.”
“But for me, this is good news. I’ve already achieved Golden Core perfection. Everything is ready.”
“Once the war ends and the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance relocates the Five Elements Great Cave Heaven to their stronghold, I’ll explore Tianling Prefecture Void.”
Feedback from his many subordinates in the Congyun Sea continued to flow steadily into Li Fan’s dantian, stored within his ‘Calamity Body.’
The first Calamity Body was nearly complete.
At his current cultivation speed, Li Fan estimated, “If I break through to the Nascent Soul stage, I’ll likely reach mid-stage Nascent Soul shortly after.”
Shaking his head, he put aside his fantasies.
Before the war ended, caution was still the priority.
Li Fan decided not to seek a new location. Instead, he used the ‘Five Elements Annihilation Sword’ to carve out a cave dwelling deep in an ocean trench.
With formations and the ‘Sky-Shrouding Hand’ secret technique sealing the area, he finally felt secure.
Over the past year, Li Fan had also visited the Fallen Immortal Realm.
However, returning to the Beast Taming Sect from the Nanming Beast Mountain was a long journey.
Most of his time during that trip was spent on the road.
While cultivating the improved ‘Creation Furnace Technique’ taught by Mr.Bai, Li Fan, inhabiting Little Black, felt calm and focused.
But when he returned to the sect on Xiao Qing with Xu Ke, he discovered that Lu Ya and Emperor Sanmo were nowhere to be found.
Even when Li Fan left, they still hadn’t reappeared.
“There’s still half a year before the next entry.”
“Let’s prepare for forming my Nascent Soul first.”
As Dao Deviation Stone’s brilliance flickered in his mind, insights from countless Nascent Soul manuals resurfaced.
Revisiting them, comparing, and validating, Li Fan felt he gained even more.
Time flew in cultivation.
In the blink of an eye, three months passed.
While Li Fan’s true body immersed itself in meditation, one of his clones, Zhou Qingang, suddenly received an invitation card.
“Liu Yihang?” Li Fan’s expression shifted.
The ‘True Cauldron of Medicine King’ hadn’t returned.
Clearly, this Liu Yihang wasn’t the adopted son of the Medicine King Sect’s Master Liu Ruchen.
“In that case, he must be from the Five Elders Association,” Li Fan deduced.
In their previous transaction, Li Fan had asked the Five Elders Association to donate ten million contribution points under Liu Yihang’s alias to He Zhenghao.
Sure enough, Liu Yihang’s name appeared in the fundraising records.
“Something urgent must have happened.”
“They didn’t leave contact details before, yet now they risk exposure to seek me out.”
Li Fan opened the invitation card, memorized the meeting location, and then destroyed it with spiritual energy.
Late at night, he quietly set out alone.
The meeting point was on a mortal island 500 miles northwest of Congyun Immortal City.
At the island’s center stood a bamboo forest.
Within the forest was a humble hut.
Li Fan stepped inside and, upon seeing the figure within, his eyes narrowed.
“It’s him.”
Though the man concealed his appearance with secret techniques, Li Fan instantly recognized him as the Five Elders Association’s contact from their previous transaction regarding the ‘Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance Entrance Exam’.
“What should I call you?”
“During our last meeting, I didn’t even notice you weren’t the real Zhou Qingang.”
“Heh, when my boss told me, I was truly shocked,” the man said sarcastically.
“Did you risk so much to find me just to ask that?”
“Ridiculous!” Li Fan snorted, turning to leave.
The Five Elders cultivator’s expression changed instantly. “Wait!”
He hurried to block Li Fan, softening his tone. “Fellow Daoist, let’s talk things through…”
Li Fan gave him a sidelong glance before returning to his seat.
The Five Elders cultivator heaved a sigh of relief and explained his purpose for the meeting.
“The Xuantian Spirit-Sealing Formation Diagram?”
Li Fan squinted and immediately refused. “I don’t have it!”
Instead of being disappointed, the Five Elders cultivator seemed encouraged. “Daoist, you didn’t ask what the formation was but declined outright.”
“That only proves you know of it.”
“Please, you must help us!”
His tone was sincere and pleading.
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