Li Fan naturally wasn’t concerned that the long-hidden “Immortal Ancestor” would suddenly appear just because of a casual upward glance he made toward the sky.
And then confront him, asking:
“Little friend, what exactly are you looking at?”
In fact, what Li Fan cared about was something entirely different.
As the saying goes: “The more you try to cover something up, the more obvious it becomes.”
Only matters of great importance prompt one to resort to all sorts of means to hide them.
If someone truly didn’t care, why bother with any methods of concealment?
Throughout the thousands of years of the Xuanhuang Realm’s history, countless geniuses and exceptional figures have emerged.
Surely, many cultivators, like Li Fan just moments ago, must have had a stroke of serendipity, leading them to the brink of a profound realization.
This just shows that the Immortal Ancestor was actually a little wary of the cultivators from the Xuanhuang Realm understanding this matter…
The Immortal Ancestor, wielding the power of one individual, altered the course of heaven and earth, reshaping the balance between the old and the new cultivation methods.
For thousands of years, he subjugated the realm, forcing all cultivators to live as mere beasts of burden.
For such a figure to harbor even a shred of fear about something—how curious.
“Although it might not be outright fear, there is undoubtedly a concern in their mind,” Li Fan mused.
“Interesting…”
In an instant, Li Fan pieced together these insights and grew genuinely intrigued by the hidden secret behind it all.
“Perhaps, the way to counter the Immortal Ancestor lies within this mystery.”
“A secret may be able to deceive some people forever, or all people temporarily, but it can never deceive all people forever.”
“In the Xuanhuang Realm, I have plenty of time to uncover and extract it.”
“Besides, I may not be the only one involved.”
Li Fan gazed at the vast sky in silence.
As the saying goes: “If one does not plan for eternity, they cannot even plan for a moment.” The Immortal Ancestor of Dharma Transmission, standing as the most formidable obstacle on Li Fan’s path to immortality, was an adversary he would inevitably face.
To stumble upon even a minor flaw in their dominion, by sheer coincidence, was indeed fortunate for Li Fan.
“The world is always full of such coincidences. Just like how I was suddenly captured by the Xiumu and then inexplicably released.”
“Just like my sudden enlightenment moments ago…”
“Such occurrences cannot be avoided.”
“But my [Truth] ability can minimize the negative impacts of such coincidences while amplifying their beneficial outcomes infinitely.”
With his thoughts surging and settling, Li Fan calmed himself after a long time and refocused his attention on the sixteen golden cores before him.
After pondering for a while, Li Fan decided to return to the Congyun Sea through a teleportation formation.
Reusing an old tactic, he excavated a secret chamber deep beneath the seabed trench and hid inside.
This was done to avoid any potential spying by Daoist Ruomu.
Whether it was an illusion or purely psychological, upon returning to the Congyun Sea, Li Fan’s heart instantly felt much more at ease.
Holding his breath and calming his mind, he focused intently.
Li Fan laid out the remaining sixteen golden cores and chose one of slightly inferior quality. He fed it once again to [Truth].
As he had anticipated, after [Truth] absorbed the core, the charging progress for the sixth anchoring point showed no noticeable change.
“[Truth]’s appetite is only growing larger.”
“From Foundation Establishment treasures to Golden Cores.”
“Don’t tell me that it will next require Cave Heavens or the Marrow of Heaven itself?”
At this thought, Li Fan’s expression subtly changed.
Golden Cores could still be managed—there were ways to procure some.
If his strength advanced further, acquiring a few Cave Heavens shouldn’t be a big problem either.
But as for the Marrow of Heaven or the Spirit of Heaven and Earth…
These were intrinsic to the Xuanhuang Realm, and their quantities were finite.
Countless cultivators were already eagerly waiting for their appearance, and any sighting would incite a frenzy.
Where could he find enough of these for [Truth] to devour?
“The remaining anchoring points are few. This is troublesome.”
“I had initially planned to use one anchor after this life and then start anew at the Nascent Soul stage, gradually amassing strength through endless cycles.”
“But now, it seems I must be more cautious. After all, I already know the location of the [Root of Heaven and Earth]. Restarting wouldn’t be too difficult.”
…
As Li Fan pondered, he decided to stop feeding [Truth].
Instead, he picked up one of the remaining golden cores and held it in his hand to absorb it slowly.
Although it was a single-method golden core, it contained an extremely rare enchantment technique.
Related to mental power, it was exactly what Li Fan urgently needed to replenish.
The saying “One may use a stone from another mountain to sharpen their jade” proved true.
Although it wasn’t a defensive method, knowledge of mental attacks would provide invaluable insight. The next time he encountered such techniques, he would be better prepared.
For a deeper understanding, Li Fan drew upon the power of his Cave Heaven and reactivated the unique trait of the wondrous treasure [Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart].
In that instant, numerous revelations flooded his mind.
Immersed in these insights, Li Fan couldn’t help but feel elated.
Meanwhile, as Li Fan was secluded in contemplation, the Congyun Sea was far from peaceful.
Although the battle in the Tianling Prefecture had ended and cultivators were recuperating, a recent decree from the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance had stirred a commotion.
Due to the heavy losses in the war, the Alliance decided to sell all cultivation techniques at half price for the next year.
Even advanced techniques previously restricted by merit rankings were now unlocked.
No more rank restrictions—anyone with enough contribution points could purchase them directly.
Of course, some limitations remained.
Each individual could only purchase one technique, solely for personal cultivation. Reselling or transferring the technique in any form was strictly prohibited.
Violators would not only lose their cultivation rights to the technique but also face severe punishment.
For most cultivators, who previously couldn’t afford a single technique even by bankrupting themselves, these limitations seemed insignificant.
Their full attention was now captured by the dazzling list of techniques displayed in the Tianxuan Mirror.
Cultivation techniques are the foundation of immortality.
The quality of one’s technique directly determines their future prospects.
When these rare, high-level techniques entered the public view, the cultivators finally realized how inadequate their standard techniques were.
Opportunities like this were rare—missing out would mean regret.
Driven by envy, cultivators scrambled to calculate their contribution points and rushed to acquire their desired techniques.
At the same time, Congyun City became a gathering place for angry cultivators.
They surrounded the Bureau of Administration, demanding an explanation from He Zhenghao.
The reason was simple: during Li Fan’s previous fundraising plan, many had poured in their entire savings, leaving only a small reserve.
Now, they couldn’t afford to purchase techniques.
With rare techniques disappearing quickly, the cultivators grew increasingly frustrated and desperate.