“That was quite an interesting experience,” Li Fan said with a slight smile after listening.
“In the Fallen Immortal Realm, apart from the original world, there are countless other derivative time-spaces. This time was just a matter of bad luck. If you still want to try your luck, Elder Liu, you can enter again after some time,” Li Fan explained.
Liu San let out a long sigh and said, “I’ve come to terms with it. The past is gone. Even if I were to see him again, so what? In the eyes of the sect master, I am no longer that loyal old servant. I will leave it to fate. It’s better to focus my energy on reviving the Medicine King Sect.”
“There are countless opportunities within the Fallen Immortal Realm. Why not let the disciples try their luck as well? Otherwise, keeping them from going out for so long will stifle them,” Liu San suddenly suggested.
Li Fan had no objections.
Over the next period, the people of the Medicine King Sect devoted themselves wholeheartedly to building their new sect within Longevity Valley.
The general layout still followed that of the former Medicine King Sect, with structures rising one after another.
Seeing the familiar scene slowly taking shape again before them, Liu San and the disciples were filled with excitement and joy.
Meanwhile, outside their world, something unexpected occurred.
Logically speaking, the complete annihilation of an entire region should have been an event that cultivators would discuss for a long time.
However, in this lifetime, perhaps due to the sheer magnitude of the disaster, both the suppression of information and the speed at which people forgot the catastrophe far surpassed previous cycles.
Li Fan disguised himself as a passerby and gathered some information, only to find that in less than a month, memories of the countless beings within Congyun Sea had faded from the world.
Even if someone occasionally mentioned it, they only recalled it as something that happened “a long time ago.”
“The power of the Carefree Heavenly Sovereign is truly both awe-inspiring and terrifying.”
Even as someone who personally witnessed the event, Li Fan’s own memory of it had started to blur. Fortunately, with the secret technique [Transformation of the Divine Dao], he could constantly remind himself of the truth.
Currently, the hottest topic in the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance was not the destruction of Congyun Sea but rather the sudden emergence of a group of mysterious cultivators from the White Mist.
These attackers looted and destroyed without restraint.
They came and went like the wind, highly trained, and seemed to be extremely familiar with the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance. They specifically targeted strongholds and fortresses rich in special resources.
Moreover, they never engaged in prolonged battles. As soon as reinforcements arrived, they would immediately retreat into the White Mist.
The Samantabhadra True Boat, which could greatly reduce the corrosive effects of the Devouring Essence White Mist, was still a rare item within the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance. Not every cultivator had access to one. As a result, they could only watch helplessly as these raiders vanished into the mist.
What? Chase them down at all costs?
Fellow Daoist, how much is your yearly salary? Why would you risk your life for this?
Just report it, and let the officials handle it.
As a result, in no time, the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance was flooded with reports of attacks from various regions.
Naturally, the Alliance was furious.
Since the establishment of its dominance over half of the Xuanhuang Realm, it had never experienced such blatant humiliation on its own territory.
In response, they dispatched specialized cultivators to investigate the attacked locations.
However, the attackers were incredibly experienced, leaving behind no traces or evidence.
Instead, they simply avoided the areas where investigation teams were stationed and continued their attacks elsewhere, striking like phantoms.
Such open provocation completely enraged the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance.
Squads of black-clad cultivators, brimming with killing intent, were transported to various regions via teleportation formation. They vowed to capture these criminals at all costs.
Yet, after this large-scale deployment, the raiders vanished entirely, as if they had never existed.
The Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance had prepared extensively, only to punch empty air. It was beyond frustrating!
Eventually, they had no choice but to continue patrols in various regions for a while. After capturing a few suspicious rogue cultivators as scapegoats, they hastily concluded the operation.
As for the true identities of these raiders, the first suspect in the eyes of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance was naturally the Five Elders Association.
However, accusations of this magnitude required evidence—especially since such claims could easily reignite a war between the two factions.
Before the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance could make any statement, the Five Elders Association had already spoken.
They expressed regret and sympathy for the attack suffered within the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s territory. Furthermore, they proposed, in the spirit of the mutual agreement for peaceful coexistence, that if the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance had any difficulties handling the matter, the Five Elders Association could send specialists to assist in the investigation.
There was no way the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance would agree to this. They strongly suspected that the attacks had been orchestrated by the Five Elders Association, who were now feigning concern just to further disgust them.
However, since they had not been able to find any conclusive evidence, the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance could do nothing but silently suffer the loss.
Not only could they not retaliate against the Five Elders Association, but they also had to begrudgingly express gratitude for their concern.
In this round of confrontation, the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance suffered a complete defeat.
As a direct consequence, the alliance started taking the Samantabhadra True Boat, which could freely traverse the White Mist, much more seriously.
Orders were issued requiring every province to be equipped with a sufficient number of these vessels, along with regular patrols by cultivators outside the White Mist Barrier to guard against future sneak attacks.
To prevent another ambush.
This, in turn, led to a short-term surge in the price of Samantabhadra True Leaves, which had long remained at a low value.
Those cultivators who had been trapped in their investments finally made a significant recovery.
“Since they rule through contracts, it seems that the Five Elders Association does keep their word,” someone remarked.
“But they’ve also gained quite a lot this time.”
Scanning through the estimated property losses circulated privately among the people, Li Fan smiled and thought to himself.
“With such a dramatic event, the matters of Congyun Sea are nearly forgotten.”
“Probably in another year, once the atmosphere calms down, I can gradually send the disciples of Medicine King Sect back to the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance.”
Letting out a deep breath, Li Fan adjusted himself to his optimal state before stepping into the newly constructed sect’s main hall within the valley.
He performed a talisman seal, activating the entrance to the underground secluded chamber beneath the main hall, and then sealed the doorway behind him.
Taking out an ice-blue pill, it was none other than Liu San’s refined “Supreme Emotionless Pill”. Li Fan consumed it.
A familiar sensation surged through him as he initiated the ritual.
“Blessings to the Celestial Venerable Of Xuanhuang!”
He muttered softly. The next moment, a slight dizziness washed over him.
However, unlike before, he did not immediately enter the Fallen Immortal Realm. Instead, it felt as though he had arrived in a distorted transparent bubble.
In front of him, two constantly flickering scenes appeared.
Both were familiar to Li Fan.
One was [Ningyuan’s Longevity Fruit], and the other was [The Beast-Taming Sect’s Upheaval]—both events he had previously experienced in the Fallen Immortal Realm!
“So, I can freely choose which scene to enter… Is this the effect of the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Mantra?” Li Fan mused.
Without much hesitation, he chose to return to the [Beast-Taming Sect’s Upheaval] scene.
In an instant, the light and shadow in front of him surged toward him.
The surroundings became clearer.
“Sigh, I wonder when Senior Brother Lu Ya will return.”
A slightly dejected voice from Xu Ke reached Li Fan’s ears.