Li Fan speculated that within the white mist, besides the remnants of ancient cultivation worlds, there might also be the remains of other cultivation realms.
After all, no one truly knew how many worlds the Xuanhuang Realm had absorbed over the years to delay being devoured by the Immortal Ruins. Even the Xuanhuang Realm itself had undergone drastic changes, as if it had expanded in size. Not to mention the white mist barrier, which seemed to be a buffer zone where worlds merged.
However, for Li Fan, though the white mist was full of dangers, its actual level of threat might not necessarily surpass that of the Xuanhuang Realm itself.
The Xuanhuang Realm hid too many terrifying entities. Since Li Fan’s reincarnation, he had encountered beings such as the Heavenly Physician, Ruomu, and the mysterious Heavenly Palm. Each time, he barely escaped with his life. Who knew how many other hidden powerhouses still lurked in the shadows?
In comparison, while the white mist was perilous, most of the danger came from the Devouring Essence Mist itself. Even if he encountered eerie and terrifying entities, they would not be as overwhelmingly powerful as the great cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm, who could prevent him from even using his [Truth] ability.
“Compared to the Xuanhuang Realm, the white mist is like the corpse of a dead cultivation world. And the living are often more terrifying than the dead.”
“With my clone Xu Bai handling the planning for the later chapters of the ‘Mountain Sitting Technique,’ there shouldn’t be any major issues. My true body can take this opportunity to explore the white mist and see what the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance is up to.”
Clearing his thoughts, Li Fan used his past life’s experience to purchase useful supplies from the Tianxuan Mirror.
For example:
Black Death Talisman – A necessary item to resist the Devouring Essence Mist’s effects and allow movement within the white mist.
Various spirit pills and elixirs to rapidly replenish internal spiritual energy.
Li Fan keenly noticed that the prices of these items had been steadily rising in recent times. The Black Death Talisman, in particular, had silently doubled in price. It was clear that a significant number of people were already aware of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s plan to send cultivators into the white mist and were taking advantage of the last moments to profit.
Among all these supplies, the price increase of longevity-related treasures was the most astonishing, with most of them tripling or even quadrupling in price. Longevity-enhancing items had always been rare and expensive.
After consuming one, a cultivator would need to find a different type for further effect. This made them highly sought after, often commanding exorbitant prices and always being in short supply.
Now that the era of white mist exploration was approaching, these longevity treasures had essentially become life-saving artifacts against the Devouring Essence Mist.
In his previous life, Li Fan had been trapped in the white mist and had barely escaped. However, he had stayed inside for too long. By the time he returned to the Eternal Immortal Stronghold, he had aged drastically. If he had possessed Longevity Pills back then, he could have avoided such a fate.
Other cultivators did not have the luxury of Li Fan’s ability to restart. It was only natural to stock up on life-saving resources to ensure survival.
Glancing at the over one hundred Longevity Pills that Liu San had prepared for him, Li Fan, who was not lacking in contribution points, had no intention of selling them. Instead, he planned to use them at critical moments.
“It’s a pity that at this point in time, Zhong Shentong has yet to rise to fame. I’ve searched for a long time, but I haven’t been able to find any trace of him. Otherwise, if I could learn his Seven-Colored Divine Light technique, moving around would be much easier. As for his incomplete manuscript of the ‘Life and Death Profound Art’… I’ll wait until I have the opportunity to obtain the full version.”
Time passed quickly.
The next day, Li Fan met up again with Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao.
As promised, Li Fan took out the large batch of supplies he had purchased and handed them over to them.
“Damn, brother, you’re really generous!” Dongfang Yao grinned widely as he happily accepted the storage ring filled to the brim with supplies.
Huangfu Song glanced at the ring, his face showing surprise. “Brother Li, you’ve truly gone all out!”
“Since we’ve agreed to explore the white mist together, we must make thorough preparations. A little money is nothing compared to our lives,” Li Fan said casually, waving off their concerns.
“Besides that, I also prepared these.”
Li Fan’s expression turned serious as he took out two jade bottles and handed them over.
Huangfu Song and his companion took the items and opened them. Inside, they saw three pills emitting a faint cyan glow.
The enticing fragrance of the pills filled the air, making it almost impossible for them to resist the urge to swallow them immediately.
Both of their expressions changed slightly, and they spoke in unison, “Longevity Pills?”
Li Fan nodded slightly, lowered his voice, and whispered, “I went through great effort to obtain these. These pills are called ‘Longevity Pills.’ Each one can extend life by two hundred years. What’s even more remarkable is that they can be taken multiple times. Although the effect gradually diminishes, it is said that within ten doses, it can still guarantee an additional hundred years of life.”
Upon hearing this, Huangfu Song and his companion immediately realized the immense value of the Longevity Pills.
Without hesitation, they carefully stored the jade bottle and looked at Li Fan with deep emotion. “Brother Li…”
Li Fan smiled slightly and raised his hand to interrupt them.
Huangfu Song’s expression fluctuated as if he was struggling internally. Finally, he gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind.
“Brothers, please wait a moment. I will be back shortly.”
Without waiting for Li Fan’s response, Huangfu Song hurriedly left the private room in the Dao-Discussion Tower. To an outsider, it might have looked like he had taken the items and fled.
However, neither Dongfang Yao nor Li Fan showed any such suspicion.
They remained calmly waiting in the room with unwavering patience.
Dongfang Yao had known Huangfu Song for many years and was well aware of his character, so he had no concerns. However, the fact that Li Fan remained just as composed left him quite impressed.
“Hehe, my judgment is truly excellent. Brother, you are indeed worth befriending!”
“In the White Mist, dangers lurk everywhere. If we cannot trust our companions, then what is the point of traveling together?” Li Fan responded indifferently, exuding an air of confidence.
However, as time dragged on and Huangfu Song still did not return, even after half a day, and his communication talisman remained unanswered, it seemed as if he had vanished from the world.
This time, even Dongfang Yao couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Yet, Li Fan remained as calm as ever, his demeanor unshaken.
Dongfang Yao couldn’t help but marvel at him.
The reason Li Fan remained so composed was not just because he understood Huangfu Song’s character and knew that he was not a short-sighted person. More importantly…
To Huangfu Song and his companion, these were extremely “precious” resources.
But in Li Fan’s eyes, they were nothing worth mentioning.
Another half-day passed, and by the time night had fallen, Huangfu Song finally returned, quietly slipping back into the room.
“Brother Li, since you have been so honest, I will take a leap of faith as well.”
“My brothers, take a look at this…”
After sealing the door, Huangfu Song set up an formation to prevent eavesdropping.
Then, with a solemn expression, he took out an ancient, square-shaped mirror from his robes and placed it in front of them.
“What in the world is this?” Dongfang Yao was completely puzzled.
Li Fan, however, was visibly shaken, his eyes locked onto the mirror in Huangfu Song’s hands.