According to the information provided by Jiao Xiuyuan earlier, Sikong Yi would visit this cave every once in a while. So, Li Fan decided to wait here.
Luck was on his side. Over ten days later, Li Fan, who was in cultivation, opened his eyes.
Sikong Yi and Baili Chen walked into their hidden cave without expression. When they saw Li Fan lying in ambush inside, their faces revealed expressions of astonishment and disbelief.
"You..."
Before a single word could be uttered, Li Fan's Binding Insect Technique captured them. Without further ado, he killed them on the spot.
After waiting for them to exhaust all their resurrection chances and completely disappear from the world, Li Fan put away the Stealing the Sun and Changing the Moon Token that had fallen to the ground and began to refine his clone.
In theory, the cultivation level of the clone would only lag behind the main body by a small realm. However, Li Fan discovered that to refine a Foundation Establishment stage clone, he still inevitably needed to add extraordinary treasures as materials.
"Perhaps the Stealing the Sun and Changing the Moon Technique was indeed powerful initially, but after learning the immortal techniques, it became somewhat redundant."
"No wonder the Stealing the Sun and Changing the Moon Sect has been declining generation by generation."
"Anyway, this clone is just for sacrificing, so I won't waste extraordinary treasures on it."
"A perfect Foundation Establishment level cultivation is sufficient."
After pondering for a while, Li Fan began the process of refining the clone. This was already the third time Li Fan had refined a clone, and he was quite adept at it.
Not long after, the clone reappeared in the world. After putting on clothes, the clone went to Lingyun Island on its own and joined the Immortal Alliance.
Li Fan didn't leave but took out the communication talisman from He Zhenghao and sent a message.
"He Daoist, I've been traveling outside these days. I heard some unfavorable rumors about you."
He Zhenghao replied quickly, "Unfavorable rumors? Hehe, Daoist must have been mistaken. I, He Zhenghao, have a wide network of connections, and my reputation is excellent. How could it be..."
"Oh? So, those rumors about you helping ordinary people cross the border are all false? It's really hateful, spreading malicious rumors! But the rumors are quite well-crafted, mentioning something about leaving the realm..."
*cough cough cough* Li Fan hadn't finished speaking when He Zhenghao's panicked voice came in. "Where did Daoist hear this?!"
"This matter requires further discussion. Do you have the time? Please take the trouble to come to my Luli Island." He Zhenghao's voice sounded somewhat serious.
"Hehe, I have time, I have time." Li Fan smiled, put away the communication talisman, and headed straight to Luli Island.
After leaving the teleportation array, He Zhenghao greeted him and immediately activated the Mountain and River Star Formation.
After studying formations for several decades, Li Fan's perspective had changed. The mountains and rivers above his head rotated like stars. The power of this formation was unexpectedly superior to the [Kan Ling Phantom Wave Formation] he had purchased.
"Your island protection formation is truly extraordinary!" Li Fan exclaimed.
"Oh? Daoist also understands formations?" He Zhenghao showed a hint of surprise upon hearing this.
"A little, just a little. However, the Dao of formations is vast and profound. Without a master's guidance, self-study is slow and limited." Li Fan sighed.
"Hehe, if Daoist doesn't mind, you can come to my place and discuss with me." He Zhenghao suddenly became energetic when talking about formations, forgetting the reason why he had invited Li Fan.
"It's not that I'm boasting. If we're only talking about formations and not cultivation, most Foundation Establishment realm formation masters on Lingyun Island might not be able to compare to me. Perhaps only Zhang Zhiliang, Gong Boyu, and a few others could barely surpass me."
"The Mountain and River Star Formation was mostly built by me personally." He Zhenghao confidently said.
Li Fan smiled and didn't respond. Instead, he asked, "Let's put the issue of formations aside. I wonder if my friend called me here regarding the matter of helping ordinary people cross the border?"
He Zhenghao's expression froze.
"Ah." He sighed.
"I won't hide it from Daoist. I did engage in some transactions to help ordinary people cross the border secretly. I always thought I covered it up well, but unexpectedly, the news leaked out. Daoist, where did you hear about it?" He Zhenghao looked full of sorrow and doubt.
"I was at the Fishing Auction recently. The rumors about Daoist were mentioned casually during a conversation. As for who specifically mentioned it, I don't know." Li Fan had already prepared his words and answered.
Upon hearing this, He Zhenghao's expression turned cold.
"Oh no! Every time there is a Fishing Auction, there are so many cultivators attending! The matter of me helping ordinary people cross the border might have already spread throughout the Misty Cloud Sea!" He Zhenghao sighed and said with a worried look.
"Hehe, Daoist doesn't need to scare yourself. Besides, it's just helping ordinary people return to the cultivation world. Although it's somewhat taboo, it's not a big deal. After all, you are a Foundation Establishment cultivator and also guarding an island. Can it be that the Immortal Alliance would really do something to you?" Li Fan was somewhat dismissive.
However, He Zhenghao shook his head repeatedly and sighed, "Daoist, you don't understand the situation. Helping people cross the border is not as simple as breaking a taboo."
"If we compare it seriously, the most serious consequence would be dealt with as the 'Crime of Betraying the Realm.' At that time, not only the Immortal Alliance, but even the Five Elders might not have a place for you."
Li Fan was truly stunned this time. "Crime of Betraying the Realm? How can it be so serious?"
He Zhenghao helplessly said, "It's all because of the farce that happened five hundred years ago."
With his explanation, Li Fan understood what was going on.
Originally, in the large migration plan, there were thousands of small worlds and caves where ordinary people migrated.
After thousands of years, these places, originally devoid of spiritual energy and considered desolate, had undergone various fortuitous events and given birth to extraordinary powers.
Some places experienced a resurgence of spiritual energy, while some ordinary people who crossed the border brought back methods to remove the Immortal and Mortal Miasma, reopening the path to immortality.
Some developed refining techniques, specializing in body cultivation. Their physical bodies were formidable, making the attacks of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators feel like scratching an itch.
Some, although still physically weak, mastered the method of communicating with spiritual beasts. By controlling spiritual beasts in battle, they could also unleash considerable combat power.
...
With resentment for being forcibly expelled from their homeland in the past, these small worlds, under someone's persuasion, unexpectedly reached a consensus.
They united and launched a counterattack against the cultivation world!
It was said that there were dozens of worlds responding at that time, creating a grand momentum.
The coalition of small worlds suddenly appeared, catching the cultivators of that time off guard.
"But after all, it was a mob. When the Daoist Sovereigns took action, they easily suppressed them!"
"The entire process didn't seem to have caused much damage to our cultivators."
"So, it was just a farce."
"Thinking about it, counterattacking the cultivation world. Hehe, how could that be possible!"
"However, because of this lesson, the Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders set rules."
He Zhenghao furrowed his brow, looking worried.
(End of this chapter)