Regardless of the circumstances, the Immortal Alliance's plan ultimately succeeded. They not only killed several Unity Realm cultivators from the Five Elders' Association but also successfully exposed the spy, Ziqiong, the Immortal Ascension Supreme. It was a way to vent their frustration.
On the other hand, the Five Elders' Association, faced with this bloody reality, could only accept defeat.
The Heavenly Spirit State Battle and the ambush in Tianyu State resulted in each side losing one round. The losses of Unity Realm cultivators would take time to recover. With both the Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders' Association wounded, it was foreseeable that a relatively long period of peace was imminent.
For the majority of cultivators, this was a good thing. The shadow of war gradually dissipated, and Jiao Xiuyuan's small Medicine King Cauldron auction, delayed until the end of the 23rd year, was finally held.
Li Fan didn't join the crowd.
However, it was said that the results were somewhat unsatisfactory. The first batch of four small cauldrons was sold, with each fetching a price of around a few hundred thousand contribution points. Apparently, doubts lingered about whether the meteor that fell from the sky was the true Medicine King Cauldron.
Even though Jiao Xiuyuan implemented Li Fan's strategy, promoting it everywhere, the results were minimal. Few cultivators were willing to spend a considerable amount of contribution points to gamble on a prosperous future. Most cultivators adhered to the principle of not acting recklessly unless there was clear benefit.
Despite the unfavorable start, Jiao Xiuyuan wasn't discouraged. On the one hand, he still had a considerable inventory of goods. On the other hand, even if the subsequent small cauldrons were sold at this price, he would still make a solid profit.
"I do business without greed. As long as there's profit, that's good enough," Jiao Xiuyuan said.
Li Fan just chuckled at this, neither approving nor disapproving.
Turning his attention back to his true self, the members of the Separation Realm who had peacefully stayed on the deserted island for more than ten years had grown into adults, gradually feeling a bit restless. Especially Su Xiaomei, who occasionally sneaked out for a stroll.
However, the mysterious disappearance of Ye Feipeng continued to cast a shadow over them. As a result, they didn't dare to venture too far from the deserted island, fearing detection by the cultivators of the Immortal Alliance and unforeseen encounters.
Li Fan checked the cultivation levels of several people. Su Xiaomei, Xiaoheng, and Zhang Haobo had all reached the Foundation Building stage, but there seemed to be a distance to break through to the Golden Core stage. The Yin sisters, with mediocre aptitude for cultivation, had only achieved the Qi Refining stage and had not yet built their foundation. Su Changyu's cultivation progress was the slowest, barely reaching the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
As for the comatose Ye Feipeng...
Li Fan found him a bit difficult to understand. Over the years, besides absorbing all the energy from the devouring storm, the chubby guy, unintentionally and unconsciously, practically circled the entire sea area along with the underwater dark currents.
During this process, Ye Feipeng's aura continuously strengthened. In theory, he had long surpassed the limit of building the foundation. Li Fan estimated that if he unleashed his full power, ordinary Golden Core cultivators wouldn't be his match.
It seemed like the Underwater Cloud Sea was nurturing Ye Feipeng in this unique way. This resulted in Ye Feipeng's strength growing to a level where he could ignore the gap between building the foundation and Golden Core.
Moreover, the giant beast phantom that occasionally appeared behind Ye Feipeng seemed more vivid and robust. It swam around him constantly, occasionally letting out a long roar, as if it could come to life at any moment.
Li Fan suddenly had a premonition.
Ye Feipeng's awakening was not far away.
In this manner, time slowly slips away.
In the blink of an eye, it has been anchored for 24 years.
On this day, Li Fan, who was immersed in closed-door cultivation, suddenly received a notification from the Tianxuan Mirror.
In the "Sitting and Discussing the Dao," Zhang Qianmo finally faced his first defeat!
"Could it be that 'I Am Invincible' has finally grasped the way to defeat the enemy?" Li Fan couldn't help but feel excited, thinking so.
Upon opening the "Sitting and Discussing the Dao," the result surprised Li Fan.
It wasn't "I Am Invincible" who defeated Zhang Qianmo, but another person.
A cultivator named "Zhong Shentong."
Moreover, Zhong Shentong was not a virtual creation but a real cultivator existing in the Xuanhuang Realm.
"Zhong Shentong..." Li Fan found it unbelievable.
Li Fan was well aware of Zhang Qianmo's capabilities.
In the Purple Dan state, he could effortlessly and gracefully kill Golden Core cultivators.
How did this Zhong Shentong, merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator, defeat Zhang Qianmo?
With this question in mind, Li Fan opened the combat replay.
In the void, Zhang Qianmo stood with a cold expression, hands behind his back.
Not far away, an old man with all white hair, dressed in Daoist robes, was smiling at him.
"Please enlighten me, young friend!" Zhong Shentong said politely, but his expression suddenly changed.
With a pointed finger, a sky full of blue light suddenly appeared above Zhang Qianmo's head.
The radiant light, like incredibly sharp flying swords, constantly pierced towards Zhang Qianmo.
Zhang Qianmo snorted, and the purple thunder of the Zixiao appeared beside him, striking directly at the incoming blue light.
The blue and purple clashed, annihilating each other and turning into nothingness.
Zhong Shentong's fingers continued to move.
Blue, purple, red, and crimson...
In an instant, various brilliant lights emerged endlessly, like a never-ending river, with an attacking momentum that never ceased.
The intensity was such that Zhang Qianmo could barely defend himself.
What's even more terrifying is that this colorful radiance seems to be neither a technique nor a magical treasure.
It's as if it consumes no energy at all. From the moment the attack is launched, there is no sign of weakening.
The outbreak of light even becomes more and more intense.
Gradually, wounds appeared on Zhang Qianmo's body.
Although they would quickly heal on their own, it still appeared quite embarrassing.
On the other hand, Zhong Shentong seemed to be at ease from start to finish.
"This seven-colored divine light is indeed extraordinary."
"Could it be that Zhong Shentong defeated Zhang Qianmo relying on this?" Li Fan analyzed in his mind.
"No, although the seven-colored divine light is incredibly destructive, it's still limited to the same realm. Once Zhang Qianmo reveals his Purple Dan form, I'm afraid even the defense can't be broken..."
Suddenly, Li Fan seemed to realize something, and his expression became serious.
He stared at the ongoing battle of Zhang Qianmo.
Wounds on his body bloomed like flowers, but in an instant, they were healed by the power surging from Zhang Qianmo's body.
With the continued progress of the battle, this process repeated endlessly.
As if it would never end.
However...
When the cultivation of a Foundation Establishment cultivator reaches its limit.
Although Zhang Qianmo's body contains far more spiritual energy than an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, it has not reached the point of boundless energy.
After the battle dragged on for one day, two days, three days.
The original power in his body finally began to deplete.
Therefore, Zhang Qianmo had to start using the energy stored in the Purple Dan.
When Li Fan cultivated the "Calamity Body" before, he speculated that the Purple Dan in Zhang Qianmo's body was a method used by the Zixiao Sect to contain and suppress cultivation.
Now it seems to be true.