The spiritual energy surged and slowly condensed into three human figures at the center of the Taoist platform. They were indistinct, and it was impossible to make out any features.
Lu Fan observed the three people with curiosity. It was without a doubt that these three individuals were the lucky ones chosen by the Taoist platform to enter.
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. It seemed like the authority of the "Taoist Platform" was becoming more and more interesting.
At this moment, a thought flashed through his mind. He recalled the summary in the "Qi Refining Chapter" of the "Creating Profound Qi Cultivation Method." Besides consuming soul strength to obtain spiritual energy, there was another way, which was to be connected to the "Taoist Platform."
Perhaps these three individuals pulled into the Taoist platform were the key to him obtaining spiritual energy.
With this realization, Lu Fan had two choices when facing these three people.
The first choice was to pretend to be a "victim" pulled into the Taoist platform, just like them.
The second choice was to rely on his understanding and control of the "Taoist Platform," forming a mysterious and unfathomable image in the minds of the three individuals, actively guiding them, and obtaining spiritual energy from them.
This idea quickly disappeared from Lu Fan's mind. There was no need to consider the first option since he had control over the Taoist platform. He didn't need to act clueless.
Therefore, with flickering thoughts, Lu Fan made the second choice.
He calmly sat in the center of the Yin-Yang Formation, radiating an aura of mystery and strangeness amidst the misty spiritual energy.
"The Great Zhou Emperor, the Governor of Xijun..."
The prompt from the Taoist platform made Lu Fan's expression slightly peculiar.
If his speculation was correct, the current Great Zhou Emperor should be the newly enthroned eleven-year-old emperor who was heavily questioned by the feudal lords. And the Governor of Xijun was the leader of the rebel army that was inciting chaos and planning to resist the Great Zhou.
An emperor and a rebel leader, two people who would only meet in a real decisive battle, actually appeared in the Taoist platform in such a mysterious way.
Was it just a coincidence?
Or was it intentional by the Taoist platform?
...
"Where is this place?"
Yu Wenxiu frowned as he looked around. This strange world filled him with a sense of insecurity.
Although he felt uneasy, he had to maintain his dignity as the emperor.
However, when he opened his mouth to speak, he was shocked because his previously unbroken voice suddenly became filled with great maturity.
There were two more figures beside him, indistinct and unrecognizable.
Yu Wenxiu's gaze became more alert. He had been reading in his study, and in a blink of an eye, he was here. Who was able to silently abduct him from the heavily guarded Great Zhou Imperial Palace?
The other two individuals also seemed to be observing their surroundings.
Suddenly, a faint laughter echoed through the space.
"Awake already?"
The words resounded.
Both Yu Wenxiu and the other figure looked towards the center of the platform, where a skinny figure slowly stood up from a seated position.
As he stood up, a misty gas swirled around his body, creating a magnificent scene like a fairy in a myth.
"Where is this place?!" Yu Wenxiu hadn't even had a chance to ask when the other figure spoke.
"Don't make noise," Lu Fan raised his hand and made a slow gesture.
Buzz...
Suddenly, countless spiritual energies surged and intertwined to form a giant face that hung above the head of the figure who rudely interrupted. The giant face stared quietly, like a deity's gaze.
Xiang Shaoyun's body stiffened, his eyes wide open. The words he wanted to blurt out were suddenly cut off.
Lu Fan remained expressionless, his gaze deep as he tried to maintain a mysterious image in the minds of the three individuals.
"This is the Enigmatic Taoist Realm, the place where immortals are made. You have all gained the opportunity to become immortals. Remember, within the Enigmatic Taoist Realm, do not reveal your true identities, lest it provoke the backlash of the heavens and condemn you to the Nine Hells."
Lu Fan said calmly.
After his words fell, Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun were both shocked beyond measure.
The Enigmatic Taoist Realm?
The place where immortals are made?
As for Nie Changqing, the boss of the pork stall, he chuckled, "Where in the world are there immortals? It's just tricks..."
Lu Fan glanced at Nie Changqing. This person, who had been selected by the Taoist platform as the boss of a pork stall, was definitely exceptional.
Nie Changqing squinted at Lu Fan and said, "I don't care if you're immortal or not. I still have twelve pigs to slaughter, and I don't have time to listen to your blah blah."
Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun fell silent.
Lu Fan raised an eyebrow, but still maintained his elegance and mystery.
"Don't worry. Since the collapse of the Heavenly Path and the closure of the path to immortality, there have been no more seekers of immortality in the world. Your appearance signifies the reopening of the path to immortality and the coming of a great era of spiritual revival. Those who can enter the path to immortality are all extraordinary," Lu Fan said slowly, his voice surrounded by lingering spiritual energy, giving him an ethereal and profound appearance.
These words shocked Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun.
They felt that Lu Fan's eyes seemed full of playfulness and worldly wisdom.
Could it be that Lu Fan recognized their identities?
Yu Wenxiu was the current Emperor of Da Zhou, while Xiang Shaoyun was the leader of the rebel army, the head of the rebellion in the twelve prefectures. These identities were naturally outstanding in the mortal world, and could even be said to be at the pinnacle of life.
Even Nie Changqing, the owner of the pork shop, fell silent.
Although he was just a pig slaughterer, he was the top pig slaughterer in Beiluo City, known for killing each little piglet with a single knife. He was indeed extraordinary.
Lu Fan smiled with satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
If at this moment there was an immortal pavilion built in the clouds to accompany his performance, it would be even more perfect.
However, his idea had just formed when glyphs started floating and flickering before his eyes.
They moved according to his will, forming strange combinations.
Everything around began to change.
Yu Wenxiu, Xiang Shaoyun, and Nie Changqing all felt the changes around them. They looked around in surprise as the surroundings changed, and the dark space outside the stage disappeared.
Pavilions and buildings rose from the ground, appearing deep in the clouds, creating an unprecedented impact on their minds.
"In the heavens, there is the White Jade Capital, with its twelve floors and five cities."
"The immortal touches your hair, and you will receive eternal life."
A voice full of immortality echoed between heaven and earth.
Although Lu Fan was also shocked by this operation, he couldn't miss the opportunity to show off. He maintained a calm expression and even recited a poem, adding a touch of mystery.
His words seemed ethereal and elegant, as if wandering between heaven and earth.
Then, three ** appeared out of thin air.
Xiang Shaoyun, Yu Wenxiu, and Nie Changqing obediently sat on the **. The appearance of the unknown object gave them an unprecedented shock to their souls. At this moment... they needed calm.
The buildings in the clouds, the elegant immortals...
Was this a dream?
Lu Fan had a smile on his lips.
This might be the feeling of showing off, as the legends said.
Lu Fan glanced at the three of them and slowly spoke, "I know you are shocked, puzzled, and find it hard to accept."
"But being able to enter the path to immortality... you must have been legless mortals in your previous lives."
Legless mortals? The three people sitting on the ** looked at each other.
What kind of nonsense was this?
Lu Fan coughed lightly. It was his first time pretending to be an immortal, and he got carried away.
"I have chosen you as the ones with immortal luck. With the return of the immortal realm and the revival of heaven and earth, I will conduct the usual ceremony for you to receive your immortal luck," Lu Fan said casually.
Although the spiritual energy in the Taoist platform couldn't be absorbed or refined, Lu Fan could control it in various ways. In the Taoist platform, he could control the overwhelming spiritual energy, making him truly resemble an immortal.
He raised his hand, and the rolling spiritual energy turned into a flying five-clawed divine dragon and then into a flying spiritual energy phoenix, mysterious and unfathomable.
He was really serious about showing off.
The three people were dumbfounded.
After a while, Xiang Shaoyun finally spoke with a hoarse voice. His voice was deep, but it wasn't his original voice.
"Immortal, what kind of immortal luck can you give us? What do we need to give in return?"
"Or is all of this just an illusion created by the Yin Yang sect's charlatans?"
He was a true martial arts master, just like Lu Changkong. He only believed in qi and blood, not immortals.
Xiang Shaoyun narrowed his eyes.
"The spiritual energy of heaven and earth has not yet recovered. Giving you the method of immortality would be useless..." Lu Fan said casually. He thought of the function of the Taoist platform in integrating, creating, and modifying cultivation techniques, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "If you can tell me the cultivation techniques, I can make some modifications so that you can cultivate using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."
Xiang Shaoyun sneered.
Yu Wenxiu shook his head and said, "Cultivation techniques are crucial to every martial artist and are related to their life and death. They can't be easily revealed. Are you trying to trick us with cultivation techniques?"
"If there are any flaws exposed during battle, it could be fatal."
Xiang Shaoyun glanced at Yu Wenxiu, arched his hand, and smiled, "Brother, we seem to share the same sentiments."
Yu Wenxiu also arched his hand and smiled gently. Though he couldn't see through the identity of the person in front of him, he had a strange feeling of sympathy and a sense of knowing each other too late.
Lu Fan looked at the two of them, who were flattering each other, and twitched his lips.
An emperor and a rebel leader.
What a coincidence.
If they knew each other's identities, they might strangle each other.
Lu Fan shook his head. He was somewhat looking forward to the expression on their faces when they discovered each other's identities.
Thinking about the appearance of these three individuals, he suddenly had a guess.
"System... If these three individuals cultivate spiritual energy, would it be related to me?" Lu Fan tried to ask.
He didn't expect the system to answer.
However, what surprised him was that the system actually popped up with a prompt.
"The chosen ones in the Taoist platform can exchange the spiritual energy they cultivate with the host through treasures and cultivation techniques."
Lu Fan's eyes lit up.
So... this was the secret of cultivating spiritual energy.
Giving them immortal luck now was like investing and waiting for a big catch?
His lips curled up slightly.
His heart suddenly became burning hot. So it turns out that cultivating spiritual energy could be done like this!
Of course, he still maintained his air of elegance and coldness on the surface, as if nothing had changed. His temperament was always perfect.
Looking at Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun, who were still sympathizing with each other...
Lu Fan's mind moved.
Suddenly, he disappeared from where he was.
In reality, he was just a worthless fighter, but in the Taoist platform, he was like a true god.
When he appeared again, he was in front of Xiang Shaoyun and Yu Wenxiu.
The middle fingers of both his hands were pressed against the tips of his thumbs, hovering in front of Xiang Shaoyun and Yu Wenxiu's foreheads.
"There was once a sincere opportunity for great immortal luck right in front of you, but you didn't know how to cherish it," Lu Fan said calmly.
Profound and unfathomable.
"But since that's the case, then I shall bestow upon you ordinary divine luck. Don't regret it in the future."
In the next moment...
He flicked his fingers.
"Bang!"
Activating the permission [Release Spiritual Energy].
Target: Xiang Shaoyun, Yu Wenxiu.