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Sun Zhang glanced at Su Changyu and patiently explained, "For mortals to cultivate, they must remove the miasma from their bodies. You, who have returned from the Exile Land, have a much higher concentration of miasma than ordinary people. Therefore, if you don't remove the miasma, you cannot cultivate."
Su Changyu frowned and said, "We are already aware of this. I wonder how to remove the miasma?"
Sun Zhang replied, "There are several methods to remove miasma. One is the Purifying Spirit Pool on the island. Soaking in the spirit pool for a day and a night can completely remove the miasma from your body. Unfortunately, the materials required to activate the spirit pool are quite astonishing. Although Jade Island is wealthy, we can only activate it once every three years. Let me think, the last activation was a year ago, which means we have to wait about two more years for the next activation."
"Moreover, the number of spots in the spirit pool is limited, and the competition is fierce. You, as outsiders with no roots, have no chance of outcompeting the islanders." Sun Zhang shook his head and said.
"What about other methods?" Su Changyu continued to ask.
"The second method is to practice the Mystic Yellow Purifying Heart Spell, combined with specific medicines and diets. Over time, this can change your physical constitution and ultimately completely remove the miasma from your body. Although this method takes a long time, usually five to six years, it is stable and does not require any special sacrifices. The Mystic Yellow Purifying Heart Spell and the corresponding elixirs can be purchased from the island's apothecary."
"Five to six years…" Su Changyu murmured, then asked hopefully, "What else?"
"The third method is to become a Test Subject." At this point, Sun Zhang's face turned somewhat grim, as if he was struggling to suppress a deep-seated fear. However, he still answered Su Changyu.
"Test Subject?" Su Changyu was somewhat confused.
"Yes. Some Immortal Masters are very interested in the miasma in our mortal bodies. Every year, they select volunteers from the island's mortals to serve as Test Subjects. The Immortal Masters use special methods to continuously extract the miasma from the Test Subjects for research. It usually takes no more than a few months to completely remove the miasma from a Test Subject."
Thinking of something, Sun Zhang's face turned pale. "But the process is extremely painful. It's a state where you can neither live nor die. Most people cannot endure until the miasma is completely extracted and are driven mad by the torture."
"I do not recommend this method. It's not something that ordinary people can endure."
Su Changyu seemed to be considering Sun Zhang's advice. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Are there any other methods?"
Sun Zhang shook his head. "It is said that the direct mortal descendants of Immortal Masters can use Heavenly Treasures to reshape their bodies, not only eliminating the miasma but also improving their cultivation potential. However, such methods are beyond our imagination. Even the head of Jade Island does not have such treatment."
"That's all I know. If you truly wish to cultivate, consider your options carefully in the coming days."
After speaking, Sun Zhang noticed Su Changyu's somewhat dejected appearance and couldn't help but offer some encouragement. "I know you have endured great hardships to return from the Exile Land, all with the heart of pursuing the Dao. Who wasn't like that at the beginning?"
"Unfortunately, the path of immortality is extremely difficult. Even if you can remove the miasma, very few people can sense Heavenly Essence and draw qi into their bodies. Why trouble yourselves? Being a mortal is not so bad." Sun Zhang seemed to be comforting Su Changyu, but also himself.
"With the invisible nourishment of Heavenly Essence, even if you cannot cultivate, you will live longer than in the Exile Land. It will not have been in vain for your families to spend so much to send you out."
"Instead of bitterly pursuing the path of immortality, why not enjoy life, indulge in pleasure, and live in the moment."
…
After Sun Zhang finished speaking, he left.
The people present had various reactions. Some looked delighted, deeply agreeing with Sun Zhang's words, as if they had found an excuse for indulgence; others could not accept the difficulty of cultivation and burst into tears; still others looked worried, unsure of what to do…
Only Su Changyu's face was resolute, as if he had made a silent decision.
Seeing everyone's reactions, Li Fan felt a sense of resignation. The world is full of diverse people, each with their own path.
And each person's choice determines their completely different destiny.
Li Fan did not meddle in others' affairs and took the opportunity to leave quietly while everyone was distracted.
He inquired his way to the place on the island where free residences were distributed.
Li Fan showed his Spirit Talisman and was then led by a staff member to the residential area in the northern part of Jade Island.
There were countless houses here, some empty, others already occupied.
Most of these houses had only one room, but they had small courtyards surrounded by walls, which made them not look too shabby.
"The seventh house in the sixth row, this is it." Impatiently handing the key to Li Fan, the person hurriedly left.
Li Fan opened the gate, walked in, and closed the door behind him.
The room was quite simple, with only a bed and a few tables and chairs, which made Li Fan somewhat uncomfortable.
However, he did not care much about these external things. After a simple cleanup, Li Fan rested and began to ponder his next steps.
"Not a bad start, settling down without much effort. I owe this to those who left the Exile Land. Unfortunately, among them, only Su Changyu seems to have the heart of pursuing the Dao. The rest seem to be ordinary people, lacking the potential to achieve greatness."
"This place is a bit simple, but it's safe. I've already asked around; Jade Island has Immortal Masters sitting in, and it has been a long time since any bold and reckless people have caused trouble."
"The next priority is to remove the miasma from my body. Although the spots in the Purifying Spirit Pool are precious, the treasures I plundered from the Great Derivation Boat are countless. Forcing a spot should not be too difficult. The downside is that it will be too conspicuous. As the saying goes, 'Do not flaunt your wealth.' As an outsider with no roots, suddenly revealing so much wealth will certainly attract unwanted attention. I need to plan carefully."
…
Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted Li Fan's thoughts.
"Who is it?" Li Fan immediately became cautious.
"It's me." The voice was low and somewhat familiar.
Li Fan remained calm, took out the Great Derivation Boat, and retrieved a dagger, hiding it in his sleeve.
Opening the door a crack, Li Fan saw the person who had tried to chat him up earlier.
Li Fan decisively chose to close the door.
"Wait…" The young man quickly blocked the door and whispered, "You're not one of us from the Exile Land, are you?"
"What?" Li Fan was taken aback.
The young man took the opportunity to slip inside.
He sized up Li Fan and said with a sinister smile, "Who are you, and what's your purpose for infiltrating Jade Island?"
"How did you know I'm not from the Exile Land?" Li Fan countered.
The young man looked disdainful. "When we fell into the water, I vaguely saw your suspicious figure. At first, I thought it was an illusion, but after seeing your behavior last night, I became more suspicious and decided to keep an eye on you. When I saw you urgently seeking a residence, I secretly followed you to test you."
"Sure enough, my test revealed your true colors." The young man seemed quite pleased with himself.
"You are indeed sharp and observant." Li Fan nodded.
"Of course, besides me, those fools didn't notice a stranger had infiltrated."
"Are you sure no one else noticed this?" Li Fan asked.
"Of course! How can those fools compare to me…"
The young man's words were cut short.
Because a sharp dagger had already pierced through his chest.
Looking at the young man lying on the ground, Li Fan's face was expressionless.
(End of Chapter)