-----------
This high quality machine translation is powered by: https:// geriatrictranslations.com/
Special Permission was given to upload the novel on WebNovel.
Geriatric Translations can be supported on patreon (https://www. patreon.com/geriatricvibes) where additional chapters can be enjoyed.
You can also join the Geriatric Translations Community on Discord to connect with other readers: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------
"All the mortals on the island have vanished. The city, once bustling with people, is now overgrown with lush, towering trees, resembling a primeval forest."
"The branches of these trees are laden with fruits that bear human faces."
"A gentle breeze stirs, and the faces on the fruits flash eerie smiles."
As He Zhenghao spoke, Li Fan could almost see countless faces smiling at him.
Recalling that he had just eaten one of these fruits, Li Fan couldn't help but shiver with goosebumps.
He Zhenghao continued his story.
"After the initial shock, the Golden Core Guardian regained his composure and went down to investigate the city."
"Not a single mortal survived; they all turned into Smiling Face Fruits. However, the Guardian couldn't figure out why this bizarre event occurred. So, he reported it."
"The Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals sent specialists to investigate, but no one knows what they concluded. Later, all the trees in the city were cut down, and the city was restored to its original appearance. The Smiling Face Fruits, as if nothing had happened, continued to live in the city as before."
"Generation after generation, they have proliferated to this day. The Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals has also built a great array here, assigning specialists to guard and harvest the fruits."
After listening, Li Fan couldn't help but say, "So, it seems the Taian Fruits are actually people?"
He Zhenghao shook his head. "How can they be people? They have no consciousness and act purely on instinct. If anything, they only retain some lingering human desires."
Li Fan pondered for a moment but ultimately didn't argue.
The matter was too strange, and he didn't know how to categorize these Taian Fruits.
However, once their life-extending properties were discovered by cultivators, none of this mattered.
Forget the Taian Fruits; even real mortals would face the same fate if eating them could extend one's lifespan.
Li Fan fell into deep thought.
He Zhenghao, lost in his own thoughts, also fell silent.
After a long while, both of them came back to their senses.
Next, He Zhenghao briefed Li Fan on the important matters to keep in mind while guarding the island.
Li Fan remembered everything carefully.
"The great array covers the entire island, and each time it operates, it draws a small amount of essence from the mortals within."
"The amount drawn is minimal and has no significant impact on the mortals. However, when these essences accumulate, they become quite substantial."
"These essences, after being transformed, can enhance the spiritual energy concentration within the array."
"Therefore, cultivating within the Island Protection Array is not as efficient as using the auxiliary cultivation mode in the Heavenly Profound Mirror, but it is still much faster than in the ordinary world."
Finally, He Zhenghao, with a hint of pride, shared a secret known only to those who had guarded the island.
After another round of instructions and advising Li Fan to contact him if any issues arose, He Zhenghao left leisurely.
Li Fan, holding the guardian token, felt his divine sense instantly cover the entire island under the array's enhancement.
The ordinary mortals on the island and the Taian Fruits in the central core array were all living their lives busily.
After observing for a long time, Li Fan sighed.
"Extracting the marrow from the bones of the world to serve cultivation."
If he could, Li Fan would naturally want to do something. Unfortunately, he was still just a lowly Qi Condensation Stage cultivator.
For now, the only thing he could do was to focus on his cultivation.
Li Fan suppressed his various thoughts.
From then on, Li Fan settled down on Taian Island.
It must be said that the position of island guardian was relatively easy for True Illusion.
The mortals on the island dared not disturb the immortal master.
All Li Fan needed to do was to check the Island Protection Array periodically to ensure it was functioning properly, harvest and preserve the mature Taian Fruits, and handle other trivial matters.
The rest of the time, Li Fan could use as he pleased.
Naturally, he devoted himself entirely to his cultivation.
*One Hundred Techniques for Using Spirit Qi*, *Introduction to Spells*, *Secret to Winning in Spell Duels — Strike First*, *Surviving is Victory*, *Speed is Unbreakable*...
Starting from these basic cultivation knowledge, Li Fan gradually mastered some simple spells.
Such as the Breath Concealment Technique, Feigned Death Technique, Wind Control Technique, Giant Strength Technique, and so on.
During his studies, Li Fan couldn't help but marvel at the extent to which the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals protected their knowledge monopoly.
The knowledge purchased from the Heavenly Profound Realm could be learned and used by oneself, but teaching it to others after learning was not allowed.
Unless one's strength surpassed that of the Heavenly Profound Mirror, one could naturally break through the restrictions embedded within.
Li Fan didn't know the exact strength of the Heavenly Profound Mirror, but from a logical standpoint, it should be at least on par with a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator.
The power of a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator was far beyond Li Fan's current comprehension.
So, despite his many grievances, he could only temporarily accept the reality.
After finishing these books, Li Fan began to attempt reading about alchemy, artifact refinement, and array formation.
Compared to the spell section, these contents were far more complex.
With countless threads, Li Fan didn't know where to start.
Just reading through the basics of alchemy in *Preliminary Understanding of Alchemy*—the identification and analysis of various herbs—Li Fan spent nearly two weeks.
Let alone the subsequent sections on choosing and controlling the alchemical fire, refining the alchemical furnace, and practical alchemy, which Li Fan estimated would take at least a year or two to complete.
Knowing that these skills often required a master to guide one, Li Fan, after much deliberation, finally decided to temporarily give up.
Thus, he set aside his miscellaneous thoughts and began to cultivate the *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter*.
This ancient Heavenly Mechanism Sect cultivation technique was extremely abstruse and vastly different from the *Lesser Derivation Water Technique* Li Fan had previously cultivated, as if they belonged to entirely different systems.
Even with the constant aid of the Luli Pearl to enhance his comprehension, Li Fan spent nearly half a year just to barely grasp the basics.
The hardships he endured made Li Fan momentarily consider going to the Heavenly Profound Mirror to cultivate the *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter* under the super auxiliary cultivation mode.
However, he ultimately suppressed this thought.
In the end, Li Fan still couldn't fully trust the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.
From their actions, it was clear that the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals was not a benevolent organization.
If they became interested in the Heavenly Profound Realm, exposing the Nascent Soul Technique would be one thing, but exposing the existence of True Illusion would be truly catastrophic.
Therefore, Li Fan preferred to cultivate slowly on his own.
Thus, a year passed.
Li Fan returned to Myriad Immortals Island, received his reward for the temporary guardianship—800 contribution points—and then exchanged for the Late Qi Condensation Stage part of the *Lesser Derivation Water Technique*.
After cultivating for five days under the auxiliary cultivation mode of the Heavenly Profound Mirror, he reluctantly returned to Taian Island.
The five days of rapid cultivation made Li Fan feel that he was on the verge of reaching the Late Qi Condensation Stage.
(End of Chapter)