If the Dao embodied by the "Crimson Flame" figure were quantified, it would be a mere blade of grass compared to the boundless, towering tree of Li Fan's knowledge. And as the tree swayed, the grass beneath followed suit.
The Celestial Soul Crimson Flame, harbinger of destruction for the inhabitants of the Congyun Sea, was now effortlessly contained within Li Fan.
"The previous burning of the sea didn't achieve the Xuanhuang World's goal, hence the recurrence," Li Fan mused, deciphering the Crimson Flame's purpose. "Like clearing a forest for farmland, it requires repeated burning to destroy the roots completely."
Images flooded his mind, less intense than the memories of "traversal," but still causing a throbbing pain. He endured, piecing together the fragmented visions.
"A fragment of the Heavenly Law Realm invading the Xuanhuang World. No wonder the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao wants it eradicated. But what is this Heavenly Law Realm? And why is it merging with the Xuanhuang World?"
As he delved deeper, a familiar pressure forced him to retreat.
"I need to be stronger to withstand this," he realized. "But it won't be long. This body is developing faster than I anticipated."
For fifty years, aside from Longevity and its associated effects, Li Fan's body hadn't displayed any other unique properties. But after encountering spiritual qi, its true potential was unlocked. He felt his power growing constantly, even without formal cultivation, solely through his body's instinctive absorption. He couldn't imagine how fast his progress would be once he began cultivating properly.
However, he was puzzled by the absorbed spiritual qi, which vanished without a trace instead of transforming into spiritual power. Instinct told him this wasn't a bad thing, so he set the question aside for now.
Lost in thought, Li Fan remained silent. Kou Hong and Daoist Xuan, understanding their place, continued their explanation.
"Twenty years ago, this was a vast ocean," Daoist Xuan said. "Then, a calamity struck, transforming the sea into land. Fortunately, the damage wasn't irreparable. Thanks to the efforts of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, this area has regained its vitality."
He pointed to a massive city floating in the distance. "Congyun Heaven City. Its City Lord is He Zhenghao. Originally a Congyun native, he survived the calamity and took charge of the reconstruction. He was appointed City Lord for his contributions."
"I hear He Zhenghao is quite a character. He has a powerful background. Many influential figures from the Alliance's central four regions attended his inauguration ceremony. It was quite the spectacle," Kou Hong added.
Daoist Xuan nodded. "With his background, he didn't need to become City Lord of such a remote area. Perhaps out of loyalty to his homeland, he did it anyway. The cultivators here admire him greatly. He's also known for his righteousness. If Senior wishes to join the Alliance, you could seek his help."
On their journey, Li Fan had fabricated a backstory, claiming to be a descendant of cultivators who migrated to the mortal small world. Kou Hong and Daoist Xuan, though curious about how he cultivated without spiritual qi, didn't pry. Perhaps he possessed a technique to inherit ancestral cultivation?
"As for us, we prefer freedom and don't wish to be bound by the Alliance's rules," Kou Hong added.
As they spoke, a familiar face appeared in Li Fan's mind.
"He Zhenghao… he seems amicable. Perhaps an old acquaintance. He would be a good starting point."
His primary reason for joining the Alliance wasn't to learn cultivation methods, but to gain access to the Heavenly Profound Mirror, a treasure he felt a deep connection to. He had even been its master!
"All transactions within the Alliance are conducted through the Heavenly Profound Mirror. With its power, I could control all resources."
"I wonder if my Mirror Master techniques still work."
It was worth a try, especially since it was just a part of his body he was risking.
Before departing for Congyun Heaven City, Li Fan looked at Kou Hong and Daoist Xuan.
"I'm still unsure of their purpose. But a contingency plan is always wise."
He flicked two droplets of his blood at their foreheads. The blood transformed into brilliant green light, radiating boundless life force that caused the surrounding vegetation to grow rapidly. It was less like blood and more like a celestial treasure.
As the blood entered their bodies, Kou Hong and Daoist Xuan felt a surge of vitality, their injuries healing and their Foundation Establishment treasures finally transforming.
Kou Hong's withered dragon branch blossomed into a magnificent tree, its branches swaying like a thousand dancing dragons.
The rust vanished from Daoist Xuan's sword, revealing a pristine blade radiating sharpness and longevity. Something powerful seemed to be gestating within it.
This miraculous transformation was Li Fan's doing. Kou Hong and Daoist Xuan were overwhelmed with gratitude, but before they could express their thanks, he vanished.
"Captured earlier, I thought we were doomed," Kou Hong said, his voice thick with emotion. "I never imagined our luck would turn around so dramatically."
"We must repay this kindness when our cultivation reaches greater heights," Daoist Xuan vowed.
They felt the misfortunes of their past lives wash away, replaced by a sense of destiny, a profound aura emanating from them. This subtle shift in their mindset, though insignificant now, would become increasingly prominent as their cultivation grew.
"Someone's coming," Kou Hong warned suddenly.
"Likely attracted by the commotion caused by Senior's gift. We can't reveal our treasures. Let's go."
They vanished into the Congyun forest. When other cultivators arrived, they found nothing.
In the main hall of Congyun Heaven City's administrative building, He Zhenghao frowned at the list in his hand.
"This makes no sense," he muttered. "Congyun ranked in the bottom ten again in the performance evaluation? If Xinxin hadn't leaked this list to me, I wouldn't have believed it!"
He studied the list again, sighing. "This isn't entirely my fault. Congyun is remote and suffered a devastating calamity. We've struggled to attract new residents, barely managing to maintain basic governance. How can we compete with other regions?"
"Take this, for example: the number of newly ascended Nascent Soul and higher cultivators. I'm only at the Nascent Soul stage myself! And the promised support from Alliance headquarters hasn't arrived."
He continued to complain until a light laugh interrupted him.
"Daddy, stop complaining. If it's too much, just come home and be a proper house husband. You were doing fine for a few years, then you had to prove yourself, pulling strings behind Mother's back to get this City Lord position. Now you regret it?"
He Zhenghao coughed awkwardly. "Xinxin, that's not fair. There's a bit of pride involved, but mostly, I want to rebuild Congyun. I've lived here most of my life."
He Xinxin just smiled.
He Zhenghao returned to the list, pondering his next course of action, when his daughter gasped.
He looked up to see a young man standing before them, seemingly out of thin air.
He Zhenghao's heart pounded. The administrative building was heavily guarded. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator couldn't infiltrate so silently. Who was this person?
Instinct took over. He bowed respectfully.
"Senior, may I ask…"
Li Fan looked at He Zhenghao's familiar face, his suspicions confirmed. This man seemed trustworthy, unlikely to be the one who caused his injuries.
"I wish to join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. I need your recommendation," Li Fan said.
"What?" He Zhenghao was stunned. A cultivator of such power, not already a member of the Alliance? Could he be from the Council of Five Elders?
His expression changed. Without hesitation, he unleashed his most powerful technique.
"Heavenly Net Grand Formation!"
Crisscrossing lines appeared in the hall, forming images of mountains and rivers that converged above Li Fan, attempting to suppress him.
To He Zhenghao's utter shock, the young man merely glanced at the formation, and it crumbled.
"Impossible!"
Despite his reputation as a house husband, He Zhenghao's talent in formations had earned him a place among the cultivators of the central four regions. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been appointed City Lord, despite his pleas. Even a small position held significant potential for profit. Only his integrity prevented him from exploiting it, further hindering Congyun's performance evaluation.
"If you won't recommend me, I'll go elsewhere," Li Fan repeated. "I believe recommending cultivators earns merit points, correct?"
Seeing He Zhenghao's hesitation, Li Fan opened his hand, revealing a miniature version of the Heavenly Net Grand Formation, shimmering like a speck of light. He blew on it, and it multiplied exponentially, filling his palm with countless miniature formations, each radiating immense power.
He Zhenghao recognized his own technique. If these formations detonated within Congyun Heaven City… the newly rebuilt city would be reduced to rubble.
(End of chapter)