231 Chapter 361-365: The Chaos Character Seals the Maze (6k+ words)
As time passed, it seemed that the broken stone lost its original power.
Li Fan paused for a moment, then held his breath and approached slowly.
Until he walked up to the broken stone, he didn't feel any change in himself.
However, Li Fan's vigilance remained high.
In this maze, various strange phenomena filled the area, and he couldn't afford to be careless.
Without touching the broken stone, he observed it carefully from a distance.
The broken stone was partially buried in the soil, forming a rough square with arms spread wide.
It had obvious signs of breakage along the edges, as if it had been deliberately cut from a complete stone.
"The 'chaos' character should have other characters engraved before and after it."
Unfortunately, the strokes of the characters before and after 'chaos' were not visible since the character was separated.
"Looking at the appearance of this broken stone, it doesn't seem like a natural break. Instead, it looks like it was intentionally cut."
"Chaos."
"Could the bizarre phenomena in the area centered around this circular pit, such as disorientation and even human transformation, be related to this character?"
"If this one character triggers so many anomalies..."
"What relationship does this 'Chaos Character Stone' have with the Heavenly Doctor?"
Li Fan contemplated for a moment and decided to temporarily ignore it. Instead, he checked the surroundings for any signs of an "exit."
Unfortunately, at the bottom of the circular pit, apart from the sticky and unknown substances all over, there was only this 'Chaos Character Stone.'
"The contorted creature is now acting solely on instinct and shouldn't be deceiving me."
After some thought, Li Fan returned to the side of the broken stone, activated his spiritual power, and lifted it from the ground.
It didn't seem like a precious material and was as heavy as an ordinary stone.
After pulling it out, there was no expected exit revealed beneath the broken stone.
No abnormal situation occurred.
"Weird..."
Li Fan put down the 'Chaos Character Stone' and rubbed his chin.
Time was running out, and Li Fan didn't have the luxury to search for other possibilities.
Instead, he stared closely at the stone in front of him, contemplating where the exit might be.
With little time to waste, after a moment, Li Fan extended his finger and shot a black light towards it.
While retreating, he observed the changes that occurred when the Extinction Sword and the 'Chaos Character Stone' collided.
The black sword light instantly flew to the front of the broken stone.
Just before the collision, the black light suddenly distorted.
Under Li Fan's gaze, three extremely familiar energies were extracted from the black light.
Madness, pitch-black, vortex rotation...
They were the three forces that constituted the Great Five Elements Extinction Sword: Heavenly Doom, Ink Kill, and the power of the Five Elements.
Under the influence of the 'Chaos Character Stone,' the black light gradually faded away.
Subsequently, the energies that Li Fan should have controlled began to oppose each other and fought independently.
At the same time, an inexplicable fluctuation burst forth from the 'Chaos Character Stone.'
Sweeping toward the outside of the circular pit.
Li Fan, caught off guard, was unable to dodge and was pierced through by it.
His expression changed abruptly, thinking he had been ambushed.
However, contrary to his expectations, this fluctuation was purely a lot of noise, with little impact.
Feeling an itching sensation throughout his body, like ants crawling, but after the spiritual energy circulated once, it was quickly suppressed.
Li Fan was stunned, staring at the 'Chaos Character Stone,' lost in thought.
"The dissipation of the 'Chaos Character,' just an empty form without essence."
"Even so, it can still affect my Great Five Elements Extinction Sword."
Li Fan glanced at the place where the three forces had previously entangled.
In the recent fluctuation, they had already annihilated each other in mutual combat.
Chapter 361: The Chaos Character Seals the Maze
The last piece of the Black Death Rune on Li Fan's body had become so dim that it was almost invisible.
It seemed like it would completely collapse in the next second.
If it were someone else facing this desperate situation, they would have likely been in a state of panic and unable to think calmly.
However, with "Still True" as his foundation, Li Fan remained completely calm.
Without considering his own crisis, Li Fan's thoughts raced, continuing to contemplate.
After trying various methods, when the Black Death Rune completely disintegrated, the pervasive white mist, unrestrained, began to devour Li Fan's lifespan.
In just a few breaths, Li Fan's physiological age on the display panel jumped from 51 to 52.
Although most of the reason for reaching 51 years had already passed, the terrifying speed at which the life-consuming white mist devoured lifespan was evident.
As life rapidly passed before his eyes, instead of making Li Fan nervous, it made his mind even cooler.
When Li Fan's lifespan reached one hundred, a fortunate occurrence happened, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
He leaped to the broken stone, using his hand as a brush, meticulously copying the traces of the character "chaos" on the stone.
Every stroke was written swiftly.
A faint golden light flashed and disappeared.
The chaotic character on the broken stone seemed to regain some luster.
What astonished Li Fan was that, when the chaotic character reappeared, the spiritual energy within him was instantly emptied.
If the Nine Laws Golden Core hadn't sensed the crisis and instantly transformed into a continuous flow of spiritual energy to replenish his depleted body, he might have been drained directly.
Even so, Li Fan felt a moment of darkness and almost fell to the ground.
Fortunately, after absorbing all the spiritual energy from Li Fan's body, the chaotic character stone also underwent an inexplicable change.
The characters seemed to come to life, emitting a terrifying aura naturally.
The entire stone became ethereal, emitting a dreamlike glow.
Even the life-consuming white mist was pushed back by the radiance from the chaotic character stone, forming a vacuum zone.
Seeing this, Li Fan quickly hid inside to avoid excessive loss of lifespan.
Perhaps because the chaotic character stone, this time, absorbed the spiritual energy from Li Fan's body, after approaching the broken stone, Li Fan did not sense its influence on himself.
But the surroundings kept making creaking sounds, and the viscous substances that covered the ground seemed to come to life, starting to twist and move strangely.
Li Fan keenly sensed that the stationary mutated bodies in the circular stone pit were trembling slightly, as if they would come to life in the next second.
As the instigator of all this, Li Fan couldn't help but have his hair stand on end.
"This is not a place to stay for long."
Observing the chaotic character stone flickering between light and shadow, Li Fan faintly felt something.
It was like a door that he could enter at any time.
His spiritual awareness did not sense any danger ahead, and the only vitality seemed to be inside.
Without hesitation, Li Fan flew towards it.
As expected, the stone seemed non-existent.
Li Fan went straight through.
His vision blurred, and an endless white mist filled his sight.
Li Fan had finally left the mysterious and intricate maze, returning to the normal white mist barrier.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 362: Losses and Gains
Suddenly breaking free, the crisis was far from over.
The life-consuming white mist continued to devour Li Fan's lifespan, even more vigorously than within the maze.
In the vast white mist, Li Fan once again sensed the location of the Broken Palm Immortal City.
In the next moment, the Purple Sky Escaping Art was executed to the extreme, rushing towards it.
As Li Fan gradually distanced himself from the maze containing the chaotic character stone, a mysterious wave, similar to the one emitted by the broken stone earlier, faintly reached him from behind.
Even the endless white mist seemed to ripple.
"Hmm?"
Without looking back, Li Fan could sense that the maze with the chaotic stone was gradually disappearing or, perhaps, hiding.
But for now, Li Fan couldn't afford to pay attention to it.
There was still a considerable distance to the Eternal Immortal Fortress from here.
As the life-consuming white mist continued its relentless onslaught, Li Fan's age was increasing at an alarming rate.
Heading towards the Abyss of Roaring Deep, the speed of lifespan consumption was getting faster.
156, 178, 193...
Li Fan watched the constantly changing numbers on the "Still True" interface, and a long-lost feeling of weakness surged into his heart.
The instant aging made him feel like he had returned to the old days when he was the venerable Grand Preceptor of Great Mystery.
Although the Eternal Immortal Fortress was within reach, after careful estimation, Li Fan realized that with the remaining lifespan, it would be extremely difficult to cross the upcoming distance.
With a decisive thought, without any hesitation, Li Fan took out the Lifespan Extension Fruit from his storage ring and swallowed it in one gulp.
A majestic vitality surged from his abdomen.
In an instant, like a rushing river, it spread throughout his body.
The feeling of aging and weakness suddenly disappeared, and Li Fan's maximum physiological age changed from the original 599 to 899.
With a focused mind, without delaying, Li Fan, like a purple thunderbolt, tore through the vast white mist.
He headed straight for the Broken Palm Immortal City.
"Although Senior Zhang's Purple Sky Thunder Escaping Art is much faster than the escape techniques I've seen in the Wanxian Alliance, it's still too slow!"
"Without the True Technique of Violet Sky Thunder Control, it's still somewhat lacking."
"Normally, it's not a big deal, but in moments of life and death, the importance of escape speed is revealed."
264, 378, 492...
As the age increased rapidly, Li Fan slowly transformed from a youthful scholar into a middle-aged man.
His mind, however, remained incredibly calm, paying no attention to the passage of life.
"If there's an opportunity, I must find a superior escape technique."
"Besides the techniques from Senior Yan's family, the Seven-Colored Divine Light from Master Zhong seems to be quite good."
"To surpass the speed of the Yuanying stage in the Foundation Establishment stage..."
While recalling stories about Master Zhong, Li Fan realized that the Eternal Immortal Fortress was getting closer.
567, 689, 734...
"Who goes there!?"
A furious shout came from the Broken Palm, crossing the white mist and directly attacking Li Fan.
Li Fan's flying speed suddenly slowed.
He cursed inwardly and memorized the voice at once.
With an unwavering expression and in an orderly manner, he shouted, "I am Li Fan, a Golden Core Formation Master under Dean Ji. I am responsible for coordinating the construction of the Heavenly Profound Locking Spirit Array outside the Abyss of Roaring Deep."
"Help!"
At the same time, he took out a broken finger made of green stone from his bosom.
It was precisely with this token left by Cold-Response Yi that Li Fan could accurately locate the Eternal Immortal Fortress amid the double onslaught of the boundless white mist and the demonic sound tide.
"What!?"
There was a hint of surprise and panic in the voice.
Li Fan accelerated again, flying towards the torn wrist of Broken Palm.
The earlier plea for help worked.
Indeed, there was already an entrance open there.
Li Fan rushed in like a storm.
The influence of the white mist disappeared in an instant, and Li Fan's physiological age at this moment finally froze at 842/899.
Facing imminent death, the age limit was reached.
The ubiquitous sense of weakness spread throughout his body, and Li Fan couldn't even control the angle of his flight, crashing directly onto the ground.
After being tossed for a long time, he finally slowed down.
"Cough, cough..."
Li Fan was about to say something but spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out directly.
A cultivator with white hair, looking like he could fall at any moment, appeared in the Eternal Immortal Fortress in such a conspicuous manner, instantly attracting public attention.
Naturally, it immediately sparked rumors, especially since the Eternal Immortal Fortress had been isolated for some time due to the demonic sound tide.
There were all kinds of speculations, with some even swearing that this demonic sound tide was a conspiracy of the Five Elders.
Now that the Five Elders had turned the tide, the Wanxian Alliance was retreating step by step. It was feared that the Eternal Immortal Fortress would change hands soon.
Fortunately, with the intervention of the owner of the Broken Palm Immortal City, Shang Shaojun, these wildly spreading rumors were promptly suppressed.
The rumor-mongers were publicly punished, hung in the central square, and whipped day and night as a deterrent.
...
In the darkness.
Although Li Fan's body was in a state of unconsciousness, his consciousness was extremely clear.
It was a contradictory state.
Just like the simultaneous feelings of newfound strength and aging weakness.
It was indeed a real existence.
The weakness was natural because the body in this world was almost at the end of its life.
The strength came from the spiritual aspect.
After enduring various hardships and surviving near-death situations, Li Fan finally arrived at the Eternal Immortal Fortress.
He ultimately fulfilled the requirements of the "Reverse Cultivation of Dao Heart" operation.
The pent-up frustration and resentment in his heart suddenly dissipated.
The large grinding pan for refining the heart also received an unprecedented supply of nutrients.
Drops of icy breath nourished the spirit.
A sense of growth comparable to breaking through realms emerged in Li Fan's heart.
Moreover, the growth of the spirit was not a one-time event but continued like a continuous stream.
"With its actions, there comes a reward. This is the reward for the Reverse Cultivation of Dao Heart operation."
"I'm afraid it won't be until I rescue those people from the Jiǎxū Fortress that the complete act of reverse cultivation is truly concluded."
"Even though there was a special bonus the first time, the effect of this Profound Yellow Heart Refining Curse is still a bit too terrifying."
Li Fan carefully felt the continuous strengthening of his spirit.
It even made him feel like he could abandon his body and exist directly as a spiritual entity.
After an unknown period.
Feeling someone approaching his sleeping body, Li Fan's consciousness moved, controlling his body to slowly awaken.
The sensation of his body once again took over, and a feeling of weakness surged into his heart.
With a light cough, Li Fan, with difficulty, sat up.
"Fellow Daoist, awake?!" A member of the Green Profound Army quickly came over to support Li Fan.
"Li Fan Fellow Daoist, we have verified your identity with the Formation Strategy Hall."
"What exactly happened? At this moment, you should be in the Jiǎxū Fortress. How did you return to the Eternal Immortal Fortress?"
"And you've turned into this..."
He seemed to be full of questions, firing off one after another.
Li Fan, on the other hand, sensed that, at the moment of his awakening, a shadow suddenly appeared in the corner of the room.
Although it was almost imperceptible, Li Fan, with his strengthened spirit, could clearly sense it.
Without showing any change in expression, Li Fan slowly recounted his experiences.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 363: Li Fan's Reversed Heart
"What? The supplies at the Jiǎxū Fortress are depleted, and it's a matter of life and death, urgently needing reinforcements?"
"How can this be? Didn't Lěng Yìyī just bring back a batch of supplies?"
"To actually make you, a Formation Master, personally take risks, they are a bunch of idiots!"
"There was a newborn maze blocking the way on the journey? No wonder..."
"You were able to escape from such a maze, indeed, fortunate."
"Sigh, it's a pity. You're a bit slow, and there's not much life left."
...
Amid the continuous astonishment of a cultivator named Hǎo Huī, Li Fan roughly recounted his experiences.
Apart from omitting some details related to the Heavenly Healer in the chaotic stone maze, he spoke truthfully without any exaggeration.
Upon learning of Li Fan's actions, looking at this cultivator with white hair, almost at the end of his life, yet with an extraordinarily calm expression, Hǎo Huī's eyes flashed with a trace of respect.
Such a righteous cultivator was extremely rare, even in the entire Wanxian Alliance.
With a solemn expression, Hǎo Huī softly said, "Fellow Daoist, rest assured and take a break. I will immediately send someone to the Jiǎxū Fortress. I will surely not let Fellow Daoist's plea for help be in vain."
Li Fan coughed lightly, nodding slightly.
Everything that needed to be done had been done. Clearly, the condition of this body could no longer withstand further strain.
To be able to move normally, it needed proper recuperation.
Hǎo Huī stepped back, closing the door behind him.
At the same time, Li Fan felt that the shadow in the corner of the room also disappeared.
"In this world, there are still 57 years of remaining time. Although I can use some life-extending treasures, my situation is somewhat similar to Jíchéng, the Immortal Venerable. We're both near the end of our lives, and the effect of life extension may not be as good as imagined."
"Even though I don't have much time left, I may still be able to achieve my planned goals."
...
While Li Fan was deep in thought with closed eyes,
In the forefront of the Broken Palm Immortal City, in a hidden location directly facing the Roaring Abyss,
Countless demonic sounds spewed from the nearby abyss, passing through a gap without any hindrance, continuously pouring into this space.
As if the indescribable sounds of the deepest layer of purgatory echoed and raged here.
The powerful and pure demonic sounds seemed to affect even the structure of space.
One distorted and horrifying face after another formed in this place.
In front of these inexplicable faces, there was a person sitting.
His facial features were indistinct, but his figure was strange, like the undulating waves of a river, constantly flickering.
The demonic sounds that would terrify ordinary cultivators seemed to have no effect on him.
And those distorted faces formed by the resonating demonic sounds, after approaching him, were directly captured and merged into his body.
His figure swayed more violently.
"Shǎo Jūn."
A black shadow appeared beside him, turning into a black-robed cultivator.
He recounted what he had just witnessed.
After a moment,
"Is this true?" Shāng Shàojūn's tone carried a hint of doubt.
According to my observations, Li Fan did not lie. Moreover, his lifespan has indeed been nearly depleted by the devouring white mist."
"If he had been a bit slower that day, whether he could survive is another matter."
"I have confirmed with Jì Hóngdào before I came. There is no problem with Li Fan's identity."
"On the way to the Jiǎxū Fortress, there are indeed traces of the appearance of a newborn maze."
"But now it has retreated back into the white mist, and it should be just an occasional event."
The black-robed cultivator replied.
Hearing this, Shāng Shàojūn fell silent for a moment.
"With such a touching story, the more people who know, the better."
"Especially now when hearts are wavering, there needs to be a vivid contrast to make them feel ashamed and ignoble."
"You go and handle this matter."
After a moment, Shāng Shàojūn slowly spoke.
The black-robed cultivator nodded.
About to leave, he hesitated after glancing at Shāng Shàojūn, wanting to speak but holding back.
"Hmm?"
The black-robed cultivator paused and asked, "Yán Huàn has been hung in the center of the immortal fortress for continuous whipping, it's been eleven days."
"When can he be released?"
"If it continues like this, that kid won't hold on much longer."
"Although it's a play, the **Demon Sound Whip** is absolutely real."
The black-robed cultivator cautiously spoke, afraid of angering the person in front of him.
However, Shāng Shàojūn didn't blame him. "Originally, I let him deliberately spread rumors to rectify the atmosphere within the immortal fortress."
"Now, with such a good propaganda subject, his role is dispensable."
"Release him tomorrow."
"Send a **Soul Replenishing Pill** over and let him rest well."
The black-robed cultivator showed a pleased expression, saying, "Thank you, Shàojūn."
Then he quietly disappeared in the secret room.
The just-concluded conversation seemed insignificant to Shāng Shàojūn.
As the green stone door fell again, the raging demonic sounds re-entered.
His body became swaying and flickering again.
...
Under Shāng Shàojūn's manipulation, Li Fan's desperate plea for help spread throughout the entire Eternal Immortal Fortress in just half a day.
Some didn't believe it, while others were deeply moved.
And as Hé Chén and other trapped cultivators from the Jiǎxū Fortress were rescued and investigated, the authenticity of the incident was confirmed.
Although a small number of cultivators stubbornly believed that all of this was a staged act.
The vast majority chose to believe.
While people admired Li Fan's righteousness, they couldn't help but feel regret for his remaining few decades of life.
Li Fan himself, after welcoming waves of visitors, finally enjoyed a rare moment of tranquility.
"After some recuperation, I can barely adapt to this aging body."
"Although I can transform into a youthful appearance, it seems not as attention-grabbing as the current one."
The perfect conclusion of the first reversal of the Dao Heart made Li Fan savor the growth of his soul.
Therefore, Li Fan prepared to start the second reversal plan.
"The Grand Competition of Heaven's Mystic Soul Lock was originally my intention to casually get through, just for show."
"But now, I have to go against my original intention."
"I will invest all my limited remaining life into the construction of formations."
"For the popularization of the Heaven's Mystic Soul Lock, burning every bit of my strength."
"To the death."
Just thinking about it gave Li Fan goosebumps all over his body.
Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, Li Fan put on a resolute expression.
With slow yet determined steps, he walked out of the room.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 364: Stirring the Waves in Secret
"What? You want to return to the base and continue building the Heaven's Mystic Soul Lock Formation?"
"Are you crazy?"
When the aged Li Fan suddenly appeared in front of Hǎo Huī, the latter was startled.
Upon hearing Li Fan's request, Hǎo Huī first wore an expression of disbelief, thinking he had misheard. After confirming multiple times, he burst into laughter, categorically refusing.
"Lǐ Dàoyǒu, you've done enough. Let other formation masters handle the rest."
"Given your current condition, it's not suitable for you to continue building formations."
After a moment of hesitation, Hǎo Huī suggested, "Dàoyǒu, you've been trapped in the Devouring Primordial White Mist for too long, and your lifespan is running out."
"For now, the best plan is to seize every moment to cultivate and see if you can break through to the Nascent Soul realm before reaching the end of your life."
"With your talent, I think there might be a chance to defy fate."
Although Hǎo Huī's words were in line with Li Fan's preferences, he still shook his head reluctantly. "Your kind intentions, I understand. But with my remaining lifespan, it's impossible to cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm!"
"Rather than wasting time on such meaningless things, I'd rather contribute my last bit of strength to building the Heaven's Mystic Soul Lock Formation while I can still move."
"If, in my remaining years, I witness the Heaven's Mystic Soul Lock covering the entire territory of the Immortal Alliance."
"Even if I die, I will have no regrets!"
Li Fan's expression was solemn, and he spoke with conviction.
"If my remaining days are to be spent in mediocrity, waiting for death in confusion, I won't close my eyes even in death."
"I hope Dàoyǒu will fulfill my wish!"
Watching Li Fan, who was extremely serious, Hǎo Huī was speechless.
Instinctively wanting to refuse, but looking at the sincere gaze of the other party, he felt an indescribable taste in his heart.
"...Fine, Dàoyǒu, wait for me a moment. I'll go seek approval."
Hǎo Huī, as if afraid to face Li Fan again, hurriedly left.
Li Fan remained calm, patiently waiting.
Half a day later, Hǎo Huī returned with a complicated expression.
"Lǐ Dàoyǒu, your request has been approved. After the current turmoil of the demonic sound subsides, our Green Profound Army will send someone to escort you back to the front line."
"In that case, thank you, Brother Hǎo." Li Fan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, nodding in gratitude.
"Lǐ Fàn Dàoyǒu..." Hǎo Huī, seeing Li Fan relieved after receiving the mission, couldn't help but ask, "Why exactly?"
Li Fan's actions had already exceeded Hǎo Huī's understanding.
He asked with incomprehension.
Li Fan smiled without answering, cupped his hands, and walked away.
Leaving Hǎo Huī standing there, at a loss, questioning the meaning of life for a long time.
As expected, the news of Li Fan, almost half-dead, about to return to the frontline to resume building formations, spread throughout the Broken Palm Immortal City in an instant.
Amidst the uproar, doubts inevitably emerged.
However, half a month later, when Li Fan, under the attention of the public and escorted by dozens of Green Profound Army soldiers, left the Eternal Immortal Fortress and flew towards the Jiǎxū Base, everything was cleared up.
All suspicions were shattered.
Cultivators were shocked by Li Fan's choice and, at the same time, felt ashamed of their petty thoughts.
Compared to the sacrifices Li Fan made, their efforts to guard the Abyss for decades seemed insignificant.
As a result, a wave of unprecedented enthusiasm emerged within the Green Profound Army.
No longer casually boasting about their hardships but starting to compare the length of service in guarding the Abyss.
Li Fan, who was heading to the Jiǎxū Base to resume building formations, was completely unaware of this.
Due to Li Fan's timely request for help, reinforcements successfully arrived at the fortress before the supplies were exhausted, averting a tragedy.
Although letting Li Fan venture alone into the white mist resulted in some punishment for the surviving cultivators.
However, compared to preserving his life, none of this mattered.
Moreover, under Li Fan's plea, cultivators like He Chen and Kong Yu eventually returned to the Jiǎxū Base, admitting their faults and assisting Li Fan in constructing formations.
To ensure Li Fan's safety, the Eternal Immortal Fortress tripled the number of guards. They also provided an unimaginable amount of reserve supplies, allowing them to be extravagant without worrying about shortages.
Li Fan didn't rest for a moment. When the raging demonic sound finally subsided, he resumed the construction of the Locking Spirit Formation.
Grateful for Li Fan saving their lives, He Chen and others, along with the Green Profound Army, followed Li Fan's orders unquestioningly. In the Jiǎxū Base, Li Fan gained absolute authority.
With everyone following his commands without hesitation and Li Fan transforming from a laid-back person to a workaholic who forgot to rest, the speed of formation construction nearly doubled.
Due to the impact of the previous demonic sound tide, formation construction had been forcibly halted. Li Fan's ranking on the Great Comparison Rankings had plummeted to the lowest, hovering around six hundredth place.
As everyone resumed construction, his ranking steadily rose, catching up quickly.
However, Li Fan's rapid rise in rankings didn't attract much attention. The most eye-catching figure on the list remained Guo Yezhong, who had zero points.
This person seemed to disregard the so-called Great Comparison. Cultivators discussed it, but the Immortal Alliance didn't take any special measures. There were rumors circulating that Guo Yezhong was still within the Immortal Alliance's territory, not defecting, and he hadn't given up on the competition. When asked about it, he only responded, "Who wins or loses is still unknown."
While Li Fan devoted himself to formation construction, the events happening to him began spreading rapidly beyond the Broken Palm Immortal City, thanks to someone's discreet hints.
Especially the touching story of him facing a great change, his lifespan nearly exhausted, yet still exerting his last bit of strength to build the Heaven's Mystic Soul Lock Formation.
It was widely publicized.
Soon, almost every Immortal Alliance cultivator who wasn't in seclusion knew about Li Fan's actions. Whether they believed it or not was another matter.
Li Fan's communication talismans were the first to explode. He Zhenhao, the Oracle Child, and old acquaintances from the Universal Altar sent messages inquiring about the situation.
With too many messages, Li Fan had to set up an automatic reply, briefly explaining the situation.
His friends sighed in regret and admiration. Some promised to find life-extending treasures for Li Fan, and he graciously thanked each of them.
Afterward, he continued tirelessly with the formation construction.
Two years passed in this manner.
One day, a colorful radiance tore through the white mist, heading straight for the Broken Palm Immortal City.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 365: Destiny Bell's Divine Art
"Destiny Bell? He wants to meet me?"
In the vast white mist, Li Fan paused in his work. Listening to He Chen's report, he frowned slightly, feeling a bit puzzled.
He had only interacted with Destiny Bell in the "Contemplation of Dao," and they had never officially met in the real world.
Seeing Li Fan's expression, He Chen lowered his voice and said, "According to Destiny Bell, he has a method to extend Master Li's lifespan. However, he insists on meeting you in person."
"Although he only has Foundation Establishment cultivation, his colorful divine light is truly mysterious. It can even resist the devouring white mist. The higher-ups in the Immortal Fortress are full of praise for him."
"Destiny Bell has broad connections, and he was allowed to come here based on the recommendation and guarantee of a Nascent Soul cultivator, introduced by a mutual friend."
"Master Li, there's no harm in meeting him."
He Chen suggested.
Among the cultivators rescued by Li Fan two years ago in the Jiǎxū Base, He Chen was the most grateful.
Even after Li Fan's remaining lifespan was at its end, and he continued to strive on the frontlines of formation construction, He Chen's admiration for Li Fan deepened. It even reached a somewhat fanatical level, following Li Fan's words without question.
Li Fan nodded slightly and said, "Alright, lead me to meet this Destiny Bell."
In his heart, he was thinking, "Seems like he shows up when you're about to fall asleep. Setting aside whether his so-called life-extending method is true or false, it's good to probe the origin of his colorful divine light."
The two returned to the Jiǎxū Base, and in the meeting hall, an old man with white hair and a Daoist robe had been waiting for a long time.
As Li Fan entered, Destiny Bell's gaze instantly focused on him.
After exchanging a glance, Li Fan took the initiative to greet, "Friend Destiny, I've heard about you for a long time."
Destiny Bell sighed, "There's no falsehood under a great reputation. The rumors outside are unexpectedly true. Friend, indeed, your lifespan is rapidly declining, nearing its end."
With these words, He Chen's gaze became somewhat unfriendly.
Li Fan, however, gestured for He Chen to leave.
Once only the two of them remained in the hall, Destiny Bell arched his hand and said, "Friend, what I said earlier is true. I have a method to extend your life. However, I need to see you in person."
Destiny Bell stroked his beard, nodding, "It's precisely because I've experienced a similar situation with a friend before that I can be certain."
"I didn't believe the rumors about you when I was outside. But now, comparing with you…"
Destiny Bell shook his head, "I almost couldn't handle it myself. It took me a long time to recover."
"But compared to you..."
Destiny Bell sighed, "I can't reach that level!"
Li Fan chuckled, "I know there's no hope for prolonging my life. I just want to do a bit more while I can. As for how noble it is…"
"I don't think so." Li Fan spoke sincerely.
Destiny Bell became more excited, "Exactly, it's this kind of transcendent and free-spirited attitude. Friend, how did you achieve it? Please teach me!"
Saying this, he bowed deeply.
Li Fan reacted swiftly, avoiding the bow.
Solemnly, he said, "Friend, your visit is suspicious, and your behavior is inexplicable. If there's anything hidden, don't blame me for turning hostile!"
"Although your colorful divine light is formidable, I'm not afraid of you!"
Destiny Bell bitterly smiled and slapped his head, "Forgive my recklessness."
Standing up straight, he contemplated for a moment before slowly saying, "What I said earlier about having a method to extend your life is indeed true. And I sincerely want to seek guidance from you."
"Friend, have you heard about my deeds?"
Destiny Bell looked at Li Fan and inquired.
Li Fan nodded, "I've heard a bit. You are famous for achieving greatness at a later age."
"In your sixties, you started cultivating Qi as a mortal. After decades of cultivation, you finally reached the Foundation Establishment stage."
"Even until death, you never gave up the hope of advancing. I truly admire your perseverance."
At these words, Destiny Bell blushed unexpectedly.
Glancing around and ensuring there was no one else, he whispered, "Friend, you are overly praised. There is actually another hidden story behind this."
"It's related to my visit to you this time. I hope you won't spread it around."
Li Fan's expression changed slightly, but he still nodded in agreement.
Destiny Bell cleared his throat and asked, "Friend, have you ever heard of procrastination syndrome?"
"Procrastination syndrome?" Li Fan was a bit surprised.
"Yes, I, this old Daoist, suffer from a severe case of procrastination syndrome. It's an incurable disease." Destiny Bell sighed.
"In my youth, at the age of eighteen, I coincidentally obtained a profound technique. However, when it came to cultivation, I lacked motivation. Thinking that I was still young and had plenty of time ahead, I became increasingly lax in my practice."
"So, three days of fishing and two days of sunbathing became my routine. I lived carefree until my fifties, and I still hadn't broken through to the Qi Refinement stage."
"At that time, I still wasn't in a hurry."
Destiny Bell squinted his eyes, seemingly lost in memories.
"I thought with my physical condition at that time, I could live to seventy or eighty. I had more than thirty years to enjoy life."
"Until one day, I accidentally ingested a poisonous fruit."
"Although I survived, I was on the brink of death. Death was imminent."
"Never had I felt that death would be so close to me. I became terrified as never before."
"Between life and death, there was great terror!"
"So, I thought of breaking through to the Qi Refinement stage, which would greatly increase my lifespan."
"As if grasping the last straw of life, I cast aside all other thoughts and focused solely on cultivation."
"Under the pressure of death, my cultivation speed surpassed imagination. In just one day and one night, I successfully stepped into the Qi Refinement stage!"
"But after that, with the increase in lifespan, I lost motivation again. Thinking that I had plenty of time to live, I chose to enjoy life first."
"Until decades later, I once again reached the limit of my remaining lifespan."
"Under the threat of death, I finally broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage!"
After revealing this, Destiny Bell's words made Li Fan's expression extremely peculiar.
If he wasn't lying, then this guy was indeed quite something.
"So, what is this method of extending lifespan that you mentioned?" Li Fan tried to put on a friendly expression and patiently asked.
Destiny Bell confidently said, "I heard that you have little remaining lifespan and gave up on the plan to advance to the Yuanying stage? In my opinion, there is no need to give up!"
(End of this chapter)
