Chapter 761-765: Shortening Lives through Transcendence (6k+ words)

Before Purple Sky could respond, Xu Bai, with an expression of barely holding back, full of doubt, asked, "This trade is of great importance, and Senior personally taking part can be understood. However, with Senior's strength, hiding one's identity should be effortless. Why..."

"Aren't you afraid that our Overheaven Alliance, after knowing about this, might turn the tables and threaten you?" Xu Bai's gaze was sharp as he stared at Purple Sky.

Purple Sky calmly said, "Threaten? Haha, don't misunderstand. Even though I'm here representing the Five Elders' Meeting, it doesn't mean much."

"I'm just running an errand to help."

Purple Sky appeared completely confident, a demeanor that made Xu Bai somewhat suspicious.

"No need to be surprised. In the end, the Million Immortals Alliance belongs to the Transcendent Taoist. I have always been loyal only to him. As for other matters, they are all trivial."

"The so-called fifty in the Great Dao, forty-nine in the Celestial Origin. If the Heavenly Mirror wants to comprehend everything in the world, then naturally there will be things beyond its control in the world."

"Otherwise, this 'New Heaven' would be imperfect."

Purple Sky looked up at the sky, explaining in a calm tone.

"So, even if the Transcendent Taoist knows about my actions, he won't blame me. He might even commend me."

"Hmph, but those mundane people might not understand my intentions."

Although only a few sentences, the amount of information contained in them was terrifying. With these words, Xu Bai fell into deep contemplation.

"Until you reach that realm, knowing too much might not be a good thing." Soon after, Purple Sky Transcendent spoke, interrupting Xu Bai's thoughts.

With a casual point, he tossed the "Empty Bright Stone Mother" containing the traded goods.

This time, there was no formal contract.

It seemed he was quite confident in his strength and wasn't afraid of Xu Bai playing any tricks.

However, as usual, Xu Bai checked the list of goods in the stone mother before handing over the pre-agreed fifty "Terminal Disks."

"This is the first batch. The rest will be delivered gradually in the future," Xu Bai explained.

The fifty Terminal Disks were not placed in the storage space but layered like thin sheets of paper, automatically separating into individual entities with a turn of the mind.

Purple Sky took one of the disks and observed it in his hand.

After a moment, he said thoughtfully, "This item looks ordinary, but it can shield the perception of the Heavenly Mirror..."

"Interesting."

Putting away the Terminal Disk, Purple Sky then instructed, "For future transactions, there will be others coordinating with you. If your Overheaven Alliance encounters any sudden emergencies, you can also find Liu Wenyu."

"But try not to have too much association with me. Although I don't mind..."

"But if those people target you, even if I step in, I can't guarantee your safety."

Purple Sky's figure gradually faded away, just as abrupt in departure as arrival.

"Senior, facing the aggressive Heavenly Mirror, why does the Five Elders' Meeting keep retreating? Why don't they have any countermeasures?" As Purple Sky Transcendent's figure was about to completely leave, Xu Bai asked.

Purple Sky didn't answer, just lifting his head to look at the sky.

Then, he disappeared.

"Hmm?" Xu Bai also looked up at the sky.

After a short while, he was startled.

This "heaven" clearly did not refer to the Heavenly Mirror.

Purple Sky Transcendent said that, from beginning to end, he had been loyal to the "Transcendent Taoist."

So, his actions before leaving became apparent.

It's not that the Five Elders' Meeting doesn't want to counteract.

It's just that with the Transcendent Taoist present, they dare not.

In Xu Bai's mind, the sigh of Mr. Bai from the illusion of the previous life emerged once again.

"Facing the impassable immortal path, with the Transcendent Taoist above."

Subconsciously, Xu Bai tightened his grip. "In the previous life, perhaps because of the departure of the Transcendent Taoist, Purple Sky leaned towards the side of the Five Elders again, becoming a pure spy."

"But in this life, using the 'Chaos' mantra, I drew back the Transcendent Taoist who had already left. Therefore, Purple Sky still adheres to his somewhat unique position, not completely acting as a spy for the Five Elders."

Chapter 761: Shortening Lives through Transcendence

In an instant, Xu Bai, who had clarified the ins and outs of the matter, had many doubts arising in his mind.

That is the true purpose of the Transcendent Taoist.

If His ultimate goal is to transcend and leave the Profound Yellow Realm.

Then, even if He is very concerned about the "Chaos" mantra, after searching again and finding nothing, He should choose to leave again.

But a long time has passed now.

The Transcendent Taoist seems to still be lingering in the Profound Yellow Realm, showing no signs of leaving.

"It seems that the Profound Yellow Realm holds a special significance for the Transcendent Taoist. It's not something that can be casually abandoned."

"Moreover, the promotion of the Heavenly Mirror in this world must have received the Transcendent Taoist's permission. He needs the Heavenly Mirror to undergo transformation but tacitly allows for potential loopholes..."

"The Heavenly Dao is flawed. Therefore, He also needs to impose restrictions on the Heavenly Mirror."

...

Various speculations instantly appeared in Xu Bai's mind.

Despite this body being favored by heaven and earth, endowed with exceptional talent, it still seemed like trying to see through mist-covered flowers, unable to fathom the Transcendent Taoist's intentions.

With a confused mind, after returning to Tianling City, he was called by Nangong Shirong for some reason.

"There seem to be some unfavorable rumors circulating within the territory recently. Go and handle it." Nangong Shirong inexplicably said this.

In theory, Xu Bai was just a communication envoy for Tianliang Prefecture.

For such matters of rumors and gossip, whether it was handled by the Garrison or the Martial Arts Hall, it was a matter of course. However, for some reason, Nangong Shirong quietly handed this matter over to him alone.

Xu Bai instantly understood.

This matter shouldn't be blown out of proportion and needs to be handled quickly and cleanly.

It was because Nangong Shirong valued Xu Bai's abilities that he entrusted him with this task.

When the superior gives orders, the subordinate naturally cannot refuse.

"Rest assured, Lord, I will handle it properly." Arching his hand, Xu Bai assured confidently.

After leaving under the other's watchful eyes, Xu Bai inquired about the matter and learned what Nangong Shirong meant by the "unfavorable" rumors.

It turned out that within Tianliang Prefecture, there was a cultivator named Peng Qing who, in a fit of madness, flew around before his death.

While flying erratically, he uttered incoherent words.

Claiming that he was supposed to have a lifespan of five hundred years, but now, having lived less than four hundred years, he was going to die of old age.

He insisted that there must be a thief who had arbitrarily reduced his maximum lifespan.

Muttering and cursing, Peng Qing suddenly died in full view of everyone.

Moreover, the scene was extremely tragic, bleeding from all seven orifices, and in an instant, he aged by several hundred years.

His appearance changed from that of a middle-aged cultivator to that of a decayed old man.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 762: Re-establishing Order in Heaven and Earth

After carefully understanding the reasons behind the incident, Xu Bai's first thought was not how to suppress the tumultuous public opinion.

Instead, his true self thousands of miles away directly looked at his "True Self" panel.

The upper limit of his physiological age had not decreased.

However, Xu Bai did not think that Peng Qing's words were baseless.

The Transcendent Taoist initially attained enlightenment in the White Mist.

And as everyone knows, the White Mist is named "Element-Devouring White Mist," capable of consuming a cultivator's life span.

Peng Qing's sudden death and the tragic scene before his death were almost identical to the cultivators who died in the White Mist.

These various details couldn't be explained with the word "coincidence."

However, to prevent the situation from escalating, Xu Bai first used intimidation and temptation to silence all the witnesses from that day.

Then he dispatched cultivators to spread various even more bizarre and horrifying rumors.

For example: in a certain place, a cultivator died similarly to Peng Qing, screaming, "Destroyer of the Wan Xian Alliance, Transcendent Taoist too."

Or, Peng Qing wasn't really Peng Qing. The real Peng Qing had died many years ago. The one who died in front of everyone that day was a clone created by a cultivator from the Five Elders' Faction named "Thousand-Faced Demon Venerable." With sinister intentions, he attempted to sow chaos within the Wan Xian Alliance.

...

For a while, various opinions were voiced, and it became difficult to distinguish the truth from falsehood.

Gradually, even though the intensity of the incident did not diminish, there were fewer and fewer people concerned about Peng Qing's real crazy statements before his death.

As such, more than ten days passed.

The Peng Qing incident was slowly forgotten by everyone. The discussions became less frequent, and eventually, public opinion completely subsided.

As if nothing had ever happened in this world.

Xu Bai did not disappoint, and Nangong Shirong was very satisfied.

In a rare generous moment, he rewarded Xu Bai with numerous merits and contribution points.

He even gave Xu Bai a statue.

"What is this..." Xu Bai held the statue in his hand, feeling a mysterious sensation.

It was like holding another body of himself.

"This is the 'Decree of Reincarnation,'" Nangong Shirong introduced with a pleased expression.

"Not long ago, I received three of these from above. I kept one for myself, and having extras on hand is of no use. Since you have performed great deeds, I'm rewarding one to you."

"With this thing, even if you unfortunately fall, you can immediately be resurrected."

"Thank you for your generosity, Lord!" Xu Bai expressed his gratitude with a joyful face.

Since the establishment of the Reincarnation Mansion, as a communication envoy for the province, Xu Bai hadn't learned of any methods to obtain various treasures from the Reincarnation Mansion.

Even though it was announced to the world that anyone could obtain them with contribution points, the gates of the Reincarnation Mansion in each province remained tightly closed.

Not to mention ordinary cultivators, even Xu Bai couldn't enter.

Let alone exchanging for various resources within the Reincarnation Mansion.

Although cultivators around the world were dissatisfied, the Reincarnation Mansion ignored inquiries from various provinces, using the excuse that various treasures were not ready yet.

After putting away the "Decree of Reincarnation" with utmost solemnity, before leaving, Xu Bai suddenly asked, "Lord Nangong, regarding Peng Qing's claim before his death about someone stealing his lifespan..."

"Is it true?" Xu Bai lowered his voice.

"If it is true, then it can be suppressed for a while, but it can't be suppressed forever." Nangong Shirong fell silent for a moment, then shook his head slightly. "Since everyone can be resurrected, things like lifespan are not that important."

"For us, achieving eternal life is basically an unattainable fantasy. In that case, why care about so much?"

Nangong Shirong paused and changed the subject, "However, not all cultivators in the world may be as magnanimous as I am. People from various places will eventually notice this matter. It can't be suppressed."

"What we need to do is ensure that this matter does not erupt in our Tianliang Province from the beginning."

Nangong Shirong said coldly.

Chapter 763: The Re-establishment of Heavenly Order

His words undoubtedly affirmed the truthfulness of Peng Qing's words before his death.

Xu Bai remained silent, nodding heavily.

On the way back after bidding farewell, Xu Bai's mind was in turmoil: "Stealing his lifespan..."

"Is it a necessary method for the Transcendent Taoist to complete the true resurrection of a cultivator, even if it defies reason?"

"Or..."

"Is it intentionally imitating the ancient era, like Ruo Mu?"

From the appearance of the Transcendent Taoist to formally defying reason, everything revealed an eerie strangeness.

"The Heavenly Mirror replaces the heavens."

"The Transcendent Taoist replaces Ruo Mu."

...

Xu Bai suddenly thought of something, and his steps abruptly froze.

Similar to the previous Transcendent Taoist, he imperceptibly looked up into the sky.

Then, quickly and without a trace, he lowered his head and hurried away.

---

In Tianquan Province, in the Shuofeng Ancestral Hall.

"Brother Li?"

Shuofeng's voice sounded somewhat surprised.

In the recent battle between the two, Shuofeng was thoroughly engaged in the fight.

But Li Fan suddenly became distracted, and attacks he could easily dodge directly struck him.

A vast sword energy crisscrossed, cutting Li Fan's lower body into nothingness.

Fortunately, it was the era of the New Law.

Such minor injuries posed no significant threat to Nascent Soul cultivators.

In just a breath, amidst the faint roar of the cave, Li Fan's body rapidly regenerated.

Li Fan apologized with a look of guilt, "I just mastered this life-cutting divine technique not long ago. After continuous battles with Brother Shuo, my mind has become somewhat distracted."

Shuofeng finally realized, "I neglected it. I was carried away for a moment and forgot about this top-tier divine technique, which undoubtedly consumes a tremendous amount."

"Haha, it's my fault for being too excited. I haven't encountered such a miraculous skill in a long time."

"To think that it can even affect my control over the 'sword'..." Shuofeng praised.

"Brother Li, take a brief rest."

While speaking, a flash of sword light, and Shuofeng shaved a few strands of white hair from his head.

Then, with a loud shout, his entire body shed its appearance like a snake molting.

The seemingly old and dilapidated body, like "undressing," was completely peeled off.

Shuofeng, now restored to a youthful and vigorous appearance, lightly flicked his fingers, turning the old body into flying ash.

Sighing, he said, "Friend, this 'Thread-Cutting Life-Reduction' divine technique of yours is truly extraordinary. In terms of actual combat effectiveness, it can be said to be unparalleled in my lifetime."

"If it weren't for my unique constitution, I'm afraid I wouldn't be so carefree in battling with you."

"Ordinary cultivators hit by your divine technique would probably perish in a matter of half a day."

Li Fan pretended to look fatigued and waved his hand, "Forget about it. Although it was created with painstaking effort, it unfortunately couldn't keep up with the changes of the times."

"Now that the Reincarnation Mansion stands tall under the sky, and everyone can be resurrected, the deterrence of my technique has weakened several times over. Anyway, even if the body is ruined, so what?" Li Fan sighed.

Shuofeng shook his head, "Brother Li, no need to be modest. Resurrection in the Reincarnation Mansion..."

"Hmph."

"True contemporaneous powerhouses cannot ignore your technique. With just this move, you have surpassed countless self-proclaimed heroes in the world."

"Well, it's time to raise your treatment. It's just a basic offering, which is a bit unfair to you."

Shuofeng rubbed his chin and said slowly.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 763: Heavenly Profound Evolving Immortal Technique

Shuofeng's efficiency was truly rapid.

Summoning a woman in a light purple long dress, after giving her some instructions, Li Fan learned that he had become an intermediate guest of the Xuan family.

The initial merit level of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was raised to level 35.

At the same time, new privileges were unlocked: once every hundred years, one could use the Heavenly Mirror for free to deduce and enhance one's own divine technique.

"You have the right to use it or not; it becomes invalid if it expires. Brother Li, you can take advantage of this opportunity to enhance the power of your 'Thread-Cutting Life-Reduction' divine technique. Although it's already formidable in practice, it hasn't reached perfection and still has room for improvement," Shuofeng said as he moved his body, and his bones made a crackling sound. Seeing Li Fan seemed a bit absent-minded, he reminded him.

"When you advance further, let's have another enjoyable battle! It's rare for a fellow cultivator to keep up with my progress among peers. Often, it doesn't take long before I leave them behind with no ability to fight. There are few qualified opponents like Li Fan," he continued.

Li Fan could even occasionally bring him some surprises, making Shuofeng very satisfied.

"I wonder how this deducing divine technique function differs from what the Heavenly Profound Record provides. I tried to deduce the follow-up of divine techniques using the power of the Heavenly Mirror in the 'Sit and Discuss Dao,' but the consumption was too high, like an endless pit. I had to give up halfway," Li Fan asked as he looked at the prompts coming from the Heavenly Mirror in the field.

"The Heavenly Profound Record is just a branch of the Heavenly Profound. Although its various functions are miraculous for ordinary cultivators, compared to the true power of the Heavenly Mirror, it is still much weaker," Shuofeng smiled.

"Although there is no qualitative difference between the deducing of divine techniques from the Heavenly Profound Record and the follow-ups deduced directly by the Heavenly Profound Mirror, there is a definite gap."

"However..." Shuofeng's smile suddenly stopped.

"This is just the current difference between the Heavenly Profound Record and the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Wait for some time..."

"That's hard to say."

"Maybe, in the future, any piece of the Heavenly Mirror will be no different from its main body." Shuofeng's expression became somewhat serious, as if he had remembered something.

Li Fan heard the implication in Shuofeng's words.

His heart suddenly pounded.

It turned out that the special privilege of raising the merit level to thirty-five was actually to use the Heavenly Mirror's main body to deduce the follow-ups of divine techniques!

Doesn't that mean he finally has a chance to see the true Heavenly Mirror again?

The last time he saw it was during the training process for building the Heavenly Profound Locking Spirit.

In that vast space filled with black and white lines, Li Fan and other students had observed the birth and sealing of the "Heavenly Profound Newborn Mirror" at close range.

"In this world, the Heavenly Mirror has undergone an initial transformation. I wonder what changes will occur." Li Fan's thoughts surged.

At this moment, Shuofeng had snapped out of his contemplation. He added a reminder, "As for the deducing divine technique function in the 'Sit and Discuss Dao' section..."

"It's better for you not to try it in the future."

"Even I, when I was young and impulsive, dared to try my luck back then. But now that I'm more sober, I'm unwilling to waste it for nothing." Shuofeng unusually sighed.

Li Fan, hearing this, was slightly stunned, "Why is that? Is there something in this world that even Brother Shuo can't afford to consume?"

Shuofeng waved his hand and explained, "There is a difference between theory and practice in divine techniques in the world."

"When deducing divine techniques with the Heavenly Profound Record and the Heavenly Profound Mirror, a possible upper limit is set. For example, your 'Thread-Cutting Life-Reduction,' when emitted from the Nascent Soul stage, can at most cause harm to a Deity Transformation stage cultivator and have some slight impact on a Unity realm cultivator."

"However, in front of the Longevity Transcendent, it will definitely lose its effectiveness. This is the limit of most divine techniques in the world."

"Even the most astonishing talents cannot, with a cultivation level weaker than the Longevity realm, create a divine technique that can endanger the Longevity Transcendent in the Xuanhuang Realm."

"This is the actual reality." 

Shuofeng paused and looked up at the sky.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "So, theoretically speaking, is there really a divine technique with a cultivation level below Longevity that can influence the Longevity Transcendent?"

"There must be such divine techniques in the world." There was a trace of yearning in Shuofeng's eyes.

"But that may already be approaching the level of legendary immortal techniques. Let alone us, even the Heavenly Mirror, to deduce such an existence, is difficult. Besides using most of its own calculation power, success may also require a bit of luck."

"In the 'Sit and Discuss Dao,' the deducing function does not have a set limit. As long as it is theoretically possible, there is a probability of deducing it. Therefore, the contribution points required for each deduction are unimaginably huge. The further you go, the more it becomes the case."

"As for the results..."

Shuofeng smirked slightly and said, "Since the establishment of the 'Sit and Discuss Dao' section many years ago, it has attracted countless gamblers who threw themselves into it without hesitation. Some even lost their family fortunes. The total number of times the Heavenly Mirror has deduced is so numerous that it cannot be calculated."

"But I've never heard of anyone succeeding."

Li Fan was dumbfounded and shook his head repeatedly. "I didn't expect there to be such a trick. If I had known, I definitely wouldn't have taken the risk."

"I almost got killed by Brother Shuo back then. I knew I'm definitely not a lucky person," Li Fan sighed.

Shuofeng recalled the first time they met and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"By the way, Brother Shuo, do you carry the Heavenly Profound Record with you? There are rumors recently that the Immortal Alliance is promoting the generation of personal records for all cultivators?"

A shadow crossed Shuofeng's face.

"The Heavenly Profound Record..."

"Hehe, maybe I was the first one in the entire Immortal Alliance to wear this thing."

"Let's not talk about it! Just thinking about it makes me feel annoyed!"

"Brother Li, let's have another battle!"

As he spoke, sword lights flew out from Shuofeng, extremely sharp, slashing towards Li Fan.

Among them, there was actually a trace of resentment.

Li Fan's heart trembled, not daring to be careless, and immediately focused on dealing with it.

---

In Changsheng Valley.

Fang Zaiji, who was ordered to recruit disciples outside, has now successfully completed the task.

In the square of the sect's main hall, a group of five or six-year-old children stood timidly, looking around with fearful faces.

Many of them burst into tears on the spot, causing a chain reaction.

It instantly became chaotic.

"Mr. Fang, are these the 'good seedlings' you brought back?"

Looking at Fang Zaiji, Xu Bai asked.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 764: Building the Foundation of the True Self

"I handle things, Sect Master, you can rest assured," Fang Zaiji patted his chest and assured.

"My judgment is much better than Old Liu's. I won't make mistakes. I bet these little guys are all exceptional talents in cultivation, each one in a million."

"I've traveled through more than a dozen states to find them. I know how difficult this journey is."

Fang Zaiji sighed.

"You didn't even say hello and just kidnapped these kids?" Seeing the crying group of children, Liu San's face looked unfriendly.

"Joke, walking the immortal path, becoming an immortal. Many mortals can't even beg for it. I kindly guide them. Do I need their parents' permission?" Fang Zaiji glanced at Liu San and said confidently.

"Moreover, our Medicine King Sect is still in a secluded state. We naturally need to be more discreet in our actions."

This speech left Liu San speechless.

"Since Mr. Fang can find them, it means they have a fate with our Medicine King Sect. I trust Mr. Fang's judgment," Xu Bai coughed lightly and affirmed.

"Nowadays, unlike ancient times, where countless sect cultivators traveled the world, selecting disciples. The Immortal Alliance is inactive, and who can embark on the path of cultivation depends entirely on their own fate. Therefore, there must be many outstanding talents buried in obscurity."

"This may be an opportunity for our Medicine King Sect."

Upon hearing this, Liu San's eyes brightened. "The Sect Master is right."

"So, taking care of these disciples will still trouble Elder Liu. Teach them the methods of cultivation first, and when they are cultivating Qi..."

As Xu Bai was speaking, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

After a moment of contemplation, he changed his mind. "When initially informing them of the cultivation methods, don't mention the matter of 'Cultivating the Dao Foundation with the Marvel of False Heaven and Earth.'"

"Instead, just tell them to 'Melt the body of the True Self to build the Dao Foundation!'"

Hearing this, both Liu San and Fang Zaiji were slightly stunned.

Both of them were not dull-witted. In an instant, they understood Xu Bai's intention.

"Wonderful! This way, if someone among them successfully builds the foundation, it will definitely be 'Building the Foundation of the True Self'!" Fang Zaiji applauded.

While Liu San hesitated, "Sect Master, won't it be a bit..."

Xu Bai smiled slightly, "If they cannot build the foundation and have completely given up, it's not too late to tell them the truth."

Seeing Xu Bai saying so, Liu San had to nod in agreement.

After explaining the details of 'Building the Foundation of the True Self' to Liu San again, Xu Bai suddenly asked, "By the way, why haven't I seen Elder Jiang? I clearly sensed her returning."

Fang Zaiji immediately rejoiced, "She went and had a fight with someone, but ended up losing miserably. She's been in seclusion cultivating after being stimulated."

"Haha, I heard that the opponent was a woman, and she was even more beautiful than Elder Jiang, taunting her verbally. It's no wonder Elder Jiang didn't go crazy."

"We can finally enjoy some peace and quiet without hearing her irritating voice for a while." Fang Zaiji looked very pleased.

However, Liu San's complexion changed, "What, such an important matter, why didn't you say it earlier? Is Elder Jiang injured?"

As he spoke, Liu San became a little anxious. Putting aside the tasks assigned by Xu Bai for the time being, he quickly flew away to visit Jiang Yushan.

Fang Zaiji rolled his eyes, "I don't understand why Elder Liu is interested in that woman."

"Since Elder Jiang is going into seclusion for cultivation, then the task of creating the Endgame Disc will be handed over to Mr. Fang. With your skills, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Xu Bai interrupted Fang Zaiji's thoughts.

"Given your abilities, it should be no problem, right?" Xu Bai looked at him with some expectation.

Being assigned a laborious task, Fang Zaiji not only didn't get angry but was overjoyed. "No problem, of course no problem! The Endgame Disc is something vaguely comparable to a magical tool. I've long felt that Elder Jiang is a bit too rough when she handles it."

"Sect Master, you can rest assured. I will treat it very gently."

Fang Zaiji looked at Xu Bai eagerly.

Xu Bai smiled and threw the Endgame Disc to him, handing it over.

Chapter 764: Building the True Self Foundation

Without waiting for instructions, Fang Zaiji, who obtained the treasure, left eagerly on his own.

At this moment, Xu Bai shifted his gaze to the group of children on the square.

If it were the true self present, it would undoubtedly find their cries extremely noisy.

However, Xu Bai's clone watching these noisy children did not feel annoyed at all. Instead, a sense of pity and care arose in his heart.

Silently comprehending the source of these emotional feelings, a faint smile appeared on his face. He flew gracefully to the children, his divine appearance and gentle aura instantly capturing their attention. The noisy children quieted down simultaneously, staring at Xu Bai with wide eyes.

Xu Bai communicated with the children very amicably. Within moments of lively exchanges, he learned all their names and individual cultivation talents.

"Not bad. In the ancient times, being chased by major sects and repeatedly escaping, this Fang Zaiji indeed has some means."

"The talents of these kids are almost on par with Zhang Haobo."

"Moreover, Gu Xinghan..." In this group of children, Xu Bai saw a somewhat familiar name.

It was the same as the cultivator who, in the previous life, was the first to issue a proclamation and reveal the true face of the "Heavenly Profound Spirit Lock Array" to the world.

The vivid and exhilarating article, thousands of words long, suddenly flashed in Xu Bai's mind.

Looking at the five-year-old child before him, the two figures slowly overlapped.

"It really is him. Interesting."

Gu Xinghan, as one of the leaders of the Overarching Sky Society in the previous life, led numerous cultivators against the Profound Net, yet he was never captured by the Immortal Alliance.

His abilities were beyond doubt.

"It seems that maybe this kid can bring me some surprises."

Xu Bai lightly patted Gu Xinghan's shoulder, his smile deepening.

After a while, Liu San returned somewhat dejected.

Apparently, he hadn't even seen Jiang Yushan's face.

He had to brace himself and deal with this group of children seriously.

With Xu Bai's reassurance from before, the children became much more obedient.

When Xu Bai left, they waved goodbye, and even Liu San was surprised at the change.

Instead of returning to Tianling Prefecture, Xu Bai first came to the secret chamber in Changsheng Valley.

Regarding a sudden idea that emerged in his mind, he wasn't entirely sure about it.

He needed to calm down and think carefully.

"Should I use this body to perform the ceremony and enter the Fallen Immortal Realm?"

This was the idea that emerged in his mind when facing the children just now.

Given the kind and friendly interaction with the children, Mr. Bai should indeed be a "good person" as described by Xu Ke.

If that's the case, what would happen if he entered the Fallen Immortal Realm with this body?

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 765: The Unpredictability of Human Hearts and Immortals

Undoubtedly, Mr. Bai must have a significant connection with the Fallen Immortal Realm. If Xu Bai's clone were to enter, it might attract the attention of Mr. Bai within the Fallen Immortal Realm...

However, the results were destined to be unpredictable.

Since crossing over, Li Fan had experienced too much and had become unwilling to easily believe anything, even if he saw it with his own eyes. Especially when it concerned his own life.

After much contemplation, Xu Bai finally suppressed the inexplicable impulse to explore the Fallen Immortal Realm.

"It's weird. I have to be cautious." Xu Bai's expression was inexplicable.

This body was refined from Xu Ke's essence and Mr. Bai's charm. Just by absorbing some of his charm, Xu Bai exhibited various strange phenomena, including but not limited to "endowed by heaven and earth, extraordinary talent," "often feeling a sense of compassion," and "occasionally having uncontrollable thoughts." All of these indicated Mr. Bai's tremendous strength, making Li Fan vigilant.

If the influence was limited to the clone, it would be acceptable. What Li Fan truly feared was that these changes, through the connection between the clone and the true self, would affect the true self imperceptibly.

At that time, would he still be himself?

Even if he was, could he get rid of this "contamination"?

In Li Fan's eyes, this mysterious phenomenon altering his original nature was absolutely a form of pollution, something he could never accept.

"If there's the slightest sign of the true self being affected, I'll withdraw immediately." Xu Bai secretly made a decision.

Calming his mood, Xu Bai, with an unchanged expression, left Changsheng Valley.

Back in Tianliang Prefecture, he continued to handle various matters related to the communication network he was responsible for. Since the expedition to the small worlds began, he also had an additional responsibility.

This responsibility involved monitoring and coordinating the conquests of the discovered celestial caves and small worlds within the realm. Essentially, all unknown small worlds in the world represented a considerable amount of merit and contributions for cultivators.

Except under special circumstances, cultivators wouldn't willingly share them with others. They usually chose to share them first with their relatives and friends.

Only when the power of the small world was too overwhelming and their small group couldn't handle it, would they reluctantly share it with others.

It was rare for the Immortal Alliance's initial expectations of discovering small world entrances and openly sharing information with other cultivators to occur. As time passed, cultivators had gradually come to realize that the conquest of small worlds meant acquiring irreplaceable resources, possibly the only way to rapidly accumulate merit and contributions in their entire lives.

Therefore, they naturally became more calculating, aiming for maximum benefits.

After the initial rapid expansion, the progress of conquering the myriad realms had slowed down considerably.

The Immortal Alliance was well aware of the reasons behind this phenomenon.

Thus, Xu Bai assumed this new task.

Although there were no compulsory measures, he still held an official position in the Immortal Alliance. When he took action, it often facilitated alliances among many small groups.

There was no resistance, and after his reputation spread, cultivators would actively seek him out for assistance.

As he interacted with them more, Xu Bai gradually understood their demands.

First, they could share the information about the small world entrances they held with others. However, correspondingly, those who benefited from this round were expected to prioritize these helpers if they needed assistance in the future when discovering other small worlds.

It was a form of mutual help.

Second, conquering small worlds was not as simple as eating and drinking. It required constant facing of bloody battles, where a slight mistake could lead to instant death. Therefore, fellow cultivators accompanying them must be trustworthy. It wasn't just about living and dying together; at the very least, they couldn't stab each other in the back.

Chapter 3: Home Waters Are Best Tended by Oneself

Thirdly, it's best if the small worlds within Tianliang Prefecture are digested by the local cultivators themselves.

...

Having cycled through a hundred lives, Xu Bai considered himself knowledgeable about human hearts. However, facing these scheming cultivators, he still felt a bit overwhelmed.

Teams seemingly harmonious, introduced by him, often returned with only a few survivors. They would avoid mentioning the fallen members and start blaming each other.

But the next time he contacted them, asking if they could team up again for a conquest, they would most likely agree. Despite knowing about their shady actions, they still had some understanding of each other's backgrounds.

Compared to completely unknown and unfamiliar partners, they were more trustworthy.

"The human heart is truly unfathomable and difficult to comprehend," Xu Bai sighed.

In his mind, the names of cultivators were like chess pieces, arranged differently based on their personalities and abilities. Xu Bai was trying to find the most effective way to utilize the strength of Tianliang Prefecture cultivators.

It turned out to be another unique cultivation method.

Xu Bai thought to himself, "Currently, thirteen small worlds have been discovered in Tianling Prefecture. One is extremely dangerous, with no one surviving multiple attempts, so it has been temporarily abandoned. The other twelve have been completely cleared..."

After the Immortal Alliance cultivators destroyed the resistance within the small worlds and scanned them with the Tianxuan Treasure, a team of black-robed cultivators sent by the alliance would take over. They would expel unrelated people, seal the entrance, and engage in some unknown activities.

Despite inquiring with Nangong Shirong, Xu Bai couldn't find out much. However, based on the feedback from many cultivators under him, shortly after the black-robed cultivators took over, the entrances to these small worlds inexplicably disappeared.

Although the locations were still marked on the Tianxuan Treasure map, the actual entrances couldn't be found when physically present.

"It's not that they've been concealed in some way, but the entrances themselves have changed."

"In fact, the entrances are still there, but they seem to have undergone some encryption, making them unfindable by conventional methods."

After on-site exploration, Xu Bai reached this conclusion.

...

While Xu Bai was busy in Tianliang Prefecture, his true self, Li Fan, finally bid farewell to the enthusiastic Shuofeng and left his mansion.

Although Li Fan had gained some benefits from the days of sparring, he was more surprised by Shuofeng's progress.

From the beginning, where Shuofeng had no resistance against "Thread Severing Life Cutting," relying solely on his somewhat peculiar physique, to gradually adapting to the influence of Life Cutting on him.

(End of this chapter)