348 Chapter 946-950: Free Trade Zone (6.5k+ words)

Quietly changing his appearance, Li Fan sat in a corner, carefully listening to the conversations of the cultivators inside the fortress.

"Have you heard? It seems the Immortal Union doesn't plan to build a floating city in the Nine Mountain Province."

"Oh? How do you explain that?"

"It's because the space here is still unstable. Although the Divine Lord Law Manifestation thoroughly plowed through the Nine Mountain Province, it didn't change the spatial characteristics. The teleportation array still can't be used stably."

As soon as this was mentioned, the cultivators were suddenly enlightened.

"If they don't build a floating city... then what about this vast territory? The Immortal Union can't just leave it unattended, can they?"

"It's hard to say. Before, we could build cities relying on the geographical advantage of the Nine Mountains. Now, it's a flat plain without any natural defenses. The key issue is that the teleportation array can't be used. Once surrounded and unable to receive rapid support, both the defense cost and effectiveness are too poor."

"You guys don't understand anything! The Five Elders were personally begging for peace after being defeated by our Immortal Union. Do you think they dare to attack actively? What danger could there be?"

"This friend is too naive. Haven't you heard that the balance of power has no fixed rules? Can a hero be determined by a momentary victory or defeat? Last time, we won because we caught them off guard. In my opinion, if both sides fight again, the outcome is still uncertain!"

"When our Immortal Union was defeated before, you didn't say such things."

...

The cultivators inside the fortress were enthusiastic about discussing the situation in the Profound Yellow Realm. Each held their own opinions, arguing endlessly, making quite a lively scene.

Observing the surroundings, Li Fan noticed another cultivator who was only listening attentively and not participating in the discussion.

This person looked to be in his thirties, dressed in a black robe with silver-white hair tied up. While listening to the discussion, a hint of disdain appeared in his eyes.

Apparently, he did not agree with the opinions of the cultivators present.

Li Fan smiled faintly, bought a pot of top-grade spirit wine, and sat down in front of the silver-haired cultivator.

"How should I address you?" Li Fan asked with a smile, pouring a cup for the silver-haired cultivator.

"Huh?" The silver-haired cultivator was wary of Li Fan's sudden hospitality. Instead of answering Li Fan's question, he squinted his eyes, constantly scrutinizing the seemingly familiar cultivator in front of him.

"Hehe, friend, no need to be suspicious. I can see at a glance that you are extraordinary and not an ordinary person. There's something profound in your chest. Also, you seem curious about the future situation in the Nine Mountain Province, so I wanted to take the liberty to ask for your opinion."

The silver-haired cultivator, still full of caution, did not answer Li Fan's question directly. Instead, he squinted his eyes, continuously scrutinizing the seemingly familiar cultivator in front of him.

"Hehe, friend, no need to be suspicious. I can see at a glance that you are extraordinary and not an ordinary person. There's something profound in your chest. Also, you seem curious about the future situation in the Nine Mountain Province, so I wanted to take the liberty to ask for your opinion."

The silver-haired cultivator, still full of caution, did not answer Li Fan's question directly. Instead, he squinted his eyes, continuously scrutinizing the seemingly familiar cultivator in front of him.

"Hehe, friend, no need to be suspicious. I can see at a glance that you are extraordinary and not an ordinary person. There's something profound in your chest. Also, you seem curious about the future situation in the Nine Mountain Province, so I wanted to take the liberty to ask for your opinion."

The silver-haired cultivator, still full of caution, did not answer Li Fan's question directly. Instead, he squinted his eyes, continuously scrutinizing the seemingly familiar cultivator in front of him.

"Hehe, friend, no need to be suspicious. I can see at a glance that you are extraordinary and not an ordinary person. There's something profound in your chest. Also, you seem curious about the future situation in the Nine Mountain Province, so I wanted to take the liberty to ask for your opinion."

Satisfied with Li Fan's attitude, the silver-haired cultivator transmitted his voice, "Hehe, you asked the right person!"

"My name is Xin Hongzhang. When it comes to the level of information, none of these people present can compare to me!"

Li Fan nodded repeatedly.

"In fact, what those people said is not wrong. The Immortal Union indeed doesn't plan to build a floating city in the Nine Mountain Province. However, this doesn't mean that the Immortal Union is giving up on this place."

"On the contrary, the Immortal Union has decided to establish the first-ever Free Trade Zone here."

Chapter 946: Free Trade Zone

"Oh? A Free Trade Zone?" Seeing the other person's confident demeanor, Li Fan couldn't help but become genuinely interested. "What is this about?"

Xin Hongzhang proudly said, "You know about the All-Laws Merchant Association, right? For many years, there has been a conflict between the Immortal Union and the Five Elders' faction, prohibiting the circulation of their respective goods. However, the All-Laws Merchant Association in the Nine Mountain Province, located in the buffer zone between the two, is beyond their control. So, the All-Laws Merchant Association can openly sell various precious treasures. Although they charge high prices, cultivators still come from far and wide to purchase."

"But these are old stories. With the Divine Lord Law Manifestation displaying its might, the entire Nine Mountain Province was flattened. Although the All-Laws Merchant Association didn't completely perish, it suffered heavy losses. It's difficult for it to recover to its former glory..." Xin Hongzhang shook his head.

"However, the leader of the All-Laws Merchant Association is indeed remarkable. He actually persuaded the Immortal Union to lift trade restrictions in the Nine Mountain Province. Cultivators from both the Immortal Union and the Five Elders' faction can freely trade necessary supplies here, only needing to pay a small tax."

"Guided by the Immortal Union, assisted by the experienced All-Laws Merchant Association. It is said that they have secretly reached an agreement with the Five Elders' faction, ensuring that even if hostilities resume in the future, neither side will choose to wage war in the Nine Mountain Province."

"Do you know what it means to have secure free trade?" Xin Hongzhang stared at Li Fan.

Li Fan nodded, showing excitement in his eyes.

"Imagine that what is now a desolate Nine Mountain Province will soon become incredibly prosperous. It may even surpass the four major regions in the hinterland. Seizing this once-in-a-millennium opportunity will undoubtedly change one's fate..." Xin Hongzhang also drank a cup of spirit wine vigorously, expressing the excitement in his heart.

"If it weren't for this reason, I wouldn't have traveled from afar to this remote border."

Li Fan remained silent for a long time with his head lowered, seemingly digesting this shocking news.

Then he raised his head, expressing gratitude to Xin Hongzhang, "For such important inside information, a fellow daoist casually shared it with me, a chance encounter. I'm truly grateful."

Xin Hongzhang waved his hand, "Hehe, if you hadn't taken the initiative to strike up a conversation and ordered a pot of good wine, I wouldn't have disclosed this matter to you."

"In fact, this matter is not considered a top-secret. The Immortal Union's announcement should be coming soon. We can only seize a slight advantage."

"By the way, if the fellow daoist has ample contribution points, you might want to keep an eye on the qualifications for purchasing caves in the Nine Mountain Province recently."

"I bet that within ten years, the prices of these caves will double at least! Even tripling or quadrupling won't be a problem. If you can buy several caves right from the start and sell them later..."

"It's simply a risk-free and highly profitable business!"

Xin Hongzhang added secretly.

"Fellow daoist Xin has such foresight!" Li Fan looked as if he had just awakened from a dream, patting his head, "Why didn't I think of that?"

He then continued to praise Xin Hongzhang repeatedly.

Drinking too much spirit wine, Xin Hongzhang, listening to Li Fan's flattery, couldn't help but feel a bit floaty.

Suddenly, he saw that Li Fan seemed to be hesitating about something.

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he mysteriously transmitted his voice, "Fellow daoist Xin has treated me so well; I can't be stingy."

"To be honest, I have a secret technique called [Divine Embodiment]. If fellow daoist doesn't mind, I can pass it on to you."

Seeing Li Fan's careful expression, Xin Hongzhang smiled and didn't take it seriously.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 947: Enticing the Ghosts and Gods

"I see that fellow daoist is only at the Nascent Soul realm. How powerful can your so-called secret technique be?" Xin Hongzhang shook his head slightly. "I shared the secret with you without expecting anything in return. Keep that [Divine Embodiment] for yourself."

Li Fan's expression turned somewhat unpleasant upon hearing this.

Seemingly on the verge of erupting, he ultimately maintained his patience and quietly explained, "Fellow Daoist Xin, don't be deceived by my Nascent Soul cultivation. The combat power of the Divine Embodiment I summon surpasses my own. It can even withstand attacks from Core Formation cultivators..."

"Hmm?" Xin Hongzhang, upon hearing this, suddenly became more serious.

"If fellow daoist doesn't believe, we can always test it." Li Fan earnestly suggested.

Slightly sobered up from the alcohol, Xin Hongzhang carefully observed Li Fan once again.

"Indeed, only at the Nascent Soul realm. Even if he harbors ill intentions, I should be able to easily defeat him. Well, let's see what tricks he's selling."

Sensing no malice from Li Fan, there was only sincerity.

After contemplating for a moment, Xin Hongzhang agreed to Li Fan's suggestion.

The two of them left the defensive fortress, proceeding to a desolate and uninhabited location in the Nine Mountain Province.

"Fellow Daoist Fan, I think this place is about right. Let me witness your so-called Divine Embodiment." Xin Hongzhang suddenly stopped and spoke to Li Fan.

Li Fan looked around and nodded, "Alright, fellow daoist Xin, keep your distance. I'm afraid of accidentally injuring you..."

Xin Hongzhang sneered inwardly but complied.

He watched with interest as Li Fan, with a serious expression, chanted an incantation, "May the compassion of the mortal world bless all beings. As I pray, the divine presence descends..."

"Decree!"

"Quite an elaborate performance," Xin Hongzhang thought.

However, soon, he noticed the appearance of a strange and powerful aura, and his initial amusement vanished without a trace.

In its place was a sense of great solemnity.

"What is this..."

A creature with a sheep's head and a human body appeared before Xin Hongzhang as the friend named Fan summoned it.

The monster kept its eyes closed, but Xin Hongzhang felt as if he were being locked onto.

Light and shadow appeared simultaneously on the creature with the sheep's head and human body.

It looked bizarre yet sacred.

"Fellow Daoist Xin, what do you think?" Li Fan's voice came.

Only now did Xin Hongzhang recover from the shock.

Without answering, he evaluated the strength of the creature before him.

It seemed that the other party had also understood his thoughts. The creature spoke in a calm tone, "Just looking won't accomplish anything. Fellow Daoist Xin, are you interested in sparring with my Divine Embodiment?"

Xin Hongzhang squinted his eyes and nodded in agreement.

"Be careful, Fellow Daoist Xin!" Li Fan lightly shouted.

The creature with the sheep's head disappeared in an instant. The next moment, it appeared behind Xin Hongzhang.

"This speed..." Before he could be astonished, Xin Hongzhang felt the creature's large hands tightly gripping his neck from behind.

Unable to break free, Xin Hongzhang's surroundings suddenly changed.

It was as if he had fallen into an endless realm of ghosts and demons, with five blood moons intertwined in the sky.

Surrounding him were thousands of terrifying demons, extending endlessly into the distance, all casting their gazes toward him.

In the oppressive and terrifying atmosphere, Xin Hongzhang's thoughts seemed to freeze in an instant.

He even completely gave up resistance, allowing himself to be at the mercy of the entity.

"Fellow Daoist Xin?"

Only after Li Fan's shout did he wake up from the nightmare.

"You..." Xin Hongzhang looked around in confusion, realizing that the sheep-headed creature had disappeared. He stared at Li Fan in suspicion, wanting to say something but hesitating.

"How was the strength of this Divine Embodiment?" Li Fan asked triumphantly.

Xin Hongzhang remained silent for a moment before finally uttering four words, "I'm not as good..."

Chapter 948: Temptation of the Ghostly Gods

"It's fine; there's no restriction on cultivating this secret technique concurrently. If fellow daoist is interested, I can teach it to you," Li Fan said seriously.

Having personally experienced the terrifying power of the Divine Embodiment, Xin Hongzhang instinctively wanted to agree. However, recalling the dark and eerie scene he had witnessed, he couldn't help but hesitate.

This secret technique seemed somewhat sinister. Moreover, the fact that such a powerful mystical art was being freely taught raised suspicions in Xin Hongzhang's mind.

He seemed to sense Xin Hongzhang's concerns, so Li Fan smiled, pulled him to the ground, and began explaining.

"In reality, my willingness to teach you the Divine Embodiment is also somewhat self-serving."

"Oh?" Xin Hongzhang's interest was piqued as he looked at Li Fan.

"All of this starts from the origin of this secret technique. In ancient times, when gods and demons ran rampant, humanity was nothing more than food for them, leading to a tragic fate. A compassionate sage emerged, made a great vow, and swore to suppress all gods and demons in the world, restoring peace to the heavens and earth..."

"Are you saying that the creature you just summoned, the one with the sheep's head, is an ancient god or demon that was suppressed?" Xin Hongzhang's expression turned somewhat peculiar.

Li Fan nodded, "Although the sage suppressed all gods and demons, they didn't perish. To prevent their escape, the sage used themselves as a prison, eternally suppressing them."

"Also, to prevent their own depletion in countless years, they left behind a secret technique. Those who practice the Divine Embodiment can continuously suppress boundless gods and demons. As a reward, they can summon projections of the gods and demons from the sacred prison to fight for themselves..."

Listening to this, Xin Hongzhang felt a bit dizzy.

He had never heard of such a compassionate sage or gods and demons in his previous worldview. It contradicted everything he knew, making it hard to believe.

Li Fan continued, "Originally, I, like you, thought this matter was too absurd. However, after truly practicing this secret technique and successfully summoning the projection of gods and demons, I understood..."

"This secret technique is not native to the Xuanhuang Realm. The recorded events did not happen in the Xuanhuang Realm either. However, the power of the technique is indeed real and effective."

Upon hearing this, Xin Hongzhang suddenly enlightened.

"Moreover, this secret technique has another characteristic. Each person who practices the technique has a unique identifier. When the technique is taught to someone else, the identifier doesn't disappear but benefits from the next person practicing the technique. This results in summoning even more and stronger projections of gods and demons..."

These words sounded somewhat mysterious, and Xin Hongzhang didn't immediately grasp their exact meaning.

However, soon, Li Fan demonstrated it with practical results.

"For example..."

Three malevolent and mighty demonic gods suddenly appeared around Xin Hongzhang.

They encircled him.

Engulfed by endless demonic energy, Xin Hongzhang swallowed hard, unable to move due to nervousness.

"I have already taught this secret technique to more than ten deserving individuals. As a result, the number of gods and demons I can summon has increased to three."

"The more individuals I teach, the more gods and demons one can summon. That's why I don't mind, and I'm even willing to teach you the Divine Embodiment technique."

Li Fan said with a smile.

Looking at the imposing three demonic gods surrounding him, Xin Hongzhang couldn't help but feel tempted.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 948: Gods and Demons Manifest

Who would refuse to obtain a demonic god projection stronger than their own strength so easily?

Just as Xin Hongzhang was about to agree, at this critical moment, he hesitated again and looked towards Li Fan.

"So, what's the cost?"

"Is there such a good thing as pie falling from the sky in this world?"

Seeing the other still resisting, Li Fan, with a smile that seemed to charm, said, "Cost? That compassionate sage could have achieved a transcendental realm beyond immortality, but now, they can only use themselves as a prison, suppressing countless gods and demons..."

"Isn't that a cost? The sage, out of compassion, blocked disasters for us. If those gods and demons continued to rampage, summoning them would surely require sacrificing one's own divine soul."

"If you truly feel grateful, just praise the grace of the sage every day."

With this explanation from Li Fan, all doubts in Xin Hongzhang's mind were dispelled, and he couldn't help but ask, "I wonder what the name of that sage is..."

"Once you learn [Divine Embodiment], you'll know."

As Li Fan spoke, he lightly pointed at Xin Hongzhang.

The contents of this mysterious technique, which summoned gods and demons, suddenly appeared in Xin Hongzhang's mind like a tide.

"Indeed, it is an extraordinary technique, truly out of the ordinary!"

Just from the words, Xin Hongzhang could glimpse the subtlety of [Divine Embodiment]. Compared to the spells he had cultivated in his entire life, it was like heaven and earth, one from above, one from below.

Immersed in this marvelous technique, he couldn't help himself.

When Xin Hongzhang regained consciousness, Li Fan had already disappeared without a trace.

"Rescue the suffering, compassion for the mortal world," Xin Hongzhang muttered softly.

Having obtained the secret technique, the first thing to do was to find a place to cultivate.

Suppressing the excitement within, Xin Hongzhang returned to the defensive fortress in the Nine Mountain Province. He spent a considerable sum to rent the highest-level secluded cultivation chamber, where he sat cross-legged and began practicing according to the instructions in [Divine Embodiment].

Darkness quietly descended in the secluded chamber.

Xin Hongzhang felt as if he had returned to the boundless hell where myriad demons resided. However, unlike the terrifying scenes of chilling winds and wailing ghosts he had witnessed before, the current hell seemed to be in a state of absolute stillness.

Above the myriad gods and demons, a vague figure of a compassionate and benevolent sage could be faintly seen, emitting warm radiance.

Xin Hongzhang's initial fear gradually dissipated, and with an excited and reverent mood, he respectfully bowed to the figure in the sky.

Then, his divine consciousness wandered among the myriad gods and demons, constantly sensing.

When he passed by one of the demonic statues, his heart suddenly moved.

Chanting incantations, the next moment, the once-motionless hell suddenly shattered. In reality, a majestic demonic god with eight heads and eight arms appeared before Xin Hongzhang.

"It's actually Mahākāla!"

Xin Hongzhang was suddenly ecstatic.

According to the records of the secret technique, Mahākāla's strength ranked among the top one hundred of the myriad demonic gods! He never expected to have such good luck!

Xin Hongzhang attempted to communicate with the projection of gods and demons before him using his divine sense. The dark and viscous sensation extended through his divine sense into his sea of consciousness.

Xin Hongzhang was startled, but soon, the feeling of being able to command Mahākāla at will dispelled his worries.

Manipulating Mahākāla for an attack, Xin Hongzhang couldn't conceal the joy on his face.

"This god and demon projection is stronger than the three summoned by Fellow Daoist Fan. If I teach [Divine Embodiment] to more cultivators..."

Xin Hongzhang fell into reverie.

"Mediocre talents need not apply, those who look down on others need not apply, those without a conscience need not apply..."

Xin Hongzhang recalled the selection conditions mentioned by Fan Li, starting to think about suitable candidates.

At the same time...

Chapter 948: Gods and Demons in the World

Thousands of miles away, Li Fan, who could clearly see Xin Hongzhang's expression with the help of Mahākāla, revealed a satisfied smile.

The so-called myriad gods and demons were naturally the incarnations of thoughts formed by Li Fan cultivating the [Three Calamities and Hundred Tribulations Illuminated Divine Technique].

The [Divine Embodiment] secret technique was, in fact, a method in which the cultivator served as a nurturing vessel, summoning Li Fan's thought incarnations to reside within themselves.

Although it seemed like one could command them as they pleased, the thought incarnations would spontaneously act by reading the cultivator's consciousness.

It was like Li Fan had entrusted a part of his consciousness to other cultivators.

Utilizing their divine sense to nurture and strengthen himself.

Acting as a benefactor for others, all while remaining oblivious. This was the ultimate outcome of practicing [Divine Embodiment].

"Now, the intensity of my divine sense surpasses even that of a Dao Fusion expert. If thousands of cultivators were transformed into nurturing beds for my divine sense using this method..."

"The expansion would be hundreds of times over. Truly an unexpected gain."

"Moreover, the more marvelous aspect is that my thought incarnations dwelling in the sea of consciousness of these cultivators can subtly influence and alter their thoughts. Making them completely at my disposal."

"Hehehe..." Li Fan couldn't help but emit a dark, low chuckle.

He seemed to have foreseen that a large number of cultivators in the Immortal Alliance would fall under the influence of this [Divine Embodiment] secret technique.

"Widespread dissemination will definitely attract the attention of the Immortal Alliance."

"The characteristics are already so obvious. As long as Moru Bin learns about this, he will definitely see that this is the work of the former comrades of the Xuanti Sect..."

"What I need to do is to sow a few more seeds."

Li Fan's figure flickered, flying away from the Nine Mountain Province.

Next, he returned to various states of the Immortal Alliance. After secretly tempting a total of eighty cultivators to practice [Divine Embodiment], he stopped.

Including the initial Xin Hongzhang, there were a total of eighty-one cultivators in the first batch of practitioners.

"Hmm? That kid is quite efficient; he already has a second generation of practitioners. Li Fan sensed for a moment, very satisfied with Xin Hongzhang's efficiency.

"In at most half a year, the number will be considerable."

"Fast, very fast." Li Fan returned with a satisfied heart.

During the time he diligently sowed seeds, as Xin Hongzhang had predicted, the Immortal Alliance did indeed announce the establishment of the first free trade zone in the Nine Mountain Province.

The news caused a sensation, attracting countless cultivators who aspired to join the Five Elders and those who sought to become wealthy.

Released alongside the announcement were many detailed regulations.

These included the development plan for the Nine Mountain Province over the next hundred years, as well as rules for the distribution of resources and power, among others.

The most eye-catching point was a clause: Ordinary cultivators were not eligible to purchase caves and land in the Nine Mountain Province. Only those who made outstanding contributions to the development of the Nine Mountain Province had this right. Moreover, to prevent influential figures from using shady methods, all land transactions had to be publicly announced through the Tianxuan Mirror.

If there were any hidden schemes, any cultivator could report it.

The Immortal Alliance would thoroughly investigate without any tolerance!

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 949: Vast World in the Sleeve

Various policy explanations showed that the Immortal Alliance attached great importance to the Nine Mountain Province.

At least from the words and expressions in the clauses, it made all Immortal Alliance cultivators feel the determination behind them.

What's more crucial is that the one who issued decrees and presided over the construction of the Nine Mountain Province was the propagator, Jiang, who had previously led the Immortal Alliance to a great victory over the Five Elders!

As the only propagator well-known to the public, with significant victories as a foundation, the reputation of Propagator Jiang among Immortal Alliance cultivators was extremely high, almost second only to the Propagation Grandmaster.

"If the Free Trade Zone in the Nine Mountains is successfully established and proves to be effective, then the reputation of Propagator Jiang is likely to rise even further."

"It's interesting. Is this representative of the collective effort of the propagators or..."

"The actual leaders of the Immortal Alliance are divided into two factions, the propagators and the Tianxuan Mirror. Now, the propagators are making big moves, attempting to create the Xuantian Sealing Spirit and completely gain control of the Tianxuan Mirror."

"Will the Tianxuan Mirror side just sit idly by?"

As the saying goes, a great wind rises from humble grass. Within the Immortal Alliance, there were few indications of internal struggles among the high-ranking officials.

Li Fan was one of those who could perceive it.

However, regardless of the outcome, he didn't really care.

He was more concerned about the rapid growth of the Divine Embodiment organization, hidden behind the bustling scene in the Nine Mountain Province.

However, the Immortal Alliance actually had strong control over its own territory.

As more and more cultivators mastered the power of Nascent Soul, and even the transformation to Divine Sense, projecting god and demon images, this abnormal phenomenon caught the attention of the Immortal Alliance authorities.

However, since no one violated the laws of the Immortal Alliance, they temporarily didn't take action against those cultivators.

They only dispatched some Guardians Hall cultivators to also practice [Divine Embodiment], attempting to uncover the secrets behind this phenomenon.

When one of the cultivators summoned a god or demon, and Li Fan's thought incarnation tried to infiltrate the cultivator's sea of consciousness, Li Fan discovered that this cultivator wanted to probe him by following the source of the thought incarnation.

"How ignorant..."

Li Fan sneered but didn't stop the cultivator.

Instead, he carefully arranged things and then lured the cultivator over.

As a result, this Guardian Hall cultivator named Wei Ziguan, after the initial surprise faded, witnessed one vivid scene after another.

A black sun appeared in the sky of the Xuanti Realm, devouring everything.

Countless beings wailed, but they had no time to react.

They disappeared into the endless darkness.

The Xuanti Realm shattered, and living beings were reduced to ashes.

This terrifying apocalyptic scene rushed into Wei Ziguan's mind when he was caught off guard.

It wasn't an illusion.

The expressions on the faces of each cultivator facing the great calamity were incredibly real.

As if the end of the world was truly happening before their eyes.

"Ah ah ah ah ah!"

Wei Ziguan went mad.

With only Golden Core cultivation and not even a hundred years of cultivation, he had never seen such a purgatory scene.

After breaking off the probe and returning to reality, Wei Ziguan screamed uncontrollably.

In a state of frenzy, he kept saying things like the end of the world is imminent.

His colleagues quickly restrained him.

After reporting, the cultivator who came to check on Wei Ziguan, upon learning about his experience, had a furrowed brow and a gloomy expression.

Realizing the seriousness of the matter, after ordering someone to watch over Wei Ziguan, that cultivator hurriedly returned.

...

Similar incidents like this were not isolated and were happening all over the Immortal Alliance.

After the reports were gathered and submitted, it finally caused a shock among the high-ranking officials of the Immortal Alliance.

Chapter 949: The Universe in the Sleeve

However, this matter was quite suspicious, and it was challenging to determine if it was a conspiracy from the Five Elders. Therefore, before a final decision was made, the Immortal Alliance suspended the investigation into [Divine Embodiment].

They only commanded various regions to secretly control all those cultivating Divine Embodiment.

However, with Li Fan as the instigator, he continued to spread the seeds.

This move by the Immortal Alliance was essentially insignificant.

The Divine Embodiment organization continued to grow as usual.

"Hmm?"

Successfully influencing another cultivator, Li Fan suddenly felt a sense of being spied on.

It was as if someone had directly found Li Fan's location through the heavens and earth.

Fortunately, Li Fan had always changed his appearance when he went out. So, his true identity had not been exposed.

With a cold snort, Li Fan lightly pointed towards the sky.

A sharp sword intent severed the source of the secret probe.

However, in just that moment, it seemed like his location had been pinpointed.

A thin line suddenly descended from the sky, and after that, a roaring sound came from afar!

"The Sky Patrolling Arrows!"

It was apparent that the Immortal Alliance took Li Fan, this secretly spreading mischief-maker, very seriously.

It wasn't just one arrow; it was a continuous barrage of three Sky Patrolling Arrows, successively locking onto Li Fan!

Even a Dao Fusion cultivator would suffer a painful price in such a situation!

However, Li Fan was fearless.

He revealed a disdainful smile and waved his sleeve as the three Sky Patrolling Arrows approached him!

In an instant, the three arrows that came through the air, as if they wanted to tear everything apart, vanished inexplicably!

Li Fan showed a contemptuous smile, then his figure flew away, leaving the area in an instant.

When a group of fully armed Immortal Alliance cultivators arrived late, their faces showed undisguised fear when they figured out what had happened.

...

In the spatial passage leading to the Imperial World.

Li Fan frowned slightly, looking at the Sky Patrolling Arrows raging in his Five Elements Grand Dao Realm.

The move just now, the rough version of "Universe in the Sleeve," was indeed impressive.

However, it was still a deadly weapon capable of severely injuring Dao Fusion cultivators.

Forcibly incorporating it into his own Grand Dao Realm would naturally come at a considerable cost.

The Grand Dao Realm roared and trembled slightly.

The three Grand Dao Realms of Water, Fire, and Earth, due to the attacks of the Sky Patrolling Arrows, even showed faint cracks in the sky.

Fortunately, there were still the Metal and Wood Grand Dao Realms to support, coupled with Li Fan personally taking action, using the Seven-Colored Divine Light to help suppress it.

In the end, these three Sky Patrolling Arrows were completely subdued by Li Fan.

The Five Elements circulated, and in an instant, the impact brought by the Sky Patrolling Arrows disappeared without a trace.

Li Fan held one of the Sky Patrolling Arrows in his hand and quietly studied it.

Made of an unknown material, incredibly hard.

Even when Li Fan struck it with the Annihilation Sword, the arrow's body remained undamaged.

There were many intricate patterns engraved on the arrow's body. After Li Fan analyzed it with the Annihilation Disc, he obtained a complex array with a hundred thousand iterations.

More than half of them were formations that Li Fan had never learned, and even the database derived from the Annihilation Disc did not contain them.

It seemed to be from a different cultivation world, unlike the Xuanti Realm's own formation system.

"For the Annihilation Disc, this is a significant supplement!"

Li Fan was overjoyed.

"As expected, the fastest way to progress is to study the unknown creations within the existing structures!"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 950: The Dao's Spiritual Energy Throughout Life

Li Fan rushed through the spatial passage. Just before reaching the Imperial Small World, the Annihilation Disc had already absorbed and transformed all hundred thousand formations on the Sky Patrolling Arrows, successfully deciphering them.

Li Fan halted slightly, and silver light shot from his eyes. In an instant, he completely erased the formations attached to the surface of the Sky Patrolling Arrows.

These hundred thousand formations not only had functions like acceleration, positioning, and amplification, but also, layered one upon another, formed a layer of armor. This made the Sky Patrolling Arrow's hardness reach an incredible level.

However, with these formations gone, the internal core material of the Sky Patrolling Arrow was revealed.

Only now did Li Fan realize that this Sky Patrolling Arrow seemed to be a kind of living thing! Beneath a layer of hard keratin, faint fluctuations of divine sense could be sensed. The amplitude of these fluctuations was extremely weak. If Li Fan's divine sense strength were not above that of an average Dao Fusion cultivator, the sensitivity would be almost negligible!

"What is this thing..."

Li Fan couldn't help but become interested.

He extended a strand of similarly tiny divine sense, attempting to communicate with the Sky Patrolling Arrow. However, the Sky Patrolling Arrow seemed to be frightened. In an instant, it almost completely converged its own divine sense fluctuations, showing no signs of life.

This scene was much like a startled turtle rapidly retracting into its shell.

Afterward, no matter how Li Fan probed, the Sky Patrolling Arrow resolutely refused to reveal any signs of life.

Helplessly, Li Fan could only temporarily include it in his own Grand Dao Realm and leave a strand of divine sense to observe it. He would wait until it let down its guard before trying again.

"No wonder the Immortal Alliance could achieve coverage with over a thousand Sky Patrolling Arrows in a short time. It turns out they are unknown creatures combined with composite formations..."

"Hmm, there should be a central control hub coordinating all the Sky Patrolling Arrows."

Recalling the massive network formed by the Sky Patrolling Arrows during the previous battle between the Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders, Li Fan thought to himself.

"Now that I've completely deciphered the composite formations, if I can analyze the nature of this creature..."

"I can also mass-produce Sky Patrolling Arrows!"

"Whether for personal use or selling the secret to the Five Elders, it would be greatly beneficial."

In a good mood, Li Fan didn't get carried away.

Looking at the Imperial Small World not far away, he didn't reveal his figure directly.

Instead, he meticulously searched with his divine sense, making sure there were no traps set by the Imperial side. Only then did he unleash his power.

With the addition of the Soul-Burning Decision, the five eerie blood moons suddenly appeared in the sky above the Imperial Small World.

Darkness descended, and the original sun was obscured.

Terrifying divine beings flew out from the blood moons. Soon, they occupied various positions within the Imperial realm.

The extremely Yin and dark aura emanating from them caused the ordinary people of the Empire to even freeze their thoughts, entering a state of paralysis.

Without any fearful thoughts, they were all just frozen in place.

As the demonic beings descended upon the Empire, Li Fan's extremely indifferent voice echoed continuously.

"The three-year deadline has arrived. How have you dealt with your affairs?"

The voice was like thunder, spreading throughout the entire Empire.

At this moment, everyone in the Empire fell into extreme fear. It was as if they witnessed countless divine beings effortlessly tearing the Empire apart.

After a moment, the blue, red, and Imperial Princess, three beams of light flew to Li Fan's side.

"We pay our respects to the senior."

Compared to the last time, Li Fan's aura was even stronger.

The three of them could only barely maintain their freedom of movement.

"Fortunately not to disgrace ourselves. Over these three years, we've exhausted the country's resources and finally completed the upgrade of the spiritual energy synthesis technique," Qing, mustering his courage, replied.

Chapter 951: Dao of Spiritual Energy Throughout Life

Li Fan's gaze was locked on, causing Qing's heart to skip a beat.

"Hahaha..."

"Very well! Take me to see it." After just a moment, Li Fan's laughter relieved her tension.

They arrived at the Imperial Palace Treasury. In the location where the Myriad Furnace originally was, there was now a massive machine.

It looked like an hourglass, and one could even hear something seeming to drop from the top of the hourglass to the bottom.

"Senior, please take a look." Qing pressed a button on the hourglass device.

The ticking sound became more rapid.

When it reached a certain point, the bottom of the hourglass suddenly opened.

Then, a pure spiritual energy gushed out from the small opening.

Due to the high concentration of spiritual energy, it initially formed a "spiritual rain." It gradually turned into white mist and dissipated in the air.

Li Fan extended his hand and captured a wisp of spiritual energy.

Apart from the faint trace of bloodiness, it was almost indistinguishable from natural spiritual energy.

Even so, compared to the spiritual energy catalyzed by the flesh and blood of exotic beasts before, the quality was much higher.

After a burst of spiritual energy, the ticking sound of the metal hourglass almost disappeared.

It took a long time before a low voice emerged.

However, Li Fan noticed that as time passed, the frequency of the ticking sound increased.

It seemed that as long as it reached the previous speed, new spiritual energy would erupt.

Penetrating the metal hourglass with his divine sense and entering the interior, Li Fan discovered that the upper half of the hourglass was filled with countless tiny flesh tissues.

Rather than calling it flesh, it was more like an aggregation of some kind of fungi.

The vital essence was weak, and even self-consciousness was nonexistent. Its sole mission was to absorb nutrients and reproduce itself.

"Interesting."

Qing observed Li Fan's expression and timely explained, "The previous spiritual energy could only be produced from the beast core inside specific exotic beasts. From birth to nurturing the crystal core, an exotic beast would take at least half a year."

"This is under the premise of us compressing the breeding cycle to the extreme."

"But even so, the efficiency of producing spiritual energy was still too low. So, we changed our approach and conducted targeted evolution cultivation on those exotic beasts."

"We degraded all other functions, leaving only the part that produces the beast core."

"Then, we incorporated the characteristics of a fungi-type exotic beast with the fastest reproduction speed..."

"After hundreds of generations of iterative cultivation, we finally obtained this almost perfect creation."

Qing spoke with a steady tone, but when it came to their research results, there was still an unstoppable excitement in her eyes.

"As Senior has seen, this exotic beast starts self-replicating from its birth."

"It skips the [reproduction] process, relying entirely on self-replication to reproduce indefinitely. Moreover, the required nutrients are as simple as ordinary fungi—just water and sunlight."

"After giving birth to the crystal core inside, this exotic beast will self-destruct, separating its physical body from the crystal core."

"The crystal core is concentrated and collected in the funnel below, while the body of the exotic beast is decomposed and transformed into nutrients, absorbed by its counterparts."

"So it goes on in a cycle. This device only needs to add a small amount of nutrients at fixed intervals to continuously produce spiritual energy."

(End of this chapter)