As the saying goes, a thief never leaves empty-handed.
Li Fan had expended considerable effort on this expedition to the Crossing Adversity Sect. Coming back with nothing to show for it was simply not his style.
His soul clone stroked its chin, pondered for a long time, and soon struck upon an idea.
Outside the Book of Crossing Adversity, Li Fan began laying down another restriction of his own making.
With his current strength, Li Fan was still incapable of dealing with the Book of Crossing Adversity once freed of its seal. Creating a restriction from scratch was far more difficult than merely repairing one, and exhausting this third of his divine soul still did not see it through to completion.
Fortunately, Li Fan's true body, lying in wait outside this miniature space, dispatched another third of his divine soul in support well ahead of time.
After two full months of painstaking work, a brand-new restriction was finally established around the Book of Crossing Adversity.
Suppressed beneath dual restrictions, the pages of the Book of Crossing Adversity fluttered at an ever-faster pace, and the silhouettes of the paper men within grew blurred and indistinct.
Having confirmed that the seal was sufficiently sturdy, Li Fan proceeded to dismantle the original restriction left behind by Chuanfa.
As he unraveled it, he maintained the highest state of alert, while his true body quietly withdrew a thousand li into the distance to watch for any unexpected developments.
As it turned out, Li Fan's precautions were unnecessary.
Right until the restriction of Chuanfa was completely taken apart, no abnormal phenomena occurred.
Li Fan could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Looking at the Book of Crossing Adversity before him, his divine soul enveloped it and carried it back along the original path out of the speck-of-dust space.
The soul clone did not return to his true body, but instead headed back alone to the Spirit Wood Realm ahead of him.
Meanwhile, Li Fan's true body went to report back to the Heavenly Profound Mirror's avatar.
"What took you so long? I thought you'd run into trouble," asked the mirror's avatar, who had once again assumed a new identity—now appearing as a glamorous woman dressed in gorgeous crimson robes.
Li Fan froze for a moment.
Glancing at the three naked mortals in the room, he said in disbelief, "What are you doing...?"
Unfazed by Li Fan's shock, the avatar replied casually, "Nothing more than comprehending a new path of cultivation.
"A life that has never experienced carnal pleasure is utterly incomplete. Since I intend to incarnate as a human, I must naturally experience everything a human ought to experience."
Li Fan looked over the exquisite face conjured by the mirror's avatar and remarked with an odd expression, "Even so, was there really any need to turn into a woman?"
"Man or woman, I shall experience both. It is merely a matter of which comes first." The mirror's avatar shook its head and shifted the topic. "How did things go on your end?"
"The formation for breaking the restriction works without issue. If everything goes according to plan, you won't have long to wait before your escape succeeds. However..." Li Fan paused. "That Crossing Adversity Sect seemed rather bizarre. When I got there, Chuanfa's restriction had already loosened somewhat. Once I completely unraveled it, the Crossing Adversity Sect simply vanished right before my eyes," Li Fan said with some annoyance.
The mirror's avatar narrowed its eyes slightly, lost in thought. After a moment, it explained, "No need to worry. So long as the tribulation of the Xuanhuang Realm has not passed, those people of the Crossing Adversity Sect will remain in that state forever.
"The only things they can muster are petty, sinister tricks that cannot see the light of day."
Li Fan took the opportunity to probe further. "Do you mean to say that if the Xuanhuang Realm ever successfully survives the tribulation, the Crossing Adversity Sect might actually be revived?"
A flicker of killing intent surfaced in his eyes.
The mirror's avatar let out a sneer. "It is merely a possibility. They hoped to survive the tribulation by turning into paper men, but they never foresaw that the wait for the tribulation to pass would last this long.
"Having remained paper men for nearly ten thousand years, how could there be no side effects? You can treat them as entirely dead."
Hearing this, Li Fan gave a slow nod.
After a brief silence, he asked again, "Before I came, I heard some rumors. It seems the Crossing Adversity Sect has some kind of calamity-bearer who can help them pass through the tribulation. Is that truly the case?
"If there really is such a profound secret, I must hunt down and execute this calamity-bearer to prevent any chance of their sect rising from the ashes," Li Fan declared with righteous conviction.
The mirror's avatar frowned. "According to the cultivation methods of the Crossing Adversity Sect, a calamity-bearer does indeed exist.
"The people of the Crossing Adversity Sect keep out of worldly affairs to avoid disaster, yet they are able to perceive the trends and variables of the tribulation. Those capable of influencing the disaster are the so-called calamity-bearers. However..."
The avatar gave a cold laugh. "If it were an ordinary calamity, a chosen one of destiny would naturally emerge in the Xuanhuang Realm to turn the tide and save all beneath heaven.
"Yet before a world-ending catastrophe, the Xuanhuang Realm can barely preserve itself—where would any chosen one come from?
"A calamity-bearer capable of ending such a catastrophe is completely out of the question."
Something seemed to cross the avatar's mind, and it fell abruptly silent.
After a long while, it said in a low, somber tone, "If such a figure truly existed, every cultivator in the entire Xuanhuang Realm would likely do everything within their power to lend them aid.
"Even Chuanfa himself would probably come to meet them in person."
An imperceptible glint flashed across Li Fan's eyes.
He gave a dry laugh and chimed in, "You're right. To keep ourselves alive, we can only rely on ourselves.
"Pinning everything on some supposed savior like the Crossing Adversity Sect did is truly absurd. Good riddance to them!"
Moving past the topic of the Crossing Adversity Sect, Li Fan, having completed the verification of the restriction-breaking method, asked the mirror's avatar for his due reward.
The avatar did not go back on its word. "While you were away, I observed human life in the form of a woman and gained new insights.
"It serves well as a reference for you."
Li Fan's expression shifted, and he was about to refuse, but when he saw what the avatar handed over, the words died in his throat.
In the avatar's hand lay a piece of white jade shaped like a crescent moon, radiating a gentle, soothing warmth.
Just by being near it, Li Fan felt the circulation of his spiritual energy and divine soul become markedly smoother.
"This is..."
A trace of pride surfaced on the avatar's face. "As the saying goes, solitary yang cannot flourish alone. From what I observe, it has been quite some time since you last indulged in the communion of yin and yang, hasn't it?
"Solitary yang may be formidable, but without the support of yin power, it inevitably develops flaws.
"This is an object I gave birth to while contemplating the human female form. It is called Crescent Yin Jade, and it shall lend you a helping hand!"
Li Fan's expression grew exceedingly strange upon hearing this.
Seeing Li Fan hesitate, the avatar offered solemn advice: "Yin-yang dual cultivation is also a Great Dao of Heaven and Earth; you have no need to shun it.
"Besides, this Crescent Yin Jade is a pure manifestation of worldly laws. Even if you harbor some psychological aversion, it won't be an issue."
With reluctant compliance, Li Fan accepted the jade and tucked it into his robes.
Sure enough, it required no formal refinement.
Merely by resting against his chest, a sensation akin to a withered tree greeting the spring coursed through him. The aura within his body, already peaked to the utmost limit, seemed to inexplicably break past its constraints and grow even more formidable.
Chapter 1041