"In today's cultivation world, if a mortal wishes to cultivate, they have only a few choices," Kou Hong explained patiently.
"The first is to join the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals. The alliance is a loose coalition formed by numerous cultivators. Within it, one can earn contribution points by taking on and completing tasks, trading with others, and similar means. With those contribution points, one can exchange for cultivation techniques and resources."
"The second is the Five Elders Association. It was founded by five top figures, and its influence is massive. As long as you possess the aptitude for cultivation, you can voluntarily join and choose a technique to practice. The price, however, is that you must sign a soul contract to serve the Five Elders Association for a set period of time."
"The third is to join local factions in various regions. Although these factions cannot compare to the two behemoths mentioned above, they tend to be tightly knit and rarely assign dangerous tasks, making them suitable for those of an indolent, placid nature. As for the rest of the messy, ragtag organizations, none are particularly reliable, so there is no need to mention them." Kou Hong slowly laid out the general state of the modern cultivation world.
Hearing this, Li Fan furrowed his brows in slight confusion. "From your description, why does it seem that cultivation techniques aren't scarce at all in the cultivation world?"
Kou Hong snorted coldly. "That is because everything obtained through these methods is incomplete."
"Incomplete?" Li Fan was taken aback, then immediately came to an understanding. "To obtain higher-level techniques, you have to keep working yourself to the bone for them?"
"Exactly!" Kou Hong said with deep resentment. "These techniques were all freshly compiled by the major factions in recent years. Cultivating to the peak of Qi Refining is their absolute limit. If you want to take another step forward and build a Dao Foundation, you have to switch to the technique for the next tier. The same goes for the realms above the Dao Foundation."
"Switch techniques? If one must switch techniques and start cultivating from scratch at every breakthrough, doesn't that mean all previous efforts come to naught?" Li Fan was somewhat shocked.
"Not quite." Kou Hong shook his head. "All who cultivate must practice the Taishang Primordial Scripture. It is said that in ancient times, this scripture was the supreme scripture of the Taishang Sect, the very foundation upon which it was established. After the great cataclysm, the Taishang Sect was reduced to ash, leaving only a remnant fragment of the Taishang Primordial Scripture in the world. It is not an actual cultivation technique, but rather akin to a secret art. Its purpose is to allow a cultivator to willingly disperse their cultivation and cultivation realm without suffering much loss, so that after dispersing their power and switching to another technique, they can quickly catch up to their original realm."
"To think such a miraculous method exists," Li Fan murmured in admiration. "Though the timing of this remnant fragment's appearance is suspiciously convenient. Only with it could the world's many cultivators accept constantly changing their techniques."
Li Fan sneered coldly. "In my view, the Taishang Primordial Scripture might not even be reduced to just a remnant fragment. It's more likely that the powers pulling the strings were only willing to release the portion for dispersing and retraining."
Kou Hong let out a long sigh. "Who doesn't understand that logic? But what can anyone do about it? True techniques are hard to come by. Having one's blood sucked is frustrating, but at least there is a visible goal and path. Put in the effort, and you can still reach it. Those unwilling to be controlled for a lifetime, who are willing to risk their lives venturing into various secret realms and ancient sect ruins to seek fortune, are a minority after all."
Li Fan nodded, gaining a rough understanding of the current situation in the cultivation realm. It was completely different from the untrammeled path of seeking longevity he had envisioned; in fact, it bore an unsettling resemblance to the world he had lived in before his transmigration.
Pondering this, Li Fan gave a cold internal chuckle.
Kou Hong did not notice anything unusual about Li Fan and instead sighed involuntarily. "Until his death, Dao Xuanzi never knew that the reason I snatched the technique and ran wasn't just because it was a Core Formation technique, but because it was a true technique leading straight to the Nascent Soul realm!"
"If it had truly been just a Core Formation technique, I might have restrained myself. But it was a Nascent Soul true technique, after all..." Kou Hong muttered repeatedly.
Hearing those words, Li Fan felt a stir in his heart and lightly touched the ring on his hand.
All of Kou Hong's and Dao Xuanzi's belongings had already been confiscated and stored within this spatial ring. Perhaps because he had undergone multiple reincarnations and possessed mental strength far beyond ordinary people, he was able to use this spatial ring freely, even though it normally required the divine sense cultivated in the Qi Refining realm. However, without a way to leave this land severed from immortality, these things were entirely useless to him, so he had not yet bothered to inspect them one by one.
Next, after Kou Hong briefed Li Fan on common knowledge of the cultivation world—such as how a cultivator's demise could trigger celestial phenomena over a certain area—he finally returned to the main topic, discussing Li Fan's question regarding the possibility of flying boats left behind from the era of the Great Migration.
"Perhaps there truly is such a possibility," Kou Hong said after pondering for a long while.
"I once heard a rumor that over several millennia, mortals who were originally banished to this land severed from immortality have secretly returned to the cultivation world from time to time. However, most of that was just groundless gossip on the streets, lacking solid proof."
"There is no smoke without fire; sometimes rumors are the truth of the matter." Li Fan felt a surge of spirit. "After all, mortals and cultivators are bound by countless ties. It was only natural for some cultivators back then to leave a way out for their mortal clans. Presumably, those mortals returned through the fallback measures left behind by those cultivators."
Kou Hong was not particularly optimistic. "Even if that were so, several millennia have passed. This realm is vast, and the chances of finding anything are far too slim."
"As long as there is a sliver of hope, I will not give up," Li Fan declared with resolute certainty.
"I really don't understand how an old man with one foot in the grave can still have so much fight left..." Kou Hong grumbled under his breath.
Li Fan pretended not to hear and spoke gravely to Kou Hong: "As long as you help me find a way to reach the cultivation world, not only will I release you and take you back with me, but I will also return all of your and Dao Xuanzi's possessions."
"Including that Nascent Soul true technique!"
"Are you serious?!" Kou Hong snapped his head up, a sudden spark of hope igniting in his eyes.
"Of course," Li Fan nodded.
"Fine... In that case, I will do everything I can to help you." Kou Hong gritted his teeth, finally making up his mind.
Although he had been tricked by Li Fan several times and did not know how much of Li Fan's promise could be trusted, he, like Li Fan, refused to give up so long as there was even a shred of hope.
To be trapped in this place for decades and then die of old age...
That was definitely not what Kou Hong wanted!
...
Thus, with Kou Hong's assistance, Li Fan collected historical texts and ancient records from across the realm, striving to find clues about the era of the Great Migration from fragments of ancient writings.
At the same time, Li Fan mobilized the army to excavate ancient tombs on a massive scale, attempting to find some trace of evidence. Although this stirred up widespread popular outrage and led civil and military officials to submit memorials of admonishment daily, he forcibly suppressed them all.
Unfortunately, far too much time had passed since the era of the Great Migration, and the remaining lifespan he had in this life was far too brief.
Sixteen years later, in Anchor Year 66, Li Fan reached the end of his lifespan, having still achieved nothing.
Ordering his subordinates to let Kou Hong go, Li Fan went alone to the underground secret chamber of the Grand Preceptor Manor.
With a thought, Li Fan brought out all the items from the spatial ring and arranged them in order.
First, Li Fan's gaze focused on the jade slip radiating a faint golden glow.
It was the very Nascent Soul technique that had turned Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi against each other.
Chapter 11