For cultivators, the allure of a True Immortal was simply far too deadly.
Ever since the path to immortality had been severed, achieving immortality had become an unreachable, impossible dream.
Yet now, the remains of a True Immortal had suddenly appeared in the world.
Furthermore, all signs pointed to the possibility that these True Immortal remains might actually be genuine!
At this stage, regardless of how much doubt lingered in their hearts, the cultivators all came to the same decision: get their hands on the remains first and ask questions later.
Even if it wasn't the remains of a True Immortal, judging by the various anomalies it provoked, the benefits to be reaped would hardly be meager!
And so, cultivators of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals left the Heavenly Cities where they resided one after another, scouring every corner for traces of the True Immortal remains.
Even quite a few Five Elders Association cultivators shopping in Jiushan Province traveled thousands of li to join in the commotion.
With the establishment and development of the Jiushan Free Trade Province, the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association had maintained peace for a considerable time.
Relations between the two sides had eased further; as long as they submitted an application, cultivators from either side could travel to the other's territory for sightseeing and visits.
It seemed both factions intended to prove through this method that their own domain was more suitable for cultivators' survival.
However, no one had yet heard of anyone actually switching faction allegiance.
Exchanges between both sides remained strictly superficial.
Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals cultivators were mostly on guard against these Five Elders Association members.
While grouping up to search for the True Immortal remains, they kept their distance to stay vigilant.
"Tell me, could these True Immortal remains be a scheme from the Five Elders Association? Intentionally trying to throw us into utter turmoil. Everyone's only thinking about doing business now, and our vigilance against the Five Elders Association gets worse with every passing year. Sigh, that's not a good sign."
"Indeed. Who's to say they won't suddenly strike again one day! That Five Elders Association is nothing good!"
"What are you two thinking? Were all those animas of Heaven and Earth that inexplicably surfaced also orchestrated by the Five Elders Association? This is Alliance territory! Even we didn't know these animas existed. If the Five Elders Association knew about them so clearly, we might as well surrender right now!"
...
The occasional presence of Five Elders Association cultivators did nothing to slow the Alliance's pursuit of the True Immortal remains.
With the emergence of a second lucky soul, the desire in their hearts burned even fiercer.
The second cultivator fortunate enough to have close contact with the True Immortal remains was named Xue Mu.
He was a Foundation Establishment formation master.
In truth, he hadn't actually touched the True Immortal remains at all; he had only been blocked by the golden light swirling around it.
Yet the moment that golden light entered his body, countless bizarre and inconceivable formations instantly surfaced in Xue Mu's mind. The colossal flood of information nearly burst his sea of consciousness.
At the critical juncture between life and death, Xue Mu subconsciously released his grip. With that, the True Immortal remains once again fled.
Yet having missed such a monumental opportunity, Xue Mu felt no regret. Instead, after staring blankly for a long while, ecstatic joy washed over his face, and he threw his head back and laughed wildly.
Only later did everyone learn that in that seemingly fleeting instant, he had acquired at least a hundred formations from the True Immortal remains.
And more importantly, the sophistication of these formations generally surpassed the formations of the Xuanhuang Realm by several tiers.
Even the most formidable grand formation in today's Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals likely paled in comparison to any single one in his mind!
Although his cultivation realm had not advanced, for a formation master like Xue Mu, this harvest was far more significant than leaping several major realms!
Before long, people sent from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals' Formation Planning Hall headquarters arrived and escorted Xue Mu away.
Soon after, insider news confirmed the advanced nature of the formations residing in his sea of consciousness.
Apart from a true immortal, what kind of existence could possess such ability?
This undoubtedly solidified the rumors of the True Immortal remains as undeniable fact.
Once the news spread, certain individuals within the Alliance could finally sit still no longer.
In the Spirit Wood Realm, Li Fan connected a transmission with Dharma Transmitter Zhou.
"The matter of the True Immortal remains has caused quite a stir recently. How does Fellow Daoist view this?"
Li Fan promptly gave his reply, speaking with absolute certainty: "Sheer nonsense, a total fabrication! Fellow Daoist Zhou must not believe it!"
"You are so sure?" Now it was Dharma Transmitter Zhou's turn to feel suspicious.
Li Fan sneered, "The path to immortality has been severed for so many years, yet among our colleagues hailing from the myriad realms, not a single one has ever laid eyes on the corpse of a True Immortal."
"The Xuanhuang Realm..."
"...is the same. How could it be such a coincidence that it popped up without any warning? And in the blink of an eye, the entire world knows about it. If you ask me, someone is definitely pulling strings behind the scenes!" Li Fan asserted with utter confidence.
"Yet the animas of Heaven and Earth that appeared alongside it are genuinely authentic. In fact, two people in the Alliance have already successfully ascended to Dao Integration because of them. I truly cannot fathom what faction in the Xuanhuang Realm could so casually toss out this many Dao Integration resources merely as bait," Dharma Transmitter Zhou countered, not convinced by Li Fan's words.
Li Fan seemed stumped by the question.
After a long silence, he sighed. "The more that's the case, the more it proves that whatever they're plotting is colossal! Your Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals may have reaped bountiful rewards, but we on our end have been on pins and needles."
Hearing this, Dharma Transmitter Zhou suddenly asked, "Is this truly not your doing?"
"What are you saying! We of the Myriad Realms Association have lain dormant for many years. Why would we suddenly stir up such trouble?" Li Fan's tone carried a hint of displeasure. "If you ask me, it might just be an enemy of your Alliance. Ruling the Xuanhuang Realm for thousands of years, haven't you made any mortal enemies?"
"Hm?!" Li Fan's words seemed to trigger something.
Dharma Transmitter Zhou sounded taken aback. After a brief silence, she abruptly cut the transmission.
Only then did an inscrutable look appear on Li Fan's face.
Needless to say, this entire turmoil was entirely Li Fan's doing.
With the help of the pitch-black puppet's dark power, the True Immortal remains were able to shuttle back and forth across regions, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, evading the pursuit of countless cultivators.
And by secretly using falsifying transposition on the edicts of the Heavenly Dao, Li Fan directed animas of Heaven and Earth to surface of their own accord, making the show appear all the more realistic.
As for the two beneficiaries of this incident, Zhang Haobo and Xue Mu—though they had nothing to do with him in this lifetime, they were both acquaintances from past cycles of reincarnation.
Li Fan didn't mind playing the good guy along the way and lending them a helping hand.
However, as he fabricated heavenly mandates across various regions on a grand scale, the Xuanhuang Realm's tolerance and alertness were reaching their limits.
Next, he would likely have to quiet down and lie low for a while.
"The stage is set; there's no fear of them not stepping into the trap. Such a chaotic situation should be enough to conceal my true intentions." Li Fan chuckled softly.
"Then again, Dharma Transmitter Zhou's reaction at the end was somewhat strange. What did she think of?"
"Could it be that the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals really has an enemy capable of treating several Dao Integration breakthrough resources as mere bait?"
Pondering this, Li Fan couldn't help but frown.
Chapter 1107