Because they were collectively responsible for gathering artifacts with Dao charm, Su Xiaomei and the Yin sisters grew very close.
Moreover, throughout her life, Su Xiaomei had barely interacted with outsiders aside from Xiao Heng and Su Changyu.
Thus, spending morning and evening together over the past two years had fostered a genuine bond between them.
Urged on by Su Xiaomei, the Yin sisters also began cultivating the Xuanhuang Mind-Clearing Incantation, attempting to dispel the miasma within their bodies and embark on the immortal path.
Yet their cultivation proved even more difficult than Su Changyu's.
Even so, they approached it with equanimity; though slow, their progress steadily mounted.
Li Fan merely observed them from afar without revealing himself.
Once certain there were no unforeseen complications, Li Fan returned to Wanxian Island.
Returning the array coronet to Zhang Zhiliang, Li Fan once again immersed himself in the study of formations.
It was now Year 22 of the Anchor Era, and he set a six-year timeline for himself.
In his previous life, when he exited seclusion in Year 31 of the Anchor Era, the Crimson Flame Incinerating the Sea had already begun.
And in Year 30 of the Anchor Era, he had visited Wanxian Island to hand over Tai'an fruit.
Therefore, the Crimson Flame's appearance had to fall between Year 30 and Year 31 of the Anchor Era.
Yet in this life, Zhang Haobo was an unpredictable variable.
To be safe, Li Fan decided he had to leave by Year 28 of the Anchor Era at the latest.
Until then, he would seize every moment to learn formations.
After all, once missed, this opportunity would never come again.
Once he reached the unfamiliar Yuandao Province, where else could he find a formation master to teach him hand-in-hand?
With time running short, Li Fan became increasingly diligent.
He immersed himself in studying the Dao of formations without a single moment of rest.
Even when Zhang Zhiliang tactfully advised him to take a break, Li Fan declined with resolute conviction.
Over the years, the apprentices by Zhang Zhiliang's side came and went.
Yet not one matched Li Fan in undivided focus and unwavering perseverance.
The gaze with which Zhang Zhiliang looked upon Li Fan grew increasingly gentle.
Time slipped by, and four years passed in a flash.
The calendar reached Year 26 of the Anchor Era.
Li Fan, engrossed in studying formations, paused slightly.
His clone, Lin Fan, who had been in seclusion deducing cultivation methods, had run out of contribution points and was forced to exit.
After an equivalent of two hundred and seventy years of comprehension, the outcome was neither fantastic nor terrible.
Creating one's own cultivation method was truly too difficult; even when not creating something out of thin air but merely adapting pre-existing techniques, it was fraught with immense hardships.
Of the two methods, he had only managed to deduce one.
The other was merely more than halfway complete.
Li Fan estimated that another thirty years or so should suffice.
On average, it took him roughly one hundred and fifty years to deduce a single new method.
And this was merely a method for the Foundation Establishment stage.
No wonder the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association could monopolize cultivation techniques.
Li Fan could not help but sigh inwardly.
It was truly not worth the effort—the costs vastly outweighed the gains.
Li Fan examined the new technique he had comprehended:
The Intent Spirit Illusion Art.
It had been deduced by synthesizing the Nether Spirit Illusion Art with his insights into Zhang Haobo's sword intent Foundation Establishment.
With this technique, his Blue Flame phantom spirit would be able to grow further.
As for the new movement technique based on the Shadow Following Art, it had not yet been deduced.
Rather than cultivating it for now, Li Fan seized the remaining time to deepen his understanding of formations as much as possible.
Meanwhile, his clone, Lin Fan, took on errand missions around Wanxian Island to earn some contribution points and sustain his needs within the Heavenly Mystery Realm.
At the same time, he inquired into the happenings of the past few years.
However, he discovered no useful news.
Ever since Year 22 of the Anchor Era, the entire Congyun Sea had fallen into an uncanny calm.
It was as though something were brewing.
The river of time continued to surge forward.
In the blink of an eye, Year 28 of the Anchor Era arrived.
The time Li Fan had planned to withdraw from the Congyun Sea was at hand. Just as he was looking for an excuse to bid farewell to Zhang Zhiliang,
he was instead taken by Zhang Zhiliang alone into an enclosed space.
In the distance lay a dazzling river of stars. Having studied formations for nearly a decade, Li Fan could faintly discern the contours of a massive, slowly turning grand formation.
"There is a matter I need you to handle for me," Zhang Zhiliang said, looking at Li Fan with a solemn expression.
His tone was exceptionally unyielding, leaving no room for refusal.
"Make a trip to Tianyu Province on my behalf. That is where the headquarters of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals is located."
"Once you arrive, open this, and you will naturally know what to do next."
Startled, Li Fan took what Zhang Zhiliang handed him.
It was a small rectangular black casket, sleek and obsidian-dark on the outside.
Engraved upon it was a formation that served as a seal.
"Carrying this item prevents the use of teleportation formations. You will have to fly the entire way."
"Tianyu Province is far away. At your speed, it will likely take two to three years to get there. While on the journey, do not remain idle."
"Work to unravel the sealing formation upon it. With your current level in the Dao of formations, I trust that by the time you reach Tianyu Province, this seal will naturally be broken."
At first, Li Fan did not understand what this inexplicable task was all about.
Yet after hearing these requirements, he understood.
Silently stowing the small black casket away, he did not ask about any reward, preparing to bid farewell and leave.
As he was about to depart, Li Fan could not resist asking, "Master Zhang, are you not leaving?"
Zhang Zhiliang was taken aback, then scrutinized Li Fan closely once more.
His eyes filled with approval. "Leave? In this vast heaven and earth, where is there to go?"
"Go on!"
Li Fan bowed respectfully. Saying nothing more, he departed the Formation Planning Hall.
"I hope I haven't misjudged you," Zhang Zhiliang sighed, gazing in the direction Li Fan had disappeared.
***
Standing in the Dharma Transmission Plaza and looking at the Congyun Sea cultivators hurrying to and fro before the statue of the Dharma-Transmitting Immortal Venerable, Li Fan knew in his heart.
The time had come.
Using a communication talisman, he contacted Su Xiaomei.
He told her and the others to wait on Yelan Island.
He then took a teleportation formation to Liuli Island,
intending to bring Su Xiaomei and the others with him as he left.
Unexpectedly, right after stepping out of the teleportation formation, he was hailed by Yuwen Xing, the guardian of Liuli Island.
"I have a fine assignment here. I wonder if you might be interested, Fellow Daoist?" Yuwen Xing looked warmly at Li Fan.
"Oh? What sort of assignment might that be?" Li Fan asked politely, giving it no real weight.
Regardless of what Yuwen Xing had to say, he was certain to refuse.
"The guardian of Tai'an Island is on good terms with me. He has hit a cultivation bottleneck and wants to travel abroad in search of opportunity."
"Yet duty binds him, and he cannot leave without authorization. So he asked me whether I could recommend a suitable candidate."
"As luck would have it, I ran right into you,"
Yuwen Xing said with a beaming smile.
The moment Li Fan heard the first sentence, he knew something was amiss.
By the time Yuwen Xing finished, his face had darkened completely.
*Again?*
"No, no. I've been entrusted with an errand and must travel abroad. I truly cannot spare the time."
"You had better find someone else, Fellow Daoist!" Cupping his hands, Li Fan refused without hesitation.
Chapter 140