If the Great Dao condensed within this figure of "Crimson Flame" were quantified, it could only be likened to a tiny blade of grass. What Li Fan knew, however, was like an endless expanse of towering trees, majestic and boundless.
Thus, when the great tree swayed its branches and leaves, it naturally caused the tiny grass beneath to follow suit.
The Heaven-and-Earth Essence, Crimson Flame—which represented a fate of renewed destruction for all living beings in the Congyun Sea—had already been effortlessly subdued by Li Fan.
"The previous boiling of the sea failed to achieve the Xuanhuang World's objective, which is why history is repeating itself."
"Like burning a forest to clear farmland, it must be done repeatedly to thoroughly obliterate the foundation..."
Li Fan carefully pondered the mission Crimson Flame had received.
Corresponding fragments of imagery surged into his mind at the same time. This time, the toll on his body was not nearly as violent as when he had recalled things related to [Crossing]. There was only a pricking pain in his head, and after enduring it with all his might, he managed to make out most of the images.
"So it's a fragment of the Tianfa Realm that invaded the Xuanhuang Realm. No wonder the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao swore to eradicate it completely. But then, where is this Tianfa Realm? Why did it merge with the Xuanhuang Realm?"
Just as Li Fan was about to delve deeper into the matter, he once again felt waves of unspeakable pressure. He wisely chose to give up for the time being.
"It seems I will have to wait until my strength grows greater and I can bear more before I can continue."
"Still, it won't be long. This body's growth rate is even faster than I anticipated."
Over the past fifty years, aside from [Longevity] and its incidental effects, Li Fan's body had shown no other extraordinary traits. Yet ever since he genuinely came into contact with spiritual energy not long ago, the potential of this body of longevity seemed to have truly been unlocked.
Li Fan could clearly feel his own progress at every moment.
One had to realize that he had not even begun formal cultivation yet. Relying entirely on his body's instinctive absorption had already brought him to this point. It was truly difficult to imagine how rapid his advancement would be once he formally embarked on the path of cultivation.
However, what slightly puzzled Li Fan at this moment was that the spiritual qi devoured by his body was not converted into corresponding spiritual energy. Instead, like a clay ox entering the sea, it vanished without a trace.
Instinct told him this might not be a bad thing, so he did not look further into it for now.
...
Li Fan fell silent in thought. Receiving no reply, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi also possessed the self-awareness befitting "juniors." They continued, "More than twenty years ago, this place was still a vast ocean. Then one day, calamity descended, turning the boundless sea into dry land.
"Fortunately, it caused no irreparable damage to the terrain or space. Thanks to the efforts of many cultivators from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, this domain has once again become vibrant with life.
"The City Lord of Congyun Heavenly City is named He Zhenghao. He was originally a native of Congyun who was fortunate enough to escape the disaster. When Congyun was rebuilt, he stepped forward of his own accord to shoulder the heavy burden. Once the city was built, he was rewarded with the position for his contributions," Dao Xuanzi said, pointing toward a colossal city floating in the sky not far away.
"I heard this He Zhenghao is quite a passionate and genuine man. Word is he has considerable backing; on the day of his inauguration ceremony, many dignitaries from the four central provinces of the Alliance came to offer congratulations. That spectacle..." Kou Hong remarked in wonder.
Dao Xuanzi nodded slightly. "With his background, there was no need for him to come to such a remote place to serve as a City Lord. Perhaps out of affection for his homeland, he did so nonetheless. Because of this, the cultivators of the Congyun Sea hold him in great admiration. Furthermore, he has always been public-spirited and eager to help. If Senior truly wishes to join the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, you might seek him out."
On the way here, Li Fan had fabricated a background for himself, claiming to be a descendant of immortal cultivators who had migrated into the mortal pocket world back then.
Although they had no idea how Li Fan had cultivated all the way to his current realm in a pocket world devoid of spiritual energy and resources, neither Kou Hong nor Dao Xuanzi dared to ask.
There were countless divine abilities and magical techniques in the cultivation world; perhaps there was one that allowed someone to inherit an ancestor's cultivation?
"As for us, we are used to our freedom. We don't want to join and be subjected to such constraints," Kou Hong continued.
Listening to their account, a face that felt somewhat familiar instantly surfaced in Li Fan's mind.
*He Zhenghao...*
*The feeling he gives me is quite friendly. He was probably an acquaintance of mine in the past.*
*Starting with him isn't a bad idea.* Li Fan felt confident.
The reason he planned to join the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals was that seeking cultivation methods was secondary. Most importantly, Li Fan remembered that the Alliance possessed a supreme treasure called the Tianxuan Mirror. And he seemed to have quite a deep connection with this precious mirror.
He might have even been its master once!
"All transactions within the Alliance must be conducted through the Tianxuan Mirror. If I can secure its assistance, all materials and resources will be mine for the taking.
"I just don't know whether the method of controlling the mirror in my memories is still effective at this point in time."
In any case, this was merely a part of his body separated out; there was no harm in using it for an attempt.
Having made up his mind, Li Fan glanced once more at Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi before heading to Congyun Heavenly City.
*I don't know what use these two will ultimately be.*
*Better to leave a contingency just in case.*
With this thought, Li Fan forced out a drop of his essence blood and flicked it toward the foreheads of each of the two men.
The moment the essence blood left his body, it transformed into a sparkling, brilliant green light. The endless life force radiating from it even caused the surrounding vegetation to grow at a speed visible to the naked eye.
It did not resemble blood at all, but rather some earth-shattering treasure.
When the essence blood entered their bodies, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi both showed signs of rejuvenation and vigorous vitality. Not only did the hidden injuries and chronic ailments accumulated over the years vanish completely, but under the shroud of radiance, the Foundation Establishment wonders within them also finally completed their transformation.
Kou Hong's Horned Dragon Branch grew from a dragon-like withered branch into a complete, flourishing tree. Its green leaves and branches swayed within the light as if tens of thousands of dragons were dancing together.
On Dao Xuanzi's Rusty Sword Dao Xuan, all the rust accumulated from the passage of time disappeared completely, leaving the blade looking brand-new. Aside from an aura of sharpness and longevity, something seemed to be gestating inside the sword. One look was enough to tell it was no ordinary item.
And all of these earth-shattering changes were bestowed by Li Fan.
After a brief moment of daze, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi were suddenly moved to tears. They wanted to perform the grand rite of three prostrations and nine kowtows to thank Li Fan, only to find that by the time they came to their senses, Li Fan's figure had already vanished.
"When we were captured alive earlier, I thought our luck had run out and we would lose our lives here. Who would have thought our fortunes would turn around like this? Not only did we escape calamity, but we also obtained such great fortune!" Kou Hong's voice was muffled and trembling from intense excitement.
"When our cultivation achieves success in the future, we must repay this benevolence," Dao Xuan swore to himself.
Both brothers felt that the numerous misfortunes of their early lives were swept away at this moment. It was as though they had truly defied the heavens and changed their fates; a certain profoundly enigmatic aura began to emerge within the two of them.
Under the influence of this aura, the mindsets of Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi underwent subtle shifts imperceptibly. Although this change was not particularly noticeable for now, it would become increasingly pronounced in the future as their realms and cultivation improved.
"Not good, someone's coming," Kou Hong's expression suddenly changed, and he called out a warning.
"They must have been drawn by the disturbance Senior caused when bestowing the treasure. We cannot let anyone discover that we possess supreme treasures. Let's pull back first."
Sharing a tacit understanding, the two instantly slipped away into the mountain forests of Congyun.
By the time cultivators rushed over, they remained completely oblivious to what had actually taken place here.
...
Congyun Heavenly City, the main chamber of the Administration Hall.
He Zhenghao looked at the name list before him with a frown on his face.
"This makes no sense at all.
"In this round of political performance evaluations, our Congyun is ranked in the bottom ten again? If you hadn't leaked this list to me in advance, Xinxin, I wouldn't have believed it!"
Tossing and turning it over, He Zhenghao carefully studied the specific details on the list several times, then sighed deeply. "This isn't entirely my fault as City Lord. In the first place, Congyun is an extremely remote region. It suffered a great catastrophe before, and its talent has withered. Few people have been willing to migrate here over the years. Being able to barely keep government affairs running is already a blessing. How could we possibly compete with other provinces?
"Just look at this metric: the number of newly ascended cultivators at or above Soul Formation in the province... your dad is currently only at the Soul Formation realm myself!
"And the relief materials promised by Alliance Headquarters have been delayed indefinitely."
He Zhenghao seemed full of grievances, rambling on without pause.
Suddenly, a soft chuckle interrupted He Zhenghao's words. "Heehee, Dad, stop complaining. If it really doesn't work out, just go home and be an obedient live-in son-in-law.
"You had behaved yourself for a few years, but then you insisted on proving yourself. Behind Mother's back, you pulled all sorts of strings to get this position as Congyun City Lord. Do you admit you were wrong now?"
He Zhenghao felt somewhat embarrassed. He coughed and said with a solemn face, "Xinxin, what kind of talk is that? Even if there was a bit of pride involved, my main motive was to help rebuild Congyun better. After all, your dad spent nearly most of his life here."
He Xinxin only smiled and did not answer.
He Zhenghao frowned again, looking at the list in his hand as he pondered plans for the next evaluation.
Yet suddenly, he heard his daughter let out a startled, uncertain sound.
He Zhenghao snapped his head up, only to see that at some point, a young man had appeared silently before him.
"Hmm?"
A shudder of shock ran through He Zhenghao's heart.
One had to know that this Administration Hall was a crucial stronghold of Congyun Heavenly City. Traveling deep into this place from the outside required passing through layer upon layer of formations and restrictions. Even someone with Soul Formation cultivation couldn't possibly break in so quietly.
Just who on earth was this person...?
Thousands of thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but relying on intuition, He Zhenghao made the wisest choice.
Assuming a respectful expression, he asked in a low voice, "Senior, may I ask..."
Looking at He Zhenghao's face, which matched his memory perfectly, Li Fan felt his conjecture further confirmed. This person should be relatively reliable. At the very least, he was not the culprit who had caused his severe injuries and amnesia.
"I wish to join the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and need you to recommend me," Li Fan said calmly.
"Ah?" Hearing this, He Zhenghao thought his ears were playing tricks on him and was momentarily stunned.
Someone with such formidable cultivation who was not yet a member of the Alliance?
Could it be that he was from the Five Elders Association?
He Zhenghao's expression changed abruptly.
Without the slightest hesitation, he activated his greatest trump card.
"Heaven-and-Earth Net Formation!"
In the main chamber of the Administration Hall, crisscrossing fine threads instantly materialized.
Scenes of continuous mountains, rivers, and peaks reappeared one after another within them, coalescing above Li Fan's head as if to suppress him on the spot.
Yet what left He Zhenghao utterly dumbfounded was that the young man before him merely cast a slight glance, and the Heaven-and-Earth Net Formation—which He Zhenghao had painstakingly developed over decades—crumbled inch by inch, ceasing to exist!
"How is this possible?!"
Even though he carried the reputation of being a matrilocal son-in-law of the Heng family, He Zhenghao had managed to establish a foothold in the four central provinces of the Alliance thanks to his outstanding talent in formations, never being looked down upon by other cultivators.
Otherwise, even if he had begged bitterly, no one would have pulled strings to arrange this position of Congyun City Lord for him.
Although it was a remote area, every little bit counted.
During his time as City Lord, He Zhenghao knew all too well just how much profit could be squeezed from this post.
It was only because he, He Zhenghao, was a man of upright integrity and clean hands.
Otherwise, Congyun Province's performance in the evaluation would have been even more abysmal.
Li Fan looked at the stunned He Zhenghao and repeated, "If you won't recommend me, I'll go elsewhere.
"As I recall, recommending a cultivator to join the Alliance earns merit points, doesn't it?"
Seeing that He Zhenghao still hadn't responded after a long moment, Li Fan frowned slightly.
Then, suddenly remembering something, Li Fan added, "Oh, right. Don't worry. I'm not from the Five Elders Association."
As if a switch had been flipped, He Zhenghao finally came to his senses upon hearing those words.
"Truly...?" Plucking up his courage, he asked in a meek voice.
Li Fan raised an eyebrow, and He Zhenghao hurriedly said, "I'll recommend you! I'll certainly recommend you! Senior, rest assured, leave everything to me."
Only then did Li Fan nod slightly.
He Zhenghao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, forcing himself to calm down.
Organizing his words, he said slowly, "For someone of Senior's cultivation to join the Alliance, it must be reported to headquarters. Afterward, you must pass the trial of the White Jade Heart-Questioning Platform..."
Li Fan waved his hand. "No need for such trouble. Just take me directly to see the Tianxuan Mirror here. Not the one displayed in the city square, but the one reserved for the City Lord with higher authority."
He Zhenghao's expression instantly froze.
"This..."
He Zhenghao hesitated repeatedly, words failing him.
Ultimately weighing the disparity in strength between the two of them, he said tactfully, "Senior, joining the Alliance requires following established procedures. Even as the lord of a province, I cannot act recklessly..."
"If I say you can, you can," Li Fan said straightforwardly.
Seeing his hesitation, Li Fan reached out his hand and showed He Zhenghao the scene in his palm.
Shining inside like a speck of faint light was none other than the Heaven-and-Earth Net Formation He Zhenghao had unleashed earlier!
Li Fan gently blew a breath, and the faint light immediately split from one into two, two into four, and four into eight.
In just a few breaths, it covered Li Fan's palm like a sky full of stars.
He Zhenghao could clearly sense the tremendous energy contained within every single one of those stars.
As his signature technique, He Zhenghao knew the destructive power of the Heaven-and-Earth Net Formation better than anyone.
If all of them detonated together inside Congyun Heavenly City...
Congyun, which had been rebuilt with such immense effort, would likely be reduced to ruins once again!
Chapter 1524