An Inexplicable End to This Life

A sweep of dim light passed over, and in an instant, over forty thousand sheets of paper floated into the air. Inside the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Li Fan felt the pages before him merely tremble slightly. A moment later, a thick, hefty "book" appeared before him. "Decryption complete. Required contribution points deducted: 28,000 points." "That was way too fast!" Li Fan couldn't help clicking his tongue in amazement. The fluttering pages just now had by no means been an illusion. Rather, the speed of their movement had exceeded the limits of his perception, leaving him entirely unable to track the motion of the sheets. "Times have changed, Yi Xing! "In the past, without knowing the cipher key, an ordinary cultivator would never have been able to open the Heavenly Lock Treasure Box you left behind. "Yet now, anyone can use the Heavenly Profound Mirror. This encrypted treasure box was virtually defenseless before it! "The Heavenly Profound Mirror truly is a marvelous treasure!" Marveling silently to himself, Li Fan opened the now unrestricted Heavenly Lock Treasure Box. Inside were only two items. A jade slip, and a crystalline stone radiating deep-blue light. The blue light pulsed gently, as if breathing. At a sudden glance, countless scenes seemed to play out ceaselessly within the stone. "So this is the Dao Transformation Stone!" Though it had taken some twists and turns, having finally achieved his goal, Li Fan held the Dao Transformation Stone in his hands with delight. "I wonder what grade of Dao Transformation Stone Yi Xing left behind." Once again, he let the Heavenly Profound Mirror act as appraiser. "Dao Transformation Stone (Low-Grade). Can be converted into 150,000 contribution points." Faithful and uncomplaining, the Heavenly Profound Mirror swiftly displayed the result. Li Fan decisively declined the conversion and pondered inwardly: "Even if it's low-grade, it should be enough for me for now. To think such a small stone is worth more than a Nascent Soul technique. "No, Jiao Xiuyuan said that Dao Transformation Stones are in high demand with zero supply. 150,000 is only the theoretical purchase price offered by the Heavenly Profound Mirror. "To think one could buy one for the same price is pure fantasy." Sure enough, Li Fan searched within the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Many cultivators had posted requests to buy Dao Transformation Stones. The trade conditions offered were no longer just contribution points, but mostly rare heaven-and-earth treasures of equivalent value. "This can be considered the most valuable thing I have on me right now." Li Fan put the Dao Transformation Stone away contentedly, then began reading the jade slip left by Yi Xing. The jade slip contained no cultivation techniques or secret arts. Instead, it held mostly Yi Xing's casual musings and reflections near his death. From between the lines, Li Fan was able to learn of the life of this Taiyan Sect disciple during the Great Migration era long ago. At that time, under the rule that immortal arts cannot be cultivated together, extremely tragic fratricidal conflicts had already broken out across many sects in the cultivation world. Some millennium-old immortal sects had even been wiped out overnight because of it. The Taiyan Sect was naturally no exception. However, most members of the Taiyan Sect favored divination and deduction arts, showing little enthusiasm for slaughter and combat. The infighting was quickly and forcefully suppressed by the Sect Master of the Taiyan Sect, Zuoqiu Shang. Although this peace was destined not to last, it managed to endure for a time. And just as this brief peace was about to end, the immortal-mortal miasma erupted. The inability to cultivate immortal arts together merely halted cultivation progress. Infection with the immortal-mortal miasma, however, truly meant death. Which was more pressing was crystal clear to every cultivator. Thus, none of them cared about infighting any longer. Instead, they turned their attention to dealing with the immortal-mortal miasma. The history of this period aligned with what Li Fan had previously learned. First was the wanton slaughter of mortals, but once they realized something was amiss, the slaughter directed at mortals was abruptly halted. Subsequently, the infamous Great Migration Plan was proposed. Anyone not in the Qi Condensation stage was to be forcibly migrated to surrounding small worlds and grotto-heavens. At the time, Yi Xing was actually already at the late Qi Condensation stage. Yet he volunteered to oversee the migration of mortals for the Taiyan Sect and its surrounding regions. In his notes, Yi Xing frankly admitted: Although the outbreak of the immortal-mortal miasma had forcibly halted cultivators slaughtering one another, it was foreseeable that before long, a true age of slaughter and darkness would descend completely. When that time came, a mere Qi Condensation cultivator like him would certainly be among the first to be butchered. He might as well seize this opportunity to escape alongside the mortals to a surrounding small world. With the might of an immortal, he could rule over the masses. Establish a foundation in this small world. Afterward, he could cripple his own cultivation to ensure his peace and safety. That way, he might live even longer than if he had stubbornly remained in the cultivation world. And so, Yi Xing founded a mortal dynasty in this desolate small world. Knowing that immortality was hopeless, as soon as he became emperor, Yi Xing mobilized the common people to build his tomb. Furthermore, while his cultivation remained, he laid down an illusion array within the tomb, concealing his true burial chamber. As Yi Xing advanced in age and the spiritual energy in his body completely vanished, turning him entirely into a mortal, the aging process accelerated even more. He began reminiscing about his days back in the Taiyan Sect. On the verge of dying of old age, he entered the tomb alone and sealed it shut. Then, he sealed away the Dao Transformation Stone, hoping that in the future, a disciple of the Taiyan Sect might come to this world by chance and bring the Dao Transformation Stone back to the sect. ... "To think Yi Xing had such a past. "He was quite wise and made the right choice. Knowing when to retreat, he successfully escaped the Great Dark Age. "Looking at it this way, however, the number of cultivators who chose to flee back then was likely not small. "Those with the ability, like Liu Ruchen of the Medicine King Sect, tore open the void directly and fled the Xuanhuang Realm. "The second-best option was to flee to surrounding small worlds, just like Yi Xing." Li Fan also recalled the farce He Zhenghao had mentioned to him about small worlds launching a counterattack against the cultivation world five hundred years ago. "Perhaps that bore the influence left behind by those who fled back then..." After musing for a moment longer, Li Fan put away the jade slip and slowly reeled in his wandering thoughts. "The Dao Transformation Stone is in hand, but how should I use it? Yi Xing didn't leave behind the secret art Spirit Unity with Dao Transformation." Out of caution and secrecy, Li Fan did not ask Jiao Xiuyuan. Instead, he searched within the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Sure enough, though it was an ancient sect secret art, the key lay in the Dao Transformation Stone, not the art itself. Without a Dao Transformation Stone, Spirit Unity with Dao Transformation was entirely useless. Moreover, after so many years of development in the cultivation world, Spirit Unity with Dao Transformation was far from the only method to utilize a Dao Transformation Stone. Additionally, secret arts were not subject to the restriction that they could not be cultivated together, so its price naturally wasn't overly steep. Li Fan spent only 30,000 contribution points—equivalent to the price of a Golden Core cultivation technique. After signing a confidentiality commercial contract, he mastered the secret art. "Touch it with spirit; merge it through calculation. "Matter and self unite; spirit becomes one with Dao transformation." Li Fan placed the deep-blue Dao Transformation Stone at his glabella. Circulating the secret art, he slowly began cultivating. Merging mind and spirit with the Dao Transformation Stone was a slow process. Time quietly slipped by as Li Fan cultivated the secret art. In the blink of an eye, it was Anchor Year 11, the time for the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace to open. Although Li Fan was wealthy and generous now, he didn't want to pass up the 100,000 contribution point bounty for the Cloud Water Chart and Talismans. So Li Fan dispatched his clone to make a trip to the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace. First, he once again faced Qin Tang's test. However, with his true body in deep cultivation, the clone's willpower was inevitably affected. It was not as flawless as when Li Fan had faced it wholeheartedly before. Yet relying on a pot of fine wine, he pulled off a victory. And similarly ranked first among all the test-takers. This time, Qin Tang didn't impart the Cloud Water Illusory Dream Technique, teaching only a Golden Core stage technique called Treading Ocean Waves. Though Li Fan felt a bit of regret, there was nothing he could do. The clone only had Qi Condensation cultivation; to obtain a Golden Core technique was already generous of Qin Tang. After chatting with Qin Tang for a while, he broke out of the illusory dream a bit later. Steering clear of other cultivators, Li Fan headed straight for Taiyi Hall. Without the Blue Flame phantom spirit, the clone had to expend considerable effort to cross the Forest of Swords before Taiyi Hall. "Lin Fan, disciple of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace Dharma Transmission Pavilion, seeks an audience with Patriarch Taiyi!" The clone called out while circulating the newly learned Treading Ocean Waves. The turtle-snake monster awoke from its slumber. It was still somewhat groggy, but the aura of the technique personally taught by Qin Tang upon the clone could not be faked. After distinguishing it for a moment, Taiyi handed over the miniature Cloud Water Heavenly Palace glowing with five-colored light to Li Fan. Having obtained the Cloud Water Chart and Talismans, to avoid complications, the clone wasted no time and returned straight into the Heavenly Profound Mirror. He chose to complete the mission. The Heavenly Profound Mirror's response was identical to how it was in the twelfth lifetime. "Unable to verify the authenticity of Cloud Water Chart and Talismans. Please wait." After a prolonged silence, the Heavenly Profound Mirror's voice sounded again. "The mission poster... requests to visit your space. Do you accept?" Li Fan naturally chose to accept. A moment later, the gray-haired elder, Heavenly Physician, appeared before Li Fan with a kindly expression. After bowing respectfully, Li Fan offered up the seven-colored model. Heavenly Physician took the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace, examining it closely with deep emotion. After a long time, he asked again, "What is the scene inside the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace like now?" Li Fan naturally answered truthfully one by one. Hearing this, an inscrutable expression welled in Heavenly Physician's cloudy eyes. He sank once again into a prolonged silence. According to his experience in the twelfth lifetime, next, Heavenly Physician would issue another errand mission, asking Li Fan to place a white jade statue inside the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace. It was precisely this white jade statue that, five years later, would draw the cart-pulling green ox and the Master. Amid the great battle between both sides, the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace would be sealed once more. Heavenly Physician stayed silent for a long time, seemingly lost in reminiscence. Li Fan could only wait patiently. Yet right at this moment, the turn of events took a completely different direction from before, far exceeding Li Fan's expectations. Heavenly Physician, silent for so long, suddenly looked up and stared at Li Fan. His expression was somewhat strange as he asked, "Young friend, what are you anticipating?" Li Fan's mind shook violently. For he discovered to his horror that his body was completely out of his control. His mouth moved open and shut, blurting out the deepest secrets hidden in his heart without the slightest reservation! "I am waiting for you to entrust me with another mission, to make another trip to the Cloud Water Heavenly..." His voice was cadenced and bizarre, like a controlled puppet. Somewhat comical, yet deeply horrifying. Inside the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Li Fan's true body jolted awake from cultivation. Decisive without hesitation, he immediately activated the secret technique of the Stealing Heaven Changing Sun Art, severing the life of the clone! "...Palace, to place the jade statue in..." Halfway through the clone's sentence, its life aura visibly plummeted. His words cut off; he was on the brink of death. The white-haired elder showed a faint, mocking smile. He gently pointed a finger across the empty air. The clone's body, already infinitely close to death, was forcibly snatched back in an instant! "...side. As a reward, you will give me a copy of the Heavenly Doctor Immortal Scripture..." Between life and death, the clone struggled to finish the sentence. Only then did it crumble completely into flying ash. Receiving the answer, Heavenly Physician paused, revealing a trace of surprise. Then, as though understanding something, a smile bloomed on his aged face. "Good!" The moment the clone died completely, the sense of impending danger in Li Fan's heart remained undispelled. Without hesitation, he immediately chanted in his heart: "True..." In the Heavenly Profound Mirror space where he was, a rift seemed to be forcibly torn open. Through the rift, the silhouette of Heavenly Physician was faintly visible. "Reversion..." The incantation of True Reversion had already been uttered, but the surrounding scenery did not instantly turn into nothingness as it had before. It was as if he had fallen into a quagmire, or as if the connection had been severed. Heavenly Physician's gaze had already pierced through the rift and descended upon Li Fan! Right at this moment, the energy accumulated for True Reversion over the two-plus years since entering the cultivation world plummeted instantaneously. The inexplicable hindrance vanished all at once. The surrounding scene turned illusory once more, and Li Fan's consciousness sank into darkness.