The plump Ye Feipeng's inexplicable disappearance caused the people of the Li Realm on the deserted island—who had grown rather carried away by their surging cultivation—to restrain themselves considerably.
Strictly heeding Senior Skull's admonitions, they quietly cultivated and kept a low profile.
Meanwhile, things with Zhang Zhiliang seemed somewhat unusual.
No news had spread of his breakthrough to the Soul Formation realm.
As though nothing had happened at all, he still appeared just as before: purely a formation grandmaster utterly engrossed in the study of formations.
Yet Li Fan knew some scheme had to be brewing in secret.
Zhang Zhiliang's survival from the brutal war in Tianling Province in this lifetime had granted him more than just an opportunity for a breakthrough.
His entire mindset and worldview seemed to have undergone a transformation.
Zhang Zhiliang had not made much effort to conceal this.
Consequently, Li Fan, having had extensive contact with him and possessing a keen eye for reading people, had picked up on it immediately.
Furthermore, in the Heavenly Profound Mirror, the prices of materials for crafting array coronets had recently shown slight increases across the board.
This seemed to offer indirect confirmation that Zhang Zhiliang was quietly making preparations of some sort.
*If I recall correctly, the two Soul Formation Immortal Lords, Lancang and Haoxuan, are due to erupt into a massive clash in the Congyun Sea this year.*
*Simply by observing whether Immortal Lord Ziyun intervenes when the time comes, I will know whether Zhang Zhiliang leaked the news of Crimson Flame burning the sea.*
*All things are interconnected; from a tiny clue one can discern the whole, and through a narrow bamboo tube one can glimpse the leopard.*
*Though I sit all day within the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Formless Killing Intent lights my vision. By comparing and confirming these subtle details—which ordinary people might overlook—against the memories of my previous life, I can know all under heaven without ever stepping past my door.*
Pondering this, Li Fan could not help feeling a quiet joy.
Yet not long after returning to arduous cultivation with this rare sense of pleasure, Li Fan's expression suddenly shifted, and he broke off his practice.
He had discovered that the Formless Killing Intent monitoring He Zhenghao had actually failed.
Although the lock remained, not only was he unable to perceive any visuals from that side, he could not even pinpoint He Zhenghao's exact location.
Formless Killing Intent was the technique of Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing, operated by borrowing the mandate of heaven.
Throughout so many cycles of reincarnation, instances of it failing had occurred, but they were exceedingly rare.
For example, previously within the study of the Master with the blue-ox carriage.
Yet that had been an ancient anomaly capable of doing battle with the Heavenly Physician, possessing strength at least above Dao Integration.
He Zhenghao had not even broken through to the Golden Core realm; how could he possibly shield himself from Li Fan's Formless Killing Intent?
*What happened?*
Li Fan still placed considerable value on Daoist He.
As his only subdued subordinate in this lifetime, Li Fan intended to find an excuse before Crimson Flame burning the sea arrived to take He Zhenghao out of the Congyun Sea along with him.
To save his little life.
However, that was contingent on him remaining within Li Fan's grasp.
After a moment's contemplation, Li Fan retrieved a communication talisman and sent He Zhenghao a message.
"Daoist He, how have things been lately?"
A long time passed with no reply.
Li Fan frowned.
"Daoist He, where are you right now?"
He waited a while longer, but there was still no response.
Stroking his chin, Li Fan rose and departed the Heavenly Profound Mirror, heading straight for the Dharma Transmission Plaza.
Just as he was about to reach the Liuli Island teleportation array, He Zhenghao finally sent a leisurely reply: "Eh? Fellow Daoist Li Fan, what business do you have with me? Where else could I be? Naturally, I'm on Liuli Island."
Li Fan paused in his tracks. "Haha, that works out perfectly. We haven't seen each other in a while; this is a fine chance to catch up in person."
He Zhenghao replied immediately, his tone laced with apparent panic.
"How about another day? I have a guest visiting, so it's not very convenient..."
Li Fan smiled faintly, completely ignoring He Zhenghao's suggestion, and activated the teleportation array without hesitation.
He wanted to see what kind of method He Zhenghao had employed to block Formless Killing Intent.
A moment later, Li Fan encountered He Zhenghao, whose face bore an expression of distinct embarrassment and regret.
However, Li Fan's attention was drawn to the other person present.
A young girl who appeared no more than sixteen or seventeen.
She was tall and slender, with clear, lovely features.
At that moment, she was eyeing the abruptly arriving Li Fan, her gaze brimful of curiosity.
"Who is this?"
"Who is this?"
Li Fan and the girl asked in unison.
He Zhenghao cleared his throat and stepped forward without drawing attention, blocking the girl and obscuring Li Fan's view.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist, you truly are swift and decisive—here the moment you said so! Allow me to introduce her. This is my daughter, He Xinxin. Xinxin, this is Daoist Li Fan, your father's dearest friend."
He Zhenghao concealed the embarrassment on his face admirably as he introduced the two.
Li Fan's gaze swept lightly over He Xinxin, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.
This girl was young, yet her talent appeared extraordinary.
At such a tender age, she was already at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
According to the normal course of history, had Li Fan not imparted the Mountain River Hidden Dragon Technique to He Zhenghao, her cultivation would likely have surpassed her father's!
Greater talent than her father, and not living with him...
In an instant, Li Fan understood.
*Daoist He is quite skilled at living off a capable woman. I wonder why he ran off to the Congyun Sea all by himself. Could it be that he grew old and useless?*
Li Fan indulged in malicious speculation.
On the other side, seeing Li Fan staring so intently at his daughter, He Zhenghao grew somewhat uneasy.
He hurriedly spoke up to draw Li Fan's attention: "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist, please take a seat!"
Without delay, he ushered Li Fan to sit in the mountaintop gazebo.
"Daoist He, you truly treat me as an outsider, don't you? How is it that I have never heard you mention having a daughter?" Li Fan took a sip of tea and spoke slowly on purpose.
Sure enough, as soon as Li Fan said this, He Xinxin grew visibly displeased.
Without a word, she simply glared at He Zhenghao with her pretty eyes, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
He Zhenghao groaned inwardly and hastened to justify himself: "Fellow Daoist, what a short memory you have! Didn't I mention last time that I wanted to introduce my daughter to..."
Halfway through his words, He Zhenghao abruptly sensed something amiss and cut himself short.
Feeling He Xinxin's increasingly suspicious glare fixed upon him, He Zhenghao's mind fell into disarray. He opened his mouth, momentarily at a loss for how to explain.
Fortunately, Li Fan came to his rescue in the nick of time: "Haha, now that you mention it, I do recall. Back then, you were clamoring for me to prepare a meeting gift for her."
Li Fan tapped his forehead, feigning sudden remembrance.
"Since this is our first meeting and your father gave me no prior notice, I didn't prepare any gift in advance. Take this little trinket, then."
With that, Li Fan drew a half-man-tall banner from his storage ring and offered it across.
He Xinxin took the banner and looked at it. The fabric was patterned in black and yellow, emblazoned with the two characters for "Wanxian."
It was precisely the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation Flags that Li Fan had used before and bought as a spare in this lifetime.
Worth ten thousand contribution points.
"A girl traveling out in the world must always be mindful of her safety. Take this set of formation flags for self-defense."
Thoroughly versed in the principle that to take, one must first give, Li Fan ignored He Zhenghao's worried gaze and spoke to He Xinxin with an easy smile.
Chapter 249