After departing from Yinyin Island, Su Changyu looked exhilarated; it took him quite a while to calm his excited emotions.
"To think that stepping out this time would lead to such a fortuitous encounter."
Though he was still some distance from Foundation Establishment, unlike before, his heart was now brimming with drive to cultivate; he could hardly wait to reach Qi Condensation perfection and establish his foundation as soon as possible.
*Once I establish my foundation with myself, my cultivation speed should be able to catch up to Xiao Heng, Xiaomei, and the others, right?* Su Changyu thought to himself.
Wasting no more time elsewhere, he oriented himself and flew straight toward the desolate island.
Within the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
Li Fan reflected on the scenes he had just witnessed through Su Changyu, his brows slightly furrowing.
"To think Su Changyu would also somehow end up at Master Yin's and learn the secrets of establishing the foundation with oneself. It seems that mysterious heavenly guidance I sensed earlier really is a fact."
As for whether Su Changyu could successfully establish his foundation with himself in this lifetime, Li Fan was quite looking forward to finding out.
However, what Li Fan cared more about right now was Master Yin's condition.
In the twelfth lifetime, when Li Fan first met Master Yin in Anchor Year 13, his hair had still been a mix of black and white.
Now, in Anchor Year 25, a mere twelve years had passed, yet he was already entirely white-haired.
Such accelerated aging was virtually impossible for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
It meant that over these years, Master Yin's mental and spiritual exhaustion had been immense.
What caught Li Fan's attention even more was that the test subjects on Yinyin Island, along with numerous collections Master Yin had once treasured as precious gems, had all been utterly destroyed.
Yet Master Yin had not cared in the slightest.
Or rather...
those things had likely been destroyed by his own hand.
Coupled with the fire that had suddenly erupted on the island and Master Yin's increasingly deranged demeanor...
"Did he want to commit suicide?"
A ripple stirred in Li Fan's heart.
To confirm his suspicion, Li Fan exited the Heavenly Profound Mirror and sped toward Yinyin Island.
When he reached his destination, the square building had indeed been reduced to an expanse of ruins.
The incineration had been thorough.
Li Fan searched around, but found nothing of value.
Hovering silently in the sky above the ruins, Li Fan knitted his brows tightly.
"Why?"
"Master Yin should have been studying the secret of the immortal-mortal miasma all these years."
"Just what did he discover that would make him think of taking his own life?"
One had to know that a cultivator's will to survive was hundreds and thousands of times stronger than a mortal's.
It was almost unheard of for a cultivator to commit suicide.
"Was it truly suicide, or was he forced into it?"
Master Yin's somewhat mad words from back then surfaced in his mind: *"Aren't you curious? Why can a mere plague on mortals infect cultivators? If we can uncover the origin of this anomaly, perhaps we can resolve the immortal-mortal miasma at its root! When that time comes, I will be a great existence remembered by the entire cultivation world!"*
Li Fan's expression grew somewhat grave. "Previously, I thought he was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator who couldn't possibly research anything meaningful, so I always overlooked him."
"To think he really made some discoveries."
"Perhaps in the next lifetime, I should pay special 'attention' to him."
Li Fan pondered to himself.
Taking another look at the ruins of Yinyin Island, Li Fan was just about to leave when he suddenly paused.
As the sea wind blew past, a translucent, pale white gleam suddenly appeared amid the charred ground.
Li Fan flew closer and pulled out the glowing object.
It looked somewhat familiar.
A white rib bone.
It seemed to be the rib bone of the very first cultivator infected with the immortal-mortal miasma—the object Master Yin had valued most in life.
Even Master Yin had turned to ash in the raging inferno, yet this rib had survived completely intact.
It was said to be a treasure coveted and fought over by many, and it truly lived up to that reputation.
Li Fan casually slipped it into his storage ring.
Returning to Wanxian Island, he had the Heavenly Profound Mirror appraise it.
Yet he only received the result: "Cultivator remains, value: 1 contribution point."
"It seems this is only valuable to certain people." Li Fan shook his head and stowed the rib bone away again.
He sensed the condition of the various chosen geniuses.
"Xiao Heng still went to the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace. However, he hasn't entered, instead standing outside, looking up at that massive azure structure suspended in the sky. Who knows what he is comprehending."
"Su Xiaomei and her companions seem not far from the Chaoyuan Sect ruins."
...
"It's almost harvest time again."
At this moment, within Li Fan's dantian, two Tribulation Bodies had fully taken shape.
The phantom of a third Tribulation Body was gradually forming.
"The cultivation accommodated in these bodies can be converted without loss once I break through to the Golden Core Realm. If I accumulate enough Tribulation Bodies, perhaps as soon as I enter the Golden Core Realm, I'll break through yet again."
Li Fan could not help showing the joyful smile of an old farmer anticipating a bountiful harvest.
"As for He Zhenghao..."
"Why hasn't any cultivation feedback come from him recently?"
Due to the vast distance, Formless Killing Intent could no longer sense imagery of him.
Li Fan considered this and sent him a message asking about his current situation.
He received an automated reply: "Currently in closed-door training at the Garrison Court. Unable to reply, apologies."
"So Daoist He has already entered the Garrison Court?"
Counting the time, it had been about three years since He Zhenghao took office.
"Jingxuan really is reliable; those contribution points weren't spent in vain."
"After the array formation training in Tianyu Province concludes, the Congyun Sea will likely be gone. When the time comes, I'll head straight to Tianyun Province to meet up with Daoist He."
...
Just as Li Fan was planning for the future,
Su Xiaomei and her group of three had reached the Thousand-Li Swamp and the site of the Chaoyuan Sect ruins.
Having finally reached their destination, Su Xiaomei looked excitedly at the rather magnificent complex of structures nearby, wishing she could charge into the ruins the very next second.
Zhang Haobo was somewhat puzzled. "Didn't they say the ruins attracted many cultivators to explore? Why was the way here so deserted? Where is everyone?"
Shuo Feng also frowned. "It is indeed a bit strange. But no need to overthink it; we'll know what's going on once we head up and see."
When they reached the entrance to the Chaoyuan Sect ruins, it was not as bustling as rumors suggested either.
Several cultivators hesitated, lingering about—too afraid to enter, yet unwilling to leave.
After asking around briefly, they learned why the ruins, so crowded and bustling not long ago, had ended up in such a state.
It turned out that seven days ago, an utterly terrifying event had occurred in the Chaoyuan Sect ruins, which cultivators had previously assumed to be free of danger.
A Golden Core cultivator who came seeking opportunities had first mysteriously vanished.
When he appeared again, everyone discovered that he had become an existence just like the phantoms that intermittently manifested within the ruins.
People could even hear and see him frantically dashing about Chaoyuan Sect in utter despair, trying to find a way to return to his original form.
Yet this Golden Core cultivator seemed to have crossed into another world; no matter what, he could not interact with people in reality.
Nor could he leave the bounds of the Chaoyuan Sect ruins.
Chapter 288