Curator Elder Di San

"Hurry, devour this Eternal Lingering Thought, then use True Reversion to run!" "To be placed right at the center of the Museum of Divine Archives, this skull must be extraordinary. Devour its lingering thought at once, and you'll surely uncover the secrets hidden within!" "Do it now!" "Take it and leave—no one can stop you!" ... Amidst True Reversion's increasingly loud urging, thoughts surfaced one after another in Li Fan's mind. They whispered incessantly by his ear, tempting him. For a fleeting moment, Li Fan was genuinely tempted, almost acting on the urge. Yet in the end, relying on immense willpower, he forced the impulse down. He recalled the scene when he had absorbed Master Tianyang's Eternal Lingering Thought back then. First, the surrounding space had grown hazy and unreal. Then Tianyang's skeleton had dissolved into shimmering white light, gradually being absorbed into him. A thunderous jolt had struck his mind, causing him to lose consciousness. Only after he had seemingly experienced Tianyang's long life firsthand did the notification from True Reversion finally arrive. Only then was the absorption of the Eternal Lingering Thought complete. Based on his past experience, Li Fan quickly reached a conclusion. Absorbing an Eternal Lingering Thought would cause a considerable disturbance. Not only would the vessel hosting the lingering thought vanish, but the white light representing the Eternal Lingering Thought would pinpoint Li Fan as the culprit with absolute precision. Moreover, absorbing an Eternal Lingering Thought was not instantaneous. It required time. And during that process, under the impact of the lingering imprint left by its original owner, he might briefly lose consciousness. Once he realized these points, Li Fan promptly made his judgment. The Eternal Lingering Thought in this skull could not be absorbed! To recklessly force the absorption would be no different from seeking his own death! Never mind that the area around the skull looked completely empty and unguarded. What kind of place was this? The headquarters of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals. The Museum of Divine Archives, repository of countless treasures. The very core area of the entire museum. Could such a place truly lack hidden protective measures? That would be the height of absurdity. Li Fan was certain that if greed blinded him and he lost his sanity to forcibly absorb the Eternal Lingering Thought, countless mechanisms and restrictive formations would descend upon him the very next moment, and he would be captured for study. Perhaps there was indeed a sliver of a possibility that this skull had no defenses whatsoever. Yet... Li Fan would not gamble. Because failure meant total destruction beyond redemption. As for this Eternal Lingering Thought, according to True Reversion's previous prompt, whenever Li Fan restarted a cycle and located the vessel of an Eternal Lingering Thought again, he could absorb it and use it repeatedly. In essence, it was no different from the Dao Transformation Stone in Yi Yin's tomb; both were simply items that could be obtained again. What truly snuffed out Li Fan's desire to absorb it was that an Eternal Lingering Thought could not be bound to True Reversion at all. After using True Reversion, he would be unable to carry it back. Taking such an extreme risk was destined to yield nothing in the end. ... Having sorted through the known information, reasoned logic dictated that Li Fan should abandon all thoughts of absorbing the Eternal Lingering Thought here. Yet its pull on True Reversion was overwhelmingly powerful. The walls built by reason proved utterly fragile. The Xuanhuang Heart-Refining Millstone spun frantically as Li Fan suppressed the ceaselessly surging desires with all his might. He then requested the docent, Bing Yin, to take him somewhere to rest, putting distance between himself and the skull. Bing Yin nodded in understanding and kindly supported Li Fan by the arm. To conceal his abnormal state and divert his own attention, Li Fan took the initiative to start a conversation. "Senior Bing Yin, I heard you mention earlier that the skull was placed in the central position by the curator's specific order?" "Indeed, it is quite strange. With millions of treasures in the museum, who knows why the curator favors it so much," Bing Yin replied. *It seems this curator might also be able to sense the lingering thought contained within it,* Li Fan mused inwardly. Aloud, he asked casually, "May I ask which senior in the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals the curator is? I don't believe I've ever heard of him." Bing Yin smiled. "It is only natural that you wouldn't know. The esteemed curator lives in deep seclusion and has always kept a low profile. Even for docents like us, catching a glimpse of him is no easy task. "However, if we speak of seniority, very few in the Alliance today would dare claim to stand above the curator," Bing Yin said with a hint of pride. "Oh?" Li Fan could not help feeling intrigued. Bing Yin lowered his voice several degrees. "The esteemed curator has existed in this world since the distant Primordial Era. That was a remote past, long before the human race rose to prominence. "Almost nothing in this world escapes his discerning gaze. He can truly be called all-knowing and all-wise." Bing Yin's admiration was plain to see. Yet Li Fan found this description somewhat familiar. "He is the symbol of longevity and wisdom. We respectfully refer to him as Immortal Elder Di San," Bing Yin said slowly. Li Fan's expression turned slightly peculiar as he thought to himself, *Di San... Mo?* Bing Yin did not notice Li Fan's reaction and continued to speak enthusiastically about how knowledgeable and wise the old curator was. Even after they reached the rest lounge, he still seemed eager to talk. However, seeing Li Fan's poor physical condition, he tactfully stopped. "Rest here with peace of mind. "The Museum of Divine Archives is far too vast to tour in a short while. "This place was built specifically for visitors to rest; you needn't worry about being disturbed." After giving a few instructions and seeing Li Fan gradually recover his composure, Bing Yin left behind a control jade talisman and took his leave. Li Fan channeled the jade talisman, activating the restrictions to completely seal the rest lounge. Deep within the chamber, the bizarre skull vanished from his perception, and his trembling body finally calmed down. As if having fought an exhausting battle, Li Fan felt thoroughly drained. His already aged body was now even worse off. "Eternal Lingering Thought..." Having calmed down, Li Fan pondered the reason behind True Reversion's abnormal reaction. Humans felt hunger because they needed food to replenish the energy necessary for survival. For True Reversion to also produce an appetite could only mean that it could obtain something useful to itself from an Eternal Lingering Thought. Setting aside the skull in the museum for the moment, what did Master Tianyang's lingering thought possess that True Reversion might need? "Special: Eternal Lingering Thought (Tianyang) (Usable Uses: 1)" Looking at the information on the True Reversion interface, Li Fan made his decision. Taking materials from his storage ring, he set up the ritual required to enter the Fallen Immortal Realm to throw off any onlookers. Li Fan then expended the final use of the Eternal Lingering Thought and activated True Reversion's Simulation function. After a bout of dizziness... "Tianyang, it's time for your medicine..." The voice of his master, Guangyangzi, echoed by Li Fan's ear.