"It merely purifies and amplifies the effects of the demonic beast bloodline in my body so I can absorb them, without bringing any negative effects to my physical body.
"As for which demonic beast my ancestor actually was, even I don't know. I didn't inherit any special supernatural abilities—it's just that this body can really take a beating," Dongfang Yao said with no small amount of pride.
"As long as an attack doesn't kill me outright, I can recover in just a few breaths." He thumped his chest, producing solid, hollow thuds like iron striking wood.
"The legacy of ancestors coupled with one's own great fortune—no amount of envy can bring you that," Li Fan sighed, shaking his head.
"I see that you seem close to breaking through to the Soul Formation realm, Fellow Daoist. Do you intend to advance here?" Li Fan asked after a pause.
"No, no. I am here for two reasons: first, to temper my physique, and second, to comprehend this dao of 'boundary-splitting,'" Dongfang Yao explained candidly. "My defenses may be formidable, but I lack offensive methods. In a fight, I end up functioning as nothing more than a punching bag. How could that not be infuriating? So I sought out this place, which is exceptionally suited for my comprehension."
"Boundary-splitting..." A subtle gleam flickered deep within Li Fan's eyes.
"I heard you mention that term several times just now. Is there any particular story behind it?"
Dongfang Yao shrugged. "I don't know the exact details either. But in the hazy memories inherited from my ancestors, I know there exists something akin to a scar upon the Xuanhuang Realm here. Compared to ordinary spatial rifts, it's several times more perilous.
"Furthermore..." He paused for a moment.
"Before coming here, I asked around. Supposedly, cultivators within this great maelstrom have occasionally witnessed a wondrous sight.
"A colossal pillar of light erupts from the center of the vortex, piercing through heaven and earth. It is as if the entire world trembles faintly, the winds and clouds churning in upheaval.
"That magnificent spectacle lasts for only several breaths before vanishing. And that pillar of light is as though it never truly existed from start to finish—leaving behind not a single trace, just like an illusion. Some say it is some sort of Time Mirage, a real event that occurred thousands of years ago in history. I don't understand it all that well myself."
Dongfang Yao appeared quite guileless, sharing everything he knew with Li Fan.
"I happen to know a thing or two about these 'Time Mirages,'" Li Fan said, his gaze shifting slightly as he explained to Dongfang Yao. "When specific conditions are met, events in this world are recorded, and they repeatedly reappear at specific moments in time..."
Dongfang Yao came to a realization. "In that case, was it that pillar of light that tore open the Xuanhuang Realm back then and gave birth to this great maelstrom? Truly extraordinary! If I could comprehend even a fraction of its might..."
As he spoke, an eager excitement surfaced on Dongfang Yao's face.
When the black rifts surged forth once again, he charged back into the maelstrom's center with a wild howl.
"Nanming Sacred Beast Mountain, the Boundary-Splitting Divine Weapon..."
"If that is the case, then at the old site of the Heavenly Sword Sect, there should also exist such a 'scar' upon the Xuanhuang Realm. Perhaps I can ask Shuo Feng about the exact location where he found the 'Sword.'"
While Dongfang Yao was comprehending the power of boundary-splitting, Li Fan was doing far more than merely watching.
His Formless Killing Intent had long since locked onto Dongfang Yao.
Although Li Fan's physical resilience was not enough to let him plunge recklessly into the maelstrom's heart like Dongfang Yao, by borrowing Dongfang Yao's perspective, Li Fan was also able to observe and contemplate the black boundary-splitting force at close range.
"Fascinating. It seems somewhat similar to the power generated during the convergence of the five elements. No wonder a Time Mirage appears here as well."
While Li Fan's true body was contemplating the dao in the midst of the storm outside the great maelstrom, his clone had already arrived in Tianling City.
With Xu Bai's peerless countenance, wherever he walked, he naturally drew the attention of those around him.
Yet he wore an aloof, cool expression, and his attire clearly marked him as someone of extraordinary status.
For the moment, no cultivator dared to approach him casually.
He strolled through Tianling City at a leisurely pace.
After a period of ferment, the name of the Tianling Flower had spread far and wide throughout the entire Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.
Originally, it had been a niche interest, circulating only among a select group of people. But in this lifetime, Li Fan had first offered a reward of lifespan-extending treasures, followed by Shuo Feng and Lu Xuejing ordering inquiries, and several Medicine King Sect disciples scattered across various regions fanning the flames from the shadows.
With multiple approaches working together, practically any cultivator who wasn't entirely cut off from information had heard of the Tianling Flower to some extent.
And after all this time and the collective efforts of so many, the world was finally forced to acknowledge a helpless reality.
Namely...
The world no longer possessed any true Tianling Flowers!
The bloody war between the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association had claimed countless cultivators' lives, drenching the entire province in an unimaginable aura of slaughter.
The Tianling Flower was born from the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, so it naturally resonated with its surroundings. Now, the scenic illusions within their petals invariably contained a faint, reddish blood qi.
"What a complete spoiler of the scenery, a disgrace to refined elegance!"
"Sigh, fighting and warring endlessly—what good does it do? Cultivators lose their lives in vain, and heaven and earth are no longer as beautiful as before. Peace is hard-won; fellow daoists must cherish it above all and never recklessly start another war!"
...
Some lamented, while others reflected.
Yet there were also those who seized the opportunity.
"Though true Tianling Flowers no longer exist in this world, the blood qi on my blossom here is exceedingly faint—virtually invisible. Compared to the original strain from back then, it's hardly any different. If any fellow daoist is interested, why not come take a look with your own eyes?"
As its fame skyrocketed, the value of the Tianling Flower soared day by day.
Sharp cultivators seized on this marketing angle, specifically selecting varieties with less blood qi to put up for sale.
After all, since the original strain was extinct, looking at a lesser substitute was not a bad alternative.
Although the number of cultivators willing to open their purses for this was not enormous, the total population of cultivators in the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals was immense.
Meanwhile, the annual yield of Tianling Flowers was fixed, and those with little blood qi were particularly rare. Consequently, the selling price of Tianling Flowers climbed steadily.
Tianling City, which had been somewhat desolate after the great war, became thoroughly bustling once more.
Some came drawn by its reputation to feast their eyes, while others sought to speculate and turn a quick profit.
Furthermore, the merchants selling Tianling Flowers constantly innovated, introducing an entirely new craze.
Inside the shops, rows of unopened Tianling Flowers were put on display.
Customers could rely on their luck to pick one, gambling on how much blood qi would appear on the petals once the flower bloomed.
If one were fortunate enough to choose a blossom with very little blood qi, reselling it could yield several times the original cost on the spot.
Of course, the vast majority suffered heavy losses.
Yet the world never lacked cultivators who believed they were favored by fortune. Thus, these budding Tianling Flowers were in such high demand that they were bought out almost as soon as they were placed on the shelves.
"Luck, is it..."
Xu Bai smiled faintly in the crowd.
Without carefully examining the selection, he casually picked out a blossom at random.
"Shopkeeper, I'll take this one."
After paying the spirit stones, Xu Bai did not carry it away, but patiently waited for the flower to bloom.
Chapter 687