Li Fan surmised that beyond containing numerous ruins of the ancient cultivation world, the white mist might also hold the remains of other cultivation worlds.
After all, no one knew how many worlds the Xuanhuang Realm had absorbed over the years to stave off its fate of being devoured by the Immortal Ruins. Even the Xuanhuang Realm itself had undergone earth-shattering changes, as though it had expanded by an entire ring—to say nothing of the White Mist Barrier, a buffer zone where worlds seemingly merged.
Yet to Li Fan, though the white mist was fraught with peril, its actual level of danger would not necessarily surpass that of the Xuanhuang Realm itself.
After all, far too many monsters lurked in the Xuanhuang Realm. Ever since embarking on his cycle of rebirths, Li Fan had encountered entities like the Heavenly Physician, Ruomu, and the mysterious celestial palm. When had he not escaped within an inch of his life? Who knew how many more terrifying figures remained hidden in the shadows?
Dangerous though the white mist was, the vast majority of that danger stemmed from the Essence-Devouring White Mist itself. Even if he were to encounter bizarre and horrific entities, they would not be like the almighty figures of the Xuanhuang Realm, who could strip Li Fan of the chance to even invoke True Reversion.
"Compared to the Xuanhuang Realm, the white mist is like the corpse of a dead cultivation world. And the living are often far more terrifying than the dead."
"With my clone Xu Bai scheming for the second volume of the Mountain-Sitting Art, nothing should go awry. It is the perfect opportunity for my true self to venture into the white mist to investigate and see what the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals is really up to."
Li Fan reined in his thoughts and, drawing on his experience from his past life, began purchasing useful supplies through the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
For instance, the Eight Directions Serenity Formation Diagram, which could temporarily ward off the encroachment of the Essence-Devouring White Mist and buy precious breathing room in critical moments;
The Black Death Talismans, essential items for resisting the mist's essence-devouring effects and traversing the white mist;
And various miracle elixirs and pills capable of rapidly replenishing and restoring internal spiritual energy.
Li Fan keenly noticed that the prices of these goods had shown a conspicuous upward trend recently. The Black Death Talismans in particular had doubled in price without a whisper. Clearly, a sizable number of people had already caught wind of the alliance's impending push for cultivators to explore the white mist, and were quietly capitalizing on this final window to turn a massive profit.
Of all supplies, the price hike for lifespan-extending treasures was the most staggering, having generally surged three- to fourfold. Items in the world that prolonged lifespan were inherently scarce and exorbitantly expensive.
Once a cultivator consumed one kind, they had to seek out others, which meant such treasures were chronically scarce and in high demand.
Now that the era of white mist exploration was at hand, these lifespan-extending treasures were practically equivalent to life-saving talismans in the face of the Essence-Devouring White Mist.
In his previous life, Li Fan had been trapped in the white mist and forced his way out, only to find himself decrepit and aged upon returning to the Eternal Immortal Bastion due to having lingered there too long. If he had possessed Longevity Pills back then, he could have averted such an outcome.
Cultivators of this world did not enjoy the chance to start over again and again like Li Fan; for the sake of their lives, it was only natural that they would prepare as many life-preserving items as possible.
Looking at the more than one hundred Longevity Pills Liu San had prepared for him, Li Fan, who was never short on contribution points, naturally chose not to sell them. Instead, he intended to save them for critical moments in the future.
"It's a pity that at this point in time, Zhong Shentong has yet to make a name for himself. I've inquired for a long time without turning up any trace of him. Otherwise, if I could learn his Seven-Colored Divine Light and come and go as I please, things would be much more convenient. As for that incomplete half-scroll of the Profound Art of Life and Death, I'll see about completing it when the opportunity arises."
Time flew by.
The next day, Li Fan, Huangfu Song, and Dongfang Yao met up once more.
As agreed, Li Fan brought out the large haul of purchased supplies and handed them over.
"Hiss, brother, you really are generous!" Dongfang Yao grinned ear to ear, happily stowing away the packed storage ring.
Huangfu Song glanced into his ring, surprise surfacing on his face. "Brother Li has truly spared no expense!"
"Since we agreed to brave the white mist together, we naturally must be fully prepared. How could a bit of wealth compare to our lives, brothers?" Li Fan waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Right, besides these, I also prepared this." Li Fan's expression turned solemn as he brought out two jade bottles and handed them over.
Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao took them and unstoppered the bottles. Inside each lay three pills glowing with azure light.
An intoxicating herbal fragrance wafted into their nostrils, nearly tempting them to swallow the pills on the spot.
Their expressions shifted slightly, and they cried out in unison, "Lifespan-extending pills?"
Li Fan nodded slightly and lowered his voice. "I went to great pains to obtain these. They are called Longevity Pills. Each one extends lifespan by two hundred years, and even better, they can be taken repeatedly. Though their efficacy gradually diminishes, it is said that within ten pills, each still guarantees at least a century of added life."
Hearing this, both Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao immediately realized the sheer value of these Longevity Pills.
Hastily tucking the jade bottles away with utmost solemnity, they looked at Li Fan with deep emotion. "Brother Li..."
Li Fan gave a faint smile and raised a hand, cutting them off.
Huangfu Song's expression shifted continuously before he finally gritted his teeth, as though having reached a firm resolution.
"Wait here for a moment, brothers. I will be right back."
Without waiting for a reply, Huangfu Song hurried out of the private booth in the Dao Discussion Tower. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought he had absconded with the supplies.
Yet neither Dongfang Yao nor Li Fan showed any such suspicion, waiting patiently in the room with absolute composure.
Dongfang Yao had known Huangfu Song for years and understood his character inside out, so he harbored no such misgivings. But for Li Fan to be so calm earned Dongfang Yao's sincere admiration.
"Heh heh, my eye for people is truly sharp. You really are someone worth befriending, brother!"
"The white mist is fraught with perils. If one cannot trust one's companions, what is the point of traveling together?" Li Fan replied placidly, exuding an effortless poise.
However, after waiting for the better part of a day, Huangfu Song still had not returned, nor did he respond when contacted via communication talisman. It was as though he had vanished into thin air.
At this point, even Dongfang Yao began to feel uneasy.
Yet Li Fan remained completely unfazed, leaving Dongfang Yao clicking his tongue in marvel.
And the reason Li Fan could remain so composed—aside from knowing Huangfu Song well and understanding that he was not someone of short-sighted greed—was, more importantly...
Supplies that seemed immensely "valuable" to Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao were, in Li Fan's eyes, practically worthless.
Another half-day passed, and as the hour stretched into late night, Huangfu Song finally slipped back into the room.
"Since Brother Li has been so sincere, I'll go all in as well."
"Brothers, behold..."
After sealing the door, Huangfu Song laid down protective formations around the room to prevent prying eyes.
Then, with an expression of solemn gravity, he produced a small, square, archaic mirror from inside his robes and set it before them.
"What sort of gadget is this?" Dongfang Yao asked, completely baffled.
Li Fan's heart jolted, his eyes locking intently onto the mirror in Huangfu Song's hand.
Chapter 693