Shadow Following Art

Inside the stomach of the mutated dragon whale, Li Fan found many liuli pearls that had not yet been fully digested. They were likely what remained after the dragon whale had gorged on schools of liuli fish. *It seems that ever since I killed that giant liuli fish, the school's situation has taken a turn for the worse,* Li Fan mused inwardly. Besides the liuli pearls, there was also a broken piece of coral, a glowing fish bone, and various other jumbled oddities. Li Fan did not bother trying to identify them; he simply packed everything up. Finally, he checked once more to ensure he had not overlooked anything before slipping away quietly. The journey was uneventful, and he returned safely to Wanxian Island. After turning in the remains of the mutated dragon whale, Li Fan had the items scavenged from its stomach appraised and exchanged for contribution points. They came to a total of 320 points. Afterward, following an appraisal, the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals confirmed that the dragon whale carcass Li Fan had submitted was indeed the one that had attacked the island previously. With that, the task's 2,000-point reward was in hand. Added to his remaining 450 points, Li Fan now had 2,770 contribution points at his disposal. "With so many contribution points, it should be enough to select a satisfactory cultivation method." At present, Li Fan lacked a technique to conceal his own presence so that he could track others. Methods of this sort were relatively rare, but for the Qi Condensation stage, 2,770 contribution points was definitely more than enough. Li Fan began browsing within the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Meanwhile, inside the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, the task of hunting down the mutated dragon whale—which had once left many Foundation Establishment cultivators completely at a loss—had now actually been completed by a Qi Condensation cultivator. This bizarre turn of events instantly caught the attention of many people. Those who had banded together to post the task in particular were deeply baffled. "Late Qi Condensation, Li Fan? Who on earth is this? Didn't they say that dragon whale could withstand attacks from Golden Core cultivators? How did this Li Fan manage to hunt it down?" "Could it be that he concealed his cultivation?" "Daoist, you must be new to our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals. Conceal one's cultivation before the spiritual treasure Heavenly Profound Mirror? Impossible!" "This person's strength is late Qi Condensation without a doubt. I had someone check—he was introduced into the alliance not long ago by He Zhenghao." "Oh? Then how on earth did he pull it off?" "Could he be carrying some extraordinary treasure?" ... A Qi Condensation cultivator pulling off something that even Foundation Establishment cultivators could not accomplish naturally sent imaginations running wild. Just then, a derisive voice rang out. "Stop guessing. The latest inside word is that the kid was just lucky." These words instantly drew a flurry of sideways glances. "Daoist Zhou Peng, what do you mean by that?" "Indeed, pure luck? How could that be?" ... Zhou Peng also sighed with emotion. "I couldn't believe it either, but that's just how it is. "The mutated dragon whale's carcass was sent to Elder Gongsun of the Heavenly Secret Hall for analysis. The conclusion reached was that before it died, this dragon whale fought against at least three deep-sea behemoths of the same caliber. "The vast majority of the wounds on its body were left by those colossal beasts. "Before it died, the mutated dragon whale was already at the end of its rope. Even if that kid hadn't lifted a finger, the beast wouldn't have survived much longer." When Zhou Peng finished speaking, silence fell over the surroundings. Though it sounded somewhat incredible, everyone had heard of Elder Gongsun of the Heavenly Secret Hall to some extent. Therefore, the conclusion he drew was quite credible. "It's said that the dragon whale showed signs of transforming into a dragon. Perhaps that was why it attracted the greed of other great beasts." "Makes sense. For mutated beasts that evolve by devouring one another, one that has awakened its ancestral bloodline is the ultimate tonic." "Good grief, that Qi Condensation kid is ridiculously lucky! Truly enviable—that's two thousand contribution points!" The surrounding crowd nodded in agreement one after another. ... As for the ripples completing the bounty on the mutated dragon whale might cause, Li Fan had prepared himself long in advance. Still, he was not completely without apprehension. After all, no matter how one looked at it, the dragon whale had died from mutual slaughter among giant beasts. He had simply had the good fortune to stumble upon it and reap the reward. For two thousand contribution points, taking a slight risk was well worth it. Putting the matter aside, after a period of searching and comparison, Li Fan decided on his target technique: The *Shadow Following Art*. The core essence of this technique was embodied in the phrase *follow like a shadow*. The technique excelled at tracking and concealment. Once locked onto a target, the practitioner could cling to them as closely as their own shadow, making it virtually impossible for the target to shake them off. Even better, one could blend into darkness like a shadow lurking within shade, rendering oneself completely undetectable. With such miraculous effects, the price was naturally steep: 1,800 contribution points. Li Fan did not pinch pennies and purchased it directly. Just as Li Fan was preparing to enter seclusion to cultivate, he suddenly received a transmission talisman from He Zhenghao. "Fellow Daoist Li Fan! Ah, I never imagined that the cultivator who hunted down the dragon whale was really you! I thought it was just another cultivator who shared your name and realm! "It was only when someone came asking me about you that I confirmed you were truly the one who killed that dragon whale!" He Zhenghao sounded exceptionally agitated. "Good, good, good! You finally helped me vent some bitter frustration! You have no idea—these days, every time I close my eyes, all I see is the plummeting price of Spirit Mist Grass." ... Li Fan fell silent for a moment before replying, "It was merely good fortune. While carrying out the task, I happened to come across the dragon whale locked in a death match with other giant beasts, so I picked up a bargain." Not long after the message was sent, He Zhenghao replied immediately. "Luck is also part of one's strength! With your extraordinary talent and fortune, Daoist, your prospects on the Great Dao are bound to be bright!" Before Li Fan could decide how to answer, another message from He Zhenghao came through. "As it happens, I have a matter with which I'd like to ask for your assistance, Daoist. Would you be willing?" "Oh? What is it?" "Well, I'd like to ask you to serve in my stead as the acting guardian of Liuli Island. What do you think, Daoist?" "Acting guardian?" Li Fan was somewhat curious. He Zhenghao hurriedly explained. "Because of that Spirit Mist Grass fiasco, I lost most of the savings I accumulated over the years. Seeing that I'm drifting further and further from the Nascent Soul technique I wanted to exchange for, I truly cannot take this lying down. "It so happens that a few friends recently discovered an ancient abode and invited me to explore it with them. According to them, this abode was likely sealed before the Great Calamity descended. There are bound to be many rare treasures inside, and it's not impossible that there are quite a few cultivation techniques as well. "If I can gain something from it, it might make up for some of my losses. So I've decided to take a gamble." Li Fan thought for a moment. Rather than giving an immediate reply, he asked in return, "How long would you need me to act as guardian?" He Zhenghao replied swiftly, "Not long at all. A year or two at the shortest, three or four years at most."