"......"
Liu San let out a wry smile. "I don't know where the Young Master heard of such a fantastical notion.
"The difficulty involved is truly immense. Those young fellows can all be called heaven-sent talents.
"During this time, every one of them has already advanced to peak Qi Condensation. Yet they are firmly stuck on this Foundation Establishment method."
Liu San shook his head. "In my view, having them successfully establish the foundation with oneself is practically impossible.
"Originally, we only came up with this method out of sheer necessity to deceive the Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror. Now that we're planning to submit to the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals anyway, must we continue? Perhaps..." Liu San asked tentatively.
"As the saying goes, one must never lower one's guard. Although joining the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals likely won't bring any danger in the short term, we cannot rule out the possibility of falling out with them down the road," Xu Bai said thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"Having a trump card to preserve our lives is always best. This plan should still go ahead," Xu Bai said in a deep voice.
A flicker of astonishment flashed through Liu San's eyes, and he nodded subconsciously.
"As expected, the Sect Master thinks of everything," Fang Zaiji chimed in repeatedly.
Xu Bai then looked toward Jiang Yushan. "I heard that Elder Jiang has been brooding over a narrow defeat at the hands of a female Dao Integration cultivator from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals?"
Jiang Yushan frowned and nodded. "The new method's Dao Integration steals the might of heaven and earth. In battle, it is indeed somewhat superior to the old method's Dao Integration. However, I have already devised a countermeasure. Next time we duel, I will certainly teach her a lesson."
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Yushan's eyes.
Xu Bai didn't probe further. He simply retrieved an azure fruit from his storage ring that seemed to hover between reality and illusion.
"This object contains the principles of heaven and earth and is a rare supreme treasure in this world. Perhaps it will be of some help to Elder Jiang."
There was no need for Xu Bai to elaborate.
The instant the Truth Enticement Fruit appeared, the aura it exuded immediately drew the gazes of the three Dao Integration cultivators present.
Though they did not know the fruit's true purpose, the faint ripples of laws radiating from it were more than enough to prove its extraordinary nature.
Fang Zaiji looked ready to drool, muttering repeatedly, "Sect Master, you really play favorites! Giving such a wonderful thing only to Yushan.
"Do you have any spares? Give me one to taste too."
Xu Bai chuckled derisively. "You think these grow on trees, that I can just whip out several whenever I want? I saved up for a long time before barely managing to purchase this. If Elder Jiang hadn't been dwelling on this matter, I wouldn't have brought it out so readily. To tell the truth, parting with it still stings a bit."
Xu Bai laughed aloud.
Seeing this, Jiang Yushan was about to hand the Truth Enticement Fruit back.
But Xu Bai refused with stern righteousness: "How could there be any reason to take back what has already been given? Just keep it, Elder Jiang.
"After all, the stronger you are, the safer our Medicine King Sect will be."
Hearing this, Jiang Yushan nodded, accepted the Truth Enticement Fruit, and took her leave to cultivate in seclusion.
"Yushan..." Liu San watched her retreating back, hesitating to speak.
Jiang Yushan didn't even turn her head, paying him no attention.
At this point, Xu Bai looked toward Fang Zaiji again. "Since researching the End Disc has yielded no results, idle hands shouldn't go to waste.
"Elder Fang, why not take this opportunity to help me reinforce the Medicine King Cauldron?"
Fang Zaiji's face fell.
"If your work satisfies me, it's not out of the question for me to find a seller and purchase another one."
The "Great Dao Fruit" was the name Xu Bai had concocted for the Truth Enticement Fruit.
Fang Zaiji's eyes lit up, and he eagerly chimed in, "Rest easy, Sect Master, leave it to Old Fang! In fact, back when you gave the order, I already had a plan in mind for reinforcing the Medicine King Cauldron. It was only due to limitations of time and materials that I never got around to starting..."
Xu Bai smiled. "Now you have nothing to worry about, Elder Fang. Whatever materials you need, just ask."
He extended his palm, and the Medicine King Cauldron spun continuously upon it.
"After all, our Medicine King Sect's disciples are currently inside. We naturally have to look out for their safety," Xu Bai said pointedly.
Liu San's gaze lingered on the Medicine King Cauldron for a long time.
Only when Xu Bai followed Fang Zaiji toward the artifact refinement chamber did he reluctantly pull it away.
His expression was inscrutable, leaving it impossible to guess what he was thinking.
-----
Tianquan Prefecture.
After a long period of data processing, Li Fan had completely deciphered all the contents of the Chaos divine ability.
After attempting to circulate the divine ability, Li Fan wondered whether he could use it to eliminate Mr. Bai's influence over him.
Unfortunately, whether because the divine ability's ceiling was not high enough or because Mr. Bai's corruption was already irreversible like spilt water,
the moment Li Fan called up True Reversion, all manner of reluctant, clinging emotions surged over him once more.
Their simultaneous outburst forced him to hastily close the True Reversion panel.
"Seems I was overthinking it."
Having already failed several times, Li Fan didn't let it bother him.
After committing the contents to memory, he did not continue cultivating it, instead putting it aside for now.
He brought out the Dissociation Disc.
At this moment, the Dissociation Disc appeared noticeably more crystalline and translucent than before.
"Nine discs contended for supremacy; seven are now gone.
"Only I and an unknown rival remain," Li Fan mused to himself as he toyed with the jade-smooth Dissociation Disc.
During his spare moments earlier, he had already infused every formation he knew into it, save for a select few.
And he could sense that the Dissociation Disc in his hands was significantly stronger than the remaining one.
Even if he stopped feeding it formation data and let it iterate naturally,
it would still claim the final victory.
"The other side seems to have accepted their fate and given up the struggle.
"Too bad I'm running out of time."
Li Fan shook his head slightly.
He chose not to infuse the final batch of formation data into it.
"If the Heavenly Profound secondary body remains within the Heavenly Profound Mirror's range of perception,
"then this will be another trump card of mine.
"I wonder which will prove stronger: the upgraded Heavenly Profound Mirror, or the revived Mr. Bai?"
A cold glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
If he wished to seek life from within death, he naturally had to seize it from chaos.
Just like in this lifetime when the Crimson Flame burned the sea and Mo Sha descended, where—in order to prevent anyone from deducing the true body from the avatar and to fully solidify the avatar's death—
the more chaotic it was, the better!
There were far too many hidden existences lurking in secret within the Xuanhuang Realm. Only by pitting them against one another
could their gazes be partially obscured.
"Actually, there is another way to break free from Mr. Bai's influence:
"directly eliminating the root causes.
"For example, if my heart covets a complete Dissociation Disc, then unlock its full form.
"If I am reluctant to part with the End Disc that can completely shield against the Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror, then rush to research a potential result.
"A pity...
"it is only theoretically possible.
"As the saying goes, the pit of desire is bottomless."
Chapter 776