Time seemed to stand still.
The cultivators present waged a fierce battle within themselves.
After a long while, He Zhenghao was the first to make his decision.
He said in a deep voice, "I am willing to try!"
"In any case, I am merely a petty island garrison. Giving it up is nothing to regret!"
A long-lost gleam surfaced in He Zhenghao's eyes. "Now, with the Mutual Aid Association's help, I have secured a Nascent Soul technique ahead of time."
"The Golden Core realm is just around the corner, and reaching the Nascent Soul realm will be well within grasp."
"If I can pass the examination into the Central Provinces of the Immortal Alliance as a Golden Core cultivator..."
"My future prospects will be worlds apart from staying in the Congyun Sea!"
Whether to convince himself or persuade the others in the room, He Zhenghao spoke with a firm and stirring conviction.
With a bellwether leading the way, three more cultivators stepped forward and made the same choice.
Yet it ended there.
The vast majority lacked the courage and confidence to forfeit their comfortable positions and test themselves once more.
After all, even with leaked examination questions...
The sheer volume of material in the jade slip Ji Shaoli had provided was staggering.
Whether one could memorize it all was one question.
Rote memorization and genuine mastery were vastly different matters.
With the Grand Examination looming, the remaining time was far too tight.
It was nowhere near enough for thorough preparation.
Put plainly, the probability of success was slim.
Still, four out of eleven were willing to take the gamble.
That ratio had already somewhat exceeded Ji Shaoli's expectations.
He beamed at He Zhenghao and the other three, clapping in approval. "Rest assured, you will never regret today's choice."
"Before the Grand Examination arrives, remain on the island and prepare. I will provide you with all necessary assistance."
The four were overjoyed.
Seeing Ji Shaoli's absolute confidence, the remaining cultivators could not help feeling a pang of regret.
Ji Shaoli turned to reassure them instead.
"The Congyun Sea needs capable hands to look after it, after all. There is nothing wrong with choosing to remain and build your fortunes here."
Only then did the others find peace of mind.
***
Tianling Province.
Li Fan and his companions had returned to the vicinity of the entrance to the Five Elements Great Grotto-Heaven.
The seismic upheaval in Qiling Province had successfully drawn the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals' attention elsewhere.
Throughout their journey, they had alerted no one.
The process of relocating the portal into the Five Elements Great Grotto-Heaven proceeded without a sound.
Dao Integration cultivators were, after all, the pinnacle of those active in the mortal realm under normal circumstances.
With the combined might of Lin Ling and Tianyang, along with Li Fan's mastery of formations,
evading the notice of cultivators in Tianling Province was child's play.
*We are merely relocating the portal entrance and shifting it into the Spirit Wood Realm, not actually changing where the grotto-heaven itself resides.*
*Strictly speaking, there remains a sliver of risk.*
*If someone discovers it, the Spirit Wood Realm could be exposed instead.*
*However, once I truly devour the Five Elements Great Grotto-Heaven, this latent hazard will naturally vanish.*
The spatial coordinates and data on the Tianling Province side had already been fully logged.
Next, only one person needed to return to the Spirit Wood Realm.
Once inside the Spirit Wood Realm, they would complete the alignment and connection of the passage.
Having Lin Ling make the run would not take long.
And yet...
Li Fan cast an inadvertent glance at Lin Ling.
Ever since setting foot in Tianling Province, she had appeared restless and preoccupied.
"Lin Ling, what has happened? Why do I sense your heart in such disarray?" Li Fan inquired via divine sense transmission.
"Master..." Lin Ling's tone carried a hint of fright. She hesitated for a moment before confessing everything. "There seems to be an ominous aura here."
"Similar to the mother tree Senior Earth Vein Ancient Tree warned us to stay away from..."
"It feels somewhat like that."
Hearing this, Li Fan's pupils constricted sharply.
"Ruomu?"
In an instant, the name sprang to his mind.
In his 115th life, it was right here in Tianling Province that he had chanced upon Ruomu's avatar—
Daoist Xiumu.
For Lin Ling to sense Ruomu's aura here once more was entirely within reason.
What truly alarmed Li Fan, however, was this:
If Lin Ling could sense Ruomu,
could Ruomu also sense Lin Ling's presence?
A spine-chilling dread surged from the depths of his heart.
Without hesitation, Li Fan commanded Tianyang to accompany Lin Ling and leave Tianling Province immediately.
Once Lin Ling was safely escorted back, Tianyang could return.
Tianyang promptly complied.
As the two departed, the terror gripping Li Fan's chest gradually subsided.
*That sudden sense of crisis was no illusion.*
*Lin Ling most likely entered Ruomu's sight.*
*Yet whether by her sheer luck or some other reason, It chose not to strike.*
Only when Tianyang transmitted a message confirming that both had safely returned to the Spirit Wood Realm did Li Fan truly breathe a sigh of relief.
In his eyes, Ruomu posed an even greater danger than the Heavenly Physician.
After all, Ruomu and Mr. Bai were the only two beings he had encountered so far who could prevent him from even executing True Reversion.
*Surviving before was pure fortune.*
*If there were a next time, the outcome would be anyone's guess.*
*An old monster like that is best avoided at all costs,* Li Fan pondered silently while awaiting Tianyang's return.
Without the aid of Lin Ling's earth vein powers, Tianyang's flight alone was significantly slower.
Furthermore, having to avoid detection by passing cultivators along the way hindered his speed even more.
As Li Fan waited patiently, another flash of insight struck him.
*Ruomu harbors an intense hatred for cultivators.*
*From time to time, It deceives and captures cultivators to use as tools for producing Golden Cores.*
*Yet Its avatar, Daoist Xiumu, does not often manifest in the world. At least in my 115th life, when Ximen Yu sought It out under my guidance, he failed to find any trace of It.*
*Previously, Ruomu appeared because the great war in Tianling Province broke out, claiming the lives of countless cultivators.*
*Could Its emergence this time also be connected to an immense loss of cultivator lives?*
Li Fan's gaze flickered.
Given Ruomu's cultivation, if It truly wished to abduct cultivators, It had no need to manifest an avatar and waste words coaxing them.
In Li Fan's view, Ruomu was simply savoring the process.
Watching cultivators slowly lose themselves in Its honeyed words,
until they hung willingly from Its branches, serving generation after generation as mere vessels to nurture Golden Cores—
Ruomu's hatred-filled heart would surely derive immense gratification from it.
*Perhaps to It, this is like humans sharing a cup of wine to celebrate a joyous occasion,* Li Fan surmised inwardly.
*Now that Ruomu has reappeared, it might truly signify that another mass death of cultivators is at hand.*
*Even if it has not yet come to pass, It has already perceived the first signs of the omen.*
While Li Fan let his thoughts wander,
Tianyang finally arrived.
After exerting some effort, they at last altered the portal entrance to the Five Elements Great Grotto-Heaven.
Only after waiting for the lingering spatial fluctuations to disperse did Li Fan depart.
Before leaving, he did not forget to cast another secret art, sealing away every trace of abnormality.
Chapter 839