With that in mind, Yan Fangzhou scoffed internally.
*After all, my identity as an undercover agent is a top secret known only to the Venerable.*
Yan Fangzhou could not help feeling rather pleased with himself. A smile touched his face as he stepped forward to greet Shang Tianci.
Shang Tianci gripped Yan Fangzhou's hands tightly, looking him up and down while babbling continuously, "It's good that you're all right, good that you're all right."
To tell the truth, Shang Tianci still felt a twinge of guilt over having lured and deceived Yan Fangzhou into the Spirit Wood Realm, subjecting him to the torment of confinement.
Yet intimidated by Li Fan's tyrannical might, Shang Tianci dared not voice the slightest objection. He had only hoped Yan Fangzhou would recognize the situation soon and turn back from his misguided path.
From the look of things now, Li Fan's conditioning of Yan Fangzhou had been an absolute success.
*Before I came, the Venerable gave instructions: what's past is past, and it's best not to mention it again going forward. From this day on, Fangzhou and I are both brothers of the Myriad Realms Association.* Thinking this, Shang Tianci exchanged a smile with Yan Fangzhou.
Everything was understood without a word.
Led by Shang Tianci, Yan Fangzhou took a complete tour of the Spirit Wood Realm.
"The Association truly changes with each passing day. Compared to it, the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals is far too decadent."
Yan Fangzhou gazed at the Heaven and Earth Furnace in the distance steadily releasing spiritual energy, an unusual glint flashing across his eyes.
Shang Tianci sighed as well. "Indeed. In just a few years, the Spirit Wood Realm has undergone such earth-shattering changes..."
"Perhaps choosing to join the Myriad Realms Association back then was the best decision I've made in my entire life."
Both felt the exact same sentiment.
At the same time, a thought crossed both their minds: *Why not persuade the other brothers in the Mountain and River Pavilion to take the right path as well?*
"The Myriad Realms Association counterattacking the Xuanhuang Realm is an inevitable trend. We can't let them waste away their years in the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals for nothing."
"Besides, the Association is growing rapidly right now. If they join now, they'll be senior founding figures later on. If they wait another few years, they probably won't have a chance even if they beg to join."
...
The two hit it off immediately and began scheming together.
Meanwhile, Li Fan, who took in all their actions, merely smiled faintly. Those prodigies from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals within the Mountain and River Pavilion were still of some use to him.
Deducing the Hunyuan Golden Core and subsequent techniques truly required exceptional geniuses.
"I don't expect to achieve it in a single lifetime; as long as they advance the progress, it is a victory."
"Master..." Just as Li Fan was thinking this, Lin Ling's voice transmission suddenly rang out in his mind.
Her tone held a hint of trepidation and hesitation.
"Heh, come meet me in the secret chamber."
Before long, Lin Ling appeared before Li Fan and knelt slowly.
"Your heart seems somewhat lost, and somewhat uneasy," Li Fan said calmly, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.
Lin Ling pursed her lips, hesitating to speak.
Both her thoughts and her expressions were far richer than when she had first been born.
Li Fan gave a faint scoff. "Born of heaven and earth, submitting to the strong is your innate nature. In the past, when you were ignorant and naive of the world's ways, you didn't mind acknowledging me as your master. Now that you've journeyed through the mortal realm, various grievances and resentments have sprouted in your heart. Is that not so?"
Lin Ling shuddered and hurriedly prostrated herself, repeatedly claiming she dared not harbor such thoughts.
In truth, only she knew what was really going on.
During her time outside the Spirit Wood Realm, Senior Earth Vein Ancient Tree, upon learning of her experiences, had been deeply dissatisfied with her having accepted Li Fan as master.
Though it had not directly egged Lin Ling on to rebel, it had transmitted numerous memories and scenes from the ancient tree's past.
This had caused Lin Ling's intellect and maturity to grow rapidly.
It had indeed stirred Lin Ling's mind, making her want to leave Li Fan's side to see the broader Xuanhuang Great World.
However, after returning to the Spirit Wood Realm this time and witnessing firsthand the many changes across the realm, an abrupt sense of forewarning against betraying Li Fan had surged within her heart.
It seemed...
If she truly betrayed him, she would face an impending catastrophe.
As a creation of heaven and earth, her spiritual senses were exceptionally acute. The warning lingered endlessly, leaving Lin Ling feeling as though she were constantly surrounded by a predator watching her with covetous eyes, restless day and night.
Unable to bear it any longer, she had decided to confess everything to Li Fan.
Just as she was about to speak, she heard Li Fan give a light chuckle. "Silly child..."
"Never mind. Today, I'll let you witness what true power is."
Lin Ling froze, snapping her head up.
She felt an unimaginably domineering aura erupt from her master. Even though he was clearly only at the Nascent Soul realm, the pressure he radiated exerted an overwhelming oppression upon her, a Dao Integration cultivator.
"Realm means nothing. If I wish to kill you, it would be as simple as crushing an ant."
Li Fan's voice suddenly drifted from above Lin Ling's head.
Lin Ling felt one of his hands lightly rest atop her head.
As if the throat of fate itself were being strangled, her body stiffened, instantly rendered incapable of moving.
She had a premonition that with just a fraction more force from Li Fan, she would perish on the spot, her body and Dao extinguished!
Furthermore, this was not achieved through the Heart of Wood's control over her, but by sheer, overwhelming power!
Lin Ling was terrified to her core. She could not comprehend how the Golden Core cultivator from back then had suddenly leaped to such staggering strength.
*Could it be that Master has been concealing his strength all along?*
As this thought surfaced in her mind, a deeper chill gripped Lin Ling.
Under the crushing weight of mortal peril, not a single trace of rebellion remained in her heart.
After an unknown stretch of time, Li Fan finally released his right hand and sat cross-legged once more in the void before her.
Lin Ling slumped limply to the ground.
She then struggled to her feet and kowtowed to beg Li Fan's forgiveness, recounting in full detail how her rebellious thoughts had taken root.
"The Earth Vein Ancient Tree..." A cold glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes, and he duly took note of it.
"It seems you still have something left unsaid?"
At Li Fan's words, Lin Ling's body shuddered violently once more.
"Yes, Master. But it's only a guess; it might not be true."
"Speak freely."
Lin Ling hesitated for a moment before finally gritting her teeth and saying, "I suspect Senior Stone Slab was dragged away by the unknown entity in the fishing pond... because Liuli was secretly tipping them off!"
"Oh?" Even Li Fan was somewhat surprised by these words.
Lin Ling explained in a hushed voice, "Originally, I wasn't sure. I thought Liuli kept pulling me closer to the fishing pond just to leach some benefits from Senior Stone Slab."
"But on the day the abnormal change occurred, the instant Senior Stone Slab was yanked violently forward, there wasn't the slightest bit of fear or shock on Little Liuli's face."
"It was as if she had known all along that this would happen."
"Although she reacted quickly afterward and mimicked a frightened expression, the change in that single instant didn't escape my notice."
"This Dao child Liuli definitely has something suspicious about her!" Lin Ling stated with conviction.
Chapter 980