"A pity this item is far too conspicuous. I can't even trade it off for something else."
Li Fan sighed softly, then turned his gaze toward the Ink-Stained Vile Book.
The instant he took it out and placed it before him, the Dao Transformation Stone and the Dissociation Disc within his sea of consciousness simultaneously transmitted sensations of disgust and a sliver of dread.
"It truly is something out of the ordinary."
Li Fan stared intently at the pitch-black little metal book.
Crafted from some unknown material, it gleamed with an inky-black sheen.
This black radiance seemed almost alive, constantly drifting across its surface.
It differed from the ink Li Fan had once seen on Mo Sha; Mo Sha's ink carried an aura of pure destruction.
This Ink-Stained Vile Book, however, possessed an inky hue that seemed steeped in a foul stench, evoking nausea and visceral discomfort.
"Like refuse generated during the workings of heaven and earth. Intolerable to the world..."
"Come to think of it, this is somewhat similar to Nether Soul, the world Master Yin hailed from," Li Fan mused.
He took out a standard Alliance Nascent Soul realm magical treasure known as the Green Bamboo Ring to test it. When Li Fan manipulated the Ink-Stained Vile Book and unleashed thousands of black rays to envelop it,
it was like ink splashed across a sheet of white paper.
The Green Bamboo Ring's originally brilliant emerald glow dimmed instantly, and the aura emanating from it vanished in a flash.
Even though the black light had been released by his own hand, Li Fan still frowned slightly and drew back a short distance.
Putting away the Ink-Stained Vile Book, he waited for nearly half a day before the blackness lingering around the Green Bamboo Ring gradually dissipated.
From the ancient tree of the Spirit Wood Realm, a faint sense of discomfort was transmitted.
"The ink-stained black light doesn't vanish into thin air. It requires the world to spend a certain amount of time purifying it. If the quantity is too great and exceeds what can be processed, it could completely pollute an entire world.
"While it might not bring about world destruction, it can render a world foul-smelling and unfit for cultivators to inhabit."
Li Fan nodded slowly.
He picked up the Green Bamboo Ring, which had been soaked in the black light for so long. It had already lost all functionality as a magical treasure. With merely physical strength, a light squeeze caused the Green Bamboo Ring to shatter inch by inch, scattering across the ground.
"It truly is specialized against magical treasures.
"Now the effectiveness of Xuan Suchang's protective battle armor will be severely reduced as well. Mo Rubin truly was considerate..."
Li Fan stowed away the Ink-Stained Vile Book, praising him inwardly.
Time flew by, drawing closer to the estimated time of Shuo Feng and Xuan Suchang's meeting.
Without Li Fan needing to send anyone to spy, Mo Rubin transmitted intelligence on the several possible cave abodes.
Of the five locations, two had been ruled out.
This was because cultivators had already begun making preparations in advance at the remaining three cave abodes.
The Xuan Clan held an exalted status and was accustomed to luxury. Wherever they went, even without specific instructions, subordinate cultivators would see to every detail beforehand to avoid displeasing their master.
Since it had not yet been decided which of the three cave abodes they would use, preparations were made at all of them.
In any case, to the Xuan Clan, the resources expended were a mere drop in the ocean.
And having dwelled at the pinnacle of the Alliance for years, they likely never imagined anyone would dare lay a hand on the Xuan Clan.
Their so-called secrecy measures were merely perfunctory, bordering on nonexistent.
"You can't really blame them. Perhaps Xuan Suchang herself disdains the very notion of security," Li Fan said with a chuckle, a murderous glint flashing through his eyes.
He summoned Tianyang, Lin Ling, and Daoist Baihua, informing them of the target for this operation.
"You need only cooperate with me."
Li Fan imparted a formation array to them, having them familiarize themselves and rehearse it while they waited.
"With the four of us joining hands to deploy this formation, it will be enough to seal off an entire area.
"None may enter or leave. The inside and outside will be severed, making contact impossible.
"Those locked down by the formation will also endure suppression equivalent to the combined strength of our divine souls, severely diminishing their power.
"This operation carries little danger, but we must make quick work of it," Li Fan explained concisely.
"The Envoy's formation array is truly extraordinary. Even among our surviving realms back then, it would be difficult to find anything comparable." After concluding their initial rehearsal and testing the formation's power, Daoist Baihua could not help but exclaim in admiration.
A flicker of dread also surfaced in Lin Ling's eyes.
Only Tianyang remained blank-faced and nonchalant as ever.
Li Fan merely smiled in response.
How could they have imagined that this seemingly peerless array was merely tailored by the Terminal Dissociation Disc over the past ten-odd days based on intelligence regarding Xuan Suchang and Shuo Feng?
With everything prepared, Li Fan made contact with Mo Rubin.
The Divine Fiend avatar Mo Rubin possessed also arrived outside Tianquan Province to rendezvous with them.
Regarding the three Dao Integration cultivators following behind Li Fan, Mo Rubin only let his gaze linger briefly on Daoist Baihua before closing his eyes with an air of complete indifference.
"If they were meeting within the Alliance Celestial City, it would indeed be rather tricky.
"Yet out of disdain for the cave abodes inside the city being too crude, they are accustomed to staying in natural cave abodes outside the city...
"Heh, arrogant, extravagant, and licentious—they have already paved their own road to ruin," Mo Rubin transmitted secretly, his voice undisguised in its disdain and killing intent.
"Well, that's the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals for you, isn't it?
"The Dharma Transmitter you possess went even further," Li Fan replied with a strange chuckle.
"It seems it is time to give the Alliance a wake-up call," Mo Rubin snorted coldly.
In the final two days, based on the movements of cultivators outside the three cave abodes, they finally pinpointed the target.
Within a Thousand-Li Bamboo Sea.
Li Fan and his party concealed themselves in midair, gazing down at the green expanse rolling to the horizon, each bearing different expressions.
Perhaps reminded of his destroyed homeland, a hint of sorrow flickered in Daoist Baihua's eyes.
Lin Ling looked around in all directions, trying to see if there were beings like her within this bamboo sea who had gained spiritual form.
Mo Rubin and Li Fan continued their sneering mockery: "They certainly know how to enjoy themselves."
"Burying them here couldn't be more fitting."
Yet while lying in ambush, waiting for Xuan Suchang to arrive, a minor interlude occurred.
A devout prayer suddenly echoed in Li Fan's mind.
Mo Rubin seemed to have sensed something; he glanced at Li Fan, his brow furrowing slightly.
"No matter," Li Fan adopted an understanding look, gesturing for Mo Rubin to be at ease.
At the same time, he checked the images appearing in his mind.
It was Dao Xuanzi, whom he had not seen in a long time and who in this lifetime was a member of the Myriad Realms Association.
Previously, Li Fan had revealed to them the general location of the Vast Sea Pearl. After years of waiting and searching, they had finally found it.
Using the method of Re-establishing the Dao, he had forged a wonder of Earth Dao Foundation once again.
That intense surge of faith just now was Dao Xuanzi's heartfelt gratitude toward the Compassionate Immortal of the Red Dust after successfully establishing his foundation.
Li Fan noticed that the golden vow power appearing out of thin air within his calamity body bore subtle differences compared to what he had gathered before.
Chapter 993