บท 252: Chapter 466-470: Not in Vain, the Puppets' Dao (6k+ words)
Jiao Xiuyuan transformed his body into thousands of puppets, single-handedly supporting the vast commercial organization, "Qianli Tang," spread throughout the Immortal Alliance.
In every ancient ruin and desolate wilderness where few ventured, his shadow could likely be found.
He could even stir up storms in the Xuanghuang Realm with his individual strength.
Quite a taste of integrating commerce with Dao.
However, it seemed that his luck was a bit lacking.
He often claimed never to engage in losing deals, but based on Li Fan's experiences with him, it appeared that Jiao Xiuyuan frequently incurred losses in business.
Whether it was when Li Fan first met him, hoarding a large quantity of Camouflage Talismans that plummeted in value due to the Five-Element Grand Heaven's reason.
Or later, when he worked hard to excavate some Small Medicine King Cauldrons, knowing that once the Medicine King True Cauldron returned, he would surely make a fortune. Yet, he seemed to lack the fate for it, selling these Small Medicine King Cauldrons at a low price early on.
"Perhaps he truly hasn't incurred losses, but it seems that he often misses opportunities to strike it rich."
"Even in the last life, when we jointly manipulated the Zhaungling Mist Grass, due to his greed and slow withdrawal, the immense wealth that fell into his hands instantly vanished into thin air."
"Only in this life has he truly earned a substantial profit. I wonder if anything will change for him."
As Li Fan contemplated, he carefully observed the objects placed on the shelves by Jiao Xiuyuan, hoping to find valuable items like Small Medicine King Cauldrons.
The items on the shelves were diverse, including various talismans, arrays, and elixirs, covering everything.
Li Fan paid special attention to those items that seemed to have some age.
Most of them were in a dilapidated state, filled with traces of history.
Paintings, various decorations, and unidentified artifacts that had completely lost their spiritual aura.
Li Fan scanned them one by one.
Suddenly, he stopped at an ancient painting.
His expression became somewhat solemn as he took down the scroll and slowly unfolded it.
It wasn't that the painting itself had anything special, but the content depicted on it caught Li Fan's attention.
The painting portrayed a magnificent mountain gate.
The vastness of heaven and earth, dozens of cultivators standing in the clouds, pointing into the distance.
In the sea of clouds, the majestic buildings on the mountaintop faintly appeared.
Phoenixes, dragons, and various mythical beasts shuttled through the mountains.
On the square below the mountain, hundreds and thousands of young disciples stood, looking up at the cultivators in the sky with excitement and admiration on their faces.
It truly presented a thriving scene of a prosperous sect!
But...
Li Fan had seen this sect before, and the thriving scene depicted in the painting was completely different from reality.
Carcasses littered the ground, and blood flowed like a river.
The mountain gate was shattered, and the entire area was in ruins.
It was the scene he had witnessed at the bottom of the Xuyuan Abyss when the thick fog dissipated in the Grave Abyss.
The four characters engraved on the cliffs and rocks, "The Immortal Dao has Perished," deeply shocked Li Fan at that time.
Now, Li Fan knew that this must be the aftermath of the catastrophe caused by the incompatible dual cultivation methods.
"Why did I see this sect back then? Which sect is this?"
It should be noted that each person saw different scenes from the bottom of the abyss.
Li Fan could see this ruined sect probably due to some coincidence.
But Li Fan believed that there might be some guidance in this.
Carefully putting away the painting and wandering around without finding anything valuable, Li Fan came to Jiao Xiuyuan.
"Friend Jiao? Friend Jiao!"
Li Fan symbolically shouted a few times, seeing that he still had no response, he reached out to touch him.
It wasn't that he had any peculiar habits, but to take advantage of this rare opportunity to study Jiao Xiuyuan's Puppets' Dao.
Although "Qixuan Zhenling Bian" was already an extraordinary technique, it still had some minor flaws.
Born from the "Toutian Huanri Jue," it could only maintain one puppet at a time, which was somewhat regrettable.
If he could integrate the Puppets' Dao with it and go further...
Chapter 466: Innumerable Incarnations, Hard to Distinguish Between Real and Fake
While Li Fan was lost in thought, his actions were decisive.
"It's almost identical to a real person. Even with spiritual perception, it's difficult to detect any differences."
"The control core seems to be in the brain, similar to the blue light of the Dao Stones."
"I've seen scenes of puppets after death, with a decaying, woody yellow color. Could Jiao Xiuyuan's puppet incarnations be made from some kind of wood?"
...
Li Fan continuously examined the puppet in front of him, combined with his own knowledge, carefully comprehending, feeling that he gained some insights.
Just as he was secretly pleased, he suddenly noticed a slight tremor in Jiao Xiuyuan's eyelids.
His heart skipped a beat, and Li Fan instantly distanced himself.
After a moment, he observed that the previously lifeless gaze of Jiao Xiuyuan regained its liveliness.
"Friend Jiao, you're awake?" Li Fan asked, pretending to be very concerned.
"Huh? Friend Li Fan? Why are you here?" Jiao Xiuyuan looked at Li Fan with some suspicion.
Li Fan originally wanted to explain the situation after undergoing investigation, but unfortunately, he had already signed a confidentiality agreement, making it difficult to speak openly.
He had to settle for telling Jiao Xiuyuan that he came here to hide from the crowded people after sensing the arrival of Lü Xichan.
"I noticed that after Miss Lü Xichan came, I lost contact with this puppet. I knew something big had happened at that time. It turned out to be true."
"Confidential agreement..."
Jiao Xiuyuan glanced at Li Fan, guessing the reason he avoided talking about it.
"No wonder things seem a bit uneasy on the side of Tianquan and Tianyu Prefecture..." Jiao Xiuyuan squinted his eyes, about to delve into deep thoughts. However, he inadvertently scanned his own shop and suddenly changed his expression.
He quickly came to the shelves and checked them, exclaiming, "Why does it seem like a painting is missing?"
"This is something I painstakingly salvaged from a pile of junk!"
Li Fan was about to say that the painting was with him when he was surprised to find that the puppet in front of him was suddenly blasted into pieces with a "bang."
Fortunately, it wasn't a scene of blood and flesh flying; instead, it was a shower of wooden chips.
"Friend Jiao!" Li Fan was also stunned by this sudden change.
"I'm fine!" In an instant, another puppet emerged from under the counter.
With a gloomy face, Jiao Xiuyuan took out a broom and began to clean up the scene.
"What just happened?" Li Fan couldn't help but ask curiously.
"I did a loss-making business, so it was difficult to continue." Jiao Xiuyuan didn't explain much, just shook his head and sighed.
"It's really strange. How could a good painting disappear? Who has the audacity to steal it right from under my nose?" After cleaning up, Jiao Xiuyuan touched his chin, looking angry.
"Oh, Friend Jiao, I almost forgot to tell you. When you lost consciousness, I saw that the painting was not bad, so I took it with me."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 467: Originally Meant to Face the Tribulation
For a moment, the Qianli Hall fell into a strange silence. Jiao Xiuyuan looked at Li Fan with an incredulous expression, his face full of astonishment.
"Don't look at me like that. I originally wanted to pay, but no matter how I called you, you didn't respond," Li Fan shrugged. "And when you woke up, you exploded on your own before I could say anything. Can I be blamed for that?"
Jiao Xiuyuan looked at Li Fan, whose expression was full of innocence, and his face twitched.
After a moment of contemplation, and considering that Li Fan didn't seem like the type to take without asking, he said nonchalantly, "Forget it, it's just a puppet. It exploded, no big deal! I have plenty more puppets!"
"Friend Jiao, impressive!" Li Fan applauded and praised.
"I remember that the scene depicted in that painting should be the setting of the Ancient Sword Sect in ancient times. Could it be that Friend Li is reminiscing about the past?" At this moment, Jiao Xiuyuan suddenly scrutinized Li Fan and asked inexplicably.
Li Fan looked at Jiao Xiuyuan, and his thoughts raced in his mind.
After a moment, Li Fan shook his head and said with a puzzled tone, "Ancient Sword Sect? Friend, you must be mistaken. Although I lost some memories during my thousands of years of sleep, I still have some impression of the stone steles 'Halt' and 'Halt Warfare' in front of the Ancient Sword Sect's mountain gate. The sect in the painting doesn't seem to match!"
Jiao Xiuyuan slapped his forehead. "Hehe, look at my memory. Maybe it's because I just lost a puppet, causing my memory to become confused."
"It should be Tai Shang Sect! It's definitely not wrong this time!" he confidently declared.
"Tai Shang Sect?" Li Fan's interest was piqued.
Jiao Xiuyuan's two intentional attempts to probe had failed. This time, mentioning Tai Shang Sect should not be fake.
In the previous life, outside the Five Elements Great Cave, when the Five Elements merged, Li Fan had seen a mirage of a master and disciple from Tai Shang Sect.
Moreover, at that time, among the cultivators on the Dust Crossing Ship, only he could see it.
Originally, Li Fan thought it was because of his strong spiritual soul that he could see things others couldn't.
However, if the scene he saw at the bottom of the abyss also came from Tai Shang Sect...
Li Fan remembered that when he looked at the bottom of the abyss next to the Ruin Abyss, there was a brief moment when he was fascinated by the power of the abyss.
He almost lost his sanity and was about to recklessly explore the abyss before the completion of the "Returning to the True" process.
And precisely at that critical moment, a burst of light erupted from the bottom of the abyss.
The four characters "The Dao is Dead" came into view, restoring his sanity.
It could be said that it saved his life.
"It seems that Tai Shang Sect has thousands of threads of connection with me. Strange..."
After thinking for a long time and retracing past experiences, Li Fan couldn't find the reason for the connection.
"Tai Shang Sect. I've only heard of its name, but it seems I've never been there. Friend Jiao, how much do you know about Tai Shang Sect?" Li Fan turned to Jiao Xiuyuan and asked.
"I don't know why, but I seem to be familiar with the scenery inside Tai Shang Sect. Could it be that my memory is also in disorder?" Li Fan wore a puzzled expression on his face.
Ignoring Li Fan's joking tone, Jiao Xiuyuan said with some surprise, "Is that so? That's truly remarkable!"
"Oh? How should I interpret that?" Li Fan quickly asked.
"Friend, it's very likely that you are the 'Chosen One' left behind by the Tai Shang Sect cultivator who painted this picture!" Jiao Xiuyuan said solemnly, and his gaze toward Li Fan became profound.
"'Chosen One'?" Li Fan repeated the term several times, "What does that mean?"
Chapter 467: As the Name Suggests. The Cultivators of Du'e Sect use "Du'e" as their cultivation resource. Their cultivation technique, "Eternal Tribulation, Eternal World," aims to draw power from various tribulations. With each successfully crossed tribulation, their strength undergoes a qualitative leap.
The stronger the tribulation, the more feedback power they receive after successfully crossing it.
However, in turn, for the next promotion, they need to target even more dangerous tribulations.
But the tribulations in the world are countless. Even the heavens and the earth may face destruction in an unavoidable calamity. How can the cultivators of Du'e Sect have absolute certainty of crossing each tribulation?
When they realize that they may not survive the next tribulation, they will use secret techniques to temporarily hide within the heavens and the earth. At the same time, they leave behind various means, waiting and sensing for someone who can resolve this tribulation to appear.
This person is called the "Chosen One," Jiao Xiuyuan explained slowly to Li Fan.
Upon hearing this, Li Fan deeply furrowed his brow. "There's such a cultivation technique? In that case, am I being targeted by a cultivator of Du'e Sect? Friend Jiao, do you have a way to break this connection?"
Jiao Xiuyuan waved his hand dismissively. "Don't be so nervous! Thousands of years have passed, who knows if the Du'e Sect cultivator who left this puppet is still around?"
"Moreover, even if he is, Friend, you don't need to worry. The other party wants to face the tribulation, and they have to rely entirely on you. Before crossing the tribulation, they absolutely won't harm you."
"And if you help them through the tribulation, they'll owe you a huge favor. At that time, this favor must be repaid. This is a rule that has been passed down by Du'e Sect. Otherwise, who would play these tricks with them?"
"Furthermore, think about it. If you can solve the tribulation that the other party can't pass, your strength will likely surpass theirs by then. They wouldn't dare to cause trouble with you; they would be grateful to you. Where else would they dare to have conflicts with you?"
Jiao Xiuyuan was not concerned about Li Fan's worries. Instead, he looked at Li Fan with renewed interest.
"Friend Li Fan, to be sensed by the Du'e Sect cultivator as the 'Chosen One,' your future is truly limitless!"
After Jiao Xiuyuan's explanation, Li Fan felt somewhat relieved, but a thorn had taken root in his heart.
From the previous assistance the other party provided at the Ruin Abyss, it was certain that the Du'e Sect cultivator still existed in the world.
Although he couldn't monitor every move of Li Fan all the time, prolonged scrutiny might reveal something.
"It seems I need to find an opportunity to resolve this hidden worry," Li Fan thought to himself.
"Friend, your knowledge is extensive, and you are familiar with the secrets of ancient sects. Admirable! Admirable!"
"By the way, how much contribution does this puppet painting have? I'll buy it. I can't let Friend make a loss in this transaction!"
While contemplating, Li Fan's actions showed no sign of abnormality. He spoke to Jiao Xiuyuan.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 468: It Seems Like an Old Friend Is Coming
Jiao Xiuyuan's face lit up, "Friend, your approach aligns well with my preferences! As they say, even among close siblings, one must keep accounts clear. Although you helped me gain hundreds of millions through your scheme earlier, we must still adhere to the rules."
After a moment of contemplation, Jiao Xiuyuan continued, "Let me give you a discount; two hundred contribution points for the puppet."
Li Fan chuckled, "Friend Jiao, you're too kind!"
Jiao Xiuyuan was naturally not concerned about the contribution points; he was more interested in completing the transaction process.
Li Fan didn't dwell on it and directly transferred two hundred contribution points.
As the transaction completed, Li Fan faintly sensed some inexplicable changes on the puppet. Such a phenomenon had never occurred before.
Li Fan's mind stirred, and a certain speculation surfaced. He couldn't help but ask, "Friend Jiao, are you about to break through?"
Jiao Xiuyuan seemed surprised, apparently not expecting that Li Fan, at the Golden Core stage, could discern his intentions.
"Friend has a keen eye! The Ancient Celestial Sect's predictions are indeed extraordinary."
After sighing, Jiao Xiuyuan nodded, "Indeed. However, my cultivation technique is unique. What I mean by a breakthrough and the breakthrough of ordinary realms are two different matters. The specifics are not convenient to disclose. I hope Friend understands."
Jiao Xiuyuan expressed rare apologies.
Li Fan nodded to show understanding.
"But I, Jiao Xiuyuan, am not an ungrateful person. Thanks to your help, I earned a lot. If there's anything you need, feel free to tell me. I will definitely satisfy you!" Jiao Xiuyuan said generously, patting his chest.
"Speaking of which, I have a favor to ask, Friend. Do you know about the Ancient Medicine King Sect?" Li Fan took the opportunity to bring up the matter of exploring the Small Medicine King Cauldron.
"I have a premonition that these small cauldrons will be involved in numerous causes and effects in the future, and it's crucial. However, the old site of the Medicine King Sect poses a potentially fatal risk to me. Therefore, I can't go there personally, so I have to trouble Friend."
Jiao Xiuyuan readily agreed.
"By the way, after Chief Lu visited Wanxian Island that day, her whereabouts are unknown. Since Friend has well-informed connections, please inquire about it. After all, as a firsthand witness of the incident, I am curious about the impact it had on Wanxian Alliance."
Due to the existence of the confidentiality agreement, Li Fan could only express it indirectly.
Jiao Xiuyuan readily agreed to this as well.
Thanking Jiao Xiuyuan, the two chatted for a while. When the cultivators who had surrounded Li Fan gradually dispersed from the Thousand-Mile Hall, he quietly left Wanxian Island.
Lu Xichan had lifted the blockade on Wanxian Island, and now the cultivators could move freely. Simultaneously, those with keen senses noticed the unusual orders issued subsequently.
Cultivators of the Celestial Fate Hall and the Array Tactics Hall, all those at the Nascent Soul stage and above, were being gradually summoned to the Wanxian Alliance headquarters.
"Such a big show, are they planning to research and build the Heavenly Profound Locking Spirit Array in advance?"
"I hope the Five Elders will work harder. I don't want to see that green sky again in this world."
Li Fan thought in his heart.
While waiting for Jiao Xiuyuan to gather information and report back, Li Fan quietly left Wanxian Island alone, transformed into the appearance of an envoy of the "Universal Alliance," and headed straight for the island where the group from the "Empire" was located.
He hadn't forgotten that the one hundred million contribution points from the Five Elders were still in their hands.
Although these contribution points were all in the form of standard spirit stones and could be exchanged for his own contribution points at any time through the Heavenly Profound Mirror, the amount was unusually large and of unknown origin.
If Li Fan were to exchange it alone, it might raise the vigilance of related cultivators, especially after he had already exchanged five million contribution points last time.
Besides, he needed to obtain the technology to control the alien beasts from the Empire. It would be better to hand over this hot potato directly to them.
A considerable number of lawbreakers had sneaked into the Empire. Li Fan believed that they could easily launder these enormous contribution points from the Five Elders.
Swiftly arriving at the island, Li Fan sensed his presence, and Qing Ye, who was now much more polite compared to before, came forward to greet him.
Compared to the previous cold attitude, they were much more courteous. It seemed that no matter the era, the power of money was always beyond imagination.
"How is it? Is Friend satisfied with the gift from our Universal Alliance?" Li Fan asked with a smile.
"Hehe, more than satisfied. It's quite impressive." Qing led Li Fan into a secret room.
"Ten million contribution points, Friend, that's quite a generous move. But why send someone suddenly? Didn't we agree to trade next time we meet? If they hadn't revealed their identity, I might have been unable to resist taking action," Qing said with a hint of a smile, expressing both amusement and confusion.
Li Fan shook his head, "There have been some changes. For the next period, Wanxian Alliance may increase surveillance within its borders. That's why our transaction needs to be completed quickly."
"I was delayed before, intending to find a foothold for you all."
Saying this, Li Fan intentionally left a suspenseful pause.
"We believe we have shown enough sincerity. Next, it depends on how your Empire sees it," Li Fan said slowly after sipping the tea Qing had prepared.
"Hmm? This tea is good." The azure-colored tea entered Li Fan's stomach, and he expressed surprise.
Different from the spiritual tea Li Fan had drunk before, this tea had no benefits for cultivation, spiritual power, or divine sense. However, a warm flow circulated through Li Fan's limbs, improving and strengthening his body.
Li Fan, practicing the "Creation Furnace Technique," was naturally very familiar with it. It was surprisingly similar to the hidden power within the human body.
"This is the 'Extreme Spirit Dragon Whisker Tea.' If Friend likes it, consider it a gift," Qing said with a smile.
After handing a storage ring to Li Fan, Qing adjusted his expression.
"The previous matter was personal. Now, let's discuss the trade between the Empire and the Universal Alliance."
"We believe that the alliance is genuinely willing to help the Empire. Therefore, the Empire reciprocates and will significantly increase cooperation."
"Firstly, this is the first part of the trade."
As Qing spoke, he handed over another uniquely shaped storage ring. Carved on the ring was a vivid blue phoenix, its eyes constantly moving.
Li Fan looked at the phoenix on the storage ring, feeling a sense of familiarity. However, birds in the world generally looked quite similar, so he couldn't be certain.
He took it and carefully examined the content inside.
Unexpectedly, his divine sense was blocked, and he couldn't view it. It wasn't until the lazy phoenix inside the ring glanced at Li Fan and flapped its wings that he could see the contents.
Thank you to the readers for various suggestions. Believe it or not, earplugs and earmuffs can't block out that low-frequency vibrating knocking sound. Planning to move to the new house I bought before; can't afford to provoke it, can afford to avoid it.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 469: Three Imperial Treasures
In a storage space measuring ten zhang in length, four zhang in width, and three zhang in height, rows of mahogany shelves were arranged. The shelves were filled with items resembling books, neatly categorized.
Li Fan had a thought and took one out. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that these so-called "books" were actually alive. Though motionless, Li Fan keenly sensed the unique vitality emanating from them.
Li Fan realized that when they were in the storage ring, they were in a sleep-like state, similar to death. However, once removed from the storage ring and in contact with the outside world, they regained vitality.
Opening one of the "books," beams of light shot out, converging in the air. The scene was filled with numerous tiny characters and drawings, written in the common script of the Xuan Huang Realm. Upon careful examination, Li Fan found it contained information about the exotic beast "Ancient Dark Mantis"—from its body structure and habits to the specific value of each part of its body and the methods for breeding and propagating it. It was a comprehensive encyclopedia.
Li Fan turned another page, and the light transformed and gathered again. This time, information about the exotic beast "Ink God Fish" appeared.
Li Fan flipped through a few more books, each containing details about different exotic beasts.
"In our world, there is a type of exotic beast known as 'Bookworms.' They feed on words and images. By employing special means, after turning them into books, we can reproduce the words and images they once consumed. This allows for extensive data storage," Qing explained to Li Fan.
"The contents of this storage ring summarize the Empire's research on exotic beasts over the past few millennia. It includes information on all exotic beasts in our world, except for a few species whose data will be completed in the final moments of the trade."
Li Fan nodded slowly, reviewed a few more books, and then solemnly put away the storage ring.
"Having information alone is not enough; tangible items need to accompany it. This is the second part of the Empire's trade," Qing said, taking out a red square wooden box and handing it to Li Fan.
With a slight sense of divine awareness, Li Fan understood the purpose of the wooden box before him. Although it appeared small, it was divided into countless different spaces, each containing ten specimens of the same type of exotic beast. They seemed frozen, completely motionless.
Li Fan could see that these exotic beasts still retained signs of life. Apart from adult forms, he also discovered numerous dormant juveniles within the space—embryos, eggs, or tiny juveniles.
"This is the 'Sealed Life Box,' which holds exotic beasts corresponding to the information in the first storage ring."
Qing showed a hint of pride, "With these two storage rings, as long as you find a suitable environment, you can resume large-scale cultivation of exotic beasts."
"If sufficient resources are invested, reproducing the prosperity of the Empire today is not difficult."
Li Fan put away the "Sealed Life Box" satisfactorily but changed the topic, "Although the things you've given us are indeed valuable, they don't contribute much to the actual improvement of combat power. We, the Universal Alliance, still hope that you can provide some technical support that would be helpful in battles with the Xuan Huang Realm, like the kind of armor that this young brother demonstrated before."
Li Fan pointed at Li Chenfeng, gazing at Qing.
Qing smiled knowingly, "I knew you were eyeing that from the beginning."
"That happens to be the third part of our trade and, so far, the last part."
Qing extended his right hand, and a blood-red, continuously pulsating spherical bead appeared.
"This is the 'Beast Soul Bead.' Even an ordinary person, as long as they can withstand the sealed soul of an exotic beast within it, can absorb it, summon the 'Beast God Armor,' and unleash combat power equivalent to that of an exotic beast."
Qing handed over another storage ring. This time, there was no special pattern carved on it, just an ordinary-looking ring.
"Inside are a thousand Beast Soul Beads. Five hundred contain the strength equivalent to a Foundation Building cultivator, while four hundred and ninety hold the strength equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator."
"The remaining nine contain the strength equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator, represented by the soul of the 'Scarlet Profound Whale.'"
"As for the last one..."
After hesitating for a moment, Qing still said, "It's crafted from the essence of the 'Nine-Headed Divine Bird' extracted by the Empire."
"In theory, it can stimulate the 'Beast God Armor' equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator. However, the Nine-Headed Bird has a ferocious nature, even if..."
"Even after thousands of years in death, its hostility remains. Although the Empire has successfully used it as raw material to create several Beast Soul Beads, so far, no one has survived the refining process. Either they go mad or die."
"If the Alliance wants to attempt it, it's best to choose those with strong willpower."
"By the way, the power of exotic beasts conflicts with a cultivator's spiritual power. The higher the cultivation level, the greater the resistance to refining Beast Soul Beads. If you want to unleash its full power, it's better to use it on ordinary mortals."
Li Fan expressed a hint of joy on his face, "Very well! The Universal Alliance has seen your sincerity! I believe that after I report back, deeper cooperation will quickly unfold."
"Hehe, organizations are really looking forward to the methods of making Beast Soul Beads and the techniques for controlling beasts," Li Fan remarked.
Qing's expression remained unchanged as he spoke in a deep voice, "When the trade is finally completed and the Empire completely withdraws from the Xuan Huang Realm, these will be handed over to your Alliance."
"I can't wait for that day!" Li Fan put away the storage ring containing a thousand Beast Soul Beads.
Leaving the secret room, he soared into the air.
"I'll come back to trade with you once I find a suitable foothold."
"Hopefully, in addition to technology, the Empire can also provide some manpower support."
"At that time, we will be responsible for receiving and relocating personnel."
Li Fan transmitted his words to the people of the Empire below.
"No problem," Qing readily agreed.
Li Fan nodded and immediately left.
Instead of returning to the Thousand Miles Hall, he directly arrived at the Island of the Body Transformation.
"Young Junior Brother, please protect me."
Tianyang, who was tilting his head and cultivating the "Only Hand Conceals the Sky" secret technique, stopped practicing upon hearing Li Fan's words. He stood up abruptly, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 470: The Myriad Manifestations of the World
"The Sealed Life Box, it seems that the Empire has indeed inherited the Beast Control Sect's legacy."
With Tianyang guarding with Nascent Soul strength, Li Fan finally felt at ease to examine the gains from the trade with the Empire.
For many cultivators, the detailed information on various exotic beasts and the frozen entities in the Sealed Life Box might not be very useful. However, for Li Fan, who cultivates the "Furnace of Myriad Forms Technique," it is an undisputed massive treasure trove.
All the peculiar abilities of various exotic beasts could be mastered by Li Fan through the transformations of the Furnace of Myriad Forms Technique.
"The beauty of living beings is unparalleled!"
"What is recorded in the Celestial Healer's Scripture probably does not represent the complete panorama of worldly living beings!"
Li Fan gently pointed, and all the bookworms in the storage ring were taken out.
As the divine consciousness flipped through the books simultaneously, countless rays of light projected into the airspace of the cave. The Dao Stones in his mind, which had never emitted a brilliant blue light before, suddenly blossomed with such radiance. Li Fan squinted his eyes, trying to absorb all the words and images seen at this moment into his mind.
A tide of information surged in, sorting, reorganizing, and archiving into the Dao Stones.
With the sound of flipping pages, the light and shadow continued to change.
After recording several pages of content, Li Fan felt a slight throbbing in his sunken acupoint.
Taking a short rest and consuming a Dao Enlightenment Pill, Li Fan resumed "reading."
Over the course of thousands of years, the Empire had given rise to many unique species.
Most of them were unknown to Li Fan, even in the Celestial Healer's Scripture, and did not exist in the current Xuan Huang Realm.
Their various strange abilities astonished even Li Fan, who was well-versed in the world.
For example, the "Intellect-Bug" residing in the human brain that could help enhance thinking abilities, the "Mimicry Beast" that could completely disguise itself after devouring other beings, and the "Thousand-Spirit Bird" that fed on human emotions...
All these made Li Fan broaden his horizons.
"Furnace of Myriad Forms, this is the true myriad manifestations that living beings should have!"
In Li Fan's admiring voice, the pages of the book kept turning.
The Empire's accumulation over thousands of years was absorbed into Li Fan's knowledge in a short time.
Ten days later.
Li Fan took a deep breath, pressed his slightly aching forehead, and collected the bookworms back into the storage ring.
Feeling the concerned gaze from Tianyang, Li Fan waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.
After resting for a short while and recovering some energy, Li Fan took out the red wooden box.
According to the information he had seen in the Heavenly Mystery Mirror, the Sealed Life Box was a unique item of the ancient Beast Control Sect.
It was said to be crafted from the "Myriad Transformation Spirit Wood" and could seal and store living monsters.
As time passed, thousands of years had gone by, and the Myriad Transformation Spirit Trees were almost extinct.
The Sealed Life Box had become a rare item.
"It seems my intuition was correct."
"I felt a few familiar elements from that woman in the green dress, probably originating from the Blue Immortal Realm, the same green phoenix that Xu Ke encountered."
"I wonder if the Crimson Crowned Crane is still around."
"If that's the case, the founder of the Empire, the ancestor who first comprehended the 'Beast Control Technique,' is Xu Ke?"
"In Li Chenfeng's memory, he has long since passed away. However, things may not be as simple as they appear on the surface."
Chapter 470: The Myriad Manifestations of the World
Li Fan pondered in secret.
"From the currently known information, it seems that only Xu Ke from the Beast Control Sect arrived in that small world, creating the Empire's heritage."
"Where did the other members of the Beast Control Sect go? What about Luya?"
"Why did Emperor Sanmò come to the Immortal Union and become the curator of the Divine Collection Museum?"
All these mysteries remain unknown for now.
"Wait for the next trip to the Blue Immortal Realm; it should solve some of the questions."
"It's coming soon," Li Fan calculated the time in his mind.
After putting away the Sealed Life Box, Li Fan took out a Foundation Establishment-level Beast Soul Pearl.
It could be said that the Empire was unexpectedly generous this time, far beyond Li Fan's expectations.
With 500 Foundation Establishment, 490 Golden Core, and 9 Nascent Soul level Beast God Armors, if used well, they could undoubtedly stir up quite a storm.
Although it was only a theoretical level of combat power, the actual combat power of cultivators in the current Xuan Huang Realm was frighteningly low.
Except for a few cultivators specializing in the path of combat, ordinary people could only perform a few attacks and survival techniques.
The Beast God Armor, with its ability to affect divine consciousness, resist most spells, and its incredible speed, was an absolute powerhouse for ordinary cultivators.
"However, how to use it specifically to maximize benefits requires careful consideration."
Li Fan temporarily suppressed these thoughts and held a Beast Soul Pearl in his hand, imprinting it on his forehead.
A blood-red scene suddenly appeared before him, and in a trance, Li Fan seemed to see a ferocious one-eyed leopard pouncing towards him.
"Hmph!" Li Fan's consciousness was like a needle, stabbing towards the opponent.
The leopard emitted a mournful cry, and in an instant, the illusion had disappeared.
The Beast Soul Pearl instantly dissolved into red liquid, flowing like it had life, spreading towards Li Fan's limbs and bones from his forehead.
In Li Fan's senses, a special energy was attempting to invade his body.
To transform the physical body.
Different from the pure strengthening when using the Hidden Power of Creation, the Beast God Armor seemed to graft the power originally belonging to exotic beasts onto humans.
Although his abilities were temporarily enhanced, his physical body was also contaminated by the power of exotic beasts, making it impure.
"Suspicious methods, not following the right path."
Li Fan shook his head, and the hidden power within his body surged out like a flood, instantly expelling the invading power of the exotic beast.
Once again, the roar of the leopard echoed in his ears, and the red liquid transformed from the Beast Soul Pearl evaporated in an instant.
"It seems that it is indeed only suitable for ordinary people who cannot cultivate."
"Or maybe..."
A hint of a different color flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
He thought of Ye Feipeng, who awakened the bloodline of the Roc in the previous life.
"With a natural beast bloodline, there should be no fear of contamination."
"In this life, He Zhenghao is following behind me, making a lot of money. I'm afraid he won't be eyeing the smuggling business anymore."
"Sister Su and the others are still in the Forbidden Realm at the moment. Without me, they probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to come here."
Li Fan smiled slightly.
"This world is interesting, but it wouldn't be complete without these little guys."
Now, Li Fan stood up, bid farewell to Tianyang, concealed his figure, and quietly came to the Forbidden Realm.
Still, he first came to the central volcano of the Forbidden Realm, observing for a moment.
"Weird..." Li Fan shook his head.
The first time he came to the Forbidden Realm, he felt that the volcano was unusual.
However, every time he came later, he carefully explored but could never figure out the reason.
As his cultivation became more profound, the premonition in his heart became stronger.
Still, he couldn't find the reason.
"Perhaps, after Nascent Soul, there might be a discovery."
Li Fan temporarily noted this matter and went straight to the Great Forbidden Capital.
(End of this chapter)
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