Chương 312: Chapter 766-770: Insight into Divine Techniques Within the Mirror (6k+ words)
"It's like getting hit a lot, developing a resistance to divine techniques." Li Fan was secretly amazed.
Li Fan's methods became increasingly weak, while Shuofeng became more courageous.
In the end, Li Fan left, claiming he was not match and needed to contemplate new divine techniques.
Instead of going elsewhere, he went straight to the Tianxuan Mirror in Tianquan Prefecture, using the privileges of level thirty-five in authority.
Different from what he expected, there was no direct passage to the Tianxuan Main Mirror within the Tianxuan Sub-Mirror space. Instead, he was informed of a time and place to go.
At the designated time, Li Fan arrived outside Tianquan City, on a towering rock formation resembling a lotus flower.
A middle-aged cultivator was already waiting there. He had a goatee, wore a blue Daoist robe, and looked at Li Fan with some surprise.
Despite that, he was very polite, bowing and saying, "Greetings, fellow Daoist. I am Wang Wan."
Judging by the aura he unintentionally revealed, Li Fan determined that Wang Wan was at least in the Nascent Divinity stage. Li Fan reciprocated, "Greetings, Wang Daoist. I am Li Fan."
After brief introductions, they nodded and fell silent.
"The level thirty-five authority is not something attainable merely through powerful cultivation. There must be various connections within the Immortal Alliance. No wonder he treated me so politely, even though I'm only at the mid-Yuan Infant stage," Li Fan thought to himself.
After a moment, a female cultivator in a tight white garment arrived at the mountaintop.
After exchanging greetings with Li Fan and Wang Wan, she also remained silent, waiting quietly.
Li Fan learned her name, Deng Mingsi.
After that, no more cultivators arrived.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, above the mountaintop, faint spatial fluctuations appeared.
As if an invisible thread had cut out a transparent door, a black-robed cultivator walked out. After confirming the identities of the three, he said, "Follow me."
Without any visible action, the transparent door instantly expanded, enveloping Li Fan and the others. Then, a dazzling light erupted.
The door, along with the three individuals, disappeared.
A familiar sensation surged within Li Fan.
Just like when he infiltrated the "Root of Heaven and Earth" in the void in Tianling Prefecture.
His entire body, flesh, bones, seemed to dissolve and transform.
When Li Fan regained consciousness, he found himself once again in the comical form composed entirely of black and white lines.
However, it was different from the experience in the "Root of Heaven and Earth."
In this vast black-and-white space, there seemed to be a mysterious force.
Falling on Li Fan, it exerted suppression, preventing his own lines from quietly dissipating.
Silently comprehending this subtle restraining force on his body, Li Fan thought, "This should be the protective measure of the Tianxuan Mirror for us."
"After all, we're here to comprehend divine techniques. Without this layer of protection, ordinary cultivators would probably be completely assimilated by this space in no time."
"However, given my experience in the 'Root of Heaven and Earth' and my understanding of a similar divine technique like 'Thread Severing Life Cutting,' I should be able to survive longer than others."
Li Fan looked around.
Deng Mingsi and Wang Wan were also transformed into line-like forms not far away.
But there were some differences from their original selves.
Deng Mingsi's body was smaller than the two male cultivators, appearing to be around thirteen or fourteen years old.
As for Wang Wan, although his body size didn't change much, the visible appearance transformed from a middle-aged cultivator with a goatee to an old man on the brink of aging.
It seemed like Wang Wan had been here before, flying forward with ease.
Deng Mingsi, on the other hand, initially seemed bewildered and frightened. However, her mental resilience was good, and she quickly adapted. Following Wang Wan, she flew towards the center of the black-and-white space.
After contemplating for a moment, Li Fan followed along.
Chapter 766: Insight into Divine Techniques Within the Mirror
During the flight, Li Fan noticed that this place, where the Tianxuan Mirror gave birth to its sub-mirrors, was different from what he had seen in his past life.
It wasn't as vast but rather more independent.
However, there was still a faint connection.
"They are fundamentally the Tianxuan Mirror, but their roles are different," Li Fan realized.
After a short time, he arrived at the center of the black-and-white space.
There, numerous intersecting lines constructed a suspended platform.
Deng Mingsi and Wang Wan were currently on the platform.
The lines representing their feet became extremely chaotic, dispersing into numerous black threads, resembling tiny tentacles connecting with the ground below.
The scene seemed somewhat peculiar.
After pondering for a moment, Li Fan followed suit.
The next moment, his vision once again became colorful.
Countless characters cascaded down like a waterfall.
Finally, they formed a few lines of small text.
"Cultivator Li Fan has connected."
"Please demonstrate the divine technique you wish to derive in your Sea of Consciousness."
"Based on Cultivator Li Fan's current cultivation level, the maximum power of this derived divine technique is limited to the Nascent Divinity level."
"Remaining derivation time..."
The last line was a constantly ticking countdown.
Only ten hours.
In front of the Tianxuan Mirror, reservations were necessary.
But this opportunity was hard-won, and Li Fan also needed to ensure maximum benefits.
That astonishing "Chaos" divine technique definitely couldn't be demonstrated.
After pondering for a moment, Li Fan had already made a decision.
"The space here in the Tianxuan Mirror is remarkably similar to the Root of Heaven and Earth inside."
"If my speculation is correct, this is where it analyzes the birth process of the world."
"In that case..."
With a thought, Li Fan's various insights into the Reverse Five Elements Life-Death Sword surged into his mind.
The Reverse Five Elements Life-Death Sword was a divine technique Li Fan comprehended based on the Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword, incorporating his insights into the Dao of Life and Death.
However, he was only at the Yuan Infant stage, and his understanding of the Dao of Life and Death was relatively shallow.
After all, his innate talent and comprehension were not as extraordinary as his clone Xu Bai's.
Since comprehending it, the practical utility had been limited.
Most of the time, he treated it as the Annihilation Sword.
As for the "Life" aspect's creative function, it was currently limited to trivial tasks like crushing spirit stones with one hand.
"I hope it brings me some surprises," Li Fan thought.
He noticed that as he contemplated the insights into the Reverse Five Elements Life-Death Sword in his mind, the lines connecting him to the platform under his feet swayed like being brushed by a gentle breeze, constantly moving.
The black color of the lines became even denser.
As if something was undergoing transmission.
In just a moment, the feedback from the Tianxuan Mirror arrived.
Various scenes appeared before Li Fan's eyes.
He vaguely saw the process of the birth of the Five Elements Daoist Realm, followed by countless fleeting shadows simultaneously passing through, forming a giant tree with innumerable branches from bottom to top.
Li Fan stood at the base of the giant tree, about to make a choice.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 767: Resolving the Peril of Dao Transformation
Inside Li Fan's Sea of Consciousness, a terminal disc emitted a faint light, creating a disguised circle outside his true consciousness, preventing potential scrutiny from the Tianxuan Mirror.
Before him, on the towering tree, Li Fan saw various completely different yet seemingly originating from the same source scenes. They were all potential results derived from the Reverse Five Elements Life-Death Sword.
Some focused on strengthening the "death" attribute, pushing the power of killing to its extreme. Some emphasized the "life" attribute, not only instantaneously healing wounds but also creating beings from the void. Others returned the emphasis of the derived divine technique to the "Five Elements' power," whether merging the Five Elements into one or exploring the interactions between the Five Elements, leading to numerous possibilities.
The simultaneous appearance of these divine technique data was so vast that even with Li Fan's current spiritual strength, trying to grasp the "Divine Technique Tree" made him feel a slight stagnation.
Every specific divine technique that his thoughts touched would have corresponding feedback appearing in his mind.
After gaining a rough understanding of the whole, Li Fan looked at the countdown timer continuously jumping in the upper part of his field of vision.
Only half the time had passed without him realizing it!
With less than five hours remaining, Li Fan pondered for a moment and quickly made a decision.
It was one of the potential branches formed by the fusion of the Five Elements, summarized in sixteen words: "The Five Elements return to one, boundless fullness and emptiness; their power is endless, and the soul is indestructible."
Yes, what Li Fan desired was an exquisite secret technique that could defend the soul!
The power of the Five Elements nurturing each other could significantly enhance the circulation and recovery abilities of a cultivator's physical body. It could almost achieve a state where the spiritual energy circulated perpetually without relying on external forces. General injuries to the body could be repaired in the blink of an eye.
In the derivation process of the Tianxuan Mirror, similar to the power of the Five Elements nurturing each other, when the Five Elements returned to one, there was a certain possibility of entering a marvelous state of boundless fullness and emptiness.
In the changes between fullness and emptiness, it was like the life source brought by a person's every breath, generating a continuous and nourishing power for the soul.
With the support of such power, even if the soul suffered severe damage, it could slowly recover on its own.
...
"Ordinary killing divine techniques are not practically useful for me," Li Fan contemplated silently.
"For those weaker than me, I can directly suppress them with the 'Insect Shackles' divine technique. For those stronger, 'Heaven-Breaking Heart Sword' and 'Thread-Cutting Life-Ending' are sufficient to contend with them."
"And if I encounter an opponent so powerful that I can't resist, then I'll truly run away."
"For me, the more life-saving secrets, especially those related to the soul, the better."
The strange impact caused by Mr. Bai's influence on the clone made Li Fan feel a great sense of crisis, forcing him to take it seriously.
Without any hesitations, Li Fan, who firmly determined what he needed, selected his target in his mind.
In an instant, the incredibly lush Divine Technique Tree in front of him gradually faded from the tips of its branches. All the demonstrated divine techniques disappeared in an instant, leaving only a bare and solitary branch standing between heaven and earth.
Then, it transformed into a radiant glow and shot straight toward Li Fan's Sea of Consciousness.
"Boom!"
As if a earth-shattering explosion occurred in Li Fan's mind.
Accompanied by an intense light that was difficult to look at directly, countless detailed divine technique information appeared together.
It was as if someone was using a stick to violently stir in his Sea of Consciousness.
Li Fan felt as if his head would burst in the next moment, the unimaginable pain making him involuntarily emit a muffled groan.
However, this was the world of the Tianxuan Mirror, with only countless black and white lines representing rules, and there was no physical entity for sound.
So to an outside observer, the little figure of Li Fan, represented by lines, seemed to be greatly impacted.
It shook violently and fluttered.
Li Fan also noticed that one or two black lines on his body occasionally detached under this violent change, dissipating and disappearing into this space.
Following that, Li Fan felt a strange weakening of his strength.
Li Fan's heart trembled, concentrating his mind and striving to absorb and process the data that the Tianxuan Mirror infused into his Sea of Consciousness.
However, the complexity of this divine technique exceeded his imagination.
With his current divine sense, Li Fan had been processing for a long time, but there was no sign of the redundant data decreasing.
"The amount of data in this divine technique is too massive. If this continues..." Li Fan's heart sank.
In just a short moment, nearly half of his line-shaped figure had dissolved.
"Should I give up on this divine technique and wait for the next opportunity?"
In an instant, Li Fan suppressed this natural thought that emerged.
Although surprised, he didn't panic and thought of a better way to handle it.
Underneath the terminal disc, the Dao Transformation Crystal, under Li Fan's control, suddenly erupted with a strong azure light.
Similar to the white light produced when the Tianxuan Mirror infused divine techniques before, it instantly swept through Li Fan's entire Sea of Consciousness.
In the azure light, the data of the divine technique was completely absorbed, like surging seawater gradually washing away the chaotic footprints on the shore.
As the blue light flickered, the divine technique data filling Li Fan's Sea of Consciousness was gradually absorbed by the Dao Transformation Crystal.
"With the Dao Transformation Crystal, there's no need to rush. I can store it first and study it slowly later."
As the crisis slowly subsided, Li Fan, whose thoughts returned to normal, breathed a sigh of relief.
When all the divine technique data, named by Li Fan as the "Boundless Fullness and Emptiness Method," was almost completely absorbed by the Dao Transformation Crystal, Li Fan observed the crystal that seemed to have reached a certain limit and was slightly surprised.
The originally crystal-clear blue Dao Transformation Crystal was no longer transparent. The blue color seemed to overflow, and even the constant swaying could be seen.
On the surface of the crystal, there were faint traces of minor cracks.
"This... It was said that the highest realm was the divine techniques of the Dao Transformation realm. How can the data volume be so terrifying?"
Li Fan couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Although he didn't know what other Dao Transformation cultivators' divine techniques were like, he was certain that his "Boundless Fullness and Emptiness Method" was definitely not comparable to ordinary divine techniques in the Dao Transformation realm.
"Could it be that the Tianxuan Mirror discovered something and left some kind of hidden door?"
Li Fan was startled, and this thought involuntarily emerged.
However, it was just his own speculation. It could also be that he was scaring himself.
After some contemplation, Li Fan chose to temporarily remain still.
He neither began learning the "Boundless Fullness and Emptiness Method" nor deleted the stored divine technique data.
Returning to his senses from comprehension, Li Fan first observed the two cultivators around him.
Deng Mingsi seemed to still be choosing which divine technique to derive.
Wang Wan was already in the process of comprehending a divine technique.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 768: Known as the Little Heavenly Physician
Unlike Li Fan, it seemed that Wang Wan's comprehension of the divine technique should not be overly complex. At least, when receiving the data, Wang Wan remained extremely calm.
The black lines composing his lower body showed no signs of movement, let alone detaching from his body.
"Could it be that I've luckily hit the jackpot?" A hint of gloom flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
"This Wang Wan seems to have been here to derive divine techniques from the Tianxuan Mirror more than once. Maybe I can inquire with him."
Having completed the derivation of the divine technique, Li Fan's connection with the black lines below the platform had already been severed.
However, the countdown in front of him was still ongoing, so he had not been expelled from this space yet.
Li Fan did not rush to leave and instead observed the two individuals around him while patiently waiting.
Time passed slowly, and soon less than an hour remained.
Deng Mingsi, who had not made a choice yet, seemed to be getting anxious.
She looked somewhat helpless, and in the end, she seemed to make a decision that was not entirely satisfactory.
Meanwhile, Wang Wan had already completed the comprehension of the divine technique, just like Li Fan.
The connecting lines beneath his feet were severed, and he opened his eyes.
Sensing Li Fan's gaze, Wang Wan appeared somewhat surprised.
However, communication was impossible in this place. After indicating with his eyes, he looked back at Deng Mingsi.
After some observation, he shook his head slightly.
The countdown reached zero.
A streak of colorful light descended from above.
The black and white lines gradually faded, and the surrounding space became lively.
In a trance, the scene before their eyes blurred for a moment.
In the next instant, Li Fan and the others had unconsciously returned to the Lotus Stone Mountain outside Tianquan Prefecture.
Deng Mingsi exerted a burst of Qi, striking fiercely at the nearby mountain.
It seemed like an expression of the anger within her heart.
However, the mountain here was extremely hard, and Deng Mingsi couldn't even create a crack.
A hint of teary grievance appeared in her eyes.
"Young lady, being too greedy will lead to losses!" Wang Wan sighed upon seeing this.
Through Li Fan's probing inquiries, he slowly learned about the unusual aspects of this "Boundless Spirit Void Method."
Originally, the divine tree generated by the Tianxuan Mirror in the cultivator's mind wasn't entirely comprehensible to every cultivator.
Due to the vast number of branches it contained, ordinary cultivators couldn't fully understand it.
They could only rely on luck to make a selection.
Someone like Deng Mingsi had faced too many choices, causing her to become overwhelmed and delaying the time for comprehension.
"It's alright, don't be too disheartened. You're still young. Come back in the next hundred years. When I first came here, I was just like you, always wanting to select the most suitable and powerful divine technique from that divine tree. In the end, I wasted the precious opportunity." Seeing that Deng Mingsi was still unable to let go, Wang Wan continued to console her.
Deng Mingsi regretfully said, "It's all because, when I came here, my brother secretly told me that the Tianxuan Mirror would assess potential based on the overall comprehension of the divine tree."
"The more comprehensive the overview, the greater the potential. During the infusion of divine techniques, the upper limit of the divine technique's power would also be higher."
"I just wanted to see more...," Deng Mingsi spoke with increasing self-blame, seemingly on the verge of tears.
"Your brother may not necessarily have good intentions," Li Fan thought inwardly.
"What are you saying?" Deng Mingsi suddenly stiffened, looking at Li Fan in an instant.
"Hmm?" Li Fan's expression changed.
"You just thought something in your heart. What does it mean?" Deng Mingsi stared at Li Fan intently, her tone becoming somewhat aggressive.
Li Fan converged all his mental energy and squinted his eyes, "Friend Deng, I don't understand what you mean."
"Don't pretend. I can sense the thoughts of others, especially those related to me!" Seeing Li Fan still feigning ignorance, Deng Mingsi's anger grew stronger.
"You clearly thought that my brother has ill intentions. What does that mean?"
"I could clearly sense it. When Brother Qingyu secretly told me this secret back then, he was genuinely concerned for me," Deng Mingsi asserted confidently.
"This little girl really doesn't know the ways of the world," Li Fan deliberately thought once again.
As expected, Deng Mingsi, who sensed Li Fan's thoughts, became even more flushed.
"Actually able to sense others' thoughts." Li Fan was secretly astonished.
Converging his thoughts again and no longer teasing the girl, he began to explain aloud.
"That Brother Qingyu of yours, judging by your words, seems to be very close to you. Considering this intimacy, he must be very familiar with your cultivation situation. How could he not know whether you have comprehended the divine tree with your divine sense?"
"If he truly cared for you, he wouldn't have revealed this information to you at all. He would have simply let you choose a divine technique that suits you, ensuring your peace of mind."
"But instead, he deliberately feigned concern, casually revealing it to you."
Li Fan sneered, "This is intentionally provoking your greed, making you return empty-handed this time!"
"As for the thoughts you sensed from the other person..."
"If he didn't know about your ability in advance and was unguarded, then perhaps what you sensed could be true."
"But he evidently knew about your mind-reading ability. In this case, what you sensed cannot be considered meaningful."
Deng Mingsi was about to refute, but suddenly she froze because she felt from Li Fan's mind a strong sense of affection and tenderness.
So warm and direct, something she had rarely seen in her life.
Deng Mingsi instantly turned red.
"You..."
She stomped her foot, extremely shy. Without daring to look at Li Fan again, she turned and flew away.
"Hmph." Li Fan chuckled lightly.
"If possible, fellow Daoist, you might want to temporarily leave Tianquan Prefecture to avoid any trouble," Wang Wan, who had witnessed the whole incident, couldn't help but remind.
"Although it was an unintentional mistake, that little girl heard the thoughts. But after all, you unintentionally revealed Qingyu's actions to her."
"This person has a narrow mind and has always repaid grievances with vengeance..." Wang Wan only had good intentions as he transmitted his voice.
Li Fan cupped his hands, "Oh? How does the Deng family compare to the Xuan family?"
"Xuan..." Wang Wan was first stunned, then his expression changed drastically. "You are..."
"I am a mid-level guest of the Xuan family," Li Fan said calmly.
"In that case, I spoke too much. The younger generation of the Deng family..." Wang Wan was somewhat speechless.
He quickly expressed his apologies to Li Fan.
"It's fine. Fellow Daoist was only giving a friendly reminder." Li Fan didn't mind, leaving his contact information before flying away.
During the flight, Li Fan felt somewhat fortunate.
"I didn't expect that, after so many days, I would encounter another cultivator who can read minds like the Heavenly Physician."
"Fortunately, it's just an inexperienced little kid. Otherwise, I'm afraid it would be another setback."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 769: Protector of the Lone Wang Family
"Deng Mingsi, seen in the Tianxuan Mirror space, appears to be around thirteen or fourteen. This should be her actual age."
"Although young, she must be well-protected by her clan. Even with mind-reading abilities, she currently lacks sophistication," Li Fan speculated in his mind.
"Clearly only at the Golden Core cultivation level, yet able to sense my thoughts..."
"It shouldn't be due to a cultivation technique. Perhaps it's related to her extraordinary foundational artifact. Mind-reading abilities are rare in the Xuanhuang Realm, and being able to ignore realm differences might already be considered a half-miraculous phenomenon," Li Fan's eyes flashed with a mysterious brilliance.
In the cycle of countless worlds, besides the Heavenly Miracle [Yanfa Jue] and [Sword], Li Fan had encountered many cultivators possessing half-miraculous phenomena. Examples include He Zhenghao's daughter He Xinxin with the [Dao Wen Luo Pan], Ku Youxian's [Yin Yang Jade], and Sun Qi's [Qiankun One Qi].
However, none had intrigued Li Fan as much as Deng Mingsi's mind-reading artifact.
People's hearts are inscrutable, especially in the Xuanhuang Realm, where dual cultivation is forbidden. No one dares to guarantee that companions who call you brothers and sisters won't harbor hidden motives.
If one could possess mind-reading abilities, even just a few critical sentences during crucial moments, it could significantly reduce various risks encountered during cultivation.
Not to mention, it could serve as a kind of strength identifier. If suddenly the ability to read minds fails, it would indicate that the other party is someone formidable.
"Perhaps it can even be reversed to prevent thoughts from being read by others."
With strong determination, Li Fan immediately returned to the Tianquan City's Heavenly Mirror to inquire about information related to Deng Mingsi.
To his surprise, he found no valuable information, as if Deng Mingsi had appeared out of thin air.
Li Fan changed his approach and started searching for Deng Mingsi's mentioned brother, Qingyu.
Simultaneously, he added Wang Wan's description of arrogant and vengeful characteristics.
Almost immediately, things fell into place.
However, Deng Qingyu's background wasn't the Deng family but the Tianquan Wang family.
"Turns out he's an adopted son. But the Wang family treats him as if he were their own, perhaps due to the influence of his sister," Li Fan nodded to himself.
Although the Tianquan Wang family couldn't be considered a top-tier power in the Immortal Alliance, ordinary people still couldn't afford to offend them. Many cultivators within the clan held positions in the mysterious Protector Hall.
It was said that the family head of the Wang family had the crucial responsibility of guarding the Heavenly Miracle [Yanfa Jue]...
Upon seeing this information, Li Fan had already made up his mind.
He swore to become friends with the Wang family for several lifetimes.
However, after searching for more information, Li Fan frowned slightly.
It turned out that the Wang family wasn't known for just Deng Qingyu's poor reputation. All the young members of the Wang family, including the older generation, had a bad reputation.
Throughout the Immortal Alliance, there wasn't a single cultivator willing to speak on their behalf. When it came to the Tianquan Wang family, people would rather spit on the ground to express their disdain.
"Completely isolated, not just within the family. This is not due to personal conduct, but a deliberate act."
"Is it to avoid suspicion?"
Having once navigated the political landscape, Li Fan was no stranger to such tactics.
"He Yanfa Jue."
After contemplating for a moment, Li Fan's search came to a halt here. He didn't delve further into sensitive content. After all, if he paid too much attention, he might be marked by it.
Li Fan, who had long been cautious about the Tianquan Mirror, naturally didn't want to stay and cultivate within it.
Nowadays, Immortal Alliance cultivators were searching mountains and inspecting seas, looking for entrances to small worlds. Even digging secret chambers in the wilderness was no longer safe.
"The hidden dangers on Liu San's side have not been eliminated..."
For a while, although the world was vast, Li Fan found it difficult to find a safe place for secluded cultivation.
"This is the consequence of the Tianxuan Mirror becoming powerful, just like the Xuan Net in the previous life."
After weighing the pros and cons, Li Fan chose to rent a courtyard in the Lundai Tower in Tianquan City.
At the same time, he set up multiple layers of formations as a protective measure.
Chapter 769: Safely Setting Down
Now feeling a bit relieved, Li Fan thought to himself, "Although there's no reckless behavior, and everything seems to be within my control, there's a subtle sense of difficulty in moving forward in this world."
"This is the oppression of the overall situation. With insufficient strength, I can only follow the trend. If I go against the current, the slightest mistake could lead to complete destruction."
"Perhaps I should consider 'Returning to Reality.'"
"But before that, there are a few things that must be done."
Li Fan squinted his eyes, and after a moment, he shook his head slightly.
Due to the Dao Stones in his sea of consciousness absorbing too much data, Li Fan unexpectedly felt a slight dullness in his thinking.
"Take it step by step. First, fully master the 'Limitless Void Method.'"
Li Fan closed his eyes, and the blue crystal in his mind, as if overstuffed, struggled to emit a faint light. It slowly analyzed and processed the infused divine technique data.
...
Tianliang City.
Xu Bai suddenly received a message from Liu San.
"Young Master, good news. Among the new disciples recently accepted by the Old Fang, someone has successfully formed their foundation!"
"What?" Xu Bai was momentarily stunned.
In terms of understanding the "Foundation Establishment Technique," now that Yin Shang had passed away, there were almost no cultivators who could surpass him in the world. Establishing the foundation was incredibly difficult. How could someone succeed in such a short time?
Is Liu San...
For a moment, various thoughts flashed through Xu Bai's mind. He fell silent abruptly.
After a while, Liu San's following words sounded slowly.
"However, it's not the 'Foundation Establishment Technique.' It's a young man named Jie Lin who found this foundation establishment method too challenging. Surprisingly, he independently devised a method to establish a foundation using other materials between heaven and earth."
"At first, I didn't pay much attention. In the blink of an eye, he successfully formed his foundation using a 10,000-year Fierce Dragon Grass from the Changsheng Valley."
"Hehe, in this case, Jie Lin can indeed be considered a remarkable talent. Since he has successfully formed his foundation, there's no need to force the true Foundation Establishment Technique among the disciples. We can take him out separately and prevent the genuine foundation method from spreading among the disciples," Xu Bai's complexion gradually eased as he instructed.
Liu San's laughter came from the other side, "Hehe, I've already done that. Such an extraordinary talent, in ancient times, would have been snatched up by the ten major sects. How could we, the Medicine King Sect, have the opportunity? Truly, times have changed."
Xu Bai gave another order, "Use Jie Lin's successful foundation establishment as an encouragement to others. Maybe it will inspire more talents."
"Young Master, your considerations are thorough."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 770: Critical Situation, Thoughts on Returning to Reality
As soon as the conversation ended, Xu Bai hung up the communication. However, his expression immediately darkened.
"No matter how well-guarded, there's still a loophole."
"Liu San, who usually seems unserious, unexpectedly has such deep thoughts."
Indeed, in the seemingly ordinary conversation with Liu San just now, Xu Bai made a mistake.
That mistake was his brief silence when Liu San informed him about a disciple successfully forming their foundation.
This silence arose from Xu Bai's lack of trust in Liu San. Knowing the difficulty of successfully forming a foundation with the "With My Foundation" technique, Xu Bai suspected it might be a trap, an excuse for Liu San to lure him back.
Normally, upon hearing such news, he would express surprise or doubt, immediately questioning the authenticity. However, he chose silence.
Even though he could come up with countless explanations for this silence, Xu Bai understood it was futile.
Liu San didn't articulate the message coherently, deliberately waiting for Xu Bai's reaction. It was a kind of testing.
In this short silence, Liu San had obtained what he wanted. He saw Xu Bai's distrust.
In a battle between experts, even a slight disadvantage could lead to defeat.
"However, the situation hasn't deteriorated to the point of no return. Breaking through the constraints of 'True Temptation' is not that easy. Although they have sensed something amiss and confirmed their suspicions, they still can't oppose me."
"Besides changing their thoughts, the most crucial thing is that the Xuanhuang True Cauldron is still in my hands."
"With many Medicine King Sect cultivators dormant inside the cauldron as hostages, they wouldn't dare to act recklessly."
"For now, let's ignore them. Wait until the end..." A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Xu Bai's eyes.
The relationship between Medicine King Sect and Xu Bai was in a strange balance.
Xu Bai communicated with them only through messaging symbols, and Liu San and others continued their activities as usual, seemingly oblivious to any abnormalities.
During this time, Xu Bai returned to the empire for a brief visit.
Flying into the capital, Xu Bai could faintly smell the lingering scent of blood in the air, indicating that a large-scale cleansing had just ended.
As he arrived, Xiao Qing quickly came to greet him.
Inside the towering palace, Xu Bai once again met the Emperor's daughter and Xiao Hong.
Surprisingly, in just a short period, the Emperor's daughter had transformed from a young girl into a voluptuous woman. Moreover, her eyes held less timidity and more confidence.
"It seems your empire still has some hidden techniques not yet revealed," Xu Bai said lightly.
The Emperor's daughter chuckled, and her voluptuous body trembled slightly. "The empire has survived for thousands of years, never limiting its survival path to just one."
"You should be able to understand, right?"
She gazed at Xu Bai with her deep and bright eyes, showing a bit of charm and blatant temptation.
However, Xu Bai's eyes remained clear, without any ripples. Instead, he gave her a brilliantly innocent smile.
The Emperor's daughter's disguise was instantly broken, revealing a trace of panic and embarrassment on her face.
"Forgive me if I have embarrassed you." At this moment, Xiao Hong slightly bowed, standing in front of the Emperor's daughter.
The Emperor's daughter took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a while, and then returned to normal.
Without blaming or ridiculing the futile attempt at charm, Xu Bai asked with interest, "If I'm not mistaken, the Emperor's daughter is pregnant?"
The three present felt a bit awkward at this question.
Xiao Qing waved her hand, set up a barrier around them, and then explained softly, "After you left, we followed your advice and conducted a purge of the imperial nobility. We arrested anyone whose will did not align with ours."
"Of course, the empire has existed for thousands of years, and the strength accumulated by these imperial nobles is not to be underestimated."
"Before taking action, we already considered the potential consequences of failure. To prevent the extinction of the imperial bloodline, the Emperor's daughter cast the Blood Transmutation Pregnancy Art early on."
Xiao Qing glanced at the Emperor's daughter before continuing, "In fact, the Holy Blood Fetal Transformation technique passed down by the Master has undergone significant progress through the continuous research of the imperial family over the years."
"It can utilize external forces to complete childbirth even when the conditions are not met."
"In such cases, the offspring born is not exactly the next generation; it's more like an appropriate form of a clone."
"However, there are drawbacks. The clone cannot inherit cultivation and is just a simple physical body."
Xiao Qing stopped here without going into further detail. Xu Bai squinted his eyes, his expression mysterious.
Without pressing for more information, Xu Bai, in front of Xiao Qing and others, announced the approval of the review.
After the evaluation by several elders, they unanimously believed that the various technologies demonstrated by the empire were worth the investment of the Universal Alliance.
The empire would also become one of the few small worlds under the protection of the alliance.
With that, Xu Bai took out three Terminal Disks from his storage ring.
He explained to them how to amplify the effects of the Terminal Disks and conceal the entrance to the small world using a formation.
Among the three, the Emperor's daughter was confused, while Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong showed joyful expressions.
After Xu Bai solemnly put away the Terminal Disks, the Emperor's daughter handed over a storage ring at their indication.
Carved on the storage ring was the pattern of a mysterious bird of heavenly destiny. It emitted an ancient aura, indicating its age.
It was similar to the spirit pet of Xu Ke, Little Black.
"All the things we showcased earlier are inside this ring."
Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong looked at the storage ring with a hint of nostalgia.
"This was left by the Master and hasn't been used. Today, we use it to trade for the future of the empire. I believe he won't blame us." Xiao Qing said with a touch of emotion.
Xu Bai only gave it a glance, seeing various data, including "Harmony of All Beasts," stored inside. He didn't directly verify its authenticity and put the ring away. Then, he looked at Xiao Qing and the others again.
Sensing that Xu Bai had more to say, Xiao Qing and the others looked at him inquiringly.
"The deal between the empire and the Universal Alliance is settled."
"Now, I have a personal trade with all of you. I wonder if you're willing?" Xu Bai said.
Xiao Qing's expression turned serious. "Please speak, Dao Friend."
"I am interested in the improved Holy Blood Fetal Transformation technique," Xu Bai said casually.
Xiao Qing's face changed slightly, preparing to refuse. However, what Xu Bai said next made the three of them unable to remain calm.
(End of this chapter)
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