While working together to collect artifacts imbued with Dao resonance, Su Xiaomei had gradually grown close to the Yin sisters.
Su Xiaomei had lived a relatively sheltered life with little contact beyond Xiao Heng and Su Changyu. Thus, she had naturally formed genuine bonds with the Yin sisters over two years of constant companionship.
At Su Xiaomei's urging, the Yin sisters had also begun cultivating the Xuanhuang Heart Clarification Sutra, attempting to purge the miasma from their bodies and embark on the path of immortality.
Their progress was slower than Su Changyu's. However, they maintained a calm mindset toward it, advancing slowly but steadily.
Li Fan observed the situation briefly without revealing himself. Confirming that nothing was amiss, he returned to Myriad Immortals Island.
After handing the Array Crown back to Zhang Zhiliang, Li Fan immersed himself once more in the study of arrays.
It was now Anchor Year 22. He gave himself a deadline of six years.
In his previous life, when he emerged from seclusion in Anchor Year 31, Crimson Flame had already begun scorching the sea. He recalled visiting Myriad Immortals Island in Anchor Year 30 to submit Tai’an Fruit. Therefore, Crimson Flame's appearance must have occurred between Anchor Year 30 and 31.
But in this life, with the unpredictable variable of Zhang Haobo in play, Li Fan decided caution was paramount. He resolved to leave by Anchor Year 28 at the very latest. Until then, he would seize every possible moment to study arrays. After all, this was a unique opportunity; once he left for Yuandao Province, where would he find an array master to teach him personally?
Feeling the pressure of time, Li Fan redoubled his efforts, burying himself in the study of arrays without a moment's rest. He even refused Zhang Zhiliang's tactful suggestions to take a break, insisting on continuing with firm resolve.
Over the years, more students under Zhang Zhiliang came and went, but none could match Li Fan's singular focus and unwavering persistence. Whenever Zhang Zhiliang looked at Li Fan, his gaze grew increasingly warm.
Time flowed onward, and in the blink of an eye, four years passed. It was now Anchor Year 26.
While deeply engrossed in his array studies, Li Fan suddenly paused. His avatar Lin Fan, who had been deriving techniques, had used up his contribution points and was forced to end his seclusion.
The equivalent of 270 years of contemplation had yielded results that were neither exceptionally good nor terribly bad. Creating an original technique was profoundly difficult; even adapting existing techniques presented immense challenges.
Of the two techniques he had set out to derive, he had only completed one. The other was mostly finished. Li Fan estimated it would require another thirty years or so to complete.
Averaged out, it took him roughly 150 years to derive a new technique, and this was just a Foundation Establishment technique.
No wonder the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Council can maintain their monopoly on techniques. Li Fan mused inwardly. The cost truly outweighed the benefits; it was hardly worth the effort.
Li Fan examined the new technique he had comprehended: the Intent Spirit Illusion Art. It was a synthesis of his insights from the Nether Spirit Illusion Art and his understanding of Zhang Haobo's sword intent used for Foundation Establishment.
With this technique, his Blue Flame phantom spirit would achieve further growth. As for the new movement technique based on the Shadow Stalk Art, it remained incomplete.
For now, Li Fan did not practice the new technique, focusing instead on using his remaining time to deepen his comprehension of arrays.
His avatar performed various errands around Myriad Immortals Island, earning contribution points to sustain its existence within the Tianxuan Realm. Simultaneously, it gathered information about events from the past few years, though it uncovered nothing of significant use.
Since Anchor Year 22, the entire Congyun Sea had settled into an unnatural calm, as if something immense was quietly brewing beneath the surface.
The river of time surged onward, and in what felt like a blink, Anchor Year 28 arrived. The day Li Fan had planned for his departure from the Congyun Sea was at hand.
Just as he was preparing to find a suitable pretext to take his leave from Zhang Zhiliang, the array master summoned him alone to a sealed space. In the distance, a brilliant river of stars glittered. After nearly a decade of studying arrays, Li Fan could faintly discern the traces of a vast, slowly operating array.
"I have a task for you," Zhang Zhiliang said with a grave expression as he looked at Li Fan. His tone brooked no refusal. "You are to make a journey for me to Tianyu Province, the location of the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters. Once you arrive, open this object. You will know what to do next."
Li Fan was momentarily taken aback but accepted the item Zhang Zhiliang handed him. It was a small, rectangular black case, its surface smooth and deeply dark. An array was engraved upon it, serving as a seal.
"While carrying this item, you are prohibited from using teleportation arrays. You must fly the entire distance," Zhang Zhiliang continued. "Tianyu Province is far. At your speed, the journey will likely take two to three years. Do not remain idle during your travel. Work on deciphering the seal on this case. Given your current proficiency on the array path, I trust that by the time you reach Tianyu Province, the seal will be broken."
At first, Li Fan did not understand the nature of this peculiar mission. But after hearing the series of requirements, comprehension dawned. He silently stored the small black case away, asked no questions about payment, and prepared to take his leave.
As he was about to depart, Li Fan turned and asked, "Master Zhang, will you not be leaving?"
Zhang Zhiliang paused, then looked Li Fan over carefully once more, his eyes filled with approval. "Leave? Vast as heaven and earth are, where can one truly go?"
Li Fan bowed respectfully, offered no further words, and exited the Strategy Array Hall.
"I hope I have not misjudged him," Zhang Zhiliang sighed, gazing in the direction where Li Fan had disappeared.
***
Standing in the Dao Transmission Plaza, watching the cultivators of the Congyun Sea hurry to and fro before the statue of the Immortal Venerable Dao Teacher, Li Fan knew that the time had come.
He used a spirit talisman to contact Su Xiaomei, instructing her and the others to wait for him on Yelan Island. He then immediately proceeded to Liuli Island via teleportation array, intending to gather Su Xiaomei and the rest and depart together.
However, the moment he stepped out of the teleportation array, he was stopped by Yuwen Xing, the guardian of Liuli Island. "I have a favorable assignment here. I wonder if you would be interested, Fellow Daoist?" Yuwen Xing asked, looking at him with enthusiasm.
"Oh? What assignment might that be?" Li Fan asked politely, though he paid it little mind. Whatever Yuwen Xing proposed, he was determined to refuse.
“The current guardian of Tai’an Island is a friend of mine. He’s reached a bottleneck in his cultivation and wishes to venture out in search of opportunities.
“However, his duties bind him to the island, preventing him from leaving without permission. So he asked me if I could recommend someone suitable.
“And as luck would have it, I happened to meet you,” Yuwen Xing spoke with a beaming smile.
Li Fan had sensed something amiss from the very first sentence. By the time Yuwen Xing finished speaking, his face had darkened completely.
Again?
"I’ve been entrusted with a matter that requires me to travel. I truly don’t have the time to spare. Brother Yuwen, you’d best find someone else for this!" Li Fan replied bluntly, clasping his hands in a gesture of polite but firm refusal.