"That truly is a pity." Yuwen Xing looked at Li Fan with genuine regret.
Just as Li Fan was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something and asked aloud: "Fellow Daoist Yuwen, may I ask what the Tai'an Island guardian’s cultivation level is?"
Yuwen Xing was momentarily stunned, unsure why Li Fan would ask this question.
But it wasn't any secret, so he replied: "Fellow Daoist Zhou has reached the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm. Speaking of which, it hasn't been long since he broke through from early-stage Foundation Establishment to mid-stage, only about twenty or thirty years. To think he's about to break through again so soon, it's truly enviable!"
Yuwen Xing spoke with complete admiration.
"I see." Li Fan nodded thoughtfully.
This Zhou Qing'ang seems somewhat suspicious...
But since he planned to slip away anyway, this matter had nothing to do with him. He'd just keep it in mind.
After bidding farewell to Yuwen Xing, Li Fan traveled swiftly and arrived at Yelan Island.
Su Xiaomei and the others had already fully assembled. Six years had passed, and everyone had undergone massive transformations.
Su Changyu had successfully entered the Qi Refinement realm. He was cultivating the Jade Gathering Art that Xiao Heng had redeemed for him.
Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei had been unable to contact Li Fan for years, so through Zhao'er Bao's recommendation, they joined the Myriad Immortals Alliance and took on missions together to accumulate contribution points. Both had now reached the final-stage Qi Refinement realm and were preparing for Foundation Establishment.
As for the sisters Yin Yueting and Yin Yuzhen, they had both successfully purified their miasma, though they hadn't yet succeeded in drawing qi into their bodies.
Although Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei were now at the same cultivation level as Li Fan, he wasn’t afraid that they would discover his true cultivation level, having activated the Form-Concealing Talisman.
He asked Zhao'er Bao: "How is the collection of Dao resonance artifacts going?"
Zhao’er Bao had been exceedingly obedient these past few years, having already suffered more than enough under Li Fan’s earlier discipline.
Later, when he saw the cultivation of the youngsters Li Fan had brought along soar at an astonishing pace—surpassing him in just a few short years—his shock only deepened, along with his fear of ever daring to cause trouble.
He honestly reported: "We're still short some before we can fully manifest the Dao resonance. It will probably take another year or two."
Li Fan shook his head: "There's no time. Prepare to leave."
"Leave? Where are we going?" Zhao'er Bao looked somewhat confused.
"Yuandao Province." Li Fan answered without explaining why.
Li Fan then looked at Su Xiaomei and the others. "Are you willing to come with me?"
"Wherever you go, Master, I'll follow." Su Xiaomei said with a laugh, not questioning why they had to leave so suddenly.
Even though so much time had passed, she still looked like a seven or eight-year-old child for some reason.
Hearing Li Fan's question, she immediately declared her loyalty.
"We will naturally go with Xiaomei." Xiao Heng and Su Changyu had no objections either.
Yin Yueting, however, showed a troubled expression, clearly reluctant to leave behind the foundation of the Tianbao Pavilion they had built over these years.
Just as she hesitated, her younger sister fiercely kicked her right leg.
After exchanging a glance with her sister, she finally said, "We'll come too."
Li Fan nodded, making the final decision: "Pack your things. We depart in seven days."
The reason they needed so long to prepare was that moving the Dao resonance artifacts was quite troublesome. They couldn't use spatial storage equipment and had to move each piece individually.
Fortunately, with everyone working together, they managed to move all the Dao resonance artifacts into the Taiyan Boat within the allotted time.
As for the assets of Tianbao Pavilion, Yin Yueting only took half with her. The remainder was left to several elders who had consistently supported her and worked by her side.
Everyone boarded the Taiyan Boat, preparing to depart.
Just then, a man rushed out from the crowd of Tianbao Pavilion’s staff, crying out "Shopkeeper Yin!" as he knelt and kowtowed on the ground.
It turned out Yin Yueting had shown him immense kindness, and he couldn't bear to see her leave.
Li Fan looked over and recognized him—it was Elder Sun Zhang from Liuli Island in his past life. After a moment's thought, Li Fan brought him aboard the Taiyan Boat as well.
Aside from him, no one else from Tianbao Pavilion wished to follow them.
Li Fan then inquired about the fatty Ye Feipeng.
From the overlapping responses of the crowd, Li Fan learned that Ye Feipeng had been noticed years earlier by Agent Wu of the Wanhua Trade Association. Agent Wu had then brought him along as he left the Congyun Sea, and no one knew where they had gone.
Li Fan nodded and asked no further questions. He then piloted the Taiyan Boat, setting course for Yuandao Province.
Having traveled this route once before, the journey proceeded without incident this time.
After more than a month of travel, they arrived at Zhuoling City.
However, Li Fan hadn't anticipated that he would be bringing so many Dao resonance artifacts. The courtyard he had previously prepared as a temporary residence was far too small—completely inadequate for storing everything they had brought.
So Li Fan landed the Taiyan Boat outside Zhuoling City, concealed its presence with an array, and ordered Su Xiaomei and the others to guard it.
He then met with the guardian of Zhuoling City to inquire about suitable locations for establishing a cave dwelling nearby.
"A cave dwelling?"
The guardian of Zhuoling City, named Fei Nan, was a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Hearing Li Fan's question, he was somewhat surprised.
Typically, cultivators from the Myriad Immortals Alliance would either settle directly in Yuandao Sky City or simply remain within the Tianxuan Mirror. Only rogue cultivators would go to the trouble of establishing cave dwellings in the wilderness.
Still, there were always eccentric cultivators who preferred solitude.
Fei Nan didn't press further. Besides, Li Fan generously offered a consultation fee of one hundred contribution points, so Fei Nan enthusiastically provided several locations for Li Fan to consider.
The first location was a canyon over two thousand li north of Zhuoling City. From above, the flanking peaks resembled natural barriers sheltering the canyon in the center. Moreover, the canyon was rich in spiritual qi and not too far from Yuandao Sky City.
The second location lay over three thousand li south of Zhuoling City—a stretch of rolling mountains called the Daoling Mountain Range. Legend had it that, before the great calamity, this had been the site of a certain sect.
Throughout the Daoling Mountain Range were many peaks suitable for establishing cave dwellings. The drawback was that cultivators frequently came to the mountains to explore the ruins of the sect.
The third location was considerably more remote: Over five thousand li west of Zhuoling City, near Shilin Province, was a vast, misty lake called Brightmoon Lake, spanning several hundred li in radius.
The lake itself had no valuable resources, nor were there any ancient ruins nearby. The concentration of spiritual qi in the area was also quite average. As a result, few cultivators ever ventured there.
After listening, Li Fan thanked Fei Nan and took his leave.
Among these locations, that great lake seemed most suitable for a cave dwelling. But Li Fan wasn't in any hurry to make a decision. The best way to judge was with his own eyes.
He immediately regrouped with Su Xiaomei and the others, boarding the Taiyan Boat to set course for Brightmoon Lake.
Just as Li Fan and his companions were searching for their future residence, a grand drama was quietly unfolding over the Congyun Sea.
By now, night had long fallen. Neither stars nor moon were visible, leaving the world in utter darkness.
Myriad Immortals Island lay in complete silence.
Then, without any warning, a great sun suddenly appeared in the heavens.
Sunlight burst forth violently, illuminating all things, causing the night-shrouded Congyun Sea to turn as bright as daytime.
And beneath this sun, high in the sky, a crimson, translucent figure was revealed.