It took me a hundred lifetimes to establish my Dao Foundation. Though arduous, all shackles have finally been shattered. From this day forward, I’ll never need to worry again about incompatibility between the cultivation techniques I practice and my Foundation Establishment Curio.
Every technique under heaven can become my technique.
Standing atop Jieli Mountain, Li Fan felt a faint surge of joy well up within him after successfully establishing his foundation with Return to Truth.
Six hundred years. A hundred simulation cycles. All for this single goal.
Now, he had finally achieved it, and the results were extraordinary indeed.
Deepsea Pearl!
As Li Fan concentrated, the white jade within his dantian emitted a gentle glow. Then, in an instant, it transformed into the appearance of the Congyun Sea.
Even though Li Fan had once established his Dao Foundation using the Deepsea Pearl, he now found it difficult to distinguish between the sea phantom that was now within him and the original.
No, they were not just similar—they were absolutely identical!
Falsehood becomes truth! Li Fan marveled.
The tremendous power of Return to Truth to rewind time went beyond the constraints of this world.
That was why Li Fan had failed repeatedly when attempting to use the complete Return to Truth for his Foundation Establishment.
But while Return to Truth transcended this world, it also intersected with it.
Its law within this world could be summarized in seven words: When truth becomes falsehood, falsehood becomes truth.
Simply put, at the Foundation Establishment realm, Return to Truth could transform into any Curio of heaven and earth that Li Fan had personally comprehended, or that had been absorbed by Return to Truth!
In his exhilaration, Li Fan cycled through the Foundation Establishment Curios within his body.
Dao Xuan Sword!
The rusted, broken Dao Xuan Sword appeared above Jieli Mountain.
Bamboo of Reluctance!
Staff of Sorrow!
As the Foundation Establishment Curio within him shifted to a new form, the aura emanating from Li Fan also transformed.
After a long while, having simulated all the Curios of heaven and earth he'd encountered during his twelfth lifetime, Li Fan changed Return to Truth back into the Deepsea Pearl.
A phantom sea materialized above his head as Li Fan executed a sword strike.
The sword light of One Congyun Sword Strike parted the sea of clouds, flying toward the rising sun in the east.
Even as it vanished from sight, its power remained undiminished.
Even when executing divine abilities and killing techniques, it's indistinguishable from the true Deepsea Pearl.
In this cultivation world, the influence that Foundation Establishment Curios have on cultivators is profound. At least, until one reaches Dao Unity, one's cultivation path must align with their personal Curio.
Take my twelfth life when I built my foundation with the Deepsea Pearl, for example. If I’d practiced fire attribute techniques instead of water attribute ones, my progress would’ve been painfully slow, and I might’ve even suffered backlash from the clashing attributes.
But now that I've established my Dao Foundation with Return to Truth, I no longer have such worries.
This means that every technique under heaven can become my technique.
Moreover, I have a premonition. Li Fan's eyes burned with intensity as his imagination soared.
Curios of heaven and earth are manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth.
If one day, I manage to simulate and manifest all the Curios under heaven, like the Myriad Immortals Alliance's Curio of Heaven, the Derivation Jade...
A long time passed before Li Fan emerged from his reverie.
Establishing his foundation with Return to Truth had allowed him to leap beyond all constraints, opening infinite possibilities.
But still, they were only possibilities. To realize them, he would need careful planning across lifetimes.
This lifetime, following my intuition with absolute certainty, I began Foundation Establishment without waiting for Return to Truth to finish charging. Now that Foundation Establishment is accomplished, I've set my third anchor point. It is only a few days after my initial anchor point.
My initial anchor point marks the moment I first transmigrated to this world.
The second anchor point was set atop Jieli Mountain, with my cultivation at the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm and the Deepsea Pearl as my Foundation Establishment Curio.
The third anchor point was just established, with my cultivation also at the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm, but this time with Return to Truth serving as my Foundation Establishment Curio.
Foundation Establishment is complete. It's time to return to the cultivation world.
With nine years remaining until charging is complete, I can make some preparations here in Great Xuan first.
With this thought, Li Fan drifted down the mountain and descended into the mortal world.
Using the identity of an immortal, he commanded mortals to do his bidding.
Over nine years, he slaughtered all who deserved death across the land, collecting every drop of their blood.
Eventually, he condensed it all into a single black-red blood pearl.
The aura emanating from the blood pearl resembled that of a natural predator. Even observing from a distance, Li Fan couldn't stop his heart from pounding.
When the charging process was completed, Li Fan activated Return to Truth once more.
Returning to the third anchor point, Li Fan selected the first option this time—to retain an item in his possession.
Naturally, he chose the blood pearl saturated with Immortal-Mortal Miasma.
Myriad Mortal Essence Blood.
Li Fan stroked his chin as he read the item's name designated by Return to Truth.
It only mentions mortal essence blood, with no reference to the Immortal-Mortal Miasma...
Li Fan began recalling how the Immortal-Mortal Miasma within him had been purged over and over again during his Foundation Establishment process spanning a hundred lifetimes.
Perhaps the Immortal-Mortal Miasma doesn't actually exist in physical form? Maybe it's more akin to a curse-like power?
Regardless, this essence blood pearl will be my ultimate trump card moving forward.
During his twelfth lifetime, Li Fan often felt powerless whenever he encountered cultivators at the Nascent Soul realm or higher.
At those moments, he couldn't help but remember the Immortal-Mortal Miasma that made all cultivators pale with fear.
All his efforts in this lifetime were aimed at turning the Immortal-Mortal Miasma into a bound item of Return to Truth, allowing him to summon it whenever needed.
However, from what I understand, using Immortal-Mortal Miasma to harm others maliciously in the cultivation world will incite the joint pursuit of both the Myriad Immortals Alliance and Five Elders Council. It will be a hunt to the death.
I cannot use this item unless absolutely necessary.
Hmm... perhaps I could use Return to Truth’s transformation ability to disguise myself as someone else.
Li Fan slowly sank into deep thought.
In Anchor Year 9, Return to Truth was finally fully charged.
Li Fan still conducted a sweep of the empire, filling the Taiyan Boat to capacity.
Then he burst through the Immortal-Slaying Grand Array, returning to the cultivation world after over six hundred years.
To avoid alerting anyone, Li Fan maintained only the Thousand Mechanisms Jade Cosmos Scripture as his cultivated technique.
His Foundation Establishment Curio now took the form of the Halt Stele Fragment.
Arriving at Congyun Sea, he headed straight for Liuli Island as before.
Once he approached his destination, Li Fan didn't forget to slay that giant Liuli Fish along the way, obtaining the Exquisite Liuli Pearl.
Rest assured, Fellow Daoist He. I’ll make sure you won't lose everything this time!
Li Fan smiled slightly and arrived outside Liuli Island.
His voice boomed like thunder, instantly spreading across Liuli Island. "Is Fellow Daoist He of the Myriad Immortals Alliance present?"
Moments later, He Zhenghao's cautious voice responded: "I am He Zhenghao! May I ask what business you have with me, Fellow Daoist?"
Yet he didn't appear personally, still hiding within the island protection array.
Li Fan chuckled softly, then declared in a clear voice, "I mean no harm. I simply wish to join the Myriad Immortals Alliance. Having long heard of your reputation for generosity, I hoped you might provide a referral! What..."
Before he could complete his sentence, He Zhenghao flickered into existence beside Li Fan, his face alight with astonishment and delight.
"Say no more! Say no more!" He Zhenghao looked Li Fan up and down, readily agreeing.
"Might I ask for your esteemed name, Fellow Daoist?" He performed a deep bow, his face beaming as he inquired.
"I am Li Fan."
Seeing He Zhenghao's jovial expression, Li Fan couldn't help but offer a warm, friendly smile in return.