"Senior, I can truthfully tell you the locations I collected the two stalks of Blueblood Coral from. Compensation isn't really important to me. After you have completed your investigation, could you share the results with me as well?
"I've always considered myself to have a good eye, but it seems I've misjudged this time, walking into a treasure mountain yet failing to recognize its worth.
"If I don't learn the truth behind this, I fear this regret will haunt me."
Li Fan sent this message to Chen Ying through the Tianxuan Mirror.
Not long after, Chen Ying replied.
"Ah, these are just my speculations for now. There's no need for you to trouble yourself over this, young friend.
"I'll need to verify things on-site before reaching any definitive conclusions. You're welcome to accompany me if you wish."
Seeing Chen Ying's invitation, Li Fan immediately searched for information about this man.
Chen Ying, early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. An elder of the Medicine Hall, highly skilled in cultivating spirit plants, with equally exceptional mastery in alchemy.
Accompany him... He likely means no harm. And he's only at the early-stage Nascent Soul realm.
If we truly discover some secret and he tries to silence me, I should be able to protect myself.
Having previously slain a Nascent Soul cultivator, Li Fan's mindset had fundamentally shifted. Moreover, with the Myriad Mortal Essence Blood as his hidden card, he possessed the means to resist even if Chen Ying turned hostile.
After some contemplation, Li Fan sent his reply.
"It would be my honor!"
Chen Ying soon responded: "Excellent! There's no time to waste, let’s depart immediately. I'll await you at the Dao Transmission Plaza.
"Oh, and for caution's sake, I'll be assuming a different appearance. Simply address me as Ying Chen when we meet.
"Remember to conceal your identity when traveling as well."
"Here's a Trace-Eradicating Talisman I commonly use when going out. It can conceal your cultivation level and prevent others from tracking you. Keep it with you and activate it at all times."
Chen Ying transmitted an image of a completely different face along with the Trace-Eradicating Talisman.
"This man..." Li Fan muttered to himself.
For additional insurance, Li Fan spent another three thousand contribution points in the Tianxuan Mirror to purchase a random teleportation necklace.
He then headed straight for the Dao Transmission Plaza.
After scanning the area, he spotted Chen Ying in his altered appearance.
Li Fan approached him and cupped his hands. "Are you Fellow Daoist Ying Chen?"
Chen Ying smiled slightly. "Indeed! We shouldn't delay. Please lead the way, young friend!"
Li Fan nodded without hesitation, proceeding to the Mistcrow statue in the Dao Transmission Plaza.
Activating the teleportation array, the two teleported over one after another, arriving at Mistcrow Island.
The black-robed guardian on the island maintained his usual indifferent demeanor.
The two ignored him as Li Fan led them directly to the ruins.
"Senior, this is the place," he told Chen Ying upon reaching their destination.
Simultaneously, he maintained extreme vigilance, standing to the side.
Chen Ying narrowed his eyes as he examined the underwater ruins.
A misty grotto-heaven filled with countless spirit plants manifested around him.
As the grotto-heaven enveloped the area, Li Fan detected an omnipresent yet subtle pressure. Growing increasingly tense, he prepared to deploy the Congyun Sword, Sky-Overturning Palm, and the random teleportation necklace at a moment's notice.
After a long while, Chen Ying withdrew his grotto-heaven manifestation.
Shaking his head, he said, "Not here. It must be somewhere else."
Li Fan immediately let out a slight sigh of relief. "It's at the bottom of an underwater trench not far from here."
Once again, Li Fan took the lead.
It didn't take long for the two to arrive at their destination.
Li Fan stood to the side once more, his guard raised to the maximum level.
Chen Ying, meanwhile, released his grotto-heaven manifestation once more, carefully sensing his surroundings and contemplating.
A long time later, a look of joy appeared on Chen Ying's face.
"Excellent, this is the place!
"A power of extreme, icy cold once descended here. The Blueblood Coral absorbed just a trace of its lingering aura, yet its efficacy increased so dramatically!
Chen Ying's eyes were slightly closed, his face lost in bliss.
"From its residual power alone, one can feel a sense of inner peace and tranquility. All distracting thoughts in the heart are completely eliminated.
"So perfect, as if the laws of heaven and earth had directly manifested.
"Marvelous, truly marvelous."
As Chen Ying spoke, he suddenly stood completely still, as if falling into a state of epiphany.
Hearing him describe the place with such profound mystery, Li Fan couldn't help but try to sense it himself.
But just like before, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't detect anything special about this location.
Icy power... distracting thoughts eliminated... laws manifesting... Li Fan’s mind churned.
Suddenly, he realized something, and his expression turned strange.
He recalled how he had first obtained the Blueblood Coral. A massive squid had clung to it greedily, its tentacles wrapped tight, refusing to let go. Any creature that dared to approach was met with the squid’s furious attacks.
At the time, to avoid damaging this treasure worth three thousand contribution points, Li Fan had used Insect Binding to immobilize the enraged squid.
To finish it off, he hadn't employed the Congyun Sword or Heaven-Overturning Palm. Instead, he had summoned the Blue Flame phantom spirit and froze it into an ice sculpture. Then, he easily shattered it.
The squid ice sculpture broke into numerous fragments, disappearing into the ocean depths.
Li Fan then effortlessly collected the Blueblood Coral.
So, this “power of extreme, icy cold” that Chen Ying claimed had enhanced the Blueblood Coral's medicinal efficacy... Could it be the Blue Flame phantom spirit?
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Li Fan couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.
No wonder he couldn't find anything special, no matter how hard he searched. It was all just a big misunderstanding.
He thought he might encounter some great opportunity. Turns out, the opportunity was himself all along.
With his doubts cleared, Li Fan looked at Chen Ying, who was boldly undergoing an epiphany while completely unguarded.
He found it a bit strange.
To call this guy cautious? He just started cultivating right in front of another cultivator.
Even if Li Fan only appears to be an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, posing no real threat to him... having one's epiphany interrupted was still an unpleasant experience, right?
Yet he didn’t seem to care at all.
To call him careless? Before, he was clearly very prudent. From changing his appearance to concealing his form, he spared no effort.
It made Li Fan think he was planning to launch a deadly attack in some remote, uninhabited place.
Turns out, all that worry was for nothing.
Still, grumbling aside, Li Fan did not let his guard down.
He remained at a distance, his two major killing techniques and the teleportation necklace ready to be activated at any moment.
He wasn’t sure whether this man's outward demeanor was all just a cover.
Thus passed the greater part of the day before Chen Ying finally emerged from his epiphanic state.
His eyes shone with newfound clarity, joy radiated from his expression, and his spirit was refreshed.
He exclaimed aloud, "Excellent! With these insights, I will surely reach greater depths when exploring the Fallen Immortal Realm!"
Li Fan's heart stirred as he listened from nearby.
The Fallen Immortal Realm? Could this be that secret realm he mentioned before?
Chen Ying gradually reined in his aura, his gaze falling on Li Fan, who had distanced himself to avoid disrupting him.
A flicker of appreciation gleamed in his eyes.