Ningyuan City housed nearly three hundred thousand mortals.
Above these three hundred thousand mortals hung an invisible barrier.
The Life Conversion Array... Li Fan narrowed his eyes, sensing the occasional strands of life force drifting through the air.
Such pure vital energy, no wonder it forms longevity fruits that can extend one's lifespan.
This pervasive life force naturally originated from the mortals living within Ningyuan City.
In the future, every branch of the Myriad Immortals Alliance will be fitted with protective arrays that drain the essential qi of mortals to increase the concentration of spiritual qi.
But compared to this Life Conversion Array, those arrays would be considered merciful.
Li Fan's divine sense swept over Ningyuan City's mortals, noticing the extremely small percentage of elderly people in the city.
The Life Conversion Array drains the vitality of mortals. Mortals born within this array would have drastically shortened lifespans.
Living to forty or fifty years would already be their maximum limit.
The Immortal-Mortal Miasma doesn't exist yet. In the eyes of cultivators, mortals are nothing more than livestock to be exploited at will.
Though thoughts raced through Li Fan's mind, he did not take any unusual actions, following Song Hesong to the city center.
Here, the concentration of life force grew to the point that it manifested as a faint green glow, forming drifting tendrils that were slowly absorbed by a massive tree growing at the center.
Three heavy fruits hung from its branches. Jade-green and crystalline, their fragrance permeated the air, making one's mouth water at the sight.
"Senior Brother, this is the Rebirth Longevity Tree." Song Hesong produced a large seal, pressing it against the empty space before the tree.
Simultaneously, he shouted, "Release!"
The seal collided violently with an invisible barrier surrounding the longevity tree. Dozens of silver streaks shot from the seal, slithering like serpents across the barrier.
"Senior Brother, your assistance please!" Song Hesong cried out. The veins on his forehead bulged as he strained to maintain the seal.
Seeing this, Li Fan didn't hesitate. He extended his hand, and a purple seal instantly materialized.
"Expedite!"
The purple seal struck the invisible barrier, and dozens of purple light-snakes surged out of the seal.
These purple serpents chased after the silver ones. Each found a target, devouring them one by one.
Moments later, when all silver light-snakes had been consumed, the dozens of purple serpents emitted a faint glow. Then they began circulating rapidly, forming a pattern of purple thunderclouds on the invisible barrier.
Following the guidance of his memories, Li Fan unleashed Purple Firmament Lightning, which was only possible through the cultivation of the Purple Firmament Thunder Invocation Art.
Purple lightning flashed, and the invisible barrier shattered open.
Li Fan activated the Thunder Invocation Art, protecting his entire body with Purple Firmament Spiritual Qi as he strode inside.
Coming to the base of the Rebirth Longevity Tree, he looked up to examine the alluringly fragrant longevity fruits.
The quality of this batch is excellent. It’s truly amazing that a small fruit like this can actually extend one’s lifespan by three hundred years.
While assessing the fruits, Li Fan couldn't help but feel deeply impressed.
They say the highest quality longevity fruits can extend one’s lifespan by over a thousand years.
Unfortunately, after the Immortal-Mortal Miasma's emergence, this method of condensing longevity fruits appears to have become ineffective.
These longevity fruits would undoubtedly be priceless treasures in future eras. I wonder if there might be a way to bring these fruits back to reality.
As he pondered, he carefully plucked the three longevity fruits from the tree and placed them inside a specially crafted jade box.
What should I do next? Should I deliver them to the sect, or should I taste one first to see if they work?
For a moment, Li Fan hesitated.
According to Chen Ying, all gains within the Fallen Immortal Realm existed only within its confines. To bring anything back to reality, one had to meet specific conditions. These conditions varied from object to object and required trial and error.
Even for identical items, the circumstances and timing of their acquisition could alter the conditions for retrieval. They seemed tied to the karmic threads and events associated with the objects.
Moreover, each visit to the Fallen Immortal Realm began at a different location. Missing an opportunity now might mean losing it forever.
This realization made Li Fan grow apprehensive about his gains and losses. Yet, he quickly regained his composure.
Surely, the greater an item’s value, the more stringent the conditions for taking it out. How could it be so easy to bring something like this back to reality?
Chuckling inwardly at his own folly, Li Fan made a decision.
Better to return to the Purple Firmament Sect first and see what opportunities arise, though I wonder if there’s still enough time.
With that, Li Fan stepped beyond the protective barrier of the Rebirth Longevity Tree, intending to contact Senior Brother Zhang and head back to the Purple Firmament Sect.
Boom!
Just then, a deafening roar erupted from Ningyuan City.
Li Fan’s heart leaped, and he spun toward the source of the sound.
"Chi Xia!" Zhang Qianmo’s anguished cry echoed from afar.
"You’re asking for death! Don’t even think of escaping!" His furious shout was followed by a streak of black light shooting into the sky.
In an instant, Zhang Qianmo transformed into a violet radiance, giving chase without hesitation.
A sense of foreboding washed over Li Fan, and he rushed after them without delay. Song Hesong followed close behind.
"Senior Brother, calm down! It could be a trap!" Li Fan transmitted urgently via divine sense.
But Zhang Qianmo, consumed by rage, had lost all reason. He paid no heed to Li Fan’s warning, his focus locked unwaveringly on the fleeing black light.
High above, the black light abruptly halted. The figure within glanced down at the furious Zhang Qianmo and smirked. There was a look of triumph on his face.
"Fellow Daoists, it’s time!"
In an instant, three other figures materialized beside the black-robed man. They formed an array, trapping Zhang Qianmo the moment he charged into their encirclement.
"Senior Brother Zhang! It’s been a long time!" The black-robed man laughed heartily, brimming with confidence.
Realizing he had fallen into a trap, Zhang Qianmo’s expression darkened.
"Senior Brother? Do I know you?" He studied the man opposite him, confusion flickering across his face.
"You..." The black-robed man seemed deeply insulted, his composure shattering.
“Just because you possess a Thunder Spirit Root, you think you can look down on everyone else? Have you already forgotten Chu Liang—the one who entered the sect alongside you, whom you humiliated so thoroughly?”
Zhang Qianmo’s eyes widened in shock as memories rushed back.
"Chu Liang? Is it really you? How is this possible?
"Weren't you expelled from the mountain because you lacked a spiritual root and couldn't cultivate?! How have you reached Foundation Establishment?"
Chu Liang threw his head back and laughed. "Just because I don’t have a spiritual root, that means I can’t cultivate?
"Correct—but that was before!"
A fanatical light shone in his eyes. "Now, the Immortal Venerable has bestowed a new methodology. Everyone can cultivate!
"Moreover, our cultivation speed surpasses even you old fossils!
“You boast a Thunder Spirit Root and started cultivating over a decade earlier, yet here we are, at the same realm.”
Zhang Qianmo's face revealed utter disbelief.
"Everyone can cultivate? What nonsense!"
Chu Liang smirked contemptuously. "How pitiful. Once stripped of that cultivation talent you pride yourself on, what do you have left?"
Then he glared fiercely at Zhang Qianmo. "In the past, I knelt before your gate for three days and three nights, nearly crippling my legs.
"I begged you to let me remain on the mountain; nothing else.
"Not only were you unmoved, you heaped every possible mockery and humiliation upon me.
"Today, I will wash away the shame of that day with your blood!
"Fellow Daoists, attack!"