Obviously, no one could repeatedly enter the same location the way Li Fan could. However, one Golden Core cultivator was clearly quite pleased with himself and began boasting about his experience.
Once, when he entered the Fallen Immortal Realm, he had taken over the body of a young boy.
The boy’s clan had been wiped out when he was still young, and his entire family perished tragically, leaving him as the sole survivor.
While struggling just to stay alive, the boy never stopped investigating the mastermind behind the massacre.
One day, he happened upon two cultivators locked in a fight to the death in the mountains. Both ultimately perished. From their corpses, the boy obtained several elixirs and two cultivation techniques, which allowed him to step onto the path of immortality.
Just as he began to see some success, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm and uncovering clues about the massacre, he was possessed by this Golden Core cultivator.
Using the boy’s accumulated clues, the cultivator managed, within the limited time available, to track down the culprit from years past. He then exterminated the killer’s entire family, fulfilling the boy’s long-cherished wish for revenge.
After leaving the Fallen Immortal Realm, the Golden Core cultivator successfully brought out one of the techniques, which later sold for a handsome sum of thirty thousand contribution points.
Hearing this, the others were filled with envy and praised his good fortune.
“So I believe one possible way to bring items out is through exchange,” the cultivator said.
“Since I wanted the boy to give me the technique, I had to help him fulfill his deepest wish.
“His wish was revenge for the massacre, and I accomplished it. In return, he was naturally willing to hand over the technique.”
The Golden Core cultivator, Ji Xingwen, spoke with complete confidence.
Li Fan and the others fell into thoughtful silence after hearing this.
Having obtained the information he wanted, Li Fan waited for the results of the fish-betting game, memorized the appearance of the winning fish, and then hurried back to Myriad Immortals Island.
Inside the Tianxuan Mirror, he cultivated in the boost state while waiting.
Over ten days later, Li Fan inexplicably felt that he could enter the Fallen Immortal Realm again and immediately performed the ritual.
Things unfolded without incident. Just like the previous two times, he possessed Li Chen of the Purple Firmament Sect.
Li Fan followed the exact same actions as last time, like pressing the fast-forward button.
"Junior Brother, wait here for me, I'll be right back!" Zhang Qianmo was already far away by the time his words faded.
This time, Li Fan chose another person to soul-search.
As this was his second time performing the Purple Firmament Soul Observation Art, he was somewhat more proficient, but it still consumed considerable energy.
After browsing through this person's past experiences, he found nothing particularly noteworthy.
His circumstances were quite similar to Liu Tu's: just an ordinary mortal who happened to encounter someone spreading the Immortal Venerable's new methodology, and then embarked on the immortal path and joined the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
However, in his memories, the one spreading the new methodology to the mortals wasn't that ambitious young man who reached Golden Core in ten years, but rather a woman dressed in snow-white clothes, with peerlessly beautiful features.
This woman's cultivation speed was even more outrageous; it was said she had become a Nascent Soul Eminence in just twenty years.
It seems there were quite a few cultivators who personally witnessed the Immortal Venerable transmitting the new methodology and later helped spread it.
Li Fan casually dumped the cultivator onto the ground like a sack of potatoes, then turned his gaze to the center of Ningyuan City.
Some time had passed, but the conflict still hadn't broken out.
After a long while, Zhang Qianmo emerged from the Drunken Immortal Tavern with a satisfied expression, slowly making his way toward the Rebirth Longevity Tree.
Li Fan noticed that Zhang Qianmo had erected a barrier around the tavern's exterior, likely to protect his former lover Chi Xia from the impending confrontation with Song Hesong.
It seems this Senior Brother Zhang is quite the romantic. Li Fan mused inwardly, his eyes glinting with unreadable light. Perhaps this is the angle to exploit for retrieving the Purple Firmament Soul Observation Art.
Boom!
A purple thunderbolt thick as a barrel suddenly descended from the heavens.
Song Hesong's agonized scream instantly echoed throughout Ningyuan City.
Li Fan watched as the city's Life Conversion Array activated at tremendous speed, drawing wisps of azure life force from the mortals and channeling them toward the site of the battle.
"Zhang Qianmo, so what if you're an inner disciple? You're just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Do you truly think I fear you?" Song Hesong's voice rumbled like thunder across the city.
A massive blood-red bell instantly encased Zhang Qianmo.
Song Hesong then reduced countless buildings to rubble with a casual wave.
The commoners trembling inside had no time to scream before their lives were extinguished.
From their remains rose thick, nearly solid crimson auras that shot skyward and gathered around Song Hesong. Within the bloody glow, the faces of the recently slain appeared. They immediately began charging toward Zhang Qianmo, who was trapped within the great bell.
Moments later, Senior Brother Zhang fell into a dazed, motionless state.
This Myriad Souls Divine Refinement Array is truly extraordinary. Li Fan observed. Even with Zhang Qianmo striking first, he still fell to the array's power. A pity it requires mortal lives as fuel, rendering it practically useless in the present day.
Li Fan silently watched as Song Hesong freely harvested the lives of Ningyuan City's inhabitants, transforming them into weapons against his foe.
In moments, the city became a landscape of devastation. Countless mortals perished by Song Hesong's hand.
Only the Drunken Immortal Tavern, protected by Zhang Qianmo's barrier, and Li Fan's current location, remained safe.
As the death toll mounted, half of Zhang Qianmo's skull exploded within the Myriad Souls Divine Refinement Array.
Yet his life force persisted.
Song Hesong's expression shifted exactly as before, but fear was quickly suppressed by greed, and he summoned crimson flames to scorch Zhang Qianmo.
It was only when the Purple Core within his body was revealed that Song Hesong finally sensed something amiss.
With successive palm strikes, he slaughtered Ningyuan City's remaining mortals, summoning their bloody visages to delay his opponent while he fled into the distance. It seemed he had recognized the danger and chosen to escape.
Li Fan narrowed his eyes and hurled Li Chen's spear artifact toward the fleeing figure. Simultaneously, he activated the Purple Firmament Thunder Invocation Art, summoning a bolt of Purple Firmament Divine Lightning aimed at Song Hesong's head.
The divine lightning found its mark, freezing Song Hesong's fleeing form mid-air.
Meanwhile, the spear shot forward like a dragon, trailing threads of purple lightning, poised to impale Song Hesong.
But as a Golden Core cultivator, Song Hesong managed to recover from his paralysis at this critical moment and quickly grabbed the lightning-wreathed spear, stopping it in its tracks.
At that moment, lightning erupted violently from the weapon, causing Song Hesong to release his grip instinctively. The spear instantly slipped from his control and returned to Li Fan's hand.
Song Hesong looked down from above, casting a glance in Li Fan's direction.
Though Li Fan was at the Foundation Establishment realm while Song Hesong was a Golden Core cultivator, he didn't even entertain the thought of fighting back.
He just shot a venomous glare at Li Fan before transforming into a bloody light and fleeing once more.
"Junior Brother, well done!"
Purple light erupted brilliantly as Zhang Qianmo's physical body reformed. The radiance condensed, forming robes around him.
With a single step, he transformed into a bolt of purple lightning, intercepting the bloody light.
Just like before, Zhang Qianmo seized Song Hesong within the bloody light.
"Those who betray the sect will die!"
Purple Firmament Divine Lightning descended from the heavens, striking Song Hesong head-on.
Just like that, a Golden Core cultivator was slain by Zhang Qianmo. He showed no ripple of emotion, as if he had simply slaughtered a chicken or dog.
He flew to Li Fan's side, his aura completely withdrawn.
"This matter is concluded, Junior Brother. Let’s quickly return to the sect.
"Bring these few along as evidence." Zhang Qianmo pointed at the four captured Foundation Establishment cultivators.
As for the countless dead and wounded strewn about the ruins of Ningyuan City, he completely ignored them.
Summoning the Purple Firmament Flying Cloud, he secured the prisoners and ascended to a high altitude.
Just as they were about to depart, Li Fan suddenly knocked the prisoners unconscious and asked, "Senior Brother, what is your view on this new methodology?"
Zhang Qianmo remained silent for a long time before slowly stating, "A heretical method that cannot be considered part of the orthodox ways!"
Li Fan gave a light laugh. "Do you truly believe that, Senior Brother?"
Pointing at the figures lying haphazardly on the purple cloud, Li Fan's tone grew profound. "Senior Brother, look at these people. Let’s not mention comparing them to you or me; they fall far short even when compared to the outer disciples or menial disciples within our mountain gate.
"Their cultivation time is shorter than ours, yet they have reached the Foundation Establishment realm, just like me!"
Zhang Qianmo frowned. "Junior Brother, what exactly are you trying to say?"
Li Fan did not answer directly, instead continuing, "When our thousands upon thousands of junior brothers who have not received the true teachings of our sect learn of the new methodology’s existence, will they still be content with being ordered around by the sect, toiling at trivial and minor tasks without complaint, in the hopes of treading a little further on the immortal path?
"Now, the path of immortality has opened wide, but it does not lead to our Purple Firmament Sect."
Li Fan pointed at the ruined Ningyuan City below. "Today, during Senior Brother's battle with Song Hesong, ordinary mortals were caught in the crossfire, suffering countless casualties.
"After all, there is a divide between immortals and mortals. Mortals are far too weak. In the hands of us cultivators, they have no power to resist.
"But, Senior Brother, do you believe they harbor no resentment at all?
"Those mortals who survived are weak as ants, yet number in the billions.
"If they learned of the new methodology's existence, what choice would they make?
"Your divine might allows you to slaughter four or five cultivators of equal cultivation easily, Senior Brother.
"But if even one-tenth of the mortals in Ningyuan City today had possessed Foundation Establishment cultivation, would you still dare to act so recklessly?"
Zhang Qianmo remained silent.
Li Fan's gaze burned intently, fixed firmly on Zhang Qianmo. "Senior Brother, your comprehension abilities far surpass mine. If even I can think of this, surely you have long understood it."
"Junior Brother..." Zhang Qianmo began to speak, but Li Fan cut him off.
"The rise of the new methodology is unstoppable. Those who follow it will prosper, and those who oppose it will perish. Do you agree, Senior Brother?" Li Fan pressed.
Though he privately held the same view, seeing his junior brother speak so boldly about the matter made Zhang Qianmo's face pale slightly.
Had this junior brother not remained within the mountain gates ever since joining their sect, with this being his first time descending from the mountain, Zhang Qianmo might have suspected he'd already embraced the new methodology.
"Junior Brother, you mustn't speak recklessly..." Zhang Qianmo cautioned. "The decisions regarding this matter should be left to our sect elders."
Li Fan smiled faintly, dropping the subject as abruptly as he'd raised it. "Back on the mountain, I often heard you lament how Miss Chi Xia refused to return to the sect with you because she lacks a spiritual root and cannot cultivate.
"Now that you're aware of the new methodology, I wonder if you have informed Miss Chi Xia about it?"
Though merciless in battle, Zhang Qianmo grew visibly flustered under Li Fan's questioning, stammering and looking thoroughly embarrassed.
"Senior Brother, mortals aren't like us cultivators who can preserve our youth forever.
"Remember how swiftly years pass, how quickly beauty fades. How much time do mortals truly have to waste?
"Can you really bear to watch her grow older day by day, until you become strangers to each other?"
Li Fan fired questions like rapid arrows, each striking deeper than the last, cornering Zhang Qianmo with relentless precision.
After a long silence that seemed filled with violent internal struggle, Zhang Qianmo finally released a heavy sigh.
"Junior Brother, wait here for me. I'll return shortly!"
With these words, he flew straight for Drunken Immortal Tavern below.