Zhang Qianmo's promise to "return shortly" had proven rather optimistic. Three full days and nights passed without any sign of him.
Li Fan stood atop the Purple Firmament Flying Cloud, idly observing the ruins of Ningyuan City below.
The battle between Zhang Qianmo and Song Hesong, both Golden Core cultivators, had reduced most of the city to rubble.
The mortals who survived this senseless catastrophe had cried themselves hoarse, and their eyes were were vacant with confusion.
"Master Bai has said that those who still have strength are to gather here! Let's work together to dig out any survivors!”
"Those with minor injuries, help collect water and food...”
"Bring the seriously wounded to the temple! Master Bai will treat them there!"
Just as despair threatened to consume the survivors, shouts began echoing throughout Ningyuan City.
Li Fan listened with interest.
The voices belonged to children no older than ten or twelve. Dressed in tattered clothes and thin as reeds, they nevertheless displayed remarkable wisdom and resourcefulness beyond their years.
Their youthful cries pierced the darkness like the first light of dawn.
As if finding their backbone, the people gradually shook off their numbness and bewilderment. Soon, they began organizing rescue efforts with methodical efficiency.
Watching this scene unfold, Li Fan was abruptly reminded of his own experience after his first meeting with Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi, when he'd organized rescue efforts in the devastated Xuanjing City.
As he lost himself in these memories, spiritual qi fluctuations began emanating from Drunken Immortal Tavern.
It seems Miss Chi Xia has successfully guided qi into her body. Li Fan mused silently.
Sure enough, shortly after noon, Zhang Qianmo returned. Though his expression remained placid, the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Junior Brother!" Zhang Qianmo called out.
"Congratulations on resolving this matter, Senior Brother!" Li Fan smiled. "Will Miss Chi Xia not be returning to the mountain with us?"
Zhang Qianmo waved a hand. "We should wait for the sect leader's decision first. Having waited this long, a little longer won't matter."
He snorted coldly. "Frankly, I doubt the old fossils in our sect will readily accept this so-called new methodology anytime soon."
Li Fan nodded in agreement.
With only three or four days remaining in the Fallen Immortal Realm, Li Fan decided against returning immediately. He wanted to seize this opportunity to visit the Purple Firmament Sect. Witnessing the splendor of an immortal cultivation sect was something he had long dreamed of.
Unfortunately, the Purple Firmament Sect's mountain gate was quite far from Ningyuan City.
A little more than halfway through the journey, Li Fan noticed the surrounding scenery growing hazy. Sights and sounds faded away. And moments later, his consciousness returned to the Tianxuan Mirror.
Heat surged within his skull, causing a tingling pain.
Li Fan frowned momentarily, then his expression brightened with realization.
Concentrating slightly, he found the complete contents of the Purple Firmament Soul Observation Art in his mind. It was crystal clear, without a single word missing.
So the method of equivalent exchange truly works.
This was an applied art of the soul, not a cultivation technique. Therefore, there was no notification about the number of current practitioners.
Drawing from his experiences in the Fallen Immortal Realm, Li Fan mastered it completely without much difficulty.
With this soul-searching art secured, all that remains for Zhou Qing'ang to retrieve those fifty top-grade spirit stones.
After purchasing some items from the Tianxuan Mirror to prepare for all contingencies, Li Fan went back to cultivating while patiently waiting.
Seven days later, he sensed that Zhou Qing'ang had once again altered his appearance and left Tai’an Island.
Li Fan quickly departed from Myriad Immortals Island, concealed his form, and hurried toward Zhou Qing'ang's location.
The place where Zhou Qing'ang was retrieving the spirit stones from wasn’t unfamiliar to Li Fan—it was the Myriad Vault on Youlan Island, where he had obtained He Zhenghao's legacy, the Detailed Explanations of the Hundred Veins Array Diagram , in his twelfth life.
Instead of following him inside, Li Fan lay in ambush outside.
Before long, Zhou Qing'ang flew out of Youlan Island, taking no action to hide his presence. He then headed toward a remote region of the sea, likely intending to revert to his original appearance.
This suited Li Fan's plans perfectly, and he followed discreetly from a distance.
With Formless Killing Mechanism tracking and monitoring him, no matter what tricks Zhou Qing'ang pulled, he couldn't shake Li Fan's pursuit.
After most of the day had passed, Zhou Qing'ang finally lowered his guard. He dove to the bottom of the sea and resumed his original form behind some debris within the ruins.
Feeling the top-grade spirit stones in his storage ring, worth fifty thousand contribution points, Zhou Qing'ang planned to make his way to Myriad Immortals Island to repay his debts right away.
However, the moment he surfaced, he was horrified to discover that his body had suddenly turned stiff. He had lost all control over it.
The deafening clang of a copper gong then erupted right above his head.
Dizziness overwhelmed him, and his ears rang with a roaring tinnitus.
Damn it!
That was the only thought that flashed through his mind before he was knocked unconscious.
Li Fan revealed himself, grabbed Zhou Qing'ang, and dove back to the seafloor. He found a structure within the ruins, casually set up some arrays around it, and entered.
He threw the now unconscious and defenseless Zhou Qing'ang onto the ground. Then, he retrieved thirteen Frostiron nails from his storage ring and drove them into Zhou Qing'ang's body.
Only then did Li Fan begin to employ the Purple Firmament Soul Observation Art.
Zhou Qing'ang's body convulsed violently as images flickered rapidly before Li Fan's eyes.
Establishing his Dao Foundation with a Seven-Apertures Exquisite Heart, altering his features through Visage Follows the Heart...
So that's how it is. No wonder he managed to infiltrate the Myriad Immortals Alliance as a spy; he certainly has some skills.
Li Fan felt a surge of delight.
Just as he began to delve deeper into Zhou Qing'ang's soul to uncover information about his handler and the organization he served, he seemed to trigger some kind of seal.
A terrifying destructive force erupted from the depths of Zhou Qing'ang's soul.
Li Fan's expression changed, and he immediately withdrew his divine sense. Yet, he could not stop this force from ravaging Zhou Qing'ang's soul.
"AHH!"
Even in his unconscious state, Zhou Qing'ang let out an agonized scream.
Then, Li Fan watched as his soul was erased in an instant.
Though his vital aura remained, he had become an empty shell, like a walking corpse.
A countermeasure for confidentiality...
Li Fan was not particularly surprised by this.
What a pity. I couldn't uncover more secrets.
After pondering for a moment, Li Fan erased all traces of the array he had previously set up.
Then, carrying Zhou Qing'ang's body, he traveled hundreds of li away.
He chose an area of the sea teeming with fish and threw Zhou Qing'ang's body toward them.
Though his soul had vanished, the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator emanating from his body instinctively terrified these sea creatures. They all kept their distance, lacking the courage to treat this body as food.
Seeing this, Li Fan activated Formless Killing Mechanism and targeted the strongest fish in the school.
Then he retreated another hundred li and activated Formless Killing Mechanism once more, this time targeting Zhou Qing'ang.