After leaving Yinyin Island, Su Changyu’s spirits were high, and it took him a long while to calm himself.
I never imagined that this journey would lead to such a strange encounter.
Although there was still a long way to go before Foundation Establishment, he was now filled with a powerful drive to cultivate. He could hardly wait to reach the final-stage Qi Refinement realm and achieve Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.
Once I establish my Self Foundation, my cultivation speed should finally catch up to Xiao Heng and Xiaomei. Su Changyu thought to himself.
Quickly identifying his bearings, he flew straight toward the desolate island.
***
Within the Tianxuan Mirror...
Li Fan recalled the scenes he had just witnessed through Su Changyu, his brow slightly furrowed.
So Su Changyu also ended up at Yin Shangren’s place and learned the secrets related to Self Foundation. It seems the subtle guidance from heaven and earth I sensed previously was indeed real.
Li Fan was rather hopeful that Su Changyu would succeed in establishing a Self Foundation in this lifetime.
However, Li Fan’s main concern now was Yin Shangren’s condition.
In Anchor Year 13 of the twelfth lifetime, when Li Fan first met Yin Shangren, his hair was still streaked with black and white. Now, in Anchor Year 25, just twelve years later, his hair had turned completely white.
Such accelerated aging was completely abnormal for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, indicating that Yin Shangren’s expenditure of mental and spiritual energy over these years had been immense.
What gave Li Fan further pause was that all the experimental subjects on Yinyin Island, along with the many treasures Yin Shangren had once cherished, had been utterly destroyed. And Yin Shangren seemed not to care in the slightest.
Or rather, he had likely been the one to destroy them.
Recalling the sudden flames that had erupted on the island and Yin Shangren’s increasingly deranged expression, a thought stirred in Li Fan’s mind.
Does he intend to kill himself?
To test his suspicion, Li Fan left the Tianxuan Mirror and sped toward Yinyin Island.
When he arrived, the square building had, as expected, been reduced to ruins. The fire had burned everything thoroughly.
Li Fan searched the area but found nothing of value.
Standing silently above the wreckage, Li Fan frowned.
Why? Yin Shangren should have been researching the secrets of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma all these years.
What could he have discovered that would drive him to thoughts of suicide?
It was important to remember that a cultivator’s will to survive was hundreds, even thousands, of times stronger than that of a mortal. Cases of cultivators taking their own lives were exceedingly rare.
Was it a genuine suicide, or was he forced into it?
Yin Shangren’s previous, somewhat manic words surfaced in Li Fan’s memory:
.....
“Aren’t you curious to know how a mortal plague could possibly infect a cultivator? If we could uncover the origin of this mutation, perhaps we could eradicate the Immortal-Mortal Miasma at its source!
“When that happens, I will be remembered as a great figure by the entire cultivation world!”
.....
Li Fan’s expression grew solemn. I once thought he was unlikely to discover anything significant, being just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. So I dismissed him. I never thought that he would actually make some progress.
Perhaps I should pay closer attention to him in the next lifetime. Li Fan pondered silently.
He took one last look at the ruins of Yinyin Island and was about to leave when he suddenly paused.
A cool sea breeze swept across the charred ground. Amidst the blackened debris, a glimmer of crystalline white light suddenly caught his eye.
Li Fan flew closer and retrieved the glowing object: a familiar-looking white rib bone.
It seemed to be the very rib of the first cultivator infected with Immortal-Mortal Miasma, the object Yin Shangren had valued above all else in life.
Yin Shangren himself had turned to ash in those raging flames, yet this single rib bone had survived completely intact.
Many had fought over it, and it was easy to see why. It clearly possessed secrets of its own.
Li Fan casually stuffed it into his storage ring.
Returning to Myriad Immortals Island, he asked the Tianxuan Mirror to appraise it.
Yet, the result he received was: "Cultivator's remains. Valued at 1 contribution point."
So, it's only valuable to a specific group of people. Li Fan shook his head and put the rib bone away again.
He then observed the situation of the various prodigies.
Xiao Heng has reached Cloudwater Palace. However, he hasn't entered even after a long time. Instead, he stands outside, looking up at that enormous azure structure suspended in the sky. Who knows what he’s contemplating?
Su Xiaomei and the other two seem to be not far from the Chaoyuan Sect ruins now.
It’s almost time for the next harvest.
Within Li Fan's dantian, two Tribulation Bodies had fully formed, and the faint shadow of a third was gradually taking shape.
The cultivation I've absorbed can be converted without loss once I break through to the Golden Core realm. If I accumulate enough Tribulation Bodies, I might advance again immediately upon reaching Golden Core.
Li Fan couldn't help but reveal a joyful expression like that of an old farmer.
But as for He Zhenghao... Why hasn't there been any cultivation feedback from him over this period?
The distance was too great; he could no longer perceive his current situation with Formless Killing Mechanism.
Li Fan thought for a moment and sent him a message, inquiring about recent updates.
He received an automated reply: "Currently in closed training at the Garrison Command. Unable to respond. Apologies."
So Fellow Daoist He has already entered the Garrison Command?
Based on the time, it had been nearly three years since He Zhenghao took up his post.
Jingxuan is indeed reliable. The contribution points weren't wasted.
Once the array training in Tianyu Province is over, the Congyun Sea will likely be gone. I'll go directly to Tianyun Province then and meet up with Fellow Daoist He.
Just as Li Fan was privately making plans for the future, Su Xiaomei and her two companions had already arrived at Thousand Li Swamp, the site of the Chaoyuan Sect ruins.
Having finally reached their destination, Su Xiaomei looked excitedly at the rather spectacular cluster of buildings not far away, wishing she could dive into the ruins right away.
Zhang Haobo, however, was puzzled. "Wasn’t it said that the ruins have attracted many cultivators trying to uncover its secrets? Why is the road so deserted? Where is everyone?"
Shuo Feng also frowned. "It is strange. But no need to overthink it. We'll know once we get closer."
Arriving at the entrance to the Chaoyuan Sect ruins, they found that it wasn't as bustling as the rumors suggested.
Some cultivators lingered hesitantly, unwilling to enter yet unable to bring themselves to leave.
After making a few inquiries, they learned why the once-lively ruins had become like this.
It turned out that just seven days prior, something truly terrifying had happened in the Chaoyuan Sect ruins, which was previously believed to hold little danger.
A Golden Core cultivator who had come seeking opportunities had vanished without a trace.
When he reappeared, he had become like those phantoms that occasionally manifested within the ruins.
He had turned into a figure brimming with utter despair, frantically dashing through the Chaoyuan Sect ruins, desperately seeking a way to regain his original form.
But though others could see and hear him, it was as if this Golden Core cultivator had been cast into another world entirely. No matter what he did, he could not interact with the people and objects of reality, nor could he ever leave the confines of the Chaoyuan Sect ruins.