Xue Mu still seemed a bit dazed, hesitating.
"Junior..." Ji Hongdao's brow furrowed slightly. "Hmm?"
Xue Mu's body trembled slightly, and he hurriedly said, "I am willing to follow your instructions, Senior."
Only then did Ji Hongdao nod slowly, though the look he gave Xue Mu was not as amiable as the one he had previously shown Li Fan.
"I must make this clear to you both in advance: construction plans for the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Arrays in each province won't officially begin for another year or so.
"Although some grotto-heavens have already started deploying them gradually, for the sake of fairness in the grand competition, I will wait until the competition begins a year from now before applying to have you transferred in.
As if remembering something, Ji Hongdao looked at Li Fan and added, "I won't restrict your freedom over the course of the next year. Go wherever you wish.
"The Tianyu Province and surrounding three provinces are home to many wondrous and extraordinary sights. For cultivators like us, observing them can be greatly beneficial for cultivation.
"You haven't had the chance to visit any since you arrived in Tianyu Province, have you? This is the perfect time to take a proper tour.
"Just be sure to return promptly once you receive my message." Ji Hongdao suggested with a smile.
Seeing the unspoken words written plainly across Li Fan’s face, he chuckled and said, "Don't worry too much. What happened to Tantai Tao and the others will not happen again."
A thought stirred in Li Fan's mind, but he said nothing more. "In that case, thank you, Senior!"
"Alright, you two may go. I've been spending quite a long time with you juniors now, I'm a bit tired." Having finished giving his instructions, Ji Hongdao waved a hand to dismiss them.
Both Li Fan and Xue Mu bowed respectfully before leaving the Cosmos Branch Academy.
"Li... Fellow Daoist, do you have any plans for the year?" Xue Mu asked somewhat stiffly within Tianyu City.
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Xue, there's no need to be nervous." Li Fan looked at Xue Mu with a kindly expression and replied, "A year is both a long time and a short time. If one goes into seclusion, it passes in the blink of an eye. If one travels extensively, one could probably tour all four provinces.
"Cultivation isn't about rushing things. On the contrary, this is a rare opportunity. I intend to follow Senior Ji's suggestion and travel around the nearby provinces.
"What about you, Fellow Daoist Xue? I sense that your aura is fluctuating and unsettled. It seems you are on the verge of a breakthrough?" Li Fan asked instead.
Xue Mu was startled. "Fellow Daoist, your perception is sharp. I’m surprised you could tell. To be honest, during this period of closed-door training, though it was somewhat arduous, I also gained some insights. The bottleneck that had trapped me in the Foundation Establishment realm has naturally dissolved. I can break through to the Golden Core realm at any time now."
"Then I must truly congratulate you, Fellow Daoist!" Li Fan also wore an expression of great happiness.
Perhaps it was because they were one of the few remaining people from the Congyun Sea, which naturally fostered a sense of closeness. Or perhaps it was because Xue Mu was poor at socializing and hadn't communicated much with anyone during the closed training, having bottled things up for too long.
For whatever reason, Xue Mu suddenly opened the floodgates, pouring out his grievances to Li Fan.
“Ah, Fellow Daoist, you wouldn't know. Back in the Congyun Sea, reaching the Golden Core realm at just over forty would have left me completely satisfied.
“But after coming to Tianyu Province and seeing so many outstanding talents, most achieving Golden Core with two laws, some even three, I can't help but feel dissatisfied with a mere Single-Law Golden Core.
“The problem is, I only have a year of free time remaining. Comprehending another core formation law within a single year may be a bit beyond me.”
As Xue Mu spoke, a conflicted expression appeared on his face.
Li Fan, however, smiled. "Ah, so that is what troubles you, Fellow Daoist.
"I have a method that might help you overcome this hurdle. Would you be willing to try it?"
Xue Mu was slightly stunned, then overjoyed. "Please share your guidance, Fellow Daoist!"
Li Fan did not keep him in suspense, speaking slowly. "Fellow Daoist, are you aware that in the neighboring Tianyun Province, there is a wonder known as the Mortal to Spirit Transformation Wall?"
"Mortal... to Spirit Transformation?" Xue Mu's eyes lit up, but he shook his head gently.
"This projection wall records a scene from ancient times, where a mortal underwent Spirit Transformation and ascended to the heavens in a single step.
"When this scene reappears on the wall, it resonates with the laws of heaven and earth, accompanied by countless astonishing phenomena.
"Not long ago, a cultivator even comprehended the Great Dao there, ultimately achieving a Five-Law Golden Core! Fellow Daoist, I can see that your aptitude and comprehension are both extraordinary. Why not try your luck?"
Xue Mu's face was now filled with excitement. "There is truly such a miraculous object? Heaven aids me! Tianyun Province, you say? I shall go there at once!"
He took several steps before appearing to remember something. Turning back, he asked somewhat sheepishly, "Fellow Daoist Li Fan, would you like to accompany me?"
"I have other arrangements. Do not trouble yourself over me, Fellow Daoist. Please, go ahead."
Xue Mu bowed solemnly. "Regardless of whether this journey yields any harvest, I, Xue, will never forget your guidance and kindness."
Heh heh, those words are enough. Li Fan thought to himself.
Waving a hand dismissively, he said, "It was just a casual remark. Do not take it too seriously, Fellow Daoist."
Yet, judging by Xue Mu's expression, he had already firmly committed Li Fan's kindness to memory.
In these times, honest folk with decent aptitude like him are rare indeed. Li Fan couldn't help but sigh, watching Xue Mu's receding figure.
This barely counts as half a crop. Better than nothing.
The five elements as the foundation. Heaven-Scorning and Ink Death as the edge.
Almost any cultivator below Spirit Transformation can gain some insight from observing the Mortal to Spirit Transformation wonder.
Xue Mu’s face was flushed red, muttering something under his breath as he sprinted straight towards the Dao Transmission Plaza in Tianyu City.
The whole sequence of Li Fan declining Xue Mu’s invitation with a smile, followed by Xue Mu not insisting, was an act that had to be performed. Some things could not be stated bluntly.
After Xue Mu left Tianyu City, Li Fan took a teleportation array and arrived at Liangqu City on the border of Tianyu Province.
From his previous research, this was a relatively desolate and sparsely populated area within Tianyu Province.
Concealing his form, Li Fan flew close to the ground for two days before finally finding a suitable hiding place.
Beneath a narrow, slit-like canyon, Li Fan followed his usual routine, excavating a secret chamber within the mountain and then sealing the entrance.
This secluded cultivation session away from home was precisely to escape the gaze of the Tianxuan Mirror and test the divine ability he had envisioned, the Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword.
A long time later, Li Fan, who had already simulated it countless times in his mind, opened his eyes.
Golden Core power circulated, and the five elements mutually generated. A ceaselessly churning vortex of power surged from his dantian.
A flicker of madness passed through his left eye, while a trace of profound darkness surfaced in his right.
The swirling power of the five elements slowly coalesced before these two forces that could annihilate all things.
Li Fan pointed a single finger gently toward the ground. A beam of pitch-black light blossomed from his fingertip and shot downward.