It seemed Huangfu Song had grown accustomed to Li Fan's habit of knowing more than he should, and seeing further than most.
That Li Fan could pose such an obscure and peculiar question didn’t surprise him in the slightest. Instead, he snorted and retorted, “What’s the point of asking me? You’ll find out for yourself in a moment.”
Li Fan wasn’t bothered by Huangfu Song’s sharp reply.
Based on his limited understanding, since the Tianxuan Mirror was intricately connected to the ancient Xuantian Sect’s treasure, the Xuantian Treasure Mirror, it was highly probable that the Spirit-Transforming Stone and the Immortal-Severing Stone were, in fact, the same thing.
Huangfu Song’s words, though blunt, had inadvertently hit the mark.
Li Fan had previously worked with Immortal-Severing Stone within the Fallen Immortal Realm. Once he laid eyes on the Spirit-Transforming Stone later, he would naturally know if the two were identical.
The Searing Wastes of Ten Thousand Li truly lived up to its name—a region of scorched earth stretching for ten thousand li.
Throughout several days of swift flight, all Li Fan witnessed from the Dust-Crossing Boat was a monotonous, desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape.
An enduring, oppressive heat dominated the heavens and earth, with no trace of any other life.
Throughout the journey, explosive molten fires would periodically erupt from the ground without warning. Like dark-red dragons leaping from an abyss, they churned and destabilized the surrounding space.
Faced with such terrifying phenomena, the Dust-Crossing Boat had no choice but to detour around them.
The danger wasn’t solely from below. Lethal threats could descend from above at any moment.
Without rhyme or reason, streaking meteors and falling fire would suddenly rain down from the sky. Their collisions with the ground unleashed terrifying, world-obliterating energy.
Li Fan once witnessed a massive fireball plummet in the distance. The resulting shockwave, accompanied by a torrent of searing flame, buffeted the Dust-Crossing Boat like duckweed in a gale, sending it spiraling out of control.
What kind of cursed place is this...
Within the Searing Wastes of Ten Thousand Li, danger lurked with every step. A moment’s inattention meant death. Witnessing such a treacherous land for the first time, even Li Fan felt a weight settle in his heart.
Fortunately, Huangfu Song was an experienced helmsman who had been here before. After a total of five tense days, the group arrived at their destination, shaken but unharmed.
There was no need for Huangfu Song to announce it. Li Fan had known long before they got there—the Spirit-Transforming Ravine was impossible to miss against the endless backdrop of red wastes.
A slender, winding, green-colored trench cut abruptly across the crimson earth, like a scar gouged deep into the world’s flesh.
The seemingly all-consuming molten fire witnessed along the journey spewed forth continuously, assailing the green chasm. Yet, the moment they drew near, they underwent an instantaneous transformation from crimson to green, shifting from molten fire into streams of dark green energy that shot high into the sky.
“Be careful. It might get a bit bumpy from here on out.” Just as the Dust-Crossing Boat plunged into the Spirit-Transforming Ravine, Huangfu Song’s “helpful” warning suddenly rang in Li Fan’s ears.
Before the words faded, the speeding vessel instantly lost all power. Even its forward momentum vanished. It simply began to fall toward the chasm’s depths.
And Li Fan felt it—the Ravine’s unstoppable power that snuffed out all spiritual qi.
In an instant, he became no different from a mortal. His heart seemed to leap into his throat during the rapid descent.
Inside the Dust-Crossing Boat, muffled cries of alarm rose and fell in succession.
Just as Li Fan was almost certain the boat would be destroyed and everyone aboard would perish, a powerful gust of air inexplicably shot up from the depths of the Spirit-Transforming Ravine, meeting the falling Dust-Crossing Boat.
As if struck by a gale, the boat rocked violently, its speed gradually slowing.
When the air current vanished, the Dust-Crossing Boat came to a precarious, shuddering halt.
"Everyone, out."
At Huangfu Song's command, the group disembarked and gathered on the deck.
"Hahaha! Brother Huangfu! It's been too long!" A hearty laugh rang out abruptly.
Moments later, a lean, bare-chested man leapt up from below, landing squarely on the Dust-Crossing Boat with a heavy thud .
The impact was immense, causing the entire vessel to tremble slightly.
"Brother Dongfang! It has been too long!" Huangfu Song's plump face instantly creased into a wide smile as he stepped forward warmly to embrace the man called Dongfang.
"Twenty-three years have passed since we parted at the Thousand-Leaf Book Forest. Brother Dongfang, your bearing is as impressive as ever, undiminished by the years!"
After they separated, Huangfu Song looked Dongfang over, clicking his tongue in admiration.
"I cannot compare to you, Brother Huangfu. Your cultivation has advanced to a profound level; it fills me with envy!" Dongfang replied without the slightest restraint, patting Huangfu Song's ample belly and laughing.
Huangfu Song showed no trace of annoyance. "The feeling is mutual!"
While the two exchanged greetings, Li Fan covertly observed this cultivator named Dongfang.
Li Fan could sense no spiritual qi fluctuations from him. His leap from the deep ravine below onto the Dust-Crossing Boat seemed to have been accomplished purely with physical strength.
Though his frame appeared somewhat slender, the sharply defined lines of his muscles hinted at the explosive power they contained within.
This was the first time Li Fan had encountered someone with such a formidable physique.
"Brother Huangfu, do rest here for a few days. The grand array will be completed in half a month at most," Dongfang said to Huangfu Song.
After that, he let out a strange cry.
Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling it sounded vaguely familiar.
Abruptly, the "ground" upon which the Dust-Crossing Boat rested began to shake.
A deep, resonant call echoed from the earth itself.
Then, this expanse of earth began to move. It flew downward, diving deeper into the Spirit-Transforming Ravine.
This is... a Realm-Splitting Whale? Li Fan's mind reeled.
Amidst the astonished exclamations of the others on the boat, he finally saw clearly that what was carrying the Dust-Crossing Boat was not earth at all, but a colossal, black exotic beast.
Judging by its appearance, it bore an extremely close resemblance to the Realm-Splitting Whales Li Fan had once seen, which were used to seal off minor mortal worlds.
That air current that halted the boat's fall earlier seems to have been emitted by this beast as well. Li Fan mused, observing thoughtfully as the giant creature dove deeper.
Not a Realm-Splitting Whale. It's much smaller. They just look somewhat similar.
The Spirit-Transforming Ravine seemed bottomless. The great beast descended for a long time, yet still did not reach the ground.
Bluish stones were visible throughout the cliff walls on either side, exposed and jutting from the rock. Cultivators clad in peculiar garments hovered in mid-air, wielding hammers and chisels made of some unknown material as they mined these Spirit-Transforming Stones.
They also passed the occasional array master in standard Myriad Immortals Alliance uniform, who appeared completely unaffected by the Spirit-Transforming Stone and moved about with their spiritual power unhindered.
But at the end of the day, the Spirit-Transforming Ravine was not truly a bottomless abyss. Roughly half a day later, accompanied by a joyful cry from the whale-like beast, the group finally reached the ravine's floor.
A river of deep, verdant green cut across the chasm.