"In truth, compared to the grotto-heavens currently undergoing five elements convergence, the newly-born Five Elements Grotto-Heavens in the void region of Tianling Province seem even more significant.
"A place that was originally a desolate, forgotten backwater has suddenly become a critical strategic location, sealed tight by the Garrison Command.
"It's said that several Dao Unity guardians have been dispatched to secure it."
Huangfu Song added with a sigh.
Hearing this, Li Fan nodded inwardly.
Based on logic, it was nearly impossible for two Five Elements Grotto-Heavens to emerge successively in the same region.
Yet it had truly happened, something mere coincidence could not explain.
Could it be that the void region of Tianling Province has the conditions to nurture Five Elements Grotto-Heavens?
At this thought, Li Fan's mind grew active.
In Anchor Year 9, when I first entered the cultivation world, the wood attribute grotto-heaven among the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens had already been discovered.
Forming my Nascent Soul using the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens without alerting the Myriad Immortals Alliance will be extraordinarily difficult.
While I do not fear making the attempt, it will inevitably waste many simulation cycles.
Until recently, that void region of the Tianling Province was a blind spot overlooked by the Myriad Immortals Alliance ever since the original Five Elements Grotto-Heavens were relocated over twenty years ago.
Moreover, a power capable of nurturing the five elements... its level might even surpass the five elements themselves...
In my next cycle, I can pursue both paths, then choose the superior one.
Li Fan sank into contemplation.
Huangfu Song, mistaking Li Fan's silence for shock, smiled slightly and drifted away, not wishing to disturb him.
When it came to truly urgent matters, the Myriad Immortals Alliance's efficiency immediately skyrocketed.
A day later, Huangfu Song received orders to proceed at once to Zhuoyang Immortal City. Someone was already waiting there.
Not daring to delay, Huangfu Song led his subordinates, piloted the Dust-Crossing Boat out from the Spirit-Transforming Ravine, and headed straight for Zhuoyang Immortal City.
On the return journey, the group's luck held. The normally volatile Searing Wastes of Ten Thousand Li were uncharacteristically calm. Thus, they took only two and a half days to reach their destination.
Zhuoyang Immortal City, Dao Transmission Plaza.
"Fellow Daoist Qi! A pleasure, a true pleasure!" Huangfu Song greeted a rather handsome, white-robed female cultivator ahead with a beaming smile.
Li Fan also observed this female cultivator named Qi Buyi.
There was a masculine sharpness to her features, and according to Huangfu Song's earlier account, though she was just a Nascent Soul cultivator, she enjoyed considerable favor with Chief Lu Xichan.
Many affairs of the Strategy Array Hall were managed single-handedly by her. And she never disappointed Chief Lu. All matters were always handled with perfect order, without error.
"Fellow Daoist Huangfu, is everyone assembled? We should depart without delay," Qi Buyi said after the pleasantries.
Huangfu Song nodded in agreement, and the group proceeded to the foot of the Heavenly Venerable’s statue, where the entrance of the ultra-long-range teleportation array was located.
Qi Buyi had clearly made prior arrangements. The guard, upon seeing Qi Buyi leading the group, performed only a perfunctory inspection before waving them through.
The next moment, they arrived in that space suffused with silvery light, where a miniature cloud-like representation of the Xuanhuang World was suspended.
Qi Buyi held a jade token, selecting their destination.
"Senior Huangfu, why is this ultra-long-range teleportation array established within the Heavenly Venerable statue’s body?
"A perfectly good statue, hollowed out like that. Isn't that a great disrespect to the great Heavenly Venerable Dao Teacher himself?"
During the lull as the ultra-long-range teleportation array powered up, Li Fan transmitted these questions to Huangfu Song.
Huangfu Song's face darkened, and he shot Li Fan a sidelong glance.
"Haha, young friend, don't overthink it. The Heavenly Venerable has long since attained eternal life, transcending worldly concerns.
"Why would he care about such trivialities?
"However, it is said that this ultra-long-range teleportation array was designed this way from the very beginning of its construction. As for the reason, I'm afraid only the Dao Imparter in charge of the project back then would know.”
Even though he somewhat dismissed Li Fan's question, Huangfu Song had seemed to remember something and added an explanation.
Dao Imparter? This was the first time Li Fan had encountered this term.
His mind stirred slightly, but he showed nothing on the surface.
The ultra-long-range teleportation array activated. Amidst the distorted, elongated, fantastical scenery, Li Fan pondered the matter of the Dao Imparter that Huangfu Song had inadvertently revealed.
Taken literally, the words were easy to explain.
But when connected to the Heavenly Venerable Dao Teacher, they became far from simple.
A Dao Imparter. Whose Dao did they impart?
Naturally, it was the Heavenly Venerable's new methodology that defied the principles of heaven and earth.
Two figures suddenly flashed through Li Fan's mind.
One was a spirited young man, the other a young woman in snow-white robes.
They both came from the memories Li Fan had extracted via the Purple Firmament Soul Observation Art from several Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators who had besieged Zhang Qianmo back in the Fallen Immortal Realm.
The young man had formed his Golden Core in ten years, while the young woman had reached the Nascent Soul realm in twenty.
They were cultivators fortunate enough to have witnessed the Heavenly Venerable imparting his Dao firsthand, and they were also the first beneficiaries of the new methodology.
They had voluntarily traveled the land, preaching and spreading the new methodology on behalf of the Heavenly Venerable.
The Myriad Immortals Alliance had also been formed by this group.
Previously, Li Fan had been uncertain whether any of these people could have survived from the calamity-ridden ancient times to the present day.
Today, Huangfu Song's unintentional remark had allowed Li Fan to confirm it.
Many of those original Dao Imparters were indeed still alive in the world.
Moreover, they held positions of authority within the Myriad Immortals Alliance's key structures.
Before, I speculated that the Tianxuan Mirror might be the true master of the Myriad Immortals Alliance. But now it seems the Dao Imparters are the holders of power behind the Alliance.
Hmm? Wait.
Li Fan suddenly paused mid-thought.
Tianxuan Soul-Locking.
Perhaps...
Just as he seemed on the verge of brushing the truth of the matter, they arrived at their destination.
A powerful wave of vertigo assaulted him, shattering his train of thought.
Clearly, many others in Huangfu Song's group were also relatively inexperienced with ultra-long-range teleportation arrays.
Caught off guard, they staggered and nearly fell to the ground, looking rather disheveled.
Qi Buyi showed no unusual expression, simply retrieving Body-Cleansing Dust-Sweeping Pills from her robes with professional efficiency and distributing them to everyone.
Li Fan committed that flash of insight firmly to memory and swallowed the pill.
The pill, glowing with an azure light, dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth.
Its effects were remarkably swift. Moments later, the physical discomfort vanished completely.
With Qi Buyi taking the lead, the group once again took the teleportation array at Tianshu Province’s plaza to reach Zhupi City.
She then personally summoned a Dust-Crossing Boat, boarded everyone, and set course for the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens.
Upon stepping into the cabin, Li Fan immediately noticed the difference between this Dust-Crossing Boat and the one Huangfu Song had used before.
The hull completely isolated the interior from the world outside; once inside, he lost all perception of the external environment.
Even though the boat was currently flying at tremendous speed, Li Fan felt as if he were residing in a perfectly still manor. He couldn't sense the slightest change outside. Neither his eyes nor his divine sense could pierce through the vessel.