This...
The memory of Li Fan’s audacious, life-staking declaration in the Roaring Abyss was still vivid in his mind. And yet, this cultivator who was so ambitious, so clearly backed by formidable forces, had died with startling abruptness.
All he had managed to leave behind was an incomplete final will.
At the thought, Huangfu Song first felt a wave of emotion, followed swiftly by doubt.
That fellow... he never struck me as someone who would die so easily...
Narrowing his eyes, he stepped forward and carefully examined Li Fan’s body once more.
After a moment, he exhaled softly.
He’s truly dead.
Huangfu Song’s expression grew complicated.
In that case, this may be for the best. It saves the higher-ups from the trouble of deliberating over what to do with you.
His gaze shifted to the storage ring on Li Fan’s finger. Recalling the contents of the man’s will, a faint flutter rose in his chest.
“In my years of cultivation, less than a century in all, I have only made two or three true friends.
He Zhenghao is one. Xue Mu is one. Huangfu Song counts for half.
Though my body perishes, I leave behind one million contribution points, one Rebirth Longevity Fruit, and some spirit stones and artifacts.
Fellow Daoists, you may divide them as you see fit.”
That guy’s wealth is terrifying. Huangfu Song thought inwardly
A million contribution points is one thing—but a Rebirth Longevity Fruit... that’s truly priceless.
A flicker of greed passed through his eyes, and for a brief instant, the thought of keeping it all for himself arose.
Just then, loud voices and cries of grief erupted outside the chamber.
“Fellow Daoist Li Fan! How could you die so suddenly? How am I ever to repay the kindness you once showed me?!”
A figure rushed in, quickly examined the body, and after confirming the truth, threw himself atop it, clutching it tightly as he wailed.
The man wore the uniform of the Garrison Battalion. The cultivator with him was someone Huangfu Song recognized: Daoist Jingxuan, the Garrison Battalion Commander of Tianyun Province.
A former direct subordinate of Lv Junyi, Jingxuan had risen rapidly after Lv Junyi’s promotion to Chief Commander of the Myriad Immortals Alliance Garrison.
Though Jingxuan outranked him, the Garrison Battalion and the Strategy Array Hall were separate departments. Huangfu Song felt no real pressure.
Still, he offered a courteous bow.
Jingxuan returned it with a slight nod, glanced at Li Fan’s body, and let out a quiet sigh.
With the Garrison Battalion now involved, Huangfu Song’s fleeting scheme to monopolize Li Fan’s assets ended before it began.
Following protocol, the contents of Li Fan’s storage ring were inspected. Nothing out of the ordinary was found.
The assets were then divided evenly between Huangfu Song and He Zhenghao.
As for Xue Mu, Huangfu Song reported that the man had recently attempted to defect to the Five Elders Council. He had been apprehended on the spot and executed shortly thereafter.
Jingxuan verified the claim and found it accurate, so he asked no further questions.
Li Fan's life savings amounted to 1,680,000 contribution points.
He Zhenghao received a flat one million, and the remaining contribution points went to Huangfu Song.
That Rebirth Longevity Fruit was allocated to Huangfu Song, while the remaining assortment of spirit stones and artifacts was allotted to He Zhenghao. Aside from one Array-Breaking Disc, the other items weren't of great value.
Both Huangfu Song and He Zhenghao were quite satisfied with the division of assets.
After personally witnessing Li Fan’s body being cremated, the two men went their separate ways.
Upon returning to Tianyun Province, He Zhenghao, who obtained this windfall out of nowhere, found himself caught between grief and bewilderment.
Once more, his thoughts drifted back to the contents of Li Fan’s final letter.
“...There is one matter I have always kept from you, Fellow Daoist.
In truth, I am not originally a cultivator of Yuandao Province, but a mortal from a minor world known as the Li World.
Thinking back, it was you, Fellow Daoist He, who helped smuggle me here from the Li World.
Hah—though I imagine you wouldn’t care to remember those mortals from back then.”
At this, He Zhenghao’s aged face flushed with embarrassment.
Over the years, the number of mortals from the Li World who had passed through his hands easily exceeded a thousand. With his temperament, how could he possibly remember any of their faces?
So that’s the connection between Fellow Daoist Li Fan and me... No wonder he always looked after me. It all makes sense now.
What a pity...
A heavy sigh escaped him as a wave of sorrow washed over his heart.
After a time, he recalled Li Fan’s final request.
“Some descendants of an old acquaintance of mine from the Li World are currently living in Shilin Province.
I hope you can look after them.”
He Zhenghao glanced at the inheritance he had just received, hesitating for a long while.
At last, he sighed, took out the greater portion of it, and made his decision.
Requesting leave, he disguised himself and headed straight for Shilin Province.
***
Xiao Heng was deeply wary of this Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivator who had appeared so suddenly.
However, the spirit stones and artifacts he delivered were undeniably genuine. Moreover, he made no attempt to conceal his purpose—he was acting on behalf of someone who had already passed away.
After some thought, Xiao Heng assumed this was a final act of kindness from Senior Skull and accepted the inheritance openly.
As for He Zhenghao, following Li Fan’s will, he learned that this group from the Li World had not joined the Myriad Immortals Alliance, but instead seemed to be affiliated with some mysterious organization.
Unwilling to get involved with them, He Zhenghao delivered the inheritance and departed in haste.
Thus, in Anchor Year 41, the Array Breaker Jade Disc, which Li Fan now embodied, successfully reached Xiao Heng’s hands via He Zhenghao.
None among the group from the Li World was proficient in the array path. They treated it as nothing more than a standard array-breaking artifact and casually tossed it into a storage ring.
In Anchor Year 45, Han Wuyou came of age and successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment realm.
As a gift, Xiao Heng bestowed upon him the Array Breaker Jade Disc along with two other artifacts.
Han Wuyou took an immediate liking to the jade disc. From that day onward, he never parted with it, nourishing it day and night with his heart and soul.
In Anchor Year 46, Han Wuyou formed a mysterious connection with the Array Breaker Jade Disc. A vast amount of array knowledge suddenly surged into his mind.
After informing Xiao Heng, the group from the Li World conducted an investigation but could not determine the cause.
They simply instructed Han Wuyou to safeguard it carefully.
In Anchor Year 48, the Myriad Immortals Alliance issued a proclamation to the world: All cultivators residing within its territories who haven’t joined the Alliance must do so in the next ten years. Those who refused would bear the consequences.
The announcement stirred widespread resentment among rogue cultivators.
The group from the Li World, however, received a direct message from Shuo Feng, instructing them to comply without fail.
In Anchor Year 49, the Thousand-Faced Demon Lord launched a surprise attack on Shilin Province.
Although a light pillar from the Spirit-Locking Array quickly locked onto the possessed target, the demon was not captured.
After wreaking havoc for over half a month and causing the deaths of more than a hundred cultivators, it withdrew at its leisure.
In Anchor Year 50, Han Wuyou advanced to the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm.
In Anchor Year 51, a roar filled with boundless resentment erupted from distant Yuandao Province, shaking heaven and earth.
“WHO IS IT?!”
The cry echoed without end for several days.
To everyone’s horror, the owner of the voice was identified as Immortal Venerable Lan Yu, who had perished long ago.
Seven days later, the voice faded away. Immortal Venerable Lan Yu never appeared again.
In Anchor Year 53, Linghu Chang of the Medicine King Sect was persuaded by Xiao Heng to join the Immortal Avengers.
Linghu Chang, Xiao Heng, and the others traveled together to the Hundred Stones Grotto-Heaven on the border of Shilin Province, where they discovered a relic site of the Heavenly Mechanisms Sect.
From it, they retrieved several cultivation techniques.
In Anchor Year 55, a strange phenomenon manifested in the heavens.
Fine threads of green light spread densely across the firmament, persisting for three full months before finally dispersing.
The people of that era were filled with dread, yet none understood the reason.