"Calamity of bloodshed?" Chen Ying couldn't help but be taken aback by Li Fan's dead serious expression.
"Where is this coming from?" Chen Ying asked with a mixture of belief and skepticism. He truly hadn't expected this ancient Heavenly Mechanisms Sect cultivator to give him such a "present" during their first meeting.
Li Fan did not answer immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes and began calculating with his fingers, his expression grave.
Seeing this, Chen Ying stood to the side, not daring to disturb him.
The divination lasted for an incense stick’s worth of time.
Li Fan's aura fluctuated erratically and his face grew increasingly pale.
Chen Ying, intimidated by the display, grew tense.
Suddenly, Li Fan opened his eyes and violently spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Fellow Daoist Li Fan, are you alright?"
Chen Ying was startled and moved forward to check on him.
"It's nothing serious, just minor backlash." Li Fan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and waved a hand dismissively.
Before Chen Ying could react, Li Fan fixed his gaze on him and asked, "Fellow Daoist Chen, are you about to embark on a long journey in the coming days?"
Chen Ying was first stunned, then abruptly alarmed.
Not long ago, he had indeed received orders from headquarters to proceed to a newly discovered wood attribute grotto-heaven.
However, he hadn't mentioned this matter to anyone else. How did Li Fan know?
Could it be... he truly saw something through his divination arts?
Chen Ying hurriedly took out a Vitality-Embracing Elixir and offered it to Li Fan.
"Fellow Daoist, please take this pill. It can alleviate your injuries."
After Li Fan swallowed it and his complexion improved, Chen Ying asked solemnly, "It is true. I do indeed have reason to leave Congyun Sea in the coming days.
"Is the calamity of bloodshed you spoke of related to this journey?"
Li Fan nodded slowly. "All will be well if you return soon. The longer you remain outside, the more perilous it becomes."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ying's heart sank.
This mission would undoubtedly take half a decade at least. Didn't that mean that going there was practically a death sentence?
Thinking of this, Chen Ying couldn't help but entertain the idea of disobeying the order.
But it was just a thought.
An order from the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters was not something an insignificant Nascent Soul cultivator like him could refuse.
Was this truly an unavoidable death sentence?
No wonder he'd been feeling restless lately, yet could never find the cause.
So this was the reason!
Chen Ying's face instantly turned ashen.
After a dazed moment, he looked at Li Fan, and an idea struck him.
"This journey is unavoidable. I beg you to save me, Fellow Daoist!" Chen Ying pleaded, his face filled with desperation.
Li Fan sighed softly. "Knowing heaven’s will is easy; defying heaven’s will is difficult. I can barely manage to peer into the future. But to defy fate and change one’s destiny... you are truly asking too much of me.
Just as Chen Ying was plunged into despair, Li Fan's tone suddenly shifted.
"I can offer you some advice, but it is limited to what lies within human capability. I dare not guarantee that it will be absolutely effective."
Chen Ying was overjoyed. "Do share your ideas, Fellow Daoist!"
Li Fan first looked Chen Ying up and down, then asked, "Forgive my bluntness, but dare I ask, Fellow Daoist, if you were truly in a life-or-death struggle, how would your combat prowess fare?"
Hearing this, Chen Ying looked somewhat embarrassed. "As they say, each person has their area of expertise. Alchemy, nurturing spiritual organisms... those are my strengths. As for fighting and killing..."
Chen Ying shook his head.
Li Fan asked again, "If you encountered a sudden ambush, how are your life-preserving abilities? Defensive measures, concealment techniques, escape arts... do you usually have such preparations?"
"The Myriad Immortals Alliance has been at peace for a long time, and I have always been on good terms with others. I’ve always thought such things were unnecessary..." Chen Ying answered honestly.
Li Fan let out a long sigh. "That's precisely the problem! Fellow Daoist, you possess no sense of vigilance whatsoever. If calamity were to strike suddenly, you would be caught completely unprepared.
"Since this tribulation cannot be avoided, you must face it head-on.
"Since you were able to purchase such a fine cave dwelling on Myriad Immortals Island, your wealth must be considerable. The only path now is to spend that wealth to avert disaster!
"Within the Tianxuan Mirror, there are numerous defensive artifacts and methods. You must not be stingy. Purchase them and equip yourself to the best of your abilities.
"If you can manage to withstand an attack from a Dao Unity cultivator for even a brief moment, you might just find a sliver of hope for survival."
Li Fan spoke methodically.
"An attack from a Dao Unity Immortal Venerable?" Chen Ying was startled.
If he truly spent all the contribution points he had accumulated over the years, he might indeed be able to buy one or two treasures capable of withstanding attacks at the Dao Unity level.
But he was saving them up to redeem a Dao Unity technique.
If the calamity Li Fan spoke of did not come to pass, all those contribution points would be wasted for nothing. He would have to start accumulating everything from scratch.
"Isn't that a bit..." Chen Ying couldn't help feeling a little reluctant. But he saw Li Fan shake his head almost imperceptibly.
"I have said all I needed to say. Whether you believe me or not is of no concern to me!"
Li Fan turned as if to leave.
Chen Ying hurried forward to stop him.
"Fellow Daoist, there is no need for such haste. I will surely repay this life-saving debt in the future. For today, allow me to fulfill my duties as host."
Suppressing the myriad thoughts in his heart, Chen Ying led Li Fan on a tour of his cave dwelling.
After introducing his unique methods for accelerating the growth of spirit plants, Chen Ying personally refined a batch of pills while he observed.
During their conversation, Chen Ying discovered that this man truly lived up to his reputation of being an ancient cultivator.
His knowledge was vast and profound. Although he was not well-versed in the art of alchemy, he could effortlessly discuss various principles of medicinal properties, and some of his viewpoints even proved enlightening for Chen Ying himself.
Li Fan stayed at Chen Ying's cave dwelling for a full seven days before finally taking his leave.
Chen Ying was reluctant to see him go. Before departing, he generously gifted Li Fan a bottle of Contemplation Pills.
These pills were refined using his own unique methods. When used during the breakthrough from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul realm, they produced remarkable effects.
The materials to refine them were rare, and the success rate for producing the pills was astonishingly low.
Even Chen Ying himself did not have much in stock, and he generally did not sell them. Instead, he gave them as gifts under special circumstances.
Observing that Li Fan's cultivation had already reached the late-stage Golden Core realm and he was about to form his Nascent Soul, he decided to make this gesture of reciprocity.
After seeing Li Fan off, Chen Ying began contemplating their conversation.
This man is no peddler of empty mysticism, but someone with genuine talent and learning.
A calamity of bloodshed...
It’s just some contribution points. Even if I lose them, I can always earn more. At worst, it means a bit more hardship, refining a few more batches of pills.
But if I die, then everything is truly over.
Better to believe it will happen than not.
Having reached this decision, Chen Ying activated the Tianxuan Mirror within his cave dwelling and began to search.
***
I wonder if this Chen Ying will escape with his life this time.
Once Li Fan left the cave dwelling, he could only vaguely sense the presence of Chen Ying’s aura. Due to the multiple layers of restrictions built into the cave dwelling, Formless Killing Mechanism’s perception of Chen Ying was mostly blocked.
His fate is in his own hands now.
Li Fan didn’t dwell on it further. He left the residential district of Myriad Immortals Island and returned to the Tianxuan Mirror.
If I didn’t know the entire Congyun Sea would soon vanish, I’d have bought a cave dwelling of my own, no matter the cost.
Now, within the relatively cramped space of the Tianxuan Mirror, Li Fan couldn’t help but entertain the thought.