It wasn't purely for comfort, but to better fit the identity of a Heavenly Mechanisms Sect cultivator and investment expert.
After all, if you possessed the ability to double your capital every two years, yet still squeezed into the Tianxuan Mirror alongside ordinary cultivators every day, it would seem rather incongruous.
An eccentric personality could serve as an excuse for that.
What genuinely tempted Li Fan, however, was the promotional effect that "purchasing a cave dwelling on Myriad Immortals Island shortly after joining the Alliance" might yield.
He looked into it... and reluctantly let the idea go.
The reason was simple: contribution points alone were not enough. Beyond the financial cost, one also needed to meet the Myriad Immortals Alliance's internal permission level requirements, and to obtain a Residence Permit issued by the Myriad Immortals Island Administration Hall before one was even eligible to make a purchase.
This Residence Permit was typically only granted to cultivators who had made special contributions to the local branch of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
Though it was said that private channels of obtaining one existed, their veracity was unknown.
Better to stay in the Tianxuan Mirror. Li Fan dismissed the idea.
He took out the Contemplation Pill Chen Ying had just given him, swallowed it in one gulp, and carefully observed the changes within himself.
Its effect was somewhat similar to the Dao Comprehension Pill.
However, the Dao Comprehension Pill was more comprehensive, offering assistance whether one was comprehending techniques, deducing secret arts, or breaking through cultivation realms.
The effects of this Contemplation Pill were only felt when Li Fan focused on a cultivation breakthrough.
A lower-tier, specialized version of the Dao Comprehension Pill.
The Dao Comprehension Pill is exceedingly rare within the Myriad Immortals Alliance. This Contemplation Pill isn't bad either.
To avoid wasting its effects, Li Fan began cultivating while the pill was still in effect.
After an indeterminate length of time, a strange sensation in his heart jolted him awake.
The cooldown period on entering the Fallen Immortal Realm was over.
It felt more immersive than previous meditation sessions. It seemed like I only dozed for a moment, yet so much time passed.
Indeed, it has its merits.
Such talent. I hope he can escape this calamity.
With that thought, Li Fan set up the ritual.
"Blessed be Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang!"
In the next instant, the world spun, and Li Fan descended once more into the Fallen Immortal Realm.
As expected, he was enveloped in an unknown liquid, surrounded by darkness.
He had become the Heaven’s Will Xuan Bird, still within its eggshell.
A sense of exhaustion and weakness permeated his mind and body.
Li Fan strained to absorb the surrounding liquid, fighting to stay conscious. Simultaneously, he pondered his strategy.
From Ye Feipeng's experience in the previous life, the Creation Forge Technique is effective on demonic beasts and similar beings.
My current body is fragile. Forcibly drawing upon the power of my hidden reserves might lead to backlash.
However, with Xu Ke nearby to watch over me, it should be manageable.
I'll give it a try. If it really doesn't work, I can always start over.
In an instant, Li Fan made his decision.
He concentrated his will, shaping it into a massive hammer, and struck fiercely inward at his own body.
A scorching power erupted abruptly from within, intent on incinerating everything.
“Eh? What's happening?”
As his consciousness was on the verge of dissolving, Li Fan seemed to hear Xu Ke's faint cry of surprise.
Then, everything went silent.
Another unknown length of time later, Li Fan gradually awoke.
After instinctively checking his own condition, Li Fan discovered he was now several times stronger than before he’d lost consciousness.
The power of his hidden reserves, now initially mobilized, surged from all over his body, transforming the Xuan Bird’s physical form.
Within the surrounding liquid, another type of energy seemed to have appeared as well.
Scattered like stars, it emitted a fiery red glow.
Not bad at all, Xu Ke.
Li Fan greedily swallowed several mouthfuls and immediately felt much more invigorated.
This is...
The taste of the red sparks was remarkably similar to a certain mountain fruit Xu Ke had fed to the Heaven’s Will Xuan Bird in his past life.
A great tonic. You really have your ways, kid. Truly worthy of being one favored by heaven’s will.
Li Fan was now reassured.
After completely digesting what he had consumed and feeling his body restored to peak condition, Li Fan once again concentrated his will and launched an assault with the power of his hidden reserves.
“What now?”
Before blacking out, Li Fan seemed to hear Xu Ke’s pained cry.
Xu Ke, living up to his duty, expended considerable effort once more to rescue the hellbent Heaven’s Will Xuan Bird from the brink of death.
And so, Li Fan forcibly operated the Creation Forge Technique without any reservations.
Every time he couldn’t withstand it, he would rely on Xu Ke’s heaven-defying providence to find a corresponding method of salvation.
After repeating this seven times, the surrounding liquid was completely absorbed.
Li Fan felt the time was right.
Letting out a clear, resonant cry, Li Fan struck the eggshell with a claw.
Hairline cracks spread, and then light appeared.
Li Fan broke straight out of the shell.
After devouring the shattered eggshell in one gulp, he looked at the dumbfounded Xu Ke beside him, flapped his wings, and made his home in Xu Ke’s hair.
“Oh no, oh no! The Beast Taming Art’s Spirit Link isn’t complete yet. How did it come out already?
“Have I ruined it now?”
Xu Ke’s face fell, and he kept muttering to himself.
Li Fan unceremoniously scratched him, conveying the meaning of “hungry.”
Xu Ke let out a yelp and had no choice but to take Li Fan into the mountain forest to search for food.
While cultivating the Creation Forge Technique, Li Fan also sensed the connection between himself and Xu Ke.
A strand of icy-cold energy circulated almost imperceptibly throughout his body. It was beyond Li Fan’s control and seemed to resonate distantly with Xu Ke beneath him.
If not for Li Fan’s practice of the Creation Forge Technique, which had given him preliminary control over his body, he would likely never have detected it.
It was precisely this strand of icy energy that made Li Fan feel an instinctive closeness to Xu Ke.
However, because Li Fan had hatched early in this life, it had not yet formed an unbreakable bond.
So this is the Beast Taming Art?
Li Fan pondered.
He gave Xu Ke another sharp scratch, eliciting a pained shout, then began cultivating the divine ability, Heaven’s Will is With Me.
Absorbing the overflowing providence from Xu Ke, Li Fan immediately felt his spirit surge.
Under the dual enhancement of the Creation Forge Technique and Heaven’s Will is With Me, Li Fan’s strength advanced by leaps and bounds despite being newly hatched.
Moreover, perhaps due to inversely refining the Dao Heart and strengthening his own soul and will in his previous life, the influence of the Xuan Bird’s emotions and temperament on Li Fan had diminished significantly.
At the very least, he wouldn’t experience those kinds of episodes where he lost control anymore.
Over a month later, seizing a moment when Xu Ke wasn’t paying attention, Li Fan tested his skills on some wild demonic beasts in the mountain forest.
Ordinary demonic beasts at the Qi Refinement realm were no match for him. He could easily defeat them in a single exchange.
On this day, Xu Ke was leading Li Fan around in search of food as usual when they were abruptly blocked by an unexpected guest.
It was none other than Song Yang, who had long coveted the Heaven’s Will Xuan Bird.
Li Fan noticed the gaze of the black two-headed snake coiled around Song Yang’s neck and let out a cold laugh.
A faint, almost imperceptible killing intent solidified into something tangible and shot toward it.
The black two-headed snake immediately trembled from head to tail, curling into a tight ball.