Chapter 100: Zhang Haobo Tries the Sword

It made sense. Although these mechanical puppets suppressed their combat power to the Qi Refinement stage, their physical bodies were inherently strong enough to withstand attacks from Nascent Soul cultivators. How could mere Qi Refinement cultivators possibly harm them?

After a flurry of flashy attacks from the thirty-odd Qi Refinement cultivators, the seventeen puppets remained completely unfazed. Their defenses were impenetrable!

Conversely, after the puppets' attack damage was limited to the Qi Refinement stage, they were no longer as terrifying either. After a battle where the third expedition team was severely battered, most of them, fortunately, managed to survive.

At this point, everyone finally realized the truth. Grandmaster Tianyang's immortal abode was simply beyond the reach of their low-level Qi Refinement cultivators. The seventeen high-defense mechanical puppets truly acted like guardians, barring all outsiders from entry.

Li Fan considered that even if he went, the outcome would likely be similar; he wouldn't gain anything. "I wonder how this immortal abode ultimately concluded in my previous life?" Li Fan pondered to himself. After he joined the Myriad Immortals Alliance, he never heard anyone mention Tianyang's immortal abode. Evidently, the abode had already disappeared by then.

"Perhaps, in the end, a powerful cultivator intervened to resolve the matter," Li Fan speculated.

Thus, the commotion stirred by Tianyang's immortal abode gradually subsided. Regarding this treasure trove that was visible but inaccessible, everyone decisively chose to forget about it. Of course, there were some clever individuals who tried to secretly lobby others. They wanted to gather hundreds or even more Qi Refinement cultivators to explore it again together. Using a human-wave strategy, some would hold back the seventeen puppets, while the others could advance directly into the abode to seek opportunities.

But... no one paid them any mind. Everyone was a Qi Refinement cultivator; why should they risk their lives for someone else's opportunity? No one was willing to be the one to sacrifice themselves. And so, fewer and fewer cultivators kept Tianyang's immortal abode in mind. The Myriad Immortals Alliance also seemed to have forgotten about it, never mentioning the matter again. The Cloud Sea became peaceful once more. Li Fan, too, uncharacteristically settled down and focused on his cultivation.

Time flowed, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye, bringing them to Anchor Year 13. On this day, Li Fan was examining the fruits of his diligent cultivation over the past six months. Both the 'Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Scripture' and the 'Heaven-Stealing Sun-Shifting Art' were cultivated concurrently, complementing each other. Both had been cultivated to the late Qi Refinement stage, where he vaguely sensed the presence of a bottleneck. Once he broke through this bottleneck, he could use rare heavenly and earthly treasures to establish his Dao Foundation and become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

As for the 'Cloud Water Illusory Dream Art,' after reaching the third layer, its progress slowed considerably, forcing him to temporarily set it aside. The third layer of the Illusory Dream Art could already influence Foundation Establishment cultivators to a certain extent. The specific effect depended on the difference in mental strength between the target and Li Fan. As for the 'Shadow-Following Art' and 'Nether Spirit Illusion Art,' he hadn't had enough time to cultivate them yet.

"It seems cultivating too many techniques isn't necessarily a good thing. Perhaps I should consider merging and streamlining them..." he thought. "With my current understanding of cultivation methods, I certainly can't do that yet. But if I remain in the Enlightened State for a long time, continuously researching, there might be a chance of success."

During the early Qi Refinement stage, Li Fan's cultivation and comprehension efficiency in the Enlightened State was thirty times that of normal. As his cultivation gradually increased, the efficiency slightly decreased. For Lin Fan's clone in the mid-Qi Refinement stage, with the combined effects of the Enlightened State and the Exquisite Glazed Pearl, the efficiency could roughly be considered twenty-seven times higher. With enough contribution points, Lin Fan could maintain this astonishing state indefinitely. Ten years in this state would be equivalent to 270 years of relentless cultivation under normal circumstances.

Li Fan felt that even if merging and streamlining cultivation methods might be difficult, it was definitely worth a try. After all, he had plenty of opportunities for trial and error. The clone, Lin Fan, was still in a state of sudden enlightenment. The contribution points consumed had already exceeded six thousand. Li Fan felt no pain over this; instead, he was rather pleased. The longer the enlightenment, the stronger the divine ability he would surely comprehend. Li Fan wished the clone would spend all 100,000 contribution points.

Suddenly, Li Fan's heart stirred. The formless killing intent that had been locked onto Zhang Haobo had subtly weakened. "Has Zhang Haobo finally broken through to the Qi Refinement stage? Excellent, faster than I expected. Perhaps, he really might achieve Core Formation within a decade or so."

In less than a year, he had transformed from a mortal to a Qi Refinement cultivator. After the alteration of his destiny, Zhang Haobo's cultivation speed was much faster than in his previous life. The faster he cultivated and the stronger he became, the greater the storms he could stir up. Although he might not directly participate in the Crimson Flame battle, Li Fan, who had vaguely comprehended the 'Life-Death Chain Link,' understood something clearly: one must never underestimate the ripple effects a Core Formation cultivator could trigger. "This life's Crimson Flame Burning Sea is truly something to look forward to."

Three months later, while in secluded cultivation, Li Fan received a message from Yuwen Xing. "Fellow Daoist Li Fan, do you know that a remarkable figure has recently emerged on our Glazed Island!"

Li Fan's eyes flickered. "Oh? I'm eager to hear the details."

"Heh heh, take a look." Yuwen Xing sent an image transmission.

In the footage, seventeen massive, dark-red puppets swung their enormous fists, each clashing with a blue water sword in front of it. In the center, surrounded by the seventeen puppets, was only one person. It was none other than Zhang Haobo! Seven blue swords still hovered around him, constantly rotating as if guarding him. Meanwhile, he himself controlled seventeen water swords, simultaneously fighting all the puppets. This kind of battle clearly drained an immense amount of mental energy. Before long, three puppets broke through the water swords' blockade and approached Zhang Haobo. Of the seven defensive blue swords, three instantly separated to meet these three puppets. Zhang Haobo, meanwhile, rapidly retreated. In the blink of an eye, amidst the puppets' rage and unwillingness, he withdrew from the immortal abode.

After a moment, Yuwen Xing's triumphant voice came through. "What do you think?"

"Are these seventeen puppets from Tianyang's immortal abode? Fighting seventeen puppets alone, even for just a moment, is quite astonishing. Who is this person?" Li Fan feigned ignorance.

"Heh heh, his name is Zhang Haobo. Just over a year ago, he was an ordinary mortal," Yuwen Xing explained. "A few months ago, after he broke through to the Qi Refinement stage, I introduced him, and he joined our Myriad Immortals Alliance. After hearing the rumors about Tianyang's immortal abode, he went there alone. At first, I didn't know what he was doing there, but I found out later. He was using those seventeen mechanical puppets to train! Initially, he reportedly could only last a few breaths. Later, the time he could endure against the puppets grew longer and longer. The footage I sent you is also from over half a month ago. I wonder what the situation is like over there now."