Chapter 104: Forgotten Disaster

Zhang Haobo gave a bitter smile. He was about to speak but stopped abruptly.

A moment later, he spoke again, asking, "I still don't know your esteemed name, fellow Daoist? I, Zhang, will never forget the life-saving grace you showed today. I will surely repay you handsomely in the future!"

Li Fan smiled but did not answer. He merely cupped his hands in greeting. "If fate wills it, you will know in the future. Until we meet again!" Before he finished speaking, his figure transformed into a thin streak of light and vanished into the distance. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from Zhang Haobo's sight.

Zhang Haobo's eyes narrowed slightly. "What incredible speed. That unknown divine ability is also incredibly powerful; it rendered me completely helpless. So mysterious, I wonder who he truly is."

After a while, he sighed again, thinking to himself, "It's a pity, no matter how many secrets he has, it makes no difference." Zhang Haobo looked up at the sky. "Heaven and Earth have already laid down a killing intent. All living beings in the Cloudsea, regardless of their cultivation level, whether they are triumphant or downtrodden, are already destined to die."

"That crimson figure that incinerated the sea... A Soul Transformation cultivator is already so formidable; can she truly be defeated?" Zhang Haobo was lost in a daze.

However, a moment later, his eyes gradually hardened with determination. "No matter what, I must do my utmost to stop her."

His aura solidified once more. He took one last look at the desolate ruins and flew away.

Not long after Zhang Haobo left, Li Fan's hidden figure suddenly materialized. "It seems he didn't lose his fighting spirit after all. I was overly cautious," Li Fan nodded.

After a moment's thought, he carefully returned to the former site of the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion, intending to see if any treasures had survived the recent battle. However, after searching for a long time, nothing remained except the freely flowing lava. Muttering a silent 'what a pity,' Li Fan no longer lingered and set off back to Myriad Immortals Island.

"I wonder where the Heavenly Sun Puppet and that Soul Transformation grand cultivator went to battle, and who ultimately emerged victorious. I recall that in my previous life, it was just like today: after the Heavenly Sun Puppet appeared, it attracted a Soul Transformation grand cultivator. After a fierce battle, only ruins were left behind. This matter involves too high a level; even in my next life, I probably won't be able to profit from it. It's better to stay hidden for now."

"That ancient Body Transformation Dao, I wonder what sect it belongs to. I can investigate it after I return. Fortunately, this trip wasn't entirely without gain." Recalling the skeletal remains in his storage ring, Li Fan felt somewhat comforted. "I just wonder if I can truly recreate the 'Sitting Mountain Art' from them."

With a mind full of thoughts, Li Fan returned to Myriad Immortals Island.

A shocking battle had occurred at the site of the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion. News had clearly spread back, and cultivators could be seen discussing the matter everywhere. However, no one knew exactly what had happened or how that towering puppet had appeared. There were many different theories. Li Fan, of course, would not volunteer any information.

But as he brushed past these continuously chattering cultivators, he suddenly thought of something and abruptly stopped.

"Judging by today's commotion, battles between powerful cultivators possess astonishing destructive force. They can easily obliterate an entire sea region. Once a battle occurs, it is bound to attract attention. Afterwards, it should be a popular topic of conversation, something casually brought up during discussions."

"Furthermore, this world has always harbored ill will towards cultivators. Before the Crimson Flame Incineration of the Sea, various disasters must have occurred. Yet... whether in my previous life or this one, cultivators almost never actively mentioned such events in their conversations."

During the years he cultivated in his previous life, Li Fan had also interacted with many Qi Condensation cultivators. But they had consistently never mentioned any large-scale disaster incidents that had occurred in the Cloudsea before. This had created a certain gap in Li Fan's understanding. Consequently, when Zhang Haobo mentioned that a disaster might be approaching, he hadn't taken it very seriously.

Because, in Li Fan's perception, if a place frequently experiences disasters, its residents would at least occasionally mention them in conversation; and they should issue warnings to outsiders. Since none of the cultivators had ever spoken of any disasters requiring special attention, then he assumed that even if there were any disasters, they couldn't be anything particularly significant. Therefore, in his previous life, he had merely inquired with the Heavenly Profound Mirror later on, and after receiving a negative answer, he didn't pay much attention to it.

Thinking about it now, was the Crimson Flame Incineration of the Sea truly the first time the Cloudsea encountered the killing intent laid down by Heaven and Earth? Probably not. Everything has a gradual process. Heaven and Earth bear ill will towards cultivators. When the number of cultivators in the Cloudsea gradually increases, and their cultivation levels grow higher, Heaven and Earth will lay down killing intent to purge them. Initially, there should only be minor calamities. Only when the number of cultivators reaches a limit will the final purge plan be activated. The Spirit of Heaven and Earth appears, obliterating all living beings.

The reason Li Fan deduced this is that the Myriad Immortals Alliance of the Cloudsea has, after all, developed to such a large scale. Would Heaven and Earth's killing intent intentionally endure, waiting silently for cultivators to grow powerful without acting? Only unleashing a thunderous strike when it could no longer bear it? Based on Li Fan's understanding of Heaven and Earth's killing intent, this would clearly not be the case. Heaven and Earth's killing intent will always exist as long as there are cultivators. This means that throughout the past years, disasters must have continuously occurred.

So, what caused all cultivators to remain silent about these various disasters? "Is it an active avoidance of mention, or... have they been... forgotten?"

Li Fan immediately returned to the Heavenly Profound Mirror and searched for keywords: historically, disaster events that caused heavy casualties among cultivators. The result sent a chill down Li Fan's spine, making cold sweat trickle down his back. No matter how Li Fan searched, the Heavenly Profound Mirror consistently showed no results.

After a while, Li Fan calmed down, took out his communication talisman, and questioned Yuwen Xing. The outcome sent a chill through Li Fan's heart. Yuwen Xing first flatly denied it. Then, under Li Fan's repeated questioning, he vaguely admitted that something seemed to have happened, but it wasn't very important, and he couldn't remember clearly.

Li Fan then went out and asked several other older cultivators. They were very surprised why Li Fan would ask such questions, but their answers were all the same as Yuwen Xing's: it seemed something had happened, but they couldn't remember clearly.

Li Fan fell silent. Couldn't remember clearly? Would Foundation Establishment cultivators be so forgetful? Li Fan recalled his first arrival at Glazed Island, when he encountered a wind disaster. Even the mortals on the island would tell him about the even greater wind disaster that had occurred over a decade ago. Are cultivators inferior to mortals? Remembering disasters instills a sense of vigilance, making it easier to survive future calamities. This is common sense. But now, this common sense has been turned on its head.