Chapter 1103: Only One Person Hides in the Dark Prison

Li Fan was confident that Chuanfa and Wangsheng would not be able to find him. Not to mention the countless concealing formations on the True Immortal puppet, which were incredibly complex, even subtly surpassing the Life-Death Reversal Grand Formation. In this realm, no one had ever ventured into the Frozen Dead Sea before. Yet the True Immortal exuviae could precisely pinpoint its location. This fact alone was enough to make Wangsheng highly suspicious.

“Logically, he should focus his attention on any old acquaintances who might still be around after all these years,” Li Fan mused. “Even if he wanted to investigate me, he would have no way to begin. The only vulnerability is that the True Immortal puppet was transported using powers from the Netherworld. And apart from the Myriad Immortals Alliance, only I, from the Union of Myriad Realms, have ever been to the Netherworld…”

A shiver ran down Li Fan’s spine as he considered this. At the level of Chuanfa Celestial Venerable, actions are not based on speculative evidence. Even a remote possibility is enough for him to act.

“Since I’ve just reviewed the situation, only a handful of forces in the entire Xuanhuang Realm could have accomplished this. So, if I put myself in their shoes, they might just eliminate all of us to prevent future trouble…” He paused. “While it might seem unreasonable, that’s how overlords operate.”

His thoughts raced, and Li Fan’s heart pounded. He made a decision almost instantly.

In the Spiritwood Realm, all defensive formations were activated at full power. Cultivators from the Union of Myriad Realms were all made ready for combat. He summoned key figures from the Heavenly Secret Realm, Medicine King Sect, and the Imperial Minor World, explaining the critical nature of the situation.

Qiaogong, Liu Ruchen, and the others all blanched slightly. “This is too unreasonable! Just because we possess the power to slay a Chuanfa, they’ll destroy us all if they can’t find the true culprit?” one exclaimed.

“Lord, are you being a bit too pessimistic? Surely, the Myriad Immortals Alliance wouldn’t act so rashly?” another added.

The crowd buzzed with discussion, but upon seeing Li Fan’s increasingly grim expression, they instantly fell silent.

“By seeking the Red Dust Benevolent Immortal’s protection, I have all but confirmed this,” Li Fan stated coldly. “There’s no room for doubt; just prepare yourselves. There will be no turning back from this battle.”

Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces turned ashen.

“Our only chance of survival is if our power of resistance is formidable enough,” Li Fan continued to rally them. “They are attacking us for revenge for the three fallen Chuanfas. But if we can cause them to lose more than just three… then they will have second thoughts.”

“Though the Myriad Immortals Alliance is powerful, they cannot possibly commit the entire alliance to attack us,” he explained. “Moreover, we have the geographical advantage. The Spiritwood Realm is an impregnable fortress, protected by countless formations and the barrier of the Heavenly Secret Realm. Finally, we can also call upon the power of the Netherworld, launching a surprise attack against the enemy with a tide of dark energy…”

Li Fan spoke with full confidence: “As long as we can withstand the initial, fiercest waves of attack, we should be able to overcome this crisis.”

Despite Li Fan’s words, no one present showed any sign of optimism. They all departed with heavy hearts to prepare for the impending war. The Spiritwood Realm was already completely sealed; even if they harbored thoughts of escape, there was no way out. Only a fight to the death awaited them.

Meanwhile, Li Fan…

In an underground secret chamber, a Saint Embryo, identical in appearance to Li Fan, was rapidly forming. After forcefully raising the Saint Embryo to the Nascent Soul realm using the divine power of the Red Dust Benevolent Immortal, the Saint Embryo then left the chamber and donned the Heavenly Sun Battle Puppet.

As for Li Fan himself, he took nothing and quietly departed the Spiritwood Realm without anyone noticing. Knowing the Myriad Immortals Alliance was coming to attack the Spiritwood Realm, why would Li Fan’s true self remain to fight to the death? For Li Fan, the Union of Myriad Realms, the Spiritwood Realm, the Heavenly Secret Medicine King Sect… were all external possessions, to be abandoned at any time. Only his own safety mattered most. As long as he preserved his life and weathered this storm, once Chuanfa and Wangsheng lowered their guard in the future, he would activate his world-ending plans. Once his plans came to fruition, everything he had lost would ultimately return to him.

With his current concealment abilities, Li Fan traveled swiftly after leaving the Spiritwood Realm, his tracks going unnoticed from beginning to end. Li Fan had already chosen his hiding place for the foreseeable future.

“As the saying goes, the darkest place is right under the lamp; the most dangerous place is often the safest.”

Soon, he arrived at his destination. It was none other than the Nether Prison of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, from which he had previously retrieved the Chuanfa Protector!

“Hehe, does this count as walking straight into a trap?” Li Fan mused. “However, this so-called Nether Prison net cannot hold me.”

After careful observation, Li Fan quickly deciphered the formation shrouding the Nether Prison's entrance. Transforming into a wisp of dim shadow, he quietly slipped inside. The scene before him instantly grew dim. It bore some resemblance to the Netherworld. There was no sky or ground, only an expanse of endless darkness. However, compared to the absolute blackness of the true Netherworld, here there was still a faint glimmer of light. At least his spiritual sense could barely discern the way forward, preventing him from becoming completely lost.

In the vast, pitch-black space, towering prison pillars stood. Each pillar appeared to be suppressing a prisoner, and on the surface of the pillars, scenes of various horrifying tortures constantly shifted. The jailers of this Nether Prison were grotesque monsters composed of unknown, black mist-like substances, floating throughout the area. They numbered in the thousands, many times more numerous than the pillars themselves. From time to time, they would let out roars and fly into the pillars confining prisoners. Soon after, faint, pained screams continuously echoed from within the prison pillars. Only after extended periods of torment would these black mist monsters emerge, seemingly satisfied, from the pillars. Similar scenes played out ceaselessly throughout the Nether Prison, as if without end.

Li Fan observed this purgatorial spectacle without the slightest change in his expression. After examining the composition of the prison pillars, he confirmed they were constructed from a unique type of formation. His eyes glinted, and he breached the formation almost instantly. He then selected an empty pillar and voluntarily entered it.

“Not bad,” he muttered. Inside the black pillar, Li Fan looked around and found it surprisingly brighter than the outside. However, formation attacks would periodically descend as a punitive measure. Naturally, these attacks could not harm Li Fan.

“They could probably turn the entire Xuanhuang Realm upside down and still never imagine I’d be hiding here,” he thought. “And when they eventually forget about me, that’s when I’ll emerge.”

Li Fan settled comfortably into the Nether Prison as if he had returned home. To him, the Spiritwood Realm and the Nether Prison were essentially no different.