Chapter 121: Wooden Slips Measure All Living Beings

Upon hearing Li Fan's words, the cultivators first froze in unison, then erupted into an uproar, their reactions varied.

Some, with faces full of disdain, mocked loudly, "Where did this minor Qi Refinement cultivator come from, spouting such nonsense?"

"Exactly! And he's telling others to abandon their cultivation. Why don't you do it yourself?"

Others, however, were thoughtful: "Does our fellow Daoist mean that the monster wielding the wooden staff only targets cultivators, not ordinary mortals?"

"While it sounds a bit unbelievable, it's not entirely impossible. The scene here is, in some ways, quite similar to the anomalies found in ancient sect ruins."

This statement resonated with many cultivators.

"Given that this ox-drawn cart is about to enter the Cloudwater Celestial Palace, we don't have much time left. It's certainly worth a try."

"However, that wooden staff is truly formidable. Perhaps our cultivation is what allows us to survive. If we were to abandon our powers and become mere mortals, we might be struck dead instantly."

"Indeed, there's some truth to what this fellow Daoist says."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, and for a while, not a single person dared to step forward and attempt it.

Amidst the indecision, a red-haired cultivator seemed to lose patience. He let out a roar, looking displeased at the others. "What's there to agonize over? It's just abandoning our cultivation! With the *Tai Shang Yuan Shi Zhen Jing* [Grand Supreme Original True Scripture] at hand, we can quickly regain our powers. I'll go!"

With that, he flew down and landed in front of the thatched hut. He then activated the *Tai Shang Yuan Shi Zhen Jing*, and in mere moments, his entire cultivation base vanished, leaving him an ordinary mortal.

Li Fan's heart stirred, and his Formless Killing Intent instantly locked onto the man.

The red-haired cultivator, who had been rather nonchalant moments before, now faced the tall, fierce monster as a mere mortal and couldn't help but grow nervous.

He swallowed hard, inching his way forward.

All eyes in the vicinity were now fixed on him. In that instant, complete silence descended.

As he slowly approached the thatched hut, the mouthless monster continued to ignore him. The monster with the wooden staff, however, scrutinized him for a long time, raising its weapon several times but never bringing it down.

Thus, the red-haired man reached the entrance of the thatched hut, experiencing some fright but ultimately unharmed.

The faint sound of reading from inside the house suddenly stopped.

The large door swung open with a bang, and a somewhat aged voice emerged from inside.

"Come in!"

The red-haired man's face lit up with joy, and he strode into the hut.

The door then closed, and the two door guardians continued to stand guard outside, their gazes fierce.

Around the ox-drawn cart, the area instantly erupted into a clamor, like a bustling marketplace.

"It really worked?!"

"This minor Qi Refinement... no, no, this Daoist friend is truly exceptionally clever. How should we address him?"

"Damn it, Liu Zhi got ahead of us. No, I also want to abandon my cultivation and go in!"

Of course, many cultivators remained calm: "No hurry, let's wait for Liu Zhi to come out first and see what kind of opportunity is inside this thatched hut."

"That's right, he's a mortal now anyway. He can't run even if he wanted to."

The surroundings were a chaotic mess, but Li Fan's brow was deeply furrowed as he stared intently at the thatched hut.

Because the very instant Liu Zhi entered the hut, the Formless Killing Intent that had locked onto him ceased to function.

Since Li Fan had comprehended this divine ability, such a situation had never arisen before.

The Formless Killing Intent, employed as a pseudo-heavenly mandate, had proven universally effective in every situation.

And now...

What lay within that thatched hut could be an exceedingly formidable entity.

Other cultivators, however, did not share Li Fan's apprehension. One after another, five more Qi Refinement cultivators scrambled to enter the thatched hut.

As for those Foundation Establishment cultivators, they all remained cautiously in a wait-and-see state.

Inside the thatched hut, nothing seemed to change, save for the timeless sound of reading that resonated in everyone's minds.

The voice seemed a little clearer than when first heard, yet it remained indistinct, making it impossible to discern the precise content.

Though the cultivators felt an unbearable urgency, they had no choice but to wait patiently.

The next morning.

Unbeknownst to everyone, the six individuals who had entered the previous day suddenly reappeared in the open space outside the thatched hut.

They lay scattered haphazardly across the ground, but their vital energies were intact, suggesting they were merely in a deep sleep.

"Wait, didn't they all abandon their cultivation and become mortals? How are all their cultivations restored now?"

Soon, some cultivators noticed something amiss.

"Not only has their cultivation been restored, but it appears their cultivation has also advanced by a minor realm compared to before?"

"That's right, Liu Zhi was at the early Qi Refinement stage before. After just one night, he's now at the middle Qi Refinement stage!"

"This one who was at the middle Qi Refinement stage has also broken through to the late Qi Refinement stage!"

"The one at the late Qi Refinement stage didn't break through, but their aura has solidified considerably, so they must have gained some benefit."

Amidst the cultivators' exclamations, their gazes towards the thatched hut were utterly transformed.

An opportunity, a grand opportunity indeed!

An indiscriminate forced advancement by a minor realm could save immeasurable resources and time!

The higher the cultivation, the higher the value!

Unable to contain their eagerness, the cultivators woke the six individuals and questioned them about what had transpired inside the thatched hut the previous day.

The six accounts were consistent, yet they left everyone present looking at each other in bewilderment.

"They just followed along reading for a day inside?"

"The one teaching was a wooden slip floating in the air?"

"And they can't remember what they read?"

It was certainly peculiar, but they didn't seem to be lying.

With such an opportunity before them, after a moment of hesitation, all the Qi Refinement cultivators present relinquished their cultivation and entered the hut.

Chen An was about to step forward when he glanced back at Li Fan and, seeing his inaction, couldn't help but feel curious.

He humbly inquired, "Fellow Daoist Li, is there something peculiar about this place?"

Li Fan shook his head. "There shouldn't be any issues. However, I am already at the late Qi Refinement stage, so the opportunity here would be of little use to me. You may enter, fellow Daoist, don't mind me. I will observe for a while longer."

Chen An hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands to Li Fan before entering the thatched hut.

Meanwhile, the Foundation Establishment cultivators still held back, showing no movement.

Zhou Ningchang explained the reason to Li Fan.

It turned out that cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage, while able to disperse their cultivation through the *Tai Shang Yuan Shi Zhen Jing*, retained their Dao foundation, which existed in a state between reality and illusion and would not be dissolved.

Their hesitation stemmed from not knowing if such an action would truly make them count as mortals, so everyone remained on the sidelines.

After a long wait, a Foundation Establishment cultivator finally could no longer restrain themselves.

They were the first to try.

After dispersing their cultivation, no accidents occurred, and they were still able to safely enter the thatched hut.

All the Foundation Establishment cultivators were overjoyed and followed suit, entering the hut.

Even the only Golden Core True Person present couldn't resist the temptation.

As for the six cultivators who had entered the previous day, they attempted to repeat the trick, hoping to advance another minor realm.

Predictably, they were promptly beaten out by indiscriminate staff blows.

They then dispersed, intending to bring their friends and family to this location before the ox-drawn cart entered the Cloudwater Celestial Palace.

Soon, outside the thatched hut, only Li Fan remained.