Chapter 163: Master all the laws of the world

"Although the Hundred Cycles Foundation was arduous, it shattered my constraints. From now on, I no longer have to worry about incompatibilities between the cultivation techniques I practice and the Foundation Establishment marvels I use. All methods under heaven can be my methods."

Atop Mount Jieli, a faint joy welled up in Li Fan's heart after successfully establishing his foundation with True Return. Over six hundred years and a hundred reincarnations, all for a single goal. Now that it was finally achieved, the effect was naturally extraordinary.

"Vast Ocean Pearl!" Li Fan thought, and with a stir of his mind.

In his dantian, the white jade light cluster emitted a gentle glow. In an instant, it transformed into the azure form of the Cumulus Cloud Sea. Even though Li Fan had previously established his foundation with the Vast Ocean Pearl, he could now barely distinguish between the Cumulus Cloud Sea within him and the original version. One couldn't say there was no difference; one could only say it was identical!

"What a magnificent 'False is True!'" Li Fan exclaimed. The immense power of True Return, capable of reversing time, transcended this world. That was why Li Fan had repeatedly failed when he tried to establish his foundation using the complete True Return previously. Yet, while True Return transcended this world, it also intersected with it. Its rule within this world was encapsulated in the seven characters: "When true is false, false is true." In short, during the Foundation Establishment stage, True Return could transform into any Heaven and Earth marvel that Li Fan had comprehended himself, or that True Return had previously absorbed!

Fueled by excitement, Li Fan continuously transformed the Foundation Establishment marvel within him.

"Dao Xuan Sword!" A broken, rusty Dao Xuan sword appeared atop Mount Jieli. "Unwilling Bamboo!" "Somber Staff!" As the form of the Foundation Establishment marvel within him changed, Li Fan's aura also continuously shifted.

After a long while, having simulated all the Heaven and Earth marvels he had encountered in his twelfth life, Li Fan once again transformed True Return into the Vast Ocean Pearl. A phantom image of an ocean appeared above his head, and Li Fan unleashed a sword strike. The Cumulus Cloud Sword parted the sea of clouds and flew towards the rising sun in the east. It continued without diminishing power until it vanished from sight.

"Even when performing its ultimate divine ability, it was indistinguishable from a true Vast Ocean Pearl," Li Fan mused. "In this cultivation world, Foundation Establishment marvels greatly influence cultivators. At least until the Dao Integration stage, a cultivator's path must align with their personal marvel. For instance, in my twelfth life, I used the Vast Ocean Pearl to establish my foundation. If I hadn't cultivated water-attribute techniques but instead forced myself to cultivate fire-attribute ones, my progress would have been slow, and I might even have suffered backlash from the conflict. But now that I have established my foundation with True Return, I no longer have such worries. This is indeed: All methods under heaven can be my methods."

"Furthermore, I have a premonition." Li Fan's eyes gleamed as his thoughts drifted. "Heaven and Earth marvels are manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth. If, one day, I could simulate and manifest all the marvels under heaven... For example, the Myriad Immortals Alliance's Heaven-level marvel, the Tianyan Jue..."

It was a long while before Li Fan snapped out of his reverie. With True Return for foundation establishment, he had now broken free from his constraints, opening up infinite possibilities for the future. But these were merely possibilities. To realize them, he would need to meticulously plan through each life cycle.

"In this life, guided by an intuition and with absolute certainty, I began my foundation establishment without waiting for True Return to fully charge. Now that my foundation is complete, I've set a third anchor point, only a few days apart from the initial anchor. The initial anchor point was the moment I first transmigrated to this world. The second anchor point was atop Mount Jieli, with the Vast Ocean Pearl as the Foundation Establishment marvel, at the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. The third anchor point was just now, with True Return as the Foundation Establishment marvel, also at late-stage cultivation. Foundation establishment is complete; it's time to return to the cultivation world. While there are still nine years until the charge is complete, I can make some preparations here in Great Xuan."

Thinking this, Li Fan floated down the mountain and descended into the mortal world. As an immortal, he commanded mortals. Over nine years, he killed all those who deserved to die across the land, collecting all their blood. Finally, he condensed it into a black-red blood bead. The aura emanating from the blood bead felt like that of a natural predator. Even observing from afar, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a chilling dread.

Once charging was complete, Li Fan once again selected True Return. Returning to the third anchor point, Li Fan chose the first option this time: to retain items he possessed. Naturally, this was the blood bead filled with Immortal-Mortal Miasma.

"Essence Blood of Ten Thousand Men." Li Fan rubbed his chin, looking at how True Return named this item. "Just mortal essence blood, with no mention of Immortal-Mortal Miasma..." Recalling how the Immortal-Mortal Miasma within him was repeatedly dispelled during the Hundred Cycles Foundation process, Li Fan had a realization. "Perhaps this Immortal-Mortal Miasma doesn't actually have a physical existence? Maybe it's more like a curse-like power? Regardless, this essence blood bead will be my trump card in the future." In his twelfth life, Li Fan often felt powerless whenever he encountered cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above. He couldn't help but think of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, which struck fear into all cultivators. The struggle in this life was precisely to turn the Immortal-Mortal Miasma into a bound item for True Return, allowing him to use it at any time.

"However, according to what I understand, in the cultivation world, using Immortal-Mortal Miasma to maliciously harm others will result in relentless pursuit by both the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Council, until death. Unless absolutely necessary, I still cannot easily use it. Hmm... perhaps I can rely on True Return's transformations to act while disguised as someone else." Li Fan slowly fell into deep thought.

After anchoring for nine years, True Return's charge was complete. Li Fan still swept through the area, filling his Grand Evolution Boat to the brim. Then he burst out of the Immortal Sealing Array, returning to the cultivation world after more than six hundred years. At this time, to avoid alerting anyone, Li Fan still only cultivated one technique: the Thousand Machines Jade Ring Golden Tome. His Foundation Establishment marvel, meanwhile, transformed into the appearance of the Stagnant Stone Tablet.

He arrived at the Cumulus Cloud Sea and still headed straight for Glazed Island. As he neared his destination, Li Fan didn't forget to conveniently slay the giant Glazed Fish and retrieve the Exquisite Glazed Pearl.

"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist He, this time I certainly won't make you lose your fortune!" Li Fan smiled faintly as he arrived outside Glazed Island. "Is Fellow Daoist He of the Myriad Immortals Alliance present?" His voice boomed like thunder, instantly echoing across Glazed Island.

A moment later, He Zhenghao's solemn voice replied: "I am He Zhenghao! May I ask, Fellow Daoist, why do you seek me?" He had not shown himself, still hiding within the island's protective array.

Li Fan chuckled to himself, then loudly declared: "There is no ill intent. I merely wish to join the Myriad Immortals Alliance. I have long heard of your reputation for generosity and kindness, so I wish to ask Fellow Daoist to introduce me!"

"What..." Before his words fully faded, He Zhenghao flashed repeatedly, appearing beside Li Fan, his face filled with pleasant surprise.

"By all means! By all means!" He Zhenghao assented readily, sizing up Li Fan. "May I ask Fellow Daoist's name?" he asked, bowing slightly and smiling broadly.

"My name is Li Fan." Looking at the jovial He Zhenghao, Li Fan couldn't help but reveal a benevolent smile.