Chapter 187: Heavenly Venerable, the Different Saint

The Golden Core giant beast was jointly subdued by Jiang Zhengji and Du Xingchang.

The red-haired exotic beasts on Myriad Echoes Island finally showed expressions of terror. They began to flee into the distance. Some even tried to jump into the sea to escape the island.

However, the purple formation Jiang Zhengji had previously set up had already completely sealed off Myriad Echoes Island.

"Kill!" Jiang Zhengji commanded, and the five members of the Heavenly Transformation team once again began their ruthless and efficient slaughter.

Li Fan, feigning that he had finished resting, activated the Heavenly Spirit Fire Dragon Array and occasionally unleashed a faint blue sword light, harvesting the lives of the red-haired exotic beasts.

This time, there were no further complications. After half a day, by sunset, only a quarter of the red-haired exotic beasts on Myriad Echoes Island remained.

"Stop!" At this point, Jiang Zhengji finally spoke again.

Heavy snow began to fall again. He once more employed the same technique he had used to capture the Golden Core giant beast, transforming more than half of the remaining red-haired exotic beasts on the island into small snowmen. He then collected them, storing them away somewhere unknown.

"This mission went relatively smoothly. We can return to the island now," he said slowly.

The five-person team, all looking exhausted, let out long sighs of relief. Li Fan also appeared utterly drained.

"This time, we owe much to you, Fellow Daoist. Without those crucial formations, I doubt they would have passed the trial successfully," Jiang Zhengji politely said to Li Fan on the way back.

Li Fan looked embarrassed. "The Fellow Daoists from the Martial Arts Hall did all the work. I merely set up some formations and didn't actually eliminate many exotic beasts."

Jiang Zhengji smiled. "Isn't that how an array master should be? Your array cultivation seems quite strong, Fellow Daoist. Although you can't compare to the grandmasters, the role you played in actual combat was immense. Especially that Entanglement Muddy Waters Array – it was truly brilliant. I've participated in dozens of extermination missions and met many array masters, but rarely have I seen someone with such outstanding adaptability as you, Fellow Daoist."

Li Fan shook his head. "You flatter me, you flatter me. It was merely a flash of inspiration."

Then he asked curiously, "You've participated in dozens of extermination missions, Fellow Daoist? Could it be that these red-haired exotic beasts have some special value? Otherwise, why not simply eradicate them all at once?"

Jiang Zhengji nodded. "Your guess is correct, Fellow Daoist. These red-haired exotic beasts do have some use."

"The reason I captured a large number alive earlier, instead of eliminating them all, is precisely because of this."

"The headquarters of the Myriad Immortals Alliance's Martial Arts Hall has a task: every year, various regions must collect and submit a certain number of exotic treasures and exotic beasts capable of absorbing sound."

"These red-haired exotic beasts feed on sound. Although they are a bit weak, their sheer numbers perfectly meet the headquarters' mission requirements."

"The headquarters is very satisfied with the sound-absorbing effect of these red-haired exotic beasts, and the number they require us to submit each year is increasing."

At this, Jiang Zhengji showed a proud expression.

"However, these red-haired exotic beasts have no natural predators and no need to worry about food scarcity. They reproduce incredibly fast."

"Furthermore, they can evolve by devouring their own kind. If their numbers become too vast, there's no telling if a Nascent Soul stage monster might evolve."

"That would be troublesome. To avoid such a situation, we must regularly clear out the exotic beasts on the island," Jiang Zhengji explained with a smile.

"Therefore, the number of these red-haired exotic beasts should neither be too many nor too few."

"Maintaining them at a relatively low level is ideal."

"Neither too many nor too few," Li Fan nodded slowly upon hearing this, murmuring to himself.

As if remembering something, he subtly glanced up at the sky, then fell into deep thought.

The journey back was silent. After safely returning to Myriad Immortals Island, Li Fan bade farewell to the others.

Back in the Heavenly Profound Mirror, he added Du Xingchang and the others as friends all at once.

Sitting cross-legged within the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Li Fan's brows were tightly furrowed.

He recalled how, in his twelfth life, his fervent propagation of cultivation methods had led to the premature nurturing of a large number of Foundation Establishment cultivators, which even attracted the pursuit of Dao Assimilation cultivators.

"Is 'not too many' because the new cultivation methods consume heavenly and earthly resources, and if the number of cultivators is allowed to swell unchecked, these resources will deplete?" "Then why should the number of cultivators 'not be too few'?" "Having already attained immortality, why would they still care about cultivators who are like ants?"

"The establishment of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, and even the Council of Five Elders, is clearly for the deliberate cultivation of cultivators."

"Red-haired exotic beasts are useful to the Myriad Immortals Alliance, so their numbers need to be maintained. What use are cultivators to the Immortal Venerables?"

Before transmigration, Li Fan had heard the saying that all below a Saint are but ants. Saints, high above, regard all beings as straw dogs. The life and death of all things in heaven and earth do not concern them. Even if a great catastrophe descends, plunging all into misery, Saints view it with indifference, utterly unconcerned.

Why then do the Immortal Venerables of this Xuanhuang Realm, conversely, require a certain number of cultivators? After the endless slaughter brought about by different cultivation methods, on a wasteland of cultivation, why did the Immortal Venerables who had already achieved immortality choose to establish the Myriad Immortals Alliance?

Pity? Or...

In an instant, several different answers emerged in Li Fan's mind. But clearly, none could be confirmed at the moment. He could only bury them deep in his heart, waiting for future opportunities to verify them.

Calming his turbulent emotions, Li Fan began to check his clearance level.

The reward for the red-haired exotic beast extermination mission was a "Lower Class D Merit." This translated to an increase of 2.60 in clearance level. After completing just this one mission, Li Fan's clearance level rose to "Yan San," with 60% progress towards the next level.

"It seems that raising one's clearance level is quite easy in the early stages."

Li Fan then checked the newly appeared cultivation methods. Unfortunately, he still couldn't find any that could increase his ability for multi-tasking.

Over the next period, Li Fan accepted and completed two more merit tasks. One was an "Upper Class C Merit," and the other was another "Lower Class D Merit."

The process of completing these tasks went smoothly, without any complications. While getting to know many members within the Myriad Immortals Island system, Li Fan's clearance level also upgraded to "Yan Wu."

The annual limit of three merit tasks was used up, but he still hadn't found a suitable cultivation method.

"It seems that even with the Yanfa Jue for infinite derivation of cultivation methods within the Myriad Immortals Alliance, the ability for multi-tasking is an extremely rare technique."

"I wonder what clearance level is required for it to appear in the exchange list. The details of item exchange for different clearance levels are also confidential and cannot be disseminated casually. The higher the clearance level, the greater the confidentiality. If accidentally leaked, it could result in minor deductions of merit or, in severe cases, be held accountable and executed. Otherwise, I could ask someone and at least have some idea. For now, I can only look for more opportunities to increase my clearance level as much as possible."

During this time, Zhou Qing'ang, the guardian of Taian Island, had consistently acted normally. However, Li Fan was very patient. He believed that before the arrival of the Crimson Flame Burning Sea, Zhou Qing'ang would surely reveal his true colors.