Chapter 213: This World Ends Unexplained

A faint ethereal light swept past, and over forty thousand sheets of paper instantly floated upwards.

Inside the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Li Fan felt as if the papers before his eyes had subtly shifted.

A moment later, a thick "book" appeared before Li Fan.

"Cracking complete. Required contribution points deducted: 28,000."

"That was too fast!" Li Fan couldn't help but inwardly marvel.

The scene of the pages fluttering moments ago was definitely not Li Fan's imagination. Rather, their speed of movement exceeded the limits of Li Fan's perception, making it impossible to discern their trajectory.

"Times have changed, Yin Xing!" he thought. "In the past, without knowing the key, it would have been absolutely impossible for an ordinary cultivator to open the Heavenly Lock Treasure Box you left behind. But now, everyone can use the Heavenly Profound Mirror. This encrypted treasure box is completely defenseless before it! The Heavenly Profound Mirror is truly a wondrous treasure!"

Li Fan sighed inwardly with emotion, then opened the now unrestricted Heavenly Lock Treasure Box. Inside, there were only two items: a jade slip and a shimmering stone emitting a deep blue glow.

The blue light pulsed softly, as if breathing. Upon closer inspection, countless scenes seemed to be continuously playing out within the stone.

"So this is the Dao Transformation Stone!" Though it had taken some effort, Li Fan was delighted to finally hold the Dao Transformation Stone in his hand, his wish fulfilled.

"I wonder what quality Dao Transformation Stone Yin Xing left behind." He once again let the Heavenly Profound Mirror act as the appraiser.

"Dao Transformation Stone (Low-grade), redeemable for 150,000 contribution points." The Heavenly Profound Mirror diligently displayed the result.

Li Fan decisively chose not to redeem it, pondering to himself. "Although it's low-grade, it should be sufficient for my current needs. This small stone is actually more expensive than a Nascent Soul cultivation technique. No, Jiao Xiuyuan said that this Dao Transformation Stone is practically priceless, with supply never meeting demand. 150,000 is merely the Heavenly Profound Mirror's theoretical acquisition price. To purchase it at the same price is simply a pipe dream."

As expected, Li Fan conducted a search within the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Many cultivators had posted messages seeking to purchase Dao Transformation Stones. The proposed exchange conditions were no longer just contribution points, but mostly rare natural treasures of equivalent value.

"This must be the most valuable item I currently possess." Li Fan contentedly put away the Dao Transformation Stone, then began to read the jade slip Yin Xing had left behind.

The jade slip contained no cultivation methods or secret arts. It was mostly Yin Xing's casual writings and his reflections before his death. From the lines, Li Fan learned about the life of Yin Xing, a disciple of the Taiyan Sect, during the Great Migration Era many years ago.

At that time, under the influence of the rule that immortal arts could not be cultivated concurrently, many sects in the cultivation world had already experienced extremely brutal internal strife. Some millennium-old immortal sects were even wiped out overnight because of it. The Taiyan Sect was naturally no exception.

However, most Taiyan Sect disciples favored the arts of deduction and calculation and were not keen on fighting and killing. The internal conflict was quickly and forcibly suppressed by the Taiyan Sect Master, Zuo Qiusheng. Although this peace was doomed not to last, it did endure for a period.

Just as this brief peace was about to vanish, the Immortal-Mortal Blight erupted. The inability to cultivate immortal arts concurrently only meant stagnation of cultivation. But contracting the Immortal-Mortal Blight would genuinely lead to death. All cultivators clearly understood which was more important.

Consequently, internal strife was abandoned. Instead, they turned their attention to combating the Immortal-Mortal Blight.

The history during this period aligned with what Li Fan had previously learned. First, there was a wanton slaughter of mortals; then, realizing something was amiss, the massacre targeting mortals was urgently halted. Following this, the infamous Great Migration Plan was proposed. Anyone not in the Qi Refinement stage would be forcibly relocated to surrounding minor worlds and grotto-heavens.

At that time, Yin Xing was actually already in the late Qi Refinement stage. However, he still voluntarily volunteered to be responsible for the mortal migration efforts within the Taiyan Sect and surrounding areas.

In his casual writings, Yin Xing confessed frankly: although the cultivators' internal strife had been forcibly halted due to the Immortal-Mortal Blight outbreak, it was foreseeable that a true era of slaughter and darkness would descend completely before long. At that point, he, a mere Qi Refinement cultivator, would surely be among the first to be slaughtered. It was better to seize this opportunity to escape to a neighboring minor world with the mortals. There, he could command the populace with the prestige of an immortal and establish a foundation. Afterward, he would abolish his cultivation to ensure peace. In doing so, he might even live longer than if he forcibly remained in the cultivation world.

Thus, Yin Xing established a mortal dynasty in this desolate minor world. Knowing that eternal life was hopeless, Yin Xing, upon becoming emperor, mobilized the people to construct his tomb. Furthermore, while his cultivation was still active, he set up an illusion array inside the tomb, which concealed his true burial chamber.

When Yin Xing grew old and the spiritual energy in his body completely vanished, making him a mortal, the aging process accelerated rapidly. He began to reminisce about his time in the Taiyan Sect. As he was about to die of old age, he went alone into the tomb and sealed it. He then sealed the Dao Transformation Stone within, hoping that a Taiyan Sect disciple might one day accidentally arrive in this world and bring it back to the sect.

"I never expected Yin Xing to have such a history," Li Fan thought. "This person possessed considerable wisdom, making the correct choice. He retreated wisely and successfully escaped the Great Dark Era. However, it appears that the number of cultivators who chose to flee back then might not have been small. Those capable, like Liu Ruchen of the Medicine King Sect, directly tore open the void and escaped the Xuanhuang Realm. Those who settled for less, like Yin Xing, fled to surrounding minor worlds."

Li Fan then recalled what He Zhenghao had mentioned to him: the farce of minor worlds counterattacking the cultivation world five hundred years ago. "Perhaps the influence of those escaped cultivators played a role in that..."

After musing for a moment, Li Fan put away the jade slip and slowly reined in his wandering thoughts. "I have the Dao Transformation Stone, but how do I use it? Yin Xing didn't leave behind the secret art of Dao Transformation God One."

Out of cautious secrecy, Li Fan did not ask Jiao Xiuyuan. Instead, he continued his search within the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

As expected, although it was an ancient sect's secret art, the key to this art lay in the Dao Transformation Stone, not the technique itself. Without the Dao Transformation Stone, Dao Transformation God One was completely useless. Moreover, after so many years of development in the cultivation world, there was more than just Dao Transformation God One for utilizing the Dao Transformation Stone. Furthermore, since the secret art had no restrictions against concurrent cultivation, its price naturally wouldn't be very high.

Li Fan only spent 30,000 contribution points, equivalent to the price of a Core Formation cultivation technique. After signing a confidentiality agreement, he learned the secret art.

"Touch with the spirit, merge with calculation. Object and self unite, Dao Transformation God One."

Li Fan placed the deep blue Dao Transformation Stone between his eyebrows. He activated the secret method and slowly began to cultivate.

The fusion of his mind and the Dao Transformation Stone was a gradual process. Time quietly slipped away as Li Fan practiced the secret art.

In the blink of an eye, it was Anchor Year 11, the time for the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace to open. Although Li Fan was now wealthy, he didn't want to waste the 100,000 contribution point task from the Cloudwater Scroll-Tally. So Li Fan used a clone to visit the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace.

First, he still faced Qin Tang's trial. However, with his main body in cultivation, the clone's will was inevitably affected. It wasn't as perfect as when Li Fan had fully focused on it before. Nonetheless, he managed to turn the tide with a flask of good wine, once again ranking first among all the challengers.

This time, Qin Tang did not impart the Cloudwater Illusory Dream Art, but only taught a Core Formation stage cultivation technique called "Ocean Strider." Li Fan felt a bit regretful but could do nothing about it. The clone only had Qi Refinement cultivation; receiving a Core Formation technique was already Qin Tang being generous.

After chatting with Qin Tang for a while, he exited the illusion later. After avoiding other cultivators, Li Fan headed straight for the Grand Unity Hall.

The clone, lacking the Azure Flame Phantom Spirit, indeed took some effort to pass through the Sword Forest in front of the Grand Unity Hall. "Disciple Lin Fan of the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace's Sutra Repository, requests an audience with Ancestor Grand Unity!" the clone shouted while simultaneously circulating the recently learned "Ocean Strider."

The turtle-snake monster awoke from its slumber. It was still a bit muddled, but the aura of Qin Tang's personal cultivation technique on the clone was unmistakable. Grand Unity took a moment to discern, then handed the small, rainbow-glowing Cloudwater Heavenly Palace to Li Fan.

Having obtained the Cloudwater Scroll-Tally, and to avoid complications, the clone immediately returned to the Heavenly Profound Mirror without delay. He chose to complete the task.

The Heavenly Profound Mirror's reaction was identical to that in the twelfth lifetime. "Unable to verify the authenticity of the Cloudwater Scroll-Tally. Please wait."

After a long silence, the Heavenly Profound Mirror's voice sounded again. "Task publisher... requests to visit your space. Do you accept?"

Li Fan naturally chose to accept. A moment later, the white-haired elder, Heavenly Doctor, appeared before Li Fan with a benevolent expression.

After a reserved bow, Li Fan handed over the colorful model. Heavenly Doctor took the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace, observed it carefully, and was filled with emotion.

After a long while, he asked again, "What is the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace like now?" Li Fan answered truthfully, detailing everything.

Upon hearing this, an inexplicable expression emerged in Heavenly Doctor's cloudy eyes. He fell into a long silence once more.

According to his experience in the twelfth lifetime, Heavenly Doctor would then issue another errand task, asking Li Fan to place a white jade statue in the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace. It was this white jade statue that, five years later, would attract the Master pulled by a green ox. During their great battle, the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace would be re-sealed.

Heavenly Doctor remained silent for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. Li Fan could only wait patiently.

However, at this very moment, events took a completely different turn from before, far exceeding Li Fan's expectations.

The Heavenly Doctor, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly looked up and stared at Li Fan. With a slightly strange expression, he asked, "Young friend, what are you expecting?"

Li Fan's mind trembled violently. He was horrified to discover that his body seemed entirely out of his control. His mouth opened and closed, revealing all the secrets hidden in his heart, without reservation!

"I'm waiting for you to re-assign a task, to have me make another trip to Cloudwater..." His voice was halting and strange, like that of a controlled puppet. It was somewhat comical, yet terrifying.

Inside the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Li Fan's main body awoke from cultivation with a jolt. He made a decisive move, immediately activating the secret art of the Heaven-Defying Transformation Art, sacrificing the clone's life.

"...Heavenly Palace, place the jade statue inside..." The clone's words were cut short mid-sentence as its life force visibly withered. Its speech was directly interrupted, and it was clear it wouldn't survive.

The white-haired elder showed a slightly mocking smile. He lightly pointed a finger in the air. The clone's body, which was clearly infinitely close to death, was forcibly brought back to life in an instant.

"...there. As a reward, you will give me a copy of the 'Heavenly Doctor Immortal Scripture'..." The clone, hovering between life and death, struggled to finish its sentence. Only then did it completely turn into ashes.

Heavenly Doctor, having received the answer, paused for a moment, showing a hint of surprise. Then, as if he had understood something, a smile blossomed on his aged face. "Good!"

The moment the clone completely perished, the warning sign in Li Fan's heart still did not disappear. Without hesitation, he immediately chanted inwardly, "True..."

In the Heavenly Profound Mirror space where he was, a rift seemed to be forcibly torn open. Through the crack, Heavenly Doctor's figure was faintly discernible. "...Return!"

The 'True Return' command had been uttered, but the surrounding scene did not immediately turn into nothingness as before. It was as if he had fallen into a quagmire, or as if his connection had been severed. Heavenly Doctor's gaze had already passed through the rift and fallen upon Li Fan.

Just then, the accumulated charging progress of 'True Return,' gathered over his two-plus years in the cultivation world, instantly plummeted. The mysterious obstruction vanished. The surrounding scenery once again became illusory, and Li Fan's consciousness plunged into darkness.