Chapter 235: Passing Down a Legacy Across Generations

Three months after the Immortal-Summoning Bell rang, the Immortal Summoning Order arrived as scheduled. The master and disciples of the Shenhua Dao sect gathered to discuss countermeasures. Li Fan also wanted to quietly join them, but his master, Tianyangzi, sternly took him outside. He could only vaguely overhear their discussion from outside the door.

"What a ridiculous Immortal Summoning Order! Why should we bother with it? It's fine for those large sects with tens of thousands of members to send some people. But our Shenhua Dao sect has so few; are they still asking us to go to the front line? What kind of logic is that?" The Second Senior Brother echoed similar sentiments.

The final outcome was consistent with Li Fan's previous experiences: the First Senior Brother was the first to join the battle. Before his departure, everyone tearfully bid him farewell. Li Fan asked the First Senior Brother who he was going to fight. Si Xing just smiled, patted his junior brother's head, and said he was going to fight bad guys. He then transformed into a wisp of green light and vanished into the air.

With the First Senior Brother gone, the usual atmosphere of the Shenhua Dao sect became much more subdued. Fortunately, the Second Senior Brother, a lively character, often lightened the mood and brought laughter. Li Fan's successful breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage also brought joy to the entire Shenhua Dao sect for a while.

But happiness is always fleeting. One year and three months after Si Xing's departure, tragic news arrived: the First Senior Brother had died on the battlefield.

The Second Senior Brother was filled with grief and indignation. According to information he privately obtained, this was clearly due to the Ten Great Immortal Sects underestimating their enemy. The battle initially went very smoothly, with the enemy retreating steadily. However, the forces led by the Ten Great Immortal Sects severely underestimated the enemy's hidden power. During a pursuit, they were caught off guard by an ambush, suffering heavy losses and leaving the front line in critical danger.

Consequently, the Immortal Sects issued another Immortal Summoning Order. Though Shenhua Dao harbored deep resentment towards the Immortal Sects, under absolute coercion, they had no choice but to obey the order and enlist again, lest they be completely annihilated like other wilderness sects. This time, it was the Second Senior Brother who headed to the war front.

To this end, the Second Senior Brother even had a fierce fight with the Third Senior Brother. In the past, when the two brothers sparred, the Third Senior Brother, Lian Chang, always had a slight edge. This time, to prevent the other from going to their death, both unleashed their true abilities. However, this time Lian Chang lost.

The Second Senior Brother, Ling Xiao, was incredibly strong. His 'Brush of Creation' waved in the air, spilling ink that instantly conjured dozens of flying swords. Though formed by a brush, they seemed as real as anything, whistling as they struck Lian Chang's protective bronze bell. The brush never stopped, and countless illusory magical artifacts, like falling petals, continuously assailed him. Lian Chang was left with almost no power to retaliate. It turned out that Ling Xiao had always been holding back against his junior brother, Lian Chang.

Ling Xiao, however, smiled and bid farewell to everyone. Before leaving, he handed dozens of his unsold written works to Li Fan for safekeeping. He cautioned him not to peek, but if he couldn't resist, to exercise moderation. Then he departed with a flourish.

After the Second Senior Brother Ling Xiao left, the Shenhua Dao sect became completely silent. Master Tianyangzi, watching his disciples leave one by one, also seemed to age significantly. The Third Senior Brother, Lian Chang, was already taciturn. After this stimulus, he began to cultivate diligently, almost to the point of madness. Li Fan did the same.

Two years and three months after Ling Xiao's departure, the Immortal Summoning Order arrived again. However, Senior Brother Ling Xiao had never returned. Perhaps considering the possibility of resistance, this time the Ten Great Immortal Sects also dispatched an Immortal Summoning Envoy. Anyone who disobeyed would be killed without question.

As with previous experiences, after some persuasion, Tianyangzi went to the battlefield. In the Shenhua Dao cave dwelling, only Li Fan and the Third Senior Brother, Lian Chang, remained. Although Li Fan already knew the course of events, how could he, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, resist the overwhelming tide? He could only watch helplessly as things unfolded once more.

This battle seemed even more brutal than the previous two combined. Just six months later, the exhausted Immortal Summoning Envoy returned with another command from the Ten Great Immortal Sects.

"This war has reached its most critical moment," he declared. "All sects across the land and rogue cultivators in the wilderness must unite and work together to overcome these difficult times. Those who defy orders, delay battle opportunities, spread rumors, or conspire with the enemy will be executed without mercy."

The Immortal Might was awe-inspiring. The Immortal Summoning Envoy even threatened Li Fan, the youngest member of the Shenhua Dao sect, and then promised several empty benefits. Lian Chang clenched his fists, but in the end, he agreed to the Immortal Summoning Envoy's demand.

Before his departure, Lian Chang left a jade slip for Li Fan. It contained cultivation experiences of successive patriarchs of the Shenhua Dao sect. He cautioned Li Fan not to venture out easily, then sealed the main gate and left with resolve.

The Shenhua Dao sect was once again left with only Li Fan. He had returned to the original course of history.

Reflecting on this simulation, Li Fan felt a touch of helplessness. To be fair, he had done quite well. Using the 'Danger' character method from the Medical Scripture, he successfully escaped dormancy. He had spent a happy time with the members of the Shenhua Dao sect. He possessed foresight; he could change the fate of one person, but not the fate of many. The ancient war embroiled the entire cultivation world. Even the Eternal Heavenly Venerable was deeply caught in the maelstrom of war, unable to escape. Li Fan simply couldn't influence or change any of it.

So, what exactly was Tianyang's obsession?

Li Fan cultivated while pondering. "Tianyang's life, not weaker than anyone..." Gradually, Li Fan formed his own guess. The young Tianyang had watched helplessly as his master and senior brothers, to protect each other, threw themselves into battle and bravely faced death. Yet, as the weakest and most protected member of the sect, he alone survived until the very end. This was merely because of his "weakness."

Tianyang's heart was filled with guilt and regret. If only he had been stronger then, stronger than his senior brothers, could he have taken their place on the battlefield? Would he not have had to watch his senior brothers die one after another? Would at least one senior brother have had a chance to survive? Perhaps this was Tianyang's simple yet profound obsession.

Time slowly passed as Li Fan cultivated. Five years and three months after Lian Chang's departure, the Shenhua Dao cave dwelling was violently forced open. Seven cultivators, attempting to occupy the cave dwelling, barged in. Li Fan, who had cultivated in seclusion for years and lacked experience in forming a core, still failed to break through the bottleneck and achieve the Golden Core stage.

The outcome was the same as before. The simulated world vanished, and Li Fan returned to the real cultivation world. The remaining uses for Tianyang's Eternal Remnant thought also became one.

However, Li Fan unexpectedly discovered that he was not without gains this time. The dozens of unfinished works that the Second Senior Brother Ling Xiao had given him before leaving now clearly appeared in Li Fan's mind. Li Fan remained silent for a long time before he finally understood. Perhaps Tianyang's obsession also stemmed from his inability to properly accompany his senior brothers through the final moments of their lives, as he had always been in a state of dormancy.

Destroying the traces on the seabed, Li Fan returned to Wanxian Island. Using Ling Xiao's name, he uploaded those dozen or so unfinished works one by one. Thus, this author, who had died thousands of years ago, began his updates once more.