Chapter 269: Precious Treasures Mending the Spirit

"Still True" automatically activated its self-protection, firmly anchoring Li Fan in the ocean of his thoughts, much like a heavy ship anchor. This prevented him from being disturbed by the extremely realistic illusions and kept his mind from affecting his physical body.

At the same time, Li Fan remained vigilant. He kept his eyes fixed on "Still True"'s charging display. The moment the progress dropped, Li Fan intended to immediately activate "Still True" and return to his anchor point.

Fully prepared, Li Fan quietly waited for the changes that Yi Ma would bring. Scars appeared with increasing speed. Yet, Li Fan remained steadfast. Regardless of how many wounds appeared on his body, or how weak he became due to the severe injuries, he simply watched the charging progress before him, unmoved.

After a long while, perhaps because these injuries failed to intimidate Li Fan, new changes began to occur. A flame erupted from Yi Ma's corpse. Simultaneously, Li Fan felt an unbearable heat engulf him.

"Ah..." He couldn't help but let out a low moan. He even witnessed his own body slowly turn to ash in the flames.

"It's fake, it's all fake..."

"Still True"'s charging progress remained stable. This indicated there was no fatal danger. Everything was merely an incredibly realistic illusion. Li Fan held firm to his conviction.

The raging flames continued to dance. Li Fan endured and struggled through unspeakable agony. After an unknown period, the prolonged agony slowly receded. Once Yi Ma's corpse on the ground was completely incinerated, the illusions clinging to Li Fan finally vanished.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror again, he saw that his human appearance had been restored. Furthermore, Li Fan felt that he had grown stronger. This wasn't a physical or cultivation-based improvement, but rather an enhancement to his divine soul. Li Fan carefully observed the changes within himself.

"If divine sense is likened to a person's muscles, then it can be continuously strengthened through practice and cultivation. However, the divine soul is like a person's skeleton, its form already set at birth. Only through special means, such as breakthroughs in cultivation realms or the effects of certain rare treasures, can it be strengthened. Ordinary methods simply cannot affect it. But now, I feel as if my 'skeleton' has noticeably expanded."

Li Fan hadn't experienced this sensation of growing stronger in a very long time. Even the feeling of advancing a minor cultivation realm couldn't compare. In fact, only major advancements like successfully cultivating Qi into the body or establishing a Foundation could be truly comparable.

After some experimentation, Li Fan discovered that while his cultivation hadn't advanced, his divine sense had been significantly strengthened. And the speed of his thoughts also seemed to flow more smoothly.

"Yi Ma truly is a remarkable treasure! Although the method of acquiring its benefits is a bit strange, the results are genuinely impressive." Any fear he harbored towards it had vanished, replaced by an undeniable greed.

"Mind Monkey, Mind Horse."

"The Mind Monkey was formed from a cultivator. If I'm not mistaken, it seems this Yi Ma must also be formed from a cultivator." Recalling the Yi Ma corpse that had just looked exactly like himself, a sudden conjecture arose in Li Fan's mind.

"I had 'Still True' helping me, essentially cheating, which allowed me to endure Yi Ma's influence so easily. But if one's will isn't so resolute, and they truly die... then it's likely the previous Yi Ma died exactly like that."

"In that case, Zhang Zhiliang's intention becomes very clear. It's both a reward and a trial. If one can't even pass the Yi Ma trial, it means they're not qualified to represent Congyun Sea in Tianyu Province or inherit Zhang Zhiliang's unique skills. Death would just be death."

"Tsk, tsk. After ascending to the Soul Transformation stage, Zhang Zhiliang's mindset has truly become vastly different from before. Before, when I was only at the Qi Refinement stage, I received his special attention and was granted the Infinite Method. Now, however..." Reflecting on this, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

He then sent a report to Zhang Zhiliang. Zhang Zhiliang was somewhat surprised that Li Fan could assimilate Yi Ma so quickly.

"Hmm? It seems your will is even tougher than I imagined. Excellent! Among the three, you were the first to succeed. You deserve a reward!" With that, Zhang Zhiliang sent an item through the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

The item was a glowing white cube, precisely the Array Crown Li Fan had coveted for a long time. Li Fan was pleasantly surprised upon receiving it. He repeatedly said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Master."

"This Array Crown is yours. It contains hundreds of different stacked formations. You can disassemble and study them in your spare time. If you can independently construct a thirty-layered Array Crown, you can be considered an Array Master," Zhang Zhiliang instructed.

"Yi Ma's soul-enhancing effect isn't merely temporary. It will continue to nourish your divine soul for a considerable period. During this time, it's best for you to cultivate diligently in seclusion and avoid conflicts. Maximize its effects."

"Heh heh, perhaps you've already figured out that Yi Ma was a cultivator in its past life. The one I gave you was a Golden Core cultivator in its past life. If you can fully absorb its effects, doubling your divine soul's strength shouldn't be an issue."

Li Fan hadn't anticipated such an additional benefit and quickly expressed his gratitude to Zhang Zhiliang once more. Zhang Zhiliang, however, had already ended the communication and did not reply further.

"A Golden Core cultivator..."

"To fall and yet be unable to escape the fate of becoming another's sustenance." Li Fan secretly shook his head.

Li Fan then suddenly recalled the human-faced laughing fruits he had encountered on Tai'an Island. "At that time, the laughing fruits seemed to only affect mortal islands. If cultivators were transformed into such fruits, would even more potent variants appear? All of them are humans transformed into beneficial anomalies: the laughing fruits, the Mind Monkey, Yi Ma... I wonder if there's some connection between them."

Li Fan always felt there was a hidden secret here, giving him a strange feeling. It felt out of place. Yet, it was also somewhat familiar. After pondering for a moment, the blue crystal in his mind pulsed with light, and scenes from his past experiences flashed before his eyes. Li Fan finally realized where this sense of familiarity originated.

"Sect ruins... and 'strangeness'?" Li Fan mused for a moment, feeling somewhat uncertain. However, this seemed to contradict the current cultivation rules, defying all reason. These phenomena, though seemingly self-contained, appeared to follow a consistent underlying principle.

"It's said that 'strangeness' only exists within sect ruins. If the two are truly connected, what does that imply?"

Li Fan then recalled an incident from long ago, after the Master's blue ox pulled the carriage. He had gone to the Hall of Heavenly Secrets for an investigation. In front of the colossal map of Congyun Sea, the frail cultivator had once remarked, "Another case?" Li Fan vaguely guessed something.