Chapter 363: The Power of Destiny Concentration

"Zhong Shentong? He wants to see me?"

In the vast white mist, Li Fan stopped what he was doing.

Listening to He Chen's report, Li Fan frowned slightly, feeling a sudden sense of bewilderment.

He had only met him once during a cultivation discussion; they had never formally met in the real world.

Seeing Li Fan's expression, He Chen lowered his voice and said, "According to Zhong Shentong, he has a method to extend your lifespan, Master Li. But he insists on meeting you in person. Although this person is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, his seven-colored divine light is truly infinitely profound, capable of resisting even the spirit-devouring white mist. The seniors in the Immortal Fortress also speak highly of him. Furthermore, Zhong Shentong has a wide network of acquaintances. This time, he was introduced and vouched for by a Soul Transformation cultivator, which is why the Immortal Fortress allowed him to come. It wouldn't hurt for you to meet him, Master Li."

He Chen suggested.

Among the cultivators Li Fan saved from Outpost Jiaxu two years ago, He Chen was the most grateful to him. Even when Li Fan's lifespan was nearing its end, he still insisted on fighting on the front lines to build the formation array. He Chen admired Li Fan immensely, even to the point of fanaticism, obeying Li Fan's every word.

Li Fan nodded slightly and said, "In that case, bring me to meet this Zhong Shentong."

However, he thought to himself, "This is truly as if a pillow has appeared for a sleepy head. Regardless of whether his so-called lifespan extension method is real or not, just getting acquainted and inquiring about the origin of his seven-colored divine light in advance would be beneficial."

The two returned to Outpost Jiaxu. In the council hall, an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a Daoist robe, had already been waiting for a long time.

As Li Fan stepped inside, Zhong Shentong's gaze instantly fixed on him.

They exchanged glances, and Li Fan bowed first, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhong, I've long heard of your reputation!"

Zhong Shentong sighed, "Indeed, a great reputation is never undeserved. The rumors outside weren't false. Fellow Daoist, you truly show signs of rapidly declining lifespan and approaching death."

At these words, He Chen's gaze immediately turned unfriendly.

Li Fan, however, had a thought and motioned for He Chen to leave for a moment.

Once only the two of them remained in the hall, Li Fan cupped his hands and asked, "Your words, Fellow Daoist, seem to carry a deeper meaning?"

Zhong Shentong stroked his beard and nodded, "It is precisely because I once had a similar experience to yours, Fellow Daoist, that I could be so certain at a glance. To be honest, Fellow Daoist, when I heard about your deeds from the outside world, I didn't truly believe them. Because I experienced it myself, I know intimately how intense that extreme disparity is—having a lot of lifespan one moment, and being on the verge of death the next—along with the profound fear that death brings. Back then, I prided myself on my resilient spirit, but I nearly collapsed. It took me a long time to recover. But compared to you, Fellow Daoist..."

Zhong Shentong shook his head, "Just now, you seemed to be overseeing the formation array construction in the white mist? Disregarding your own life... Such a state, it's beyond my reach!"

Li Fan gave a self-deprecating smile, "I knew there was no hope for me to extend my life, so I simply thought that if I could do one more thing, I should do it. As for being noble..."

"I don't really see it that way," Li Fan said sincerely.

Zhong Shentong's expression, however, became even more excited. "Yes, it's that detached and uninhibited attitude. How exactly did you achieve that, Fellow Daoist? I hope you will teach me!"

With that, he bowed deeply, his face full of solemnity.

Li Fan reacted quickly, dodging the bow.

He said sternly, "Your visit here is strange, and your behavior is even more inexplicable. If you continue to speak in riddles, don't blame me for turning hostile! Though your seven-colored divine light is formidable, I am not afraid of you!"

Zhong Shentong gave a wry smile and slapped his forehead. "Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist, I was rash."

Straightening up, he pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "What I said earlier about having a method to extend your lifespan, Fellow Daoist, is indeed true. And my desire to seek your guidance is also sincere. Have you, Fellow Daoist, heard of my deeds?"

Zhong Shentong looked at Li Fan and asked.

Li Fan nodded, "I've heard something. You are famously a late bloomer. In your sixties, you were still a mortal refining qi. After decades of qi refining, you finally reached the Foundation Establishment stage. You never gave up hope of breaking through and advancing, even until death. I truly admire you for that."

Hearing this, Zhong Shentong's old face actually flushed. He glanced around, and seeing no one else present, he whispered, "You truly flatter me, Fellow Daoist. Actually, there's another hidden story behind all this. And it's related to why I came to find you this time, Fellow Daoist. What I tell you today, I hope you won't spread it."

Li Fan's expression shifted slightly, but he nodded in agreement.

Zhong Shentong cleared his throat and said, "Fellow Daoist, have you ever heard of 'procrastination'?"

"Procrastination?" Li Fan was somewhat surprised.

"Indeed. This old Daoist, I suffer from extremely severe procrastination. It's a terminal illness, incurable," Zhong Shentong sighed. "Back then, when I was eighteen, I coincidentally acquired a profound cultivation technique. However, I simply had no motivation to practice it. I thought, 'I'm still young, I have plenty of time ahead of me.' So, my cultivation became increasingly lax. I cultivated intermittently, 'fishing for three days and drying nets for two.' I lived a carefree life until my fifties, still unable to break through to the Qi Refining stage. And at that time, I still wasn't in a hurry."

Zhong Shentong squinted, seemingly lost in thought. "I prided myself on my physical condition, believing I could live to seventy or eighty. I thought I had over thirty more years to enjoy life. Until one day, I accidentally swallowed a poisonous fruit. Although I survived and didn't die on the spot, my body was in critical condition, not far from its end. Never before had I felt death so close, and I became terrified like never before. Between life and death, there is great terror! Then I remembered that after breaking through to Qi Refining, my lifespan would greatly increase. As if grasping at a last straw, I cast aside all other thoughts and focused solely on cultivation. Under the pressure of impending death, my cultivation speed became incredibly fast, beyond imagination. In just one day and night, I successfully entered the Qi Refining realm! But after that, my lifespan increased again, and I lost all motivation once more. I thought, 'I still have so much time to live, I'll enjoy myself first.' It wasn't until decades later that I once again approached the limits of my lifespan. Only under the threat of death did I cultivate and break through to the Foundation Establishment stage!"

After Zhong Shentong finished speaking, Li Fan's expression became exceedingly strange. If he wasn't lying, then this person was truly a unique talent.

"So, Fellow Daoist, what is this so-called method of extending lifespan you mentioned?" Li Fan asked patiently, trying his best to maintain a pleasant demeanor.

Zhong Shentong said with full confidence, "I heard that you, Fellow Daoist, don't have much lifespan left and have given up on advancing to the Nascent Soul stage? In my opinion, there's absolutely no need for that!"