Chapter 483: Five Elders Society Origin

Myriad Immortals Island had been almost razed to the ground, and the cultivators of the Five Elders Association began excavating underground. Li Fan wanted to observe further, but an armored cultivator reprimanded him and forcibly removed him from the area.

Several teams of armored cultivators formed a formation, herding the Myriad Immortals Alliance members like sheep towards a small cave at the bottom of the canyon. An ominous wind blew from the cave entrance, giving it a sinister and terrifying aura.

The leading armored cultivator plunged his weapon into the ground and bellowed like raging thunder. Among the crowd, some showed resentment; they exchanged glances, seemingly discussing resistance in secret. However, circumstances outweighed their will, and after a period of hesitation, they ultimately yielded. They then entered the gloomy cave one after another.

Li Fan, being merely a borrowed puppet body, naturally felt little fear. However, to avoid drawing attention and to survive longer, he also pretended to be extremely frightened, following behind the others. The moment they stepped into the cave, the light vanished before their eyes.

The next moment, a scene completely different from what they expected appeared before them. Instead of a winding, dark passage within the mountain, they inexplicably found themselves in a lush, green valley. In the distance, a wooden pavilion was visible. Dozens of people sat on the ground in front of the pavilion, listening to a scholar-like cultivator lecture.

Seeing that it didn't seem like they were about to be interrogated or tortured, the Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators, who had been restless and plotting resistance, calmed down again. They decided to first observe the situation and then act according to circumstances.

Escorted by the armored cultivators, the crowd slowly approached the pavilion. Li Fan, hidden among the group, acutely noticed a certain change occurring in his body during this process, and his expression subtly shifted. It turned out that as they continuously approached the scholar in the pavilion, their bodies seemed to be continuously shrinking. This change was limited only to the detained members of the Myriad Immortals Alliance; the armored cultivators, the scholar, and even the surrounding scenery in the valley showed no change at all. Thus, although their speed of advance did not decrease, they seemed to be getting further and further from their target.

This abnormal phenomenon caused a slight commotion within the Myriad Immortals Alliance group, but it was quickly suppressed. In their eyes, the armored cultivators' figures had already expanded to resemble small mountains. Without any pity, they continued to urge them forward. Seeing people from the perspective of true ants for the first time, the Myriad Immortals Alliance members found it difficult to remain calm. Their faces gradually turned pale, and they subconsciously obeyed the armored cultivators' commands.

As they continued to advance, their physical shrinking still did not cease. After nearly ten days of travel, the group finally arrived before the pavilion. In their eyes, the scholar had already become like a mountain, propping up the heavens and resting on the earth.

The scholar spoke in a gentle tone. But to their ears, his words resounded like a great bell or chime, filling the heavens and earth. They continuously echoed in their minds. It seemed to reach deep into their souls; even if they tried to block their own perceptions, they still couldn't stop themselves from hearing the scholar's words in their minds. Consequently, they all lost control of their bodies and obediently sat down on the ground. Everyone was utterly shocked in their hearts.

The armored cultivators bowed respectfully to the scholar, and seeing that the Myriad Immortals Alliance members had taken their seats, they quietly departed.

The scholar glanced at everyone and let out a soft sigh. Those who considered themselves cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, upon hearing this, were naturally filled with defiance.

Just then, the scholar softly asked. Under the scholar's questioning, everyone began to speak, stating the answers in their hearts. However, the horrified expressions on their faces clearly indicated that their current answers were not given by their own free will.

However, when faced with the scholar's questions, not all cultivators lost control and answered automatically. At the very least, the puppet body Li Fan inhabited was not affected. Some cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage also resisted the scholar's manipulation, their brows furrowed in concentration. Li Fan was also greatly alarmed. Li Fan remained highly vigilant, ready to abandon the puppet body at any moment. Fortunately, the scholar did not pay much attention to Li Fan. The others answered one after another, their voices overlapping. The scholar, meanwhile, smiled faintly and listened attentively.

After a long while, when everyone had finished speaking, the area outside the pavilion slowly quieted down. The scholar shook his head. Everyone shook their heads. The scholar did not answer directly, but instead began to recount history to the group. Disregarding their stunned reactions, the scholar slowly spoke. The scholar revealed a benevolent and compassionate expression.

The Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators, seated on the ground and listening to the scholar's lecture, all displayed expressions of shock. Although they had all grown accustomed to the existence of the Five Elders Association, they were hearing about its origins for the very first time.

Upon hearing this, Li Fan was not as surprised as the other cultivators. Senior Sister Zhao, one of the five Immortal Heavenly Venerables of the Five Elders Association, was the former sect master of the Great Dao Sect, one of the original Ten Immortal Sects. Therefore, Li Fan had long suspected that the Five Elders Association was formed by the surviving cultivators of those original sects.