Chapter 513: Suddenly, a Hundred Years Passed

Li Fan and Senior Sister Zhao received their orders and headed down the mountain.

Due to the large-scale deaths of mortals, the concentration of the Immortal Plague in the environment surged. To cope with this, before their departure, Sect Master Ji bestowed upon them ample supplies, including the Creation Violet Gold Elixir.

However, this wasn't enough to entirely alleviate their heavy hearts. After all, having confirmed that the Immortal Plague could be contracted multiple times, they knew that no matter how well-prepared or protected they were, constant exposure inevitably meant they could fall ill with the strange disease again. The various pains they endured when infected a month prior were still vivid in their memories. As cultivators, it had been a long time since they had experienced such a feeling, worse than death itself. If this were to repeat again and again... that experience, they feared, might be worse than simply dying.

Of course, this was just a momentary outburst of frustration. Senior Sister Zhao and Li Fan were both dedicated to the Dao and sought eternal life; they wouldn't so easily give up their lives. However, a master's command was inviolable. Even Senior Sister Zhao, now a revered Dao Child of the Grand Dao Sect, could only obediently follow orders.

"This matter still feels a bit strange. I've made inquiries; while other sects among the Ten Great Sects have also dispatched disciples to travel the world, at most they're core disciples. I haven't heard of any sect, like our Grand Dao Sect, sending out someone of the Dao Child rank!" Li Fan shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

"Senior Sister, you are the candidate for the next Sect Master, immensely respected. In these troubled times, what you should be doing most is staying within the sect, cultivating in seclusion, and diligently improving your cultivation. Not undertaking some inexplicable mission. What if, by some chance..."

Li Fan glanced at her, then continued, "I mean, what if, by some chance, Senior Sister, you met with misfortune and perished? How great would be the cost for the sect to cultivate another Dao Child? Wouldn't all the resources previously invested in you have been wasted? Sect Master Ji's decision this time is truly hard to comprehend. And yet, none of the elders seem to have any objections..."

Senior Sister Zhao glanced at Li Fan and said calmly, "Junior Brother, you're overthinking it. As the foremost immortal sect in the world, our Grand Dao Sect sending a Dao Child shows precisely how much we value this matter. Besides..." Her voice suddenly lowered slightly, "Junior Brother, if it were in the past, your conjecture might be correct. But now... times have changed."

Li Fan was instantly struck with alarm. Indeed. He was still immersed in the prosperous era of grand cultivation from before, his way of thinking hadn't shifted. In today's cultivation world, every position is tightly controlled. As for Dao Children, the faster their cultivation progressed, the more they were seen as a threat in the eyes of the sect elders. In the past, they could share cultivation techniques, and if one didn't wish to be Sect Master, they could become a Grand Elder and relinquish the position early. But now, if you don't want to be Sect Master? Fine, but you certainly can't keep occupying the *Grand Dao Scripture of Heaven's Punishment*, can you? Please switch to another cultivation method! No one could tolerate that. Thus, suppressing the growth of Dao Children became a matter of course.

Li Fan, having understood the crucial points, remained silent.

Following the pervasive bloody light in the sky, the two arrived at a ruined site. They remembered that just a few years ago, this place was an incredibly prosperous mortal city with a population of at least half a million. Unexpectedly, now there was not a trace of life left. Their divine sense swept over the ruins, revealing mortal remains everywhere. Men, women, old, and young—none were spared. The horrifying scene was unlike anything they had ever witnessed, even in their worst nightmares.

"Truly monstrous..." Killing intent surged in Senior Sister Zhao's eyes. While carefully guarding against the Immortal Plague constantly rising from below, she cast spells to track the perpetrator's whereabouts.

"Let's go!"

A moment later, Senior Sister Zhao, having located her target, transformed into a streak of light and rapidly flew away. Li Fan quickly followed. He was a little slower. By the time Li Fan arrived, he found Senior Sister Zhao standing in place, looking somewhat bewildered and lost. It turned out that the cultivator who had previously massacred the city was already deeply infected with the Immortal Plague and had died incurable. The culprit was dead, and Senior Sister Zhao had no outlet for her burning rage.

"Were they wrong? If it were us, without so many life-saving elixirs, would we do the same in a life-or-death situation?" For a moment, Senior Sister Zhao couldn't help but ask, somewhat confused.

Just as Li Fan was about to answer, he noticed a strange phenomenon suddenly appearing in the sky above them. "Cultivator Qu Xinfeng, having cultivated the Dao for fifty-six years, achieved his Dao Foundation with a deep-mountain stone sword... Now that his body has perished and his Dao dissipated, his Dao returns to heaven!"

As he witnessed the scene in the sky, a piece of information instantly emerged in Li Fan's mind. "What is this?" Li Fan was startled.

"Hmm?" Senior Sister Zhao also noticed the peculiar sight in the sky at this moment and looked up. A moment later, her expression turned grim. She unleashed a sword qi, hoping to dispel the phenomenon. But the phenomenon seemed to be carved into the nine heavens, and Senior Sister Zhao's attack was in vain.

"What is this? Is it heaven's mockery?"

Li Fan remained silent. The Law of Incompatible Cultivation. The Immortal Plague. Now, with this bizarre "death declaration" appearing, he truly didn't know what else the future held. He sighed softly.

"Let's go, Senior Sister. Don't linger here. Let's finish the mission quickly and return to the sect soon," Li Fan urged.

After a long time, Senior Sister Zhao didn't respond. She merely reduced the corpse of Qu Xinfeng, who had caused such boundless slaughter but had now perished, to ashes. Only then did she transform into a streak of light and fly away.

Over the next two years and more, the two traveled throughout the entire Xuanhuang Realm, preventing countless tragic incidents. While eliminating many maddened cultivators, they also saved the lives of numerous mortals. After learning about the Great Migration Plan, the remaining cultivators gradually calmed down, no longer wantonly slaughtering mortals. Of course, some sporadic incidents in certain areas were unavoidable. They were willing but powerless to intervene in all of them.

Having completed the Sect Master's instructions, they were about to return to the sect as originally planned. However, an unexpected command caught them off guard. It turned out that Ji Changxi said the Great Migration Plan had officially commenced. They were not to return for now. They were to remain in the Xuanhuang Realm and help coordinate various sects, large and small, to complete this crucial plan for all cultivators.

Li Fan looked at Senior Sister Zhao's face, so dark it seemed almost dripping with gloom, and dared not speak. He didn't know how to comfort her, so he simply stood silently by her side. After a long while, Senior Sister Zhao's expression returned to normal. She offered a sweet smile and said, "Let's go, Junior Brother. A master's command cannot be disobeyed, after all."

For some reason, seeing Senior Sister Zhao's expression, an unspeakable fear quietly emerged in Li Fan's heart. "Heh, alright, Senior Sister," he replied carefully and hurriedly.

A century passed in a flash. With the concerted efforts of all cultivators, the Great Migration Plan was successfully executed. All mortals were relocated to Grotto-heavens and minor realms, and the Xuanhuang Realm was thoroughly cleared. Senior Sister Zhao and Li Fan, who hadn't returned to the sect in over a hundred years, were finally able to return to its gates.