Chapter 558: Five Elders Seek Help

The ground was covered in green slime, which, even after Sima Changkong's death, seemed to possess a life of its own. It crawled slowly like a worm, spreading in every direction. Even the hard floor of the Crystal Palace hissed as it corroded under the green goo.

Witnessing this chilling scene, Li Fan couldn't help but gasp. "What an overbearing Xuanwang!"

"It can even eliminate its target by following the medium intended to record it." "Wait..." Li Fan's expression suddenly changed as he realized something.

He pulled out a blood-red spiritual talisman from his storage ring, concentrating his thoughts: "Fellow Daoist Sima, are you alright?"

He waited for a long time, but there was no response.

"Bad news, even all his clones are gone now," Li Fan's face twitched again. "This Xuanwang's pursuit ability is terrifyingly powerful."

Originally, Li Fan had thought only the clone in Congyun Sea had been destroyed, but now it seemed Sima Changkong was in dire straits.

This blood-colored communication talisman had been specially refined by Sima Changkong using his own vital blood. As long as any blood clone existed in the world, Li Fan could use it to contact Sima Changkong. But now, all of Li Fan's messages went unanswered.

The result was clear. Sima Changkong's face, his voice, his laughter, and their lively discussions and drinking sessions were still vivid in Li Fan's memory.

He never expected life to be so impermanent, here today, gone tomorrow. "Sima Changkong, travel well! I'll find you for a drink in the next life!"

Li Fan felt no sorrow in his heart; he merely shook his head slightly, activated the Five Elements Extinction Sword, and destroyed the undersea Crystal Palace, making it a simple tomb for Sima Changkong. "To think it could achieve such a degree..."

"Its aggressiveness surpasses the Xuanwang I remembered from my previous life by several folds." "It's definitely not a semi-finished product." Li Fan's expression darkened slightly.

Since Year Anchor 9, cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above from the various States' Heavenly Secret and Formation Strategy Halls were summoned to the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters, and they had been out of touch ever since. Later, the Myriad Immortals Alliance even issued a Recruitment Order, gathering all the talented formation masters across the land. Four years had passed, and it seemed they had achieved results.

"The Myriad Immortals Alliance has revealed its killing move. It remains to be seen how the Five Elders Association will respond next." "With my early warning, they shouldn't be completely without countermeasures." "Unfortunately, the Tianling State battlefield is too dangerous, and Fellow Daoist Sima, the only one who could provide real-time updates, has unfortunately met his end."

"The exact battle situation cannot be fully known." Li Fan felt a slight regret.

However, one thing was certain: with a powerful weapon like Xuanwang deployed, the war in Tianling State should be nearing its end. "It's faster than expected." "But for me, it's a good thing. I have already reached the perfected Golden Core stage, and everything is ready."

"I just need to wait for the war to end and for the Myriad Immortals Alliance to move the Five Elements Grand Cavern back to the heartland. Then, I will go to the void of Tianling State to investigate." The cultivation feedback from his many subordinates in Congyun Sea continued to flow into Li Fan's Dantian, stored within his Tribulation Body.

Over half of the first Tribulation Body had already solidified. Li Fan estimated the speed of his cultivation growth, thinking to himself: "If I were to enter the Nascent Soul realm, I might instantly advance to the middle Nascent Soul stage."

He shook his head, momentarily casting aside the fantasy. Before the war ended, he still needed to remain hidden.

Instead of looking for other places, Li Fan skillfully activated the Five Elements Extinction Sword and carved out a cave dwelling deep within the ocean trench. He only felt a sense of calm after sealing the area with a formation and the One-Handed Heavens-Covering Secret Art.

In the past year, Li Fan had also visited the Fallen Immortal Realm. However, the journey from Southern Nether Demon Mountain back to Beast Control Sect was truly long. Most of that trip to the Fallen Immortal Realm was spent traveling.

Possessing Xiao Hei, Li Fan focused on cultivating the Creation Furnace Art, which Mr. Bai had improved, and didn't feel bored. After Xiao Qing carried him and Xu Ke back to the sect, he found that Lu Ya and Di Sanmo were both nowhere to be found.

They hadn't appeared even by the time Li Fan left. "There should be about half a year left until the next entry."

"First, I should prepare for forming the Nascent Soul." The Dao Transformation Stone in his mind glowed, and all the essential insights on forming the Nascent Soul he had read in the past reappeared.

This time, re-reading, cross-referencing, and comparing, Li Fan felt he had gained new insights. Cultivation knows no time.

In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. While Li Fan's true body was immersed in seclusion and comprehending the Dao, his clone, Zhou Qingang, suddenly received a calling card.

"Liu Yihang?" Li Fan's expression shifted. The True Medicine King Cauldron had not yet returned. Clearly, this Liu Yihang couldn't be the adopted son of Liu Ruchen, the Medicine King Sect Master.

"So, it must be someone from the Five Elders Association." Li Fan's expression shifted again. During their last transaction, Li Fan had requested the Five Elders Association to transfer ten million contribution points to He Zhenghao under the alias 'Liu Yihang'.

Liu Yihang's name had indeed appeared on He Zhenghao's fundraising list. "It seems they've encountered something extremely urgent."

"They didn't leave any contact information before, but this time they're risking exposure by coming directly to me." Li Fan opened the calling card, committed the meeting address to memory, then activated his spiritual power to destroy it.

Late at night, he quietly went to the appointment alone. Five hundred li northwest of Congyun Immortal City, on a mortal island without cultivators guarding it, was a bamboo forest in the center of the island.

A thatched hut stood within the bamboo grove. Li Fan entered, and his gaze sharpened as he saw the figure before him. "It's him."

Although the other party's appearance was concealed by a secret technique, Li Fan recognized him instantly. This was the same Five Elders Association contact person he had met before at the Myriad Treasury Pavilion for the Myriad Immortals Alliance entrance exam transaction. "How should I address you?"

"Last time we met, I actually didn't realize you weren't the real Zhou Qingang at all." "Heh heh, when our boss told me, I was truly shocked." The other party's tone was unfriendly.

"Did you take such a big risk to find me just to ask that question?" "Boring!" Li Fan scoffed, turning to leave.

The Five Elders Association cultivator's face immediately changed. "Wait!"

He hurriedly got up, stopped Li Fan, and softened his tone: "Fellow Daoist, let's talk properly..." Li Fan glanced at him, then turned and slowly sat back down.

The Five Elders Association cultivator immediately sighed in relief and stated the purpose of inviting Li Fan. "Xuantian Spirit Sealing Array formation diagram?" Li Fan narrowed his eyes and flatly refused: "No!"

However, the Five Elders Association cultivator wasn't discouraged; instead, he seemed to see hope. "Fellow Daoist, your first reaction wasn't to ask what the Xuantian Spirit Sealing Array was, but to directly refuse." "That precisely indicates that you know about it." "Please, you must help us!"

He said with a sincere expression.