Chapter 612: Writing a Book is Difficult

Hearing Ximen Yu's certainty, Li Fan couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

"Time flows, increasing and decreasing in an orderly manner. Is this a change inherent to the Xuanhuang Realm, or is it caused by an external force?" Li Fan instinctively thought of the elusive Dharma Transmission Celestial Master. It could be no one else; if any cultivator within the Xuanhuang Realm could so easily transform the world, it had to be this creator of the new law.

"But if this guess is truly correct, and the Xuanhuang Realm is about to fall into the Immortal Ruins, why isn't the Dharma Transmission Celestial Master fleeing? Instead, he's been transforming the world for thousands of years, as if it were just one day. Why is this?" Li Fan then speculated, "Could it be that only by completing the transformation of the world could the Dharma Transmission Celestial Master achieve transcendence?" Remembering the Celestial Master's departure from the Xuanhuang Realm more than a decade later in his previous life, Li Fan couldn't help but ponder further. Many thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but Li Fan temporarily suppressed the doubts in his heart.

"Brother Ximen is truly a prodigy with the ability to manage the world, capable of discerning the true nature of heaven and earth from the minutest details. I believe even Dao Integration experts are far inferior to you!" Li Fan praised him wholeheartedly. Then, changing the subject, he asked, "For such a groundbreaking study, I wonder if you have any detailed written works? I'd love to read them through the night!"

Ximen Yu initially showed some pride, but when Li Fan asked about his written works, he suddenly became hesitant and quite embarrassed. Only after Li Fan pressed him repeatedly did he reluctantly reveal the truth. It turned out that he had previously almost completed the entire manuscript of "An Examination of Mountains, Rivers, and Ancient Times," and was just about to publish it, hoping to gain eternal renown. However, he received a warning from the Myriad Immortals Alliance. The Alliance officials believed that "An Examination of Mountains, Rivers, and Ancient Times" contained many passages unsuitable for public disclosure and required revision. Yet, they didn't specify which particular contents were taboo. Ximen Yu, left with no choice, had to delete some parts and re-upload it for approval. Still, it failed to pass. Eventually, his thick volume was so heavily cut that only a single long essay remained.

"Heh, after that, I became disheartened. I've just been using my knowledge to earn some contribution points and, incidentally, changed my research direction," Ximen Yu said with a hint of melancholy in his voice. "By the way, I've recently been focusing on the study of earth vein movements. If you're interested, we could exchange ideas."

Li Fan mused for a moment, then quietly asked, "Do you happen to have a backup of the original manuscript?"

Ximen Yu chuckled, "My 'Examination of Ancient and Modern' is the culmination of my life's learning; it's deeply etched into my mind. Why would I need a backup? However, I can't transmit the complete version via the Heavenly Profound Mirror. If you truly wish to read it, you can come find me on Qihong Isle in Leyang State." Leyang State is located east-central of the Myriad Immortals Alliance territory, more than a dozen states away from Congyun Sea. However, traveling via teleportation would not take long. Li Fan immediately agreed.

"Oh, by the way, Fellow Daoist Ximen, those locations I asked you to find, which remained elusive—you said they might have fallen within the range of the white mist barrier," Li Fan asked just before they disconnected the communication. "Could you mark their possible locations on a map for me?"

Hearing this, Ximen Yu was somewhat surprised. "Could it be that you intend to venture deep into the white mist to investigate?"

"Not necessarily," Li Fan replied with a smile, neither admitting nor denying it. "It's just a thought to keep. After all, the Soul-Devouring White Mist is dangerous; who would want to shorten their life by venturing in there for no reason? Perhaps one day, when my lifespan is nearing its end, I might consider an exploratory journey into it."

"That's good. I thought I'd encountered another madman," Ximen Yu mumbled.

"Another madman? What do you mean by that, Fellow Daoist Ximen?" Li Fan's interest was piqued, and he quickly asked.

"Oh, it's nothing special. It's just that when I was surveying the terrain previously, I repeatedly witnessed a crazy cultivator running in and out of the white mist barrier. At first, he looked like a young man. Later, he became frail and aged. I don't know if he's still alive now. I tried to advise him, but he wouldn't listen. He just kept muttering about the white mist barrier holding a great secret..." Ximen Yu scoffed, his tone dismissive. "That's nonsense. You need to be alive to research it."

As he spoke, he transmitted a map with several marked locations. "For the remaining few, I'll try to find a way in the next few days to see if they can be unraveled. If it's truly impossible, I won't contact you again." With that, the line went silent.

Li Fan carefully examined the map, noting that the marked locations were scattered across various parts of the Myriad Immortals Alliance territory. These were the very locations Li Fan had deliberately chosen, originally clustered within one or two adjacent states according to Linghu Chang's memories. This confirmed the validity of Ximen Yu's research. Indeed, the Xuanhuang Realm had been torn apart and reshaped. Staring at the map, Li Fan remained silent for a long time. After a considerable while, he finally deleted the map information entirely.

"For now, I'll first buy materials for refining Longevity Pills from the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Once I've accumulated a batch, I'll have Liu San pilot the Puxian True Boat into the depths of the white mist to see if there are any discoveries. If that doesn't work, I can also consider cultivating them in the Wood-element Grotto-heaven within my Five Elements Grotto-heaven."

Currently, Li Fan's Five Elements Grotto-heaven spiritual domain was still in its nascent, embryonic stage. Neither its size nor its spiritual energy density could compare to the one that had previously sparked the great war between the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Council. Fortunately, its essence was no different, promising limitless potential. "Cultivating spirit plants would also help refine the laws within the Wood-element Grotto-heaven. However, specialists have their own fields..."

Li Fan suddenly recalled Chen Ying, the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Medicine Hall of Congyun Sea. Since his conscription into the Five Elements Grotto-heaven, he had been out of contact. However, unlike his previous life, due to Li Fan's warning, Chen Ying had not yet perished. He was simply unreachable. "He should still be in the Five Elements Grotto-heaven, though I wonder what he's busy with." Li Fan remembered that in his previous life, shortly after, in year 38 of the anchor, the Five Elements Grotto-heaven had suffered from a massive depletion of resources, leading to an imbalance of its five elements and its ultimate demise. "I wonder if the Myriad Immortals Alliance will repeat its mistakes in this life." Li Fan was still unclear why the Myriad Immortals Alliance was extracting such exorbitant amounts of resources from the Five Elements Grotto-heaven. However, given that Chen Ying had not yet returned, it seemed the Alliance's operations within the grotto-heaven had not ceased. After a moment of thought, Li Fan slightly shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it further.

Just as he was about to return to Shenhua Island, he suddenly received a message notification from the Heavenly Profound Mirror. The former island master of Myriad Immortals Island, Immortal Monarch Hongxi, a Soul Transformation cultivator who had been conscripted into the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters for several years, had finally returned. He ordered Li Fan, his "Secret Envoy," to immediately go and see him.