Chapter 619: Water Feels Warmer, Ducks Know First

"Wu" from the Myriad Immortals Alliance made an impressive move, creating a huge display of power.

The representative from the Five Elders' Council was no ordinary opponent either. It wasn't the green-robed youth seen earlier, but a gaunt, middle-aged cultivator with a stern face and boundless killing intent. At this moment, countless silver streaks continuously struck around him, but they were all easily neutralized by swirling gray-white energy.

"Ice!" a cold voice rang out from the gaunt cultivator. Before the words even faded, Li Fan saw the space around the gaunt cultivator appear to freeze. As if endless cold qi, originating from the cultivator, continuously spread outwards. It seemed as if even time could be frozen; when a silver beam approached the gaunt cultivator, it solidified instantly in mid-air. Then, as the frozen area expanded, more and more silver streaks were immobilized.

Only then did Li Fan clearly see that the silver serpents dancing in the sky were actually various weapons, one after another: sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks!

Seeing his move countered, "Wu" showed little anger on his face. Instead, he chuckled, clapped his hands cheerfully, and then gently pointed towards the gaunt cultivator. Simultaneously, his smile vanished, replaced by a grim, murderous expression.

"Bang!"

An invisible bolt of lightning seemed to surge through the frozen domain, with cracks continuously spreading towards the gaunt cultivator. Just as it was about to strike him, the swirling gray-white energy reappeared, deflecting the invisible lightning bolt. Black momentarily emerged within the gray, then slowly receded, returning to a pale gray glow.

"Wu" continuously pointed his finger, unleashing one deadly move after another. The gaunt cultivator's expression, however, remained utterly unperturbed as he called out: "Wind!"

As if ripples were rising from a calm surface, Li Fan saw the invisible lightning bolts that had penetrated the frozen domain suddenly blown away by a powerful wind, turning to attack "Wu" instead. "Wu," in response, raised an eyebrow and summoned silver streaks for protection. Cracking and popping sounds instantly reverberated around "Wu."

"Now this is more like it..." Even though he was utterly bewildered, Li Fan could still sense the brilliance of their battle. Unwilling to miss a single detail, he focused intensely, perceiving and recording every subtle energy fluctuation emanating from the field. Immortal Lord Hongxi, standing nearby, was doing the same. However, his gaze occasionally landed on Li Fan, revealing a thoughtful expression.

Just as Li Fan was utterly engrossed in the duel between the true prodigies of the Profound Yellow Realm, unable to tear himself away, the discussions outside, concerning the "friendly exchange meeting," had gradually quieted down. Life returned to normal, and an increasing number of cultivators chose to deepen their understanding through secluded cultivation.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qing'ang, who meticulously managed the daily affairs and governance of the Cloudsea, received an interesting report. It came from Zhao Changli, the guardian of Glaze Island. This individual was He Zhenghao's successor. Li Fan had met him previously on Glaze Island when he gathered the Cloudsea cultivators to personally explain the fundraising plan.

He was meticulous, careful, and diligent in his work. However, his cultivation talent was rather limited, and being of mortal origin, his resources were scarce. Consequently, he had only just managed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Recently, the production of Glaze Pills, a specialty of Glaze Island, has significantly decreased. After my careful investigation, I found that the Glaze Fish near the island have nearly vanished, and their whereabouts are unknown."

"Furthermore, after consulting with other island guardians, I discovered this is not unique to Glaze Island."

"There might be unusual changes occurring within the Cloudsea. However, my meager strength prevents me from fully understanding them. My heart is filled with apprehension, so I am reporting this, hoping for your clear guidance, my Lord."

Li Fan read the somewhat familiar report before him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "This person is excellent, a true talent. Although his cultivation talent is limited, his ability to discern subtle signs and foresee the impending disaster in the Cloudsea is exceptionally rare in this era."

Li Fan subtly glanced skyward. "Is it finally time...?" After a long moment of contemplation, Li Fan finally averted his gaze. He did not immediately respond to Zhao Changli's report, choosing instead to set it aside and continue with other matters.

The battle between true prodigies clearly wouldn't be decided anytime soon. Time flew by, and it was nearly twenty days later when the clandestine competition between the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders' Council finally concluded. On the cloud sea atop the mountain, all visions vanished without a trace. Their auras receded, and the great seal was once again obscured by layers of white clouds.

Li Fan slowly exhaled. He had gained immensely from observing this battle. However, the sheer volume of information he had suddenly absorbed was overwhelming; he still needed time to quietly comprehend it all.

"How do you feel?" Immortal Lord Hongxi asked, still with a hint of languor.

"This humble one is dull; I only grasped bits and pieces," Li Fan replied cautiously.

Hongxi smiled, offering no rebuttal. "Grasping a little is enough. By the way, once you return, write me an analysis of the battle. This should include, but not be limited to, a comparison of the core strengths between our Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders' Council, as well as potential future developments and breakthroughs."

"The more detailed, the better," Hongxi added abruptly.

"Huh?" Li Fan couldn't help but be taken aback by this.

Hongxi, however, stated matter-of-factly, "Did you think this long-distance real-scene recreation was for your gratuitous viewing? You should know that every moment this function is activated represents the expenditure of countless contribution points."

"Many people would kill for this opportunity, so what's wrong with asking you for an analysis? Besides, this is also a task assigned from above. It contributes to our Cloudsea's regular performance metrics. You mustn't treat it lightly."

Hearing this, Li Fan could only remain silent. He clasped his hands in acknowledgment.

"Go now, and remember to send it to me as soon as possible." With a wave of Hongxi's hand, the scene of the cloud sea atop the mountain abruptly vanished. The two of them were back inside the Administrative Hall.

After Li Fan took his leave, he returned to the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Seizing the moment, as not much time had passed, he activated his "Spirit Awakening" state while simultaneously ingesting a Dao Comprehension Pill. He savored and comprehended the scenes of the prodigies' grand battle, his mind deeply immersed. After an indeterminate period, when he emerged from his state of enlightenment, a keen glint shone from his opened eyes. It then abruptly receded inward.

"When contending with prodigies, divine abilities and spells certainly won't be as universally effective as they are against ordinary cultivators."

"For instance, while my Cloudsea Sword and Heaven-Overturning Palm are exceptionally potent, striking the incredibly swift Wu, or that gaunt cultivator who appears capable of freezing everything, would be exceedingly difficult."

"Only by comprehending more divine abilities, then integrating them and moving with complete fluidity, can one achieve an absolute advantage."

"Ultimately, it comes down to too little practical combat experience."

Li Fan pondered for a moment, then opened the long-unused "Sit and Discuss the Dao" section within the Heavenly Profound Mirror. He then virtually created a character using only the Cloudsea Sword and Heaven-Overturning Palm as templates.