Chapter 655: Purple Qi Transforms the Heavenly Capital

"Although it might seem a bit unprincipled, I must admit that the calamity which led to Fellow Daoist Zhou Qing'ang's demise has freed us from a substantial debt. As long as you, Elder Liu, continue to refine and sell some Longevity Pills and other useful elixirs, accumulating enough over a few years to acquire a Dao-melding cultivation method won't be an issue," Li Fan explained confidently.

Upon hearing this, a spark of renewed vigor returned to Liu San's eyes.

A wait of a few years was utterly negligible to him. As for Zhou Qing'ang, whom Li Fan mentioned had unfortunately perished, Liu San had only met him a handful of times and barely knew him, so naturally, he felt no grief.

"'It’s good that he’s dead! It saves me several years of effort!'" Liu San couldn't help but think.

Li Fan then continued, "During this period of accumulating contribution points, I also need to arrange a suitable identity for you, Elder Liu. After all, you possess Dao-melding cultivation, unlike us, whose identities are easier to conceal. Initially, I planned to use the excuse of an 'ancient slumbering cultivator awakening,' but it seems something happened recently that made cultivators in the Myriad Immortals Alliance quite sensitive and disbelieving of such claims. So, I must devise a more reliable method."

"However, rest assured, Elder Liu, I already have a promising lead on this matter."

Liu San didn't inquire further into the details of Li Fan's words. His innate trust in Li Fan simply led him to nod cheerfully, saying, "Young Master, you just make the decisions!"

Having temporarily appeased Liu San, one of the Medicine King Sect's two Dao-melding cultivators, Li Fan then proceeded to the newly constructed artifact refining workshop in Longevity Valley, where he met the other Dao-melding cultivator, Fang Zaiji.

At that moment, he was intently gazing at the Medicine King True Cauldron suspended before him, his eyes filled with an obsessive gleam.

After relocating to Longevity Valley, Li Fan had placed the Medicine King True Cauldron there for Fang Zaiji to study.

Beyond the shared intent to appease, Li Fan also harbored the hope that Fang Zaiji's artifact refining skills would advance further, ideally allowing him to strengthen and modify the Medicine King True Cauldron.

As for why he desired this...

In this life, Li Fan intended to use a clone to wield the Medicine King True Cauldron, breach the Xuanhuang Realm, and plunge into the Immortal Ruins for a thorough investigation!

He wanted to see with his own eyes what that figure within the Immortal Ruins truly looked like, and whether it was alive or dead!

Li Fan knew that upon approaching the Immortal Ruins, the extremely terrifying gravitational pull would warp even space and time.

A mere moment within the Immortal Ruins could equate to millions of years passing in the outside world.

Under normal circumstances, if a clone were sent to investigate, the terrifying time differential between the two realms would likely mean that before any information could be transmitted from the clone, the main body would merely experience a sudden loss of perception and then perish from old age.

However, Li Fan possessed a method to circumvent this.

This method was the new function awakened by Huan Zhen after it devoured the Heavenly Sun's remnant thoughts: the avatar.

Transforming the body into an object, traversing myriad eons!

In his previous life, despite only possessing Golden Core cultivation, he could exist as an avatar for over three thousand years. Now, having achieved Nascent Soul through the Five Elements Grotto-Heaven, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap. Moreover, he had awakened the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Incantation, which would presumably allow him to persist for an even greater duration.

This would be enough to endure the long eons and await information transmitted from his clone.

Within the Immortal Ruins lay profound secrets, including but not limited to the past mysteries and the future destiny of the Xuanhuang Realm.

If he could glimpse them, it would be immensely significant to Li Fan, potentially even unraveling the mystery of the fallen immortals.

Of course, the prerequisite for all this was that the Medicine King True Cauldron could withstand the terrifying gravitational pull of the Immortal Ruins for a sufficient duration without disintegrating.

"'In the past, due to material and cost constraints, the Medicine King True Cauldron refined by the Medicine King Sect was not composed of the finest materials. Its true value lay in its unique artifact refining philosophy and techniques, which are well worth studying.'"

"'Give me some time, and I will certainly return a more powerful Medicine King True Cauldron to you!'"

This was Fang Zaiji's reply when Li Fan informed him of the requirements for strengthening the Medicine King Cauldron.

And Fang Zaiji's methods were indeed extraordinary. The smaller Medicine King Cauldrons he had casually refined during this period were of significantly higher quality than those held by the various disciples, already possessing some of the true cauldron's profound essence.

At that moment, Fang Zaiji was deeply focused. Li Fan had to call his name repeatedly before he finally snapped back to reality.

Li Fan then recounted to him the disappearance of the Congyun Sea and the existence of the Carefree Heavenly Venerable.

Compared to Liu San's astonishment, Fang Zaiji's reaction was remarkably calm.

He simply uttered an 'Oh,' before resuming his intent gaze at the Medicine King True Cauldron.

Soon after, seeing that Li Fan still hadn't left, he inquired, "Sect Master, is there anything else you need?"

Li Fan appeared to hesitate, pondering for a moment before stating, "I wish to make a trip back to the Congyun Sea. However, the calamity there has only just subsided, and its current state is unclear; we might encounter certain dangers. Therefore, I would like to request your accompaniment, sir."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zaiji immediately perked up.

Radiant and with a smug expression, he said to Li Fan, "How about that? Now you know who's truly dependable when it counts, don't you? That Liu San is nothing more than a short-sighted servant with a stroke of luck. When true difficulties arise, you still have to rely on me!"

"'Let's go! We'll depart immediately! With me by your side, your safety is assured!'"

Li Fan smiled and nodded, offering no rebuttal.

Without alarming the other inhabitants of Longevity Valley, Li Fan and Fang Zaiji sped eastward, directly towards the Congyun Sea.

With Fang Zaiji's assistance, they were already nearing their destination in just over ten days.

However, upon entering Shilinzhou, Fang Zaiji suddenly halted and cast a grave glance towards the neighboring Yuandaozhou.

"'Strange…'" Fang Zaiji first furrowed his brow, then shook his head, muttering softly to himself.

Li Fan's heart stirred, and he feigned a slightly surprised expression: "Sir, is something the matter?"

"'I've sensed a familiar aura,' Fang Zaiji explained."

"'A familiar aura? Could it be an old acquaintance?' Li Fan asked, somewhat surprised."

"'No, it seems like the Heavenly Capital Purple Qi, yet there's a subtle distinction,' Fang Zaiji said slowly after peering into the distance for a moment to discern it."

"'Heavenly Capital? I seem to have heard that name somewhere, but I can't recall it at the moment.' Li Fan echoed, following Fang Zaiji's gaze."

Fang Zaiji scoffed with a smile, "Don't even speak of you juniors; even that Liu San might not know the name 'Heavenly Capital.' I only had the chance to learn about it myself during my travels, when I explored with the direct disciples of the Ten Immortal Sects."

"'You certainly know about the Xuan-Tian Sect, right? Back then, the Xuan-Tian Sect was at its zenith, dominating the entire Xuanhuang Realm, and the Ten Immortal Sects were merely ordinary immortal sects, treated as their beasts of burden.'"

"'Under normal circumstances, cultivators like us would have had no chance to rise up.'"

"'But then, one day, a purple qi suddenly descended from the heavens, transforming into a majestic giant city that hung suspended in the sky.'"

"'Although the Xuan-Tian Sect swiftly issued an order strictly forbidding anyone from approaching, some cultivators still defied death and managed to infiltrate it.'"

"'That's how the later Ten Immortal Sects came into existence!'"