Chapter 706: Heavenly Cool, King Qiu Breaks

An item capable of influencing, or even changing, the thoughts of a Dao Integration cultivator must be a supreme treasure of the highest order. After all, with the Immortal Venerable of Longevity absent, Dao Integration cultivators represent the pinnacle of power in the Xuanhuang Realm.

Therefore, even with countless secrets of the Myriad Immortals Alliance that Li Fan has encountered through his reincarnations, he still doesn't know if the Alliance possesses an item comparable to the True Allure Fruit. To resolve Jiang Yushan's hidden worries, he would still need to consult the Council of Five Elders! Fortunately, Li Fan had already conceived of a bargaining chip for this transaction with the Council of Five Elders.

As for how to contact the Council of Five Elders... In the preceding period, disciples of the Medicine King Sect had dispersed throughout the Myriad Immortals Alliance, gathering intelligence. Following Li Fan's instructions, based on previously known methods of contact for Council of Five Elders spies, they had indeed identified a group of suspicious individuals. After reviewing the list of these cultivators and combining it with knowledge from his previous lives, Li Fan ultimately confirmed the identity of one spy.

Wang Qiupo, from Tianliang Province. Though only a Golden Core cultivator, Wang Qiupo was already eight hundred years old. He possessed a lifespan far exceeding that of typical Golden Core cultivators; though his hair was now white, he remained spirited and showed no signs of aging. Because he had lived for so long, all those from his era who were still alive had already attained Soul Transformation or Dao Integration cultivation. They held important positions throughout the Immortal Alliance.

As the saying goes, "honor the monk for the Buddha's sake." Even though Wang Qiupo possessed no extraordinary abilities, his network of connections was vast. Consequently, even the City Lord of Tianliang treated Wang Qiupo with great courtesy. No one would have suspected that such a figure could be a spy for the Council of Five Elders. This mole was truly buried too deep, for too long.

In the previous life, when Wang Qiupo died, the Council of Five Elders had publicly announced his identity, intending to mock the Alliance. However, to save face, the Myriad Immortals Alliance immediately ordered the incident to be sealed. Li Fan had only incidentally heard rumors of a deeply hidden spy who had caused the Myriad Immortals Alliance to lose significant face, but he didn't know the specific name. It was only in this life, by combining the unusual activities of Wang Qiupo discovered by the Medicine King Sect disciples with his knowledge from previous lives, that he deduced the truth.

"It seems Wang Qiupo's natural lifespan is nearing its end," Xu Bai thought, then drifted away from Longevity Valley. He entered the white mist, and before long, encountered a Samantabhadra True Vessel. The vessel did not detect Xu Bai and flew directly into the depths of the white mist.

"More and more people are passing through here; I wonder how much longer this place can remain hidden." The thought flashed through his mind, and Xu Bai exited the white mist, heading straight for Tianliang Province.

Tianliang Province is located northwest of Tianling Province. It is known for its perpetual autumn climate. It is said that the desolate aura remaining from an ancient war, which has lingered for tens of thousands of years, caused all things to wither and prevented normal growth, thus creating this peculiar landscape.

Wang Qiupo did not reside in Tianliang City. Instead, he lived in a hut at the foot of Liang Mountain, outside the city. Although his dwelling was secluded, a continuous stream of flatterers, coveting his connections, still came to visit. However, most were turned away at the door and departed dejectedly.

When Xu Bai arrived, a long line had already formed outside Wang Qiupo's door. More than ten cultivators were waiting. Xu Bai's arrival immediately drew their attention. Some cultivators even offered to swap places in line with Xu Bai. Xu Bai first thanked them for their kindness, then politely declined with a smile. This gesture immediately earned him the goodwill of the other cultivators, who began to explain the situation to him.

"Old Wang has been in a terribly bad mood lately for some reason. He's already turned away a hundred visiting cultivators in a row."

"Old Wang's temperament is eccentric; no one can guess what he's thinking. But no one easily gives up; who knows if his mood might suddenly improve when it's their turn to visit? After all, there's a precedent for it!"

"Exactly. There was a young Foundation Establishment cultivator, originally unknown. After receiving Old Wang's recommendation, he rose rapidly and directly secured a position within the Immortal Alliance system."

The cultivators discussed amongst themselves. Amidst Wang Qiupo's continuous angry shouts of "I'm not seeing anyone," the queue steadily shortened. Some cultivators who were turned away looked dejected, while others wore expressions of anger. However, none dared to speak disrespectfully. Otherwise, without Wang Qiupo needing to lift a finger, the other cultivators waiting at the door would proactively intervene to teach them a lesson, solely to curry favor with him.

Xu Bai's expression remained calm as he waited patiently. When it was finally his turn, he walked to the door and heard a slightly deep voice from within: "Young man, why have you come?" Despite Xu Bai's cultivation being somewhat higher than Wang Qiupo's, Wang Qiupo still addressed him this way. The cultivators present were not surprised.

Xu Bai, unperturbed, cupped his hands and said with a smile, "I am here for the senior to... escort him to his end!" His voice, like a booming bell, echoed continuously at the foot of Liang Mountain.

All the cultivators present froze. They stared blankly at Xu Bai, their eyes filled with disbelief. It was as if they couldn't believe such a handsome person would utter such disrespectful words. Many cultivators also showed expressions of dismay. "This is bad! He's going to completely enrage Old Wang now. We might not be able to see him for months!"

However, events unfolded far beyond everyone's expectations. Inside the hut, there was first a deathly silence. Then, Wang Qiupo's hearty laughter erupted from within. The door burst open, and Wang Qiupo abruptly stopped laughing. "Interesting. Come in, young man. I'd like to see what gives you such nerve!"

Xu Bai, composed, slowly walked into the room. The door then closed again, completely isolating everything happening inside from the outside world.

"You certainly have a good appearance. Young man, you..." Wang Qiupo scrutinized Xu Bai, a strange look appearing on his face. Just as he was about to speak, Xu Bai interrupted him: "Do you know that your life is short?"

Wang Qiupo's eyes instantly narrowed. "You..."

"Do you wish to die as a stranger in a foreign land, or return to your roots?" Xu Bai asked again, disregarding the other's reaction.

Wang Qiupo abruptly stood up from the reclining wicker chair, his movements so swift that they showed no signs of old age. "Young man, what exactly do you mean?" He tightly gripped a wooden staff in his right hand, pressing it against the ground. A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.

"Where is your true home? The Land of No Worries? The Kingdom of Truth? Or the Human Dao Celestial Realm?" Xu Bai met his gaze fearlessly, speaking slowly and deliberately.

A surge of turbulent spiritual energy instantly gathered around him, and the wooden staff in Wang Qiupo's hand emitted a green light. He appeared ready to fight to the death. At this very moment, however, a single sentence from Xu Bai made him instantly change his mind.

"Do you want to go home?"

"Our Heaven Overturning Association can help you."

Xu Bai revealed a sincere smile.