Chapter 834: A Year Feels Like a Lifetime

“Actually, I have a premonition.”

“Even if cultivators like us do nothing, this Immortal-Mortal Miasma will never wipe out cultivators.”

“At most, it will reduce the overall number of cultivators to a certain level. It's a blend of lethal intent and mercy.”

After a long silence, Venerable Yin concluded the communication with these words.

Ahem.

After some thought, Li Fan inquired about the plight of mortals during this mutated Immortal-Mortal Miasma outbreak.

Perhaps because mortals in this world still carry the Immortal-Mortal Miasma within them, this disaster, which was a terrifying calamity for cultivators, had only a limited impact on mortals. Its lethality was even less than that of a common flu.

“It's a good thing these mortals are now considered citizens under the Immortal Alliance's rule. Otherwise, there's no telling if cultivators, in their desperate moments of near-death, would once again slaughter mortals en masse, just like in ancient times.”

“I wonder how the Immortal Alliance plans to handle the aftermath this time. Will this mutated Immortal-Mortal Miasma be absorbed by mortals again, becoming inseparable from their bodies? And then, will there be another great migration?”

Li Fan's thoughts raced. Though his body was afflicted, it didn't affect his mental agility in the slightest.

“It seems that for mortals, this Immortal-Mortal Miasma actually acts as a protective charm. However, if one insists on seeking immortality and embarking on the path of cultivation, they move to the opposite side of mortals and must abandon this protective charm.”

“Immortals and mortals cannot coexist, then…”

In the current Xuanhuang World, there are still only two conventional methods to remove the miasma from one's body:

The Spirit Cleansing Pool invented by Celestial Venerable Dongji, and the Xuanhuang Purifying Heart Incantation.

Both methods are only effective for removing the innate miasma that mortals are born with. They are useless for cultivators who acquire infections later.

“Although they are both called Immortal-Mortal Miasma, their manifested forms are different.”

Li Fan couldn't help but frown slightly. After a moment, he gave up thinking.

“Forget it. Professional matters should be left to professionals.”

“The renewed widespread outbreak of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma in this world should aid Venerable Yin's research. He should be able to uncover the secret of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma even earlier than planned.”

“No rush, just wait.”

With the state regions under lockdown, cultivators were all feeling vulnerable, and everything had come to a halt. Li Fan took this opportunity to cultivate diligently. He aimed to absorb the Great Five Elements Grotto-Heaven and re-enter the Nascent Soul realm. Even without relying on the cultivation feedback from the *Sitting Immortal Art*, Li Fan's own cultivation, with his previous experience, was much faster than starting from scratch years ago.

With no shortage of resources, Li Fan's cultivation progress wasn't miraculously fast, but he made steady improvements daily. He was not far from completing his Golden Core cultivation.

The sight of Li Fan diligently cultivating despite his illness deeply moved Lin Ling, Tian Yang, and Shang Tianci in the Spiritwood Realm. They subsequently felt ashamed. They reduced their daily leisure time and learned to be diligent.

Time passed. Six months after the outbreak of the mutated Immortal-Mortal Miasma, things finally took a turn for the better.

The Immortal Alliance invented a special efficacy elixir. After cultivators took it, their symptoms of illness were greatly alleviated. Even cultivators who hadn't yet been infected could take it in advance. While it didn't grant complete immunity to the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, it significantly reduced the probability of cultivators dying from the illness. It was truly a miraculous medicine.

Moreover, the Myriad Immortal Alliance, uncharacteristically, was very generous this time. Not only could all Immortal Alliance cultivators receive it for free, but even rogue cultivators not affiliated with the Immortal Alliance enjoyed this benefit. For a time, cultivators were filled with gratitude, thankful for the Immortal Alliance's benevolence. Many cultivators who had previously held prejudices against the Myriad Immortal Alliance chose to join it on the spot after receiving treatment.

With the special efficacy elixir, cultivators gradually recovered. The Immortal Alliance even dispatched cultivators to re-purify the world, dispersing the Immortal-Mortal Miasma that permeated it.

At this moment, Li Fan, who had long since recovered, squinted his eyes, staring at the so-called "special efficacy elixir" in his hand. He had already consumed one pill earlier.

Aside from experiencing slight symptoms of Immortal-Mortal Miasma infection again, he also felt an ecstatic sensation, as if his soul was immersed in a hot spring.

“This is…”

“The Heart-Intent Ascending Immortal Pill?”

Li Fan's expression was somewhat strange. In his 115th life, he had once taken this type of pill, which was forbidden by the Myriad Immortal Alliance.

Although it was greatly weakened, the sensation of taking this special elixir was definitely not too different from the Heart-Intent Ascending Immortal Pill. As the sect master of the Medicine King Sect, at least for a time, Li Fan, though not proficient in pharmacology, could still discern how this special elixir worked. It accelerated the process of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma erupting within a cultivator's body, while simultaneously using a powerful stimulant effect to suppress the pain caused by the infection.

“No wonder the Immortal Alliance has a rule that each cultivator can only take one pill at most.”

“If one were to take too many, it's hard to say how things would truly develop.”

Li Fan carefully sifted through his thoughts while looking at the pill in his hand again. He confirmed that he didn't have a strong desire to take another one.

“Just one pill, no major harm done.”

“It seems the number of cultivator deaths might have been quite high.”

“The Myriad Immortal Alliance clearly resorted to this emergency measure out of desperation.”

“However, being able to stabilize the situation first can indeed be considered a good remedy.”

Crushing the special elixir in his hand, Li Fan closed his eyes, his divine sense enveloping the Great Five Elements Grotto-Heaven below.

After half a year of arduous cultivation, he was infinitely close to completing his Golden Core. He was just one step away from beginning the process of devouring the grotto-heaven.

Moreover, he had a premonition. This time, the Calamity of Heaven still wouldn't appear!

He just needed to wait quietly.

“The Great Five Elements Grotto-Heaven is vast; it will take at least two or three years.”

“As for the matters of the Myriad Realms United Association, Tian Yang and Lin Ling are looking after them, so they won't come to a standstill.”

Li Fan thought so, while perfectly mapping every scene swept by his divine sense in the Five Elements Grotto-Heaven into his mind.

One year after the outbreak of the mutated Immortal-Mortal Miasma.

Cultivators had grown accustomed to its existence. After all, almost all cultivators had already been infected once. Those who couldn't endure it had already returned to the embrace of heaven. The rest had developed sufficient immunity to it. Although there were occasional cases of cultivators being re-infected, they were, after all, a minority. They couldn't affect the overall situation!

Furthermore, the Myriad Immortal Alliance's second batch of special efficacy elixirs had been successfully developed and were being distributed to cultivators. The gloom of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma had gradually dissipated.

Congyun Sea, Haixuan Island.

“It truly feels like an eternity!”

The island, which had been sealed for a year, was reopened.

After two rounds of the special elixir, the effects of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma dissipated in just half a day. He Zhenghao and the others breathed in the fresh spiritual energy, all exclaiming with emotion.