Chapter 853: Passing Calamity Reveals Clues

“No wonder this seven-colored divine light seems almost inexhaustible in combat, with no need to worry about its depletion. It turns out it’s backed by the essential power of an immortal cultivation world.”

Within Li Fan’s dantian, as the world’s origin power was continuously drawn, the seven-colored orb seemed to dim slightly. In contrast, the root tendrils of Heaven and Earth, which covered the sky and obscured the sun, penetrated every corner of the Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven.

The roots of Heaven and Earth, nourished by the power of origin, were slightly different from those ordinary cultivators manifested solely with their own spiritual energy. They became fiercer, and more ravenous. As if having tasted marrow, they no longer required much deliberate manipulation from Li Fan. With just a thought, dense black tentacles eagerly spread towards the uncharted territory of Chu Nü Land.

The originally vibrant and colorful Grotto-heaven world gradually became shrouded in a shadow, plunging into a chilling darkness. Li Fan watched this somewhat indescribable scene, and a premonition even surfaced in his mind: even if he didn't deliberately control them, these enhanced roots of Heaven and Earth could complete the assimilation process in a short time.

“The annexation between worlds…” Li Fan had an epiphany. “When Heavenly Venerate Chuanfa created the new method back then, he must have personally witnessed scenes of world integration.” He showed no concern for the depletion of the seven-colored orb and accelerated the assimilation process to its limit.

Three months later.

“It’s time,” Li Fan suddenly opened his eyes. The black roots had completely entwined the Five Elements Grotto-heaven. From outside the void, all that could be seen was a strange, furry sphere covered in countless tentacles, with no trace of the previously magnificent and vast Grotto-heaven of vitality.

With a thought, the countless roots below immediately began to writhe menacingly. The Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven trembled slightly. Extremely pure vital energy was transmitted into Li Fan’s body through the roots, which acted as conduits.

“Ugh…” His body, already in his twenties, seemed to instantly revert to its teenage growth period. And every tissue, bone, and piece of flesh in his body was undergoing drastic changes under this pure and essential vital energy.

Li Fan took a deep breath, adapting to the immense surge of vital energy. His eyes narrowed, and without a change in expression, he drew a deep bloody gash on his arm, revealing the stark white bone beneath. Despite such a severe injury, the wound healed automatically at a visible rate within mere seconds. It's important to note that Li Fan had not yet officially assimilated the Nascent Soul Grotto-heaven; he could achieve this simply by relying on the vital energy feedback from the Grotto-heaven!

“Compared to the nascent Grotto-heaven before, this is immensely stronger,” Li Fan sighed inwardly. Then, his body slowly dissolved, transforming into surging black ink that rushed along countless tendrils into the Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven.

The Grotto-heaven, ensnared by the black roots, seemed to sense the danger. Loud rumbling sounds echoed throughout the Grotto-heaven world; the earth crumbled, and oceans stirred up colossal waves. Innumerable creations within it spontaneously let out sorrowful cries. However, this could not affect Li Fan’s assimilation speed in the slightest. As the blackness continuously poured in, a part of the Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven began to turn transparent and disappear. The Grotto-heaven’s struggles grew weaker and weaker. Eventually, it became completely still.

Although the Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven disappeared, the void remained in this place, empty and desolate.

After an unknown period, a figure suddenly appeared. It was Li Fan, who had successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul realm. Immense power surged through every part of his body. Li Fan had never felt so strong since he began cultivating. He even felt that ordinary Dao Integration cultivators might not be his match.

“An ordinary Dao Integration realm expert’s power covers a single state of Xuanhuang,” he mused. “The Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven I assimilated is nearly equivalent to five merged states. Quantitative change leads to qualitative change. With sheer power alone, I can crush many weaker Dao Integration experts. Moreover, I possess numerous divine abilities.”

Li Fan’s eyes flickered, and he finally felt a sense of security. As long as Immortality realm cultivators don't appear, even if he courts death in this world, he should be able to escape calmly! “With such an immense increase in power, future plans will also be much more convenient,” he mused inwardly.

Li Fan, having completed his advancement, was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, his spiritual sense continuously swept through the void here, seemingly searching for something. Once, twice. After multiple attempts, he found nothing unusual. Li Fan still did not give up. After his strength greatly increased, he acutely perceived that there seemed to be something else present within this Five Elements Void. It was extremely well hidden. However, at the precise moment Li Fan successfully broke through and completely assimilated the Five Elements Grotto-heaven, a slight flaw was exposed due to the drastic environmental change, and Li Fan detected it.

This hidden existence did not belong to the roots of Heaven and Earth of the Xuanhuang Realm. Instead, it was the persistent presence that had been dogging him, appearing around Li Fan from time to time—the Due’e Sect!

Li Fan let out a cold snort. A ring of seven-colored radiance surged from his body, then the light instantly brightened countless times over, expanding outward into the surrounding void. The seven-colored divine light was like a tangible entity, completely filling and occupying this void space. All foreign objects were to be repelled and revealed! What Li Fan was now unleashing was like the difference between the bright moon in the sky and a firefly’s glow, compared to Zhong Shentong’s previous life. Only with the immense Great Five Elements Grotto-heaven as support could Li Fan afford such reckless expenditure.

But the effect was also excellent. Li Fan’s objective was finally achieved. Under the pressure of the pure seven-colored divine light, a foreign object finally revealed itself. Li Fan’s eyes flickered, and he reached out to grasp it. Upon closer inspection, what he held was a small figure made from yellow talisman paper. It seemed to have existed for too long, as the yellow of the talisman paper had faded to an off-white. Moreover, this little figure was quite peculiar. It had no facial features on its head, only a single eye that occupied its entire face.

What made Li Fan feel even more solemn was that the one-eyed paper figure seemed to be alive. As soon as Li Fan grabbed it, its eye subtly shifted, staring intently at him. Li Fan’s hand instantly felt a scorching heat, as if being burned by fierce flames.

“Playing tricks!” A ball of fierce flames suddenly erupted in his hand, engulfing the one-eyed paper figure. Li Fan attempted to burn it to ashes. However, the flames flickered for a long time, yet the paper figure remained completely unaffected. It was as if it had no physical form; even with the highest temperature of Li Fan’s flames, it could not be damaged in the slightest!

Next, Li Fan tried various other methods. Five Elements spells, the Extinction Sword, and even formations—none could destroy it. Witnessing this, a phrase involuntarily popped into Li Fan’s mind: “Beyond the Three Realms, outside the Five Elements.” The yellow paper figure’s eye subtly rotated, seeming to mock Li Fan’s overestimation of his own abilities.