Chapter 877: Risking Death to Revive the Gray Spot

Li Fan’s expression fluctuated as he gazed at the faceless statue before him, its connection to the Profound Heaven Sect heavy on his mind.

No matter what method he used, the results were consistent: the stone statue appeared utterly ordinary, devoid of any extraordinary power. Yet, this seemingly mundane object could inexplicably block spiritual perception; it could only be seen with the physical eye. It was evident that the Faceless Profound Heaven Statue was far more complex than it seemed.

Furthermore, after Li Fan had named the statue "Red Dust Compassionate True Immortal" and repurposed it as a feedback hub for the Immortal Sitting Technique, every member of the Mutual Aid Society who swore an oath before it experienced an inexplicable sensation of "restraint." His clone, Ji Shaoli, had discreetly confirmed that this was a widespread phenomenon, not just an isolated incident. This was particularly notable because the oath Li Fan had designed for the society was simply a passage of text, possessing no inherent mystical power.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, gazing at the statue’s vacant face. He concluded that it was not a mere psychological effect; the Profound Heaven Statue clearly reacted to the cultivators’ oaths.

He had placed the statue in the main hall at the entrance of the Myriad Worlds Alliance, where it would be venerated by countless visitors in the future. Li Fan was almost certain that this would lead to unforeseen changes.

He wondered if the statue would develop self-awareness or if it would attract remnants of the Profound Heaven Sect. Despite these thoughts, Li Fan decisively set the Profound Heaven Statue down.

With a rumble, the faceless stone statue settled firmly onto the ground. Immediately, countless white threads materialized around it. These were from Dissolution Disc Sub-body Two, the core of the Spiritwood Realm’s formation, rapidly deploying the array to protect the statue.

Li Fan's eyes gleamed with a sharp resolve. He knew his current strength was enough to overwhelm ordinary Dao Integration cultivators. When combined with the grand formation spread throughout the small world, he believed himself invincible within the Spiritwood Realm, especially since Immortals could not enter such confined spaces. "If they don't come, then so be it," he mused. "But if they dare to find this place, I'll make them witness my power!"

Li Fan had no doubt that members of the former Profound Heaven Sect still existed in the Xuanhuang Realm. He knew, for instance, of a Profound Heaven Sect Dharma King slumbering in the ruins of the Zixiao Sect in Linlang Prefecture. It was certain that other remnants would be found elsewhere.

However, Li Fan felt little fear. He recalled the information he had gathered: aside from the Xuan Tian King, who was a semi-Immortal, the other twelve Dharma Kings of the Profound Heaven Sect possessed only the combat power of Old Law Immortals.

Li Fan inwardly scoffed. The next moment, his figure gradually blurred and reappeared in the space directly beneath the Spirit Tree. This was the most crucial area of the entire Spiritwood Realm, even more vital than the Spiritwood itself. It was a self-contained space that could be severed from the Spiritwood Realm at any time, allowing for a desperate escape. Beyond this space, the grand Spiritwood formation layered its protection, and a sub-body of the Final Dissolution Disc was also housed here. This was the sanctuary Li Fan had prepared for his secluded cultivation.

"If I am sufficiently prepared, I might even be able to contend with an Old Law Immortal," he thought. With that, Li Fan retrieved a ball of light, enveloped in a seven-colored rainbow glow, from his personal Grotto-heaven.

The instant the light ball materialized, the Spiritwood above seemed to perceive a mortal threat. Its branches and leaves swayed despite the lack of wind, and its colossal trunk trembled incessantly, drawing the alarmed gaze of all creatures within the Spiritwood Realm.

Li Fan hadn't anticipated such an intense, instinctive sense of mortal danger from the Spiritwood. Frowning slightly, he released layers of seven-colored divine light around himself, forming an additional barrier. Only then did the Spiritwood’s fear dissipate.

It hadn't been long since his return from the Shadow Soul Realm, yet the gray mold inside the three-eyed skull had already nearly corroded the storage space it occupied. The storage ring itself seemed on the verge of shattering. The seven-colored divine light that had initially encased it had also significantly dulled, transforming from vibrant hues to a pale grayish-white. It had even severed its connection with Li Fan, rendering him unable to replenish its energy. Witnessing the mysterious gray mold’s destructive power firsthand, Li Fan was secretly alarmed.

"Theoretically, this three-eyed skull is also my possession," he mused. "If I can choose to retain it when I return this time, I should be able to uncover its true nature."

With that thought, Li Fan retrieved a frozen exotic beast he had plundered from the imperial treasury. He carefully enveloped it in rainbow light and then merged it with the seven-colored light ball before him.

As if sensing the breath of life, the gray mold residing within the three-eyed skull suddenly grew restless. When Li Fan removed the seven-colored divine light from around the frozen exotic beast, he clearly observed the gray mold wriggling as if alive.

Yet, the skull itself appeared to be a significant restraint for the mold. Just as it seemed poised to spread beyond the cranial bone, it suddenly recoiled. Li Fan meticulously observed the dark golden patterns on the skull’s surface for any changes during this process. To his slight disappointment, the mysterious design remained completely motionless.

"Could my conjecture be wrong?" he wondered. "Is this three-eyed skull truly dead?"

Li Fan cautiously maneuvered the frozen exotic beast closer to the skull. The gray mold grew even more agitated, darting erratically within the cranial bone, appearing ready to pounce fiercely at any moment. However, as if unwilling to abandon something, it consistently halted just before the critical point.

Li Fan watched the scene thoughtfully. Under his mental manipulation, the frozen exotic beast gradually revived, its life aura surging. Unable to resist the temptation, a portion of the gray mold's main mass suddenly vanished.

There was no trace of physical movement; instead, the space itself seemed to have been directly corroded, creating a void resembling a yellowed spot. An instant later, the exotic beast, which had just regained its vitality, completely faded, like a bleached photograph, then turned to ash and slowly drifted down. Amidst the scattered gray, Li Fan keenly spotted a new, small patch of gray mold!

Having waited for this moment, Li Fan naturally didn't let such an excellent opportunity slip by. A long, ribbon-like rainbow surged forth, instantly layering and encasing the newly appeared gray mold.

The gray mold, having only just gained a sliver of freedom, erupted in furious rage upon realizing it was about to be sealed once more. It lunged at the seven-colored divine light, seemingly attempting to corrode even the radiance itself.

But Li Fan, observing with piercing insight, was not to be deceived by its petty tricks. While not allowing the feint of its main body to distract him, he simultaneously unleashed an infinite expanse of light, also sealing off another tiny, almost imperceptible gray speck in a corner of the space nearby.

"Playing these little games in front of me is truly laughable," Li Fan thought as he looked at the three seven-colored light orbs before him.