Chapter 950: The Gift from the Heavenly Doctor

Li Fan intentionally slowed down, leisurely returning to the entrance of the Spiritwood Realm. As he had expected, halfway back, the Heavenly Physician's voice echoed in his mind once more.

"Well done."

Evidently, the Heavenly Physician had sensed that the seal on the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace had been reinforced.

"Your help certainly saved me some trouble."

"If I had gone..."

The Heavenly Physician chuckled softly, then paused.

"While reinforcing the seal, I encountered a few things." Without waiting for the Heavenly Physician to speak again, Li Fan proactively reported everything that had happened in the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace in detail.

After a long silence, Li Fan couldn't help but ask, "Venerable One, what exactly happened back then...?"

It seemed Li Fan's address of "Venerable One" triggered a deep memory in the Heavenly Physician's mind. His tone, remarkably, wavered slightly: "It truly surprised me that you could discover the hidden truth within Han Hai's consciousness. No wonder Tian Jue considers you his successor, given your aptitude..."

Li Fan's expression stiffened slightly.

"As for what happened back then..."

"It's enough for me to bear the burden. Knowing too much won't benefit you."

"You are still too weak. Perhaps when you reach the Peak of Dao Integration, you will be qualified to know."

The Heavenly Physician uncharacteristically elaborated a few more sentences. Li Fan wanted to speak but hesitated, eventually just nodding slightly.

"By the way, how is your study of the Heaven-Mending Record progressing? Are there any parts you find difficult to understand?"

A moment later, the Heavenly Physician asked again. It seemed he intended to personally answer Li Fan's questions and clear his doubts. How could Li Fan miss such a golden opportunity? He immediately brought up the areas he had doubts about during his self-study and sought guidance. The Heavenly Physician patiently answered each one.

Truly the Heavenly Physician, his insights into the path of "medicine" had reached a transcendent and divine level. Often, just a few words from him would bring Li Fan sudden enlightenment. Moreover, the Heavenly Physician's brief remarks often expanded into new theories not recorded in the Heaven-Mending Record. Li Fan absorbed the Heavenly Physician's teachings with insatiable hunger.

Good times are always short-lived. Soon after, the Heavenly Physician seemed to encounter something, interrupting the lesson.

"You must have been hiding in a minor world before, which is why I spent some effort and still couldn't find you."

Li Fan's heart tightened, and he was about to reply. But then he heard the Heavenly Physician continue: "Hmm, a good choice. Before you achieve significant cultivation, it's safer for you to remain in a minor world as much as possible."

"Continue your cultivation. Remember, cultivation techniques are secondary. What's truly important is contemplating the operation of the Heavenly Dao and the essence of the world."

"No matter how powerful a cultivation technique is, it ultimately belongs to someone else. Only what truly suits you is the most perfect technique."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning, his mind severely shaken.

"A method truly suited for oneself?"

His eyes clouded with bewilderment, and he fell into endless contemplation.

"A gentleman keeps his skills hidden until the time is right to act. The Xuanhuang Realm is not yet your true stage. Just wait a little longer, it will be soon..." The Heavenly Physician's tone was profound and meaningful.

Then, a golden light descended from the sky. It flew rapidly, arriving before Li Fan in an instant. Only then did Li Fan snap out of his contemplation. He focused his gaze and saw a golden needle floating before him.

"Heh heh, back then, there was a reputation that no one beneath my needle would fall into samsara, which spread throughout the world."

"If I could leave a few behind, perhaps some embers of hope could be preserved."

The Heavenly Physician's faint voice spoke.

"I'll give you this needle for self-defense. As long as the needle remains, you won't perish."

Li Fan's face lit up with joy: "Thank you, Venerable One!"

However, the Heavenly Physician gave no further response. Not wishing to be impolite, Li Fan bowed towards the sky once more. Then he looked at the golden needle before him, his expression inscrutable. He finally reached out, attempting to touch it. It wasn't like a physical needle, nor did it feel cold. Instead, Li Fan felt a warm current flow from his palm into his body. Instantly, a protective shell formed, enveloping his entire spirit. Li Fan felt as if his spirit was immersed in a warm spring, gentle and comfortable. A sense of security he had never experienced before welled up in his heart.

"What a treasure!"

This thought flashed through Li Fan's mind, and then he hurried towards the Spiritwood Realm.

Upon returning to the Spiritwood Realm, Li Fan keenly noticed a slight increase in the spiritual energy concentration there. It seemed the treants' "afforestation" project was already showing initial results. Without disturbing them, Li Fan went directly to where the Faceless Stone Statue was located. After his mind connected with the Faceless Stone Statue, and images of the Myriad Realms Alliance and the disciples of the Red Dust Benevolent Immortal appeared in his mind once more, only then did Li Fan subtly relax. A genuine sense of security permeated both his body and mind.

Although he had tentatively concluded that the Heavenly Physician was indeed quite "benevolent" towards cultivators of the Heavenly Law Realm, Li Fan did not let down his guard. He remained wary of the Heavenly Physician's mind-reading ability. Even if not face-to-face, or merely through a golden needle from the opponent, this wariness persisted. Having already suffered a significant loss once, how could Li Fan accept the golden needle without any reservations before ruling out the possibility that the Heavenly Physician might sense his thoughts through it?

At present, the ace up Li Fan's sleeve that he could think of to counteract the Heavenly Physician was, first and foremost, this Faceless Stone Statue. The true power of the Faceless True Immortal was clearly superior to that of the Heavenly Physician. Under the interference of its statue, it should be able to block the Heavenly Physician's perception. Even though he knew this was, in a sense, a desperate measure, Li Fan still proceeded. After all, no one had truly seen the Faceless True Immortal except King Xuantian. However, the Heavenly Physician was a genuinely existing adversary right now.

"Although there are some risks, the gains are undoubtedly immense."

"Not to mention this golden needle, the Heavenly Physician's guidance alone is worth ten years of my arduous cultivation."

"And there was his final reminder."

"The operation of the Heavenly Dao, the essence of the world..."

"A cultivation technique truly suited for oneself..."

Li Fan's eyes narrowed slightly, and a preliminary concept gradually formed in his mind. However, for now, he decided to set that aside and first examine the golden needle bestowed by the Heavenly Physician. Although it was given by someone else, within Li Fan's body, it felt as if it had been there since birth. There was no need for any refining process; he could control it as he pleased. Li Fan had never heard of such a method. With a thought, the golden needle reappeared before Li Fan.

"It's not made of any metallic material..."

After repeatedly observing it with his spiritual sense, Li Fan first reached this conclusion.

"Furthermore..."

Recalling the images recorded by the Dao-Transforming Stone and carefully comparing the golden needle in his memory with the one before him, Li Fan made a new discovery.

"It seems to have undergone a unique change after coming into contact with my spirit."