Chapter 988: Spirit Strike Triple Whip

Xuan Sushang took a deep breath, looked directly at Li Fan, and said slowly, "I am willing to help Senior resolve this crisis, but..."

Li Fan waved his hand, interrupting her. "It's fine. Just tell me what you know about the second clone; I'll handle it myself."

"Hmph, as for the struggle between us, you human juniors are not yet qualified to intervene."

Xuan Sushang was, after all, a revered Dao Integration Immortal Venerable, yet Li Fan repeatedly called her a "junior." However, Xuan Sushang wasn't offended. Compared to the ancient Heavenly Profound Mirror, they were indeed generations beneath it, so the term was not inaccurate. The fact that Li Fan only required information and didn't need her direct involvement also relieved Xuan Sushang.

After a brief moment of thought, she immediately transmitted the relevant information to Li Fan via divine sense.

A moment later.

"Father, please forgive me," Xuan Sushang murmured to herself after completing the task.

Knowing the location of the Heavenly Profound Mirror's human clone, Li Fan did not rush to act. Instead, his gaze turned to Lu Xichan, who had been silently keeping her head down, his expression grim. Lu Xichan sensed Li Fan's gaze, and her heart grew increasingly uneasy.

"Master..." Seeing that Li Fan remained silent for a long time, she finally mustered her courage and tentatively asked.

"Xichan, you have truly disappointed your master." Li Fan's voice reached her ears, and Lu Xichan's body trembled slightly. "It has been two hundred and eighty-six years since I formally appointed you as Chief of the Strategy Formation Hall. After all these years, your mastery of formations is still at this level..."

"Master, I..." Lu Xichan felt a wave of grievance upon hearing this. When she took over as Chief of the Strategy Formation Hall, she had only received support from a handful of elders. Most chose to observe, and many even sought to replace her. It was a perilous situation, fraught with danger at every turn. Fortunately, after several years of negotiation and strategic balancing, she finally established her position firmly.

As Chief of the Immortal Alliance's Strategy Formation Hall, her duties were exceptionally demanding. She not only had to handle the various miscellaneous reports and summaries submitted by the Strategy Formation Halls in different prefectures but also participate in monthly meetings to discuss the Immortal Alliance's operations with other departments. In the past two centuries, apart from the earlier leak concerning the defensive grand formation, the Strategy Formation Hall had made virtually no errors and had earned considerable merits. This was undeniably linked to her exhaustive efforts. She had already given her utmost to reach her current position. How could she possibly make further progress in the art of formations? Moreover, her formation skills hadn't stagnated entirely; she just hadn't achieved any major breakthroughs.

Torn by conflicting emotions, Lu Xichan was about to open her mouth to explain herself. But Li Fan harshly cut her off: "I know what you're thinking, but only the weak make excuses for themselves. True strong cultivators, even when constantly on the brink of death, never abandon their pursuit of the Dao!"

Li Fan asked in a deep voice, "Honestly, ask yourself: have you truly given your all?!"

"I..." Lu Xichan was instantly speechless.

Li Fan then intensified his tone: "Instead of striving for progress, you've indulged in romantic pursuits..." As he said this, Li Fan glanced at Xuan Sushang, who was standing beside them. Xuan Sushang's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her already bowed head even further.

Li Fan turned back to Lu Xichan: "You deserve punishment!"

A long whip, formed from solidified soul power, suddenly appeared in his hand. Li Fan roared, "Kneel!"

Lu Xichan was, after all, a Dao Integration cultivator, the powerful and highly ranked Chief of the Immortal Alliance's Strategy Formation Hall. She had her own pride and, with her head held high, was about to speak in defiance. But she met Li Fan's cold, merciless gaze. In that instant, countless childhood memories flooded her mind. It was as if she were back in her childhood, constantly trembling, fearing her master's reprimands. Lu Xichan's legs weakened, and she instinctively knelt down.

Kneeling on the cold ground, Lu Xichan's fear quickly dissipated. Instead, an unnamed fire of defiance suddenly surged within her.

However...

Before this flame could grow, Lu Xichan saw a golden whip-shadow whistle towards her.

"Do not dodge!"

Her instinctive defense was halted by Li Fan's grim, low roar. Then, Lu Xichan could only watch as the golden soul whip struck her own soul. The point of impact was precisely the area where her defensive barrier had previously been stripped away by soul erosion. An indescribable pain instantly spread through her entire body. It was like countless steel needles piercing and violently twisting inside her body and brain. In an instant, Lu Xichan's entire consciousness was overwhelmed by the agony. Her body first stiffened abruptly, then collapsed to the ground, twitching uncontrollably. She couldn't even let out a cry of pain, only broken whimpers escaping her throat. Her body twisted and curled up. It took a good while for the deep soul pain to slowly recede.

As Lu Xichan regained a sliver of consciousness, she was about to beg for mercy. Li Fan showed no pity; another whip struck her soul directly! Lu Xichan, who had only just escaped the agony, was instantly dragged back to hell! This time, Lu Xichan's reaction was even more intense than before. Tears streamed down her face, and her former dignified appearance was completely gone.

Hearing Lu Xichan's faint cries of agony, Xuan Sushang, who had been silently keeping her head down, secretly turned to glance at her. A strange glint appeared in her eyes. It was known that Lu Xichan had never displayed such a reaction before; her pain tolerance was remarkably high.

Xuan Sushang's subtle movement was already within Li Fan's expectations. Ignoring her for the moment, he waited until Lu Xichan recovered again, then another golden whip descended. This time, Lu Xichan no longer shrieked. Only instinctive sobs and pleas for mercy remained.

"Master, Chan'er knows she was wrong..."

"Master, spare me..."

Lu Xichan's mournful cries echoed through the wooden house. Li Fan maintained his eternally impassive, icy expression, while Xuan Sushang's face inexplicably flushed, and her eyes became hazy.

He did not strike a fourth time.

Having finished, Li Fan held the whip in his right hand, keeping it behind his back. He waited for Lu Xichan to regain her senses. The scene of punishment made Xuan Sushang tremble with apprehension. She, too, dared not move, waiting where she stood.

After an unknown period, Lu Xichan finally awoke from the blankness of her mind. Lying on the ground, she saw Li Fan's imposing figure standing over her. An instinctive shiver ran through Lu Xichan's heart. After this, she struggled to get up, first tidied her appearance, and then, intermittently and with difficulty, bowed her head and said, "Thank you, Master, for the punishment."

"Get up," Li Fan replied indifferently.

Lu Xichan tried to stand but nearly collapsed again. Seeing this, Xuan Sushang quickly stepped forward to help her.

"The Great Dao is boundless; one must pursue it relentlessly until death. These three lashes are your master's punishment for your complacency! The path of formations is like sailing against the current—if you don't advance, you fall back. For the time being, you will stay here in this bamboo sea, diligently studying formations. Do not wander off unless absolutely necessary!"