Chapter 691: To Explore The White Mist

The Deliverance Sect keeps haunting me like a restless spirit. A flicker of cold light passed through Li Fan's eyes.

If it had happened just once, he could dismiss it as coincidence. But something that kept happening again and again could no longer be explained by sheer chance.

He was almost certain now: this was connected to what Jiao Xiuyuan had said, that Li Fan was the so-called "Calamity's Answer."

The Deliverance Sect was always lurking in the shadows, swarming like flies he could never swat away. But how exactly did they detect and lock onto him? Li Fan still had no idea.

Even in the ancient cultivation world, the Deliverance Sect had been shrouded in mystery. Thousands of years later, that mystery had only deepened.

Every time the cycle resets, the Deliverance Sect must be affected as well. So from their perspective, I'm nothing more than a cultivator with a mysterious origin, hiding some secrets. Why are they always so certain that I'm the Calamity's Answer, the one who can help them survive the catastrophe?

Could it be that, aside from Return to Truth, I have some other special quality? Or is the Deliverance Sect's technique simply profound enough to foresee the future?

Thoughts churned in Li Fan's mind.

The Xuanhuang World felt very much like a dead end. Whether he could break free from this place, and roam free and unrestrained for eternity… with Return to Truth, Li Fan was certain he could.

But thinking in reverse: if the doomed Xuanhuang World truly had a saviour, then Li Fan, the sole variable, was without a doubt the most likely candidate.

But back then, the Ruomu Tree spared me. Probably because it foresaw that I would commit boundless slaughter, bringing unimaginable disaster to the cultivators of the world.

Salvation and annihilation. Both exist within my future...

A flash of blinding light interrupted Li Fan's contemplation.

Perhaps because the scene of the Time Mirage was too astonishing, it had even affected the flow of time and space in the present reality.

The instant the Southern Abyss Sacred Beast Mountain emitted that world-splitting light, Li Fan felt the already violent spiritual qi around him begin to resonate and tremble.

"Not good! Fellow Daoist Li, fall back!"

Dongfang Yao, who had been filled with excitement moments before, suddenly turned serious. His form flickered, and he retreated beyond the whirlpool's pull.

He had a decent heart, at least. Even in his haste, he remembered to warn Li Fan, who still stood there dumbfounded.

This is...

Li Fan's body drifted outward, but his gaze stayed locked on the great whirlpool and the vast sea around it, now cut apart into countless fragments of space.

Every black rift seemed to hold the ferocious silhouettes of demonic beasts. They roared and howled, brandishing claws and baring fangs as they tore space apart.

A myriad demonic beasts had united their will to breach the fabric of the Xuanhuang World.

Li Fan suddenly thought of the Fallen Immortal Realm, of the Heavenly Sword Sect forging their World-Breaching Divine Armament. They had cast Sword Embryos, each containing the different sword insights of their members, into the Divine Armament's furnace. This breach at the Southern Abyss Sacred Beast Mountain seemed to follow the same principle.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wonder what happened back in those days. Even after thousands of years, we can still feel the magnificence of that era through these mirages." Dongfang Yao sighed, moved.

The white pillar of light pierced the heavens for about the time it takes a cup of tea to cool. Then it vanished, abruptly, without a sound.

The contrast in light seemed to make the world dim before Li Fan's eyes.

As the Time Mirage faded, the wind and rain of the great whirlpool gradually calmed. It now felt like the lull after a great battle, a period of rest before gathering strength again.

"What a pity. Who knows how long it’s take before another fissure appears," Dongfang Yao said, a note of regret in his voice.

"But from what I can see, Fellow Daoist, you’ve made quite some gains from this round of contemplation," Li Fan said, smiling.

Dongfang Yao waved a hand. "When it comes to gaining insight from wonders, the more, the better. I'm still far from grasping the true majesty of the World Breach we just witnessed. It's a shame this place isn't like the Mortal to Spirit Transformation Wall, where the projection appears at a fixed time and place. This is purely chance. You either encounter it or you don't.

"Back in my day, I stood before the Spirit Transformation Wall, contemplating over and over, until I finally formed my Golden Core with four laws. A pity my comprehension is limited. I could never glean anything more from it after that." A flicker of memory passed through Dongfang Yao's eyes.

The Mortal to Spirit Transformation Wall. Li Fan mused.

It, too, was a Time Mirage, recording the scene of Mister Bai ascending from a mortal to Spirit Transformation cultivation in a single leap.

Li Fan had heard of it long ago. But lingering doubts had kept him from ever going to witness it.

The core issue was this: was Mister Bai's portrayal of himself as "the best person in the world" real or fake? And was he still alive somewhere in this world?

From Li Fan's repeated experiences in the Fallen Immortal Realm, Mister Bai's cultivation was profound, nearly on the level of an Immortal. If someone like that truly existed somewhere in the Xuanhuang World, then even looking at his projection on the Mortal to Spirit Transformation Wall might be no different from meeting him face to face.

What would happen then? No one could say.

Until he understood Mister Bai's true nature, Li Fan only dared to engage with Mister Bai's "past" through the Fallen Immortal Realm. Or, more precisely, to make contact with the "Mister Bai of the past."

After all, an esoteric treasure like Return to Truth would make even a True Immortal descend to earth, eyes blazing with greed.

The thought flickered past in an instant, and Li Fan continued the conversation naturally. "The Mortal to Spirit Transformation Wall is indeed extraordinary, one of Tianyun Province's greatest wonders!"

Dongfang Yao took out a green outer robe and draped it over his shoulders. Suddenly, as if remembering something, his expression turned strange. "The Spirit Transformation Wall is impressive, sure. But if you ask me, the most peculiar thing in Tianyun Province is a black dog!"

"A black dog?" Li Fan blinked, then the Dao Transformation Stone in his mind glowed faintly, and a bit of hearsay he'd once heard from Shen Yuzi surfaced.

"Fellow Daoist Dongfang, are you referring to Chen Shimei, the heartless man who refined his own Dao Companion into a Dao Foundation?"

Dongfang Yao nodded vigorously. "That's the one, that's the one. That bastard's vile deeds angered Immortal Maiden Kong You, who turned him into a black dog. Countless cultivators, hoping to curry favor with her, brought all sorts of wild beasts, lining up to bully him."

"The scene..." Dongfang Yao shuddered, a chill running down his spine.

"But, truth be told, the real peculiarity of this affair doesn't end there." Dongfang Yao's tone shifted, his voice dropping low.

"Oh? There's more to this story?" Li Fan asked, curious.

"You know I carry the blood of a primordial demonic beast. Perhaps because of this, as my physique grew stronger, I discovered another marvelous use for my demonic beast bloodline: it lets me communicate with all sorts of beasts," Dongfang Yao said, a hint of mystery in his voice.

"Once, I passed through Tianyun Province and came across Chen Shimei, who was cruelly brutalized. To others, it was nothing but a series of heart-wrenching howls. But in reality, Chen Shimei was pouring out his grievances, wailing that he was innocent.

"He said it wasn't he who refined his Dao Companion. Rather, his Dao Companion had chosen, on her own, to become part of his Dao Foundation, so the two would never be apart."

"Ah?" Li Fan was slow to react.

Dongfang Yao shrugged. "I didn't believe it either, at first. But once Chen Shimei realized I could understand him, he clung to me like I was his last lifeline, desperate to get the secret out.

"He swore up and down it was all his Dao Companion's own twisted idea. He said he'd woken from a nap to find her gone, and an extra Dao Foundation inside him.

"What's worse, he claimed she wasn't truly dead. Through some unknown method, she could still talk with him every single day.

"Weighed down by a wrongful accusation, suffering both mental and physical torment daily, Chen Shimei has gone completely mad.

"That time, he begged me to grant him release. But, well..."

Dongfang Yao looked helpless. "Immortal Maiden Kong You has countless suitors. I wouldn't dare offend her. Even if she was wrong, I couldn't say so.

"So, for now, I have to let poor Chen Shimei keep suffering," Dongfang Yao sighed.

“That was the day I learned how terrifying women can be. I avoid them wherever I can.

"It's men of true character, like you, Fellow Daoist Li, who suit my taste far better." He looked at Li Fan and nodded approvingly.

"Haha..." Li Fan shifted a bit further from Dongfang Yao.

"This is the first I've heard of this. Truly fascinating. Immortal Maiden Kong You..."

Li Fan had heard the name before. He'd even seen her once in his previous life, at the commendation ceremony after the completion of the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array.

She was indeed a nation-toppling beauty, worthy of the title "Immortal Maiden." More than that, she possessed a unique constitution. Her congenital Curio, the Yin-Yang Jade, was a half-step Curio of Heaven.

Through the method of Yin-Yang dual cultivation, she could fuse the yang half of the Yin-Yang Jade with her Dao Companion, elevating his Foundation Establishment Curio, Golden Core, Nascent Soul grotto-heaven, and even his Spirit Transformation pre-manifestation, turning a mediocre man into a peerless prodigy. It was no exaggeration to say she could defy heaven and change fate.

Because of this, countless young, outstanding cultivators pursued Immortal Maiden Kong You fervently. She herself seemed to have deep backing. Foolish cultivators who'd tried to take her by force had all vanished without a trace, and no one knew if they were dead or alive.

Dongfang Yao noticed the subtle change in Li Fan's expression and couldn't help offering some advice. "Fellow Daoist Li, take my word for it. Beauties are all disasters. Men are true brothers—"

"Haha, you're right, Brother Dongfang. Women like that aren't people I can provoke!" Li Fan laughed heartily, cutting him off.

"The great storm has passed. Where do you intend to go next, Fellow Daoist?" Li Fan asked.

Hearing Li Fan's hearty agreement, Dongfang Yao broke into a delighted grin. "I have a friend named Huangfu Song. We share the same temperament, and are close as brothers. Since you and I hit it off so well, Brother Li, I imagine you'll get along splendidly with him too.

"Not long ago, I heard he was heading to some Roaring Abyss, claiming it was a rare chance to earn great merit. He wanted to invite me along. I've got nothing pressing to do anyway, and I've recently comprehended a new divine ability, so my hands are itching to test it. I thought I'd go join the fun.

"What do you say, Brother Li? Interested?" Dongfang Yao looked at him, a glimmer of expectation in his eyes.

The Roaring Abyss? White Mist, Lost Domain, earning great merit? Li Fan narrowed his eyes, countless threads of information weaving together into a single chain.

"You read my mind. I'd be more than happy to." Li Fan considered for a moment, then agreed without much hesitation.

"Excellent!" Dongfang Yao was overjoyed. "I'll ask where he is now, and we'll go meet up with him!"

He produced a communication spirit talisman and began to inquire. After a short while, he put the talisman away.

"Let's go to Tianyu Province!"

Hearing the familiar name, Li Fan smiled slightly. Then, following Dongfang Yao, he flew toward the nearest teleportation array.

***

Within the Beastkin World.

Xu Bai, who had been comprehending the heavenly providence of the world to a higher level, suddenly opened his eyes.

He stood in the sky, his lips parting slightly, as if he had just uttered a word.

Heaven and earth abruptly fell silent. An instant later, thousands upon thousands of roars from different demonic beasts erupted, echoing in waves across the world.

The exotic beasts that once reigned supreme in the Beastkin World were powerful, but these roars came from the most formidable existences among the ancient demonic beast clans, carrying the malevolent aura and ferocity of a bygone era.

Every exotic beast at work in the Beastkin World looked up toward the source of the sound, trembling. They fell to their knees on the spot.

Before Xu Bai, black fissures began to appear, just like at the great whirlpool. They tore the surrounding space apart. The scene warped, and even the world itself grew unstable.

Fang Zaiji's figure suddenly materialized. "Sect Leader, what's happening?" He studied Xu Bai with alarm, thinking an enemy had torn through space to create a passage and meant to abduct him. He readied himself to intervene.

But Xu Bai closed his lips. The roars of countless demonic beasts in the sky faded instantly, and the world grew quiet again. The tiny spatial fissures disappeared.

Xu Bai glanced at Fang Zaiji and said, indifferent. "It's nothing. I just comprehended a divine ability."

"Ah..." Fang Zaiji studied him, surprised. "That strange phenomenon just now was caused by a divine ability you comprehended, Sect Leader? Is that real? Even the moves Liu San and I use can hardly produce such an effect!" A hint of doubt colored his face.

Xu Bai ignored him, instead savoring the sensation of the divine ability he'd just acquired.

Strange. This avatar's talent is absolutely absurd.

When my true self observed the World Breach Time Mirage, it gained only vague insights. But this avatar...

Surrounded by the images of ten thousand beasts, it was as if I stood among them, my ears filled with their roars. Even the demonic beasts too blurry to identify manifested with crystal clarity in my mind.

And furthermore...

Xu Bai looked down at his own hands.

To pierce the surface and grasp the essence. To instantly comprehend and replicate the power of a World Breach.

Is this what Xu Ke's essence blood and a Xuan Bird Feather can achieve?

Or is it because of Mister Bai?

The moment the thought surfaced, Li Fan first dismissed it. He had merely referenced Mister Bai's bearing. The resemblance was only superficial.

But what if it were true?