Chapter 727: The Stone Disk Is Finally In Hand

“Brother Dongfang, there’s no need to grieve too deeply. Brother Huangfu suffered a terrible calamity, but thankfully the Rebirth Manor exists now. At least he has a chance at resurrection.” Li Fan sighed, offering what comfort he could.

He summoned a new Samantabhadra True Boat and pulled the still-mourning Dongfang Yao inside.

Then he brought out the Heaven-Measuring Mirror.

Once their recent exploration records finished syncing, Li Fan checked his Qingxuan Points. Just over a hundred thousand.

No one had claimed the Final Stone Disc yet. Without hesitation, he selected it.

The points he'd spent so long accumulating drained away in an instant.

A faint white glow accompanied the moment a heavy gray disc materialized in his hand.

So this is the Final Stone Disc.

No larger than a palm, it felt light when Li Fan hefted it. He turned it over, studying it for a moment.

Just as its name suggested, it felt utterly mundane, like an ordinary stone. Neither his divine sense nor his spiritual power could draw any reaction from it.

I wonder how the Heaven-Toppling Society of my past life ever figured out how to use this thing.

But Li Fan knew better than to rush. He had plenty of time in this lifetime to uncover its secrets. For now, he put it away. Then he retrieved Huangfu Song’s belongings and laid them out before him.

Besides the Heaven-Measuring Mirror and the Disassembler Disc, there were two storage rings.

“Brother Dongfang, do you know if Huangfu has any close family still alive?” Li Fan asked.

At this point, Dongfang Yao had calmed somewhat. He shook his head. “He's the same as me—no attachments, alone in this world.”

Li Fan frowned. “Then these possessions...”

Dongfang Yao glanced at the items and made his decision at once. “You risked your life to retrieve Brother Huangfu's possessions, Brother Li. Keep them with you for now. When we find Huangfu's reincarnation, we'll give them to him then.”

Li Fan sighed. “I suppose that’s the only way. But the Xuanhuang World is vast. Who knows where Huangfu will be reborn in eighteen years? If he's still within the Immortal Alliance's territory, we can manage. It'll just take effort to find him. I'm more worried he'll be reborn somewhere in the Five Elders Council.

“The Rebirth Manor has all sorts of fancy gadgets. There must be something that can track the general location of a true spirit's reincarnation. Now that Brother Huangfu is dead, I have no desire to explore the White Mist any longer. When I return, I'll start making inquiries. I'll find Brother Huangfu as soon as possible.” Dongfang Yao's voice was heavy with resolve.

“I'll ask around too. Shuo Feng might know something,” Li Fan added.

The two of them began their return from the depths of the White Mist.

First, they went to the Cosmos Branch Academy in Tianyu Province to report Huangfu Song's death.

The cultivator who received them was Shangguan Shi, gaunt as ever.

Colleagues for many years, Shangguan Shi's face darkened with sorrow at the news. He sighed. “I'll inform Dean Ji. Thank you.”

Shame filled Dongfang Yao's face. Too guilty to linger, he cupped his hands and left hastily.

Outside the Cosmos Branch Academy, he said goodbye to Li Fan as well. He left behind a communication spirit talisman, then went off to gather information about the Rebirth Manor.

This Dongfang Yao is a genuine soul. Li Fan watched the other man's receding figure.

Instead of returning to Longevity Valley, he headed straight for Tianquan Province.

While he'd been exploring the White Mist, Shuo Feng had sent him multiple messages asking for a sparring match.

He'd refused each time, claiming he was trapped deep within the White Mist and couldn't extricate himself.

But at the end of the day, he was still a guest elder of the Xuan family in name. Shuo Feng had said nothing openly, but after being rejected time and again, a certain edge had crept into his tone.

Now that he had spare time, Li Fan contacted him right away. The status of a Xuan family guest elder still had its uses. A few sparring bouts to maintain that position wasn't much trouble.

Shuo Feng was currently at a villa in Tianquan City.

This, too, was a gift from his mother, the Scarlet Snow Immortal Venerable. Compared to Shuo Feng Mountain on the outskirts, the villa had a smaller footprint, but its price ran more than ten times higher.

Without the right connections, one couldn't buy it even with contribution points.

Arriving at the cave dwelling district in the center of Tianquan City, Li Fan saw the towering Administration Hall at the city's core. A female cultivator in a red dress was already waiting outside.

She wasn't the lady in yellow from before, Zhijin, but a different face.

Li Fan kept his expression neutral and followed the red-robed woman into the branch academy.

"What a stifling life! Now that the Rebirth Manor exists, cultivators can all be resurrected. Yet my mother still piles restrictions on me." From a distance, Li Fan could hear Shuo Feng's irritated voice.

The red-robed woman's face showed no reaction at all, as if she hadn't heard Shuo Feng's complaint. She simply led Li Fan inside, bowed, and withdrew.

"Haha, Brother Li! Long time no see!"

Sensing Li Fan's presence, Shuo Feng lit up with joy.

But what greeted Li Fan wasn't a warm embrace. It was a streak of white sword light!

Li Fan's eyes flickered. With a thought, he conjured a blue water sword to block the attack.

Boom!

Amid the explosion, Li Fan called out, "Congratulations, Brother Shuo, for solving the problem of not being able to strike first. Seems my Draw Thread divine ability is no match for you now."

He flew over to Shuo Feng, his eyes flickering with a strange light as he took in the scene.

Shuo Feng still wore simple robes, but a green willow-leaf flying dagger hovered above his head.

The blade's tip wasn't aimed at any enemy. It pointed straight down at Shuo Feng's own head.

"Ha! Brother Li, what do you think of this method of mine? Since my sword refuses to strike first, I force it to act. With a blade above my head, my life hangs by a thread. It's fused with me, so when it's threatened, it counterattacks on instinct. Then I take the sword light it unleashes and turn it against my enemies." Shuo Feng glanced up at the flying dagger, pride evident in his voice.

"To think you'd devise such a brilliant method. You're truly a genius, Brother Shuo." Li Fan flattered him, playing along.

At the same time, he studied another cultivator sitting beside Shuo Feng.

The man had sword-like brows and bright eyes, his bearing heroic and extraordinary. Though he fell somewhat short of Xu Bai's peerless beauty, he was still a dragon among men.

This was Li Fan's first meeting with him in this life, but the man was no stranger to him.

He was Tantai Tao, an array path genius who, in Li Fan's previous life, had died while taking part in the array training program.

That hadn't happened this time around. The man was still alive.

Li Fan looked at Shuo Feng, feigning ignorance. "And this is?"

"Brother Tantai is a rare genius of the array path in this age. You should make his acquaintance," Shuo Feng said, offering a brief introduction.

"A pleasure to meet you!" Tantai Tao said, his expression warm as he greeted Li Fan.

After a round of pleasantries, the three of them fell into idle conversation about the Rebirth Manor.