Chapter 725: The End Of The Lost Domain

Of course, all of this was just Li Fan's speculation.

His understanding of principle defiance and conflicts at the Eternal Life level was still too shallow. He could only analyze and judge from the different trajectories of the Xuanhuang World in past lifetimes, glimpsing the surface without grasping the essence.

Perhaps only when the day to defy the principles truly came would he genuinely comprehend what was unfolding in the Xuanhuang World during this period.

Li Fan surfaced from his thoughts to find that Huangfu Song and Dongfang Yao had just reached a consensus: the Rebirth Manor's resurrection methods were no excuse for throwing one's life away carelessly.

But if one had abundant resources, it wouldn't hurt to buy a Soul-Settling Elixir or a Rebirth Decree as a last resort. Life and death were unpredictable. No one could guarantee they wouldn't die suddenly for one reason or another. It was better to be prepared.

"The number of resurrected cultivators that have appeared so far is still extremely low. I truly wonder what impact it will have on the Xuanhuang World eighteen years from now, when so many fallen cultivators are reborn." Huangfu Song sighed.

"I don't know what the future holds, but one thing is clear: the day the White Mist Barrier is completely mapped is not far off." Dongfang Yao snorted coldly, watching another Samantabhadra True Boat speed past them. "Brother Li, if you want to redeem that Final Stone Disc, you'd better hurry."

"Almost there. One more Lost Domain, and I'll have a hundred thousand Qingxuan Points." Li Fan nodded, carefully distinguishing the sounds drifting from the depths of the White Mist as he adjusted their course.

As they ventured deeper, he caught the murmurs of "Heavenly Physician" again.

But something was different this time. The sound seemed distorted, as if some interference were disrupting its transmission. The words were so garbled they barely resembled "Heavenly Physician" at all. Had he not passed through so many Lost Domains and heard that wailing countless times before, he might not have recognized it.

After a moment's thought, Li Fan held back from acting rashly.

When Huangfu and Dongfang saw him stop, they quickly pressed him for the reason.

After he explained, the two exchanged a glance, then spoke: "We brothers have weathered heavy storms together. A little danger is nothing to fear. Besides, we can simply be resurrected now.”

“Don't worry, Brother Li. Charge ahead."

For all their earlier suspicion toward resurrection and their talk of caution, they had clearly drawn a great deal of confidence from it.

After all, they could be resurrected.

A faint smile spread across Li Fan's face.

"Alright, brothers. Since you both say so, let's brave this Lost Domain together." He steered the flying boat and raced toward the source of the distorted voices.

No one knew how much time went by, but at some point, it felt as though they had crossed some imperceptible threshold. Then, without warning, the Samantabhadra True Boat lurched to a stop.

"What's wrong, Brother Li?" Huangfu and Dongfang asked, looking at him in surprise.

"It wasn't me," Li Fan said.

The three exchanged glances, their expressions turning grave.

Li Fan swept his divine sense across the exterior of the boat and found nothing unusual. Yet he could not identify the cause of the inexplicable stop.

He thought for a moment, then produced the Black Death Talisman to protect his body and flew out of the Samantabhadra True Boat. He wanted to circle around and see what was out there for himself.

Above, ahead, behind, left, right—nothing.

But when Li Fan flew beneath the boat, his pupils contracted sharply.

Streams of viscous black substance rose from the White Mist below like long, writhing tentacles, their ends clinging to the bottom of the Samantabhadra True Boat.

The unidentified black matter seemed alive. It made a faint rustling sound as it crept outward, expanding its grip. Li Fan could almost hear it crawling across the hull.

What is this...?

His divine sense couldn't detect it at all. He could only perceive it with his naked eyes.

He flicked a ball of flame from his finger, trying to burn through the black tentacles. But the fire seemed to exist in an entirely different space from the substance. No matter how fiercely he drove the flames, they had no effect.

He sent a strike of sword qi at them next. The same result. The sword light passed straight through the black tentacles as though they weren't there and shot off into the distance.

The viscous black mass simply clung stubbornly to the hull, showing no sign of releasing its grip.

When Li Fan failed to return and waves of spiritual qi began radiating from his position, Huangfu and Dongfang grew uneasy. They flew out of the boat together and found the same bizarre scene.

They tried every method they could think of, but none of them could sever the black tentacles.

"We'll have to follow them down and see where they come from," Huangfu Song suggested.

He produced the Heaven-Measuring Mirror and placed it over his head.

"Just as I thought. We've entered a new Lost Domain that no one else has set foot in." A faint note of excitement colored his voice.

"We still have three Samantabhadra True Boats in reserve, but until we understand what this thing is, it's best not to bring them out," Dongfang Yao advised. "If they get entangled too, we'd have to fly through the White Mist with our own power."

"No need to worry," Li Fan reassured them. "I have plenty of Black Death Talismans left. Even without the Samantabhadra True Boats, we have more than enough to protect ourselves and return safely."

Huangfu and Dongfang both nodded approvingly. "Brother Li is well prepared as always."

With their concerns set aside, the three of them followed the long black tentacles downward.

They moved slowly, but the streams of viscous black substance were surprisingly long. By the time they traced them to their source, enough time had passed to drink a cup of tea.

Faced with what lay before them, all three fell silent.

A massive black sphere resembling a tumor hung motionless in the air.

It too was formed from countless strands of that same viscous black substance. Hundreds of tentacles shot outward from it in every direction, vanishing into the White Mist and latching onto unseen objects.

At first glance, it looked like a colossal black net suspended in the void, with the sphere trapped at its center.

"Can your divine sense detect it?" Huangfu Song asked via spiritual transmission, his face taut.

Li Fan closed his eyes. In his perception, the space ahead was utterly empty. Nothing existed. He opened his eyes, and the black sphere was there again.

"No." He shook his head slightly, his expression grim.

"Let's not disturb this thing." Even the usually bold Dongfang Yao felt a chill run down his spine. "Let’s finish exploring this Lost Domain and pull out." His voice was tight.

Li Fan stared at the black sphere for a long, silent moment, then gave a slight nod.

Anything capable of blocking divine sense was no ordinary object.

Better to be cautious.