"How did the mortals in the Great Migration come to the Immortal-Forsaken Land?" Perhaps never having concerned himself with this question before, Kou Hong was momentarily stunned upon hearing Li Fan's inquiry.
"The Era of the Great Plague has been over for thousands of years. We are not clear about the specifics of that time. Most of what we know is hearsay." After pondering for a moment, Kou Hong shook his head.
"Why, are you still not giving up?" Kou Hong glanced at Li Fan and couldn't help but mock, "Even if you manage to leave, what then? At seventy years old, you still wish to cultivate immortality..."
He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Li Fan's cold gaze sweeping over him, and the few stern officials nearby looking eager and menacing. He couldn't help but shiver and awkwardly closed his mouth.
Kou Hong had already been released from the prison by Li Fan.
After being trapped in a secret chamber and baptized by the immortal miasma by Li Fan, his cultivation regressed significantly, falling directly to the early stage of Qi Refinement.
All his daoist techniques became unusable, and now he was merely a slightly stronger mortal.
After being captured, he initially cursed incessantly, but after several rounds of severe torture, Kou Hong finally became compliant.
"So, the once high and mighty immortal cultivators, after losing their cultivation, are no different from us mortals. In fact, they have even less backbone than us," one of the stern officials remarked sarcastically.
"Indeed, this one couldn't even last an hour under our hands," another official chimed in.
Kou Hong was quite candid: "A good death is better than a miserable life. Besides, in the cultivation world, life and death, success and failure are commonplace. Though you are a mere mortal, your methods and resolve are exceptional. Being outsmarted by you, my brother and I have nothing to say. We were simply outmatched!"
"Do you not hate me?" Li Fan asked, somewhat curious.
"Hate, of course, I hate!" Kou Hong took a fierce sip of the fine wine Li Fan had prepared for him. "But what of it? Now you hold the knife, and I am the fish on the chopping block. Should I still speak harshly to you? Wouldn't that be courting death?"
"You are quite open-minded!" Li Fan chuckled.
"Just clinging to life!" Kou Hong snorted coldly.
"If you could return to the cultivation world, could you continue cultivating?" After a moment of silence, Li Fan suddenly asked.
"What..." Kou Hong didn't immediately react.
"If you can help me find a way to the cultivation world, perhaps I will take you with me," Li Fan promised.
"You treacherous scoundrel, still trying to deceive me?" Kou Hong was furious, but he quickly calmed down and glared fiercely at Li Fan.
Li Fan's expression remained calm: "Whether it's true or false, it is ultimately a glimmer of hope. Are you willing to give up this chance at life and grow old in this confined space?"
Hearing Li Fan's words, Kou Hong fell silent.
His expression changed dramatically, clearly struggling internally.
After a long while, he finally sighed deeply.
"Fine! I agree!"
"Rest assured, I, Li Fan, always keep my word," Li Fan said solemnly.
The stern officials nearby straightened their expressions and lowered their heads.
In the entire court, who didn't know that the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty was a man of his word: if he said he would kill your entire family, he would kill your entire family!
"No need to paint a rosy picture for me. I am willing to help you, but only to gamble on that slim chance of survival," Kou Hong sneered.
Seeing this, Li Fan didn't explain further but directly shared his conjecture with Kou Hong.
"If my guess is correct, the immortal cultivators back then used artifacts like flying boats or flying shuttles to migrate mortals. In ancient times, the cultivation world was populous, with numerous sects flourishing. Such transportation artifacts were quite common. Unfortunately, after the great changes in heaven and earth, cultivators became wary, and from then on, they mostly acted alone. Flying boats and shuttles became rare," Kou Hong responded slowly after listening.
"The great changes in heaven and earth, are you referring to that strange great plague?" Li Fan asked.
"Though the immortal miasma is strange, it cannot shake the foundation of immortal cultivators. In fact, the reason the immortal miasma could run rampant was that the vast majority of cultivators perished in a great calamity. The cultivation world's strength plummeted, making it unable to effectively counter the immortal miasma," Kou Hong shook his head, his expression somewhat grave.
"A great calamity?" Li Fan suddenly recalled the scene of the ruined mountain gate he had seen deep within the Void Abyss, and his heart stirred. "Could it be that immortal arts cannot be cultivated together?"
Kou Hong gave Li Fan a surprised look, not understanding how he had come to this conclusion.
"Indeed, immortal arts cannot be cultivated together!" Kou Hong sighed deeply.
"In ancient times, there were no such restrictions. Back then, countless Great Immortal Sects opened their doors wide, accepting disciples and imparting skills. Cultivators had the guidance of their masters and could seek advice whenever they encountered difficulties in cultivation. They could also spar and discuss with fellow disciples practicing the same techniques. At that time, the entire cultivation world was vibrant and lively!" Kou Hong spoke with undisguised longing.
"Alas! The great changes in heaven and earth! Cultivators suddenly found that their efficiency in practicing techniques had greatly diminished. During cultivation, they could sense how many others in the cultivation world were practicing the same method. They were horrified to discover that the more people practicing the same technique, the lower the cultivation efficiency for everyone practicing it," Kou Hong recounted in a low voice, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.
"Initially, everyone exercised restraint, hoping to find a solution. But after several decades, countless cultivators were stuck, unable to advance in cultivation. As their lifespan approached its limit, they could no longer hide their murderous intent."
"A catastrophe swept through the entire cultivation world. Anyone practicing the same technique as me was obstructing my path and became a mortal enemy! Former masters and disciples, brothers and sisters, all turned into life-and-death foes in an instant! Even if someone was unwilling to kill, how could they ensure the other party felt the same under such circumstances? Who dared to guarantee that the other party wouldn't suddenly stab them in the back? All cultivators were engulfed in endless suspicion, and the only person they could trust was themselves!"
"At that time, all sects turned into purgatories in an instant. Even the rogue cultivators hiding in secluded mountain retreats couldn't escape. Because cultivators practicing the same technique could sense each other's locations!"
"Slaughter, endless slaughter. It continued for an unknown duration before gradually subsiding. By then, the once flourishing cultivation world had become desolate, with all sects gone, leaving only solitary cultivators," Kou Hong narrated the ancient upheaval of the cultivation world.
Li Fan listened, his emotions surging, but even greater questions arose.
Since immortal arts cannot be cultivated together, how do today's cultivators practice? What is the current state of the cultivation world?