Half a month later, a rudimentary seawater desalination formation was completed. With an ample supply of drinking water and food once again available, the surviving residents of Tai'an Island knelt down, expressing their gratitude to the Immortal Master for saving their lives. However, Li Fan did not feel particularly happy; instead, he was filled with worry.
Having personally constructed a formation, Li Fan had barely set foot on the path of formations. It was then he discovered that the Island Protection Array of Tai'an Island was deteriorating at an alarmingly abnormal rate. Typically, such an array could operate for over a hundred years. But at the current rate of deterioration, in two or three years, the array would completely lose its effectiveness.
After careful investigation and referencing the descriptions in the "Introduction to Formations," Li Fan identified the cause of the array's damage. The spiritual energy between heaven and earth had become extremely volatile and intense. This intense spiritual energy seemed to have developed its own will and, once absorbed by the Island Protection Array, began to slowly erode the critical nodes within the formation. The array was now like a machine with key components slowly rusting; each operation reduced its lifespan.
Although Li Fan identified the cause, he had no effective means to salvage the situation. The Island Protection Array was too complex, with over ten thousand critical nodes, each often composed of dozens of micro formations. It was said that when it was initially constructed, it was a joint effort by several Nascent Soul stage formation masters from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals. Faced with such a problem, how could Li Fan, who had just begun his journey in formations, possibly resolve it?
Moreover, the primary issue lay in the spiritual energy absorbed by the array. Even if the formation was temporarily repaired, as long as the nature of the external volatile spiritual energy remained unchanged, it would be akin to drinking poison to quench thirst.
"Staying on this Tai'an Island is a death sentence; I must find a way to leave here." "But with the unknown changes in the outside world, where the rampant spiritual energy runs amok, venturing out recklessly is also a path to death."
Caught in a dilemma, it seemed like a deadlock. "Is this the heavenly killing intent..." Li Fan stared intently at the sky beyond the Island Protection Array, feeling like an insect trapped in a spider's web, unable to move, struggling in vain.
Yet, Li Fan did not immediately choose [Return to Origin]. Returning would waste over a decade of charging time, and without understanding what had happened, the next time would likely end in death as well. Even if he fled far from the Congyun Sea, could he guarantee he wouldn't encounter new crises? It was well known that the heavenly dao of this world harbored malice towards immortal cultivators everywhere. Li Fan did not believe that merely changing locations would allow him to avoid it.
Thus, unless absolutely necessary, he would not choose to abandon this world. Over the next period, Li Fan continued his cultivation while searching for a way to break the impasse. However, the external volatile spiritual energy showed no signs of calming; rather, it grew increasingly violent over time. Under its ravages, the Island Protection Array became increasingly precarious, on the verge of collapse at any moment.
"Is there no way out?" Li Fan felt a sense of helplessness. To end this life so inexplicably, he was truly unwilling. Yet, it seemed there were no other choices.
"Return to Origin!" Li Fan reluctantly took one last look at Tai'an Island, ready to end this life. But then he paused. Because, looking at the mortals below gradually recovering their vitality, Li Fan suddenly realized that the external volatile spiritual energy did not seem to target mortals. According to the descriptions from the island's mortals, outside the Island Protection Array, it was merely a bit hotter, with no particularly dangerous threats.
"The heavenly killing intent is only directed at immortal cultivators; mortals should be unharmed." If he were to dispel his cultivation and temporarily revert to being a mortal, wouldn't he survive?
Li Fan thought of the "Supreme Primordial True Scripture." With this miraculous skill, dispelling his cultivation and re-cultivating wouldn't result in much loss of his cultivation. As long as he found a safe place, he could return to his original state in no time.
"Is this what they call rebirth from the brink of death?" With a solution in mind, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a bit delighted. He then naturally considered more. He was currently cultivating two techniques. One was the "Small Cyclic Water Art" exchanged from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, and the other was the "Thousand Mysteries Jade Golden Seal" from the ancient Heavenly Mechanism Sect. One was a new method, the other an old method.
The new method's cultivation approach was to seize from heaven and earth. This was precisely why it provoked the malice of heaven and earth. Now that heaven and earth had laid down layers of killing intent, the target was the immortal cultivators practicing the new method. What if he only dispelled the "Small Cyclic Water Art" but retained the realm of the "Thousand Mysteries Jade Golden Seal"? Wouldn't the heavenly killing intent be reduced?
Li Fan was decisive by nature. With the array on the verge of collapse, he made a swift decision, circulating the "Supreme Primordial True Scripture" within his body. "The Supreme Nameless, returning to the Primordial Origin..." As the technique operated, the water-attributed spiritual energy cultivated from the "Small Cyclic Water Art" slowly dissipated like melting snow, transforming into a pure energy that resided in Li Fan's dantian.
In just half a day, the "Small Cyclic Water Art" had been completely dispelled. Li Fan felt no discomfort. "This 'Supreme Primordial True Scripture' is indeed miraculous," Li Fan remarked, flying to the edge of the Island Protection Array. "Indeed, this method works!" Sensing the sudden weakening of the heavenly killing intent outside, Li Fan felt a surge of joy.
"Unfortunately, the 'Thousand Mysteries Jade Golden Seal' is still cultivated in the manner of seizing from heaven and earth. Although perhaps due to the intention of the technique, the malice of heaven and earth has lessened significantly compared to before, it has not completely dissipated."
Realizing that he would still be in danger if he ventured out now, Li Fan steeled his heart and chose to continue dispelling his cultivation. Soon, another stream of pure energy accumulated in his dantian. The two energies, though derived from different techniques, merged seamlessly.
"According to the 'Supreme Primordial True Scripture,' the pure energy obtained from dispelling cultivation can be maintained in the dantian for about a hundred years," Li Fan, now reduced to the realm of a mortal, was not overly concerned. "As long as I return to Ten Thousand Immortals Island, I can quickly regain my cultivation."
Without further hesitation, Li Fan piloted the Taiyan Boat and slowly flew out of the Island Protection Array. The rampant, scorching spiritual energy raged, dyeing the distant sky a shade of orange-red. But now that Li Fan was a mere mortal, the tumultuous spiritual energy simply howled past without launching an attack.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Li Fan set his course and accelerated the Taiyan Boat to its maximum speed, heading towards Ten Thousand Immortals Island. Along the way, Li Fan passed by numerous islands. The mortals on these islands were all completely dead, devoid of any signs of life. Li Fan was secretly alarmed, hastening his pace.
Three months later, Li Fan arrived at the location where Ten Thousand Immortals Island once stood. He checked the map four or five times, unable to believe his eyes. The once vast Ten Thousand Immortals Island had completely vanished, leaving only a gigantic black hole, empty and suspended over the ocean.
(End of Chapter)