In his previous life, Li Fan, at the brink of his lifespan, by a stroke of luck, broke through the blockade of the Immortal-Sealing Grand Formation and entered the Immortal Cultivation World for the first time. What he saw then was an endless mountain range and a majestic city suspended in the sky.
In this life, however, upon entering the Immortal Cultivation World, Li Fan found himself above a vast ocean. Until today, Li Fan hadn't thought much of it, merely assuming there had been some mishap during the transmission.
It wasn't until he saw the desolate Congyun Sea and the birth of the miraculous object, the Canghai Pearl, that he finally understood. There was no mishap; the place he arrived at through the Immortal-Sealing Grand Formation was indeed the same. It was just that the times he arrived in the Immortal Cultivation World were different.
In his previous life, Li Fan entered the Immortal Cultivation World at the age of 85, which was 65 years after anchoring. In this life, he entered at the age of 40, after the Void Energy Charge reached 100%. That was 20 years after anchoring. A 45-year interval, one encounter with the vast sea, another with the mountains.
It's no wonder Li Fan hadn't thought in this direction. Without personal experience, even if someone had told him in advance about such a colossal change in heaven and earth, he would likely have been skeptical.
Thus, Li Fan laughed. First, he laughed at himself for still being unable to shake off a mortal mindset. If he had connected the various anomalies Zhang Haobo had reminded him of with the differences he saw during his two visits, he might have detected this great change in heaven and earth earlier.
Second, because he finally saw hope for the retreat of this disaster. At anchoring 50 years, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi broke into the Great Xuan Kingdom. At that time, they claimed to be from Lingtian City in the Congyun Mountain Range. Presumably, before that, this drought had already passed. The dried-up ocean would transform into vibrant mountains.
Now, it is anchoring 34 years, not far from that time. Waiting without hope is the most torturous, but knowing the eventual outcome makes this seemingly endless fire calamity not so terrifying.
Li Fan calmed his mind and returned to Tai'an Island. Seeing the mortals, who were in a state of constant fear and numbness, praying day and night, Li Fan transmitted his voice across the island, telling them that this disaster would eventually pass.
Upon receiving the Immortal Master's guidance, the island's residents were overjoyed and rekindled their hope for survival. Li Fan then entered seclusion, once again taking out the Canghai Pearl.
"Is the sliver of hope within this?" Li Fan observed this azure miraculous object. His divine sense poured into it, only to vanish without a trace.
"It seems using it will require some effort," Li Fan mused upon seeing this. Miraculous objects of heaven and earth are key to establishing a Dao foundation; finding and using them are invaluable experiences. In the Heaven's Mystery Realm, the exchange price is extremely high, requiring nearly 2000 contribution points.
Li Fan could only explore on his own.
He tried various methods: infusing spiritual energy, nurturing with divine sense, even using external force to strike, and finally attempting blood refinement. Yet, the Canghai Pearl remained unmoved, unable to unleash its vast water vapor.
Ultimately, it was a flash of inspiration that led Li Fan to recall a method from the "Thousand Mysteries Jade Golden Seal" for sensing and refining the qi of various heavenly treasures.
He activated the "Discernment" divine ability and gazed at the Canghai Pearl. A deep blue radiance surrounded the Canghai Pearl—ancient, profound, full of life...
Though small, the complexity and strength of the Canghai Pearl's qi surpassed all living beings on Tai'an Island. It was merely in a state of nurturing and dormancy, not easily discernible without careful observation.
Li Fan cautiously sensed the qi of the Canghai Pearl.
Upon contact, Li Fan felt his body vanish, as if he had ascended to the nine heavens, overlooking the ocean below. The Congyun Sea had existed eternally, nurturing countless beings. But one day, a certain will of heaven and earth suddenly descended.
Thus, the ocean began its path to death.
The way of Dao is that which is born will also die. Heaven wished to burn the sea, and the sea was powerless to resist. Yet, it refused to submit!
Thus, though the vast sea perished, another vast sea was born!
Boom!
Li Fan was jolted out of that wondrous state. Before he could savor the scenes he had just witnessed, he suddenly felt a wave of weakness, nearly unable to stand.
Upon inspection, Li Fan was horrified to find a strand of white hair and fine wrinkles on his face. This was merely the instant of aligning with the qi of the Canghai Pearl!
Li Fan opened the [Return to Origin] panel and gasped.
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Mid-stage Qi Refinement
Biological Age: 89/199
Mental Age: 517/2280↑
In just that instant, Li Fan's biological age had jumped from 54 to 89. In a moment, it was as if he had lived 35 years.
"No wonder even in the ancient Heavenly Mechanism Sect, so few practiced this technique. Just a fragment of the Canghai's consciousness, and lifespan is rapidly consumed upon contact."
"If not for the rapid consumption of lifespan triggering my body's self-warning, I might have been inexplicably assimilated by the Canghai consciousness. Whether I could still activate [Return to Origin] would be uncertain."
Li Fan realized what had just happened and felt a shiver of fear.
"No, this is definitely not the correct method to manipulate a miraculous object of heaven and earth."
Li Fan knew he had gotten the method wrong.
The human perception of time is not on the same scale as that of heaven, earth, mountains, rivers, and vast seas. Even those powerful immortal cultivators, who can live for thousands of years, cannot compare.
Rashly using human consciousness to make contact would only result in assimilation.
So how exactly could one manipulate a miraculous object of heaven and earth?
Li Fan held the Canghai Pearl, his expression fluctuating.
Days passed, and Li Fan still hadn't figured out how to use the Canghai Pearl. Meanwhile, the weather grew increasingly hot, as if preparing for the final purification of the Congyun Sea.
The mortals on the island gradually lost even the strength to pray.
Li Fan knew that if this continued, these mortals might not survive until the end of the fire calamity.
Dying just before dawn is despairing.
Li Fan also became somewhat restless, his mind filled with distracting thoughts.
To calm himself, he began practicing the long-neglected "Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra."
Since becoming a Qi Refinement stage cultivator, most of his focus had been on cultivating techniques like the "Cyclic Water Art" and the "Thousand Mysteries Jade Golden Seal."
The "Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra" had not been deliberately practiced for a long time.
Because it did not substantially improve his cultivation level, and even without active cultivation, the Heart Refining Mantra would slowly operate on its own.
So Li Fan had set it aside.
As the Heart Refining Mantra circulated, Li Fan's anxiety, fear, urgency, and other negative emotions gradually dissipated, becoming nourishment for his Dao heart.
With his mind once again calm, Li Fan suddenly felt inspired.
His breakthrough opportunity also lay with the Canghai Pearl.
(End of Chapter)