Upon seeing that crimson figure, countless pieces of information suddenly surged into Li Fan's mind. The spirit of heaven and earth is the embodiment of a certain law within the cosmos. When specific conditions are met, the spirit of heaven and earth will manifest in a particular region.
If the heavens decree a plan to eliminate immortal cultivators, then the spirit of heaven and earth is the executor of that plan. They have no thoughts of their own and act solely on instinct. They are the laws themselves, slaughtering cultivators as easily as one would slaughter chickens or sheep.
Their mission is to annihilate those cultivators who defy the heavens.
For immortal cultivators, the spirit of heaven and earth is extremely dangerous. Once targeted, it almost certainly spells doom. Yet, at the same time, as incarnations of the Great Dao's laws, they represent an immense opportunity for cultivators. It is said, "Sacrifice the spirit of heaven and earth to unite with the Dao." If a cultivator can sacrifice and refine a spirit of heaven and earth, regardless of their previous cultivation level, they can immediately achieve the Unity Realm.
They are the nemesis of cultivators, yet they also hold an unparalleled allure. At this moment, witnessing the crimson flame spirit of heaven and earth, an insatiable greed surged from the depths of Li Fan's heart. "Consume it! Consuming it will allow me to attain the Great Dao, to ascend in broad daylight!" Like a starving man encountering a feast, or a traveler in the desert stumbling upon a clear lake, this greed whispered like a devil in Li Fan's ear, tempting him to rush towards the crimson figure in the sky.
Li Fan, while alleviating the intense sensation emanating from the Canghai Pearl, frantically chanted the Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra to dispel the overwhelming greed within. He was acutely aware that he could observe the crimson flame spirit of heaven and earth only by borrowing the power of the Canghai Pearl.
In the eyes of the crimson flame, Li Fan was merely an unformed consciousness of the Canghai Pearl, so even if it noticed Li Fan's gaze, it only glanced briefly before ignoring him. However, should Li Fan lose his rationality and attack the crimson flame, revealing his identity as a cultivator, he would undoubtedly be mercilessly killed.
Reason and desire tore at Li Fan's soul, the two opposing thoughts nearly ripping his consciousness apart. Li Fan could only arduously maintain the Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra, preserving his Dao heart. It was unclear how much time passed before the storm of greed gradually subsided. Li Fan, still shaken, dared not continue his probing. To have glimpsed the heavenly secrets and retained his consciousness was already a stroke of luck.
Li Fan felt he had gained some insight, and as his consciousness was about to leave the Canghai Pearl and return to his body, he discovered an extremely awkward situation. It turned out that dispelling the greed brought by the spirit of heaven and earth had taken nearly half a year! His prolonged union with the Canghai Pearl's consciousness had exceeded the limits a Qi Refinement cultivator could endure. At this moment, his consciousness was still connected to the Canghai Pearl, but if he returned to his body, he would likely age rapidly and die soon after.
Just a single glance had such a terrifying impact. It seemed that his cultivation in this life was about to end. Although Li Fan felt some regret, he did not feel remorse. He had learned the truth behind the drastic changes in the Congyun Sea, witnessed the crimson flame spirit of heaven and earth, and personally comprehended the heavenly mechanisms. Li Fan's gains were undeniably significant. Even if this life ended now, he could accept it. Moreover, he was not yet ready to activate [Return to Origin] and end this life.
Since his consciousness was already trapped within the Canghai Pearl, he decided to seize this opportunity to once again comprehend the heavenly qi. As long as he didn't recklessly probe the spirit of heaven and earth again, simply comprehending the qi should pose no danger.
Now that his body's lifespan was exhausted, his consciousness lacked the nourishment of a body, like water without a source or a tree without roots, and would gradually deplete within the Canghai Pearl. According to Li Fan's estimation, he could last for another ten years at most.
If he could make good use of this time, he might still achieve further gains.
Li Fan drew a thread of pure power from the Canghai Pearl to protect his body from decay. Then his consciousness once again immersed itself in the perspective of the Canghai Pearl. He observed the circulation of heavenly qi, the rise and fall of the sun, moon, and stars. He watched as the remaining life in the Congyun Sea gradually perished. He sensed the indifferent, eternal killing intent of the heavens and earth.
In the blink of an eye, five years passed. Anchored at 40 years, the Congyun Sea had long since dried up, becoming a veritable wasteland. Only Tai'an Island, under Li Fan's protection, still harbored a small number of mortals. On this day, Li Fan suddenly felt a sense of foreboding and looked towards the sky. The crimson figure that had stood in the sky for over a decade had finally vanished. Its mission complete, it naturally dissipated. No one could say for certain where in the Immortal Cultivation World it might reappear one day.
Li Fan watched the direction in which the crimson flame vanished, his mind once again sinking into the Canghai Pearl. As time passed, Li Fan's consciousness grew weaker, his thoughts becoming increasingly sluggish. He lost the ability to think independently, merely observing the world through the Canghai Pearl's perspective.
In the year following the crimson flame's disappearance, several cultivators in azure robes arrived at the Congyun Sea. With the casting of incantations, long-awaited rain finally fell from the sky. More cultivators soon followed.
Azure light blossomed on the parched seabed. Vegetation, symbolizing life, appeared on the land. As the gentle breeze blew, trees sprang up from the ground.
In just a year, the scorched earth transformed back into a vibrant landscape. The scene of the crimson flame boiling the sea seemed like a nightmare, gently swept away. The Congyun Sea completed its transformation into the Congyun Mountain Range.
A city suspended in the air began construction above the Congyun Mountain Range. Once completed, it attracted more and more cultivators from all corners of the realm. The Congyun Mountain Range grew increasingly lively.
Occasionally, cultivators would come, drawn by the fame, to visit the only island that survived the fire calamity, seeking fortune. Yet, under Li Fan's instinctive concealment, they found nothing.
Anchored at 48 years, a Foundation Establishment cultivator returned to the Congyun Sea. He arrived at the former Glass Island, now the Glass Mountain Range, his expression sorrowful. From a distance, Li Fan's divine sense swept over, and he felt a wave of emotion. This person, Li Fan recognized. It was Zhang Haobo, who had decided to migrate from the Congyun Sea due to his unease. Over the past two decades, whatever encounters he had, he had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Scenes from this life flashed rapidly through Li Fan's mind as his consciousness was about to dissipate. Before completely disappearing, Li Fan's consciousness returned to his body. The insights from over a decade of comprehending heavenly qi caused the bottleneck hindering Li Fan's breakthrough to suddenly dissolve.
Spiritual energy surged in, and Li Fan's cultivation instantly advanced to the late stage of Qi Refinement. A faint smile appeared on Li Fan's face, then froze. His body aged rapidly, and with a gust of wind, it turned to dust, dispersing into the heavens and earth.
Only a skeleton remained, lying quietly there.
"Return to Origin!" Before dissipating, Li Fan's heart called out.
(End of Chapter)