Great Xuan, Jieli Mountain.
The mountain stood thousands of meters high, its shape like a blade slicing through the sky, piercing the clouds.
On a perilous mountain path halfway up, two youths were walking one after the other.
The one in front was a thin youth, wearing a straw hat, with a resolute expression.
Following him was a younger-looking but burly youth, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding a simple and honest demeanor.
At this moment, the burly youth wiped the sweat off his forehead and sat down heavily: "Erlang, let's rest for a while. We've been walking for most of the day and I really can't go on."
The thin youth turned back and handed over a water bottle: "There are occasionally fierce tigers and wild beasts in these mountains. It's not safe to rest here. I know of a hidden cave not far ahead. If you're really tired, we can rest there."
The burly youth took the water bottle, gulped down a few mouthfuls, and asked curiously after a long breath: "Erlang, are there really any immortals in these mountains?"
"There definitely are. I saw it with my own eyes," Erlang said confidently, looking up at the mountain peak hidden in the clouds.
The burly youth seemed unconvinced: "For the past five years, you've been obsessed, always running into Jieli Mountain whenever you have time. You've been here countless times, yet you haven't found any immortals. I think you should give up. Seeking immortality and enlightenment is too elusive. You should just train in martial arts like me..."
Before he could finish, Erlang interrupted with a frown: "Wang Xuanba, why have you become as nagging as my mother? If you keep talking nonsense, you can go down the mountain by yourself!"
Wang Xuanba awkwardly scratched the back of his head and sensibly shut his mouth.
The two continued to climb the mountain path towards the peak.
Before long, a chilling wind suddenly swept through the mountain.
Wang Xuanba's ears twitched, his expression changed, and he stepped forward to hold Erlang, gesturing for silence.
"There's something ahead..." His eyes narrowed, about to warn, but he froze instantly.
A drop of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
On the mountain path ahead, with a rustling sound, a gigantic white python slid down the mountain.
The white python was enormous, with only its head exposed, measuring seven to eight meters long.
The rest of its body was hidden among the mountain's vegetation, its full length unknown.
The python's head was as thick as a washbasin, its massive scarlet eyes glowing with a terrifying red light.
It flicked its tongue, raising its head along the mountain wall, slithering towards the cliff below.
Faced with this terrifying beast, both Wang Xuanba and Erlang were paralyzed with fear, not daring to move or even breathe.
The python's massive body dragged along the ground for a while before slowly disappearing from their sight.
Phew...
Wang Xuanba exhaled a long breath, about to speak, when he heard a sudden, urgent sound.
The giant snake head unexpectedly reappeared from below the cliff, staring intently at the two!
Wang Xuanba and Erlang were petrified once more.
Hiss...
The white python swung its head, slowly approaching the two.
Its enormous mouth opened, bringing with it a foul wind.
Shrouded in the python's shadow, their heads almost swallowed whole, Wang Xuanba could no longer bear it.
He let out a loud roar, his muscles bulging, his entire body swelling in an instant.
Leaping up, he swung his fist at the python's head below.
"Ding!"
A sound like metal clashing rang out!
At this moment, Erlang also moved.
With a stomp, the mountain rock shattered, and his figure blurred, appearing behind the white python in the blink of an eye.
He transformed his fist into fingers, stabbing fiercely dozens of times.
"Ding! Ding! Ding!..."
The sound of impacts was incessant.
However, their combined attacks couldn't even break the python's skin!
The white python roared, twisting its body and striking Wang Xuanba.
"Bang!"
Wang Xuanba was instantly sent flying, crashing into the cliff wall, sending debris flying.
The white python didn't pursue Wang Xuanba but turned its head, opening its massive mouth to bite Erlang.
Erlang couldn't dodge in time, so he extended both hands, holding the python's mouth open with all his might.
The white python let out a strange roar, exerting force.
Erlang's body was almost swallowed by the python's massive mouth, but he grunted and held on.
After a long stalemate, the python, unable to swallow this small human, grew furious.
It swung its body, repeatedly smashing Erlang against the mountain path and the mountain itself, trying to shake him off.
With each hit, Erlang's fingers pierced deeper into the python's flesh like sharp swords.
After a long time, the mountain path was covered in marks from Erlang's collisions with the rocks. The python's eyes flashed red, and a blackish-brown liquid sprayed from its mouth.
Erlang barely avoided his head but was still drenched in the venom.
"Sizzle..."
The venom corroded his skin, revealing flesh with a faint golden glow.
He grunted but could no longer hold on, being thrown aside by the python, landing next to the unconscious Wang Xuanba.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he struggled to sit up, watching the approaching python with a hint of unwillingness in his eyes.
Ever since that evening, when he saw an immortal flying through the air in Jieli Mountain, he had been obsessed with seeking immortality.
Countless times he ventured deep into the mountains, hoping to find this immortal and become his disciple.
For this, he even clashed with his mother.
Who would have thought, he didn't find the immortal, but instead faced death at the hands of this beast.
He, Sun Erlang, born with divine strength and skilled in all martial arts, was to meet such an end. How could he be willing?
But under the python's shadow, with no strength left to resist, Erlang could only close his eyes in despair.
Just as Erlang resigned himself to death, a loud crane cry suddenly echoed from the distant mountains.
The white python, hearing the cry, seemed to encounter a natural enemy, raising its head sharply, flicking its tongue, and staring intently in the direction of the sound.
Seeing a turn of events, Erlang opened his eyes.
A white crane flew from somewhere in the mountains, engaging the python in battle.
The crane flew nimbly, dodging the python's attacks while pecking at its body with its sharp beak, drawing blood.
Although the python wasn't as agile as the crane, its thick skin and flesh meant the crane's dozens of hits barely harmed it.
A single bite from the python could severely injure the crane.
Gradually, the crane fell into a disadvantage.
Seeing the two beasts locked in a fierce struggle, Erlang, realizing they hadn't noticed him, struggled to get up, intending to drag Wang Xuanba away.
At that moment, a sound like a tidal wave echoed from the mountains.
Erlang froze, looking up to witness a strange scene.
In the sky, countless birds flew in flocks from all directions, like dense clouds, heading towards them.
On the mountain, mountain rats, reptiles, even apes, tigers, leopards, and countless animals Erlang had never seen, suddenly emerged, forming a beast tide, rushing towards the battling crane and snake.
Erlang realized the situation, his face turning pale.
In this beast tide, they had no chance of survival!
The scarlet-eyed python sensed the danger, abandoning its fight with the crane, trying to leave.
But the crane, relentless as if it had a mortal grudge against the python, refused to let it go, even as it was bitten, bleeding profusely, and nearly torn apart.
In an instant, the birds and beast tide arrived.
They ignored the crane and Erlang, their eyes fixed solely on the giant python!
The python let out a terrified cry, but surrounded by countless beasts, there was no escape.
The beasts, as if crazed, trampled each other, fighting to devour the python's body.
Even if their teeth broke and blood flowed, they refused to let go.
Many beasts died from their own bites, but others quickly took their place.
It was as if the python had committed an unforgivable sin.
All the birds and beasts, one after another, were determined to devour the python completely.
Relentlessly, they would not stop until it was gone!
The python was engulfed by the beast tide, its struggles growing weaker.
After an unknown amount of time, it fell silent.
Only then did the beasts gradually disperse.
The enormous scarlet-eyed python left not even a bone behind.
Witnessing such a bizarre scene, Erlang stood frozen, not daring to make a sound for a long time.
Swallowing hard, it took him a while to regain his senses.
Suddenly, as if realizing something, he looked around and shouted, "Immortal Master, is that you?"
"It must be your doing, right?"
In his view, the unusual beast tide must have been orchestrated by the immortal residing in Jieli Mountain.
Erlang was excited, eager.
Unfortunately, even after shouting until his voice was hoarse, he couldn't see any trace of the Immortal Master.
He fell into deep disappointment.
Not far away, Li Fan watched him with a smile.
The Immortal Master was right in front of him, yet the mortal couldn't see.
"This child is not bad. His physique seems special, and his determination to seek the Dao is quite firm," Li Fan observed Erlang with a hint of admiration.
"Unfortunately, I haven't yet established myself. How can I teach you?" Li Fan shook his head with a smile.
"Perhaps in the future, when the time is right, I'll grant you a fortuitous encounter."
He lightly pointed at Erlang.
Sun Erlang suddenly felt dizzy, then looked around in confusion, finally carrying the still-unconscious Wang Xuanba down the mountain.
Watching the two leave Jieli Mountain, Li Fan then examined the scene where the python was devoured, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
"My nine years of painstaking research were not in vain. This formless killing intent is indeed extraordinary."
The recent upheaval in Jieli Mountain, where birds and beasts violently devoured the python, was naturally his doing.
In this life, already at the late stage of Qi Refinement, to avoid the influence of the immortal miasma, he had chosen to hide in Jieli Mountain.
While waiting for the [Return to Origin] to charge, he diligently cultivated.
Since the Immortal-Forsaken Land lacked spiritual energy, he spent most of his time contemplating the heavenly and earthly energies he had observed in his past life.
After nine years of relentless effort, he finally gained some insights, comprehending a form of formless killing intent.
Once unleashed, this formless killing intent could disguise itself as heavenly killing intent within a certain range and degree.
When the heavens unleash killing intent, various calamities naturally evolve.
Once targeted by the formless killing intent, Li Fan didn't need to act personally; the target would fall to a calamity.
Just like the scarlet-eyed python just now, once locked by Li Fan's formless killing intent, it became the target of heavenly killing intent within Jieli Mountain.
Heaven and earth nurture all things, and the will of heaven governs most creatures.
Thus, countless animals were driven, harboring endless killing intent towards the python.
This killing intent would only dissipate once the python was completely dead.
Borrowing the mandate of heaven, this was the formidable aspect of the formless killing intent.
Not only was its power formidable and its methods bizarre, but the formless killing intent was also highly concealed.
The formless killing intent itself was like heavenly killing intent, akin to a pure will and rule.
Ordinary cultivators couldn't detect it at all.
With so many advantages, it was indeed an essential tool for killing and plundering.
No wonder Li Fan was so satisfied.
Of course, the first test subject of the formless killing intent was an ordinary mountain beast, so the commotion was quite large.
Its specific effect on cultivators of the same or higher level as Li Fan would have to be tested by him in the future.
After completing the divine ability test, Li Fan returned to his thatched hut at the top of Jieli Mountain.
After a simple cleanup, Li Fan checked the Void Energy Charge progress.
It was already at 99%.
"It's time to step into the Immortal Cultivation World again."
With that, Li Fan summoned the Taiyan Boat and flew to Xuanjing.
With the might of an immortal, just like in his previous life, he plundered a large amount of treasures and food.
After filling the Taiyan Boat, Li Fan arrived outside Qian Hong's tomb.
With his current cultivation, the Fragmented Stele's restriction could no longer harm him.
Entering Qian Hong's tomb, Li Fan took out the Fragmented Stele bound in the [Return to Origin] space.
The two Fragmented Steles fused, forming a new Fragmented Stele.
Unlike before, it was no longer old, with only a few cracks on the stele body.
But it seemed to be just a step away from a qualitative change.
Li Fan didn't mind.
Having experienced the powerful might of the Canghai Pearl, he was no longer impressed by the Fragmented Stele.
After all, it was just to be sold to the Profound Mirror in exchange for contribution points.
Taking the two techniques from Qian Hong's tomb and the damaged Taiyan Boat, Li Fan was about to leave.
After flying a distance, he returned to collect Qian Hong's remains, intending to bring them back to the Immortal Cultivation World to fulfill his dying wish.
Now with no ties, Li Fan smoothly passed through the Immortal-Sealing Grand Formation and returned to the Immortal Cultivation World.
Seeing the azure Congyun Sea again, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia.
He took out Qian Hong's remains, turning them into ashes, scattering them into the sea.
In the sky, a vision suddenly appeared.
A petal fell from a branch, drifting with the wind, endlessly.
"Foundation Establishment cultivator Qian Hong, who cultivated for two hundred and sixty-five years, achieved his Dao foundation with the peculiar object [Falling Plum]."
"Having wandered for three thousand six hundred and seventy years, now his soul returns home, returning to the heavens!"
The vision lasted only for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea before disappearing without a trace.