Chapter 663: Purple Aura Transforms The Heavenly Capital

"Though it's a bit unkind to say, I have to admit it was precisely because of this calamity that Fellow Daoist Zhou Qing'ang perished, and as a result, the massive debt we owed no longer needs to be repaid.

“Just keep refining Longevity Pills and other useful elixirs to sell, Old Liu. After a few years of saving up, redeeming a Dao Unity technique won't be a problem at all." Li Fan spoke with ease.

Upon hearing this, a renewed glimmer of spirit flickered in Liu San's eyes.

The prospect of waiting a few years meant little to him. As for the unfortunate Zhou Qing'ang Li Fan had mentioned, he had only met the man a few times. They weren't close, so naturally he felt no grief over it.

This man died well! It's saved me several years of effort! Liu San couldn't help but think.

Li Fan continued, "While we're accumulating contribution points, I also need to put together a convincing identity for you, Senior Liu. A Dao Unity cultivator's identity isn't so easy to conceal, not like mine. I'd originally planned to use the story of an 'ancient slumbering cultivator awakening,' but something happened not long ago that's made the Myriad Immortals Alliance's cultivators rather sensitive to such claims. They won't be easily convinced, so we'll need to come up with something more reliable.

"But rest assured, Old Liu, I already have some ideas on how to handle this."

Liu San didn't press for details. His implicit trust in Li Fan led him to simply nod with satisfaction. "I'll leave the decision to you, Young Master!"

Having temporarily placated Liu San, one of the Medicine King Sect's two awakened Dao Unity cultivators, Li Fan went to the sect's newly built forging workshop in Longevity Valley, where he found the other, Fang Zaiji.

At that moment, Fang Zaiji was staring at the true Medicine King Cauldron suspended in the air before him, his focus rapt to the point of obsession.

After relocating to Longevity Valley, Li Fan had placed the true Medicine King Cauldron here for Fang Zaiji to study.

Beyond the intention to comfort him, Li Fan also hoped it would push Fang Zaiji's mastery of artifact forging further still, ideally far enough that he could reinforce and modify the true Medicine King Cauldron himself.

And why did that matter?

In this life, Li Fan intended to use an avatar to pilot the true Medicine King Cauldron, break free of the Xuanhuang World, and plunge into the Immortal Ruins to uncover the truth!

He wanted to see with his own eyes the figure within the Immortal Ruins. What did they look like? Were they alive, or dead?

Li Fan knew that as one approached the Immortal Ruins, its terrifyingly immense gravitational force would distort even time and space.[1]

A single moment inside the Immortal Ruins could be millions of years in the world outside.

Under normal circumstances, sending an avatar to test the waters would be futile given that horrifying time differential. Before the avatar could transmit anything, the true self would lose its perception of the avatar, then die of old age as its lifespan ran out.

But Li Fan had a way around this.

It was the new ability he'd awakened after the Return to Truth devoured Tian Yang's lingering will: Embodiment.

Turning oneself into an object, crossing endless ages!

In his previous life, with only Golden Core cultivation, he'd managed to exist for over three thousand years in the form of a rock. Now, having formed his Nascent Soul with the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap. He'd also awakened the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Sutra, so he was confident he could endure far longer than that—long enough to survive the endless years until the avatar's message finally reached him.

The Immortal Ruins concealed a great secret, one bound up with the hidden past of the Xuanhuang World and its future destiny.

If he could catch even a glimpse of it, it would be of monumental importance to Li Fan. It might even be the key to unraveling the secrets behind the fallen Immortal.

Of course, all of this depended on the true Medicine King Cauldron being able to withstand the Immortal Ruins' terrifying pull for long enough without falling apart.

In the past, due to limitations of materials and cost, the Medicine King Sect's true Medicine King Cauldron was not made of the finest materials.

Still, its forging concepts and techniques are unique and worth learning from.

When Li Fan had first laid out his requirements for modifying the Medicine King Cauldron, Fang Zaiji had answered, "Give me some time, and I'll bring you back an even stronger true Medicine King Cauldron!"

And Fang Zaiji's skill really was extraordinary. The Mini Medicine King Cauldrons he'd forged almost casually during this period were far superior to the ones the disciples carried, already carrying a hint of the true cauldron's essence.

At this moment, Fang Zaiji's focus was so intense that Li Fan had to call out to him several times before he finally snapped out of it.

Li Fan told him about the disappearance of the Congyun Sea and the existence of Heavenly Venerable Untroubled.

Unlike Liu San, Fang Zaiji took the news with remarkable calm.

He merely uttered an "Oh," then immediately fixed his gaze back on the true Medicine King Cauldron.

A short while later, noticing that Li Fan still hadn't left, he asked, "Sect Leader, is there anything else?"

Li Fan hesitated, then said, "I wish to return to the Congyun Sea. But the calamity there has only just subsided, and I don't know its current state. There might be dangers, so I'd like to ask you to come with me."

At this, Fang Zaiji's spirits lifted at once.

His face lit up with pride. "See? In a critical moment, who's truly reliable? That Liu San is nothing but a short-sighted servant who got lucky. When real trouble strikes, I'm the one you need to count on!

"Let's go, we'll set out now! With me watching over you, I'll make sure you stay safe!"

Li Fan smiled and nodded, offering no argument.

Without alerting anyone else in Longevity Valley, Li Fan and Fang Zaiji set off eastward, racing toward the Congyun Sea.

With Fang Zaiji's help, it took just over ten days to draw near their destination.

But after entering Shilin Province, Fang Zaiji suddenly came to a stop. He glanced toward the neighboring Yuandao Province, his expression turning grave.

"That's strange..." He frowned, then shook his head, muttering to himself.

Li Fan's heart stirred. Feigning surprise, he asked, "Mister, what's wrong?"

"I've sensed a familiar aura," Fang Zaiji said.

"A familiar aura? An old acquaintance, maybe?" Li Fan asked, feigning mild astonishment.

"No. It feels like the Purple Aura of the Heavenly Capital, yet subtly different." Fang Zaiji peered into the distance for a moment, as if confirming something, before speaking slowly.

"Heavenly Capital? I feel like I've heard that name somewhere, but I can't place it," Li Fan said, following Fang Zaiji's gaze.

Fang Zaiji smiled, faintly mocking. "Can't blame you youngsters. Even Liu San probably doesn't know of the Heavenly Capital. I only learned of it back in my day, when I traveled the world alongside direct disciples of the Ten Immortal Dao Sects.

"You've surely heard of the Xuantian Sect? At its peak, it dominated the Xuanhuang World.

"Under normal circumstances, cultivators like us would never have had a chance to turn things around.

"But one day, a purple aura descended from the heavens and formed a towering, majestic city that hung suspended in the sky.

"The Xuantian Sect quickly issued an edict forbidding anyone from approaching, but some cultivators risked their lives to sneak in anyway.

"From that came the rise of the Ten Immortal Dao Sects!"

1. so I realized that I should have been treating Immortal Ruins as a singular noun instead of plural... Will try to correct as many as I find. Do let me know if I miss out any, thanks! ☜

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