Chapter 162: Calamity’s Arrival Is Preordained

It seems that while the Mountain-Sitting Art allows for rapid cultivation progress, practicing it openly carries far too great a risk.

This time, I was lucky to escape with my life. Next time, the outcome might not be so certain.

Li Fan sighed, then recalled the moment when even the black-robed Dao Unity cultivator had shown fear.

Devouring lifespan to be reborn, achieving eternal life?

I never imagined the mastermind behind the turmoil in Yuandao Province would be that already-deceased Immortal Venerable Lan Yu.

Is he attempting to reverse the principles of life and death?

Though Li Fan didn't yet know the specifics of Immortal Venerable Lan Yu's plan, the black-robed cultivator's fragmented words were enough to reveal the terrifying nature of this Immortal Venerable Lan Yu.

He was clearly using the lives of countless cultivators in Yuandao Province as the price to help him achieve eternity.

Among these fallen cultivators were many of Immortal Venerable Lan Yu's own subordinates, friends, and family.

I wonder if Lan Yu's plan will still succeed now that the black-robed cultivator has discovered it. Regardless, Yuandao Province is no longer safe. I must leave immediately.

He had previously made arrangements with Su Xiaomei and the others to split up and regroup in Shilin Province.

Over the past seven years, with their abundance of contribution points, even the weakest Yin sisters had broken through to the late-stage Qi Refinement realm, and they possessed some artifacts for self-defense.

As long as they were careful along the way, they should have no problem ensuring their own safety.

Li Fan scanned his surroundings. He had been teleported into a dense forest, with no clear idea of his exact location.

He attempted to contact other members of Brightmoon Palace using communication spirit talismans, but couldn't establish a connection.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Fan decided to find a populated area to determine his current position.

He chose a direction, concealed his presence, and flew swiftly.

However, halfway through his flight, Li Fan abruptly halted. Unease and suspicion flickered across his face.

What's happening? Why hasn't the unease in my heart faded, but instead grown stronger?

Is that black-robed Dao Unity cultivator still pursuing me? What grudge could be so deep? What could make his hatred so profound?

No, this feeling isn't the powerlessness and despair of facing a Dao Unity Immortal Venerable. The source of the threat comes from someone else.

What in the world is going on?

The experiences of this lifetime flashed rapidly through his mind, yet Li Fan couldn't pinpoint where this lethal danger was coming from.

Li Fan stopped and retrieved another necklace embedded with a random teleportation array from his storage ring. After activating it, the surrounding scenery shifted dramatically.

Before he could even discern his new environment, Li Fan pulled out another necklace.

He repeated this process five times, unsure how far he had traveled.

Finally, Li Fan stopped, his head still spinning slightly from dizziness.

The sense of foreboding in his heart gradually subsided; it seemed he had temporarily shaken off this unknown enemy.

Surveying his surroundings, Li Fan found himself standing on a plain. A mountain range was faintly visible on the distant horizon, and a city stood not far away.

Li Fan approached and made inquiries, only to discover he was already within the borders of Jiushan Province.

This city was called Luofan City, a remote town without any guardian cultivator. However, north of Luofan City stood a larger city named Ronghua City. There would certainly be cultivators guarding that place.

For his own safety, Li Fan decided to head to Jiushan Sky City via Ronghua City's teleportation array, and lay low there until he could figure out the source of this inexplicable danger.

Without further delay, Li Fan flew swiftly toward Ronghua City.

However, halfway through his journey, he abruptly halted. The source of that crisis had suddenly reappeared, and it felt even more urgent than before, as if it had materialized directly in his path ahead.

Did they use a teleportation array to reach Ronghua City? Can they actually track my location at all times?

Li Fan pondered for a moment, then chose not to activate Return to Truth immediately. Instead, he landed, retrieved various materials from his storage ring, and began setting up arrays on the spot.

The fact that they needed to use a teleportation array suggests they're not at the Dao Unity realm. If it's a Spirit Transformation cultivator, I might be able to hold them off for a moment.

At the very least, I need to understand why they're hunting me. Otherwise, even if I start over, I'll encounter this crisis again in my next life.

After abandoning his escape plan, Li Fan's mind grew calm and steady. One array after another took shape around him.

The Technique Eruption Spirit-Startling Array temporarily boosted the power of his Dao Techniques by one full rank.

The Chaotic Spirit-Severing Array disrupted the flow of spiritual qi around his opponent, reducing their combat effectiveness.

The Five Elements Sword Qi Array converted spiritual qi into the power of the five elements, transforming them into sword qi to attack.

The Soul-Shaking and Spirit-Snatching Array used exotic beast bones as conduits to launch divine sense assaults.

The Technique Replication Array, once activated, would memorize the opponent's current technique and replicate it.

Finally, Li Fan gathered his remaining Lifespan-Devouring White Mist. Beside it, he placed hundreds of Explosion Talismans.

Each Explosion Talisman contained power equivalent to a full-force strike from a final-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. While individually not overwhelmingly powerful, their strength lay in numbers.

He stored the white mist and talismans together in a separate storage ring, preparing a surprise for this unknown enemy.

It’s a pity that my current array proficiency isn't sufficient to create an Array Crown. Otherwise, this wouldn't be so troublesome.

In this cultivation world, those below Dao Unity who could kill opponents one cultivation realm above them were considered prodigies.

Those who could kill opponents two cultivation realms above them were exceptionally rare throughout history, and were called peerless prodigies.

With my arrays assisting me, my combat power barely reaches the half-step Golden Core level. I wonder how many rounds I can last against this Spirit Transformation Immortal Eminence.

With all preparations complete, Li Fan closed his eyes and calmed his mind, ready to meet his enemy.

Soon after, a fiery red light streaked across the sky, arriving in an instant. It halted directly above Li Fan.

The figure was burly, with flame-red hair and a bristling crimson beard. He looked down contemptuously at Li Fan, his voice like crashing thunder.

"Quite the runner, aren't you? Hand over the Mini Medicine King Cauldron, and I'll spare your life!"

The booming voice echoed incessantly in Li Fan's ears.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, numerous thoughts flashing through his mind.

Mini Medicine King Cauldron? They chased me across multiple provinces... for this? Could it be some extraordinary treasure?

But it's been nearly thirty-seven years since I bought these two small cauldrons from Jiao Xiuyuan.

These two cauldrons served no practical purpose, so I'd left them in a corner of my storage ring to collect dust. I'd nearly forgotten they existed myself.

If they truly possessed some special value, why has it taken this long for someone to pursue them?

Scenes from the past flashed rapidly through Li Fan's mind.

.....

“It is said that after the Immortal Venerable spread the Dao, but before the Great Reformation arrived, the sect master of the Medicine King Sect at the time, Liu Ruchen, had a vague premonition that a great change was coming to the world.

“So, using the Medicine King Cauldron as a vessel, Liu Ruchen parted the void and broke through the boundaries of this world, departing with the entire Medicine King Sect.”

Jiao Xiuyuan had spoken eloquently.

.....

Anchor Year 15.

A meteor streaked across the sky, illuminating the night. Its landing place remained unknown.

Every cultivator who witnessed this meteor felt an inexplicable sense of dread and foreboding.

.....

“And guess what? That meteor landed in the Cangwu Abyss! That damned place is bottomless; no wonder nobody found it for so long.”

.....

In Anchor Year 41, the meteor landed in Cangwu.

Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi sought to claim this opportunity.

.....

"Previously, we went through all kinds of hardships to get to Cangwu Province. The moment we arrived, news broke that the meteor had already been found. We didn’t even get a glimpse of what it looked like and had to return in frustration.”

Kou Hong had complained bitterly.

.....

Suddenly, understanding dawned on Li Fan.

Could that fiery meteor be the Medicine King Sect's Medicine King Cauldron?

The Medicine King Cauldron that broke through the world’s boundaries and departed before the Great Reformation has now inexplicably returned to the Xuanhuang World.

And for some unknown reason, those thirty-six Mini Medicine King Cauldrons that nobody cared about before have now become treasures everyone is fighting over.

So this life-threatening crisis stems from this!