A Year Passed in a Flash

Just as the Cultivators of the Divine Brush Sect were in despair, something even more infuriating happened.

Sect Master Chu Youhong, disregarding the lives of his Disciples, took the supreme treasure [Sky-Painting Brush] and many collections from the Sect's treasury, and directly tore through the void and fled.

Although to some extent it attracted the fire of the Dot Painting Sect, as a Sect Leader, he showed such a lack of responsibility.

This truly made the surviving Divine Brush Sect Cultivators, who were still fighting desperately, feel immense resentment.

If the enemy hadn't been ruthless and left no survivors, they would have surrendered on the spot and joined the Dot Painting Sect instead.

In this battle, apart from Chu Youhong and a few lucky ones who managed to escape, almost everyone in the Divine Brush Sect perished.

Although the Dot Painting Sect failed to seize the Sky-Painting Brush, they annexed large territories and resources of the Divine Brush Sect, greatly increasing their strength. They leaped to become one of the top major Sects in the surrounding area, gaining great fame.

As for Chu Youhong, along with the Sky-Painting Brush, he seemed to have completely disappeared from the world.

Twenty years later, a surviving Cultivator of the Divine Brush Sect happened to encounter Chu Youhong and angrily questioned him why he had abandoned the Sect members and fled alone back then.

Chu Youhong showed no trace of shame and spoke words that would be passed down through the history of the Xuanhuang World.

"It doesn't matter even if all of you died."

"As long as I live, the Divine Brush Sect still exists."

"Before my Master died, he entrusted the Divine Brush Sect to me. I must not let it be destroyed in my hands."

Chu Youhong looked as if this were only natural.

The Cultivator was dumbfounded upon hearing this. He wanted to refute but opened his mouth without saying anything.

He even forgot his original determination to fight to the death for revenge, and in a daze, let Chu Youhong drift away.

Because this statement was too Heaven-Defying, it quickly spread throughout the Cultivation World at that time.

Some mocked him, while others had a sudden realization and regarded it as a wise saying.

There were even those who couldn't stand Chu Youhong's behavior and wanted to personally teach him a lesson.

But after this incident, that person seemed to vanish from the face of the earth, never to be seen again.

It wasn't until later, when the Great Tribulation descended and the Dot Painting Sect collapsed overnight for unknown reasons,

that some suspected it might have been his doing.

…

"Ultimate selfishness as public service is truly an act difficult for ordinary people to understand."

After savoring it carefully, Li Fan couldn't help but sigh like this.

"Perhaps the spy from the Dot Painting Sect had already reached the position of Senior Brother, yet still chose to betray and seize by force for this very reason."

"He recognized his Master's true nature and felt that inheriting the Sky-Painting Brush through normal means would be hopeless. With no other choice, he resorted to this inferior plan."

"Meeting such an eccentric, there really is no better way."

Li Fan shook his head slightly and then searched for the term [South Abyss].

He indeed found fragmented information about the "South Abyss Yao Mountain."

But when he tried to look further, he found his authority level insufficient.

"Yao Mountain…"

"It seems to have something to do with the surviving Yao Beasts in the world."

Li Fan's eyes flickered as he temporarily noted it down.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was anchor year 10.

This year, apart from occasional minor conflicts between the border states and the Five Elders Association, the other states were peaceful.

The Congyun Sea was the same.

As a specially appointed deacon of the Martial Arts Hall, Li Fan did not need to perform specific tasks.

He only had to drop by the Martial Arts Hall to drink tea and check in.

If he really had no time, he could spend some Contribution Points to entrust another Cultivator to handle it.

So he lived quite leisurely.

After transferring the 15 million Contribution Points from the third fundraising, plus interest, totaling 23 million Contribution Points, to He Zhenghao,

He Zhenghao stared at the astronomical number of Contribution Points and was stunned on the spot.

It took him a full half day before he came to his senses, his eyes red.

For a brief moment, He Zhenghao couldn't help but have the thought of absconding with the funds.

But thinking of the owner of these Contribution Points, he shuddered and instantly woke up.

Unless he directly defected to the Five Elders Association, he would have the life to steal but not to spend.

Regaining his rationality, He Zhenghao began contacting the investors and returned the Contribution Points one by one.

The Cultivators who received the benefits were overjoyed.

But then He Zhenghao's next words made them somewhat regretful and disappointed.

"Due to force majeure, Great Master Li's fundraising plan is suspended."

He Zhenghao sighed slightly. "Everyone, please go back! When the storm passes and Great Master Li decides to restart the fundraising, I will notify you all."

These words were ambiguous.

But the more unclear the words, the easier they provoke groundless associations.

Force majeure? The storm passes?

This Great Master Li could even bury Nascent Soul Cultivators with money.

Yet now he was forced to suspend the fundraising.

"He must have stepped on someone's toes. Sigh…"

The Cultivators present showed expressions of understanding, exchanged glances, and remained silent.

While feeling angry that they couldn't hitch a ride to get rich, they also felt indignant for Li Fan.

"When everything returns to normal, be sure to notify me first."

They all said this to He Zhenghao in private.

Having received many gifts and made a small fortune, He Zhenghao naturally agreed readily.

Li Fan's suspension of the Contribution Points fundraising was partly because the total Contribution Points were inflating too fast, showing signs of getting out of control, and he wanted to slow things down.

But he also indeed received a reminder from within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

"It's fine. Let them wait a bit. I'll restart the plan before the Crimson Flame Burning the Sea."

Li Fan didn't care much about this matter.

When the Cultivators who profited from the fourth investment began spending Contribution Points to improve their strength,

streams of feedback cultivation, like a hundred rivers converging into the sea, continuously appeared in Li Fan's Dantian.

Even without practicing, his cultivation increased steadily every day.

Not to mention that Li Fan's dual boost from Enlightenment and Enlightenment Pill never stopped.

In just one year, it was equivalent to decades of hard training for an ordinary Cultivator.

Li Fan felt that his Golden Core Perfection was in sight, and he might soon be ready to form his Nascent Soul.

This year, every three months, he went to Body Transformation Island to extract some Kunpeng essence blood from Ye Feipeng for research.

His understanding of the Kunpeng Bloodline Power gradually deepened.

In the meantime, Li Fan also entered the Realm of Fallen Immortals once more.

Xu Ke, entrusted by Lu Ya, was to deliver a wooden box to the South Abyss.

This wooden box was extremely important, sealed by several different powers.

Li Fan even sensed the aura of the Eternal Beast Emperor Sanmo.

So from then on, Li Fan accompanied Xu Ke on the Azure Luan Bird for the entire journey.

The South Abyss seemed extremely far from the Beast Taming Sect.

Until time ran out, they still hadn't reached their destination.

This trip to the Realm of Fallen Immortals had to be hastily concluded.

Thus, time arrived at anchor year 11.

This year, the long-sealed Cloud Water Heavenly Palace would reappear in the world.