Chapter 11: Cultivating, Yet a Beast of Burden

"In the current Cultivation World, for a Mortal to want to Cultivate, there are really only a few choices," Kou Hong explained patiently.

"First, join the Myriad Immortals Alliance. The Myriad Immortals Alliance is a loose Alliance formed by numerous Immortal Cultivators. Within the Alliance, one can earn Contribution Points by accepting and completing tasks or trading with others. With Contribution Points, one can exchange for Cultivation Techniques and resources in the Alliance."

"Second, the Five Elders Association. The Five Elders Association is an organization founded by five top-tier experts with massive influence. As long as one has the Aptitude for cultivation, one can voluntarily join and choose a Cultivation Technique. The price is signing a Divine Soul contract to serve the Five Elders Association for a certain period."

"Third, choose to join local forces. Although these forces cannot compare to the two behemoths mentioned above, local forces are often more united and generally do not have dangerous tasks, making them more suitable for those with lazy or indifferent personalities. As for some other messy organizations, they are not reliable, so it's not worth mentioning," Kou Hong slowly explained the general situation of the current Cultivation World.

Li Fan frowned upon hearing this, feeling a bit puzzled: "From your description, why does it feel like Cultivation Techniques aren't that scarce in the Cultivation World?"

Kou Hong snorted coldly: "That is because the ones obtained through these methods are all incomplete Cultivation Techniques."

"Incomplete?" Li Fan was stunned, then suddenly realized. "To obtain higher-level Cultivation Techniques, one must continue to risk their life for them?"

"Correct!" Kou Hong said bitterly. "These Cultivation Techniques have all been newly compiled by the major forces over these years. Cultivating to the Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement Stage is already the limit. To advance further and build a Foundation of Dao, one must switch to a new level of Cultivation Technique. The same applies above the Foundation of Dao."

"Switching Cultivation Techniques? If one has to change techniques and start over for every Realm Breakthrough, doesn't that mean all previous efforts go to waste?" Li Fan was somewhat shocked.

"That won't happen." Kou Hong shook his head. "Anyone who Cultivates must study the 'Supreme Primordial True Scripture'. It is rumored that this scripture was the supreme true scripture and the foundation of the Supreme Sect in ancient times. After the Great Tribulation, the Supreme Sect was wiped out, leaving only fragments of the 'Supreme Primordial True Scripture' in the world. This scripture is not a Cultivation Technique, but rather more like a secret method. Its function is to allow cultivators to dissolve their own mana and Realm at will without much loss, and after converting to other Cultivation Techniques, they can quickly catch up to their original Realm."

"To think there is such a miraculous method." Li Fan exclaimed in admiration. "It's just that this fragment appeared at exactly the right time. Only then can the many Immortal Cultivators in the world accept the constant changing of Cultivation Techniques."

Li Fan sneered: "In my opinion, the 'Supreme Primordial True Scripture' may not only have fragments left; I fear it is just that the people behind the scenes only want to release the part about dissolving mana and re-cultivating."

Kou Hong sighed deeply: "Who doesn't understand this logic? But what can be done? True Cultivation Techniques are hard to find. Being exploited is helpless, but at least there is a visible goal and path. If you work hard, you can still achieve it. Those who are unwilling to be controlled for a lifetime and are willing to risk their lives to seek Opportunities in various Secret Realms and Ancient Tombs are, after all, in the minority."

Li Fan nodded, roughly understanding the situation of the current Cultivation World. This was completely different from the unrestrained, immortality-seeking Immortal Dao he had imagined; instead, it was somewhat similar to the world before his Transmigration.

Thinking of all this, Li Fan sneered inwardly.

Kou Hong did not notice Li Fan's abnormality at this moment, but instead sighed involuntarily: "Dao Xuanzi didn't know until he died that the reason I grabbed the Cultivation Technique and ran was not just because it was a Core Formation Technique, but because it was a true cultivation method that could point directly to the Nascent Soul Realm."

"If it were just a Core Formation Technique, I might have been able to restrain myself. But that was a Nascent Soul true cultivation method after all…" Kou Hong repeated.

Upon hearing this, Li Fan's heart stirred, and he touched the ring on his finger.

All of Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi's items had been confiscated by him and stored in this Storage Ring. Perhaps because he had experienced many Reincarnations and his Mental Energy far exceeded that of ordinary people, he was actually able to use this Storage Ring, which originally required the cultivation of Divine Sense during the Qi Refinement Stage, with ease. However, if he couldn't find a way to leave the Immortal Extinction Land, these things were useless to him, so he hadn't had the heart to check them one by one yet.

Next, after Kou Hong introduced Li Fan to common knowledge of the Cultivation World, such as how the fall of an Immortal Cultivator would trigger celestial phenomena within a certain range, he finally returned to the main topic and discussed the possibility of the flying ship left over from the Great Migration era that Li Fan was interested in.

"Perhaps there is indeed such a possibility," Kou Hong thought carefully for a long time before saying.

"I have heard a rumor that for thousands of years, there have been Mortals who were exiled to the Immortal Extinction Land back then who secretly returned to the Cultivation World. But most of it is just hearsay, with no concrete evidence."

"There is no smoke without fire; sometimes rumors are often the truth of the matter." Li Fan felt a surge of excitement. "After all, there is an inextricable link between Mortals and Immortal Cultivators. It was normal for Immortal Cultivators to leave a way out for their Mortal Family back then. I suppose these Mortals were able to return through the back-ups left by those Immortal Cultivators."

Kou Hong was not very optimistic: "Even so, thousands of years have passed. This world is quite vast, and the possibility of finding it is too small, too small."

"As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will not give up," Li Fan said decisively.

"I really don't know how an old man like you, with one foot in the grave, can still be so restless…" Kou Hong muttered in a low voice.

Li Fan pretended not to hear and said solemnly to Kou Hong: "As long as you help me find a way to the Cultivation World, not only will I release you and let you go back with me, but I will also return everything belonging to you and Dao Xuanzi."

"Including that Nascent Soul true cultivation method!"

"Is that true?!" Kou Hong looked up abruptly, a glimmer of hope suddenly appearing in his eyes.

"Of course." Li Fan nodded.

"Good… Since that's the case, I will do my best to help you." Kou Hong gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind.

Although he had been tricked by Li Fan several times and didn't know how credible Li Fan's promise was, he was the same as Li Fan; even if there was only a glimmer of hope, he was unwilling to give up.

Trapped here for decades, and then dying of old age.

This was truly not what Kou Hong wanted!

…

Thus, with Kou Hong's help, Li Fan collected historical books and classics from all over the world, striving to find clues about the Great Migration era from the fragments of ancient records.

At the same time, Li Fan mobilized the army to excavate Ancient Tombs on a large scale, attempting to find some clues within them. Although this caused public anger to boil over and officials to submit petitions of remonstrance every day, he forcibly suppressed them one by one.

Unfortunately, too much time had passed since the Great Migration era, and his remaining lifespan in this life was too short.

Sixteen years later, in the 66th anchor year, Li Fan's time was running out, yet he had still gained nothing.

Ordering someone to release Kou Hong, Li Fan went alone to the underground secret chamber of the Grand Preceptors Mansion.

With a thought of his Divine Sense, Li Fan took out all the items from the Storage Ring and laid them out in order.

First, Li Fan's gaze focused on the Jade Slip that was emitting a faint golden light.

It was the Nascent Soul Cultivation Technique that had caused Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi to turn against each other.