Chapter 125: Strange Luck Is Not Heavenly Luck

Since the start of the Fish Gambling, it had become the most popular activity among the Cultivators of the Congyun Sea.

Especially the final Fish Gambling of each year, the number of participating Cultivators was so large that it nearly filled the entire solitary island.

Everyone dreamed of getting rich overnight.

In the Fish Gambling at the end of anchor year 16, Li Fan also went to join in the fun.

He discovered that this Fish Gambling actually had some tricks to it. It wasn't simply a matter of luck.

You see, the fish in the solitary island lake came from all over the Congyun Sea.

Every fish that could travel thousands of miles to reach this place had considerable strength.

During the twenty-seven-day observation period, these fish had to not only secure their survival position in the lake but also accumulate strength and prepare for the final leap into the sky.

And on the day of the final lake eruption, when the water splashed, the position of each fish largely determined the height of its final leap.

Among millions of fish in this lake, their fates intertwined, each struggling for survival.

The sole lucky one not only had to defeat its competitors but ultimately rely on the lake's 'Heavenly Fate' to become the final winner.

How difficult was that!

Li Fan's Divine Thought flowed among millions of fish, wandering for a long time without finding a particularly suitable one.

In the end, just before the deadline, he randomly chose a fish that looked relatively strong.

As it turned out, this fish couldn't survive the remaining three days; before the lake erupted, it was devoured by two other fish working together.

Li Fan shook his head and had to accept his bad luck.

When the final result came out, the fish that leaped highest above all others was actually a sickly, unremarkable white pomfret.

This fish had previously only barely managed to survive in the lake, yet unexpectedly, it was the one laughing last.

The Cultivators, by replaying the recordings from the memory stones, discovered that this white pomfret had incredibly Heaven-Defying luck.

When the lake erupted, it happened to be at the point where the water current was most intense.

Additionally, it had been积蓄力量 all along. With the support of multiple factors, it was able to soar into the sky and claim the top spot.

No one could have predicted this, and they could only watch the white pomfret with regret.

Li Fan, however, locked onto it with Formless Killing Intent and carefully memorized its appearance.

'I wonder, in the next life, will this same fish still be the final victor?' Li Fan thought inexplicably.

With the Fish Gambling over, some rejoiced while others grieved.

But what had to be done still had to be done.

A group of Cultivators joined forces, and soon, except for the white pomfret, all other fish in the lake were instantly refined into vital energy.

The white pomfret swallowed this mass of vital energy, and its body instantly expanded several times.

Its teeth became as sharp as blades, and blood-red streaks appeared between its scales. A fierce and murderous aura surged from within its body.

In a short time, the white pomfret had completed a transformation that other fish might never achieve even after a lifetime of hard work.

After releasing the white pomfret back into the sea, the group of Cultivators left together.

Li Fan followed along as well.

Halfway through the flight, Li Fan suddenly froze.

Because, through the Formless Killing Intent's perception, the white pomfret that had just completed its transformation and risen in one step was rapidly declining in aura.

'Hmm? What's going on?' Li Fan was curious and immediately activated his Heaven-Eye Earth-Ear technique.

In the image, five ugly and ferocious fish were besieging the white pomfret.

Each of these fish was no weaker than the newly transformed white pomfret.

Now attacking together, how could it resist?

Soon, it was severely injured and on the verge of death.

Li Fan saw clearly that the blood essence within these five fish was mixed, clearly not the result of natural evolution but showing signs of artificial cultivation.

'Interesting. Are these the winning fish from previous years?' Li Fan instantly understood the cause and effect.

These fish, having received fortune, were blocked by the Formation outside the solitary island and could not re-enter the lake to participate in Fish Gambling.

But they had vaguely developed intelligence, knowing that a new fish champion would be born here every month.

So they waited here, joining forces to kill the newly born fish champions and devour their flesh and blood.

If they couldn't obtain the fortune themselves, eating the fish that had obtained it would have the same effect.

Under Li Fan's gaze, the white pomfret, which the Cultivators had just called 'destined by Heaven' and 'incredibly lucky,' was instantly reduced to bones and devoured into the bellies of the five fish.

Only a trace of crimson blood slowly rising from the seabed proved that it had ever existed.

After the five strange fish were full, their vital energy expanded a bit more.

They left, shaking their heads contentedly.

Li Fan, watching this from afar, fell into deep thought.

Returning to Ten Thousand Immortals Island, he chose not to go into seclusion in the Tianxuan Mirror.

Instead, he squinted, looked up at the sky, and then at the statue of the old man with a tall crown overlooking All living beings on the island.

His feelings grew deeper.

'Perhaps there is nothing new under the sun…'

Li Fan realized.

Time flowed steadily, never stopping.

In anchor year 17, Zhang Haobo's cultivation had broken through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Li Fan observed him for a while and found that he no longer practiced the 'Sea Quelling Divine Sword' over and over.

Instead, he had resumed his journey chasing the wind.

But unlike before, at every wind disaster site, Zhang Haobo danced with his sword in the wind.

One hundred and eight Sea Quelling Divine Swords combined into a single blue giant sword.

In Zhang Haobo's hands, facing the howling gale, he struck against the trend.

The roaring wind disaster, under his continuous sword swings, seemed to show signs of weakening.

But this trend was very weak; without Li Fan's Heaven-Eye Earth-Ear technique, which clearly saw the flow and changes of Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth, it would be hard to detect.

However, Zhang Haobo appeared unperturbed by praise or criticism.

Persistently, he chased one wind disaster after another.

Tempering his Sword Intent in the wind.

'It seems he is not far from another Breakthrough.' Li Fan felt no envy for his rapid progress.

From the moment he bore [Huan Zhen] and entered the Cultivation World, Li Fan understood that cultivation speed wasn't that important to him.

Accumulating life after life to build an extremely solid Foundation was what he should do.

And now, after seeing the white pomfret being devoured, he was even more坚定了 his judgment.

Cultivating the Dharma for a hundred lifetimes was the only way to have a slight chance of breaking out of the dead end.

…

Li Fan's days on Ten Thousand Immortals Island continued as peacefully as ever.

In the middle of anchor year 17, Li Fan had saved over eight thousand Contribution Points and purchased two Low Grade Human Strange Objects.

He went out once and unlocked the second anchor point of [Huan Zhen].

For now, he chose not to set the anchor immediately. Li Fan planned to see the unlocking situation of the third anchor point before making a decision.

However, not long after this, Li Fan's peaceful life was shattered.

He received a message from the Celestial Mystery Hall of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, requesting his assistance in investigating a mysterious death case involving two Nascent Soul, six Golden Core, nineteen Foundation Establishment, and several Qi Refining Cultivators.