Chapter 143: Red Flame Appears

“That truly is a pity,” Yuwen Xing said, looking at Li Fan with a regretful expression.

Li Fan was about to leave when he suddenly thought of something.

He asked, “Fellow Daoist Yuwen, what is the cultivation stage of the Town Guardian of Taian Island?”

Yuwen Xing was momentarily stunned, unsure why Li Fan would ask such a question.

However, it wasn't a secret, so he immediately replied, “Daoist Zhou is a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Speaking of which, it hasn’t been long since he Broke Through from Early Stage Foundation Establishment to Middle Stage Foundation Establishment. It’s only been twenty or thirty years. I didn’t expect him to be on the verge of another Breakthrough so soon; it truly makes others envious!”

Yuwen Xing spoke with a look of profound envy.

“So that’s how it is.” Li Fan nodded thoughtfully.

“This Zhou Qingang, it seems there’s something off about him…”

However, since he was planning to leave anyway, this matter had nothing to do with him. He just kept it in mind.

After bidding farewell to Yuwen Xing, Li Fan hurried to Nightfall Island.

Su Xiaomei and the others had already gathered.

Six years had passed, and everyone had undergone tremendous changes.

Su Changyu had successfully entered the Qi Refinement Stage.

He was cultivating the “Jade Concealment Art” that Xiao Heng had exchanged for him.

Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei had been unable to contact Li Fan for several years, so, under Zhao Erbao’s introduction, they joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

They worked on tasks together, accumulating contribution points.

Both of them were now at the Perfection of the Late Qi Refining Stage, preparing for Foundation Establishment.

As for the sisters Yin Yueting and Yin Yuzhen, they had also successfully removed the miasma.

However, they had not yet successfully drawn Qi into their bodies.

Although they were all at Qi Refining Perfection, Li Fan’s Hiding Talisman was activated, so he wasn’t afraid of Su Xiaomei and the others seeing his true cultivation.

He asked Zhao Erbao, “How is the collection of Dao Rhyme Ancient Artifacts coming along?”

Zhao Erbao had been very honest these past few years, having already suffered greatly under Li Fan.

Later, seeing the several young Cultivators Li Fan brought with him ascend in cultivation so rapidly, surpassing him in just a few years, he was inwardly terrified and even more dared not cause trouble.

He honestly replied, “We’re still a bit short, but it will be enough to reproduce the Dao Rhyme. It should take another year or two to be complete.”

Li Fan shook his head, “There’s no time. Get ready to go.”

“Go? Where to?” Zhao Erbao was a bit confused.

“Source Dao Province,” Li Fan replied, but did not explain why.

Li Fan then looked at Su Xiaomei and the others.

“Are you willing to come with me?”

“Wherever Master goes, I will go,” Su Xiaomei said with a cheerful smile, not asking why they suddenly had to leave.

Although so much time had passed, for some reason, she still looked like a seven or eight-year-old child.

Upon hearing Li Fan’s question, she immediately pledged her loyalty.

“We will naturally go with Xiaomei,” Xiao Heng and Su Changyu also had no objections.

Yin Yueting, however, looked troubled, evidently reluctant to abandon the Tianbao Tower foundation she had built over the years.

While she hesitated, her sister Yin Yuzhen fiercely kicked her right leg.

After exchanging glances with her sister, she finally said, “We’ll go too.”

Li Fan nodded, making the final decision: “Pack up. We depart in seven days.”

The reason for such a long preparation time was that transferring the Dao Rhyme Ancient Artifacts was somewhat troublesome.

They couldn't use spatial storage equipment and could only move them one by one.

Fortunately, everyone worked together and finally, within the allotted time, moved all the Dao Rhyme Ancient Artifacts into the taiyan boat.

As for Tianbao Tower’s assets, Yin Yueting only took half.

The rest she left to the Elders who had worked alongside her.

Everyone boarded the taiyan boat, ready to leave.

At this moment, a person suddenly rushed out from among the Tianbao Tower staff, crying out “Manager Yin” and kowtowing on the ground.

It was because Yin Yueting had shown him immense kindness, and he couldn’t bear for her to leave.

Li Fan looked over; it was an acquaintance.

It was Elder Sun Zhang from Tianbao Tower on Liuli Island in the previous life.

After some thought, Li Fan still allowed him onto the taiyan boat.

Other than him, no one else from Tianbao Tower was willing to leave.

Li Fan then asked about the胖子 named Ye Feipeng.

From the clamoring replies of the crowd, Li Fan learned that Ye Feipeng had been noticed by Envoy Wu of the Wanhua Merchant Guild during their last meeting several years ago.

He was taken along and left the Congyun Sea, heading to an unknown destination.

Li Fan nodded and did not inquire further.

Then, he piloted the taiyan boat, heading straight for Source Dao Province.

Li Fan had traveled this route once before, so this time there were no major hitches.

After more than a month of travel, they arrived at Zhuo Ling City.

However, he hadn't anticipated bringing so many Dao Rhyme Ancient Artifacts.

The courtyard he had prepared earlier as a base was too small.

It couldn't hold all the items.

So, Li Fan landed the taiyan boat outside Zhuo Ling City, concealed its tracks with a Formation, and ordered Su Xiaomei and others to guard it.

He then met with the Town Guardian of Zhuo Ling City to inquire if there were any suitable places nearby to establish an Immortal Cave.

“Immortal Cave?”

The Town Guardian of Zhuo Ling City, named Fei Nan, was a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

He was somewhat surprised to hear Li Fan’s question.

Because generally, Cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would directly choose to reside in Source Dao Heavenly City, or simply stay within the tianxuan mirror.

Only Loose Cultivators would painstakingly establish Immortal Caves in the wilderness.

However, there were always some eccentric Cultivators who preferred solitude.

Fei Nan didn't ask too many questions.

Furthermore, Li Fan generously offered a consultation fee of one hundred contribution points, so Fei Nan enthusiastically provided Li Fan with several locations to choose from.

The first location was a canyon about two thousand li north of Zhuo Ling City.

Looking down from the sky, the mountains on both sides seemed like natural barriers, protecting the canyon in the center.

Moreover, the Spiritual Qi in the canyon was abundant, and it wasn’t too far from Source Dao Heavenly City.

The second location was a continuous mountain range, over three thousand li south of Zhuo Ling City.

This mountain was called Daoling Mountain.

Legend has it that before the great calamity, it was once the location of a certain Sect.

Within the Daoling Mountain Range, there were many peaks suitable for establishing Immortal Caves.

However, the drawback was that Cultivators would occasionally come to the mountains to explore the Sect ruins.

The third location was more remote.

About five thousand li west of Zhuo Ling City, near Shi Lin Province, there was a vast, misty lake called Mingyue Lake, several hundred li in circumference.

The lake itself had no valuable special products, there were no ancient ruins nearby, and the Spiritual Qi concentration in the vicinity was sparse and ordinary.

Therefore, few Cultivators went near that area.

…

After listening, Li Fan thanked Fei Nan and left.

Among these places, the large lake seemed more suitable as an Immortal Cave.

However, Li Fan was not in a hurry to make a decision; seeing was believing.

He immediately reunited with Su Xiaomei and the others, piloted the taiyan boat, and headed towards Mingyue Lake.

Just as Li Fan and his group were searching for their future dwelling place,

a grand drama was quietly unfolding over the Congyun Sea.

At this moment, it was already deep night.

The stars and moon were hidden, and there was no light.

Wanxian Island was silent.

Suddenly, without any warning, a great sun appeared in the sky.

The sunlight was intense, making everything visible.

It illuminated the Congyun Sea under the night sky as if it were daytime.

And beneath the great sun, high in the sky,

a translucent, crimson figure suddenly became visible.