Chapter 168: Counterattack on the Immortal Cultivation World

According to Jiao Xiuyuan's previous intelligence, Si Kongyi had to visit this Immortal Cave every once in a while.

So Li Fan simply waited there.

His luck was good.

More than ten days later, Li Fan, who was Cultivating, opened his eyes.

Si Kongyi and Baili Chen walked expressionlessly into his hidden Immortal Cave.

When they saw Li Fan ambushing inside, their faces involuntarily showed expressions of shock and disbelief.

"You…"

Before a single word could be uttered, he was captured by Li Fan's Binding Insect Divine Power.

Without unnecessary words, he was instantly killed.

After their resurrection count was completely exhausted and they thoroughly vanished from the world.

Li Fan picked up the heaven stealing sun switching token that had fallen to the ground and began to refine a Clone.

Logically speaking, the Clone's Realm should only be one small Realm behind the main body.

However, Li Fan discovered that to refine a Foundation Establishment Stage Clone, it was still unavoidable to add rare heavenly and earthly Materials.

"Perhaps the original Day Stealing Sun Replacement Art was indeed powerful, but after Immortal Venerable Chuan Fa, it became a bit useless."

"No wonder the Stealing the Sky Changing the Sun Sect has been declining with each generation."

"Anyway, this Clone is meant to be sacrificed, so I won't waste rare heavenly and earthly Materials."

"A Qi Refining Perfection Realm is enough."

After some thought, Li Fan began the refinement of the Clone.

This was already Li Fan's third time refining a Clone, so he was familiar with the process.

Before long, the Clone reappeared in the world.

Dressing in clothes, the Clone went to Lingyun Island on its own to join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

Li Fan did not leave, but instead took out He Zhenghao's communication talisman and sent a message.

"Fellow Daoist He, these past few days, I've been traveling outside. I've heard some unfavorable rumors about you."

He Zhenghao replied very quickly: "Unfavorable rumors? Haha, Fellow Daoist must have misunderstood. I, He Zhenghao, have made many good connections, and my image and reputation are both excellent. How could it be…"

"Oh? So those rumors about you helping Mortals smuggle are all false? That's truly hateful, to maliciously spread rumors! But the rumors are quite convincing, something about the Li Realm…"

"Cough cough cough…" Before Li Fan could finish speaking, He Zhenghao's flustered voice came through. "Where did Fellow Daoist hear this?"

"This matter needs to be discussed in person. Is Fellow Daoist free? Please trouble yourself to come to my Liuli Island." He Zhenghao's voice was a little serious.

"Haha, I'm free, I'm free." Li Fan smiled, put away the communication talisman, and headed straight for Liuli Island.

After exiting the teleportation array, He Zhenghao greeted him.

Immediately after, he activated the Mountain-River Star-Battling Formation.

After decades of studying Formations, Li Fan's vision was no longer the same as before.

The mountains above his head rotated like stars; the power of this Formation was clearly superior to the [Kan Ling Illusion Wave Grand Formation] Li Fan had purchased.

"Your island-protecting Formation is truly extraordinary!" Li Fan praised.

"Oh? Does Fellow Daoist also understand Formations?" He Zhenghao's face flashed with a hint of surprise upon hearing this.

"A little, a little. It's just that the Dao of Formations is vast and profound. Without a renowned master to guide one, relying solely on self-study, progress is truly slow." Li Fan sighed.

"Haha, if Fellow Daoist doesn't mind, you can come to my place and discuss with me." As soon as He Zhenghao started talking about Formations, he immediately became energetic, even temporarily forgetting the reason he had invited Li Fan.

"It's not me boasting. If we only talk about Formations and not Realm, ordinary Nascent Soul Realm Formation Masters on Wanxian Island might not be able to compare to me. Perhaps only three or four people like Zhang Zhiliang and Gong Boyu can barely surpass me."

"Most of this Mountain-River Star-Battling Formation was personally constructed by me." He Zhenghao said confidently.

Li Fan chuckled and didn't respond.

Instead, he asked: "Let's put the matter of Formations aside for now. I wonder if Fellow Daoist called me over for the matter of Mortal smuggling?"

He Zhenghao's expression instantly froze.

"Alas." He sighed.

"I won't hide it from Fellow Daoist, I do secretly engage in the business of helping Mortals smuggle. I originally thought I had concealed it very well, but I didn't expect the news to leak. Where exactly did Fellow Daoist hear about it?" He Zhenghao was filled with sorrow and confusion.

"I went to participate in Set Fish some time ago. The rumors about Fellow Daoist were mentioned by people in casual conversation then. As for who exactly it was, I don't know them." Li Fan had already prepared his excuse and replied.

He Zhenghao's heart sank upon hearing this.

"It's bad! How many Cultivators participate in each Set Fish! The matter of me helping Mortals smuggle might have already spread throughout the Congyun Sea!"

"Haha, Fellow Daoist doesn't need to scare himself." Li Fan quickly comforted him.

"Besides, isn't it just helping Mortals return to the Cultivation World? Although it's somewhat taboo, it's not a big deal. You are a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and also an island Town Guardian. Could it be that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance will really do anything to you?" Li Fan said somewhat dismissively.

He Zhenghao, however, shook his head repeatedly and sighed: "Fellow Daoist doesn't engage in this business, so it's normal not to understand the inside story. Helping Mortals smuggle is not just a simple taboo."

"If they really pursue it, at its most severe, it could be dealt with as a [Treason against the Realm]. At that time, let alone the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, even the Five Old Men Association wouldn't have a place for you."

Li Fan was truly stunned this time: "Treason against the Realm? How could it be so serious?"

He Zhenghao said helplessly: "It's all because of that farce five hundred years ago."

Under his explanation, Li Fan understood what had happened.

It turned out that during the great migration plan, there were thousands of Small Worlds and Immortal Caves where Mortals relocated.

Thousands of years had passed, and some of these places, originally Immortal Severing Lands with no Spiritual Qi coverage,

had, due to various Opportunities, given birth to various extraordinary powers.

Some experienced Spiritual Qi recovery, with Mortal smugglers bringing methods to remove the immortal-mortal miasma back to their hometowns, reopening the Immortal Path.

Some developed Body Refining secret arts, specializing in Physical Body Cultivation. Their Physical Bodies were so strong that attacks from ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators were like tickles.

Some, though still weak themselves, mastered methods of communicating with Spirit Beasts. Wielding Spirit Beasts in combat could also unleash considerable battle power.

…

Harboring resentment from being forcibly expelled from their hometowns back then, these Small Worlds, under someone's persuasion, actually reached an agreement.

They united to counterattack the Cultivation World!

It is said that dozens of Small Worlds responded at that time, creating a huge momentum.

The Small World allied army appeared abruptly, catching the Cultivators of that time off guard.

"But they were just a disorganized mob after all. Once a Combined Dao Immortal Venerable took action, they were easily suppressed!"

"Throughout the whole process, it seems we didn't suffer many Cultivator casualties."

"That's why it was called a farce."

"Thinking about it, it's true. Counterattacking the Cultivation World. Haha, how is that possible!"

"However, after all, there was a precedent. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Old Men Association therefore established rules."

He Zhenghao frowned, his face filled with worry.