Chapter 290: The Real and Illusory Chao Yuan Sect

After leaving Yinyin Island, Su Changyu's spirits lifted, and it took a long time to calm his somewhat excited mood.

"I didn't expect to have such a fortuitous encounter on this trip."

Although he was still some distance from Foundation Establishment, unlike before, his heart was now filled with the motivation to cultivate, eager to reach Perfection in Qi Refining as soon as possible and establish his Foundation early.

"After [Foundation Establishment with Me], my cultivation speed should catch up to Xiao Heng and Xiaomei," Su Changyu thought to himself.

Without lingering elsewhere, he identified the direction and flew straight toward the desolate island.

Inside the Tianxuan Mirror.

Li Fan recalled the scenes he had just witnessed through Su Changyu, frowning slightly.

"I didn't expect Su Changyu to also end up at Master Yin's place and learn the secrets of [Foundation Establishment with Me]. It seems the vague guidance I sensed from heaven and earth was indeed real."

Li Fan was quite curious whether Su Changyu would succeed in [Foundation Establishment with Me] in this life.

However, Li Fan was now more concerned about Master Yin's situation.

In the twelfth life, when Li Fan first met Master Yin in anchor year 13, his hair was still mixed with black and white.

Now, in anchor year 25, only twelve years later, his hair had turned completely white.

Such rapid aging was almost impossible for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

It indicated that Master Yin's mental energy had been severely depleted over the years.

What troubled Li Fan even more was that the experimental subjects on Yinyin Island and many of Master Yin's treasured collections had all been destroyed.

Yet Master Yin seemed completely indifferent.

Or rather…

Those things were likely destroyed by his own hand.

Thinking back to the sudden flames on the island and Master Yin's increasingly manic expression,

"He wants to commit suicide?"

Li Fan's heart stirred.

To verify his guess, Li Fan left the Tianxuan Mirror and rushed toward Yinyin Island.

When he arrived, the square building had indeed turned into ruins.

It had burned thoroughly.

Li Fan searched but found nothing of value.

Standing silently above the ruins, Li Fan frowned deeply.

"Why?"

"This Master Yin must have been researching the secrets of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma all these years."

"What did he discover that made him think of ending his own life?"

After all, a Cultivator's will to survive was thousands of times stronger than a Mortal's.

Suicides among Cultivators were rarely heard of.

"Was it a genuine suicide, or was he forced into it?"

Master Yin's somewhat delirious words from before resurfaced: "Aren't you curious? How can a plague that only affects Mortals infect Immortal Cultivators? If we can figure out the source of this mutation, we might be able to eliminate the Immortal-Mortal Miasma at its root! Then, I will become a great being remembered by the entire Cultivation World!"

Li Fan's expression turned serious: "I used to think he was just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, unlikely to discover anything significant. So I always ignored him."

"Unexpectedly, he actually made some progress."

"Perhaps in the next life, I should 'pay special attention' to him."

Li Fan pondered inwardly.

Taking one last look at the ruins of Yinyin Island, Li Fan was about to leave when he suddenly paused.

A sea breeze blew, and amidst the charred ground, a crystalline white light appeared.

Li Fan flew closer and retrieved the glowing object.

It looked familiar.

A white rib bone.

It seemed to be the rib of the first Cultivator infected with the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, which Master Yin had valued most in life.

Even Master Yin had turned to ashes in the blaze, yet this rib remained intact.

It was said to be a treasure many coveted, and indeed it had some special properties.

Li Fan casually stuffed it into his Storage Ring.

Returning to Ten Thousand Immortals Island, he asked the Tianxuan Mirror to appraise it.

But the result was only: "Cultivator's remains, worth 1 Contribution Point."

"It seems this is only valuable to a specific group of people," Li Fan shook his head and put the rib away again.

He sensed the situation of the Prodigies.

"Xiao Heng has arrived at the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace. But he hasn't entered yet, standing outside, looking up at the massive azure building suspended in the sky. I wonder what he's contemplating."

"Su Xiaomei and the other two seem to be not far from the Chao Yuan Sect Ruins."

…

"It's almost time for the harvest again."

At this moment, in Li Fan's Dantian, two Calamity Bodies had fully taken shape.

The phantom of a third Calamity Body was gradually forming.

"The cultivation base stored in these can be converted without loss when I Breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm. If the Calamity Bodies accumulate enough, I might Breakthrough again as soon as I reach Golden Core."

Li Fan couldn't help but show a joyful expression like a farmer's.

"As for He Zhenghao…"

"Why haven't I received any cultivation feedback from him lately?"

The distance was too great, and Formless Killing Intent could no longer sense his surroundings.

After thinking for a moment, Li Fan sent him a message asking about his recent situation.

But he received an auto-reply: "Garrison Hall closed training, unable to reply. Sorry."

"So Fellow Daoist He has already entered the Garrison Hall?"

Calculating the time, it had been almost three years since He Zhenghao took office.

"Jing Xuan is indeed reliable; the Contribution Points were well spent."

"After the Formation training in Tianyu State ends, Congyun Sea should be gone. Then I'll go directly to Tianyun State to meet up with Fellow Daoist He."

…

Just as Li Fan was making plans for the future,

Su Xiaomei and her two companions had arrived at the thousand-mile marsh, the site of the Chao Yuan Sect Ruins.

Finally reaching their destination, Su Xiaomei looked excitedly at the rather magnificent building complex not far away, eager to rush into the ruins.

Zhang Haobo, however, was puzzled: "Wasn't it said that many Cultivators had come to explore the ruins? Why is it so deserted on the road? Where are the people?"

Shuo Feng also frowned: "It is a bit suspicious. But there's no need to overthink it; we'll know when we get closer."

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Chao Yuan Sect Ruins, it wasn't as lively as rumored.

Some Cultivators lingered, hesitant to enter yet unwilling to leave.

After a brief inquiry, they learned why the ruins, once bustling and lively, had become like this.

It turned out that seven days ago, something terrifying had happened in the Chao Yuan Sect Ruins, which had previously been considered safe.

A Golden Core cultivator seeking Opportunities had mysteriously vanished.

When he reappeared, everyone saw that he had become like the phantoms that occasionally appeared in the ruins.

Moreover, one could hear and see him running around the ruins in despair, trying to find a way to return to his original form.

But this Golden Core cultivator seemed to be in another world, unable to interact with anyone in reality.

Nor could he leave the bounds of the Chao Yuan Sect Ruins.