Chapter 40: Opportunity and Obtaining a Strange Technique

The group of youths watched Li Fan depart as if he were riding the clouds and mist; only then did they suddenly realize that Immortal Master He's words had contained no deception or exaggeration, and they were all filled with a sense of shame.

"Those who enter the Net Body Spiritual Pool first will receive more spiritual liquid. Hurry, all of you." Immortal Master He's expression softened as he spoke to the group of youths.

Consequently, the youths scrambled towards the sea of clouds.

…

Surrounded by the thick sea of clouds, Li Fan felt as though he had lost his sense of direction.

The white clouds all around him continuously gathered, becoming denser and denser.

In an instant, they coalesced to form a white spiritual liquid, enveloping Li Fan.

Immersed in the spiritual liquid, Li Fan not only felt no suffocation, but on the contrary, felt incomparably warm and comfortable.

Just like a fetus in a mother's womb, Li Fan's mind gradually relaxed completely.

A gentle, bubbling aura flowed over every inch of his skin, drilling into his pores and entering Li Fan's body.

His entire body, along with his Soul, felt as if it were soaking in hot water, making Li Fan almost unable to help groaning in comfort.

But immediately after, the warmth turned into scorching heat.

The scorching heat turned into searing heat.

The searing heat turned into the roasting of raging fire.

Caught off guard, Li Fan let out a wail.

In that split second, he lost control of his own body.

He only felt a magma-like current of heat flowing wantonly and destroying inside him, tearing and boring into every inch of his nerves.

This kind of pain was truly beyond human endurance; Li Fan subconsciously wanted to call out [Huan Zhen], but he still managed to forcibly hold it back.

"Three hundred years of bitter searching, isn't it just for this moment?"

"No matter what, I will absolutely not give up."

"I want to Cultivate, I want immortality!"

Li Fan's consciousness became fragmented amidst the excruciating pain, but a persistent obsession supported him, preventing him from collapsing entirely.

The current of heat circulated within his body, seemingly without end.

With every cycle, the degree of destruction and pain deepened by a fraction.

Eventually, this pain reached a level that was difficult to describe in words.

The pain was like a knife, slicing Li Fan's Soul into a thousand pieces again and again, endless and never ceasing.

Even if Li Fan's will was strong, in the face of this level of pain, he was gradually losing the strength to resist.

Slowly, Li Fan's consciousness began to drift away.

His consciousness began to dissipate.

Even at this moment, the obsession in Li Fan's heart made him hold on, and he did not activate [Huan Zhen].

His consciousness became nearly blank.

Cultivation, immortality, removing miasma, spiritual pool, Liuli Island, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, Huan Zhen…

All of these thoughts slowly dissipated along with the silence of Li Fan's consciousness.

Instinct replaced the self, and thus the "Mystic Yellow Heart Cleansing Mantra," which Li Fan had been Cultivating day and night almost without stopping since arriving at Liuli Island, began to run naturally.

As the Cleansing Mantra ran, Li Fan's consciousness seemed to have a backbone, re-condensing and growing stronger.

Although it was still in a state of ignorance and unconsciousness, it gradually became like a reef by the sea, standing firm regardless of the wind and waves.

…

In a flash, three days passed.

Of the thirteen people who entered the Net Body Spiritual Pool, eleven had already come out.

Of the eleven, only four had completed the removal of the miasma from their bodies, while the remaining seven could not withstand that excruciating pain and failed the removal.

Except for that unlucky fellow who died, the remaining person who had yet to appear was naturally Li Fan.

He Zhenghao sensed the faint, almost imperceptible aura within the Net Body Spiritual Pool Formation, and he became increasingly astonished.

As the Cultivator presiding over the Net Body Spiritual Pool Formation, he knew clearly how painful it was when the Immortal-Mortal Miasma was extracted from a Mortal's body.

The Immortal-Mortal Miasma was deeply hidden within a Mortal's Bloodline, existing alongside flesh and blood from the moment the fetus was formed.

As the Mortal gradually grew, the Immortal-Mortal Miasma became increasingly inseparable from the flesh and blood.

This Net Body Spiritual Pool Formation was created by one of the leaders of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, the East Pole Celestial Venerable.

It forced the miasma out by completely destroying the physical body, and then reshaped the physical body with the power of regeneration.

This was repeated until the miasma in the body was completely removed.

The older one was, the harder it was to separate the miasma from the flesh and blood.

The more times it needed to be destroyed and reshaped to completely remove the Immortal-Mortal Miasma.

The pain experienced during this process was unimaginable!

He Zhenghao had been presiding over the Formation on this Liuli Island for more than fifty years, and the oldest person he had seen who could persist and complete the Net Body process was only thirty-one years old.

For someone of Li Fan's age, He Zhenghao believed there was simply no hope of success.

But now, Li Fan's performance greatly exceeded his expectations.

"This person's will is so firm, it is simply shocking. If he can succeed in the Net Body process, Cultivating to the Foundation Establishment Stage will certainly not be difficult, and perhaps even the Golden Core…" He Zhenghao's eyes flickered. "Perhaps, I can forge a good relationship early on."

Immediately, He Zhenghao sent the others out of the Formation first, and waited alone inside for Li Fan.

Another three days passed, and He Zhenghao, watching Li Fan who still hadn't come out, was so shocked that he was somewhat speechless.

If it weren't for the fact that he could still sense Li Fan's stable life aura within the Formation, He Zhenghao would have already rushed in.

Right now, there was no other way; the Net Body Formation could not be interrupted without authorization, so he could only continue to wait.

…

Another three days.

He Zhenghao's expression became somewhat ugly; he did not know what kind of monster he had encountered that could actually persist in this Net Body Spiritual Pool Formation for so long.

What was worse was that the Materials to maintain the operation of the Formation were running out.

If there were not enough Materials, the Formation would be forced to stop, which would cause unpredictable consequences, and perhaps all previous efforts would be wasted.

According to normal logic, even if the Formation stopped at this time, it could only be considered Li Fan's bad luck, and it would have nothing to do with him, He Zhenghao.

But thinking of Li Fan's terrifying and firm will, He Zhenghao's expression flickered.

"Forget it, forget it. I'll just treat it as gambling that this kid will achieve something extraordinary in the future!"

After speaking, He Zhenghao pinched a seal with his hand, and one item after another flew out from his Storage Ring, disappearing into the depths of the sea of clouds.

"Fortunately, I quietly keep a portion of these Materials for myself every time…" He Zhenghao looked at his Storage Ring, which was now half-empty, with a pained expression and muttered.

…

Two more days passed, and the rolling sea of clouds finally gradually calmed down.

The white clouds leaped and gathered around, sending Li Fan back to the mountaintop.

His Divine Sense swept over, and seeing that there was no more miasma in Li Fan's body, He Zhenghao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Congratulations, little friend! From now on, all shackles are gone, and immortality is within reach!" He Zhenghao said enthusiastically.

Feeling that his physical condition was better than ever before, Li Fan was still adapting to his brand-new body.

Seeing Immortal Master He's sudden change in attitude, he felt a bit strange in his heart.

Although he had already removed the Immortal-Mortal Miasma from his body, he had not yet formally Cultivated, and was, after all, just a Mortal.

Why was he being so polite to him?

Li Fan looked at He Zhenghao with a puzzled expression.

He Zhenghao understood, and told him about how Li Fan had stayed in the Net Body Spiritual Pool for a full eleven days.

"What? I actually stayed inside for that long?"

Li Fan was truly shocked this time.

"Yes, little friend, you don't know, but the Formation Materials were long about to be exhausted. It was I who spent a fortune to add another portion for you…" He Zhenghao claimed credit for himself.

Li Fan was extremely shaken inside at this moment.

Not because of He Zhenghao's "selfless dedication," but because he discovered that on his [Huan Zhen] panel, there was an additional Cultivation Technique.

It was not the "Mystic Yellow Heart Cleansing Mantra" that Li Fan had been Cultivating all along.

It was the "Profound Yellow Heart Refining Mantra."