The body and mind are not free

The underlying structure of the Formation was different, but the sense of confinement and sealing off everything was exactly the same.

Li Fan could even make a bold guess that the inspiration for the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array might have come from this [Xuantian Locking Nether Formation].

As for the term 'Xuantian', it was hard for Li Fan not to associate it with the Xuantian Sect, which had long vanished into the river of history.

"Could it be that the world's strangeness can be traced all the way back to the time when the Xuantian Sect still existed?"

"Doesn't that mean we might encounter strangeness in the Realm of Fallen Immortals as well?"

While pondering the Formation diagram, Li Fan's thoughts wandered.

The Formation diagram was made using some special technique and encrypted by several Restrictions, preventing outsiders from glimpsing the complete structure of the Locking Nether Formation.

It allowed those not proficient in Formations to output the Formation through a foolproof operation.

"This thing is wonderful!" After studying it for a long time, Li Fan temporarily gave up on obtaining the complete structure of the Locking Nether Formation and sighed softly.

During breaks from inspecting the construction progress, when no one was watching, Li Fan carved the [Xuantian Locking Nether Formation] into the slowly forming Congyun Immortal City.

Just as Li Fan was racking his brains over building the floating city, the consciousness attached to the Puppet body in the territory of the Five Elders Association, tens of thousands of miles away, was also having a tough time.

Since arriving in front of the bamboo lodge and listening to the scholar's lectures, nearly two months had passed.

He hadn't gained much understanding of the specific situation of the Five Elders Association.

Instead, he was forced to memorize many legends of Cultivators transforming the world in the [Human Path Heavenly Realm].

Wang Linlang loved beauty and swore, 'No white hair shall be seen among Mortals,' so within the Human Path Heavenly Realm, even the most elderly Mortals had shiny black hair.

Yue Chengjin, abandoned by his beloved, bore a grudge and cursed, 'All lovers in the world shall become siblings.' This led to various tragic love stories of incest for decades. Fortunately, under the Power Of Will of a truly devoted couple, the rule of 'becoming siblings' was reversed.

Qu Su loved fishing, but often returned empty-handed. So he made a great vow: all fish in the world would bite at any bait. Thus, everyone became a fishing master.

…

Such examples were countless. At first, they were interesting to hear, but listening to them for three months straight was naturally unbearable.

However, like the other Cultivators in front of the bamboo lodge, Li Fan could not control his body.

He couldn't even block out the scholar's voice and had to accept it passively.

Li Fan even discovered that everything the scholar said was deeply etched into his mind, impossible to forget.

Thus, everyone endured the scholar's brainwashing with suppressed frustration.

That day, after lecturing for a long time, the scholar finally felt a bit tired.

He stood up and stretched.

"As the saying goes, hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once. Even if I talk for a hundred years, it's better for you to go and see for yourselves."

The scholar looked at the gathered Cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Alliance and smiled kindly: "I'll give you three years. During these three years, you can freely go anywhere under the jurisdiction of the Five Elders Association."

"After three years, you will return here. Then, I hope you will tell me your views on the Five Elders Association."

With that, the scholar turned and slowly walked into the bamboo lodge.

As the bamboo door slammed shut, the restraints on everyone disappeared.

"What does this mean? They're just letting us go?"

The members of the Myriad Immortals Alliance were suspicious.

"Is there some conspiracy?"

"This Fellow Daoist is really scared, jumping at shadows. Now we're just fish on the chopping block, at their mercy. Why would they need to scheme against us?"

"Hmph! Why boost others' morale and deflate our own!"

"Hehe, in my opinion, Fellow Daoist Lu Fan's words, though harsh, make a lot of sense."

…

Though everyone was chattering, not a single person dared to stand up and leave the valley.

Li Fan shook his head slightly and ignored them.

He walked straight in the direction he had come, drawing everyone's gaze.

The farther he got from the bamboo house, the more his compressed body gradually returned to normal.

Apart from that, there was no obstruction.

After walking through the long tunnel and reaching the outside of the cave, Li Fan found that the armored Cultivators who had been guarding them were gone.

He flew into the air, trying to find traces of Ten Thousand Immortals Island.

But where the island once was, there was now nothing, not even a trace left.

"I wonder if the Five Elders Association finally found what they wanted."

Li Fan scanned his surroundings and couldn't help feeling a sense of loneliness, as if the world was vast but he didn't know where to go.

Just as he was feeling melancholy, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

He wasn't the type to be sentimental or affect a pose, so why had he suddenly had such thoughts?

The scholar's figure flashed through his mind.

Was it him?

Just as Li Fan was inwardly alarmed, he suddenly heard a shout from far below: "Fellow Daoist Jiao! Fellow Daoist Jiao!"

After a moment, Li Fan realized it was directed at him.

Looking toward the source of the sound, he saw it was the Cultivator named Lu Fan.

"Where is Fellow Daoist Jiao headed? Why don't we travel together?" Lu Fan followed out of the cave, looked around, spotted Li Fan, and hurried over.

Seeing Li Fan looking at him without answering, Lu Fan explained: "The Five Elders Association's territory is vast, no smaller than the Myriad Immortals Alliance. In a foreign land, unfamiliar with the place, traveling together gives us mutual support."

"I've heard that among the Five Elders Association's domains, the [Worry-Free Paradise] is the most desirable. Not only are there all kinds of incredible pleasures, but there are also wonders like the 'Worry-Free Crystal,' which makes one feel ethereal and blissful when taken…" Lu Fan's tone was excited.

Li Fan stared at him for a moment and asked: "I recall, Fellow Daoist, you previously served as a Recorder in the Government Affairs Hall of the Congyun Sea. Since you enjoyed the stipend of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, now that you've regained your freedom, why don't you think of returning to your homeland? Instead, you seem eager to join the Five Elders Association?"

Lu Fan was stunned.

Then sweat rolled down his forehead, and his face turned deathly pale.

Seeing this, Li Fan understood.

"It really is that scholar's doing."

"The Five Elders Association is skilled at manipulating people's minds."

Lu Fan muttered: "What skill! If not for your reminder, I might not have noticed even now."

After a moment, Lu Fan let out a long sigh.

"No wonder the Five Elders Association so confidently let us go. Even though I know my thoughts have been influenced, I still can't change them."

"Even knowing that the Myriad Immortals Alliance is my home, I can't bring myself to want to go back…"

As Lu Fan rambled on, he was startled to see Li Fan flying straight into the distance.

"Where is Fellow Daoist Jiao going? Take me with you!"

"One Heart Immortal Sect!" Li Fan replied without looking back.