There is no way to escape

Li Fan walked through the Great Dao Sect, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

Inside the mountain gate, lanterns and festive decorations were hung everywhere, finally dispelling the gloomy atmosphere brought by numerous calamities.

Occasionally, Disciples within the Sect would encounter Li Fan, and they would all stop and bow in greeting.

Li Fan also nodded in response.

As the Sect Leader’s Dao Companion, Li Fan had obtained almost inexhaustible Cultivation resources, which ordinary Cultivators would dream of their entire lives, as well as respect that, even if not heartfelt, had to be feigned.

But at this moment, Li Fan had already made up his mind.

He would find an opportunity to escape the Great Dao Sect as soon as possible.

“Zhao Shijie has just been promoted to Sect Leader and is busy handling all the affairs within the Sect.

Representatives from other Schools also come to congratulate her from time to time, and she has to find time to meet them.”

“This is her busiest time, and she is somewhat negligent of me.”

“If I miss this good opportunity, and she recovers…”

Thinking of this, Li Fan immediately made up his mind.

Two days later, he took advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention and quietly came to the Sect’s exit alone.

Looking back at the scenery within the Great Dao Sect, Li Fan suddenly remembered Zhao Shijie’s figure, who had been with him day and night for over a hundred years, and he couldn't help but hesitate.

But in the end, he gritted his teeth and flew out.

He sped eastward all the way until he was out of the Great Dao Sect’s territory.

The inexplicable sense of crisis in Li Fan’s heart finally slowly dissipated.

“My premonition was indeed correct!” he thought to himself.

Just as he was secretly congratulating himself on escaping, Li Fan suddenly noticed two streaks of brilliant light behind him, arriving before him despite starting later.

In the blink of an eye, they landed in front of Li Fan, blocking his path.

“Where is Senior Martial Nephew going?” a long-browed old man asked, examining Li Fan with a smile.

“Junior Martial Uncle Dong, Senior Martial Uncle Jiang…” Li Fan’s expression instantly turned somewhat ugly.

These two were members of the Great Dao Sect’s seventeen Dao Integration Elders.

It seemed his escape plan had been discovered after all.

Even so, Li Fan was not prepared to sit back and wait for death.

“Heh heh, well, let me tell you two Elders, although I am honored that Senior Sister has been promoted to Sect Leader, I am actually a bit vexed.”

“Senior Sister’s status is now esteemed, and her strength is advancing day by day.

As the Sect Leader’s Dao Companion, I only have Soul Transformation Cultivation, and it’s inevitable that people will gossip.

The pressure in my heart is also very great.”

Li Fan feigned a very troubled expression, slowly approaching the two: “The Sect is in ruins waiting to be rebuilt, and all the Disciples have their respective duties.

Only I am idle all day, it’s truly…”

Without any warning, a chaotic grey light shot out from Li Fan’s eyes, directly striking the faces of Elder Dong and Elder Jiang.

It was the vicious Divine Ability from the “Soul Severing Divine Light Skill” that Li Fan Cultivated: [Soul Severing Divine Light].

It could directly harm a Cultivator’s Divine Soul, and even if the opponent was a Dao Integration cultivator, Li Fan was confident that they would suffer a great loss if caught off guard!

Without even looking at their reaction, he immediately activated [Divine Light Escape Art], intending to quickly flee the area.

But at this moment, Li Fan was horrified to discover that the surrounding space had been completely Sealed at some unknown point.

The escape art, though fast, had no use.

And Dong and Jiang, surprisingly, had already anticipated Li Fan’s sneak attack, each holding a precious mirror in their arms, blocking the [Soul Severing Divine Light].

At the same time, they looked at Li Fan, their eyes filled with mockery.

“How the Sect Leader treats Senior Martial Nephew is clear for the entire Sect to see.

Yet Senior Martial Nephew attempts an act of betrayal against the Sect…”

“If the Sect Leader knew, I truly don’t know how heartbroken she would be.”

Li Fan tried to struggle, but he was already captured by the combined efforts of the two, unable to move.

“I’m doomed!” Li Fan cursed inwardly.

When he was brought back to the Sect, he did not see Zhao Shijie.

Instead, his Cultivation was Sealed, and he was thrown into a secret chamber.

Although it was called a secret chamber, it was no different from a prison.

Initially, Li Fan thought he would soon see Zhao Shijie, and he mentally listed and organized many words, hoping to save his life with his eloquent tongue.

But what he didn’t expect was that Zhao Shijie, and even the entire Great Dao Sect, seemed to have completely forgotten him.

No one else came to visit him again.

In the confined space, there was nothing but Li Fan himself.

He couldn't Cultivate.

Whenever he tried to concentrate on Cultivation, or to think and deduce Divine Abilities or spells, continuous mocking and ridiculing sounds would come from the surrounding walls.

This made him restless and unable to concentrate.

Presumably, this was also to prevent him from breaking the Seal and shackles.

At first, Li Fan could remain calm.

But as time went on, even with his Heart-Nature, he began to feel bored.

Later, he became somewhat irritable and angry.

Eventually, he went mad.

He continuously struck the hard walls of the secret chamber with his flesh and blood.

Of course, besides making himself bloody and bruised, it was useless.

Finally, Li Fan’s eyes slowly became cloudy.

He sat blankly on the ground, like a sculpture that had lost its Soul.

After an unknown period, on this day.

The long-sealed door of the secret chamber opened with a bang.

For a long time, no one entered.

Li Fan, however, seemed not to notice, showing no reaction at all.

He just let the door remain open, completely ignoring it.

It took more than ten days for a hint of vitality to appear in Li Fan’s eyes.

He struggled to prop himself up, trembling as he took steps towards the exit.

But because he hadn't walked for a long time, his body was unaccustomed, and he immediately fell to the ground.

Li Fan struggled repeatedly, stood up again, and stepped forward once more.

As soon as he took a step, he fell down again.

Thus, he stumbled and crawled his way out, and when he finally returned to the outside world, he was barely able to function normally.

The Great Dao Sect before him seemed no different from what he remembered.

Disciples wandered among the mountain peaks, Cultivating.

It was even a bit livelier than before.

Only…

It was incredibly quiet.

The entire Sect, not a single sound of talking or arguing could be heard.

As if all the Cultivators living within it were mute.

Or rather…

They all shared the same thoughts, and there was no need for such a primitive means of communication as “speaking” to communicate.

They could understand each other’s intentions without even needing eye contact or Divine Sense.

Li Fan staggered through the Sect.

Having been trapped for an unknown number of years, he was already incredibly disheveled.

But everyone seemed to ignore him.

They continued their original actions as if he wasn't there.

This feeling of being excluded everywhere corroded Li Fan’s Heart-Nature.

Finally, after traversing the entire Sect and still failing to find his target.

Li Fan couldn’t take it anymore.

“Senior Sister!”

“Senior Sister, where are you?!”

It took him a long time to remember how to speak.

Then he roared with a hoarse voice.

His voice grew louder and louder.

Echoing throughout the entire Great Dao Sect.

At that, all the Cultivators within the Great Dao Sect simultaneously looked at him.