zhào èr bǎo zhǐ jué de méi xīn yī liáng ， gǔ gǔ hán qì wǎn ruò huó wù bān zuān jìn zì jǐ nǎo zhōng ， suí hòu qián fú jìn shēn tǐ lǐ ， xiāo shī bú jiàn 。
赵二宝只觉的眉心一凉，股股寒气宛若活物般钻进自己脑中，随后潜伏进身体里，消失不见。
Zhao Erbao felt a chill at the center of his brow as wave after wave of cold energy seemed to penetrate into his brain like living creatures, then潜入他的身体里，消失不见。
dāng xià xīn zhōng yī hán ， què tīng duì fāng shuō dào ：“ fàng xīn ， zhǐ shì yī dào hán qì ér yǐ 。 guò jǐ tiān jiù huì zì dòng xiāo sàn le ， bù bì dān xīn 。”
当下心中一寒，却听对方说道：“放心，只是一道寒气而已。过几天就会自动消散了，不必担心。”
He shuddered with fear. "Don't worry," said the other party, "it's just a bit of cold air. It will dissipate on its own in a few days, so there’s no need to be concerned."
zhào èr bǎo yù kū wú lèi , zhè huà piàn guǐ qù ba ， dìng rán shì shén me kě pà de jìn zhì ！
赵二宝欲哭无泪, 这话骗鬼去吧，定然是什么可怕的禁制！
Zhao Erbao was at a loss for words; how could he believe such a lie? It must be some terrifying禁制!
xiǎng qǐ zhī qián zài huàn jìng zhōng de zāo yù ， tā yòu shì dǎ le gè duō suo ， lián máng biǎo tài ：“ qián bèi fàng xīn ， cóng jīn wǎng hòu ， nǐ shuō shén me ， wǒ jiù zuò shén me ！ jué bù wéi nì ！”
想起之前在幻境中的遭遇，他又是打了个哆嗦，连忙表态：“前辈放心，从今往后，你说什么，我就做什么！绝不违逆！”
Recalling his encounter with the illusionary realm, he shivered again and quickly pledged, "Senior, please rest assured. From now on, I will do whatever you say without hesitation!"
lǐ fán xiào le xiào ， méi yǒu huí dá 。
李凡笑了笑，没有回答。
Li Fan smiled but didn't respond.
tā méi yǒu shuō jiǎ huà , gāng gāng sòng rù zhào èr bǎo tǐ nèi de , dí què zhǐ shì lán yán huàn líng chǎn shēng de yī dào hán qì 。
他没有说假话, 刚刚送入赵二宝体内的, 的确只是蓝炎幻灵产生的一道寒气。
He wasn’t lying; what had just entered Zhao Erbao’s body was indeed a chill produced by the Blue Flame Illusion Spirit.
méi shá jù tǐ zuò yòng ， jiù shì yòng lái xià hǔ rén de 。
没啥具体作用，就是用来吓唬人的。
It served no specific purpose other than to scare him.
bié rén de yán yǔ wēi xié ， kě yuǎn bù rú zì jǐ xīn zhōng de yí shén yí guǐ lái de kě pà 。
别人的言语威胁，可远不如自己心中的疑神疑鬼来的可怕。
Other people's verbal threats were far less terrifying than his own doubts and suspicions.
dāng rán ， yě bù néng wán quán zhǐ wàng zhào èr bǎo bèi xià zhù ， bì yào de fǎn zhì shǒu duàn hái shì yào de 。
当然，也不能完全指望赵二宝被吓住，必要的反制手段还是要的。
Of course, he couldn’t rely solely on scaring Zhao Erbao. Necessary countermeasures were still needed.
wú xiāng shā jī zǎo yǐ àn zhōng jiāng qí suǒ dìng ， yě bù pà tā pǎo diào 。
无相杀机早已暗中将其锁定，也不怕他跑掉。
The Formless Killing Mechanism had already secretly locked onto him, so there was no need to fear his escape.
dà bàng zhī hòu ， hú luó bo yě shì bì yào de 。
大棒之后，胡萝卜也是必要的。
With the big stick approach came the carrot.
lǐ fán duì zhào èr bǎo shuō dào ：“ wǒ yě bù xū yào nǐ zuò qí tā shén me shì ， hái shì rú zhī qián nà bān ， quán lì sōu jí nà wèi zhī wén míng de gǔ wù jí kě 。 měi gé yī duàn shí jiān ， wǒ huì xún wèn nǐ de jìn dù 。 děng dào yùn chéng gōng níng jù hòu , nǐ yě kě yǐ gēn zhe yì qǐ gǎn wù 。” shuō zhe ， lǐ fán jiāng yī méi dān xiàng tōng xùn de líng fú dì le guò qù 。
李凡对赵二宝说道：“我也不需要你做其他什么事，还是如之前那般，全力搜集那未知文明的古物即可。每隔一段时间，我会询问你的进度。等道韵成功凝聚后, 你也可以跟着一起感悟。”说着，李凡将一枚单向通讯的灵符递了过去。
Li Fan said to Zhao Erbao, "I don't need you to do anything else. Just continue as before—fully gather ancient relics from that unknown civilization. I will check on your progress at intervals. Once the Dao Rhythm successfully coalesces, you can join me in perceiving it." He then handed over a one-way communication spirit token.
zhào èr bǎo wén yán dà xǐ , máng bù dié de jiāng líng fú shōu xià ， yòu biǎo le yī fān zhōng xīn 。
赵二宝闻言大喜, 忙不迭的将灵符收下，又表了一番忠心。
Zhao Erbao was delighted and quickly accepted the token, reaffirming his loyalty.
“ zǒu ba ， qù jiàn jiàn nà wèi tōng líng bǎo tǐ de xiǎo gū niáng 。” lǐ fán lěng shēng shuō dào 。
“走吧，去见见那位通灵宝体的小姑娘。”李凡冷声说道。
"Let's go," Li Fan said coldly, "to meet that young lady with the Divine Sensory Treasure Body."
huā le yī tiān duō shí jiān ， èr rén yòu fǎn huí le yè lán dǎo 。
花了一天多时间，二人又返回了夜阑岛。
After spending more than a day, they returned to Night-Long Island in the evening.
cǐ shí yǐ jīng shì yè wǎn ， tiān bǎo lóu nèi , jiě mèi èr rén zhèng zài fáng jiān lǐ xián liáo 。
此时已经是夜晚，天宝楼内, 姐妹二人正在房间里闲聊。
Inside Tianbao Tower, the two sisters were chatting idly when Li Fan and Zhao Erbao suddenly appeared before them.
lǐ fán dài zhe zhào èr bǎo ， huò rán chū xiàn zài tā men miàn qián 。
李凡带着赵二宝，豁然出现在她们面前。
A hint of killing intent was revealed as he locked onto them.
shā yì wēi wēi lù chū yī sī ， jiāng tā men suǒ dìng 。
杀意微微露出一丝，将她们锁定。
He said indifferently, "Will you do anything for me?"
mò rán dì shuō dào ：“ nǐ men liǎ ， kě yuàn wèi wǒ zuò shì ？”
漠然地说道：“你们俩，可愿为我做事？”
The sudden appearance startled the two sisters. Just as they were about to scream, they found themselves unable to make a sound.
zhè hū rán chū xiàn rén yǐng xià le liǎng jiě mèi yī tiào ， zhèng yù chě kāi sǎng zi jiān jiào ， què fā xiàn zěn me yě fā bù chū shēng 。
这忽然出现人影吓了两姐妹一跳，正欲扯开嗓子尖叫，却发现怎么也发不出声。
They instantly recognized their visitors: Immortal Masters.
dùn shí míng bái le yǎn qián liǎng dào rén yǐng de shēn fèn 。
顿时明白了眼前两道人影的身份。
Sister Yin Yueting’s face turned pale. She knew she had no choice but to comply.
chuán shuō zhōng de xiān shī 。
传说中的仙师。
Before she could respond, her sister secretly kicked her right calf, and she replied, "Senior Immortal, we are willing to serve by your side."
jiě jiě yīn yuè tíng liǎn sè shùn jiān biàn dé cāng bái wú bǐ ， dàn tā míng bái zì jǐ bié wú xuǎn zé 。
姐姐殷玥婷脸色瞬间变得苍白无比，但她明白自己别无选择。
Li Fan shook his head inwardly; the girl misunderstood him.
zhèng yù dá huà ， què gǎn jué shēn páng de mèi mèi qiāo qiāo tī le zì jǐ yòu xiǎo tuǐ yī xià ， xīn zhōng dùn shí yī sōng ， tuō kǒu ér chū ：“ huí xiān shī ， wǒ men yuàn yì fú shì xiān shī zuǒ yòu 。”
正欲答话，却感觉身旁的妹妹悄悄踢了自己右小腿一下，心中顿时一松，脱口而出：“回仙师，我们愿意服侍仙师左右。”
He gestured for Zhao Erbao to explain.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yáo le yáo tóu ， zhī dào xiǎo gū niáng xiǎng chà le 。
李凡心中摇了摇头，知道小姑娘想岔了。
Zhao Erbao, in a display of authority, recounted the situation.
yú shì shì yì zhào èr bǎo gēn tā jiě shì 。
于是示意赵二宝跟她解释。
"You must mobilize the power of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and work with me to gather ancient relics."
zhào èr bǎo bǎi chū xiān shī de wēi fēng ， bǎ shì qíng de lái lóng qù mài jiǎng le yī biàn 。
赵二宝摆出仙师的威风，把事情的来龙去脉讲了一遍。
Yin Yueting, after realizing her special constitution was exposed, nodded respectfully.
“ nǐ yào fā dòng wàn bǎo gé de lì liàng ， hé wǒ yì qǐ ， quán lì sōu jí gǔ wù 。”
“你要发动万宝阁的力量，和我一起，全力搜集古物。”
In contrast, Yin Yuzhen looked down, occasionally curiously observing Li Fan without fear. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see him as he had hidden his form.
yīn yuè tíng jiàn zì jǐ de tè shū tǐ zhì yǐ jīng bào lù ， mǐn le mǐn zuǐ chún ， gōng jìng dì chēng shì 。
殷玥婷见自己的特殊体质已经暴露，抿了抿嘴唇，恭敬地称是。
Li Fan observed the three of them and gave final instructions to Zhao Erbao. "There are no cultivators on Night-Long Island, so you should help Tianbao Tower expand while improving search efficiency."
dǎo shì yīn yǔ zhēn dī chuí zhe tóu ， bù shí hào qí dǎ liàng zhe lǐ fán , yì diǎn yě bù pà de yàng zi 。
倒是殷雨珍低垂着头，不时好奇打量着李凡, 一点也不怕的样子。
"Of course, be cautious not to attract other cultivators' attention."
zhǐ kě xī lǐ fán yǐn cáng le shēn xíng ， tā zhù dìng shì kàn bù qīng chǔ de 。
只可惜李凡隐藏了身形，她注定是看不清楚的。
"If you really run into someone too powerful, prioritize your survival. I will handle it later."
lǐ fán kàn le kàn zài chǎng miàn sè gè yì de sān rén ， zuò le zuì hòu de fēn fù 。
李凡看了看在场面色各异的三人，做了最后的吩咐。
Zhao Erbao solemnly replied, "Senior Immortal, you are truly considerate."
tā duì zhào èr bǎo shuō dào ：“ yè lán dǎo méi yǒu xiū shì zhù zhā ， nǐ jiù zài cǐ chù ， bāng zhù tiān bǎo lóu kuò zhāng ， tí gāo sōu xún de xiào lǜ 。”
他对赵二宝说道：“夜阑岛没有修士驻扎，你就在此处，帮助天宝楼扩张，提高搜寻的效率。”
Li Fan continued, "Though these two girls are mere mortals, don't oppress them. Their efforts in gathering relics must be wholehearted."
“ dāng rán ， zuò shì yào jǐn shèn xiē ， bú yào yǐn qǐ qí tā xiū shì de zhù yì 。”
“当然，做事要谨慎些，不要引起其他修士的注意。”
"Understood," Zhao Erbao responded quickly.
“ ruò shì shí zài dǎo méi ， yù dào le bù dí de xiū shì ， bǎo mìng yào jǐn 。 zhī hòu wǒ zì huì guò lái chǔ lǐ 。”
“若是实在倒霉，遇到了不敌的修士，保命要紧。之后我自会过来处理。”
Yin Yueting’s face brightened as she pulled her sister to kneel and vow her utmost effort.
zhào èr bǎo liǎn sè yī sù ：“ hái shì qián bèi kǎo lǜ de zhōu dào 。”
赵二宝脸色一肃：“还是前辈考虑的周到。”
Li Fan nodded before quietly leaving for Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
lǐ fán fù yòu shuō dào ：“ zhè liǎng gè xiǎo gū niáng suī rán shì fán rén ， dàn nǐ yě bù kě qī yā tā men 。 sōu jí gǔ wù yī shì ， hái xū tā men jìn xīn jìn lì 。”
李凡复又说道：“这两个小姑娘虽然是凡人，但你也不可欺压她们。搜集古物一事，还需她们尽心尽力。”
For Li Fan, the quest for Dao Rhythm was just a minor interlude in his cultivation life. He made some arrangements and awaited the outcome.
“ bù gǎn ， bù gǎn 。” zhào èr bǎo lián shēng huí yìng 。
“不敢，不敢。”赵二宝连声回应。
What intrigued him more were the two mysterious intuitions that had guided him to sense the presence of those great beings beyond the realm of dao.
yīn yuè tíng liǎn shàng fú xiàn jǐ fēn xǐ sè ， lián máng lā zhe mèi mèi guì bài xià lái ， biǎo shì zì jǐ yí dìng jié jìn quán lì 。
殷玥婷脸上浮现几分喜色，连忙拉着妹妹跪拜下来，表示自己一定竭尽全力。
Was it coincidence or something inevitable?
lǐ fán diǎn le diǎn tóu ， suí hòu qiǎo rán lí kāi ， fǎn huí le wàn xiān dǎo 。
李凡点了点头，随后悄然离开，返回了万仙岛。
If it was mere coincidence, then so be it.
sōu jí dào yùn yī shì ， duì lǐ fán lái shuō ， yě zhǐ shì xiū xíng shēng huó de zhōng de yī jiàn xiǎo chā qǔ ér yǐ 。
搜集道韵一事，对李凡来说，也只是修行生活的中的一件小插曲而已。
But if not, the implications were chilling.
suí shǒu zuò le bù zhì ， qiě kàn zuì hòu jié guǒ rú hé 。
随手做了布置，且看最后结果如何。
"Longevity Heaven Venerables have gone to great lengths to remain hidden, yet they are constantly pointed out by the subtle guidance of the universe."
lǐ fán gèng zài yì de shì ， xiān hòu liǎng cì míng míng zhōng de líng jué ， dōu zhǐ yǐn zhe tā zuì zhōng chá jué dào le nà xiē hé dào zhī shàng dà néng de cún zài 。
李凡更在意的是，先后两次冥冥中的灵觉，都指引着他最终察觉到了那些合道之上大能的存在。
"神仙打架，凡人遭殃啊."
shì qiǎo hé ， hái shì cún zài zhe mǒu zhǒng bì rán ？
是巧合，还是存在着某种必然？
"But, there is genuine opportunity..."
ruò shì qiǎo hé nà biàn bà le 。
若是巧合那便罢了。
Li Fan did not believe that this world would lack any form of resistance against the Longevity Heaven Venerables.
dàn ruò bú shì ， zhè qí zhōng yùn hán de yì wèi jiù bù jīn ràng rén xì sī jí kǒng le 。
但若不是，这其中蕴含的意味就不禁让人细思极恐了。
Even a chicken would cry before it died. How much more so for the laws of dao?
“ cháng shēng tiān zūn men xiǎng fāng shè fǎ yǐn zōng cáng xíng ， tiān dì jiān míng míng zhǐ yǐn què qiān fāng bǎi jì de zhǐ xiàng tā men 。”
“长生天尊们想方设法隐踪藏形，天地间冥冥指引却千方百计的指向祂们。”
"But, not every cultivator receives such guidance."
“ shén xiān dǎ jià ， fán rén zāo yāng a 。”
“神仙打架，凡人遭殃啊。”
"Perhaps there are secrets I am unaware of hidden within."
“ bù guò ， jī yuán dǎo shì shí dǎ shí de ……”
“不过，机缘倒是实打实的……”
...
lǐ fán cóng bù rèn wéi ， miàn duì nì tiān dì zhī lǐ de cháng shēng tiān zūn men ， zhè fāng tiān dì huì yì diǎn fǎn kàng zhī lì dōu méi yǒu 。
李凡从不认为，面对逆天地之理的长生天尊们，这方天地会一点反抗之力都没有。
Returning to Ten Thousand Immortals Island, Li Fan resumed studying the array formation jade slip.
shā zhǐ jī ， jī lín sǐ qián dū huì jiào huàn liǎng shēng 。 gèng hé kuàng tiān dì dà dào 。
杀只鸡，鸡临死前都会叫唤两声。更何况天地大道。
The work of gathering Dao Rhythm relics proceeded smoothly under Zhao Erbao and Yin Yueting’s joint leadership.
“ zhǐ shì ， què yě wèi bì měi wèi xiū shì dū huì dé dào zhè bān zhǐ yǐn 。”
“只是，却也未必每位修士都会得到这般指引。”
Time passed swiftly. By 2019, events in Cloudy Sea had remained quiet.
“ zhè qí zhōng ， huò xǔ hái cáng yǒu shén me wǒ bù zhī dào yǐn mì 。”
“这其中，或许还藏有什么我不知道隐秘。”
However, one peculiar incident caught many cultivators' attention and became a topic of discussion during their leisure time.
……
……
The protagonist was Zhang Haobo.
huí dào wàn xiān dǎo zhī hòu ， lǐ fán biàn yòu kāi shǐ yán dú qǐ le zhèn fǎ yù jiǎn 。
回到万仙岛之后，李凡便又开始研读起了阵法玉简。
When Li Fan emerged from his seclusion, he learned about the incident from fellow cultivators’ discussions. "Zhang Haobo is quite the hero now; wherever there's a wind disaster, he heads there. With his sword light slicing through, those disasters often dissipate before they fully form."
dào yùn gǔ wù de sōu jí gōng zuò ， zài zhào èr bǎo hé yīn yuè tíng de hé lì zhǔ chí xià ， yǒu tiáo bù wěn de jìn xíng zhe 。
道韵古物的搜集工作，在赵二宝和殷玥婷的合力主持下，有条不紊的进行着。
"Indeed, it’s said that people in Cloudy Sea suffering from wind disasters have started setting up altars and offering incense for him."
shí guāng cōng cōng liú shì 。
时光匆匆流逝。
"I remember Zhang Haobo somewhat. Wasn’t he the one who tested swords on a dozen puppets in some cave?"
yī huǎng jiù dào le máo dìng 19 nián 。
一晃就到了锚定19年。
"Yes, I recall now. But back then, he was only at the Qi Refining stage. How did he become so powerful just a few years later?"
zhè duàn shí jiān lǐ ， cóng yún hǎi dǎo shì méi chū shén me dà shì 。
这段时间里，丛云海倒是没出什么大事。
"Right, he’s now an advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator. His Cutting Wind Sword Technique is formidable; ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn’t last more than a few rounds against him."
zhǐ shì yǒu yī jiàn qí shì ， yǐn qǐ le bù shǎo xiū shì de zhù yì ， chéng wéi le xián xiá shí de tán zī 。
只是有一件奇事，引起了不少修士的注意，成为了闲暇时的谈资。
"I was in seclusion for just a short while, and he’s already at the advanced stage? What gives?"
shì jiàn de zhǔ rén wēng ， zhèng shì zhāng hào bō 。
事件的主人翁，正是张浩波。
"He's a prodigy, hard to measure by common standards. I think he’s using wind disasters to test his sword skills."
lǐ fán chū guān xiū xī shí ， yě zài yī zhòng xiū shì de tǎo lùn zhōng ， dé zhī liǎo shì qíng de jīng guò 。
李凡出关休息时，也在一众修士的讨论中，得知了事情的经过。
"Old news, the latest update is that he’s not Cutting Wind anymore."
“ zhè zhāng hào bō xiàn zài kě liǎo bù dé ， nǎ lǐ yǒu fēng zāi jiù wǎng nǎ lǐ pǎo 。 jiàn guāng zòng héng zhī xià ， nà xiē fēng zāi wǎng wǎng huán méi zěn me chéng xíng jiù bèi tā shēng shēng dǎ sàn 。”
“这张浩波现在可了不得，哪里有风灾就往哪里跑。剑光纵横之下，那些风灾往往还没怎么成型就被他生生打散。”
"Oh? What’s he doing now?"
“ shì a ， jù shuō xiàn zài bǎo shòu fēng zāi zhī kǔ de cóng yún hǎi fán rén men ， dōu kāi shǐ wèi tā lì pái wèi 、 qǐ xiāng huǒ le 。”
“是啊，据说现在饱受风灾之苦的丛云海凡人们，都开始为他立牌位、起香火了。”
"He might surprise you; he’s now herding the winds!"
“ zhāng hào bō ？ cǐ rén wǒ dǎo shì yǒu diǎn yìn xiàng ， sì hū jiù shì zhī qián zài nǎ ge dòng fǔ lǐ ， ná shí jǐ zūn kuǐ lěi shì jiàn de nà ge ？”
“张浩波？此人我倒是有点印象，似乎就是之前在哪个洞府里，拿十几尊傀儡试剑的那个？”
"Herding the winds? What does that mean?"
“ nǐ zhè me yī shuō ， wǒ jiù xiǎng qǐ lái le 。 bù guò ， nà shí hòu tā cái bù guò liàn qì qī ba ， zěn me cái jǐ nián guò qù ， jiù biàn dé zhè me lì hài le ？”
“你这么一说，我就想起来了。不过，那时候他才不过炼气期吧，怎么才几年过去，就变得这么厉害了？”
The cultivators exchanged puzzled glances.
“ méi cuò ， tā rú jīn yǐ jīng shì zhù jī hòu qī xiū wèi le 。 nà zhǎn fēng jiàn fǎ yě shì wēi shì jīng rén ， xún cháng zhù jī xiū shì zài tā shǒu shàng ， kǒng pà zǒu bù liǎo jǐ gè huí hé 。”
“没错，他如今已经是筑基后期修为了。那斩风剑法也是威势惊人，寻常筑基修士在他手上，恐怕走不了几个回合。”
"Hey, do you know what 'herding' means?"
“ wǒ zhǐ bù guò bì le gè guān ér yǐ ， tā jiù zhù jī hòu qī le ？ píng shén me ？”
“我只不过闭了个关而已，他就筑基后期了？凭什么？”
"Not… it can’t be!"
“ tiān cái ma ， nán yǐ yòng cháng lǐ qù héng liáng 。 wǒ kàn tā xiàn zài jiù shì ná fēng zāi zài shì jiàn 。”
“天才嘛，难以用常理去衡量。我看他现在就是拿风灾在试剑。”
The cultivators exclaimed in disbelief.
“ nǐ men liáo de dōu shì xiē lǎo huáng lì le ， zuì xīn xiāo xī ， xiàn zài tā yǐ jīng bù zài shì zhǎn fēng le 。”
“你们聊的都是些老黄历了，最新消息，现在他已经不再是斩风了。”
"Herding the winds?" Li Fan's eyes flickered with interest.
“ ó ？ xiàn rú jīn tā zài gàn má ？”
“哦？现如今他在干嘛？”
"What is Zhang Haobo trying to achieve?"
“ shuō chū lái nǐ men kě néng bù xìn ， tā xiàn zài ， zhèng zài mù fēng ！”
“说出来你们可能不信，他现在，正在牧风！”
He activated his Heaven-Viewing and Earth-Hearing Technique, switching perspectives instantly.
Zhao Erbao felt a chill at the center of his brow as wave after wave of cold energy seemed to penetrate into his brain like living creatures, then潜入他的身体里，消失不见。
He shuddered with fear. "Don't worry," said the other party, "it's just a bit of cold air. It will dissipate on its own in a few days, so there’s no need to be concerned."
Zhao Erbao was at a loss for words; how could he believe such a lie? It must be some terrifying禁制!
Recalling his encounter with the illusionary realm, he shivered again and quickly pledged, "Senior, please rest assured. From now on, I will do whatever you say without hesitation!"
Li Fan smiled but didn't respond.
He wasn’t lying; what had just entered Zhao Erbao’s body was indeed a chill produced by the Blue Flame Illusion Spirit.
It served no specific purpose other than to scare him.
Other people's verbal threats were far less terrifying than his own doubts and suspicions.
Of course, he couldn’t rely solely on scaring Zhao Erbao. Necessary countermeasures were still needed.
The Formless Killing Mechanism had already secretly locked onto him, so there was no need to fear his escape.
With the big stick approach came the carrot.
Li Fan said to Zhao Erbao, "I don't need you to do anything else. Just continue as before—fully gather ancient relics from that unknown civilization. I will check on your progress at intervals. Once the Dao Rhythm successfully coalesces, you can join me in perceiving it." He then handed over a one-way communication spirit token.
Zhao Erbao was delighted and quickly accepted the token, reaffirming his loyalty.
"Let's go," Li Fan said coldly, "to meet that young lady with the Divine Sensory Treasure Body."
After spending more than a day, they returned to Night-Long Island in the evening.
Inside Tianbao Tower, the two sisters were chatting idly when Li Fan and Zhao Erbao suddenly appeared before them.
A hint of killing intent was revealed as he locked onto them.
He said indifferently, "Will you do anything for me?"
The sudden appearance startled the two sisters. Just as they were about to scream, they found themselves unable to make a sound.
They instantly recognized their visitors: Immortal Masters.
Sister Yin Yueting’s face turned pale. She knew she had no choice but to comply.
Before she could respond, her sister secretly kicked her right calf, and she replied, "Senior Immortal, we are willing to serve by your side."
Li Fan shook his head inwardly; the girl misunderstood him.
He gestured for Zhao Erbao to explain.
Zhao Erbao, in a display of authority, recounted the situation.
"You must mobilize the power of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and work with me to gather ancient relics."
Yin Yueting, after realizing her special constitution was exposed, nodded respectfully.
In contrast, Yin Yuzhen looked down, occasionally curiously observing Li Fan without fear. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see him as he had hidden his form.
Li Fan observed the three of them and gave final instructions to Zhao Erbao. "There are no cultivators on Night-Long Island, so you should help Tianbao Tower expand while improving search efficiency."
"Of course, be cautious not to attract other cultivators' attention."
"If you really run into someone too powerful, prioritize your survival. I will handle it later."
Zhao Erbao solemnly replied, "Senior Immortal, you are truly considerate."
Li Fan continued, "Though these two girls are mere mortals, don't oppress them. Their efforts in gathering relics must be wholehearted."
"Understood," Zhao Erbao responded quickly.
Yin Yueting’s face brightened as she pulled her sister to kneel and vow her utmost effort.
Li Fan nodded before quietly leaving for Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
For Li Fan, the quest for Dao Rhythm was just a minor interlude in his cultivation life. He made some arrangements and awaited the outcome.
What intrigued him more were the two mysterious intuitions that had guided him to sense the presence of those great beings beyond the realm of dao.
Was it coincidence or something inevitable?
If it was mere coincidence, then so be it.
But if not, the implications were chilling.
"Longevity Heaven Venerables have gone to great lengths to remain hidden, yet they are constantly pointed out by the subtle guidance of the universe."
"神仙打架，凡人遭殃啊."
"But, there is genuine opportunity..."
Li Fan did not believe that this world would lack any form of resistance against the Longevity Heaven Venerables.
Even a chicken would cry before it died. How much more so for the laws of dao?
"But, not every cultivator receives such guidance."
"Perhaps there are secrets I am unaware of hidden within."
...
Returning to Ten Thousand Immortals Island, Li Fan resumed studying the array formation jade slip.
The work of gathering Dao Rhythm relics proceeded smoothly under Zhao Erbao and Yin Yueting’s joint leadership.
Time passed swiftly. By 2019, events in Cloudy Sea had remained quiet.
However, one peculiar incident caught many cultivators' attention and became a topic of discussion during their leisure time.
The protagonist was Zhang Haobo.
When Li Fan emerged from his seclusion, he learned about the incident from fellow cultivators’ discussions. "Zhang Haobo is quite the hero now; wherever there's a wind disaster, he heads there. With his sword light slicing through, those disasters often dissipate before they fully form."
"Indeed, it’s said that people in Cloudy Sea suffering from wind disasters have started setting up altars and offering incense for him."
"I remember Zhang Haobo somewhat. Wasn’t he the one who tested swords on a dozen puppets in some cave?"
"Yes, I recall now. But back then, he was only at the Qi Refining stage. How did he become so powerful just a few years later?"
"Right, he’s now an advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator. His Cutting Wind Sword Technique is formidable; ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn’t last more than a few rounds against him."
"I was in seclusion for just a short while, and he’s already at the advanced stage? What gives?"
"He's a prodigy, hard to measure by common standards. I think he’s using wind disasters to test his sword skills."
"Old news, the latest update is that he’s not Cutting Wind anymore."
"Oh? What’s he doing now?"
"He might surprise you; he’s now herding the winds!"
"Herding the winds? What does that mean?"
The cultivators exchanged puzzled glances.
"Hey, do you know what 'herding' means?"
"Not… it can’t be!"
The cultivators exclaimed in disbelief.
"Herding the winds?" Li Fan's eyes flickered with interest.
"What is Zhang Haobo trying to achieve?"
He activated his Heaven-Viewing and Earth-Hearing Technique, switching perspectives instantly.