yóu yú yì qǐ fù zé sōu jí dào yùn gǔ wù ， sū xiǎo mèi hé yīn yuè tíng jiě mèi zǒu de hěn jìn 。
由于一起负责搜集道韵古物，苏小妹和殷玥婷姐妹走的很近。
Due to a mission involving ancient relics of Dao韵, Su Xiaomei and Yin Yueting became very close.
zài jiā shàng ， sū xiǎo mèi zhǎng zhè me dà ， chú le xiāo héng hé sū zhǎng yù yǐ wài ， hái méi zěn me jiē chù guò wài rén 。
再加上，苏小妹长这么大，除了萧恒和苏长玉以外，还没怎么接触过外人。
In addition, Su Xiaomei had only met outsiders sparingly since she was young, apart from Xiao Heng and Su Changyu.
suǒ yǐ liǎng nián lái de zhāo xī xiāng chǔ ， dǎo shì péi yǎng chū le yī xiē gǎn qíng 。
所以两年来的朝夕相处，倒是培养出了一些感情。
So after two years of constant companionship, they developed some feelings for each other.
zài sū xiǎo mèi de sǒng yǒng xià ， yīn yuè tíng jiě mèi yě shì kāi shǐ xiū xíng qǐ le 《 xuán huáng qīng xīn zhòu 》, shì tú qū chú tǐ nèi zhàng qì ， tà shàng xiān tú 。
在苏小妹的怂恿下，殷玥婷姐妹也是开始修行起了《玄黄清心咒》, 试图祛除体内瘴气，踏上仙途。
Encouraged by Su Xiaomei, Yin Yueting also began practicing the *Xuanhuang Qixin Spell* to rid herself of the demon mist within her body and embark on the path of immortality.
kě tā men xiū xíng qǐ lái ， bǐ qǐ sū zhǎng yù hái yào jiān nán jǐ fēn 。
可她们修行起来，比起苏长玉还要艰难几分。
However, their progress was more challenging than that of Su Changyu's.
bù guò tā men yě zhǐ shì píng cháng xīn duì dài ， suǒ yǐ màn zé màn yǐ ， jìn dù què shì yì zhí zài zēng jiā de 。
不过她们也只是平常心对待，所以慢则慢矣，进度却是一直在增加的。
Nevertheless, they took a calm approach. Thus, though slow, their progress continued steadily.
lǐ fán zhǐ shì guān chá le yī quān ， méi yǒu xiàn shēn 。
李凡只是观察了一圈，没有现身。
Li Fan merely observed without making an appearance.
què dìng méi yǒu shén me yì wài qíng kuàng zhī hòu ， lǐ fán biàn fǎn huí le wàn xiān dǎo 。
确定没有什么意外情况之后，李凡便返回了万仙岛。
After confirming there were no unexpected issues, Li Fan returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island and handed the array crown back to Zhang Ziliang before immersing himself once again in studying arrays.
jiāng zhèn miǎn jiāo huán gěi zhāng zhì liáng ， lǐ fán yòu chóng xīn chén jìn zài zhèn fǎ de xué xí zhī zhōng 。
将阵冕交还给张志良，李凡又重新沉浸在阵法的学习之中。
At this time, it was 2022. He set a six-year timeline for himself.
cǐ shí shì máo dìng 22 nián , tā wèi zì jǐ shè dìng le 6 nián de shí jiān 。
此时是锚定22年, 他为自己设定了6年的时间。
In his previous life, when he emerged from seclusion at 31 years, the Scarlet Flame Devastation Sea had already begun.
shàng yī shì ， máo dìng 31 nián tā chū guān de shí hòu ， chì yán fén hǎi yǐ jīng kāi shǐ 。
上一世，锚定31年他出关的时候，赤炎焚海已经开始。
When he was at Ten Thousand Immortals Island to hand over the Tai'an Fruit at 30 years, he had also gone there.
ér máo dìng 30 nián de shí hòu ， tā hái qù guò wàn xiān dǎo ， shàng jiāo guò tài ān guǒ 。
而锚定30年的时候，他还去过万仙岛，上交过泰安果。
Therefore, the appearance of the Scarlet Flame should have occurred between 30 and 31 years.
suǒ yǐ chì yán chū xiàn ， yīng gāi shì zài máo dìng 30-31 nián zhī jiān 。
所以赤炎出现，应该是在锚定30-31年之间。
However, in this life, Zhang Haobo posed an unpredictable factor.
dàn zhè yī shì ， yǒu zhe zhāng hào bō zhè ge bù wěn dìng yīn sù zài 。
但这一世，有着张浩波这个不稳定因素在。
To be safe, Li Fan decided that by no later than 28 years, he would need to leave.
bǎo xiǎn qǐ jiàn ， lǐ fán jué dìng zuì chí máo dìng 28 nián ， jiù bì xū yào lí kāi le 。
保险起见，李凡决定最迟锚定28年，就必须要离开了。
In the meantime, he would seize every opportunity to study arrays.
zài zhè zhī qián ， hái shì zhuā jǐn yī qiè shí jiān xué xí zhèn fǎ 。
在这之前，还是抓紧一切时间学习阵法。
After all, once you miss your village, there's no more inn.
bì jìng , guò le zhè ge cūn ， jiù méi zhè ge diàn le 。
毕竟, 过了这个村，就没这个店了。
Upon arriving in the unfamiliar Yuan Dao Prefecture, where could one find an array master to teach them personally?
dào le mò shēng de yuán dào zhōu zhī hòu ， nǎ lǐ hái néng zhǎo de dào zhèn fǎ dà shī shǒu bǎ shǒu jiào shòu nǐ 。
到了陌生的源道州之后，哪里还能找的到阵法大师手把手教授你。
With time pressing on, Li Fan became even more diligent.
shí jiān jǐn pò , lǐ fán yù fā qín fèn qǐ lái 。
时间紧迫, 李凡愈发勤奋起来。
He immersed himself in array studies without rest, even turning down Zhang Ziliang’s polite request for a break.
chén jìn zài zhèn dào yán xí zhī zhōng ， yī kè bù xiē 。
沉浸在阵道研习之中，一刻不歇。
Over the years, Zhang Ziliang's array apprentices came and went.
lián zhāng zhì liáng wěi wǎn de quàn tā xiū xī piàn kè ， yě bèi tā yì zhèng yán cí de jù jué le 。
连张志良委婉的劝他休息片刻，也被他义正言辞的拒绝了。
But none matched Li Fan's unwavering focus and persistence.
shù nián jiān , zhāng zhì liáng shēn biān de zhèn dào xué tú huàn le yòu huàn 。
数年间, 张志良身边的阵道学徒换了又换。
Zhang Ziliang looked at Li Fan with increasingly gentle eyes.
dàn rú lǐ fán zhè bān ， shǐ zhōng xīn wú páng wù 、 jiān chí rú yī de ， zài wú tā rén 。
但如李凡这般，始终心无旁骛、坚持如一的，再无他人。
Four years passed in a blink.
zhāng zhì liáng kàn zhe lǐ fán de yǎn shén yě yuè fā róu hé 。
张志良看着李凡的眼神也越发柔和。
It was 2026 when Li Fan, engrossed in studying arrays, paused momentarily.
shí jiān liú shì ， yī huǎng sì nián guò qù le 。
时间流逝，一晃四年过去了。
It was Lin Fan’s consciousness, who had been in seclusion refining his techniques for so long, that finally ran out of contribution points and was forced to emerge from seclusion.
shí jiān lái dào le máo dìng 26 nián 。
时间来到了锚定26年。
After two hundred seventy years of contemplation, the results were not bad but also not great.
zhèng zài yán dú zhèn fǎ de lǐ fán wēi wēi lèng shén 。
正在研读阵法的李凡微微愣神。
Creating a new technique was incredibly difficult, even if it wasn’t starting from scratch.
què shì yì zhí zài bì guān tuī yǎn gōng fǎ de fēn shēn lín fán ， gòng xiàn dù hào jìn ， bèi pò chū guān le 。
却是一直在闭关推衍功法的分身林凡，贡献度耗尽，被迫出关了。
Only one of the two techniques he had started could be fully developed, while the other was only half-complete.
xiāng dāng yú liǎng bǎi qī shí nián shí jiān de cān wù ， jié guǒ bù suàn hǎo ， dàn yě bù huài 。
相当于两百七十年时间的参悟，结果不算好，但也不坏。
Li Fan estimated that another thirty years should suffice for the latter.
zì chuàng gōng fǎ shí zài tài nán ， nǎ pà bú shì wú zhōng shēng yǒu ， zhǐ shì jiāng yuán běn jiù yǒu de gōng fǎ jìn xíng gǎi biān ， yě shì qiān nán wàn nán 。
自创功法实在太难，哪怕不是无中生有，只是将原本就有的功法进行改编，也是千难万难。
On average, it would take him about 150 years to derive a new technique at this stage.
liǎng mén gōng fǎ ， zhǐ lái de jí tuī yǎn chū yī mén 。
两门功法，只来得及推衍出一门。
This was just Foundation Establishment Realm techniques.
shèng xià de yī mén de jìn dù zhǐ wán chéng le dà bàn 。
剩下的一门的进度只完成了大半。
No wonder the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Association could monopolize techniques.
lǐ fán gū mō zhe ， zài yòng sān shí nián shí jiān yīng gāi jiù chà bu duō le 。
李凡估摸着，再用三十年时间应该就差不多了。
Li Fan couldn’t help but feel that it was not worth the effort; the cost far outweighed the benefits.
píng jūn xià lái ， chà bu duō yì bǎi wǔ shí nián ， tā cái néng tuī yǎn chū yī mén xīn fǎ 。
平均下来，差不多一百五十年，他才能推衍出一门新法。
He checked his newly derived technique: *Yi Ling Huan Gong* (Mind Spirit Illusion Technique).
zhè hái zhǐ shì zhù jī qī de gōng fǎ ér yǐ 。
这还只是筑基期的功法而已。
It was a synthesis of *Ming Ling Huan Gong* and his understanding of Zhang Haobo’s sword intent during Foundation Establishment.
nán guài wàn xiān méng hé wǔ lǎo huì néng shí xiàn gōng fǎ de lǒng duàn 。
难怪万仙盟和五老会能实现功法的垄断。
With this technique, Blue Flame Phantom Spirit would grow further.
lǐ fán bù yóu dì xīn zhōng gǎn kǎi dào 。
李凡不由地心中感慨道。
As for the new movement based on *Following Shadow诀*, it had yet to be derived.
shí zài shì dé bù cháng shī ， chéng běn yuǎn dà yú shōu yì 。
实在是得不偿失，成本远大于收益。
For now, he focused on improving his understanding of arrays.
lǐ fán chá kàn zhe zì jǐ lǐng wù chū de xīn gōng fǎ 。
李凡查看着自己领悟出的新功法。
Lin Fan, meanwhile, was running errands and gathering contribution points on Ten Thousand Immortals Island while investigating recent events.
《 yì líng huàn gōng 》。
《意灵幻功》。
But no useful information was found.
nǎi shì tā zōng hé 《 míng líng huàn gōng 》， hé zhāng hào bō jiàn yì zhù jī de gǎn wù ， tuī yǎn ér chū 。
乃是他综合《冥灵幻功》，和张浩波剑意筑基的感悟，推衍而出。
Since 2022, the Cunyun Sea had been in a strange state of calmness as if something was brewing.
yǒu le zhè mén gōng fǎ ， lán yán huàn líng jiāng huì dé dào jìn yí bù de chéng zhǎng 。
有了这门功法，蓝炎幻灵将会得到进一步的成长。
Time continued to flow forward.
zhì yú yǐ 《 rú yǐng suí xíng jué 》 wèi lán běn de xīn shēn fǎ ， dǎo shì hái méi yǒu tuī yǎn chū lái 。
至于以《如影随形诀》为蓝本的新身法，倒是还没有推衍出来。
By 2028, Li Fan's planned departure from the Cunyun Sea was imminent. Just as he was about to find an excuse to bid farewell to Zhang Ziliang,
zàn shí méi yǒu qù xiū xíng ， lǐ fán hái shì zhuā jǐn shèng xià de shí jiān ， jǐn kě néng tí gāo zì shēn duì zhèn fǎ de lǐ jiě 。
暂时没有去修行，李凡还是抓紧剩下的时间，尽可能提高自身对阵法的理解。
he was taken aside by Zhang Ziliang into a private space.
fēn shēn lín fán zé shì yī biān zuò yī xiē wàn xiān dǎo shàng de pǎo tuǐ rèn wù , zǎn diǎn gòng xiàn dù , wéi chí zì jǐ zài tiān xuán jìng zhōng shēng cún suǒ xū 。
分身林凡则是一边做一些万仙岛上的跑腿任务, 攒点贡献度, 维持自己在天玄境中生存所需。
In the distance, the dazzling starry river could be seen. After nearly ten years of studying arrays, Li Fan could vaguely make out the traces of a slowly running array.
yī biān dǎ tàn zhe zhè jǐ nián fā shēng de shì 。
一边打探着这几年发生的事。
"Something I need you to do for me," Zhang Ziliang said seriously, his expression stern and leaving no room for refusal.
dàn què méi yǒu dǎ tàn dào shén me yǒu yòng de xiāo xī 。
但却没有打探到什么有用的消息。
"You should go to Tian Yu Prefecture, where the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is located."
zì cóng máo dìng 22 nián zhī hòu ， zhěng gè cóng yún hǎi jiù xiàn rù le guǐ yì de píng jìng zhī zhōng 。
自从锚定22年之后，整个丛云海就陷入了诡异的平静之中。
"After arriving there, open this item. You will know what to do next."
fǎng fú yǒu zhe shén me zài yùn niàng yì bān 。
仿佛有着什么在酝酿一般。
Li Fan was momentarily stunned as he took the small black box from Zhang Ziliang.
shí jiān zhī hé ， jì xù bēn yǒng xiàng qián 。
时间之河，继续奔涌向前。
The box was rectangular and smooth, with a sealing array engraved on its surface.
yī huǎng lái dào le máo dìng 28 nián 。
一晃来到了锚定28年。
"Carrying this object prevents you from using teleportation arrays; you must fly all the way there,"
lǐ fán jì huà zhōng chè lí cóng yún hǎi de shí jiān yǐ dào ， zhèng dāng tā xiǎng yào zhǎo gè shuō cí ， gēn zhāng zhì liáng cí xíng de shí hòu 。
李凡计划中撤离丛云海的时间已到，正当他想要找个说辞，跟张志良辞行的时候。
"The journey to Tian Yu Prefecture is long. At your speed, it will take two or three years. While traveling, don’t idle around."
tā què bèi zhāng zhì liáng dān dú dài dào le yí gè mì bì de kōng jiān zhōng 。
他却被张志良单独带到了一个密闭的空间中。
"Instead, try to break through the sealing array on top. With your current level of array mastery, this seal should naturally be broken when you arrive at Tian Yu Prefecture."
yuǎn chù shì cuǐ càn duó mù dì xīng hé ， yán xí zhèn fǎ yǐ jìn shí nián de lǐ fán ， yǐn yuē néng kàn chū yī zuò huǎn huǎn yùn xíng de dà zhèn de hén jì 。
远处是璀璨夺目的星河，研习阵法已近十年的李凡，隐约能看出一座缓缓运行的大阵的痕迹。
At first, Li Fan didn't understand why Zhang Ziliang had given him such a mysterious task.
“ wǒ yǒu yī shì ， xū yào nǐ wèi wǒ qù bàn 。” zhāng zhì liáng kàn zhe lǐ fán ， miàn sè yán sù 。
“我有一事，需要你为我去办。”张志良看着李凡，面色严肃。
But after hearing all his requirements, he understood.
yán yǔ yì cháng qiáng yìng ， gēn běn bù gěi lǐ fán jù jué de jī huì 。
言语异常强硬，根本不给李凡拒绝的机会。
He quietly put away the small black box without asking about compensation and prepared to leave.
“ nǐ tì wǒ pǎo yī tàng tiān yǔ zhōu ， nà lǐ shì wàn xiān méng zǒng bù suǒ zài dì 。”
“你替我跑一趟天禹州，那里是万仙盟总部所在地。”
Before leaving, Li Fan asked, "Master Zhang, are you not going?"
“ dào le nà zhī hòu ， nǐ jiāng cǐ wù dǎ kāi ， zì rán zhī dào jiē xià lái gāi zěn me bàn 。”
“到了那之后，你将此物打开，自然知道接下来该怎么办。”
Zhang Ziliang was taken aback but then carefully examined Li Fan again with approval in his eyes.
lǐ fán wēi wēi yī lèng ， jiē guò le zhāng zhì liáng dì guò lái de dōng xī 。
李凡微微一愣，接过了张志良递过来的东西。
"Go? The world is vast. Where can one go?"
zhǐ jiàn nà shì yí gè cháng fāng xíng de xiǎo hēi xiá ， wài biǎo guāng huá yōu hēi 。
只见那是一个长方形的小黑匣，外表光滑幽黑。
"Go!"
qí shàng kè yìn le yī dào fǎ zhèn ， yòng zuò fēng yìn 。
其上刻印了一道法阵，用作封印。
Li Fan respectfully bowed and left the Array Command Hall without saying anything more.
“ xié dài cǐ wù ， biàn bù néng shǐ yòng chuán sòng fǎ zhèn 。 nǐ xū yào yī lù fēi guò qù 。”
“携带此物，便不能使用传送法阵。你需要一路飞过去。”
"I hope I chose well," Zhang Ziliang sighed as he watched Li Fan disappear.
“ tiān yǔ zhōu lù tú yáo yuǎn ， yǐ nǐ de sù dù ， gū jì yào yòng liǎng sān nián cái néng dào nà lǐ 。 nǐ zài gǎn lù de tóng shí ， yě bié xián zhe 。”
“天禹州路途遥远，以你的速度，估计要用两三年才能到那里。你在赶路的同时，也别闲着。”
...
“ pò jiě zhè shàng miàn de fēng yìn fǎ zhèn 。 xiāng xìn yǐ nǐ mù qián de zhèn dào shuǐ píng ， dāng nǐ dào dá tiān yǔ zhōu de shí hòu ， zhè fēng yìn yě zì rán jiù jiě kāi le 。”
“破解这上面的封印法阵。相信以你目前的阵道水平，当你到达天禹州的时候，这封印也自然就解开了。”
Standing on the Teaching Platform, watching the swift flow of Cunyun Sea's cultivators before the Teaching Immortal Statue, Li Fan knew it was time.
lǐ fán yī kāi shǐ hái bù dǒng zhāng zhì liáng zhè mò míng qiǎo miào de rèn wù shì zěn me huí shì 。
李凡一开始还不懂张志良这莫名巧妙的任务是怎么回事。
Using a communication spirit talisman, he contacted Su Xiaomei and asked her to gather everyone at Night-End Island for departure.
bù guò zài tīng wán tā de yī xì liè yāo qiú zhī hòu ， què shì dǒng le 。
不过在听完他的一系列要求之后，却是懂了。
He then arrived at the Lustrous Island via the teleportation array, planning to take Su Xiaomei and others with him.
mò mò de jiāng xiǎo hēi xiá shōu qǐ ， yě méi yǒu wèn bào chóu de shì ， zhǔn bèi gào cí lí kāi 。
默默的将小黑匣收起，也没有问报酬的事，准备告辞离开。
But just as they stepped out of the array, Li Fan was stopped by Yuwen Xing, who guarded Lustrous Island.
lín xíng zhī jì ， lǐ fán hái shì wèn le yī jù ：“ zhāng dà shī ， nǐ bù zǒu me ？”
临行之际，李凡还是问了一句：“张大师，你不走么？”
"I have a good task. Would you be interested?" Yuwen Xing warmly looked at Li Fan.
zhāng zhì liáng lèng le xià ， suí hòu yòu chóng xīn zǐ xì dǎ liàng le xià lǐ fán 。
张志良愣了下，随后又重新仔细打量了下李凡。
"Oh? What kind of task is it?" Li Fan politely asked but didn't take it seriously.
yǎn zhōng chōng mǎn zàn xǔ zhī sè ：“ zǒu ？ tiān dì zhī dà ， yòu néng zǒu dào nǎ qù ne 。”
眼中充满赞许之色：“走？天地之大，又能走到哪去呢。”
He knew he would reject whatever Yuwen Xing said anyway.
“ nǐ qiě qù ba ！”
“你且去吧！”
"Tai'an Island's guardian and I are on good terms. He’s currently facing a cultivation bottleneck and wants to seek out opportunities outside."
lǐ fán gōng jìng de xíng le yī lǐ ， bù zài shuō xiē shén me ， lí kāi le cè zhèn táng 。
李凡恭敬的行了一礼，不再说些什么，离开了策阵堂。
"However, his duties prevent him from leaving擅自. So he asked me if there was anyone suitable to recommend."
“ xī wàng wǒ méi kàn cuò rén 。” zhāng zhì liáng kàn zhe lǐ fán xiāo shī de fāng xiàng ， tàn le kǒu qì 。
“希望我没看错人。”张志良看着李凡消失的方向，叹了口气。
"Coincidentally, it's you,"
……
……
Yuwen Xing said with a smile.
zhàn zài chuán fǎ guǎng chǎng shàng ， kàn zhe chuán fǎ xiān zūn xiàng qián ， lái qù cōng cōng de cóng yún hǎi xiū shì men ， lǐ fán xīn zhōng míng bái 。
站在传法广场上，看着传法仙尊象前，来去匆匆的丛云海修士们，李凡心中明白。
Li Fan only heard part of the conversation before realizing something was amiss.
shì shí hòu le 。
是时候了。
When Yuwen Xing finished speaking, Li Fan’s face turned red.
yòng tōng xùn líng fú ， lián xì shàng le sū xiǎo mèi 。
用通讯灵符，联系上了苏小妹。
"Still here?"
ràng tā hé zhòng rén yì qǐ ， zài yè lán dǎo děng dài 。
让她和众人一起，在夜阑岛等待。
"No, no. I’m on a mission for someone and can’t spare the time."
dāng xià tōng guò chuán sòng zhèn ， lái dào le liú lí dǎo 。
当下通过传送阵，来到了琉璃岛。
"Friend, you should find another," Li Fan firmly declined without hesitation.
Due to a mission involving ancient relics of Dao韵, Su Xiaomei and Yin Yueting became very close.
In addition, Su Xiaomei had only met outsiders sparingly since she was young, apart from Xiao Heng and Su Changyu.
So after two years of constant companionship, they developed some feelings for each other.
Encouraged by Su Xiaomei, Yin Yueting also began practicing the *Xuanhuang Qixin Spell* to rid herself of the demon mist within her body and embark on the path of immortality.
However, their progress was more challenging than that of Su Changyu's.
Nevertheless, they took a calm approach. Thus, though slow, their progress continued steadily.
Li Fan merely observed without making an appearance.
After confirming there were no unexpected issues, Li Fan returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island and handed the array crown back to Zhang Ziliang before immersing himself once again in studying arrays.
At this time, it was 2022. He set a six-year timeline for himself.
In his previous life, when he emerged from seclusion at 31 years, the Scarlet Flame Devastation Sea had already begun.
When he was at Ten Thousand Immortals Island to hand over the Tai'an Fruit at 30 years, he had also gone there.
Therefore, the appearance of the Scarlet Flame should have occurred between 30 and 31 years.
However, in this life, Zhang Haobo posed an unpredictable factor.
To be safe, Li Fan decided that by no later than 28 years, he would need to leave.
In the meantime, he would seize every opportunity to study arrays.
After all, once you miss your village, there's no more inn.
Upon arriving in the unfamiliar Yuan Dao Prefecture, where could one find an array master to teach them personally?
With time pressing on, Li Fan became even more diligent.
He immersed himself in array studies without rest, even turning down Zhang Ziliang’s polite request for a break.
Over the years, Zhang Ziliang's array apprentices came and went.
But none matched Li Fan's unwavering focus and persistence.
Zhang Ziliang looked at Li Fan with increasingly gentle eyes.
Four years passed in a blink.
It was 2026 when Li Fan, engrossed in studying arrays, paused momentarily.
It was Lin Fan’s consciousness, who had been in seclusion refining his techniques for so long, that finally ran out of contribution points and was forced to emerge from seclusion.
After two hundred seventy years of contemplation, the results were not bad but also not great.
Creating a new technique was incredibly difficult, even if it wasn’t starting from scratch.
Only one of the two techniques he had started could be fully developed, while the other was only half-complete.
Li Fan estimated that another thirty years should suffice for the latter.
On average, it would take him about 150 years to derive a new technique at this stage.
This was just Foundation Establishment Realm techniques.
No wonder the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Association could monopolize techniques.
Li Fan couldn’t help but feel that it was not worth the effort; the cost far outweighed the benefits.
He checked his newly derived technique: *Yi Ling Huan Gong* (Mind Spirit Illusion Technique).
It was a synthesis of *Ming Ling Huan Gong* and his understanding of Zhang Haobo’s sword intent during Foundation Establishment.
With this technique, Blue Flame Phantom Spirit would grow further.
As for the new movement based on *Following Shadow诀*, it had yet to be derived.
For now, he focused on improving his understanding of arrays.
Lin Fan, meanwhile, was running errands and gathering contribution points on Ten Thousand Immortals Island while investigating recent events.
But no useful information was found.
Since 2022, the Cunyun Sea had been in a strange state of calmness as if something was brewing.
Time continued to flow forward.
By 2028, Li Fan's planned departure from the Cunyun Sea was imminent. Just as he was about to find an excuse to bid farewell to Zhang Ziliang,
he was taken aside by Zhang Ziliang into a private space.
In the distance, the dazzling starry river could be seen. After nearly ten years of studying arrays, Li Fan could vaguely make out the traces of a slowly running array.
"Something I need you to do for me," Zhang Ziliang said seriously, his expression stern and leaving no room for refusal.
"You should go to Tian Yu Prefecture, where the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is located."
"After arriving there, open this item. You will know what to do next."
Li Fan was momentarily stunned as he took the small black box from Zhang Ziliang.
The box was rectangular and smooth, with a sealing array engraved on its surface.
"Carrying this object prevents you from using teleportation arrays; you must fly all the way there,"
"The journey to Tian Yu Prefecture is long. At your speed, it will take two or three years. While traveling, don’t idle around."
"Instead, try to break through the sealing array on top. With your current level of array mastery, this seal should naturally be broken when you arrive at Tian Yu Prefecture."
At first, Li Fan didn't understand why Zhang Ziliang had given him such a mysterious task.
But after hearing all his requirements, he understood.
He quietly put away the small black box without asking about compensation and prepared to leave.
Before leaving, Li Fan asked, "Master Zhang, are you not going?"
Zhang Ziliang was taken aback but then carefully examined Li Fan again with approval in his eyes.
"Go? The world is vast. Where can one go?"
"Go!"
Li Fan respectfully bowed and left the Array Command Hall without saying anything more.
"I hope I chose well," Zhang Ziliang sighed as he watched Li Fan disappear.
...
Standing on the Teaching Platform, watching the swift flow of Cunyun Sea's cultivators before the Teaching Immortal Statue, Li Fan knew it was time.
Using a communication spirit talisman, he contacted Su Xiaomei and asked her to gather everyone at Night-End Island for departure.
He then arrived at the Lustrous Island via the teleportation array, planning to take Su Xiaomei and others with him.
But just as they stepped out of the array, Li Fan was stopped by Yuwen Xing, who guarded Lustrous Island.
"I have a good task. Would you be interested?" Yuwen Xing warmly looked at Li Fan.
"Oh? What kind of task is it?" Li Fan politely asked but didn't take it seriously.
He knew he would reject whatever Yuwen Xing said anyway.
"Tai'an Island's guardian and I are on good terms. He’s currently facing a cultivation bottleneck and wants to seek out opportunities outside."
"However, his duties prevent him from leaving擅自. So he asked me if there was anyone suitable to recommend."
"Coincidentally, it's you,"
Yuwen Xing said with a smile.
Li Fan only heard part of the conversation before realizing something was amiss.
When Yuwen Xing finished speaking, Li Fan’s face turned red.
"Still here?"
"No, no. I’m on a mission for someone and can’t spare the time."
"Friend, you should find another," Li Fan firmly declined without hesitation.