“ pīn bù guò tiān fù ， yào me kào qí yù 、 yào me kào nǔ lì 。”
“拼不过天赋，要么靠奇遇、要么靠努力。”
"First, I'm a bit embarrassed. Zhang Zhi Liang probably didn't expect me to be directly eliminated in the first round."
“ kě xī ， nǔ lì shì yǒu le ， qí yù zhè yī shì zàn shí hái méi pèng dào 。”
“可惜，努力是有了，奇遇这一世暂时还没碰到。”
"Calculating the time, it should still be more than a year before the Red Flame Purification Sea."
dāng jù hún zhū zhōng de zuì hòu yī lǚ jīn sè xiāo sàn wú zōng shí ， lǐ fán bù jīn fā chū rú cǐ de gǎn kǎi 。
当聚魂珠中的最后一缕金色消散无踪时，李凡不禁发出如此的感慨。
"I can't go back for sure. I'll follow my original plan and stay in this Tian Yu State for some time. After completing Senior He's closed training, I will head straight to him."
méi yǒu yì wài fā shēng 。
没有意外发生。
"As for Zhang Zhi Liang..."
yòu guò qù le liǎng gè duō yuè ， lǐ fán suī rán bù néng shuō yì diǎn jìn bù méi yǒu 。
又过去了两个多月，李凡虽然不能说一点进步没有。
"Considering that he won't abandon his chance of achieving the Dao just because of a small matter like this, to come looking for trouble..."
dàn yě zhǐ shì biàn bié de chéng gōng lǜ cóng wàn fēn zhī wǔ ， tí gāo dào le qiān fēn zhī yī ér yǐ 。
但也只是辨别的成功率从万分之五，提高到了千分之一而已。
Thinking about what Senior Shangguan Shi mentioned—the Lecture Hall—since there was no place to go, Li Fan inquired about its location and headed straight there.
yī rán bù néng chá jué zhèng cháng shén hún hé hún qì shén hún zhī jiān de bù tóng ， suǒ wèi de biàn bié yě hái zhǐ shì kào zhí jué zài xiā cāi 。
依然不能察觉正常神魂和魂契神魂之间的不同，所谓的辨别也还只是靠直觉在瞎猜。
The Lecture Hall wasn't just one building; it was an entire complex. In addition to providing services such as gatherings and dining, it also had several small courtyards like the Cosmic Realm Residence for accommodation.
zhè dāng rán wú fǎ mǎn zú jiàn zào 【 tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn 】 de yāo qiú 。
这当然无法满足建造【天玄锁灵阵】的要求。
In the main hall of the Lecture Hall, it was bustling with many cultivators. Most of them were not very advanced in cultivation; Li Fan estimated that their highest level was probably at the Yuan婴 stage.
“ kàn lái zhǐ néng xià cì zài lái shì shì le 。”
“看来只能下次再来试试了。”
It seemed that cultivators who reached the Huashen stage and above would choose to stay in a separate courtyard for their gatherings.
“ wéi yī yǒu diǎn shě bù dé de ， jiù shì zhè néng gōng fèi kāi qǐ qǐ líng zhuàng tài de shàng pǐn huán yǔ bié yuàn 。”
“唯一有点舍不得的，就是这能公费开启启灵状态的上品寰宇别院。”
He casually found an empty spot to sit down, and a cup of spirit tea appeared on the table automatically.
lǐ fán yáo le yáo tóu ， zhuā jǐn zhè zuì hòu shí jiān ， miǎn fèi xiū liàn 。
李凡摇了摇头，抓紧这最后时间，免费修炼。
After taking a sip, he felt his body's qi surging with a refreshing sensation. He finished it all at once, placed the cup back on the table, and the spirit tea refilled from the bottom.
shí jǐ tiān hòu ， měi yuè yí dù de kǎo hé zài cì dào lái 。
十几天后，每月一度的考核再次到来。
This time, instead of drinking it, Li Fan picked up an engraved jade plaque marked "Dao" on the table.
dà bù fèn xiū shì shǒu zhōng de jù hún zhū yǐ jīng quán dōu xiāo hào wán bì ， suǒ yǐ zhè cì kǎo yàn ， yě shì jué dìng shuí qù shuí liú de zuì zhōng cè yàn 。
大部分修士手中的聚魂珠已经全都消耗完毕，所以这次考验，也是决定谁去谁留的最终测验。
After probing with his divine sense, various dishes appeared in his mind, almost all of which had some effect on improving the body's constitution and refining the purity of the internal qi. Of course, the prices were extremely high—almost a few hundred contribution points each.
lǐ fán de chéng jì fā huī hěn wěn dìng 。
李凡的成绩发挥很稳定。
"This Lecture Hall must be located in the Cloudy Sky Sea; ordinary cultivators can't afford it."
zhèn fǎ gòu zào zhī shí bù fèn ， yī jiù shì shàng shàng 。
阵法构造知识部分，依旧是上上。
Li Fan casually ordered several dishes to taste their effects. While waiting, he listened intently to the conversations around him, just like in an ordinary human tavern.
ér biàn bié hún qì bù fèn ， zé réng rán shì xià xià 。
而辨别魂契部分，则仍然是下下。
Topics ranged from anything and everything—someone's cultivation level had improved by a small step; someone was nearing the end of their life but still couldn't break through, dying with regret; the Five Elders' Association hadn't made any significant moves recently, indicating that they were secretly planning something.
“ biàn bié chéng gōng lǜ zài bǎi fēn zhī wǔ shí yǐ shàng zhě ， cái yǒu jì xù shēn zào de jī huì 。”
“辨别成功率在百分之五十以上者，才有继续深造的机会。”
All these topics didn't bother Li Fan. After a while, the hall suddenly became noisy again, and several keywords caught his attention as he focused his ears.
“ fán bù dá biāo zhě ， zì jīn rì qǐ zhú chū huán yǔ bié yuàn 。”
“凡不达标者，自今日起逐出寰宇别院。”
"Senior Daoist Lü, did you really find an immortal fruit to extend life?"
“ bìng tōng bào gěi xiāng guān rén yuán 。”
“并通报给相关人员。”
"Hush, be discreet. This underground forest expedition indeed yielded some results. The Heaven Mirror Xuan confirmed that the Purple True Fruit of the Turtle can extend one's lifespan by 150 years."
jì hóng dào sǎo shì zhe xià fāng de nián qīng xiū shì men ， lěng shēng shuō dào 。
纪宏道扫视着下方的年轻修士们，冷声说道。
"Whoa..."
zài kàn dào lǐ fán de chà nà ， yǎn zhōng wēi wēi bō dòng ， bù guò yě jǐn cǐ ér yǐ le 。
在看到李凡的刹那，眼中微微波动，不过也仅此而已了。
"I remember that this kind of fruit wasn't on Great Daoist Ji Cheng's list of immortal fruits. Doesn't that mean...?"
bù kě néng wèi le zhè sù bù xiāng shí de rén ， huài le guī jǔ 。
不可能为了这素不相识的人，坏了规矩。
"Senior Daoist Lü has really hit the jackpot!"
cǐ yán yī chū ， qiān yú míng xiū shì zhōng ， yǒu jìn bǎi míng ， miàn sè cǎn bái 、 rú sàng kǎo bǐ 。
此言一出，千余名修士中，有近百名，面色惨白、如丧考妣。
"A lifespan extension of 150 years is a truly invaluable treasure. I wonder where it ranks in the悬赏list. If I can make it into the top three..."
bù guò hǎo dǎi méi yǒu kū sāng zhe 、 qiú zài gěi yī cì jī huì de bù tǐ miàn chǎng jǐng chū xiàn 。
不过好歹没有哭丧着、求再给一次机会的不体面场景出现。
"Then, it would be the Derivation Jade Seal."
zhǐ yǒu lǐ fán yī fù yún dàn fēng qīng de yàng zi ， bù zhī dào de rén ， hái yǐ wéi tā tōng guò le kǎo hé ne 。
只有李凡一副云澹风轻的样子，不知道的人，还以为他通过了考核呢。
The breaths of everyone around him quickened.
jì hóng dào dà shǒu yī huī ， zhè xiē bèi táo tài de xiū shì 、 bāo kuò lǐ fán de shēn shàng ， lǒng zhào zhe yī céng bái guāng 。
纪宏道大手一挥，这些被淘汰的修士、包括李凡的身上，笼罩着一层白光。
Li Fan listened to their conversation and his expression changed slightly. He didn't bother cleaning up the remaining food; instead, he settled down in a courtyard within the Lecture Hall for accommodation.
piàn kè zhī hòu ， zhè yì bǎi duō hào rén ， jiù chū xiàn zài le yī chù kuān chǎng ér kōng dàng de yuàn luò zhōng 。
片刻之后，这一百多号人，就出现在了一处宽敞而空荡的院落中。
Sure enough, there was a Heaven Mirror in this courtyard. After searching through it, Li Fan quickly understood what had happened.
“ bèi táo tài le yě bú yào huī xīn ， cóng nǎ lái huí ná qù 。 jì xù wèi wàn xiān méng de fā zhǎn fèng xiàn zì jǐ de yī sī lì liàng ， yě shì hěn yǒu yì yì de ！” shuō huà de shì yī wèi pàng hū hū de zhōng nián xiū shì ， xià bā shàng zhǎng zhe yī zuǒ shān yáng hú zǐ ， jí wéi xiǎn yǎn 。
“被淘汰了也不要灰心，从哪来回拿去。继续为万仙盟的发展奉献自己的一丝力量，也是很有意义的！”说话的是一位胖乎乎的中年修士，下巴上长着一撮山羊胡子，极为显眼。
After Great Daoist Ji Cheng resigned from his post as Commander of the Guard and focused on healing, although his condition gradually improved, the lost years couldn't be recovered.
pàng xiū shì lù chū hé shàn de xiào róng ， yī yī zài zhè xiē bèi táo tài de qīng nián shēn shàng pāi guò 。
胖修士露出和善的笑容，一一在这些被淘汰的青年身上拍过。
Like all cultivators nearing their end, he began seeking various methods to extend his life. However, having held a high position for many years, he had already tasted most of the precious elixirs that could extend one's lifespan, making them ineffective for him.
yī biān pāi zhe ， yī biān jiě shì dào :“ bú shì zǔ zhī bù fàng xīn nǐ men ， shí zài shì 【 tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn 】 de bǎo mì děng jí yǒu diǎn gāo 。”
一边拍着，一边解释道:“不是组织不放心你们，实在是【天玄锁灵阵】的保密等级有点高。”
Therefore, he issued a bounty, with a three-year deadline, to search for effective immortal treasures throughout the entire Alliance of Ten Thousand Daoists.
bèi tā pāi guò de xiū shì ， shēn shàng guāng máng yī shǎn ， xiāo shī wú zōng 。
被他拍过的修士，身上光芒一闪，消失无踪。
Those who confirmed their effectiveness would receive generous rewards. The more years added, the richer the reward.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng shà shí jiān jǐng líng dà zuò ， yǐ wéi zhè pàng xiū shì shì lái shā rén miè kǒu de 。
李凡心中霎时间警铃大作，以为这胖修士是来杀人灭口的。
The special rewards for the top three were particularly enticing—three opportunities to use the Derivation Jade Seal.
duì fāng shí lì bù míng ， dàn zhè xiē yǒu jīn dān shí lì de nián qīng xiū shì zài tā miàn qián ， yì diǎn fǎn kàng zhī lì dōu méi yǒu 。
对方实力不明，但这些有金丹实力的年轻修士在他面前，一点反抗之力都没有。
"First place: derive a Daoist art form; second place: become a Huashen; third place: reach Yuan婴."
lǐ fán xiǎn rán yě bú shì tā de duì shǒu 。
李凡显然也不是他的对手。
Li Fan looked at the reward details and couldn't help but be心动ed. He had an immortal fruit that could extend life by 300 years, known as the Life-Generating Fruit. It wasn't on Ji Cheng's list of consumed immortals.
jiù yào zhǔn bèi mò niàn hái zhēn zhī jì ， què tīng duì fāng jì xù shuō dào :“ fàng qīng sōng ， zhǐ shì bǎ nǐ men jì yì zhōng yǒu guān 【 tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn 】 de bù fèn gěi fēng yìn ér yǐ 。”
就要准备默念还真之际，却听对方继续说道:“放轻松，只是把你们记忆中有关【天玄锁灵阵】的部分给封印而已。”
For him, this fruit was not very useful. But if he exchanged it for Great Daoist Ji Cheng's reward...
“ bú yào yī liǎn jīng kǒng de kàn zhe wǒ ma ， wǒ zhī dào nǐ men zài xiǎng xiē shén me 。 dàn zhè lǐ kě shì tiān yǔ chéng ， wàn xiān méng zhòng dì 。 bù zhī dào yǒu duō shǎo shuāng yǎn jīng dīng zhe zhè lǐ nà 。 nà zhǒng shì qíng ， zěn me kě néng ……”
“不要一脸惊恐的看着我嘛，我知道你们在想些什么。但这里可是天禹城，万仙盟重地。不知道有多少双眼睛盯着这里那。那种事情，怎么可能……”
Not only did using a custom-made Daoist art form have its advantages, but just being able to see the first treasure of the Alliance—the Derivation Jade Seal—was worth the price in Li Fan's eyes.
pàng xiū shì zuǐ lǐ yī biān dōu nāng zhe ， yī biān kuài sù de zhí xíng zì jǐ de gōng zuò 。
胖修士嘴里一边都囔着，一边快速的执行自己的工作。
"However, this Life-Generating Fruit comes from the Realm of Annihilation. Generally, only Golden Core cultivators can enter."
lǐ fán wén yán ， hé qí tā xiū shì yī yàng ， sōng le kǒu qì 。
李凡闻言，和其他修士一样，松了口气。
"I'm still a Foundation Establishment cultivator; handing it over now would be inappropriate."
bù guò tā yě méi yǒu wán quán jǐn xìn pàng xiū shì de huà ， xīn zhōng yī rán dī fáng zhe ， zhǔn bèi shí kè hái zhēn 。
不过他也没有完全尽信胖修士的话，心中依然提防着，准备时刻还真。
"In any case, since the Daoist Ji Cheng issued the bounty less than a year ago, I can wait until I reach the Golden Core stage before handing it over."
“ bù zhī qián bèi zěn me chēng hū ？” lún dào lǐ fán shí ， lǐ fán què shì tū rán wèn dào 。
“不知前辈怎么称呼？”轮到李凡时，李凡却是突然问道。
"Then, I can explain its origin openly."
pàng xiū shì lèng le lèng ， shǒu shàng de dòng zuò màn le yī pāi 。
胖修士愣了愣，手上的动作慢了一拍。
"Hmm... Dealing with Great Daoist Ji Cheng will definitely come with some risks."
“ nǐ xiǎo zi yǒu yì si ， zǒng gǎn jué yǒu yī tiān huì zài pèng dào nǐ 。” pàng xiū shì dǎ liàng le yī yǎn lǐ fán ， shuō dào ，“ wǒ jiào huáng fǔ sōng 。”
“你小子有意思，总感觉有一天会再碰到你。”胖修士打量了一眼李凡，说道，“我叫皇甫松。”
"I need to think this through carefully."
zuǐ shàng zhè me shuō zhe ， shǒu lǐ de dòng zuò què shì zài méi dān gē 。
嘴上这么说着，手里的动作却是再没耽搁。
For several days, Li Fan wandered around Tian Yu City. He also visited the wonder mentioned by Senior Shangguan Shi—the Ice Abyss Fire Lotus.
yī bā zhǎng pāi zài lǐ fán shēn shàng 。
一巴掌拍在李凡身上。
In the icy abyss, a lotus composed of countless flames bloomed. Although it was beautiful, Li Fan couldn't see any special significance in it. It was said that some cultivators had attained enlightenment here and directly advanced to a higher cultivation stage, indicating his insufficient wisdom.
suí zhe guāng máng bào fā ， lǐ fán yǎn qián yī zhèn huǎng hū ， chū xiàn zài le lìng wài yī chù yuàn luò zhōng 。
随着光芒爆发，李凡眼前一阵恍忽，出现在了另外一处院落中。
On his way back from the Ice Abyss, Li Fan's communication spirit talisman suddenly received a message from Senior Shangguan Shi, instructing him to return to the Cosmic Realm Residence immediately.
"First, I'm a bit embarrassed. Zhang Zhi Liang probably didn't expect me to be directly eliminated in the first round."
"Calculating the time, it should still be more than a year before the Red Flame Purification Sea."
"I can't go back for sure. I'll follow my original plan and stay in this Tian Yu State for some time. After completing Senior He's closed training, I will head straight to him."
"As for Zhang Zhi Liang..."
"Considering that he won't abandon his chance of achieving the Dao just because of a small matter like this, to come looking for trouble..."
Thinking about what Senior Shangguan Shi mentioned—the Lecture Hall—since there was no place to go, Li Fan inquired about its location and headed straight there.
The Lecture Hall wasn't just one building; it was an entire complex. In addition to providing services such as gatherings and dining, it also had several small courtyards like the Cosmic Realm Residence for accommodation.
In the main hall of the Lecture Hall, it was bustling with many cultivators. Most of them were not very advanced in cultivation; Li Fan estimated that their highest level was probably at the Yuan婴 stage.
It seemed that cultivators who reached the Huashen stage and above would choose to stay in a separate courtyard for their gatherings.
He casually found an empty spot to sit down, and a cup of spirit tea appeared on the table automatically.
After taking a sip, he felt his body's qi surging with a refreshing sensation. He finished it all at once, placed the cup back on the table, and the spirit tea refilled from the bottom.
This time, instead of drinking it, Li Fan picked up an engraved jade plaque marked "Dao" on the table.
After probing with his divine sense, various dishes appeared in his mind, almost all of which had some effect on improving the body's constitution and refining the purity of the internal qi. Of course, the prices were extremely high—almost a few hundred contribution points each.
"This Lecture Hall must be located in the Cloudy Sky Sea; ordinary cultivators can't afford it."
Li Fan casually ordered several dishes to taste their effects. While waiting, he listened intently to the conversations around him, just like in an ordinary human tavern.
Topics ranged from anything and everything—someone's cultivation level had improved by a small step; someone was nearing the end of their life but still couldn't break through, dying with regret; the Five Elders' Association hadn't made any significant moves recently, indicating that they were secretly planning something.
All these topics didn't bother Li Fan. After a while, the hall suddenly became noisy again, and several keywords caught his attention as he focused his ears.
"Senior Daoist Lü, did you really find an immortal fruit to extend life?"
"Hush, be discreet. This underground forest expedition indeed yielded some results. The Heaven Mirror Xuan confirmed that the Purple True Fruit of the Turtle can extend one's lifespan by 150 years."
"Whoa..."
"I remember that this kind of fruit wasn't on Great Daoist Ji Cheng's list of immortal fruits. Doesn't that mean...?"
"Senior Daoist Lü has really hit the jackpot!"
"A lifespan extension of 150 years is a truly invaluable treasure. I wonder where it ranks in the悬赏list. If I can make it into the top three..."
"Then, it would be the Derivation Jade Seal."
The breaths of everyone around him quickened.
Li Fan listened to their conversation and his expression changed slightly. He didn't bother cleaning up the remaining food; instead, he settled down in a courtyard within the Lecture Hall for accommodation.
Sure enough, there was a Heaven Mirror in this courtyard. After searching through it, Li Fan quickly understood what had happened.
After Great Daoist Ji Cheng resigned from his post as Commander of the Guard and focused on healing, although his condition gradually improved, the lost years couldn't be recovered.
Like all cultivators nearing their end, he began seeking various methods to extend his life. However, having held a high position for many years, he had already tasted most of the precious elixirs that could extend one's lifespan, making them ineffective for him.
Therefore, he issued a bounty, with a three-year deadline, to search for effective immortal treasures throughout the entire Alliance of Ten Thousand Daoists.
Those who confirmed their effectiveness would receive generous rewards. The more years added, the richer the reward.
The special rewards for the top three were particularly enticing—three opportunities to use the Derivation Jade Seal.
"First place: derive a Daoist art form; second place: become a Huashen; third place: reach Yuan婴."
Li Fan looked at the reward details and couldn't help but be心动ed. He had an immortal fruit that could extend life by 300 years, known as the Life-Generating Fruit. It wasn't on Ji Cheng's list of consumed immortals.
For him, this fruit was not very useful. But if he exchanged it for Great Daoist Ji Cheng's reward...
Not only did using a custom-made Daoist art form have its advantages, but just being able to see the first treasure of the Alliance—the Derivation Jade Seal—was worth the price in Li Fan's eyes.
"However, this Life-Generating Fruit comes from the Realm of Annihilation. Generally, only Golden Core cultivators can enter."
"I'm still a Foundation Establishment cultivator; handing it over now would be inappropriate."
"In any case, since the Daoist Ji Cheng issued the bounty less than a year ago, I can wait until I reach the Golden Core stage before handing it over."
"Then, I can explain its origin openly."
"Hmm... Dealing with Great Daoist Ji Cheng will definitely come with some risks."
"I need to think this through carefully."
For several days, Li Fan wandered around Tian Yu City. He also visited the wonder mentioned by Senior Shangguan Shi—the Ice Abyss Fire Lotus.
In the icy abyss, a lotus composed of countless flames bloomed. Although it was beautiful, Li Fan couldn't see any special significance in it. It was said that some cultivators had attained enlightenment here and directly advanced to a higher cultivation stage, indicating his insufficient wisdom.
On his way back from the Ice Abyss, Li Fan's communication spirit talisman suddenly received a message from Senior Shangguan Shi, instructing him to return to the Cosmic Realm Residence immediately.