「 bǐng qì níng shén ， fēn chū yī dào shén shí ， lái wǒ shǒu zhōng ！」
「屏气凝神，分出一道神识，来我手中！」
"屏息凝神，分出一道神识，来我手中！"
wài jiè de āi háo zhī shēng yuè fā xiǎng liàng ， shōu le gòng xiàn dù de jiāo xiū yuǎn chén shēng duì lǐ fán shuō dào 。
外界的哀嚎之声越发响亮，收了贡献度的焦修远沉声对李凡说道。
The wailing outside grew louder. Jiao Xiuyan, with a deep voice, instructed Li Fan.
shuō zhe ， yī gēn xīn shēng de zhī yā ， jìng rán cóng tā de zhǎng xīn shēn zhǎn ér chū 。
说着，一根新生的枝桠，竟然从他的掌心伸展而出。
As he spoke, a new branch sprouted from his palm.
dān dú yī méi lǜ yè ， qióng qióng dú lì ， ào lì zhī tóu 。
单独一枚绿叶，茕茕独立，傲立枝头。
A single green leaf stood alone on the branch, towering proudly.
lǐ fán wén yán ， shà shí jiān fēn liè chū yī sī yì shí ， cháo zhe jiāo xiū yuǎn shǒu zhōng de zhī yā fēi qù 。
李凡闻言，霎时间分裂出一丝意识，朝着焦修远手中的枝桠飞去。
Hearing this, Li Fan instantly split a fragment of his consciousness and sent it towards the branch in Jiao Xiuyan's hand.
yī kào jìn ， jiù chá jué dào cóng zhī tóu de lǜ yè shàng ， chuán lái le mò míng de xī yǐn lì 。
一靠近，就察觉到从枝头的绿叶上，传来了莫名的吸引力。
Upon nearing, he sensed an inexplicable pull emanating from the leaf. Without control, he dove into it.
suí hòu biàn wú fǎ kòng zhì de ， yī tóu zhā le jìn qù 。
随后便无法控制的，一头扎了进去。
His vision gradually cleared. Soon after, besides his main self and clone, another body appeared.
shì yě màn màn qīng xī ， qǐng kè zhī hòu ， lǐ fán zhǐ gǎn jué chú le zì jǐ běn zūn hé fēn shēn zhī wài ， yòu duō le lìng wài de yī jù shēn tǐ 。
视野慢慢清晰，顷刻之后，李凡只感觉除了自己本尊和分身之外，又多了另外的一具身体。
Thankfully, he had mastered the Secret Art of Dao Path One, accustomed to multitasking. Otherwise, adapting might have been challenging for a moment.
xìng hǎo tā yǒu zhe huà dào shén yī mì shù ， cháng nián xí guàn le duō xiàn chéng cāo zuò 。 fǒu zé yī shí jiān ， shuō bù dìng hái zhēn nán xí guàn 。
幸好他有着化道神一秘术，常年习惯了多线程操作。否则一时间，说不定还真难习惯。
Manipulating the puppet's body was not much different from controlling his clone.
cāo zòng kuǐ lěi de shēn tǐ ， hé fēn shēn zhī shù gǎn guān shàng chā bié bù dà 。
操纵傀儡的身体，和分身之术感官上差别不大。
However, he could clearly feel the separation between consciousness and physical form, unlike with a clone which felt seamless.
zhǐ bù guò néng qīng xī de chá jué dào yì shí hé ròu tǐ de gé hé zhī chù ， bù shì fēn shēn nà bān hún rán yī tǐ 。
只不过能清晰的察觉到意识和肉体的隔阂之处，不似分身那般浑然一体。
It was more like piloting rather than having another living body.
gèng xiàng shì zài 「 jià shǐ 」， ér fēi shì huó shēng shēng de lìng yī jù shēn tǐ 。
更像是在「驾驶」，而非是活生生的另一具身体。
"Transaction complete. You can handle this body as you wish."
「 jiāo yì wán chéng 。 zhè jù shēn tǐ ， jiù jiāo gěi dào yǒu nǐ chǔ zhì le 。」
「交易完成。这具身体，就交给道友你处置了。」
"Just don't do anything repulsive. Even if you destroy it, that's fine too."
「 zhǐ yào nǐ bù gù yì zuò xiē ě xīn de shì ， nǎ pà jiāng qí cuī huǐ ， yě wú fáng 。」
「只要你不故意做些恶心的事，哪怕将其摧毁，也无妨。」
"By the way, when the puppet body is damaged, to prevent the consciousness from being captured, a forced destruction protocol will be initiated. You might experience some soul tremors then..."
「 duì le ， kuǐ lěi shēn qū sǔn huài de shí hòu ， wèi le fáng zhǐ fù shēn de yì shí bèi rén bǔ zhuō ， huì qǐ dòng qiáng zhì xiāo huǐ cuò shī 。 dào yǒu dào shí hòu kě néng huì shòu dào diǎn shén hún zhèn dàng ……」
「对了，傀儡身躯损坏的时候，为了防止附身的意识被人捕捉，会启动强制销毁措施。道友到时候可能会受到点神魂震荡……」
Jiao Xiuyan’s voice echoed in his mind.
jiāo xiū yuǎn de shēng yīn zài nǎo hǎi zhōng xiǎng qǐ 。
焦修远的声音在脑海中响起。
Before Li Fan could respond, the voice grew fainter and eventually vanished.
bù děng lǐ fán huí yìng ， jiù yuè lái yuè ruò ， zuì zhōng wēi bù kě wén 。
不等李凡回应，就越来越弱，最终微不可闻。
The fragment of his consciousness familiarized itself with the puppet's body while Li Fan sped towards Qingfeng Hall, the location he remembered.
fēn chū de yì shí zài shú xī kuǐ lěi de shēn qū ， lǐ fán běn zūn zé shì yī lù jí chí ， cháo zhe jì yì zhōng qīng fēng táng de wèi zhì gǎn qù 。
分出的意识在熟悉傀儡的身躯，李凡本尊则是一路疾驰，朝着记忆中清风堂的位置赶去。
At this moment, the entire Ten Thousand Immortals Island had been pulled by the [Heavenly Shift Array] to the purple door before them. It was being consumed by the teleportation array as it entered the Five Elders' domain.
cǐ shí ， zhěng zuò wàn xiān dǎo yǐ jīng bèi 【 yí tiān huàn dì zhèn 】 lā dào le tiān kōng zhōng nà zuò zǐ sè mén fēi de miàn qián 。
此时，整座万仙岛已经被【移天换地阵】拉到了天空中那座紫色门扉的面前。
The group of cultivators who had tried to break through the blockade with their numbers were already reduced to ashes, a bloody lesson learned.
zhèng zài bù duàn bèi nà chuán sòng fǎ zhèn suǒ tūn shì ， jìn rù wǔ lǎo huì de lǐng dì 。
正在不断被那传送法阵所吞噬，进入五老会的领地。
Dejected and hopeless, the remaining survivors slumped on the ground, awaiting an unknown fate.
gāng gāng shì tú zhàng zhe rén duō ， tū pò fēng suǒ de xiū shì men ， yǐ rán quán dōu huī fēi yān miè 。
刚刚试图仗着人多，突破封锁的修士们，已然全都灰飞烟灭。
Li Fan strode into the unremarkable shop of Qingfeng Hall.
xiān xuè de jiào xùn xià ， shèng yú huó zhe de xiū shì ， quán dōu tuí rán ér jué wàng de tān zuò zài dì miàn shàng ， děng dài zhe nà wèi zhī de mìng yùn jiàng lín 。
鲜血的教训下，剩余活着的修士，全都颓然而绝望的瘫坐在地面上，等待着那未知的命运降临。
Inside, it was empty, devoid of the scruffy old man's presence.
lǐ fán zé shì kuò bù zǒu jìn qīng fēng táng nà háo bù qǐ yǎn de diàn pù zhōng 。
李凡则是阔步走进清风堂那毫不起眼的店铺中。
He called out but received no response.
cǐ shí lǐ miàn yǐ jīng kōng dàng dàng de ， méi yǒu nà wèi lā tā lǎo zhě de zōng jì 。
此时里面已经空荡荡的，没有那位邋遢老者的踪迹。
After a moment’s thought, Li Fan took out a pile of top-grade spirit stones from his storage ring and placed them on the floor.
hū hǎn le jǐ jù ， méi yǒu rén yìng dá 。
呼喊了几句，没有人应答。
"These might buy you a way out. Do they suffice?"
lǐ fán chén yín piàn kè ， cóng chǔ wù jiè zhǐ tāo chū yī duī jí pǐn líng shí ， bǎi fàng zài qīng fēng táng de dì miàn shàng 。
李凡沉吟片刻，从储物戒指掏出一堆极品灵石，摆放在清风堂的地面上。
Li Fan spoke aloud, testing.
「 zhè xiē ， mǎi yī tiáo shēng lù ， bù zhī gòu bù gòu 。」
「这些，买一条生路，不知够不够。」
Silence followed for some time before any reaction.
lǐ fán lǎng shēng shì tàn dào 。
李凡朗声试探道。
Li Fan then added another stack of top-grade spirit stones.
chén jì xǔ jiǔ ， yī rán méi yǒu rèn hé fǎn yìng 。
沉寂许久，依然没有任何反应。
The total value approached one hundred thousand contribution points.
lǐ fán yòu qǔ chū yī duī jí pǐn líng shí ， jiā le shàng qù 。
李凡又取出一堆极品灵石，加了上去。
Finally, the seemingly empty Qingfeng Hall responded.
qián hòu zǒng jì jiā qǐ lái ， jià zhí yǐ jīng jiē jìn bǎi wàn gòng xiàn dù 。
前后总计加起来，价值已经接近百万贡献度。
A green ripple danced in the air, forming a familiar green door.
zhè cì ， kàn shì wú rén de qīng fēng táng ， zhōng yú yǒu le fǎn yìng 。
这次，看似无人的清风堂，终于有了反应。
Li Fan stepped inside.
yī lǚ lǜ sè lián yī zài kōng zhōng huí dàng ， suí hòu xíng chéng le yī dào shú xī de lǜ sè mén fēi 。
一缕绿色涟漪在空中回荡，随后形成了一道熟悉的绿色门扉。
Before he knew it, he found himself back in the space he had visited before.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yī dòng ， tà bù zǒu rù qí zhōng 。
李凡心中一动，踏步走入其中。
The ancient tree mentioned by Jiao Xiuyan was right before him.
yǎn qián yī huā ， xià yī kè ， tā jiù chū xiàn zài le zhī qián lái guò de nà chù kōng jiān zhōng 。
眼前一花，下一刻，他就出现在了之前来过的那处空间中。
However, the face on the tree had vanished; it now looked like an ordinary tree.
jiāo xiū yuǎn suǒ shuō de gǔ shù ， hè rán jiù zài lǐ fán miàn qián 。
焦修远所说的古树，赫然就在李凡面前。
"Such a generous friend."
zhǐ bù guò cǐ shí shù shàng de rén liǎn yǐ jīng xiāo shī bú jiàn ， kàn shàng qù hé xún cháng shù mù méi shén me liǎng yàng 。
只不过此时树上的人脸已经消失不见，看上去和寻常树木没什么两样。
Just as Li Fan was about to speak, a clear female voice suddenly rang out.
「 zhè wèi dào yǒu ， kě zhēn shì dà shǒu bǐ ne 。」
「这位道友，可真是大手笔呢。」
"Sixth Brother, since you received something from them, help him leave here."
jiù zài lǐ fán xiǎng yào chū shēng xún wèn de shí hòu ， yī dào qīng cuì de nǚ shēng hū de xiǎng qǐ 。
就在李凡想要出声询问的时候，一道清脆的女声忽的响起。
"Understood, Miss," a face appeared on the ancient tree and glanced at Li Fan before speaking in a low tone.
「 ā liù ， jì rán shōu le duì fāng de hǎo chù ， jiù bāng tā lí kāi zhè lǐ ba 。」
「阿六，既然收了对方的好处，就帮他离开这里吧。」
"Please come inside." The ancient tree opened its giant mouth to reveal a passage.
「 hǎo de ， xiǎo jiě 。」 gǔ shù shàng ， yī zhāng rén liǎn shū hū jiān chū xiàn ， kàn le lǐ fán yī yǎn ， mēn shēng shuō dào 。
「好的，小姐。」古树上，一张人脸倏忽间出现，看了李凡一眼，闷声说道。
"Thank you, miss!" Li Fan did not hesitate. He bowed towards the direction of the voice and entered the cave in the ancient tree's body.
「 zhè wèi kè rén ， qǐng jìn lái ba 。」 gǔ shù zhāng kāi jù kǒu ， lù chū le tōng dào 。
「这位客人，请进来吧。」古树张开巨口，露出了通道。
Li Fan disappeared as the ancient tree closed its mouth, returning to its original appearance.
「 duō xiè zhè wèi gū niáng ！」 lǐ fán yě bù mò jì ， cháo zhe shēng yīn chuán lái de fāng xiàng gǒng shǒu xíng le yī lǐ ， suí hòu zǒu jìn le gǔ shù shēn shàng de dòng kǒu lǐ 。
「多谢这位姑娘！」李凡也不墨迹，朝着声音传来的方向拱手行了一礼，随后走进了古树身上的洞口里。
"Miss..."
lǐ fán shēn xíng xiāo shī bú jiàn ， gǔ shù bì kǒu ， chóng xīn lù chū miàn mào 。
李凡身形消失不见，古树闭口，重新露出面貌。
"Haha, it’s truly amusing how ancient cultivators speak."
「 gū niáng ……」
「姑娘……」
A silver bell-like laughter echoed from above. The leaves on the ancient tree trembled slightly in response.
「 hē hē ， shàng gǔ xiū shì jiǎng huà ， hái zhēn yǒu qù ne 。」
「呵呵，上古修士讲话，还真有趣呢。」
...
kōng zhōng ， yín líng bān qīng cuì de xiào shēng chuán lái 。 gǔ shù de zhī yè wēi wēi chàn dòng ， yǐ zuò huí yìng 。
空中，银铃般清脆的笑声传来。古树的枝叶微微颤动，以作回应。
Similar to riding a super-distance teleportation array, the surroundings transformed from darkness to vibrant colors and then to bright light.
……
……
After adapting to his body's discomfort, Li Fan looked around and found himself still inside Qingfeng Hall.
hé chéng zuò chāo jù chuán sòng fǎ zhèn yī yàng de gǎn shòu ， zhōu wéi de jǐng sè yóu hēi àn biàn dé qī cǎi bān lán ， zài biàn dé guāng míng yī piàn 。
和乘坐超距传送法阵一样的感受，周围的景色由黑暗变得七彩斑斓，再变得光明一片。
However, the presence of one or two cultivators within and the calm market sounds in the distance indicated that he was no longer in danger and had left Cunyun Sea behind.
lǐ fán shì yìng le shēn tǐ de bù shì hòu ， dǎ liàng sì zhōu 。
李凡适应了身体的不适后，打量四周。
Without drawing attention, Li Fan figured out his current location. He was now in the heart of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, near Tianyuan Prefecture in Xuanwei Prefecture.
fā xiàn zì jǐ què yī rán hái shēn chù qīng fēng táng zhī zhōng 。
发现自己却依然还身处清风堂之中。
The news of the Ten Thousand Immortal Island's fall seemed to have not reached here yet. Li Fan redirected his focus back to the puppet body on the island.
bù guò qīng fēng táng nèi cún zài de yī liǎng wèi xiū shì ， yǐ jí yuǎn chù chuán lái de háo wú huāng luàn qì xī de shì jǐng zhī shēng 。
不过清风堂内存在的一两位修士，以及远处传来的毫无慌乱气息的市井之声。
Amidst the despairing cries of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, the island was fully consumed by the purple teleportation array.
wú yī bù shuō míng zhe lǐ fán cǐ kè yǐ jīng tuō lí le xiǎn jìng ， bù zài shēn chù cóng yún hǎi nèi 。
无一不说明着李凡此刻已经脱离了险境，不再身处丛云海内。
After a long period of darkness, when the sky brightened again, an unusual scene greeted everyone’s eyes.
bù dòng shēng sè de dǎ tàn le yī fān ， lǐ fán zhè cái gǎo qīng chǔ zì jǐ mù qián de wèi zhì 。
不动声色的打探了一番，李凡这才搞清楚自己目前的位置。
It had been daytime just moments ago, but after passing through that purple door and entering the Five Elders' domain, it had turned to night.
jìng rán shì yǐ jīng lái dào le wàn xiān méng fù dì ， pí lín tiān yùn zhōu de xuán wēi zhōu 。
竟然是已经来到了万仙盟腹地，毗邻天运州的玄微州。
The sky was starless yet filled with countless sparkling stars, their light interweaving in a mesmerizing display of beauty.
wàn xiān dǎo xiàn luò de xiāo xī sì hū zàn shí hái méi chuán dào zhè lǐ ， lǐ fán zàn qiě jiāng zhù yì lì ， lā huí dào le wàn xiān dǎo shàng de kuǐ lěi shēn qū shàng 。
万仙岛陷落的消息似乎暂时还没传到这里，李凡暂且将注意力，拉回到了万仙岛上的傀儡身躯上。
Most people, seeing this magnificent sight for the first time, were so captivated that nine out of ten lost themselves in awe.
wàn xiān méng xiū shì jué wàng de kū háo shēng zhōng ， dǎo yǔ zhōng yú wán quán bèi zǐ sè chuán sòng fǎ zhèn tūn mò 。
万仙盟修士绝望的哭嚎声中，岛屿终于完全被紫色传送法阵吞没。
The once wailing Ten Thousand Immortal Island fell silent.
cháng jiǔ de hūn àn zhī hòu ， dàng tiān kōng zài dù liàng qǐ de shí hòu ， yìng rù zhòng rén yǎn lián de ， shì shèn wéi qí tè de yí mù 。
长久的昏暗之后，当天空再度亮起的时候，映入众人眼帘的，是甚为奇特的一幕。
"Welcome to the [Heavenly Path Realm] of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
gāng gāng hái shì bái tiān ， dàn shì chuān yuè le nà dào zǐ sè mén fēi 、 lái dào wǔ lǎo huì de lǐng dì hòu ， què yǐ jīng biàn chéng le yè wǎn 。
刚刚还是白天，但是穿越了那道紫色门扉、来到五老会的领地后，却已经变成了夜晚。
A middle-aged cultivator wearing a white Daoist robe flew overhead and spoke loudly.
tiān kōng zhī shàng ， méi yǒu míng yuè 。
天空之上，没有明月。
"I know you might have deep misunderstandings about us Five Elders. But don't worry, in no time, these will be resolved.
què shì yǒu wú shù cuǐ càn de xīng chén shǎn shuò ， zhēng xiāng huī yìng 。
却是有无数璀璨的星辰闪烁，争相辉映。
At that point, I believe you'll make the right choice—abandoning darkness for light, joining our Five Elders' embrace."
dào dào xīng hé liú tǎng ， guāng yǐng mí huàn ， měi bù shèng shōu 。
道道星河流淌，光影迷幻，美不胜收。
The white-robed cultivator smiled.
zhòng rén shēng píng ， jù shì dì yī cì jiàn dào rú cǐ zhuàng lì de xīng kōng jǐng xiàng ， jìng rán yǒu shí fēn zhī jiǔ ， bèi zhè jǐng guān suǒ shè ， mí shī le xīn shén 。
众人生平，俱是第一次见到如此壮丽的星空景象，竟然有十分之九，被这景观所慑，迷失了心神。
Seeing that the Five Elders were not as vicious as rumored, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
yuán běn háo kū bù duàn de wàn xiān dǎo shàng ， shà shí jiān yā què wú shēng 。
原本嚎哭不断的万仙岛上，霎时间鸦雀无声。
However, they completely disbelieved his mention of "misunderstandings."
「 wàn xiān méng de zhū wèi ， huān yíng lái dào 【 rén dào tiān jìng 】。」
「万仙盟的诸位，欢迎来到【人道天境】。」
"Firstly, please leave this island."
yī wèi shēn chuān bái sè dào páo de zhōng nián xiū shì fēi zhì zhòng rén tóu dǐng ， lǎng shēng shuō dào 。
一位身穿白色道袍的中年修士飞至众人头顶，朗声说道。
As the white-robed cultivator spoke, a group of robust-looking cultivators emerged. They wielded sharp blades and wore heavy armor, more like soldiers than cultivators.
「 wǒ zhī dào ， nǐ men kě néng duì yú wǒ men wǔ lǎo huì yǒu hěn shēn de wù huì 。 bù guò méi guān xì ， yòng bù liǎo duō jiǔ ， nǐ men jiù huì chè dǐ jiāng zhè xiē wù huì xiāo chú le 。」
「我知道，你们可能对于我们五老会有很深的误会。不过没关系，用不了多久，你们就会彻底将这些误会消除了。」
Their aura indicated that each had the cultivation level of an Immortal Core.
「 dào shí hòu ， xiāng xìn nǐ men yí dìng néng zuò chū zhèng què de jué zé ， qì àn tóu míng ， jiā rù dào wǒ men wǔ lǎo huì de huái bào zhōng lái 。」
「到时候，相信你们一定能做出正确的抉择，弃暗投明，加入到我们五老会的怀抱中来。」
The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance cultivators changed their expressions, not daring to resist as they were led away from the island.
bái yī xiū shì wēi xiào zhe shuō dào 。
白衣修士微笑着说道。
"It doesn't seem aimed at me; it's just targeting the Ten Thousand Immortal Island."
jiàn wǔ lǎo huì sì hū bù xiàng chuán wén zhōng shuō de nà yàng xiōng è ， zhòng rén fēn fēn xiān shì sōng le yì kǒu qì 。
见五老会似乎不像传闻中说的那样凶恶，众人纷纷先是松了一口气。
"Strange. What’s so unusual about the Ten Thousand Immortal Island?"
bù guò duì yú bái yī xiū shì suǒ shuō de 「 wù huì 」， tā men zé shì wán quán bù xìn 。
不过对于白衣修士所说的「误会」，他们则是完全不信。
Li Fan, mixed in with the crowd, watched the white-robed cultivator fly into the island with a serious expression.
「 shǒu xiān ， hái qǐng zhū wèi xiān lí kāi zhè zuò dǎo 。」
「首先，还请诸位先离开这座岛。」
Then, another dozen powerful cultivators appeared one after another, entering the island.
suí zhe bái yī xiū shì de huà ， yī duì shēn xíng zhuàng shuò de xiū shì fēi chū 。
随着白衣修士的话，一队身形壮硕的修士飞出。
Explosive sounds echoed as buildings collapsed on the island. They seemed to be searching for something.
"屏息凝神，分出一道神识，来我手中！"
The wailing outside grew louder. Jiao Xiuyan, with a deep voice, instructed Li Fan.
As he spoke, a new branch sprouted from his palm.
A single green leaf stood alone on the branch, towering proudly.
Hearing this, Li Fan instantly split a fragment of his consciousness and sent it towards the branch in Jiao Xiuyan's hand.
Upon nearing, he sensed an inexplicable pull emanating from the leaf. Without control, he dove into it.
His vision gradually cleared. Soon after, besides his main self and clone, another body appeared.
Thankfully, he had mastered the Secret Art of Dao Path One, accustomed to multitasking. Otherwise, adapting might have been challenging for a moment.
Manipulating the puppet's body was not much different from controlling his clone.
However, he could clearly feel the separation between consciousness and physical form, unlike with a clone which felt seamless.
It was more like piloting rather than having another living body.
"Transaction complete. You can handle this body as you wish."
"Just don't do anything repulsive. Even if you destroy it, that's fine too."
"By the way, when the puppet body is damaged, to prevent the consciousness from being captured, a forced destruction protocol will be initiated. You might experience some soul tremors then..."
Jiao Xiuyan’s voice echoed in his mind.
Before Li Fan could respond, the voice grew fainter and eventually vanished.
The fragment of his consciousness familiarized itself with the puppet's body while Li Fan sped towards Qingfeng Hall, the location he remembered.
At this moment, the entire Ten Thousand Immortals Island had been pulled by the [Heavenly Shift Array] to the purple door before them. It was being consumed by the teleportation array as it entered the Five Elders' domain.
The group of cultivators who had tried to break through the blockade with their numbers were already reduced to ashes, a bloody lesson learned.
Dejected and hopeless, the remaining survivors slumped on the ground, awaiting an unknown fate.
Li Fan strode into the unremarkable shop of Qingfeng Hall.
Inside, it was empty, devoid of the scruffy old man's presence.
He called out but received no response.
After a moment’s thought, Li Fan took out a pile of top-grade spirit stones from his storage ring and placed them on the floor.
"These might buy you a way out. Do they suffice?"
Li Fan spoke aloud, testing.
Silence followed for some time before any reaction.
Li Fan then added another stack of top-grade spirit stones.
The total value approached one hundred thousand contribution points.
Finally, the seemingly empty Qingfeng Hall responded.
A green ripple danced in the air, forming a familiar green door.
Li Fan stepped inside.
Before he knew it, he found himself back in the space he had visited before.
The ancient tree mentioned by Jiao Xiuyan was right before him.
However, the face on the tree had vanished; it now looked like an ordinary tree.
"Such a generous friend."
Just as Li Fan was about to speak, a clear female voice suddenly rang out.
"Sixth Brother, since you received something from them, help him leave here."
"Understood, Miss," a face appeared on the ancient tree and glanced at Li Fan before speaking in a low tone.
"Please come inside." The ancient tree opened its giant mouth to reveal a passage.
"Thank you, miss!" Li Fan did not hesitate. He bowed towards the direction of the voice and entered the cave in the ancient tree's body.
Li Fan disappeared as the ancient tree closed its mouth, returning to its original appearance.
"Miss..."
"Haha, it’s truly amusing how ancient cultivators speak."
A silver bell-like laughter echoed from above. The leaves on the ancient tree trembled slightly in response.
...
Similar to riding a super-distance teleportation array, the surroundings transformed from darkness to vibrant colors and then to bright light.
After adapting to his body's discomfort, Li Fan looked around and found himself still inside Qingfeng Hall.
However, the presence of one or two cultivators within and the calm market sounds in the distance indicated that he was no longer in danger and had left Cunyun Sea behind.
Without drawing attention, Li Fan figured out his current location. He was now in the heart of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, near Tianyuan Prefecture in Xuanwei Prefecture.
The news of the Ten Thousand Immortal Island's fall seemed to have not reached here yet. Li Fan redirected his focus back to the puppet body on the island.
Amidst the despairing cries of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, the island was fully consumed by the purple teleportation array.
After a long period of darkness, when the sky brightened again, an unusual scene greeted everyone’s eyes.
It had been daytime just moments ago, but after passing through that purple door and entering the Five Elders' domain, it had turned to night.
The sky was starless yet filled with countless sparkling stars, their light interweaving in a mesmerizing display of beauty.
Most people, seeing this magnificent sight for the first time, were so captivated that nine out of ten lost themselves in awe.
The once wailing Ten Thousand Immortal Island fell silent.
"Welcome to the [Heavenly Path Realm] of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
A middle-aged cultivator wearing a white Daoist robe flew overhead and spoke loudly.
"I know you might have deep misunderstandings about us Five Elders. But don't worry, in no time, these will be resolved.
At that point, I believe you'll make the right choice—abandoning darkness for light, joining our Five Elders' embrace."
The white-robed cultivator smiled.
Seeing that the Five Elders were not as vicious as rumored, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
However, they completely disbelieved his mention of "misunderstandings."
"Firstly, please leave this island."
As the white-robed cultivator spoke, a group of robust-looking cultivators emerged. They wielded sharp blades and wore heavy armor, more like soldiers than cultivators.
Their aura indicated that each had the cultivation level of an Immortal Core.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance cultivators changed their expressions, not daring to resist as they were led away from the island.
"It doesn't seem aimed at me; it's just targeting the Ten Thousand Immortal Island."
"Strange. What’s so unusual about the Ten Thousand Immortal Island?"
Li Fan, mixed in with the crowd, watched the white-robed cultivator fly into the island with a serious expression.
Then, another dozen powerful cultivators appeared one after another, entering the island.
Explosive sounds echoed as buildings collapsed on the island. They seemed to be searching for something.