“ zǒng gǎn jué zhè lǐ yǒu xiē yīn sēn 。” shāng tiān cì xiǎo shēng dí gū dào 。
“总感觉这里有些阴森。”商天赐小声嘀咕道。
"I feel like there's something eerie about here," Shang Tianci murmured softly.
lǐ fán yě gǎn yìng dào le zhè shān gǔ zhōng sì hū yǒu xiē bù tóng xún cháng de qì xī 。
李凡也感应到了这山谷中似乎有些不同寻常的气息。
Li Fan also sensed an unusual aura in the valley.
tiān yáng yí gè jiàn bù ， dǎng zài tā de shēn qián 。
天阳一个箭步，挡在他的身前。
Tianyang leaped forward and stood in front of Li Fan as a barrier.
lǐ fán zé shì gēn zài shēn hòu ， zǐ xì guān chá zhe zhōu wéi 。
李凡则是跟在身后，仔细观察着周围。
Following behind, Li Fan carefully observed his surroundings.
gǔ dǐ wèi yú qiān zhàng gāo shān zhī xià ， cháng nián bú jiàn yáng guāng ， mí màn zhe yī gǔ zhàng qì 。
谷底位于千丈高山之下，常年不见阳光，弥漫着一股瘴气。
The valley floor was located beneath towering cliffs that blocked out sunlight year-round, shrouded in a noxious mist.
shēng cún zhe de dòng zhí wù yě bù yǔ tài xū shān shàng xiàng shì 。
生存着的动植物也不与太虚山上相似。
The surviving flora and fauna were unlike those on Taixi Mountain.
fǎng fú shū hū jiān lái dào le lìng yí gè shì jiè bān 。
仿佛倏忽间来到了另一个世界般。
It felt like they had suddenly stepped into another world.
“ zhè zhàng qì ， jū rán néng duì shén shí chǎn shēng gān rǎo 。”
“这瘴气，居然能对神识产生干扰。”
"This noxious mist actually interferes with my divine consciousness."
xíng zǒu zài shān gǔ zhōng ， bù jǐn jiǎo xià xiǎo xīn yì yì 、 shì xiàn shòu zǔ ， jiù lián shén shí yě wú fǎ kuī tàn qí quán mào 。
行走在山谷中，不仅脚下小心翼翼、视线受阻，就连神识也无法窥探其全貌。
As he walked through the valley, not only was his vision obstructed, but even his divine consciousness could not fully perceive it.
xiàng qián zǒu le bù jiǔ ， shāng tiān cì hū de zhǐ zhù jiǎo bù 。
向前走了不久，商天赐忽的止住脚步。
After walking for a short while, Shang Tianci suddenly stopped.
“ dīng xiǎng shēng xiāo shī le 。”
“叮响声消失了。”
"The tinkling sound has disappeared."
tā mò dì huí guò tóu qù 。
他蓦地回过头去。
He turned around abruptly.
lǐ fán chén yín piàn kè ， gēn jù 【 zhū xuán 】 de jǐng shì yīn ， zài shān gǔ zhōng quān dìng le yí gè dà zhì de fàn wéi 。
李凡沉吟片刻，根据【诛玄】的警示音，在山谷中圈定了一个大致的范围。
Li Fan pondered for a moment and, based on the warning tone of Zhusuan, roughly pinpointed an area in the valley.
bù guò fāng yuán sān zhàng dà xiǎo ， yī lǎn wú yú 。
不过方圆三丈大小，一览无余。
The area was about three zhang (丈) in diameter, but there were no suspicious remnants of Xuantian Sect members.
dàn xiǎn rán bù cún zài kě yí de xuán tiān jiào yú niè 。
但显然不存在可疑的玄天教余孽。
"Hmm?"
“ ń ？”
“嗯？”
Li Fan and Shang Tianci exchanged glances.
lǐ fán gēn shāng tiān cì liǎng rén duì shì le yī yǎn 。
李凡跟商天赐两人对视了一眼。
Spirit energy shot out, clearing away all the weeds and animals in this region.
líng qì jī shè ér chū ， jiāng zhè piàn qū yù nèi de zá cǎo 、 dòng wù jìn shù chǎn chú 。
灵气激射而出，将这片区域内的杂草、动物尽数铲除。
After removing a thick layer of mud, they revealed a smooth stone slab.
jiāng yī céng hòu hòu de yū ní mǒ qù hòu ， lù chū le yī kuài guāng huá de shí bǎn 。
将一层厚厚的淤泥抹去后，露出了一块光滑的石板。
"What is this."
“ zhè shì 。”
“这是。”
Li Fan touched the stone slab, feeling familiar with it.
lǐ fán yòng mō le mō shí bǎn ， jué de tā yǒu diǎn yǎn shú 。
李凡用摸了摸石板，觉得它有点眼熟。
In an instant, he recalled that it was not from Xuanhuang's realm but from Ninyuan's scene where he had taken life-extending fruit.
chà nà zhī hòu ， biàn xiǎng qǐ lái 。 bú shì zài xuán huáng xiàn shì zhōng ， ér shì zài yǔn xiān jìng 、【 níng yuǎn qǔ shòu guǒ 】 chǎng jǐng lǐ 。
刹那之后，便想起来。不是在玄黄现世中，而是在陨仙境、【宁远取寿果】场景里。
In Bai Senior's small house in Ninyuan City, he had seen a similar stone slab before.
zài níng yuǎn chéng bái xiān shēng suǒ jū zhù de xiǎo wū zhōng ， céng jiàn dào guò lèi sì de shí bǎn 。
在宁远城白先生所居住的小屋中，曾见到过类似的石板。
The Daoist Path Stone glowed blue as Li Fan remembered the scene.
huà dào shí lán guāng shǎn shuò ， huí yì qǐ dāng shí de qíng jǐng 。
化道石蓝光闪烁，回忆起当时的情景。
Li Fan's expression turned somewhat strange.
lǐ fán dùn shí liǎn sè yǒu xiē gǔ guài 。
李凡顿时脸色有些古怪。
These two stone slabs were not merely very similar; they were exactly the same.
zhè liǎng kuài shí bǎn ， bù néng shuō shí fēn xiāng sì 。
这两块石板，不能说十分相似。
"Desolation Stone Slab."
zhǐ néng shuō yī mú yī yàng 。
只能说一模一样。
"Could it be..." A hypothesis arose in Li Fan's mind.
“ jué xiān shí bǎn 。”
“绝仙石板。”
He ordered Tianyang to lift the slab, while he himself drifted away to avoid any danger.
“ nán dào ……” lǐ fán xīn zhōng yǒng qǐ yí gè cāi cè 。
“难道……”李凡心中涌起一个猜测。
After Tianyang explored the underground chamber and returned, declaring that there was no threat, Li Fan descended.
mìng lìng tiān yáng jiāng shí bǎn xiān qǐ ， zì jǐ zé shì piāo rán yuǎn dùn duǒ bì 。
命令天阳将石板掀起，自己则是飘然远遁躲避。
The scene here was not too different from his memories.
děng dào tiān yáng jìn rù dì xià mì shì ， guàng le yī quān yòu huí lái ， biǎo shì méi yǒu wēi xiǎn hòu 。
等到天阳进入地下密室，逛了一圈又回来，表示没有危险后。
A faceless stone statue stood against the wall in a spacious area.
lǐ fán zhè cái fēi shēn ér xià 。
李凡这才飞身而下。
Perhaps due to the isolation of the Desolation Stone Slab, an old wooden table remained unchanged despite millennia passing.
gēn jì yì zhōng céng jīng jīng lì guò de chǎng jǐng chà bù tài duō 。
跟记忆中曾经经历过的场景差不太多。
Even the faint scent of blood lingered in the air.
bù suàn dà de kōng jiān nèi ， yī zūn wú miàn shí xiàng kào zhe qiáng bì chù lì 。
不算大的空间内，一尊无面石像靠着墙壁矗立。
Wooden boxes at the corners and transparent jars lining the walls, as well as twenty-eight skeletal remains of beast breeds buried beneath the wall.
huò xǔ shì yīn wèi jué xiān shí bǎn de gé jué ， zhōng jiān yī zhāng cháng cháng de hè sè mù zhuō ， jí shǐ jīng guò shù qiān nián shí guāng 。
或许是因为绝仙石板的隔绝，中间一张长长的褐色木桌，即使经过数千年时光。
These all indicated that this was indeed the underground chamber where Li Fan had once visited Bai Senior's house!
yī jiù kàn shàng qù gēn dāng nián méi yǒu shén me liǎng yàng 。
依旧看上去跟当年没有什么两样。
Things from Ninyuan's realm had somehow appeared before him here.
shèn zhì kōng qì zhōng ， yī rán kě yǐ yǐn yuē xiù dào dàn dàn de xuè xīng zhī qì 。
甚至空气中，依然可以隐约嗅到淡淡的血腥之气。
This discovery made Li Fan feel like he was experiencing a time-space paradox.
zhuō jiǎo de mù xiāng 、 yán qiáng yī quān bǎi fàng de tòu míng wǎ guàn 。
桌角的木箱、沿墙一圈摆放的透明瓦罐。
"Taixi Mountain used to be Ninyuan City?"
yǐ jí qiáng jiǎo dì xià mái cáng zhe de èr shí bā jù 【 shòu zhǒng 】 shī gǔ 。
以及墙角地下埋藏着的二十八具【兽种】尸骨。
"So, Purple霄宗 might be nearby?"
zhè xiē wú yī bù shuō míng ， zhè lǐ hè rán jiù shì lǐ fán zài yǔn xiān jìng zhōng ， céng qù guò de bái xiān shēng jiā de dì xià mì shì ！
这些无一不说明，这里赫然就是李凡在陨仙境中，曾去过的白先生家的地下密室！
Li Fan’s eyes flickered as he compared the information in Xiemen Fei's "Ancient and Modern Geography" with his current surroundings.
cún zài yú yǔn xiān jìng zhōng de shì wù ， jiù zhè me mò míng jiàng lín dào zì jǐ yǎn qián 。
存在于陨仙境中的事物，就这么莫名降临到自己眼前。
"It doesn't match."
zhè yī fā xiàn ， huò rán ràng lǐ fán chǎn shēng le shí kōng biàn huàn 、 jiāo cuò de huāng táng gǎn 。
这一发现，霍然让李凡产生了时空变幻、交错的荒唐感。
After a moment, Li Fan frowned slightly.
“ tài xū shān ， céng jīng jiù shì níng yuǎn chéng ？”
“太虚山，曾经就是宁远城？”
According to Jiaxiu Yuan's intelligence from his previous life, the Purple霄宗 ruins were located in the Linglang State within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
“ zhè me shuō ， zǐ xiāo zōng jiù zài zhè fù jìn bù yuǎn ？”
“这么说，紫霄宗就在这附近不远？”
This place was far away.
lǐ fán mù guāng shǎn dòng ， gēn jù xī mén yǔ de 《 gǔ jīn shān hé kǎo 》 zhōng de xìn xī ， xùn sù bǐ duì qǐ lái 。
李凡目光闪动，根据西门羽的《古今山河考》中的信息，迅速比对起来。
Back then, Ninyuan City had been within the Purple霄宗’s territory and would not have been more than ten thousand li distant.
“ duì bù shàng 。”
“对不上。”
"It seems there is a mistake in Xiemen Fei's Geography."
piàn kè zhī hòu ， lǐ fán wēi wēi zhòu méi 。
片刻之后，李凡微微皱眉。
"Still, it can't be his fault. Who could have thought that after thousands of years, they would end up so far apart?"
gēn jù shàng yī shì jiāo xiū yuǎn de qíng bào ， zǐ xiāo zōng yí jì rú jīn wèi yú wàn xiān méng zhōng bù de lín láng zhōu 。
根据上一世焦修远的情报，紫霄宗遗迹如今位于万仙盟中部的琳琅州。
"This cannot be explained by changes in the geography; as if someone deliberately cut and separated them."
yǔ cǐ dì xiāng jù shèn yuǎn 。
与此地相距甚远。
Li Fan knew that the current Xuanhuang realm was formed by fusing several worlds with the original Xuanhuang realm.
ér dāng nián ， níng yuǎn chéng shì zài zǐ xiāo zōng shì lì fàn wéi zhī nèi 。 bú huì xiāng jù chāo guò wàn lǐ 。
而当年，宁远城是在紫霄宗势力范围之内。不会相距超过万里。
"From what I see now, besides fusion, there's also transformation."
“ kàn lái shì xī mén yǔ de shān hé kǎo ， yǒu le yī chù miù wù 。”
“看来是西门羽的山河考，有了一处谬误。”
"What does Transcendent Teaching Supreme Deity intend to do?"
“ bù néng yě bù néng guài tā 。 shuí néng xiǎng dào ， tóng wèi yī zhōu ， shù qiān nián hòu ， jìng rán huì tiān gè yī fāng 。”
“不能也不能怪他。谁能想到，同为一州，数千年后，竟然会天各一方。”
"The thunderous roar after being utterly destroyed by a True Immortal at the end of the 115th era. Could it have been the transmission of teachings then?"
“ gēn běn bú shì shān hé zhī biàn suǒ néng jiě shì de 。 jiù xiàng shì yǒu rén ， gù yì bǎ tā qiē gē 、 fēn lí yì bān 。”
“根本不是山河之变所能解释的。就像是有人，故意把它切割、分离一般。”
"It seems that Xuanhuang has some special significance for Him."
lǐ fán cǐ qián jiù zhī dào ， rú jīn de xuán huáng jiè shì yóu xuán huáng běn jiè ， jiā shàng qí tā ruò gān shì jiè róng hé ér chéng 。
李凡此前就知道，如今的玄黄界是由玄黄本界，加上其他若干世界融合而成。
...
“ xiàn zài kàn lái ， chú le róng hé zhī wài ， hái yǒu gǎi zào 。”
“现在看来，除了融合之外，还有改造。”
His thoughts gradually calmed as he instructed Tianyang to dig three feet deep, ensuring nothing was left behind.
“ chuán fǎ tiān zūn ， jiū jìng yì yù hé wèi ？”
“传法天尊，究竟意欲何为？”
"This faceless Xuantian deity statue is made entirely of Desolation Stones; its value is considerable."
“115 shì mò wěi ， bèi zhēn xiān yī yǎn miè shì zhī hòu ， nà shēng jīng tiān dòng dì de nù hǒu 。 nán bù chéng jiù shì chuán fǎ fā chū ？”
“115世末尾，被真仙一眼灭世之后，那声惊天动地的怒吼。难不成就是传法发出？”
"However, instead of selling it, let's use it as a symbol for the Interdimensional Alliance. After all, there might not be another such Xuantian deity statue in this world."
“ kàn lái xuán huáng jiè duì tā ér yán ， hái yǒu xiē tè bié de yì yì 。”
“看来玄黄界对祂而言，还有些特别的意义。”
Li Fan also thought about the still-sleeping Xuantian Sect Dharmaraja within Purple霄宗.
……
……
"It might even have an unexpected effect later on."
sī xù huǎn huǎn píng fù 。 jǐn shèn qǐ jiàn ， lǐ fán yòu mìng lìng tiān yáng jiāng cǐ chù wā dì sān chǐ ， què bǎo méi yǒu rèn hé dōng xī yí lòu 。
思绪缓缓平复。谨慎起见，李凡又命令天阳将此处挖地三尺，确保没有任何东西遗漏。
After putting away the statue, Zhusuan's感应 returned to normal.
“ zhè wú miàn xuán tiān shén xiàng ， tōng tǐ dōu yòng jué xiān shí dǎ zào 。 jià zhí bù fēi 。”
“这无面玄天神像，通体都用绝仙石打造。价值不菲。”
"Senior, what is that carved figure? It feels a bit eerie," Shang Tianci asked curiously.
“ bù guò yǔ qí mài diào ， bù rú yòng lái chōng dāng 【 wàn jiè lián hé huì 】 de pái miàn 。 bì jìng pǔ tiān zhī xià ， shuō bù dìng zhǐ shèng xià zhè yī zūn xuán tiān shén xiàng le 。”
“不过与其卖掉，不如用来充当【万界联合会】的牌面。毕竟普天之下，说不定只剩下这一尊玄天神象了。”
"This involves ancient secrets. The history is too long and predates the rise of Transcendent Teaching Supreme Deity. You will know in time." Li Fan smiled mysteriously, leaving out half of his words to pique Shang Tianci's interest.
lǐ fán yòu xiǎng dào le zǐ xiāo zōng xià hái zài chén shuì de xuán tiān jiào fǎ wáng 。
李凡又想到了紫霄宗下还在沉睡的玄天教法王。
Before leaving, Li Fan activated his "One Hand遮天" secret technique, cutting the entire underground chamber and taking it with him.
“ shuō bù dìng ， dào shí hòu hái néng qǐ dào qí xiào 。”
“说不定，到时候还能起到奇效。”
This left Shang Tianci staring in astonishment.
jiāng shén xiàng shōu qǐ ， zhū xuán mì fǎ de gǎn yìng yě suí zhī guī yú píng jìng 。
将神像收起，诛玄秘法的感应也随之归于平静。
Li Fan did not mind. He brought Shang Tianci back to the Spirit Wood Realm.
“ qián bèi ， nà zūn diāo xiàng shì shén me dōng xī ？ kàn shàng qù yǒu diǎn shèn rén 。” shāng tiān cì bù jīn wèn dào 。
“前辈，那尊雕像是什么东西？看上去有点渗人。”商天赐不禁问道。
During their journey across state borders, they encountered a patrol of cultivators. Fortunately, Li Fan's "One Hand遮天" technique allowed them to avoid detection.
“ cǐ shè jí dào shàng gǔ zhī mì 。 lì shǐ jiǔ yuǎn ， shèn zhì hái zài chuán fǎ tiān zūn jué qǐ zhī qián 。 yǐ hòu nǐ huì zhī dào de 。” lǐ fán lù chū le gè shén mì de wēi xiào ， shuō yí bàn 、 cáng yí bàn ， chéng gōng gōu qǐ le shāng tiān cì de xìng qù 。
“此涉及到上古之秘。历史久远，甚至还在传法天尊崛起之前。以后你会知道的。”李凡露出了个神秘的微笑，说一半、藏一半，成功勾起了商天赐的兴趣。
"Little Shang, what do you think of this place?"
lín zǒu zhī jì ， lǐ fán xīn niàn yī dòng ， suǒ xìng zhí jiē jiāng zhěng gè dì xià mì shì qiē gē dài zǒu 。
临走之际，李凡心念一动，索性直接将整个地下密室切割带走。
Standing atop the spirit trees, Li Fan asked Shang Tianci.
zhí bǎ shāng tiān cì kàn de chēng mù jié shé 。
直把商天赐看的瞠目结舌。
"It’s good, but it feels... somewhat..."
lǐ fán bù yǐ wéi yì ， zhī hòu shāng tiān cì dài huí dào le 【 líng mù jiè 】。
李凡不以为意，之后商天赐带回到了【灵木界】。
"Ordinary."
lù shàng chuān yuè zhōu yù biān jìng de shí hòu ， hái yù dào le xiū shì xún chá 。 hǎo zài lǐ fán yǒu 【 zhǐ shǒu zhē tiān 】 mì shù ， méi yǒu bèi rén chá jué 。
路上穿越州域边境的时候，还遇到了修士巡查。好在李凡有【只手遮天】秘术，没有被人察觉。
Shang Tianci hesitated for a long time before saying that word.
“ xiǎo shāng a ， nǐ kàn zhè lǐ rú hé ？”
“小商啊，你看这里如何？”
"Yes. It's almost an endless plain with few picturesque mountains and rivers. Compared to Xuanhuang, which is full of wonders, this falls short. So, you will have to do your part," Li Fan said earnestly.
zhàn zài líng shù zhī diān ， lǐ fán duì shēn biān de shāng tiān cì wèn dào 。
站在灵树之巅，李凡对身边的商天赐问道。
"Ah?" Shang Tianci was taken aback, clearly not understanding the meaning behind Li Fan's words.
“ hǎo zé hǎo yǐ ， jiù shì yǒu diǎn ……”
“好则好矣，就是有点……”
"You can materialize Xuanhuang's wonders with that golden gourd of yours. Do it one by one in this Spirit Wood Realm. It doesn't matter if the scale is smaller than before."
“ píng fán 。”
“平凡。”
"Recreate Xuanhuang within this small world!"
shāng tiān cì biē le bàn tiān ， shuō chū le zhè me yí gè cí 。
商天赐憋了半天，说出了这么一个词。
"Just imagine, when new people arrive, their first sight will be a replica of Xuanhuang's landscapes!"
“ shì a 。 jī hū jiù shì yí wàng wú jì de píng yuán ， xiǎn yǒu jùn xiù shān chuān 。 gēn qí jǐng pín chū de xuán huáng jiè ， gèng shì méi de bǐ 。 suǒ yǐ ， jiē xià lái jiù yào kào nǐ le 。” lǐ fán yǔ zhòng xīn cháng de shuō dào 。
“是啊。几乎就是一望无际的平原，鲜有俊秀山川。跟奇景频出的玄黄界，更是没的比。所以，接下来就要靠你了。”李凡语重心长的说道。
"How震撼will that be!"
“ a ？” shāng tiān cì lèng zhù le 。 xiǎn rán shì méi néng míng bái lǐ fán huà lǐ de yì si 。
“啊？”商天赐愣住了。显然是没能明白李凡话里的意思。
Li Fan murmured softly.
“ nǐ nà zǐ jīn hú lú ， bú shì néng jù xiàn xuán huáng qí jǐng me ？ jiù zài zhè líng mù jiè zhōng ， yī yī jiāng tā men jù xiàn chū lái ba 。 nǎ pà guī mó bǐ bù shàng yuán lái de ， yě méi guān xì 。”
“你那紫金葫芦，不是能具现玄黄奇景么？就在这灵木界中，一一将他们具现出来吧。哪怕规模比不上原来的，也没关系。”
Shang Tianci's breathing quickened involuntarily.
“ jiù zài zhè xiǎo shì jiè zhōng ， zài zào xuán huáng ba ！”
“就在这小世界中，再造玄黄吧！”
"I'll go right away!"
“ xiǎng xiǎng kàn ， dāng yǒu xīn rén lái dào de shí hòu 。 dì yī yǎn kàn dào de ， jiù shì xuán huáng jiè tóng kuǎn jiāng shān ！”
“想想看，当有新人来到的时候。第一眼看到的，就是玄黄界同款江山！”
The straightforward young man immediately assured Li Fan with a chest-thumping gesture.
“ zhè jiāng huì duō me de zhèn hàn ！”
“这将会多么的震撼！”
"Before materializing, plan the landscape layout."
lǐ fán xù xù dī yǔ 。
李凡絮絮低语。
"The Tree People Clan Leader has lived for many years. If you have any doubts, ask her," Li Fan reminded him.
ér shāng tiān cì yě shì bù yóu hū xī jí cù qǐ lái 。
而商天赐也是不由呼吸急促起来。
Shang Tianci nodded repeatedly.
“ wǒ zhè jiù qù ！”
“我这就去！”
"With Little Shang's help, our Interdimensional Alliance is becoming more real."
gěng zhí de shào nián láng dāng jí pāi zhe xiōng fù bǎo zhèng dào 。
耿直的少年郎当即拍着胸腹保证道。
"As long as we complete the transaction with the Five Elders' Meeting and gather all resources, construction can begin formally."
“ jù xiàn zhī qián ， yào zuò hǎo jǐng guān fāng wèi guī huà 。”
“具现之前，要做好景观方位规划。”
Li Fan felt a sense of satisfaction.
“ shù rén zú cháng huó le xǔ duō nián ， nǐ yǒu shén me ná bù zhǔn de ， kě yǐ gēn tā qǐng jiào yī fān 。” lǐ fán bù wàng dīng zhǔ dào 。
“树人族长活了许多年，你有什么拿不准的，可以跟她请教一番。”李凡不忘叮嘱道。
"Can this Spirit Wood Realm be refined into a portable treasure?"
shāng tiān cì lián lián diǎn tóu 。
商天赐连连点头。
"Then use an anchor point to bind it to Zhenhuan."
“ yǒu le xiǎo shāng zhù lì ， zán men 【 wàn jiè lián hé huì 】 yuè lái yuè xiàng nà me yī huí shì le 。”
“有了小商助力，咱们【万界联合会】越来越像那么一回事了。”
"A solid base is crucial for us," Li Fan mused silently.
“ zhǐ yào děng gēn wǔ lǎo huì nà biān wán chéng jiāo yì ， wù zī qí bèi 。 jiù néng zhèng shì kāi gōng jiàn shè le 。”
“只要等跟五老会那边完成交易，物资齐备。就能正式开工建设了。”
(End of Chapter)
"I feel like there's something eerie about here," Shang Tianci murmured softly.
Li Fan also sensed an unusual aura in the valley.
Tianyang leaped forward and stood in front of Li Fan as a barrier.
Following behind, Li Fan carefully observed his surroundings.
The valley floor was located beneath towering cliffs that blocked out sunlight year-round, shrouded in a noxious mist.
The surviving flora and fauna were unlike those on Taixi Mountain.
It felt like they had suddenly stepped into another world.
"This noxious mist actually interferes with my divine consciousness."
As he walked through the valley, not only was his vision obstructed, but even his divine consciousness could not fully perceive it.
After walking for a short while, Shang Tianci suddenly stopped.
"The tinkling sound has disappeared."
He turned around abruptly.
Li Fan pondered for a moment and, based on the warning tone of Zhusuan, roughly pinpointed an area in the valley.
The area was about three zhang (丈) in diameter, but there were no suspicious remnants of Xuantian Sect members.
"Hmm?"
Li Fan and Shang Tianci exchanged glances.
Spirit energy shot out, clearing away all the weeds and animals in this region.
After removing a thick layer of mud, they revealed a smooth stone slab.
"What is this."
Li Fan touched the stone slab, feeling familiar with it.
In an instant, he recalled that it was not from Xuanhuang's realm but from Ninyuan's scene where he had taken life-extending fruit.
In Bai Senior's small house in Ninyuan City, he had seen a similar stone slab before.
The Daoist Path Stone glowed blue as Li Fan remembered the scene.
Li Fan's expression turned somewhat strange.
These two stone slabs were not merely very similar; they were exactly the same.
"Desolation Stone Slab."
"Could it be..." A hypothesis arose in Li Fan's mind.
He ordered Tianyang to lift the slab, while he himself drifted away to avoid any danger.
After Tianyang explored the underground chamber and returned, declaring that there was no threat, Li Fan descended.
The scene here was not too different from his memories.
A faceless stone statue stood against the wall in a spacious area.
Perhaps due to the isolation of the Desolation Stone Slab, an old wooden table remained unchanged despite millennia passing.
Even the faint scent of blood lingered in the air.
Wooden boxes at the corners and transparent jars lining the walls, as well as twenty-eight skeletal remains of beast breeds buried beneath the wall.
These all indicated that this was indeed the underground chamber where Li Fan had once visited Bai Senior's house!
Things from Ninyuan's realm had somehow appeared before him here.
This discovery made Li Fan feel like he was experiencing a time-space paradox.
"Taixi Mountain used to be Ninyuan City?"
"So, Purple霄宗 might be nearby?"
Li Fan’s eyes flickered as he compared the information in Xiemen Fei's "Ancient and Modern Geography" with his current surroundings.
"It doesn't match."
After a moment, Li Fan frowned slightly.
According to Jiaxiu Yuan's intelligence from his previous life, the Purple霄宗 ruins were located in the Linglang State within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
This place was far away.
Back then, Ninyuan City had been within the Purple霄宗’s territory and would not have been more than ten thousand li distant.
"It seems there is a mistake in Xiemen Fei's Geography."
"Still, it can't be his fault. Who could have thought that after thousands of years, they would end up so far apart?"
"This cannot be explained by changes in the geography; as if someone deliberately cut and separated them."
Li Fan knew that the current Xuanhuang realm was formed by fusing several worlds with the original Xuanhuang realm.
"From what I see now, besides fusion, there's also transformation."
"What does Transcendent Teaching Supreme Deity intend to do?"
"The thunderous roar after being utterly destroyed by a True Immortal at the end of the 115th era. Could it have been the transmission of teachings then?"
"It seems that Xuanhuang has some special significance for Him."
...
His thoughts gradually calmed as he instructed Tianyang to dig three feet deep, ensuring nothing was left behind.
"This faceless Xuantian deity statue is made entirely of Desolation Stones; its value is considerable."
"However, instead of selling it, let's use it as a symbol for the Interdimensional Alliance. After all, there might not be another such Xuantian deity statue in this world."
Li Fan also thought about the still-sleeping Xuantian Sect Dharmaraja within Purple霄宗.
"It might even have an unexpected effect later on."
After putting away the statue, Zhusuan's感应 returned to normal.
"Senior, what is that carved figure? It feels a bit eerie," Shang Tianci asked curiously.
"This involves ancient secrets. The history is too long and predates the rise of Transcendent Teaching Supreme Deity. You will know in time." Li Fan smiled mysteriously, leaving out half of his words to pique Shang Tianci's interest.
Before leaving, Li Fan activated his "One Hand遮天" secret technique, cutting the entire underground chamber and taking it with him.
This left Shang Tianci staring in astonishment.
Li Fan did not mind. He brought Shang Tianci back to the Spirit Wood Realm.
During their journey across state borders, they encountered a patrol of cultivators. Fortunately, Li Fan's "One Hand遮天" technique allowed them to avoid detection.
"Little Shang, what do you think of this place?"
Standing atop the spirit trees, Li Fan asked Shang Tianci.
"It’s good, but it feels... somewhat..."
"Ordinary."
Shang Tianci hesitated for a long time before saying that word.
"Yes. It's almost an endless plain with few picturesque mountains and rivers. Compared to Xuanhuang, which is full of wonders, this falls short. So, you will have to do your part," Li Fan said earnestly.
"Ah?" Shang Tianci was taken aback, clearly not understanding the meaning behind Li Fan's words.
"You can materialize Xuanhuang's wonders with that golden gourd of yours. Do it one by one in this Spirit Wood Realm. It doesn't matter if the scale is smaller than before."
"Recreate Xuanhuang within this small world!"
"Just imagine, when new people arrive, their first sight will be a replica of Xuanhuang's landscapes!"
"How震撼will that be!"
Li Fan murmured softly.
Shang Tianci's breathing quickened involuntarily.
"I'll go right away!"
The straightforward young man immediately assured Li Fan with a chest-thumping gesture.
"Before materializing, plan the landscape layout."
"The Tree People Clan Leader has lived for many years. If you have any doubts, ask her," Li Fan reminded him.
Shang Tianci nodded repeatedly.
"With Little Shang's help, our Interdimensional Alliance is becoming more real."
"As long as we complete the transaction with the Five Elders' Meeting and gather all resources, construction can begin formally."
Li Fan felt a sense of satisfaction.
"Can this Spirit Wood Realm be refined into a portable treasure?"
"Then use an anchor point to bind it to Zhenhuan."
"A solid base is crucial for us," Li Fan mused silently.
(End of Chapter)