Chapter 16: Grasping Immortals Within One's Palm

Li Fan's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed into the distance with a nostalgic expression.

"In the beginning, when my ancestor entered the Tai Yan Sect, he did not like to cultivate and was instead obsessed with the art of deduction and calculation. Originally, this wouldn't have been a problem, but who would have thought that the world would go through great turmoil, and mortals had to be migrated.

With my ancestor's Qi Refinement cultivation, he would not be forced to migrate. However, my ancestor's worldly affairs were not yet settled, and seeing the panic spreading among his family, he took responsibility for the migration of mortals. After that, he stayed here with my family."

Li Fan spoke eloquently with great emotion.

Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi both nodded slowly, finding that Li Fan's words seemed to align with the legends they had heard before.

Kou Hong even wondered, "The Tai Yan Sect still existed during the Great Migration Era? I heard earlier that all the ancient sects were destroyed in the previous upheaval of the world."

Li Fan was first stunned, then shook his head, "It's just a rumor. Although after the great catastrophe, immortal laws couldn't be practiced together, the Tai Yan Sect had as many techniques as there were stars. Distributing one technique to each person was not a difficult task. At first, the sect suffered a small loss, but it was far from being destroyed."

Li Fan's words were filled with pride, especially with the claim that "the Tai Yan Sect had as many techniques as there were stars." His words left Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi in awe.

Immediately after, Li Fan suddenly asked: "Judging from your words, it seems that the Tai Yan Sect has not been active for a long time in the main world?"

Dao Xuanzi shook his head, "Not only the Tai Yan Sect, but even the Tai Shang Sect, Da Dao Sect, the Heavenly Sword Sect, and all the rest of these ancient sects are nowhere to be found today."

Li Fan smiled and said to himself, "The path of immortality is truly difficult. As my ancestor said, the sects have chosen to hide from the world to avoid calamity..."

Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong glanced at each other and privately transmitted their voices, "I had my doubts about the extinction of the ancient sects previously. On further thought, it is increasingly suspicious. With how deep the foundations of the ancient sects were, how could they disappear in a matter of moments?"

"It's no wonder that they would choose to stay hidden. If the news that these sects still existed were to spread out, even if they were strong, I'm afraid that numerous challengers would arrive."

...

The two of them exchanged several sentences in a matter of moments, and then Dao Xuan Zi questioned, "I wonder what you stopped the two of us for?"

Li Fan sighed, "This place hasn't had any cultivators set foot in it for thousands of years. When I saw you two today, I knew that you were the people my ancestor predicted before he died and that the opportunity for my clan to escape had come. When I saw you were going to fight to the death over a Golden Core technique, I hastened to speak out to dissuade you."

Dao Xuanzi said frankly, "I apologize for the misunderstanding. However, you may not know that cultivation techniques are hard to come by in the outside world, and it is common to fight over one."

Li Fan shook his head repeatedly, "Is it really worth it to fight to the death over such matters!"

Dao Xuanzi asked tentatively, "Listening to your words, it seems that..."

"Exactly. My ancestor passed down a technique before his death which directly leads to the Golden Core realm." Li Fan proudly said.

Dao Xuanzi took a deep breath, "I wonder what you are asking for?"

Kou Hong was even more delighted, "Great. If you, Dao Xuanzi, can obtain this technique, we brothers will not need to fight anymore."

"My ancestor's lifelong wish was to be able to return to the world of cultivation and reunite with the Tai Yan Sect. Before he died, in addition to this Golden Core technique, he also passed down an artifact called the Tai Yan Boat. Although it has been damaged, the ancestor had used the art of Tai Yan to calculate that after a number of years, there would be two cultivators that would come to this place: one skilled in swordsmanship, and one skilled in refining. They would help future descendants repair the Tai Yan Boat and escape from this place." Li Fan sipped his wine and said slowly.

Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi were both astonished.

"My brother, Kou Hong, is intoxicated with the way of refining, while my specialty is precisely swordplay. This art of Tai Yan is truly incredible!" Dao Xuanzi was shocked beyond words, and it took a long time before he came back to his senses.

"To have such inexplicable might with only a Qi Refining stage cultivation is unimaginable..." Kou Hong was also stunned.

Li Fan smiled, and after a moment, he added, "Words alone are not enough. I would like to invite Dao Xuanzi to take a look at my ancestor's cultivation technique."

Dao Xuanzi was pleased and he got up to follow. Seeing that Kou Hong also wanted to follow over, he immediately became a bit wary: "Brother, you have already obtained a Golden Core technique, so why would you be interested in another?"

Kou Hong awkwardly responded, "Alright, I won't go over."

Dao Xuanzi snorted coldly and caught up with Li Fan.

Seeing that Kou Hong did not follow him as expected, Li Fan finally sighed in relief, knowing that this lifetime's plot was already half successful.

He led Dao Xuanzi down to the underground secret room of the Imperial Advisor's Mansion.

Dao Xuan Zi was about to enter the secret room when he suddenly felt a bone-chilling sensation, causing him to halt.

After carefully scanning the surroundings with divine sense, he said in shock: "Immortal-Mortal Miasma!"

Along every side of the chamber ran mechanisms filled with Immortal-Mortal Miasma. Its thick presence made Dao Xuanzi's heart tremble with fear.

Li Fan laughed, "One must always be cautious. For mortals like us, we can only act in such a way in order to guard the family's greatest treasure."

Dao Xuanzi managed a strained smile but refused to take a step forward. Instead, he retreated a half step.

Li Fan did not say anything and walked into the secret room. From a box, he took out a jade slip.

He didn't leave the secret room and only held it up so that Dao Xuanzi could see it.

This jade slip was none other than the Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra that he had obtained from Kou Hong in his previous life!

That's right, Li Fan was gambling.

According to Kou Hong's description in his previous life, Dao Xuanzi had never seen the true form of this technique.

Li Fan used it as bait, hoping that both Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong would help him repair the Tai Yan Boat. And if his gamble was incorrect...

Several suicide soldiers had long been arranged within the Imperial Advisor's Mansion. Even if they were defeated, Li Fan just had to change his approach in the next life!

Li Fan smiled in his heart when he realized that Dao Xuanzi had been completely captivated by the golden jade slip in his hand.

"The Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra... a Nascent Soul technique... it's actually a Nascent Soul technique..." Dao Xuanzi's breathing became heavy, and a dangerous look even flashed in his eyes.

However, Li Fan's smiling appearance and the faint sense of crisis coming from the Immortal-Mortal Miasma made Dao Xuanzi instantly sober up.

"Well? Is what my ancestor said true?" Li Fan asked with a smile. "Earlier, in front of your brother Kou Hong, I only said that my ancestor had passed down a Golden Core technique to prevent any malicious intentions."

"Your cautiousness is admirable." Dao Xuanzi looked deeply impressed.

He then added in excitement, "Don't worry, fellow Daoist, Kou Hong is proficient in the art of refining. I will definitely persuade him to do his best to help you repair the Tai Yan Boat."

Li Fan laughed, "In that case, I will count on you. After this is accomplished, I will definitely hand over this technique to you."

With the prospect of longevity in sight, Dao Xuanzi couldn't wait to enlist Kou Hong and start working right away.

Watching reluctantly as Li Fan stored the Nascent Soul technique and closed the secret room, Dao Xuanzi couldn't wait to find Kou Hong immediately.