“In today’s world, a mortal who wants to cultivate immortality has no more than a few options.” Kou Hong patiently explained.
“One is to join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is a loose alliance formed by many cultivators where one can earn contribution points by taking on and completing quests or trading with others. With the contribution points, one can then exchange for cultivation techniques and resources from the alliance.”
“Second is the Five Elders Association. The Five Elders Association is an organization created by five top-tier powerhouses, and it wields significant influence. As long as one has the qualifications to cultivate, one can voluntarily join and choose a cultivation technique. The price is that one needs to sign a soul contract and serve the Five Elders Association for a certain amount of time.”
“The third is to choose to join the local forces around the world. Although these forces can’t be compared to the previous two, the local forces tend to be more cohesive and generally don’t involve dangerous missions, which is more suitable for those with laid-back dispositions. As for certain other chaotic organizations, they are not very reliable, so let’s not mention them.” Kou Hong slowly explained the general situation of today’s cultivation world.
Li Fan frowned at his words and was a bit puzzled, “From your description, why does it seem like cultivation techniques are not that scarce in the cultivation world?”
Kou Hong snorted coldly, “That’s because the techniques obtained through these organizations are all incomplete.”
“Incomplete?” Li Fan stared blankly, then suddenly realized. “If you want to obtain a higher level-technique, you have to continue to sell your life for them?”
“Not bad!” Kou Hong replied bitterly. “All techniques have been crippled by major factions in recent years, and cultivating them to the peak of Foundation Establishment is the limit. If you want to break through to the next realm, you have to switch to a higher level technique every further realm you reach.”
“Switching techniques? If one has to replace their cultivation technique and cultivate from the beginning every realm breakthrough, wouldn’t that mean that all the previous efforts were in vain?” Li Fan was shocked.
“That won’t be the case.” Kou Hong shook his head. “Ordinary cultivators must cultivate the Tai Shang Primordial Scripture. It is rumored that this sutra was the highest scripture of the Tai Shang Sect and served as the foundation of their sect. After the great catastrophe, the Tai Shang Sect was annihilated, leaving behind only fragments of the Tai Shang Primordial True Scripture in the world. This scripture isn’t a cultivation technique, it’s instead more like a secret art. It allows the person practicing it to freely convert their spiritual energy without significant loss, and be able to quickly catch up to the original realm after dispersing his or her original technique and switching to a new one.”
“There is actually such a miraculous method,” Li Fan marveled. “But the appearance of this remnant was quite timely. Only this way would the countless cultivators become able to accept constantly changing cultivation techniques.”
Li Fan laughed coldly, “In my opinion, this ‘Tai Shang Primordial Scripture’ has likely been preserved as far more than just remnants. I’m afraid it’s just that the person behind the scenes is only willing to release this part to control the cycle of changing techniques.”
Kou Hong sighed longingly, “Who doesn’t understand this logic? But what can be done? True techniques are hard to come by, and although being exploited is regrettable, at least there is a visible goal and means to achieve it. I’m not willing to be controlled by others for the rest of my life, but I’m not willing to risk my life. Those who despise control and are willing to risk their life to search for opportunities in the various secret realms and ancient sects are only a minority.”
Li Fan nodded, gaining a rough understanding of the situation of the cultivation world today. It was completely different from the carefree, single-minded pursuit of immortality he had imagined. Instead, it had become slightly similar to his previous world.
Thinking about all this, Li Fan couldn’t help but sneer.
Kou Hong didn’t notice the difference in Li Fan’s mind. He sighed involuntarily, “Dao Xuanzi never knew that the reason why I grabbed the technique and ran away was not because it was a Golden Core technique, but because it was a genuine technique that could lead to the realm of Nascent Soul.”
“If it really was a Golden Core technique, I still would’ve been able to control myself. But it was, after all, a true Nascent Soul technique…” Kou Hong lamented repeatedly.
When Li Fan heard this, his heart stirred, and he touched the ring he was wearing on his hand.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi’s items had already been seized by him and stored in this storage ring. Perhaps it was because he had gone through many reincarnations and his mental strength was far beyond that of normal people, but the storage ring that usually required divine sense at the Qi Refining Stage to function was usable by him as well. However, if he couldn’t find a way to leave the Land of Immortal Extinction, these things would be completely useless to him, so he didn’t have the heart to examine them carefully yet.
Next, Kou Hong introduced Li Fan to the common knowledge of the cultivation world, such as how the fall of a cultivator would invoke a heavenly vision to all within a certain range. Finally, he returned to the topic of leaving and discussed Li Fan’s hope for flying boat legacies from the Great Migration Plan.
“Perhaps there is indeed such a possibility,” Kou Hong thought carefully before affirming.
“I’ve heard rumors that for the past thousands of years, there have been occasional reports of mortals banished to the Immortal Extinction Lands who then secretly returned to the cultivation world. It’s just that most of it is just hearsay without any solid evidence.”
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Sometimes rumors contain the truth of the matter.” Li Fan’s heart perked up, “After all, mortals and cultivators are inextricably linked. It is normal for some cultivators to leave a path for their mortal families to return. I think these mortals were able to return through the backup methods left by these cultivators.”
Kou Hong was not very optimistic: “Even so, thousands of years have passed. This realm is also quite vast, and the possibility of being able to find these hopes is very slim.”
“As long as there is a ray of hope, I will not give up.” Li Fan said firmly.
“I really don’t know why you, a dying old man, remain so attached to this…” Kou Hong muttered in a small voice.
Li Fan pretended not to hear and said solemnly to Kou Hong, “As long as you help me find a way to travel to the cultivation world, not only will I release you and allow you to come with me, but I’ll also return all of your and Dao Xuanzi’s belongings.”
“Including that Nascent Soul Technique!”
“Truly?!” Kou Hong raised his head violently, a strong trace of hope emerging in his eyes.
“Of course.” Li Fan nodded his head.
“Good… if this is the case, I will do my best to help you.” Kou Hong gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind.
Although he had been deceived by Li Fan several times and did not know how trustworthy Li Fan’s promises were, he was just like Li Fan. As long as there was even a sliver of hope, he was unwilling to give up.
To be trapped here for decades and die of old age was definitely not what he, Kou Hong, desired!
…
Next, with the help of Kou Hong, Li Fan collected history books and classics of the world, trying to find clues about the Great Migration Plan from ancient records.
At the same time, Li Fan also used the army to excavate ancient tombs, trying to find some clues from them. Although it led to a lot of public grievances and hundreds of officials writing letters to admonish him day after day, they were all forcibly suppressed by him.
Unfortunately, too much time had passed since the Great Migration Plan, and his remaining lifespan in this world was too short.
Sixteen years later, in the 66th year, Li Fan’s end was approaching, but he still had nothing to show for it.
Ordering that Kou Hong should be released, Li Fan came alone to the underground chamber of the Imperial Advisor’s Mansion.
With a movement of his divine mind, Li Fan took out all the items in his storage ring and laid them out in order.
First, Li Fan focused on the jade slip that emitted a faint golden glow.
It was the Nascent Soul technique that caused Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi to turn against each other!
*****
TL Note: Tai Shang Sect = Supreme Sect/Mount Tai Sect or something like that. I’ll stick with pinyin though and just share the translations in a note, unless people overwhelmingly prefer the westernized form.