Grand Xuan Kingdom, Mount Xie Li.
The mountain rose thousands of meters high, shaped like a split blade, piercing the sky.
On the steep mountain path halfway up the mountain, two teenagers were walking one after the other.
In front was a slender young man, wearing a straw hat, with a determined face.
Following him was a younger-looking but burly teenager, with thick eyebrows and an honest expression.
At this moment, the burly teenager wiped the sweat off his forehead and sat down with a sigh, “Erlang, let’s take a break. We’ve been walking for most of the day, and I really can’t walk anymore.”
The frail teenager turned around and handed him a water bottle, saying, “Wild beasts occasionally appear in these mountains. It’s not safe to rest here. I know there’s a hidden cave not far ahead. If you’re really tired, we can rest there.”
The burly teenager took the water bottle, took a few gulps, and after a deep breath, he curiously asked, “Erlang, are there really immortals in these mountains?”
“Definitely, I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Erlang said confidently, looking up at the mountaintop hidden in the clouds.
The burly teenager, however, seemed skeptical, “Since five years ago, you’ve been obsessed with this and constantly sneaking into this Xie Li. I don’t know how many times you’ve run back and forth, but I haven’t seen you find a real immortal. In my opinion, you should give up on this idea. Seeking immortality and enlightenment is too elusive. In my opinion, you should focus on martial arts like me…”
The burly teenager was interrupted by Erlang, who furrowed his brow, “Wang Xuanba, why are you being as nagging as my mother? If you keep saying these useless words, you can go down the mountain by yourself!”
The burly teenager awkwardly touched the back of his head and wisely kept silent.
The two continued to climb towards the mountaintop along the path.
Not long after they walked, a chilly wind suddenly blew through the mountains.
Wang Xuanba’s ears twitched, and his face changed. He took a step forward, grabbing Erlang and gesturing for silence.
“There’s something up ahead…” His eyes narrowed slightly, about to speak up to warn, but he froze instantly.
A drop of cold sweat fell from his forehead.
On the mountain path ahead, accompanied by rustling sounds, a giant white python was slithering down the mountainside.
The white python had a massive body, with only a section of its head exposed, which was easily seven to eight meters long.
The rest of its body was concealed among the grass and trees of the mountain, and they had no idea how long it might be.
The white python had a face as thick as a washbasin, and its huge crimson eyes emitted a chilling red light.
It released thin trails of poison and raised its head as it moved along the mountain wall, heading towards the cliff below.
Seeing this terrifying creature, Wang Xuanba and Erlang were both terrified, unable to move, not even daring to breathe.
The massive body of the white python dragged on the ground for a long time before slowly disappearing from the sight of the two.
Phew…
Wang Xuanba heaved a sigh of relief and was about to speak, but he heard another rapid noise.
The enormous snake head suddenly reappeared from below the cliff, staring intently at the two!
Wang Xuanba and Erlang were petrified once again.
Hiss…
The white python swayed its head and moved slowly, approaching the two.
Its massive mouth opened, carrying a wave of foul odor.
Shrouded by the shadow of the white python, it seemed like their heads were about to be swallowed in a single gulp. Wang Xuanba couldn’t bear it any longer.
He let out a loud roar, his muscles bulging all over, and his entire body expanded in an instant.
He flipped and jumped up, raising his fist and smashing it towards the white python’s head below.
“Ding!”
The impact sounded like metal clashing!
At this moment, Erlang also moved.
With a step, the rocks beneath his feet turned to powder, and his figure became blurred. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the white python.
Forming a fist, he fiercely punched the back of the white python’s head repeatedly.
“Ding! Ding! Ding!…”
The collision sounds echoed in their ears.
However, their attacks didn’t even manage to break the white python’s skin!
The white python roared, and its body twisted, hitting Wang Xuanba.
“Bang!”
Wang Xuanba was sent flying and crashed into the mountain wall, sending rocks flying.
The python didn’t pursue Wang Xuanba but instead turned its head and, with its mouth wide open, bit towards Erlang.
Erlang couldn’t dodge in time and could only extend both hands, firmly holding the python’s mouth shut.
The white python let out a strange roar, suddenly exerting force.
Erlang’s body almost disappeared into the white python’s huge mouth, but he let out a muffled groan and managed to hold on.
After holding the stalemate for quite some time, the white python, unable to swallow the small human, became furious.
It continuously swung its body, constantly slamming Erlang against the mountain path and the mountain itself, trying to shake him off.
With each hit, Erlang’s fingers became like sharp swords, piercing into the white python’s flesh.
After a long time like this, the mountain path was marked with traces of Erlang colliding with the rocks. The white python’s eyes flashed red, and a dark brown liquid sprayed from its mouth.
Erlang barely dodged his head, but he was still sprayed with the venom.
“Sizzle…”
As the venom corroded, Erlang’s flesh appeared to have a faint golden glow.
He let out a muffled groan, finding it increasingly difficult to endure. The white python suddenly swung its head, spewing a dark brown liquid from its mouth.
Erlang barely avoided getting poison on his head, but the rest of his body was drenched.
“Sizzle…”
As the venom corroded his flesh, Erlang’s skin emitted a faint golden light.
He grunted but could no longer hold on. He was thrown to the side by the white python, falling together with the unconscious Wang Xuanba.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he struggled to prop himself up and looked at the approaching white python, a hint of unwillingness in his eyes.
Ever since that evening in Mount Xie Li, witnessing the extraordinary figure of an immortal flying through the air, he couldn’t forget the idea of seeking immortality and enlightenment.
Countless times he ventured into the mountains, all to find this immortal and become his disciple.
For this, he even had conflicts with his mother.
Who would have thought that instead of finding the immortal, he would meet his end in the mouth of this beast.
He, Sun Erlang, was born with divine strength and was proficient in all martial arts, yet ended up with such a fate. How could he be willing?
But now, shrouded in the shadow of the white python, his body devoid of strength to resist, Erlang could only despairingly close his eyes.
Just as Erlang resigned himself to fate, a clear crane cry suddenly came from the distant mountains.
Hearing this cry, the white python, as if encountering a natural enemy, lifted its head and released poison, tightly staring at the direction from which the sound came.
Erlang, seeing a chance, opened his eyes.
He saw a white crane flying from somewhere in the mountains, engaging in a fierce battle with the white python.
The white crane dodged the attacks of the python with agility, simultaneously pecking at the snake’s body with its pointed beak, drawing blood.
Although the python was not as agile as the white crane, it had tough skin. Despite being hit by the crane dozens of times, it suffered no loss of vital energy.
But just one counterattack by the python would be enough to fatally wound the crane if it landed.
Gradually, the white crane found itself at a disadvantage.
Erlang watched these two extraordinary beasts fight a difficult battle as the surroundings faded to the back of his mind. He struggled to stand up and tried to pull Wang Xuanba to escape.
At this moment, there seemed to be a tide-like sound coming from the mountains.
Erlang was stunned, he looked up and witnessed a strange scene.
In the sky, countless birds flocked from various parts of the mountains, like a dense cloud, flying towards this direction.
On the mountain, rodents, reptiles, primates, tigers, leopards, and countless animals Erlang had never seen before suddenly emerged from various places, forming a tide of beasts rushing towards the place where the crane and python were entangled.
Erlang realized the situation and his face turned pale.
In this tide of beasts, there was no chance of survival for the two of them!
The red-eyed white python also sensed the danger and no longer fought with the white crane, trying to leave the area.
However, the white crane would not let it go and fought relentlessly as if it had an irreconcilable enmity with the python. Even if it was covered in blood and shattered, it refused to let it escape.
In the blink of an eye, the birds and the tide of animals arrived.
They ignored the white crane and Erlang, and their target was only the giant python!
The white python let out a terrified cry, surrounded by countless wild animals. It was truly a situation where there was no way to escape.
All the birds and beasts, one after another, pledged to gnaw the python to the end.
They wouldn’t stop until it was dead!
The white python was overwhelmed by the tide of beasts, and its struggle gradually weakened.
After who knows how long, there was no more sound.
After this, the beasts gradually dispersed.
But there was nothing left behind of the massive red-eyed white python, not even a single bone.
Witnessing this eerie scene, Erlang stood still, stunned, unable to speak for a long while.
After swallowing hard, it took him a long time to come to his senses.
Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and shouted loudly, looking around, “Immortal Master, is that you?”
“It must be you, right?”
In his view, the unusual tide of beasts just now must have been the work of the hermit immortal residing in Mount Xie Li.
Erlang was a little excited and eager.
Unfortunately, his voice was almost hoarse, and he still couldn’t see the trace of the Immortal Master.
So he fell into deep disappointment.
And not far from him, Li Fan was watching him with a smile.
The immortal was right in front of him, but the mortal couldn’t see him.
“This kid is not bad; his physique seems to be somewhat special, and his determination to seek the Dao is quite firm,” Li Fan looked at Erlang with a hint of approval in his eyes.
“Unfortunately, I have not gained a firm foothold myself, so how can I teach you?” Li Fan shook his head with a smile.
“It’s better to wait and give you a chance in the future!”
He lightly pointed towards Erlang.
Sun Erlang suddenly felt confused, and then looked around in a daze, and finally carried the unconscious Wang Xuanba and left.
Watching the two leave Mount Xie Li, Li Fan then looked at the crime scene where the white python was devoured, feeling a bit pleased.
“All the effort I’ve put into studying for these nine years isn’t in vain. This formless killing intent is indeed extraordinary.”
In this life, since he had already reached late stage Qi Condensation, in order to avoid the influence of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, he simply came to hide in Mount Xie Li.
While waiting for [Truth], he practiced diligently.
Due to the absence of spiritual energy in this desolate place, most of his time was spent comprehending the heavenly aura that he had observed and felt in his previous life.
Night and day for nine years, with great effort and persistence, he finally comprehended a formless killing intent.
Once this formless killing intent was applied, it could disguise itself as the killing intent of the heavens to a certain extent and in a certain range.
There were various forms of killing intent in the heavens, each leading to different calamities.
When locked onto by this formless killing intent, one would fall into calamities without Li Fan having to personally take action.
Just like the white python just now, when locked onto by Li Fan’s formless killing intent, it became the target of heavenly calamities within the range of Mount Xie Li.
The heavens and the earth nurture all things, and the will of the heavens and the earth governs the vast majority of beings in the world.
Countless animals thus formed endless killing intent towards this white python as well.
This killing intent would only disappear when the white python died completely.
Using a false heavenly mandate—this is the formidable aspect of the formless killing intent.
Not only is its power remarkable and its methods treacherous, but the concealment of the formless killing intent is also extremely high.
The formless killing intent itself is like the killing intent of the heavens and the earth, akin to a pure will and rule.
Ordinary cultivators are fundamentally unable to perceive it.
Having so many advantages, it is truly an essential product for killing.
No wonder Li Fan is so satisfied.
Of course, the initial test subject for the formless killing intent was an ordinary beast in the mountains, so the momentum was quite grand.
As for the specific effects on cultivators of the same or even higher cultivation level as Li Fan, it would have to be personally tried by Li Fan in the future to know.
After the experiment with the divine ability, Li Fan returned to the thatched hut in seclusion at the peak of Mount Xie Li.
After a simple tidy-up, Li Fan checked the progress of the recharging of [Truth].
It was already at 99%.
“It’s time to set foot in the cultivation world again.”
At this moment, Li Fan summoned the Tai Yan Boat and flew to Xuanjing City.
With the power of an immortal, just like in his previous life, he looted a large amount of treasures and food.
After filling the Tai Yan Boat, Li Fan arrived outside Qian Hong’s tomb.
Now, with his cultivation, the restriction of the Stone Tablet of Prohibition could no longer harm him.
Entering Qian Hong’s tomb, Li Fan took out the bound Stone Tablet of Prohibition from [Truth].
The two Stone Tablet of Prohibitions merged into each other, forming a brand new Stone Tablet of Prohibition.
It didn’t look as old as before, with just a few cracks on the stone body.
But in terms of quality, it seemed to still be lacking that tiny bit.
Li Fan didn’t mind.
After experiencing the immense power of the Canghai Pearl, he was already a bit indifferent towards this Stone Tablet of Prohibition.
Anyway, it would be sold to the Tianxuan Mirror in exchange for contribution points.
Bringing the two martial arts manuals from Qian Hong’s tomb and the damaged Tai Yan Boat along with him, Li Fan was about to leave on his own boat.
After flying a certain distance, he returned again, collected Qian Hong’s remains, and prepared to take them back to the cultivation world to fulfill his dying wish.
At this moment, Li Fan was no longer obstructed, smoothly passed through the Immortal Extinction Formation, and returned to the cultivation world.
Seeing the azure ocean of clouds once again, Li Fan couldn’t help but feel a sense of being in a different world.
He took out Qian Hong’s remains, turned them into ashes, and scattered them in the sea.
Above the sky, a strange phenomenon occurred.
Petals fell from the branches, drifting with the wind endlessly.
“Foundation Establishment cultivator Qian Hong, practiced the Dao for two hundred and sixty-five years, achieving Foundation Establishment with the extraordinary object, ‘Drifting Plum.'”
“Wandering outside for three thousand six hundred and seventy years, now his soul returns to his homeland, and his Dao returns to heaven!”
The strange phenomenon lasted only for the time it took for half a joss stick to burn, then disappeared without a trace.