Chapter 1028: Tianyang Looks Towards Longevity
The first time Li Fan formed his Nascent Soul using the nascent Five Elements Grotto-Heaven, a strange, subtle feeling had stirred within him.
At the time, however, his focus was entirely on seizing the precise moment the grotto-heaven manifested in the world to successfully form his Nascent Soul, leaving no room for extraneous thoughts.
He had thus dismissed the subtle sensation and moved on.
It wasn't until recently, after upgrading the Dao Transformation Stone, that Li Fan revisited every detail of his past experiences.
Only then did he uncover something new.
"If I'm not mistaken, a new Five Elements Grotto-Heaven should eventually form within the Root of Heaven and Earth in Tianling Province. When it does, a single test will confirm my theory."
"But I absorbed the original Five Elements Great Grotto-Heaven for my own breakthrough. Heaven and Earth were depleted by the act, so nurturing a new one will undoubtedly take some time."
"If my theory proves correct, then I should be able to add several more anchor points to my collection."
A cold glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes. "Nascent grotto-heavens may be hard to find, but in a world as vast as the Xuanhuang Realm, there are surely more to be discovered."
"That's certainly a viable option."
There was a time when Li Fan had to scour clandestine sources for cultivators' Golden Cores just to increase his anchor points, a path that led him to an accidental encounter with Ruomu.
Now, however, he possessed the power to destroy the grotto-heavens of the Xuanhuang Realm at will, without the slightest hesitation.
This wasn't born of arrogance, but a simple fact: very few things in the Xuanhuang Realm could still pose a threat to him.
...
While Li Fan was deep in preparation to help free the Heavenly Profound Mirror, Master Qiaogong, much to his surprise, had already made a breakthrough.
He rushed to find Li Fan, his face alight with excitement, requesting to use the [Source Power Essence].
"It's all thanks to Fellow Daoist Fang! His artifact refining skills are a bit rough, and he's clearly never had formal training, but that's precisely his strength. His mind isn't bound by convention, and he's always coming up with the most brilliant, out-of-the-box ideas!"
"I've already drafted a preliminary plan to reforge Tianyang's puppet body. Your Excellency, please take a look!"
With a word, Master Qiaogong gestured into the empty air.
An image materialized before Li Fan: a majestic puppet clad in what appeared to be black metal battle armor.
"We designed this form based partly on the appearance of the [Ancestor] and incorporated Tianyang's own preferences. Fellow Daoist Fang and I are both quite pleased with the result."
"But its appearance can be altered at will. That's not the important part."
Master Qiaogong gestured once more, and the image of the puppet instantly zoomed in.
Its intricate internal structure was revealed.
A network of channels, like the blood vessels of a human body, ran through its entire frame.
Golden Source Power Essence coursed through them, a ceaseless, surging river of energy.
"The most fundamental difference between an immortal-grade puppet and a mortal one," he explained, "is that an immortal puppet can absorb external power, just like a true living being, allowing it to continuously evolve and strengthen itself."
"Fellow Daoist Tianyang, by transforming his body and merging with a puppet, became both a cultivator and a puppet himself. By some twist of fate, he has already fulfilled the most difficult prerequisite for becoming an immortal puppet."
"So now, all that's left is to follow the procedure and augment his existing form!"
Li Fan's brow furrowed. "Is it merely a matter of stacking materials? How can that enhance his power? He's already at the Dao Integration realm. What stage will he reach once this reforging is complete?"
"Absolutely," Master Qiaogong declared with unshakable confidence. "Tianyang's current state is like a cultivator who has met all the requirements for a breakthrough but lacks the necessary resources to complete the transformation."
"He possesses the body of a puppet but the mind of a cultivator. With the path to becoming an immortal puppet already open to him, why should he need to follow the new cultivation method of the Xuanhuang Realm?"
At Master Qiaogong's words, understanding dawned on Li Fan.
Any cultivator in the Xuanhuang Realm seeking a breakthrough had to abide by the rules established by the Immortal Ancestor.
But Tianyang, through a unique turn of events, had become a being that was half puppet and half cultivator.
He could follow the advancement path of a cultivator, but he could also follow the ascension path of an artifact.
A flicker of excitement lit up Master Qiaogong's eyes. "I can't be certain of his exact power level after the process is complete, but I can guarantee one thing: he will be no weaker than a Longevity cultivator of the Xuanhuang Realm!"
Li Fan's eyes flashed. "In that case," he said, "proceed with your work. You have my full support."
As he spoke, Li Fan dispatched an avatar, filled to the brim with golden Source Power Essence, to accompany him.
Master Qiaogong's gaze was instantly captivated, fixed on the shimmering form.
"If your theory is sound," Li Fan mused, "does that not mean we could mass-produce combatants at the Longevity realm?"
"I'm somewhat familiar with Tianyang's Body Transformation Dao. One would only need to cultivate this secret art, transform into a half-puppet, half-cultivator being, and then use Source Power Essence to facilitate their ascension..." Li Fan's eyes darted as a thought struck him, and he couldn't help but ask.
Master Qiaogong's attention, however, remained riveted to the golden avatar.
It took him a long moment to snap out of his reverie and respond.
He shook his head, immediately dismissing Li Fan's speculation. "I had the same idea initially, but..."
"After inquiring with Tianyang about the finer details of the Body Transformation Dao, I realized it's far from simple."
"To transform one's body into an object—especially a puppet—is to risk losing oneself completely. One can forfeit their very humanity and become nothing more than an automaton. It requires a will of immense fortitude, a spirit of incredible strength. Fellow Daoist Tianyang's tenacity is a rarity in this age," Master Qiaogong added with admiration.
Li Fan thought of the [Eternal Remembrance] he had found among Tianyang's remains and nodded silently in agreement.
"That's only the first obstacle. The greater limitation," Master Qiaogong continued, gesturing towards the golden avatar, "is the Source Power Essence."
"I know that the amount Your Excellency has provided is already incredibly precious, but it is only enough to meet the most basic requirements for the reforging process."
"The gulf between mortal and immortal is simply immense. Without the tempering of immortal spiritual energy, relying solely on Source Power Essence..."
Master Qiaogong paused, choosing his words carefully. "I estimate that even ten times this amount would still not be sufficient."
"The cost to create a single puppet is already this astronomical. How could we ever consider mass production?"
Li Fan, however, did not share his sentiment.
To him, neither of these constraints was a real problem.
With a large enough pool of candidates, finding individuals with exceptionally tenacious minds was inevitable.
And with enough believers over a long enough period, accumulating the necessary Source Power Essence was simply a matter of time.
If it meant creating fighters at the Longevity realm, any effort was worthwhile.
His only real concern was whether mobilizing Source Power Essence on such a massive scale would attract the attention of the Faceless True Immortal.
Theoretically, a True Immortal should no longer be interested in Source Power Essence. However, the Dao Flower was still exceptionally close to the power of the Dao Root, the ultimate prize that True Immortals sought.
If the concentration of power reached a certain threshold, it wouldn't be surprising if it drew the gaze of a True Immortal.
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