Chapter 888: A Single Thought Locks a Prodigy
Over the next while, the manifestation of the Dharma Propagator appeared with alarming frequency.
In a single month, it materialized a total of five times.
On one occasion, the appearances were only two days apart.
Originally, Li Fan had assumed that unleashing such a powerful technique would cost the thirty-three Immortal Chosen a significant price.
But judging by the frequency, that didn't seem to be the case.
Each time, the manifestation appeared in a different province within the Five Elders Council's territory. After forcing a few of the Council's Venerables to intervene, it would quietly vanish.
What was even more terrifying, however, was that with each fleeting appearance, the manifestation seemed to become more and more "lifelike."
At first, its only move was to open its eyes.
The manifestation was improving at a rate visible to the naked eye.
It was difficult to imagine what might happen if it had enough opportunities to practice. Would it, one day, become identical to the true Dharma Propagator?
"It doesn't even need to reach that level. A tenth of the Dharma Propagator's power would be more than enough to give the Five Elders Council a world of trouble."
"No wonder they're in such a hurry. They've sent several inquiries, asking me to help investigate the background of the thirty-three Immortal Chosen."
Li Fan scoffed. "A pity, but I'm truly powerless to help this time."
Ignoring the Five Elders Council, Li Fan turned his attention to the new guest who had arrived in the Spirit Wood Realm.
At that moment, Shang Tianci was leading him on a tour of the realm.
The visitor was even younger than Shang Tianci, but his somewhat innocent face would occasionally flash with a wicked glint.
"I have to say, Tianci, the scenery in this little world is decent. But calling it the 'Federation of All Worlds'? Isn't that a bit of an overstatement?"
The newcomer was none other than Yan Fangzhou, whom Shang Tianci had brought here after much painstaking effort.
Yan Fangzhou spoke with a hint of disdain. "The so-called Federation of All Worlds is just this handful of people? You got my hopes up for nothing. I actually thought I'd finally get to be part of something big."
"Forget overthrowing the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. I bet you can't even handle the Martial and Law Enforcement Halls of Shilin Province, can you?"
Shang Tianci's face flushed red, and he was about to retort.
But a cold voice suddenly cut through the air. "Young, but arrogant. Let them come and try."
The voice was like the wrath of heaven and earth, echoing endlessly throughout the small world.
Yan Fangzhou's expression shifted slightly as he tried to pinpoint the source of the voice.
He suddenly realized that he had been isolated at some point; Shang Tianci was nowhere to be seen.
The entire world seemed to be expanding infinitely, and he felt as insignificant as an ant, lost between the vast, boundless heavens and earth.
Worse, his earlier words seemed to have enraged this place.
As the wind and clouds roiled, an unimaginable killing intent descended upon him.
"You're just playing tricks!" Yan Fangzhou was a prodigy of his generation; he wouldn't be so easily intimidated.
"Break!"
A phantom of a black flame abruptly appeared behind him.
The instant the black flame materialized, the turbulent sky froze.
An aura of utter annihilation flowed from the dark fire.
The world's killing intent was frozen solid, then plunged into nothingness.
Crack!
The surrounding scenery shattered like glass, bursting apart in every direction.
A triumphant look flickered across Yan Fangzhou's face.
But his satisfaction was short-lived.
Because what appeared before him next was the same vast, murderous world as before!
It was as if what he had shattered was merely a single layer of illusion!
"I don't care how many layers you have. I'll break them all!"
Yan Fangzhou scoffed as the black flame shot skyward like a meteor in reverse.
Wherever it passed, space itself seemed to freeze, falling into a state of absolute stillness.
Then, it was brutally crushed by the flame's dark trajectory.
The scene around him shifted abruptly, only to reveal the original landscape once more.
The line of black fire continued unabated, smashing through everything in its path.
In the blink of an eye, he had shattered an unknowable number of worlds.
But...
No matter how many layers he broke, the scene that enveloped him remained stubbornly the same.
It was like being trapped in an endless maze. Even if he ignored the walls and crashed straight through them...
There was no end in sight. He was doomed to be forever trapped within.
After an unknown amount of time, the confidence on Yan Fangzhou's face slowly began to evaporate.
His disbelief morphed into outright panic.
When he was finally forced to accept that he could not break free from this prison of space and time, his expression contorted through several changes.
"If you have any real courage, come out and fight me in the open!"
"Do you really think you can make me submit with such petty tricks?"
Yan Fangzhou shouted into the world that held him captive.
To his disappointment, his captor seemed not to have heard him at all.
There was no response.
A fierce light flashed in Yan Fangzhou's eyes as he produced a golden talisman wreathed in faint arcs of lightning.
He tossed it into the air.
But to his shock, the Space-Breaking Talisman, which had never failed him before, was now completely useless.
Not only did it fail to tear open the space and create an escape route...
It seemed to become lost itself, spinning aimlessly in the air.
Next, Yan Fangzhou tried every life-saving measure in his arsenal, one after another.
They were all useless!
This time, Yan Fangzhou was truly terrified.
"I surrender!"
"I shouldn't have been so arrogant! The Federation of All Worlds is truly as formidable as its name suggests!"
Yan Fangzhou forcefully suppressed the viciousness in his eyes and yelled at the sky.
"Senior, please allow me to join the Federation!"
The sky remained perfectly silent. Still no reaction.
Yan Fangzhou stood stunned for a moment. Thinking he hadn't been heard, he shouted again several more times.
The result was the same.
Now, Yan Fangzhou was completely at a loss.
...
In the Spirit Wood Realm.
Shang Tianci stared at the motionless Yan Fangzhou, a strange feeling creeping over him.
He called out a few times, but the other boy didn't seem to hear him at all.
Finally, he realized something was wrong.
An invisible barrier seemed to surround Yan Fangzhou, boxing him in.
Outsiders couldn't touch him, and he, in turn, seemed completely unaware of the outside world.
"Senior..." Shang Tianci said weakly, looking at Li Fan, who had suddenly appeared.
"The boy has potential, he just needs some polishing. Let's leave him to cool off for a year or so," Li Fan said lightly.
In his palm, a tiny black flame flickered unsteadily, pulsing over and over.
It seemed desperate to break free from Li Fan's grasp.
But it was held tight, completely under control.
Shang Tianci didn't dare to object and could only lower his head in agreement.
Li Fan gazed at Yan Fangzhou, trapped by his Infinite Method, and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
With a single thought, he transported Yan Fangzhou to the space just outside the Federation's black jade gatehouse.
He adjusted his posture as if posing a figurine.
"We'll let him out when he finally breaks."
"It will make him easier to train."
Li Fan mused to himself.
(End of Chapter)
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