Chapter 957: The Heavenly Doctor's Gift
Li Fan then deliberately slowed his pace, making his way back to the entrance of the Spirit Wood Realm at a leisurely speed.
Just as he had anticipated, the Heavenly Doctor's voice resonated in his mind midway through his journey.
“Well done.”
The Heavenly Doctor had clearly sensed that the seal on the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace had been strengthened.
“Your assistance has certainly saved me a great deal of trouble.”
“If I had gone myself...”
The Heavenly Doctor chuckled softly, letting his words trail off.
“While reinforcing the seal, I encountered a few other matters.” Before the Heavenly Doctor could speak again, Li Fan took the initiative to give a full, detailed report of everything that had transpired within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
It seemed Li Fan's use of the title "Venerable One" had stirred a memory from deep within the Heavenly Doctor's mind.
For a rare moment, his tone wavered with a hint of emotion. "To think you could uncover the hidden truth within Han Hai's consciousness... that truly exceeded my expectations. No wonder, with your aptitude, even Tian Jue would see you as his successor...”
Li Fan's expression stiffened slightly.
“As for what happened back then...”
“It is a burden for me to bear alone. Knowing too much would do you no good.”
“You are still far too weak. When you reach the peak of the Dao Integration realm, perhaps then you will be qualified to know.”
It was rare for the Heavenly Doctor to offer such an explanation.
Li Fan looked as if he wanted to say more, but he held his tongue and simply nodded.
“By the way, how are your studies of the Heaven Mending Record progressing? Are there any parts you find difficult to comprehend?”
A moment later, the Heavenly Doctor inquired again. It seemed he intended to personally clear up any confusion Li Fan might have.
How could Li Fan possibly let such a rare opportunity slip by? He immediately raised the questions that had arisen during his self-study, seeking the Heavenly Doctor's guidance.
The Heavenly Doctor patiently answered each of his questions in turn.
As expected of the Heavenly Doctor, his insights into the Dao of healing were truly transcendent.
Often, with just a few words, he brought Li Fan to a sudden, profound understanding.
Moreover, the Heavenly Doctor's brief explanations often introduced new concepts and principles not even recorded in the Heaven Mending Record.
Li Fan drank in the Heavenly Doctor's teachings, hungry for every drop of wisdom.
Such wonderful moments are always fleeting.
Before long, the Heavenly Doctor seemed to be called away by some urgent matter and brought the lesson to a close.
“You must have been hiding within a small world previously. That would explain why I had such difficulty locating you.”
A chill went down Li Fan's spine, and he was about to respond.
But the Heavenly Doctor continued, "Yes, a wise choice. Until you have achieved significant progress in your cultivation, it is indeed safer for you to remain within a small world.”
“Continue your training. And remember, cultivation techniques are secondary. What is truly important is to contemplate the workings of the Heavenly Dao and the fundamental nature of the world.”
“The most powerful technique is still, in the end, someone else’s creation. The only truly perfect technique is one that is uniquely suited to you.”
Hearing this, Li Fan felt as if he had been struck by lightning. The words resonated through him, shaking his very core.
“A technique... uniquely suited to me?”
His eyes glazed over as he sank into a deep, boundless contemplation.
“A wise man keeps his tools hidden, waiting for the right moment to act. The Xuanhuang Realm as it is now is not yet your true stage. Be patient. It will be soon...” the Heavenly Doctor's tone was heavy with unspoken meaning.
Then, a streak of golden light descended from the heavens.
It shot down with incredible speed, stopping in an instant right before Li Fan's eyes.
Li Fan was jolted from his thoughts. He focused his gaze and saw a single golden needle hovering in the air before him.
“Heh. Long ago, it was rumored that no one touched by this needle could escape the cycle of rebirth.”
“If I had managed to leave a few more of these behind, perhaps a few more embers of the past could have been preserved,” the Heavenly Doctor's voice stated faintly.
“Take this needle. It is for your protection. So long as the needle remains, you shall not perish.”
A look of delight spread across Li Fan's face. “My thanks, Venerable One!”
But the Heavenly Doctor's voice did not sound again.
Ever mindful of his etiquette, Li Fan bowed once more to the sky.
He then turned his gaze to the golden needle, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he reached out a hand to touch it.
Instead of the cold touch of solid metal, Li Fan felt a warm current stream from his palm and flow into his body.
In an instant, it formed a protective shell that enveloped his entire soul.
Li Fan felt as though his soul were soaking in a warm spring, a sensation of profound comfort and safety washing over him.
An unprecedented sense of security blossomed in his heart.
“What a treasure!”
The thought flashed through Li Fan's mind as he hurried back toward the Spirit Wood Realm.
Upon returning to the Spirit Wood Realm, Li Fan keenly sensed a slight but noticeable increase in the concentration of spiritual energy.
It seemed the Treefolk's reforestation efforts were already showing early results.
Without disturbing them, Li Fan went straight to the location of the faceless statue.
He connected his mind to the faceless statue, and once the images of the Federation of All Worlds and the followers of the Red Dust Compassionate Immortal filled his thoughts, Li Fan finally let out a soft sigh of relief.
A true sense of security washed over his body and mind.
Although he had tentatively confirmed that the Heavenly Doctor was indeed quite benevolent toward cultivators from the Tianfa Realm, Li Fan did not let his guard down.
He remained ever wary of the Heavenly Doctor's mind-reading abilities.
This caution extended even to the golden needle he had just received, not just a face-to-face encounter.
Having been burned once before, Li Fan couldn't possibly accept the needle without reservation until he could rule out the possibility that the Heavenly Doctor could use it to sense his thoughts.
Currently, the only trump card Li Fan could think of to counteract the Heavenly Doctor was the faceless statue.
The true power of the Faceless Immortal was clearly even greater than the Heavenly Doctor's.
Under the statue's influence, he should be able to shield his thoughts from the Heavenly Doctor's perception.
Even though he knew this was akin to drinking poison to quench his thirst, Li Fan proceeded without hesitation.
After all, besides the Xuantian King, no one had ever truly laid eyes on the Faceless Immortal.
The Heavenly Doctor, however, was a very real and present threat.
“While there are risks, the rewards are undoubtedly immense.”
“Setting aside the golden needle, the Heavenly Doctor's guidance alone is worth a decade of arduous cultivation.”
“And then there was his final piece of advice.”
“The workings of the Heavenly Dao, the fundamental nature of the world...”
“A technique uniquely suited to me...”
Li Fan’s eyes narrowed as the beginnings of a plan started to form in his mind.
For now, however, he set that aside to first study the golden needle the Heavenly Doctor had bestowed upon him.
Though it was a gift, once inside his body, it felt as natural as if he had been born with it.
He could control it at will, with no need for any sort of refinement process.
Li Fan had never encountered such a profound method before.
With a mere thought, the golden needle reappeared before him.
“It’s not made of any kind of metal...”
Li Fan concluded after observing it repeatedly with his divine sense.
“And what's more...”
Calling upon the images recorded by the Dao Transformation Stone, he carefully compared the needle from his memory with the one before him and made another discovery.
“It seems to have undergone a unique change after coming into contact with my soul.”
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