Chapter 992: A Glimpse into the Xuan Family's Secrets
Upon returning to the Spirit Wood Realm, Li Fan immediately began analyzing the information Mo Rubin had provided on the lineage of the Mirror Holder, Cang.
The information concerning Cang himself was surprisingly sparse.
All that was known was that Cang was a survivor of the Great Calamity. When the Dharma Propagator Heavenly Venerate re-established the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, not only did the Dharma Transmitters flock to his call, but this "wise man who understood the times" also pledged his allegiance at the earliest opportunity, securing a meteoric rise to power.
Of course, the Dharma Transmitters' internal analysis suggested there had to be more to the story. For Cang to become a Mirror Holder, there must have been other factors at play. He had to possess some exceptionally compelling reason to have been chosen by the Dharma Propagator Heavenly Venerate.
In contrast, the information on Cang's daughter, Crimson Snow Immortal Venerable, Xuan Sushang, was far more detailed.
Xuan Sushang had been born before Cang joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Her mother had perished in a skirmish between cultivators when Xuan Sushang was still a child, sacrificing herself to protect Cang.
The two, father and daughter, became inseparable, and as a result, Cang doted on Xuan Sushang to an extreme degree.
This became even more pronounced after Cang consolidated his power, as he began to shower Xuan Sushang with lavish gifts without restraint.
This number didn't even include the tributes and offerings from the various families who had pledged their loyalty to her.
It was rumored that Xuan Sushang's own cultivation aptitude was merely average. However, at her level, even the most mediocre talent could be compensated for with an abundance of resources.
This was especially true under the framework of the New Method.
Thus, Xuan Sushang's journey to the Dao Integration realm was remarkably smooth.
On the day she refined the Heavenly Spirit known as Crimson Snow, it was said that Cang dispatched no fewer than five Dao Integration experts to act as her guardians, ensuring absolutely nothing could go wrong.
After ascending to the Dao Integration realm, Xuan Sushang finally gained a sliver of freedom.
Previously, Cang had forbidden her from leaving the jurisdiction of the Alliance's Central Four Prefectures. Everywhere she went, he had people shadowing her every move.
So, once she was free, Xuan Sushang spent nearly a century traveling, visiting almost every corner of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's vast territories.
Her exact movements during this period could only be traced in broad strokes.
After she had her fill of travel, Xuan Sushang finally settled down. Perhaps driven by a newfound passion, she began to immerse herself in the art of artifact refining. The Alliance's Equipment Refining Hall granted her unrestricted access, allowing her to study the most advanced techniques the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had to offer. Her skills progressed by leaps and bounds, and she shot to fame across the realm after forging a peerless suit of battle armor capable of withstanding the combined assault of five Dao Integration cultivators.
After that...
As if she had tired of the limelight, she gradually adopted a more reclusive lifestyle.
Aside from occasional contact with a few close friends, such as Lu Xichan, the chief of the Array Strategy Hall, she rarely appeared in public.
This continued until she suddenly announced a martial tournament to select a husband, a piece of news that once again sent shockwaves across the realm.
What followed was a strange turn of events: no one answered the call, and the entire affair concluded as a farce with Xuan Sushang's inexplicable pregnancy.
The child of this mysterious pregnancy was Shuo Feng.
He seemed to appear from nowhere, with no ten-month gestation and not a single clue as to the identity of his father.
Just as Cang's affection for Xuan Sushang was somewhat twisted, her own upbringing of Shuo Feng was exceptionally strict.
The records showed that Shuo Feng never once set foot outside their residence in Tianquan Province until he reached the Nascent Soul realm.
His only window to the outside world was the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
This confinement eased only after Shuo Feng successfully reached the Soul Transformation realm and fought vehemently for his freedom.
Even so, whenever Shuo Feng ventured out, he was required to wear a suit of golden battle armor specially forged for him by his mother.
According to the Dharma Transmitters' covert investigations, this golden armor possessed monstrous defensive power, capable of withstanding the combined assault of more than ten Dao Integration cultivators.
It even rendered his soul virtually impregnable.
Furthermore, if the armor were ever damaged to the point of disintegration, it would instantly teleport Shuo Feng to a safe location.
...
"Every so often, Shuo Feng must report to Crimson Snow Immortal Venerable and pay his respects."
"Though their meeting locations are never fixed and are only announced beforehand, we have been able to deduce the most probable sites..."
"The next meeting should take place in twenty-three days."
Li Fan looked at the names of the five circled residences and sighed softly. "Even at the speed I earn contribution points, it would still take me a decade or more to afford a place like this."
"And that kid was born with who knows how many."
Shuo Feng's face once again surfaced in Li Fan's mind.
"At this point in time, he likely hasn't decided to start his cultivation over from scratch. He should still be at the Soul Transformation realm."
"I wonder what could have possibly driven him to make such an impulsive decision."
"The most foolproof plan would be to lie in wait for him at the Heavenly Sword Sect's Sword Tomb and capture him discreetly."
"Unfortunately, there isn't enough time for that. Besides, I need to capture Xuan Sushang along with him..."
The Dao Transformation Stone flickered with a continuous blue light in his mind as Li Fan began his deductions, integrating all the various powers at his command.
"Trapping them and taking them alive shouldn't be too difficult."
"I could probably manage it alone, and that's without even counting on the help from Tianyang and Bai Hua."
"Hmm... still, it would be best to bring Mo Rubin in on this."
Detailed information flooded Li Fan's mind: every technique and divine ability Xuan Sushang and Shuo Feng had ever used while training or sparring within the Heavenly Profound Mirror, along with the general principles of their cultivation methods.
As he compared his own side's strength against theirs, scenes of potential future outcomes flashed through his mind.
"As direct descendants of a Mirror Holder, they must be keenly aware that their data in the Heavenly Profound Mirror is far from secret. I'm certain their true combat prowess extends far beyond what they've shown."
"Fortunately, I have plenty of aces up my sleeve as well."
...
After a full day and night of deductions, Li Fan was all but certain of success for the impending ambush.
All that remained was to wait for the opportune moment to strike.
While he waited, Li Fan took out the Lifeless Array Crown and the Ink Stained Evil Book gifted to him by Mo Rubin for examination.
The Lifeless Array Crown seemed almost alive. A brief scan with his spiritual sense revealed that the formations comprising its core were like innumerable beasts locked in a chaotic battle, devouring one another and evolving.
Its efficiency couldn't compare to his nine-in-one Dissociation Disc, of course, but it did spark a new idea in Li Fan's mind.
If Mo Rubin failed in his attempt to acquire another Dissociation Disc, perhaps he could split the Final Dissociation Disc back into two and pit them against each other.
It was possible that this adversarial process would be even more efficient for deducing new techniques.
Li Fan tried feeding the Lifeless Array Crown to his Dissociation Disc, but to his disappointment, the disc showed no interest whatsoever. It didn't even deign to give it a second look.
Conversely, upon sensing the aura of the Final Dissociation Disc, the myriad formations within the Lifeless Array Crown instantly grew agitated.
Li Fan shook his head and simply suppressed and sealed the artifact.
"It's a decent item, I suppose, but useless to me," he mused. "I already finished deducing the advanced version of the Mysterious Heaven Sealing Spirit Array long ago. Asking for an array deduction treasure was just a pretext."
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