Options
Bookmark

Chapter 392: Ten Years Lost

“So many years have passed. If things go as expected, the Medicine King True Cauldron in the Cangwu Abyss should have appeared by now.”

“I hope Su Xiaomei and the others can hold onto these four small cauldrons, so that I can peek into the secrets of the Medicine King Cauldron.”

Before leaving the Dao Discussion Tower branch, Li Fan once again checked the Tianxuan Mirror.

Firstly, he checked the rankings of the Grand Competition Gold List.

He still firmly held the unshakable second position.

After more than two years of crazily accumulating points within the Five Elements Subworld, he had already opened up a considerable gap with the third place.

If nothing major happened next, it was likely that he would end up with this title.

As for the first place, Guo Yezhong, due to his insurmountable and unique points deduction, was far ahead of Li Fan.

Currently, there seemed to be no hope of surpassing him.

Li Fan stared closely at Guo Yezhong’s name: “Dissolution Disc…” (TL Note: Not sure what this means. Any ideas?)

“Perhaps the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance never intended to send it out at all.”

With a cold snort, Li Fan closed the rankings and checked the messages he had received over the years.

Due to being in various secret realms, communication talismans couldn’t communicate with the outside world.

The vast majority of messages were sent to the Tianxuan Mirror space.

Mostly, they were just greetings from He Zhenghao, Jing Xuandao, and others, without anything important.

Li Fan swept through them.

Finally, he checked his own merit level.

“Derivation Thirty-One.”

Seeing this number, Li Fan couldn’t help but feel a jump in his heart.

“Indeed, it’s the thousand-year plan of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. I only participated in the construction of three major formations, and my merit level skyrocketed to thirty-one.”

“If one were to leisurely complete merit tasks, I’m afraid it would take a lifetime to reach this height of Golden Core cultivation.”

Participating in the construction of the Tianxuan Soul Lock Formation had merit rewards.

And after completing each formation, real-time settlement would be conducted.

This was clearly explained by Ji hong dao when mobilizing earlier.

After reaching a merit level of Thirty-One, new privileges were unlocked.

Firstly, there were some small benefits.

One could apply for free visits to certain famous places in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, such as the previously seen Divine Treasury Museum.

Furthermore, one could apply for cross-regional, same-level transfers of duties.

If He Zhenghao had had this privilege from the beginning, he wouldn’t have had to trouble the Oracle Sons and Jing Xuandao; he could have directly transferred to Tianyu Province.

In addition to this, what Li Fan valued more were the decryption of some forbidden data.

Many previously inaccessible pieces of information could now be seen by Li Fan in the Tianxuan Mirror.

For example, the information about the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance’s entrance examination, which occurred every ten years.

Li Fan’s eyes flickered as he quickly noted down the questions for 9th year Anchor point.

Just as Li Fan was eagerly browsing through various pieces of information, two days passed in a hurry.

On the final day of rest, Li Fan received messages from Gu Youguang and Xiang Liu.

They had both looked around but couldn’t find Li Fan’s figure in the Qianxing Branch.

Feeling somewhat worried, they sent inquiries.

After Li Fan replied that he was safe and sound, at the last moment, he returned to the celebration venue.

Inside the Qianxing Branch, the lights were brightly lit.

People were coming and going, creating a lively scene.

“Feeling a bit tired, so I went to rest for a moment. Please forgive me.”

Li Fan said with a smile.

Xiang Liu and Gu Youguang nodded repeatedly, seeming very understanding.

“But it’s a pity.”

Gu Youguang shook his head and sighed.

“Oh? What’s the matter?”

Li Fan asked.

Xiang Liu continued: “Friend, you don’t know. Yesterday, the renowned ‘Ethereal Fairy’ of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance came to offer condolences.”

“It’s truly regrettable that you missed the chance to see her beauty!”

Gu Youguang also agreed: “The Ethereal Fairy, incomparably beautiful, was rare to see. The images I’ve collected cannot capture even a fraction of her charm. That beauty transcends the limits of language. Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you understand how truly extraordinary she is.”

Li Fan thought it was just about a woman.

He chuckled and shrugged, unconcerned: “I’m an old man at death’s door, why would I care about such things?”

Gu Youguang couldn’t help but solemnize and lowered his voice: “If friend has the chance to see her beauty up close, it might not be impossible to change one’s fate against the heavens.”

“The Ethereal Fairy, her constitution is special…”

“Hmm, you understand.”

Li Fan shook his head with a smile.

Xiang Liu also sensed that this topic was a bit untimely and immediately changed the subject: “Friend, what are your plans next?”

“Senior Qi has already publicly displayed the overall construction progress of the Spirit Lock Formation inside the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. All cultivators who participated in the construction of the Five Elements Subworld can freely choose their next goals.”

As he spoke, he took out a jade-like crystal from his storage ring and handed it over.

After Li Fan took it and examined it, he was somewhat surprised.

“How can the construction progress be so fast?”

Compared to what he had seen from Huangfu Song over two years ago,

the current construction progress of the Spirit Lock Formation was almost entirely completed.

The overall progress was close to 95%.

“It’s all because of those voices of opposition causing trouble.”

Gu Youguang shrugged: “Recently, the waves of opposition against the Tianxuan Soul Lock Formation have been getting stronger and stronger. In some places, there have even been incidents of using force to stop the construction. Although they were immediately suppressed, it also indicates the danger of the situation.”

“To avoid too many complications, everyone has been going all out and not resting for a moment during this time.”

Xiang Liu also sighed deeply: “I really don’t understand why some people have such strong opposition.”

“If they were to see the performance of the Spirit Lock Formation in the Five Elements Subworld, they would definitely change their minds.”

Gu Youguang said earnestly, “It’s a pity that Senior Qi has already instructed that it’s top-secret information and cannot be leaked. Otherwise, we could just tell them.”

Li Fan nodded in agreement on the surface, but inwardly he scoffed: “If those opponents were to see the power of the Spirit Lock Formation with their own eyes, they would probably stop it at all costs, even at the risk of their lives.”

“It doesn’t matter. When the Tianxuan Soul Lock Formation is truly popularized, all doubts will be dispelled without effort.”

Just as the three of them were speaking, suddenly, the voice of Qi Buyi came from nearby.

Li Fan and the others were startled and quickly bowed to her.

Qi Buyi waved her hand, her face slightly flushed, seemingly having drunk quite a bit of spirit wine.

She said to Li Fan, “Rest assured, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance will never mistreat those who have contributed. The matter of extending your life has been approved, and treasures will be delivered soon. If nothing unexpected happens, the extra lifespan will be enough to sustain you until you break through the Nascent Soul Stage.”

Xiang Liu and Gu Youguang were both overjoyed at the news.

Li Fan also showed a grateful expression and thanked Qi Buyi.

As they were talking, a ray of sunlight shone into the Qianxing Branch.

“Hmm, it’s dawn.”

“Just like this dark night will eventually pass.”

“Under the Tianxuan Soul Lock, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance will surely usher in an incomparably bright future.”

Qi Buyi’s gaze was unfocused, but her tone was incredibly firm.

Li Fan and the others nodded in agreement.

Just then, many pieces of information appeared in Li Fan’s mind out of nowhere.

It was the sight of the mysterious disappearance of his previous clone.

“Yuandao Province, ten years of disappearance…”

In an instant, Li Fan’s expression couldn’t help but change.

TL Note: Go to patreon.com/fantasystories797

Comments 12

  1. Offline
    + 00 -
    Finally
    Read more
  2. Online Offline
    + 30 -
    Li Fan stared closely at Guo Yezhong’s name: “Dissolution Disc…” (TL Note: Not sure what this means. Any ideas?)

    are we fr rn pressure
    Read more
  3. Online Offline
    + 80 -
    Chapter 392 – Ten Years Lost in Traces

    “So many years have passed. If my guess is correct, the True Cauldron of the Medicine King in the Cangwu Abyss should be surfacing soon.”

    “I hope that Su Xiaomei and the others can protect those four small cauldrons well, so I may yet glimpse the mysteries of the Medicine King Cauldron.”

    Before leaving the secluded courtyard behind the Discourse Tower, Li Fan once more examined the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

    The first thing he checked was the Grand Competition’s Golden Ranking.

    He still remained immovably in second place.

    After more than two years of frenzied point-gathering within the Five Elements Grotto-Heaven, he had opened up a considerable gap with the third place.

    If nothing unexpected happened, that would likely be his final standing.

    As for the first-place Guo Ye-zhong, his unmatchable point-deduction privilege set him far above Li Fan—there was no hope of surpassing him for now.

    Li Fan’s gaze lingered on Guo Ye-zhong’s name. “The Dissociation Disc…”

    “Perhaps the Ten-Thousand Immortals Alliance never intended to hand it out at all.”

    With a cold snort, Li Fan closed the ranking and began reviewing the messages he had received over the years.

    Because he had spent much of his time in secret realms, communication talismans could not connect with the outside world.

    Most of the transmissions had accumulated in the Heavenly Profound Mirror’s space.

    They were mostly routine greetings from He Zhenghao, Daoist Jingxuan, and others—nothing of importance.

    Li Fan skimmed through them quickly.

    Finally, he checked his own merit level.

    “Derivative Thirty-One.”

    At the sight of that number, Li Fan’s heart gave a slight tremor.

    “No wonder they call this the millennial grand plan of the Ten-Thousand Immortals Alliance. I’ve only participated in constructing three formations, yet my merit rank has soared to Thirty-One.”

    “If one were to accumulate it through ordinary merit missions, even a Golden Core cultivator might never reach this height in a lifetime.”

    Participation in the construction of the Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking Formation came with generous merit rewards, and each completed formation was settled instantly.

    This had been clearly explained earlier by Ji Hongdao during his mobilization speech.

    Reaching Derivative Thirty-One unlocked new privileges.

    The first were minor benefits—such as the right to freely visit certain landmarks of the Alliance, like the Divine Treasury Museum.

    One could also request lateral transfers to equal-rank posts across different regions.

    Had He Zhenghao possessed this privilege back then, he would not have needed the help of Oracle-Child and Daoist Jingxuan to transfer to Tianyu Prefecture.

    But what Li Fan valued most was the access to previously restricted data.

    Many records that had been sealed from his searches were now visible within the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

    For instance, the examination papers of the Ten-Thousand Immortals Alliance’s once-in-a-decade entrance assessment.

    Li Fan’s eyes gleamed as he carefully copied down the questions for the ninth-year anchoring.

    Immersed in these newfound resources, two days passed in a flash.

    On the final day of rest, Li Fan received transmissions from Gu Youguang and Xiang Liu.

    The two had searched throughout the Thousand-Star Courtyard but had not found Li Fan, and thus sent messages out of concern.

    After assuring them of his safety, Li Fan returned to the celebration just in time.

    Inside the Thousand-Star Courtyard, lights blazed brilliantly; the place was crowded and lively.

    “Feeling a bit tired, I went to rest for a while. I hope you’ll forgive me,” Li Fan said with a smile.

    Both Xiang Liu and Gu Youguang nodded repeatedly, showing full understanding.

    “What a pity, though,” Gu Youguang sighed.

    “Oh? What do you mean by that?” Li Fan asked.

    Daoist Xiang replied, “You may not know this, friend, but yesterday the renowned Empty Serenity Fairy of the Ten-Thousand Immortals Alliance came to offer her regards.”

    “You missed the chance to behold her beauty—truly a great pity!”

    Gu Youguang readily agreed. “The Empty Serenity Fairy—her beauty is unparalleled and rare beyond compare. Even the image stones I collected fail to capture one ten-thousandth of her grace. Her beauty surpasses the limits of words; only by seeing her in person can one understand how deserving she is of her reputation.”

    Li Fan had expected something serious—so it turned out to be just a woman.

    He chuckled faintly, indifferent. “I am an old man near death; what concern have I for such matters?”

    Gu Youguang grew solemn, lowering his voice. “If you ever have the chance to taste her fragrance, perhaps even fate itself could be overturned.”

    “The Empty Serenity Fairy—her constitution is… unique.”

    “Well, you understand.”

    Li Fan merely shook his head with a smile.

    Sensing the inappropriateness of the topic, Xiang Liu quickly changed it. “What are your plans next, friend? Elder Qi has announced the overall construction progress of the Spirit-Locking Formations within the Alliance. All cultivators who worked on the Five Elements Grotto-Heaven are now free to choose their next targets.”

    As he spoke, he produced a jade-crystal slip from his storage ring and handed it over.

    Li Fan received it and examined it, surprise flashing across his face.

    “How could the construction progress be advancing this quickly?”

    Compared with what he had seen two years prior from Huangfu Song, almost all the Spirit-Locking Formation tasks were now nearing completion.

    The overall progress had reached nearly ninety-five percent.

    “It’s all because of the mounting opposition,” Gu Youguang shrugged. “Lately, the tide against the Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking Formation has been growing fierce. Some regions even witnessed violent resistance to its construction—though swiftly suppressed, it shows how precarious things have become.”

    “To avoid unforeseen troubles, everyone’s been working nonstop, day and night.”

    Xiang Liu sighed deeply. “I truly don’t understand why anyone would oppose it so vehemently.”

    “If they could witness the Spirit-Locking Formation’s power within the Five Elements Grotto-Heaven, they would surely change their minds,” Gu Youguang said earnestly. “Unfortunately, Elder Qi has decreed that it’s top-secret and cannot be shared. Otherwise, I’d gladly enlighten them.”

    Outwardly, Li Fan nodded in agreement—but inwardly, he mused wryly: “If those dissenters actually saw the formation’s might, they’d fight to the death to stop it.”

    “It matters not. When the Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking Formation is fully deployed, all doubts will crumble to dust.”

    The voice of Qi Buyi suddenly sounded beside them.

    Startled, the three turned and hastily saluted.

    Qi Buyi waved her hand—her face slightly flushed, perhaps from too much spirit wine.

    She looked at Li Fan and said, “You may rest assured. The Ten-Thousand Immortals Alliance never mistreats those who render great service. Your longevity extension has been approved; a treasure will soon be delivered. If all goes well, the extra lifespan should allow you to endure until your breakthrough to Nascent Soul.”

    At those words, both Xiang Liu and Gu Youguang were overjoyed.

    Li Fan too showed heartfelt gratitude, bowing deeply to thank her.

    As they conversed, a beam of sunlight spilled into the Thousand-Star Courtyard.

    “Ah, dawn.”

    “Just as the long night must eventually pass…”

    “Under the Heavenly Profound Spirit-Locking Formation, the Ten-Thousand Immortals Alliance will usher in a radiant new future.”

    Qi Buyi’s eyes were hazy, yet her tone was firm and unwavering.

    Li Fan and the others exchanged glances, then nodded solemnly in agreement.

    At that moment, countless pieces of information abruptly flooded into Li Fan’s mind.

    They were the experiences of that mysterious vanished clone.

    “Origin Dao Prefecture… ten years of disappearance…”

    In an instant, Li Fan’s expression changed drastically.

    (End of Chapter)
    Read more
  4. Offline
    + 160 -
    this TL never even read any chapters of the previous TL.
    0 respect shown
    Read more
  5. Offline
    + 30 -
    Li Fan stared closely at Guo Yezhong’s name: “Dissolution Disc…” (TL Note: Not sure what this means. Any ideas?)

    Did the TL just forget about the one formation breaking disk?? pressure
    Read more
    1. Offline
      + 160 -
      he never read the story so far, seems like not even the chinese version. would have cleared up a lot of confusion
      Read more
    2. Offline
      + 71 -
      Bro is just doing it as a "job" no care about details at all. Glad he stopped translating after the 450 chapters
      Read more
      1. Offline
        + 00 -
        who's doing it after chapter 450?
        Read more
  6. Offline
    + 41 -
    Finally, cloning is back! joy
    Read more
  7. Offline
    + 27 -
    So his clone finally died...
    Read more
  8. Offline
    + 90 -
    Finally....... thought he would restart before this happened
    Read more
  9. Offline
    + 150 -
    Holy shit that unknown existence is quite scary it not only made MC forget he had a clone but also didn't allow any mention of itself or it deeds to be recorded.
    Read more