Chapter 17 – All Preparations Complete

“So you’re saying this Li Fan was telling the truth — he really does have an ancestral Core Formation technique?”

Inside the Grand Preceptor’s Manor, Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi communicated secretly through voice transmission.

“That’s right. I saw it with my own eyes.” Daoxuanzi nodded.

“Can’t we just take it by force? He’s nothing but a mere mortal…” Kou Hong’s vicious nature showed itself plainly.

Daoxuanzi hurried to dissuade him. “Although this Li Fan is just a mortal, he is still a descendant of the Taiyan Sect. You saw that terrifying divination technique of his earlier — it was truly fearsome. If we try to take it by force, who knows what other tricks he might have up his sleeve.”

“All he’s asking is for us to repair the Taiyan Vessel. It’s not even a difficult task. Why create unnecessary complications?” Of course, the real reason was that Daoxuanzi feared if they resorted to force, a cornered Li Fan might reveal that the technique was actually a Nascent Soul cultivation method.

After Daoxuanzi’s persuasion, Kou Hong finally extinguished his thoughts of seizing it by force.

The two secretly haggled over the division of benefits before finally agreeing on the terms for repairing the Taiyan Vessel.

The next day, the two saw the Taiyan Vessel that Li Fan had spoken of.

Kou Hong’s eyes lit up with excitement, and he immediately took it for a thorough examination.

“Worthy of being an artifact of the Taiyan Sect! The refinement techniques are ingenious, and the formations are wonderfully profound — all far beyond what I’ve learned!” The more Kou Hong examined it, the more delighted he became. “If I can repair this, my Dao of artifact refinement will surely advance!”

“Then I shall leave it in your capable hands. Whatever materials you need, just say the word, and this old man will see to it.” Li Fan spoke solemnly.

“Off you go. Don’t disturb me.” Kou Hong waved his hand dismissively, already immersed in studying the Taiyan Vessel.

……

In cultivation, time passes without regard for months or years.

Though it appeared to be just a small wooden boat, it took Kou Hong and his companion nearly a full year to complete the repairs.

On this day, upon hearing that the Taiyan Vessel had been fully restored, Li Fan rushed to find the two.

Taking the Taiyan Vessel from Kou Hong’s hands, he was overcome with joy.

Kou Hong said with a touch of pride, “The Taiyan Vessel’s core propulsion formation, size-shifting transformation formation, dust-cleansing formation, and others have been fully restored. Only the defensive formation and offensive formation were limited by available materials, so we could only perform basic repairs. Breaking through the immortal-barren grand formation shouldn’t be a problem, but fending off attacks from cultivators would be somewhat difficult.”

Li Fan didn’t mind this at all. “No matter. As long as we can get past the immortal-barren grand formation and return to the cultivation world, with my ancestral token, I’ll find a way back to the Taiyan Sect.”

Kou Hong’s eyes flickered briefly, then he enthusiastically began explaining how to operate the Taiyan Vessel.

“The Taiyan Vessel is powered by spiritual energy and controlled through divine sense. Depending on your needs, it can shift between three size configurations.”

“At its smallest, it’s only ten meters long and two to three meters wide, carrying about ten people. The mid-size form stretches to a hundred meters and can carry several hundred. At its maximum, it reaches over a thousand meters in length and can transport tens of thousands! Our remaining spirit stone reserves aren’t plentiful, but what I’ve loaded as fuel should be enough for you to leave this place in the second configuration.”

“However, piloting the Taiyan Vessel requires at minimum the divine sense of a Qi Refining stage cultivator. I wonder if you might need us to pilot it for you…”

Before Kou Hong could finish, he watched as the Taiyan Vessel slowly expanded under Li Fan’s control, transforming from a tiny toy into an actual small boat.

Li Fan couldn’t wait to step inside the Taiyan Vessel.

In its ten-meter configuration, the Taiyan Vessel’s layout was quite simple — a single level, with a foredeck nearly two meters long, followed by the control cabin and the living quarters.

Li Fan stood in the control cabin and linked his spiritual awareness to the Taiyan Vessel. Instantly, a sensation of seamless control flooded through him, as natural as moving his own limbs.

Under his command, the Taiyan Vessel rose steadily into the air, hovering in midair.

Li Fan then piloted the Taiyan Vessel through a series of maneuvers — up, down, left, right — before finally reining in his excitement and returning to the ground.

“Truly remarkable, friend! A mortal who can operate the Taiyan Vessel!” Kou Hong praised.

“Just a trivial little trick, hardly worth mentioning!” Li Fan smiled faintly. “I must thank you both! Trapped here for a thousand years, and now freedom is finally within reach — all thanks to your efforts!”

Li Fan spoke with complete sincerity.

Though Kou Hong was quite curious about how Li Fan could operate the Taiyan Vessel without divine sense, seeing that Li Fan avoided the topic, he could only let it go.

Daoxuanzi, on the other hand, was already growing impatient. “Now that the Taiyan Vessel has been repaired, I wonder if…”

Li Fan laughed heartily. “It’s been ready for some time. Come with me to collect it.”

Daoxuanzi’s spirits lifted at once, and he hurried to follow.

The two had already agreed on terms beforehand, so Kou Hong didn’t follow along, waiting where he was instead.

Moments later, Daoxuanzi returned with a beaming smile, clearly having obtained the technique.

Li Fan, Daoxuanzi, and Kou Hong were all satisfied with the transaction.

To express his gratitude, Li Fan hosted a grand banquet in their honor.

Wine and food flowed without end, song and dance continued without pause, for three full days.

Three days later, Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi came to bid Li Fan farewell.

“Friend, our remaining spirit stones are running low. If we stay in this immortal-barren land any longer, we risk our cultivation declining. So we’ve come today to take our leave.” Daoxuanzi said to Li Fan.

Li Fan expressed some regret. “My clan still has several matters to attend to here. I’m afraid I cannot travel with you two!”

Kou Hong spoke warmly, “No matter. Once you make it out, come find me at Lingtian City in the Congyun Mountain Range.”

As he spoke, Kou Hong handed Li Fan a map.

“This is the map I drew from memory at your request, showing the area near the exit of the immortal-barren grand formation. We had no blank jade slips here, so I had to use pen and paper.”

Li Fan accepted the map with great reverence, thanking them again and again.

After further pleasantries, Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi finally transformed into two streaks of light and departed.

Dismissing everyone else, Li Fan came alone to the underground Chamber.

Placing the map alongside the Taiyan Vessel, a torrent of emotions surged through his heart.

Six lifetimes of reincarnation. Over three hundred years of painstaking planning. At last, it had all borne fruit.

These two items were the key to escaping this immortal-barren land and gaining a chance at eternal life!

……

The eastern Ruins Abyss.

Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi stood suspended in the air, gazing back toward Xuanjing.

“When I first stumbled into this immortal-barren land, I thought this trip would leave me dead or gravely wounded at best. I never imagined that through a twist of fate, such an opportunity would present itself.” Daoxuanzi said quietly, sensing the Nascent Soul technique within his storage ring.

Kou Hong nodded in agreement, then added with some regret, “That Li Fan has remarkable resolve — he’s quite an extraordinary person. It’s a pity his time is almost up. Even if he makes it back to the cultivation world, he won’t have many years left.”

“Without eternal life, all is vanity. Isn’t it precisely for the hope of immortality that you and I turned on each other and fought?” Daoxuanzi said coolly.

“Speaking of which, what technique did Li Fan actually give you?” Kou Hong suddenly grew curious.

Daoxuanzi didn’t answer directly, instead replying with a smile, “It couldn’t possibly be the same technique you ended up with, could it? Rest easy. Once I return and go into seclusion to break through to the Core Formation stage, the three favors I promised you — I won’t shortchange you on a single one.”

Kou Hong pressed no further, his voice rising with excitement. “Once I break through as well, the two of us together — who in the entire Congyun Mountain Range could stand against us?”

“The formation’s concealing mist hasn’t dispersed yet. Does elder brother dare to charge through?” Daoxuanzi looked at the dense fog above the Ruins Abyss and suddenly shot forward into it.

He was clearly eager to return to the cultivation world and study the technique.

“What’s there to fear?” Kou Hong let out a booming laugh, then plunged in right after him.