Chapter 45

Once Li Fan stepped into the Qi Refinement stage, he felt a tremendous change in his body.

The spiritual energy surged within him, silently improving his already somewhat aged body.

The fine wrinkles on his face disappeared, and his skin became smooth again.

Long-lost vitality surged through Li Fan, as if he had returned to his youth, brimming with boundless energy.

He had not only rejuvenated but also greatly enhanced his physical constitution.

Most importantly, Li Fan could now control the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

He manipulated the spiritual energy, transforming it into various shapes.

Unfortunately, he could only control it by instinct. To use the spiritual energy more efficiently, he would need corresponding spells.

After a while, Li Fan dispersed the spiritual energy in his hands and focused on the [Return to Truth] panel.

Name: Li Fan

Realm: Early Qi Refinement

Biological Age: 47/199

Mental Age: 510/2169↑

After breaking through to the Qi Refinement stage, Li Fan's maximum lifespan had reached the limit of 199 years.

The *Five Spirit Qi Sensing Technique* had mentioned that although cultivators' lifespans far exceeded those of ordinary people, they were still greatly suppressed compared to the ancient times.

Cultivators at the Qi Refinement stage could live no more than 200 years.

Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage could only live an additional 100 years before reaching their limit.

Only those who achieved the Golden Core and grasped the laws of heaven and earth could significantly extend their lifespan to around 500 to 600 years.

In contrast to his biological age, his mental age had hardly increased.

After all, he had already significantly increased it through the cultivation of the Yellow and Black Heart Cultivation Spell, so he was not particularly surprised.

Next, Li Fan took out the *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter* from the Taiyan Boat.

He had long obtained this Nascent Soul realm cultivation technique from Kou Hong but had been unable to view it due to the lack of divine consciousness.

However, he had always kept it in mind.

Now that he had finally reached the Qi Refinement stage, Li Fan could hardly wait to learn its contents.

"The *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter*, a Nascent Soul realm cultivation technique, current practitioners: 0."

Picking up the jade slip, the explanation of the cultivation technique naturally appeared in his mind.

Li Fan knew that this was a change that occurred after the great calamity, where immortal techniques could no longer be cultivated simultaneously.

Sensing the jade slip with his divine consciousness, countless words and images flooded into Li Fan's mind like a tidal wave.

Reading the jade slip for the first time, Li Fan was still somewhat unaccustomed to it.

He felt as if his mind was being forcibly stuffed with a lot of information, and his temples throbbed slightly.

Fortunately, his divine consciousness was much stronger than that of an average Qi Refinement cultivator, and he quickly adapted and returned to normal.

He then calmed his mind and carefully examined the cultivation technique.

After a long time, Li Fan finally had a general understanding of it.

The *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter* was a cultivation technique practiced by the ancient Tianji Sect.

In ancient times, the concept of unity between heaven and humanity was emphasized.

The Tianji Sect believed that all things in heaven and earth, like humans, had their own thoughts.

These thoughts were difficult to perceive through ordinary means.

However, just as a person's murderous intent can spread, all things in heaven and earth would occasionally emit some form of energy.

When heaven emitted murderous intent, there would be the withering of all things and the shifting of stars.

When the earth emitted murderous intent, there would be the transformation of the land and the rise of dragons and snakes.

By capturing and refining various forms of energy from heaven and earth, one could trace back to their origin and achieve a state of resonance and unity.

The *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter* was a technique for sensing and refining energy to make it one's own.

Once mastered, it could not only be used to harm others with the energy of heaven and earth but also to predict the future through the energy.

This technique was very powerful but also very dangerous.

The will of heaven and earth was vast, and even a single thread of energy was thousands of times stronger than a cultivator.

Rashly coming into contact with it could easily result in injury from the energy itself.

One might even be unknowingly assimilated and become a puppet of the will of heaven and earth.

Therefore, when the ancient Tianji Sect practiced, they did not choose to refine the energy of heaven and earth but instead used various alternative methods.

Cultivating one's own murderous intent, absorbing the vitality of spring, and sensing the energy from certain spiritual objects...

By gathering millions of energies to mask oneself, one could achieve the purpose of confusing the will of heaven and sensing the will of heaven and earth.

Theoretically, at the highest level of this technique, one could merge with heaven and earth and become one with the Dao.

Unfortunately, this was only theoretical.

In reality, even with these clever methods, the *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter* was extremely difficult to cultivate.

The ancient Tianji Sect had a ten-thousand-year legacy, and tens of thousands of cultivators had practiced the *Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter*.

But the highest level anyone had reached was the Nascent Soul realm.

If it was already so difficult in the past, it would be even more so in the current world, where the will of heaven and earth was filled with malice.

However, with the help of [Return to Truth], Li Fan did not need to worry too much about the risks of cultivating this technique.

After pondering for a moment, Li Fan decided not to rush into choosing his main cultivation technique.

He could first go to the Ten Thousand Immortals Island to see the current state of the cultivation world before making a decision.

Thus, Li Fan came to the central array on Liuli Island to meet He Zhenghao.

As soon as he arrived at the array, he found that several servants had been waiting for a long time.

Led by the servants, Li Fan met He Zhenghao again.

The place he was in now was no longer the tall mountain peak from before but an ordinary small hill.

Surrounded by mountains, it was unremarkable.

He Zhenghao was sitting in a small pavilion on the hilltop.

"I just sensed a disturbance in the island's spiritual energy and knew it must be you who broke through," He Zhenghao said, looking at Li Fan with a satisfied expression. "Although it took a bit longer, you finally broke through."

"I must thank you for your guidance, Senior," Li Fan said politely.

"It was just a minor effort," He Zhenghao said, smiling as he felt a slight increase in his cultivation.

"You came to see me because you want to go to the Ten Thousand Immortals Island?"

"Exactly. I have no more worldly concerns and can set out at any time," Li Fan nodded.

"Good. If so, follow me."

He Zhenghao flashed in front of Li Fan and grabbed his shoulder.

"Do not struggle."

He Zhenghao's voice echoed in Li Fan's ear, and Li Fan dispersed the protective spiritual energy around him.

Carried by He Zhenghao, Li Fan rose into the air and flew toward the sky.

The speed was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, they had passed through the cloud sea and reached the mountain range.

"Invoke!"

He Zhenghao made a hand seal and pointed at the mountain range below.

After a moment, countless peaks emitted white light, converging in front of He Zhenghao to form a large light ball.

"Open!"

He Zhenghao raised his hand.

The light ball accelerated and shot straight up in the direction He Zhenghao pointed.

Instantly, it formed a pillar of light that pierced through heaven and earth.

It struck the sun in the sky.

The surface of the sun distorted and split into two halves.

A portal formed in the middle.

"Let's go!"