"Yes, Senior!"
Seeing that the senior before her had actually responded, Mu Qianning was overcome with excitement. "Senior, we are from the Lihuo Sect. Please, lend us your aid. We will never forget your great kindness..."
Li Fan felt a toothache coming on. What were these people doing?
Weren't they all perfectly fine?
Their physical stamina was truly awful. They had barely dismounted and already couldn't walk—especially the men. They weren't even as fit as the girls...
But the other party had said they were from the Lihuo Sect?
The name seemed familiar to Li Fan.
He couldn't help walking over. The dust was a little thick, so he gently fanned the air in front of his face with his hand. "You're from the Lihuo Sect?"
Mu Qianning and the others' expressions changed drastically. Shock and terror flashed in their eyes!
"He... He just casually fanned the air, and all that chaotic Great Dao energy dispersed?!"
Ren Hong could barely get the words out.
It was too, too terrifying!
Mu Qianning was completely stunned, too. At the instant the senior before her casually waved the dust away, she had clearly seen the Great Dao flow, with all laws unable to approach him!
Just what sort of mighty being was he?!
And in an instant, the pressure weighing on them all vanished.
"You're from the Lihuo Sect?"
When the other party didn't answer, Li Fan asked again.
At that, Mu Qianning hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes. This junior is Mu Qianning of the Lihuo Sect. I pay my respects to Senior!"
She bowed deeply!
Ren Hong prostrated himself on the ground!
Li Fan was surprised. The other party was actually the Lihuo Sect's Saintess?
She really was quite beautiful...
But why were they calling him Senior and bowing so deeply? Had they gone crazy?
Li Fan said, "I'm no senior. I'm just an ordinary person. What have you come here for?"
A-an ordinary person?
Mu Qianning didn't believe him at all. Still respectful as before, she said, "Reporting to Senior, we came... to look for something."
Though she was shocked by the terrifying strength of the senior before her, she didn't dare reveal the item tied to her sect's survival.
"Looking for something? This place is enormous. With your stamina, I doubt you'll get very far."
Li Fan shook his head.
These people really lacked exercise. They couldn't even walk a few steps...
Mu Qianning was shaken to the core. From the senior's words, it seemed he knew this place very well...
They couldn't even get past the first restriction; there was no way they could find that thing...
But if they could get this senior's help...
Still, would someone of such stature help them?
Thinking of the Lihuo Sect's survival, she gritted her teeth and knelt. "Senior, this junior dares to ask for your help! If you lend us your aid, I'm willing to pay any price!"
Seeing how sincere she was, Li Fan found it hard to refuse. He knew the place well, so he could take her along on his way.
"That's no trouble, but with your stamina..."
There were so many of them. What if they all got tired and collapsed later?
Mu Qianning hurriedly said, "Senior, please take just me. The others don't need to enter!"
Li Fan considered it. "That works."
Mu Qianning was overjoyed and deeply grateful!
"The road ahead is pretty complicated. Don't lose sight of me."
Li Fan continued onward.
Mu Qianning hurried after him. Before long, fear flickered across her face. An invisible sea of fire lay ahead!
Ordinary people might not be able to see it, but she could feel its terrifying power, which could destroy everything.
The destructive energy around the perimeter was merely what had spilled out from this sea of fire.
And the invisible sea was filled with terrifying Samadhi True Fire.
A single wisp could burn a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator to death!
No wonder it was called a Forbidden Land... Mu Qianning's heart sank!
"Keep up."
Li Fan looked back.
They'd barely gone a few steps!
"Yes, Senior!"
Mu Qianning steeled herself. She had no choice but to follow this senior now.
In the next moment, she saw the senior step into the invisible sea of fire!
At that instant, a vacuum appeared within the invisible sea, which could destroy everything!
The flames retreated in fear!
Mu Qianning sucked in a sharp breath. What kind of power was this?
Too terrifying!
She hurried after him!
Before long, they had crossed the invisible sea of fire.
Li Fan reached the place where he chopped wood and asked, "What are you looking for?"
Mu Qianning was now utterly impressed by the senior. "The Divine Water Pearl!"
"It's a deep green pearl, the supreme treasure of our sect. Our Progenitor brought it here many years ago, but he perished here, and the pearl was lost..."
Li Fan suddenly remembered that whenever he came to chop wood, he seemed to find a pearl like that.
He'd never been interested in jewelry, though, so he'd picked it up and tossed it away.
"I think I've seen it before... You can come with me. I remember it was in the woods."
Mu Qianning was thrilled to hear this.
But when she followed Li Fan to the "woods," she was dumbfounded!
It was a forest of fiery red trees.
Every one of them was tall and thick!
Each leaf carried an incredibly dense aura of fire. A single leaf could help someone comprehend the Dao!
"Mystic Fire Wood, indestructible. Even a Spirit Transmutation stage cultivator can't damage it in the slightest. It's known as the tree that never dies, growing amid raging flames..."
She murmured, trembling even more inside. Was the tree this senior planned to chop Mystic Fire Wood?
By then, Li Fan had already raised his axe and begun chopping!
"Crack—"
A gigantic tree crashed to the ground.
Mu Qianning was stunned. With every swing of Li Fan's axe, she seemed to see the Great Dao collapse!
What kind of axe was that?
Too terrifying.
"What kind of terrifying presence have I encountered?"
Before long, Li Fan finished chopping the trees. Feeling a little tired, he opened his water flask and took a drink.
"You must be thirsty, too, right?"
As he spoke, he handed her the flask.
Mu Qianning took it without thinking. Though this senior was protecting her, her cultivation was too low, and she still felt a little hot.
The sweet well water went down, and she felt a wave of comfort.
But in the next instant, she suddenly froze.
Her aura surged!
She jumped straight from the Golden Core second heaven to the Golden Core third heaven!
And the rise didn't stop!
Golden Core fourth heaven!
Fifth heaven!
...It surged all the way to the Ninth Heaven!
Golden Core perfection!
She stared at the flask in her hand, utterly incredulous. What kind of heavenly jade nectar was inside it?
She wanted nothing more than to take several more gulps!
But she took a deep breath instead.
No, she couldn't act greedy in front of Senior. She had to mind her image!
"Thank you, Senior!"
She respectfully returned the flask.
"Mm... I sense the Divine Water Pearl!"
Just then, her expression changed. After her cultivation had advanced so greatly, her spiritual sense had become much sharper.
She saw a streak of green light fly out of nowhere, rapidly draw closer, then turn into a pearl that rolled to a stop by Li Fan's feet!
"The treasure is seeking protection..."
She was shocked. She'd always known the Divine Water Pearl was the sect's supreme treasure, and that it had a spirit!
And now it had come to Li Fan of its own accord?
"Oh, found it."
Li Fan casually picked up the pearl, thinking his luck was pretty good. He handed it to Mu Qianning. "Here, the pearl you wanted."
"Y-you're giving it to me?!"
For a moment, Mu Qianning stammered!
Before you continue