Homecoming

Li Fan took out his five flying swords and spread them out on the deck for Yao Xuanzhou and Profound Heaven Sword Intent to test.

Golden Dragon White Star used the Taiyin Haoguang Sword Technique once. The Sword Light was so domineering that it wiped out the entire field in one move. The twin flying swords, which carried Dao power and lightning, were naturally worn down. However, Profound Heaven Sword Intent suggested that they should be repaired and restored. The sword seal that Li Fan used to slay Li Gong should be repaired and matched with the Taiyin Haoguang Sword Technique. It shouldn't be a big problem.

Zhu Hong's condition was alright, but the Zhu sword was stolen from Nangong Wuqing after he killed her, so it couldn't be brought into the open. However, Profound Heaven Sword Intent suggested that he go back to the furnace, have it gilded and dyed, and it would be as good as new. It wasn't a big deal.

But the Heaven-Slaying Demon-Slaying Rift split open.

These past few days, Pitian Fagui had been stored in its sword box. But when Li Fan took it out and looked at it, he could tell that his loyal and reliable flying sword was truly no longer up to par.

Pitian pierced through the spine of Fagui's sword at an angle, and a huge crack appeared at the wound, like a broken valley. Spiderweb-like cracks covered the sword, as if the sword could shatter at the slightest force.

Pitian was buried diagonally in the Demon-Slaying Cave, and no damage was immediately apparent. However, it showed no reaction Ruyi Sword Scripture, and the blade protruding from the sword seemed to be broken. No broken blades were found in the sword case, so it was likely lost during the fierce battle.

Yao Xuanzhou examined the pair of flying swords with both hands, then shook his head, "They can't be repaired. How about we reforge them?"

The silver leaf circled the pair of broken swords twice.

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent has been completely penetrated by demonic power; this material is useless now, let it be buried.'

If both of them say no, then it really is no good.

Li Fan could only grimace as he put away the two swords, planning to return to Qingyue Creek to find a place with good feng shui to build a sword tomb and bury them there. He planned to take the head of Jade Toad Granny after he cut off her swords and use it as a sacrifice to her good swords.

This long exploration from Lei Marsh to the South China Sea has finally come to an end. To summarize the gains of this trip, I can only say that it was barely worthwhile.

It's not fair to say it was a loss. Although he failed to catch the toad later on and even lost his Heaven-Slaying and Ghost-Slaying skills, he took turns using drugs to kill monsters above his level. He only had four Dragon Fetus Feathering Pills left, and his True Essence of Returning to Emptiness was almost completely used up. At this point, the aftereffects of continuously using drugs to squeeze out his potential also became apparent. His whole body was weak and powerless, and he had many hidden injuries. He needed a long period of recuperation.

But before assassinating Nangong Wuqing, he had made too much money in the early stages of the Lei Marsh. He filled dozens of Storage Jade with Heavenly Treasure and also obtained a ninth-grade flying sword Zhu Hong. Although Emei interfered later, causing Jade Toad Granny to escape again, he still obtained the <<North Star Taiyin Ice Wheel True Explanation>>. After all, it can be considered a top-tier divine skill.

Moreover, Ink Bamboo Mountain really made a fortune.

At this moment, the flying boat fleet of Ink Bamboo Mountain formed a long line in the sky, with more than twenty flying boats in a row, escorting the samples collected from the coral Devil Embryo, as well as the military supplies of the Tianyi Divine Palace demon soldiers and the corpses of many Nascent Soul Stage Divine Transformation demons, returning north to Li Country fully loaded.

Although the rogue cultivators of the South China Sea were also envious, Han the Divine Lord was already being extremely merciful by not punishing these scoundrels who surrendered without a fight and colluded with the Demon Race. Wanting a share of the spoils without contributing anything—they're just dreaming!

Thus, almost all the spoils of the extermination of the Tianyi Divine Palace army were bestowed upon Ink Bamboo Mountain by Emei. Han the Divine Lord and the other Nascent Soul Stage from Emei each selected some rare items that caught their eye. They also learned some unique spells from Lou Guan, and took one of the coral Devil Embryo samples from the three flying boats back to Emei for research. After that, the two sides parted ways.

It must be said, Emei is truly magnanimous. Although in their eyes, what they're giving up is nothing but worthless trash, honestly, with their high standards, what isn't trash to them...

So if they still complain about losing money, it really is a bit pretentious...

"Branding and gilding are quite time-consuming, and we're still researching your sword pellet. If all these flying swords are taken away, you won't have any magic weapons to protect you. Are you alright?" Yao Xuanzhou took Li Fan's sword box and asked with concern.

Li Fan shook his head and said sincerely, "This time, I have witnessed the power of the Divine Lord. My Golden Core realm is still too weak. I plan to cultivate in seclusion on Ink Bamboo Mountain and strive to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm in the next two years. I will not go out to fight others until I become a True Person."

Yao Xuanzhou stared, chin agape, speechless for a long while. Finally, he shook his head and sighed deeply, "Is the Heavenly Dao Seed truly this terrifying? Golden Core Nascent Soul Stage in three! How unjust is the Heavenly Dao..."

Li Fan was sweating profusely...

Fortunately, Yao Xuanzhou adjusted his mood. "Alright, it's good for you to settle down in the mountains. The lineage of the Mountain Lord is profound and extensive, especially the <Ten Theories> and the <Six Classics> passed down by the first generation of the Grand Master. Each of them is said to be on the right track. Although some of the arguments seem outdated now, they are still masterpieces worth studying in depth."

Moreover, the Scripture Pavilion within the cave also houses many famous works by great masters and their disciples throughout history. These are all practical teachings for those seeking official positions. Although they are not supernatural powers or magic, they elucidate the principles of heaven, earth, and human relations. If you can spend some time studying and mastering them, you should be able to gain something from them."

Li Fan was immediately dumbfounded, "<Ten Theories>? <Six Classics>?"

Yao Xuanzhou frowned, realizing this was not a simple matter. "What? Didn't Jiang Wangshu teach you the basics of Mo Shan?"

Li Fan was speechless for a moment.

Yao Xuanzhou couldn't help but roll his eyes. "So what did she teach you?"

"Tai Su's transformations and singing..."

Yao Xuanzhou was speechless and could only rub his temples as he explained, "The '<Ten Theories>' refer to the ten books: '<Honoring the Worthy>,' '<Universal Love> <Honoring the Same>,' 'Universal Love,' 'Against <Non-Aggression> <Frugality>,' 'Frugality,' 'Frugal <Simplified Burial>,' 'The <Will of Heaven>,' '<Understanding Ghosts>,' 'Against <Against Music>,' and 'Against <Against Fate>.' The '<Six Classics>' refer to the six volumes of the '<Mozi's Writings>' (Mohist Canon)."

These are, after all, the Daoist principles passed down through the Mo Shan lineage. You should read them at least a little, especially the knowledge in the <Six Classics>. It will be useful for your future studies on the Tai Su Devil Embryo."

Li Fan broke out in a cold sweat, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Abbot. I will remember it and study on my own when I get back."

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent Dao, the <<Ten Theories>> are just for casual reading; they can only aid your Dao heart. How you walk your path ultimately depends on yourself. The <<Six Classics>> aren't so easy to understand either. The key is that your foundation in mathematics cannot be neglected. Does Xiao Yao have any arithmetic manuals? Give him one to practice with; this kid's arithmetic is subpar.'

Yao Xuanzhou nodded in agreement, "That's right, Qingyue, you don't lack cultivation methods now, so you can carefully refine your knowledge. I'll lend you mine first."

Li Fan looked at the booklet he had brought, a thin booklet the same size as Lou Guan's Daoist talismans and magic scrolls, with the title "<Ten Books of Arithmetic>" written on it. "Oh, this book is so exquisite! I think I'll have to study it for a month or so?"

Yao Xuanzhou, "Hahaha!"

'The Dao of Profound Heaven Sword Intent, hehehe!'

Li Fan: "... Please don't laugh so scary, I'm so frightened."

Yao Xuanzhou took the <Mathematical Classic>, opened it to the first page and pointed it out to Li Fan, "This is just a table of contents. It is said to be ten books, but the Mathematical Classic is actually far more than ten books. There are also explanations of each classic, examinations of the classic, explanations of the classic, question banks, question banks, case banks, examples, actual examinations, case solutions... It is bound together with magic so that it is convenient to look it up at any time. You can do a couple of questions to review whenever you have free time."

For example, if you want to read the "<Zhoubi Suanjing>), find the title in the table of contents, activate the talisman below it with your Divine Sense power, close the book and then open it again; the " <Zhoubi Suanjing> " will be inside.

If you find better arithmetic books and rules in the future, you can add entries and copy them in to supplement your collection of arithmetic classics. I'm also reluctant to part with this book, but I've been busy forging swords for the past hundred years and haven't had time to review these things, so I'll lend it to you for now. All these arithmetic books are available in the library; remember to copy one from there later."

Li Fan stared at the densely packed list of books and gasped. Not only did he have to learn and do them, but he also had to copy them himself! This was just too much!

Yao Xuanzhou shook his head and said, "These are all the basics. It only requires diligent study and practice. Why is there such a big difference between the True Cultivator of the Daoist sect and the rogue cultivators of the Demon Race? Actually, there is no such big difference in natural talent or wisdom. It is only the accumulation of daily experiences that makes it so apparent!"

It's not scary to have someone smarter or from a better family than you; what's truly scary is someone smarter, from a better family, and who is also more hardworking than you...

What kind of carefree immortal life is this?! It's clearly an endless hell of doing endless practice problems!

Li Fan was exhausted and didn't want to do anything; all he wanted to do was lie down.

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that calculation is the foundation of Daoist arts, indispensable regardless of whether it's a new or old method. If you only desire longevity and pleasure, the tribulation of the Nascent Soul Realm only occurs once every five hundred years, enough for a carefree existence. But if you're aiming for the Enlightenment Stage, how can you neglect these skills?"

Have you forgotten the manuscript that toad left in the cave? Though it lacks your talent, it's incredibly diligent. Who knows, one day that prodigy might even grasp its essence!

Li Fan couldn't help but sigh. He could now truly understand why those princes and nobles in the Immortal Palace willingly degenerate. On one hand, there was the boundless joy of dual cultivation; on the other, there were years of arduous study under the dim light of a lamp. Their paths were simply different.

So Li Fan resigned himself to his fate and returned to his cabin to do his homework while recovering from his injuries.

The flying boat passed through the territory of Li Country without encountering any more trouble from the Nangong Family. After all, they had lost another direct descendant of the palace master, and the South China Sea, which was very close to the core territory of Nangong, was about to be thrown into chaos. They were also going to send troops to Kun Country for the empty title of general. They really didn't have time to cause trouble and annoy Ink Bamboo Mountain.

Several days later, the fleet safely passed through the Li Country and arrived at Lou Guan Tower on Ink Bamboo Mountain.

This time, Li Fan had a bunch of flying swords that needed repair and modification, and the Profound Heaven Sword Intent went directly with Yao Xuanzhou. After getting off the ship, Li Fan wasn't in a hurry to fly back to Mo Shan Qingyue Creek, so he first went around to the various mission points to hand in the missions.

For example, Li Fan first took Red Sheep to Lou Guandao Pagoda to register and get a certificate. He then discovered that he wasn't the only Mu Long- herding boy from Ink Bamboo Mountain. It seemed that Canglong Jian and Canglong Bureau really did have some kind of lineage connection. Seeing that he had brought back a dragon, many people soon appeared to give Red Sheep a physical examination, cleaning and grooming it, trimming its claws and scales, making Red Sheep feel as if it were at home, and it was moved to tears. This guy was quite pitiful; it was terrified by Emei and completely exhausted. Li Fan didn't tell it that he was going to have its bile extracted later...

However, Lou Guan also gave Li Fan a small reward for finding a dragon, awarding him fifteen strings of cash... Well, although the reward was small, it was a contribution to the sect, which would allow him to gradually rise through the ranks. Right now, he was just Mu Long Boy, but if he found two more dragons, he could be promoted to Mu Long Law Master, which was the same position Lu Yu held back then.

Because this so-called Judicial Officer is already considered a mid-level cadre among mages, roughly equivalent to a section chief, a position usually held by Golden Core Stage. After the Mu Long's Division lost its dragon, the position of Judicial Officer became vacant, and no one filled the vacancy, leaving only a bunch of Foundation Establishment disciples near Canglong Jian who were just drawing salaries and doing nothing. Therefore, Li Fan, a Golden Core cultivator who had retrieved the dragon, was actually being called the Acting Judicial Officer by these Foundation Establishment disciples.

Incidentally, besides the Mu Long's Division, there are also various departments within the alchemy and weapon-refining system, all staffed by Golden Core Stage mages. These departments provide work for disciples on the verge of Foundation Establishment, producing supplies for the sect. The head of these mages is naturally the chief instructor responsible for the disciples' cultivation, usually chosen from among the highest-ranking legal mages. Previously it was Zhang Jiugao, now it's Yuhengzi. Of course, actually, the highest-ranking one now is Li Fan, but Li Fan is rather modest; he's a recluse who wouldn't even consider a king Guan Nei Hou, so he doesn't care about these minor department head titles...

Of course, these various departments, rather than being truly responsible for producing the sect's necessities, are more like educational and training institutions for Foundation Establishment disciples. A sect can't possibly have that many True Persons; there always need to be disciples with less outstanding talent assisting behind the scenes. Once they reach the Nascent Soul Realm, these legal masters will naturally serve as the True Persons guarding the Daoist temple. There are also academies at a higher level than departments, such as the Discipline Institute, which is directly responsible for maintaining order at the Ink Bamboo Mountain gate.

In short, having a proper position isn't a bad thing if you want to survive in a sect for a long time. So Li Fan made a note of it in his side quest list, found a few more dragons to become judges, and then left the Red Sheep to the other Mu Long.

After leaving Lou Guandao Pagoda, Li Fan went to the Heavenly Clothes at the entrance and went to find the shopkeeper, Xu Ziqing, to sell his trash.

I remember he mentioned wanting to collect bird feathers from Lei Marsh. This time, besides hunting Lei Marsh, Li Fan also collected quite a few claws, teeth, bones, and hides from monsters in the South China Sea, which he brought to the shopkeeper.

Unexpectedly, this guy was exceptionally cunning. He said that Li Fan returned too late and had shipped too much goods, so he didn't have enough cash to buy more. Moreover, Lei Marsh's caravans had all set off for the Central Plains to trade, and these goods would rot if left until next year.

Therefore, Xu Ziqing suggested that they pledge these materials to him, have them processed into finished products in the villages of the Luo Sect followers, and then sell them through the Heavenly Clothes's network. The profits would be distributed as follows: Li Fan, the Luo Sect, and the Heavenly Clothes would each receive 30%, and Xu Ziqing would receive 10%.

Li Fan thought about it and agreed. To him, these materials were just junk that took up warehouse space but were a waste to throw away. Even if he exchanged them for cash, those Divine Astral Coin would still be useless junk. It would be more worthwhile to invest them in the Luo Sect to increase reputation and unlock new equipment.

Of course, there's an even more important point: the purpose of these remnants of the Luo Sect. What exactly do they want?

Li Fan provided so much material at once, which finally got Xu Ziqing to talk.

"Is there even a need to ask? You've read the scriptures, so you understand, right? We are naturally here to return to our Vacuum Home."

"... Vacuum Home?" Li Fan couldn't tell whether the other party was fooling him or if he really believed in such a slogan.

Shopkeeper Xu Ziqing, however, did not possess the extreme enthusiasm of a fanatic. He explained methodically, "We, the followers of the Luo Sect, believe that this world filled with suffering is false, fabricated, a simulation and trial of life. Only those who have experienced torment and suffering can return to their true home in the vacuum."

That is the Vacuum Home, an infinitely beautiful and peaceful paradise, an eternal and indestructible supreme heaven. The purpose of my teaching is to find the location of the Vacuum Home and return to our homeland."

Li Fan frowned. Considering what he had seen and heard before, this "Vacuum Home" must refer to the "Earth" that the Thousand-Faced Immortal and his fellow Pisces from the same system both wanted to go to, right?

The Dao Ancestor of the Void Star was probably using the followers of the Luo Sect to search for the location of 'Earth'. This may have attracted the attention of the hostile system, which led to the mobilization of the Three Great Sects to jointly eliminate him.

In a sense, the Luo Sect Cult is also an ally with the same goal—no, they are merely pawns used by a group of behind-the-scenes manipulators, sharing the same fate as Li Fan. Perhaps they are just like Zheng Guang, a group of pitiful people living in misery, using superstition and illusion to numb themselves?

"You seem like a shrewd and reasonable person," Li Fan said slowly, looking at Xu Ziqing. "Do you really believe in the so-called 'immortal paradise' that 'Vacuum Home' fabricates?"

Instead of wasting your life on that vague, unrealistic dream of an ideal world, wouldn't it be better to build your real home into a true homeland?

Xu Ziqing smiled and shook his head, "It's not surprising that you would have doubts, since you haven't seen it with your own eyes."

"... You even saw it with your own eyes?" Li Fan frowned.

Xu Ziqing nodded earnestly, "That's for sure. When I was young, I was fortunate enough to be enlightened by a master of the Luo Sect. I had a dream and saw the scenery of the 'Vacuum Home,' which is a truly infinitely beautiful paradise, a country of eternal life."

"Really? Can you tell me? It's not that I don't believe you, but I'd like to see it for myself." Li Fan chuckled. "You're not telling me it's been too long and you don't remember the details anymore, are you?"

Xu Ziqing didn't mind his movement and recalled, "What's so difficult about that? Actually, even now, I still remember it vividly. Besides, ever since I first came to Ink Bamboo Mountain and saw these novel things that I couldn't find anywhere else, I understood that there must be people here who, like me, had seen such scenery."

So to this day, I can still remember that in that world, there were fine gold flying boats that could travel freely through the sky and underwater, like mechanical flying vessels; there were towering towers built of glass and alloy Fourth Department; even the ground was covered with a layer of metal; Fourth Department was crystal and glass; everywhere was neon and phantom; and there were beautiful fairies. There were also towering towers that reached into the clouds and straight into the sky; and huge steel dragons stretched across the starry sea in the sky; and hundreds of Moon shone in the starry sky at all times.

The people there can play and frolic without worry, without the anxieties of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and without the need to work. Their food, clothing, shelter, and transportation are all served by lifelike mechanical figures. They also often wear a kind of glass lens to enter their dreams, where they can experience all kinds of lives in an endless world.

There is no suffering, no death, every day is endless Pleasure, every day is a new life. If this cannot be called a heavenly realm, then I don't know what kind of world can be.

Li Fan was stunned for a moment, then he understood.

Xu Ziqing wasn't joking; he had genuinely seen it.

The 'Earth' over there.