The Flowing Clouds

I never imagined that these Tai Su Dao Ancestor were serious.

Their understanding of the system's existence is not as simple as merely noticing it. Judging from Xu Ziqing's experience, the Luo Sect already possesses, to some extent, mature technology to observe Earth from the other side.

It's possible that those Dao Ancestors, led by the Thousand-Faced Immortal, are actually only missing a gateway to the past.

When you look directly into the abyss, the abyss also looks directly into you.

Put yourself in his shoes. If he were the system on Earth and discovered that the monsters and demons of another world knew of his home and were even seriously considering coming over for a visit, he would be terrified.

However, judging from Xu Ziqing's statement, in that world, even devices commonly found in science fiction novels, such as orbital elevators, ring worlds, intelligent humans, and virtual reality glasses, are already in widespread use.

That's none of his business. It's definitely not his Earth anymore. His house just started getting an elevator installed; it's practically the countryside in every sense of the word...

Li Fan shrugged and quickly figured it out.

After all, the battle between the Tai Su Dao Ancestor and the system, spanning countless planes and universes, was something a mortal like him, who couldn't even solve math problems, couldn't participate in. There was no use in worrying; he should focus on cultivating and leveling up first.

Now that his family has moved quite far away, and since he's already at Lou Guan Tower, Li Fan is too lazy to travel back and forth. He might as well take a detour to visit Real Person Liang and ask him for more advice on the key points of the Gui Xu Nascent Soul.

Now, simply absorbing the evil energy and refining the true essence of returning to emptiness is no problem, but Li Fan Nascent Soul Stage still somewhat hesitant about forging the nascent soul. The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says that the true essence can be shaped into whatever form is desired, usually in the form of an infant, which will grow into one's own form later, but this is not necessarily the case. It mainly depends on the direction of one's Divine Transformation and enlightenment. The Beichen Sword Sect usually shapes it into a sword and then refines it continuously.

Li Fan wasn't sure what to do, so he thought he should consult with Old Liang, and ideally, ask him to take out his Gui Xu Nascent Soul and examine it...

Upon arriving at the mortuary, he had just pushed open the door when a dog-headed missile shot out, nearly hitting him.

"Huh? This dog looks familiar... or do all mixed-breed dogs look the same?"

Li Fan, quick-witted and agile, caught the dog and looked into the yard, where he indeed spotted a familiar face.

Lu Qi and Yuan Xuanbao were practicing martial arts. They were wearing lamellar armor over their hempen clothes to protect their shoulders, arms, chest and abdomen. One was using a wolf-tooth mace and the other was using a Xuanhua axe. They were obviously practicing the Body Domination Technique for fighting on the battlefield.

Real Person Liang sat in the hall watching the two practice. When he saw Li Fan enter, he nodded and said, "Throw the dog outside, lest it run around and get killed by the gale."

Li Fan shrugged, took out a demon bone, stuffed it into the dog's mouth, and tossed it aside for the dog to gnaw on. Then he went into the mortuary and sat with Real Person Liang to watch the two practice their martial arts.

Their cultivation speed was not slow either; they had already reached the Perfected Realm the Foundation Establishment stage. Moreover, their Body Domination Technique was clearly guided by Real Person Liang, with no fancy moves. When they swung their sticks and axes, the winds were strong and the impact was earth-shattering, full of power.

Li Fan watched for a while and realized that the moves they were practicing were deadly techniques suitable for battle. He began to understand, "Are they going to the battlefield?"

Real Person Liang nodded, "The Lu Family's loan saved their old house, but the rewards for the jobs at the temple are too meager, and he doesn't want to keep owing his friends money, so he plans to go to the Border Prefecture to risk his life. Xuanbao is also on the threshold of the Golden Core stage, so he can go with him to gain experience, and the two of them can look after each other."

By the way, the army of the Northern Li Country is still locked in a standoff with the Divine Cult. With so many troops, there must be a lot of fighting going on behind the scenes. It will probably take two or three years to determine a winner.

Li Fan observed for a while. Although their cultivation levels were relatively low, their kung fu was very solid and they had a real talent for martial arts. Their physical fitness was also very good. After a period of training on a real battlefield and achieving the Golden Core stage, their combat power would definitely not be weaker than the Heavenly Soldiers of the Thunder Department Immortal Palace. Reaching the level of the Thunder Department should not be a problem. However, if they encountered Nascent Soul Stage level Divine General now, they would probably still be doomed.

Moreover, this time their opponents are not mere demons, but warriors from the Divine Cult, who have crossed the Kunlun Mountain. They are all elites at least at the Divine Essence Body level, and their Body Domination Technique is Cultivation Method created by the Divine Lord. Besides, they might even have Dragon Fetus Feathering Pills. Frankly speaking, if a real fight breaks out, given the Divine Cult's evenly matched strength with the Xuanmen, these two Foundation Establishment stage weaklings would probably have a slim chance of survival.

So Li Fan thought for a moment, then rummaged through his Storage Jade and pulled out a pile of junk. "I got some military equipment in the South China Sea, but I can't sell it for a good price. Why don't you pick out a couple that fit you?"

So Yuan Xuanbao and Lu Qi stopped their moves and gathered around to look at the group of sea monsters' armor. They were all used by Nascent Soul Stage warriors. Although the armor had a bit of a crab shell feel and didn't look very good, it was actually quite sturdy and good stuff.

"Isn't this Nascent Soul Stage level battle armor?!"

"Qingyue, how can this be allowed!"

Then Li Fan pulled out a black iron rod and a long sword. "These two were used by Divine Transformation stage demons. Emei rejected them as trash, so I picked them up. They should be usable, right?"

Then he pulled out a medicine gourd, "There are only four left: the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Purple Gold Pill, the Donghua Changchun Pill, and the Dragon Fetus Feathering Pill. I'll share them with you."

This was no longer a matter of generosity; Lu Qi and Yuan Xuanbao were numb to the sight of Li Fan throwing out one treasure after another.

Li Fan sighed, "Don't be so polite. I have a ton of math problems to do, and I'll definitely break through to the Nascent Soul Stage before I finish them. Then I'll need to get a new batch of equipment, and it's a waste to hoard these pills. You can use them to upgrade yourselves."

In truth, Li Fan was eager to befriend the new generation of cultivators from Ink Bamboo Mountain and form his own small group. He couldn't possibly do everything himself, could he? But those elders who had attained enlightenment decades or even centuries ago were, firstly, conservative in their thinking, and secondly, too entangled with various forces—who knew if they might be spies for some organization? How could he dare to completely trust them?

These two early teammates were clean-cut and penniless, making them easy to recruit. Unfortunately, their aptitude was only considered excellent, and they couldn't keep up with his cultivation progress. There was no way to team up and level up in this world, so he had to invest in some junk and let them fight on their own. If they could catch up, they could be helpful in the future.

Yuan Xuanbao and Lu Qi remained in a dazed and confused state.

Real Person Liang looked at Li Fan with great interest. "Of course they won't lack life-saving pills, but these weapons are indeed quite good... What, are you preparing to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage?"

"Indeed, I would also like to ask you about the method of forging the Gui Xu Nascent Soul the True Formation. Are there any points I should pay attention to?" Li Fan asked.

"The difficulty in Gui Xu Nascent Soul lies in the initial steps. You can create a Revered Heavenly Demon, visualize it, and use this form to house Nascent Soul Stage primordial spirit. By projecting this form, you will achieve the Nascent Soul." Real Person Liang pointed to the statue inside. "When Nascent Soul Stage achieve the Nascent Soul stage using internal Cultivation Method, you will inevitably attract a tribulation of lightning. However, as long as your Dao body is solid and your foundation is profound, there will be no major obstacles to overcome."

Besides, I see you've cultivated your Tai Su Dao Body quite a bit; at worst, you can just sacrifice one body to face the tribulation. After passing the lightning tribulation, your Nascent Soul Stage can leave your body and roam the universe. Come find me then, and I'll teach you some of the techniques you've learned over the years."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master."

It's really great to have such experienced predecessors paving the way. You don't need to rack your brains and take risks to figure things out little by little. You can just step on the gas and get going.

At this moment, Yuan Xuanbao and Lu Qi finally came to their senses and probably realized that being too sentimental was really pointless. This was the battlefield, where life and death were uncertain, and constantly rejecting other people's kindness would only harm themselves. So Yuan Xuanbao took the long sword made of ribbonfish, and Lu Qi used the black iron rod made of whalefish. They each took a set of armor and two Dragon Fetus Feathering Pills, and bowed to Li Fan.

Yuan Xuanbao was also straightforward, "Qingyue, from now on, if there's anything you need, just give it to me."

Lu Qi's face flushed red. "I will always remember your kindness, brother... Before I find my sister, I will definitely take good care of Wangcai."

Why are all the dogs in all the heavens and realms named Wangcai? And are you misunderstanding something?

Regardless, the way these two look at Li Fan now is at least three hearts or more in terms of friendliness. Giving them equipment is definitely the fastest way to raise their favorability. If they had a Peach Garden Ketu become sworn brothers.

So Li Fan, under the guise of giving them a farewell dinner, invited the two of them to go out for drinks, which also helped them satisfy their cravings.

Having been confined to his quarters for cultivation for the past two months, Yuan Xuanbao, who had the most free time, suggested, "I heard that a new restaurant recently opened in town. It's said to have moved here from Changsi City to seek refuge. It's called Liuyun Pavilion, and the owner is a rare beauty who has taken away all the business from Ke Shan Zhai. I'll treat everyone to a meal and see for ourselves."

Wow, it actually managed to overshadow the popularity of high-end clubs like Ke Shan Zhai? This is incredible! Teacher Li Fan has to go and check it out and give it a rating!

"Let's go together! Let's go together!"

So Li Fan and Yuan Xuanbao grabbed Lu Qi and left. The dog followed, carrying a bone in its mouth.

As expected, increasing our friendship level unlocks new scenes! Look, now we have a new clubhouse to explore. Even if we can't fight together, we can still... you know... our relationship will remain strong, right?

Although the location of the Liuyun Pavilion is not Ke Shan Zhai, there are still many carriages and boats coming and going, probably all coming to see the famous actress.

However, judging from the various scene arrangements, Liuyun Pavilion is still a step behind. There are no murals or live-action versions of fairies bathing to see; it's just a simple restaurant with a stage for folk art performances in the middle. But the prices of the food and drinks aren't too outrageous, and there aren't many inexplicable gimmicks. Meat is meat, and soup is soup; you don't need to guess riddles.

Li Fan tasted it; it was just so-so, not as good as raw flesh and blood. He'd rather have a couple of sips of wine...

"Look, here she comes! That's Madam Yan of this pavilion. It's said that her husband's family was wiped out during the chaos in Changsi City, and she came to Ink Bamboo Mountain to seek refuge with distant relatives. She's probably a relative of some immortal. Occasionally, she even goes on stage herself to sing and play a song to entertain everyone."

"Brother Yuan, this Madam Yan seems to have an unremarkable appearance..."

"Oh, you don't understand. This is the charm of a mature woman. You'll understand once you've seen enough."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan glanced over curiously and nearly choked on his drink.

What Madam Yan? It's clearly Lady Yan! Isn't that the fox?

It's just that no one knows what kind of magic or artifact the fox used to hide itself. Not only are there no fox features, no animal ears or big tail, but there's also no trace of demonic aura.

Of course, she originally had no demonic aura, but it seemed that even her Nascent Soul Realm was hidden. At this moment, she only revealed the strength of a rogue cultivator at the Golden Core realm, which would neither cause trouble nor arouse fear.

It's clear that 'Madam Yan' wore minimal makeup and had very little adornment. Perhaps she even made some deliberate alterations, so her overall appearance only scored around 80 points, and at least 10 points were due to her figure.

In short, she bears absolutely no resemblance to the previous vixen.

So how did Li Fan recognize him at a glance?

That's simple, the person has changed but the instrument hasn't. Although the guqin in her arms isn't a top-grade magic weapon, it's impossible for the wood and texture to be exactly the same. Li Fan recognized it at a glance and remembered it.

Moreover, the nine-tailed fox probably has that innate racial aura; even though she deliberately makes her appearance 'ordinary', males who see her are involuntarily quite infatuated.

She was the kind of woman who, at first glance, seemed merely beautiful, but the more you looked at her, the more attractive she became, and the more beautiful she grew. Every gesture she made exuded a unique charm. As a result, this seemingly secluded and quiet restaurant, which had clearly chosen this particular location for its seclusion, saw its business flourish, even becoming bustling with activity...

However, this influence on the soul had absolutely no effect on Li Fan, who was "calm down."

Of course, this doesn't mean Li Fan has exceptional self-control. If she were more open and direct, like Fairy Wangshu who ripped open her skirt and kicked her thighs, Li Fan would definitely have a nosebleed as a sign of respect.

But now, with this look, she can only be described as a pretty proprietress.

However, others, especially ordinary people who had not reached the Nascent Soul Realm, could not resist this innate charm. When they saw Madam Yan come out, they all turned their heads to look at her, and stopped drinking their tea.

Madam Yan was also helpless, probably annoyed by the fact that this disguised appearance was completely different from her demon body, yet it still attracted bees and butterflies. Thinking about this distressing situation, she couldn't help but gather her hair, frown and sigh softly.

A collective gasp filled the hotel room.

"Hiss... Brother Yuan, I think I understand..."

"Hiss... This is terrible, this is terrible..."

"..." Li Fan glanced at the two of them out of the corner of his eye. To be honest, he would rather go to Ke Shan Zhai to "watch the fish".

Just then, a commotion arose from the doorway.

Li Fan turned his head and saw that someone's leopard mount had run into the restaurant; it was so fat it almost blocked the door... Hmm?

"Stir-fry the petals, invite the goose to cool off and shiver. The goose is in charge of the towel and the ancestral mat is being kneaded."

Then Chen Asha, dressed in the brown Outer Sect Disciple of Ink Bamboo Mountain, carrying a bamboo basket filled with medicine, with a Kun (a mythical fish) on her head, jumped into the shop on the back of a leopard.

Madam Yan was stunned for a moment before she understood, "Oh, oh... okay, just a moment..."

Kun patted Asha's head.

Asha escaped from the bamboo basket with a small medicine jar, scooped a spoonful of tofu into Kun's mouth, and said, "The thief is like a new classic. Fresh and green, it consumes or not."

Kun was satisfied.

Li Fan darted over and scooped Kun up, squinting at it, "Did you deliver the flowers to Fuling? Is there no one at home to watch the house?"

Asha replied, "Greetings, Senior Brother Li. The Gurong has been delivered, the Qingyue Creek formation has been deactivated, and the two carp in the pool have been fed. Sister Fuling is in good spirits after taking the medicine and is resting now. Sister Liu Qing is taking care of her. I heard that a new shop has opened, and their tofu is quite famous, so I brought Senior Brother Kun to try it out."

Li Fan was very satisfied. "Asha, you've worked hard. What kind of senior brother is this? You must be tired from taking care of these two rascals. What a coincidence, let's have dinner together."

Kun wiped the sweat from its fins.

Then Li Fan turned and glared at the leopard, "You're as fat as a ball! Watch how I train you!"

The leopard, with tears in its eyes, squatted by the door with the dog.

Just then, Madam Yan arrived carrying a small bowl of tofu.

Li Fan looked at the tofu with suspicion. Was this really tofu?

Kun tasted it and nodded repeatedly.

"Kun said, 'It tastes like Fuling.'"

Is this for real? What else can tofu taste like?

However, Asha nodded after tasting it, "Sweet but not cloying, cloying but not slippery, and with a faint fragrance, as if floating clouds are flowing over the lips. But after a small sip, it's gone, leaving a bit of a sense of loss. It truly lives up to its name, 'Flowing Cloud Tofu.'"

"Young lady, you're exaggerating. It's just that my mother often made it for me when I was little, so I still remember some of it." Madam Yan smiled and casually sang a little tune, "Parting is the worst, like flowing water, eventually we will meet again. Shallow feelings are like drifting clouds, never set, still lingering in dreams. Alas, human feelings are thinner than clouds and water, and happy reunions are even harder to repeat. Thinking back on the past, there have been many heartbreaking moments, but none are like this one."

She often sang this song, so she named it "Flowing Cloud Tofu."

A group of guests exclaimed "Oh..." in unison, causing Madam Yan to blush and quickly make an excuse to go to the kitchen.

Li Fan was also sweating.

Brother Yan, you really are a deeply sinful man...

The food arrived shortly afterward, but eating it alone was rather dull. So Li Fan thought for a moment and said to Madam Yan, "I have a tune I came up with by chance here. I wonder if Madam would like to sing it to liven things up?"

Madam Yan didn't mind at all, and said with a smile, "It doesn't matter, as long as it's a good piece of music."

"It's definitely a good tune." So Li Fan wrote down the lyrics and hummed a couple of lines.

As expected, Madam Yan, a master of pitch correction, understood it immediately. "I've never heard this melody before, what's it called?"

Li Fan laughed heartily, "Laughing at the Red Dust."

The world is full of laughable things, and infatuation is the most pointless.

It's fine to be arrogant, this life is not over yet.

My heart is no longer troubled; I only wish to gain half a lifetime of carefree life.

Smile at people when awake, forget everything in dreams.

It's a pity that darkness falls too early; the next life is unpredictable.

Love and hate are wiped away with a stroke of the pen; I only wish to be happy until I grow old, drinking and singing.

No matter how cold the wind is, I don't want to escape; no matter how beautiful the flowers are, I don't want them.

Let me drift

The higher the sky, the smaller the heart; not caring about cause and effect.

Getting drunk alone, crying today and laughing tomorrow.

I don't seek anyone's understanding; I am simply proud.

The songs are sung, the dances are performed, the long night stretches on without us noticing the dawn.

Find happiness

End of this volume

Chen Shuhua's song "Laughing at the Red Dust" features lyrics by Li Manting, music by Li Zongsheng, and arrangement by Bobby Da.

I quite like it, and I'll conclude with this piece. Thank you all for your support!