Left-Handed Ways

After tidying up Zhao Jingtai's funeral for the Qingting Sect, and after about half a day, the black-robed monks from the Ink Bamboo Mountain Discipline Institute found the missing 'body' from the 'skin' and carried it to the mortuary on a stretcher, placing it in front of Li Fan.

"This person's Dharma name Pu Shan, Golden Core cultivator. His secular name and place of origin are unknown. He is currently staying at the Iron Buddha Temple in Jiujiang Prefecture of Xun Kingdom, serving as a temple attendant and protecting the caravan of the Marquis of the Marquis of Jianchang's Mansion of Xun Kingdom as it enters the mountains."

The Marquis of Jianchang's Mansion's intention was to say that this person was a wandering cultivator from the Central Plains. Although he was temporarily employed by the Xun Kingdom, he was not a trusted confidant of the Marquis and they knew nothing about his background. In short, this matter was unrelated to them, and they were willing to compensate their junior brother with some money to calm his nerves.

Li Fan carefully examined the skinned flesh on the stretcher. Judging from the size of the corpse, the human skin had indeed been taken from his body. However, the twenty-eight fleshy faces on his neck were missing, which was probably a unique technique created by that deity.

Li Fan glanced at the leather bag torn in two beside him, then at the box of Divine Astral Coin brought by the Discipline Institute, which contained about 20,000 strings of cash. Who knew if they were privately minted? He then exchanged a glance with Real Person Liang.

Real Person Liang shook his head. "When a soul leaves the body, the true body may be thousands of miles away, making it extremely difficult to trace. Furthermore, he used someone else's body to transfer karma, so it's probably impossible to deduce his origins."

"This monk is at least at the Golden Core stage. He must have been under that person's curse before to be so easily taken away. Besides, you broke his spell. I think it won't be so easy for him to do it again in a short time."

Li Fan frowned. Although he knew that the one causing trouble this time should be that Divine Lord level figure, and had nothing to do with this scapegoat, it was still infuriating that the Xun Kingdom people were pushing their hands completely away and only offering 20,000 strings of Divine Astral Coin.

"Junior Brother Li, do you want to settle this matter? If you are unwilling to let it go, your sect can intervene, seize his caravan, and summon Marquis of Jianchang to give an explanation," asked the Golden Core Master of the Discipline Institute.

Li Fan smiled and bowed, saying, "It's just a small matter. Qingyue can handle it herself. Why bother the sect? I don't need a few copper coins. Please return them to them, Senior Brother."

Seeing that Li Fan refused the apology, the Discipline Institute knew he was unwilling to let the matter rest and wanted to settle a personal score. So they nodded without trying to persuade him further, left the corpse behind, and took the money box with them.

Seeing them leave, Real Person Liang glanced at Li Fan and asked, "Aren't you going to throw away that troublesome thing?"

Li Fan laughed, "This kid is no coward. He was just caught off guard by a sneak attack. If this scoundrel dares to come again, I'll make sure he's dealt with."

"Hmph, bragging. But you do have some tricks up your sleeve. Most people would be dead by now..." Real Person Liang squatted down next to the corpse and examined it again. "In any case, this fellow Daoist attacked right in front of me, which is too disrespectful. Let me examine this corpse first and see who provoked him."

Furthermore, since a figure of such divine rank went to such lengths to fail in killing you, they certainly won't let this go easily. You shouldn't be causing trouble lately, kid. I'm not familiar with unorthodox spells, but if you hear someone calling your name, absolutely do not answer."

"Yes, thank you for your guidance."

Li Fan bid farewell to Real Person Liang and left the mortuary.

He wasn't panicking at all. After all, offending Divine Transformation cultivator wasn't a one-off thing. Even the Thousand-Faced Immortal couldn't kill him, so what was a cowardly coward? If it were someone like Han the Divine Lord, who could cleanly and decisively crush someone with a slap, he would be somewhat wary. But this kind of emotional attack? Heh, forget it. At his age, he shouldn't embarrass himself by showing off.

This time, Real Person Liang saved him, and Li Fan realized that Lou Guan had a special master guarding the Daoist temple. For example, there was the mountain master guarding the cave heaven, and Master Real Person Huang guarding the Ten-thousand-mountains. Looking at it this way, it turns out that the one guarding this Lou Guandao Pagoda is Real Person Liang? No wonder Profound Heaven Sword Intent said that this old man was powerful. He must be one of the top experts in Ink Bamboo Mountain, second only to the mountain master, which is why he was assigned to guard the family members of his disciples.

However, it seems that even with Nascent Soul Stage cultivators guarding the dojo, there are still limits. If a Divine Lord level cultivator has no sense of shame and uses such underhanded tactics to indiscriminately kill, there's no way to save them.

Moreover, the destruction of the Qingting Sect and the murder of Zhao Jingtai are probably all related to that stone box sword pellet. It is unexpected that after being sealed for two hundred years, it has reappeared in the world and still attracted the attention of Divine Transformation cultivator. This sword pellet should not be an unknown thing. Profound Heaven Sword Intent should know its background. Asking it is probably the fastest way.

It was just that the Profound Heaven Sword Intent went to help forge the sword, and Li Fan didn't actually know the exact location of the Sword Casting Pool in Ink Bamboo Mountain.

Although he had acquired many sword furnaces and flying swords for Ink Bamboo Mountain, he himself had never been to the secret sword-forging site of Ink Bamboo Mountain. However, when Wangshu Residence before, Profound Heaven Sword Intent often dragged Kun to the sword pool to steal furnace slag. Judging from Kun's speed, the Sword Casting Pool was probably in the Ink Bamboo Mountain Grotto-Heaven, in a secret realm guarded by the mountain lord.

Besides the Sword Pool, there's probably a whole bunch of other messy secrets from Ink Bamboo Mountain there—things like demonic transformations, three reincarnations, the Thousand-Faced Immortal, spaceships, and so on—each Guanmen. Li Fan estimated that he'd need to be at least at the Nascent Soul Realm and become a disciple of the mountain lord to be qualified to enter.

Li Fan had originally planned to have Kun carry the newly acquired sword pellet to show Xiao Xuanzi when he went to the academy to borrow scriptures today. However, the glutton wasn't there, and Li Fan hadn't expected that this casually accepted Qingting Peak sword pellet mission would involve a Divine Lord. It seems the outside world is still too dangerous; even picking up trash can provoke Divine Transformation.

However, the opponent's cultivation level was too high, and it was estimated that this side quest wouldn't be able to progress much in the short term. Therefore, Li Fan decided to prioritize his breakthrough and go to the library to study for now...

Flying through the air to the scripture pavilion, Li Fan noticed that there were significantly fewer Outer Sect Disciple in the courtyard. After paying his respects to Black Sword and entering the Scripture Pavilion with 'Heavenly Ghost', he found that there were hardly any people inside. He wondered if the disciples from the northern aristocratic families had already obtained the true scriptures or had all gone home for the winter.

Li Fan didn't think much of it and went to the library to find Mo Shan's "<Ten Theories>" and "<Six Classics>." He also found a lot of simple arithmetic problems that weren't even included in Yao Xuanzhou's "Mathematical Classic" to cheer himself up. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard someone calling his name, "Qingyue, Qingyue."

No way... not again? And in the Ink Bamboo Mountain Grotto-Heaven again??

Li Fan naturally didn't answer or turn around. Instead, he conjured an eye in his palm and peered behind him.

This time, there were no bald-headed monk's fleshy rosary beads, only a slender, fair hand reaching out from behind the bookshelf, beckoning to him, as if someone naked was hiding behind the books, beckoning him.

"There are beauties like jade in books!"

Li Fan scanned the area with his Divine Sense but saw nothing. He took out the Si Nan to examine it and found that it indeed indicated an opportunity. He hesitated for a moment, then put on the Gui Xu Dao Yi to emptiness, donned the veil, changed into the tiger head hat, and turned to walk towards the bookshelf.

There were no naked beauties hidden behind the bookshelf. There was only a bamboo scroll bound with ink thread and covered with runes and incantations, clearly sealed away.

The bamboo slips of Ink Bamboo Mountain contain the true Cultivation Method martial arts. If one is destined to succeed, and can pass the test of illusions, one can obtain the skills to cultivate.

Li Fan noticed that the bamboo slip didn't even have the name of the book or Cultivation Method written on it, but it was probably a Daoist method that he had a connection with, otherwise it wouldn't have called him in such a sinister way. Thinking that it was another opportunity, he reached out and took it.

Anyway, I'm used to it, so at worst it'll just dampen my spirits a little.

However, the system didn't issue any warnings, so Li Fan knew there wasn't a big problem and opened the bamboo slip for a quick look.

Unfortunately, there was no beautiful woman in the bamboo slips. The opening titles and prefaces of the Daoist methods recorded in the bamboo slips were all charred black, as if they had been deliberately destroyed. There were no descriptions of the effects of the Cultivation Method or precautions. All that remained were long cultivation methods, as well as dense incantations and runes. Moreover, the characters looked like they were written in blood. It did not look like a righteous lineage.

However, Li Fan is no longer the clueless novice he was a year ago. He has mastered the strengths of various schools, including Mo Shan, Lou Guan, Beichen Sword Sect, and Qingcheng Sect. He is knowledgeable and has already discerned from the incantations, qi circulation, and methods of invoking Dao Breath that this is an illusion technique based on the Da Liu Ren divination formula.

Because he had been practicing math problems recently, and Li Fan had also specifically studied divination methods, he knew that the most famous mathematical principles in this world were the Taiyi, Qimen, and Liuren methods of divination, which corresponded to Heaven, Earth, and Man respectively, as passed down by Profound Maiden Mysterious Woman. Among them, the Liuren technique was said to have been passed down from a book of the Xuan Girl Heavenly Book, and it was also a basic arithmetic technique popularized by the Mysterious Sect. Elite disciples of the Nine Great Xuan Sects had to master it, and the Profound Heaven Sword Intent had naturally been the focus of his teaching.

Li Fan had indeed been working through a lot of questions in the Liuren divination practice database recently to grasp the core of this technique. It seems that this opportunity can only be triggered after completing a certain number of questions. No wonder the bamboo slips and arithmetic problems were placed together...

Of course, this method is illusion rather than divination. Strictly speaking, this illusion technique can actually be regarded as a special kind of formation. It is designed to target a specific individual cultivator, and the formation is arranged based on the Da Liu Ren divination formula to deduce the target. Then, in combination with the formation and incantations, it can confuse and bewilder the opponent's mind, achieving the miraculous effect of using illusions and phantoms to deceive the mind.

However, once the illusion is completed, the specific illusions it will create, the effects it will have on the person affected, as well as the inheritance, taboos, and examples, have all been deliberately erased. What remains is only the part about casting the spell.

Li Fan hesitated after seeing it. It was better to be cautious about this kind of inexplicable and potentially dangerous Daoist technique. Although it was just an illusion, who knew if it might cause personality splitting or something?

However, since this was the first illusion technique he had ever learned, he still made a point of calling out to his opportunity; he couldn't resist trying it out...

So Li Fan went to find Thunder Monkeys for his experiment, which he knew very well.

Now that he has moved to Moshan, the Thunder Monkeys of Bamboo Mountain have lost a major enemy, and their numbers have begun to rebound. Li Fan saw a group of Thunder Monkeys soaking in a hot spring to escape the cold from afar, so he unceremoniously threw down a handful of talisman flags to set up an array, trapping a nest of Thunder Monkeys in the hot spring pool. Then he began to perform hand seals and chant incantations to test the effectiveness of the Six Ren Illusionary Technique array.

He kept rambling on and on, even though Li Fan could clearly see with his Divine Sense that the array had been activated by the Dao Breath, enveloping the entire hot spring in a cloud of green mist, but the Thunder Monkeys showed no reaction whatsoever.

What's going on? Is it because monkey brains and human brains are structured differently, preventing the illusion from working?

Li Fan frowned and thought for a moment, then tried again, but it was still no use. The Thunder Monkeys went about their business as usual: taking baths, picking lice, scratching themselves, and having sex...

Is it really useless? Then why bother making so many alterations and sealing the bamboo slips so tightly?

Li Fan was completely baffled, and finally decided to step into the formation and try it himself.

After all, he set up this formation himself, without using any damaging spells or poisons, and the Thunder Monkeys inside didn't show any unusual reactions. It should just be a simple illusion based on perception. If they sensed something was wrong, they could easily escape using a teleportation technique.

So Li Fan personally descended into the formation to check its operation.

The outer array was set up correctly, and Li Fan Divine Sense could also sense that the surrounding aura and spiritual energy had been disrupted by the array's force field. However, to the naked eye, the scenery of the world remained unchanged. So, what had changed was the living beings... Ah, so the illusion on the bookshelf... could it be...?

Li Fan cast an invisibility spell and headed towards the hot spring. Just as he had guessed, no wonder it was sealed away as a forbidden book...

From the outside, it looks like Thunder Monkeys taking a bath; from inside the formation, it looks like beautiful women taking a bath. Moreover, their appearances are all those of celebrities Li Fan saw in his previous life, and their figures are all top-notch. It seems this illusion array generates images based on one's subconscious. Even scanning with his Divine Sense, he couldn't detect anything unusual. This illusion is truly astonishing!

Li Fan observed for a while, thought for a moment, and then deactivated the invisibility talisman. Of course, he wasn't going to engage in a battle; he just wanted to test the reactions of these Thunder Monkeys.

Sure enough, when Li Fan suddenly appeared, the 'beauties' in the pool all turned to look at him, beaming with joy. They called out "Qingyue," "Qingyue," "Qingyue," and one after another, they emerged from the bath and rushed towards him, as if they wanted to throw themselves into his arms. But if they actually touched him, they would probably be torn to shreds.

Is it an illusion where sound, form, and color are all vividly lifelike?

Li Fan blinked, looking at the 'beauties' with the beastly eyes of Qiongqi, and exuded a hint of murderous intent.

The 'beauties' immediately froze, kneeling on the ground, not daring to move an inch.

Li Fan stepped forward and pressed his hand against one of the 'beauties' to examine its meridians. He reached out and carefully touched and examined it, pressing against the acupoints and skin, feeling and feeling the qi inch by inch to check. However, Li Fan was surprised to find that even with such meticulous care, he still could not break through the Dreamlands. The touch and smell were clearly those of a 'human' rather than a monkey!

With a flick of his wrist, Li Fan severed the 'beauty' in his hand with a burst of sword energy. He stared at the corpse for a while, but the body still didn't revert to its original form as Thunder Monkeys. It was clear that the senses and perceptions of those within the formation had been completely manipulated and deceived by this illusion.

Li Fan thought for a moment, then took out a Bagua mirror from his pocket and looked at the double fish lens in the center.

This time, he finally saw the problem. Thunder Monkeys, the beauty, and even Li Fan himself were all shrouded in a chaotic vortex like a black hole, disrupting the flow of the surrounding energy. This illusion technique is quite unique! An illusion that even ordinary Divine Sense cannot see through is truly rare. If used properly and carefully designed, it can completely bewitch people without them noticing. Trapping people, ambushing them, and plotting— Ketu one desires.

It's still unknown how many people it can trap, how long it can trap them, and whether the 'beauty' inside absolutely requires Thunder Monkeys, or if any living creature will do. We need to find more people and monkeys to test it out before we can figure out the effectiveness of this illusion...

Just as he was about to continue his study, Li Fan suddenly noticed the smiling face on the 'beauty's' corpse on the ground. He was immediately reminded of the bald-headed monk he had encountered before, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. He used his escape technique to break out of the formation.

A gust of cold wind and a cold sweat broke out, and Li Fan's mind cleared up a bit. Looking up at the sky, he realized that he had unknowingly stayed in that illusion array until night!

I fell for it just by being distracted! And being inside the illusion array, even my perception of time was affected!

If one loses control and becomes hopelessly addicted to this fantasy, it could truly bring disaster upon oneself.

It must be said that this magic is indeed wondrous and powerful, but no matter how magical and realistic it is, it is ultimately an illusion. Even if one studies it to the extreme, it is still just a heretical path, a fleeting dream. Once outside the magic array, the beauty turns into Thunder Monkeys again. Using an escape technique, she can escape in an instant. For those with truly solid cultivation, profound expertise, and great perseverance, it is probably of no use whatsoever.

Sigh, it seems that too many opportunities are not a good thing. He Oldest One just came out to relax after getting tired of doing practice problems, but now he's attracting all sorts of troubles and hindering his journey. One moment it's a magic weapon with its own karma, the next it's a divine skill with serious hidden dangers. In reality, they are all useless to him.

If one were to seize all of these opportunities, one would only be distracted and overwhelmed, wasting time in vain.

Forget it, I'd better not wander around aimlessly anymore. I'll learn from this experience, go home and go into seclusion, and focus my mind back on the righteous path of cultivation...