The candle-like skin slowly melted away.
It was gradually absorbed by the unfamiliar cultivator within the corpse.
Facing this bizarre scene, Zhang Qianmo did not immediately kill the intruder. Instead, he observed with keen interest.
After a moment, Li Chen's corpse was completely absorbed by the Venerable Heart Refinement Mantra.
Li Fan also revealed his original appearance.
With a slight smile, Li Fan bowed to Zhang Qianmo, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"
Zhang Qianmo squinted his eyes, and the purple lightning mark on his forehead became prominent.
"What exactly are you? A devil? An otherworldly demon?"
Facing Zhang Qianmo's inquiry, Li Fan remained composed, "Senior Brother Zhang, is it that you can't recognize me just because I changed my appearance?"
Before the words could settle, a blue light illuminated the sky.
The Cloud-shearing Sword and Heaven Overturning Palm successively approached.
Zhang Qianmo showed surprise on his face.
The long halberd roared like a dragon, colliding with the Cloud-shearing Sword.
Blue and purple lights devoured each other.
In the end, the purple lightning prevailed.
"Good swordsmanship!" Zhang Qianmo praised.
Then, facing an invisible palm technique from above, Zhang Qianmo did not dodge but punched straight up.
The fists collided.
A majestic force erupted, spreading from the location of the two, devastating the city below, which was already in ruins with few mortals surviving.
Only the Life-Engendering Longevity Tree in the center, protected by the barrier, remained vibrant.
Zhang Qianmo was indifferent to the life and death of mortals.
But as he looked at Li Fan, his expression turned solemn.
"Who are you? Why did you secretly infiltrate my Purple Cloud Sect? Judging by your sword and palm techniques, you don't seem like a miscellaneous cultivator."
Li Fan avoided answering and asked, "Senior Brother, what technique is this? Clearly only at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet you can condense a Golden Core inside your body? Even killing an enemy beyond a realm seems effortless for you."
Zhang Qianmo snorted and, seeing Li Fan had no intention to answer, the killing intent in his heart grew stronger.
Thus, he showed no mercy.
The long halberd swept across, accompanied by purple thunderbolts falling from the sky to assist in combat.
Li Fan encountered an opponent with such strength for the first time in his life.
His body technique reached its peak, forming the Sword Formation of the Still Sea to intercept the Dragon-like Halberd.
During the exchange, the Cloud-shearing Sword and Heaven Overturning Palm occasionally mixed in.
But he rarely engaged in battles, so he only had those few tricks up his sleeve.
Meanwhile, Zhang Qianmo showcased an endless array of techniques.
The body born from the Golden Core was also invincible.
Li Fan's attacks occasionally landed on him, causing only minor wounds.
They quickly healed.
On the contrary, with each burst of purple lightning, the injuries on Li Fan's incarnated consciousness became increasingly severe.
The whispering voices returned, influencing his mind.
With each passing moment, Li Fan's injuries worsened.
After more than twenty rounds, Li Fan's consciousness incarnation was finally cut in half by Zhang Qianmo's halberd.
There was no scene of blood flowing; his body disintegrated into countless particles, dispersing in the wind.
"This person's technique is mysterious, and his sword and palm techniques are full of wonders. He must come from a major sect. However, his actual combat skills are surprisingly ordinary, even a bit weaker than expected."
"Truly strange."
Zhang Qianmo shook his head, filled with confusion.
In the heavenly mirror...
Li Fan slowly regained consciousness.
There was no sign of the weakness Chen Ying had mentioned. He even felt a slight enhancement in his spiritual consciousness.
Recalling the experiences in the Immortal Fall Realm, Li Fan pondered.
"It should be the effect of the Venerable Heart Refinement Mantra."
"But I wonder why this Venerable Heart Refinement Mantra has such an effect in the Immortal Fall Realm."
"Generally speaking, after occupying the original identity and dying, one should directly return to the real world."
"I, on the other hand, can devour and reorganize, forming a new incarnation of consciousness. It's like having two lives within the Immortal Fall Realm."
"I wonder if there's anyone else who can do it like me."
"Although this first exploration yielded no results, my consciousness has gained some enhancement."
...
Slightly pleased and without any fatigue, Li Fan, immediately prepared to perform the ritual again.
To see if he could re-enter the Immortal Fall Realm.
Unfortunately, there was no response.
Li Fan could only regretfully give up.
"According to Chen Ying, it usually takes three to six months to re-enter. It's a pity."
"If one could enter indefinitely without restrictions..."
Shaking his head, he dismissed this unrealistic thought.
Checking the time, only a little less than half a day had passed since he entered the Immortal Fall Realm.
"This time in the Immortal Fall Realm, I saw the cultivation world before the great calamity and the appearance of the Immortal-Devil Plague."
"It also exposed several issues I currently have. Although I have supernatural powers, my actual combat ability is a bit lacking."
"If not relying on array formations for ambush, I can handle ordinary Golden Core cultivators. But facing true geniuses is a bit challenging."
"However, this is less my problem and more a difference between two eras."
"In Zhang Qianmo's era, sect disciples could freely study various techniques and secrets without any restrictions. They could easily find senior brothers for sparring."
"Nowadays, exchanging techniques is difficult. Powerful techniques, aside from self-comprehension, can only be obtained by joining the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and using merits and contributions."
"Moreover, finding someone for a friendly spar is too difficult these days."
"In the Heavenly Mirror, various scenarios can be simulated, but there's no simulation for combat against others. This should be a method used by the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance to restrict the combat power of ordinary cultivators."
"However, with the existence of the Immortal Fall Realm, I can polish and improve my actual combat abilities within it."
"Of course, the most important thing is still the advancement of my cultivation realm."
Li Fan checked his contribution points, over 37,000.
Enough to cultivate for some time in the Qi Condensation state.
"Let's cultivate to the perfection of Foundation Establishment first."
So, Li Fan took out the exquisite glass bead and began closed-door cultivation.
As time passed, he was awakened by a message from a communication talisman.
Checking it, it was a communication talisman from He Zhenghao.
Without immediately checking, Li Fan first examined the gains from his closed-door cultivation this time.
After nearly two months of supplementary cultivation, half of his contribution points were spent.
The gains...
Li Fan sighed.
Equivalent to three years of hard cultivation in a normal state.
However, it was still far from reaching the perfection of Foundation Establishment.
But Li Fan also knew he couldn't be impatient.
For ordinary cultivators, each breakthrough in the cultivation realm after Foundation Establishment required decades.
"I still need the 'Mountain Sitting Technique'!"
Li Fan sighed in his heart and then checked He Zhenghao's message.
"Friend Li Fan! Good news, things worked out! Through my tenacious efforts and persuasion, the position of Array Formation Repairer with Zhang Zhiliang has been negotiated!"