Sun Zhang glanced at Su Changyu and patiently explained, "For ordinary people to cultivate, they need to cleanse the miasma within their bodies. The concentration of miasma in the bodies of those of you who have returned from exile is far higher than usual. So, without purging the miasma, it's impossible to cultivate."
Su Changyu furrowed his brows and said, "We are well aware of this. But how can we remove this miasma?"
"There are several methods to remove the miasma," replied Sun Zhang. "The first is using the Pure Body Spirit Pool on the island. Soaking in the pool for a day and a night can completely remove the miasma from the body. Unfortunately, the materials needed to open the spirit pool are astonishingly high. Although we are wealthy on Liuli Island, we can only open it once every three years. The last time it was opened was a year ago, so it'll be almost two years until the next opening."
"Moreover, the quota to enter the spirit pool is limited, and the competition is fierce. As outsiders without a foundation, it's unlikely for you to outcompete the island's residents," Sun Zhang shook his head.
"What about the other methods?" Su Changyu continued.
"The second method is to practice the 'Cleansing Heart Mantra,' along with specific medicines and diet. Over time, this can change your physique and gradually eliminate the miasma. Although it takes a long time, often five to six years of effort, it's stable and doesn't require any special costs. The 'Mysterious Yellow Cleansing Heart Mantra' and the corresponding elixirs can be purchased at the island's pharmacies."
"Five to six years..." Su Changyu murmured softly, then persisted, "Are there any other methods?"
"The third method is to become an experimental subject," Sun Zhang said. At this point, his face turned somewhat unpleasant, seeming to struggle to suppress his fear. But he continued to answer Su Changyu.
"Experimental subject?" Su Changyu was somewhat bewildered.
"That's right. Some immortals are very interested in the miasma within us mortals. Every year, they select volunteers from the mortal population on the island to serve as experimental subjects. Using special methods, they continuously extract the miasma from the research subjects. In a matter of a few months, the miasma within the experimental subjects can be completely extracted."
Seemingly recalling something, Sun Zhang's face turned a little pale. "However, this process is extremely painful. It's akin to being on the edge of survival, unable to live and unable to die. Most people can't endure until the moment when all the miasma is completely extracted and end up going insane."
"I don't recommend you to use this method. It's truly unbearable for an ordinary person."
It was unknown whether Su Changyu paid heed to Sun Zhang's advice. He remained silent for a moment and asked, "Are there any other methods?"
Sun Zhang shook his head. "It's said that the direct descendants of those immortals can reshape their bodies using celestial treasures, not only eliminating concerns about miasma but also improving their cultivation aptitude. However, this method is beyond our imagination. Even our Liuli Island can't grant this privilege."
"That's all I know. If you truly want to cultivate, think about it carefully in the days to come."
After speaking, Sun Zhang noticed Su Changyu looking somewhat distraught and couldn't help but console, "I know you've all been through a lot to return from exile, and you all have a heart inclined towards cultivation. Who wasn't like that in the beginning?"
"Unfortunately, cultivation is truly difficult. Even if you manage to purge all the miasma from your body, very few can sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and even fewer can draw it into their bodies. Why bother? Being an ordinary person is not a bad thing."
Sun Zhang seemed to be consoling Su Changyu and perhaps himself as well.
"With the invisible nourishment of heaven and earth's spiritual energy, even if you can't cultivate, you can live longer than in the Land of Immortal Extinction. It's not in vain that your family paid a great price to send you here."
"Instead of tirelessly pursuing cultivation, it's better to enjoy life and live in the moment."
Sun Zhang finished his speech and then left.
The people present showed various expressions—some looked joyful, taking Sun Zhang's words to heart and finding an excuse for indulgence; some couldn't accept the arduousness of cultivation and burst into tears; some wore worried expressions, unsure of what to do...
Only Su Changyu had a determined look on his face, seemingly having made some kind of resolution.
Observing everyone's reactions, Li Fan felt deeply that in this world, every person had their own unique circumstances.
And each person's choice determined their vastly different fates in the future.
Without meddling further, Li Fan took advantage of the distracted crowd and quietly left.
After inquiring, he found the place to receive a free residence on the island.
Li Fan presented the spirit token and was then led by a designated person to the residential area in the north of Liuli Island.
Here, countless houses were densely packed, some empty and some already occupied by people.
Most of these houses had only one room, but fortunately, they all had a small courtyard enclosed by walls, preventing them from feeling too bleak.
"The seventh of the sixth row, this is it," the impatient person handed the key to Li Fan and hastily left.
Li Fan opened the courtyard door, walked in, and closed the door behind him.
The room was very simple, with only a bed and a few tables and chairs, making Li Fan quite uncomfortable.
However, he didn't care much about these external things. After a simple cleanup, Li Fan rested and contemplated his future plans.
"With this lucky start, settling down didn't require much effort. I have to thank those exiles for this. Unfortunately, this group, except for Su Changyu, seems to be ordinary individuals, without the heart for cultivation, unlikely to become great talents."
"This place of residence is a bit simple, but the safety is guaranteed. I inquired earlier; there's an immortal overseeing Liuli Island, and troublemakers have not dared to act out for a long time."
"The primary goal now is to purge the miasma from my body. Although the quota for the Pure Body Spirit Pool is precious, I've stored countless treasures in the Tai Yan Boat. It shouldn't be difficult to obtain a spot. The downside is drawing too much attention. Concealing one's wealth is essential. As an outsider with no foundation, suddenly displaying so much wealth will surely attract prying eyes. I need to plan carefully."
...
Suddenly, a knocking interrupted Li Fan's contemplation.
"Who is it?" Li Fan was instantly on guard.
"It's me," the voice was somewhat deep and sounded familiar.
Li Fan remained calm, took out a sharp dagger from the Tai Yan Boat, and hid it in his sleeve.
He opened the door slightly and saw the person clearly.
It was the fat man who had tried to strike up a conversation with him before.
Li Fan made a decisive choice and closed the door.
"Wait..." The fat man quickly blocked it and whispered, "You're not one of us from the Land of Immortal Extinction, right?"
"What?" Li Fan was puzzled.
The fat man took the opportunity to slip in.
He observed Li Fan with malicious intent and said, "What kind of person are you? What's your purpose for sneaking into Liuli Island?"
"How do you know I'm not from the Land of Immortal Extinction?" Li Fan asked back.
The fat man looked disdainful. "When I fell into the water, I vaguely saw your suspicious figure. At first, I thought it was an illusion. After seeing your performance last night, I became more and more suspicious. So, I kept an eye on you. Seeing you urgently look for a residence, I secretly followed you to test the waters."
"Indeed, as soon as I tried you, you revealed yourself," the fat man said proudly.
"From the looks of it, you're quite shrewd and attentive," Li Fan nodded.
"Of course, besides me, those fools wouldn't notice a stranger had entered," the fat man boasted.
"In that case, apart from you, no one else noticed this, right?" Li Fan asked.
"Of course not! How can those idiots be compared to me..." The fat man's words were abruptly cut off.
Because a sharp dagger had pierced his chest.
Watching the fat man falling to the ground, Li Fan's face remained expressionless.