Having said that, C-3 observed Li Fan's expression and said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "What? You don't believe me?"
Li Fan did not reply.
C-3 pointed towards the glowing sphere ahead. The shifting scenery blurred, revealing a portion of the blue crystal within.
From the shimmering light, a beam of blue light shot towards Li Fan.
"You can try sending a wisp of your divine sense into it. You'll know once you try." C-3 said, with full confidence.
Li Fan pondered for a moment, his eyes flickering, then split off a thread of his divine sense.
The moment it touched the blue light, the beam retracted.
A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Li Fan closed his eyes.
The next moment, his divine sense abruptly returned.
Li Fan's eyes snapped open, a look of astonishment on his face.
Sensing the memories transmitted back by his divine sense, Li Fan couldn't help but feel speechless.
He had been born into the Great Plague Era, living as an ordinary Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator.
Just because he had gone to the town market to purchase materials needed for alchemy, he had inadvertently contracted the Immortal-Mortal Miasma.
At first, he felt weak and dizzy, and his vision blurred.
Thinking it was a problem with his cultivation technique, he swallowed some pills and went into secluded cultivation.
Who could have known that, when he awoke from his seclusion just one night later, he would actually lose all his cultivation. From a proud Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had regressed into a mortal utterly devoid of spiritual power.
Unable to accept such a drastic fall from grace, and with the second blow of his body growing increasingly frail, he passed away.
Total survival time: seven days.
The potency of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma when it initially descended was rather terrifying.
Recalling his brief, recently concluded life, Li Fan frowned slightly.
Then he looked at his guide, C-3.
"I want to try again."
C-3 smiled, not at all surprised.
He formed a hand seal, summoning the blue beam of light once more.
This time, Li Fan was born into the Wasteland Era.
The original host was a Spirit Transformation cultivator who had survived the brutal slaughter of the Dark Ages.
His hands were stained with blood, and he trusted no one.
He was an ascetic, a lone wanderer in the wasteland.
After Li Fan took his place, he endured countless hardships and finally, joyfully obtained a Dao Unity technique while exploring some ruins.
Thus, he began secretly gathering information on Soul Arbiters of heaven and earth, attempting to break through to the Dao Unity realm.
Unfortunately, despite his utmost caution, the news somehow leaked.
He was ambushed by several cultivators in the wilderness and died with bitter regret.
Total survival time: three months.
Li Fan returned to himself, carefully considering these two experiences.
Then, he said to C-3, "Can I choose to start from scratch, with a blank identity?"
C-3 seemed to understand what Li Fan was thinking. He gave a slight, knowing smile.
With a gentle tap of his finger, the blue beam shot towards Li Fan once more.
This time, he was born into the era of peak cultivation prosperity, before the great calamity had descended.[1]
Sects stood like forests, Nascent Soul cultivators were as common as dirt, and Spirit Transformation cultivators weren't even worth a mention.
Li Fan was born in a small mountain village within the territory of the Crimson Flame Sect.
Through the Ascension Assembly once every five years, he became an outer disciple of the Crimson Flame Sect.
Toiling diligently for two years, he finally succeeded in stepping into the Qi Refinement realm.
He was on the verge of being promoted to an inner disciple, truly setting foot on the path of cultivation.
Unexpectedly, war erupted between the Crimson Flame Sect and the Nine Suns Manor over a spirit vein.
Though he was extremely unwilling, he had no choice in the matter but to step onto the battlefield as cannon fodder.
He lasted fewer than two days before his unfortunate death.
Total survival time: fifteen and a half years.
***
"You didn't, by any chance, deliberately increase the probability of all sorts of unfortunate events happening, did you?" Li Fan eyed C-3 with suspicion.
C-3 shook his head. "The world speaks of the path of immortality as a great good, yet they do not know that in ancient times, beneath the feet of an ordinary cultivator lay the corpses of countless others.