Now, it’s time to attempt it.
Having reached this decision, Li Fan flew to the peak of Jieli Mountain where he’d once comprehended Formless Killing Mechanism.
He built a simple grass hut and set up protective measures around it to prevent accidental intrusion.
Then he sat cross-legged inside, and with a thought, Return to Truth’s prompt appeared at precisely the right moment.
[Set current time as 2nd Anchor Point?]
Without hesitation, Li Fan answered: “Yes!”
With a click, the second anchor point was set.
Now, we wait for Return to Truth to finish charging.
Return to Truth’s charging speed hasn’t improved; it still requires about nine years. But I shouldn’t remain idle during this time.
I haven’t studied He Zhenghao’s Mountain River Hundred Veins Array Diagram much, but I remember the general principles of Zhang Zhiliang’s Unlimited Art.
This is the perfect opportunity to further strengthen my array proficiency.
It’s just unfortunate that this Immortal Forsaken Land of Great Xuan only allows me to improve my theoretical understanding, with no way to practice actual array deployment.
Li Fan sighed briefly, then immersed himself in contemplation of the array path.
Nine years passed in the blink of an eye.
It’s time!
With the ability to revert to his current state at any moment, Li Fan finally felt confident enough to begin building his Dao Foundation using Return to Truth.
Currently, his Foundation Establishment Curio of heaven and earth remained the Deepsea Pearl.
So the first step was: Shattering his Dao Foundation.
The Taishang Primordial True Scripture operated, transforming all his cultivated power into pure cultivation, which was stored within his body.
Then, looking at the projection of the sea hovering between reality and illusion within his dantian, Li Fan struck his dantian fiercely with a finger.
Li Fan coughed up a mouthful of blood, his life force rapidly fading.
The Congyun Sea phantom trembled violently, and a black fissure appeared at its center.
The projection of the sea grew increasingly faint.
Li Fan struck again.
After three such strikes, the Congyun Sea phantom completely vanished from the world.
Li Fan’s breath grew faint as gossamer, and his face pale as paper, teetering on the brink of death.
I overdid it this time. Next life, I’ll go a little lighter. Li Fan thought to himself.
As he refined the cultivation within him, his injuries healed swiftly, and he returned once more to the final-stage Qi Refinement realm.
If not for the Taishang Primordial True Scripture, attempting to build my Dao Foundation with Return to Truth as a Curio would have been a hundred times harder. He mused inwardly, reflecting on the abrupt rise and fall of his cultivation level.
Steadying his mind, Li Fan began his first attempt.
Unlike establishing a foundation with a tangible Curio of heaven and earth, Return to Truth existed within Li Fan without form or substance. Sensing it proved incredibly difficult.
Fortunately, Zhang Haobo’s own Foundation Establishment Curio, the Heaven-Scorning Sword Intent, had also been formless.
Having witnessed the entire process, Li Fan used that experience as a reference, striving to perceive the principles of Return to Truth embedded within his body.
After a long while, a faint, hazy white light emerged from Li Fan’s dantian. And then—
Boom!
Li Fan’s dantian exploded.
Return to Truth. Li Fan murmured inwardly, just before his consciousness faded.
Light and shadow shifted. He did not return to the study from before, but remained inside the small thatched hut atop Jieli Mountain.
He had naturally chosen to return to the second anchor point.
He opted to shorten the charging time.
After reducing it by thirty percent, the charging process now took only six years.
Frowning slightly, Li Fan carefully reviewed the Foundation Establishment processes from his previous life, pondering and reflecting on his insights.
Six years flashed by in an instant, and Return to Truth was fully charged once more. Thus, Li Fan began his next attempt.
With three strikes, he shattered the Dao Foundation. This time, though Li Fan’s face remained pale, he only spat out a small mouthful of blood.
Returning to the final-stage Qi Refinement realm, he immersed himself in sensing the principles of Return to Truth.
This time, the glowing white light appeared slightly gentler.
The situation had improved, but it didn’t last long.
Boom!
Li Fan’s dantian exploded again.
Return to Truth!