"In truth, compared to the grotto-heavens currently undergoing five elements convergence, the newly-born Five Elements Grotto-Heavens in the void region of Tianling Province seem even more significant.
"A place that was originally a desolate, forgotten backwater has suddenly become a critical strategic location, sealed tight by the Garrison Command.
"It's said that several Dao Unity guardians have been dispatched to secure it."
Huangfu Song added with a sigh.
Hearing this, Li Fan nodded inwardly.
Based on logic, it was nearly impossible for two Five Elements Grotto-Heavens to emerge successively in the same region.
Yet it had truly happened, something mere coincidence could not explain.
Could it be that the void region of Tianling Province has the conditions to nurture Five Elements Grotto-Heavens?
At this thought, Li Fan's mind grew active.
In Anchor Year 9, when I first entered the cultivation world, the wood attribute grotto-heaven among the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens had already been discovered.
Forming my Nascent Soul using the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens without alerting the Myriad Immortals Alliance will be extraordinarily difficult.
While I do not fear making the attempt, it will inevitably waste many simulation cycles.
Until recently, that void region of the Tianling Province was a blind spot overlooked by the Myriad Immortals Alliance ever since the original Five Elements Grotto-Heavens were relocated over twenty years ago.
Moreover, a power capable of nurturing the five elements... its level might even surpass the five elements themselves...
In my next cycle, I can pursue both paths, then choose the superior one.
Li Fan sank into contemplation.
Huangfu Song, mistaking Li Fan's silence for shock, smiled slightly and drifted away, not wishing to disturb him.
When it came to truly urgent matters, the Myriad Immortals Alliance's efficiency immediately skyrocketed.
A day later, Huangfu Song received orders to proceed at once to Zhuoyang Immortal City. Someone was already waiting there.
Not daring to delay, Huangfu Song led his subordinates, piloted the Dust-Crossing Boat out from the Spirit-Transforming Ravine, and headed straight for Zhuoyang Immortal City.
On the return journey, the group's luck held. The normally volatile Searing Wastes of Ten Thousand Li were uncharacteristically calm. Thus, they took only two and a half days to reach their destination.
Zhuoyang Immortal City, Dao Transmission Plaza.
"Fellow Daoist Qi! A pleasure, a true pleasure!" Huangfu Song greeted a rather handsome, white-robed female cultivator ahead with a beaming smile.
Li Fan also observed this female cultivator named Qi Buyi.
There was a masculine sharpness to her features, and according to Huangfu Song's earlier account, though she was just a Nascent Soul cultivator, she enjoyed considerable favor with Chief Lu Xichan.
Many affairs of the Strategy Array Hall were managed single-handedly by her. And she never disappointed Chief Lu. All matters were always handled with perfect order, without error.
"Fellow Daoist Huangfu, is everyone assembled? We should depart without delay," Qi Buyi said after the pleasantries.
Huangfu Song nodded in agreement, and the group proceeded to the foot of the Heavenly Venerable’s statue, where the entrance of the ultra-long-range teleportation array was located.
Qi Buyi had clearly made prior arrangements. The guard, upon seeing Qi Buyi leading the group, performed only a perfunctory inspection before waving them through.
The next moment, they arrived in that space suffused with silvery light, where a miniature cloud-like representation of the Xuanhuang World was suspended.
Qi Buyi held a jade token, selecting their destination.
"Senior Huangfu, why is this ultra-long-range teleportation array established within the Heavenly Venerable statue’s body?
"A perfectly good statue, hollowed out like that. Isn't that a great disrespect to the great Heavenly Venerable Dao Teacher himself?"
During the lull as the ultra-long-range teleportation array powered up, Li Fan transmitted these questions to Huangfu Song.
Huangfu Song's face darkened, and he shot Li Fan a sidelong glance.
"Haha, young friend, don't overthink it. The Heavenly Venerable has long since attained eternal life, transcending worldly concerns.
"Why would he care about such trivialities?
"However, it is said that this ultra-long-range teleportation array was designed this way from the very beginning of its construction. As for the reason, I'm afraid only the Dao Imparter in charge of the project back then would know.”
Even though he somewhat dismissed Li Fan's question, Huangfu Song had seemed to remember something and added an explanation.
Dao Imparter? This was the first time Li Fan had encountered this term.
His mind stirred slightly, but he showed nothing on the surface.
The ultra-long-range teleportation array activated. Amidst the distorted, elongated, fantastical scenery, Li Fan pondered the matter of the Dao Imparter that Huangfu Song had inadvertently revealed.
Taken literally, the words were easy to explain.
But when connected to the Heavenly Venerable Dao Teacher, they became far from simple.
A Dao Imparter. Whose Dao did they impart?
Naturally, it was the Heavenly Venerable's new methodology that defied the principles of heaven and earth.
Two figures suddenly flashed through Li Fan's mind.
One was a spirited young man, the other a young woman in snow-white robes.
They both came from the memories Li Fan had extracted via the Purple Firmament Soul Observation Art from several Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators who had besieged Zhang Qianmo back in the Fallen Immortal Realm.
The young man had formed his Golden Core in ten years, while the young woman had reached the Nascent Soul realm in twenty.