Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
Li Fan’s heart suddenly began beating wildly, completely beyond his control.
It was as if he was witnessing a vision of his own gruesome death moments from now.
Instinctively, Li Fan prepared to silently recite Return to Truth in his mind and return to the anchor point.
But in that split second, he faintly sensed something amiss and forcibly stopped himself.
The Xuanhuang Heart Refinement Sutra slowly ground down the fear welling up in his heart, transforming it into nourishment for his mind while buying him a precious sliver of calm to think.
Could Zhang Zhiliang have discovered something, prompting him to deliberately harm me this way?
No... He should have already advanced to Spirit Transformation by now. Dealing with a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like me wouldn’t require such roundabout methods. He could just kill me directly.
Then... this bizarre situation must be the effect of the Intent Horse itself?
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Li Fan suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.
The hairs on his back stood up as if someone was watching him.
Startled, Li Fan immediately spun around.
There stood Zhang Zhiliang, staring at him with an eerie smile.
Li Fan’s body instinctively shot backward, spiritual power surging within him as he prepared to lash out with the Congyun Sword.
But in the blink of an eye, Zhang Zhiliang’s figure vanished.
Li Fan stared blankly for a moment before remembering he was inside the Tianxuan Mirror.
Even an existence like the Heavenly Physician would cause significant disturbances trying to force their way in. How could Zhang Zhiliang possibly enter so silently?
An illusion?
Li Fan turned back to look at the Intent Horse’s corpse on the ground and immediately noticed something abnormal.
His brow furrowed.
The posture of the Intent Horse’s corpse had changed without him realizing.
Is it dead or alive?
Li Fan couldn’t help but wonder.
Fear surged again, echoing persistently in his heart.
A chill ran through his body.
This Intent Horse is rather odd.
But I have Return to Truth. No matter how dangerous it is, it can’t take my life...
Thinking of this, Li Fan felt slightly reassured.
Strangely, as soon as he had this thought, the inexplicable fear in his heart suddenly receded like a tide.
Interesting...
Li Fan’s eyes flickered with thought.
Yet he remained in his half-human, half-horse form, clearly indicating that the situation was not resolved yet.
Seizing this moment of clarity, Li Fan’s thoughts raced as he considered countermeasures.
But before he could formulate any plan, the scene shifted once more.
The sound of an arrow cutting through the air suddenly rang out, followed by the dull thud of it piercing flesh.
Li Fan traced the sound and saw a flying arrow, appearing from nowhere, embedded in the Intent Horse corpse’s left arm.
Just as Li Fan thought to pull out the arrow to check if it was real, a sharp pain erupted.
Coincidentally, the pain came from his own left arm.
Li Fan scanned it with his divine sense, and his face darkened immediately.
Same location, same wound!
Even when Li Fan channeled his spiritual power, the wound refused to heal.
He purchased a wound-healing pill from the Tianxuan Mirror and swallowed it, yet it had no effect. The wound remained.
This...
Is it real or not?
Li Fan focused on the burning, stinging pain in his arm. Everything felt utterly real.
So everything that happens to the Intent Horse is reflected onto me?
What if...
Li Fan didn't allow the wild thoughts to continue, forcibly circulating the Heart Refinement Sutra to purge the distracting notions.
Ignoring the pain from his wounds, he continued pondering countermeasures.
Theoretically, Zhang Zhiliang has no reason to deceive me. This Intent Horse should indeed be a treasure capable of enhancing the soul.