NOVPUBSubsequently, Li Fan deliberately slowed his pace, leisurely making his way back to the entrance of the Spirit Tree Realm.
As he had expected, halfway through his journey, he heard the Celestial Doctor’s voice in his Spirit Consciousness once more.
"You’ve done well,"
It was apparent that the Celestial Doctor had sensed that the seal of the Celestial Palace of Clouds and Waters had been reinforced.
"With your help, indeed, some trouble was spared for me."
"If I were to go..."
The Celestial Doctor let out a soft chuckle, then his words came to a halt.
"During the process of reinforcing the seal, I also encountered some matters." Without waiting for the Celestial Doctor to speak again, Li Fan took the initiative and reported everything that had happened within the Celestial Palace of Clouds and Waters in detail.
After a long silence, Li Fan couldn’t help but ask, "Respectful one, what exactly happened back then..."
It seemed that Li Fan’s address of "Respectful one" had stirred memories deep within the Celestial Doctor’s Spirit Consciousness.
His tone, unusually, fluctuated slightly, "That you could discover the hidden truth within Hanhai’s consciousness truly exceeds my expectations. No wonder, with your aptitude, Sky Extermination regarded you as his successor..."
Li Fan’s expression stiffened slightly.
"The events of that year..."
"It’s enough for me to bear the burden alone. Knowing too much is of no benefit to you."
"You are still too weak now. Only when you reach the Unity Path Summit might you be worthy of knowing."
The Celestial Doctor unusually explained a few more things.
Li Fan had words on the tip of his tongue but ultimately only nodded slightly in response.
"By the way, how are you progressing with studying the [Sky Mending Record]? Are there parts you find difficult to understand?"
A moment later, the Celestial Doctor asked again. It seemed he was actually going to personally clarify Li Fan’s doubts.
How could Li Fan let slip this rare opportunity? He immediately brought forth the questions he had from his self-study for the Celestial Doctor to address.
The Celestial Doctor patiently answered each one.
As expected of the Celestial Doctor, his insights into the path of "healing" had indeed reached a transcendent and saintly level.
Often, a few simple words brought Li Fan to an epiphany.
Furthermore, the Celestial Doctor’s remarks derived new theories that were not recorded in the [Sky Mending Record].
Li Fan absorbed the Celestial Doctor’s teachings with a thirst akin to that of a parched traveler.
Precious times are always brief.
Soon after, the Celestial Doctor seemed to encounter something and interrupted his teaching.
"You must have been hiding within a Small World earlier, which is why it took me some effort to find you."
Li Fan’s heart tightened, and he was about to reply.
But then he heard the Celestial Doctor continue, "Hmm, a fine choice. Before your cultivation bears fruit, it’s safer for you to stay in the Small World."
"Continue your cultivation. Remember, techniques are secondary. What’s truly important is contemplation of Heaven’s Dao Operation and the fundamental nature of the world."
"Even the strongest techniques are ultimately those of others. Only those that truly suit you are the most perfect techniques."
Upon hearing these words, Li Fan felt as if he was struck by lightning, his mind violently shaken.
"Techniques that truly suit me?"
His eyes clouded over, lost in endless contemplation.
"A gentleman keeps his instruments hidden within, waiting for the right time to act. The Xuanhuang World is not your stage yet. Just wait a bit longer... it will be soon," the Celestial Doctor said with a profound tone, his words laden with implication.
Afterward, a Golden Light descended from the sky.
Escaping with urgency, it appeared before Li Fan in the blink of an eye.
Li Fan returned from his contemplation to focus his gaze, only to see a Golden Needle floating before his eyes.
"Hehe, there was once a saying that ’No one escapes the Golden Needles.’"
"If I could leave a few behind, perhaps some sparks could be preserved."
The Celestial Doctor’s voice spoke faintly.
"I’ll give you this needle for self-protection. As long as the needle remains intact, so too will you."
Li Fan showed a look of happiness: "Thank you, Respectful one!"
The Celestial Doctor no longer responded.
Without losing manners, Li Fan continued to bow toward the sky above.
Then he looked at the Golden Needle in front of him, his expression inexplicable.
In the end, he still reached out his hand, attempting to touch it.
Unlike a real needle, which would feel cold,
Li Fan, on the contrary, felt a stream of warmth flowing through the palm of his hand into his body.
In an instant, a protective shell formed, enveloping his entire Divine Soul.
Li Fan only felt as if his Divine Soul were soaking in a hot spring, warm and comfortable.
In his heart, a sense of security he had never felt before emerged.
"What a treasure!"
This thought emerged in Li Fan’s mind, and then he hurriedly rushed toward the Spirit Tree Realm.
Upon his return to the Spirit Tree Realm, Li Fan keenly sensed a slight increase in the concentration of Spiritual Energy here.
It seems the Tree People Clan’s "tree planting and forestation" project had already yielded preliminary results.
Without disturbing them, Li Fan went straight to the location of the Faceless Stone Statue.
It was only after his Spirit Consciousness connected with the Faceless Stone Statue and images of the United Federation of All Realms and followers of the Crimson Compassionate Immortal emerged in his mind
that Li Fan finally let out a sigh of relief.
A real sense of security surged through both his body and mind.
Although he had already preliminarily confirmed that the Celestial Doctor was indeed "kind" to the cultivators of the Heavenly Law Realm,
Li Fan did not relax his vigilance because of this.
He remained cautious of the Celestial Doctor’s mind-reading ability.
Even if it was not face-to-face, merely the other party’s Golden Needle, it was still the same.
Before ruling out the possibility that the Celestial Doctor could sense his thoughts through this Golden Needle, Li Fan, who had once suffered a great loss, how could he accept the Golden Needle without any hesitation?
Currently, the first countermeasure Li Fan could think of to check the Celestial Doctor was the Faceless Stone Statue at hand.
The true strength of that Faceless True Immortal was clearly above that of the Celestial Doctor.
Under its statue’s interference, it should be able to shield from the Celestial Doctor’s perception.
Even though he knew this was akin to drinking poison to quench thirst, Li Fan still did it.
After all, apart from the King of Mystic Sky, no one has truly seen the Faceless True Immortal.
And the Celestial Doctor was an already existing adversary.
"Although there are some risks, there is no doubt that the gains are tremendous,"
"Not to mention this Golden Needle, just the advice given by the Celestial Doctor is worth ten years of hard Cultivation."
"Moreover, there’s his final reminder."
"Heaven’s Dao Operation, the nature of the world…"
"Techniques truly suitable for oneself…"
Li Fan’s eyes narrowed slightly, as he gradually developed an initial concept in his mind.
But for now, he decided to put this aside and first studied the Golden Needle bestowed by the Celestial Doctor.
Although given by someone else, it felt as if it had been with him since birth in Li Fan’s body.
Without the need for any Refining process, he could freely control it as he wished.
This method was something Li Fan had never heard of before.
With a thought, the Golden Needle reappeared in front of Li Fan.
"It’s not made of any metallic material…"
After repeatedly observing with his Spirit Consciousness, Li Fan came to this conclusion first.
"And…"
Invoking the images recorded by the Huadao Stone and carefully comparing the memory of the Golden Needle with the one in front of him, Li Fan made a new discovery.
"It seems to have undergone a unique change after coming into contact with my Divine Soul."
