Chapter 120

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Chapter 120: Cycle of Rebirth

The cloud gently carried the two of them towards a specific sea area. By now, the entire Hidden Spirit Island was completely hidden, and even Void Refiners passing overhead wouldn’t notice it.

A large gate appeared in mid-air, and the cloud slowly drifted through it.

Instantly, it felt like stepping into a pure oxygen environment, and a fairyland-like scene unfolded before their eyes.

On Hidden Spirit Island, Xu Fan had transformed the area in front of the main peak into a celestial palace garden, while the area behind the main peak was turned into the finest medicinal herb field. Each herb field had different rune formations to simulate the best growing conditions for spiritual herbs.

In the sky, various Divine Beasts made of spiritual energy floated by, occasionally mimicking the roars of real Divine Beasts, adding to the mystical aura of Hidden Spirit Island.

In front of the main peak was a vast spiritual liquid lake. The spiritual liquid came from the top of the grand formation protecting Hidden Spirit Island, formed by three hundred and sixty gathering spirit jewels.

This Gathering Spirit Formation could absorb spiritual energy from tens of thousands of meters above, converting it into spiritual liquid that the formation collected.

Within Hidden Spirit Island, the spiritual liquid cascaded down into the large lake in front of the main peak like a Milky Way waterfall. When the lake reached its capacity, Xu Fan would use a bit of spiritual magic to create Divine Beasts out of the spiritual liquid. They served no real purpose but looked stunning and added a touch of grandeur.

Not long after Xu Fan returned to his residence, he received news that Li Xingci had returned to the sect.

A small willow leaf boat gently landed in Xu Fan’s courtyard.

Li Xingci had returned with a seven-year-old boy and girl.

"Are these my disciples?" Xu Fan joked, noticing that the golden boy and jade girl bore a slight resemblance to Li Xingci.

"They’re siblings I saved during my travels. I initially planned to send them to a secular orphanage, but I discovered they both have extraordinary talent for cultivation."

"They also passed the entrance examination, so I brought them back for you to decide," Li Xingci explained. Over his ten years of traveling, he had developed a habit of testing any suitable children he came across.

He had returned eight times, once bringing back over sixty disciples, and now had gathered more than a hundred in total.

"Extraordinary talent for cultivation?" Xu Fan asked.

"The brother has dual spirit roots of Thunder and Fire, making him a natural artifact master."

"The sister has dual spirit roots of Thunder and Wood, with a scent of medicinal pills, suggesting she has an ancient constitution," Li Xingci explained.

The siblings beside Li Xingci looked up at Xu Fan with pleading eyes, hoping he would take them in.

"What about their enemies?" Xu Fan asked. Before accepting them, he wanted to make sure he could handle any potential threats.

It might be safer to send them to a top-tier sect if their enemies were too powerful.

"Their parents’ enemies were a group of mountain bandits who wiped out their entire village."

"I’ve already avenged them," Li Xingci said, knowing what his master was thinking.

At that moment, the little boy knelt down with the little girl before Xu Fan.

"Please, Immortal, take me and my sister in," the little boy said, knowing their fate rested in the hands of this immortal being.

"Rise. From now on, you’ll stay by my side," Xu Fan said, looking at the kneeling siblings. He was reminded of his childhood with Xu Gang and Xu Yuexian, who were around the same age when he took them in as disciples.

In what felt like a blink, those siblings were now nearly a hundred years old. Time had passed slowly; now, he was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

"What are your names?" Xu Fan asked.

"My name is Lei Ren."

"I am Lei Wenxi."

From that day on, Xu Fan had two little companions by his side.

At night, under a sky full of stars, Xu Fan and his disciple Li Xingci sat together, sipping tea in the spiritual venue.

“What have you learned over the years?” Xu Fan asked, feeling it was time to reconnect with his disciple after so long.

“I’ve climbed countless mountains, crossed endless rivers, and met millions of people. Yet, the more I see, the more this world feels beyond my understanding.”

“In the cultivation world, I’ve been a demonic cultivator, a Buddhist cultivator, and a Taoist cultivator. I’ve played both the hero and the villain.”

“Now, I feel like nothing more than a pawn in the universe, moved by forces I can’t see,” Li Xingci said, his eyes clouded with confusion.

“I almost regret guiding you down this path,” Xu Fan sighed.

“You’ve hit a new kind of barrier now; if you can’t see through it, it might trap you forever.”

“Remember what I always say: In all things, only the path of your heart matters.”

“This is my path, and it’s the path for each of you as well,” Xu Fan said, knowing that only Li Xingci could find his way out of this barrier.

“Thank you, Master, for your wisdom,” Li Xingci said, feeling a warmth in his heart.

“Haha, it’s not much help; in the end, you’ve got to rely on yourself,” Xu Fan replied bluntly.

“By the way, where’s your third senior brother been lately?” Xu Fan asked, noting that while the second and fourth brothers had returned, the third had only shown up twice in the last ten years.

“I last saw third senior brother a year ago. He said he’d mastered the final secret technique you taught him and was heading to Moliang State to slay demons,” Li Xingci explained.

“That little rascal only thinks about fighting,” Xu Fan chuckled.

“Master.”

“Yes?”

“Is Uncle Wang’s last name…”

“Before you go on, tell me—do you still hold onto your childhood wish?” Xu Fan asked, suddenly realizing where this was going.

“That was just a childish dream,” Li Xingci paused, then added, “I want to fulfill my mother’s last wish. It’s one of my inner demons.”

“What wish?” Xu Fan asked, suddenly serious, hoping it wasn’t something like making his father join his mother in death.

“To have lived a full life with my father.”

“If Uncle Wang really is my father, then the Cycle of Rebirth technique you taught me would have its first target,” Li Xingci said lightly.

“Isn’t a hundred cycles a bit much?” Xu Fan said, trying to lighten the load for his old friend.

“One life is enough. I want him to accompany my mother through a perfect life in the cycle,” Li Xingci said, refilling Xu Fan’s teacup.

“Ah, well, if Uncle Wang is who you think he is, that’s something you’ll need to confirm,” Xu Fan said, thinking one life wasn’t such a big deal.

“I understand.”

Li Xingci stayed in the sect for a month before setting out again, this time heading for Moliang State.

Meanwhile, in the wilderness between two states, Wang Yulun, locked in a fierce battle, suddenly shivered as a Nascent Soul stage bear demon swatted him away.

“Why do I have this bad feeling?” Wang Yulun muttered, scrambling to his feet.

On the battlefield, over a dozen Golden Core stage wolf demons seized the moment to attack Wang Yulun.

“Son, save me~~” Wang Yulun shouted, throwing pride to the wind.

At that moment, a melody infused with sword qi filled the air. (Big shots, think of the Wine Sword Immortal’s entrance music from the Immortal Sword series.)

A sword shot from the west, a flying sword slicing through the air, cutting down several Golden Core stage demon beasts near Wang Yulun.

Wang Xiangchi appeared in front of Wang Yulun.

Just then, the music faded away.