My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1041: Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation
It is commonly said that a thief never departs with empty hands.
This mission to the Du'e Sect had required a significant amount of exertion.
Retreating without any spoils was simply not Li Fan's way of doing things.
Li Fan's soul clone rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought for a long period before a sudden inspiration struck him.
He began to construct an additional layer of restriction around the Book of Du'e, a seal of his own design.
Given his current level of Cultivation, Li Fan was still unable to manage the Book of Du'e if it wasn't suppressed by its original seal.
Manifesting something from nothingness proved far more grueling than merely performing repairs.
Even after spending the entirety of this third of his soul, he found himself unable to finish the task smoothly.
Fortunately, Li Fan’s true body had been stationed outside this pocket of space and had already dispatched another third of his soul to provide reinforcement.
Following two months of concentrated labor, a brand-new, complete seal was finally established around the Book of Du'e.
Under the weight of this double suppression, the Book of Du'e began to cycle through its pages with increasing speed.
The silhouettes of the paper figures trapped within started to grow faint and blurry.
Once he was certain the strength of the new seal was unwavering, Li Fan began the process of deconstructing the original seal left behind by the Immortal Ancestor.
Throughout the dismantling process, he remained in a state of extreme mental alertness.
Simultaneously, his true body pulled back a thousand miles into the distance, keeping a watchful eye for any strange occurrences.
As it turned out, Li Fan’s anxieties were for naught.
No anomalies manifested even after the Immortal Ancestor's seal was entirely stripped away.
Li Fan couldn't help but let out a long breath of relief.
Enveloping the Book of Du'e within his soul, he retraced his steps out of the speck-of-dust space.
The soul clone did not reintegrate with the main body; instead, it traveled back to the Spiritwood Realm ahead of schedule.
Meanwhile, Li Fan's true body went to check in with the Tianxuan Mirror clone.
“What took you so long? I suspected you might have encountered some trouble.”
The Tianxuan Mirror clone had adopted a new appearance—a mesmerizing woman draped in a striking red gown.
Li Fan’s face momentarily stiffened.
He looked at the three naked mortals present in the room and asked in shock, “What exactly is this...”
The Tianxuan Mirror clone ignored Li Fan's bewilderment.
“It is simply the process of comprehending a new path of Cultivation.”
“A life devoid of intimacy is fundamentally flawed. Now that I have assumed a human shape, I must naturally undergo every experience a person should have.”
Li Fan stared at the beautiful face the Tianxuan Mirror clone had manifested and remarked with a strange expression, “Even so, there was no requirement for you to take the form of a woman.”
“I intend to experience both the male and female perspectives. It is only a question of sequence.” The Tianxuan Mirror clone shook his head and steered the conversation elsewhere. “How did things go on your end?”
“The formation designed to break the seal functioned perfectly. If everything continues as planned, your liberation from your prison is imminent. However...” Li Fan hesitated. “That Du'e Sect is quite peculiar. When I arrived, the Immortal Ancestor's seal was already beginning to fail. By the time I finished breaking it, the entire Du'e Sect vanished right before my eyes,” Li Fan explained, sounding somewhat frustrated.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone’s eyes narrowed slightly.
After reflecting for a moment, he clarified, “Do not trouble yourself over it. As long as the great calamity of the Xuanhuang Realm persists, the members of the Du'e Sect will remain trapped in that state forever.”
“The only things they are capable of are minor, underhanded schemes.”
Li Fan took the chance to probe further, “Are you suggesting that if the Xuanhuang Realm manages to survive the calamity one day, the Du'e Sect could actually return to life?”
A flicker of murderous intent crossed his gaze.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone gave a mocking laugh. “That is merely a theoretical possibility. They sought to turn into paper figures to endure the disaster, but they never expected the wait for it to end would last this long.”
“After spending nearly ten thousand years as paper drawings, how could there not be consequences? You might as well consider them all dead.”
Hearing this, Li Fan nodded slowly.
Following a brief silence, he inquired once more: "I asked around before I made my way there. It seems the Du'e Sect believes in a 'Calamity Responder' who can assist them in overcoming disasters. Is there any truth to that?"
"If such a mystical person truly walks the earth, I must hunt down this Calamity Responder to ensure the Du'e Sect never rises from its ashes," Li Fan declared with a tone of moral outrage.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone frowned: "According to the secret techniques of the Du'e Sect, such a Calamity Responder does indeed exist."
"The disciples of the Du'e Sect remain detached, evading disasters. Yet, they possess a heart-sense for the flow and variables of a calamity. The individual capable of shifting the disaster's path is known as the Calamity Responder. However..."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone let out a freezing laugh: "For minor catastrophes, the Xuanhuang Realm would naturally produce a destined hero to change the tide and protect the masses."
"But when faced with an apocalyptic great calamity, the Xuanhuang Realm can scarcely safeguard itself. Where would such a destined hero even come from?"
"A Calamity Responder with the power to end such a disaster is nothing more than a fantasy."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone suddenly fell into a hush, as if lost in a memory.
After a long pause, he spoke with a sense of longing: "If such a person actually existed, I suspect every single cultivator in the Xuanhuang Realm would do everything in their power to assist him."
"Even the Immortal Ancestor would likely descend to meet him personally."
A nearly invisible light sparkled in Li Fan's eyes.
He gave a forced chuckle and agreed: "You're right. To stay alive, we can only count on ourselves."
"Pinning hopes on some savior like the Du'e Sect does is truly nonsensical. It's better that they are gone!"
Moving away from the subject of the Du'e Sect, Li Fan—having verified the seal's destruction—approached the Tianxuan Mirror clone to collect his payment.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone kept his promise: "While you were away, I studied the human condition in this female form and reached new realizations."
"They might serve as a useful reference for your own path."
Li Fan's expression shifted, and he was about to decline the offer.
However, when he saw what the Tianxuan Mirror clone was holding out, he choked back his rejection.
In the clone's hand was a piece of white jade carved into the shape of a crescent moon.
It radiated a soft, soothing energy.
Just by standing near it, Li Fan felt the flow of his spiritual power and the circulation within his soul become much more fluid.
"This is..."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone looked quite pleased with himself: "As the saying goes, solitary yang cannot persist. It seems you haven't tasted the balance of yin and yang for a long time?"
"Solitary yang is indeed powerful, but without the tempering of yin power, it will inevitably harbor flaws."
"I birthed this item through my observations and understanding of the female form. It is the [Long Moon Yin Jade], and it shall assist you!"
Li Fan's face twisted into a very strange expression upon hearing those words.
Observing Li Fan's hesitant and speechless state, the Tianxuan Mirror clone offered some sincere advice: "Yin-Yang dual cultivation is a fundamental Dao of the heavens and earth; there is no reason to be repulsed by it."
"Furthermore, this Long Moon Yin Jade is a pure distillation of laws. Even if you have a mental dislike for it, it won't hinder its effectiveness."
Li Fan accepted the gift half-heartedly and tucked the jade into his robes.
Just as he suspected, there was no need for formal refinement.
Simply carrying it against his skin felt like withered branches meeting the spring rain; his already maximized vitality seemed to push beyond its boundaries, becoming even more potent.