My Simulated Road to Immortality

“Don’t look at me like that. I planned to pay for it, but no matter how hard I tried to get your attention, you didn’t respond,” Li Fan shrugged.

“Before I even got the chance to say anything when you woke up, you blasted off on your own. That can’t be my fault now, can it?”

Seeing the innocent look on Li Fan’s face, Jiao Xiuyuan’s facial muscles twitched.

After a momentary pause, he reasoned that Li Fan didn’t seem the type to help himself without asking, so he forced a magnanimous smile and said: “Whatever, it was just a Puppet that got blown up! I have many more!”

“Wow, Jiao, my friend, you’re really generous!” Li Fan clapped and applauded.

“The scene depicted in the painting, I believe, represents the ancient Heavenly Sword Sect. Li Fan, wouldn’t you happen to be feeling nostalgic when looking at the item?” said Jiao Xiuyuan, eyeing Li Fan inquisitively.

Li Fan looked back at Jiao Xiuyuan, his mind spinning fast.

A moment later, Li Fan shook his head, sounding confused, “The Heavenly Sword Sect? You must be mistaken. Even though I lost some memories during my thousand years of sleep, I still vaguely remember the two stone tablets, named [Halt] and [Stop War], at the entrance of the Heavenly Sword Sect. The sect in this painting doesn’t quite resemble that.”

Jiao Xiuyuan smacked his forehead, “Haha, silly me; I lost a puppet there so my memory is a bit foggier.”

“It should be the Supreme Sect!” Jiao Xiuyuan corrected himself.

“Supreme Sect…” Li Fan narrowed his eyes, as though recalling something.

After a while, he slowly shook his head, “It doesn’t match. I’ve visited the Supreme Sect before. The thirty-three floating mountains within the sect aren’t similar to the scenery in this painting. ”

Li Fan looked somewhat puzzled at Jiao Xiuyuan, “Friend Jiao, do you actually…”

Jiao Xiuyuan chuckled nervously and quickly said: “Wrong again! let me think…”

“It should be the Calamity Transcendence Sect! I can’t be wrong this time!” he declared earnestly.

“Calamity Transcendence Sect?” Li Fan pondered.

Jiao Xiuyuan’s two previous ambiguous attempts failed. It seemed reasonable to assume the Calamity Transcendence Sect he mentioned this time must bear some truth.

During the Unity of Five Elements, beyond the Great Cave Heaven of Five Elements in his previous life, Li Fan had seen a mirage of the time of a master and his disciple from the Calamity Transcendence Sect.

And, at that moment, among all the cultivators on the Dustcrosser Boat, only he was able to see it.

Li Fan originally thought that it was because his divine soul was stronger and more extraordinary than the others.

However, if the vista he had seen under the Ruin Abyss back then also came from the Calamity Transcendence Sect…

Li Fan also recalled that when he was gazing into the abyss, there was a fraction of a moment when the powerful force of the abyss tempted him off track.

He had almost lost his sanity, intending to leap into the abyss before [Real] had finished charging – a reckless act.

But, in that critical moment, a sudden burst of bright light emanated from the bottom of the abyss.

The phrase [Demise of the Immortal Path] appeared before his eyes, restoring him to sanity.

You could say that it saved his life.

“It seems as if the Calamity Transcendence Sect and I are entwined by countless ties…how strange…”

After much thought, Li Fan failed to find what led to this connection despite looking back on his past experiences.

“Calamity Transcendence Sect… I’ve heard of it, but I don’t recall ever visiting there. Friend Jiao, what do you know about the Calamity Transcendence Sect?” Li Fan turned his attention back to Jiao Xiuyuan.

“Don’t know why, but I feel somewhat familiar with the landscape within the Calamity Transcendence Sect. Could my memory be messing up as well?” Li Fan looked puzzled.

Jiao Xiuyuan ignored the jest in Li Fan’s words and said in surprise, “Really? That truly would be remarkable!”

“How so?” Li Fan hastened to ask.

“You might be the [Destined Calamity Treader] the Calamity Transcendence Sect cultivators who left this painting behind were seeking!” insisted Jiao Xiuyuan with a grave expression, his eyes scrutinizing Li Fan more deeply.

“Destined…Calamity…Treader?” Li Fan repeated the phrase, asking: “What does that mean?”

“The sect’s name is its purpose. Calamity Transcendence Sect cultivators use [Calamities] as their cultivation fodder. Their technique, [Eternal Calamity Everlasting World], is about drawing strength from calamities of all types. Each tribulation they survive results in a substantial leap in their abilities.”

“The greater the calamity, the more power they gain when they successfully overcome it.”

“Conversely, their next stage of advancement would require an even more dangerous calamity.”

“But with countless calamities that exist in the world, even Heaven and Earth could perish in a tribulation. How can the Calamity Transcendence Sect cultivators have absolute assurances in overcoming each given one?”

“Upon realizing that they might not survive the next tribulation, they would use a secret technique and temporarily retreat into hiding within Heaven and Earth.”

“At the same time, they leave behind some form of trace, waiting for the emergence and sensing the presence of the person who can resolve the calamity.”

“This person is known as the [Destined Calamity Treader]!”

Jiao Xiuyuan explained patiently to Li Fan.

Upon hearing this, Li Fan began to frown deeply, “There’s such a technique? So, in other words, I’ve been targeted by a cultivator from the Calamity Transcendence Sect? Does Friend Jiao have any solutions?”

Jiao Xiuyuan gestured with his hand, “Don’t panic! Thousands of years have passed, who knows whether the Calamity Transcendence Sect cultivator who left the painting behind is still around?”

“Moreover, even if he is, there’s no need for you to worry. He’s relying entirely on you to overcome his calamity. There’s no chance he will harm you before you help him to transcend. And if you indeed help him to traverse the calamity, he owes you a big favor. At that time, he must pay it back. This is a rule of the Calamity Transcendence Sect that has been passed down. Otherwise, who would want to play this game with them?”

“Besides, consider this – if a calamity they cannot overcome is resolved by you, it essentially implies that your power surpasses theirs. Instead of seeking trouble with you, they should be grateful if you don’t find fault with them!”

Jiao Xiuyuan didn’t seem to take Li Fan’s concerns seriously, and instead began examining him with renewed interest.

“Li Fan, the fact that you were detected by a Calamity Transcendence Sect cultivator to be a [Destined Calamity Treader], your future is truly boundless!”

After listening to Jiao Xiuyuan’s words, Li Fan felt slightly relieved.

But, it was as if a thorn had lodged itself deep within his heart.

Based on his prior assistance in the abyss, it was certain that the Calamity Transcendence Sect cultivator was still alive.

Although he wouldn’t be able to constantly monitor Li Fan’s every move, Long-term observation might gradually reveal something.

“I need to find a chance to solve this latent problem,” Li Fan thought quietly to himself.

“It seems Friend Jiao is highly knowledgeable, even about such deep secrets of the ancient sects. Impressive! Truly impressive!”

“By the way, how many contribution points is this painting worth? I’ll buy it. We can’t let you go out of pocket, after all!” While Li Fan mulled over his issues inwardly, his external demeanor betrayed no signs of initial worry, and he began speaking with Jiao Xiuyuan.