"This book, I think I’ve read it before."

"However, the content inside seems to be somewhat different."

As scenes from the book flashed through his mind, Li Fan was filled with a vague sense of familiarity, furrowing his brows slightly.

"Fellow Daoist, are there other versions of this book?" He looked toward a cultivator at the stall who was focused on the duel in the sky and asked aloud.

The cultivator selling books was initially a bit impatient, but when he turned back and saw the booklet in Li Fan's hand, a strange look flashed in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist must be joking. This 'Secret History of Ancient Cultivation' was personally authored by the Heavenly Sovereign. How could there be other versions?" However, he flatly denied it.

Even though the body he controlled was merely a wisp of divine sense, stripped of most memories, the ability to read people remained instinctual.

With just one glance, Li Fan was sure of his suspicion.

"Name your price." He lowered his voice and spoke directly. "A mutual friend introduced me."

The book-seller hesitated for a moment.

After glancing around and seeing that all the cultivators were focused on the battle in the sky, he transmitted a message: "Ten thousand Soul Points, or the equivalent in spirit stones. No bargaining."

Li Fan instinctively reached for his storage ring, ready to pay.

But he realized he had no money on him—not even a storage ring.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment."

He apologized and returned to the crowd.

Once Lu Fan finished his battle, Li Fan flew forward and explained his situation.

Lu Fan, who had just won another fight, was in high spirits and was no longer as stingy as before during their prior transactions.

He generously handed over a storage ring filled with standard spirit stones to Li Fan: "It’s just some material wealth. Fellow Daoist Jiao, take it as you need!"

After expressing his thanks, Li Fan floated back under the gaze of everyone.

Seeing this, the book-seller immediately realized he had been tricked. His face turned slightly green, and he began packing his things, ready to leave.

"You really have no business integrity at all, huh? Fellow Daoist, if you leave like this, I'll have to shout!" Li Fan transmitted a threat.

The book-seller immediately froze, looking around nervously before shuddering.

"Fine…" After hesitating for a long time, he finally pulled out a pink-glowing booklet and quietly handed it over.

Li Fan took the booklet and handed over the spirit stones.

Transaction complete, the book-seller was about to retreat when he saw that Li Fan intended to open the booklet right there.

His face turned as pale as paper, and he rushed forward, grabbing Li Fan's hands.

"Are you crazy?!"

His body trembled uncontrollably, his face filled with terror.

"It’s fine!" With a slight force, Li Fan pushed the book-seller’s hand aside and insisted on opening the pink booklet.

Beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on the book-seller’s forehead, dripping down like soybeans. Seeing that he couldn’t stop him, he looked around and realized that no one had noticed anything unusual yet.

With a gust of wind under his feet, he quickly fled using the teleportation formation in the city.

At that moment, Li Fan had already been drawn into the vivid, overwhelmingly real illusion within the booklet.

[Qin Shou repeatedly pursued Senior Sister Zhao but was repeatedly rejected. Furious, he harbored malicious intentions.]

[Senior Sister Zhao was affected by the Yin-Yang Harmony Powder, her consciousness becoming muddled…]

Li Fan’s expression constantly shifted, and his breathing grew more rapid.

The eerie pink glow of the booklet seemed to pulse in sync with Li Fan’s breathing, flickering nonstop.

Li Fan was completely absorbed in the scene, completely oblivious to the noise around him.

He muttered to himself, whispering continuously.

"Such a beauty exists in this world…"

"Such a useless fool! He’s already had one intimate encounter, yet he doesn’t seize the opportunity..."

"Idiot! Isn't her intention obvious?"

"If you don’t act now, when will you?!"

The plot in the booklet was clearly not to Li Fan’s liking. He often frowned and muttered curses under his breath.

"Ugh, how could the protagonist be such a coward!"

"If it were me, Senior Sister Zhao would have already submitted to me at my..."

His words abruptly stopped.

Everything within a small radius around Li Fan’s puppet body seemed to freeze in place.

Even the eerie pink glow from the booklet stopped in mid-air.

Above the sky, a pure white beam of light suddenly appeared and shot down.

It enveloped the motionless Li Fan completely.

The previously bustling Wei Chang City, filled with excitement over the battle, fell into absolute silence.

The white light grew brighter, and an intense suction force emanated from the sky.

Li Fan, like a statue, was slowly lifted into the air.

"It’s the Immortal Guidance Light! That’s the Immortal Guidance Light!"

"Who is it? Who from our Canghong Prefecture has caught the eye of the Heavenly Sovereign so quickly?"

"Hahaha! In just one month, three disciples have been chosen by the Immortal Sects! Our Canghong Prefecture’s prestige is truly soaring now!"

No one paid attention to Lu Fan's duel anymore.

Every cultivator's eyes were fixed on the white pillar of light that pierced the heavens, their eyes full of reverence and envy as they stared at the blurry figure within the light. They were abuzz with excitement.

Even Lu Fan stopped fighting.

He stared dumbfounded at the pillar of light, overcome with the feeling that the person he cherished had been taken from him before his eyes.

His heart ached as if cut by a knife.

Victory, cultivation, realms...

In that instant, all these things seemed meaningless.

"Why, why…" Lu Fan muttered, utterly lost and devastated.

As the figure within the white light rose higher and higher, Lu Fan suddenly found the figure somewhat familiar.

His pupils dilated sharply, and he quickly lowered his head, scanning the surroundings.

Sure enough, "Fellow Daoist Jiao" was nowhere to be seen.

"How is this possible?" Lü Fan’s face was filled with disbelief.

"I’ve defeated over twenty Golden Core cultivators from the Five Elders Association! Did you not see that?"

"Why was he chosen, and I was ignored?"

An overwhelming surge of resentment, unwillingness, and rage erupted within Lu Fan.

"No!"

He roared and, in a frenzy, charged toward the light pillar without hesitation.

But it was useless.

Just as he was about to touch the light, he passed right through it.

The pillar of light was like an illusion, seemingly right in front of him but impossible to grasp.

With Li Fan in tow, the light pillar slowly disappeared into the heavens.

A look of despair crept into Lu Fan’s eyes.

"Junior Brother, you’re awake."

A crisp voice rang in his ears, and Li Fan opened his eyes.

"Cough, cough..." The sharp pain in his chest made him gasp for air.

"You’ve just joined the sect. I told you not to act on impulse, but you wouldn’t listen." A graceful figure appeared beside him, gently helping him sit up against the headboard.

"This is a medicine I prepared for you. It will help with your recovery. Drink it quickly." Concern was written all over her face as she ladled a spoonful of medicinal soup and brought it to his lips.

His mind was a blur, unable to recall anything.

Li Fan simply opened his mouth instinctively and drank the medicine.