Chapter 129: Chapter 124: Strange Fortune, Not Heaven’s Fortune
Translator: 549690339
Ever since the start of the Dingyu gambling game, it became the most popular event among the Misthaven Sea cultivators.
Especially the last Dingyu of each year, the number of participating cultivators was so large that it almost filled up the entire solitary island.
Everyone was dreaming of getting rich overnight.
Li Fan also attended the Dingyu event at the end of the 16th year.
He discovered that this Dingyu indeed had some intricacies. It was not merely a matter of luck.
It should be known that the fish in this solitary island’s lake hailed from all over the Misthaven Sea.
Each and every one of them that had traveled millions of miles to be here had extraordinary strength.
During the twenty-seven days of the observation period, these fish had to establish their survival positions in the lake while accumulating strength, preparing for the final leap into the sky,
On the day when the lake water finally erupted, the fish’s position in the water flow greatly determined the height of their final leap.
In this lake, millions of fish interwove their destinies, each fighting for its own survival.
The single lucky one, not only had to defeat its competitors, but also rely on the “Destiny” of the lake water to ultimately become the final winner.
How difficult it was!
Li Fan’s Divine Sense meandered among the millions of fish for quite a while, yet failed to find any particularly suitable ones.
In the end, before the deadline, he had to randomly choose a fish that looked in fairly good shape.
As it turned out, this fish was unable to make it through the last three days. Before the lake water erupted, it was devoured by two other fish in conjunction.
Li Fan shook his head and resigned himself to his bad luck.
When the final results came out, the one that soared above all was actually a sickly-looking, insignificant white carp.
Nobody expected it to be the one which laughed to the end, a fish that had barely managed to survive in the lake.
It was only from the scenes captured by the Shadow Stone that the cultivators found out that the white carp was simply incredibly lucky.
When the lake water erupted, it was precisely at the point where the water flow was the most violent.
Plus, it had been saving up its strength all the while. Under the influence of these factors, it was able to soar into the sky and outdo all others.
No one could have predicted this; they could only watch the white carp with regret.
Meanwhile, Li Fan used the Formless Killing Machine to lock onto it, imprinting its appearance deeply in his mind.
“I wonder, in the next life, would this fish still end up being the winner?” Li Fan thought to himself out of the blue.
The Dingyu event ended with some rejoicing and some lamenting.
But what had to be done, still had to be done.
In cooperation, the cultivators quickly refined every fish in the lake, save for the white carp, into essence.
The white carp swallowed this essence, and its body immediately expanded several times.
Its teeth became as sharp as blade edges, and blood-red stripes started to show between its scales; a sinister aura emerged from within its body.
In a short amount of time, this white carp had completed a metamorphosis that other fish could hardly achieve in their lifetimes.
Releasing this white carp back into the sea, the cultivators took their leave in groups.
Li Fan also followed suit.
However, halfway through the journey, Li Fan was suddenly taken aback.
That’s because, according to the Formless Killing Machine’s perception, the aura of the white carp, which had just undergone a transformation and ascended in a single stroke, was rapidly weakening.
“Hmm? What’s going on?” Li Fan was somewhat curious, hence he activated the Heaven and Earth’s Perception technique.
In the scenes displayed, five ugly-looking, ferociously powerful fish were ganging up on the white carp.
The strength of these fish was no less than that of the recently transformed white carp.
Now, with them all attacking it together, the white carp couldn’t resist at all.
It was already severely injured and on its last legs.
Li Fan saw clearly that the blood essence in these five fish was mixed, obviously not having evolved to their present stage naturally. They bore the clear mark of having been artificially cultivated.
“Interesting, so these are the victors from the previous years?” Li Fan quickly pieced together the implications.
These fortunate fish, due to the barrier formed by the Array Technique around the island, could no longer enter the lake to join the Dingyu.
However, they’d already exhibited signs of Spirit Wisdom, knowing that a new fish king would be born here each month.
Hence, they waited here, banding together to kill these newly born fish kings and feed on their flesh and blood.
While they hadn’t received the gift of Destiny, consuming fish that had afforded them the same effects.
Under Li Fan’s gaze, the white pomfret that the cultivators had just declared as “Heaven-sent” and “Unbelievably lucky” was instantly reduced to nothing, buried within the bellies of the five fish.
Only the slowly ascending scarlet blood from the seabed verified its prior existence.
After the five unusual fish had their fill, the essence within their bodies expanded a bit.
Leaving with satisfied swaying heads and tails.
Li Fan, watching this scene from afar, fell into deep contemplation.
Upon returning to Ten Thousand Immortals Island, he chose not to retreat and reflect within the Tianxuan Mirror.
Instead, he squinted his eyes, looking up at the sky and then at the statue of the High Crowned Old Man who overlooked all beings on the island.
Deepening emotions stirred within him.
“Perhaps, there really is nothing new under the sun…”
Li Fan had an epiphany.
Time moved ceaselessly forward.
Seventeen years anchored in time, Zhang Haobo’s cultivation had broken through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Li Fan noticed that Zhang no longer repeatedly practiced “The Godly Sword of Calming Seas”.
Rather, he’d begun his journey chasing the winds once again.
Only this time, at each disaster site, Zhang Haobo danced with his sword along with the wind.
A hundred and eight Ocean Command Rapiers combined into one Blue Giant Dworu.
In Zhang Haobo’s hand, facing the howling gale, he struck against the wind.
Against the roar of the wind disaster, under his numerous sword chops, there seemed to be a weakening momentum.
But this trend was weak, unless one could perceive the changes in the flow of Spiritual Energy among Heaven and Earth as clearly as Li Fan, it would be difficult to detect.
But Zhang Haobo appeared to maintain an equanimity, undisturbed by honor or disgrace.
Persevering relentlessly, he pursued one wind disaster after another.
Honing his sword intent amidst the wind.
“It seems that he isn’t far from making another breakthrough.” Li Fan had not the slightest envy for his rapid progress.
From the moment he came to possess [Real] and entered the Immortal Cultivation World, Li Fan understood that the speed of cultivation wasn’t so important for him.
Accumulating over lifetimes, establishing an exceptionally solid foundation, was what he needed to do.
Now that he had seen what happened to the white pomfret, his judgement was further solidified.
Only by practicing the Doctrine of a Hundred Lifetimes would there be a slim chance to escape the fate of death.
Li Fan’s life on Ten Thousand Immortals Island continued as usual.
Midway through the anchored 17th year, Li Fan had accumulated over eight thousand contribution points, enabling him to purchase two low-level Miraculous Human Items.
After a short excursion, he unlocked the second anchor point for [Real].
Choosing not to anchor immediately, Li Fan decided to check the unlock condition of the third anchor point before making plans.
However, not long after, Li Fan’s calm life was disrupted.
He received a summons from the Myriad Immortal Guild Sky Machine Hall, requesting his help in investigating a series of mysterious deaths, involving two Nascent Souls, six Gold Cores, nineteen mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and several Energy Refining Cultivators..
