My Longevity Simulation

Chapter 591

"Jiao Xiuyuan used materials from the Ruomu tree to create his clones?"

Feeling a stir in his heart, Li Fan held the withered branch of the Ruomu tree in his hand and carefully attuned to it.

After a long time, he seemed to understand but shook his head slightly.

"Similar, but different. It's as if they share the same origin, yet there are distinct differences."

"Furthermore, with the Daoist Xiumu's deep disdain for cultivators, it's unlikely he would cooperate with Jiao Xiuyuan."

"So, this must be..."

A scene suddenly flashed in Li Fan's mind: the Ruomu tree being besieged by cultivators, its trunk splitting open, and numerous branches falling from the sky.

"Perhaps those branches that separated back then fell into the Xuanhuang Realm and experienced entirely new fates."

The resilience of plant life is always astonishing. Even ordinary trees can regenerate broken branches.

Let alone an extraordinary being like the Ruomu Tree, capable of bearing the Fruit of Longevity.

"Still, whether Jiao Xiuyuan truly evolved from a fallen branch of the Ruomu tree or simply found its remnants to craft his clones, it's hard to determine for now."

With a thought, Li Fan made the withered Ruomu branch in his hand sprout a new bud.

In an instant, the bud grew into a tender young branch.

At its tip, as if bearing fruit, hung a small golden spherical object.

Li Fan's eyelids twitched.

This "golden fruit" was, of course, the golden core that the Daoist Xiumu had promised to gift him.

However, the method of storage was quite peculiar.

Reaching out, Li Fan tried to pluck the golden core.

A faint resistance emanated from the "fruit."

Li Fan exerted more force, and the golden core was successfully plucked.

Due to the recoil, the new branch flung backward violently and swayed in the air before abruptly retracting into the withered Ruomu branch.

Before Li Fan could think further, the branch extended again, producing yet another golden core.

Looking at the seemingly sentient Ruomu branch before him, Li Fan grew somber.

He refrained from acting rashly and, like harvesting fruit, plucked core after core until they were all collected.

The process took nearly the time of one incense stick to burn.

If sacrificing heaven’s soul is the bold and open method of claiming laws, then extracting heaven’s marrow is the covert and cunning method employed when one's strength is insufficient.

This process strengthens oneself while weakening heaven, narrowing the gap between the two.

It also prepares for the eventual Dao Integration process.

Standing at the Nascent Soul stage, Li Fan replayed the "extraction of heaven's marrow" process in his mind, gaining deeper insights compared to when he was at the Golden Core stage.

"Truly a heavenly genius, the method of Immortal Ancestor is brilliant."

"From mimicking heaven’s wonders and observing its laws, a mere mortal with no aptitude for cultivation is gradually integrated into the system of heaven and earth."

"Then, by stealing heaven's essence and marrow, one diminishes the gap between oneself and the cosmos."

"Eventually, one sacrifices heaven’s soul to wrest power from it."

"Finally, by defying the laws of heaven, one replaces it and attains eternal life."

"Step by step, clear and methodical..."

"Truly ingenious and nearly impossible to guard against. No wonder even the might of heaven was brought low by these new cultivators, forced to retaliate."

Li Fan sighed again.

As he revisited this cultivation path, a sudden realization struck him—it resembled something deeply familiar in his memories.

Yet, as he tried to dwell on it, the fleeting inspiration vanished entirely.

Even using the Dao Deviation Stone failed to recover the thought.

A feeling of loss welled up within him.

"How strange..."

Li Fan narrowed his eyes and fell into deep contemplation.

He was almost certain that this sudden insight would not have dissipated so quickly under normal circumstances.

Some force must have interfered, causing the inspiration to vanish.

"Just like what I experienced in Senior Sister Zhao’s illusion realm," he thought.

"In that realm, whenever I tried to cultivate, the walls of the confinement room would emit distracting and mocking noises, hindering my recovery."

"The restrictions of the Xuanhuang Realm are even subtler and harder to detect."

"Immortal Ancestor... Is this your doing?"

Li Fan raised his head to the heavens, his expression inscrutable.