Chapter 1658: 1385

Chapter 1658: Chapter 1385

(The previous chapter had a bug, it has been corrected, please reload to reread.)

Li Fan’s expression turned grim, gritting his teeth as he said: “Daoist, do you know what it feels like to live an entire lifetime trapped within a single dream?”

“It’s all because of this strange little figure! I wanted to completely rid myself of these nightmares, which is why I came to your Thousand Miles Hall.”

“But, after all, it is an ancestral artifact. The ancestors instructed that it must be carefully preserved…” Li Fan’s face showed a look of inner conflict.

Jiao Xiuyuan frowned upon hearing this and said: “The ancestral instructions may be important, but one’s own life matters even more.”

“This item is indeed extraordinarily bizarre, an ominous thing. But Daoist, rest assured, here at Thousand Miles Hall, we are always fair; we won’t lower the price because of that.”

Li Fan hesitated for a moment, then slowly said: “It can be sold, but ideally, I would like to uncover what secrets lie behind this figure. Otherwise, it will be difficult to account to my family.”

“May I take a closer look?” Jiao Xiuyuan probed cautiously.

Li Fan hesitated slightly but ultimately handed the mechanical figure over.

The previous investigations had drained the figure of energy, so even now, as it landed in Jiao Xiuyuan’s hands, it showed no reaction.

Jiao Xiuyuan examined it thoroughly, occasionally furrowing his brows.

“Can you make out anything?” Li Fan asked.

“Judging by its exterior, this could be someone from the Ancient Xian Realm’s [Chenyuan]. It’s said that the cultivators from that realm all carry the True Immortal Bloodline, are born with a Tri-eye, and possess numerous accompanying divine techniques…”

“But what’s strange is the material of this figure; I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jiao Xiuyuan remarked with a peculiar expression.

“Chenyuan Realm?” Li Fan feigned ignorance, acting as though he had never heard of it.

“It’s an ancient secret, plus that realm was destroyed long ago. Daoist, it’s understandable if you’ve never heard of it,” Jiao Xiuyuan waved his hand, showing no intention of elaborating, his focus still locked on the mechanical figure.

Li Fan, however, subtly triggered changes within the Illusion Array.

The mechanical figure seemed to abruptly open its third eye, shooting forth a beam of light that aimed directly at Jiao Xiuyuan.

Both Jiao Xiuyuan and Li Fan cried out in astonishment.

By the time they regained their composure, the golden light had vanished as if it had merely been an illusion.

“Dao… Daoist, are you alright? That golden light just now, it wasn’t an illusion, was it?” Li Fan asked, visibly unsettled and uncertain.

Jiao Xiuyuan, with a grave expression, nodded: “I saw it too. It was indeed directed at me…”

Jiao Xiuyuan’s words seemed to serve as a reminder.

Li Fan suddenly recalled something and exclaimed: “That’s right! Every time I even entertained the thought of selling this mechanical figure, I would feel a deep sense of unease, unable to make up my mind. It wasn’t until I reached close to your Thousand Miles Hall that I finally resolved myself.”

Li Fan’s face turned slightly horrified: “Could it be, Daoist, that you have some inexplicable connection with this mechanical figure?”

Jiao Xiuyuan did not respond this time, instead carefully examining the Tri-eye figure.

Whatever he discovered made his expression grow colder by the moment.

“This thing… may be alive.”

After a long silence, Jiao Xiuyuan suddenly spoke, his revelation stunning and unexpected.

“What?” Li Fan seemed startled, eyeing the figure in disbelief.

“It appears to have been subjected to some unimaginable supernatural technique, turning a living cultivator from the Chenyuan Realm into an artifact,” Jiao Xiuyuan deduced.

“Though transformed into an object, it still retains the full power and divine techniques it once possessed as a cultivator with the True Immortal Bloodline!” Jiao Xiuyuan assessed.

“This… this is impossible! Turning living beings into objects, even the Celestial Dharma Bearer in his prime wouldn’t be capable of such a feat. Besides, didn’t you say the Chenyuan Realm is already destroyed?” Li Fan sounded deeply skeptical.

“Beyond Xuan Huang, perhaps?” Jiao Xiuyuan muttered under his breath.

As if intending to confirm his speculation, he retrieved a green vial from an unknown location.

He opened it hesitantly and poured out a single drop of viscous green liquid, feeding it to the mechanical figure.

“This vial contains pure life essence. If it’s truly a lifeless artifact, it would not respond to it at all.”

“But if it still carries the attribute of [life], it will instinctively absorb it.”

As if to validate Jiao Xiuyuan’s words, the moment the green liquid approached, the figure’s two ordinary eyes abruptly opened and swiftly consumed the liquid.

While Li Fan still couldn’t sense any spirit emanating from it, he could clearly see the figure gradually come to life.

The figure locked its target—sure enough, it was Jiao Xiuyuan.

The third eye emitted another golden light, resembling chains that tightly bound Jiao Xiuyuan.

“Daoist, are you alright!?” Li Fan asked in deep concern, though he made no move to intervene, merely observing from a distance.

Bound by the golden chains, Jiao Xiuyuan could not move, and his expression seemed frozen, unresponsive.

“No need to worry, a mere trick can’t possibly harm me!” Yet, the voice that spoke still belonged to Jiao Xiuyuan, now emanating from a different corner.

Li Fan turned toward the source of the voice, only to see in the corner a withered branch growing unexpectedly from the ground.

The branch extended and transformed.

Before long, another Jiao Xiuyuan emerged from it!

“You… Are you a human or a ghost!?” Li Fan shuddered, his face contorting in terror.

“Haha, merely a simple division technique,” Jiao Xiuyuan reassured him.

However, before he could say more, the mechanical figure from the Chenyuan Realm fired another beam from its third eye.

This beam again locked on to Jiao Xiuyuan.

Still powerless to resist, Jiao Xiuyuan was caught once more.