My longevity simulation

At the same time, Li Fan finally understood why neither the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance nor the Five Elders Association could freely traverse the Earth’s Veins.

It wasn’t a matter of technology.

Rather, it was because traveling through the Earth’s Veins would inevitably provoke an attack from the Ancient Veins Trees.

One must remember that these three ancient trees still retained the memories of the siege against the Ruomu tree by cultivators in the past.

Although they did not harbor the same extreme hatred toward cultivators as the Ruomu tree did, their attitude was far from friendly.

As long as no one actively sought trouble, they would remain neutral. But if cultivators tried to take advantage of them and push their limits—

The trees would naturally resist.

The only reason Li Fan could avoid being attacked was purely due to Lin Ling’s presence.

These Ancient Vein Trees were deeply rooted in the land of Xuanhuang.

If one were to forcefully subjugate them, it could very well lead to the collapse of the entire land itself.

By then, who knew how many cultivators would perish in an instant?

Additionally, with the existence of spatial tranfer technology, the need for direct reliance on the power of the Earth’s Veins was not particularly high.

Thus, both the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders Association chose to turn a blind eye to the matter.

“In the future, you should communicate with the senior more often,” Li Fan advised Lin Ling as he glanced at the Vein Tree branch in her hand.

This branch was far more precious than the withered twig that Ximen Yu had found in the Earth Vein roots.

Not only could it accelerate Lin Ling’s growth, but it also enabled instantaneous travel to any location where the power of the Earth’s Veins extended.

It was somewhat similar to Shang Tianci’s Heaven Scene Gourd teleportation technique.

However, Shang Tianci had to manually collect each of Xuanhuang’s unique landscapes into his gourd.

In contrast, the Ancient Earth Veins Tree had already extended its roots to every corner of the Xuanhuang Realm.

“It’s just a pity that only Lin Ling can use it,” Li Fan thought with some regret.

Lin Ling obediently fused the Earth Veins Tree branch into her chest.

With this small matter settled, Li Fan turned his attention back to the real business at hand.

First, he set up a protective formation around them, temporarily concealing Lin Ling.

Then, he retrieved a jade talisman and crushed it.

A unique energy fluctuation spread instantly, rippling outward toward Jiushan Prefecture.

Li Fan closed his eyes and waited.

On the side of the Five Elders Association, they had clearly been waiting for this signal for quite some time.

Not long after, several figures swiftly arrived.

Among them was Yu Dayi, the Five Elders Association spy with whom Li Fan had previously interacted.

After some time apart, Yu Dayi’s cultivation had already advanced from the Golden Core stage to the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

Clearly, he had received rewards for the significant intelligence Li Fan had provided earlier.

Upon spotting Li Fan from a distance, Yu Dayi’s face lit up with joy.

As he approached, he gestured for his companions to halt, proceeding alone to meet Li Fan.

“It’s been a long time, Fellow Daoist!” Yu Dayi cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Fan scrutinized him briefly before letting out a sinister chuckle.

“It seems that the intelligence provided by our Federation of All Worlds was of some use after all.”

“Fellow Daoist is too modest. More than just useful…” Yu Dayi replied with a laugh.

“Speaking of which, during our last operation, when we successfully took over Jiushan Prefecture, it seems that your organization also assisted us in secret.”

“You’ve helped us twice now, yet you haven’t made any demands…” A hint of suspicion flickered across Yu Dayi’s face.

“It’s nothing more than a way to gain the trust of your Five Elders Association,” Li Fan said indifferently.

“I know that even now, there are still those within your organization who believe that this so-called ‘Federation of All Worlds’ is nothing more than a fabrication by the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance.”

“Sacrificing a little to deceive a lot…”

As soon as these words were spoken, Yu Dayi’s expression became slightly awkward.

“Doubt is natural. But it doesn’t matter—once our cooperation deepens, all suspicions will eventually vanish into thin air.”

Li Fan let out a low, eerie laugh, his tone filled with confidence.

Yu Dayi didn’t pay attention to other details; his eyes lit up the moment he heard Li Fan mention “cooperation.”

And Li Fan did not disappoint him.

With a casual flick of his hand, he tossed over a jade slip.

Yu Dayi caught it, his eyelids twitching, but his face couldn’t hide his overwhelming joy.

The content within the jade slip was none other than the vulnerabilities of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s recently modified Ten Thousand Mile of Mountain and River Formation.

“Yet another extraordinary feat!” Yu Dayi’s heart pounded with excitement.

However, Li Fan’s next words were like a bucket of cold water poured over him:

“Although we can provide you with classified information on the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s defensive formations, making their defenses practically useless to you, our Federation of All Worlds still does not recommend launching a large-scale offensive at this moment.”

“Even if you can quickly mobilize enough forces to crush the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance in an instant, it is still unwise.”

“Our suggestion—wait.” Li Fan’s words carried a deep meaning.

“Why is that?” Yu Dayi couldn’t help but ask, puzzled.

Li Fan did not answer. He merely extended his index finger and pointed toward the sky.

Yu Dayi remained confused.

“Go back and report my words. They will naturally understand my meaning,” Li Fan said indifferently.

“When the time is right, we will inform you.”

Yu Dayi opened his mouth but did not argue further.

Li Fan then tossed over another jade slip.

“Our Federation of All Worlds has already shown enough sincerity. Now, let’s see how sincere your Five Elders Association truly is.”

Yu Dayi glanced at the list of supplies detailed in the jade slip, and his heart pounded wildly.

“This is… far too much…”

“Just report it as is. As long as they aren’t foolish, I believe they will agree,” Li Fan said arrogantly.

Yu Dayi discreetly glanced behind him.

The five cultivators accompanying him were standing by, awaiting his command.

With just a single order, they could instantly subdue the mysterious cultivator before them.

“Four Nascent Souls and one Soul Transformation.”

“The opponent is merely a small Golden Core.”

“No matter how you look at it, the odds are overwhelmingly in our favor.”

Yu Dayi felt a strong temptation.

“If we capture him and use secret techniques to turn him, we could extract more secrets about the Federation of All Worlds…”

At that moment, he was on the verge of giving the order.

But then, Li Fan looked at him with a calm, confident gaze—one that carried an almost mocking smile.

Yu Dayi’s heart clenched.

After careful deliberation, he ultimately abandoned the idea.

The unfathomable aura surrounding Li Fan was one reason.

The primary concern, however, was that the Federation of All Worlds had always been the one initiating contact with the Five Elders Association.

If something went wrong and hostility was created between the two sides…

That would truly be a disastrous loss.

After all, supplies have a price—intelligence is priceless.

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Yu Dayi’s mind.

In the end, he sighed inwardly and cupped his hands in respect.

“Fellow Daoist, return in seven days. You shall receive a satisfactory answer.”

“Good! I hope your Five Elders Association won’t make a foolish mistake. Otherwise, we may have to seek a new partner,” Li Fan said before clapping his hands.

From the side, Lin Ling, who had been concealed all along, finally revealed herself.

Sensing Lin Ling’s aura, Yu Dayi’s pupils contracted sharply.