As the Blood Demon Flood Dragon was about to take flight, it looked up, sensing the changes in the heavens and earth. Dark clouds churned overhead, and a terrifying power gathered, making even it feel a pang of fear.
The other cultivators in the Sixth Prince's Mansion also noticed the anomaly and emerged from their caves. Just then, a seven-story pagoda, no larger than a palm, ascended from the valley, hovering in the void and transforming into a pagoda tens of thousands of feet tall.
"This pagoda looks so familiar?" the Blood Demon Flood Dragon murmured.
Nanzun walked to the Blood Demon Flood Dragon's side, gazing up at the pagoda in the void. "It resembles the Seven Star Pagoda, but it's not the Seven Star Pagoda," he said.
The Blood Demon Flood Dragon transformed into human form, with Zhang Lueying perched on his shoulder. Slapping his thigh, he exclaimed, "I knew why Master was in seclusion for so long! So he was forging, replicating a Seven Star Pagoda?"
At this moment, the tribulation lightning from the void had descended. Zhang Fan walked out from the valley, stepped into the air, and calmly watched the scene. After over a year of effort, he had finally refined this time-controlling artifact. Although the pagoda appeared to have seven stories, it actually contained only one internal space. With Zhang Fan's current strength, this was the best he could achieve.
The tribulation lightning for an ultimate mystic treasure was incredibly fearsome. Even with the protection of the Grand Dao Immortal Array, the cultivators in the Sixth Prince's Mansion trembled and their souls quaked under the oppressive aura.
The tribulation lightning persisted for more than half a day before gradually dissipating. Zhang Fan raised his hand, and the ten-thousand-foot-tall pagoda shrank to palm-size, landing in his hand.
Zhang Fan poured his spiritual power into it, feeling the flow of time within the artifact. A look of satisfaction appeared on his face. A time flow ratio of one to thirty still brought him pleasant surprise.
"Master, you spent a year refining this thing? It doesn't seem to possess great power?" The Blood Demon Flood Dragon approached Zhang Fan, staring curiously at the pagoda in his hand.
After all, Zhang Fan possessed countless ultimate mystic treasures. Why would he waste over a year refining another? Was it male vanity, a desire to prove his capability?
"This is no ordinary ultimate mystic treasure. It's a time-controlling artifact, and the time flow inside is thirty times faster than the outside!" Zhang Fan explained.
"Thirty times?" The Blood Demon Flood Dragon was stunned. He had only heard of time-controlling artifacts, which were legendary treasures, but he never thought his master would actually forge one.
Nanzun was also incredulous upon hearing this. This meant that a month of cultivation within the pagoda would only equate to one day in the outside world? Such an artifact was truly heaven-defying.
With the time-controlling artifact refined, Zhang Fan was also ready to depart for the Central Starfield. Hearing of Zhang Fan's departure, everyone in the Sixth Prince's Mansion felt a deep reluctance. In the little over a year since Zhang Fan's return, the Sixth Prince's Mansion had undergone earth-shattering changes.
However, they also understood that with Zhang Fan's strength, it was impossible for him to stay in the Sixth Prince's Mansion forever; his departure was inevitable.
"If you wish to venture into the Central Starfield, you may accompany me," Zhang Fan said with a smile to everyone.
"Never mind," Ling Xiu shook his head. Having now broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, his mindset had shifted. "If I wish to see the Central Starfield in the future, I will trouble Brother Zhang Fan then. For now, I want to stay in the Wushan Starfield, make the Sixth Prince's Mansion bigger and stronger, annex the Canghai Palace and the True Fire Grotto-heaven, and become the sole ruler of the Wushan Starfield."
Nanzun's face darkened upon hearing this. The strongest expert of his Canghai Palace was right here, yet Ling Xiu spoke so arrogantly.
"Haha, Brother Nanzun, I was just joking," Ling Xiu said with a hearty laugh, quickly adding.
Everyone else also chuckled. With Zhang Fan as a link, the Sixth Prince's Mansion would never fall out with the Canghai Palace. After all, the Wushan Starfield was too small a place to capture Zhang Fan's attention. Ling Xiu was clearly a person who knew his limits.
Ling Xiu's jest somewhat lightened the somber mood of farewell. Zhang Fan swept his gaze over the cultivators of the Sixth Prince's Mansion and clasped his hands. "Brothers, the future is long. We shall meet again!"
With a wave of his sleeve, Zhang Fan and his companions vanished from the Sixth Prince's Mansion.
"We respectfully bid farewell to the Grand Elder!" tens of thousands of cultivators from the Sixth Prince's Mansion knelt and shouted, their voices echoing across the Jiexin Continent.
...
Among the cultivators journeying to the Central Starfield this time were Nanzun, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon, Liu Mu, Lin Haotian, the Unalloyed Sword Immortal, and Tianhua Heavenly Monarch, as well as Zhang Fan's parents and sister.
Zhang Fan's Dao comprehension had reached great heights. While his strength might not be top-tier, his ability to protect himself was formidable, which was why he dared to bring his parents and sister along.
"The Central Starfield is incredibly far from our location. Therefore, for a significant period, I will be traveling at high speed. All of you should enter this Wuji Tower to cultivate. The time flow inside is thirty times faster than the outside, so you can use this period to train well and elevate your cultivation," Zhang Fan told everyone.
Wuji Tower was the name Zhang Fan gave to this time-controlling artifact. To help his parents and sister rapidly improve their strength, Zhang Fan specifically refined a batch of Heaven-grade spirit pills and placed them inside the Wuji Tower. As for the Blood Demon Flood Dragon and Lin Haotian, they also received a large supply of Immortal-grade spirit pills and Grand Dao Treasure Pills from Zhang Fan.
"Zhang Fan, if we pass by the Thunderflame Starfield, tell me. I want to go home and see," Liu Mu suddenly said.
Everyone was surprised. They hadn't expected this companion who had adventured with them for so long to not be from the Wushan Starfield, but from the so-called Thunderflame Starfield.
Only Zhang Fan knew that Liu Mu's arrival in the Wushan Starfield had been an accident, but Liu Mu had never mentioned it, and he hadn't asked.
"Is the Thunderflame Starfield a high-level starfield?" Zhang Fan inquired.
There were countless starfields in the universe, with many low-level starfields even sharing duplicate names. High-level starfields, however, were relatively few and possessed a certain renown, so duplicate names were unlikely.
Hearing Zhang Fan's question, Liu Mu paused slightly before nodding.
"Alright." After Zhang Fan brought everyone into the Wuji Tower, he began the monotonous journey. Although his current speed was extremely fast and his method of travel was comparable to a Harmonized Dao Immortal King, it would still take several years to reach the distant Central Starfield.
However, the Central Starfield was merely Zhang Fan's ultimate destination. Before heading there, he had some matters to attend to.
Thinking of this, a hint of reminiscence appeared in Zhang Fan's eyes. "Luo Shui, I wonder what realm your cultivation has reached now?"
After Qin Luoshui was taken away by Immortal King Zhi Wu, Zhang Fan had been diligently improving his strength. Now that the time was ripe, he could finally go search for his wife.
Through some calculations, Zhang Fan, using the karmic thread connecting him to Qin Luoshui, deduced her location. A slight frown appeared on his brow as he realized how distant it was.
"A high-level starfield, the Sheng Tu Starfield!"