My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1000: Li Fan at a Loss for Words

Daoist Hundred Flowers hesitated for a moment before speaking with a contemplative air: "For cultivators of our kind, remaining in close proximity to mortals for too long carries the risk of a regressing realm. Even without direct exposure to the Immortal-mortal Miasma, its pervasive presence is dangerous."

Narrowing his eyes as he surveyed the commoners below, Li Fan gave a nod of agreement: "That is precisely why those who pursue Cultivation in the Xuanhuang Realm usually maintain their distance from the mortal world."

"Is our target within this city? It may not be a metropolis, but it likely houses over a hundred thousand mortals. Hmm, I sense no cultivator aura. Hunting through them one by one would be tedious. In my opinion, why not just strike the city directly to force the target out?" Having become accustomed to Li Fan’s ruthless efficiency, Daoist Hundred Flowers offered her suggestion with newfound eagerness.

Her plan for a "strike," naturally, involved a mindless, large-scale slaughter of everything within the mortal city of Weidu. The solitary survivor of such an atrocity would undoubtedly be the Tianxuan Mirror clone.

As for the lives of those hundred thousand mortals...

Cultivators had never considered them of any importance.

This was especially true outside the Xuanhuang Realm, where the Immortal-mortal Miasma did not exist. To those on the path of Cultivation, mortals were truly no different from ants, and killing them brought not a shred of mental burden.

Consequently, even the seemingly virtuous Daoist Hundred Flowers could propose such a blood-soaked strategy with total composure.

Li Fan, however, did not accept the plan put forward by Daoist Hundred Flowers.

He let out a soft chuckle: "Daoist Hundred Flowers, you harbor such intense killing intent! Heaven itself values the benevolence of life. We are only looking for a single person; why resort to unnecessary massacre?"

Upon hearing this, Daoist Hundred Flowers was instantly struck by a sense of deep admiration.

Lin Ling mumbled something under her breath and peeked at Li Fan, though she ultimately lacked the courage to voice her skepticism.

In reality, it wasn't that Li Fan had undergone a sudden change of heart.

He was simply considering the sparse populations of the small worlds he currently governed.

To utilize the Vital Essence Technique of All Living Beings Technique for mass cultivation and the subsequent exploration of the Book of Genesis Chronicle, he required a substantial population base.

Waiting for natural population growth was far too sluggish. Kidnapping people from the Xuanhuang Realm was a much more practical alternative.

As for identifying the Tianxuan Mirror clone among these hundred thousand lives...

Li Fan’s divine sense swept across the entirety of Weidu City.

In a heartbeat, the faces and every movement of every man, woman, elder, and child in the city were mapped into Li Fan’s sea of consciousness.

The blue light of the Dao Deviation Stone pulsed, categorizing them into individual targets for analysis.

Hovering silently in the sky, Li Fan began his process of monitoring and deduction.

The Tianxuan Mirror, after all, was not a human being.

It was an immortal artifact that had taken a physical form, and it surely retained some level of cultivation.

No matter how flawlessly it tried to "play" its part, its conduct and mannerisms would inevitably differ slightly from a true mortal.

Furthermore, since Li Fan had just brazenly scanned the city with his divine sense, the Tianxuan Mirror clone had to know he was coming for it. Any flaws in its act would now be even easier to detect.

It didn't take long for Li Fan to narrow the field down to a few dozen suspicious individuals.

Following half a day of intense observation, he finally identified his objective.

Above Weidu, the four of them had already established a sealing formation in advance.

Li Fan fixed his gaze on the face of the Tianxuan Mirror clone and vanished, reappearing before it in an instant.

The target turned out to be a young waiter working in a local tavern.

The youth had just finished his rounds and was taking a break in a quiet corner.

Li Fan’s sudden appearance caused the bustling atmosphere of the tavern to freeze into a dead standstill.

The waiter didn't seem shocked by Li Fan’s arrival, showing only a hint of curiosity: "How did you find me so quickly?"

Li Fan smiled, refraining from attacking immediately as he kindly explained: "If you were truly a mortal waiter, you would be desperate to close your eyes and sleep during your break. How could you still be curiously watching every mortal in the shop like that?"

The Tianxuan Mirror clone looked enlightened: "So that is why."

"Regrettably, observation is my fundamental nature. Even when taking human shape, it is not something I can change in such a short time."

The Tianxuan Mirror clone gave a short sigh before asking: "Have you come to kill me?"

"It could be that. Or perhaps not." Li Fan looked at the clone, his voice dripping with mystery.

"Oh?" The Tianxuan Mirror clone was genuinely surprised now. It scrutinized Li Fan for a moment, its brow furrowed.

Eventually, it shook its head: "I can feel a familiar aura on you. Sadly, after becoming human, I can no longer remember or distinguish many things clearly."

"So, you are not a member of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance?" The Tianxuan Mirror clone asked before Li Fan could respond.

"I don't sense the aura of the Five Heavenly Sovereigns either..."

The Tianxuan Mirror clone continued to examine Li Fan, as if it had found a fascinating new toy.

The moment Li Fan met that gaze, an inexplicable sense of discomfort rose in his chest.

That specific look was the same one he usually directed at the inhabitants of the Xuanhuang Realm.

It was a look born of a soul-deep indifference and detachment.

Yet now, this Tianxuan Mirror clone was looking at him with those very same eyes...

"I represent only myself," Li Fan stated with gravity.

The Tianxuan Mirror clone shook its head once more: "Heh, I find that hard to believe."

"Immortal intent leaves its mark; calamity is unavoidable..."

"Is it possible that we are both trapped in the same net, and you are trying to find a way to escape through me?"

The Tianxuan Mirror clone had directly exposed the fact that Li Fan was bound by the True Immortal's net, peering straight into his intentions.

A cold light flickered in Li Fan’s eyes: "Even if you are an immortal artifact clone, your current human body is frail. I could suppress you with ease. I wonder if you would remain so sharp-tongued then..."

However, the Tianxuan Mirror clone displayed no fear.

It smiled, brushing a bit of dust from its sleeve: "Given your nature, if you actually intended to do that, you would have already moved. Why would you bother wasting words with me?"

Li Fan fell into a sudden silence at those words.

As expected of an immortal artifact’s spirit; in just a few lines of dialogue, it had given Li Fan the forgotten feeling of striking at empty air.

Every one of his verbal thrusts was easily parried and redirected back at him.

"In this short meeting, it has already seen through my nature and my predicament."

"Unfortunately..."

"What it perceives is fated to be nothing more than the surface..."

Li Fan sneered to himself.

He then shifted his strategy, openly admitting: "Indeed, as a clone of the Tianxuan Mirror, it would be a waste to kill you immediately."

"If you can offer enough value in exchange, I might even consider letting you go."

The Tianxuan Mirror clone reacted as if it had heard a ridiculous joke: "Do you even believe what you are saying?"

"Even if you extracted something from me, my ultimate fate would remain the same."

“People like you…”

“Can only be treated with distant respect; one should never trust a single promise you make.”