When Duan Weiran reached this point, he glanced at Li Yan and then continued, "The 'Darkness' passage is mainly for tempering a person's state of mind and willpower. I've heard that after entering the passage, you are confined in a small space without any light, only able to move forward, but no attacks occur. The process is said to be simple: as long as you can crawl out, you've passed the trial. To an outsider, the 'Light' passage would surely seem more difficult and dangerous, as life and death often hang in the balance of a single moment. But all the records on this subject say that the 'Darkness' passage is the most terrifying. The long-term depression and torture there is something even a Golden Core cultivator would be unwilling to experience. It causes endless illusions to sprout in one's mind, making it impossible to distinguish between what is real and what is fake. One quickly loses their original heart. When you die in an illusion, your physical body will truly die in reality. Life and death depend on a single thought. It's not like the 'Light' passage, which even someone who has experienced it once would dare to brave again with gritted teeth. But I've heard that the cultivators who have come out of the 'Darkness' passage alive are completely unwilling to speak of their experience, or even to think about it. I've heard that the last time someone passed through the 'Darkness' passage was thirty years ago, when Chan Master Zhichu of the Jingtu Sect, who was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, passed through. But after he came out, he never spoke of the matters within to outsiders. After him, it is not known how many others have tried, but there must have been some, though no one else has ever emerged."
Duan Weiran stopped speaking at this point. Since others were unwilling to speak of the "Darkness" passage, he wanted to see how Li Yan would react now that he understood the situation. He was even more curious about whether the "Darkness" passage was as terrifying as it was said to be.
Although he himself had been determined this time to either break through or die here, after defeating the Bright Fire Qilin, when he thought of the various descriptions of the "Darkness" passage, he ultimately did not dare to choose it.
The main reason was that he believed his state of mind was already very stable, which was also an excuse he found for not entering.
Li Yan knew of Monk Zhichu. He had entered the path of cultivation ten years earlier than his Senior Brother Li Wuyi, but he had entered the Golden Core stage a full twenty years earlier than Li Wuyi and was already a Buddha.
This person was an ascetic monk, so apart from cultivation, he rarely concerned himself with matters large or small. That was why Li Yan and the others had not met him in the secret realm last time. He had probably gone into secluded cultivation again.
'Thirty years ago? In that case, Monk Zhichu formed his core not long after entering the 'Darkness' passage. His advancement to the Golden Core stage must be related to the 'Darkness' passage.'
Li Yan thought this, but then he thought of his own incredible advancement this time and felt at ease.
'That Monk Zhichu is very likely a cultivator with a dominant fire spirit root.' Li Yan confirmed the other's spirit root attribute.
Seeing Duan Weiran looking at him, Li Yan immediately shook his head. He had also nearly died in there, especially in that strange dream, which had made it almost impossible for him to escape.
Now, whenever he thought of it, he would feel that his real self might be the one in the dream, and the former "Marshal Li" was the real existence.
Seeing Li Yan shake his head, Duan Weiran knew that he was unwilling to speak of it. Although his curiosity grew even stronger, he did not dare to press further. He also didn't know that after coming out of the "Darkness" passage, there was an even better secret cultivation chamber, unlike them who needed to cultivate here.
"So now, Fellow Daoist Jiang should understand the reason why you didn't see any cultivators on your way over. I later set up a formation in this pavilion and stayed here to cultivate. But today, I don't know what method that bald donkey Yiming used, but he actually broke my protective formation. By the time I sensed it, it was already too late."
Thinking back now, what Duan Weiran felt first was not hatred, but a deep sense of helplessness. As rogue cultivators, they were like rootless duckweed. They had to search for all their cultivation resources themselves.
So, apart from his natal magical treasure, his other medicinal pills and formations were all very ordinary. Otherwise, how could that bald thief Yiming have broken his formation so easily?
Li Yan nodded in agreement after hearing this. At the same time, he knew that this was the situation for most rogue cultivators like Duan Weiran.
He could feel that the magic power on Duan Weiran's body was very pure, and he couldn't help but remember hearing others whispering by the Red Maple Pool that he cultivated an ancient immortal art.
Logically speaking, with Duan Weiran's cultivation, it should be possible for him to join any first-rate sect. But since he still chose the path of a rogue cultivator, he must have his own persistence, so Li Yan didn't want to ask too much.
"Oh, so that's how it is. Fellow Daoist Duan's injuries have not yet recovered. You should first fully recover." After speaking, Li Yan looked out of the pavilion with a faint gaze, as if admiring the scenery again, but he showed no intention of leaving immediately.
After briefly understanding the situation, Li Yan looked at Duan Weiran's still ashen face and said another sentence before falling silent.
Seeing this, Duan Weiran couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. Li Yan's words implied that he was going to protect him for a while. And he could also see that Li Yan had an indifferent nature and was not one for many words, yet he was willing to take on the responsibility of protecting him.
This should mean that he still had things to ask him, but to be considerate of his injuries was extremely rare. So, Duan Weiran cupped his hands at Li Yan's back and sat down cross-legged again.
While Duan Weiran was healing, Li Yan was not idle. He first took out one of the Silver Pages he had just obtained and scanned it with his Divine Sense. Now that his cultivation had greatly increased, his Divine Sense had also made a qualitative leap, comparable to that of a Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. So, Li Yan naturally wanted to try again.
This time, when his Divine Sense landed on the Silver Page, a great force still bounced back. But under the full suppression of Li Yan's Divine Sense, his Divine Sense was actually firmly attached to the Silver Page this time. And Li Yan felt that if he just strengthened his Divine Sense by one more fraction, he could break through the restriction on it.
After hesitating for a moment, Li Yan temporarily gave up the idea of prying into the secrets of the Silver Page, because he could feel that if he forcibly broke through the restriction on it with his Divine Sense, it might cause a strong fluctuation of Spirit Power, and the result might not be what he wanted now.
If some secret were to appear directly, it might startle Duan Weiran and be discovered. If it was really a major treasure, wouldn't he have to kill him to silence him?
Next, Li Yan took out the remaining Silver Page. Under his investigation, the feedback was almost identical. This confirmed to Li Yan that these two Silver Pages were refined by the same person as the one he had gotten from Bu Luo.
Since that was the case, he could only wait until he had time in the future, when he was alone, to pry into its secrets. It was definitely not possible in the short term; he had too many things to do.
Two days later, Duan Weiran finally woke up from his meditation. As far as he could see, Li Yan was still standing by the side of the pavilion in his black robes, seemingly staring blankly outside.
"Fellow Daoist Duan's injuries have not fully recovered. Why did you stop cultivating?" Li Yan's faint voice came over without him turning his head.
Duan Weiran was shocked again. His internal injuries were seventy to eighty percent healed. What remained were just some hidden injuries, caused by being suddenly attacked while he was cultivating, and the forced interruption of his cultivation had damaged his meridins.
Such injuries, if the opponent was not much higher than him in cultivation, would be impossible to see. This made him even more certain of Li Yan's Golden Core stage cultivation.
"Oh, the remaining injuries cannot be healed in a short time. Let's resolve Fellow Daoist Jiang's matter first. But I don't know what questions you have, Fellow Daoist Jiang. This old man may not necessarily know, but if I have even a little information, I will certainly not hide it."
Li Yan nodded. He had waited for several days just to use the knowledge of an old-timer like Duan Weiran to see if he could get any news about the "Crimson Mother Essence." He really knew nothing about this place.
Although asking this question two days ago would have been just a matter of a single sentence, Duan Weiran's condition was really extremely poor at that time, so Li Yan did him a favor.
Now, it seemed that a veteran cultivator was a veteran cultivator. He considered things thoroughly. Even though his injuries were not fully healed, he knew that he was waiting anxiously.
"Oh, it's like this. I came here this time for the 'Crimson Mother Essence.' Someone once collected this item from the magma that erupted outside the 'Flame Palace.' But I waited outside for half a year to no avail, so I entered this place. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Duan has heard of this item." Li Yan slowly turned around, a slight smile on his face as he looked at Duan Weiran.
"So it's the 'Crimson Mother Essence'? If you're waiting for it to be carried out in a magma eruption outside, then the hope is indeed slim. As for in here..."
Duan Weiran muttered to himself, lowering his head to think. At the same time, he finally confirmed in his heart that Li Yan was indeed a Golden Core cultivator. He had indeed not come here for a breakthrough.
Li Yan heard his muttering but did not press further, just waiting quietly.
After a full half a cup of tea's time, Duan Weiran's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately raised his head.
"This garden is very large. I remember someone once said that coming from the direction of the 'Light' passage, in the upper right corner of this garden, there is a stone forest called the 'Stone-Transformation Forest.' Someone once found some fire-type crystal materials there. If there's a place where the 'Crimson Mother Essence' is most likely to appear, according to the information I know, it would be this place. However, as for whether it will really be there, I can't be certain."
"'Stone-Transformation Forest'... 'Stone-Transformation Forest'..." Li Yan repeated the name twice in his mouth, then nodded. "I wonder, how far is it from here?"
Duan Weiran shook his head. "That I really don't know. No one has ever reached the end of this back garden. All my information is from inquiries. In fact, this is also my first time here."
Li Yan nodded again. He cast his gaze in a direction from the pavilion. After a while, he retracted his gaze. "Hehe, Fellow Daoist Duan, will you be leaving this place soon?"
Hearing this, Duan Weiran also shook his head, a look of determination on his face.
"I may never be able to leave in this lifetime. I am already one hundred and forty-three years old. This is my last chance. But this time, my cultivation was interrupted by that Yiming. It may be very difficult to find that faint opportunity for a breakthrough again. Immortal fortune! Immortal fortune! But since we have embarked on this path against the heavens, why should we care where our bodies are buried? Any place is a place of reincarnation. Just keep walking down this path!"
After hearing Duan Weiran's words, Li Yan's eyes flashed imperceptibly. He thought for a moment, then swept his hand over his Storage Pouch. Several formation flags appeared in his hand and then floated towards Duan Weiran.