After watching Han Yi leave, Li Fan shifted his gaze southwest.
Looking into the distance, his sight seemed to cross thousands of miles, reaching a deep trench at the bottom of the sea.
This was the location where Han Yi appeared after fleeing from the small world in a panic.
"A small world devoid of mortals, populated entirely by Beastkind..." Li Fan frowned slightly.
Based on Han Yi’s memories, Li Fan thought that the creatures in that small world resembled Beastkind he had encountered several times before—existences that were half-human, half-beast.
Yet, there were subtle differences.
While both combined human and demonic beast characteristics, Beastkind leaned more toward the "human" aspect.
On the other hand, the creatures in the small world Han Li experienced were closer to "demonic beasts."
This distinction could be discerned from whether their heads resembled humans or beasts.
Even more interesting was a legend that Han Yi heard about this world.
At the dawn of recorded history, most inhabitants of the wilderness were half-human, half-beast. There were even some pure "humans."
But over time, highly beastified mutants occasionally began to appear among the descendants of these residents.
Initially, these mutants were viewed as deviants, abandoned, or even hunted.
However, when some of these mutants tenaciously survived and displayed immense power, things began to change.
They slaughtered the original villages and migrated deeper into the wilderness, establishing a new order.
In this new order, the more beastified an individual was, the higher their status and respect.
The stark difference in ideologies inevitably led to war.
In the wilderness, the strong commanded respect. The beastified, atavistic mutants were clearly stronger as individuals than the ordinary Beastkind.
Although they initially had fewer numbers and could only fight evenly with the other side, over time, their numbers grew, and they began to display overwhelming power in the war.
After the bloodshed, the opposition naturally disappeared.
Thus, the wilderness transformed into the scene that Han Yi witnessed, where "the beast is revered, and humans are the deviants."
"Perhaps this is related to the backup plan that Emperor One prepared for the demonic beast race. But from the looks of it, his plan seems to have failed."
"The bloodline of demonic beasts, once activated, is vastly superior to ordinary humans."
As his nominal subordinate, Li Fan knew a bit about him.
He was petty about minor issues, but clueless in major ones—constantly making small mistakes and insatiably greedy.
He was, in fact, the perfect candidate.
Li Fan concealed his true cultivation, displaying only the aura of peak Foundation Establishment as he went to pay his respects.
“What’s your name, fellow Daoist?” Huang Ranqi asked warmly, handing him a cup of tea with a friendly smile.
At the moment, Li Fan looked like his real self, not the “Ancient Heavenly Mechanism Cultivator” appearance, so naturally, Huang Ranqi didn’t recognize him.
Li Fan cupped his hands and said, “I am Li Fan.”
Cough, cough... Huang Ranqi, who had been sipping his tea with a relaxed look, almost spat it out upon hearing that.
He coughed a few times, trying to ease his embarrassment.
After a moment, he asked in surprise, “You’re also named Li Fan?”
Li Fan was taken aback and asked curiously, “Why would you say that, Daoist Huang? What do you mean, ‘also’?”
“Could it be, you know another cultivator named Li Fan?” He quickly realized and seemed genuinely surprised.
“Heh, fellow Daoist, have you been in closed-door cultivation for many years? Do you not even know the name of the Secret Envoy?” Huang Ranqi squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Li Fan closely.
“You’ve guessed right! I used to be a wandering cultivator in the Congyun Sea. A few years ago, I ventured out to find a breakthrough opportunity. Who would’ve thought I’d accidentally stumble into a dangerous small world and only recently manage to escape by pure luck,” Li Fan shook his head with a look of deep emotion.
As he spoke, he vividly described his experiences in the small world to Huang Ranqi.
“No spiritual energy, but filled with strange beasts?” Huang Ranqi was indeed captivated by the strange scenes Li Fan described.
“It’s quite impressive that you made it out of such a dangerous place alive,” he remarked with a sigh.
Li Fan nodded in agreement and replied, “You’re absolutely right, Daoist. Near-death experiences often bring insight. Not long after I returned, I broke through my bottleneck and reached peak Foundation Establishment.”
“As I mentioned, I used to be just a wandering cultivator. For the sake of so-called ‘freedom,’ I didn’t want to join the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance and endure endless toil. But after this life-threatening ordeal, I’ve come to understand—if you’re alive, freedom doesn’t mean a thing!”
Li Fan spoke sincerely, “So, I humbly ask for your introduction, Daoist!”
Huang Ranqi pondered for a moment and observed Li Fan from head to toe, but he didn’t agree immediately.
“I’ve heard the Five Elders Association and our Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance have had some tense encounters recently, with frequent skirmishes. You’re not a spy from the Five Elders Association, are you?” Huang Ranqi suddenly asked.