Chapter 815: The Fan Realm

The suddenly appearing woman in plain robes must be the evolutionist from Earth who crossed over into this World #17, as mentioned by the AI Xiao Mei.

Li Yi studied her for a moment, then said, "I remember you. You took the Golden Academy entrance exam with me and passed. Later, you even sought me out—but after the Earth Skyfall Event, the situation changed drastically, and I never saw you again."

"I never thought you'd still be alive—and that you'd come to World #17 too."

The woman in plain robes now smiled, her expression radiating compassion, then spoke: "Li Yi, I heard of your battles on Earth's frontline, and learned you'd fled to World #17. So I deliberately opened a cross-realm gate to find you."

"Hm?"

Li Yi's expression turned puzzled: "You came here specifically for me? I don't recall us having any connection—and I don't owe you money."

"Li Yi, you and I share a karmic bond," the woman in plain robes said slowly.

"Karmic bond? What does that mean?" Li Yi asked.

The woman in plain robes walked closer and continued: "Mind creates all things; one can become a Buddha. All dharmas are empty; karmic ties stretch across eons, their retribution delayed for countless aeons."

Li Yi's head throbbed. "I never went to school. I'm uneducated. Just say what you mean—don't talk in riddles I can't understand."

He was suffering again from his lack of education.

"We have karmic ties from past lives. This lifetime, we must resolve them," the woman in plain robes said, staring at Li Yi.

"Past lives? What cultivation method are you practicing? When did you turn into a fortune-teller? It's only been a few years since the Skyfall—where do you get past lives and reincarnation? You've been tricked by someone. Go kill that person before they scam you with a pig-butchering scheme," Li Yi warned sincerely.

He'd worked since childhood and knew every scam, every trick—his guard was always up.

The woman in plain robes smiled, neither angry nor annoyed. "Have you ever practiced the White Bone Contemplation?"

Li Yi raised an eyebrow: "Why should I tell you what I cultivate? We're not even familiar."

"If you answer my questions, I can open a cross-realm gate for you, letting you leave this world. The demon kings on Earth's frontline haven't retreated—they're not ready to bring you back yet. Though it's for your safety, I doubt you want to stay here forever."

"You have a cross-realm device?"

Li Yi asked immediately, then quickly realized: "Of course—you couldn't have come here alone without one. If you'll send me back to Earth, I'll answer your questions."

He had many things to do—and without a cross-realm device, he could do nothing.

"Then please answer my earlier question: have you ever practiced the White Bone Contemplation?" the woman in plain robes said.

"I learned the White Bone Contemplation from a mural," Li Yi said.

The woman in plain robes stepped closer, near Li Yi: "You cultivate the White Bone Contemplation—seeing beings as white bones. I cultivate the Bodhisattva Contemplation—seeing beings as Bodhisattvas. When you and I unite, we form the White Bone Bodhisattva Contemplation: an ultimate method to attain the White Bone Bodhisattva state."

"White Bone Bodhisattva Contemplation?"

Li Yi's eyes lit up. "So you're missing the other half of the contemplation? Why didn't you say so earlier? You should've gone to Tianchang City—the White Bone mural should still be there… though it probably isn't now. That place suffered a disaster; even the Investigation Bureau is gone. But I can teach you."

"The White Bone Contemplation cannot be taught—it must be realized from the White Bone mural alone, Li Yi. You understand that."

The woman in plain robes extended a pale hand and placed it on Li Yi's shoulder, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Can't you smell it yourself? A lotus fragrance emanates from your body. That's a sign of bodily Buddhahood—just as the sandalwood scent radiating from me is a sign of bodily Bodhisattvahood."

"My blood flows with fire and thunder. Lotus fragrance? I think you're mistaken," Li Yi frowned slightly—he now understood where the lotus scent came from.

It must be the scent of the supreme treasure, the Crimson Lotus.

Emanating faintly from his Primordial Spirit manifestation.

Still, it was normal for cultivators to emit fragrances—once their bodies transformed beyond mortal flesh, they naturally gave off strange scents.

"Li Yi, I need your help to cultivate."

But the woman in plain robes ignored his words, opened her eyes, and spoke with solemn seriousness.

"Help you cultivate? That wasn't part of our deal. I only agreed to answer your questions in exchange for you opening the cross-realm gate." Li Yi frowned.

"Help me attain the White Bone Bodhisattva state, and you too will achieve bodily Buddhahood—boundless benefits. This is our destiny in this life; no one can escape it. Haven't you felt it? Our souls are resonating."

The woman in plain robes now radiated a glow of soul-light.

Li Yi faintly saw a Bodhisattva manifestation appear—bowed head, downcast eyes, full of compassion, holding a sacred seal, her face nearly identical to the woman's.

And in cultivation of the Primordial Spirit, she had clearly advanced farther than Li Yi.

Yet as Li Yi observed her Primordial Spirit, his own manifestation stirred involuntarily—his Primordial Spirit energy began leaking uncontrollably.

This had never happened before.

"Black magic," Li Yi snapped. The roar of Long Hu echoed, forcibly repelling her and stabilizing his own Primordial Spirit, shielding it from her soul-light.

The woman in plain robes staggered back dozens of meters. "This isn't black magic—it's our souls resonating. Just now, I glimpsed your manifestation: a Buddha seated upon a lotus throne."

"These are undeniable proofs. Will you still deny your own heart?"

Li Yi refused to listen. "We have no grudge. Leave me alone. For the sake of our shared time at the Golden Academy, let this end here. Open the cross-realm gate and send me back to Earth." He found the woman strange and instinctively wary—he wanted no further contact, and hoped never to see her again.

"Li Yi, even if you return to Earth now, I will find you again. Our karmic debt remains unresolved—it will always bind us," the woman in plain robes said. "If you don't believe me, come with me to another realm. My master will answer all your questions."

"You've taken a master in another world?" Li Yi's expression shifted.

This woman was already bizarre—what kind of monster was her master?

He was about to refuse, but then another thought struck him: what if he killed her master, freeing her from delusion? Would that end this?

Or—why not kill this woman now and seize the cross-realm device?

Two ideas flashed through Li Yi's mind.

"Li Yi, you've raised murderous intent. Clearly, you must come with me—only then can you purge the evil within you." With a wave of her hand, a cross-realm device appeared before them.

On the device rested three strange objects: two were broken, but one was intact.

The intact object resembled a stone, glowing with multicolored light, crystal-clear, and within it was sealed a golden " Wan " character.

"That is…" Li Yi gazed at it, faintly hearing Sanskrit chants.

"That is a Buddha's relic. Cultivating beside a Buddha's relic evolves the Primordial Spirit and purges distracting thoughts," the woman in plain robes explained willingly.

At that moment, the cross-realm device activated.

The energy of the three objects converged, unleashing a terrifying beam of light that forcibly opened a cross-realm gate—but it did not lead to Earth. It opened to an unknown great realm.

That realm's cosmic energy was dense, ideal for cultivation.

"I'm not interested in the world you're going to—but I'm very interested in your cross-realm device," Li Yi said seriously.

He made no move to seize it.

Because every cross-realm device was controlled by an AI—if her AI was too advanced, his Hong Ji couldn't crack it, and even if he stole it, he couldn't use it.

"If you'll accompany me to meet my master, I'll give you this cross-realm device. In the future, you may travel anywhere you wish. Once I've finished what I must do, I'll leave."

The woman in plain robes spoke, and to show sincerity, she tossed the cross-realm device to Li Yi—but took the intact object from it.

Then, while the gate still remained open, she flew swiftly into the other realm.

Li Yi stared at the device before him, frowned: "Xiao Mei, is there an AI inside this cross-realm device?"

"No other AI system detected," Xiao Mei in the base replied instantly.

"No AI at all?"

Li Yi immediately stored the device, then stared at the closing cross-realm gate, hesitating.

She had shown sincerity—she'd given him the device outright.

With the object he now held, he could return to Earth anytime.

"Fine. Since you're so sincere, I'll help you break free from your master's delusion," Li Yi decided. He wouldn't be stingy—he'd send that mind-controlling master on her way.

After all, he wasn't good at talking—but he excelled at fighting.

Then, with a step, he leapt into the other realm just before the gate fully closed.

Soon.

The surroundings transformed completely.

Li Yi appeared in a desolate wasteland. The environment was beautiful—birds sang, flowers bloomed, the air fresh. This was clearly not a modern world—it was another realm where cultivation flourished.

"Li Yi, you came after all," the woman in plain robes waited nearby, not having left.

"Just taking a stroll," Li Yi said calmly. "At least the cosmic energy here is abundant—better than World #17. By the way, what's your name?"

"You may call me Zhang Fanyin," the woman in plain robes smiled.

Li Yi asked: "Where is this?"

He looked around and saw ruins—among them, half of a colossal, damaged Buddha statue leaned against a mountain, oddly positioned.

"Ruins of Tianlong Temple," Zhang Fanyin said.

Li Yi asked: "I mean—what kind of world is this?"

"A world where Bodhisattvas walk among mortals and Buddhas manifest their presence. I call it… the Fan Realm." Zhang Fanyin said.

(End of Chapter)