Chapter 1108: An Alien Star Falls on Xuanhuang
Chapter 1108: An Alien Star Falls on Xuanhuang
Although the Xuanhuang Realm had spent several millennia pulling in and devouring other worlds, growing far larger than any normal cultivation realm, Li Fan simply couldn't imagine where a power capable of making even the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance deeply wary could possibly be hiding.
Back when the Tianxuan Mirror underwent its sublimation and transformation, it had thoroughly scoured the entire Xuanhuang Realm. Not only had it charted nearly all the affiliated grotto-heavens and minor worlds, but it had also explored most of the rifts between worlds deep within the white mist.
"Unless it's another hidden region of a special nature, like the Gloomy Realm."
"It just goes to show, this is the last bastion for the cultivators of the Darkest Star Sea. You never know when some powerhouse might suddenly emerge."
"Still, since they didn't survive the last apocalypse of the Xuanhuang Realm, there must be a limit to their strength."
After this brief analysis, Li Fan felt a little more at ease.
"Speaking of which, the history of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's sudden rise from the wastelands of cultivation does seem rather peculiar upon reflection."
After the great calamity of the Xuanhuang Realm, cultivators descended into a dark age of mutual suspicion and slaughter. Civilization eventually shattered, leaving no organized groups in the world—only lone wolves, as wary as wild beasts and brimming with killing intent. This was the so-called age of the cultivation wasteland.
The long-vanished Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate returned and re-established civilization upon the ruined land.
But that raised a question.
Whether it was from the 'Era' illusion experienced in the Museum of Divine Treasures or the historical fragments unearthed from the river of blood in the Spirit Wood Realm, the description of cultivators from that period could be summed up in two words: fierce and savage.
To have survived that free-for-all, their temperament, methods, and strength were beyond question.
How would a group like that react to the sudden appearance of the Dharma Spreader, who declared his intention to unite the Xuanhuang Realm?
And where were those people now? They seemed to be absent from the ranks of both the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Council.
"I recall that the Wanfa Chamber of Commerce in Jiushan Province was a legacy from that era. A pity it's been razed to the ground, or I might have been able to gather some information there."
Li Fan made a mental note to address this matter in his next life, then turned his attention back to the "True Immortal Remnant."
After receiving Li Fan's warning, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had indeed grown much more vigilant. They opted to capture the manifested Earth's Souls collectively. As for their final ownership, that had already been negotiated in advance. The goal was to swallow these "baits" as quickly and safely as possible, converting them into their own strength.
With the official intervention of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, the various disturbances caused by the appearance of the Earth's Souls were quickly quelled.
However, the Alliance's attitude toward the True Immortal Remnant was one of extreme caution. They pursued it, yes, but cultivators were forbidden from fighting each other over it. Who would ultimately claim the prize was left entirely to personal fate.
At the same time, in order to end this turmoil as quickly as possible, several of the Dharma Transmitters, who usually remained aloof from worldly affairs, made an unprecedented move and took action. It seemed the incident with Mo Rubin had brought about a change in their methods.
With the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance joining the game, Li Fan clearly felt that controlling the black puppet to lead them on a chase had become considerably more strenuous.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's control over its own territory was still formidable. Shortly after the puppet appeared with the True Immortal Remnant, it would be discovered, forcing another relocation.
As the frequency of these relocations increased, the black puppet's weakness—its inability to operate for extended periods—became apparent. Fortunately, Li Fan had ordered his master craftsmen to urgently build several more puppets. By using them in rotation, he managed to maintain the elusive and unpredictable nature of the True Immortal Remnant.
However, Li Fan also had a faint feeling that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was becoming aware that the "True Immortal Remnant" was being moved using the power of the Gloomy Realm. The time they needed to track it down was steadily decreasing.
"It seems this show can't go on for much longer."
"But no matter. My objective has been achieved. I'll just wait for the final curtain call to give everyone in the Xuanhuang Realm a little surprise."
Glancing over the specific details of his various arrangements, Li Fan revealed a benevolent smile.
"My young friend, why must you do this?"
Three figures suddenly drifted out, surrounding Li Fan. Their brows were furrowed in sorrow, their faces sallow and withered.
They all stared at Li Fan without speaking, merely heaving sorrowful sighs.
These were the paper figures awakened from the Book of Salvation.
Ever since Li Fan had begun his preparations for world annihilation, even though he carried out all his plans through clones and puppets, these paper figures from the Salvation Sect had somehow sensed the impending crisis. From the initial one, two more paper figures had now awakened in succession.
Moreover, they could faintly perceive the destructive thoughts in Li Fan's mind. Whenever Li Fan simulated or deduced future scenarios, these figures would tirelessly surround him, attempting to persuade him otherwise.
Naturally, Li Fan paid them no mind, meeting them with a cold indifference. When the three paper figures from the Salvation Sect realized their words were futile, they gave up trying to persuade him. Instead, they simply haunted him with their mournful expressions.
At first, Li Fan thought this was just a display of impotent rage. But he later discovered that when surrounded by these sorrowful paper figures, he found himself being infected by their emotions.
No matter what he had been thinking before, no matter how great his passionate fervor or how extreme his ideas...
...it all gradually faded into utter passivity, a void where all ambition had been.
If it weren't for the protection of the Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra, he might have genuinely been influenced and changed by them.
The paper figures from the Salvation Sect could only sense the general situation. They lacked the ability to know the specific measures Li Fan had taken during this time from a distance.
Li Fan did not reveal that he was completely unaffected. Instead, he cooperated fully, playing along with their act.
The grim expression on his face slowly vanished, replaced by a listless emptiness, as if nothing held any interest for him. His mind also began to empty, no longer dwelling on the preparations for annihilation.
The forms of the three Salvation Sect paper figures changed accordingly. Instead of returning directly to the Book of Salvation, they transformed into the image of stern, old scholars.
Sitting upright and solemn, they began to recount to Li Fan the various calamities the Xuanhuang Realm had once endured.
Their names were quite interesting as well. Each was named after one of these historical calamities.
For example, one was named [Starfall].
It referred to a time before the Immortal Road was severed, when an alien star fell from the cosmos and crashed into the Xuanhuang Realm.
The energy emanating from the alien star had, for a short time, severely affected the efficacy of spiritual power for all cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm. Regardless of their cultivation stage, their strength plummeted drastically.
(End of this chapter)
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