Chapter 1205: Shattering the Star Sea's Dao
Chapter 1205: Shattering the Star Sea's Dao
"The only thing we can do is dissect and analyze these fragmented remains of the world. Perhaps then we can deduce what this Darkest Star Sea was like in its prime."
"Still, this was an existence several orders of magnitude higher than the common Xuanhuang cultivation world. Even its corpse holds immense benefits."
The aura around the Holy Embryo clone of Li Fan shifted abruptly.
Like a sudden eruption of magma, his power, already at the peak of Soul Transformation, swelled to several times its original intensity in an instant.
Unfortunately, the Holy Embryo clone still could not escape the connection that limited a clone in relation to its main body.
An invisible shackle seemed to materialize, brutally suppressing the burgeoning aura and forcing it back down.
The Holy Embryo clone let out a stifled groan and, to his surprise, spat out a mouthful of blood.
Within the miniature world manifested by the Black Sword inside him, countless dark fissures appeared, threatening to shatter it at any moment.
"The heavens and earth are fragmented, and the principles of the Dao are weakened."
"Just as I thought. Here in the Darkest Star Sea, it's possible for a clone's cultivation to surpass the main body's!"
The Holy Embryo clone savored the memory of that momentary surge of power.
It felt like a raw, colossal force, violently tearing through the shackles of the world.
"The impetus for my breakthrough was still lacking. It faltered midway, leading to a backlash."
"If I had accumulated just a little more power, I could have shattered that shackle in one clean push."
Li Fan was suddenly reminded of the time his clone had cultivated the Devouring Heaven and Earth Great Technique, ultimately forcing a breakthrough past the "Heaven's Disaster."
"This is what is known as 'shattering the Dao with brute force.' In a normal, complete world, no one short of a True Immortal would possess such overwhelming power. But here, in the fractured landscape of the Darkest Star Sea, the requirements are drastically lower."
"After my clone forcibly broke through the Heaven's Disaster bottleneck, it was immediately met with a counterattack from the Xuanhuang Realm's Heavenly Dao—that giant palm. Here in the Darkest Star Sea, such a backlash might not even occur."
Just like Zhao Xian moments before, the Holy Embryo clone felt a wave of joyous enlightenment wash over him.
"From one, a myriad of possibilities can be inferred. Since this inherent principle of the Dao can be broken, can others be broken as well?"
"When a great whale falls, a myriad of life is born. For the cultivators who survived its demise, the death of the Star Sea might be a once-in-a-billion-year opportunity."
"Dharma Spreader's power, which far exceeds that of any ordinary cultivator, is likely not just because all the New Method cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm are his foundation. Perhaps this has something to do with it."
"After ten thousand years in the Star Sea, he must be infinitely close to the legendary Immortals."
...
The Holy Embryo's revelation in the Darkest Star Sea sent a profound shock through Li Fan's main body as well.
The discovery that the fragmented, deficient state of the Star Sea was actually a great boon for cultivators was so startling that his aura wavered for a moment.
The slight disturbance caught the attention of the two Dao Integration elders, Hua Yueye and Zhang Xu.
"Daoist Sun?"
"It's nothing. I was just thinking of my lovely wife at home, and my mind wandered," Li Fan said, a hint of shame in his voice.
The two guardians exchanged peculiar glances but nodded in understanding.
After steadying his mind, Li Fan's main body forcibly suppressed the urge to charge out of the Xuanhuang Realm at once.
"Opportunity and crisis have always coexisted."
"While the Darkest Star Sea may be a sacred ground for cultivation now, it is undoubtedly fraught with peril."
"If my Holy Embryo clone hadn't used a Heavenly Treasure for its Foundation Establishment, it would have likely perished long ago. Faced with the bizarre dangers lurking in the Star Sea, even the world manifested by my Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven wouldn't last for long."
That invisible void in the darkness, and that lethal black plague...
Neither was something the current Li Fan could handle.
"Experiencing it through the Holy Embryo is just as good," Li Fan could only console himself.
"If those sixteen Dao Integration cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance leave the Xuanhuang Realm, they should slowly discover this secret as well."
"The question is, will they survive long enough to return?"
Li Fan was pessimistic about the fate of those sixteen cultivators.
In Dharma Spreader's eyes, the cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm were almost certainly nothing more than tools.
This summons would likely be no different.
"However, I can try to secretly learn the method of flying out of the Xuanhuang Realm without the Echoing Star Power."
"The appearance of the Echoing Star Power in this life was a complete accident. There's no guarantee it can be replicated in the future. And now that I know the importance of the Darkest Star Sea, how can I possibly miss out?"
"Even if this information is top secret right now and impossible to obtain, after a few decades, or perhaps when the Great Qi Sage Dynasty begins to threaten the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and war breaks out, such secrets will no longer be anyone's priority. It shouldn't be difficult to uncover then."
...
Despite his reasoning, Li Fan kept a close watch on the situation regarding the sixteen cultivators.
Through the Tianxuan Minor Mirror, his divine sense clone stationed in the Sun family residence had stabilized enough to maintain a physical form. As the divine sense clone's strength recovered, Sun Luyao, within the Immeasurable Mirror, also grew stronger, his fusion with the artifact becoming more pronounced.
One day, while peering into the Tianxuan Mirror, Sun Luyao suddenly mustered his courage and spoke to Li Fan. "Senior, I think I've sensed the location of another fragment of the Immeasurable Mirror."
"Perhaps if we absorb it, the Immeasurable Mirror's abilities will be further enhanced."
Previously, the Sun brothers had scoured nearly the entire territory of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, and the fragment they found had indeed brought about a qualitative change in the Immeasurable Mirror. If it could be restored further, it might truly bring Li Fan a pleasant surprise.
However, Li Fan's divine sense clone acted as if he hadn't heard a thing.
He patiently finished his surveillance of the Tianxuan Mirror, still finding no information about the sixteen cultivators summoned by Dharma Spreader.
Only then did he turn his cold gaze to Sun Luyao. "What location?"
Sun Luyao cautiously transmitted the information he had sensed.
"Oh?"
Upon seeing the location Sun Luyao indicated, Li Fan's divine sense clone couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise.
It was situated within the Hundred Stones Grotto-Heaven, on the border of Shilin Province.
The ruins of the Heavenly Mystery Sect, as well as the entrance to the Spirit Wood Realm, were all located within this sprawling network of underground caverns.
"I understand," Li Fan's divine sense clone replied nonchalantly, showing no intention of going to search for it.
Sun Luyao didn't dare to press the matter.
It wasn't until seven days later, when Sun Luyuan returned to the secret chamber, that Sun Luyao, having received Li Fan's permission, eagerly relayed the news once more.
In stark contrast to Li Fan's calm demeanor, Sun Luyuan was overjoyed.
"If we can find another fragment, you might not have to suffer like this anymore!"
Sun Luyao nodded in agreement.
"By the way, brother, how did that old fellow Fu react when he learned about the Tianxuan Mirror's clone?" Sun Luyao asked again.
Hearing this, Sun Luyuan's brow furrowed. "The birth of a human-like clone from the Tianxuan Mirror is a matter of grave importance; it must be handled with caution. I can understand why he hasn't made a move yet. But what's strange is, I haven't been able to contact him since our last meeting."
"You can't contact him?"
"It's not just Fu. I can't even get into the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters for the time being. It seems like something extremely important is happening."
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