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Chapter 1281: Reunion in the Star Sea

Countless bodies of Dao Integration cultivators drifted haphazardly, like forgotten kites in the void. Their faces were still frozen in masks of joy, the last remnants of their belief that they had escaped the calamity.

"Damn it..."

Staring at the faces, so full of life just moments ago, now locked in a permanent, lifeless stillness, Guan Xingxiu's grief turned to rage. He could bear it no longer. The Falling Star Divine Sword erupted in a streak of golden light, cleaving through the darkness ahead.

An azure silhouette flickered into existence, positioning itself directly in the path of the golden light.

Ice crystals blossomed from his fingertips like ethereal flowers, and the very air around them seemed to solidify. The Falling Star Divine Sword, caught in the sudden chill, froze in mid-flight.

"Is that... Qing Shuang?"

Xu Guanhai cried out, his voice laced with disbelief as he stared at the figure—so familiar, yet unnervingly strange.

The one who had just blocked the Falling Star Divine Sword was none other than Qing Shuang, the Dao Integration cultivator who had been drained of his essence and perished only a short time ago.

But...

"Guan, watch out!" Xu Guanhai shouted, having pieced it together in an instant. "That's not Ji Wantao himself—it's a Spirit of Heaven and Earth!"

The five surviving Dao Integration cultivators tensed, their nerves stretched taut once more.

Upon closer inspection, they saw that the face of this Spirit of Heaven and Earth was no longer a vague, indistinct blur. It now bore a striking resemblance to Immortal Sage Qing Shuang, Ji Wantao, as he had been in life.

What sent a chill of pure horror down their spines was the sight of a thin thread extending from the back of this new Qing Shuang, stretching away into the depths of the void.

The thread was identical to the sinister weapons they had seen the flying boat use to slaughter their comrades.

As they stood in a tense standoff with the flying boat, more and more of these threads emerged from the nothingness.

Familiar faces, one after another, drifted out of the shadows, each attached to a thread.

They slowly encircled the five survivors.

Sun Luchang's face went white, his body trembling uncontrollably. "How can this be?" he stammered. "To die is one thing, but to have your Spirit of Heaven and Earth extracted and refined... What demonic art is this?"

Zi Mei, however, was lost in thought. "We are far from the Xuanhuang Realm here," she mused. "The law of Returning Dao to Heaven has no effect. With the right methods, it might be possible to imitate the Heavenly Dao and intercept these Spirits of Heaven and Earth."

Xu Guanhai gave a bitter smile. "Guan, it looks like this is it for us. I might not be afraid of one or two Spirits of Heaven and Earth, but this many... And with that horrifying flying boat looming over us..."

A flicker of resolve ignited in Guan Xingxiu's eyes. "Then we'll destroy this monster first!"

"Wait!" Lan Yu yelled, just as the Falling Star Divine Sword was about to tear through the flying boat's deck.

Lan Yu strode forward, positioning himself between his companions and the spirits. In a firm, commanding voice, he declared, "Query current mission completion probability."

All the floating spirits froze. A moment later, the cold, mechanical voice of the Wangzun Flying Boat echoed through the chamber: "Current mission feasibility: Extremely high."

"Current energy reserves: Sufficient."

"Energy replenishment protocol: Aborted."

...

As the series of announcements echoed, the expressionless spirits were pulled back by their threads, receding into the void from which they came.

The seemingly hopeless crisis dissolved as quickly as it had appeared.

Sun Luchang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and let out a long, shuddering breath, still in disbelief. "It's... it's over? Just like that?"

Lan Yu's expression remained grim. "This is only temporary," he warned. "It seems that as long as it has enough energy, it won't attack us—provided we don't try to escape."

Guan Xingxiu nodded, his voice cold. "But once its energy runs low, it will undoubtedly hunt us down for fuel. Hmph. To think that we, high-ranking members of the Immortal Alliance, would end up as rations for a mere artifact in this cold, empty void. The irony is bitter..."

Zi Mei remained silent, her expression equally grave.

Only Xu Guanhai managed a wry smile. "I didn't think I'd get to live this long. I'll count it as a win. Everyone, try to relax. This thing just devoured dozens of Dao Integration cultivators; maybe that'll be enough fuel to last until we reach the Heavenly Venerate."

"Besides, the others were caught by surprise," Xu Guanhai added, this time communicating through divine sense. "If the five of us work together and stay vigilant, we might just be able to escape this hellhole."

"I have the Heavenly Capital Martial Arts Field," Lan Yu offered. "If I deploy its barrier, it should buy us a significant amount of time."

"We can't stay here forever. How about we rest and recover, then attempt a coordinated breakout?"

"Staying here is a death sentence. We have to risk it!"

...

Time slipped by as they discussed their plans.

Once they had all recovered to their peak condition, they launched their escape. To their surprise, it went more smoothly than any of them had dared to hope.

No spirits appeared to stop them, and the Wangzun Flying Boat itself seemed as fragile as paper, tearing apart with little effort.

"We're... out?" Sun Luchang stammered, stunned.

"No!" Guan Xingxiu's face was grim as he scanned the surrounding void.

"We're still inside the flying boat! We're trapped!"

The Falling Star Divine Sword instantly erupted with a blinding light, attempting to illuminate the dark space.

But like the true void of the Star Sea, the space seemed infinite. The sword's brilliant light was like a firefly's glow, swallowed by the darkness in an instant.

"Go!" Guan Xingxiu roared, refusing to give up. He sent the Falling Star Divine Sword hurtling into the darkness.

But it never returned, completely devoured by the oppressive dark.

The others, realizing the grim reality, tried their own methods. But without exception, none could break free from the void that imprisoned them.

"That damned thing never planned on letting us go," Sun Luchang spat, his voice laced with hatred. "While we were planning our escape, it was one step ahead, trapping us."

"This place... it seems to be some kind of formation," Xu Guanhai realized after a period of observation. "It's similar to the legendary Two Dimensions Formation of ancient times."

He added with a sigh of regret, "Unfortunately, I'm no expert in formations. Otherwise, I might have been able to find a way to break it."

"I don't know anything about them either."

"..."

Silence fell over the group. Then, as one, they all turned their eyes to Lan Yu.

Surely this veteran Dao Integration cultivator, with his thousands of years of experience, must know something about formations.

As the other four watched him with hopeful eyes, Lan Yu shook his head helplessly. "I do have some knowledge of formations, but the complexity of this one..."

"...is far beyond my abilities. I cannot decipher it," Lan Yu admitted frankly.

In that moment, despair washed over them.

A deathly silence enveloped the small group.

"This formation creates a completely sealed space; I can't find an exit," Lan Yu finally said. "But if the Wangzun Flying Boat tries to kill us, it will have to open a breach. That will be our only chance."

His words, spoken after a long pause, rekindled a flicker of hope in their hearts.

"I'll deploy the Martial Arts Field. We can take shelter inside and guard against another sneak attack."

As he spoke, a circular structure materialized in the darkness.

With no better alternative, they all flew inside.

As the entrance sealed behind them, the five cultivators looked at one another, an unexpected surge of battle intent rising within them.

"Lan, can't you control this artifact?" one of them exclaimed. "This is no time for sparring! If we waste our energy, what will we do when the flying boat makes its move?"

"Hey! Guan, what was that for?!" Xu Guanhai yelped, dodging a sudden attack.

Even as they tried to suppress the agitation welling inside them, they couldn't stop themselves from lashing out at one another.

Lan Yu explained with a hint of resignation, "This treasure was a gift from the Grandmaster himself. Once inside, you are compelled to engage in martial practice until you leave. It's the artifact's nature; it cannot be controlled. This is why I was reluctant to use it."

"However, I can adjust the intensity, and I've already set it to the minimum. Don't try to suppress your battle intent. Just exchange casual blows and maintain a state of combat. With the supplies we're carrying, we don't need to worry about the energy expenditure."

After a chaotic flurry of attacks, they finally adapted to the artifact's compulsion.

They settled into a rhythm of light sparring, all while continuing their discussion.

"Well, at least this warm-up ensures we'll be ready to strike at a moment's notice," Xu Guanhai remarked, trying to find a silver lining.

Sun Luchang, however, just sighed. "It's been a long time since I've had to fight like this. Please, my friends, go easy on me..."

Guan Xingxiu brought them back to the matter at hand. "In a situation this desperate, we will only get one shot. Therefore, we must all be familiar with each other's most powerful attacks."

The others agreed with his assessment.

He took the lead. "My strongest technique is one I only recently comprehended here in the Star Sea. It is called Sword Dividing Star River. Watch out!"

With a sharp cry, Guan Xingxiu unleashed a slash. For a breathtaking instant, it was as if a river of stars burst forth from the blade's edge.

The starlight-infused blade didn't strike any of them, instead slamming into the illusory sky of the martial arts field.

The dome of the sky trembled, and a web of cracks spread across its surface before rapidly healing.

Guan Xingxiu whistled in appreciation. "What a treasure!"

Following his lead, the other four demonstrated their own ultimate techniques.

As they sparred, they developed a growing sense of synergy.

They even managed to devise a coordinated attack, combining their strengths.

Time became meaningless within the confines of the void.

The five Dao Integration cultivators were like swords being sharpened, honing their spirit and energy to a razor's edge.

They waited for the perfect moment to unleash their single, decisive strike.

An unknown amount of time passed...

Then, a powerful tremor jolted them from their concentration.

It wasn't a tremor from within the martial arts field, but from the dark void outside—the entire space was shaking.

Or more accurately, the Wangzun Flying Boat itself was shaking.

After their long period of coordinated practice, the five had achieved a near-telepathic understanding.

In an instant, they reached a silent consensus: wait for an opening.

Without any warning, the darkness vanished, and light flooded their senses.

They found themselves back in the flying boat's main chamber.

But having been fooled once, the five of them didn't hesitate for a second.

They immediately unleashed the combined attack they had been honing for so long.

"Sword Dividing Star River!"

"Twilight Viewing Star Sea!"

"Feather Extinction!"

...

Their war cries echoed as five streams of brilliant light merged into a single, devastating beam that slammed into the chamber wall.

But what happened next plunged them into despair.

A black hole materialized on the wall's surface, completely absorbing the immense destructive force of their combined attack.

The hole slowly sealed itself, and the wall was left without a scratch.

Their ultimate technique, perfected over countless hours, had been nullified as if it were a child's prank. It hadn't caused the slightest bit of damage.

The faces of all five cultivators turned deathly pale.

Guan Xingxiu's Dao heart fractured under the strain, and he staggered, on the verge of collapse.

"How... how is that possible?" he mumbled, his eyes vacant with disbelief.

Their ultimate attack had failed. Their hearts turned to ash, and the will to fight was nearly extinguished.

But soon, another violent tremor from the Wangzun Flying Boat shocked them back to their senses.

"Wait... Is the boat being attacked from the outside?"

"A void storm?"

Realization dawned on them, and their faces lit up with wild joy.

"We still have a chance!"

It was then that they noticed something else was wrong with the boat.

The spirits that had been captured earlier were nowhere to be seen.

And the boat itself looked as if it had been through a fierce battle; they could faintly see hairline cracks spreading across the walls.

As the five of them stood there in stunned silence...

...the cold, mechanical voice of the Wangzun Flying Boat echoed once more.

"Third battle with unknown Star Sea civilization."

"Reserve energy depleted."

"Based on deductions, probability of victory in the next battle is zero."

"Executing backup plan..."

"Transmitting data..."

"Initiating self-destruct sequence..."

The boat's announcement made the five survivors' faces change drastically.

"Not good!"

Lan Yu instinctively deployed the martial arts field again, enveloping the five of them within it.

The other four also used their own defensive techniques, helping one another.

"Initiating... Ini... Ini..."

However, something baffling happened again.

The Wangzun Flying Boat's voice seemed to be suffering from some kind of interference, stuttering and repeating itself.

But the expected explosion never came.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Massive booming sounds echoed from above the flying boat.

Amidst billowing smoke and dust, a circular opening suddenly appeared. More than thirty unknown beings clad in strange armor poured through the gap.

They were highly disciplined. Ten of them broke off to surround Lan Yu and his group.

The rest continued to explore deeper into the flying boat.

"Brother Lan Yu, you're knowledgeable. What do you make of this situation?" Xu Guanhai asked via divine sense.

Guan Xingxiu said with some uncertainty, "An unknown Star Sea civilization?"

"Possibly. Let's not be rash. We should try to communicate first."

After all, this group had easily overcome the Wangzun Flying Boat, a vessel that had left them helpless. It was a clear indication of their strength.

It was best to avoid a fight if possible.

After a brief discussion, Lan Yu was chosen to speak. "Fellow cultivators, we mean you no harm..."

The response was swift, and in the same language, "Cut the crap and stay quiet!"

"Brother Liu, we can't break their defensive artifact for now. Should we use the 'Immortal Seal Character' again?"

"Not yet. Just keep them contained. We'll deal with them after we've towed this boat back."

...

"Immortal Seal Character?"

Lan Yu and the others exchanged a look.

Time passed in a strange atmosphere.

A slight vibration from the Wangzun Flying Boat broke the stalemate.

"Phew... you can take down the protection now."

With a voice full of relief, another team arrived on the Wangzun Flying Boat and took over.

Their leader was a long-haired man in a peculiar Daoist robe, with a broken half of a black jade hairpin in his hair.

Although the man exuded the aura of a Dao Integration cultivator, just like Lan Yu and the others...

...there seemed to be another mysterious power mixed in.

It made the five cultivators from the Xuanhuang Realm feel an inexplicable sense of crisis.

It was like facing one of the terrifying calamities of the endless, dark void.

"Fellow cultivator..."

Lan Yu and the others tried to communicate with the long-haired Dao Integration cultivator.

But the man seemed not to hear them at all, merely muttering to himself, "Brother Zhao was right. We really did catch a ship in that direction. This hasn't happened in thousands of years."

"Keep an eye on them!"

Lan Yu and the others were about to speak again, but the long-haired man glanced at them casually.

In the depths of his dark eyes, a character appeared like a phantom.

It manifested in the minds of Lan Yu and the others, and in an instant, it grew to the size of heaven and earth, filling their sight, their senses, their every thought.

They could not see, nor could they hear.

They were plunged into an endless darkness.

To an outside observer, it simply looked as if the long-haired cultivator had given them a light glance, and the five of them were stunned into submission.

They stood there, dazed and motionless.

The area fell silent. After the long-haired cultivator left, the others began to whisper among themselves.

"Elder Wang is getting stronger and stronger. You have to remember, these guys are genuine Dao Integration experts!"

"What damn Dao Integration? Without understanding the power of the 'Immortal Seal Character', how are they any different from us Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators? They're just a bit stronger, that's all."

"That's true."

...

The long-haired cultivator returned in a hurry. Naturally, other professionals would come to inspect the captured flying boat.

Although the craftsmanship of the boat was indeed impressive, it lacked the most crucial element: the power fluctuations of a True Immortal Seal Character.

Therefore, its actual value was average at best.

What the long-haired cultivator was concerned about now was something else entirely.

That Zhao Xian from the Dao Proving Academy had actually predicted the arrival of this flying boat from the depths of the Star Sea...

How had he done it?

Could it be that he had secretly comprehended the power of another True Immortal Seal Character?

The long-haired cultivator couldn't figure it out. He subconsciously touched the half-broken black jade hairpin on his head.

"Has this person, after being silent for seven or eight years, finally decided to show his true colors?"

"First, he reached Soul Transformation in the morning and Dao Integration by evening, all in a single day, completely shattering the Immortal Boat's understanding of cultivation speed. And now he's comprehended a brand new True Immortal Seal Character..."

The long-haired cultivator walked quickly, soon leaving the Immortal Boat's docking port and returning to the Broken Immortal Tower.

In a quiet, dimly lit secret chamber, he met the equally disheveled Zhao Xian.

"Brother Zhao," the long-haired cultivator said softly, his previous arrogance gone.

Zhao Xian paid him no mind, his eyes closed as if deep in thought.

From time to time, his fingers would trace patterns in the air as he mumbled to himself.

The long-haired cultivator, far from being annoyed at being ignored, watched Zhao Xian's finger movements with rapt attention, trying to decipher their meaning.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Xian finally spoke. "Did you find the flying boat?"

The long-haired cultivator nodded.

"This Immortal Boat came from the other side of the Star Sea, where the Xuanhuang Realm used to be."

"The Xuanhuang Realm, much like our Immortal Boat, survived the Great Calamity. But they still retain a considerable amount of resources..."

A look of astonishment flickered across the long-haired cultivator's face.

Zhao Xian continued, "Unfortunately, the Xuanhuang Realm is too far from us. And it's too close to the Immortal Ruins."

"It wouldn't be worth it for the Immortal Boat to make the trip. Of course, the final decision rests with the council of elders."

As he spoke, Zhao Xian handed a mote of light to the long-haired cultivator.

After reviewing the information within the light, the long-haired cultivator's breathing became ragged.

"Brother Zhao, how did you perceive all this?"

Before leaving, the long-haired cultivator asked in a low voice.

Zhao Xian smiled faintly. "The Star Sea may be vast, but in the eyes of a True Immortal, it can be seen at a glance. Wang Hai, when you comprehended the True Immortal Seal Character, didn't various visions appear in your mind?"

Wang Hai naturally wouldn't say no. He nodded and said, "I see. Brother Zhao, you are truly gifted!"

Zhao Xian accepted the praise calmly and then handed over another mote of light. "This is my new comprehension. After you've reviewed it, submit it to the council of elders."

Wang Hai received it like a priceless treasure, instantly forgetting his previous displeasure. He eagerly began to examine its contents.

"Brilliant, truly brilliant."

Wang Hai was captivated, completely lost in the profound insights.

It was only after a long while, when the half-broken black jade hairpin on his head began to tremble slightly, as if it might break free at any moment, that Wang Hai came to his senses.

"Brother Zhao is a true genius!" This time, Wang Hai bowed with sincere respect, then left in a state of high excitement.

Zhao Xian, or rather, the Holy Embryo Li Fan, watched Wang Hai's departing figure. He saw the distorted shadow of a man slowly losing control under the influence of the True Immortal Seal Character's power, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips.

Due to the different flow of time, nine years had passed since Zhao Xian had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and been accepted as a core disciple of the Dao Proving Academy.

The real Zhao Xian, influenced by the illusion created by the Holy Embryo Li Fan, was constantly on edge, worried that the Mysterious Immortal Boat would be destroyed in the future. Even with Li Fan's help, his inner demons flourished.

The Divine thought that the Holy Embryo Li Fan had split off was almost exhausted, yet Zhao Xian's condition had not improved.

Worse, his repeated anomalies had been noticed by the third elder of the academy, almost exposing Li Fan's existence.

This led Li Fan to a subtle realization: cultivation on the Mysterious Immortal Boat was different from that in the Xuanhuang Realm.

The cultivators of the Immortal Boat, whether breaking through bottlenecks or in their daily practice, were extremely susceptible to the influence of inner demons.

These inner demons originated from the Dao of the Star Sea itself and were directly imposed upon the cultivator.

Every time Li Fan helped intercept one, the inner demons would appear more frequently thereafter.

And as Zhao Xian's actual cultivation level grew, the power of these inner demons also increased exponentially.

So, Li Fan decided to stop wasting his efforts on him. He directly used the [Dao Pill] technique he had learned on the Mysterious Immortal Boat on Zhao Xian.

His divine sense merged with Zhao Xian, replacing him completely.

This cut off the source of the inner demons.

Zhao Xian's own talent could only be described as decent.

But to Li Fan's surprise, after consuming the Dao Pill and inheriting Zhao Xian's body, he also inherited the characteristics of the Immortal Boat's native inhabitants.

He too was plagued by inner demons as he cultivated.

However, compared to Zhao Xian, Li Fan, who had experienced many lifetimes, had a much stronger will.

Ordinary inner demons could not shake him.

Thus, his cultivation proceeded without any obstacles.

Following his plan, he lay low in the Dao Proving Academy, greedily absorbing the technological accumulation of the Immortal Boat over thousands of years.

He then volunteered to represent the academy and came to the Broken Immortal Tower.

He was there to learn and test the method the Broken Immortal Tower claimed could safely utilize the power of the True Immortal Seal Characters.

The Broken Immortal Tower had not lied.

They had indeed mastered a brilliant method for mortal cultivators to wield a portion of the power of the True Immortal Seal Characters.

Just like the Dao Integration cultivator named Wang Hai had done when he subdued Lan Yu and the others with a single move.

The key was the half-broken black jade hairpin he wore.

This hairpin was a World Extinguishing Relic collected by the Immortal Boat from the vast ruins. Over countless years, it had been influenced by a True Immortal Seal Character, and its body now retained traces of the corresponding [Dao].

Furthermore, it was constantly being scoured by the echoing starlight power that permeated the void.

The collision of these two different True Immortal forces had created the special properties of this black jade hairpin.

The method of [Entering the Dao] that the Immortal Pivot Academy of the Immortal Boat had mastered over the years also involved using these World Extinguishing Relics to grasp the residual power of the True Immortal Seal Characters.

But they only selected relics influenced by a single True Immortal force.

The deeper one went into the Dao, the stronger the shackles of the True Immortal Seal Character became. Not only would the body undergo terrifying changes, but even the mind would be affected, leading to madness.

The Broken Immortal Tower had accidentally found relics that retained the power of two different True Immortal Seal Characters.

They studied and utilized one of these forces, while using the attached echoing starlight power as an [anchor].

When one delved too deeply into the Dao, they could use the influence of the echoing starlight power to pull themselves back from the brink.

Although the power wielded this way was not as extreme as that of the Immortal Pivot Academy...

...its advantage lay in its safety, allowing it to be promoted to the vast majority of cultivators.

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator, with the aid of a special World Extinguishing Relic and a period of training, could instantly trigger and unleash the power of a True Immortal Seal Character.

And if they were fighting in the Star Sea, where the surrounding environment happened to contain the corresponding residual power of a True Immortal Seal Character...

...their power could only be described as terrifying.

It far surpassed the limits of an ordinary Dao Integration cultivator on the Immortal Boat.

The proposal of this method allowed the Broken Immortal Tower to rise to prominence, almost completely replacing the Immortal Pivot Academy as the de facto ruler of the Immortal Boat.

However, considering that in extreme situations, the power of senior [Dao Entry] cultivators might still be needed, the Immortal Pivot Academy was allowed to remain.

When Li Fan infiltrated the Broken Immortal Tower, he had personally tried "Entering the Dao" with an anchor.

But having witnessed the full, unrestrained power of a true True Immortal Seal Character, how could he be impressed by such a clever trick?

What interested him here was the research on different True Immortal Seal Characters.

Because the cultivators of the Immortal Boat could only reverse-engineer the original power of the True Immortal Seal Characters through World Extinguishing Relics, it was like blind men touching an elephant. Each cultivator, due to their different perspectives, developed numerous different comprehensions.

But Li Fan, a direct witness, could pick out the correct versions from a pile of speculations.

He had already seen the complete forms of characters like Hunger, Chaos, and Submerge, so those were a given.

But the characters for Solitude, which he had encountered while crossing the Star Sea, as well as others like Fall and Nothingness...

These were truly priceless treasures to Li Fan.

True Immortal Seal Characters had different forms of power, but they all came from the hand of the [Inscription Immortal].

In a sense, they all shared a commonality.

After mastering four or five correct answers, Li Fan could more easily find the versions closest to the truth in the research of the Broken Immortal Tower.

This was the fundamental reason why he, disguised as Zhao Xian, could continuously submit so-called "comprehensions."

In fact, as expected of True Immortal Seal Characters, even the reverse-engineered versions based on their power manifestations were still comparable to a cultivator's most powerful divine abilities.

When the Holy Embryo Li Fan practiced them outside the Immortal Boat, the destruction he caused left him secretly astonished.

And among the many documents in the Broken Immortal Tower, what interested Li Fan the most was the speculative research on the classification of True Immortal Seal Characters.

Modification complete.

(End of this chapter)