Chapter 1338: Ten Thousand Years of Goodwill
Chapter 1338: Ten Thousand Years of Goodwill
"Let the body become the cosmos, the will roam the river of stars. Through Taijia's infinity, the spirit travels; through Taijia's immutability, the spirit transforms; through Taijia's void, the spirit becomes divine..."
Li Fan chanted inwardly without pause.
Just as the Saint Emperor had experienced before, points of light suddenly flickered to life within his vision, illuminating what had been a sea of absolute, silent darkness.
This time, however, was different from his previous direct contact with the Star Sea's primordial consciousness.
With the `Taijia Divine Art` acting as an "interpreter" between them, Li Fan sensed that the primordial consciousness of the Star Sea naturally held a certain goodwill toward him.
Not only had its contempt for insignificant mortal life faded and vanished, but Li Fan could also feel that the Star Sea's consciousness was actively listening.
The chasm between a cultivator and the vast Star Sea was immense.
Yet, with the `Taijia Divine Art`, this gap could be drastically reduced. Of course, this was partly because the Star Sea was in a nascent state of recovery after its collapse, and Li Fan's own power now stood at the pinnacle of the Star Sea's mortal realm.
"Only someone who had reached an incredibly high level of understanding of the Star Sea's essence could have created such a technique."
"Perhaps its creator ascended to the Immortal Realm long ago," the thought flashed through Li Fan's mind.
But he had not forgotten the purpose of this communication.
Maintaining the state of the `Taijia Divine Art`, Li Fan's expression grew solemn. He began by extolling the greatness of the Star Sea and its revival from ruin.
He then described the Star Sea's current state of desolate silence, emphasizing that the only spark of life remaining within it was the Xuanhuang Realm.
Finally, Li Fan sincerely petitioned the Star Sea's consciousness, requesting its aid in the matter of elevating the Xuanhuang Realm and escaping the Immortal Ruins.
It was like an ancient emperor's ritual, a prayer to the heavens.
After stating his plea, Li Fan fell silent, patiently awaiting the response from the Star Sea's primordial consciousness.
It seemed he had posed a difficult question, for the Star Sea's consciousness remained unresponsive for a long time.
However, Li Fan could feel that their connection was not severed, so he continued to stand and wait.
While connected to the Star Sea's consciousness, a torrent of thoughts and insights regarding the Dao of the Star Sea rushed into his mind. It was as if he had entered the legendary state of celestial union, experiencing constant epiphanies with every passing moment.
What Li Fan found somewhat regrettable, however, was that these insights were like the foam on the waves of a vast ocean. They rose and fell, one after another, but as each wave crashed, they quickly dissolved back into the water.
"These are not my own epiphanies, but a natural phenomenon of being in this unique state. How much I can retain in the end will depend entirely on my own fortune..." Li Fan understood.
Immersed in this state akin to Dao enlightenment, an unknown amount of time passed before the Star Sea's consciousness finally gave its answer.
Then, Li Fan was forcibly ejected, the connection to the Star Sea's consciousness severed.
The `Taijia Divine Art` could not be used again for some time.
A peculiar summoning ritual.
These two pieces of information appeared in Li Fan's mind simultaneously.
"It seems the principle behind the `Taijia Divine Art` is to consume the goodwill of the Star Sea's primordial consciousness. And this goodwill grows slowly over time. Since the fall of the Taijia Realm, ten thousand years have passed without a single cultivator using this art. Thus, the goodwill accumulated over these years has reached an astonishing level. That must be why I had the feeling that the Star Sea was listening to me..." Having completed the communication ritual, Li Fan came to a realization.
"However, all the goodwill accumulated over the years has been completely depleted by my request. For at least the remaining twenty years of this life, I won't be able to get it to do anything useful for me. But no matter. I've mastered the `Taijia Divine Art`. In the next life, I'll have another ten thousand years of goodwill to squander."
Perhaps the ten thousand years of accumulated goodwill was simply too substantial. Or perhaps the ascension of the Xuanhuang Realm would also benefit the overall recovery of the Star Sea.
In any case, the Star Sea's consciousness had agreed to Li Fan's request and would provide assistance in the matter of the Xuanhuang Realm's ascension.
The ritual it had conveyed was the method for receiving the Star Sea's aid.
"Once the ritual is complete, the Star Sea will directly bestow its great power."
"Even a nascent Star Sea is far beyond what the fused Xuanhuang Realm can compare to."
"With this additional support, the plan for the Xuanhuang ascension has an even greater chance of success."
A strange look flickered in Li Fan's eyes. "I just wonder if this ritual will still be effective in the next life."
A moment later, Li Fan shook his head slightly, dismissing the idea. "To put it bluntly, this ritual is just a signal transmitter. Whether the Star Sea's consciousness is willing to help is its own decision. Without the prior communication to establish a foundation, it would probably just feel disturbed and become angry. Not only would there be no aid, but it might even send down a calamity as punishment."
With all the goodwill depleted, in the eyes of the Star Sea, Li Fan was no different from any other cultivator. The ascension array had also reached the limit of its duration. Li Fan immediately rode the wooden sword's phantom away, letting the formation collapse behind him.
The collapse of the towering peak stirred some ripples in the center of the Star Sea. After the commotion gradually subsided, an extremely faint wisp of black qi appeared unnoticed.
It was identical to the wisp of black qi that had been generated when the small world fell from a great height and was annihilated, following Li Fan's previous ascension experiment.
This time, however, no small world had fallen. The black qi had been born purely because this location was close to the most active point of the Star Sea's primordial consciousness.
Compared to the wisp later consumed by Dharma Transmitter Jiang, this one in the center of the Star Sea appeared much weaker.
But this supposed weakness was, without a doubt, merely an illusion.
This wisp of black qi grew steadily stronger with the passage of time. The area it enveloped, a part of the Star Sea that had begun to show signs of life, was plunged back into absolute nothingness.
Strangely, however, the Star Sea's primordial consciousness did not seem to notice the existence of this parasitic black qi.
It allowed the qi to continuously devour the Star Sea's life force, utterly helpless against it.
The black qi's growth was extremely slow at first. But as it consumed more and more of the Star Sea, its ability to expand grew stronger.
Before long, this black qi of unknown origin would surely rampage through the Star Sea at a terrifying speed.
For now, however, the black qi continued to develop in silence.
The surviving beings in the Star Sea were completely unaware.
And Li Fan, the unwitting architect of this disaster, also had no idea of the calamity he had wrought.
He had already returned to the Xuanhuang Realm and was recounting his experience at the center of the Star Sea to Yin Shangren and the others.
Bai Hua was full of wonder, her eyes shining with delight. "The Taijia Realm's accumulation of ten thousand years has now become a gift to the Xuanhuang Realm. With the help of the Star Sea's consciousness, the ascension of Xuanhuang is just around the corner!"
Yin Shangren was much calmer. "Near the fragments of the Taijia Realm, I also found a world fragment that can serve as a catalyst for Xuanhuang."
"However, my rash decision to devour the Taijia fragment has affected the stability of the Realm Fragment Great Wall. I'm afraid we'll have to wait some time for the storm of echoing star power to completely pass before we can proceed with the next phase."
Bai Hua grew even more excited. "It's truly one success after another. At this rate, we can begin the official Xuanhuang ascension plan in half a year at most."
Li Fan smiled. "It's not that simple. Even with the Star Sea's aid, we can't afford to be careless. The great power of the Star Sea is like a potent tonic. Administered correctly, it can cure any ailment. But if it's handled improperly..."
"A body too weak for the tonic will only suffer more harm!"
Bai Hua's expression turned serious upon hearing this.
Using the principles of the celestial and human worlds, he gave the two another lesson before assigning them their respective tasks.
"Xu Ke is still beneath the High Wall. His life force has not been extinguished, so he must have had some other fortuitous encounter. Since you caused the storm of echoing star power, you should be the one to find him and bring him back," Li Fan said to Yin Shangren.
"As I should," Yin Shangren nodded in agreement.
Li Fan then turned to Bai Hua. "On your journey to the edge of the Star Sea, both Yin Shangren and Xu Ke found something. You returned safely, but you missed out on any fortunate encounters..."
Bai Hua gave a wry smile, then, as if realizing something, looked at Li Fan with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"Fortuitous encounters in the Star Sea aren't limited to the area beneath the High Wall. Go to this place and take a look. You might find something," Li Fan said with an inscrutable expression as he gave her the coordinates of a location in the dark Star Sea, not far from the Xuanhuang Realm.
"Remember, don't be greedy. Safety comes first. If there's nothing for you there, just come back."
Bai Hua firmly committed the location to memory, then clasped her hands in thanks.
Watching the two of them depart, Li Fan calculated that enough time had passed and slowly made his way back toward the Immortal Boat.
The location he had pointed out to Bai Hua was a natural "high ground" outside the Xuanhuang Realm.
Li Fan had passed by it several times during his travels. Although he had never discovered anything on the surface, he always had a faint feeling that it held some unknown secret.
After his brief communication with the Star Sea's consciousness, Li Fan was even more certain of his judgment.
So, he sent Bai Hua to investigate first.
The known high grounds in the Star Sea—the High Wall, the Gloomy Sea of Darkness—were all fraught with danger. Even though he now had more than enough power to protect himself, Li Fan had no intention of leading the charge himself.
Before long, he arrived outside the Mysterious Immortal Boat.
He deliberately released his aura, and soon, the elders of the Immortal Boat arrived.
They surrounded him.
Seeing Li Fan return as promised, they all first breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Then, their expressions turned serious as they got down to business.
"Fellow Daoist, what of the Great Qi... what did they say?" Jian Daosheng was the first to ask.
A flash of anger crossed Li Fan's face. "A bunch of scheming curs! It's not even worth mentioning!"
Zhong Daogong smiled faintly, a glint in his eyes. "It seems your attempt at persuasion failed, Fellow Daoist?"
"I suppose so," Li Fan snorted. "I told my master everything I saw beneath the High Wall, but they still dismissed it as nothing."
"My master even told me that there are quite a few such high points within the Star Sea. However, the height of those points, compared to the height of the Wall, is like the difference between the peaks of the mountains on earth and the vastness of the heavens..."
"To dream of crossing it is pure folly!"
These words from Li Fan caused the expressions of the Immortal Boat elders to shift slightly.
"Without special methods, simply using a high point is indeed not enough to cross the High Wall," Zhong Daogong said with a half-smile.
"But... Fellow Daoist, did you just say there are many other high points in the Star Sea?" Zhong Daogong's tone suddenly changed, his expression growing serious.
Li Fan nodded. "That's right. My master even took me to one of them personally. It's true. Although it was a bit lower than the spot on the Realm Fragment Great Wall, you could still see the High Wall from there."
Upon hearing this, Zhong Daogong was silent for a long time.
After conferring with the other elders for a while, he finally spoke slowly, "It seems we of the Immortal Boat have truly underestimated the other powers of this world. How could a civilization that has survived since the Great Calamity be simple?"
"Strong they may be, but they are cowards. They don't even have the courage to try," Li Fan retorted with a cold snort.
Zhong Daogong, in turn, began to defend the non-existent Great Qi. "Fellow Daoist, you are oversimplifying the matter."
"Even with the traces left by our predecessors, crossing the High Wall would still require the full effort of an entire civilization. It's not something that can be described as a simple 'try'."
"They have survived peacefully in the Star Sea for tens of thousands of years and may continue to do so. There's no need for them to take such a risky path. Of course, you, Fellow Daoist, do not have long to live. It is understandable that you wish to glimpse the truth of the Dao before you die," Zhong Daogong said eloquently.
Li Fan snorted again but did not argue further.
An awkward silence fell between them.
It was Jian Daosheng who spoke again. "Of course, rest assured, Fellow Daoist. Our Immortal Boat's determination to cross the High Wall has never wavered. If you wish to achieve your goal, cooperating with us is likely your only choice."
At this, Li Fan seemed to remember something and asked with a frown, "What is the reason for your Immortal Boat's persistence?"
"Is it merely because the other half of the Immortal Boat exists beyond the High Wall?"
Jian Daosheng did not answer directly, but said meaningfully, "Before this, the Immortal Boat's situation was much like your own, Fellow Daoist. And now, although there may be another way, we are past the point of no return."
"Besides, with the precedent set by the Shang Immortal Boat, for us to replicate the magnificent feat of crossing the High Wall..."
"...is not as difficult as you might imagine."
"For our Mysterious Immortal Boat, that is," Zhong Daogong added.
Li Fan narrowed his eyes, studying the group of elders. "It seems your Immortal Boat has its secrets."
Zhong Daogong smiled but said nothing.
"Since you have such confidence, why would I be afraid?" Li Fan said in a low voice.
"I will do everything in my power to help the Immortal Boat succeed. Everything I have learned in my life from the Great Qi was never meant to be shared with outsiders. But now..."
Hearing this, a flicker of joy appeared in the eyes of the Immortal Boat elders.
"To be honest with you all, aside from the True Immortal Scripts, my deepest studies have been in the Dao of arrays. Furthermore, I have mastered an ancient divine art that allows communication with the Star Sea's consciousness..." Li Fan said, holding his head high as he began to elaborate.
The elders of the Immortal Boat listened, their eyes flashing with excitement.
"Among the True Immortal Scripts studied by the Great Qi, is the `Creation` character you showed us last time the most supreme?" Zhong Daogong asked the most critical question.
Li Fan's arrogant expression immediately vanished.
"Given my status in the Great Qi, among all the True Immortal Scripts I have access to, `Creation` is indeed the highest."
"However..."
(End of Chapter)
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