Chapter 1339: A Tale from the Xuan Shang's Past
Chapter 1339: A Tale from the Xuan Shang's Past
"This 'Creation,' however, is not the Great Qi's greatest achievement in the study of the True Immortal Script." Li Fan's expression was distant, tinged with a hint of melancholy.
As expected, his words instantly sent shockwaves through the hearts of the Xuan Immortal Boat elders.
They had personally experienced the wonders of 'Creation'. Even as a version relayed by Li Fan, undoubtedly weakened countless times over, its power still far surpassed that of any single True Immortal Script.
It was clear that the true 'Creation' character possessed the immense, almost mythical power to turn decay into marvel.
Yet now, Li Fan was claiming that the Great Qi civilization had comprehended a True Immortal Script that surpassed even 'Creation'?
"This... Fellow Daoist, are you certain?" Even the ever-composed Zhong Daogong could no longer maintain his calm, his voice cracking with disbelief.
The other elders of the Xuan Immortal Boat also stared intently at Li Fan.
"I wouldn't dare to speak idly," Li Fan declared, his expression grave.
"It seems... to involve the transformation between immortal and mortal."
"The transformation between immortal and mortal?" Li Fan's few, cryptic words sent the elders' minds racing, their expressions a mixture of shock and fervent speculation.
Li Fan took in their reactions. To bolster the credibility of his claims, he added, "This character is truly extraordinary. Ever since my master began participating in its research, I noticed subtle changes in the very structure of the True Immortal Scripts he would write during my daily lessons."
"And it was precisely these seemingly insignificant alterations that caused the True Immortal Scripts themselves to undergo a metamorphosis..."
Before their very eyes, Li Fan's fingers danced through the air like dragons and snakes, tracing two character structures in the void.
Their overall shapes were identical, yet they differed in subtle details—the curvature of a line, the angle of a turn.
The elders of the Xuan Immortal Boat stared at the two structures, completely mesmerized.
They seemed to possess an endless, captivating power that drew their full attention.
Nearly half a day passed before Zhong Daogong was the first to snap out of his trance. Careful not to disturb the others in their enlightenment, he turned his head away from the floating characters and attempted to replicate them from memory.
As his fingers moved, a look of joyful realization dawned on his face.
These different character structures were derived from the True Immortal Script Li Fan had glimpsed within the You Clan's bloodline—the very script that seemed to pertain to the transformation between immortal and mortal.
That True Immortal Script seemed infinite, embodying the ultimate principles of heaven and earth. Though Li Fan had been fortunate enough to glimpse a fraction of it in this lifetime, he lacked the power to reproduce it in its entirety.
His memory of the mysterious character had faded into nothingness with his failed attempt to perceive it, leaving behind only faint, residual impressions of the countless minute structures that formed it.
Now, Li Fan was presenting these fragments, these structures originating from the great transformation, to awe and sway the elders of the Xuan Immortal Boat.
And yet, to call it a bluff wasn't entirely accurate.
The transformation between immortal and mortal was of an exceedingly high order.
Even the tiniest fragment of its principles was enough to provide the people of the Xuan Immortal Boat with boundless benefits.
Just then, the meditating elders began to awaken one by one, each looking as if they had experienced a profound, sudden enlightenment.
"Wrong, all wrong! To think that the methods we've used for the first half of our lives were all fundamentally flawed!"
"Who knew they could be written this way? With just this subtle alteration, the efficiency of inscribing a True Immortal Script increases by more than ten percent!"
"It's not just about efficiency. True Immortal Scripts inscribed using this method seem to possess an inherently greater degree of completeness."
...
The elders buzzed with excited discussion, their hearts filled with joy. And just like that, Li Fan had once again effortlessly proven his immense value.
For the next month, Li Fan officially took up residence aboard the Xuan Immortal Boat.
Zhong Daogong had a special courtyard prepared for Li Fan within the Broken Immortal Tower, located at the apex of the boat's Divine Tree, a clear sign of the high regard in which he was held.
And Li Fan did not disappoint them.
Single-handedly, he almost single-handedly revolutionized the Xuan Immortal Boat's frankly impoverished knowledge of formation arts.
"With a sage leading the way, our research into formations has leaped forward a century overnight," remarked Meng Xiaomeng, one of the elders.
He carefully engraved the knowledge of formations imparted by Li Fan onto one jade slip after another.
Meng Xiaomeng had always opposed the boat's strategy of staking everything on the study of True Immortal Scripts. In addition to his own research, he had dabbled in both formations and alchemy, hoping to find alternative paths to survival. But without a true master to guide him, he could only rely on studying the ancient formation records preserved on the boat, and his skills remained mediocre.
After being exposed to Li Fan's theories on formations over the past month, he was utterly astounded. Like a hunter catching sight of prized game, he was overcome with excitement and threw himself into studying, completely forgetting about the True Immortal Scripts.
Zhong Daogong did not try to stop him.
After all, there were more than enough elders studying the True Immortal Scripts; the loss of one would hardly be felt. Gaining a new lineage in the Dao of formations, however, was of considerable importance.
During this time, Li Fan did more than just establish a system for passing down the art of formations.
Under his guidance and with his help, every single protective formation throughout the Xuan Immortal Boat was completely rebuilt.
Empowered by these brand-new arrays and verified through the elders' tests, the boat's defensive capabilities more than tripled. The security of crucial locations like the Broken Immortal Tower, the Immortal Pivot Academy, and the Divine Tree was also massively reinforced.
There was, in fact, a small incident during this process.
Initially, the elders had been hesitant about rebuilding the formations. They were particularly divided on entrusting a matter of such importance—the very safety of the boat—to a newcomer like Li Fan.
However, after they personally witnessed Li Fan dismantle the original grand protective formation in a matter of breaths, bypassing its numerous restrictions as if they didn't exist, the elders broke out in a cold sweat and quickly reached a unanimous agreement.
He had established a new lineage and built new defenses.
Through these two accomplishments, Li Fan quickly earned the profound trust of the vast majority on the Xuan Immortal Boat.
Furthermore, since joining them, Li Fan had conducted himself with gentle refinement, treating everyone with kindness. He answered any and all questions put to him without reservation, sharing everything he knew.
He quickly earned an outstanding reputation among the circle of elders, and visitors flocked to his courtyard in a continuous stream.
One day, Li Fan was in his courtyard, lecturing several visiting elders on the Taijia Divine Art.
"As the body becomes the cosmos, the mind roams the river of stars. Taijia is infinite, the spirit wanders; Taijia is immutable, the spirit transforms; Taijia is not void, spirit begets spirit..."
The elders were all engrossed in the study of True Immortal Scripts and initially showed little interest in this so-called divine art. However, after listening to the entire lecture, their expressions grew solemn.
"Brother Li, this divine art... it seems to be only a fragment?" asked Lu Yuzhi, one of the elders, his brow furrowed.
Having been with the Xuan Immortal Boat for some time and earned everyone's goodwill, their forms of address for one another had grown more familiar.
"Though it's a fragment, it is sufficient to communicate with the consciousness of the Star Sea. However, even with the Star Sea's consciousness in its current near-ruined state, it is no easy task for cultivators like us to make contact. Success or failure will depend on each of your own individual fortunes."
Having concluded his lecture on the Taijia Divine Art, Li Fan looked at the assembled elders and spoke with a gentle smile.
Lu Yuzhi nodded. "We understand that, of course. Communicating with the Star Sea is akin to the ancient state of Heavenly Human Resonance. The efficiency for both Dao comprehension and deduction would be incomparable to our normal state."
"It would even be of great benefit to our study of the True Immortal Scripts. Heh, those old geezers who didn't show up today will be kicking themselves when they find out! We'd better keep our mouths shut. We won't breathe a word unless they're willing to pay a hefty price," joked Gan Jingda, stroking his beard after grasping the profundities of the Taijia Divine Art.
"Brother Li's knowledge is frighteningly vast. It's like an endless treasure trove; every visit brings new rewards." Elder Nangong Lie's words earned nods of agreement and admiration from everyone present.
Faced with their praise, Li Fan simply responded with a calm demeanor, "My only wish is to empty my mind of all its contents and leave it to the Xuan Immortal Boat before my time comes."
"And then, in my final moments, I will risk everything for one last gamble: to see the world beyond the High Wall!"
Li Fan spoke with a carefree and detached air.
The elders in the room looked on with expressions of regret, sorrow, and sympathy.
"Brother Li, is there truly no other way?"
"The boat's treasury has some life-extending medicines. Perhaps..."
Li Fan waved a dismissive hand. "After the new protective formations were complete, Elder Zhong took me to the treasury to try them. My lifespan has truly reached its end; no heavenly treasure can help now. I have long since accepted my fate."
"I can only say that the backlash from beyond the High Wall is truly a terrifying thing."
"If anything, it has only stoked my curiosity. I am determined to see what lies beyond that High Wall before my life is over!" Li Fan's gaze was firm and resolute.
Hearing this, the elders fell silent and sighed.
Suddenly, as if recalling something, Li Fan said, "Oh, right. When I first suffered the backlash, my master told me that if it hadn't been for that figurine I took from your treasury absorbing some of the force, I wouldn't have even twenty years left. I would have died on the spot."
"What is the origin of that figurine? When I chose it, I only found its design peculiar. I never imagined it could actually contend with the power from beyond the High Wall."
As he spoke, Li Fan projected an image of the figurine for the elders to see. It stood with its arms at its sides, its eyes downcast.
They had all been present when Li Fan made his selection in the treasury. At his words, they recalled the moment, their expressions turning peculiar.
"That figurine... it actually has such a wondrous use?"
The elders exchanged glances, but none of them knew its origin.
"Wait, I'll go check the records," Lu Yuzhi said, rising to his feet with a serious expression.
After all, a power capable of resisting the backlash from beyond the High Wall was something they could not afford to treat lightly.
"Brother Li, why didn't you ask about something so important sooner?" Nangong Lie asked, shaking his head.
Li Fan smiled faintly. "When I first heard that my time was short and my future was nothing but dust, my mind collapsed. How could I have cared about anything else? I've only just recovered enough to think clearly, and it was only our talk of the treasury that brought it back to mind."
With Li Fan's explanation, the others couldn't press the issue further.
Lu Yuzhi was not gone long and soon returned in a hurry.
"According to the records, this figurine came from a destroyed cultivation world called Xiaoyao," Lu Yuzhi announced, waving his hand to display a scene for them all.
Hearing the somewhat familiar name, Li Fan's heart stirred.
"The cultivators of this realm disliked conflict. True to its name, they were carefree and unrestrained by nature, unwilling to be bound by any constraints. This figurine was purchased from a gambler when the Xuan Shang Immortal Boat passed through the Xiaoyayo Realm."
The scene shifted, and a slovenly man in ragged clothes appeared before them.
The recording was ancient, and its playback was unstable. The image flickered and jumped, and the audio cut in and out.
Still, it was clear enough for them to understand the gist of what had happened.
"This thing here is a genuine treasure. You won't regret buying it, I guarantee it!" the slovenly man declared casually, scratching his crotch before sniffing his hand.
"The figurine does seem quite extraordinary," a clear voice said from off-screen, "but your asking price of one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones is far too high. It's beyond my authority."
"That was the merchant operating in the Xiaoyao Realm back then. His name was..."
"Jia Chu. Yes, Jia Chu. He's the one who completed the transaction and, in strict accordance with the boat's regulations, recorded the entire process and archived it. That's why we're fortunate enough to see this scene tens of thousands of years later," Lu Yuzhi explained to Li Fan.
"Unfortunately, during the great schism of the Immortal Boat, this Jia Chu sided with the Shang Immortal Boat. His current whereabouts are unknown," Lu Yuzhi added with a hint of regret.
Li Fan nodded slightly and continued to watch the scene unfold.
Jia Chu stood as if to leave, showing no sign of hesitation.
The slovenly man, who had seemed so nonchalant before, suddenly grew anxious. He grabbed Jia Chu's arm and said with a fawning smile, "If the price is too high, we can negotiate! Eighty thousand! Eighty thousand will do! A mere eighty thousand high-grade spirit stones is a drop in the ocean for the renowned Xuan Shang Immortal Boat!"
Jia Chu paid no mind to the man's tight grip.
He simply stated in an unhurried tone, "Though the Xuan Shang Immortal Boat is a vast enterprise, we cannot spend eighty thousand spirit stones on a figurine with an unknown background."
"Thirty thousand spirit stones is the absolute limit of my authority. Any higher, and I'll have to file a report. It's too much of a hassle; I'd rather not make the deal at all." Jia Chu's tone was decisive.
"Thirty thousand? You drive a hard bargain," the slovenly man grumbled, clearly dissatisfied.
"If you find the price too low, you can always try the local merchant guilds in the Xiaoyao Realm," Jia Chu said nonchalantly.
The slovenly man scratched his head and said nothing.
"The local merchant guilds in the Xiaoyao Realm actually have inextricable ties to the Xuan Shang Immortal Boat. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them our branches there. This slovenly cultivator knew that, which is why he resentfully held his tongue," Lu Yuzhi explained.
In the end, after another round of haggling, Jia Chu finally purchased the figurine for forty-five thousand spirit stones.
Before handing over the spirit stones, Jia Chu suddenly asked, "This figurine, where did you get it?"
The slovenly man's expression instantly turned wary.
Jia Chu gestured nonchalantly at a recording light sphere nearby. "Just a formality. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"However, if any problems arise with this figurine in the future, we'll be sure to find you."
(End of this chapter)
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