Chapter 1420: An Experimental Proof
"Aptitude and comprehension, these personal qualities, may have an upper limit on how much they influence one's cultivation. Anyone who reaches the True Immortal realm is bound to be exceptional in these aspects."
"But to advance beyond that..." Qiao Sidao continued, laying out his reasoning for Li Fan in detail.
"It likely requires a measure of luck, of pure coincidence."
"Every choice we make carves a different path for our lives. The Evil Su Bai and the Black Heaven Physician you encountered, Senior—it was only after they made choices drastically different from their counterparts in this world that the resulting chain of events propelled their power to such an unfathomable level."
"Furthermore, the fact that we're being hunted by powerful entities from other possibilities might allow us to assess the state of the entire... world..." Qiao Sidao paused, searching for the right term.
"Let's use 'the mortal plane' for now," Li Fan interjected, then gestured for the other to continue.
"Ah, yes. We might be able to assess the overall state of the entire mortal plane," Qiao Sidao replied, seamlessly adopting the term Li Fan had provided.
"Elaborate," Li Fan prompted, his eyes gleaming. He had already grasped Qiao Sidao's line of thought.
"If the mortal plane still holds infinite possibilities, it means that theoretically, for every single person in the Xuanhuang Realm, there exists a counterpart beyond the Star Sea—a supreme expert capable of traversing these possibilities with ease. Emperor Sanmo, myself, and every other living being in the Xuanhuang Realm... we would all have such counterparts."
Qiao Sidao's brow furrowed. "That's a problem I can't solve at my current level. After all, a hypothetical enemy of that magnitude would be overwhelmingly powerful, far beyond my capabilities."
"Having a direction is a good start," Li Fan remarked with a casual note of approval.
Qiao Sidao's dilemma was no problem for him at all.
"In this lifetime, I can make a preliminary judgment."
"However, given the power the Black Heaven Physician displayed in the previous life, I'll need to prepare thoroughly."
Next, Li Fan questioned Emperor Sanmo in detail about Su Bai and Tian Yi, focusing particularly on Su Bai.
According to Emperor Sanmo's account, the general course of events was largely consistent with what Li Fan had experienced in the Fallen Immortal Realm.
However, there were certain details about the malevolent Evil Su Bai that hadn't been revealed in the illusion.
"The Imperial Beast Sect was, after all, one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, a supreme power in the Xuanhuang Realm. They weren't about to yield so easily to some nameless upstart who showed up at their doorstep spouting arrogant nonsense."
"But after a brutal battle, they weighed their options and were ultimately forced to submit," Emperor Sanmo recalled with a bitter smile.
In the battle Emperor Sanmo described, Mr. Bai initially only harmed the beasts, leaving the cultivators untouched. But as the slaughter wore on, his attacks grew increasingly ruthless, and a strange, unsettling quality began to creep into his expression.
It was Emperor Sanmo who keenly perceived this change and promptly communicated with the sect master of the Imperial Beast Sect.
That, combined with the timely appearance of Lu Ya, whom Mr. Bai had raised long ago...
...perhaps averted a true catastrophe.
Emperor Sanmo, of course, knew nothing of the time Su Bai had stepped one foot across the high wall, nor of the strange influence Evil Su Bai had exerted upon him.
He simply attributed the change to a dark nature hidden deep within Su Bai himself.
"My homeland was destroyed, but I believe many of my old acquaintances, like myself, managed to escape to other possibilities by some twist of fate."
"My short-term goal is to find a stable method for traversing these possibilities. My long-term goal is to find those two and exact my revenge!"
"They may be powerful, but they have no right to treat us like ants. Such wanton cruelty must be punished!" Li Fan declared, his expression solemn as he carefully crafted his persona.
His words resonated deeply with Emperor Sanmo, who had suffered a nearly identical fate, and he voiced his heartfelt agreement.
Qiao Sidao also nodded, his agreement just as sincere.
Li Fan could have used any number of methods to force the two to serve him. But in his view, having them cooperate willingly was far more efficient and secure.
"This realm's level of development is far behind that of my homeland. Achieving our goal will be anything but easy."
"We will need to work together," Li Fan said, his gaze shifting toward the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters outside the Museum of Divine Treasures.
Emperor Sanmo quickly understood Li Fan's implication. "The Myriad Immortals Alliance is ruled by three powers: the Dharma Transmitters, the Mirror Holders, and the Illusionary Truth Sages," he explained proactively. "I command the Illusionary Truth Sages. They are formed from souls selected by the 'Era' device, then briefly embodied using biological materials from the Museum's archives and my people's unique fusion techniques."
"The most exceptional of these creations is one named Diyi Jinglun."
"His birth, in fact, was the result of countless coincidences. His story is no less legendary than Qiao Sidao's..."
As Emperor Sanmo spoke, Li Fan learned why Diyi Jinglun had been given the name "First."
Diyi Jinglun did not originate from a single soul.
"It's no coincidence that his name is so similar to that of the beast king, 'Emperor One'. During the process of forging bodies for the several hundred selected souls, a highly unusual accident occurred. A massive explosion fused all the remaining biological material and souls into a single mass."
"Normally, such a residual mixture would be incapable of producing a sentient being. Yet, against all odds, from this sludge-like substance, the prodigy known as Diyi Jinglun was born."
"Even though I did my best to conceal it," Emperor Sanmo said, his voice full of regret, "Diyi Jinglun's special nature didn't escape the notice of the Dharma Transmitters and Mirror Holders. Fearing he would become a threat to them, they joined forces to suppress him."
"Under the rules of the New Method created by the Dharma Spreader, without essential resources, it doesn't matter how heaven-defying your aptitude is; you're bound to be held back. A talent so incredible I could hardly believe it, and yet he's still stuck at the Soul Transformation realm..." There was a clear note of indignation in Emperor Sanmo's voice.
"This also has to do with the nature of my Illusionary Truth Sages. When I first joined forces with the Dharma Spreader, I made an agreement not to meddle in the Alliance's worldly affairs, offering aid only at critical moments. So, I couldn't interfere too much," he explained to Li Fan.
Li Fan was no stranger to this Diyi Jinglun.
Back when his own power was still modest, he had heard the tales of Diyi Jinglun's exploits: "a mortal who formed a Golden Core after just three years of cultivation, who could slay Nascent Soul cultivators and defeat those at the Soul Transformation realm." Later, when appointed as the lord of Ten Thousand Immortals Island, Li Fan had even accepted a commission from him to construct Cong Yun Immortal City and suppress the Passage to Gloom beneath the island.
But Li Fan had the advantage of [Truth] and its endless cycles. In every life, he could gather intelligence with reckless abandon, never fearing the consequences. For him, cultivation resources were never an issue.
After reaching the Nascent Soul realm through the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven, this so-called "prodigy" was no longer worth his notice.
"Come to think of it, this Diyi Jinglun would make a suitable pawn for an experiment."
"A way to gauge the richness of the remaining possibilities in the mortal plane."
"Even with infinite possibilities, everyone has a chance to reach the pinnacle of the Dao. But those with greater aptitude, comprehension, and temperament have a higher probability of success. Thus, after the Dao Annihilation Calamity swept through, more of them would have survived. As for someone like He Zhenghao, who aimed for the realm of the Nameless... even across infinity, such individuals are exceedingly rare."
"I can sort them into tiers based on their innate talent and send them out beyond the high wall in waves..." A plan was already forming in Li Fan's mind.
Forgoing a meeting with Diyi Jinglun for now, Li Fan had Emperor Sanmo lead him straight to the council of the Dharma Transmitters.
With Emperor Sanmo—the very leader of the Illusionary Truth Sages, personally appointed by the Dharma Spreader—acting as the messenger, they used the pretext of an "extremely urgent matter" to gather most of the Dharma Transmitters in one place.
Li Fan knew all too well how corrupt these Dharma Transmitters were and couldn't be bothered to waste words on them. He simply unleashed an immortal array, suppressing them all in one fell swoop.
After a period of "re-education," if they proved usable, they would be released. If not, he would simply destroy them and, using fabricated personalities and Emperor Sanmo's flesh-fusion techniques, create new Dharma Transmitters to take their place.
The beast race's flesh-fusion methods were about seventy to eighty percent similar to those developed in the Empire Small World. However, the Empire's technology was based on strange beasts that had been completely purged of their demonic bloodlines, which allowed for a greater excavation of a creature's latent potential. Although it appeared far weaker on the surface, its underlying principles were not far behind.
When Li Fan shared this technology with Emperor Sanmo, the beast king was overjoyed, finding a great deal of inspiration in it.
After silently seizing control of the Dharma Transmitters' council, Li Fan held off on confronting the Heavenly Profound Mirror directly.
Instead, he paid a visit to the Law Enforcement Hall.
The three Dao Integration guardians of the Heavenly Profound Mirror repeatedly confirmed the authenticity of the transfer orders they received. Full of shock and uncertainty, they hastily departed the space of the Deduction Jade, leaving the artifact spirit all alone.
The little girl, who had been lying listlessly on the long wooden table, watched them go. After a long moment, she could no longer contain herself.
She furtively raised her head.
"What's going on?" the little girl wondered to herself.
She thought for a long while. She wasn't sure what had happened, but it was a fact that no one was standing guard.
The little girl, the spirit of the Deduction Jade, didn't even consider escaping. Overjoyed, she simply made herself comfortable and decided to take a nap.
She had no idea how much time had passed.
Then, a figure suddenly appeared before her, and a finger tapped lightly on the table.
The little girl started awake from a pleasant dream. She expertly wiped a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth and stared with wide eyes.
There was no trace of the deep sleep she had been in just moments before.
She scrutinized the visitor and asked tentatively, "Are you the new guardian?"
The visitor—Li Fan—smiled faintly. "Yes and no."
"I hate it when you people talk in riddles," the little girl huffed, puffing out her cheeks in disdain.
Deciding to ignore him, she began counting on her fingers, seemingly calculating something as her large eyes gazed up at the giant sphere of characters overhead.
Li Fan paid her no mind.
Unhurriedly, he conjured an identical long wooden table before himself.
He spread out a sheet of paper, ground some ink, and lifted his brush.
And wrote with a single, fluid stroke.
On the long table, only two words were written.
Yet, the instant those two words appeared, they irresistibly captured the little girl's attention.
She stared for a moment, her eyes clouded with confusion.
Then, as if remembering something, she let out a sudden, piercing shriek.
It went on and on.
"You... you... you..." The Deduction Jade pointed a trembling finger at Li Fan as if she had seen a ghost, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Li Fan gave the little girl a placid glance.
She flinched again, but under his gaze, she didn't dare make a move. She could only stare at him in terror.
"How much do you remember of the Immortal World?"
Li Fan waited until the Deduction Jade had finally calmed down before asking his question softly.
The question only served to confirm the little girl's suspicions.
Fear swelling in her heart, she frantically shook her head. "I don't remember anything at all!"
"Hm?" Li Fan's brow furrowed as he shot her a sidelong glance.
The little girl waved her hands frantically, explaining, "It's true! I'm not lying, I swear!"
"I'm a little confused about it myself. But Big Brother Jingxuan said that in order to survive the calamity that struck the Immortal World, most immortal artifacts had to sever ties with their past..."
"Those two words... I only vaguely remembered them when I saw you write them just now."
Immortal artifacts, immortal puppets, immortal servants, and their ilk.
It seemed that in the presence of a True Immortal, they were naturally in a position of subservience.
Under the pressure of a single glance, the little Deduction Jade blurted out everything she knew.
The Deduction Jade she was bonded with, though from the Immortal World, had been incomplete from the start.
After she fused with it, her past memories dissolved like salt in water, vanishing without a trace.
"Don't move."
Li Fan said softly, placing a hand on the little girl's head to examine her internal state.
He could no longer see any trace of the Deduction Jade as a separate wonder.
It had almost completely fused with her human body.
Yet, her nature as a "person" still lingered. It had not been completely consumed by the fusion.
"I can feel the wish in your heart."
"Do you wish to live on as the [Deduction Jade], or as a true [human]?"
Li Fan withdrew his hand and asked softly.
The little girl started at his words. Then, as if realizing something, her mouth fell slightly open.
She didn't answer immediately, but wrestled with the question for some time.
"As the [Deduction Jade], you are fated to lose your freedom, but you will have an endless lifespan, free from the worry of death."
"As a [human]," Li Fan reminded her gently, "you can escape the shackles of being an artifact. But between heaven and earth, perhaps there is no such thing as true, unfettered freedom."
The little girl lowered her head, lost in thought.
But in the end, just as Li Fan had expected, she made her choice with unwavering resolve.
To become [human].
"Very well. Since you have made your choice, I will grant your wish."
A thousand golden threads burst forth, plunging deep into the little Deduction Jade's body.
Overwhelmed by an indescribable pain, the little girl instantly burst into a flood of tears.
Li Fan paid her no heed, focusing only on the wonder inside her body as he slowly began to draw it out.
(End of Chapter)
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