Chapter 1424: Dao Origin Manifests the Myriad Phenomena
Chapter 1424: Dao Origin Manifests the Myriad Phenomena
Just as only a select few in the Xuanhuang Realm were aware of the Immortal Ruins and the High Wall, the memories Li Fan extracted from Qin Zhuang's mind were not necessarily the complete truth of the world beyond.
They were likely a series of falsehoods woven by the most powerful figures of that civilization to ensure its survival.
In Li Fan's view, the public narrative proclaimed by the civilization beyond the High Wall had at least two glaring inconsistencies.
The Dao Annihilation Calamity and the True Immortals.
Nothing was more trustworthy to Li Fan than [Truth]. The 7,360,000-year countdown to armageddon was proof enough that the Dao Annihilation Calamity was still ongoing, and it was certainly not something the civilization beyond the High Wall, existing in a single possibility, could withstand. Yet, they had deliberately and significantly downplayed the calamity’s terrifying nature...
As for the True Immortals, the unified narrative and perception in Qin Zhuang's memory described them as beings who posed an extreme threat to the civilization's existence but could still be hunted down and killed by concerted efforts, almost like ferocious beasts.
"I did witness the Cat Treasure capturing an immortal. The Hunger Immortal had contemplated the Dao for ten thousand years, and judging by the state of her Hunger character left on the Southern Immortal Heavenly Pillar, she probably wasn't far from the nameless realm. Yet, in the face of the Cat Treasure's hunt, she was virtually powerless, dragged away by force."
"But in my past reincarnations, figures like the Faceless Immortal and the Angler still existed, which speaks volumes. Although they seemed extremely cautious and never appeared in their true forms, their power could still traverse the High Wall and influence the Xuanhuang Realm..."
"To make such a leap from the mortal realm is truly remarkable!"
It was precisely because he had one foot in the immortal realm himself that Li Fan was so keenly aware of the vast chasm between mortals and immortals. This only deepened his curiosity about the methods the outer civilization used to bridge this immense gap.
"Beyond the wall, hunting True Immortals is the responsibility of a specialized organization of cultivators. Regardless of their faction, they are all known as the [Immortal Hunt]. Members of the Immortal Hunt undergo special training and are taught various divine abilities and techniques far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Qin Zhuang was a member, but before coming to the Xuanhuang Realm, he was just a novice recruit. He had never officially participated in a True Immortal hunt."
Drawing on Qin Zhuang's memories, Li Fan attempted to replicate several of the divine abilities in his mind.
"The form of their power is somewhat similar to that of the True Immortal Scripts, both invoking the great principles of the mortal world's Dao, but the difference is..."
Li Fan's eyes narrowed slightly as he visualized ninety-nine peculiar symbols in his mind.
These symbols were known by the civilization beyond the wall as [Dao Origins]. Through different permutations and combinations, these ninety-nine Dao Origins could trigger a resonance with the Dao, allowing one to invoke the corresponding Dao's power.
"The True Immortal Scripts, personally perceived and transcribed by the Inscription Immortal, are by comparison closer to the root of the Dao—more primal."
"These Dao Origins, on the other hand, have undergone a further, systematic simplification, making them easier to learn and control. And by some means still unknown to me, they have achieved the miracle of allowing the powers of different Daos to merge and flow into one another..."
Within his sea of consciousness, the ninety-nine characters flickered in and out of existence. Thirty-six of them went dark, while the other sixty-three flew out and combined to form a completely new symbol.
"The first divine ability Qin Zhuang learned from the Immortal Hunt: [Invoke Sword]."
"Theoretically, it can summon any technique that has ever existed within the Dao of the Sword. With luck, it might even manifest a completely new sword art. The variations in what is summoned seem to be related to the frequency of the Dao Origins' flickering during their combination—that is, the method of resonance between the different Daos..." Li Fan's first attempt was somewhat strenuous.
Even comprehending it proved rather difficult.
The main issue was that Qin Zhuang himself was a novice when it came to the Dao Origin method. His knowledge was incomplete at best. For Li Fan to try and easily replicate the culmination of countless years of effort from the outer civilization, based on such a shaky foundation, was no simple task.
He tried relentlessly, hundreds of times, but not once did he succeed.
Li Fan frowned and paused.
"My method is not wrong."
"The environment is."
After carefully contemplating the resonant frequencies among the ninety-nine Dao Origin symbols, Li Fan finally understood.
"The Annihilation Zone..."
Li Fan gazed beyond the High Wall. "According to those outside, the Dao has withered within the Darkest Star Sea. In the surviving areas after the Dao Annihilation Calamity, the Dao itself exists in a highly inactive state."
Li Fan had never stepped beyond the High Wall, so he couldn't be sure what this "inactive state" truly entailed.
But he could draw an analogy, imagine it.
"Perhaps this situation can be viewed in terms of environmental or resource richness."
"In a place where the Dao has withered, comprehending it is incredibly difficult. But if someone can achieve success in such harsh conditions and one day leaves for a so-called high-activity region..."
"When you're in the midst of it, you don't notice. But when the external environment changes drastically, you instantly feel its effect on you."
"I suspect that even a cultivator of ordinary talent there would be considered a genius among geniuses here!"
As the thought crossed his mind, Li Fan felt a stir of eagerness.
But he quickly suppressed it.
"The biggest problem is that the cultivation methods outside the wall are different from those within. Moreover, numerous factions stand side-by-side; although there are no great wars, minor conflicts are constant. They are highly wary of outsiders. An unidentified person wouldn't just have trouble blending in; they would likely be captured and interrogated the moment they were exposed..."
"Perhaps Qin Zhuang and Jiao Xiuyuan could serve as suitable entry points," a glint of light flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
"The ninety-nine Dao Origins taught to Qin Zhuang are merely the most basic techniques of the Immortal Hunt. It's said that there are peerless experts above who can masterfully wield nine hundred and ninety-nine, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, or even an unlimited number of them."
"This is the very foundation that allows the civilization beyond the wall to hunt True Immortals."
Two images appeared in Li Fan's sea of consciousness.
On the left were the True Immortal Scripts. On the right, the ninety-nine Dao Origin symbols.
Li Fan tried to match the known True Immortal Scripts that described the paths of the Dao with these ninety-nine symbols. But it was clear that these Dao Origins had been specially encrypted and no longer bore the characteristics of their original Dao paths.
Without systematic study, even with his world-shaking talent, Li Fan could not decipher them.
He shook his head slightly, temporarily dismissing the image from his mind.
"True Immortals, the Immortal Hunt... although their realms and the expression of their powers differ greatly, at their core, it all comes down to the degree of their comprehension of the Great Dao."
"It's just that beyond the High Wall, they have added a layer of translation to the Great Dao through these so-called Dao Origin symbols. This not only allows mortals to grasp and wield the Dao's power but also prevents anyone from merging with and stealing the Great Dao itself."
The more he contemplated it, the more amazed Li Fan became. "The one who created these Dao Origin symbols... their understanding of the Great Dao might be no less than that of the Inscription Immortal of old!"
Now that he was no longer completely ignorant about the world beyond the High Wall and saw a potential path for advancement without stepping into the immortal realm, Li Fan had already begun to reformulate his exploration plans in his mind.
"However, I must be thoroughly prepared."
"Besides guarding against the various powers beyond the High Wall, I must also be wary of existences from other possibilities."
Leaping between possibilities was clearly not something within the realm of common knowledge. There was not a single mention of it in Qin Zhuang's memories. Li Fan suspected that even within the entire civilization beyond the High Wall, very few were aware of this fact.
But one had to take things one step at a time.
Compared to the likes of the Black Heaven Physician and Evil Su Bai, Li Fan's current strength was indeed still too weak.
"For now, I can't find any immortal spiritual energy that I can use; the path ahead is severed. And from the current situation, being a semi-immortal is merely an elevation in status. If I were to truly attain the rank of a True Immortal, I fear that moving about beyond the High Wall would be fraught with difficulties. It might not be a good thing."
"I'll first use the Dao Origin method from beyond the wall to increase my own strength," Li Fan decided.
"Additionally, ensuring my safety, I must make a trip outside the High Wall myself to see what these so-called 'Dao-active' regions are truly like."
Learning the Dao Origin method of translating the Dao by no means meant Li Fan had to start from scratch.
On the contrary, compared to most people in the civilization beyond the wall, Li Fan possessed a huge, unattainable advantage. He knew a large number of True Immortal Scripts and even had the leg bone of a Nameless True Immortal, which could manifest the primal state of the scripts, close to the Dao itself.
Dao Origins were merely translated symbols. No matter how they were combined, changed, or made to resonate, their ultimate goal was to touch and utilize the power of the Great Dao.
If one was ignorant of the Dao itself and relied solely on studying the Dao Origins, it would be like walking blindfolded, able only to feel one's way forward.
But if one already had a deep understanding of the Dao that was being translated, having that distant destination as a point of reference would surely make learning exponentially faster—a thousand miles in a single day.
"Furthermore, if I understand enough Dao Origin symbols, I might be able to decipher them directly," Li Fan had a faint premonition.
"Of course, the expert who created the Dao Origin symbols back then couldn't have failed to anticipate this. There must be some limitations I'm not yet aware of."
...
Before formally exploring the world beyond the High Wall, Li Fan had several other important matters to attend to.
The Five Elders Council and the Land of Carefree Joy.
The Transformation Dao Stone Mother.
Dharma Transmitter Jiang.
The secrets of the Xuanhuang Realm, including the ancient world-protecting array.
And the Blue Nether Pearl, which still rested in a crevice in the Darkest Star Sea.
...
Organizing them by difficulty, Li Fan first went to see Dharma Transmitter Jiang.
The mysterious characteristic of this man, "All things are as I am," had nearly caused Li Fan to stumble before.
Now, Li Fan was very curious whether this mystical power could still affect him after he had attained the state of a True Immortal.
Dharma Transmitter Jiang spent his years in seclusion within the Return to Ruins Realm, his true body never leaving.
Li Fan flashed into this small world, looking around with great interest.
And Dharma Transmitter Jiang, meditating with his eyes closed, remained completely oblivious.
"The Return to Ruins Realm can continuously 'Return to Origin.' In other words, no matter what happens, it can reset to its most initial state through a reset..."
"In some ways, this is similar to my [Truth]. Of course, its level is far inferior. It can only maintain this small world. It can't even reset time, only the state of matter."
But even so, Li Fan was somewhat curious about the principle behind this "Return to Origin."
Thousands of dark gold lines, like his eyes and his tentacles, spread out like quicksilver, analyzing this small world for him.
"Hmm... I see. It's not an unlimited Return to Origin. The initial essence of the small world is engraved very deeply, like marks carved into a stone with a file."
"The various changes that occur in the small world can all be eliminated by simply wiping away a layer. But the engraving remains, and what is presented is a return to the starting point."
After a while, Li Fan understood, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
But it made sense. After all, the Dharma Transmitter was only at the Star Sea Supreme stage. Without [Truth] in hand, it was impossible for him to achieve a true "Transformation of True and False."
To have come up with such a method was already a mark of genius.
"Although it's a bit shallow and crude, it can still inspire me."
As his gaze flickered, Li Fan took a step forward and arrived before the quietly seated Dharma Transmitter Jiang.
He tilted his head and looked down.
He carefully observed his subject.
"All things are as I am." Li Fan savored the strange feeling that rose within him.
He had to admit, Dharma Transmitter Jiang was worthy of being the only one the Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate treated differently.
Even though Li Fan was already in the semi-immortal realm, he still couldn't stop this feeling from arising in his heart.
The longer he stared at Dharma Transmitter Jiang, the thicker the sense of familiarity and closeness became.
However, compared to his time as a mortal, Li Fan could now clearly distinguish the difference between Dharma Transmitter Jiang and himself.
"As if."
"But ultimately, not."
"Without [Truth], the false can never become true."
Li Fan raised his right hand, bent a finger, and flicked Dharma Transmitter Jiang's forehead.
Dharma Transmitter Jiang, deep in his secluded cultivation, suddenly opened his eyes.
Seeing a completely unfamiliar face, his own was filled with shock and horror.
He demanded in a cold voice, "Who are you?!"
Li Fan smiled. "Me? I am you!"
A magical, bewildering light emanated from his eyes as Li Fan silently set up an immortal array. Using the Dissociation Disc to deduce the formation, he simulated this miraculous characteristic.
And turned it back upon Dharma Transmitter Jiang.
As the original possessor of this characteristic, Dharma Transmitter Jiang's will did not succumb easily at first.
He stared at Li Fan, full of vigilance.
But slowly, in his eyes, Li Fan's appearance and image began to subtly change.
He started to look more and more like himself.
Until finally, they were as one!
As if looking in a mirror, Dharma Transmitter Jiang gazed at the version of himself not far away, and all the vigilance in his heart vanished.
"I have a premonition that my current strength is far from my limit."
"The highest realm of 'All Things Are As I Am'... would that not mean all the Great Daos converge within my body?"
Hearing his other self speak these words, Dharma Transmitter Jiang's mind was violently shaken.
(End of this chapter)
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