Chapter 1504: The Mystery of the Final Outcome
"In truth, mere mortals could never harm me. I was simply borrowing their power."
"Still, to be able to borrow the power of the Scripture Grave Great Saint is quite a remarkable achievement." As he uttered the words "Scripture Grave Great Saint," Cheng Dao's expression grew as solemn and reverent as when he had mentioned Shou Qiu Gong.
Hearing this, Li Fan's heart leaped, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.
He instinctively activated Fantasy Becomes Truth.
A moment later, a chilling sensation crept over Li Fan as he felt a gaze sweep across him, seemingly originating from Cheng Dao. The gaze lingered for a mere instant, showing little interest, before vanishing completely.
The feeling dissipated without a trace.
Cheng Dao, seemingly accustomed to this, continued speaking, utterly oblivious to the tempest raging within Li Fan, whose face remained a mask of calm.
"Great Saint... Sage Lord."
"That old fool nearly got me killed!"
The Sage Lords stood at the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm, capable of leveraging the Mountain and Sea to some extent; their power was beyond question. Even with the protection of [Truth], Li Fan had no absolute confidence he could escape unscathed from the notice of such a being.
How could he not feel a lingering fear?
Fortunately, years of endless simulations had honed his spiritual senses to an extraordinary degree. A flash of insight had prompted him to use the Fantasy Becomes Truth divine ability in the nick of time, allowing him to avert disaster.
This time, Li Fan's use of Fantasy Becomes Truth was to simulate an ordinary immortal of the mortal realm. Unlike previous transformations into specific, unique targets, this was a concealment of his own uniqueness. If not for the several trial runs he'd performed during his previous periods of enlightenment, he wouldn't have reacted so swiftly.
"Although the Fantasy Becomes Truth ability cannot be sustained indefinitely, transforming into an ordinary immortal is not very draining. I can maintain it almost perpetually. The only drawback is that I'll have to wait twenty-four hours before I can change the effect of the transformation."
"From now on, I must be on constant guard when speaking with this old man," Li Fan thought, forcing his mind to settle and pushing aside all thoughts of the Scripture Grave Great Saint.
He listened as Cheng Dao continued, "After leaving that experimental site, I was to carry on my master's Dao, using shadow projections to bear the weight of the Dao Annihilation. The problem was, the surrounding Star Sea was utterly devoid of life. For a time, I had no idea where to even begin searching for True Immortals. It was at that moment that the lord of the Holy Merchants told me they had a way..."
"The lord of the Holy Merchants?" Li Fan's attention was drawn back to the conversation.
"That mortal does indeed possess some skill. He could trace the faint, almost nonexistent connections between True Immortals and the Mountain and Sea, precisely locating their hidden positions within the vast, desolate, and silent Star Sea. While I could do the same, it would have taken far more time. It was better to have someone else handle it."
"My luck was quite good. The first Nameless I encountered, Mo, was rather reasonable. He was willing to follow my master's will and leave behind a shadow projection to bear the Dao."
"But, as I said before, the Dao Annihilation Calamity arrived faster than anyone could have imagined. There simply wasn't enough time," Cheng Dao said with a hint of regret.
"For Mo to comprehend the profound technique my master imparted, separate a shadow projection, and then bear the Dao... by then, this entire region of the Star Sea would have already been consumed by the Dao Annihilation. How could my first battle after emerging from seclusion end so anticlimactically? In an emergency, one must be flexible, so I had to use my own body in place of the shadow." Now that he was more familiar with Li Fan, the details of Cheng Dao's story had shifted slightly from his earlier telling.
Overall, however, it still aligned with Li Fan's assessment of the man.
Cheng Dao was originally a spirit stone on the edge of the Mountain and Sea, a being from beyond the mortal world, inherently cold and detached. Yet, he had been enlightened and constrained by Shou Qiu Gong, and so his actions remained within the bounds of certain rules.
"The effect was quite good, barely managing to hold back the impending Dao Annihilation Calamity. Mo, of course, had some complaints. But when he saw that I too had imprisoned myself, he couldn't say much more. As compensation, I even built the City of Extreme Bliss for him. With an avatar able to enjoy himself and vent his frustrations outside, he's a unique case among the immortals of the Dao Net," Cheng Dao remarked, somewhat dismissively.
In his view, being able to resist the Dao Annihilation and carry out Shou Qiu Gong's ideals was an immense honor.
"But not every True Immortal in this world is as reasonable as Mo. The vast majority are rather uncooperative. Out of respect for our shared discipleship, I couldn't bring myself to act against them directly. So, I had to rely on the power of these mortals from the Star Sea."
"I saved them from the great Dao Annihilation Calamity back then, so they are deeply grateful and obey my every command. The Administrative Council, the Immortal Hunt, and so on were established as a result. There seem to be some remnants from within the High Wall among them..." Cheng Dao's tone was full of indifference.
Li Fan could somewhat understand Cheng Dao's state of mind.
To him, these mortal beings were truly outside his consideration. Even though Li Fan had nearly torn apart the Dao Net and slaughtered countless members of the Immortal Hunt, as long as he called him "senior brother" a few times, Cheng Dao would wipe the slate clean.
Simply put, it was because in Cheng Dao's heart, the weight of his fellow disciples who shared Shou Qiu's legacy was on an entirely different scale from that of mortal ants.
"Even if mortals were the ones carrying out the operations, with you backing them, Senior Brother, capturing the True Immortals of the Star Sea should have been an easy task. How is it that I've heard the Immortal Hunt suffered repeated setbacks? They were even at a disadvantage in the struggle at one point?"
At these words, Cheng Dao's eyes narrowed.
Li Fan sensed a chilling killing intent emanating from him, along with a subtle, almost imperceptible trace of greed.
After a long moment, Cheng Dao finally admitted, "If they were all of the same caliber as Chaos or Shanhua, there would have been no trouble. The crucial problem was... Reverse."
"Reverse?"
Li Fan immediately thought of the Nameless True Immortal from the True Immortal faction who was said to have crafted the supreme treasure, the Reverse Flow Boat. He asked in shock, "Does a method to reverse the flow of time truly exist in this world?"
Cheng Dao's tone grew heavy. "Although there's no definitive proof, it most likely does. Hmph, to be able to turn decay into magic every single time, to reverse the course of battle... How could there be so many coincidences?"
"I tried every method I could think of, but I was helpless against such a thing. Later, Reverse vanished without a trace. Only then did that group of True Immortals finally start to behave."
...
Li Fan sank into deep thought.
"The Reverse Flow Boat, the second of the three methods to escape the world."
"If a reversal of time were to collide with my [Truth]... what would that even look like?"
As his mind raced, he voiced a different thought aloud, "Reverse vanished without a trace. Could he have boarded the Reverse Flow Boat and returned to the past?"
"Perhaps. It's a shame I couldn't catch him. Otherwise, if I could return to the time I was still a spirit stone by Master's side and suddenly awaken to consciousness, Master would surely be very surprised." This statement, coming from the mouth of a withered old man, was undeniably strange.
Yet it was a testament to the profound influence Shou Qiu Gong had on Cheng Dao.
Li Fan was at a loss for words, and for a moment, they both fell into silence.
Having finally confirmed that a method to reverse time truly existed, Li Fan found himself nearly obsessed with it, trying to pry more information from Cheng Dao.
"I think such a heaven-defying divine ability shouldn't exist. Master is such an incredible figure, yet even he seems unable to turn back time. It's truly difficult to imagine that the immortal, Reverse, could be even more powerful than Master," Li Fan said, shaking his head after the silence.
"On that point, I too was once lost in confusion, and I later sought guidance from Master," Cheng Dao said suddenly.
"Oh? And what did Master say?" Li Fan's heart skipped a beat.
Not only because it concerned the reversal of time, but also because he realized Cheng Dao could communicate with Shou Qiu Gong at any time.
"Unrelated to the final outcome."
"Those four words... I have yet to fully comprehend their meaning," Cheng Dao sighed with some regret.
Unrelated to the final outcome.
Li Fan slowly repeated the words in his mind.
Clearly, the "final outcome" Shou Qiu Gong referred to was the ultimate fate of the mortal world being submerged by the Dao Annihilation Calamity millions of years in the future.
"Does that mean even the power to reverse time cannot resolve this catastrophe?"
Li Fan found it hard to believe and utterly baffling.
But he was in no position to fathom the thoughts of Shou Qiu Gong.
The perspective from beyond the mortal world, from between the Mountain and Sea, was perhaps completely different from the perspective within it.
Since Shou Qiu Gong said it, he must have had his reasons.
Li Fan could only console himself with this thought.
"Master's sacred words are truly difficult to fathom. Senior Brother, don't trouble yourself over it. I don't understand either."
Hearing Li Fan say this, Cheng Dao's mood instantly brightened.
Li Fan continued to inquire, "From what you're saying, Senior Brother, you can often listen to Master's teachings? The next time you have such an opportunity, you absolutely must not forget to bring your junior brother along!"
"Though I received Master's 'Shou Qiu Prose,' I've never had the chance to hear his words or see his face in person..." Li Fan's face was filled with envy.
Cheng Dao seemed pleased with himself, but also a little regretful. "It's not as easy as you think. Master has transcended, his movements are ethereal. Furthermore, his mark exists between the Mountain and Sea, so it's perfectly normal for a message to take several hundred years to receive a reply. Thus, although I've been awake for a long time, the number of times I've actually been able to speak with Master is very few."
"That's truly a shame!" Li Fan sighed, but inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"But rest assured, Junior Brother. If I receive word from Master next time, I'll definitely bring you along!" Cheng Dao was a man of his word, promising repeatedly.
"Then I thank you, Senior Brother!" Li Fan's face lit up with joy.
...
The time spent between the two "brothers" was indeed very pleasant.
Although Cheng Dao's strength was unfathomably deep, after being enlightened by Shou Qiu Gong, he was bound by rules.
Li Fan played to his preferences and naturally found it easy to win him over.
Gradually, Cheng Dao came to see Li Fan as the most trustworthy person in his life, second only to Shou Qiu Gong.
And Li Fan, in turn, benefited immensely from Cheng Dao.
The most crucial gain was the complete projection of the Great Daos within Cheng Dao's memory.
Although they were not the Daos themselves and offered no substantive help to the evolution of Li Fan's Myriad Forms Dao Net, they were like a complete catalog of all Daos that had previously been shrouded in mist.
This allowed Li Fan to follow the map, as it were, and precisely hunt his targets in the future.
Thanks to their harmonious relationship, Cheng Dao was not stingy with this complete memory of the Great Daos.
He frequently shared it with Li Fan.
However, the complete projection of the Great Daos of the Primal Possibility was dozens of times more complex than the Daos Li Fan had previously glimpsed. It was not something that could be fully comprehended in a short time.
Therefore, Li Fan remained almost constantly by Cheng Dao's side.
Meanwhile, his clone, Li Buren, was outside helping to repair the Dao Net.
With the aid of True Immortals like Chaos and Shanhua, as well as the myriad beings of the Primordial Desolation Immortal Realm, the Shuo Xinghai Dao Net was repaired with great speed.
With the de facto rulers of the two largest factions in the Shuo Xinghai vicinity sitting and discussing the Dao every day, enjoying pleasant conversation, this region of the cosmos fell into a period of rare peace and tranquility.
Until thirty-three years later.
Shanhua suddenly came to see Li Fan.
"A message from Guangwu Xinghai?" Li Fan was somewhat surprised.
He hadn't expected that after witnessing his divine ability to snatch away the Dao Sword and Dao Blade with a single hand, the Guangwu Xinghai would dare to approach him again.
"What did they say?" Li Fan asked with great interest.
Shanhua's expression was a little strange as he glanced at Cheng Dao, who was still sitting silently beside Li Fan.
"Senior Brother and I are closer than actual brothers. There are no secrets between us. Whatever you have to say, speak freely!" Li Fan waved his hand.
Shanhua then recounted everything honestly. "That Kui Xing first asked about my current situation. I didn't reveal anything, just pretended that I had managed to escape in a panic and was lucky to be alive."
"Then, Kui Xing actually proposed that we continue our cooperation."
"I refused immediately. But Kui Xing was relentless, seeming..."
Shanhua glanced at Li Fan's expression and said in a low voice, "...seeming determined to capture you, Senior."
Before Li Fan could react, Cheng Dao let out a cold laugh.
"For now, agree to his terms. Lure him here."
"I'd like to see for myself just what skills this Kui Xing possesses."
Li Fan considered this and sensed something strange about the situation.
As the saying goes, no one gets up early without a reason.
He had easily neutralized the attack of the Dao Sword and Dao Blade and even subdued the supreme treasures with one hand. The power Li Fan had displayed was far beyond that of an ordinary Nameless True Immortal.
And yet, Kui Xing, representing the Guangwu Xinghai, was still dead set on capturing him.
There was no irreconcilable conflict between Li Fan and the Guangwu Xinghai.
"So, they have some theories about the method I used to take the Dao Sword and Dao Blade?"
When it came to his [Truth], Li Fan had to become serious.
Judging by the casual manner in which they could produce treasures like the Dao Sword and Dao Blade, the Guangwu Xinghai faction was certainly not weak. It was even possible that they had transcendent experts capable of traveling to and from other possibilities.
After all, the Dao Sword and Dao Blade had come from another possibility.
"Interesting."
Although Li Fan could completely ignore this Kui Xing, he couldn't tolerate another person sleeping beside his bed. The feeling of constantly being watched was even worse.
Most importantly, Li Fan now had a powerful senior brother standing in front of him.
"Let Cheng Dao test the waters of this Guangwu Xinghai first," Li Fan thought, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Do as my senior brother says!" Li Fan ordered in a deep voice.
Cheng Dao was very pleased with Li Fan's reaction.
In his mind, a straightforward response like this was far better than any hemming and hawing.
"Rest assured, Junior Brother. It's just as I said before."
"As long as your senior brother is here, I will never let anyone harm you," Cheng Dao promised solemnly.
Li Fan's face showed his gratitude.
At the same time, however, he had his clone, Li Buren, begin preparations as well.
Within the Primordial Desolation Immortal Realm.
The infusion of power from the Infinite Sea had long since reached a balance.
The continent within the High Wall now bore a striking resemblance to the Immortal Realm from Li Fan's memories.
—
(End of Chapter)
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