Chapter 1519: The Path to Mountain and Sea Longevity
Chapter 1519: The Path to Mountain and Sea Longevity
It seemed to be the era of the Immortal Realm's primordial creation, when it had just connected to the Mountain and Sea.
The Immortal Realm was not as boundless as legends claimed; in fact, Cheng Dao, in his form as a Mountain and Sea spiritual stone, could see its edges at a single glance.
But as time flowed on, the spiritual stone remained unchanged, a silent observer. Yet, one by one, shimmering points of light began to appear around the Immortal Realm, slowly expanding its borders.
The perspective zoomed in, focusing on one of these points of light.
First, an immense power solidified the point's foundation, allowing it to stand firm upon the Upper Mountain, as if laying down an unshakable groundwork.
Then, fine ripples began to emanate with a rhythmic pulse. Wherever they passed, life and order blossomed from the untamed chaos of the primordial Immortal Realm. These ripples traveled between each point of light with incredible speed.
And so, the scale of the Immortal Realm expanded exponentially.
Li Fan saw it clearly—this ripple was the work of the Mysterious Origin Primal Spirit Grand Array!
And the power of this formation, its ability to create a world in the primordial Mountain and Sea, perfectly matched Li Fan's initial expectations for it: to re-establish earth, fire, water, and wind, carving out heavens and earth from the void!
"My initial understanding was largely correct," Li Fan mused. "I just never imagined back then that the Immortal Realm wasn't born from nothingness, but was carved out from the Mountain and Sea..."
"While this Mysterious Origin Primal Spirit Grand Array is extraordinary, it cannot compare to the sheer might of the Mountain and Sea. A supreme being must first lay the foundation within the Mountain and Sea before the array can be put to use."
"To put it plainly, the Grand Array was simply a convenient tool for the Three Saints to build the Immortal Realm. They only needed to connect the Immortal Realm to the Mountain and Sea initially, and the rest of the construction could be handed over to the array. It was efficient, stable, and saved them a great deal of effort."
Li Fan compared this to his own experience creating the Primordial Desolation Immortal Realm, then looked at the memory of the Immortal Realm expanding at a terrifying rate. A wave of understanding washed over him.
"Of course. Given the boundless expanse of the Immortal Realm back then, if the Three Saints had to personally oversee every single expansion, they would have been worked to death. The Mysterious Origin Primal Spirit Grand Array, at the very least, could automate a vast amount of the mechanical, repetitive work."
"After the Three Saints withdrew from worldly affairs, they passed down the array diagrams, commanding their successors to take over the task. This is likely why the array was circulated within the Immortal Realm. However, since it involved the secrets of the Immortal Realm's construction, the most critical diagrams were not something ordinary True Immortals could know. Perhaps... I would have to seek out the successive ruling Immortal Emperors..."
The power of the Mysterious Origin Primal Spirit Grand Array that Cheng Dao had shown him was far beyond his expectations. The idea of restoring the complete set of array diagrams, which he had previously dismissed, now rekindled within him.
"Cheng Dao is right. Given the array's power to forge the Immortal Realm and allow it to stand stably in the Mountain and Sea, if I could condense it into a Dao Path, it could serve as a method of transcendence. It might not be suitable for me, but I could give it to the Dissociation Disc."
"Let it scout the path for me."
In a fleeting moment, a multitude of thoughts raced through Li Fan's mind.
Ever since he had crossed the high wall and connected to the Infinite Sea, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds. As a result, many of the treasures he once relied on had slowly become less essential.
The Dissociation Disc was one such case, as was the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
Perhaps they each had their unique qualities, but they were ultimately just two of the countless immortal treasures scattered from the ancient Immortal Realm. Even if they had grown stronger through the vicissitudes of time, they still couldn't compare to the top-tier treasures of the old Immortal Realm.
Not to mention the relics he had recently obtained, like the Dao Sword and Dao Blade, which were remnants salvaged by the Guangwu Xinghai from the Dao Annihilation—the condensed essence of an entire possibility.
Still, Li Fan had no intention of casting aside these old companions who had been with him through thick and thin.
After all, compared to Truth, there was no essential difference between the Dissociation Disc, the Dao Sword, the Dao Blade, or even the Dao Chronicle Projection Pearl.
...
It had to be said that Cheng Dao, as a congenital spiritual stone from the edge of the Mountain and Sea, possessed an enviable talent for Dao enlightenment. Though he had never formally studied the Dao of arrays, merely through observation, absorption, and his own contemplation, his understanding of the Mysterious Origin Primal Spirit Grand Array was now nearly on par with Li Fan's.
Furthermore, Cheng Dao's perspective was incredibly broad, having been formed at the very boundary of the Mountain and Sea. Thus, he could judge with great accuracy whether the Dao of Arrays could serve as a path to transcendence.
After another discussion about formations with Cheng Dao, Li Fan had to concede the correctness of his friend's perception.
"It's quite possible that on the Other Shore, there are predecessors who established themselves through the Dao of Arrays," Li Fan said with a smile.
Ziyi's sudden arrival had prematurely pulled back the curtain on the Mountain and Sea, and even the Other Shore, for Li Fan.
The glimpse of that possible scenery filled him with an irrepressible yearning.
Unfortunately, his current strength was limited. Until he found his own path to transcendence, he would have to remain within the high wall.
However, thanks to the "Returning Dao to Heaven Project," where countless beings were analyzing the Dao Chronicle Projection Pearl, Li Fan's progress in comprehending the myriad Dao laws of the heavens was advancing at the pace of a thousand miles a day.
Sixty years had passed, and the scale of his Myriad Phenomena Dao Net had multiplied several times over, just like the population of living beings within the high wall and Shuo Xinghai. It wasn't just its diversity that had grown.
Filled with the Great Daos from other possibilities, the Myriad Phenomena Dao Net had become increasingly stable.
Each Dao string was now as crystalline and lustrous as jade, nearly indistinguishable from the celestial pillars that sealed True Immortals.
With the addition of the numerous True Immortals he had collected from the Guangwu Xinghai, the domain of the high wall and Shuo Xinghai could now be considered truly impregnable.
Even if the Primal Possibility were to be annihilated, it could hold out for a very long time.
And yet, despite such obvious progress, Li Fan still had not a single clue how to transcend the Mountain and Sea.
Since gaining consciousness, Cheng Dao had cultivated for tens of thousands of years, and his memory stretched back to the creation of the Immortal Realm. The progress he had made in the last century was comparable to his last ten thousand years of effort. Cheng Dao was more than satisfied and felt no anxiety about the pace of his advancement.
But Li Fan was different.
Although he had lived through hundreds of reincarnations, the time he had actually spent cultivating was not that long.
After several decades of arduous cultivation and enlightenment with no tangible progress in sight, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a stir of impatience.
He quickly suppressed the unusual feeling in his heart, but it did not escape Cheng Dao's notice.
The two "brothers" had experienced so much together—shared hardships, faced death, and enjoyed prosperity.
The bond between Cheng Dao and Li Fan was now like the Dao of Truth itself: so illusory it felt real.
Seeing the faint, knowing smile on Cheng Dao's face, Li Fan decided not to hide it any longer and let out a long sigh. "Senior Ziyi's arrival, while it helped us resolve the hidden dangers in the Star Sea, might not be a good thing in the long run."
"I would rather have solved it all myself. To see a goal but be unable to reach it... that is the source of my vexation."
Cheng Dao smiled. "To see a saint and then yearn to follow. That is only human nature. If you feel this way, Junior Brother, how could I be any different?"
"You seem much calmer than I am, Senior Brother."
"It's only a matter of time. A few more tens of thousands of years at most. It's nothing to be concerned about," Cheng Dao said, stroking his beard with an air of profound calm.
"I am of dull aptitude and have grown accustomed to trading time for cultivation. You, on the other hand, Junior Brother... it seems the time you've spent cultivating hasn't been very long. Hence, your mind is plagued with restless thoughts..." Cheng Dao hit the nail on the head.
Li Fan didn't deny it and nodded.
If he really had to wait another few tens of thousands of years to comprehend the path across the Mountain and Sea...
Well, before that, Li Fan would definitely try to find some "unconventional methods" first.
He didn't necessarily have to do it himself. Driving others to scout the unknown path ahead was a familiar tactic for Li Fan. To do it again, but this time on the scale of the Mountain and Sea, would simply be old habits revisited.
Perhaps Cheng Dao had already faintly discerned the thoughts in Li Fan's heart.
But he didn't say anything more on the matter.
Everyone's circumstances were different, and the methods they employed when facing a dilemma would naturally vary. There was no right or wrong in this.
As long as one could reach the final destination, it made no difference.
This was what it meant for different paths to lead to the same destination.
However, Cheng Dao ultimately feared that Li Fan, in his haste, might stray onto a mistaken path and stumble in the final stage before transcending the Mountain and Sea. After much thought, Cheng Dao finally made a decision.
"A while ago, I tried to contact Master again. But it seems to be just as Senior Ziyi said—Master is not within this mortal world of the Mountain and Sea. He did not reply."
"This wondrous technique was personally transmitted by Master. Before he left, he gave a specific instruction: it was not to be taught lightly..."
Hearing this, Li Fan looked at Cheng Dao's expression and already guessed what he was about to say.
Joy blossomed in his heart.
He immediately bowed solemnly to Cheng Dao to express his gratitude.
One had to understand, even for the *Shou Qiu Prose*, Shou Qiu Gong had never given such a solemn warning. He had simply sealed it away casually in an experimental site within the high wall, leaving it for any fated person to find.
A technique that even Shou Qiu Gong was unwilling to pass on casually... its value went without saying.
"But you are no outsider, Junior Brother. One day, when you meet Master and are formally accepted into his tutelage, I believe Master will pass it on to you as well. It is just that Master is not here now, so I am teaching you on his behalf," Cheng Dao first said this solemnly, clarifying the reason.
He fell silent for a moment, bowing toward the heavens in a gesture of respect to Shou Qiu.
Only then did he turn back to Li Fan and ask, "Have you ever wondered, Junior Brother, on what grounds Master was able to sit on the mountain and gaze at the sea, guarding the Immortal Realm for countless eons?"
"You must know, when he was first sent to monitor the anomalies of the Mountain and Sea, Master's strength was not particularly outstanding among the immortals. He was probably within the normal range of a Nameless True Immortal. To speak disrespectfully, he was likely not even as strong as you or I are now."
"So why was it that Master could ignore the passage of time and the transformations of the Mountain and Sea? Even as successive Immortal Emperors fell one after another, why could our Master always sit calmly, gazing at the sea?"
Cheng Dao's gaze was sharp as he stared at Li Fan.
"It would be a lie to say I had no doubts. When I first read the *Shou Qiu Prose*, apart from being shocked by Master's perspective and power, my biggest question was about his longevity. But no matter how much I thought about it, there seemed to be no other reasonable explanation. I could only attribute it to Master's immense strength," Li Fan replied.
"Longevity is the cause, not the effect. He is not long-lived because he is powerful; he is powerful because he is long-lived," Cheng Dao declared, his expression solemn as he spoke each word with gravity.
Li Fan's heart jolted violently.
The word "longevity" was a long-held obsession in his heart. The very reason he had first set foot on the path of cultivation was to achieve eternal life and unfettered freedom.
Now, hearing Cheng Dao say that Shou Qiu Gong's current cultivation was a result of obtaining some fortune of longevity, his mind reeled. He immediately composed himself, adopting the posture of one ready to listen with rapt attention.
"Junior Brother, though I am a spiritual stone of the Mountain and Sea, I am not ultimately indestructible. I spent too long by Master's side, and before I even awakened my own consciousness, the erosion of the Mountain and Sea had already covered me in cracks. I was on the verge of shattering."
"Fortunately..."
Cheng Dao's face filled with reminiscence. "Fortunately, through those long ages, I was the only thing that existed beside Master."
"Perhaps because we were together for so long, it became a habit. In any case, Master could not bear to see me shatter and disappear into the Mountain and Sea. So, he enlightened me and taught me a wondrous technique of longevity."
"After receiving the art of longevity, all my cracks healed. From that day forward, I no longer had to worry about my life coming to an end."
A strange light flickered in Li Fan's eyes. He had always assumed that Cheng Dao had survived since the dawn of the Immortal Realm entirely due to his origin as a Mountain and Sea spiritual stone.
He never imagined the true reason was a technique of longevity passed down by Shou Qiu!
"You must understand, Junior Brother, this art of longevity is unlike any other. Even within the entire Mountain and Sea, it is utterly unique!"
Cheng Dao's expression was more solemn than ever before. "When I say unique, I mean it is like a single fruit. It can be shared among many, but its total quantity remains unchanged."
"However, due to the special nature of longevity, even if ten thousand people share it, every single one of them will still attain longevity."
"That is why Master was willing to share this technique."
Li Fan's mind raced with fascination as he listened.
But Cheng Dao's description of this longevity caused a stir in his heart. He couldn't help but think of Truth.
The transformation between truth and falsehood that Truth represented was likely also one-of-a-kind in the Mountain and Sea.
Could there be some common ground between the two?
Before Li Fan could ponder it further, Cheng Dao had already begun to slowly recount the wondrous art of longevity.
As if to prevent outsiders from prying, he manifested an illusion of the Mountain and Sea as he spoke.
A continuous mountain range surrounded them, and a fierce wind howled, completely concealing the traces of Li Fan and Cheng Dao.
The sound of the wind gusted, but it could not drown out Cheng Dao's profound words, each one a pearl of wisdom.
"Master received his orders to guard the mound and never left his post, not even for a single step, until his lifespan was exhausted. Even when the ruling Immortal Emperor and the entire Immortal Realm had forgotten him, there was never a word of complaint in his heart. He remained loyal to his duty until the very last moment of his life."
"It was only on the day his oil ran out and his lamp went dark that Master's heart finally found release. He gave one final bow in the direction of the Immortal Emperor, and then plunged into the Infinite Sea..."
"But he never expected that in that instant, his fate would change!"
"Because he actively sought death, he was reborn from it!"
As Cheng Dao's voice narrated the tale, a scene from the bottom of the Infinite Sea seemed to appear before Li Fan's eyes.
Countless droplets of water filled his vision, each one representing the condensation of endless time.
"Was the Infinite Sea already like this back in Shou Qiu Gong's time?"
"What does this represent...?"
Li Fan was still puzzled, but soon, a strange sight at the bottom of the Infinite Sea captured his attention.
A verdant green fragment lay quietly in the sea.
The water droplets of the Infinite Sea were drawn to it, circling around it.
The very water that, with a single drop, could crush Li Fan's consciousness, was now roaring into a massive vortex. Yet, it could not even shake the light emanating from the green fragment.
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