Chapter 1534: The Spacetime Anchor Point
Chapter 1534: The Spacetime Anchor Point
Even the most insignificant ripple from the River of Time possessed more destructive power than any so-called heavenly tribulation in the mortal world.
The Xuanhuang Realm remained eerily silent, but to Li Fan's senses, it was as if space itself was being violently crumpled by some immense, unseen force. The sharply defined lines that fractured his perception felt like razor-sharp blades, slicing into both his body and his soul.
Though this was not his first encounter with the tempests born from the River of Time, a flicker of alarm still crossed Li Fan’s face.
In this moment of crisis, Li Fan instantly made the only correct choice.
He drew upon his understanding of the transformation between truth and illusion, attempting to simulate the protection of [Fantasy Becomes Truth].
Thankfully, having just regained his Dao Integration cultivation, his insight into the nature of truth and illusion had advanced a small step. Consequently, the efficacy of [Fantasy Becomes Truth] had increased slightly.
It was like donning a simple raincoat in the midst of a torrential downpour; at the very least, Li Fan could now move, however difficultly, and discern his direction.
The ripples churning through the River of Time showed no sign of abating, as if they would persist until the tempest of change Li Fan had caused finally subsided.
In a flash of inspiration, Li Fan conceived of a way to save himself.
He recalled his journey up the River of Time, how he had nearly become lost before spotting a familiar point of light—the Medicine King Cauldron—which had allowed him to land safely.
“Even though I’ve reached this point in time, I’m still like a leaf on the wind, utterly rootless. To survive these temporal ripples, I must find an[anchor point]in this era and integrate myself completely. It’s like being swept away in a raging river and needing to grab onto a rock to save your life...”
The folds in space grew increasingly dense, and Li Fan found it nearly impossible to move.
There was no more time to waste. Almost instantly, Li Fan identified the strongest, most viable anchor point he could use in this timeline.
A moment of clarity washed over Li Fan. “Originally, the Great Dao Sect would have been the ideal choice, if that elder, Lei Fanzi, hadn't acted. But it’s too late for that. The identity I assumed there is already dead.”
Pushing his movement technique to its absolute limit, he shot back toward the Verdant Valley at incredible speed.
At the Dao Integration stage, his speed was more than a hundred times greater than it had been at the Golden Core realm. A journey that would have taken a month, he now completed in the blink of an eye.
Arriving above the Verdant Valley, he briefly scanned for Elder Song’s location, then concealed his aura and descended silently.
“Elder Song, it's me!”
Appearing before Elder Song, Li Fan struggled to maintain his composure against the temporal ripples as he spoke.
“You are...?” Elder Song narrowed his eyes, studying Li Fan with a puzzled expression.
Due to the lingering effects of [Fantasy Becomes Truth], he didn't recognize Li Fan.
The anchor had failed to catch. The temporal ripples showed no sign of weakening; instead, the fracturing lines grew ever denser, threatening to shatter the entire world. Li Fan felt that in the next instant, he would be completely consumed by the River of Time.
At this critical juncture, inspiration struck. Li Fan pulled out the magical artifact Elder Song had given him earlier. It was a good thing he was habitually frugal; instead of discarding the seemingly useless item, he had kept it on his person.
Now, pulling it out, it became the very straw that could save his life.
While Elder Song didn't recognize Li Fan's face, he immediately recognized the artifact he himself had crafted. With that, he recalled the young man's identity.
“Ah, it's you.”
With those words, Li Fan’s identity was finally solidified in this timeline.
In that instant, he tumbled out of the River of Time and back into the solid reality of the present. The temporal river's violent ripples began to fade.
Even with the lingering aftershocks, Li Fan could now manage on his own.
Having just cheated death, Li Fan cleared his throat and quickly stepped forward. “Yesterday, during a rather fierce conflict, this artifact saved my life at a critical moment. I came today specifically to thank you, Elder...”
As he spoke, Li Fan discreetly created a fine crack on the artifact's surface. Simultaneously, he compressed the ambient spiritual energy into a top-grade spirit stone and offered it to the elder.
A subtle manipulation by a peak Dao Integration expert who had once been a True Immortal was, of course, far beyond what the Verdant Valley's Elder Song could possibly perceive.
The elder looked at the glittering spirit stone, clearly no ordinary item, and smiled faintly. “You are very thoughtful.”
He accepted the spirit stone without hesitation.
As the bond between them strengthened, Li Fan felt the temporal ripples outside of reality diminish even further.
The immediate crisis was averted, and Li Fan breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
“There's no need to be so tense,” Elder Song said, his insight keen enough to perceive the immense emotional shift in Li Fan. He offered a comforting smile, but his words were also a heartfelt observation. “It’s rare to find disciples in the Verdant Valley as respectful and considerate as you are.”
“Since that artifact is damaged, I will give you another,” the elder declared, his expression turning serious. “However, you must not rely on the strength of your tools to seek out conflict. These are turbulent times; focusing on your cultivation is the proper path.”
He then retrieved another item from his storage ring.
Or perhaps, it was better described as a true treasure.
Its quality was clearly a cut above the previous gift—it was an ancient bell, cast from dark gold bronze.
Elder Song gazed at the bell, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes.
“This bell was with me for many years,” he reminisced. “But, limited by the materials it was crafted from, it is of little use to me now. Today, I shall give it to you.”
“It should have no trouble deflecting any attack from a cultivator below the Nascent Soul realm.”
Li Fan was overjoyed and quickly accepted the bronze bell.
Even as he was thanking the elder, he had already refined the bell in a flash.
What Li Fan truly valued, of course, was not the bell's utility as a treasure, but the time that had coalesced within it.
It was connected to the majority of Elder Song's life, and now, through the act of refining, that bond was transferred to Li Fan.
The tempest from the River of Time faded completely.
Thus, the first backlash from rewriting history was safely neutralized.
“For your gift today, Elder, I will be sure to repay you generously in the future!” Li Fan declared with great solemnity.
Elder Song waved a dismissive hand. “The thought is what counts.”
With that, he ambled away.
Li Fan watched him go before finding a courtyard in the Verdant Valley to settle in for the time being.
The first thing he did was re-refine the dark gold bell.
For Li Fan, inherent flaws in an item’s material were no limitation at all. Under the inscription of countless complex formations, even a mundane object could rival an immortal artifact.
As he helped the bell undergo its transformation, Li Fan reflected on his somewhat reckless actions.
“It seems that for someone traveling against the current of time, the greatest taboo is to be a rootless tree, a sourceless river.”
“It’s not that history cannot be changed. The River of Time is boundless and vast, already containing infinite possibilities.”
“Rather, while making changes, one must have the ability to withstand the backlash from the river’s altered course.”
“Besides one’s own power, the most crucial element is the anchor point. Simply put, it's the connection to the people, events, and things of that time.”
“The legacy that Mount Tai Emperor gave me was missing this critical piece of information...”
Li Fan pondered for a long time, dismissing the possibility that the emperor had intentionally tried to harm him.
“Mount Tai Emperor traveled back at most a few tens of thousands of years, and he was once an Immortal Emperor of the Immortal Realm. The countless True Immortals of his realm could all be considered his anchors. He naturally had no need to worry about the storms from the river’s changing course.”
“The same reasoning applies to the Xuantian King. The myriad beings under the rule of the Xuantian Sect, as well as his Law Kings, who were likely reincarnations of Nameless True Immortals.”
“But I... whether it’s ten thousand years in the future or right now... I have always been alone...”
“It’s only natural, then, that the waves of the River of Time would be so turbulent for me.”
Li Fan’s thoughts raced, and after sorting through them, he couldn't help but let out a long breath.
He didn’t feel any self-pity for his absolute solitude.
If he had no anchor, he would simply forge one.
“First, I will solidify my existence in this timeline. Then, I will consider other matters,” Li Fan decided.
The next day.
“Senior Brother is magnificent!”
“Look at Senior Brother’s power! He must be close to breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm, right? This is truly a blessing for our Verdant Valley!”
“Hmph, I’m afraid our humble sect is too small to contain such a great figure.”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Bai Lishan is not that kind of ungrateful person!”
...
In the sky above, Bai Lishan displayed his awesome power, repelling a group of rogue cultivators who had been eyeing the Medicine King Sect’s gates. Below, the cultivators of the Verdant Valley discussed among themselves in hushed tones.
Bai Lishan seemed completely oblivious to the opinions of others as he gracefully led his fellow disciples back to report on their mission.
He also made a clear statement to the Verdant Valley's sect master, Zou Yunhao.
“Master, rest assured. You are a teacher for a day, a father for life. The Verdant Valley will always be my home. Even if I advance to the Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, or even Dao Integration realm, I will never take a single step away from the Verdant Valley,” Bai Lishan said with unwavering conviction.
Zou Yunhao stroked his beard and nodded with great satisfaction.
Then, a hint of melancholy touched his expression as he said, “Actually, with your talent, Bai Lishan, you would have a much brighter future if you went to one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects. You might even have the chance to contend with the heroes of the world. Staying here in our Verdant Valley...”
Bai Lishan replied proudly, “Master, do not worry! Even if I spend my entire life in the Verdant Valley, I will not be any weaker than the so-called geniuses of the Ten Sects!”
Zou Yunhao sighed and said no more.
He merely thought it was the arrogant talk of a young man who had not yet witnessed the true resources of the Ten Sects.
Recalling the moment he had first taken Bai Lishan in, how the boy had looked around nervously, Zou Yunhao thought to himself, "Our Verdant Valley has finally produced a young dragon; I can’t truly hold him back. Perhaps this trip to the Tai Shang Sect will present a better opportunity for him."
“The true path of immortal cultivation lies with the Ten Sects. All else is just a side path...” Zou Yunhao sighed inwardly.
Bai Lishan, of course, was unaware of his master’s thoughts.
The reason for his absolute confidence, and his unwillingness to go to the Ten Great Immortal Sects, was naturally the [Supreme Dao Scripture] he had accidentally obtained.
After studying this supreme treasure for some time, Bai Lishan was certain that its name, "Supreme," was absolutely fitting. By merely glimpsing less than a billionth of its brilliance, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds.
“If I can fully comprehend the Dao Scripture, becoming a True Immortal might be possible!”
“What are the Ten Great Immortal Sects? They are nothing!”
If he went to the Ten Sects, he risked having his secret treasure discovered. Here in the Verdant Valley, however, he enjoyed absolute trust. The choice was obvious.
Bai Lishan returned to his small courtyard, about to enter seclusion to study the Supreme Dao Scripture further.
To his shock, he discovered that someone else was in his room.
“Who’s there?” Believing his secret had been exposed, Bai Lishan didn’t hesitate. The Verdant spiritual energy in his body coalesced into a medicinal blade, and he lunged forward.
“Senior Brother has a short memory. It’s fine if you don’t remember me, but surely you haven’t forgotten the Supreme Dao Scripture I presented to you?” Li Fan smiled faintly, effortlessly neutralizing Bai Lishan’s attack.
The words "Supreme Dao Scripture" triggered a memory in Bai Lishan that had otherwise vanished.
“It’s you?!”
In an instant, a thousand thoughts flashed through Bai Lishan’s mind.
There was killing intent, fear, and confusion.
Bai Lishan was still young, and his thoughts were written plainly on his face.
“Senior Brother, don’t overthink it. Look, what is this?” Li Fan said with a smile, extending his hand.
Bai Lishan looked closely and saw an incredibly mystical thin plate lying in Li Fan’s palm. It was the very same [Supreme Dao Scripture] he was so familiar with!
Bai Lishan’s heart lurched, and his first instinct was to check within his own body. After confirming his own copy was still there, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
He was no fool, and after a moment of thought, he finally understood.
“You... you found two of them?” Bai Lishan said, his eyes wide with realization.
“Precisely! Senior Brother is indeed wise,” Li Fan praised, clapping his hands.
“But I only vaguely knew this treasure was extraordinary. I could never find the right way to unlock it, so I steeled my heart and gave one to you, Senior Brother.”
“And your performance over the past month has confirmed my suspicions,” Li Fan said with a broad smile.
“Are the two plates identical?” Bai Lishan asked, eyeing Li Fan warily.
“That I do not know. But I would guess there’s no difference. Why don’t you have a look, Senior Brother?” As he spoke, Li Fan actually offered his own plate with both hands.
Though suspicious, Bai Lishan took it and examined it.
A moment later, he let out a breath and returned the so-called [Supreme Dao Scripture].
“You guessed correctly. This one is identical to mine,” Bai Lishan stated in a low voice.
“Then I hope Senior Brother will teach me how to use this Supreme Dao Scripture.”
Bai Lishan mulled it over for a moment before slowly explaining what he had learned.
Li Fan gripped the thin plate tightly, his eyes closed in contemplation. After a moment, he opened them, a look of wild excitement on his face.
“So it was that simple! To seek it is to miss it; one must simply walk the path of the Dao!”
Bai Lishan snorted softly, somewhat disdainfully.
Li Fan paid it no mind and asked with a smile, “What are your plans for the future, Senior Brother? With such a treasure, the world is your oyster, is it not?”
Now that they both possessed the Supreme Dao Scripture, they shared a secret. Although Bai Lishan looked down on Li Fan, he still warned him in a stern voice, fearing that Li Fan might expose him. “For you and me, as long as we have the [Supreme Dao Scripture], it makes no difference where we cultivate. We are still too weak. If this is exposed, neither of us has the power to protect ourselves...”
Bai Lishan continued his admonitions.
And as Bai Lishan began to treat him as “one of his own,” Li Fan felt it.
Another anchor point had been set in this timeline.
(End of Chapter)
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