Chapter 1544: Capturing the Great Heavenly Venerate
Trembling in excitement, quivering in agitation, despairing in terror.
Ultimately, it dissipated above the Mountain and Sea, transforming into a bridge.
It forged a path for its kin to travel from the Sea to the Mountain.
...
Li Fan meticulously reread this passage from the fable dozens of times, trying to grasp the scene it depicted. Unfortunately, the fable was vague on the details, only revealing the fate of this first living being.
Still, it was understandable.
The ancient history of the Mountain and Sea recorded in this fable was already a secret far beyond the mortal world. If it also touched upon what lay beyond the Mountain and Sea...
Then Li Fan would have to question the fable's authenticity in the first place.
After all, the fable recorded that the first being to look beyond the Mountain and Sea had perished, its body becoming a bridge to connect the two realms. Unless this long-dead creature had risen from the grave to record what it had seen, no one else in the mortal world of Mountain and Sea could possibly know what it had witnessed.
What Li Fan cared about more was this particular line in the fable.
"Born of the Sea, it stood upon the Mountain. Thus, its gaze could extend beyond the Mountain and Sea..."
"This seems to illuminate the path to transcending the Mountain and Sea," Li Fan mused inwardly.
The story of this first living being, as recorded in the fable, bore a strange resemblance to the tales of the two Sage Lords of the Immortal Realm, Lian Shan and Gui Hai, yet it was not quite the same.
Judging by the act of connecting the Mountain and Sea, this being seemed to embody the characteristics of both Sage Lords. However, the two Sages were still within the Mountain and Sea, unlike the being in the fable who had perished to become a bridge.
"If there is truly a connection between them, perhaps it was the existence of the 'bridge' formed by this primordial first being that enabled Sage Lords Lian Shan and Gui Hai to achieve their Dao countless years later."
"And it was from this 'bridge'—this corpse—that the two Sages also glimpsed the ancient past of the Mountain and Sea," Li Fan concluded with a reasonable guess.
"In that case, the author of this fable is quite intriguing. They know of the future apocalypse and the primordial past. And they have a close relationship with the two Sages..."
A formless fire ignited in his hand, incinerating the fable completely.
The book was indeed not made of any special material; it turned to nothingness in moments.
Even though he had already verified this in his previous life, Li Fan still felt a flicker of disappointment.
"It seems there are no other hidden secrets."
Though the physical book was gone, the words of the fable were deeply seared into Li Fan's mind. Mulling them over, Li Fan tried to deconstruct parts of its content based on his own experiences.
"If being born of the Sea and standing upon the Mountain already grants one the qualification to transcend the Mountain and Sea, then in fact, any 'Immortal' since the creation of the Immortal Realm by Sage Lords Lian Shan and Gui Hai has met this condition."
"The essence of it is the fusion of two Daos."
"It's just that the vast majority of so-called True Immortals have merely relied on the power of the two Sage Lords to achieve their Dao. They haven't truly comprehended the Dao of Mountain and Sea."
"The pinnacle of both Daos is the transcendence of the Mountain and Sea."
"In my previous experiences, the Great Dao of Mountain and Sea, the Great Dao of Longevity, and the Transformation of True and False should all be on the same level of power. Doesn't that mean..."
"Mastering any one of them to its absolute limit would grant the power to transcend the Mountain and Sea. Then my previous attempt to fuse three Daos..."
Li Fan shook his head slightly.
Judging from the fable's content, the Mountain and Sea themselves had to undergo a constant process of integration and adjustment.
Perhaps not even the Infinite Sea and the Upper Mountain could withstand the consequences of fusing three Daos in such a short time.
"That's why [Truth] was so severely 'injured' this time. I was indeed too reckless before. To have attempted it and survived is truly a blessing from [Truth]."
"The ignorant know no fear, as they say."
Looking back at his past actions from his current perspective, Li Fan felt a genuine sense of relief and lingering fear.
"What was Sun Piao Miao's purpose in leaving this fable?"
"Logically, the content of this fable far exceeds the scope of the Xuanhuang Realm. Even a True Immortal might not recognize the true face of the Mountain and Sea. Most cultivators who see this book would simply treat it as a mere story and not think too deeply."
"Except..."
Li Fan's brow lifted. "Aside from me, there is also the person who, in the future, will tear out several pages of this fable."
With a thought, an identical book materialized in Li Fan's hand.
He placed it back in its original position within the treasury.
Although Li Fan's actions had drastically altered the historical trajectory of the Xuanhuang Realm, and he couldn't be certain if the mysterious person who tore out the pages would appear again...
It was still necessary to leave some preparations in place.
Who knew? It might bring him an unexpected surprise.
Having dealt with the matter of the Mountain and Sea fable, Li Fan's next step was to find the Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate.
Back in the Taiyuan Realm, the immortal array had already captured a trace of her aura.
Even if she deliberately concealed her presence in the Xuanhuang Realm, she could not escape Li Fan's grasp.
Locking onto her position in the unseen world, Li Fan smiled faintly and took a single step.
The next moment, he appeared out of thin air near her location.
He didn't rush to startle her, instead choosing to hide and observe carefully first.
This was a quiet, ordinary mountaintop in the Xuanhuang Realm.
Located in a slightly cold region, the hills were covered not with tall trees but with lush, green, low-lying grass. It stretched endlessly, reaching the horizon like a celestial prairie, a sight that refreshed the mind and broadened one's spirit.
The Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate sat quietly on the peak.
In front of her stood an easel.
The Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate was slowly capturing the beautiful scenery before her with ink and brush.
For a Great Heavenly Venerate who could search and preserve every scene in the entire Xuanhuang Realm with a single thought, such an act seemed meaningless.
But Li Fan could see that this Great Heavenly Venerate seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.
Every stroke was rendered with great care. From time to time, she would seem dissatisfied, her brow furrowing slightly as she magically erased the ink to repaint a section.
A gentle breeze swept across the mountain as time slowly trickled by.
Just as the Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate's painting was nearing completion, a look of joyful satisfaction visibly gracing her features...
Within the painting, countless corpses suddenly materialized across the sprawling hills.
A mountain of bodies and a sea of blood, the air thick with slaughter.
A blood-red moon even rose in the painted sky.
The originally fresh and beautiful artistic conception was utterly destroyed.
"Who's there?!" The Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate cried out in shock and fury, spinning around to scan her surroundings.
Her eyes fell upon Li Fan's faint, mocking smile.
Logically speaking, to be able to approach her without her noticing and to be able to alter her painting at will...
The power of this sudden intruder was far, far greater than her own.
If Li Fan were in her shoes, he would never rashly attack such a powerful being.
But the Great Heavenly Venerate before him, seemingly having lost her senses in a fit of rage over her ruined painting...
Still chose to attack Li Fan.
The smile on Li Fan's lips faded as he uttered a single, quiet word.
"Still!"
The Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate, who had struck out in a storm of fury, was instantly frozen in place, unable to move a muscle!
Only then did she slowly come back to her senses.
The sheer horror on her face was impossible to hide.
One must understand, as the Xuanhuang Heavenly Venerate, she could freely command the power of the entire Xuanhuang Realm. But now...
Before this man...
Her connection to the world seemed to have been severed.
Or perhaps, even with the full might of the Xuanhuang Realm, she was still utterly suppressed by this person.
The Great Heavenly Venerate was no fool. She almost instantly made the connection to the "Xuanhuang True Immortal" who had mysteriously descended not long ago.
Only an immortal could possess such power.
Compared to a True Immortal, a Great Heavenly Venerate was clearly not in the same league.
Having inherited the duties of her position, she knew full well that the so-called Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate was nothing more than an appointed servant of the immortals.
Thus, she instantly shed her pride.
Even though the actual age of this True Immortal before her was likely far less than her own.
Li Fan had only immobilized her; he had not restricted her speech.
Discovering this, the Great Heavenly Venerate asked, "Senior, why do you toy with me?"
As her voice drifted out, Li Fan began to understand why Mr. Bai had been so unable to forget a mere mortal.
Even after knowing he had been manipulated, he still did not change his heart.
Unfortunately, such tactics were useless on Li Fan.
"The soldiers of Xuanhuang fight and die on the front lines, yet you, the Great Heavenly Venerate of Xuanhuang, are here indulging in artistic whims..." Li Fan snorted coldly.
Using the Transformation of True and False, he simulated a power akin to Ink Death's immortal soul and sent it surging into the Great Heavenly Venerate's body.
Initially, the Great Heavenly Venerate's expression was quite composed as she began to explain in a melodious voice, "The duties of the Great Heavenly Venerate are confined to the Xuanhuang Realm. The distant campaign in Taiyuan is not within my..."
She was only halfway through her sentence when her voice uncontrollably changed pitch.
The power of Ink Death's immortal soul could annihilate anything. Even her connection to the Xuanhuang Realm was not immune.
Although her body and soul felt no pain, cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
While in her heart she no longer wished to hold the title of Great Heavenly Venerate and had already begun searching for a suitable successor, losing it voluntarily and having it stripped away were two entirely different matters.
A profound sense of terror, one she had not felt for a long time, threatened to overwhelm her completely. Yet, she clenched her will, forcing herself not to cry out for mercy.
She merely endured, continuing to list the reasons why she had not gone to the front lines in Taiyuan.
Objectively, her reasoning was sound and logical.
But Li Fan was simply here to cause trouble, so all these reasons were utterly useless.
The process of severance continued unabated.
Seeing this, the Great Heavenly Venerate sighed softly. "This junior knows she has failed in her duties. Whatever punishment Senior has in mind, I will accept it. My only concern is that a successor for the Xuanhuang Realm has not yet been chosen. Without a Heavenly Venerate to manage the affairs of Xuanhuang, the world may fall into chaos."
"Of course, if Senior has the leisure and inclination to handle the trivial matters of billions of mortals and the Ten Great Immortal Sects, then please consider my words unspoken."
She seemed to have truly resigned herself to her fate. Until the very last moment before her connection with the Xuanhuang Realm was completely severed, she showed no hint of hostility toward Li Fan.
She just endured it in silence.
This, surprisingly, earned Li Fan's respect.
Leaving the final thread of connection intact, Li Fan finally stopped.
"How long have you served as the Great Heavenly Venerate?" he asked, his gaze fixed upon her.
"Since the departure of the Xuantian King, it has been sixteen thousand, three hundred and forty-two years," the Great Heavenly Venerate answered swiftly.
"According to the laws of the Immortal Realm, each Xuanhuang Heavenly Venerate's term of office shall not exceed ten thousand years. In truth, I have long surpassed my term limit. It is only because the Immortal Realm was destroyed that the normal appointment and dismissal procedures ceased to function."
"And I have yet to find a suitable successor..."
The Great Heavenly Venerate spoke softly, a hint of helplessness in her tone.
"Senior, please understand. During my tenure, I have always been diligent. I have maintained the stability and prosperity of the Xuanhuang Realm and fulfilled my duties responsibly. The Ten Great Immortal Sects can all testify to this." Her tone shifted as she began to speak of her contributions.
"And yet, I sense in you a desire to leave," Li Fan said coolly, glancing at her.
This was the Great Heavenly Venerate's most guarded secret, yet Li Fan had exposed it with a single sentence. Her heart trembled violently.
However, she reacted quickly, admitting at once, "After millennia of hard work, it is natural to feel a sense of weariness. My duties are fulfilled, and it is only human to wish to step away."
"Even the first Great Heavenly Venerate did not serve from beginning to end. My actions, while perhaps a bit unfeeling, are within the rules," she defended herself.
"The first Great Heavenly Venerate?"
Upon hearing this, Li Fan instantly thought of the You Clan deep beneath the surface of Xuanhuang.
Because they possessed the bloodline of the first Great Heavenly Venerate, the Xuantian King had twisted them into monstrous forms, neither human nor ghost, eternally bound to the Gloomy Sea of Darkness as punishment.
Li Fan surmised that the first Great Heavenly Venerate must have committed some offense that had deeply enraged the Xuantian King, leading to such a measure.
But as to what the first one had actually done, Li Fan did not know. Hence, his question.
The woman explained softly, "The first Great Heavenly Venerate foresaw the calamity of the Immortal Realm long ago and took the initiative to descend from immortality to become a mortal. Within the Xuanhuang Realm, he established a Celestial Dynasty on Earth. He proclaimed himself Emperor and wreaked havoc upon the mortal realm."
"Though he had shed his immortality, an immortal turning mortal was still far beyond what mortal cultivators could resist. Thus, they could only obey his commands."
"Although the first was no longer an immortal, he still viewed mortal cultivators as ants. He ordered them about at will, treating them like slaves. At that time, the major cultivation sects had grievances but were powerless to resist."
"Later, relying on their means of direct communication with the Immortal Realm, the major sects reported this matter. The Immortal Realm issued a decree, and only then did the first one show some restraint. However, while he reduced the territory of his Celestial Dynasty, his behavior remained unchanged."
"Within the Celestial Dynasty, cultivators were treated like livestock, to be slaughtered at his whim."
"After becoming mortal, the first one's temperament grew increasingly tyrannical. He frequently vented his frustrations through debauchery. Countless mortals, and even cultivators, could not escape his clutches. Yet, he forbade any of his mortal descendants from existing. If he discovered a woman was pregnant, he would execute her on the spot. Only one branch, through a twist of fate, managed to escape and went into hiding. They only revealed their identity after the first one's departure."
"Relying on their immortal bloodline, they seemed poised to establish a second Celestial Dynasty. Fortunately, they were stopped in time by a coalition of the other sects in the Xuanhuang Realm."
...
The Great Heavenly Venerate softly recounted the atrocities of the first one.
These were events unrecorded in the histories of later generations, and Li Fan found himself listening with rapt attention.
Comments