Chapter 1571: The Undying One
Chapter 1571: The Undying One
Li Fan possessed the [Supreme Dao Scripture], which theoretically gave him access to all the information on the existing Daos in the Primal Possibility. Yet, the principles condensed within the skeleton before him were, like the [Dao of Inscription], completely absent from its pages.
"Understanding this Dao," Li Fan sensed with a sudden premonition, "will elevate my grasp of the True-False Transformation to a whole new level."
However, he didn't rashly move to seize it.
This immortal skeleton was undoubtedly of immense importance to the Merchant Immortal Boat, yet there wasn't a single defensive measure around it. Even the blue, shadowy power of the Holy Merchant's leader was nowhere to be seen.
"This can only mean one thing," he mused, the faint sense of danger still lingering in his mind, "the skeleton's own power surpasses the combined defensive capabilities of the entire Merchant Immortal Boat. It doesn't need protection."
Li Fan stared for a long time, unable to determine if the skeleton before him was alive or dead.
After a moment of contemplation, Li Fan made his decision.
The current situation was beyond what his Great Heavenly Venerate immortal puppet could handle. He would have to intervene personally.
With a subtle shift in his consciousness, the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm quivered. The invisible net blanketing its surface began to seep through the High Wall, spreading outward.
He was no stranger to the Shuo Xinghai beyond the High Wall. In a past life, he and Cheng Dao had even established the Shuo Xinghai-High Wall system. At this particular point in time, the Shuo Xinghai's own Dao Net had yet to be created, which made the clandestine infiltration of his Myriad Forms Dao Net exceptionally smooth.
Still, this region of the cosmos was mired in a chaotic era where True Immortals and cultivators coexisted. The farther his net strayed from the High Wall, the weaker the support from the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm became, and the greater the risk of detection. Li Fan didn't expand recklessly, instead focusing his efforts on the location of the Merchant Immortal Boat.
From his recent surveillance, he knew that the Merchant Immortal Boat's entrance in the Shuo Xinghai changed its location periodically. However, perhaps because capturing and studying the black-and-white cat had consumed most of the boat's energy, the entrance he'd found showed no signs of moving.
Thus, the tendrils branching off his Myriad Forms Dao Net slipped inside without issue.
Interestingly, the old man guarding the entrance seemed to sense the Dao Net's arrival. His expression flickered with an almost imperceptible change, but just as before, he ultimately chose to act as if nothing had happened.
"An interesting fellow," Li Fan noted.
Li Fan didn't dwell on him. The Myriad Forms Dao Net continued its advance until it merged with his projected consciousness.
From the tendrils of the Dao Net, a phantom of Li Fan slowly coalesced, writhing into form.
"No matter how lofty its station, no Dao can escape the fate of merging with the Mountain and Sea."
Li Fan gazed at the immortal skeleton, his will directing the newly born Ink Death to act as his vanguard. It surged forward like a ravenous beast, closing the distance with terrifying speed.
Nurtured for a century in the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm and infused with the rhythm of the Longevity Dao, this new Ink Death was making its debut in the world. Even Li Fan himself was not fully aware of its power.
A surging tide of Ink Death's black motes swarmed forward, enveloping the immortal skeleton.
Meanwhile, Li Fan manipulated the Myriad Forms Dao Net, sealing off the surrounding space to ensure that no matter how violent the disturbance, the Merchant Immortal Boat would not immediately detect it.
The Myriad Forms Dao Net acted like a mirror, reflecting every detail of the surroundings.
Li Fan keenly perceived the faint thread of connection between the immortal skeleton and the world outside.
But it was only that single thread.
"It seems the Merchant Immortal Boat's use of this skeleton is quite limited," Li Fan mused. "Perhaps they can only trigger its Dao principles mechanically."
As Li Fan mused, the tide of Ink Death completely engulfed the reclining skeleton.
"Hmm?" Li Fan was taken aback.
He had expected a struggle. No matter how powerful the new Ink Death was, the skeleton shouldn't have been so utterly defenseless. With its ability to rewind and restore itself, it should have at least put up a fight for a while.
"Why...?"
Frowning, Li Fan recalled the new Ink Death.
The space where the skeleton had lain was now completely empty. Ink Death should have devoured it.
Strangely, however, despite having consumed it, Ink Death felt as if it had swallowed nothing but air.
It remained completely unchanged.
"The new Ink Death doesn't just devour and annihilate all Daos," he reminded himself. "It can also break them down and use them as raw material to weave the Myriad Forms Dao Net."
Li Fan gently stroked the shifting, inky mass beside him, confirming that this ability had not vanished.
"So..."
Realization dawned. Li Fan's gaze snapped back to the spot where the skeleton had vanished.
He began to count silently.
Ninety-nine breaths later, without the slightest warning, the skeleton that Ink Death had engulfed simply reappeared.
It was still lying on its side. This time, however, the skull's empty eye sockets were not aimed at the Merchant Immortal Boat below.
They were fixed on Li Fan.
Sensing the chill that shot through Li Fan's heart, the Ink Death beside him surged instinctively to form a shield before him.
He remained on high alert, but a long moment passed, and the expected attack never came.
After another period of observation, certain that the bizarre skeleton posed no immediate threat, Li Fan sent the Ink Death surging toward it once more.
The result was the same.
The skeleton was devoured again without a shred of resistance.
And ninety-nine breaths later, it reappeared from nothing, its empty gaze still fixed on Li Fan.
Li Fan gave a cold snort and tried again.
This time, he had the cloud of Ink Death continuously cover the spot where the skeleton lay, not retracting it even after the skeleton vanished.
As the ninety-nine-breath mark approached, Li Fan held his breath, concentrating intently on the swirling cloud of Ink Death.
The skeleton did not reappear within the cloud.
But an unsettling feeling crept over Li Fan.
He whipped his head around to find that the skeleton had somehow appeared right beside him.
Its posture had changed. It was no longer reclining but sitting cross-legged.
Its right hand was cupped under its chin, as if studying Li Fan with great interest.
Li Fan instinctively recoiled.
He didn't stop until he reached what felt like a safe distance.
The skeleton didn't try to stop him, its empty eye sockets calmly observing him.
Li Fan could now be certain of one thing: the skeleton before him was alive.
Or perhaps it existed in some strange, incomprehensible state that couldn't be defined simply by life or death.
"Greetings, Senior!"
Li Fan said shamelessly, offering a slight bow with his hands clasped, completely ignoring his own brazen attack from moments before.
The skeleton, of course, gave no reaction, appearing to be nothing more than a collection of bones.
The scene fell into a silent stalemate.
Li Fan was confident the skeleton wouldn't stop him if he chose to leave. But to retreat now would be like discovering a mountain of treasure only to walk away empty-handed.
"Since it doesn't seem to pose a threat for now, I might as well probe a little further."
He decided to ignore the skeleton's movements and simply directed the cloud of Ink Death to engulf it time and again. And over and over, he watched it be reborn from the void.
"Ink Death simulates the calamity of the Mountain and Sea fusion. Yet this skeleton ignores its power and recovers every time. How is that possible?"
Even after observing the skeleton's reappearance hundreds of times, Li Fan could not fathom the process.
"It defies all logic."
At one point, he even wondered if the new Ink Death had grown weaker.
But the facts were undeniable. No matter how unbelievable, there had to be an underlying principle at work.
"Theoretically, Ink Death should be able to devour any Dao in existence."
"And yet, there is a Dao that can ignore it..."
(End of Chapter)
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