Chapter 1577: The Sage Dynasty Reflects Through the Ages
"Perhaps the so-called talent of a cultivator in the Mountain and Sea simply comes down to how closely they resemble the 'Creator God'," Li Fan mused.
The integration of Eternity not only fortified the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm but also nourished Li Fan in return. It was as if the Myriad Forms Dao Net had been reinforced with refined gold, creating an unshakable internal structure. Even when stretched far beyond the High Wall, its strength barely diminished.
Consequently, when Li Fan next infiltrated the Merchant Immortal Boat, the phantom projection carried by his Myriad Forms Dao Net could unleash the majority of his true body's power.
"Eternity may be a Dao unto itself, one that others cannot comprehend, but it can be borrowed."
"It's just like adding celestial materials and earthly treasures during artifact refinement or alchemy."
With these thoughts, Li Fan had already slipped back inside the Merchant Immortal Boat.
The crew of the Merchant Immortal Boat were still engrossed in their research of the newly captured Cat Treasure. And thanks to the 'cloak' of Eternity Li Fan had left behind, they hadn't even noticed that the Dao of Eternity itself was missing.
However, the baffling disappearance of Wu Xin, the guard at the boat's entrance, had caused quite a stir. After all, Wu Xin had served on the Merchant Immortal Boat for countless years; he was an absolute veteran. The Lord of the Holy Merchants personally investigated the scene but could not determine the true cause of his vanishing.
After careful deliberation, the Lord of the Holy Merchants simply ordered the entrance's location to be changed, rather than sealing all access points.
He navigated to the chamber where the Cat Treasure was imprisoned with practiced ease, only to find the situation vastly different from when he had last departed.
The orange cat remained tightly bound by innumerable blue chains. Beside it, however, the black-and-white cat captured later roamed freely.
It circled the orange cat, sniffing at it from time to time and letting out soft, tentative mews.
The orange cat, however, seemed utterly indifferent to its "companion." It kept its eyes shut, remaining perfectly still.
Occasionally, a burst of orange light would erupt from its body, momentarily overpowering the blue chains and forcefully repelling the black-and-white cat as it drew near.
Li Fan faintly perceived that this burst of orange light contained an unparalleled, warm life force. If the black-and-white cat wielded the cold power of the Dao of Life and Death, then the orange cat was pure, concentrated vitality. The sheer immensity of this life force was so great that its outward manifestations of power far surpassed those of the black-and-white cat.
At the same moment the orange cat was forced to unleash this light, billions of faint blue symbols flickered to life in the surrounding space, siphoning away the vitality contained within the orange glow.
Afterward, Li Fan noticed a few new strands of orange fur appearing on the black-and-white cat's coat.
"That black-and-white cat is likely not a true Cat Treasure," Li Fan mused. "It must be the Lord of the Holy Merchants in disguise."
His suspicions were confirmed.
As patches of orange appeared amidst its black and white fur, the cat's body began to flicker with an eerie light. Its form shifted erratically, morphing between that of a cat and a human.
Finally, with a muffled groan, the Lord of the Holy Merchants reverted to his original form.
The previously still orange cat snapped its eyes open. It crouched low, unleashing a deep, guttural roar at the Lord of the Holy Merchants that sounded like a gale. The countless blue chains binding it strained and shook violently, as if they could no longer hold it. Many of them shattered outright, dissolving into countless motes of light.
The depth of the orange cat's hatred for the Lord of the Holy Merchants was plain to see.
The Lord of the Holy Merchants, however, remained unfazed. With a casual wave of his hand, layer upon layer of multicolored light enveloped the orange cat, eventually forming a solid sphere that completely sealed it inside. The violent struggle ceased.
Only then did other figures begin to appear, one by one—the members of the Holy Merchants involved in the research.
"As expected of one of the Seizing Heaven Seven Prototypes. Pi Pa's power is far greater than Bai Qian's," the Lord of the Holy Merchants remarked, gazing at the tightly sealed sphere of light with a sigh. "It only took us a few days to analyze Bai Qian, but with Pi Pa, we're still largely at a loss."
One of the researchers added, "Our success with Bai Qian was largely due to our past work analyzing Pi Pa. It's a shame it's nearly impossible to capture a third one. If only we had another Seizing Heaven Cat to study..."
The Lord of the Holy Merchants gave a knowing smile. "Who says it's impossible?"
The others were taken aback. "But we haven't been able to contact our source since they delivered Bai Qian. They must have faced retaliation—either they were killed or they fled for their lives. Without their help..."
"The Seizing Heaven Cats roam across the countless possibilities of the Mountain and Sea, each with its own purpose," the Lord explained confidently. "However, their duties are all broadly tied to tasks assigned by the Tai Wei Saint Emperor. Though they operate independently, there are subtle, hidden connections between them all. Now that we have two in our possession, we can naturally follow the trail to find the others."
"But..." The crew members exchanged hesitant glances.
"The Seizing Heaven Cats are notoriously vengeful. Capturing two without being discovered is already a stroke of immense luck. If we try again, our fortune might not hold..."
The Lord of the Holy Merchants waved a dismissive hand. "I'm well aware. The Tai Wei Sacred Dynasty, while formidable, is just one power among many in the Mountain and Sea. Its emperor stands alone, at odds with the other great experts. We may not be a match for the Sacred Dynasty, but there are others in the Mountain and Sea who are. Capturing these Cat Treasures is our ticket to joining them—our pledge of allegiance!"
It finally dawned on the crew. "My lord, have you already made contact with them?"
"The Dao Annihilation Calamity is upon us. Even with the protection of Eternity, we cannot hold out for long. We must make preparations," the Lord said, his expression grave. "Did our predecessors not risk their lives crossing into other possibilities for this very reason—to find a sliver of hope for our survival?"
Upon hearing this, the crew was overcome with emotion. Some even began to weep.
Through their heartfelt praises, Li Fan finally understood. After the Merchant Immortal Boat had escaped beyond the High Wall, barely surviving the world-ending calamity of the Immortal Ruins...
...the entire crew had maintained a profound sense of crisis.
Having learned the truth about the Immortal Realm's destruction, they became determined to flee the surviving regions still threatened by the Dao Annihilation.
Later, the first lord—the very one who had led the Xuanshang Immortal Boat's escape from the cultivation world—discovered a way to traverse into other possibilities. The safety of these new realities, however, remained unknown.
Thus, he ventured forth alone to scout the way.
This act established a tradition for the Merchant Immortal Boat. Each successive Lord of the Holy Merchants was tasked with the duty of exploration, venturing into different possibilities in search of a safe haven.
Some of these explorers never returned. Others, however, survived.
Only the current Lord held the means to contact these predecessors, so the rest of the crew knew little of the worlds beyond the Primal Possibility.
It was because of these selfless expeditions by generations of Lords that the Merchant Immortal Boat, despite never having left its current location, had already gained a fundamental understanding of the endless possibilities within the Mountain and Sea.
They knew even more about it than Li Fan.
Eavesdropping, Li Fan nodded to himself. *"Inheriting the will of a hundred generations. This is the true foundation of the Merchant Immortal Boat. No wonder they managed to escape before the Primal Possibility was destroyed."*
Li Fan fixed his gaze on the pontificating Lord of the Holy Merchants. The urge to pry open his skull and examine his memories was becoming almost irresistible.
To him, the Lord was nothing less than a living map of the possibilities.
As if sensing Li Fan's malice, the Lord of the Holy Merchants abruptly cut himself off mid-sentence. He frowned, his eyes scanning his surroundings with suspicion.
But he couldn't pinpoint the source of the fleeting unease that had pricked his mind.
"Could it be the Cat Treasure?"
Still wary, the Lord carefully inspected the orange cat, Pi Pa, but saw no signs of it attempting to break free. As Li Fan reined in his malicious intent, the Lord's sense of unease gradually subsided.
Only then did he return to the previous topic. "That Tai Wei Saint Emperor seeks to expand his Sacred Dynasty across the entire Mountain and Sea. To do so, he projects his power, reflecting it across countless possibilities. Any being who shares a certain resemblance to him becomes susceptible to his influence, transforming into a so-called Saint Emperor."
"If a Seizing Heaven Cat happens to be on a mission within that possibility, this new Saint Emperor will receive its aid, giving them a very high chance of unifying their world and establishing a Sacred Dynasty. At that moment, the true consciousness of the Tai Wei Saint Emperor awakens, and the reflected pseudo-emperor becomes the real thing."
As the Lord of the Holy Merchants slowly laid out the Tai Wei Saint Emperor's methods, the listening crew members were left in awe.
"I always thought the Seizing Heaven Cats were heaven-defying creations in their own right," one exclaimed. "To think they are merely one tool among many for that vast Sacred Dynasty."
"Compared to a behemoth like the Tai Wei Sacred Dynasty, our boat is no more than an ant. And yet, we've dared to bite pieces of flesh from this beast time and again. The danger is immense!"
The Lord of the Holy Merchants listened to their chatter, waiting for them to settle before he continued. "The Tai Wei Saint Emperor is indeed powerful, but his methods are far too tyrannical. The vast majority of experts in the Mountain and Sea have gathered on the Other Shore to jointly find a way to face the Dao Annihilation Calamity. Even those who refuse to join them simply claim their own territory and keep their distance."
"But this Tai Wei Saint Emperor has no intention of joining them. He acts as he pleases, expanding his dynasty without a shred of concern for others. It's said he has repeatedly clashed with the experts of the Other Shore and has made a great many enemies."
"We currently lack the qualifications and power to travel to the Other Shore. However, there are possibilities at odds with the Saint Emperor—possibilities that have remained safe for a very long time..."
The Lord of the Holy Merchants smiled, the very picture of confidence.
This drew a fresh round of praise from the crew.
"But before we offer the Seizing Heaven Cats as our pledge, we must complete as much research on them as possible. Even if we can't decipher them completely, we must push our understanding to its absolute limit."
"After all, relying on the charity of others is no long-term solution. In the end, the only power you can count on for survival is the power you command yourself. Gentlemen, never forget how the Xuanshang Immortal Boat was forced to flee its homeland in the first place," the Lord said in a heavy voice.
...
*"Tai Wei Saint Emperor? The Sacred Dynasty?"* Li Fan listened to their discussion, and the image of Li Ping once again surfaced in his mind.
*"I see. I've been looking at it all wrong."*
*"The birth of the Saint Emperor, the Cat Treasure's affinity for him... it wasn't because another version of the original 'Li Fan' existed in that possibility. It was because the clone I created had a natural affinity with the Tai Wei Saint Emperor and was subtly influenced by him across the void."*
Looking back, he realized it was true. His clone's transformation into the Saint Emperor hadn't been instantaneous; it had been a gradual process. At first, the Cat Treasure had been indifferent to him. It only grew closer, even becoming utterly obedient, as their interactions increased.
*"The Tai Wei Saint Emperor, seated upon his throne, reflects his image across billions of possibilities. Even from behind the High Wall erected by Shou Qiu, his influence is inescapable. His power is truly staggering,"* Li Fan thought, inwardly stunned.
*"This method of his is another form of unifying all selves. But it's a cut above the methods of Evil Su Bai and the Black Heaven Physician, who simply devour their other selves!"*
*"He doesn't just absorb himself. Anyone with even a passing resemblance falls within his domain of fusion. And he doesn't just devour individuals, but entire unified dynasties..."*
Li Fan could easily imagine it: if the Tai Wei Saint Emperor succeeded, with his Sacred Dynasty spanning the entire Mountain and Sea, he might truly attain a power equal to the Mountain and Sea itself.
*"But such an act would strip all other experts of their room to exist. Even paragons of integrity like Shou Qiu and Ziyi would find it impossible to bow their heads and serve under him."*
The Dao of Eternity, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor... these newly discovered powerhouses of the Mountain and Sea once again broadened Li Fan's horizons.
*"It truly is no surprise what kind of experts can emerge from the countless possibilities of the Mountain and Sea."*
*"Yet, looking back, every being who has reached the pinnacle of the Mountain and Sea has been utterly unique, forging a path entirely different from all others..."*
While Li Fan was lost in these contemplations, the crew of the Merchant Immortal Boat, after a brief rest, resumed their research on the Cat Treasure.
This time, the orange cat, Pi Pa, resisted even more fiercely.
The blue chains binding it trembled violently, looking as if they might shatter at any moment.
But the Lord of the Holy Merchants was not the least bit concerned.
He ignored the fact that the entire boat seemed on the verge of collapse.
He was long accustomed to such phenomena during his experiments. In his mind, with the protection of the Dao of Eternity, the boat could be pulverized one moment and restored the next.
Thus, he did not stop.
Instead, he drew even more power from the boat itself, intensifying the struggle against the orange cat.
The onlookers from the crew were long past being surprised by such displays.
Their faces showed no trace of fear.
There was only the eager anticipation of harnessing the Seizing Heaven Cat's power for themselves.
Finally, the clash of power reached a critical threshold.
A wave of absolute annihilation erupted.
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