Chapter 1589: The Transcendent World Nears Perfection
The collective consciousness of the Ancestral Land of the Immortal Boat was intensely insular and held the Dao Annihilation within it. Any attempt at forceful intrusion would cause the consciousness to self-destruct, yielding no secrets and only provoking the calamity anew. Only by this method could its mysteries be unraveled.
Twenty years spent infiltrating the Ancestral Land had amounted to a mere two months in the outside world. To Li Fan, it was a worthy trade for the secrets held within.
In his veiled state of rebirth, Li Fan might have struggled to comprehend the scene before him. But with his true consciousness now awakened, he grasped the realm's greatest secret in an instant.
"Dao Annihilation is inherently uncontrollable. The slightest manifestation should have triggered world-ending tremors, a relentless cascade of destructive waves. And yet, here it is, so calm. It is simply inconceivable..."
If the Dao Annihilation Li Fan had witnessed before was a raging tsunami, then the calamity contained within the Ancestral Land, encircled by the countless ring-shaped consciousnesses of its cultivators, was a perfectly still pond.
"The collective consciousness of the Ancestral Land isn't so much a dam or a high wall as it is like steps built around the edge of a pond. It shouldn't have the power to resist the Dao Annihilation. However..."
Li Fan found an empty space and sat cross-legged, mimicking the others.
The once-dark space instantly brightened. The thoughts and whispers of every cultivator present echoed with crystal clarity, their minds open books to his perception.
And upon the surface of the Dao Annihilation they encircled, thousands of motes of light in myriad colors now floated, lending the aura of absolute death an unexpected, vibrant beauty.
He understood at once.
"The nature of Dao Annihilation hasn't changed. The reason it's not in violent upheaval is that its contact with the entire Ancestral Land has been divided among these innumerable small worlds."
"Though they appear illusory, they have been manifested from the consciousness of this realm's greatest talents, made real from the unreal. In a sense, they are no different from actual worlds. They've created sacrificial targets, feeding them to the Dao Annihilation, breaking the whole into countless parts to dissipate the shock of its impact."
In a single moment, Li Fan had completely grasped the survival strategy that the Ancestral Land of the Immortal Boat had forged over a million years with the blood and effort of countless generations.
"The Xuanhuang Immortal Realm can learn from this."
"With such a protective measure, the shock of colliding with the Mountain and Sea will be greatly reduced, granting us a better chance of a successful crossing."
"However, these worlds used as buffers, these consciousnesses, are destined for sacrifice. That is something I cannot permit. And for a realm the scale of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, the number of consciousnesses required would be millions of times greater than what the Ancestral Land uses. Raising them from scratch would take far too long..."
A spark of an idea lit up in Li Fan's mind, and his plan was set: "Then let me be merciful and save you all from this endless nightmare of reincarnation!"
Within the space of collective consciousness, the body Li Fan had infiltrated suddenly erupted in a blinding, infinite light, illuminating the solemn space and drawing the attention of every soul present.
They stared intently, only to see a magnificent world appearing and disappearing within the light.
Four celestial gates stood sentinel in the firmament. Cultivators, like stars, dotted the void. And upon the vast earth below, a scene of vibrant life unfolded.
Compared to this magnificent world, their own worlds paled into insignificance.
"To be born in such a realm, what incredible fortune!" The moment this thought arose, it spread like a virus, instantly infecting every cultivator present.
Their gazes were locked on the vision of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm above Li Fan's head, so captivated that they momentarily forgot to monitor the Dao Annihilation at the center.
As if sensing the longing in their hearts, a ring of light resembling a doorway suddenly materialized from the illusory scene.
The infiltrated Li Fan was the first to fly into it.
After a disorienting twist of light and shadow, he had truly entered that magnificent immortal realm!
Such a sight sent shockwaves through the hearts of all who witnessed it.
"What... what is happening?"
But before their minds could even process the question, a storm of tantalizing thoughts swept through them: "What a blessing!", "This is a heaven-sent opportunity for enlightenment!", "To miss this chance is to regret it for eternity!", "The proof is right before our eyes, there's no need to hesitate!"
On the spot, a tenth of the figures, in a daze, followed Li Fan into the ring of light.
"Wait! This is..." Someone realized something was wrong and tried to cry out a warning. But the moment they opened their mouth, their expression changed drastically. As if possessed by another, they too began to walk slowly into the illusory passage.
Even if this place was the culmination of a million years of the Ancestral Land's heritage and essence, it could not withstand the incitement of a being as powerful as Li Fan.
Within a few breaths, a large portion of the cultivators in the collective consciousness had been forcibly poached by Li Fan.
As for those who remained, still struggling to resist, Li Fan had no intention of letting them go. He personally took action, guiding them one by one into the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
Without these prodigies to maintain the worlds of consciousness that served as sandbags against the Dao Annihilation, the once-calm pond began to boil and churn violently.
The Ancestral Land of the Immortal Boat was instantly thrown into a perilous state.
The Xuanhuang light emanating from Li Fan's body swelled in an instant, enveloping the entire Ancestral Land.
Just before the out-of-control Dao Annihilation could completely swallow the Ancestral Land, Li Fan transferred all of it into the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
In the Rotten Axe Dojo, the cubic space representing the Ancestral Land of the Immortal Boat fell completely silent and dark, no longer flickering with the light of life.
Meanwhile, the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm had gained a new population of outsiders.
However, these outsiders, upon reaching a home they had never dared to imagine even in their wildest dreams, quickly became even more devout than the original inhabitants of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
The Ancestral Land of the Immortal Boat had long worshipped a savior [God], a figure who had received the faith and incense of billions for a million years.
The only difference now was that their [God] had become manifest.
Thus, the people of the Immortal Boat swiftly changed their faith, becoming fervent followers of the [Primordial Xuanhuang Lord of World Governance and Spiritual Heaven].
After all, they had been genuinely saved from a world that could have been destroyed at any moment.
The vast collective consciousness of the Ancestral Land was also forcibly broken apart by Li Fan, transforming into countless individual figures.
"These prodigies, while not on the level of Su Bai or the Dharma Spreader, are not even a match for the figures on the Xuanhuang God Investiture Board."
"But they have their own unique value."
"If the Dharma Spreader and the others are the helmsmen and sailors of the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark, then these people are the cushions spread across the hull, serving as buffers. The more, the better..."
"There is no place for them in the heavens. Then let them go to the Xuanhuang lands below!"
These phantom figures instantly received their orders and flew towards various parts of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
They became the "land gods," "mountain spirits," and "river lords" who governed specific regions.
While responsible for promoting and maintaining the great image of the Xuanhuang Holy Lord, they also used the methods of the Ancestral Land to select suitable candidates from within their jurisdictions, providing Li Fan with a continuous supply of qualified consciousness-cushions.
So as not to interfere with the normal cultivation in the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, they usually selected from the consciousnesses of the recently deceased, just before their souls dispersed.
"This is the path of Yin Gods."
"With Yin and Yang moving in parallel, the Immortal Ark will be protected."
Seated high in the heavens, Li Fan, with a single thought, caused drastic changes between heaven and earth.
Such was the power of the Xuanhuang Holy Lord.
The addition of the Yin God cultivation system seemed to be a potent tonic for the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
Li Fan could clearly feel that the great pill that was the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm had become more stable and harmonious.
The tiny cracks that had once covered the body of the Immortal Ark slowly began to fill.
The entire Xuanhuang Realm was already showing signs of perfection.
This was an unexpected development for Li Fan.
"I was merely acting on a whim, yet I didn't expect such an unforeseen benefit."
"It seems that in the Mountain and Sea, such a Dao path was meant to exist. For some reason, it had vanished. Now, I have restored it..."
"It appears an ancient vessel is better suited for sailing the Mountain and Sea," Li Fan mused, his gaze sweeping over the continuous mountain ranges and seas beyond the Xuanhuang Heaven.
His sight seemed to pierce through the Dao Annihilation, reaching the countless mortal worlds that had already been devoured.
"The first time I entered the Infinite Sea, I didn't know how to conceal myself. The [Truth] was exposed, attracting the attention of some existence at the bottom of the Infinite Sea. That deep sea region, formed from an unimaginably ancient possibility..."
"Perhaps only a sufficiently ancient ship can navigate its waters."
"Hmm?" Just as Li Fan was pondering the secrets of the Mountain and Sea, a slight disturbance from the mortal lands below interrupted his thoughts.
Normally, as the exalted Xuanhuang Holy Lord, Li Fan should not have been distracted by the affairs of mortal ants.
But now, after witnessing what had just happened on the ground, Li Fan was overjoyed, feeling as refreshed as if he had drunk a bowl of iced plum juice on a sweltering summer day.
It had been a long time since his heart had felt so content.
The cause of this was none other than the devout people of the Immortal Boat.
Although everyone in the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm revered the Primordial Xuanhuang Lord of World Governance and Spiritual Heaven, the world-altering changes had not long passed, and most cultivators were still in a phase of desperate survival. Furthermore, influenced by the old cultivation mindset of transcending worldly matters, people fundamentally placed more hope in their own cultivation breakthroughs.
As a result, there were actually not that many temples dedicated to the Xuanhuang Holy Lord on the vast lands.
But with the arrival of the people from the Immortal Boat, things changed. In their eyes, temples and statues of the Holy Lord were indispensable, far more important than their own mortal lives.
And so, wherever they went, holy temples rose from the ground.
In addition to the traditional divine title of [Primordial Xuanhuang Lord of World Governance and Spiritual Heaven], other variations also emerged.
Titles like [Primordial Father of the Grand Beginning and Xuanhuang Origin] and [Great Sage of the Grandmist who Parted the Heavens] became common.
Although it had no direct impact on Li Fan himself, as the words "Xuanhuang Father and Mother" flowed among the living beings of heaven and earth, Li Fan keenly sensed that the bond between him and the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm had grown invisibly tighter.
"As the saying goes: the Father begets the Heavens, making them everlasting; the Mother begets the Earth, making it eternal."
"It is precisely because of me, their parent, that the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm exists today. Even if you can transcend and cross the Mountain and Sea in the future, you must always remain firmly beneath my feet," Li Fan stated faintly.
Between the Xuanhuang heavens and earth, a faint, almost imperceptible rumbling sound echoed.
It seemed to be a response.
After a single trip to the Ancestral Land of the Immortal Boat, the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm had reached a state of transcendence much faster than anticipated.
"Perhaps, after consuming the Guangwu Xinghai, it will finally achieve true perfection."
A sharp glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes as he looked toward the distant star sea.
After Li Fan's sweep, the Shuo Xinghai was no longer a threat. The few remaining True Immortals could be easily suppressed by the Dao Integration True Immortals from within the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
"Perfect. The path to the Guangwu Xinghai is submerged in Dao Annihilation. A chance to test the quality of my Immortal Ark!"
This would be the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark's first formal collision with the Dao Annihilation, a dress rehearsal for crashing into the Mountain and Sea.
Li Fan naturally took it very seriously.
He set the date for one hundred years from now and, with a slight turn of his will, loosened the suppression of the Xuanhuang world on its cultivators.
Cultivation became easier, and within a few days, it seemed a new star rose from the earth almost every day.
The once sparse Xuanhuang starry sky gradually grew brilliant with starlight.
And on the Xuanhuang God Investiture Board, the list of names grew longer by the day.
However, the number of dojos in the heavens beyond the heavens did not increase by much.
As the first two cultivators to reach Dao Integration, the relationship between the Dharma Spreader and Su Bai was quite close.
This was especially true after they had ventured out together to explore the Shuo Xinghai.
Although they did not find the method for longevity they sought, their encounters with several True Immortals had greatly broadened their horizons.
"Brother Tuo, have you felt the recent anomalies in the world? Could it be... that the so-called world-ending calamity is upon us?" Su Bai asked quietly, his voice laced with worry.
The Dharma Spreader smiled and shook his head. "Brother Su, do not worry. I believe it is that personage who has grown restless from his quietude."
He pointed upward and whispered.
Su Bai's eyes narrowed, and then understanding dawned. But the worry on his face did not lessen; in fact, it deepened. "Even so, for the countless beings of Xuanhuang, it is still more of a curse than a blessing."
"We have already explored the periphery of the Guangwu Xinghai. There is no path forward, nowhere to go. If another change occurs, I fear we might have to..."
The Dharma Spreader and Su Bai exchanged a look, a silent shock passing between them. "Ride the wind and break the waves, crossing the Dao Annihilation!"
Silence fell upon the dojo.
After a long while, it was the Dharma Spreader who finally spoke. "The multitude may suffer, but for us celestials, this is a once-in-ten-thousand-year opportunity. Not only can we travel to other star domains, but more importantly, we can remain within this realm and observe the waves of Dao Annihilation up close!"
"Brother Su, you must understand, in the past, only Transcendent experts had such an opportunity."
Su Bai nodded. "I understand this principle, of course. With Brother Tuo's talent, you might very well comprehend a new law by observing the Dao Annihilation and take that final step."
The Dharma Spreader laughed heartily. "When it comes to talent, Brother Su, you are by no means my inferior!"
Su Bai's expression remained unchanged, a silent acknowledgment. There was no pride in his demeanor, only a low whisper. "But I have always had a premonition. If we truly take that step, I fear the outcome will be far from good."
The Dharma Spreader was slightly startled by his words. "Brother Su, where is this coming from? I have no such feeling in my heart."
Su Bai frowned, hesitating several times before finally shaking his head. "I cannot explain it clearly. It's just that whenever I recall that day when a sudden sense of heart-pounding terror washed over me, many bizarre images flash through my mind..."
Su Bai then described his strange experience in detail.
The Dharma Spreader listened thoughtfully, as if he had understood something.
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