Chapter 1598: The Living Taiji
Compared to the immense cost of unleashing the [True Spirit Destruction] ability, the act of kindling a single candlelight to dispel the biting cold within the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat was an act of mercy whose spiritual toll was almost negligible.
For Li Fan, it was no burden at all, yet it could safeguard the lives of the boat's helmsmen and crew. And so, he performed it without a second thought.
"This extreme, pervasive cold..."
"What is its origin?"
The warmth generated by the burning flame of his True Spirit was a sanctuary reserved only for the inhabitants of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm. As the realm's master, Li Fan voluntarily forwent this protection for himself.
He chose to face the chilling solitude of the Mountain Sea head-on.
The Xuanhuang Immortal Boat cleaved through the darkness, its passage silent and profound.
In the void outside, the very concept of time seemed to have lost its meaning.
Li Fan stood upon the boat's high, solitary sail, feeling as if he had become one with the endless night before him.
Within the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, seventy years had flashed by in what felt like an instant.
From the moment the immortal boat plunged into the Dao Annihilation, it was as if the "variables" of the entire Xuanhuang Immortal Realm had been locked in place.
In all those seventy years, not a single new cultivator reached the Dao Integration realm.
This wasn't a deliberate restriction imposed by Li Fan to conserve the immortal boat's resources, but a natural consequence of the vessel's own transformation.
After long immersion in an environment so far removed from the mortal world, Li Fan had slowly begun to grasp the fundamental source of the cold that clung to him like a plague clinging to the bone.
"The beings of the Mountain and Sea are, for the most part, born into the mortal world. When we creatures leave that world behind, we also leave the foundational environment we relied upon for our genesis and cultivation. We are like fish out of water, birds grounded, or subterranean life suddenly exposed to the sun."
"This inability to adapt leads to annihilation. The True Intent of Transcendence, condensed by the most powerful experts, is, in a sense, simply the capacity to endure such a drastic change."
"Though I possess infinite spirituality, I still feel this sense of bewilderment and unease after leaving the mortal world..."
"My infinite spirituality is likely tied to my transmigration, to my former self. But this body... this body is a native of the Mountain and Sea," Li Fan mused silently.
Aboard the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat, nearly every living soul—including the twelve True Immortals who had boarded last—was unable to escape this glacial sense of desolation.
There was, however, one exception.
It was the unknown primordial being that had once slumbered in the remnants of the All Yu Star Domain, the one later raised by the twelve True Immortals.
The primordial being's consumption of energy was truly astounding.
For the past fifty years, Li Fan had not stopped feeding it for a single moment.
He had already crushed over a hundred of the Xuanhuang wooden carvings.
Yet, the primordial being remained just a single step away from its true birth.
Fortunately, Li Fan had recently sensed that it was beginning to reject his offerings. This wasn't a case of ingratitude before it was even born; rather, the primordial being had reached the absolute limit of what it could absorb in its embryonic state. It simply couldn't eat anymore.
Li Fan summoned the twelve True Immortals to witness the birth from the sphere of light. After all, they had painstakingly cared for it for tens of thousands of years.
It was worth noting that even after traversing the Mountain Sea together for over fifty years, the twelve True Immortals had never once glimpsed the true form of the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat. From the very beginning, they had been confined to a small wooden boat that Li Fan had manifested for them.
They relied on the solitary sail hoisted on that small boat to shield them from the relentless corrosion of the Dao Annihilation, completely oblivious to the existence of another vessel—one immeasurably larger—upon which their tiny craft rested.
Most of their mental energy was dedicated to combating the gnawing loneliness that welled up from within. In the rare moments they had any capacity to spare, they seized every opportunity to comprehend the Dao of "Crossing."
Coupled with the colossal disparity in power between them and Li Fan, it was impossible for them to see through the illusion.
At this moment, seeing Li Fan suddenly appear holding the primordial being, they were all momentarily stunned.
It took them a second to recover, their gazes turning toward the sphere of light, their expressions a complex mixture of emotions.
"To personally witness the birth of a primordial being... this is truly a fortune beyond measure."
"Our past efforts were not in vain after all."
"I only wonder... will it even remember us?"
"Senior, you not only saved us from the depths of despair but also helped us fulfill our lifelong wish. Your compassion is truly admirable." The twelve True Immortals appeared perfectly at ease, showing no outward sign of resentment.
Li Fan's gaze swept over them, a silent passage that sent a slight shiver through their hearts.
A dead silence hung in the air for a long moment before Li Fan finally spoke again. "This beast should be out soon. Just wait patiently."
The twelve True Immortals cursed him inwardly for calling the primordial being a "beast," but they dared not voice any objection. They could only nod and force smiles of agreement.
This wait lasted for another nine years.
For True Immortals, such a span was but a fleeting moment, a blink of an eye in the midst of meditation.
Then, one day, a subtle pulse from the sphere of light in Li Fan's hand jolted everyone from their reverie.
A black fissure manifested in the center of the sphere. Like a cracking shell, it instantly spewed forth an infinite torrent of light and shadow.
It was a vision of the Mountain Sea roaring to life, of countless possibilities born and destroyed in a breathtaking spectacle!
As if facing the Mountain Sea itself, everyone on the boat was utterly captivated, lost in the grandeur of the scene.
None of them noticed a thin black line, concealed within the dazzling display, as it shot toward the weakest among the twelve True Immortals.
It wasn't until the black line was nearly upon him that the True Immortal, Shi Qiwen, who cultivated the Dao of "Nurturing," was startled from his trance, suddenly aware of the ambush.
But before his expression could even register the shock, the black line was an instant away from piercing through his body.
"A beast is a beast, after all!"
Just then, Li Fan's icy voice resounded.
A hand materialized, arriving first despite starting last, and clamped down hard on the black line.
ROAR!
A deafening roar, like the collision of the Mountain and the Sea, erupted from the black line.
The twelve True Immortals felt as if thunder had exploded next to their ears, a wave of dizziness washing over them. Shi Qiwen, being the closest, was hit the hardest. Under the force of that colossal roar, the very Dao he had cultivated showed signs of dissipating.
Fortunately, the twelve True Immortals shared a single life force. With the other eleven absorbing part of the impact, Shi Qiwen managed to cling to his life.
The terrifying power of a primordial being was on full display.
But in Li Fan's grasp, the creature was utterly immobilized.
It could only continue to issue threatening snarls.
The twelve True Immortals could now clearly see the true form of the black line: it resembled a smooth, rounded wooden stick, its surface covered in intricate, non-repeating patterns. At each end of the stick was a face.
They were not human-like. One was pure black, the other stark white, their expressions in a constant state of flux, revealing their nature as "faces."
This primordial being was less a living creature and more like a masterfully forged artifact.
Though newly born, its nature was exceptionally ferocious. Trapped in Li Fan's hand, unable to advance or retreat, it never ceased its struggle for a single moment.
Amidst a series of roars that sounded like tidal waves crashing against mountains, the patterns on its body came alive, swirling rapidly and separating to gather at opposite ends of the stick.
The primordial being instantly split into two—one entity was entirely pitch-black, the other a pristine, snow-white.
Like two serpents, they seized each other's tails and began to spin at a dizzying speed.
In an instant, they formed a churning Taiji diagram in the palm of Li Fan's hand.
A mysterious force erupted from it, as if someone had shoved Li Fan with immense strength. His previously unyielding grip on the primordial being loosened for a fraction of a second.
The color of the Taiji diagram instantly darkened, and it seemed to vanish, escaping to some other place.
Outside the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat, the once-calm Dao Annihilation suddenly churned with violent waves.
It was as if something immense had just plunged into the sea.
"Oh no, the beast is escaping!" the twelve True Immortals exclaimed in alarm.
Li Fan merely scoffed.
He gestured lazily with his hand, beckoning in the direction the Taiji diagram had fled.
The turmoil in the Dao Annihilation abruptly intensified.
One after another, tumultuous waves slammed against the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat, subjecting its passengers to the most violent tremors they had experienced since the journey began.
It felt as if two ancient leviathans were locked in a savage battle in the depths below!
This development was far beyond anything the twelve True Immortals could have anticipated.
They stared wide-eyed into the void outside the boat, occasionally stealing nervous glances at the composed figure of Li Fan beside them. They couldn't fathom what kind of divine ability he possessed that allowed him to capture an enemy within the Dao Annihilation itself. It was simply unheard of.
The battle within the Dao Annihilation did not last long.
As fierce as it was, the creature was still just a newborn. Soon, the commotion in the void subsided, and the Taiji diagram quietly reappeared on the wooden boat.
It spun for a few more moments, but could no longer maintain its form. It reverted back to a simple wooden stick.
The patterns on the stick seemed noticeably sparser than before, and the black and white faces at either end appeared drained and listless.
"This creature was born at the dawn of the mortal world, an imitation of the Great Dao's own birth and evolution..."
"But ultimately, it lacks true consciousness. It knows nothing of the Dao's fundamental principles, merely mimicking its form without grasping its spirit."
"That is why, after such an immeasurable eternity, it remains in this state."
Li Fan tapped the wooden stick lightly as he delivered his cool assessment.
Hearing this, the twelve True Immortals nodded in understanding.
The one who had retrieved the Taiji stick from the Dao Annihilation was, of course, Ink Killer.
After fifty years of contemplation and adaptation, Ink Killer had finally come to terms with its own identity.
It had completely severed its connection to the omnipresent Dao Annihilation surrounding them.
From now on, it existed solely as "Ink Killer," a Heavenly Spirit of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, a loyal hound at Li Fan's command!
Unlike every other being and power born of the Mountain and Sea's mortal world, Ink Killer's entry into the Dao Annihilation was truly like a fish returning to water—perfectly at ease.
The corrosive power of the Dao Annihilation was almost completely ineffective against it.
Furthermore, when other beings were present, Ink Killer could even harness the power of the Dao Annihilation to fight its enemies.
The capture of the Taiji stick had been its first test.
Without leveraging the Dao Annihilation, a direct confrontation with the Taiji stick would have likely devolved into a bitter struggle.
But with the aid of the overwhelming power of its environment, capturing the creature was accomplished in a mere moment.
Li Fan's ability to so quickly discern the primordial being's nature was also thanks to Ink Killer's efforts.
If the Dao Annihilation was a boundless ocean, then almost every being from the Mountain and Sea was a non-swimmer. The few who achieved Transcendence were those who had learned how to swim.
But Ink Killer...
Ink Killer was a fish, born and bred in this very ocean!
"Even if this immortal boat were to capsize, with Ink Killer to rescue me, I would be perfectly safe."
Li Fan did not reveal Ink Killer's existence to the twelve True Immortals. Once its task was complete, he ordered it to return to the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.
Sensing Ink Killer's aura depart, the Taiji stick, which had been grievously injured and seemingly on the verge of death, suddenly sprang back to life.
However, Li Fan simply flicked his finger against it a few times in quick succession, instantly suppressing the strength it had just mustered.
After this process repeated several times, the Taiji stick finally recognized the vast disparity in their power. For the time being, it became docile.
"To think such a wondrous creature exists within the Mountain and Sea."
"Primordial beings... some are older than the Immortal World itself. They often embody an ancient Dao of the Mountain and Sea. Legend has it that a True Immortal once achieved enlightenment after subduing a primordial being, reaching Transcendence the very moment he became Nameless."
"The Taiji Dao this beast manifests is also quite extraordinary..."
Having witnessed Li Fan effortlessly subdue the Taiji stick, the twelve True Immortals sighed in collective awe.
"However, Senior is already possessed of immense power. This stick is likely of little use to you." As soon as Shi Qiwen spoke, a hush fell over the boat.
Shi Qiwen himself realized the imprudence of his words and was about to offer a wry, apologetic smile.
But he was cut short by Li Fan's frank admission. "Indeed. This thing is almost useless for my own path."
"However, for this journey, it is exceedingly useful."
The twelve True Immortals were baffled by his words.
Then, they watched as Li Fan took the Taiji stick, which had barely recovered a sliver of its strength, and tossed it back into the Dao Annihilation.
The Taiji stick seemed to be in utter disbelief, hovering motionless for a moment.
Then, as if waking from a dream, it fled frantically into the depths of the Dao Annihilation.
"Senior, this..."
The twelve True Immortals were just about to question him.
But they suddenly felt the small wooden boat beneath them pick up speed for some unknown reason.
Looking closer, they saw that the Taiji stick fleeing into the Dao Annihilation was connected to their boat by countless, tiny black threads!
It was because of these connections that the Taiji stick was now effectively towing their boat through the Dao Annihilation at a remarkable pace.
"It can be used like this?" The twelve True Immortals were all dumbfounded.
"Primordial beings, despite their formidable life force, cannot survive indefinitely in the Dao Annihilation."
"Therefore, when trapped within it, they instinctively search for 'food' to sustain themselves in order to live longer."
"Primordial beings are already peculiar existences in the Mountain and Sea. Their ability to sense possibilities and life force far surpasses that of us cultivators. We are lost in this boundless Dao Annihilation, unable to find our direction. But they... they might be able to sense the presence of sustenance in the distance."
Li Fan stood at the prow, feeling the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat slowly alter its course under the pull of the Taiji stick, an inscrutable expression on his face.
Remembering how Li Fan had unhesitatingly incinerated a primal possibility with the fire of his True Spirit, a deep chill crept into the hearts of the twelve True Immortals.
He had promised to take them to the great world of the Other Shore, but now it seemed...
Cowed by Li Fan's overwhelming might, the twelve True Immortals dared not voice a single word of dissent. They could only praise Senior's unfathomable power in unison.
In its panicked flight, the Taiji stick pulled the immortal boat onward for forty days.
Just as it was on the brink of exhaustion, about to be extinguished in the Dao Annihilation, Li Fan rescued it in the nick of time.
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