Chapter 1610: A Stratagem to Deceive the Saints
Chapter 1610: A Stratagem to Deceive the Saints
A crisp bell chime rang in Li Fan's ears, its resonance lingering long after, like a melody that refused to fade.
Since entering the Other Shore, he had been assailed by one strange event after another. The secret of his infinite spirituality had been discovered, [Truth] had been taken from him, and in a state of despair and confusion, he had realized it was all just a simulation...
All the violent emotions stirred by these events began to quietly fade away amid the continuous pealing of the bell.
Li Fan's heart sank into a state of tranquility he had not felt in a long time.
Even the faint joy of finding this transcendent intent and the newfound hope of finally escaping the simulation dissolved along with his other feelings.
It was a state of absolute calm, untainted by any personal emotion, which allowed for a more comprehensive and rational analysis.
"Calm Calamity Wave..."
As the chimes echoed, the name of the ancient bronze bell surfaced in Li Fan's mind.
After reviewing the visions, Li Fan couldn't help but marvel. "His life was as smooth as a flat plain, without a single ripple. From Foundation Establishment to Dao Integration, from True Immortal to Nameless. He faced every setback, every tribulation, with unhurried composure, calmly stepping through them all."
"Even after leaving his original possibility, facing the relentless tides of Dao Annihilation in the infinite Mountain Sea, he remained as placid as an ancient well. Even at the most critical moment, when Dao Annihilation had already consumed half his body, his composure never broke."
"This man also possessed the seven emotions and six desires, all manner of cravings, but with absolute mental fortitude, he dissolved every stray thought. The many tribulations he faced only served to strengthen his resolve..."
Slowly opening his eyes, Li Fan emerged from the immersive visions, his expression solemn as he declared, "Transcendent above all things, devoid of personality or self. In this, I am his inferior!"
"Fan Wunian..." Committing the name of the fallen transcendent expert to memory, Li Fan carefully put away the ancient Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell and prepared to return to the Other Shore.
This time, his journey to the Other Shore would not be a blind search through the Mountain Sea, like a headless fly buzzing about.
Having been to the Other Shore and earned the Nine Saints' approval, he could now faintly perceive its shadow from any corner of the Mountain Sea just by gazing into the void. It was like a great sun in the heavens, radiating endless, warm brilliance. Li Fan only needed to follow the light to quickly return.
Li Fan leaped, returning to the Mountain Sea. When he looked back, the original possibility had become precarious due to the fall of so many True Immortals. It was on the verge of being swallowed by Dao Annihilation at any moment.
"Unrelated to the final outcome."
Li Fan's heart was unstirred. Without a backward glance, he flew toward the Other Shore.
Under the influence of the immense waves kicked up by his passage through the Dao Annihilation, the already fragile possibility finally collapsed. Countless beings, innumerable True Immortals, were annihilated in an instant.
Yet this was merely an insignificant ripple in the vastness of the Mountain Sea.
The Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell chimed repeatedly, confronting the tide of Dao Annihilation head-on. The tide seemed to crash against an invisible barrier and was completely repelled.
Li Fan strode upon the waves, free and unrestrained.
Even without the aid of the Xuanhuang Immortal Boat, this crossing was far smoother than his first journey through the Mountain Sea.
The feeling of lonely, cold detachment from the world was gone. Even facing the threat of Dao Annihilation, Li Fan remained composed. It seemed Dao Annihilation was no longer a fatal crisis to him, but rather a series of great opportunities.
"Once I escape this simulation and return to reality, I must get my hands on this Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell immediately. Even among the thousands of steles in the Mountain Sea Infernal Forest, this transcendent intent is undoubtedly top-tier."
"I just wonder how Fan Wunian actually fell all those years ago."
Empowered by the ancient bell, Li Fan's return speed was much faster than anticipated.
As he sped through the Mountain Sea, he constantly felt the warm glow of the Other Shore upon him. It not only guided his way but also increased his speed through the Dao Annihilation.
"This must be that Immeasurable Light Chain."
"The faster I travel, the greater the chain's assistance."
"That Mountain Sea Map I vaguely saw within the light chain that day... I fear only a Saint could have created it. Its power permeates the entire Mountain Sea..."
Traveling through the Mountain Sea once more, Li Fan grew ever more certain of his judgment. The Nine Saints, and the Other Shore they guarded, had, to some extent, transcended the Mountain Sea itself.
"But only this segment of the Mountain Sea where I currently am."
"From the phantasmal River of Time on the Other Shore, I know that this segment of the Mountain Sea, from beginning to end, spans no more than five hundred thousand years. Compared to the long eons of the Mountain Sea, this is but a drop in the ocean."
"The complete Mountain Sea is countless times more powerful than the segment we inhabit. And yet, even it was shattered by the calamity of Dao Annihilation."
"To completely resolve the disaster of Dao Annihilation... even the Nine Saints are powerless to do so," Li Fan realized.
In the Mountain Sea, time holds no meaning.
When Li Fan returned to the Other Shore, the collapse of the possibility containing the Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell was just beginning to occur within the phantasmal River of Time.
Li Fan saw clearly that because of that single ripple, the course of the raging river had shifted ever so slightly, sending tremors through countless other possibilities.
But this only confirmed the four words: "Unrelated to the final outcome."
At the river's beginning and end, two black abysses still stood silently.
No matter how ceaselessly the river flowed, they remained utterly unchanged.
Taking a deep breath, Li Fan proceeded to the Mountain Sea Infernal Forest. He reluctantly handed over the Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell. "A pity. [Truth] is not with me now. Otherwise, using the 'Change From Heart' ability, I could have mastered its power for myself."
As the ancient bell left his hand, it seemed to sense the thousands of other transcendent intents above it. In an instant, it bloomed with a faint, azure light and ascended.
Its chimes echoed throughout the forest of steles, causing countless stone tablets to resonate and glow in unison.
Suddenly, a finger descended from the sky.
It pressed lightly upon the ancient bell.
The chiming instantly froze. Then, the azure bell transformed into a stone stele and flew into the vast Infernal Forest.
The phantom finger vanished, leaving only a lingering echo.
Li Fan then chose to hand over the Solitary Sail.
Compared to the Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell, the commotion caused by this single sail was much smaller.
Only a small number of nearby transcendent steles resonated with it, and no finger descended from the heavens to suppress it.
The Solitary Sail flew into the Infernal Forest and spontaneously transformed into a stele.
After turning in two transcendent intents, a piece of information flashed through Li Fan's mind.
The "merit" he had accumulated was enough for one audience with the Saints!
The so-called merit on the Other Shore was not shown as a quantifiable number, but its uses were significant.
Besides granting an audience with the Saints, its primary use was to exchange for a one-time "privilege" in various areas of the Other Shore.
For example, in the Mountain Sea Infernal Forest, one could have the Saints' will determine which transcendent intent stele offered the highest chance of achieving enlightenment, and then gain exclusive access to comprehend that stele for a period of time.
Another example was using the observational power of the Life Death Tide Hub to get a close look at the Eternal Silent Void Realm. After all, if one were to truly become trapped within it without the strength to escape, death would come before regret. Observing it through the hub allowed one to gauge, to a certain extent, how far they were from being able to cross it safely.
...
In addition to its many uses on the Other Shore, merit could also be exchanged for wonders from other powers, such as the Great Luck Saint Medicine refined by the Tai Wei Saint Emperor!
"The so-called Great Luck Saint Medicine is, in essence, no different from the Pi Pa and Bai Qian I encountered before. The only difference is that the refining material is not the Great Dao of the Mountain Sea, but the destiny of a Sacred Dynasty! The dynasty stretches across the Mountain Sea, and the vast destiny it has gathered is said to be able to help one attain Sainthood."
"The Great Luck Saint Medicine is not easy to refine; even the Tai Wei Saint Emperor has little in stock. What can be exchanged for with merit on the Other Shore was naturally obtained by the Saints through some trade with the Saint Emperor. Moreover, the Saints have made it clear that the merit doesn't buy a complete medicine, but a pill that is one-ninth of the whole. Even so, the immortals of the Other Shore flock to it..."
"If my priority wasn't escaping this simulation, I probably would have chosen to accumulate more merit and exchange it for a taste of that saintly medicine." Li Fan suppressed his rising desire and connected his divine sense to the Immeasurable Light Chain.
Perhaps empowered by the merit he held, the Mountain Sea Map he saw this time was clearer than before. It vividly depicted a continuous, sprawling landscape of mountains and seas.
And the giant sphere of light leaping above the mountains and seas was the symbol of the Other Shore!
When Li Fan's divine sense made contact with the sphere of light, information about himself began to appear.
Past experiences, even his thoughts and feelings at the time, were all displayed in meticulous detail.
At this moment, Li Fan felt as if he had returned to that instant when the Saints saw through him completely. Even knowing this was a simulation, a nameless fire of rage ignited in his heart once more.
But this was clearly not the time for a tantrum. Li Fan forced down his anger and waited until all his information was displayed before looking at the data on his merit.
A white ring of light, resembling the halo of the Nine Saints, represented one unit of merit.
The merit Li Fan had gained from retrieving two transcendent intents barely amounted to a little over one unit.
"Exchange for an opportunity to meet the Saints."
Upon confirmation, the white ring of light abruptly dimmed.
At the same time, Li Fan sensed that he could now see the Saints again whenever he wished.
"[Truth] claims this is a simulation, but it's almost indistinguishable from what actually happens in the Mountain Sea."
"Only my infinite spirituality, and the addition of [Truth] itself, can cause events that exceed the simulation's capacity to occur. This is my chance to break free."
"Now that [Truth] is held by the Nine Saints, its influence has been deliberately obscured. To break through this..."
Li Fan mentally reviewed the plan he had already formulated one more time.
Even with ninety-nine percent confidence that his plan would succeed, when the moment finally came, he still felt a flicker of hesitation.
"If the plan fails, I'll probably be humiliated by the Nine Saints again. It will be much harder to see them next time. They might even kill me on the spot..."
His face was a mixture of uncertainty. At this final, critical step, he found himself hesitating.
For one, the psychological shadow the Nine Saints had cast over him was immense and had yet to fully dissipate.
Secondly, Li Fan had now completely lost the protection of [Truth]. If he died in the simulation, he would truly perish, just like any other transcendent cultivator. To take an action that could provoke the Saints' authority and endanger his own life naturally gave him pause.
But Li Fan's hesitation did not last long.
He seemed to hear the faint chimes of the Tribulation Wave Fixing Thought Bell once more, and his expression slowly hardened with resolve.
"After much consideration, this is the only way to escape this simulation."
"Besides, the probability of success is so high. How could I be so afraid?" Li Fan chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"Back when I first arrived in the Great Xuan, a mere mortal with no treasures to my name, I was never this timid!"
"I will see the Saints!" Li Fan looked up at the sky of the Other Shore and declared with unshakeable conviction.
It was as if a god from the highest heavens cast its gaze upon him.
The scene before Li Fan's eyes instantly transformed.
Below him was the endless Mountain Sea; above him, a solitary, suspended star.
And before him stood the nine haloed Saints!
The nine figures were silent, merely watching Li Fan.
Li Fan took a deep breath to calm himself, then asked in a heavy voice, "I dare ask the Saints, do you truly wish to save the Mountain Sea?"
"We have sacrificed our lives, one after another, venturing into the Eternal Silent Void Realm precisely to save the Mountain Sea from Dao Annihilation. We are willing to give up our very lives. How could we be unwilling?" a Saint's calm voice responded.
"Then I dare ask the Saints again, is [Truth] still in your possession?" Li Fan's voice was firm as he scanned the nine figures around him.
The simulation of [Truth] was based on reality.
Even if it could obscure the effects of [Truth], the artifact itself could only appear where it was supposed to be.
The Nine Saints, having obtained [Truth], would never hand it over to anyone else.
The figures of the Nine Saints rippled slightly.
But in the end, the answer came: "It is."
"Since [Truth] is here, why not use it to save the Mountain Sea?" Li Fan demanded.
"A century has passed. Have the Saints ever used [Truth]? Even once!"
As his question echoed, Li Fan's heart felt like it was in his throat.
He feared the Saints would fly into a rage and strike him down, or perhaps they would reply that they had already used it several times, and he was simply unaware.
But to his relief, the Saints met his question with silence.
Li Fan rejoiced inwardly and pressed his advantage. "The supreme treasure is in your hands, yet you ignore it, leaving it unused."
"Is it because the Saints are but remnants of will, lacking the spirituality to use it?"
Before the Saints could answer, Li Fan's expression turned solemn. He clasped his hands in a deep bow and slowly declared, "If that is the case, I am willing to offer my infinite spirituality for the Saints to command, in the hope of saving the Mountain Sea!"
His voice thundered, reverberating endlessly within the ring of light.
The figures of the Nine Saints trembled as if struck by a tsunami, their forms destabilizing.
This time, the Saints could no longer respond with silence.
Li Fan's request was noble and righteous.
He was even willing to sacrifice himself so that the Saints could make use of [Truth].
If this were reality, the next step would undoubtedly be the Saints extracting Li Fan's infinite spirituality to activate [Truth].
Step by step, they would save the Mountain Sea.
But...
This was all within the simulation of [Truth]!
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