Chapter 1612: Grinding Down [Truth]
The Dao of Longevity, a power on par with the Mountain and Sea.
The answer was obvious. Only a force of the same caliber as the Mountain and Sea could sustain a "simulation" that encompassed it.
“But how could that be easy?” Li Fan’s eyelid twitched. “In my last life, even on the Other Shore, the only clues to such power were faint traces connected to the Nine Saints. You want me to steal power from them?”
It wasn’t just the traumatic experiences he’d had at the hands of the Saints that gave him pause, but the memory of the calamitous fusion of the three Daos.
He could almost see it now: even if he were lucky enough to obtain a power on par with the Mountain and Sea, the presence of [Truth] would, in all likelihood, trigger that same disaster all over again.
Neither Li Fan nor [Truth] wanted a repeat of that scenario.
“Unless I could resist the temptation of fusing the three Daos with astonishing willpower. But with my current composure, I’m still lacking.”
“The Calm Calamity Wave...” Having gained a clear understanding of his own limitations during the last simulation, Li Fan’s mind almost instantly turned to the transcendent will capable of quelling all desires of the heart.
“I already know which possibility it’s in, so finding it again won’t be difficult. But a single failsafe isn't enough. In this life, as I cultivate anew, I must do everything possible to train and strengthen my mind, to the point where I can face the Saints without a change in expression. Better yet, I should set up countermeasures in advance. If I lose control and insist on fusing the three Daos, I need a way to forcibly terminate the process...” Since he knew what would happen after obtaining power on par with the Mountain and Sea, Li Fan could naturally make arrangements ahead of time.
“I can’t just go back and fleece Shou Qiu again, can I?” Li Fan mused, shaking his head slightly as he quickly dismissed the thought.
From the current situation, it seemed the scope of [Truth]'s influence was limited to the "present" Mountain and Sea.
It likely did not include the Eternal Silent Void Realm where the Saints resided.
“I barely managed to escape Shou Qiu’s notice; how could I possibly leap right back into the fire?”
“I need a foolproof plan.”
In the quiet of his study, Li Fan sank into a long and profound contemplation.
The current situation was a paradox. With his present strength, the moment he entered the Saints’ line of sight, all his secrets would be instantly exposed. Thus, he needed to use [Truth]'s simulation ability to find a way to break the deadlock.
But to activate a simulation precise enough to deduce the actions of beings at the level of the Mountain Sea Saints, he needed the support of power on par with the Mountain and Sea.
He was trapped in a vicious cycle.
After a long while, Li Fan finally arrived at a possible answer.
“Power on par with the Mountain and Sea isn’t exclusive to the Saints on the Other Shore.”
“The Tai Wei Saint Emperor's Great Luck Saint Medicine, which can facilitate the birth of a Saint, definitely counts. Also...”
Li Fan couldn’t help but recall Shou Qiu’s path to Sainthood.
“Shou Qiu was originally just a minor immortal guarding a mound in the Immortal Realm. Despite his extraordinary talent for comprehending the Dao by observing the Mountain and Sea, he couldn't escape the limits of his lifespan. In the end, he submerged himself in the Infinite Sea.”
“There, on the brink of death, Shou Qiu encountered a fragment of the Dao of Longevity. That was what allowed him to turn his fate around and seize the opportunity for Sainthood.”
“So, theoretically, it might be possible to find power on par with the Mountain and Sea within the infinite expanse of the Mountain and Sea itself.”
“Of course, that’s just in theory,” Li Fan’s eyes glinted.
Forget power on par with the Mountain and Sea; even a transcendent will was incredibly difficult to find, no matter how thoroughly one searched.
“Never mind the Nine Saints, just the various powerhouses on the Other Shore alone likely have the ability to scour every inch of the Mountain and Sea. Over so many years, if any remnants of such power truly existed, they would have certainly been discovered by now.”
As Li Fan reached this point in his thoughts, he suddenly paused.
“Unless...”
“Like [Truth] itself, they don’t wish to be found and actively conceal themselves.”
A spark ignited in Li Fan’s eyes.
“If that’s the case, then I’m not without a chance.”
“The reason the Saints of the Other Shore were able to achieve their status is probably inseparable from this power on par with the Mountain and Sea.”
“What I know so far: Lian Shan, the Upper Mountain. Gui Hai, the Infinite Sea. Shou Qiu, Longevity.”
“Tai Yi was a congenital being who existed before the Immortal Realm was born. If there is indeed such power scattered throughout the Mountain and Sea, he would undoubtedly have the easiest time finding it.”
“As for the three Saints—Star Raft, Karma Judge, and Stealing Opportunity—I only know their titles. I have no specific information about them and can only glean a few hints from their names.”
“My guess is probably not wrong. The Other Shore didn’t start with nine Saints. The legends of attaining Sainthood still circulate faintly in the Mountain Sea Infernal Forest. Yet, they are rarely seen on the Other Shore; the most powerful transcendent beings wander the mortal world of the Mountain and Sea. The stronger they are, the more this seems to be the case. It’s likely not just for scavenging transcendent wills...”
Li Fan suspected that to attain Sainthood, merging all of one's selves was perhaps merely a prerequisite. To become a Saint capable of rivaling or even transcending the Mountain and Sea, power of a similar caliber was likely an indispensable ingredient.
Though he had entered the Other Shore, Li Fan still had no idea how to take the next step.
The inhabitants there maintained a tacit silence, and no kind soul had stepped forward to offer him guidance.
“If only I’d known, I would have asked the Saints for advice during the simulation,” Li Fan sighed to himself.
“But even if my speculation is correct, actually finding power on par with the Mountain and Sea is easier said than done.”
Faced with such minuscule odds, even luck seemed insignificant.
“In truth, possessing [Truth] already gives me the most crucial condition for achieving Sainthood.”
“I just need to continuously comprehend the transformation between truth and falsehood and turn it into my own divine ability. Even with half of [Truth]’s power, I could face the Saints with composure.”
“Truth and falsehood in a single thought, illusion and reality shifting at will. The boundless Mountain and Sea, overturned in an instant...”
Li Fan savored the sixteen words of [Truth]'s response, his heart filled with yearning.
“Unfortunately, comprehending the Dao of truth and falsehood is not so easy.”
“Under normal circumstances, any insights feel as illusory as a flower in a mirror or the moon on the water, completely ineffective. The period of highest efficiency is in the brief moment after activating [Truth].”
After a long reverie, Li Fan returned to reality with a deep sigh.
The scope of what the transformation between truth and falsehood encompassed grew with his own knowledge. Back when his world was limited to the Xuanhuang Realm, Li Fan had felt he was on the verge of grasping it.
But later, as his horizons expanded to the Dark Star Sea, the Primal Possibility, and eventually the mortal world of the Mountain and Sea and the Other Shore, he realized just how laughable his earlier feelings had been.
“The Mountain and Sea is boundless, the Other Shore transcendent. To what degree must my comprehension of truth and falsehood reach to be able to subvert it all with a single thought?” A sense of powerlessness washed over Li Fan.
Ultimately, the transformation between truth and falsehood was based on one's cognitive foundation of existence.
As a True Immortal, Li Fan could create or destroy the Xuanhuang Realm with a single thought. From his perspective, he could indeed achieve "truth and falsehood in a single thought, illusion and reality shifting at will" within that realm.
But the Mountain and Sea, and the Other Shore, were far beyond his cognitive scope. His ability to apply this transformation there was naturally powerless.
“There is a path forward, but it is shrouded in darkness.”
For a moment, Li Fan didn’t know what his next step should be.
The prompt from [Truth] appeared once more.
Li Fan focused, his myriad thoughts slowly settling.
“An inaccurate simulation is not just useless; it’s a fatal poison. If I misjudge the Saints’ strength and charge headfirst into the Other Shore, I’ll truly be damned beyond redemption.”
“There’s no question about it. Until I find a power on par with the Mountain and Sea, I will not choose that option again.”
Having made up his mind, Li Fan willed the activation of [Truth] away.
He then tried to consult with [Truth], hoping it would point him toward a clear path.
[Truth] remained silent.
Li Fan, however, knew it could sense his thoughts and did not give up. He persisted with his questions.
He laid bare his difficulties.
“The Saints’ power is truly terrifying. Even with your help, confronting them is an immense challenge!”
“Or maybe I should just stay here in the Xuanhuang Realm, within the High Wall, and be a local emperor. I won’t leave the Primal Possibility and will just quietly wait for them to save the Mountain and Sea.”
“After all, with you here, I can wait safely forever.”
[Truth] remained silent.
“At the very least, you have to tell me what it is you want.”
“To save the Mountain and Sea? Or to restore your own power?”
“With the Saints in the way, and without more support, I really can’t do it,” Li Fan said with a shrug, his tone nonchalant.
Outside, his aunt peeked through a crack in the door and saw Li Fan talking to himself. A worried expression crossed her face, and she hurried off to find the village shaman.
Li Fan was aware of this but paid it no mind. He was in a standoff with [Truth].
Before, when [Truth] didn’t respond, he would let it go, assuming it couldn’t hear him.
But after experiencing the maliciously triggered simulation, Li Fan was now certain that [Truth] was far more “rational” than he had ever imagined.
And with his current spiritual strength, he no longer had to worry about being unable to withstand [Truth]’s thoughts.
Therefore, he had to persist. He had to engage in further communication with [Truth]. He had to get an answer!
He wanted an explanation for the pointless suffering he had endured in the previous simulation.
And he wanted to squeeze more assistance out of [Truth].
Li Fan glanced at the otherwise clean panel of [Truth].
The two Divine Blessings, [Fantasy Becomes Truth] and [Change From Heart], were still listed.
They looked distinctly out of place.
They hadn’t vanished due to the calamity of the three Daos' fusion. In fact, [Change From Heart] had awakened during that very simulation.
Yet, they still existed now.
This was proof enough that their existence was tied solely to [Truth].
“If that’s the case, [Truth] can definitely provide more support.”
“The faint sense of familiarity from the bottom of the Infinite Sea, the intricate connection to the [Star] isolated from the Mountain and Sea...”
“It holds so many secrets, yet it says nothing.”
Li Fan snorted coldly and lay back down on his bed.
He didn’t move.
When his aunt returned with the shaman and tried to make him drink talisman water, he didn’t refuse.
He drank it down without a fuss.
From then on, he barely left his room except when absolutely necessary.
He spent all his days sleeping.
His aunt was kind-hearted. As long as Li Fan was alive, she didn’t say much and continued to serve him his meals every day.
Twenty-three years later, his aunt finally passed away from illness brought on by daily toil.
Too lazy to get his own food, Li Fan simply shouted, “[Truth]!”
In an instant, he was back at Anchor Point: Year 1.
“Let’s go again,” he announced with a cold snort.
As he did, he slowly savored the fleeting mystery of [Truth]’s activation.
“Either you take the initiative and tell me more...”
“Or I’ll just keep comprehending the transformation of truth and falsehood. It may be slow, but there will come a day when I completely assimilate you.”
[Truth] still gave no response, and Li Fan couldn’t be bothered to waste any more words.
He once again settled into his life as a shut-in.
Another twenty-three years passed, and his aunt died of illness.
“[Truth]!”
[Truth] activated once more.
“[Truth]!”
“[Truth]!”
“[Truth]!”
...
Twenty-three mortal years were but an instant to Li Fan.
Just like his hundred lifetimes of foundation establishment, Li Fan reset himself again and again.
Besides using the opportunity to comprehend the transformation between truth and falsehood, he also wanted to grind down [Truth]'s temperament.
Li Fan was certain that [Truth] had attached itself to him for a reason, that it had a purpose.
His current behavior of simply giving up was surely contrary to that purpose.
“If you’re not in a hurry, then I’m in even less of a hurry.”
“If you’ve got the guts, go find someone else!”
Li Fan said this inexplicably at the dinner table after finishing a meal his aunt had made, feeling quite pleased with himself.
His aunt had long grown accustomed to Li Fan’s muttering.
Knowing he wasn’t talking to her, she pretended not to hear and quietly cleared the dishes.
[Truth] remained equally silent.
Li Fan decided not to ask any more questions.
He would simply wait for the twenty-three years to pass, then immediately reset and begin the next cycle.
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times, he repeated the monotonous life.
At first, Li Fan’s heart felt a trace of boredom.
But gradually, he grew accustomed to it.
Twenty-three years to analyze the transformation between truth and falsehood.
Activate [Truth], and repeat the cycle.
His life contained nothing else.
The affairs of the Xuanhuang Realm, the people and events within the High Wall, the many secrets of the Primal Possibility, and even the Mountain and Sea and the Other Shore.
Li Fan cast it all from his mind.
He asked about none of it.
“What does the fate of the Mountain and Sea have to do with me?”
Holding fast to this principle, Li Fan lived through lifetime after lifetime in his small hut.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, something different happened when he next activated [Truth].
Among the three options to save, the third one—which he had never chosen before, the line of text about designating a closely related person to inherit his memories—
—was flashing incessantly.
It seemed to be prompting Li Fan to choose it.
“Hmm?”
Li Fan’s eyes narrowed.
Given his nature, he would never have chosen this option under normal circumstances.
But now, it seemed [Truth] had compromised and initiated this change on its own.
In that case, there was no harm in trying.
With this thought, Li Fan chose the only suitable candidate.
His aunt, who had painstakingly cared for him for who knew how many twenty-three-year lifetimes.
A moment later...
As if waking from a nightmare, his aunt broke out in a cold sweat, looking in disbelief at her own body and the familiar yet alien surroundings.
Li Fan, on the other hand, wore a look of delight.
“So it can even do this!”
Comments