Chapter 1656: A Vessel Called Home
Chapter 1656: A Vessel Called Home
"Fan'er?!"
The figure was so achingly familiar that Bai Lishan blurted out his name the instant she saw the hazy silhouette.
But she caught herself just as quickly. This was the very core of the Solitary Sail's transcendent truth. Fan'er was a mortal, an ordinary man. How could he possibly be here?
And yet, the faint silhouette before her was so uncannily like Li Fan that she found herself unable to tear her gaze away.
"The Mountain and Sea is boundless," she mused. "It's not impossible for two people to be so alike."
After a long moment of observation, understanding dawned on her. "It is another True Immortal within the Mountain and Sea, one who also walks the path of the [Solitary Sail]."
"Since the original Solitary Sail has fallen, other True Immortals are free to comprehend its Dao. But because the [Solitary Sail]'s truth has not yet completely faded, all who follow this path will manifest here together."
"This transcendent truth is like a flawless mirror, reflecting all who travel the same road throughout the Mountain and Sea. If this figure before me were to truly achieve transcendence... the two would merge into one."
"I've heard that the boundless Mountain and Sea contains infinite possibilities," she murmured to herself. "Perhaps... he is the Fan'er from another reality. I wonder what kind of life he has lived..."
But Bai Lishan knew perfectly well that this Li Fan was not her Li Fan. And she was no longer the simple, unknowing farm woman from some other possibility.
So, after indulging in the thought for a moment, Bai Lishan turned her focus back to the transcendent truth of the [Solitary Sail].
In a trance, Bai Lishan felt as if she had plunged into the boundless expanse of the Mountain and Sea. She looked in every direction, but there was no path, no escape. She was surrounded by the churning tides of the Dao Annihilation.
And in this desperate wasteland, only a solitary sail hung high, crossing the void alone.
"The Mountain and Sea is without shore; I alone am the vessel." A voice seemed to echo in her mind. "It was this conviction that forged this transcendent truth. Transcendence, then, is more than just a realm beyond the Nameless. It requires a will, a state of mind, that matches one's strength."
"So," she wondered, "on what will I base my own transcendence?"
Bai Lishan's consciousness seemed to merge with the Solitary Sail, immersing her in its long, lonely memories of crossing the Mountain and Sea.
Although Bai Lishan's intent was merely to study the Solitary Sail's truth and forge her own, independent path, two factors worked against her. First, she had only reached the threshold of transcendence by borrowing the power of the Dao Net; she was not a true transcendent being and could not completely shield herself from its influence. Second, her innate aptitude and comprehension were simply too profound. Where others struggled for even a glimpse, Bai Lishan could experience it firsthand, almost perfectly embodying the state of the [Solitary Sail] at its peak.
Thus, as she threw herself wholeheartedly into her meditation, she inevitably began to transform, her own Dao molding itself to that of the [Solitary Sail].
"No! This is not my path!"
Bai Lishan jolted awake, her mind recoiling from the change only after it was halfway complete.
Without a moment's hesitation, she severed the connection between her consciousness and the transcendent truth, instantly pulling back from that profound, mystical state of enlightenment.
The progress she had made, a journey halfway to comprehension, vanished in an instant as she willingly let it go. Not a single trace remained. It was as if the entire experience had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
And yet, the sense of boundless solitude that still clung to her heart told her the experience had been no phantom dream.
Comprehending the Dao by borrowing from a predecessor's transcendent truth would still have allowed her to become a new transcendent being. In the face of such a temptation, Bai Lishan had still chosen to abandon it without a second thought.
She did so because she had absolute confidence in herself. She had no need to follow in another's footsteps; she knew she could forge her own path of transcendence, one perfectly suited to her.
"The Mountain and Sea is boundless, and I will cross it on my own terms. Why must my vessel be the same as yours?"
As the thought solidified, the truth of the Solitary Sail lost all its allure.
She bowed low, a gesture of respect.
Then, Bai Lishan turned away from the transcendent remnant behind its dam.
She faced the assembled immortals of the Guangwu Star Sea.
"You have honored your promise, and I shall not break mine," she declared, her voice ringing with authority.
"The technique to transform fishing treasures into pillars that can support a world is called the [Shadow Projection for Dao Bearing]. It comes from the Mound Keeper, Shou Qiu!"
"The Mound Keeper?!" The immortals of the Guangwu Star Sea were stunned into silence.
Many years had passed, but the memory of Shou Qiu's divine might—of him single-handedly holding back the Dao Annihilation tide—was still fresh in their minds.
They had never imagined that the Dao Net of Shuo Xinghai was part of Shou Qiu's true legacy! Shaking off their shock, they focused intently, listening as Bai Lishan imparted the profound technique. Every word felt like a pearl of wisdom, exquisite beyond description.
By the time they emerged from their reverie, Bai Lishan was already gone, having floated away and returned to the Shuo Xinghai.
The Guangwu immortals turned to their leader, the middle-aged Nameless True Immortal known as [Revival].
He shook his head. "Let it be. Let her go. After all, she is a disciple of the Mound Keeper..."
"Besides," Revival continued, "we have gained the [Shadow Projection for Dao Bearing] technique. With its aid, the Guangwu Star Sea need no longer fear collapse! Even if our possibility is devoured by the Dao Annihilation, we can drift on, safe and sound."
"What becomes of the Shuo Xinghai is no longer our concern. Our priority now, everyone, is to convert all of our fishing treasures into these Dao-bearing shadow projections. Once we have enough to support us... we can finally accept the invitation to the Life and Death Realm!" A fanatical gleam shone in Revival's eyes.
As if seeing a glorious future unfold before them, the other Guangwu immortals were swept up in a wave of excitement.
Filled with renewed vigor, they immediately began working in concert, casting the spells to transform their myriad fishing treasures.
Bai Lishan, of course, knew nothing of what transpired in the Guangwu Star Sea after her departure.
For her, only one thing mattered now.
To enter seclusion and comprehend the Dao!
Though her insights into the [Solitary Sail] had faded like a receding tide, her understanding of transcendence itself still lingered.
"I must strike while the iron is hot," she thought, "and take this final, crucial step!"
The ethereal Dao Net draped over her shoulders unfurled once more, returning to its usual form.
Bai Lishan plunged back into the deepest core of the Net, seating herself silently upon the landscape of black mountains and white waters.
The memories from her more than thirty lives flickered past, one scene after another.
Her experiences had been undeniably rich and varied, but to achieve transcendence based on them alone... something still felt missing.
"A transcendent truth is a unique spiritual anchor, a core that supports the self. Even if you fall into the Dao Annihilation, you can rely on it to cross safely."
She reflected on her long journey. "What has been my reason for striving so hard all this time?"
Bai Lishan pondered the question once more.
The answer remained unchanged.
It was to protect her poor nephew, Li Fan.
It was to build a home that would last forever. A place safe from the storms of the outside world, safe from the encroachment of the Dao Annihilation.
It was for the chance to live on, forever, in peace and stability.
"Forgiveness is easy! Give me back my aunt!"
The image of her nephew, consumed by a reckless rage as he sought to avenge her, flashed before her eyes.
She felt as if she were back in their ancestral home in the Great Xuan Kingdom. The two of them, relying on each other, living in simple harmony.
The image of that farmhouse took root in her heart, slowly solidifying from a mere memory into something real, something tangible.
"This," she whispered, "is my home with Fan'er."
"And I will not allow anyone to destroy it."
Bai Lishan slowly walked inside. As her gaze fell upon the familiar furniture and simple decorations, her eyes softened with a look of peace and contentment.
Even though Li Fan was not here now, Bai Lishan firmly believed that one day, she would bring him back, and they would live in this house together, safe and sound, for all time.
Perhaps Fan'er would grow restless and wish to see the world. She wouldn't hold him back; in fact, she would support him in any way she could.
But whenever he wished, he could always come back.
She would always be here, at home, waiting for him.
...
Bai Lishan returned to the dining table and sat down, imagining Li Fan seated across from her.
Her mind became a clear, tranquil pool—calm and content.
All other thoughts faded away.
Let the storms rage outside, let the Dao Annihilation roar.
Nothing could touch the warmth within this little house.
In that instant, the farmhouse—a vessel for all of Bai Lishan's cherished memories of "home"—solidified completely.
It transformed into a crystalline, undying concept, an immortal will that would exist for eternity.
At that very moment, a sense of profound clarity washed over Bai Lishan. She knew.
"It is time."
She lifted her head, her gaze piercing through the layers of the Dao Net to the space between the Mountain and the Sea.
She took a single, gentle step.
The restriction Cheng Dao had left behind flashed with a faint light. Perhaps sensing the aura now surging from Bai Lishan, it did not stop her.
It let her pass.
This time, Bai Lishan was not cloaked in the Dao Net.
She stood alone within the nascent star sea.
The Mountain and Sea, the Dao Annihilation beyond her possibility—it all felt close enough to touch.
Bai Lishan took a leap of faith, jumping out of the Primal Possibility and into the roiling chaos of the Mountain and Sea, into the heart of the Dao Annihilation itself!
An all-consuming cold. A crushing solitude. A void that annihilated all.
The Dao Annihilation seeped in from every direction, instantly enveloping her.
But in that same moment, Bai Lishan also felt the true, awesome might of the Infinite Sea and the Upper Mountain.
"The Mountain and Sea merge, and thus, Dao Annihilation," she realized, a strange light glinting in her eyes.
Her aura, which had been at the peak of the Dao Integration realm, now connected with the Mountain and Sea and began to climb, soaring without limit!
Had she been a mere Dao Integration cultivator, she would have been utterly overwhelmed by this explosive growth in power.
But Bai Lishan had already touched the threshold of transcendence when she commanded the Dao Net. So even as her strength surged like an untamed stallion, she handled it with ease, remaining in perfect control.
As her power climbed toward the transcendent realm, she faced the omnipresent threat of the Dao Annihilation with utter calm.
She remained seated in her house, at the dining table.
Watching the raging tides of the Dao Annihilation through the window, she did not even stir.
The wind howled outside, but her little home stood as firm as a mountain!
As if sensing the birth of a new transcendent being, the Dao Annihilation swelled with rage.
Wave after wave crashed against her, relentless and unending.
Yet the little house where Bai Lishan sat remained like a towering dike, holding back the storm.
Inside, a candle flame flickered and danced.
Bai Lishan sat serenely. Across from her, a phantom slowly took shape—the very image of Li Fan.
This was the seat she had reserved for Li Fan within her own transcendent truth. Even as a mortal, he could exist here, perfectly at ease.
In fact, one might say that only with his presence could Bai Lishan's transcendent truth be considered truly whole.
As the hazy figure of Li Fan sat down.
Bai Lishan's transcendent truth finally manifested in its complete form.
Her ascending aura reached its zenith.
A new transcendent being had arrived in the world!
In an instant, the storm subsided!
Perhaps knowing it could not overcome her for now, the Dao Annihilation retreated, pulling back its forces to gather strength for a future assault.
But Bai Lishan, having achieved transcendence, felt no great surge of emotion.
She only felt a pang of regret that Li Fan was not here to witness this momentous occasion.
"It's alright, Fan'er."
"We will see each other again very soon."
Bai Lishan gazed out at the boundless expanse of the Mountain and Sea.
It was vast, yet she felt there was no place in it for her.
Only where she and Li Fan were together could be called home.
Even with the power to sail across the void, Bai Lishan felt no desire to embark on some grand voyage.
Her original purpose for cultivating, after all, had been to protect Li Fan.
Now that she had seemingly achieved that goal, any further ambition simply melted away.
"In the next life, I will first ensure Fan'er's safety, and only then will I seek this path again."
"Even if the Dao Annihilation comes, we will be safe."
Bai Lishan let out a long, slow breath.
Her mind was at peace, with no desire to explore the boundless Mountain and Sea any further.
Instead, she returned to the Shuo Xinghai.
The world-shaking ripples of her transcendence could not be hidden from the immortals of the Dao Net. They all knew she had taken the final step. Awed and envious, they stood before her with the utmost reverence, terrified of displeasing this newly ascended being.
Though all their past dealings had shown her to be perfectly approachable, who could guarantee that transcendence wouldn't change a person's nature entirely?
For a transcendent being, killing an ordinary Nameless cultivator was no more difficult than crushing an ant. And so, in Bai Lishan's presence, the immortals of the Dao Net were all incredibly restrained.
Fortunately, her nature seemed unchanged.
"I have just attained the Dao and gained some small insights."
"I can share them with you."
The immortals of the Dao Net shuddered at her words, staring at her in disbelief.
Then, that disbelief turned to sheer ecstasy.
A lecture from a transcendent being was infinitely more valuable than observing a mere remnant of one.
They had paid a terrible price just to glimpse that remnant.
And now, they were being offered a personal lecture, for free...
"Senior, you are too gracious!"
The immortals exclaimed gratefully, bowing low once more.
Bai Lishan gave a slight nod and began to speak, sharing every insight she had gained on her path to transcendence.
She held nothing back.
"The Mountain and Sea is without shore; I alone am the vessel."
"Though the Dao Annihilation is vast, my will can be the sail."
The immortals listened, utterly mesmerized by the profound mysteries she revealed.
It was as if they could see their own paths to transcendence opening before them. Some were so overcome with excitement they began to gesture wildly.
By the time they finally settled, they realized Bai Lishan had vanished, her destination unknown.
The immortals assumed she had settled her karmic ties and departed for the legendary Other Shore.
They never knew...
that Bai Lishan had not left at all. She had quietly returned to the deepest recesses of the Dao Net.
There, she would await the transformation of the Immeasurable Wall. She did not radiate her newfound power or make any show of her breakthrough. Instead, she sat just as she always had, waiting patiently.
Comments