Chapter 1683: Entering the Void Realm
Chapter 1683: Entering the Void Realm
Even the strongest of the six new Saints was no match for the weakest of the Other Shore's nine, unable to withstand a single blow.
And this was not even their true self, but merely a phantom they had left within the Armillary Ring.
The outcome left Li Fan utterly astonished.
Shou Qiu chuckled. "They're just old fossils who've accumulated a bit more than you. Live long enough, and you'll eventually catch up."
The six new Saints nodded slightly.
Li Fan understood that the accumulation Shou Qiu spoke of was the state of "daily enhancement" that came after achieving Sainthood.
Upon becoming a Saint, profound mysteries arose spontaneously. Even if one sat still without actively cultivating...
...their power would advance by leaps and bounds, reaching a level that others could not fathom.
"This passive cultivation must grant diminishing returns over time," Li Fan mused. "Otherwise, Shou Qiu wouldn't have said we would *eventually* catch up."
"But how long is 'eventually'...? That is a sobering thought."
"It's impossible to estimate how many ages the three Saints—Lian Shan, Gui Hai, and Tai Yi—have existed. Without some special means to bridge the gap, I fear that a newly ascended Saint could strive for an entire lifetime and never close the distance created by such an immense accumulation of time."
"Shou Qiu's words were likely meant as a comfort, for the most part."
A hint of this truth could be gleaned from the rankings of the Other Shore's Nine Saints.
Shou Qiu, who wielded the Great Dao of Longevity of the Mountain and Sea, should not have been weak among the Saints.
Yet he was ranked only just above Karma Judge and Star Raft.
Meanwhile, the three Saints of antiquity—Lian Shan and the others—rightfully occupied the top positions.
"The more ancient the Saint, the stronger they are. Moreover, as the very founders of the immortal path, the innate talent of those three must be legendary, shaking the past and stunning the present. It's impossible to imagine what level their true selves have reached."
"No wonder the Mountain Sea End Saint, despite his peerless talent, never thought to contest the Saints at the Beginning of the Mountain and Sea. He knew that by being born at the end, he had inherently lost an accumulation of power equivalent to nearly the entire lifespan of the Mountain and Sea compared to the ancient Saints."
"To have reached his realm under such circumstances was already a monstrous feat."
Li Fan mentally cautioned himself, "I am merely cloaked in the guise of the Xuanpin Dao, using the [I Birth Infinite] technique to divert their attention. I must remain vigilant, lest I expose a flaw in their presence."
He had not forgotten the terrifying outcome in his [Truth] simulations, where the moment he was exposed, the Saints instantly read every thought in his mind, and his fate became unknown.
With the sequence established, the next step was the initial exploration of the Eternal Silent Void Realm.
But before that, as a precaution, the six new Saints were required to leave phantoms of themselves within the Armillary Ring as well.
"These phantoms also serve as an anchor,"
"If you become lost in the void and can no longer sense your companions, or if you notice the sequence ahead falling into disarray..."
"...then prioritize your own safety and withdraw immediately," the phantom of Tai Yi advised in a calm voice.
The new Saints had no reason to refuse. Drawing on their experience from the earlier contest, they smoothly infused their own phantoms into the ring.
As their phantoms took their places within the Armillary Ring, a circle of white light connected the six new Saints with the original nine.
Li Fan narrowed his eyes. Through this bond created by the Armillary Ring, he could actually sense the Dao paths of the other Saints!
It was not like observing and comprehending from an outsider's perspective.
It was as if their Daos existed as his own cultivated path!
This was similar to how Li Fan had comprehended the Xuanpin Dao—by first gaining control and then delving into its mysteries. The efficiency of this method was incomparable to ordinary enlightenment.
"To so openly share their own Dao paths..."
"Is this the absolute confidence of the ancient Saints?"
Within the Armillary Ring, it was impossible to hide one's true nature.
Fortunately for Li Fan, he was merely the Saint of the [Xuanpin Dao].
It was not the foundation upon which he had built his existence, so even if he gave it away entirely, he wouldn't feel the slightest pang of loss.
His heart remained untroubled as he focused intently on sensing the aura of the Great Daos wielded by the other Saints.
The other new Saints, however, were still unaccustomed to this "sharing" and seemed somewhat reserved and hesitant.
Sensing Li Fan's carefree attitude, they couldn't help but nod in silent approval. "As expected of a Saint who journeyed backward from the end of the Mountain and Sea!"
Feeling a little ashamed, they forced themselves to grow accustomed to the strange sensation within the Armillary Ring.
Once they familiarized themselves with the Dao paths of the others in the white circle, they began to feel like a single entity. They could even draw upon a portion of the power from the other Saints' phantoms.
"To see the whole in a part, one is all." Recalling Shou Qiu's earlier discourse, Li Fan felt a glimmer of understanding.
At that moment, Shou Qiu spoke again. "The more familiar you are with each other's auras, the greater the maximum distance at which you can sense one another in the void. This will increase our chances of success with the Mountain Sea Connect plan."
"Of course, this first outing is mainly to let everyone get acquainted with the conditions of the void."
Once all preparations were complete, the halo of light on the Other Shore was suddenly torn open as if by an external force.
A pitch-black fissure appeared.
"Follow me, and we shall leap in together."
"Once you are within the darkness, do not panic, no matter what happens. Sense your surroundings, try your best to recall your own origins, and then attempt to arrange yourselves in the established sequence..." Shou Qiu instructed with great patience.
Facing the Eternal Silent Void Realm, the six new Saints felt like land-dwellers about to take their first plunge into water, their hearts pounding with tension.
Even though the oppressive aura of the void had been significantly weakened, their fear of it lingered, not yet dissipated.
Seeing Shou Qiu's phantom drift slowly into the fissure, Moral took a deep breath and, after three full exhalations, followed him in.
The remaining Saints entered one after another, like a school of fish.
The moment Li Fan stepped into the void, an endless, boundless darkness instantly enveloped him.
Although he had traversed the void before, this experience was completely different from when he had drifted downstream with the help of the Mountain Sea End Saint!
Aside from the omnipresent, chillingly dead aura, the very foundations of his existence were slowly being devoured by the darkness.
Without the protection of his conceptual power, and seemingly to prevent the other Saints from noticing, [Truth] had fallen into a state of dormancy.
Li Fan's memories began to slowly fade away.
The process accelerated, turning into an avalanche of loss that grew faster and faster.
Soon, Li Fan's mind felt as if it had been drained, becoming utterly empty.
"I..."
"Who... am I?"
"And where is this place?"
"It's so dark. I can't see anything."
With no memory, his actions were guided entirely by instinct.
Deep within his subconscious, Li Fan sensed a familiar aura in a certain direction within the darkness.
Fortunately, he had not ventured too deep into the void, and he still had the strength to resist its corrosion.
He quickly returned from the void.
Light flooded his vision once more.
The instant he reappeared on the Other Shore, the phantoms of the Saints looked at him, their expressions shifting slightly at his swift return.
They thought some mishap had occurred.
But Li Fan, whose memories flooded back as soon as he returned to the Mountain and Sea, reacted just as quickly.
A look of shame crossed his face. "It seems I haven't fully recovered my strength. I lost the others' auras in the void and had no choice but to return first."
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