Chapter 1685: Further Deduction of the Sitting Heaven Technique
Chapter 1685: Further Deduction of the Sitting Heaven Technique
"The moment the two divided segments of the Mountain and Sea merge is like the unification of all one's selves. The True Spirit multiplies, a benefit that even those at the Saint realm can enjoy. The only prerequisite is that you must have existed in that past segment of the Mountain and Sea."
"The current segment of the Mountain and Sea has lasted for 193,645 years. The Eternal Silent Void Realm ahead of us covers a span of roughly 58,600 years. If any of you were not yet born fifty thousand years ago, you would naturally not receive this boon. Otherwise, even existing as a mere infant would allow you to reap the benefits of this unification of selves."
The phantom of Lian Shan swept its gaze over the newly ascended Saints before finally settling on Li Fan. "Aside from Xuanpin, who comes from the end of the Mountain and Sea, none of the rest of you need to worry. With the unification of selves, the stronger you are, the greater the benefits you receive. And it is not limited to just the True Spirit. When the Mountain and Sea reconnects, you will all experience it for yourselves."
Lian Shan paused for a moment before continuing, "Even for someone like Xuanpin, who has no past self in the preceding segment of the Mountain and Sea, there is no need to worry about gaining nothing. We Saints are one with the Mountain and Sea. It is as if we stand upon it; the more powerful the Mountain and Sea becomes, our own strength will naturally rise in tandem. And if you are fortunate, and the Dao you command was not governed by anyone in the previous segment... then in an instant, you can make it your own, gaining a measure of creation out of thin air..."
Li Fan nodded slightly, grateful for Saint Lian Shan's explanation.
The principle was, in fact, similar to the Dao Return Hall—once absorbed, it was yours forever.
To become a Saint, one's understanding of their own Dao must have already reached the pinnacle of mastery. If they were to encounter the same Great Dao in the previous segment of the Mountain and Sea, it was only natural that they could instantly subdue and claim it.
When Li Fan heard Lian Shan say, "the more powerful the Mountain and Sea becomes, our own strength will naturally rise in tandem," three words surfaced in his mind: the Mountain Meditation Technique.
Sitting Mountain, Sitting Immortal, Sitting Heaven.
Unfortunately, its effects were limited to the stages before Transcendence.
Once he crossed the threshold of Transcendence and embarked on the path to Sainthood, the Mountain Meditation Technique had already become ineffective.
"If the target of the technique is beyond the Transcendent realm, it can no longer generate feedback cultivation. To say nothing of the Saint realm."
"Otherwise, with my ability to infuse True Spirit..."
"If I created enough Saints, even the three Saints of Lian Shan might not be my match."
No matter how miraculous, it was still a mortal technique. Assisting Li Fan in achieving Transcendence was already the limit of its capabilities. After his own Transcendence, Li Fan had held no further expectations for it.
But today, Saint Lian Shan's words had opened up a new line of thought for him.
"The Dao of 'sitting on the mountain to become greater' still exists for the Mountain and Sea and its Saints."
"In that case..."
"If I were to further deduce the Sitting Heaven Technique into a Sitting Saint Technique, perhaps I could still reap the rewards without sowing!"
"But how should I improve it?"
Though a vague idea had formed, he had no way to implement it in the short term.
To begin with, Li Fan himself had not yet reached the Saint realm.
Even if he had, successfully deducing a Sitting Saint Technique would be almost laughably impossible.
All Saints were one with the Mountain and Sea.
The three Saints of Lian Shan, in particular, were beings of monumental, age-defining power.
What kind of technique, what kind of Great Dao, could be cast upon them without their notice?
"Perhaps I'm overthinking this. The target of a 'Sitting Saint Technique' wouldn't be the already-established Saints of the Mountain and Sea, but rather those malleable Transcendent experts. The effect would only cover the period before they achieve Sainthood."
"The qualitative leap from Transcendent to Saint... if I could collect and harness the feedback from that transformation, it would undoubtedly be an earth-shattering amount of energy."
Li Fan's thoughts raced as he found a potential breakthrough.
But it was merely an idea.
With his current foundation, Li Fan was still far from being able to deduce this ideal, wondrous technique.
However...
Right now, he was surrounded by no fewer than fourteen Saints!
Without any hesitation, he spoke up directly, "Saint Lian Shan's insight is profound. Sitting on the mountain to become greater... upon reflection, that is indeed the logic. I wonder, though, if there has ever been a 'Sitting Mountain' Saint in the Mountain and Sea. One whose power could draw not only from the Mountain and Sea itself, but perhaps also from all living beings within it, and maybe even from us Saints."
"If such a being did exist, as we all continue to ascend, would we not be pushing them to an even higher plane?"
As Li Fan posed this question, a strange look crossed the faces of all the Saints present.
The pursuit of the Great Dao is an endless journey.
Although they had all achieved Sainthood and were one with the Mountain and Sea, it was impossible to say they were content.
After all, they could clearly perceive the existence of the [True God] and the [Star] above the Mountain and Sea.
Even though the God existed at the beginning of the Mountain and Sea and the Star was born at its end.
The Saints had only heard their names, never witnessed their forms.
But that did not stop them from yearning for what lay beyond.
The realm above that of a Saint currently had no name, no definition. It could only be compared laterally against powers of a possibly equivalent scale.
The Saints knew very little about it.
No one could answer Li Fan's question, and a long silence fell over the gathering.
Finally, the phantom of Lian Shan flickered with a rare, faint ripple.
"Back then, when I ascended to the summit of the Upper Mountain, I gazed out upon the countless possibilities within the Mountain and Sea."
"The teeming masses of living beings, all striving upward. They cast aside life and death, climbing relentlessly."
"I deeply felt that vibrant life force, boundless and unending, a power that could shake the mountains and move the seas."
"But I also saw the hardships of all beings."
"After all, those like me, capable of reaching the pinnacle of the Mountain and Sea, were but a handful."
"The vast majority, in their entire lifetimes, could not even take the first step."
"At that time, I was faced with two choices."
"One was to use my position as the first to ascend and perform the act of 'Sitting on the Mountain'—to harness the burgeoning power of the Mountain and Sea's infinite living beings to propel myself forward. Perhaps I could have even reached out and touched the Star."
"The second was to become a bridge myself, forging a path to the summit for all living beings. The road would be arduous, but as long as one possessed both strength and wisdom, they could ascend step by step and eventually behold the view from the mountaintop..."
Lian Shan's phantom wavered, seemingly lost in ancient memories.
The nine Saints of the Other Shore seemed long familiar with this history and showed no surprise.
But the six new Saints, hearing this for the first time, were all profoundly shaken.
Though Saint Lian Shan's words were spoken lightly, it was obvious that either choice he made back then would have had an immense and critical impact on all subsequent ages.
Sitting on the Mountain or Connecting the Mountains. He chose the latter.
And thus, the prosperous age of cultivation for later generations was born.
But what if, all those years ago, he had chosen to Sit on the Mountain?
A sliver of fear flashed through the minds of the Saints.
"Perhaps a great power rivaling the Star might have truly been born, but as for us... we would likely have never had a chance to rise."
"Saint Lian Shan, though he addresses us as peers, is without a doubt our trailblazer."
At this thought, a sense of reverence arose in the hearts of the Saints, and they all bowed in unison toward Lian Shan's phantom.
After the gesture of respect, Li Fan looked up and suddenly asked, "Saint Lian Shan, have you ever regretted your decision?"
"Connecting the Mountains may have created a golden age of cultivation, but it also meant losing the opportunity to contend with the Star. Now, the Mountain and Sea has fallen, and the end will ultimately belong to the Star..."
"Had you chosen to 'Sit on the Mountain' back then, the outcome might have been different."
Lian Shan gave a silent laugh. "When a decision is made, it is after a thousand thoughts and a hundred worries. How can there be talk of regret? Even if I returned to that moment, my choice would not change."
"I would simply do it all again."
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