Chapter 1705: The Potential of the Mountain and Sea
It was like replaying the forging of the Armillary Ring.
Or perhaps, it was like imitating the Three Saints to reforge it anew.
As the phantoms of the Mountain and Sea flickered, the years flowed and shifted. And the shattered Armillary Ring was restored, piece by piece!
After a long while, the Lian Shan Staff, the Gui Hai Shovel, and the All Living Beings Stick retracted their light, their spiritual essence seemingly spent as they nearly fell from their hovering positions.
Li Fan swiftly retrieved the three treasures and then turned his gaze to the Armillary Ring, which appeared to have been fully repaired.
Shou Qiu, however, had already seen its true nature. "It's not truly restored, but the method for reforging it has been inscribed upon it. It's like a mold; we need only pour materials and power into it."
"Although it cannot compare to the true Armillary Ring, it possesses about a third of its original power. That's more than enough to fool Sundial Fate and the others for a short time," Shou Qiu said with pleasant surprise.
"Perhaps when the Three Saints entrusted these treasures to me, they already considered the possibility that the Armillary Ring would be shattered and I would need to rebuild it," Li Fan mused aloud.
Shou Qiu nodded in agreement.
Or rather, it was more appropriate to call it a mold of the Armillary Ring.
It shimmered between reality and illusion, encompassing the ultimate principles of the Mountain and Sea. Its beginning and end connected, forming a self-contained cycle.
While reflecting and containing the Mountain and Sea, it also used the power of the "Armillary" to bind everything within its small, circular form.
This resulted in a shared heart and purpose, ensuring all followed the established order.
"This method is ingenious yet straightforward, exuding an air of righteous authority. It's infinitely more brilliant than forcibly twisting one's thoughts!" Li Fan praised inwardly after studying it.
When the Saints took their seats within the Armillary Ring, their personalities and dispositions did not actually change.
The Saints remained Saints.
It was simply that under the ring's influence, their every thought and consideration would first prioritize the greater good of the Mountain and Sea. At the same time, they would view the other Saints seated with them as fellow travelers on the same path.
With the added presence of the Three Saints to keep order, they appeared peaceful and benevolent.
But once the Armillary Ring was shattered, this collective was instantly broken.
When dealing with outsiders, the Saints naturally reverted to their own methods, showing no mercy.
As Li Fan savored the subtleties of the Armillary Ring, Shou Qiu's expression gradually grew solemn.
"The Armillary Ring was forged by the Three Saints in unison. Though it appears to be a seamless whole, it is actually a symbiosis of three distinct powers. Therefore, if we wish to use this mold to restore it, it would be best to have three people as well. Otherwise, its effectiveness will be greatly diminished."
After speaking, Li Fan and Shou Qiu looked at each other.
"If the Tai Wei Saint Emperor hadn't fallen, perhaps we could have sought his aid. But now..."
"In this withering Mountain and Sea, where can we possibly find a third Saint?" Shou Qiu was troubled.
Li Fan also frowned slightly. "Although I possess the supreme art of True Spirit Infusion, I still need a suitable seed. I wonder if such a person still exists in this fragment of the Mountain and Sea."
After some discussion, they decided to start by partially restoring the Armillary Ring's mold while simultaneously searching the Mountain and Sea for someone with the potential to attain Sainthood.
At the same time, to intimidate Sundial Fate and the other three Saints, Li Fan would periodically manipulate the accumulated True Spirit in the void, creating immense disturbances.
The four Saints grew suspicious and paranoid, believing Li Fan was plotting something in the void.
For the moment, their attention was successfully diverted.
"It is said that only when the seas rage can a hero's true character be seen. In a time of crisis and impending doom, there will naturally be those who can turn the tide. You were such a person in your day, Shou Qiu, and in the Mountain and Sea of today, there is another."
After a long search, the two finally found a suitable candidate in a surviving possibility.
Pointing at the figure, Li Fan couldn't help but remark with emotion.
Shou Qiu also showed a look of considerable appreciation. "A hundred years ago, when the Mountain and Sea shattered, this child was merely in the realm of a Nameless True Immortal. As the final days descended and the Mountain and Sea neared collapse, the restraints between possibilities weakened. He finally broke through his long-standing shackles and attained the Transcendent realm."
"Unfortunately, after stepping beyond his possibility, the sight that greeted him was a fragmented and precarious Mountain and Sea. He even encountered the tide of Dao Annihilation several times and was nearly destroyed. If you hadn't stopped me, I almost couldn't resist intervening to save him."
Li Fan replied calmly, "I observed that this child's fortune had not yet run out. In fact, within these life-and-death situations, great opportunities lay hidden. If we had saved him, he would have missed out on them."
Shou Qiu nodded. "The Dao of Stealing Opportunity is truly profound. He did indeed escape death time and again, and he even... found a saintly medicine that was scattered when the Tai Wei Saint Emperor fell amidst the chaotic currents of the Mountain and Sea."
"With the help of this Great Luck Saint Medicine, he has completely stabilized his Transcendent realm. If the Mountain and Sea were still stable, he might have had a chance to aspire to Sainthood on his own. But now..."
Li Fan chuckled softly. "Aren't we here for him?"
"After observing him in secret for so long, he truly meets our requirements in every aspect."
"Indeed. After his strength increased, moved by the chaotic state of the world in its final days, he returned to his homeland alone. He led the other immortals in resisting the Dao Annihilation and even imparted all he had learned without reservation. In just this single possibility, thirteen Transcendent realm experts were born in a short time. Although this nearly exhausted the possibility's potential, they formed a solid defensive force. Now that the winds of Dao Annihilation are rising, they can still be considered safe. Even if the Mountain and Sea collapses, their home will be one of the last to survive," Shou Qiu praised generously.
"Speaking of a possibility's potential, I've noticed during my recent observations that this place seems to have regained some potential after being depleted. I wonder if it's just my imagination."
"It is no illusion. It is reality."
Shou Qiu began to explain to Li Fan.
"The potential of a possibility originates from the Mountain and Sea. Under normal circumstances, it is fixed from the moment of its birth. The number of Nameless Immortals, the number of Transcendents it can nurture, and even whether a Saint will be born—all of it is predetermined. Only under extremely special circumstances can this fate be defied and changed..." For a moment, Shou Qiu seemed to recall something, and his words paused slightly.
He then pointed to the possibility they were observing and continued, "Now that the Mountain and Sea is shattered and its order has collapsed, this is a chance to change fate. To put it simply, the potential of a possibility is like the nutrients in soil. Although the amount is not absolutely fixed, the rate of replenishment is extremely slow. From the perspective of living beings like us, it will naturally seem 'finite.' Moreover, the Mountain and Sea itself is already struggling to survive, so it certainly won't divert its power to nourish the beings within it."
"The current increase in this possibility's potential is due to the shattering of the Mountain and Sea and the potential's own leakage."
Li Fan understood at once. "This extra potential is coming from other possibilities that have already been destroyed."
Originally, Li Fan had been unable to perceive how much potential was hidden within a possibility.
However, in the process of searching for a suitable candidate for Sainthood, he had seen how Shou Qiu could often determine with a single glance whether their target existed within a possibility, and his accuracy was remarkably high.
Thus, he had asked about it.
Since they were allies in saving the world, Shou Qiu naturally did not hesitate to share this minor technique for discerning a possibility's potential.
He taught it to Li Fan in detail.
The technique was called `Viewing the Mountain and Sea`, and it allowed one to perceive the ley lines connecting a possibility to the Mountain and Sea.
By combining this with various other signs, one could determine the magnitude of its potential.
During these years of searching for a suitable ally, Li Fan had already achieved initial mastery of this technique.
"Logically speaking, if the method is correct, it should be possible to drain the potential of several possibilities and supply it to one," Li Fan suddenly remarked, a flash of insight striking him as he observed and contemplated.
Shou Qiu was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "It can indeed be done. However..."
"There isn't much point."
"To us, though we come from different possibilities, we were all born within the Mountain and Sea. There is no difference."
"Furthermore, the potential of a possibility involves the fundamental power of the Mountain and Sea. Forcibly manipulating it might provoke a backlash. While we Saints do not fear it, we must worry about inflicting another grievous wound upon the already fragile Mountain and Sea."
The topic ended there, and their attention returned to the Transcendent cultivator they had chosen.
This person cultivated the Dao of Unceasing, following a method of unifying all his selves.
The end of the Mountain and Sea was a time of both immense crisis and a proliferation of opportunities.
With numerous possibilities annihilated, there were only a few selves of "Unceasing" left to unify across the entire Mountain and Sea.
In a mere hundred years, Unceasing had walked a path that an ordinary Transcendent might not complete in a lifetime.
"Like the Moral True Immortal, a special situation has created something unique within the Mountain and Sea."
"Although the lack of nourishment from his selves in other possibilities will inevitably cause his True Spirit to be weak,"
"With my help, all will be well!"
"The time has come. Shou Qiu, you may act. The situation in the Mountain and Sea grows more perilous by the day; we can wait no longer."
Li Fan's voice was resonant.
Shou Qiu nodded slightly, and with tacit understanding, the two split up to act.
Li Fan's figure flickered, appearing beside Unceasing within the possibility.
Looking down from above, he revealed an inscrutable smile. "Little friend, today I bestow upon you a grand fortune!"
With that, he reached down with one hand and gently pressed it down.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, Unceasing's face filled with alarm. He instinctively wanted to resist, but under Li Fan's power, he couldn't move a muscle.
He could only obediently allow Li Fan to infuse him with power.
Gradually, the fear on Unceasing's face vanished, replaced by immense joy.
He closed his eyes to comprehend the Dao, awaiting the final step he was about to take.
Meanwhile, outside the Mountain and Sea, Shou Qiu had already flown out to draw the attention of Sundial Fate and the other three Saints.
Wielding the Lian Shan Staff, the Gui Hai Shovel, and the All Living Beings Stick, he engaged the four Saints in a fierce battle.
After many years of rest and recuperation, the three treasures had recovered some of their combat strength.
But ultimately, they had not returned to their peak state.
It was inevitable that Shou Qiu would gradually be pushed back.
But he only needed to hold off the four Saints for a short time, until the new Saint, Unceasing, was born.
Li Fan was already creating Saints with practiced ease.
And Unceasing was an absolute prodigy who had emerged from the end of the Mountain and Sea.
As expected, before long, a peculiar ripple descended upon the Mountain and Sea.
A new Saint was born.
"This is bad!"
As if realizing something, Sundial Fate and the other three Saints were about to abandon Shou Qiu and rush over to execute this newly born Saint.
In an instant, Li Fan and Unceasing had already exchanged information.
Unceasing was filled with gratitude for the senior who had enlightened him to Sainthood.
In contrast, Sundial Fate and the other three were vicious fiends who wanted to kill him without a second thought. It was obvious which side he should stand on.
"Shou Qiu, you may return!"
Li Fan's voice boomed, spreading throughout the shattered Mountain and Sea and reaching deep into the void.
The three treasures, including the Lian Shan Staff, instantly shone with brilliant light, protecting Shou Qiu as he retreated.
"We summon the Armillary Ring!"
Li Fan and Shou Qiu declared in solemn, deep voices.
And so, under the watchful eyes of the four Saints, a white ring with which they were all too familiar suddenly appeared in their midst.
The four Saints, who had been hurtling towards the Mountain and Sea, came to an abrupt halt.
They stared at the Armillary Ring, shattered yet now restored, and were utterly horrified.
Having been suppressed within the ring for countless eons, how could they not know its power?
Thus, they feared it instinctively.
Li Fan, Shou Qiu, and the newly ascended Saint Unceasing took their seats within the Armillary Ring one after another.
In that instant, their hearts and minds became one, their thoughts seemingly unified.
"So, there is such a mystery to being the first three to be seated."
Under the white glow of the Armillary Ring, Li Fan revealed an inscrutable expression.
Beside him, Shou Qiu and Unceasing's attention should have been on repairing the Armillary Ring and fending off the impending attack from the four Saints.
But at this moment, they ignored all of that.
They only looked at Li Fan.
"Refine Sundial Fate and the other three Saints. When their Daos return to the truth, it will add to its power. Perhaps it will provide some unknown benefit to Return to True," the one who spoke was not Li Fan.
It was Shou Qiu!
Unceasing also nodded in agreement. "It seems returning to the previous Mountain and Sea is not advisable. By absorbing the other Saints, the change in your aura is so distinct that even Shou Qiu can faintly sense it, let alone the Three Saints. The state of the more ancient Mountain and Sea is unknown; it would be best not to go there alone. Instead, you should return via Return to True and continue to lie low among the Saints. Use their collective strength to probe the situation."
"The Lian Shan Staff, Gui Hai Shovel, and All Living Beings Stick are also treasures in a class of their own within the Mountain and Sea. After we refine Sundial Fate and the other four, we will help you comprehend them together. If they can be subdued and stored within Return to True, they could serve as a secret weapon in the next life."
"And then there is this Armillary Ring. After all this is done, do not use Return to True immediately. Let us work together to fully comprehend it. If in the next life you can replicate it on your own, without the aid of the three treasures..."
"Then many troubles can be avoided."
After a moment of contemplation, Shou Qiu's next words were even more astonishing.
Though the secret of carrying `Return to True` had been inadvertently exposed, Li Fan felt none of the panic he should have felt at this moment.
Instead, he was overcome with pleasant surprise.
"Armillary, Armillary... it truly lives up to its name."
"I finally understand why the three Lian Shan Saints were always of one mind, as if they were a single person."
"Marvelous, simply marvelous!"
"Indeed, it is marvelous," Shou Qiu and Unceasing agreed, both nodding.
The moment the three of them took their seats in the Armillary Ring, countless things Li Fan had never anticipated occurred.
Li Fan had still gravely underestimated the power of the Armillary Ring's `shared heart and purpose`.
This was especially true this time, as the three of them had forged it together and were the first to be seated within it.
Shared heart and purpose meant that all three of their memories and emotions merged completely.
It was as if they had become a single, collective entity.
All their subsequent decisions and thoughts would be made from the perspective of this entity's best interests.
If Li Fan did not have `Return to True` and was simply a villain hiding his true nature, his ideas would have inevitably clashed fiercely with the virtuous Shou Qiu's principles.
They would have had to undergo an internal struggle before even considering a shared purpose.
But...
Li Fan possessed the mighty power of `Return to True`!
Shou Qiu's ambition was to save the Mountain and Sea.
From a grander perspective, the stronger Li Fan became, the more beneficial it was for saving the Mountain and Sea.
As for everything in this current life...
The Saints, and even the Mountain and Sea itself.
They were all but usable materials!
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