Chapter 1728: The Transformation of the Tai Wei Saint Emperor
"The Snare's very nature is to devour mountains and seas. Any creature of the Mountain and Sea, once caught in its scheme, finds it impossible to escape its web."
"Once ensnared, one must pass through four stages: sensing, enemy creation, pursuit, and finally, devouring."
"It absorbs the Great Daos of the land caught within the net, transforming them into relentless monsters that hunt you down. They are endless; as you weaken, they grow stronger..."
"Unless you possess the strength to rip the Snare's web apart with brute force, defeat is inevitable."
...
As the three Saints continued their deduction, a web of the Snare suddenly materialized within the Armillary Ring.
The Saints reached out with their divine sense, and in an instant, they all grasped the fundamental principles of its operation.
"So, the vision I had of the Primitive Immortal Realm was a genuine glimpse into the Mountain and Sea's past. And the monsters that relentlessly pursued me... they were born from the powerful beings the Snare devoured long ago?" Square Inch remarked, nodding slowly.
"What's troublesome is that these monsters don't just possess the abilities they had in life; they also share powers amongst themselves. Worse, over time, they even begin to manifest the abilities of their prey. Just as they did with you, fellow Daoist Square Inch..."
To break the Snare's web, one option was to infiltrate the past Mountain and Sea by following its ley lines, conserving enough energy to begin with nearly one's full power. Then, before the web's devouring influence could spread, one could shatter it with overwhelming force.
Another was to be a prodigy of heaven-sent talent, one who could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and grow stronger with every battle, transforming the Snare's relentless assault into a crucible for self-refinement. According to the three Saints, such paragons had indeed existed at the dawn of the Mountain and Sea, forging their path to the very summit through brutal, unending conflict. Unfortunately, none of the current Saints seemed to possess this trait.
There was also a third method: an external, transcendent power. By infiltrating with a force that did not belong to the Mountain and Sea, one could operate beyond the Snare's perception. The web could not see or hear what it could not comprehend, and thus, it would be unable to evolve monsters to hunt the intruder.
"Transcending the Mountain and Sea..." The Saints all shook their heads at the thought, dismissing it as a mere theoretical possibility, an ethereal outcome of their deductions rather than a practical solution.
Li Fan adopted the same posture, his expression remaining perfectly impassive.
He couldn't be sure if the three Saints had raised the point deliberately to test him, but Li Fan simply feigned ignorance.
He watched quietly as the other Saints mulled over the problem, each considering their own unique methods.
For a moment, no viable solution presented itself. Saint Tai Yi's expression flickered, as if he was contemplating taking matters into his own hands.
Just then, a brilliant radiance streaked across the Mountain and Sea, descending upon the Other Shore.
It was none other than the Tai Wei Saint Emperor.
In this era, thanks to Li Fan's presence, the efforts to reconnect the Mountain and Sea had proceeded with unusual smoothness. Coupled with the aid of True Spirit Infusion, the Saints' reliance on the Great Luck Saint Medicine had steadily diminished.
The Tai Wei Saint Emperor was, without a doubt, one of the greatest beneficiaries among the Saints.
"This killing game of the Snare's," he declared, "Perhaps We should make an attempt."
Li Fan paused, taken aback for a moment.
He was not alone; the other Saints on the Other Shore had a similar reaction.
They sensed something strange, a subtle discordance in his simple statement, but for a moment, they couldn't quite place what it was.
All eyes were fixed upon the Tai Wei Saint Emperor. After a long moment, a clear light pulsed from the Armillary Ring.
The gathered Saints jolted, the realization finally dawning on them.
"Fellow Daoist Tai Wei... have you achieved a major breakthrough?"
The Tai Wei Saint Emperor simply nodded in reply.
Previously, when addressing the Saints of the Other Shore, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor had always referred to himself with the common "I."
He never put on the airs of a "Saint Emperor."
But today, he had used the imperial "We." Critically, none of the Saints had initially found it improper; they had only felt an instinctual sense of strangeness.
It was as if they had subconsciously acknowledged that he was now truly worthy of the titles "Saint Emperor" and the imperial "We."
Without explaining the catalyst for his breakthrough, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor merely gazed toward the Mountain and Sea ahead and announced solemnly, "All of you, witness Our methods."
With that, his form dissolved into countless motes of light, vanishing into the ley lines of the Mountain and Sea and streaming back against the current of time.
"Huh? Tai Wei didn't use his connection to a reincarnated fortunate soul? He's infiltrating directly by dividing the power of his true self?" the All Knowing Immortal exclaimed in astonishment.
"When did he gain such a profound insight into the Dao of the Mountain and Sea's creatures?"
The discovery of the network connecting all living beings in the Mountain and Sea had occurred under the watchful eyes of every Saint present.
Logically, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor should not have been able to achieve such a transformation.
After a moment of silence, it was the Connecting Mountains Saint who broke it, revealing the heart of the matter.
"I see now. The subjects of his Sacred Dynasty make up a significant portion of the Mountain and Sea's total population. Naturally, among them are descendants of Qiu Tianhui."
"Every thought, every dream, even the very bodies and souls of the Dynasty's people are within the Tai Wei Saint Emperor's grasp."
"Before, he was unaware that this network connecting all living beings existed. Thus, he looked but did not see."
"But now that we have pointed out this connection..."
"Among his subjects, there are no fewer than ten thousand descendants of Qiu Tianhui. Each one acts as an avatar for him, allowing him to comprehend this Dao at a rate hundreds of times faster than any of us."
"With such an advantage, his transformation is no longer surprising."
The All Knowing Immortal sighed, muttering under his breath, "We grew so accustomed to thinking of him as an alchemist that we forgot his true identity: the Saint Emperor."
The Returning to Sea Saint noticed the strange expressions on the other Saints' faces and understood their thoughts. He chuckled softly. "The Tai Wei Saint Emperor built a magnificent dynasty from nothing. His talent and ambition are beyond compare. He was simply burdened by our need for the Great Luck Saint Medicine. But with fellow Daoist Zhouhui's help, he no longer needs to expend so much effort on alchemy and can finally focus his energy on cultivation."
"Perhaps this is the Dao Fruit he was always meant to bear."
The Connecting Mountains Saint spoke calmly, "Tai Wei never makes empty boasts. If he has spoken, he must be completely confident. Let us see how he resolves this."
As the Connecting Mountains Saint finished, a beam of light projected from the Sacred Dynasty, reaching all the way to the Other Shore.
It was the Tai Wei Saint Emperor himself, sharing the scenes he was perceiving.
After a period of traveling against the flow, Tai Wei had successfully entered the preceding Mountain and Sea and been ensnared by the web.
Perhaps because his understanding of the Dao of living beings stemmed from over ten thousand fortunate souls, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor's energy consumption while traveling the ley lines was almost negligible.
It was a stark contrast to the arduous journeys of Stealing Opportunity, the All Knowing Immortal, and Square Inch.
Seeing such a promising start, the hearts of the Saints jolted with anticipation.
They watched closely.
The first thing the Tai Wei Saint Emperor did upon entering the anterior Mountain and Sea with nearly his full power was something that took everyone by surprise.
Facing the first wave of vicious monsters that swarmed him upon his arrival, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor voluntarily dispersed all of his cultivation!
The sudden drop in the target's strength caused the ferocious monsters to halt in their tracks.
The power disparity between them was now so vast that simply killing him would not align with the rules of the Snare's devouring web. After a brief pause, the first wave of materialized monsters dissipated like a wisp of green smoke.
A brief silence fell as the web seemingly began to reassess the Tai Wei Saint Emperor's strength.
"A brilliant move by fellow Daoist Tai Wei! To solve this puzzle, one cannot let the opponent lead them by the nose. This first, preemptive strike has already disrupted the Snare's rules of devouring."
"I just wonder, with his cultivation gone, how will he survive in such a dangerous world?"
"Fellow Daoist Tai Wei must have a plan. We need only watch patiently."
...
The Tai Wei Saint Emperor's act of dispersing his cultivation was, of course, premeditated.
It was a retreat, but also an advance.
He did not simply discard his power; he actively deployed it.
Taking advantage of the gap while the Snare's web re-strategized, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor used his dispersed cultivation to enlighten a number of surrounding beings.
There were pure martial artists whose eyes glinted with ferocity, and strategists whose gazes shone with keen intelligence.
There were also vast numbers of soldiers, ignorant and fearless in the face of death.
In a mere instant, a small-scale "Sacred Dynasty" had taken shape.
With the control he had honed over countless eons ruling the vast Mountain Sea Sacred Dynasty, manipulating this new group was as easy as breathing.
They formed a protective circle around the defenseless Saint Emperor, who now lacked even the strength to truss a chicken, and began to engage the first wave of attacking monsters.
These creatures were "monsters" only in the eyes of ordinary mortals.
Before the army enlightened by the Tai Wei Saint Emperor, they were no match at all.
Like slaughtering chickens and dogs, the army crushed their enemies in an instant.
Of the first wave of the Snare's monsters, one-third were slain, one-third were absorbed by the Dynasty's soldiers and converted into their own strength.
The final third was enlightened and conscripted, joining the ranks of the Dynasty's army.
Seemingly expecting this outcome, the Saint Emperor sat calmly at the center of his army, his expression serene and composed.
He awaited the arrival of the next wave of enemies.
The spectating Saints on the Other Shore, however, were mostly dumbfounded.
"You... can do that?"
"The rules of the Snare's devouring web dictate that the monsters it evolves are based on the target's cultivation. They are always just a little stronger, to completely drain one's potential through struggle. But now, fellow Daoist Tai Wei is at a mortal's level, yet he is surrounded by a guard of incredibly powerful soldiers... Doesn't that put him in an invincible position?"
"It can't be that simple. The Snare's web will surely adapt quickly. Even if Tai Wei's own strength is low, the army he commands will be counted as part of his power."
"Still, he's seized the initiative twice now. Fellow Daoist Tai Wei might actually succeed in breaking the game!"
The Saints grew more excited, their gazes fixed on the scene.
Just as the Saints predicted, after a temporary halt in its assault, the Snare's web soon changed again.
The second wave of generated monsters was clearly a significant step up from the first.
They were almost on par with the Sacred Dynasty's soldiers. A bloody battle ensued, ending in a pyrrhic victory for the Dynasty.
The army the Tai Wei Saint Emperor had so painstakingly assembled was reduced to less than a fifth of its original size.
The speed of the Snare's adaptation was somewhat beyond expectations. Its core principle remained the same: to keep its prey in a constant, desperate struggle on the verge of death.
Though it seemed like a setback, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor looked to the sky, a strange smile gracing his lips.
The web did not grant much of a reprieve.
The Dynasty's soldiers had barely a moment to regroup before the third wave of enemies descended.
But the situation on the field took a bizarre turn.
The third wave of enemies was clearly stronger than the second.
And yet, the Dynasty's soldiers did not seem to struggle as much to deal with them.
If the previous battle had been a desperate fight between equals, this one was a battle with a slight advantage!
"How can this be?" the Saints murmured in astonishment.
But upon closer observation, they instantly discovered the secret.
At the very start of this battle, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor had personally gone to the front lines.
Wherever his imperial banner went, the battlefield erupted in a frenzy.
The soldiers were already fearless, but now they fought with bloodshot eyes.
Their morale soared. With the Saint Emperor at their head, they formed a long dragon that easily pierced through the enemy's formation.
The stalemate was shattered by the appearance of the Saint Emperor, who should have been sitting safely in the rear. The battle turned on its head.
It became an overwhelming rout!
This great victory compensated for their previous losses.
The army quickly regrouped, replenishing its numbers.
After a routine round of commendations, the Tai Wei Saint Emperor once again returned to the rear.
He still took none of the gains from this battle for himself, distributing everything among his soldiers.
With the body of a mortal, he commanded an endless horde of ferocious beasts.
The Tai Wei Saint Emperor was still in his element.
He gazed into the distance, calmly awaiting the next wave of enemies.
...
"Another victory!"
"Fellow Daoist Tai Wei is incredible!"
"It seems we have truly underestimated fellow Daoist Tai Wei in the past. Using the battlefield as a chessboard to play against the Snare has truly revealed his strength," the All Knowing Immortal exclaimed in awe.
Li Fan had also been an emperor.
He naturally saw the brilliance of Tai Wei's strategy.
"The monsters evolved by the Snare's web must follow rules."
"But the strength of the Sacred Dynasty's army under Tai Wei's command is difficult to calculate. The greatest variable is the Tai Wei Saint Emperor himself."
"The Saint Emperor's personal presence on the front lines more than doubles the morale and combat strength of his soldiers!"
"An estimation like the one the Snare made before would greatly underestimate their fighting capacity. And yet, whether the Saint Emperor appears on the front lines depends entirely on his whim. I imagine even the three Saints cannot predict it..."
"Neither can the Snare."
"And what if it sets the strength of the attacking monsters based on the soldiers' peak morale..."
"That would probably be playing right into the Tai Wei Saint Emperor's hands!"
A thought flashed through Li Fan's mind.
And what happened next on the battlefield was exactly as he had thought.
The next wave of enemies was calculated based on the army's peak morale, inspired by the Saint Emperor's presence.
With the Tai Wei Saint Emperor nowhere in sight, the Sacred Dynasty's soldiers fought an extremely difficult battle.
The strength they had just recovered was almost completely lost.
Of their elite soldiers, not one in a hundred remained.
Though they won in the end, it was a bitter, devastating victory.
"Why didn't fellow Daoist Tai Wei appear on the front lines? If he had used the same tactic, this battle would not have been so difficult."
"The casualties are too heavy. The advantage he had accumulated was lost in a single stroke!"
As the Saints were discussing, Stealing Opportunity suddenly spoke up.
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! If the Snare's web doesn't change its tactics, I believe this game is already won!"
The Saints were stunned and asked for his reasoning.
Stealing Opportunity explained excitedly, "Unlike a duel between cultivators, those who can survive such a brutal war are the elite of the elite, one in ten thousand!"
"Against an enemy of equal strength, in a life-or-death situation, they can unleash several, even dozens of times their normal power. This battle may seem like a huge loss for fellow Daoist Tai Wei, but in reality, it was like sifting sand for gold, forging true steel!"
"And this is after only a few battles. If he can maintain this situation for a hundred battles..."
"Each soldier will be worth ten, or even a hundred!"
"And if you add the variable of the Tai Wei Saint Emperor himself leading the charge..."
"If the Snare doesn't change its rules, it is doomed to be broken!"
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