Chapter 1769: Abandoning Truth Realization
"Truth Realization..."
The more Zhang Fan comprehended it, the more his heart soured.
He was both awestruck by the boundless mystery of the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood, and stung by the bitter reality that it did not truly belong to him.
It was like standing before a peerless beauty, able to do nothing more than feast his eyes.
Just as he was lost in a sense of disappointment, a new thought stirred within him. "But who truly owns the Dao of Truth and Falsehood is still unknown. Even if the one behind the curtain sees us as mere pawns, they have, after all, given us the chance to access Truth Realization."
"No fortress is truly impregnable..."
Zhang Fan's spirits quickly revived, and he threw himself wholeheartedly into comprehending the transformation between truth and falsehood.
Having taken half a step beyond his previous shackles, he had come to realize that besides direct plunder through mutual slaughter, his own enlightenment could also deepen his understanding of this transformation.
In fact, what he comprehended himself might prove more "reliable" than what was seized from the other Children of Destiny.
He let the world outside churn in a storm of blood and intrigue, remaining steadfast as a mountain in his pursuit of the Dao.
As time slipped by like flowing water, the chess pieces Li Fan had scattered across the Mountain and Sea began to perish in vast, silent numbers.
From the magnificent scene of them spread across the world at the beginning, only a handful now remained, clinging desperately to life. The speed of this change was truly unexpected.
The root cause was simple: the fragmented "Truth Realization" possessed by any single individual could not be called the true [Truth].
Without the game-changing power to reset the entire Mountain and Sea in an instant, they were vulnerable. The world was filled with countless powerhouses who had more than enough methods to counter it.
What appeared to be a mere quantitative difference was, in fact, a fundamental one.
The moment Zhang Fan awoke from his deep meditation, he recognized this truth.
He felt a flush of shame for his past arrogance and ignorance. "Truly, fools rush in where angels fear to tread. I thought that with the advantage of Truth Realization, I could roam the Mountain and Sea freely. In reality, any cultivator at the Saint realm could likely shatter its protection and suppress me directly."
"And how many Saints are there in the Mountain and Sea! If they were to join forces..."
As the thought crossed his mind, Zhang Fan silently recited the seven words: "When truth is made false, the false is also true."
It was as if he were seeing the world through the perspective of [Truth] itself, gaining a rough overview of the Dao of Truth and Falsehood scattered across the Mountain and Sea.
"In the time I spent in seclusion, their numbers have dwindled so drastically."
"No... wait... a large number of them are gathered in one place!" Zhang Fan's expression shifted. He didn't dare to look directly, only sensing their presence from afar.
His heart was seized with both shock and a flicker of compassion.
He remembered the bustling days when countless Children of Destiny existed together. He had even dreamed of gathering them to unmask the mastermind behind their fate.
But looking at the situation now...
"To possess the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood is indeed a supreme form of protection. But such a treasure invites disaster. With Saints watching like tigers, the average Child of Destiny has no real means of escape."
As this thought solidified, the idea that had taken root during his seclusion grew even stronger.
And that was...
He would abandon the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood and seek another path, one that was truly his own!
The decision seemed utterly incredible, even to Zhang Fan himself.
A grand path to the heavens lay right before him. To abandon it and instead pursue lesser paths seemed to be the height of folly, trading the essential for the trivial.
Utterly unwise.
But Zhang Fan knew he had a compelling reason to do so.
"Because [Truth Realization]," he sighed again, "was never mine to begin with!"
Throughout his long seclusion, he had repeatedly tried to grasp it more firmly, yet the distance between him and the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood had not lessened.
Nor had it grown more distant.
It remained perpetually just out of reach, as if its position had been fixed from the very beginning.
After countless failures, Zhang Fan had finally decided to let go.
"To know oneself is to be enlightened; to know oneself is to be wise."
"Giving up one great mountain doesn't mean I've lost all the mountains in the world. Perhaps I can find the one that truly belongs to me..." Zhang Fan reasoned, trying to convince himself.
Although he had officially decided to stop pursuing the Dao of Truth and Falsehood, it didn't prevent him from continuing to view [Truth] as a convenient tool.
"Perhaps a fragmented version of Truth Realization cannot turn the tide completely, but unleashing it at a critical moment could at least cause some interference."
"Besides, all the Saints believe that Truth Realization is the ultimate trump card of the Children of Destiny. Perhaps that is my opportunity..."
A glint appeared in Zhang Fan's eyes. As he breathed, a wooden fishing rod materialized in his hand.
At the same time, a silver vortex swirled into existence between his brows, and he could almost hear the slow, grinding sound of a whetstone sharpening a blade.
During his seclusion, although he had not actively sought to comprehend these other paths...
They had all drawn closer to him of their own accord, the connection between them growing stronger in the unseen world.
He felt as if he had returned to that sanctuary, living a carefree life with the Fishing Old Man, Xuanyuan Hong, and the others.
What he desperately sought, he could not obtain.
What he had planted without intention had grown into a forest of shade.
This was one of the most significant reasons for his change in perspective.
Zhang Fan was no fool; he had already faintly guessed the reason for this shift in the Daos.
"They must have perished... because of me."
He felt no great sorrow, only a touch of wistfulness.
Soon, however, Zhang Fan cast these emotions aside and began to perceive the Daos that now coiled around him.
"Except for the Great Dao of Longevity, which is not with me."
"All the others have gathered to me on their own accord..."
"Cutting Fate, Fishing, Array Breaking, Forgetfulness, Strange Luck, Paper Folding."
All these wondrous and profound Daos felt not obscure or arduous, but intimately familiar and close.
"Perhaps compared to the complete Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood, they are more than a step weaker."
"But compared to the fragmented [Truth Realization]..."
"They are actually stronger!"
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!"
Gritting his teeth, Zhang Fan finally made his decision.
In that instant, it was as if an obsession had been severed. He felt his entire being lighten.
The myriad complex emotions he had felt toward [Truth Realization] vanished completely.
All that remained was a calm acceptance. "If I have it, it is my fortune; if I lose it, it is my fate."
"If you are in my hand, I will treat you as a useful treasure. If you are gone..."
"Then I'll just consider the treasure broken."
Zhang Fan smiled faintly.
Although he had spent many years comprehending the transformation of truth and falsehood only to change his path, it did not mean his efforts had been in vain.
He could faintly perceive that the transformation of truth and falsehood shared many commonalities with the other Daos that now clung to him.
"Or perhaps, the relationship of truth and falsehood to all the Great Daos of the Mountain and Sea is the same. It is like the very bedrock of this world. Comprehending it makes understanding other Daos twice as effective. Conversely, if one has mastered all other Daos, their proficiency in the transformation of truth and falsehood will naturally increase."
Lost in thought, Zhang Fan once again entered seclusion on the spot.
The various Great Daos that clung to him had originally been distinct and independent.
But as time passed, Fishing, Cutting Fate, Strange Luck, Paper Folding, and the others slowly began to show signs of merging.
The transformation of truth and falsehood acted as their catalyst.
It allowed the paths that had once belonged to the God-Becoming Guests of the Mountain and Sea to converge completely upon Zhang Fan.
The fusion of Great Daos, especially those of the Mountain and Sea, was an exceedingly long process, measured on the scale of the world's own lifespan.
Zhang Fan seemed to fall into a deep and profound slumber.
And the Strange Luck of the Mountain and Sea seemed to be working in the shadows.
Just like that, Zhang Fan sat there quietly, cultivating the Dao.
In the long river of time, immense consciousnesses swept over his location again and again.
Yet, they never found any trace of him.
After another unknown span of time, every trace of Zhang Fan's aura retracted into himself. It was as if he had vanished entirely from the Mountain and Sea.
And the lifespan of the Mountain and Sea, too, was about to reach its end.
Strange Luck could no longer protect the possibility he was in. The tide of Dao Annihilation surged forward and swallowed it whole.
However, the Dao Annihilation that could devour the Mountain and Sea itself was utterly ineffective against Zhang Fan.
The roiling, pitch-black tide crashed and passed straight through his body.
It did not affect him in the slightest.
However, sensing the anomaly around him, Zhang Fan finally, slowly, stirred from his trance.
"Hm? How long was I asleep?"
He was a little surprised, but upon perceiving his own realm, all other emotions dissolved.
"I've become a Saint... just like that?"
Sensing his current state, Zhang Fan wore a strange expression.
The endless, continuous Mountain and Sea that he had once beheld no longer seemed so majestic and imposing in his eyes.
He could shoulder its weight; he stood as its equal.
"The Mountain and Sea... is not so grand after all."
The thought arose unbidden in his mind.
Breaking through from transcendence to the Saint realm should have been a world-shaking event.
And yet, for Zhang Fan, it had happened in complete silence.
It was as natural as water carving its own channel, without any disturbance.
There wasn't even a ripple in his aura.
He had become a Saint.
To be honest, Zhang Fan felt a pang of disappointment. He hadn't personally experienced the thrilling moment of ascension.
"But at least I've finally taken this step."
"Now, I have enough power. I no longer need to fear anyone in the Mountain and Sea."
Originally, Zhang Fan had thought he would first go to the place he had once sensed and confront the master of [Truth Realization]. But after becoming aware of the near-extinction of the Children of Destiny and the concentration of the Dao of Truth and Falsehood not far away...
He changed his mind.
"Someone has to get justice for you all."
"Let me, the one who survived, do it."
With a light step, Zhang Fan walked toward the depths of the Mountain and Sea.
There, a congregation of Saints had gathered.
But the entire attention of all the Saints of the Mountain and Sea was focused on a single point.
They paid no mind to Zhang Fan's quiet arrival.
His gaze followed theirs.
A towering tree stood in the void.
Countless figures hung upside down from its branches, like ripening fruit.
The auras of the Dao of Truth and Falsehood, some strong, some weak, emanating from their bodies, undoubtedly revealed their identities.
Children of Destiny!
Among the countless figures, Zhang Fan recognized many familiar faces.
Among them was Zhou Fan, the one who had used the [All Known] divine ability to put him in such a wretched state.
But that was countless ages ago; the resentment in Zhang Fan's heart had long since faded.
There was no hatred, only a profound sorrow for them, his fellow Children of Destiny.
Although they still possessed [Truth Realization], seemingly holding the power to start over at any moment...
All the Children of Destiny were trapped within a powerful, shared dream.
This was a web of restraint, woven by the combined efforts of all the Saints of the Mountain and Sea.
It had twisted and distorted the perceptions of the Children of Destiny.
The world they were experiencing was not the real world. The Truth Realization they thought they were activating was, in fact, not being activated at all.
"What are the Saints doing...?"
"Are they trying to comprehend the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood through the bodies of the Children of Destiny?"
That was Zhang Fan's initial thought.
But he soon realized something was wrong.
No one knew better than him how inscrutable the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood was.
Even if one could borrow the senses and experiences of the Children of Destiny, it would be utterly impossible to comprehend even a sliver of [Truth and Falsehood].
Zhang Fan was certain that any attempt to comprehend [Truth Realization] was doomed to be futile.
"Besides the Lord of Truth Realization, no one else in this world can truly comprehend and control truth and falsehood."
"So many years have passed. With the talent of the Saints, it's impossible they haven't realized this. So what are they...?"
What happened next provided Zhang Fan with the answer.
The Mountain and Sea was entering its final days. The tide of Dao Annihilation raged, boiling without end.
But the Saints were not panicked in the slightest.
From the tree, laden with the Children of Destiny, a strange, faint ripple began to emanate.
It was a sensation Zhang Fan knew all too well.
"Truth Realization?!" he thought, startled.
A faint shimmer of light washed over everything. The parts of the Mountain and Sea that had been devoured by the Dao Annihilation suddenly returned, reappearing in the world.
It was as if the Mountain and Sea had been reset.
But the great tree, with its countless hanging Children of Destiny, remained.
The Saints remained.
The Mountain and Sea, which should have been destroyed, was granted a brief new lease on life because of this reset.
"But what's the point of doing this?" Zhang Fan asked, perplexed.
"To still be alive is meaning enough," a voice replied, and the gazes of all the Saints fell upon Zhang Fan.
"Who are you?" Zhang Fan asked, his heart filled with vigilance as he looked at the young man who had appeared before him.
"Qiu Xinhui," the young man said simply, then asked, "Are you here to avenge them?"
Though his motive had been seen through, Zhang Fan didn't admit it. He just snorted coldly. "I am here to grant them liberation!"
Even though Zhang Fan felt that his current strength was enough to stand proudly among the Saints, he sensed a sliver of danger from this young man.
Therefore, he didn't act immediately, but decided to wait and observe.
For some reason, there was an inexplicable familiarity in Qiu Xinhui's words.
"Liberation..." Qiu Xinhui smiled again.
He repeated, "To be alive is meaning enough. The liberation you speak of..."
"Do they truly desire it?"
Sensing he might not win a war of words, Zhang Fan's eyes narrowed. "Whether they desire it or not is for me to decide!"
"What, are you all going to stop me?"
Facing the assembly of Saints, Zhang Fan's heart was devoid of fear.
He even felt a faint thrill of excitement.
His life had been, frankly, rather boring.
Right after setting out, he was suppressed by powerful figures like the Fishing Old Man, forced to remain meekly in the novice village.
When he finally managed to leave, there was a brief period of conflict.
But the vast majority of his days thereafter were spent in hiding and seclusion.
In terms of actual sensory experience, the life he had lived felt like it was less than a hundred years long.
One could say it was exceedingly dull.
Now that he had finally achieved success in his cultivation and had the chance to contend with the Saints of the Mountain and Sea, how could he possibly miss it?
This was also why he had to come here first.
His heart stirred with anticipation. In his vision, the gleam of a blade was already beginning to form above the heads of the Saints.
Just at that moment, a pale dot suddenly appeared in his field of view.
The light of his Cutting Fate blade dimmed completely.
Zhang Fan was abruptly startled, but he already felt a hand resting on his shoulder.
"Let's talk this out. No need to spoil the harmony."
"After all, our goal... is the same."
Although the speaker was vague, Zhang Fan knew exactly who he meant by "our goal."
The one behind the curtain, who had created the countless "Children of Destiny."
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