Chapter 1779: The Flame
Chapter 1779: The Flame
True Death Hidden and the False Universe Survivor remained exactly as they had been in the last life, their states unchanged from the time before the Mountain and Sea had been reset.
This was proof enough that this Eternal Silent Void Realm could indeed exist independently, untouched by the influence of Return to True.
"Do we... still exist?"
Beneath his joyous surprise, True Death Hidden's expression grew peculiar as he turned to Zhang Fan and inquired.
"Within the Mountain and Sea, there still exist a 'True Death Hidden' and a 'False Universe Survivor,' but they are no longer you."
On his way here, Zhang Fan had already sensed two distinct Eternal Silent Void Realms within the Mountain and Sea. One of them, however, did not possess the True False Transformation; it was merely a sanctuary created by the False Universe Survivor.
The other was this very place where he now stood. It was a new ark, born only after countless Saints had worked together to reconnect the Mountain and Sea time and again, after eons of endless time had passed, and after he himself had spent day and night sculpting it with his understanding of the True and the False.
Hearing this, True Death Hidden's expression grew complex. "We are now like those items once bound by Return to True. Independent of the Mountain and Sea, unable to perceive our counterparts. Otherwise, only one version of us could possibly remain."
"Now that we've confirmed it works, I will go inform the Fishing Old Man and the others," Zhang Fan declared, his voice brimming with emotion. "After countless cycles, we finally have a hope of escaping our fate."
"Does this world have a limit to what it can bear?" the False Universe Survivor asked, suddenly sounding anxious and insecure. "Besides, we God-Becoming Guests all originate from the Mountain and Sea. If too many of us flood in, this ark might be pulled into a vortex, and our doom would be sealed..."
Zhang Fan simply smiled. "There's one way to find out."
Before long, the Fishing Old Man, the Fate Slayer Lord, and the others all arrived.
Upon learning of the New Ark's birth, they were overcome with a torrent of conflicting emotions.
After countless failed attempts to save the Mountain and Sea, perhaps the wisest choice was to withdraw and ensure their own survival.
This eternal world was boundless, a creation of the False Universe Survivor designed to rival the Mountain and Sea itself and serve as a vessel to nurture the True and the False. Especially now that it had given birth to its own unique Dao of Truth and Falsehood, it could, in a sense, be considered another Mountain and Sea entirely.
The arrival of all the God-Becoming Guests placed no discernible burden upon it.
It was eternally calm, surrounded by the void.
Soon, the group began discussing their evacuation plan.
"Should we... bring anyone else with us?" Xuanyuan Hong asked, sounding hesitant.
All the God-Becoming Guests turned to look at Zhang Fan.
If the New Ark had a pilot, it could only be Zhang Fan.
The God-Becoming Guests themselves had no strong feelings either way; what mattered most was respecting Zhang Fan's decision.
An image of Rinsing Moon Bai's face flashed through his mind. Zhang Fan fell silent for a moment before finally nodding. "We can bring others, at our discretion. Their cultivation level doesn't matter. Also..."
"I won't be going."
His words left everyone stunned.
"However, this world still needs a helmsman." As he spoke, a faint figure drifted out from his body.
It bore a faint resemblance to Zhang Fan, yet possessed not the slightest aura of cultivation.
It was an idea inspired by the countless clones of a certain "original body" from his past.
"He will take my place and leave with you."
"As for me..." Zhang Fan trailed off, simply shaking his head.
"Fellow Daoist Fan," True Death Hidden ventured, "are you worried that once you leave the Mountain and Sea, you might no longer be able to use Return to True to go back to the very beginning?"
Zhang Fan smiled confidently. "A single thought is all it takes to shift between True and False. It doesn't matter where I am, when I am, or what state I'm in. If I were to activate Return to True from aboard the New Ark, the Mountain and Sea would simply vanish from its original place and reappear outside the Ark."
Hearing this, the God-Becoming Guests were all bewildered. "If that's the case, Fellow Daoist Fan, why won't you come with us?"
"There is one more thing I must verify," Zhang Fan said, gesturing to his clone. "Don't worry. As long as he is here, it is the same as me being here."
Seeing that his mind was made up, the God-Becoming Guests didn't press him further.
Following his instructions, they brought a number of beings aboard the New Ark—some they knew, others who showed great potential—all at their own discretion.
The once empty and silent world, now adorned with life, became considerably more vibrant.
And with the God-Becoming Guests themselves reshaping the world, survival was not a concern.
Zhang Fan took it all in, his gaze then shifting imperceptibly toward his clone.
"Let's call him... Zhang Xiaofan."
"He is my clone, born with an innate understanding of the True and the False. He may seem like a mere mortal now, but just like me, he already possesses the power to reverse and reset everything with a single thought."
"The initial anchor point will be the very moment the New Ark departs from the Mountain and Sea."
"I hope... they can last for a while." A strange, unreadable expression flickered in Zhang Fan's eyes.
Although everything was ready, the New Ark could not yet break away from the Mountain and Sea.
In their understanding, both the Mountain and Sea and the Void Realm were once parts of the True God.
Even with the New Ark as their vessel, they could not escape this fundamental limitation.
"We must wait until the last possible moment—when the Mountain and Sea has been completely consumed, just before the True God revives. That will be our only chance to break free," Zhang Xiaofan explained, his expression solemn. His tone and demeanor were nearly indistinguishable from the original Zhang Fan.
The God-Becoming Guests nodded in understanding.
They had already endured countless cycles; what was a little more waiting now?
This time, once again, Zhang Fan would serve as the pallbearer for the Mountain and Sea.
Devour the mountains, extinguish the stars, confront the God.
The process was all too familiar.
From the soul-shaking shock of the first time to this, only his second, Zhang Fan already felt a numb proficiency.
Endless darkness enveloped him once more.
It was as if nothing else existed in the universe but him.
In that instant, time seemed to stand still, yet simultaneously rushed forward at a speed a hundred billion times faster than normal.
It was a power that could reduce even the body of a god to dust.
Perhaps only the fallen [True God] could have ever withstood it.
Zhang Fan, after all, had only devoured the divine body and inherited its power over the True and the False; he did not possess the consciousness befitting a [God].
And so, he could only watch helplessly as he slowly withered and decayed in the darkness.
But...
As if sensing the stench of his own decay, Zhang Fan's gaze pierced through the darkness toward a specific point.
He could faintly sense it: the New Ark, carrying his clone and countless living beings.
Compared to Zhang Fan, who had now become a [God], the New Ark was unimaginably small.
And yet, for some unknown reason, its existence shone like a candle in the oppressive dark.
It drove back the encroaching power of decay.
"Just as I thought."
Zhang Fan slowly regained his focus, trying to find a way to survive in this darkness.
However...
A sudden gust of wind seemed to sweep through the darkness.
The world's only candle flame flickered violently, on the verge of being extinguished.
Vaguely, Zhang Fan thought he could see the God-Becoming Guests struggling desperately to save it.
But in the end, the flame went out.
Without the candlelight, the cold, the silence, and the decay closed in on Zhang Fan once more.
Though it seemed he had reached the end, Zhang Fan did not immediately activate Return to True.
He was waiting for something.
He was not disappointed. A moment later, a dancing flame ignited once more in the darkness.
That was...
Zhang Xiaofan's True False Transformation!
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