Chapter 756: Severing the Path to Longevity
"Just as the Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate reversed the principles of cultivation, ensuring that from then on, no cultivator in the world could ever surpass him."
"The Rebirth Heavenly Venerate reverses the principles of life and death."
"And any cultivator he resurrects is thereafter barred from ever attaining the Longevity stage."
A flash of understanding crossed Xu Bai's face.
"However, for the vast majority of cultivators, the Longevity stage is an unattainable dream. Even if they knew about this, they probably wouldn't care much."
Suddenly, Xu Bai seemed to recall something, his brow furrowing slightly.
He began making calculations with his fingers, deducing the situation that would arise in the Xuanhuang Realm years later.
"In the original Xuanhuang Realm, cultivators were born of heaven and earth, appearing and perishing naturally. With the passage of time, though the chances were minuscule, a new Longevity Heavenly Venerate would emerge every so often. Even if the interval was several thousand or even ten thousand years."
"But now, with the existence of the Rebirth Palace, resurrected cultivators are gradually taking the places of those born naturally. The number of cultivators born of heaven and earth is dwindling."
"Until finally..."
"No new Longevity cultivators will ever be born in the world again."
Xu Bai stroked his chin. "A plan to sterilize the Xuanhuang Realm. Walk your own path, then leave no path for others to follow."
"Such a tyrannical method is quite in the style of the Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate."
"However, for the existing Longevity Heavenly Venerates, this is actually a good thing. Perhaps that is why those from the Five Elders Council have not intervened to stop the Rebirth Heavenly Venerate."
...
After all, not every small world was guarded by a terrifying figure like the white-browed old man.
The minor setbacks the Immortal Alliance cultivators encountered during their conquests were quickly forgotten. The occasional small world that offered frenzied resistance was swiftly suppressed after they called for reinforcements.
Fifty, one hundred, one hundred and thirty-six...
The number of scouted small worlds increased rapidly.
Using the Tianxuan Mirror, Xu Bai collected all the footage of these small worlds during their conquest, as well as information on their current status.
When he felt the time was right, he arranged to meet Liu San and return to the Empire Small World.
Masking their presence from the Tianxuan Mirror, the two entered one after another, rendezvousing in the dark void.
Having already briefed each other on the necessary precautions, Liu San altered his appearance, and the two sped through the void.
"To think it's a branch of the Imperial Beast Sect. Truly a rare sight." Arriving outside the Empire, his divine sense swept over the world below. Seeing the countless, bizarre beasts, Liu San couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration.
"It's just one branch of the Imperial Beast Sect. The main lineage seems to be hiding in the Lingxu Realm these days. I wonder what's become of them after several thousand years," Xu Bai casually transmitted his voice.
"The Lingxu Realm... I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before?" Liu San paused, slightly taken aback.
After a long moment, Liu San shook his head slightly. "Strange, I can't seem to recall. Have I really gotten that old?"
"No matter. The Immortal Alliance is sweeping through all the realms now; they're bound to be exposed sooner or later. Elder Liu, did you know anyone in the Imperial Beast Sect back in the day?" Xu Bai asked.
"I only knew of them by name, we had no dealings." Liu San seemed fixated on his lost memory, answering distractedly. His mind was still trying to trace the origin of that faint impression.
Just then, back in Longevity Valley, Li Fan was suddenly struck by a sense of unease.
"Hm?"
It had been a long time since something like this had happened, and Li Fan dared not be careless.
He stopped feeding array data to the Dissociation Disk. With a grave expression, he pushed the Transformation Dao Stone crystal in his mind to its limits, trying to pinpoint the source of this feeling of crisis.
Before long, he arrived at a possible answer.
As a Dao Integration expert, it was highly unlikely for Liu San to be unable to recall something that had happened to him. Even if he couldn't remember it offhand, a quick search of his divine sense should have brought the memory back.
And yet, it happened.
"It's because his memories related to the Lingxu Realm have been altered by someone."
"Only a Longevity cultivator could silently modify the divine sense of a Dao Integration expert. And in the first half of his life, Liu San never had contact with any Longevity stage powerhouses."
"Therefore, the problem must lie with the Truth Inducing Fruit I used on him back then."
Recalling the memory alterations he had made to Liu San, Li Fan had a flash of insight. "The Lingxu Realm must have been mentioned in a conversation he had with the true young master of the Medicine King Sect, Liu Yihang."
To be safe, Li Fan hadn't killed Liu Yihang at the time.
Instead, he had hidden him in an inconspicuous room within the Medicine King True Cauldron, a room that only Li Fan himself could open.
Liu Yihang was still slumbering within the Great Dream Spring and Autumn Array.
With the three elders of the Medicine King Sect currently away, Li Fan acted without restraint.
He released him from the Medicine King True Cauldron and then pulled him into his personal grotto-heaven.
Freed from the array's effects, Liu Yihang slowly regained consciousness.
But in an instant, he realized something was terribly wrong with his situation.
He was completely immobilized, unable to even cry out.
His expression changed drastically. He tried to struggle, but it was futile.
Within his own grotto-heaven, Li Fan didn't even need to show his true self to suppress him completely.
Using a soul-searching technique, Li Fan effortlessly found the information about the Lingxu Realm in his mind.
There was nothing special about it. Liu Yihang had simply chanced upon the realm's name while reading an ancient text years ago.
The Lingxu Realm was home to a plant called Lingxu Grass, an essential ingredient for refining the Soul Nurturing Pill.
That was why Liu Yihang had once asked Liu San about it.
The people involved had likely forgotten all about it, but thousands of years later, it had led to this unforeseen trouble.
Originally, he could have slept for several more decades in the Great Dream Spring and Autumn Array.
Having figured out the cause of the problem, Li Fan thought nothing of his actions.
He left Liu Yihang suppressed in the grotto-heaven and returned his main body to Medicine King Valley.
Meanwhile, his clone, Xu Bai, interrupted Liu San's thoughts. "I think I remember now. I believe I once read a secret record that described the refining method for the Soul Nurturing Pill."
"One of the main ingredients, Lingxu Grass, seems to grow in the Lingxu Realm. I even asked you about it at the time, Elder Liu."
At these words, Liu San's expression was first a bit muddled.
Then he slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory! That's right, there was such a thing. I'd almost completely forgotten!"
His doubt resolved, Liu San once again turned his attention to the Empire Small World below.
Together with Xu Bai, he flew down before the towering palace.
The powerful divine sense of a Dao Integration expert had already alerted Xiao Qing.
She, the Di Nv, and another woman dressed in red flew forward to greet them.
"This is Elder Liu from our Federation!" Xu Bai announced with a solemn expression.
The three bowed to Liu San in salute.
"Greetings, Senior!"
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