Chapter 789: An Unsettled Heart
Chapter 789: An Unsettled Heart
"Activating [Truth]'s regression requires a set anchor. The current three anchor points are all set before Mr. Bai's resurrection."
"Even if he truly manages to take [Truth] from me, he won't be able to return to a time when he didn't even exist."
"Any new anchor point he creates will inevitably be set *after* he obtains [Truth]."
"So, all I have to do is spread the word about [Truth]'s existence throughout the world right before I die. That alone would be a successful revenge."
As Xu Bai crafted his "last testament," he envisioned the aftermath of his own death.
It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long, long time.
Ever since he awakened [Truth] on the verge of death in his first life, he had long stopped considering the day he too would finally die.
Perhaps because death had not yet truly arrived, he felt little fear.
His unease stemmed purely from the uncertainty of what was to come.
In the past, no matter how dire the circumstances, he had never wavered.
Even when things spiraled completely out of control, his thought was always, "Worst case, I'll just use [Truth]!"
The study where he had lived as a mortal, and the summit of Jieli Mountain—both were sanctuaries, the safest harbors in his mind.
But now, a treacherous sea of jagged reefs and hidden currents suddenly stretched out before his sanctuary.
The slightest misstep would mean being shattered to pieces.
...
While his thoughts drifted, the first of his "last testaments" was complete.
This "testament" was, in reality, an instantaneous, sky-spanning projection, modeled after the celestial phenomena that occur when a powerful cultivator perishes.
He had attached a sliver of his own consciousness to it, which would act as a trigger for its activation or self-destruction.
"I need to bury them deep in various corners of the Xuanhuang Realm beforehand, in places even I won't remember."
"That way, even if the resurrected Mr. Bai tries to stop me, he won't be able to."
"Hmm, I'll need to find someone I can trust for this task."
Faces flashed through his mind one after another.
Soon, he had a plan.
After crafting one hundred and eight "Lasting Shadows," Xu Bai departed from Longevity Valley and made a trip back to Tianliang Prefecture.
He sought out his former superior, Nangong Shirong.
Nangong Shirong initially assumed that Xu Bai had changed his mind and intended to return to his post.
However, Xu Bai's request caught him completely off guard.
"A Soul Tracing Token? What do you need that for?" Nangong Shirong asked, sizing up Xu Bai.
The Soul Tracing Token was an artifact from the Rebirth Palace. It could trace a cultivator's soul after reincarnation by using an item that carried the aura of their previous life.
It wasn't available for exchange to ordinary cultivators.
Its purpose was to prevent individuals from "maliciously committing suicide" to escape just punishment through reincarnation.
"The Rebirth Palace operates with considerable autonomy," Nangong Shirong said, a hesitant look on his face. "Even as the head of a prefecture, I have little influence with them."
Xu Bai said nothing, simply handing over a storage ring.
Nangong Shirong took it, his expression skeptical. But when he peered inside, he was nearly blinded by the sight of a veritable mountain of top-grade, standard-issue spirit stones packed to the brim.
A quick scan with his divine sense revealed that the spirit stones inside were worth no less than three million contribution points!
Nangong Shirong couldn't help but gasp.
Although the massive distribution of contribution points during the era of pioneering the white mist and conquering other realms had led to significant inflation within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance...
...three million contribution points was still a staggering sum, even for the head of a prefecture like himself.
After all, advancing his own career required nurturing all sorts of connections, and his personal funds weren't always plentiful.
With a practiced, impassive motion, he tucked the storage ring away. His face turned solemn. "Rest assured, leave this to me! I'll have an answer for you within three days, guaranteed!"
With that, he departed in a hurry.
Three days later, Xu Bai left quietly, the Soul Tracing Token in his possession.
From start to finish, Nangong Shirong never once asked about the purpose of the Soul Tracing Token. After all, some things were best left unexamined.
After leaving Tianliang Prefecture, he rendezvoused with Li Fan's main body.
He handed over the Soul Tracing Token, they exchanged a knowing glance, and then parted ways once more.
Xu Bai returned to Longevity Valley to wait and see what would happen.
Li Fan, meanwhile, began to set his final plans in motion.
First, he contacted Dongfang Yao.
The man was as loyal and righteous as they came. Li Fan himself had all but forgotten about Huangfu Song.
But Dongfang Yao, in all this time, had never given up searching for a way to find Huangfu Song's reincarnation.
Without connections, however, meddling in the affairs of the Rebirth Palace was a near-impossible task.
Thus, even after so long, he had made no progress.
It had been a long time since the two had seen each other, but upon meeting, Dongfang Yao greeted him as warmly as ever.
But when he took the Soul Tracing Token that Li Fan handed him, he was puzzled.
"What's this?"
When Li Fan explained the token's purpose, Dongfang Yao trembled. "This..."
"I know you've never been able to get over Brother Huangfu's death. Neither have I. I haven't given up looking all these years."
"This wasn't easy to get, so keep it safe. When Brother Huangfu is reincarnated, you can go find him."
Dongfang Yao never imagined that it would be Li Fan who would fulfill his long-cherished wish.
He was stunned and overjoyed.
Deeply moved, he glanced at Li Fan again and immediately sensed something was off. "Hmm? *I* go find him?"
"What about you, Brother Li? Why aren't you coming with me?"
In an instant, he understood. No wonder Li Fan had seemed so strange, as if he were entrusting his last will.
His expression changed, and he pressed for an answer.
A bitter smile touched Li Fan's lips as he told the truth. "I've made a powerful enemy, and my life is in peril."
"I fear I might not even get the chance to reincarnate."
Dongfang Yao was horrified to hear this.
The kind of enemy who could endanger Li Fan, a man whose power could even influence Heavenly Venerates, had to be terrifying beyond imagination.
But he hesitated for only a moment before speaking with firm resolve. He didn't ask why Li Fan was being pursued; instead, he offered his help.
Li Fan, however, shook his head and refused.
"It would be a senseless death. How could I bear to drag you into this?"
Dongfang Yao opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out.
"However..."
"If you really want to help me, then perhaps..."
As he spoke, Li Fan handed Dongfang Yao the storage ring containing the one hundred and eight "Lasting Shadows."
"Help me bury these. Each one needs to be buried deep underground, not far from the main city of each province."
"Be very careful. Don't let anyone discover them."
"If you do this, I might just have a sliver of a chance to survive."
Li Fan urged, his voice transmitted directly to Dongfang Yao's mind.
Seeing that his friend's life was at stake, Dongfang Yao became extremely solemn.
After a reluctant farewell, he immediately set off for the nearest main city.
"Even if Mr. Bai has my memories, it will take time for him to find Dongfang Yao, extract the burial locations of the 'Lasting Shadows' from his mind, and then destroy them."
"That will be enough time for me to set my plan in motion."
——
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