Chapter 983: The Solitary Path to Longevity
Chapter 983: The Solitary Path to Longevity
"I was certain I saw that immortal open his eyes. It seems he truly is still alive."
"To obliterate the Xuanhuang Realm with a single glance using the 'Hunger' character... that's beyond the power of an ordinary immortal. After meditating for ten thousand years and gaining such profound insight, he must be on the verge of becoming a Nameless True Immortal..."
A sudden, formless pressure weighed on Li Fan's mind.
If what Daoist Baihua said was true, then one day, that immortal would awaken from his meditation.
And if, by then, he still hadn't managed to escape this Darkest Star Sea...
Then he would have no choice but to use Truth Realization.
In other words, there was a hard limit to how long he could remain in the Xuanhuang Realm.
Still, for the moment, there was no need to be overly concerned about it.
"However, in that last life, the obelisks built by the Heaven Alliance began erupting with increasing frequency," Li Fan mused. "Perhaps they had sensed the impending crisis of the immortal's awakening and were forced to act."
"More than the immortal awakening on his own, I should be concerned about something else. If I were to forcibly break free from the pull of the Immortal Ruins, leave the Xuanhuang Realm, and even cross the High Wall... would I startle him from his meditation?"
At this thought, Li Fan couldn't help but ask, "Let's put aside the source of the cultivation world's calamity for a moment. What are your thoughts on that invisible barrier surrounding the Darkest Star Sea?"
Daoist Baihua fell silent for a moment before offering an answer that took Li Fan by surprise.
"There are two possibilities regarding this invisible barrier."
"The first is that it was erected by beings outside the Darkest Star Sea to prevent the calamity of the True Immortal Script from spreading."
Li Fan nodded slightly. This aligned with the Xuantian King's theory from long ago.
"As for the second possibility..."
Daoist Baihua's voice dropped to a low murmur. "It's highly probable that the immortal of the Immortal Ruins himself created it."
"As I mentioned, the path to becoming a True Immortal is unique for every cultivator. The immortal seeking enlightenment through the 'Hunger' character would want to prevent other immortals from discovering its existence, which could interfere with his process. Therefore, before beginning his meditation, he might have laid down a barrier to seal off this entire region of the star sea, cutting it off from the outside."
The High Wall was created by the immortal from the Immortal Ruins?
Li Fan was stunned at first, but after a moment of contemplation, he had to admit the possibility was real.
He was suddenly reminded of the Xuantian King's assertion from ages past.
Only by reaching the realm of a True Immortal could one hope to lead the Xuanhuang Realm across the High Wall.
"The 'True Immortal' the Xuantian King spoke of must have referred to the ordinary immortal realm, not that of a Nameless True Immortal, especially given how he claimed he could reach it quickly."
"One would need power approaching or exceeding that of the immortal when he created the High Wall in order to cross it. That makes perfect sense."
"When the Immortal World collapsed, the survivors scattered and fled. Yet this immortal from the Immortal Ruins, right at the entrance passage, obtained the 'Hunger' character and simply sat down to meditate. That level of boldness..."
"...is surely a rare sight, even in the Immortal World."
"In that case, it wouldn't be impossible for him to have casually erected a High Wall to seal off the entire Darkest Star Sea."
As Li Fan considered it, he found himself thinking that the second theory might be closer to the truth.
If that were true...
"...then escaping the Darkest Star Sea would inevitably mean disturbing that immortal."
This was, without a doubt, a far more perilous and insurmountable task than confronting the Dharma Spreader.
But on the path to eternal freedom, who could have known that at the very beginning, two colossal adversaries would already be standing in the way: the Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate and the immortal of the Immortal Ruins...
What a despairing realization!
The vast majority of cultivators in the Darkest Star Sea would likely have their Dao hearts shatter the moment they learned this truth, losing all will to ever advance again!
But Li Fan merely narrowed his eyes, his heart untouched by even a sliver of despair.
Whether it was the Dharma Spreader or the immortal, or even the ethereal Nameless True Immortals...
If they stood in the way of his longevity, Li Fan would crush them all!
"I walk the path of longevity alone; the world's obstruction only fuels my resolve."
"My sword will one day cleave the star sea, shaking gods and immortals as heaven and earth weep."
Li Fan recited the verse silently in his mind, his gaze turning as sharp and unyielding as glacial ice.
Nearby, Daoist Baihua had no idea what had just transpired in his mind, but she felt an inexplicable shift in the man's aura.
It sent a faint chill down her spine, a premonition of some great disaster.
But the feeling was gone in a flash. When she looked again, there was nothing there.
It was as if she had imagined it.
Yet Daoist Baihua knew that in her current state, her 'Glazed Body' was impervious to illusions or hallucinations of any kind.
Which meant...
Daoist Baihua stared at Li Fan, who appeared so harmless and righteous, and a fresh layer of caution settled in her heart.
The matter of the immortal from the Immortal Ruins was too distant from his current circumstances. After a moment's thought, Li Fan pushed these concerns aside for now.
He looked toward Daoist Baihua, her form still shrouded in golden light, and asked, "The realm of immortals is beyond our current comprehension. I'm more curious about your own story."
"You said you were a survivor of that ancient calamity, so why did you end up in the Fishing Pool?"
"And what is your connection to the young Daoist, Liuli?"
Li Fan's gaze was intense, and the array seals surrounding them silently tightened.
Daoist Baihua cast an almost imperceptible glance around them and sighed. "Your level of caution is truly something else."
"In truth, my presence in the Fishing Pool was nothing more than a coincidence."
"As I said before, it was against my will."
Daoist Baihua began her tale. "On that day, we, the survivors from the various realms, had gathered to discuss a way to escape the decaying star sea."
"Suddenly, a strange fluctuation rippled through the void and locked onto me."
"I lost consciousness in an instant. By the time I awoke, I was already inside the Fishing Pool."
Li Fan chuckled. "So you were just unlucky enough to be caught by the Fishing Pool?"
Daoist Baihua's voice held a note of resignation. "Yes and no. The Fishing Pool automatically scours the cosmos for scattered treasures. The rarer an ownerless item is, the more likely it is to become a target."
"Having perfected my cultivation, my body had become like a lotus of dark, lustrous glaze. I was more akin to a magical treasure than a person."
"I can only say it was my fate to face such a trial."
"I languished in the Fishing Pool for ages untold. Then, by a stroke of fortune, I managed to attach myself to a Glazed Wisdom Fruit, whose nature was similar to my own."
"By absorbing a portion of the fruit's energy, I was just barely able to remain conscious within the Fishing Pool."
"Later..."
"I sensed a force pulling at the Glazed Wisdom Fruit and knew this might be my only chance to escape. So, I was fished out from the Fishing Pool, along with Liuli."
"Heh, I simply hid myself well enough that none of you ever noticed."
Daoist Baihua stated calmly.
(End of this chapter)
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