Chapter 987: The Desire of the World's Great Dao
Daoist Baihua seemed momentarily lost, still adrift in the sensations of absorbing the golden wish power.
Her expression was vacant, her golden form swaying in a steady, hypnotic rhythm.
Only when the rhythm finally subsided did clarity slowly return to her mind.
"The Myriad Spirits Nectar... A True Immortal might not care for it, but to me, in my current state, it is an exceptionally rare and potent restorative," Daoist Baihua admitted with a soft sigh.
"Myriad Spirits Nectar..." Li Fan repeated, deliberately feigning contemplation.
"My lord, you seem to know little of this substance?" Daoist Baihua, an ancient being who had lived for untold years, was adept at reading people. She immediately took the initiative to inquire.
Li Fan gave a slight nod. "It was merely a gift I received from the True Immortal on occasion. He does not offer much guidance, preferring to let me come to my own understanding."
"So, you see, I wasn't trying to deceive you earlier. I only know that immortals exist; of their specific nature and affairs, I truly know very little."
As Li Fan finished speaking, he sensed the faintest threads of envy emanating from Daoist Baihua.
"This Dao is not the path of cultivation. It refers to... everything."
"To be born with desire, to chase the Dao in all things, never resting until death..."
"This is the fate of us mortals."
Li Fan mulled over her words, a glimmer of understanding dawning in his mind.
"From this pursuit of the Dao, the nectar is born. It is an instinct of all living things, a fundamental law governing the workings of the world. For a True Immortal, the only thing of value is likely that purest, most refined trace of the[Dao] hidden within this desire."
"But for mortal cultivators like us, this [Myriad Spirits Nectar] holds all manner of wondrous powers, capable of turning the mundane into the miraculous."
...
As Li Fan listened to Daoist Baihua's explanation, everything clicked into place.
All living beings chase their own desires. This is the Great Dao that governs the world, an eternal and unchanging principle.
If all beings in the world were without desire, the world would fall into disarray, its natural functions ceasing, and it would plunge into a dead silence.
What the True Immortals sought was that singular trace of the Great Dao, born from the driving force of mortal desires.
The so-called [Myriad Spirits Nectar], which Li Fan had dubbed 'golden wish power', was in fact the raw material from which this trace of the Great Dao was extracted.
Once that trace of the Great Dao was taken, the remaining golden wish power was useless to the Faceless True Immortal.
Thus, it was discarded.
Just as Li Fan was piecing this together, he heard Daoist Baihua continue, "The Glazed Body I cultivate is formed by borrowing the world's aspirations for flourishing flowers. In a way, it shares the same root as the Myriad Spirits Nectar. In fact, it is even purer..."
"It's not just useful for me. The Myriad Spirits Nectar has countless miraculous applications for anything involving the desires of living beings. In alchemy, artifact refinement, or talisman crafting, adding just a small amount will cause the success rate to skyrocket."
"Consuming it during a breakthrough drastically reduces the chance of failure."
"Absorbing a small amount while cultivating can increase one's progress severalfold."
"It is even rumored to be capable of creating things from nothing, directly manifesting into any desired object."
"Anything driven by [desire], the Myriad Spirits Nectar has the power to enhance it," Daoist Baihua finished, her voice thick with envy.
"Are there any side effects?" Li Fan asked, not letting Daoist Baihua's effusive praise cloud his judgment.
Daoist Baihua hesitated for a moment before replying, a note of uncertainty in her voice, "I have heard that because the Myriad Spirits Nectar involves the desires of all living beings, the more one uses it, the deeper one's entanglements become."
"Perhaps it makes future ascension to immortality all the more difficult."
"..."
Daoist Baihua paused. "However, since the path to immortality has long been severed, this side effect is essentially irrelevant."
Li Fan nodded slowly.
*That* made sense. If the Myriad Spirits Nectar were truly so miraculous, even if the True Immortal had no use for it, there would be no reason not to simply keep it. Why would it be given to Li Fan for free? It only made sense if the substance was somehow harmful to True Immortals and thus deliberately discarded.
Li Fan turned to Daoist Baihua. "The Myriad Spirits Nectar is useless to True Immortals, and I have full authority over its use. Rest assured, Daoist Baihua. If you serve the Compassionate Immortal diligently, you will not be forgotten in the future."
A flicker of delight crossed Daoist Baihua's face.
"Very well. Since you have sworn allegiance to the Red Dust Compassionate Immortal, you are, as of today, a member of our Federation of All Worlds."
"Allow me to show you around."
Subsequently, Daoist Baihua followed Li Fan on a tour of the Spirit Wood Realm.
They remained unseen by any of the realm's other inhabitants.
Daoist Baihua remarked with admiration, "Though it is a small world, it is scarcely inferior to my own homeland, the Wansheng Realm."
Her gaze lingered on the grand Heaven and Earth Furnaces scattered across the landscape.
Li Fan smiled. "To be frank, little more than a decade ago, this place was but an insignificant, tiny realm."
"It is only thanks to the many blessings bestowed by the True Immortal that the Spirit Wood Realm has been renewed and transformed with each passing day."
Daoist Baihua nodded in understanding.
With her keen insight, she could tell he was speaking the truth.
The realm pulsed with vibrant life and youthful energy—the clear signs of rebirth.
Back in the secret chamber, Li Fan's expression turned serious. "Ten thousand years ago, the lineage of the Compassionate Immortal was destroyed by the rulers of the Xuanhuang Realm."
"I was fortunate enough to unearth a statue of the True Immortal, and having received his grace, I have sworn an oath to restore his lineage."
"Our enemies are powerful, so I intend to first build our strength, then unite the myriad worlds to right this grievous wrong!"
Li Fan gave Daoist Baihua a brief overview of the situation.
Daoist Baihua nodded. "I have some understanding of the current situation in the Xuanhuang Realm. That Dharma Spreader is indeed a terrifying and formidable figure, but..."
"If you have the True Immortal's aid, my lord, then he is nothing to be feared."
Having personally experienced the power of the Myriad Spirits Nectar, Daoist Baihua had immense faith in the "Red Dust Compassionate Immortal".
Li Fan, however, shook his head slightly. "The True Immortal's blessings are erratic. Sometimes they descend one after another without reason, and at other times, years pass with nothing. Restoring his lineage... the burden is heavy, and the road is long. But Daoist Baihua, there is one thing that has always puzzled me."
"You say that True Immortals have already transcended, that they should be indifferent to such mortal affairs. Why, then, would any blessings be bestowed at all?"
Li Fan watched Daoist Baihua intently, hoping she might have an answer.
Daoist Baihua seemed a little nervous. After a moment of thought, she offered her own speculation, "Perhaps... perhaps it is not a blessing at all, but merely the residual power left over after the True Immortal has taken the trace of the Dao?"
"After all, so much time has passed. I cannot say what the immortals who still remain in this world have become."
"Not a blessing, just... leftovers. How disheartening," Li Fan murmured, though he felt not the slightest trace of disappointment.
"You need not be disheartened, my lord," Daoist Baihua offered as consolation. "I have seen that you can draw upon the power of the True Immortal's statue. Surely, compared to ants like us, your standing in the True Immortal's eyes must be different."
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