Across the Central Four Provinces of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, an extremely distinct dividing line materialized between heaven and earth.
On either side of the dividing line, the scenes upon the earth and in the firmament mirrored each other.
It was as though a mirror had sliced through heaven and earth.
And the fissures spreading outward from the dividing line seemed to signal that this world was on the verge of collapse!
Beholding this apocalyptic sight, realization suddenly struck Li Fan: *So Tianyu, Tianchen, Tianshu, and Tianquan—the four innermost provinces of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals—were crafted from the true body of the Heavenly Profound Mirror itself!*
*Reshaping heaven and earth using a mirror...*
Li Fan's expression grew solemn.
Such crucial information, yet the Heavenly Profound Mirror had never once disclosed it before.
This meant either that its desire for freedom was a lie—a mere charade put on before him and Mo Rubin to lure them into a trap—or that even the Heavenly Profound Mirror itself had forgotten that its precious vessel had been used to forge the realm across these four Xuanhuang provinces!
The unease in his heart deepened, and Mo Rubin had yet to show himself.
Li Fan intended to leave immediately, but as he flew stealthily toward the border of Tianquan Province, he made an alarming discovery: the Essence-Devouring White Mist that had once spanned heaven and earth had vanished at some unknown point.
In its place, an invisible curtain of light completely sealed off the four provinces!
None could enter, and none could leave!
Faced with this scene, Li Fan instantly recalled the past—how he had fled in panic after first witnessing the Crimson Flame Burning Sea, only to end up trapped and dying in the Congyun Sea!
Yet compared to those days, Li Fan had grown immensely.
Without giving in to panic, he steadied his mind, turned back toward the center of Tianquan Province, picked a cultivator's grotto-dwelling at random, and slipped inside to lie low.
With the Terminal Dissociation Disc, the defensive arrays of such grotto-dwellings could be entirely disregarded.
The architecture inside was styled like a small courtyard in a water town, showing no signs of recent habitation.
It was likely just one of the owner's many properties.
Still, it possessed every necessary amenity. Li Fan located the Heavenly Profound sub-mirror and cautiously tested the Heavenly Profound Mirror source he carried.
"It hasn't failed.
"Many discussions regarding the disturbances across the four provinces have appeared in the Heavenly Profound Mirror, but the moment they pop up, they're locked and deleted.
"Fortunately, I can still see the message logs."
Li Fan rapidly skimmed the information inside the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
"What is going on? Has the sky fallen?"
"Could the Five Elders Association be attacking again? I told you, after taking such a heavy loss last time, how could they possibly let it drop!"
"All teleportation methods have failed; nobody can get in or out! The Central Four Provinces are completely sealed off!"
"Fellow Daoists, it's best to take refuge in your grotto-dwellings and avoid venturing out. I have said all I can say..."
...
Most were worthless remarks posted in panic.
Yet with such a massive volume of posts, Li Fan still unearthed a few useful nuggets.
"A massive disaster! I just came out of Alliance Headquarters—fighting seems to have broken out inside!"
"Quit spreading alarmist nonsense! Alliance Headquarters is sacred ground—who would dare cause a disturbance there?"
"I saw it with my own eyes! Right before I exited, I heard an explosive boom, and then I caught glimpses of over a hundred figures suddenly revolting! That was close—just a split second later and I wouldn't have made it out!"
"*Hiss...*"
The conversation abruptly ended there.
Similar to this were logs of other cultivators questioning why they had been suddenly expelled from Alliance Headquarters.
*Consistent with the plan agreed upon with Mo Rubin...*
Li Fan pondered for a moment, then took out a white jade horn and crushed it firmly.
Moments later, a shrill sound perceptible only to designated cultivators rippled outward from the spot.
This was the signal instructing the Five Elders Association deathsworn to strike.
Watching from afar as nearly a hundred shadowy figures flew along the realm fissures into Alliance Headquarters, Li Fan cautiously relocated to another grotto-dwelling to hide.
*I wonder what is really happening in there.*
Before finding out, Li Fan made no rash moves, choosing instead to wait and watch.
The rumbles between heaven and earth grew louder and louder.
Fissures accumulated in ever greater numbers, shocking to behold, as though the entire world truly might tear apart at any moment.
What unnerved the cultivators of the four provinces even more was that, despite such a colossal upheaval, no one from Alliance Headquarters had stepped forward to clarify the situation or offer reassurance.
This state of panic persisted for half an incense stick's time.
The rolling claps of thunder gradually subsided, and the cracks piercing heaven and earth slowly closed.
A cultivator's figure manifested across the firmament, and Li Fan recognized him instantly.
One of the Dharma Transmitters: Chen.
His expression was stern, murder gleaming in his eyes.
Chen's voice boomed like thunder across heaven and earth, proclaiming that the minor disturbance within the Alliance had already been suppressed and there was no cause for alarm.
However, to thoroughly investigate the culprits' accomplices, the blockade on the four provinces would not be lifted for the time being.
All cultivators within the four provinces were required to cooperate with the inquiry.
...
Having spoken, Chen departed in haste, fading from the sky.
He left behind the cultivators of the four provinces, their minds churning in restless clamor.
*Could Mo Rubin have been captured?* Li Fan could not help but wonder.
Yet on second thought, Mo Rubin's cultivation arts were insidious and bizarre; even if the plot were exposed, taking him captive would hardly be easy. He felt slightly reassured.
Over the next three days, Li Fan remained hidden in his new refuge, staying on high alert to avoid exposure.
During this time, black-robed cultivators from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals came to search, but none discovered the hidden Li Fan.
Li Fan could also tell that those black-robed cultivators were merely going through the motions.
After a perfunctory check, they moved on to the next search location.
"Interesting."
Observing their attitude, Li Fan fell into thought.
The blockade and sweeping searches lasted for ten days.
Initially, the cultivators of the four provinces were somewhat cooperative, but as time dragged on with no hope of things returning to normal, murmurs of discontent began to spread.
The cultivators residing across Tianquan and the other three central provinces were unquestionably the core and most vital part of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.
A baseless blockade like this was destined not to last long.
Ten days later, in the face of an ever-surging wave of opposition, the Alliance finally lifted the restrictions on the four provinces.
The terrestrial landscape mirrored in the sky slowly dissolved, and the White Mist Barrier reappeared along the borders of the four provinces.
Yet the colossal fractures running from heaven to earth did not disappear.
Like scars upon the realm, they reminded cultivators of the recent catastrophe and the unreality of this world.
Li Fan did not flee immediately, continuing to lurk within his hiding spot. It was only after more than a month had passed, when the fallout had finally settled and barely anyone spoke of it anymore, that he quietly departed.
From start to finish, he never received any transmission from Mo Rubin.
Neither a plea for help nor a warning.
Nothing at all.
Li Fan also made a trip to Weidu, where the Heavenly Profound Mirror's human avatar had resided.
There was no longer any trace of the human avatar.
Chapter 1046