Rehearsal for World Annihilation

Upon receiving Li Fan's permission, Tianyang's body underwent an instantaneous transformation. A faint cyan radiance enveloped him, turning his skin into a metallic texture. In a voice that sounded half mechanical and half childish, Tianyang slowly said, "A body of flesh and blood has an inherent disadvantage. How could it ever compare to a body of metal and stone? "For one like me, every rare and precious material in the world can become nourishment to temper and strengthen my body. "The theoretical upper limit of the Great Dao's strength is the only boundary of my physical limits!" As Tianyang spoke, he slightly clenched his fist. It was as though boundless suction was generated from his palm. A colossal vortex instantly formed in the depths of the Spirit-Dissolving River. The torrential force it stirred made it nearly impossible for Li Fan and the three Dharma Transmitters, including Huang, to maintain their footing in the turbulence. Having gathered his momentum, Tianyang slowly thrust a fist toward Huang. The three Dharma Transmitters' expressions changed drastically. Huang, however, found himself locked in place by the momentum of the fist, unable to move even a fraction of an inch. Seeing that slow punch about to slam directly into him, Huang was pushed to the brink of life and death. Golden light abruptly erupted from his two heads and four eyes. The sound of bones cracking inch by inch rattled like torrential rain, and his originally withered frame inflated like a balloon in the blink of an eye. Covered in chiseled, sharply defined muscles, Huang let out a thunderous roar. All four of his arms shielded his front in unison, attempting to block Tianyang's diminutive fist. A muffled boom like rolling thunder reverberated. Fist met hands, locking the two in a dead standstill. A moment later, Tianyang slowly withdrew his fist. "This time, I used half my strength. Yet that is still far from my limit. "For you, however, it should be yours." As soon as he spoke, Huang collapsed into a limp heap like soft mud. After a brief shock, Dharma Transmitters Zhou and Wei could tell that Huang was in no mortal danger. He had merely been drained by excessive exhaustion. Having suffered a crushing defeat, Huang did not fly into a rage or harbor rancor. Instead, he began to ponder what Tianyang had said. *Replacing flesh and blood with a body of metal and stone?* In truth, he had considered taking that path before. Yet he was, after all, a human cultivator. To abandon flesh and blood and transform into something like a mechanical puppet was a step he ultimately had misgivings about. Most importantly, there was no precedent to follow. Once the transformation was complete, there would be no turning back. If the ultimate power of a body of metal and stone proved inferior to that of flesh and blood, would he not become the laughingstock of all Dharma Transmitters? Yet Tianyang's appearance today had revealed an entirely new path before him—one that seemed to hold boundless prospects. *Perhaps I can use this to shatter the Heavenly Venerable's shackles and become the sole existence among the Dharma Transmitters possessing the strength of the Longevity realm.* A dangerous thought surfaced from the depths of Huang's heart. Once born, it began inexorably gnawing away at his mind. Watching the subtle shifts in Huang's expression from nearby, Li Fan knew the seed had been planted. A faint smile rose in his heart. Without Source Power Essence, trying to match Tianyang's current strength solely through transforming into a body of metal and stone was simply impossible. Once Huang embarked on this irreversible trial only to hit dead end after dead end, despair would inevitably take root. When that time came, he would surely seek Tianyang's aid at any cost. Once someone was begging for help, Li Fan had ten thousand ways to manipulate him. With that single punch earlier, Tianyang had quietly absorbed a massive amount of the Spirit-Dissolving River's water. Seeing that his purpose was accomplished, Li Fan had Tianyang revert to his original form and return to his side. The other two Dharma Transmitters also hurried forward to tend to Huang's injuries. "This is not a place to linger. Let us return before discussing further." The group then quietly flew out from the Spirit-Dissolving Ravine. The disturbance in the Spirit-Dissolving River caused by the clash had ultimately caught the attention of the garrison cultivators stationed within the ravine. However, after searching around and finding no cause, they chose not to report the matter, true to the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals' standard principle of avoiding unnecessary trouble. ... Within Dharma Transmitter Zhou's private pocket world. Tianyang's display had utterly crushed Dharma Transmitter Huang, indisputably proving his Longevity realm strength. Thus, the group officially began discussing their next plan. They were once again on the top floor of the high-rise overlooking the sea of neon light. Huang's injuries had already healed during the return journey. One of his heads kept its eyes firmly shut, while the other sneakily observed Tianyang behind Li Fan. Tianyang likewise closed his eyes, feigning sleep. The discussion remained between Li Fan, Zhou, and Wei. "With Huang joining us, the likelihood of convincing Jiang to convene the Oath of the Dharma Transmitters is virtually one hundred percent." "We just need to lure him out according to plan." Li Fan timed his response smoothly. "Based on the assessment of the Association's elders, combined with the current actual situation in the Xuanhuang Realm, we have arrived at a proposed plan. "We must create enough commotion such that the trouble within the Alliance cannot be resolved by anyone other than Dharma Transmitter Jiang. Yet it must not genuinely destroy the Xuanhuang Realm..." Li Fan paused and offered a mysterious smile. "What do you two think of this scheme?" He lightly tapped the void with his index finger, sending a small golden orb of light drifting forward. After examining the contents of the orb, both Dharma Transmitters Zhou and Wei revealed a flicker of astonished admiration in their eyes. "Excellent," they agreed, nodding to each other after a brief exchange. "Good. Since that is settled, our Myriad Realms Association can officially begin preparations. However, to make the act convincing, we will need your full cooperation." "Rest assured. Though we were expelled from the Council of Dharma Transmitters, we have cultivated our influence for many years and still retain some control over the Alliance's prefectures. Assisting your Association in pulling off this grand spectacle of world annihilation will pose no issue whatsoever," Dharma Transmitter Zhou said in a heavy voice. After working out further details, Li Fan finally departed with Tianyang. Returning to the Spirit Wood Realm, Tianyang poured out the Spirit-Dissolving River water he had gathered. Layman Qiaogong and other specialists were assigned to study it to see whether it could be replicated and mass-produced. Li Fan, meanwhile, entered the World Annihilation space and retrieved one of the experimental specimens. Although it was ostensibly a drama staged to lure out Dharma Transmitter Jiang, in Li Fan's eyes, this was a dress rehearsal for the ultimate world annihilation of this life. *Through this opportunity, numerous arrangements can be laid down in advance through the hands of these Dharma Transmitters. The Dharma Transmitters are inextricably linked to the Dharma-Transmitting Heavenly Venerable. When the time comes, even if the Faceless True Immortal and the Immortal of the Immortal Ruins faintly sense someone scheming behind the scenes, they will first pin it on Chuanfa. *With Chuanfa's current strength, even if he cannot directly contend against a True Immortal, he should at least be able to hold out for a while...* With that in mind, Li Fan activated the full load of the Soul Burning technique. With maximum efficiency, he began crafting the tools required for world annihilation. Gradually, the originally hollow World Annihilation space began to fill up. Three months of preparation passed in the blink of an eye. Under the joint conspiracy between Li Fan and the three Dharma Transmitters, all manner of extraordinary incidents began to faintly emerge throughout the prefectures of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.