"If I am not mistaken, Feng Rui and the others were indeed possessed at one point."
"However, this body-snatching technique is rather extraordinary. It actually allowed the bodies to be returned."
Dharma Transmitter Jiang spoke with a furrowed brow.
Li Fan was also lost in thought. "Yet whatever exists leaves behind traces. That period of possession inevitably left an irreversible mark on their divine souls and bodies."
"Certain soul characteristics of that Profound Heaven Sect Dharma King still linger within them."
Dharma Transmitter Jiang narrowed his eyes. "Was that Dharma King called Mo Rubin? Truly a remarkable and admirable figure."
Li Fan merely nodded, offering no further comment.
"They still retain memories from the time they were possessed. It is just that, from their perspective, these matters were accomplished jointly after conferring with Mo Rubin."
"As for Mo Rubin's present whereabouts..."
"He took his leave and vanished without a trace as early as a year ago. To express his gratitude for their companionship during that period, he even left behind several cultivation techniques of the former Profound Heaven Sect as compensation," Dharma Transmitter Jiang continued to explain.
"I fear that was yet another ploy to misdirect us. But it certainly worked—at the very least, I have wasted so much time once again," Li Fan remarked with a trace of self-deprecation.
"Still, where exactly did he go? And is the Heavenly Profound Mirror of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals still the original immortal artifact Heavenly Profound Mirror?"
"I will look into that and uncover the truth," Dharma Transmitter Jiang said with a solemn expression. "As for this body of yours..."
"We must still give them an account of what happened."
Dharma Transmitter Jiang's pitch-black pupils instantly locked onto Immortal Puppet Li Fan.
As though pulled into a world of nothingness, Immortal Puppet Li Fan's body was slowly engulfed by the void.
In mere moments, it vanished from the world completely.
***
In the Spirit Wood Realm, sensing the final images transmitted by the puppet body, Li Fan shook his head slightly.
He was not surprised by Dharma Transmitter Jiang's sudden strike.
After all, a failed accusation against a Dharma Transmitter—or rather, slander—was an unforgivable offense.
Someone had to bear the responsibility for it.
Even if only on the surface.
Before Dharma Transmitter Jiang destroyed his immortal puppet body, he had sent a voice transmission telling Li Fan that the investigation into King of Profound Heaven Mo Rubin would be moved underground.
If any discoveries were made, they would still maintain contact through Dharma Transmitter Zhou.
*Among the Dharma Transmitters, Jiang is likely the only one who can be trusted.*
*To learn where Mo Rubin went, I will still have to await the results of his investigation.*
Having been led around by the nose by Mo Rubin several times in succession, Li Fan could not help feeling a surge of irritation.
What worried him even more was that Mo Rubin had been gone for nearly a year.
During the period he controlled the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, he had mobilized the immense computing power of the Heavenly Profound Mirror, which was undoubtedly related to the whereabouts of the King of Profound Heaven.
He had not shown himself again for so long.
Could he have already found the missing King of Profound Heaven? Or did he never go looking for the King of Profound Heaven at all, instead using methods left behind by the former Profound Heaven Sect to escape this Pitch-Black Star Sea?
Amidst this rare perturbation of mind, Li Fan finally received the findings of Dharma Transmitter Jiang's investigation.
In Dharma Transmitter Zhou's private pocket world, it was still a newly forged immortal puppet body that stepped forward.
"The Heavenly Profound Mirror is still the same Heavenly Profound Mirror. It is just that so much computing power was drawn upon that its Mirror Origin was actually damaged."
"For a long time to come, many of the Heavenly Profound Mirror's functions may have to be suspended."
"As for Mo Rubin's whereabouts, it chose to remain tight-lipped."
"However, Jiang visited the Mirror Keepers and the Illusory True Sages. Combining the authority of all three powers, he forcibly retrieved the previous deduction records from the Heavenly Profound Mirror."
"He finally uncovered the probable destination of that Profound Heaven Sect Dharma King." Dharma Transmitter Zhou's tone was unusually grim.
Li Fan looked solemn, quietly awaiting what was to follow.
A deduction result that required an immortal artifact to damage its own origin was clearly no trifling matter.
Pausing for a moment, Dharma Transmitter Zhou lowered his voice and spoke at an even, deliberate pace.
"Do you know that, corresponding to the physical entity of the Xuanhuang Realm, there exists an illusory world in this universe?" Zhou began by posing a seemingly unrelated question.
Li Fan's heart gave a jolt. He nodded and replied, "That, I naturally know. You cultivators of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals refer to it as the Fallen Immortal Realm."
"Indeed. Fallen Immortal."
"When this immortal perished, he cast one final glance upon the Xuanhuang Realm. And so, everything in this world—as vast as the mountains, rivers, and oceans, or as minuscule as ants and tiny insects—was mirrored entirely into this illusory world! What staggering divine power!" Dharma Transmitter Zhou sighed with feeling, a touch of yearning in his voice.
"Then have you ever considered who this immortal of unimaginable divine ability was, and why he perished?"
"I was indeed full of curiosity once. Could it be that you know?" Li Fan asked.
"In truth, I did not know prior to this either. But based on the Heavenly Profound Mirror's deductions, perhaps we can make a guess or two," Zhou stated candidly.
"Do you still recall the method for entering the Fallen Immortal Realm?"
"The method?" Li Fan immediately recalled that rather peculiar ritual.
Four items were required.
An ordinary hemp garment.
A plump ear of grain.
A small, exquisite model house.
A lifelike miniature donkey cart.
The four items were placed in four corners of the space.
Then, taking the first step forward and facing the hemp garment, one had to chant in a low voice:
"Immortal Venerable of Fortune and Xuanhuang."
On the second step, one had to turn toward the plump ear of grain and recite sincerely:
"Heavenly Lord of Fortune and Xuanhuang."
On the third step, one had to look at the delicate model house, hold one's breath, and whisper:
"High Sovereign of Fortune and Xuanhuang."
On the fourth step, one had to gaze at the cart laden with goods.
And silently recite at last: "Heavenly Venerable of Fortune and Xuanhuang."
"In fact, the answer often lies right on the surface of the riddle." Zhou's expression was solemn. "That fallen immortal is the Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang!"
"The hemp garment, the ear of grain, the house, and the donkey cart. They correspond directly to clothing, food, shelter, and transport—the four fundamental essentials indispensable to human survival. That is precisely where Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang's purview lay!"
"Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang?!" Li Fan was shaken.
"'Xuanhuang' corresponds to the Xuanhuang Realm. 'Heavenly Venerable'..."
"Does that refer to a Longevity Heavenly Venerable?"
"Yet when strung together, I find myself somewhat perplexed."
"Could a Longevity realm powerhouse truly possess such immortal-like might?" Li Fan's brows furrowed in deep bafflement.
"An ordinary Longevity realm powerhouse could never accomplish something so seemingly impossible, of course. But the Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang most certainly could," Zhou explained to Li Fan.
"'Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang' does not designate a specific individual. Rather, it is a title."
"Consider this: if in a certain world, a cultivator could achieve complete unity of body and mind with that world's Heavenly Dao—"
"—reaching the state of 'my heart is the heart of Heaven, my will is the will of Heaven'—then naturally nothing in the world could escape his eyes."
"The Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang was precisely such a figure."
Following Zhou's explanation, Li Fan immediately thought of himself in relation to the Spirit Wood Realm.
Chapter 1073