True to its name.
The Close Horizons Array could reduce boundless horizons to mere inches. Once completed, the grand array would link the Xuanhuang Realm with the border of the Star Sea. Even without using the technique of the Wooden Sword Traversing the Void, one could travel back and forth in an instant through the array.
It appeared to be an ultra-long-distance teleportation array, but was actually nothing of the sort.
Within the Pitch-Black Star Sea, the remnant power of True Immortals permeated everywhere. Furthermore, the Xuanhuang Realm sat at the edge of the Immortal Ruins, warped faintly in both time and space under the influence of an infinite gravitational pull. The distance was simply too vast, and the uncontrollable variables too numerous. Reaching it via teleportation was entirely out of the question.
The Close Horizons Array employed the most primitive method of travel: it merely compressed the distance between origin and destination to an infinite degree, allowing one to arrive in a single step.
The entire Great Xuan pocket world was too small to hold such a massive immortal array. Therefore, on the Xuanhuang Realm's side, Li Fan had established the array within the void just outside the Great Xuan pocket world, subsequently laying down concealing arrays to mask it.
And here at the fringes of the Star Sea, as Li Fan gradually brought the array to completion, an exceedingly mysterious ripple suddenly descended, poised to sweep outward in all directions.
Li Fan pinched his fingers together, using surrounding concealing formations to block it just in time.
The array's golden light dimmed, and a two-way passage between the Xuanhuang Realm and the Star Sea's edge came quietly into being.
Li Fan stood suspended in the void, regulating his breath to recover.
"As expected of an immortal-grade grand array. Even with the assistance of the Terminal Dissociation Disc, setting it up was quite strenuous." His accumulated Source Power Essence was completely drained, leaving Li Fan in a brief state of exhaustion.
'Compared to true celestial spiritual power, Source Power Essence still falls short by an entire qualitative tier,' Li Fan thought to himself. Within a few breaths, the power in his body surged back to fullness.
Sending a thread of divine sense into the Close Horizons Array, he activated it.
His vision blurred in an instant, and the next moment he was already back in the void outside Great Xuan, within the Xuanhuang Realm.
Only then did Li Fan leisurely return to the wooden sword phantom.
"I have laid down a transit array here. Traveling back and forth in the future will no longer be so troublesome," Li Fan said offhandedly.
Hearing this, Master Yin and the others felt their minds shake. With their breadth of experience, they naturally understood just how miraculous a grand teleportation array spanning an entire star sea truly was.
Even the ultra-long-distance teleportation arrays between the various provinces of the Xuanhuang Realm typically required over a dozen array masters working tirelessly in concert for more than half a year to complete. To say nothing of this magnificent array connecting the edge of the Star Sea with the Xuanhuang Realm. Yet the Saint Teacher had finished such an array with effortless ease...
At first, the four were somewhat skeptical.
However, once Li Fan invited them to try it, and they stepped through the array to feel the familiar aura of the Great Xuan pocket world once more, every shred of doubt vanished—supplanted entirely by immense shock and deep reverence for Li Fan.
"A single array turns the endless star sea into an open thoroughfare. Saint Teacher's methods are truly comparable to a True Immortal's," Qiaogong praised in awe.
"This array... this array..." Master Yin muttered under his breath, deeply shaken.
Li Fan's voice pulled them back to reality: "Henceforth, this will be our transit depot for exploration.
"Whether it is the Sea of Relics or the Great Wall of Remnant Worlds, both span an expanse far surpassing the single realm of Xuanhuang. Finding a suitable remnant world will be no simple task."
"May the Saint Teacher enlighten us," Qiaogong said. "What deeper mystery lies behind this? Is it not enough simply to find any remnant world to serve as medicinal primer for Xuanhuang to consume?"
Li Fan smiled faintly and extended a hand toward the distant Sea of Relics.
Whoosh!
Drawn by the pull, a relic flew swiftly toward the group.
In the distance, one could vaguely discern that the relic was a blue-and-white robe. Eroded by the ages, it had long since fallen into tatters, and the bloodstains upon it had turned black.
"Hm?"
While the hurtling robe was still some distance away, the expressions of Qiaogong and the others flickered in unison.
In their perception, the distance between themselves and their companions seemed to widen rapidly as the relic robe approached. It felt as though the world had suddenly expanded while their own bodies shrank countless times over. Even their spiritual transmissions to one another grew faint and barely audible.
"The power of a True Immortal!" They finally realized that this was an effect caused by the True Immortal power lingering upon the relic robe.
As the robe drew closer, the gap between them continued to expand.
Though they stood right beside each other, they could no longer see one another.
It was as if they had been completely isolated from the world.
Amid the boundless void, Li Fan's voice drifted down from above like rolling thunder:
"Within the Pitch-Black Star Sea, the realms have already perished. Yet the ultimate culprit behind the destruction of those worlds—the power of True Immortal seal characters—still pervades every corner.
"Every calamity we encountered on our journey toward the center of the Star Sea was a manifestation of this True Immortal remnant power.
"The endless expanse of relics and remnant worlds before us likewise preserves this power.
"What this robe contains is the character for 'Separation.'"
Boom!
In an instant, their vision snapped back to normal. The relic robe changed course and flew back into the Sea of Relics.
Above their heads, an extraordinarily profound and intricate "character" flickered in and out of view.
"A True Immortal... seal character?"
The group stared blankly at the character overhead, faintly sensing the terrifying might contained within.
"'Separation'..." Recalling their recent sensation of being severed from everything around them in heaven and earth, they raised their hands like brushes, attempting to copy and learn it.
To their surprise, the character suddenly dimmed and dispersed into the air.
Even the impression left in their minds blurred, resisting any attempt to recall or reproduce it.
"There is far too much True Immortal remnant power lingering in the Star Sea. Recklessly touching upon it may trigger resonance among these remnants. Studying True Immortal seal characters requires a specialized method." Li Fan tapped a finger, and a technique instantly drifted into their minds.
It was the very technique Li Fan had learned from the Xuan Celestial Vessel in his previous life—the method used across the Dao Confirmation Academy, the Immortal Pivot Court, and the Severing Immortal Tower alike to research, teach, and pass down True Immortal seal characters.
The Approximation Method.
Every True Immortal seal character was a projection of the Dao's power. Even an approximation rather than a genuine seal character still harbored immense destructive potential. Were one to detonate inside the Celestial Vessel, it would undoubtedly inflict indelible damage. To study the characters in peace without triggering their power, generations of scholars on the Xuan Celestial Vessel had dedicated their lives to forging this technique.
Every stroke and movement of the brush was intentionally modified to appear true yet false. A dot was no dot; a horizontal stroke was no horizontal stroke; a downward right stroke was no downward right stroke. Assembled together, it looked like a character, yet was not one.
Like the crudest imitation, a True Immortal seal character copied with this method retained only the outer form while reducing the seal character's true potency by tens of millions of times.
Consequently, the character's influence during research became negligible. At the same time, when a true and complete seal character was successfully reproduced, the sudden manifold spike in energy served as an ideal benchmark of success.
And to unleash the True Immortal seal character's true power, one needed only to erase all the modifications upon activation.
Thanks to this ingenious method, generations across the Celestial Vessel had been able to research and pass down True Immortal seal characters.
Within the Celestial Vessel, only those apprenticed under a governing elder were qualified to learn it.
Yet now, without attaching any conditions, Li Fan imparted this wondrous art to Master Yin and the others for free.
Whether it was the Approximation Method or the character for "Separation,"
both struck them with profound awe.
If everything Li Fan had taught before still belonged to the realm of the "mortal," then this "Separation" character was undisputedly the power of a True Immortal.
In today's cultivation world, to possess such grand power yet not hoard it greedily, but instead teach it freely to others...
No matter what suspicions Master Yin and the others had harbored regarding Li Fan's motives, at this moment they were completely won over by his selfless demeanor.
'He truly is worthy of the title "Saint,"' they all marveled in unison within their hearts.
Li Fan's lecture continued.
Inscribing the character for "Separation" once more using the Approximation Method, Li Fan admitted candidly, "I have never seen the actual 'Separation' character myself. I merely reverse-engineered the origin of the True Immortal seal character from the residual power lingering upon relics that bear it.
"Like the blind men feeling the elephant, errors are inevitable. The smaller the error, the closer one comes to reproducing the original potency of the seal character. I have managed to deduce this 'Separation' character to ninety-eight percent similarity, yet for a long time now, I have been unable to advance any further," Li Fan said with deep emotion.
The group stared hungrily at the character Li Fan had written.
They did not look down upon it simply because it was an approximation.
Just as they were absorbed in their study, faint, peculiar ripples drifted in from afar.
Master Yin and the others failed to notice, but a glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
'Finally here.'
With a sweep of his hand, he concealed the wooden sword phantom and the Close Horizons Array, then sped off in the direction of the ripples.
Before long, two figures met head-on.
Li Fan looked at the figure before him—it was none other than the First Elder of the Severing Immortal Tower, Zhong Daogong!
Zhong Daogong wore a solemn expression, a flicker of doubt passing through his eyes as he looked at Li Fan.
Aboard the Celestial Vessel earlier, he had sensed a familiar surge of power suddenly erupt nearby before vanishing, prompting him to investigate.
He had assumed it was an eruption of residual True Immortal power from a relic, never imagining that the source would be an actual cultivator!
How many years had it been since he last saw a cultivator from outside the Celestial Vessel?
Zhong Daogong dared not be careless. "May I ask, Fellow Daoist, what is your intention in luring me here...?"
Li Fan merely gave a light laugh. "Fellow Daoist must be mistaken. I was merely teaching my disciples a True Immortal seal character, not expecting to draw your attention.
"To think that cultivators have survived even at the fringes of this Star Sea?" Li Fan's tone was filled with pleasant surprise and curiosity.
Hearing this, Zhong Daogong narrowed his eyes, sizing him up and pondering.
He keenly caught the phrase "fringes of this Star Sea" in Li Fan's words. At the same time, the claim of teaching True Immortal seal characters shook his mind.
Unable to determine the other party's intentions, Zhong Daogong did not strike immediately, but continued to probe: "Judging from your words, Fellow Daoist, you seem to hail from the depths of the Star Sea? Could it be that civilizations still survive within the Pitch-Black Star Sea?"
Li Fan sighed. "My journey thus far has been nothing but emptiness. I, too, originally believed there were no other survivors left in the Star Sea. I never expected that at the end of my road, I would encounter another cultivator..."
The two traded words back and forth, feeling each other out.
After their verbal sparring, Zhong Daogong learned only that the man came from the depths of the Star Sea, but remained completely in the dark regarding the nature, scale, and strength of the world he hailed from.
Evidently, this cultivator who could cross the Star Sea was by no means naive or simple.
Zhong Daogong scrutinized Li Fan once more.
Unable to see through his opponent's background, Zhong Daogong suppressed the urge to strike directly and capture him.
"Fellow Daoist mentioned just now that you were teaching your disciples a True Immortal seal character. I wonder..." Zhong Daogong changed the subject to probe further.
To his surprise, Li Fan did not conceal anything this time, answering quite openly, "The civilizations of the Star Sea perished, and the remnant power of True Immortals runs rampant. If one wishes to survive, one must naturally draw upon such power.
"Through thousands of years of research, we have achieved modest results. Survival is no longer as difficult as it was in the beginning."
Li Fan's explanation aligned perfectly with the philosophy of the Xuan Celestial Vessel. Zhong Daogong nodded, offering no rebuttal.
"It seems Fellow Daoist's homeland has reached an extraordinary level in its study of True Immortal seal characters. To be frank, we have also pondered the power of True Immortals for thousands of years, yet we dare not traverse the Star Sea so casually as you do; we merely turtle away in our corner," Zhong Daogong said.
Li Fan smiled faintly. "Fellow Daoist need not be so modest. I can sense upon you..."
"...the scent of True Immortal seal characters," Li Fan said in an enigmatic tone.
Zhong Daogong's expression shifted slightly.
Before Zhong Daogong could speak, Li Fan used his hand as a brush, writing out the character for "Separation" with a wave of his hand.
"What does Fellow Daoist think of this character?"
The shimmering character drifted in the void.
This time, Zhong Daogong could no longer conceal the shock in his heart. Retreating rapidly, he stared at Li Fan with intense wariness.
"Just who are you, Fellow Daoist? Why do you know our Xuan Celestial Vessel's Approximation Method?!"
"The Approximation Method?" Li Fan put on a bewildered look, before dawning comprehension crossed his face.
"Do you mean the Seeming-Yet-Not Method?
"This is, of course, the method our forebears painstakingly developed through generations to analyze True Immortal seal characters."
Li Fan looked at Zhong Daogong with keen interest. "Could it be that Fellow Daoist knows this method as well?"
Know it? Far more than that. Zhong Daogong's expression darkened and flickered.
His thoughts raced as he searched his memory for the roster of individuals aboard the Celestial Vessel who had been taught this method.
Not a single one showed any sign of having left the Celestial Vessel.
'Could it truly be a coincidence?' Zhong Daogong became uncertain.
He stared at the character for "Separation" that Li Fan had inscribed.
'It has actually progressed even further than the Celestial Vessel's research?!'
Upon realizing this, Zhong Daogong was once again plunged into tremendous shock.
Not only because this stranger's research on the "Separation" True Immortal seal character surpassed the Celestial Vessel's,
but even more because he displayed such an incomparably precious True Immortal seal character so casually to someone he had just met! One must understand that every single True Immortal seal character was an absolute secret aboard the Celestial Vessel.
Even as First Elder of the Severing Immortal Tower, he had no right to disclose them at will.
'This can only mean that in this person's homeland, research into True Immortal seal characters has already reached such heights that the character for "Separation" no longer requires secrecy,' Zhong Daogong could not help thinking.
A thought spontaneously rose in Zhong Daogong's mind.
"Would Fellow Daoist be interested in coming as a guest?" Zhong Daogong asked.
Hearing this, Li Fan immediately showed hesitation on his face.
Zhong Daogong understood Li Fan's hesitation completely, so he said candidly, "If you are uneasy, we may also speak right here in the void of the Star Sea.
"Above all, I wish to thoroughly exchange insights on our research into True Immortal seal characters with Fellow Daoist."
Chapter 1317