In his previous life, Li Fan's Sacred Fetus avatar had accompanied the Xuan Celestial Vessel on its expedition to the Xuanhuang Realm, only to fall into Chuanfa's trap.
There, he witnessed that terrifying Immortal Realm Watcher who claimed the lives of a tenth of the vessel's living beings with a single glance.
Boiling in a cauldron, deep as an abyss and vast as an ocean, worlds encasing countless ice-sealed cultivators were refined into Yin-Yang Beads.
Within each Yin-Yang Bead lay two divided worlds.
One was a boundless, deathly silent frozen ocean. Opposite this realm of death lay a sea brimming with vibrant vitality.
When Li Fan first stumbled into the pocket world of the Yin-Yang Bead, he mistook it for the dojo of the Xuanhuang Realm's Heavenly Venerable Rebirth. Within that world, yin and yang, life and death cycled, misfortune giving way to fortune—it truly matched the signs of inverting life and death.
However, as Li Fan's horizons broadened and he encountered numerous true immortal arrays, doubts began to surface regarding his earlier judgment.
Though the array inside the Yin-Yang Bead was extraordinarily profound, Li Fan had been able to fathom its secrets upon his very first sight. It clearly fell far short of qualifying as an immortal array.
The cycle of life and death within the Yin-Yang Bead did not rely on this Grand Formation of Inverting Life and Death. Rather, it depended entirely on the origin within that yin-yang world—the power derived from the Immortal Realm Watcher.
The Grand Formation of Inverting Life and Death acted more like a catalyst, merely accelerating the reversal of life and death.
In the previous life, the Saint Emperor had thrown the Xuanhuang Realm into absolute chaos, and subsequently, the realm fell into a cataclysm of annihilation within the Grand Formation of Returning All Things to the Void. Chuanfa and the Heavenly Physician strained with all their might to resist, yet from start to finish, that mysterious Heavenly Venerable Rebirth never once appeared.
Perhaps this was because Blue Feather had chosen to venture into the starry sky to comprehend the Dao, and the true Heavenly Venerable Rebirth had not yet succeeded in defying natural principle. But Li Fan believed that even if Heavenly Venerable Rebirth had been born, he would not have stepped forth to halt Li Fan's act of world annihilation.
Tangled threads of connection bound Heavenly Venerable Rebirth and the Watcher together. The Watcher bore a mission from the Immortal Realm: beyond monitoring anomalies in Xuanhuang, he seemed tasked with collecting every distinct kind of human that had ever existed in the Xuanhuang Realm.
As for Heavenly Venerable Rebirth...
He seemed to have broken free from the shackles of that Immortal Realm mission, acting purely out of self-interest.
The Watcher that Li Fan and the Xuan Celestial Vessel encountered possessed no sentient will of his own, acting entirely on instinct or preprogrammed rules.
He was practically no different from a puppet, hardly capable of shouldering the heavy mantle of a watcher's duty.
Thus, Li Fan suspected that the Watcher's true spirit might have already abandoned its original shell in order to liberate itself from its Immortal Realm duties following the realm's downfall.
In the previous life, the backlash suffered by the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang upon neglecting his duties demonstrated that even after the Immortal Realm perished, the restraints it imposed remained.
No one would willingly wear shackles forever.
Theoretically, it was entirely reasonable for the Xuanhuang Realm's Watcher to seek freedom.
"Back then, I used fake True Immortal remains to lure the Dharma Transmitters of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals into the Yin-Yang Realm, ultimately leading to their collective demise. Yet afterward, the Alliance acted as if nothing had ever happened. This proves that Chuanfa, or perhaps the Heavenly Physician, definitely knows the true background of Heavenly Venerable Rebirth. In fact, perhaps the Heavenly Physician even assisted in the transformation from an Immortal Realm Watcher into Heavenly Venerable Rebirth..."
Returning to the present, the black and white orbs formed after Master Yin gouged out his eyes radiated an aura that was almost identical to that of the Yin-Yang Bead.
Only, in these black and white orbs, life and death were sharply segregated, having not yet reached the realm of Xuanhuang's Yin-Yang Bead, where life and death flowed into one another in an endless, ceaseless cycle.
Li Fan stared at the black and white orbs, remaining silent for a long time.
After quite a while, he finally spoke: "In a certain secret realm of the Xuanhuang Realm, a similar creation exists.
"However, its black and white, life and death blend together, making it even more marvelous than your simple twin orbs of life and death. Within that Yin-Yang Bead, countless corpses are sealed in ice. I wonder..." Li Fan's gaze burned intently.
His demonstration finished, Master Yin drew the black and white orbs back into his body, where they resumed the appearance of ordinary eyes. "Within the white orb, corpses were indeed once sealed in ice. But that was before the world perished.
"When the world died, those ice-sealed corpses gradually dissolved, turning into the purest death aura..."
Hearing this, Li Fan mused to himself, "This difference must stem from the absence of a Watcher.
"Among the myriad cultivation worlds in the lower realm, the Xuanhuang Realm is evidently quite extraordinary. Not only did it have appointments from the Immortal Realm—the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang and a Watcher—but a True Immortal even descended in person. Though for reasons unknown, that True Immortal perished...
"The world from which Master Yin acquired the black and white orbs was also within the Immortal Realm's scope of surveillance, but of a lower rank than the Xuanhuang Realm."
Li Fan would certainly make contact in the future with Heavenly Venerable Rebirth, who was suspected to be the Watcher shedding his mortal husk. In this life, however, his primary goal was to achieve Dao Integration through heaven-and-earth immortal souls, so he naturally needed to avoid unnecessary variables as much as possible.
Master Yin continued, "I am a world specter. I had thought I was destined to exist forever in this state of refuse and dregs in this life. But the moment I sensed the immense vitality within these black and white orbs, a fierce premonition surged in my heart..."
As he spoke, the vitality swirling within Master Yin's black eye accelerated noticeably.
"Perhaps absolute decay does not exist in this world. A wraith of dregs is only what it is because vitality has been severed. As long as enough vitality is infused..."
As he spoke, Master Yin's complexion grew increasingly ruddy, looking more and more like a normal human cultivator.
Yet Li Fan narrowed his eyes, discerning that matters were not so simple.
Just as Li Fan anticipated, as if provoked by the intense vitality radiating from his body, the previously tranquil gray eye also began to spin with accelerating speed.
Wisps of withered, ruined death aura welled up from within Master Yin, swiftly neutralizing and suppressing the vitality.
The scent of decay slowly wafted from Master Yin.
Master Yin coughed softly, the storms within his black and white eyes gradually calming, revealing a trace of helplessness.
Seeing this, Baihua looked thoughtful, a hint of schadenfreude flashing in her eyes.
Li Fan said bluntly, "The two qi of life and death seem opposed, but are fundamentally one. By attempting to draw upon vitality while suppressing death aura, you only achieve the opposite of what you seek.
"Life is the root of death; death is the fruit of life. To dig up the root inevitably disturbs the fruit; to harvest the fruit does not necessarily harm the root..."
Li Fan played the part of the Saint Teacher to perfection, actually lecturing Master Yin on the Dao right then and there.
Master Yin was remarkably perceptive by nature and now possessed the black and white orbs of life and death. The many abstruse phrases Li Fan deliberately spun presented no obstacle to his comprehension.
Within his calmed eyes, the black and white qi circulated faster and faster.
Baihua, too, unexpectedly showed a talent for the Dao of Life and Death, appearing to reap rich rewards as she listened attentively.
The lecture lasted for half a day, nearly emptying everything Li Fan had stored in his mind on the subject.
Finally, with a wave of his hand, Li Fan transmitted the Grand Formation of Inverting Life and Death into their seas of consciousness.
This Grand Formation of Inverting Life and Death had been further derived by the Terminal Dissociation Disc based on the original array inside the Yin-Yang Bead. It could be said to be the pinnacle of practical applications regarding the Dao of Life and Death within the Pitch-Black Star Sea.
The moment he touched the array, unconcealable astonishment and delight surged across Master Yin's face.
"Life and death oppose one another, yet you may be able to use this array to slowly convert the infinite death aura within that white orb into vitality. However, you must mind the balance between the two."
Li Fan glanced sideways at Baihua and continued, "The vitality you derive should be expended as soon as possible. Beyond cleansing your own decay, you might also lend a hand to Fellow Daoist Baihua."
Baihua's body trembled slightly, wondering what secret of hers Li Fan had discovered.
Master Yin nodded slightly.
"By the way, Saint Teacher, when I absorbed the black and white orbs, I also gleaned some information about that destroyed world.
"Though not much, it is quite intriguing."
Having briefly sorted through the Grand Formation of Inverting Life and Death, Master Yin volunteered.
"That realm was called 'Taijia.'
"Before its destruction, though modest in scale, it was an exceptionally formidable cultivation realm in the star sea.
"This was because the Taijia Realm was an exceedingly rare cultivation realm that possessed no Heavenly Dao.
"Cultivators within it practiced the 'Taijia Divine Technique,' which allegedly allowed them to bypass the nonexistent Heavenly Dao of their world and commune directly with the star sea's primordial consciousness, channeling the power of the star sea..."
A gleam of marvel flashed in Master Yin's eyes.
And from the fractured images he projected with a wave of his hand, the divine powers of those Taijia Realm cultivators were indeed dreadfully terrifying.
Swords soaring through starry rivers, fists subjugating worlds.
Traversing the star sea with their bare flesh alone, devoid of protection...
Master Yin's tone suddenly shifted: "Yet precisely because of their direct connection to the true intent of the star sea's origin, when the power of the True Immortal seal characters erupted across the star sea, the cultivators of the Taijia Realm were among the first to be struck.
"The divine power of the star sea they once relied upon lost its efficacy. This Taijia Realm, which had once forged an illustrious reputation across the star sea, perished at a speed far faster than ordinary cultivation realms.
"The most laughable part is that on the verge of the Taijia Realm's total destruction, a faction of Taijia cultivators chose not to fight to the death. Instead, they knelt on the ground, continuing to beg for communication with the star sea's origin..." Master Yin shook his head with utter disdain.
Baihua agreed, "We cultivators believe that great power must reside within ourselves. Relying on the power of the star sea may display fleeting might, but when calamity falls, it ultimately turns to foam.
"In truth, the Longevity cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm are much the same..."
At this point, Baihua suddenly broke off.
For she suddenly remembered that their push to promote Xuanhuang's sublimation—hoping to rely on the merit of aiding a rising dragon to elevate their own cultivation—seemed fundamentally no different from Xuanhuang's Longevity cultivators or the Taijia Realm cultivators.
Li Fan naturally saw through the reason for Baihua's sudden stammer at a single glance.
He gave a faint smile. "There is still a difference.
"Once the Xuanhuang Realm completes its transformation, the power fed back into each of us will ultimately belong to ourselves. It is a one-and-done deal; even if we turn against the Xuanhuang Realm in the future, this bestowed power cannot be revoked.
"Whereas those Taijia Realm cultivators..."
Li Fan shook his head, offering no further evaluation.
"Still, that Taijia Divine Technique connecting directly to the true intent of the star sea's origin does hold some merit."
Li Fan had previously taken Master Yin and the others to witness the reviving true intent of the star sea's origin.
"The Xuanhuang Realm is not entirely isolated; after all, it still resides within the star sea. If its sublimation could receive the support of the star sea..." Master Yin also perceived the potential utility of the Taijia Divine Technique.
"However, what I obtained from the black and white orbs were merely fragmented memories," he remarked with some regret.
Master Yin then haltingly recited the fragmented Taijia Divine Technique.
Tortuous and bizarre, it was indeed completely different from ordinary cultivation techniques.
It was the first time Li Fan had encountered this type of technique, and his interest was piqued.
"The crux of this technique lies in communing with the true intent of the star sea's origin.
"Ten thousand years ago, during the star sea's zenith, even half-immortal cultivators were like ants in the eyes of the star sea, let alone ordinary cultivators. Trying to establish contact with the star sea's consciousness was naturally fraught with near-insurmountable difficulty," Li Fan said slowly.
Master Yin nodded in agreement: "Indeed. The Taijia Divine Technique is exceptionally difficult to cultivate; not one in a hundred million could achieve great mastery. Yet once initiated into its halls, the energy stirred by every move and stance far surpasses what an ordinary cultivator can muster."
Li Fan smiled. "Yet times have changed. The star sea was shattered, and the true intent of the star sea's origin is reborn amidst ruin. Right now, it is like a mighty figure reincarnated, still in its infancy..."
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, his tone brimming with confidence. "As one ebbs, the other flows. Under present circumstances, the difficulty of communing with It is drastically reduced.
"Allow me to try first!"
The phantom of a wooden sword unsheathed, and Li Fan stepped onto it to fly.
In an instant, he flew beyond the Xuanhuang Realm and vanished from the sight of Master Yin and the others.
"This flight divine ability is truly enviable. If one could master it, one would never again be bound by the star sea..." Baihua said with longing.
Master Yin did not respond.
He soon lowered his head and pondered the Grand Formation of Inverting Life and Death that Li Fan had just imparted.
In Master Yin's eyes, the value of this grand formation was not in the least inferior to that flight divine ability.
In a flash, Li Fan traversed more than half of the Pitch-Black Star Sea, arriving at its very center.
Here, the reviving true intent of the star sea's origin was at its most active.
Li Fan stood quietly in the void.
He did not immediately trigger the incomplete Taijia Divine Technique.
What he said earlier was indeed reasonable.
Yet he had not told the whole story.
Even a nascent star sea consciousness maintained an astronomical gulf between itself and a cultivator.
Under current circumstances, only a Child of Destiny like the Saint Emperor—who possessed the potential to drive the revival of the entire star sea—could possibly speak directly with the star sea.
For an ordinary cultivator seeking to produce the same effect as the Saint Emperor...
"Then first and foremost, one must make the star sea look!"
A brilliant light flashed in Li Fan's eyes, and the Ascent Formation was laid down in an instant.
A "mountain peak" rose abruptly from the void at the center of the star sea.
Slowly climbing higher.
Li Fan stood proudly atop the peak, gazing upward.
Like an ancient emperor ascending a high peak to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices, striving to draw nearer to the heavens.
Li Fan sought to stand higher, bolstering his momentum so as to make himself more conspicuous in the gaze of the star sea's primordial true intent.
Sensing that the elevation of the Ascent Formation had gradually reached its limit,
Li Fan began to silently chant the Taijia Divine Technique.
Though fragmented and incomplete, its efficacy in communing with the star sea's consciousness remained.
A strand of intent drifted upward.
Reaching straight to the source of the star sea.
Boom!
In an instant, Li Fan felt as though he had plunged into a dazzling galaxy of stars.
Chapter 1337