"The Great Dao of heaven and earth is reflected in a single thought. Yet a projection is merely a projection after all. In reality, channeling and unleashing the might of the Great Dao with every gesture is no simple feat."
"Connecting to the Infinite Sea, with its boundless supply of power, is what makes it possible."
The projection of the Great Dao provided rehearsal and theoretical support, while the Infinite Sea served as the practical foundation.
"Possessing either of the two allows one to display power far beyond the ordinary. If both are wielded together..."
Draped in the True Immortal skin, his divine sense mirroring the Great Dao, Li Fan looked upon the City of Ultimate Bliss and was suddenly struck by the feeling that, with a mere wave of his hand, he could reduce it entirely to ash.
It was no illusion.
"I have a lingering feeling that my tapping into the infinite nature of immortal spiritual power is still far too superficial."
"The Infinite Sea is an existence on par with the Great Dao of heaven and earth..."
Narrowing his eyes, Li Fan summoned immortal spiritual power to his fingertip once more, sending his mind flying into and immersing itself within that utterly wondrous Infinite Sea.
Unfortunately, the fragmented memories contained within the immortal skin were almost entirely the past experiences of the skin's former owner, devoid of any immortal methods or divine abilities.
*I wonder, if I use the Azure Nether Pearl to absorb this immortal skin, could I decipher the divine abilities its owner possessed in life?*
*After all, he was an existence who once achieved the Dao as a Nameless True Immortal...*
Although the thought merely flashed across Li Fan's mind, he firmly noted it down, determined to test it when an opportunity arose.
In the blink of an eye, another year passed.
Li Fan grew increasingly familiar with the immortal spiritual power within the skin.
Yet afterward, he hit a bottleneck.
No matter how many times he donned the immortal skin, and though in his "True Immortal" state he seemed to truly assimilate the skin's immortal spiritual power into an energy uniquely his own, the moment he shed the skin, his familiarity with immortal spiritual power immediately plummeted back to the previous bottleneck line.
He could no longer advance even an inch.
"It seems I took things too much for granted. If there were no restrictive measures built in, how could Scholar Zhu have lent me this immortal skin so readily?"
Li Fan chuckled wryly.
However, he did not abandon his intention to acquire immortal spiritual power.
"As the saying goes: if heaven will not grant it, I shall seize it myself..."
A sharp glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
In the Xuanhuang Realm, Li Fan's true body caressed a stone slab with both hands.
It was the very mechanism once hidden within the Immortal Realm's Immortal Ascension Platform, the crucial means by which cultivators were able to ascend and achieve immortality.
Though it was merely a replica left behind by King Xuantian, boundless power still seemed to linger around it.
"If I am not mistaken, hidden within this stone slab must be the method allowing newly ascended cultivators to connect to the Infinite Sea, thereby obtaining the infinite nature of immortal spiritual power."
"However, this can only be achieved through official authorization from the Immortal Realm."
"Even though King Xuantian once miraculously ascended to the Immortal Realm, the overseer of the Immortal Ascension Platform had long since perished. Without the guidance of the Immortal Realm, even a figure like King Xuantian could not draw immortal spiritual power from this stone slab..."
This stone slab had been named the "Key of Dao" by Li Fan. Only through the corresponding True Immortal seal characters could its true functions be triggered.
"Aside from True Immortal seal characters, I'm afraid other means are required to unlock the method of connecting to the Infinite Sea."
Li Fan pondered.
In the Shuo Star Sea, his divine sense clone donned the immortal skin. A wisp of immortal spiritual power traversed the miniature Dao Net, arriving at Li Fan's true body in an instant.
However, having crossed the sea of stars, this wisp of immortal spiritual power appeared as if it had been filtered layer upon layer. Its original faint starlight luster had grown even more diluted, taking on a milky, opalescent white.
Moreover, Li Fan's true body lacked the empowerment of the immortal skin; he was not the master of this immortal spiritual power.
The moment this immortal spiritual power appeared in this foreign spacetime, it raged wildly like an unbridled horse, trying to break free from Li Fan's grasp.
Li Fan's true body mustered twelve-tenths of his focus. Using the familiarity with this immortal spiritual power cultivated over the past four years as a rein, he barely managed to rein it in.
Within the surrounding immortal array, immortal spiritual energy released by the Dissociation Disc assisted from the side, helping Li Fan subdue this wisp of immortal spiritual power.
After more than half a day of arduous effort, this tempestuous immortal spiritual power was finally brought under tenuous control.
"Next is to use this immortal spiritual power to disguise my identity."
"And enter that Infinite Sea through the Key of Dao stone slab."
Though the objective was clear, carrying it out was by no means simple.
After all, this was something even King Xuantian had failed to accomplish in the past.
The first problem he had to face was determining how to activate the slab.
Using the immortal array as a blade, Li Fan divided the wisp of immortal spiritual power sent by his divine sense clone into tens of millions of portions, using them for experimentation.
If he merely touched the stone slab with this immortal spiritual power, the slab would only manifest a faint halo of light before falling silent, seeming to wait for Li Fan's next action.
Li Fan recalled the process of using this Key of Dao stone slab previously to help the Xuanhuang Realm ascend to the Immortal Realm. He knew that it had to be triggered with the appropriate True Immortal seal character.
*Could it still be the character for the Transformation Between Immortal and Mortal?*
With a thought, Li Fan directed a portion of the immortal spiritual power to trace the character across the stone slab as if writing with a brush.
A powerful wave of energy indeed erupted from the slab, but after scanning its surroundings and failing to find a suitable candidate, the fluctuation dissipated on its own after a long while.
Having ruled out this option, Li Fan began other experiments, testing every True Immortal seal character he knew one by one.
It did not take long.
Regrettably, not a single one matched.
"It must be an unknown True Immortal seal character."
Li Fan's true body frowned slightly.
***
With his attempt to connect to the Infinite Sea stymied, Li Fan turned his sights back toward Scholar Zhu.
Asking directly was naturally out of the question; not only would it expose his background, but it might also draw the attention of the Shuo Star Sea's Governing Council.
Li Fan's divine sense clone continued to familiarize himself with the immortal spiritual power while biding his time.
Soon, only seven days remained before the recruitment of new members for the Immortal Hunt.
This time, the Governing Council released an announcement stating that the number of cultivators to be recruited was twice as many as before. For a time, discussion swept across the Shuo Star Sea, leaving people with mixed feelings of joy and apprehension.
The joy came from having a significantly higher chance of joining the Immortal Hunt.
The apprehension stemmed from rumors that the reason the Immortal Hunt was recruiting so many more members was that they had suffered catastrophic losses during a previous operation hunting a True Immortal, forcing their hand. Clearly, while joining the Immortal Hunt offered immense power and authority, the risks involved were far greater than imagined.
Nonetheless, becoming an Immortal Hunter remained the lifelong pursuit of young talents from all major factions across the Shuo Star Sea. Consequently, respondents were still legion.
In the City of Ultimate Bliss, Li Fan received a transmission from Scholar Zhu:
"Seven days from now, as promised, I will nominate you for the selection."
"However, according to our prior agreement, I must test you first!"
Straightening his robes, Li Fan walked steadily into the City Lord's Estate.
Pushing the door open, he did not encounter Scholar Zhu.
Instead, his foot stepped into empty space, and he felt as though he were plunging into an endless abyss.
He plummeted downward at extreme speed, surrounded by endless darkness.
Amidst the pitch black, pinpricks of light flashed from time to time, seemingly embedded in the cliff walls of the abyss.
Scholar Zhu's booming voice resounded in Li Fan's ears:
"The Immortal Hunt examination places paramount importance on comprehension of the Dao Net."
"The points of light you see are Dao Net instructions that may appear in the examination. Try to reproduce them."
"This is the first trial. If you cannot even pass this..."
"Then don't ever think of leaving!"
Scholar Zhu's cackling laughter echoed through the abyss.
Li Fan paid it no mind, merely observing the flickering points of Dao Net instructions with care.
In this endless, rapid freefall, arts of flight and levitation had mysteriously ceased to function.
Every Dao Net instruction flashed by in a mere instant. Observing and reproducing these instructions in such fleeting moments was extraordinarily difficult.
Fortunately, within Li Fan's divine sense lay the projection of the miniature Dao Net.
His divine sense acted as a canvas, reflecting every single point of light flashing past.
If a corresponding instruction existed within his own Dao Net projection, it would spontaneously flash and respond.
If it lay within Li Fan's blind spots, it was bypassed entirely.
There was no need for Li Fan's conscious mind to identify and reproduce them; the miniature Dao Net took its place.
Both the reaction speed and the accuracy of reproduction were vastly superior.
Li Fan sensed that with each successful reproduction, as if pulled sharply by a rope, the speed of his descent slowed a fraction.
And as point after point of light was reproduced and permanently illuminated the upper reaches of the endless abyss, Li Fan finally ceased falling.
The darkness gradually dissipated. Leaving the endless abyss behind, Li Fan arrived upon a desolate wilderness.
Opposite him stood an ethereal figure hovering in the air.
Though Li Fan did not recognize the face, the aura felt faintly familiar.
It was Scholar Zhu!
Sure enough, Scholar Zhu's voice came from the figure: "The second trial concerns martial strength."
"Immortal Hunt, Immortal Hunt. Its objective is to hunt True Immortals."
"Are you... up to the task?"
Before his words had even settled, Scholar Zhu pointed a finger through the air at Li Fan.
"A True Immortal takes the Great Dao of heaven and earth as a blade and commands infinite power."
At Scholar Zhu's point, the boundless wilderness curled inward like a sphere.
Li Fan felt as if he were trapped inside a jar, watching the surrounding earth rise up all around him, leaving no escape.
It was not merely the ground; every law between heaven and earth had transformed into an oppressive force. Confined within this cage, he seemed to face the entire world!
Li Fan's expression remained calm. He did not don the immortal skin.
Instead, tens of millions of arms manifested behind him in an instant.
Every arm seemed to be rapidly scribing something.
With each completed inscription, a point of light ignited before Li Fan.
Gradually, these glowing points wove into a net.
Li Fan placed both hands lightly on this net, plucking its strings continuously as if playing a zither.
With every movement, a massive chunk of the encroaching wilderness vanished without reason.
The plucking sounds chimed unceasingly, and the wilderness was eaten away in moments until it was riddled with holes.
By the time it reached Li Fan's side, it posed no threat at all!
They returned once more to the dark void, Li Fan and Scholar Zhu facing each other across the distance.
Scholar Zhu stared at the miniature Dao Net woven before Li Fan, a contemplative look in his eyes.
"Given the strength of your current body, joining the Immortal Hunt is more than enough."
"However... I must still test your true depths!"
Scholar Zhu gave a cold laugh.
From the darkness rolled churning clouds, accompanied by roaring thunder.
In an instant, they enveloped Li Fan in layers.
Narrowing his eyes, Li Fan seemed to discern countless towering figures standing amidst the black clouds and mist.
"These were all once my servants."
"Let me see just what heights you can reach."
Scholar Zhu's figure abruptly vanished.
Ferocious, terrifying creations surged like a tide from the dark mist, lunging toward Li Fan.
Li Fan seemed frozen with shock, standing rooted to the spot without reacting for a long time.
Yet those immortal creations had no intention of showing mercy.
Just as they were about to crash before Li Fan—
"Disperse!"
Li Fan uttered a soft bark.
At that exact moment, the innumerable creations froze in place as if turned to ice.
And then...
Just like the rolling black clouds across the sky, they dissolved into nothingness!
Scholar Zhu, who had been hiding behind the black clouds, revealed his true face.
He stared at Li Fan, full of shock and uncertainty.
"I, too, once had countless servants. Scholar Zhu, what do you think?"
Li Fan smiled faintly.
Along with his words, countless heavy, somber dark clouds pressed across the void once again.
Within the clouds, figures shifted and darted.
They were none other than the countless immortal servants that Li Fan had dispersed with a single word!
Only now, they had changed masters.
They surged forward to lay siege to Scholar Zhu.
"Insolence!"
Scholar Zhu was incandescent with rage.
Between heaven and earth, a section collapsed out of thin air as though struck by an invisible colossus.
All living beings within the collapsed region were reduced to ash along with it.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
Uncanny sounds rang out incessantly. These countless beings were crushed casually as if swatting flies.
Before long, all the creations besieging Scholar Zhu were annihilated.
Yet compared to Li Fan casually wiping them away with a single word, this was clearly inferior.
Li Fan did not manifest any more living creations; he merely looked at him with a smile.
"Interesting. How interesting."
"I believe you can bring those fellows a bit of a surprise."
"You may go!"
After staring at him for a long time, Scholar Zhu finally spoke.
The scene around Li Fan vanished in an instant.
He found himself standing outside the City Lord's Estate once more.
Before him was that unopened double door.
Li Fan cupped his hands toward the entrance and turned to leave.
*Having been trapped in the City of Ultimate Bliss for so long, how could he still have those immortal creations by his side?*
*If he hadn't insisted on summoning them, I wouldn't have seen through the truth so quickly.*
*It was nothing more than an illusory scene resembling the Eternal Lingering Thought, where illusion mirrors reality. In such a setting, even an expert like Sinister Su Bai would be no match for me, let alone a crippled Nameless True Immortal.*
Li Fan gave a cold sneer, having already returned to his residence.
What he needed to do next was infiltrate the Immortal Hunt and seize the innermost secrets of the Shuo Star Sea.
*The test just now was essentially a clash of comprehension and will.*
*Although I used the Transformation of Real and Unreal to gain the upper hand over Scholar Zhu, his method of brute-force crushing—like an invisible colossus—is certainly not to be underestimated.*
Chapter 1444