The Immortal Realm's Re-Ascension

Situ Xing gave a bitter smile. "As the saying goes, one mountain cannot harbor two tigers. That so many Nameless Ones gathered in a single realm was already an unbelievable thing. And that our group back then could gather around the same man, call each other brothers, and even maintain a stable relationship—that was even more inconceivable... "Especially those two women, Luo Yichen and Ji Yuzhen. They were already mortal enemies back in the Upper Realm." Seeing Li Fan's intrigued expression, Situ Xing continued, "In the Immortal Realm, Luo Yichen was titled the Divine Mother of Qingxi. As for her conduct, it was just like how she acted in the Xuanhuang Realm before meeting Xuanyuan Hong. She loved keeping male favorites—and lovers regardless of gender, for that matter. The vast astral sector was entirely filled with subjects beneath her skirt. "As for Ji Yuzhen, her name in the Upper Realm was also Ji Yuzhen. Rumor has it that she was originally born and raised in the Qingxi Astral Sector, influenced from childhood by the unique atmosphere of servitude there, believing in it devoutly and wholeheartedly. But by a stroke of chance, one day she managed to leave the Qingxi Astral Sector and arrived in an astral sector governed by a normal Immortal Chancellor. The stark contrast twisted her mindset, turning her reverence into hatred from then on..." Situ Xing paused, hesitated for a moment, and added, "My Upper Realm true self's memories are somewhat fragmented. Such rumors might not be entirely true. But that there was an unknown entanglement between the two of them is indisputable. Back then, we all found it strange why those two seemed to have such an immense, innate vendetta. "Later, Ji Yuzhen was the first to awaken her true self's consciousness. She made a direct move, intending to kill Luo Yichen on the spot. Fortunately, Xuanyuan Hong intervened in time and stopped her. "I still remember the look in Ji Yuzhen's eyes back then. Heh..." Situ Xing clicked his tongue. "I have to admit, Xuanyuan Hong truly had some ability. Not only could he maintain a balance between the two women while he was around, but even after he vanished, Ji Yuzhen and Luo Yichen actually coexisted peacefully for a time. It was only when they had differing opinions on what to do about Xuanyuan Hong that the rift between them opened again. "Luo Yichen believed she was ultimately not fated to obtain the treasure, and though the Qingxi Astral Sector had not yet been engulfed by Dao Annihilation, it was already teetering in peril. Thus, she chose to return to the Immortal Realm and flee the disaster. "Ji Yuzhen, on the other hand, chose to track the clues Xuanyuan Hong had left behind. She firmly believed that Xuanyuan Hong would not simply abandon her like that." Situ Xing smiled bitterly. "Ji Yuzhen's stubborn nature was rather famous in the Upper Realm as well." Li Fan recalled the hundreds of millions of Ji Yuzhen's split souls wandering within Crater Mountain on the Dongyong Continent. Raising his brows slightly, he asked, "Isn't Ji Yuzhen dead?" As he spoke, with a wave of his hand, he displayed the current scene of the Dongyong Continent in the Xuanhuang Realm for Situ Xing to see. Hearing this, Situ Xing was startled at first. But after observing for a while, he shook his head slightly. "The cultivation method Ji Yuzhen practiced destined that she would not perish so easily. These hundreds of millions of split souls, including the primordial soul concealed in the center, are almost entirely memories related to Xuanyuan Hong. She likely severed and cast them aside intentionally. "And the Dongyong Continent happens to be where Xuanyuan Hong returned after his ascension to seek and meet her. She probably thought to cut away all her feelings for Xuanyuan Hong entirely." As expected of a former Nameless True Immortal. Simply through the light and shadow Li Fan indirectly projected, he saw right through the true nature of those hundreds of millions of split souls. *No wonder every single scene I saw in the memories of those split souls featured Xuanyuan Hong.* Li Fan was already inclined to believe Situ Xing's assessment. "Back then, of your Twelve Dharma Kings, how many truly died, and how many disappeared of their own accord?" Situ Xing felt that this senior before him seemed a bit excessively interested in the past affairs of the Xuantian Sect. *Could it be that he later met one of the twelve of us?* Thinking this, yet intimidated by the two Heavenly Pillars flanking him, Situ Xing still answered truthfully, "Um, Sikong Lin is most likely truly dead. Impacted by the Immortal Realm's Dao Annihilation Tribulation, his true self was annihilated, and his avatar suffered severe trauma. The damage was too deep to reverse; there should have been no way to save him. Zhou Yangli and Cui Zhiyuan—their true selves were definitely affected as well, but I cannot say for sure whether they escaped. "As for the others... "That is beyond what I can surmise." Li Fan pointed toward the sunken underground river in the Pitch-Black Star Sea. "What about you? How did you end up in this state?" Hearing this, Situ Xing felt somewhat embarrassed. "My true self's consciousness awakened the latest. Right up until Xuanyuan Hong vanished, I hadn't regained my original awareness. At the time, I couldn't understand certain things happening among us. I simply continued following Xuanyuan Hong's orders, engraving the Form of Living Beings beneath the star sea. And since I rarely interacted with the others, even after they awakened their true selves' consciousness, they couldn't be certain of my real identity. They weren't even sure whether I was a descended True Immortal... "Not long after working beneath the Pitch-Black Star Sea, my true self tragically perished, and I was caught in the backlash. That I could barely keep my divine consciousness from dissipating was already a stroke of immense luck." Situ Xing sighed. "So that means this avatar of yours can be considered loyal and devoted," Li Fan said, sizing him up. "It wasn't... entirely as Senior thinks. In truth, I faintly sensed the benefits of carving out the Form of Living Beings, which was why I willingly stayed within that underground river of vitality." Situ Xing smiled, making no attempt to conceal it. "Benefits?" "After the Immortal Realm fell, the infinite nature of our immortal power as True Immortals was affected to varying degrees. Those with good fortune might still possess infinite immortal power. But others lost their connection to the Sea of Infinity. And I belonged to the latter." Situ Xing sighed and continued, "And by outlining and molding this star sea through the Form of Living Beings, helping it revive in the process, one can use the lower realm's star sea authority channel to reconnect with the Sea of Infinity. When that time came, even though the Immortal Realm was destroyed, I would still remain a True Immortal. Even if my true self met with disaster, I wouldn't be too heavily impacted. "Alas, things did not go as hoped." "The Sea of Infinity is the chief culprit that invited Dao Annihilation. Even with the Immortal Realm destroyed, you are all still stubbornly obsessed!" Li Fan cut Situ Xing off, his expression gradually turning cold. Situ Xing was slightly stunned, seemingly finally understanding why Li Fan did not possess immortal power. Pondering, he explained cautiously, "It was not the Sea of Infinity that caused Dao Annihilation. Rather, failing to block the Sea of Infinity led to Dao Annihilation. For us True Immortals, connecting to the Sea of Infinity is achieved through the power of Lianshan. As the saying goes, mountains and sea are linked. "And whether we use infinite immortal power or not has no bearing on the general tide of Dao Annihilation. "I suspect that the destruction of the Immortal Realm was largely due to Immortal Emperor Tianluo's headstrong actions. He must bear the lion's share of the blame." Situ Xing's explanation fell right into Li Fan's blind spot of knowledge. Unable to discern truth from falsehood, Li Fan did not refute him directly. Instead, he countered, "The governing Immortal Emperor Tianluo—I have also heard that before the Immortal Realm was destroyed, he seemed to have engaged in mad endeavors. What exactly was he trying to do?" Mentioning Immortal Emperor Tianluo, Situ Xing's expression turned somewhat peculiar, looking remarkably similar to when he reminisced about Xuanyuan Hong. "Immortal Emperor Tianluo wished to resolve the peril of the Dao Annihilation Tribulation once and for all. And his method... "Was a plan for the Immortal Realm as a whole to undergo re-ascension. If successful, it would stand above the Mountain and the Sea. No matter how the tides rose and fell, they would never affect us in the slightest." "Hm?" Li Fan's expression also grew subtle. "Either that Immortal Emperor Tianluo was an out-and-out madman, or he had something solid to rely on. I once heard that back then, Emperor Tianluo had no shortage of followers..." He stared at Situ Xing, wanting an answer from his lips. "Theoretically speaking, Emperor Tianluo's plan did have a certain degree of feasibility. Otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen to follow him back then. Alas, judging by the outcome, he seems to have failed in the end. "However, as for why it was feasible, that involved the Immortal Realm Ascension Plan. It was an absolute secret. I was not privy to synchronized information. And that secret has perhaps been buried entirely along with the destruction of the Immortal Realm." Deep in Situ Xing's eyes, a trace of regret flashed. The space within the Heavenly Pillars fell into an eerie silence for a time. *Ascension of the Immortal Realm...* Li Fan carefully turned those words over in his mind. It was indeed too mad. No wonder Qingyin and the True Immortal surnamed Ling, stationed in the testing ground space, thought Emperor Tianluo had gone mad upon learning of this plan and ultimately resolved to flee far away. The power of immortals came from the Mountain and the Sea. Yet Emperor Tianluo wanted the power of an entire realm to transcend the Mountain and the Sea. Even if he had something to rely on, it was simply far too whimsical. Yet to rise to the throne of the Immortal Realm's governing Immortal Emperor, Tianluo was by no means ordinary. To make such a decision, he must have weighed his options carefully. At the very least, in his eyes, there was a very high probability of success. *Even Revert to the True might not surpass the Mountain and the Sea. Back then, when the Immortal Realm was shivering under the rampage of the Dao Annihilation tide, on what basis did Emperor Tianluo dare to try?* Boundless curiosity surged in Li Fan's heart. Yet this question was destined to remain unanswered in the short term. "You say infinite immortal power was not the chief culprit behind Dao Annihilation. Then do you believe that when the Dao Annihilation Tribulation occurred, the myriad immortals across the heavens bore no responsibility whatsoever?" After thinking for a while, Li Fan steered the topic back. Li Fan's stance was already crystal clear. Glancing again at the Heavenly Pillar nearby, Situ Xing hesitated repeatedly, unable to bring himself to answer for a long time. Only after a good while did he stammer, "It's not just me. Most True Immortals probably think this way. And in fact, so it is. Whether we use infinite immortal power or not, the Sea of Infinity is always there. "The fusion of Mountain and Sea is an inexorable trend. If anyone is truly at fault... "Then perhaps, from the very beginning, the birth of immortals was a mistake. "Ever since immortals were born with the aid of Lianshan's power, the encroachment of the Sea of Infinity was doomed to happen sooner or later." Situ Xing had some convictions of his own. Even facing Li Fan's menacing gaze, he did not alter his words. He spoke frankly. "You Nameless True Immortals attain the Dao and leave. Do you truly bear no responsibility?" Li Fan suddenly barked sharply. With a wave of his hand, five phantoms of the Duke of Shouqiu circled the area, manifesting before Situ Xing. "To say nothing of turning oneself into a pillar—could you not even leave behind Dao-bearing phantoms like the Duke of Shouqiu?" The name of the Duke of Shouqiu was extraordinary indeed. Looking at the phantoms that abruptly appeared around him, Situ Xing felt struck by lightning. His body trembled uncontrollably. After calming down, he took the initiative to bow in salute to the phantoms. Then, pondering for a moment, he spoke again, "This question was discussed long ago in the Immortal Realm. "The overarching trend of the Mountain and Sea fusing is by no means something that the persistence of one or two Daopaths can reverse. In truth, whether there is one more or one fewer Daopath supporting it makes no difference on a macro-temporal scale. Just like the sanctuary Senior built here with two Heavenly Pillars—it looks safe for now, but in reality... "One day, destruction is inevitable. "It may delay it somewhat, but in the end, it avails nothing. "It is impossible to completely renounce the path of advancement for True Immortals because of this. Moreover, when our generation attains Namelessness, Minor Transcendence, or even true transcendence to leap above Mountain and Sea, perhaps we can truly find a way to stop the Mountain and Sea from fusing." Situ Xing spoke with righteous conviction, his words flowing faster and faster. His eyes were resolute, as if this were what he genuinely believed in his heart. "Hmph. Pinning your hopes on an ethereal, illusory future. "Now the Immortal Realm is destroyed, and countless True Immortals have transcended. Have they found a way to save the world?" Li Fan countered. To this question, Situ Xing could only respond with silence. After a long time, he finally spoke, "Perhaps on the other side of the Sea of Infinity, there is a world that has already found a solution. "A steady stream of transcendent True Immortals from various worlds crosses over to the other shore, gathering in that magnificent world. Pooling all their strength, they should be able to find a way to save the world. This was originally the tacit understanding among countless Nameless True Immortals back then. "As for clinging stubbornly to a single world, Emperor Tianluo has already demonstrated the ultimate outcome. "Senior, you have not walked the path of immortal attainment, so it is only natural that you do not understand this aspect." Situ Xing spoke with great eloquence, yet it could not shake Li Fan's heart in the slightest. For no other reason than that the cold countdown numbers of Revert to the True were steadily ticking down, telling of the mortal world's ultimate fate. *Perhaps he is right.* *The fusion of Mountain and Sea is indeed the inexorable overarching trend of the mortal world.* *Before Mountain and Sea, the influence of a single possibility is minuscule, to say nothing of a Nameless True Immortal who has only attained a single Dao.* *Regardless of what they do, whether they leave behind means to bear the Dao or not, at most it merely delays the arrival of the Dao Annihilation Tribulation by a sliver of time.* *It cannot change the ultimate end of destruction.* Li Fan suddenly thought of Sinister Su Bai, the Black Heavenly Physician, and the Duke of Shouqiu, who clearly had the power to easily withstand the Dao Annihilation Tribulation yet still departed leisurely. *A tacit understanding among Nameless True Immortals?* *Were they purely seeking their own strength, or had they truly not abandoned this so-called tacit understanding in their hearts?* *Does that grand world on the other shore, where so many transcendent beings gather, truly exist?* Thousands of thoughts flashed through Li Fan's mind. However, regardless of what he thought now, he could not show the slightest sign on the surface of being persuaded by Situ Xing. "And what of the lives the common living beings of this world were meant to have, vanished prematurely because of your excuses? "How should that debt be settled? "Did they simply deserve to die?" With a wave of Li Fan's hand, scenes of countless living beings wailing in the apocalypse instantly appeared before Situ Xing.