"In truth, mere mortals could never harm me. They were merely borrowing power."
"Still, to be able to borrow the power of the Great Sage Jingfen is quite a remarkable feat." When the four words "Great Sage Jingfen" left his mouth, just like when he mentioned the Mound-Guarding Lord, Chengdao's expression turned solemn and reverent.
Hearing this, Li Fan's heart gave a violent jolt, and an ominous premonition descended upon his mind.
Subconsciously, he activated Illusion is Real.
Mere moments later, a chilling sensation ran down Li Fan's spine as he felt a gaze sweep past Chengdao. It lingered for only the briefest glance, paying him no further heed.
Then, that sensation of being watched dissipated into nothingness.
Chengdao seemed accustomed to this and continued speaking, entirely unaware of the monstrous waves churning within Li Fan's mind behind his outwardly calm expression.
*A Great Sage... A Holy Sovereign.*
*The Fourth Holy Sovereign of the Immortal Realm, who senses whenever their name is spoken?*
*I was almost killed by this old bastard!*
Holy Sovereigns stood at the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm, possessing power so absolute they could even pry at the mountains and seas to a certain degree. Even with the protection of Revert to the True, Li Fan had no absolute certainty of escaping unscathed before an entity of such stature.
How could he not feel a lingering dread?
Fortunately, through countless years of reincarnations and simulations, Li Fan had honed an exceptionally keen spiritual intuition. Guided by sudden inspiration, he had invoked the divine ability Illusion is Real just in time, narrowly averting disaster.
This time, Li Fan had used Illusion is Real to simulate an ordinary mortal immortal. Rather than transforming into a target of unique qualities as he had done in the past, he concealed his own uniqueness. Had he not rehearsed this multiple times during his previous Dao contemplations, his reaction would never have been so swift.
*Though the divine ability Illusion is Real cannot be maintained permanently, merely turning into an ordinary True Immortal of the mortal realm consumes very little, allowing it to last almost indefinitely. However, to alter the effect of Illusion is Real, I must wait another twenty-four shichen.*
*When communicating with this old bastard in the future, I must remain constantly on guard.* Li Fan strove to calm his emotions and put all thoughts of the Great Sage Jingfen out of his mind.
Meanwhile, Chengdao continued, "When I emerged from that testing ground, it was only natural that I inherit Master's Dao and bear the Dao Annihilation with phantoms. The problem was, life had withered across the surrounding star seas. For a time, I had no idea where to find True Immortals. Just then, that Lord of Sacred Commerce told me they had a way..."
"The Lord of Sacred Commerce?" Li Fan's attention was drawn back.
"That mortal truly has some skill. He was actually able to trace the faint, elusive connections between True Immortals and the mountains and seas, pinpointing the locations of those hidden True Immortals amid the vast, desolate, and dead star sea. Though I could have done it myself, it would have taken much more time. Having someone else do the legwork was naturally better."
"My luck wasn't bad. The first Nameless I encountered, Mo, was fairly reasonable and willing to follow the Mound-Guarding Lord's will, leaving behind a phantom to bear the Dao."
"Yet, as I mentioned before, the Dao Annihilation Tribulation arrived faster than anticipated. There simply wasn't enough time," Chengdao said with a trace of regret.
"By the time Mo grasped the wondrous method imparted by Master, divided out a phantom, and went to bear the Dao, this star sea would likely have already been swallowed by Dao Annihilation. How could my very first undertaking after stepping out into the world end so sloppily? Desperate times called for desperate measures, so I had no choice but to substitute his actual body for the phantom." Now that he had grown familiar with Li Fan, Chengdao's account differed slightly from what he had said before.
Overall, however, it still aligned with Li Fan's assessment of Chengdao.
Chengdao was originally a spirit stone beside the mountains and seas—something from beyond the mortal realm, detached and cold by nature. Yet, having been enlightened and guided by the Mound-Guarding Lord, he was bound by restraint, and thus his actions remained within rules and principles.
"The result was quite good; it barely fended off the impending Dao Annihilation Tribulation. Naturally, Mo had some grievances. But seeing that I had also imprisoned myself in the flesh, he could hardly say much. As compensation, I specially constructed the City of Ultimate Bliss for him so an avatar could enjoy pleasures and vent outside. Among all the immortals of the Dao Net, he is truly one of a kind." Chengdao spoke dismissively.
In his eyes, being able to resist Dao Annihilation with one's own body and practice the Mound-Guarding Lord's ideals was an immense honor.
"Yet not every True Immortal in the world is as reasonable as Mo. The vast majority were completely uncooperative. Out of courtesy to fellow disciples of the Dao, it was awkward for me to strike directly. So I had no choice but to borrow the strength of mortals across the star sea."
"Back then, I rescued them from the Dao Annihilation Tribulation. Consequently, they were deeply grateful and obeyed my every word. Things like the Governing Council and the Immortal Hunt were established soon after. There also seemed to be some remnants from within the Great Wall..." Chengdao's tone was entirely indifferent.
Li Fan could somewhat understand Chengdao's mindset.
To him, these worldly mortals were genuinely beyond his concern. Even though Li Fan had nearly torn the Dao Net apart and slaughtered countless members of the Immortal Hunt, simply addressing him as "Senior Brother" a few times was enough for Chengdao to wipe the slate completely clean.
In short, fellow disciples who shared the inheritance of Shouqiu held an entirely different weight in Chengdao's heart compared to mortal ants.
"Even if mortals were wielding the blades, with Senior Brother presiding over them, capturing the True Immortals of the star sea should have been effortless. Why, then, have I heard that the Immortal Hunt suffered repeated setbacks? They were even at a disadvantage in the struggle at one point."
Hearing this, Chengdao narrowed his eyes.
From him, Li Fan sensed an icy killing intent, along with a faint, exceedingly subtle greed.
Only after a long silence did Chengdao confess, "If they all possessed the strength of Chaos or Shanhua, there naturally wouldn't have been any trouble. The crucial factor was Ni..."
"Ni?"
Li Fan immediately recalled that among the faction of True Immortals, there was a Nameless True Immortal said to have crafted the supreme treasure known as the Retrograde Boat. He could not help asking in astonishment, "Does a method to reverse time truly exist in this world?"
Chengdao's voice turned solemn. "Though there is no conclusive proof, it is most likely so. Hmph. Every single time, he managed to turn the tide, spinning a miracle out of ruin. How could there be such coincidences?"
"I tried every means at my disposal, yet I was powerless against such a thing. Later on, Ni vanished without a trace, and only then did those True Immortals gradually behave."
...
Li Fan fell into deep thought.
*The Retrograde Boat, the second of the Three Methods of World Avoidance.*
*If the reversal of time were to clash with Revert to the True, what kind of scene would that be?*
Thinking this, Li Fan said aloud, "Ni disappeared without a trace. Could he have boarded the Retrograde Boat and returned to the past?"
"Perhaps. What a pity I failed to capture him. Otherwise, if I could return to when I was still a spirit stone by Master's side and suddenly awaken sentience, Master would surely have been pleasantly surprised." Coming from the mouth of a withered, emaciated old man, such words sounded distinctly bizarre.
Yet it was enough to show how profoundly the Mound-Guarding Lord had influenced Chengdao.
Li Fan was left speechless, and silence fell between them for a while.
Having finally confirmed that a method to reverse time truly existed, Li Fan found himself thoroughly fixated on it. He sought to probe Chengdao for more related information.
"I feel that such a heaven-defying divine ability should not exist in this world. What kind of figure was Master? Even he seemingly could not turn back time. It is truly difficult to imagine that Immortal Ni could be more formidable than Master," Li Fan said, shaking his head after the silence.
"On that point, I once fell into confusion as well, and later consulted Master," Chengdao suddenly remarked.
"Oh? What did Master say?" Li Fan's heart skipped a beat.
Not only because it concerned the reversal of time, but also because he realized Chengdao could actually communicate with the Mound-Guarding Lord at any time.
"Irrelevant to the endgame."
"Those four words are something I still haven't fathomed to this day." Chengdao let out a regretful sigh.
*Irrelevant to the endgame.*
Li Fan slowly repeated the words in his mind.
Evidently, the "endgame" the Mound-Guarding Lord referred to was the ultimate fate of the mortal realm being engulfed by the Dao Annihilation Tribulation a million years later.
*Does this mean even the power to reverse time cannot resolve such a catastrophe?*
Li Fan found it hard to believe, remaining utterly bewildered.
Yet what the Mound-Guarding Lord thought was beyond anything Li Fan could fathom at present.
The perspective from beyond the mortal realm and between the mountains and seas was likely completely different from that within the mortal world.
Since the Mound-Guarding Lord said so, there was bound to be truth in it.
Li Fan could only comfort himself with that thought.
"Master's sage words are truly unfathomable. You needn't brood over it, Senior Brother—I don't understand either."
Hearing Li Fan say this, Chengdao's mood instantly brightened.
Li Fan continued to probe, "From what you said, Senior Brother, are you able to hear Master's teachings often? If the opportunity arises next time, you mustn't forget to bring your junior brother along!"
"Though I obtained Master's Mound-Guarding Jottings, I have never had the chance to hear his words in person or see his form with my own eyes..." Li Fan's face was filled with envy.
Chengdao felt a touch of pride, accompanied by a hint of regret. "It isn't as easy as you imagine. Master has transcended; his divine movements are ethereal and untraceable. Furthermore, his imprint resides between the mountains and seas, so sending a transmission and receiving no reply for several centuries is completely normal. Thus, although I have been awake for a long time, there have only been a handful of times I could speak with Master."
"What a pity!" Li Fan sighed, feeling a quiet sense of relief inside.
"Rest assured, Junior Brother. If word comes from Master next time, I will certainly take you along!" Chengdao showed considerable loyalty to his fellow disciple, promising repeatedly.
"Then I thank you, Senior Brother!" Li Fan's face lit up with delight.
...
The time spent between the two fellow disciples was indeed very pleasant.
Though Chengdao possessed unfathomable strength, having been enlightened and guided by the Mound-Guarding Lord, he was bound by rules and propriety.
By catering to his inclinations, Li Fan could naturally wrap him around his finger with ease.
Gradually, Chengdao came to regard Li Fan as the person he trusted most after the Mound-Guarding Lord.
Li Fan, too, benefited immensely from Chengdao.
Most crucial among these benefits were the projections of the complete Great Daos preserved in Chengdao's memory.
Although they were not the Great Daos themselves and offered no substantive aid to the developmental progress of Li Fan's Myriad Facets Dao Net,
they were equivalent to directly unlocking an entire compendium of Great Daos that had previously been shrouded in fog.
This allowed Li Fan to follow the clues and precisely hunt his targets in the future.
Benefiting from their harmonious relationship, Chengdao was by no means stingy with this memory of the complete Great Daos.
He frequently shared it with Li Fan.
However, the complete Great Dao projections of the Primordial timeline were tens of times more complex than the Daos Li Fan had glimpsed before. They were not something that could be fully comprehended in a short time.
Consequently, Li Fan remained almost constantly by Chengdao's side.
As for his avatar, Li Buren, he helped repair the Dao Net outside.
With the assistance of True Immortals like Chaos and Shanhua, as well as numerous beings from the Primordial Immortal Realm, the Shuoxing Sea Dao Net was repaired swiftly.
And with the de facto controllers of the two greatest factions near the Shuoxing Sea sitting together each day to discuss the Dao in high spirits, this starry expanse fell into a rare state of peace and tranquility.
Until thirty-three years later.
Shanhua suddenly requested an audience with Li Fan.
"A message from the Guangwu Star Sea?" Li Fan was somewhat surprised.
He had not expected that after witnessing his divine ability to snatch away the Dao Sword and Dao Saber with a bare hand, the Guangwu Star Sea would still dare seek him out.
"What did they say?" Li Fan asked with interest.
Shanhua's expression was somewhat delicate as he glanced at Chengdao, who sat withered and motionless beside Li Fan.
"Senior Brother and I are closer than blood brothers. There are no secrets between us. Whatever it is, speak freely!" Li Fan waved a hand.
Shanhua then truthfully reported everything in detail. "Kuixing first inquired about my current situation. I did not blow my cover, merely pretending that I had fled in panic back then and narrowly escaped with my life."
"Then Kuixing actually proposed that we continue our cooperation."
"I refused outright. But Kuixing kept babbling on, seemingly..."
Glancing at Li Fan's expression, Shanhua whispered, "Seemingly bent on capturing you, Senior."
Before Li Fan could react, Chengdao let out a cold sneer.
"Agree to it for now and lure him over."
"I would like to see just what abilities this Kuixing possesses."
Li Fan pondered for a moment and felt something bizarre about this.
As the saying went, no one rose early without profit to gain.
Li Fan had effortlessly neutralized the assault of the Dao Sword and Dao Saber and subdued those supreme treasures with a single hand. The strength he had displayed was undoubtedly far beyond the realm of ordinary Nameless True Immortals.
Yet even so, the Guangwu Star Sea faction represented by Kuixing remained determined to capture him.
Between Li Fan and the Guangwu Star Sea, there was no irreconcilable feud.
*Could it be that they have guessed how I seized the Dao Sword and Dao Saber?*
When it involved Revert to the True, Li Fan had to take things seriously.
Judging from their ability to casually deploy treasures like the Dao Sword and Dao Saber, the forces of the Guangwu Star Sea were certainly not weak. It was even possible that there were transcendent experts capable of traveling between different timelines.
After all, the Dao Sword and Dao Saber had originated from another timeline.
*Interesting.*
Although Li Fan could easily ignore True Immortal Kuixing, how could one allow another to snore beside one's own bed? Having someone constantly targeting him was an unpleasant feeling.
Most importantly, Li Fan now had a powerful senior brother shielding him.
*I'll let Chengdao test the mettle of this Guangwu Star Sea first.* A glint of cold light flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
"Do as my senior brother said!" Li Fan instructed in a deep voice.
Chengdao was thoroughly pleased with Li Fan's response.
In his view, such a straightforward reply from Li Fan was far better than hesitation or timid evasiveness.
"Rest easy, Junior Brother. It remains as I said."
"As long as your senior brother is here, I will never let anyone harm you," Chengdao pledged solemnly.
Li Fan showed a look of gratitude.
At the same time, however, he had his avatar Li Buren begin preparations as well.
Within the Primordial Immortal Realm.
The influx from the Sea of Infinity had long reached an equilibrium.
Now, the continent inside the Great Wall differed little from the Immortal Realm in Li Fan's memories.
Chapter 1504