Shivering in excitement, trembling in agitation, despairing in dread.
In the end, it dissipated above the mountain and sea, transforming into a bridge.
Carving out a path for its people to journey from the sea onto the mountain.
...
Li Fan carefully reread this passage from the fable dozens of times, trying to comprehend the scene it depicted. Unfortunately, the fable was vague regarding details, merely recounting the fate of this primeval first being.
Yet that was understandable.
The past events of the mountain and sea recorded in this fable were already secrets far beyond the mortal world. If it also touched upon what lay beyond the mountain and sea...
Then Li Fan would have to doubt the authenticity of the fable in the first place.
After all, the fable recorded that the fate of the first being who looked beyond the mountain and sea was to perish and become a bridge connecting them. Unless this deceased being had come back from the dead and recorded what it saw, no one else in the mortal world of the mountain and sea could ever know what it had witnessed.
In truth, Li Fan was not especially curious about what lay beyond the mountain and sea. That was still far too distant from where he currently stood. Senseless speculation served no purpose and would only bring needless vexation.
What Li Fan cared about more was this line from the fable:
"Born of the sea, standing upon the mountain. Thus, its sight could reach beyond the mountain and sea..."
*It seems to outline the path to transcending the mountain and sea,* Li Fan pondered silently.
The fable's account of this first being bore a deceptive resemblance to the deeds of Holy Sovereigns Lianshan and Guihai in the Immortal Realm.
Judging by the deed of bridging the mountain and sea, it seemed to embody the traits of both Holy Sovereigns. Yet both Sages still resided in the mountain and sea, rather than having perished and turned into a bridge as the fable described.
*If there truly is a connection between them, perhaps it was precisely the existence of the "Bridge" into which that primeval first being transformed that allowed Holy Sovereigns Lianshan and Guihai to attain the Dao countless years later.*
*And it was from this corpse known as the "Bridge" that the two Holy Sovereigns also caught a glimpse of the mountain and sea's past,* Li Fan reasonably deduced.
*In that case, the author of this fable is rather intriguing. They know of the coming apocalypse, understand the primeval dawn, and share deep ties with the two Sages...*
An invisible fire rose from his palm, burning the fable completely away.
The fable truly was not forged from any special material, turning to nothingness in an instant.
Even though he had verified this once in his previous life, Li Fan still felt a twinge of disappointment.
"It seems there are no other hidden secrets."
Though the physical copy was gone, the text of the fable remained deeply engraved in Li Fan's mind. Savoring it closely, Li Fan attempted to deconstruct part of the fable based on his own experiences.
*If being born of the sea and standing upon the mountain already grants the qualification to transcend the mountain and sea, then in truth, every "immortal" since the two Sages Lianshan and Guihai created the Immortal Realm meets this condition.*
*Its essence lies in the fusion of the two Daos.*
*It is merely that the vast majority of so-called True Immortals simply achieved the Dao by borrowing the power of the two Holy Sovereigns. They never truly comprehended the Dao of the Mountain and Sea.*
*The pinnacle of the two Daos is transcending the mountain and sea.*
*In my past experiences, the Dao of the Mountain and Sea, the Longevity Dao, and the transformation of true and false should be existences of the same energy tier. Does this not mean...*
*Practicing any one of them to its pinnacle would grant the power to transcend the mountain and sea. Then my previous act of fusing the Three Daos...*
Li Fan shook his head slightly.
Judging by the fable's contents, even the mountain and sea themselves had to constantly adapt to each other through fusion.
Even the Sea of Infinity and Mount Shangfang likely could not bear the consequences of fusing the Three Daos in a short span of time.
*That is why Revert to the True was so severely "damaged" this time. I was indeed too reckless before. That I could survive by sheer luck after attempting it is entirely thanks to the protection of Revert to the True.*
*The ignorant are truly fearless.*
Looking back at his past actions from his present vantage, Li Fan felt genuine relief mingled with lingering dread.
*What was Sun Piaomiao's purpose in leaving this fable behind?*
*Normally speaking, the contents touched upon in this fable far surpass the Xuanhuang Realm. Even True Immortals might not recognize the true nature of the mountain and sea. Most cultivators who see this fable would treat it as a mere story and think nothing more of it.*
*Except...*
Li Fan raised his brows. *Except for me, and the person who will tear out several pages of this fable in the future.*
With a single thought, an identical book appeared in Li Fan's hands.
Li Fan placed it back where it had been in the treasury.
Although Li Fan's maneuvers had already altered the course of history in the Xuanhuang Realm tremendously, and he could not be certain whether the mysterious person who tore out the pages would appear again, a necessary contingency still had to be laid.
Who knew? Perhaps it might yield an unexpected surprise.
With the matter of the Mountains and Seas Fables settled, Li Fan intended to seek out that Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang next.
Earlier in the Taiyuan Realm, the immortal array had captured a wisp of her aura.
Even though she deliberately hid her existence in the Xuanhuang Realm, she could not escape Li Fan's grasp.
Locking onto her location through unseen threads, Li Fan smiled faintly and took a step forward.
The next instant, he appeared out of thin air nearby.
Rather than hastily alerting her, he hid in the shadows to observe closely first.
This was a quiet, ordinary hilltop in the Xuanhuang Realm.
Because the climate was slightly chilly, what grew across the hills were not tall trees, but short, emerald-green grass. It stretched on endlessly to the edge of the sky like a celestial prairie, refreshing the spirit and imperceptibly broadening the mind.
That Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang sat quietly upon the hill.
An easel stood erected before her.
The Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang was slowly recording the beautiful scenery before her with brush and ink.
For a Great Heavenly Venerable who could search and preserve every vista in the Xuanhuang Realm with a single thought, such an act seemed meaningless.
Yet Li Fan could tell that this Great Heavenly Venerable seemed to take genuine pleasure in it.
Every stroke was executed with immense care. From time to time, she would look dissatisfied, furrowing her brows slightly as she erased the ink to redraw it.
A gentle breeze brushed over the hill as time quietly drifted by.
Just as the painting in the Great Heavenly Venerable's hands neared completion, and a visible look of delighted satisfaction surfaced between her brows and eyes...
Countless corpses abruptly manifested across the hills in the painting without rhyme or reason.
A mountain of corpses, a sea of blood, and soaring malevolence.
A crimson blood moon even rose in the painted sky,
utterly ruining the fresh, beautiful artistic conception.
"Who goes there!" Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang snapped in shock and fury. She whirled around abruptly, scanning her surroundings,
only to see Li Fan's half-smiling expression.
Reason dictated that anyone capable of approaching her without her noticing and freely defacing her painting had to possess strength far greater than her own.
If Li Fan were in her position, he would never launch a rash attack against such a powerhouse.
Yet the Great Heavenly Venerable before him seemed to have lost her senses in a fit of rage over her ruined painting,
choosing to strike at Li Fan regardless.
The smile at the corners of Li Fan's mouth gradually subsided as he uttered a single, calm word.
"Freeze!"
Lashing out furiously in her assault, the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang was rendered completely immobile in an instant!
Only then did she slowly come to her senses.
The terror on her face was beyond words.
One must realize that as Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, she could freely summon the power of the entire Xuanhuang world. But now...
Before this person,
her connection to heaven and earth seemed severed.
Or perhaps, even with the combined power of the entire Xuanhuang Realm, she was still thoroughly suppressed by him.
The Great Heavenly Venerable was no fool. Almost instantly, she linked him to the "Xuanhuang True Immortal" who had inexplicably descended upon the world earlier.
Only an immortal could wield such strength.
Compared to a True Immortal, a Great Heavenly Venerable was plainly not an existence of the same caliber.
Having inherited the duties of the Great Heavenly Venerable, she knew all too well that the so-called Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang was merely an immortal servant acting under orders.
Thus, she instantly reined in the arrogance in her heart,
even though the actual age of the True Immortal before her was likely far younger than hers.
Li Fan had only immobilized her body without restricting her speech.
Realizing this, the Great Heavenly Venerable asked, "Why does Senior play tricks on me?"
As her voice drifted out, Li Fan began to vaguely understand why Mr. Bai had remained so captivated by a mortal woman,
refusing to waver in his devotion even after later discovering he had been manipulated.
Unfortunately, such tricks had no effect on Li Fan.
"The soldiers of Xuanhuang fought with their lives on the front lines, yet you, as the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, indulge in artistic poetry here..." Li Fan snorted coldly.
Using the transformation of true and false, he simulated a power close to the Immortal Soul of Mo Sha and surged it into her body.
Initially, the Great Heavenly Venerable had maintained a relatively composed demeanor, explaining tactfully, "The duties of the Great Heavenly Venerable are confined within the Xuanhuang Realm. The expedition against Taiyuan was not my—"
Halfway through her sentence, her voice uncontrollably cracked.
The power of the Immortal Soul of Mo Sha could annihilate all things. Even the connection between the Great Heavenly Venerable and the Xuanhuang Realm could not escape it.
Even though her body and divine soul felt no pain whatsoever, cold sweat still poured from her brow.
Although she had long been reluctant to continue serving as the Great Heavenly Venerable and had already begun scouting for a suitable successor, letting go voluntarily and being forcibly stripped of the post were two entirely different matters.
A long-forgotten wave of intense fear nearly swallowed her whole. Yet, gritting her teeth against the terror, she did not cry out for mercy.
She merely held out, laying out the reasons why she had not gone to the Taiyuan front lines one by one.
Viewed objectively, they were indeed reasonable and sound.
However, Li Fan had come solely to make trouble for her, so these reasons were entirely useless.
The stripping process continued unabated.
Seeing this, the Great Heavenly Venerable sighed softly. "This junior knows she has failed in her duty. Whatever punishment Senior decrees, I will accept. My only worry is that the next Heavenly Venerable of the Xuanhuang Realm has yet to be chosen. Without a Heavenly Venerable to manage Xuanhuang's affairs, chaos may break out in the realm.
"Of course, if Senior possesses the leisure and elegance to handle the trivial affairs of billions of mortals and the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao, then take it as this junior speaking out of turn."
She truly seemed willing to accept punishment. Right up until the final moment before her connection to the Xuanhuang heaven and earth was completely severed, she displayed no hostility toward Li Fan.
She merely endured it in silence.
This earned her a measure of newfound respect from Li Fan.
Leaving the final wisp of her connection intact, Li Fan finally stopped.
"How long have you served as the Great Heavenly Venerable?" he asked, fixing his gaze on her.
"Sixteen thousand three hundred and forty-two years since King Xuantian departed," the Great Heavenly Venerable replied swiftly.
"According to the laws of the Immortal Realm, no Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang may serve for more than ten thousand years. In truth, I have long exceeded my term limit. But with the destruction of the Immortal Realm, the standard appointment and dismissal procedures ceased to function.
"And I have struggled to find a suitable successor..."
The Great Heavenly Venerable spoke softly, a trace of helplessness in her tone.
"Senior, please understand. Throughout my tenure, this junior has been conscientious and diligent. I have faithfully maintained the stability and prosperity of the Xuanhuang realm. The Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao can attest to this." Soon, she shifted the conversation toward her contributions.
"Yet I see that you intend to leave," Li Fan said flatly, glancing at her.
This was the deepest secret in her heart, yet Li Fan had exposed it with a single remark. Her mind shook violently.
However, she reacted quickly, admitting it on the spot: "After toiling for ten thousand years, it is only natural to feel weary. Having fulfilled my duties, wishing to step away is human nature.
"Even the First Great Heavenly Venerable did not serve from start to finish. Though my actions may seem inconsiderate, they remain within the rules," she argued in her defense.
"The First Great Heavenly Venerable?"
Hearing this, Li Fan instantly thought of the You people deep beneath the Xuanhuang earth.
Because they possessed the bloodline of the First Great Heavenly Venerable, King Xuantian had altered those You people into monstrous beings that were neither human nor ghost, forcing them to keep company with the Sea of Endless Gloom for all eternity as punishment.
Li Fan had deduced that whatever the first Great Heavenly Venerable had done, it must have deeply enraged King Xuantian to warrant such retribution.
Yet Li Fan did not know what the first had actually done, which prompted his inquiry.
The woman explained softly, "The First Great Heavenly Venerable foresaw the catastrophe of the Immortal Realm early on and took the initiative to shed his immortal state and turn mortal. Within the Xuanhuang Realm, he established an earthly immortal dynasty, declaring himself emperor and throwing the mortal world into chaos.
"Even though an immortal sheds their immortality, they are still not something mortal cultivators can resist. Thus, everyone could only obediently obey his commands.
"Although the first was no longer an immortal, he still viewed mortal cultivators as mere insects. He ordered them about at will, treating them like slaves. At that time, though the various cultivation sects harbored grievances, they lacked the power to resist.
"Later, the major sects used their means of direct communication with the Immortal Realm to report the matter. Only after the Immortal Realm issued an edict did the first restrain himself somewhat. He merely reduced the territory of his earthly immortal dynasty, but his behavior remained unchanged.
"Within that immortal dynasty, cultivators were still treated like livestock, butchered and exploited at his whim.
"After degenerating from immortal to mortal, the first's temperament grew increasingly tyrannical. He constantly vented his lusts, and countless mortals and even cultivators fell into his clutches. Yet he forbade any mortal descendants of his bloodline from appearing; whenever a woman was found pregnant, she was executed on the spot. Only a single branch managed to escape through a stroke of fortune, remaining in deep seclusion. Only after the first departed did they finally reveal their identity.
"Relying on their immortal bloodline, they showed strong ambitions of establishing a second immortal dynasty. Fortunately, the other sects of the Xuanhuang Realm banded together and put a timely stop to it."
...
The Great Heavenly Venerable softly recounted the atrocities of the first.
These were events never recorded in subsequent histories, and Li Fan listened with great interest.
Chapter 1544