"How could the footage recorded by the Medicine King Cauldron be fake?" Fang Zaiji grunted.
His gaze drifted over the Mother Stone replica that Xu Bai was idly fiddling with, and he could not help feeling a bit disappointed when Xu Bai finally put it away.
Then, turning curious, he asked, "Still, you say the Immortal Ruins' attraction really is continuously growing stronger. How did you determine that?"
Chen Tianhai made no secret of it, explaining, "From the timing and angles at which the Medicine King Cauldron's trajectory shifted after it flew out of the Xuanhuang Realm.
"As I mentioned earlier, over the years we also dispatched people to investigate the Immortal Ruins. Though we gained nothing regarding the conditions inside, we did record a fair amount of useful data.
"According to our calculations, the suction of the Immortal Ruins today is more than double what the Medicine King Cauldron encountered back then."
"That really is a bit frightening. Doesn't that mean that after some time, the entire Xuanhuang Realm will be swallowed up by it?" Fang Zaiji clicked his tongue in wonder, though there was not the slightest fear on his face.
"Who knows what those so-called Longevity Heavenly Venerables are actually doing.
"Anyway, if the sky falls, those tall fellows will bear the brunt," he muttered under his breath.
"Placing your hopes in others is not the way of the wise," Chen Tianhai remarked, disapproving of his attitude.
Having confirmed from the Dao Transforming Taiyan Sect that the Immortal Ruins' pull was indeed continuously intensifying, Xu Bai was also deep in thought.
*Back when the Immortal Ruins were first discovered, the major powers of the Xuanhuang Realm did not immediately choose to flee. Instead, they chose to counter it by capturing other grotto-heavens and pocket worlds...*
*Perhaps that was precisely because the Immortal Ruins back then were not yet as terrifying as they are today.*
*And moving forward, there isn't much time left for the Xuanhuang Realm. That is why in my previous life, as soon as the Xuanhuang Realm was unified, they immediately launched the Push-Away Plan.*
His thoughts flickered by in a flash. Xu Bai then raised the final question of this visit: "The cultivators in the city are all transformed from Taiyan Sect disciples over these years. However, I have heard that the Dao Transformation Mother Stone itself has also developed consciousness. I wonder... has it ever created a human body for itself?"
Chen Tianhai was taken aback by this seemingly irrelevant question.
Still, it was no classified secret. He nodded and replied, "In the beginning, out of curiosity toward 'humans,' the Dao Transformation Mother Stone indeed generated a human body for analysis and study.
"However, she rarely appears in human form nowadays."
Having received the answer he wanted, Xu Bai gave a slight nod.
He then bade farewell to Chen Tianhai.
Chen Tianhai hesitated for a moment, but ultimately let Xu Bai and his companion leave.
When Xu Bai and Fang Zaiji disappeared from within the Taixuan Grotto-Heaven, an azure silhouette with an indistinct visage suddenly materialized beside Chen Tianhai.
"You let them leave just like that?"
"That one named Xu Bai may carry many secrets."
"An anomaly from beyond—perhaps brought back from beyond the heavens by the Medicine King Sect, or perhaps originating from existences deliberately erased by the mighty." The azure figure's voice sounded neither male nor female, its pitch erratic and shifting from high to low, sounding exceptionally bizarre.
Yet this did not hinder her communication with Chen Tianhai.
"Deliberately erased? You mean the rebirth of a mighty being?" A sharp gleam flashed in Chen Tianhai's eyes.
"Judging by the results of our deductions, it is very likely. The figure named Xu Bai has never appeared in any world we deduced. His emergence might be a mere coincidence. Yet Fang Zaiji calls him Sect Master...
"That indicates we are missing certain pieces of information, leading to errors in the deduction's results," the azure silhouette explained in rapid speech.
"Too many unknown factors are involved. Pulling him recklessly into the Taiyan Sect carries too high a risk."
Chen Tianhai pondered for a moment and slowly nodded.
"And that final question he asked—what did it mean?"
Ripples fluttered across the azure figure for a brief moment.
Only after a while did she reply, "Deduction failed.
"However..."
She did not finish what remained, her form merely fading away until she vanished before Chen Tianhai.
Yet Chen Tianhai looked as if he had heard the unspoken words.
An intrigued expression appeared on his face.
In the Valley of Longevity.
Fang Zaiji was recounting the sights and experiences of the trip to Liu San and Jiang Yushan.
"Who would have thought that the magnificent Taiyan Sect would now turn into such a ghastly state. By comparison, our Medicine King Sect is actually somewhat fortunate," Fang Zaiji sighed repeatedly.
Evidently, no matter how Chen Tianhai boasted of it, he could not accept the so-called "indestructible information."
Liu San also wore an emotional expression.
Scanning the daily cultivation routines of the many disciples in the Valley of Longevity with his divine sense, he saw a scene brimming with vitality. Expressions shifted across his face, his thoughts unknown.
Meanwhile, Xu Bai had already arrived inside a secret chamber.
The Mother Stone replica, glowing with resplendent white light, hovered before him.
"Simulation..."
Xu Bai gave a cold snort, yet did not make contact with it using his divine sense to perform the so-called simulation.
Claims that no lies could exist within the Dao Transforming Taiyan Sect.
Claims that there was no connection between the replica and the Mother Stone itself.
Xu Bai believed none of it.
Grand Preceptor Li was suspicious by nature, and harboring a supreme treasure like True Reversion made him even less likely to trust anyone else naively.
*If I use it to simulate, I must either trigger True Reversion immediately afterward or do so only when driven to the brink between life and death.*
*In short, if I ever use it, I must be fully prepared for True Reversion to be exposed.*
Xu Bai stared at it for a long while before finally putting it away for the time being.
*According to Chen Tianhai's explanation, even though centuries pass in the simulation, only an instant elapses in reality.*
*Perhaps it can be used at a critical juncture to find a sliver of hope for survival.*
*I only hope that in this life, I never face the day I must use it.*
Suppressing these thoughts for the moment,
Xu Bai solemnly set about doing one thing:
Writing a final testament.
As the saying went, plan for defeat before waging war.
This life was fraught with perils. Even though Li Fan had made numerous preparations, he still had no guarantee of victory.
If...
Merely what if he failed to shake off the influence of Mr. Bai's rebirth,
and his cultivation collapsed and he perished, superseded and replaced by him?
With Li Fan's temperament, how could he ever accept such an end?
"If I die, the existence of the wondrous artifact True Reversion shall be spread across the entire world.
"You want to replace me? Even in death, I won't let you have an easy time!"
A sinister glint flashed across Xu Bai's face.
One could easily imagine what would happen once the cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm learned that a wondrous artifact like True Reversion existed in this world.
Even if its next bearer were an existence comparable to a Longevity Heavenly Venerable, they would never know peace again.
This was Li Fan's final measure.
It would only be triggered if Li Fan's consciousness was completely annihilated.
And if Li Fan fortunately triumphed, all of it would be destroyed with a single thought.
Chapter 786