As for the specific danger in Tianlingzhou, Lu Xuejing was unaware. It was only during a conversation with her mother, Lu Xichan, that she sensed something amiss from her indifferent expression when discussing matters related to Tianlingzhou.
In the past, whenever Lu Chief revealed such an expression, it meant that a bloody and fierce battle would follow.
"Could it be that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is about to act ruthlessly so soon?" Li Fan wondered.
If that were the case, it seemed a bit too hasty. After the completion of the Locking Spirit Array, pretending to reward and indulge seemed unnecessary. Or was there another hidden story?
"Regardless, I must not go to Tianlingzhou."
"Based on the power I witnessed in the Five Elements Grand Cave that day, the might of the Locking Spirit Array might still be superior to the Harmonizing Dao."
"With the situation unclear, risking my life would be unwise."
"Moreover, to find out what will happen in Tianlingzhou, I don't need to personally take action."
A barely noticeable gleam flashed in Li Fan's eyes as he crouched in this square where messages were transmitted.
This place was a mandatory transit point for those heading to Tianlingzhou. Most of the array formation masters who received invitations should pass through here.
Sure enough, not long after, Li Fan saw a suitable target from afar.
Le Wan, a Golden Core realm array formation master and one of the participants in the Locking Spirit Array competition.
Not noticing the hidden Li Fan, Le Wan activated the teleportation array in a hurry, intending to go to his destination.
Before he left, the untraceable killing intent had already silently locked onto him.
Keeping a safe distance to maintain the furthest range for the untraceable killing intent, Li Fan secretly followed.
After a long time, Le Wan arrived at the location of Tianlingzhou.
From a distance, a giant Dust Crossing Boat hung in the sky.
Cultivators flew towards it from all directions.
Le Wan was excited, flying forward, and soon landed on the Dust Crossing Boat.
Holding the black and gold invitation, a stream of light swept over him.
Le Wan was allowed to pass through the protective light barrier and land on the Dust Crossing Boat.
"Friend Le!"
As soon as he landed, someone familiar greeted him.
Le Wan responded one by one.
Many cultivators had already gathered on the boat, including familiar faces. Besides the participants in the array competition, many frontline construction and auxiliary personnel who contributed during the popularization of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array were invited to this Dust Crossing Boat.
It was a lively and joyous gathering.
"Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array is complete. In the face of the aggressive attack by the Five Elders, it will finally reveal its edge. Chief Lu invited us to come and witness, truly a fortunate event for us."
"Yes, we can finally witness the power of the Locking Spirit Array, which makes the hardships of the past few years worthwhile."
"But I wonder if the Five Elders will back down and not come. Then all our preparations would be in vain, right?"
"Hehe, don't worry. Based on my understanding of the Five Elders, they must still think that we are bluffing like in the past. Little do they know..."
"Friend, choose your words carefully! Be cautious!"
...
In the cheerful atmosphere, everyone waited for the arrival of the Five Elders' cultivators.
It wasn't until ten days later that the targets finally arrived without warning, a white light descending from the sky.
It illuminated an area not far from the boundary of Tianlingzhou, locking onto a hidden cultivator rapidly moving.
"Is this your Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array? It doesn't seem that impressive."
"It's just revealing itself. What can you do to me?"
Unexpectedly, the person didn't panic. Instead, they stopped and mocked loudly towards the Dust Crossing Boat in the sky.
For a moment, everyone on the Dust Crossing Boat was indignant.
"A mere Nascent Soul cultivator dares to act recklessly?"
"This person dares to take the lead; it shouldn't be as simple as it seems."
"Why hasn't there been any response from the alliance yet? What are we waiting for?"
...
That Five Elders' cultivator, seeing the lack of response from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, couldn't help but snort. In front of everyone, he tossed out a apricot-yellow array flag, chanting words as 108 different-looking monsters flew out from the flag.
The monsters' bodies seemed to be composed of blue starlight, and a hint of holiness radiated from their ferocious faces.
"That is... the Small Heavenly Circulation Star-Shifting Array?"
The cultivators on the Dust Crossing Boat, all adept in formations, instantly recognized the array the Five Elders' cultivator was using, and exclamations erupted.
108 star beasts surrounded in a circle, spewing brilliant starlight towards the center. Where the 108 beams of light collided, a celestial door slowly opened.
Thousands of cultivators instantly rushed out from the star door. They all wore the Five Elders' style battle robes. The beams of light descending from above further confirmed their identity.
"Why are they allowing them to open the teleportation gate?"
"What's going on? What exactly are our people doing?"
"Everyone, rest assured; this must be a ploy to lure the enemy deeper."
...
Facing the invasion of the Five Elders, the delayed response from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance caused an uproar among the people on the Dust Crossing Boat.
However, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance did not disappoint them.
Soon, the Locking Spirit Array in the sky began to move. Within the thousands of light columns locking onto the Five Elders' cultivators, fine golden lights suddenly appeared.
The golden lights, sharp like flying swords, descended rapidly along the columns from the sky, seemingly ready to behead the Five Elders' cultivators.
However, the Five Elders' group remained calm. Just as the golden lights were about to land on their heads, they were collectively forced to stop and hover in mid-air.
The golden lights swelled and emitted an unwilling resonance, attempting to break free from the restraints. Yet, on the battlefield, as if there were invisible giant hands, they were firmly held down.
The golden lights couldn't move.
"This..."
A deathly silence fell on the Dust Crossing Boat.
Young formation masters stared in disbelief as the Locking Spirit Array's attack was easily blocked.
Some cultivators, as if realizing something, turned pale suddenly, their eyes panicked and darting around, seemingly eager to escape on the spot.
At this moment, a deep voice echoed on the battlefield.
"Tianzun of the One Mind, please withdraw."
"According to the agreement, you should not appear here."
In the midst of the words, Ji Hongdao's figure slowly emerged, standing in front of the Five Elders' cultivators.
"Oh?"
A silver bell-like laughter reverberated in the heavens and earth.
"Under the sky, is there a place I cannot go?"
The voice asked, but the person was unseen.
However, all the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance cultivators present looked alarmed.
"Changsheng..."
"Tianzun?"
The over a thousand Five Elders' cultivators showed no change in expression, as if they had long known that Changsheng Tianzun would take action.
On their faces, there was only one expression.
Looking coldly ahead.
Thousands of miles away, Li Fan, who was observing this scene through the heavenly viewpoint, was deeply shaken.
"This voice is..."
"Sister Zhao?"
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 407: Taking Sentient Beings as Essence
Once intimate with Zhao Shijie through forbidden readings, Li Fan instantly recognized her voice.
"One Mind Tianzun, is that her name? Or does it represent her defiance of the principles of heaven and earth?"
"Why would she appear in person?"
Several thoughts flashed through Li Fan's mind in an instant.
Just as Li Fan was in a state of astonishment, the voice of One Mind Tianzun rang out again.
"According to the initial agreement, it was set with the Transmission Law."
"Now that I am here, where is the Transmission Law?"
The voice was crisp and echoed throughout heaven and earth. All the cultivators in Tianlingzhou looked at each other.
Most of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance members knew that the Transmission Law Tianzun had long transcended worldly matters and paid no attention to them. They assumed he remained carefree and indifferent, unwilling to bother with worldly affairs, and that was why he rarely appeared.
However, what did One Mind Tianzun mean today? Where is the Transmission Law?
A terrifying thought involuntarily emerged in everyone's mind.
"No, impossible."
The eyes of the crowd were filled with uncontrollable horror.
"Where is the Transmission Law?"
One Mind Tianzun asked again.
Her voice was like thunder, echoing across Tianlingzhou, and it seemed to pass through the white mist barrier, spreading to the surrounding regions.
In the sky, threads of green light appeared, resembling a giant net.
They intercepted the voice.
Gradually, One Mind Tianzun's voice faded away.
"One Mind Tianzun, please withdraw," Ji Hongdao said again.
His expression was as cold as frost, devoid of any emotion.
"If I don't withdraw, how will you deal with it?" Zhao Shijie's voice, full of interest, echoed.
Thousands of Five Elders' cultivators below took a step forward together.
Ji Hongdao took a deep breath. "After achieving Tianzun status, one should no longer participate in worldly disputes."
"This is the agreement between Transmission Law Tianzun and the Five Elders' Tianzun in the past."
"Are you really going to violate it now?"
"Boom!"
The thousands of Five Elders' cultivators, forming a formation, took another step forward.
This demonstrated One Mind Tianzun's determination.
"Fine."
"Since that's the case..."
A hint of hesitation flashed in Ji Hongdao's eyes.
But it was quickly suppressed.
His eyes revealed extreme coldness and determination.
Ji Hongdao looked up at the sky, bowed, and bent his body.
On the sky, one after another green lines appeared.
Spreading rapidly from the center to the surrounding areas, in an instant, a giant net covering the entire Tianlingzhou was formed.
Ji Hongdao stood up, bowing again.
The green light became more and more intense, staining the entire sky with a bizarre green color.
Ji Hongdao bowed three times.
After a moment...
Countless green threads dropped from the giant net, rushing towards the targets on the ground.
In an instant, the entire Tianlingzhou seemed to be trapped in a terrifying green spider's nest.
"Wait, how is this possible?!"
Witnessing all this, the cultivators on the Dusty Boat finally saw the erupting power of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array.
However, none of them showed the excitement they should have. Instead, they became incredibly terrified, even more so than when they had just heard that One Mind Tianzun had personally gone to the battlefield.
This was because the target of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array's attack was not the Longevity Tianzun who blocked the way in front of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. It wasn't even the thousands of Five Elders' cultivators who came to invade.
Instead...
In Tianlingzhou, it was all the cultivators belonging to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
Every green line falling meant the demise of a cultivator.
In the high sky, distorted phenomena formed a chaotic and colorful abstract painting.
Still, still, still, still...
Paths, paths, paths...
In the heavens...
Countless voices converged, overlapped, and intertwined.
Their meanings couldn't be distinguished.
There were just many strange sounds echoing continuously, forming a grand, chaotic, and distorted celebratory symphony.
Whether it was the young formation mages on the Dusty Boat or Li Fan outside the several states, they were all in a state of shock.
Because this scene had already exceeded the scope of their understanding.
The Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array, originally intended to suppress the Five Elders' cultivators, was now launching an indiscriminate massacre against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance cultivators.
Looking at the densely packed green lines in the heaven and earth of Tianlingzhou, everyone had no doubt that any cultivator below the Unity Realm had likely perished in the recent attack.
"Why?"
Li Fan was suddenly filled with endless confusion. He had initially thought that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance might kill the formation mages to ensure the secrecy of the Locking Spirit Array's structure. However, he had never anticipated that the target of the array would be all the cultivators in Tianlingzhou.
"This makes no sense at all."
"Is the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance insane?"
Analyzing one possibility after another in his mind, he couldn't find the motive behind the alliance's actions.
Just as he was puzzling over it,
Suddenly, the earth and sky shook.
Tianlingzhou.
And the Tianpanzhou where he was currently located.
Both shook violently.
His heartbeat suddenly accelerated, as if facing some deadly threat.
Li Fan suddenly stood up, his face serious as he looked at the sky.
"What is this..."
Chapter 407: Taking All Living Beings as Sacrifices
From the sky, faint and incomprehensible rumblings echoed. The entire world trembled slightly. At this moment, all living beings in the Xuanyellow Realm instinctively raised their heads and looked up at the sky. A great fear emerged from their hearts, a feeling of an impending apocalypse with no escape.
The trembling persisted for a long time before finally coming to a halt. Living beings expressed relief, grateful for surviving the catastrophe. However, they were still unclear about what had actually happened.
In Tianlingzhou, while the remaining people were still recovering, "One Mind Tianzun, please leave," said Ji Hongdao again. After a moment of silence, a laughter echoed.
"Haha..."
"Haha..."
"How interesting, whose idea was this?"
"Staying in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is a waste of talent. Why not join me!"
Zhao Shijie chuckled, revealing her figure, and asked with interest. Her appearance was identical to the one Li Fan and she had encountered in the forbidden books.
She wore white clothes, exuding a charming aura. Ji Hongdao closed his eyes, not daring to look directly.
"Please leave, Tianzun!"
Sweat dripped from his forehead, but he remained resolute. Zhao Shijie stared at him for a moment, then raised her head to look at the sky.
"You're quite bold."
Before her words fell, her figure disappeared.
In the moment when One Mind Tianzun vanished, the thousands of golden lights suspended in mid-air, previously blocked by her, fell instantly, killing all the Five Elders' cultivators who had come to invade. Strangely, these cultivators showed no fear on their faces in the face of death.
In the high sky, there was no sign of the phenomenon of cultivators falling.
"One Mind Tianzun..."
Ji Hongdao looked in the direction Zhao Shijie had left, murmuring for a moment. Then he turned around, expressionless, looking at the array mages on the Dusty Boat.
"Let's go."
"The feast is over, and it's time to have a good talk with you."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 408: Unity of the Masses
"This world has some problems."
In Tianlingzhou, after Ji Hongdao piloted the giant Dusty Boat through the sky, Li Fan lost the sense of the inexhaustible killing intent.
It didn't matter; his initial goal had been achieved. He had successfully learned about everything happening in Tianlingzhou.
Now, as he recalled the scenes he had just witnessed, many questions arose in his mind.
If the disappearance of Transmission Law Tianzun and the probing actions of One Mind Tianzun were logical, what happened next seemed somewhat inexplicable.
"Ji Hongdao activated the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Formation, instantly killing all the cultivators in a province."
"This is a declaration, demonstrating that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, under the coverage of the Locking Spirit Formation, has the ability to annihilate the vast majority of cultivators in an instant."
"Using this as a threat, they demanded Zhao Shijie to leave."
"As the Eternal Life Tianzun, she actually left just like that."
"Would an existence in the Eternal Life Realm really care about the life and death of ants? After transcending, shouldn't it be, 'What does your life or death have to do with me'?"
Suddenly, Li Fan thought of the enlightenment he had many years ago.
"The number of cultivators must not be too small..."
"It seems that ensuring the existence of a certain number of cultivators is even more important for the Eternal Life Tianzun than I imagined."
"Why is that?"
What caught his interest even more was the anomaly that occurred in the Xuanyellow Realm after the death of the cultivators in Tianlingzhou. It seemed like a sign of an impending apocalypse, and the entire world trembled.
All beings in the world felt an inexplicable fear, including Li Fan, who possessed the ability to "Return to Reality" at any time. The conflict between the Xuanyellow Realm and the cultivators was so sharp, almost impossible to reconcile.
In theory, the more cultivators that died, the better it should be for the world. However, it seemed not to be the case.
What could be the reason for this?
Repeated contemplation yielded no reasonable answers for Li Fan due to the lack of clues.
He also recalled the encounter with One Mind Tianzun. It was his first time witnessing the presence of a powerful figure in the Eternal Life Realm, effortlessly blocking the attack of the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Formation.
Even Ji Hongdao, a powerful Dao Fusion expert, dared not look her directly in the eyes.
Indeed, she was incredibly powerful.
"One Mind should be similar to Transmission Law, representing the defiance of the laws of heaven and earth by Zhao Shijie."
"What does 'One Mind' mean?"
Li Fan furrowed his brows.
"One Mind implies concentration, unity..."
Li Fan's gaze slightly focused.
He also remembered Zhao Shijie's strange words.
"Staying in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is a waste of talent. Why not join me!"
Join...
"Me?!"
Li Fan seemed to understand something.
Thinking about the thousands of Five Elders' cultivators who came to attack, they all had the same expression from start to finish. Without any command, their actions were surprisingly consistent. Even facing death, they showed no fear.
After they all perished, there was no corresponding phenomenon in the sky.
"Unity of the Masses... One Mind?"
Li Fan seemed to have a realization.
"All living beings, born with distinctions. In the world, they are all independent individuals."
"This is the law of heaven and earth."
"If this law were to be reversed..."
"You in me, me in you. In reality, we are one entity."
Chapter 408: Unity of the Masses
Li Fan suddenly remembered that before his transmigration, he had heard of the existence of entities like "Consciousness Aggregation" and "Collective Being."
A massive group that seemed to have numerous individual life forms but was, in essence, a collective sharing all perceptions.
"It seems that Zhao Shijie's cultivation path is likely related to this?"
"Assimilating all living beings in the world?"
Li Fan suddenly felt that something was off.
Zhao Shijie had already achieved the status of Eternal Life Tianzun, representing her successful defiance of the laws of heaven and earth. However, it was evident that the majority of the cultivators in the Xuanyellow Realm had not been assimilated by her.
"Does this mean that the reversed principle of One Mind Tianzun only applies to specific areas?"
Li Fan speculated.
"When Ji Hongdao mentioned completing the 'Doctrine,' does it refer to the necessary step to achieve the status of Eternal Life Tianzun?"
With a glance at Tianlingzhou, Li Fan once again glimpsed the highest secret of this world. However, to fully understand its meaning, he needed more information.
Putting it aside for now, Li Fan returned to Tianpanzhou's Immortal City and applied for a visit to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters, specifically the "Museum of Divine Treasures," using his level thirty permissions.
His application was quickly approved, allowing him to choose a visit time within the next year.
Li Fan immediately chose to visit right away.
After receiving a message that a "Guide" would come to pick him up and instructing him to wait patiently in Tianpan City, Li Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
He wasn't doing this out of leisure or a desire to explore treasures at the end of his life. Instead, it was to find a safe haven.
Even though Ji Hongdao hadn't killed the group of young array masters in Tianlingzhou, witnessing the massacre of all cultivators in the province and knowing the secret structure of the Locking Spirit Formation meant their fate wouldn't be good.
Those array masters who hadn't been present for various reasons would likely be eliminated one by one.
Li Fan could directly "Return to Reality," but there were still some loose ends to tie up in this world.
At the very least, he needed to wait until Xiao Heng and the others emerged from the Medicine King Cauldron.
For Li Fan at this moment, there was no safer place than the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
Firstly, the headquarters had its defense mechanisms, and Ji Hongdao and the others were unlikely to directly attack him inside.
Secondly, it created a false impression.
"I'm already in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters. It's like a turtle in a jar. They wouldn't be worried about me escaping, would they?"
This undoubtedly could make Ji Hongdao and the others relax their guard, focusing on eliminating the remaining targets first before dealing with Li Fan.
...
While Li Fan was waiting for the "Guide," in Cangwu Abyss, inside the Medicine King Cauldron.
Xiao Heng and the others were helping Linghu Chang open one sealed room after another, retrieving the bodies.
Back then, in order to prevent the Medicine King Cauldron from falling into the fate of the "Immortal Ruin," Liu Ruchen not only sacrificed himself and Elder Huang, but also the lives of several hundred disciples in a dormant state.
This was what dragged the Medicine King Cauldron out of the abyss.
Looking at the emaciated bodies of his former senior brothers, Linghu Chang's face was full of unstoppable sadness.
They took all valuable items from their bodies, cremated them, and after paying their respects, Linghu Chang said in a deep voice, "I want to rebuild the Medicine King Sect."
Xiao Heng and the others exchanged glances and couldn't help but say, "Friend Linghu, the current situation is different from the past..."
Linghu Chang raised his hand to interrupt, "I know. The methods we cultivate cannot coexist now."
"So, those senior brothers who are currently sleeping and practicing the same technique as me, as well as the elders of the sect, I won't awaken them."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 409: The Boundary of Immortals and the Unity of All Things
"As far as I know, apart from our sect's fundamental technique, the 'Ji Shi Longevity Scripture,' there were several senior brothers who practiced other techniques back then."
"If I awaken them in advance, it shouldn't be a problem."
"Wait until I gather enough techniques..."
Linghu Chang muttered to himself, but he noticed strange looks from Xiao Heng and the others.
He couldn't help but stop and asked, "What's wrong, Friend Xiao? Is there something wrong with my plan?"
Xiao Heng sighed, "Friend Linghu, I'm afraid the current situation in the cultivation world is not as simple as you imagine."
Xiao Heng then explained the rough situation of the two colossal entities, the Wanyi Alliance and the Five Elders' Association, which almost monopolized all techniques in the world.
Linghu Chang's complexion instantly turned extremely pale.
"How could this be?"
If these people weren't lying, then the Wanyi Alliance and the Five Elders' Association were terrifying entities even more formidable than the ten major sects of the Immortal Dao in the past.
Su Xiaomei hurriedly added, "The Wanyi Alliance is not a group of good people. If they learn about the current situation of your Medicine King Sect, they won't spare you for the sake of treasures and techniques."
Zhang Haobo also nodded, "The Wanyi Alliance's control over techniques is truly formidable. Especially the ancient technique you, Friend Linghu, are cultivating, it's undoubtedly exceptional. It shouldn't be a problem to reach the Dao Unity. With the Wanyi Alliance's style, they won't let such a true technique remain outside. Once they get wind of it, they will definitely send Law Protectors to recover it."
The three of them vividly described the terror of the Wanyi Alliance according to their own impressions.
Although Linghu Chang didn't fully believe it, he understood the principle that innocent people shouldn't be blamed for the sins of the guilty.
Joining the Wanyi Alliance and handing over the lives of hundreds of sleeping senior brothers to others was something he couldn't do, entrusted by Lian Ruchen in his dying moments.
After thinking about it, he solemnly bowed to Xiao Heng and the others.
"I've been away from the Xuanyellow Realm for thousands of years, and the changes in the world are unfamiliar to me in many aspects. For the sake of the future well-being of my Medicine King Sect, I will trouble you all for assistance."
Xiao Heng repeatedly said it was his duty.
After dealing with the matters inside the cauldron, Linghu Chang and the three others flew out from the Medicine King Cauldron.
Linghu Chang put away the Medicine King Cauldron.
Then, they planned to return to Shilin State along the same route.
Throughout the journey, everyone flew discreetly.
Seeing the magnificent heavenly cities along the way and the numerous cultivators of the Wanyi Alliance within, Linghu Chang became more convinced of his judgment, becoming more cautious.
...
Wanyi Alliance Headquarters.
Museum of Divine Treasures.
Guided by the attendant, Li Fan had already arrived at this magnificent building.
At this moment, his steps in the tour slightly paused.
The guide looked at him somewhat puzzled.
"Is there a place to rest here?"
Li Fan said with some apology.
A guide in black clothes looked at Li Fan, who was white-haired and looked old, with an understanding expression.
Then, he led him to a closed space.
Although simple in decoration, it had all the necessary furniture.
"You can rest here. If you want to visit again, just contact me through this jade card, marked with the year 'Bing Yin.'"
Handing the jade card engraved with the words 'Bing Yin' to Li Fan, the guide quietly left.
Li Fan took a deep breath, digesting the information transmitted from Xiao Heng and the others.
"Immortal Ruin?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Extremely attractive, devouring everything."
"Even capable of distorting time and space. Approaching it, a moment could be equivalent to a thousand years."
"What is this..."
"A black hole?"
"Or rather, a force very similar to a black hole."
"Does the mysterious existence above Dao Yuan State have any connection with the Immortal Ruin?"
While Li Fan was organizing the information, he suddenly froze.
"Wait a moment, the Immortal Ruin, the Xuanyellow Realm below that can be attracted and devoured at any time."
"As well as the anomalies in the Xuanyellow Realm after the death of cultivators."
...
In an instant, combining the observations from Tianlingzhou.
All the clues formed a line.
A logically consistent conclusion appeared in Li Fan's mind.
Enough to rationally and completely unravel the doubts in Li Fan's mind.
"To avoid the fate of the entire Xuanyellow Realm being swallowed by the Immortal Ruin above, it needs to maintain a certain 'weight' itself."
"And cultivators are also a crucial part of this 'weight'..."
"When a large number of cultivators die, the Xuanyellow Realm becomes lighter."
"So, it is slightly attracted by the Immortal Ruin, approaching it by a small distance."
"..."
"If the number of cultivators in the Xuanyellow Realm drops to a certain level, the entire Xuanyellow Realm will irreversibly..."
"Completely fall into the Immortal Ruin."
"At that time, even the Longevity Transcendent, I'm afraid, will not be able to escape the fate of destruction."
"This is why Jihong Dao's deterrent works."
"Mutual destruction."
"This is also why 'the number of cultivators must not be too small.'"
Li Fan's thoughts quickly turned, and he thought of Zhao Shijie's words and actions. He vaguely felt that this judgment was extremely close to the truth.
But then the problem arose.
Why do cultivators have 'weight'?
It's understandable for the world to have weight.
But the physical bodies of cultivators, how...
In an instant, it was as if a lightning bolt had split through the mist.
Li Fan instantly understood.
"If it's an ancient technique cultivator, naturally, there is no concept of 'weight.'"
"But for new technique cultivators, they plunder the heavens and seize the earth."
"Absorb the essence of heaven and earth, imitate the wonders of heaven and earth, observe the laws of heaven and earth, seize the essence of heaven and earth, extract the marrow of heaven and earth..."
"They absorb a part of the world, turning it into their own."
"It naturally obtains the attribute of 'weight' of the world."
For cultivators below the Golden Core stage, it might not be obvious.
When reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, after swallowing the 'Cave Heavens' originally belonging to heaven and earth, transforming it into their own domain.
This becomes more understandable.
"Cave Heavens..."
"The 'weight' of the world..."
Li Fan then thought of more.
According to the observations of Linghu Chang from the Medicine King Sect.
The Immortal Ruin above the Xuanyellow Realm should have existed long before the spread of new techniques.
At that time, the ten major sects of the Immortal Dao joined forces to prevent the fate of the Xuanyellow Realm being swallowed.
What exactly did the top cultivators standing at the peak of the cultivation world do back then?
Thinking about the current situation of the Xuanyellow Realm, a bold speculation emerged in Li Fan's mind.
"When I learned about the new techniques from the 'Five Spiritual Qi Sensing Method,' I had doubts in my heart."
"Cultivators plundering the heavens and seizing the earth, and yet this world can persist for so long. It's truly incredible."
"After delving into various secrets of the Xuanyellow Realm, I also had suspicions."
"There are too many 'Cave Heavens' and small worlds contained within the Xuanyellow Realm."
"From the Great Xu to the edge of the realm. Even countless countless attached worlds, as well as countless Cave Heavens of various shapes."
"Now it seems that these places may not have originally belonged to the Xuanyellow Realm."
"But were 'captured' from the void by the cultivators of the ten major sects of the Immortal Dao back then, to avoid being swallowed by the Immortal Ruin."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 410: Fortunate Amidst Misfortune
"The actions of ancient cultivators are truly comparable to catching stars and holding the moon."
Thinking about the countless Cave Heavens and small worlds in the Xuanyellow Realm, Li Fan couldn't help but sigh.
It was precisely due to the accumulation in those years that created the Xuanyellow Realm's extremely rich foundation.
This enabled it to withstand the plundering of cultivators for thousands of years.
"After the death of cultivators in this realm, they will 'return to the Dao.' This is a spontaneously derived response from the world sensing the threat."
"This means of recovery significantly slows down the rate of 'weight' loss."
"But..."
Li Fan pondered slightly.
The so-called 'weight' was just Li Fan's representation, given the limited information, of the Xuanyellow Realm's ability to resist the attraction of the Immortal Ruin.
Currently, it seemed that after the death of cultivators, the 'weight' was far less than during their lifetime.
"Perhaps it's because the energy returning to the Dao after the collapse of Cave Heavens is intangible. And for the world to re-condense the energy into tangible 'weight,' it takes a long time."
"When the speed of the birth of Cave Heavens is less than the speed of disappearance, insufficient input leads to the endangerment of the Xuanyellow Realm."
"So, the number of cultivators must be controlled to maintain balance."
"This is one possibility."
"Another possibility is..."
Li Fan frowned.
"After cultivators fall, not all of them will 'return to the Dao.' Some will disappear..."
"Some thoughts are extremely frightening, but happening in the Xuanyellow Realm, it has become commonplace."
Li Fan recalled the scenes recorded by the Medicine King Cauldron when it broke through the boundaries.
Leaving the protection of the world and attempting to cross the void, the Medicine King Cauldron, like a moth to the flame, inevitably fell towards the Immortal Ruin.
"Immortal Ruin..."
The strongest fear is facing the unknown.
Why did the Immortal Realm passage from back then turn into this devouring entity?
Does the former Immortal Realm still exist?
If the Immortal Realm no longer exists, what caused its destruction?
The more he thought, the more an instinctive fear surged in Li Fan's heart.
After a moment, Li Fan took a deep breath and suppressed many distracting thoughts.
For him, these things are still too distant.
At least, it's only necessary to consider these issues after achieving the Longevity Transcendent.
Setting these aside for now, Li Fan pondered his own situation.
"Although I came to this world through a crossing, it is always on the brink of destruction."
"But thinking carefully, for me, this situation is actually better."
"After all, even the lofty Longevity Realm cultivators are just locusts on the same boat as the ordinary beings in the Xuanyellow Realm."
"On this boat, where the end is near, the actions of the Longevity Transcendents also need some consideration. They won't be too unrestrained."
"If it were a world completely controlled by a mighty being, where with a single thought, all living beings in the world could be refined and obliterated without any burden, then it would truly be irreversible calamity. Even with the help of 'Still True,' it would be helpless."
"Fortunate amidst misfortune!"
Thinking like this, Li Fan's mind gradually calmed down.
"The Tianxuan Locking Spirit Formation is equivalent to the 'nuclear deterrence' that existed in the world before my crossing."
"Before finding a solution in the Five Elders Council, large-scale wars are unlikely to occur. Only occasional small-scale friction might happen."
"But it also confirms the disappearance of the Transmitted Law Transcendent. As for the specific direction in the future, it's hard to say."
Li Fan summoned the Still True interface.
"Physiological age: 884/899."
"So-called, residing in high places allows one to see far. In the past, I could at most live for about 50 years before being forcibly sent back to the True. Fifty years of foresight is sufficient for ordinary people. But in this unpredictable Xuanyellow Realm, it's a bit inadequate."
"Perhaps in one lifetime, I can try doing nothing, quietly watching the changes in the Xuanyellow Realm. With time settling down, maybe I can find more valuable information."
...
After sorting out his thoughts, to avoid suspicion, Li Fan took out the jade card given to him by the guide Bing Yin and resumed his visit to the Museum of Divine Collections.
In fact, by now, Li Fan could directly return to the True. However, as a crucial location for the Immortal Alliance, it was not easy to visit the museum.
Since he was here, he might as well broaden his horizons. Li Fan had been interested in the central exhibit of the museum, the head of the first mortal infected by the Immortal-Devil Plague.
According to the guide Bing Yin, the museum was divided into several major areas based on the nature of the exhibits. The area where Li Fan was located was the first area that every cultivator visiting the museum must explore.
"The Golden Age."
"What is this?" Li Fan looked at the huge light cluster floating in front of him and asked with interest.
The light cluster was composed of several areas displaying different scenes. The images flashed at an extremely fast speed, making it difficult to clearly see the fleeting images.
There were various architectural styles and many figures flashing in between. However, it was apparent that the scenery between different areas was vastly different.
"This is the 'Era.' " Bing Yin explained to Li Fan very professionally.
"It is derived from a Dao-transforming stone as the core, deducing tangible scenes from various periods in the history of the Xuanyellow Realm."
"This desolate and deserted place, full of ruins, is the once Wasteland Era."
"This area filled with blood and killing is the Great Dark Era."
"Here, where many figures flash by, is the time of the Great Plague. Hmm, it seems to simulate the period of the mass migration when cultivators forcibly moved mortals."
As Bing Yin spoke, the mentioned era areas would enlarge, allowing Li Fan to barely see the rapidly changing details.
"Dao-transforming stone..." Li Fan stared at the light cluster for a while and couldn't help but ask, "So-called 'Golden Age,' what does it mean?"
Bing Yin smiled, "The Dao-transforming stone is an ancient treasure of the Taiyan Sect, possessing the ability to deduce heavenly secrets and predict the future."
"The results it deduces are difficult to distinguish between true and false, and it is almost like reality."
"Perhaps for us external spectators, the simulated different time and space worlds in the 'Era' are just illusory existences."
"But for the countless living beings within, everything they experience is undoubtedly real."
"And when we inject a strand of divine consciousness or even split a strand of divine soul into it, we can personally experience the events that once truly happened in history."
Bing Yin first introduced the background of the 'Era' and then continued, "We once conducted an experiment with a million blank divine souls, each having their memories erased."
"They were respectively injected into different eras, deducing for five hundred years. We then ranked the final results."
"And our era, the era controlled by the Immortal Alliance, undoubtedly ranked first."
"Whether it's the survival rate of cultivators or the overall cultivation realms of cultivators, we outperform other eras."
"The name 'Golden Age' is well-deserved!"
Proudly, Bing Yin said.
(End of this chapter)