Besides Ji Yuzhen, the images of the other eleven Law Kings of the Profound Heaven Sect appeared before Li Fan one after another.
Sun Xingwang, the eccentric, perpetually shrouded in shadows.
Sikong Lin, the towering giant brimming with heroic spirit, unrestrained by convention.
Mo Rubing, the taciturn, unwaveringly loyal follower of the Xuanhuang King.
Cui Zhiyuan, the eldest and most senior among the Law Kings.
Zhou Yangli, the youngest, yet radiating a sharp brilliance, a youthful prodigy.
Gongye Tianzong, with his tangled beard and robust physique, a master refiner whose skills reached the pinnacle, even earning the respect and occasional consultation of the Xuanhuang King upon his return from the Immortal Realm.
Luo Yichen, the breathtaking beauty of the Xuanhuang World, whose face was perpetually veiled in white cloth. Once renowned for her dual cultivation techniques and countless admirers, she later purged all those she had been intimate with, purifying her Dao Heart.
Madam Nie, head of the Lang Huan Celestial Pavilion, one of the largest merchant guilds in the Xuanhuang World, with informants everywhere and a knack for navigating complex situations.
Xing Wuque, limbless and faceless, eternally wearing a bronze fanged mask, rarely communicating with others.
Tian Xingke, the pot-bellied, perpetually smiling peacemaker.
Yue Qianjie, the undisputed strongest among the twelve Law Kings, a battle-crazed prodigy with mastery over all forms of combat.
…
Most of these individuals Li Fan had only glimpsed in Ji Yuzhen's memories, with little concrete information. However, a few were intimately familiar to him.
"In my past life, Mo Rubing personally told the Sacred Emperor's avatar that he was the weakest among the twelve Law Kings. I initially dismissed it as a lie, but now…" Li Fan observed the few related memories in Ji Yuzhen's mind.
Despite being fellow Law Kings, Ji Yuzhen's heart belonged solely to Xuanyuan Hong. She wasn't close to the others, their relationship purely professional. Nevertheless, she had a general understanding of their relative strengths. While they hadn't formally competed, Mo Rubing's strength was indeed among the lowest of the twelve.
However, this impression was formed before the Law Kings cultivated the immortal techniques bestowed by the Xuanhuang King. Those techniques were profoundly esoteric. After their cultivation, Ji Yuzhen could no longer discern their true power.
"The giant's remains that Senior Sister Zhao discovered in the cave belonged to Sikong Lin. Sun Xingwang's cultivation technique was also left there, suggesting he likely met an untimely end. Mo Rubing is still slumbering. As for the others…"
After the downfall of the Profound Heaven Sect, the Ten Immortal Sects relentlessly pursued them. Even so, Li Fan didn't believe that all the Law Kings, besides Mo Rubing, were dead.
"Perhaps they are still slumbering and recuperating somewhere in the Xuanhuang World." Li Fan shook his head slightly, not particularly concerned. Even though they were once among the most powerful beings in the Xuanhuang World, if they couldn't survive the world-destroying immortal formation, they weren't worth his attention. The Law Kings weren't among the few who endured to the very end of the apocalyptic storm in his past life.
"Unless… the survivors are no longer in the Xuanhuang World." This thought suddenly struck Li Fan.
After half a month, Li Fan finally digested all of Ji Yuzhen's memories. Besides the information about the twelve Law Kings, the most crucial gains were the knowledge of the Azure Netherworld Pearl and the method to control the Golden Chains Across the Void, a sub-formation of the Floating Ferry Starry Sky Grand Formation.
Xuanyuan Hong had once shown this treasure from the Immortal Realm to Ji Yuzhen. True to its name, the pearl displayed a scene of a clear azure sky, slowly shifting. Besides its ability to analyze the cultivation techniques practiced by deceased cultivators and transform them into inheritable knowledge within the pearl, it could supposedly also devour other immortal artifacts, replicating and transferring their powers within itself.
Unfortunately, the Azure Netherworld Pearl was an immortal artifact itself, requiring vast amounts of immortal spiritual energy to activate. The Xuanhuang King had only introduced it to Ji Yuzhen without demonstrating this function.
"This Azure Netherworld Pearl is truly a treasure. It's said that the Profound Heaven Sect possessed a secret technique called 'Seize Heaven and Replace.' It could not only completely strip away cultivation techniques and levels but also transfer the realms and power gained from cultivating Profound Heaven Sect techniques, like grafting a branch onto a different tree. Perhaps this was achieved through the Azure Netherworld Pearl, as the immortal techniques cultivated by the Law Kings all originated from its inheritance."
"The Azure Netherworld Pearl, being an immortal treasure, should have been able to withstand the world-destroying immortal formation. Yet, it was nowhere to be seen during the storm in my past life…" Numerous thoughts flashed through Li Fan's mind.
Finally, his thoughts converged, and his gaze focused on a transparent figure enveloped by a golden net of Source Power Essence. The figure was incredibly faint, as if it might dissipate at any moment, and it was incomplete, appearing torn and tattered.
This blurry figure was naturally Ji Yuzhen's primordial soul.
"Even after being subjected to such torment, its life force persists. Truly worthy of an immortal technique. And even with its most essential parts missing, I still feel a faint allure…" Li Fan marveled inwardly.
Faced with such a delectable soul, Li Fan resisted the urge to devour it. Instead, he channeled a gentle stream of pure soul power towards the fragmented primordial soul. Like an adhesive, it slowly mended Ji Yuzhen's shattered primordial soul, stabilizing it.
This soul power wasn't Li Fan's own, but derived from the countless ordinary fragmented souls he had just destroyed. Originating from the same source, they merged seamlessly without resistance.
The golden light continued to entwine, completely sealing the slumbering primordial soul of Ji Yuzhen. With a wave of his hand, Li Fan retracted the golden light.
He then reappeared at the ruins of the Purple Firmament Sect, his gaze falling upon Mo Rubing below. With a cold snort, Li Fan refrained from disturbing him. Instead, he silently began weaving a golden net around the space where Mo Rubing was hidden.
The Terminal Dissociation Disc's analysis and simplification of the immortal formation had yielded initial results. While formations powered by Source Power Essence were inevitably weaker than true immortal formations powered by immortal spiritual energy, they were still at the pinnacle of the mortal realm, unbreakable by any being below the Supreme realm.
Mo Rubing remained unconscious throughout the entire process as the space he occupied was enveloped by the immortal formation and relocated.
Having temporarily secured the two remaining Law Kings of the Profound Heaven Sect, Li Fan didn't awaken them. Learning of the Azure Netherworld Pearl from Ji Yuzhen's memories had sparked a vague plan in his mind.
"The techniques cultivated by both Mo Rubing and Ji Yuzhen originated from the Azure Netherworld Pearl. Does this imply a subtle connection between them and the pearl, a connection so faint as to be almost imperceptible, yet still present?"
"Just like the Divine Tree on the Profound Immortal Ark, evolved from the Seed of Transformation, still resonated with Ruo Mu, which had devoured the World Beyond the World Divinewood of the Divinewood Sect."
"In my past life, the Profound Immortal Ark, using the power of the True Immortal Script, amplified this subtle connection, allowing it to pinpoint the location of the Xuanhuang World beneath the Immortal Ruins across the vastness of the Star Sea."
"If I follow the same method, perhaps I can trace the connection, find the Azure Netherworld Pearl, and even the Xuanhuang King." Li Fan's eyes flickered.
The only obstacle was that the True Immortal Script he learned while possessing Zhao Xian on the Profound Immortal Ark didn't include the characters for amplifying connections. However, this wasn't a significant problem for Li Fan. Soon, he would be traveling to the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds with Immortal Master Yin and the others, passing by the Profound Immortal Ark. Having gained a thorough understanding of the personalities of the Ark's ruling elders, Li Fan was confident in "borrowing" the necessary True Immortal Script.
Having deployed the pseudo-immortal formation and sealed the two Law Kings, the Source Power Essence he had accumulated was depleted. Maintaining the formation also required a continuous supply of Source Power Essence.
"Without Mao Bao's life simulation and marrow cleansing abilities, I still can't replicate the Grand Magus's bloodline with my current methods. I can only use the Nether Race breeding methods of the flesh and blood factory to produce as many Nether Race individuals as possible."
In this life, Li Fan entrusted the task of breeding Nether Race individuals to the Imperial Small World. With Xu Ke's intervention, the Imperial Small World offered no resistance. Xiao Qing, Xiao Hong, and the Imperial Daughter, after receiving the experience and memories inherited from Li Fan's Dao Preaching Avatar, immediately began the work. The entire Imperial Small World was mobilized to breed Nether Race individuals.
"Compared to direct replication in the flesh and blood factory, this method still requires a complete growth cycle, significantly reducing efficiency. However, it's currently the best approach."
Of course, Li Fan could also generate large quantities of Source Power Essence through the remaining statue of the Faceless True Immortal. Having escaped the True Immortal's net once, he could do so countless times. To a certain extent, he could almost ignore the threat posed by the Faceless True Immortal, especially now that he knew of Mao Bao's existence.
"I wonder how the Faceless True Immortal would react if it were lured here and stumbled upon Mao Bao…" Li Fan couldn't help but imagine the scene.
Of course, it was just a fleeting thought. Both the Faceless True Immortal and Mao Bao were beyond his control. Even his most powerful trump card, the immortal-level formation, probably couldn't affect them in the slightest. Therefore, he could only avoid them for now.
"But not for much longer," Li Fan's eyes glinted. After achieving Dao Integration in this life, he might be able to conduct some experiments.
…
Time flew by.
Ten days remained until Immortal Master Yin and the others made their final decision.
During this period, besides dispatching his Dao Preaching Avatar to continue preaching in the Great Xuan Small World, Li Fan also summoned Daoist Ou and his son, Ou Shangtian. Daoist Ou was indifferent, but Ou Shangtian was the key.
At this point, the power of the Qian-Kun Bone Hand and the Book of Myriad Deaths within him hadn't fully awakened. As celestial wonders fused with immortal artifacts, both possessed incredible power. Especially in this life, with the transformation and ascension of the Xuanhuang World, these two wonders within Ou Shangtian were also undergoing corresponding changes.
Li Fan observed Ou Shangtian's internal condition. The Qian-Kun Bone Hand was seamlessly fused with his arm, almost indistinguishable. The Book of Myriad Deaths resided within his mindscape, currently a faint, transparent trace, its true form yet to manifest.
"So this is what they call a Child of Destiny?" Li Fan mused as he sensed the connection between the wonders within Ou Shangtian and the Heavenly Dao of the Xuanhuang World.
He attempted to discern the pattern of how immortal artifacts, after being devoured by the Xuanhuang World, circulated within the world, hoping to discover traces of more ancient immortal artifacts. However, it seemed entirely random. Ou Shangtian's physique wasn't special. He was simply chosen by the Heavenly Dao at birth as a host for the immortal artifacts.
Based on Li Fan's understanding of the Heavenly Dao, it must have had some hidden purpose. After all, the Heavenly Dao, which cultivators plundered and devoured, harbored immense hatred towards them. It had no reason to bless a cultivator.
"The only plausible explanation is that the Heavenly Dao lacked the ability to digest these immortal artifacts itself. Therefore, it required cultivators as intermediaries. The immortal artifacts were first transformed by the cultivators' bodies, and upon their deaths, the power contained within the artifacts would return to the heavens, then be absorbed by the Heavenly Dao…"
Li Fan looked up at the sky of the Xuanhuang World. "Truly a cunning scheme."
Placing his hand on the unconscious Ou Shangtian's head, sensing the process of the two wonders merging with his body, Li Fan gradually confirmed his suspicions.
"However, this method is worth learning."
In his other hand, an ancient mirror appeared. It was the priceless treasure of the Sun Clan, the Boundless Mirror. Its mirror spirit had been erased by Li Fan and replaced with a Simulated Personality. The Sun Clan remained oblivious to the loss of their treasure.
Due to the scarcity of Source Power Essence, the Grinding Wind Calamity hidden within the Boundless Mirror hadn't been completely purged. Therefore, Li Fan had no immediate plans to use it. Although it was an immortal artifact, its primary function, divination, was useless to him. Moreover, due to the influence of the Grinding Wind Calamity, it contained no immortal spiritual energy.
To Li Fan, the Boundless Mirror held little value. He had even attempted to use Falling to the Mortal Realm, the white ring, to decompose it, hoping to extract immortal spiritual energy. Unfortunately, Falling to the Mortal Realm seemed to have limitations when it came to immortal artifacts. Its decomposition ability didn't activate.
"It's not that it can't be decomposed, but that there are specific restrictions." Li Fan's mind raced with possibilities regarding the origin of the white ring.
He had initially thought the Boundless Mirror would remain a useless trinket. However, the Heavenly Dao's approach gave him an idea.
"If I transform the Boundless Mirror into a wonder of law, and then have it merge with the Heavenly Dao through a cultivator's death…"
"Expanding on this idea, it might not be limited to immortal artifacts like the Boundless Mirror. Perhaps all foreign objects in the Dark Star Sea could be handled this way. Besides the Star Sea's revival, immortal spiritual energy, and the residual power of shattered worlds, this provides another avenue to strengthen the Xuanhuang World."
Li Fan tightly gripped the Boundless Mirror. The Xuanhuang World-Ending Transformation: Shifting Years, Changing Seas was instantly activated. This transformation accelerated the evolution of the Xuanhuang World in its search for a way to counter the world-ending calamity.
Instantly, the spacetime around the Boundless Mirror seemed to accelerate countless times.
(End of Chapter)