These missing pieces were incredibly small. If not for the Dao Transformation Stone recording and comparing every detail, Li Fan wouldn't have noticed this anomaly hidden within the myriad Eyes of the Celestial Beast.
"Mo Rubing mentioned that the differences in the scenes are distortions caused by the different perspectives of the Eyes…" Li Fan's gaze seemed to pierce through the countless bubbles, towards the source behind the scenes.
"These missing pieces are essentially the blind spots of the Eyes of the Celestial Beast. Or rather, there's an invisible presence occupying a fixed position within their field of vision. Hundreds, thousands of observations cannot capture its complete form. Only by combining all the blind spots…"
Li Fan's thoughts raced as the tiny fragments in his mind slowly pieced together, forming a complex, mysterious character! Or rather, it resembled a distorted human figure!
This figure-character was formless and invisible, yet within the observation range of the Eyes of the Celestial Beast. Any single Eye, let alone capturing its complete form, couldn't even detect its presence. However, it still occupied a specific area within their field of vision.
Like shadows cast from different angles, while a single shadow couldn't reveal the object's true form, combining all the shadows and reverse-calculating could reconstruct the invisible object.
"This character…"
Li Fan suppressed his shock, maintaining a neutral expression before Mo Rubing. This figure-character wasn't a True Immortal Script character, but its essence was perhaps the same.
Characters like "Luan" [Chaos], "Ji" [Hunger], and "Zao Hua" [Creation] were projections of the Dao, manifestations of its power. This figure-character was also a projection of a certain Dao.
"When a cultivator observes a True Immortal Script character, its corresponding power manifests in their mind. 'Ji,' 'Luan,' 'Zao Hua,' even the mysterious character representing the difference between mortals and immortals, all follow this principle. The reason is that all True Immortal Script characters are inscriptions and annotations of the Dao by the Dao Inscription Immortal."
"The Dao is formless, but the Dao Inscription Immortal transformed its essence into characters, making it a million times easier for people to perceive and understand. But this figure-character doesn't…"
Li Fan pondered the immense power contained within the character.
"Perhaps it's a naturally formed manifestation of a Dao's projection, or perhaps another True Immortal's attempt at 'Dao Inscription.' But this one is clearly far inferior to the later Dao Inscription Immortal!"
He could determine that this character predated the Dao Inscription Immortal because the Dao of a True Immortal couldn't tolerate others. If the Dao Inscription Immortal already existed, there wouldn't be other attempts at "Dao Inscription."
"Any such attempt would be instantly crushed by the terrifying power of the Nameless True Immortal."
The difference between this unknown attempt and the true Dao Inscription Immortal was like the difference between two painters trying to capture a landscape. The Dao Inscription Immortal's painting was vivid and lifelike, immersing the viewer in the scene. The other's, however, was like a child's scribble, an abstract collection of lines, barely resembling the real thing, its meaning difficult to decipher.
Li Fan gazed at the distorted figure-character, remaining silent. However, he didn't dismiss this crude attempt at Dao Inscription, simply because of the Dao this figure-character was trying to inscribe…
Having seen "Creation," the transformation between mortals and immortals, and even the Interplay of Truth and Illusion, Li Fan's ability to discern the levels of True Immortal Script characters was likely unmatched, even by True Immortals.
He vaguely sensed that even this crude attempt didn't diminish the level of the Dao it was trying to inscribe.
"Above 'Creation,' perhaps on par with the transformation between mortals and immortals."
A glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
"The Celestial Beast was originally a jade pendant brought back from the Immortal Realm by the Xuanhuang King. Upon contact with water, it transformed into a living being. Could it be because of this hidden character within the pendant?"
Discovering this hidden figure-character was both difficult and easy. Even without the Dao Transformation Stone, Li Fan didn't believe the Xuanhuang King, with his half-immortal strength, couldn't have discovered this secret.
Similarly, the Dark Sea and the Nether Race were all the Xuanhuang King's creations. There was no reason for him to have missed the character representing the difference between mortals and immortals.
"Perhaps the Xuanhuang King's breakthrough utilized the power of these two characters."
Since this figure-character's Dao Inscription method was incredibly crude, Li Fan couldn't comprehend it immediately. He simply memorized it.
As for the Xuanhuang King's whereabouts… Li Fan had observed all the Eyes of the Celestial Beast, finding no trace of him. However, he didn't reveal this, remaining silent as he began to analyze the formation.
The Floating Ferry Starry Sky Grand Formation was based on ancient immortal formations, modified by the Xuanhuang King. Having understood the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation, deciphering the Eye of the Celestial Beast formation with the Terminal Dissociation Disc's help wasn't impossible, especially since Mo Rubing had brought him inside the formation, revealing all its intricacies.
In the silent space, Li Fan's progress in deciphering the formation accelerated rapidly.
Mo Rubing, having completed his observation of all the Eyes of the Celestial Beast, which took him twice as long as Li Fan, couldn't hide his disappointment.
"He's not here either?" Li Fan asked at the right moment.
Mo Rubing shook his head and sighed. "He hasn't even come here to seek refuge. Both locations where I thought he might be hiding… empty." His expression was grim.
"Shall we move on to the next location?" Li Fan asked.
Mo Rubing shook his head. "The Eye of the Celestial Beast observes both the Star Sea and the Xuanhuang World. Now that we're here, why not utilize it?" He looked at the countless flickering Eyes of the Celestial Beast.
"Didn't you say the Xuanhuang King didn't teach you how to control it? Can you utilize its power?" Li Fan asked in surprise.
Mo Rubing's voice was filled with pride. "It's still part of the Floating Ferry Starry Sky Grand Formation. The underlying principles are the same. Given some time, I can access a portion of its power."
Li Fan praised him. "You're truly talented, fellow Daoist. How long will it take?"
"Within three to five months, I should be able to do it," Mo Rubing said confidently.
Li Fan nodded slightly, as if considering something, then suggested, "Waiting here would be a waste of time. I'll return to the Xuanhuang World and continue searching. Perhaps I can find other clues."
Mo Rubing studied him, then agreed. "Alright." He tossed a jade talisman to Li Fan. "Take this. I'll contact you immediately if I find anything."
Li Fan put away the talisman and bowed. "Then please send me out of this formation, fellow Daoist."
Mo Rubing nodded and made a hand seal. Li Fan's vision blurred, and he found himself within another tiny bubble. The bubble shrunk rapidly, turning into a thin film that enveloped him. The film then tore, and Li Fan reappeared within the Xuanhuang World, in the Nine Mountains Region.
"Future visits will be much easier. We can simply use the Celestial Beast's remains to teleport."
"While the Celestial Beast is dead, its essence remains."
Mo Rubing's voice echoed in Li Fan's ears before fading away.
Li Fan looked up, his gaze seeming to pierce through space, towards the Eye of the Celestial Beast in the void.
After checking himself and confirming that Mo Rubing hadn't left any marks or hidden techniques on him, Li Fan narrowed his eyes, sneering inwardly. "He agreed readily enough. Perhaps he's eager to get rid of me."
Li Fan sensed that Mo Rubing hadn't used his full strength within the Eye of the Celestial Beast formation, as if hiding something. Therefore, he had played along, offering to leave. With the Terminal Dissociation Disc's assistance, he would likely decipher the Celestial Beast formation even faster than Mo Rubing.
"It would be ideal if he could find the Xuanhuang King. If not, I'll still make use of him for the Xuanhuang World's ascension."
The Law Kings of the Profound Heaven Sect were even more useful than Immortal Master Yin, Xu Ke, and the others. He wouldn't waste them.
With that in mind, he activated the wooden sword's image and returned to the Great Xuan Small World.
The moment he arrived back in the Xuanhuang World, he sensed that Immortal Master Yin, who had vanished during the Echoing Star Power storm, had returned. However, as the one who triggered the disturbance, Daoist Hundred Flowers now regarded him with hostility.
The two were facing each other above the Dao Discussion Platform, Daoist Hundred Flowers demanding an explanation, while Immortal Master Yin remained silent, his eyes closed, showing no hostility.
Looking at Immortal Master Yin, Li Fan felt a strange sensation. Having interacted with him for countless lifetimes, spending over a century together, Li Fan understood him better than anyone. He easily detected the profound change within him.
Immortal Master Yin was a world soul, a remnant of the shattered cultivation worlds the Xuanhuang World couldn't absorb during its fusion process. He was usually accompanied by an aura of death and decay.
But now… a faint life force emanated from this world soul!
Li Fan was startled. He appeared before Immortal Master Yin.
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist. A blessing in disguise!" Li Fan observed him closely.
Immortal Master Yin slowly opened his eyes. "Without your assistance, Sacred Teacher, I would never have reached the edge of the Star Sea, let alone encountered such fortune!" His gratitude was genuine.
The moment Li Fan saw his eyes, he understood why he had kept them closed before Daoist Hundred Flowers.
His eyes were now two different colors: one black, one white.
The black eye radiated vitality, while the white eye exuded an aura of death.
The moment their gazes met, Li Fan was pulled into a boundless illusion. Countless lives were born, then destroyed by various calamities. Life and death cycled at a terrifying pace. He even noticed his mental age, which had never been affected by illusions before, rapidly changing as he was drawn into the black and white vortex.
Even Li Fan was affected. Daoist Hundred Flowers, merely observing from the side, fared even worse. Her seemingly indestructible Glazed Glass body flickered like a dying candle in the wind, on the verge of collapse!
Fortunately, Immortal Master Yin, sensing their distress and harboring no ill intentions, slowly and with some effort, closed his eyes.
The storm of life and death subsided, and Li Fan and Daoist Hundred Flowers returned to normal.
"You…" Daoist Hundred Flowers stared at Immortal Master Yin, her face a mask of shock. She couldn't believe that this person, whose strength had been comparable to hers just a few days ago, had undergone such a drastic transformation.
Li Fan asked with interest, "What's with this life force within you? The Great Wall of Shattered Worlds is composed of dead worlds. How can such immense vitality be hidden there?"
Immortal Master Yin paused, then explained, "It was precisely because I discovered that life force within a shattered world that I acted so recklessly. In fact, at that time, I was driven by instinct, briefly losing control of myself."
Li Fan frowned.
"Even now, having absorbed that life force, I still don't understand its origin. However, I can show you where it is…" Immortal Master Yin said slowly.
After a moment of contemplation, Li Fan nodded. "The Great Xuan Small World is too fragile here."
He summoned the wooden sword's image and took Immortal Master Yin and Daoist Hundred Flowers to the void outside the Xuanhuang World.
Stimulated by the immense life force, his half-completed Self as Foundation technique showed signs of recovery. His true self's foundation gradually merged with his body, eliminating his characteristic double-layered voice.
With a solemn expression, Immortal Master Yin turned away from Li Fan and Daoist Hundred Flowers, opened his black and white eyes, then inserted two fingers into his eye sockets. With a slight exertion, he gouged out his eyes!
There was no blood, only two small spheres, one black, one white, spinning in the void!
After leaving Immortal Master Yin's body, the two spheres slowly drifted towards each other. However, his hand remained between them, preventing them from merging.
"Is the source of the life force these two spheres?" Daoist Hundred Flowers asked, witnessing this bizarre scene.
"Not only the life force, but also the death Qi," Immortal Master Yin replied, his voice strained for some reason after removing the spheres.
The black and white spheres emitted their unique energies. However, due to their mutual attraction and restraint, they didn't disperse but formed a swirling vortex like a Tai Chi symbol, achieving a strange equilibrium.
Looking at the spheres, Li Fan sensed a familiar aura emanating from them.
(End of Chapter)