"Collecting more only provides additional insurance," Zhong Daogong reiterated, his gaze intense. "The most crucial factor remains the number of sacrifices for the Equal Heavens Ritual."
"If you feel overwhelmed, you can choose an elder to assist you."
Li Fan pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Great Qi's protective immortal artifacts monitor heaven and earth. Any intruders would immediately trigger an alarm, which would be detrimental to the plan."
"I'm enough on my own! The optimal time will arrive within thirty years…"
"It won't take that long! If all goes well, I'll succeed within three to five years." Li Fan exuded confidence.
"However…" He suddenly frowned.
"Speak freely. If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to ask! The elders will fully cooperate," Zhong Daogong offered generously, reassured by Li Fan's assurance.
Li Fan nodded. "I left under the pretext of searching for treasures in Star Sea ruins. Returning empty-handed might arouse suspicion. I need to select some items from the Celestial Ark's vault to take back. Of course, items from the first level will suffice for appearances."
Upon hearing this, Jian Daosheng suddenly asked, "If the items you take back are more valuable, wouldn't that be more beneficial for the ritual's preparations?"
Li Fan instinctively replied, "Naturally… but to be honest, the help would be limited. The scholarly factions in Great Qi are even more entrenched than our council of elders. A few treasures won't be enough. It still requires time and seniority."
The elders exchanged glances. Finally, Zhong Daogong spoke, "Even a slight increase in our chances is beneficial. You may choose items from the second level of the vault. It contains highly valuable objects that are non-essential for the Celestial Ark's survival."
Li Fan didn't decline. Cupping his hands, he said, "Very well."
Surrounded by the elders, Li Fan returned to the second level of the Celestial Ark's vault. He surveyed the rare treasures sealed within the Celestial Star Lotus spheres of light. The council had agreed to let him choose two items from this level, and then three more from the first level. With five treasures in hand, he could allay Great Qi's suspicions while furthering the Equal Heavens Plan.
After browsing, Li Fan first selected a Yin-Yang Jade from the second level. It was formed from the condensation of vast amounts of Yin and Yang energies into a tangible form, existing in a delicate state of balance. Li Fan had a hunch that incorporating this Yin-Yang energy into the process of Xuanhuang's ascension might yield unexpected results.
As for the second treasure…
It was naturally the three-pronged divine tree, one of Sun Piaomiao's three relics, the one that had stirred a reaction in True Return. The Celestial Ark elders had used the "Reveal" character technique to examine Sun Piaomiao's relics. Unlike the Medicine King Cauldron, which had a faint connection to the outside world, the broken-winged gray bird and the three-pronged tree showed no such connection. Ruling out the possibility of them being gray pawns, they concluded that they were merely decoys left by Sun Piaomiao.
Li Fan explained, "Although this item has no practical value, it is also something left behind by Sun Piaomiao, from the same source as the Drooping Hand Yong Puppet that saved my life last time. My master would certainly be interested in it."
After some hesitation, the elders agreed to Li Fan's request.
He then proceeded to the first level of the vault and took a black starstone, a strange bronze mirror, and a liquid sword before bidding farewell to the Celestial Ark. With a flicker of sword light, he vanished into the darkness of the Star Sea.
After Li Fan's departure, the elders gathered.
"Although he guaranteed success," Zhong Daogong said gravely, "we can't place all our hopes on him."
"Indeed, we must prepare other methods to mitigate the Star Sea's backlash."
"Perhaps it's time to open the third level of the Hundred Hearings Immortal Record…"
These words plunged the room into silence. It was as if the third level of the vault contained something they deeply dreaded. The elders' expressions varied, but none immediately voiced their agreement.
"Let's wait. We'll give it five years. Everyone think about whether there's a better alternative."
"If he returns successfully within this period, all the better."
"Otherwise…" A shadow crossed Zhong Daogong's eyes as his gaze drifted towards the sealed Hundred Hearings Vault.
…
Having distanced himself from the Celestial Ark, Li Fan didn't immediately return to the Xuanhuang World. Instead, he headed towards the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds, to the location of Immortal Master Yin and Daoist Hundred Flowers.
Along the way, Li Fan took out the three-pronged tree. True Return stirred once more.
Suppressing the sudden surge of desire within him, Li Fan first examined the object before him. The three-pronged tree was made of an unknown material, neither entirely metal nor wood. It possessed the cold, hard texture of metal, yet also exuded the vitality and ancient aura of a primordial tree.
Growing from each of its prongs were not branches, but entirely new trees. And from these secondary branches, new three-pronged forks emerged, endlessly, seemingly without end. Even with Li Fan's current divine sense, he couldn't determine the total number of branches in a short time.
"Truly ingenious," he murmured, nodding. He then released True Return's desire. An unseen force enveloped the three-pronged tree, which shimmered faintly, gradually becoming translucent before vanishing completely.
Li Fan intently watched for changes on the True Return panel. But after a long wait, the instant 400% charge to the Manifestation progress he'd experienced before didn't occur.
In fact…
He couldn't detect any tangible change.
"Could it be that True Return devoured it for nothing?" This thought flashed through Li Fan's mind.
However, he quickly dismissed it. He knew True Return was a picky eater. Every consumption invariably brought about substantial change.
This time was no exception.
Li Fan shifted his focus from the True Return panel to True Return itself. He even halted his spectral wooden sword's traversal through the void. Standing still amidst the emptiness, he focused on his senses.
After a while, his eyes snapped open. "Indeed, this time, True Return's change didn't directly manifest on the panel."
"But…"
He conjured another spectral wooden sword. While indistinguishable to outsiders, Li Fan, the caster, could discern that this spectral sword technique was slightly superior to his previous attempts. Such significant improvement in such a short time was solely due to his deepened understanding of the Interplay of Truth and Illusion.
"It actually helped me comprehend the Interplay of Truth and Illusion, the essence of True Return?" Li Fan was deeply shaken.
The Interplay of Truth and Illusion was the highest level of power he'd encountered in his countless reincarnations, bar none. Comprehending and utilizing it was extremely difficult for him. He relied entirely on his connection with True Return, observing the scenes of the world blurring and reappearing each time he activated it, slowly grasping its principles through his own comprehension. There were no shortcuts.
But now, this three-pronged tree, one of Sun Piaomiao's relics, could actually aid in his comprehension of the Dao!
Li Fan narrowed his eyes, carefully recalling how this incredible event had unfolded.
After a long while, a realization dawned upon him. "The Dao of Truth and Illusion, like the ultimate truth of heaven, is lofty and distant."
"Only when I activate True Return can I ascend to the heavens and observe its transformations up close."
"And absorbing the three-pronged tree…"
Li Fan paused.
Then, a flash of insight ignited in his eyes. "Did True Return perform a 'simulation' without my involvement?"
"The creation and dissipation of the real and illusory worlds occurred in an instant, without affecting the current world. It happened solely within True Return!"
"The Interplay of Truth and Illusion occurred undetected by anyone in the world. Only I, through the inexplicable increase in my comprehension of it, was fortunate enough to discover it…"
Despite becoming privy to this unique knowledge, Li Fan felt no excitement, only an unprecedented heaviness. He even temporarily set aside his plan to meet with Immortal Master Yin and Daoist Hundred Flowers.
"True Return…" he murmured.
His surroundings instantly dimmed, a darkness even more pronounced than the desolate Dark Star Sea.
Then, the seven luminous characters "When the real is made to appear fake, the fake becomes real" appeared, as always. True Return's ability remained unaffected, ready to be activated at any time.
Yet, an unsettling feeling lingered in Li Fan's heart.
In his view, everything in the world fell into two categories. The first category encompassed everything within the scope of True Return's power. The second category included True Return itself and anything that could influence it.
Everything in the Star Sea, including the High Wall, True Immortals, and Mao Bao, belonged to the first category. With True Return, Li Fan would eventually conquer them all.
But the second category… was beyond his control. Anything that could influence True Return meant that his greatest trump card was rendered useless.
Although this time, the influence seemed beneficial, this loss of control was a clear warning.
Should he always satisfy True Return's desire to devour? What did this consumption truly signify? These were questions Li Fan had to carefully consider.
True Return, the supreme treasure he'd inexplicably awakened after transmigrating, felt as if it were a part of him. To say he wasn't afraid of losing it would be a lie. But his smooth sailing through his previous reincarnations, and even successfully establishing a foundation for True Return within the Xuanhuang World after a hundred lifetimes, had gradually eroded his initial anxieties.
Now, with the changes following True Return's consumption of the three-pronged tree, he was once again alerted.
After a long while, Li Fan finally regained his composure.
"For now, it doesn't seem detrimental."
"But I must quickly figure out what this three-pronged tree truly is. Why did it cause True Return to simulate the creation and destruction of a world without my involvement?"
"What exactly happened within that fleeting world?"
"What is so special about it that caused such a change in True Return?"
Numerous questions flooded Li Fan's mind.
"Sun Piaomiao…"
Li Fan was now certain that the three-pronged tree also originated from the Immortal Realm.
"It might even be more valuable than the gray pawns."
"But even Sun Piaomiao might not have understood the secrets it held."
Li Fan contemplated how to study the three-pronged tree. He couldn't be sure whether True Return would still desire to consume it in his next life. Based on past experience, True Return wouldn't devour something it had already consumed.
But this strange three-pronged tree might be an exception.
So, the question arose: if True Return's desire resurfaced in his next life, should he allow it to consume the tree again?
For the first time, the decisive Li Fan was plagued by prolonged hesitation. This indecision persisted even as he found Immortal Master Yin and Daoist Hundred Flowers within the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds.
Lost in thought, he enveloped the two, who were struggling against the turbulent astral energy, with his spectral wooden sword.
Their current location was the "knot" Immortal Master Yin had mentioned earlier, a point where the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds maintained its stability. Here, the astral energy surged like waves crashing against reefs, its violent fluctuations unmatched anywhere else on the edge of the Star Sea, rivaling even the base of the High Wall. Exploring this area was challenging even for cultivators of their level.
"How is it? Any leads on Xu Ke?" Li Fan asked.
Immortal Master Yin calmed the chaotic life and death energy within him before replying, "We're almost certain that Xu Ke was drawn in here. We found his last marker, extremely faint, but identical to the one we agreed upon beforehand."
Hearing this, Li Fan finally diverted some of his attention to his surroundings. His vision shifted abruptly, changing from a normal perspective to a higher-dimensional view.
He was astonished to discover that this knot wasn't a raised platform within the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds, but a depression! The towering, continuous wall was abruptly broken here. Yet, this break didn't actually interrupt the wall's connection.
It was as if… an unseen force within this depression was holding the continuous Great Wall of Shattered Worlds together!
"Interesting." Li Fan's spirits were finally roused.
This depression occupied a small area within the Star Sea, barely enough to fit a single person. Being swept into it amidst the violent energy fluctuations would be incredibly difficult.
"Perhaps only someone with destiny like Xu Ke would have such luck," Li Fan mused as his spectral wooden sword, like a small boat on a river, flowed towards the depression.
The closer he got to the broken section of the Great Wall, the stronger the interference against his spectral wooden sword became. Light and shadow flickered erratically, as if it might burst like a bubble at any moment.
Li Fan frowned slightly, focusing his mind to maintain the technique.
Boom! The moment the spectral sword left the stable region of the Great Wall and entered the depression, it was like plummeting from a towering cliff. The violent impact nearly shattered the spectral wooden sword!
(End of Chapter)