"It's like a reservoir beneath a desert, collecting every drop of water that seeps through over millions of years."
"Then, one day, when the time is right, a torrential downpour sweeps across the desert. The reservoir overflows, its waters surging and scouring the entire desert. Working in concert with the grand momentum of heaven and earth, it transforms the barren sands into a lush and fertile land!"
"This is the power to reshape heaven and earth!"
Li Fan's eyes gleamed as if trying to penetrate the secrets hidden beneath the calmly flowing river of vitality. Unfortunately, as he'd suspected, the creator of this river was a being far beyond mortal comprehension. Their methods, clearly not based on formations, were beyond Li Fan's current understanding.
The turbulence caused by Daoist Hundred Flowers' absorption gradually subsided. Even after it returned to its tranquil state, Li Fan's observations yielded nothing.
The same was true for Immortal Master Yin and Daoist Hundred Flowers.
Like the High Wall, the river of vitality lay before them, open to scrutiny, yet its secrets remained impenetrable. The disparity was almost despair-inducing.
The three stood in silence above the river of vitality for a long time.
Finally, Li Fan shook his head slightly. "The ancients sighed at the vastness of the ocean; today, we stand humbled before this river."
"The secrets here are beyond our current understanding. Xu Ke is lost within. We can only hope for his safety."
He had initially thought searching for Xu Ke would be a simple task. Unexpectedly, beneath the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds lay this fissure network spanning the entire Star Sea. His plans had to change.
In reality, if Li Fan continued exploring, relying on the recording function of the Dao Transformation Stone and the spectral wooden sword's escape technique, he might eventually map the entire fissure network. But his priority in this life was ascending the Xuanhuang World.
The vitality contained within the Star Sea fissure was immense. Even if he drew some of it during Xuanhuang's ascension, the already explored areas would be more than sufficient.
"Master, I intend to stay here for a while," Daoist Hundred Flowers said hesitantly.
"The vitality here is crucial for reviving the Ten Thousand Flourishing World. Although I can only draw a small amount each time, with persistence, I can restore life to my homeland within six months!"
Li Fan gazed at Daoist Hundred Flowers, his eyes seeming to pierce through her shell to the miniature world at her core.
"Even if revived, I doubt all your old friends will be resurrected," he said, frowning.
He could see that the Ten Thousand Flourishing World and its inhabitants had been refined by Daoist Hundred Flowers into a Glazed Glass state. Even if cleansed with abundant vitality, restoring them from this state, there was no guarantee how many would survive the transformation.
Daoist Hundred Flowers' gaze remained firm. "I can only do my best and leave the rest to fate! Before, there was no way to revive my world. Now, with this opportunity before me, how can I ignore it?"
Seeing her determination, Li Fan didn't try to dissuade her.
Immortal Master Yin then spoke, "I, like Daoist Hundred Flowers, don't wish to leave for a while."
Li Fan raised an eyebrow. "Is this vitality useful to you as well?"
Immortal Master Yin shook his head. "No. But near this river of vitality, I feel an unparalleled sense of peace. The fragmented souls that occasionally surface in my consciousness are all silent here…"
This reason left Li Fan speechless.
"Very well. If you have time, search for Xu Ke. It's best if you can find him, but if not, don't force it. Your safety comes first."
"Ascending Xuanhuang is a long-term plan. Six months won't make much difference. Stay here. I'll return for you in half a year," Li Fan said.
They cupped their hands in farewell.
Li Fan then stepped forward, his body enveloped by the spectral wooden sword's glow. A moment later, a strange fluctuation emanated from him—the Ascension Formation!
The majestic aura, like a cultivator ascending to the heavens, caused Immortal Master Yin and Daoist Hundred Flowers to retreat.
Li Fan's physical location didn't change, but they felt him growing increasingly distant, increasingly… higher. His image within the spectral wooden sword gradually faded, eventually vanishing from their sight.
"Such power…" Immortal Master Yin murmured, awestruck. "If Master Li doesn't return for us in six months, we might be trapped here forever."
Daoist Hundred Flowers didn't argue. She simply replied, "But with such abundant vitality here, we won't starve," and continued to watch the tranquil river, waiting for the next opportunity to draw from it.
…
Back at the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds, outside the fissure's entrance, Li Fan reappeared without warning. The moment he returned to the Star Sea, he deactivated the Ascension Formation and used his spectral wooden sword to leave the vicinity of the fissure.
Within a few breaths, he went from the lowest point of the fissure to the normal "potential" of the Star Sea. The rapid shift caused his body and soul to feel as if they had been violently shaken.
Blood splattered as his skin cracked. His soul felt crushed and pulverized. Even with his strong foundation, Li Fan's face paled.
"That was like a half-ascension, from a lower-level world to the current Star Sea."
"If the impact was this severe, imagine the trials of a true ascension."
"Without the protection of immortal spiritual energy, ordinary cultivators would have no chance of survival."
Within the few moments it took him to ponder this, Li Fan's injuries were completely healed. He didn't leave, continuing to observe the wonder beneath the High Wall—the invisible barrier, the continuous Great Wall of Shattered Worlds, and the endless fissure at the Star Sea's lowest point. Intertwined, they formed a scene both dreamlike and mysterious.
Even with his power nearing the pinnacle of the Star Sea, Li Fan still found this place full of enigmas. Perhaps, as he grew stronger and discovered more, his confusion would only deepen. Until one day, he surpassed a certain limit, and everything would become clear.
Li Fan took one last look at this wonder of the Star Sea, then unsheathed his spectral wooden sword and flew towards the Xuanhuang World.
"There's no rush for the ritual with the Celestial Ark. Too much progress too quickly might arouse suspicion."
"But with things moving forward, it's time to officially begin cultivating this generation's Xuanhuang Grand Magus."
The vast amount of immortal spiritual energy required for the Xuanhuang ascension plan could only be accessed by the Xuanhuang Grand Magus. The restrictions placed upon this position by the former Immortal Realm still remained. The memory of Sun Tianci's untimely death in his previous life was still vivid, making it clear that Li Fan wouldn't risk himself.
Fortunately, in this life, he didn't need to create another innately Dao-integrated Sun Tianci. The projections of his teachings were constantly spreading the Dao in multiple mortal small worlds. He had already found a suitable candidate.
Li Fan's figure flickered, arriving in an unnamed mortal small world. This world was far smaller than Great Qi, Great Li, or even the Spiritwood World. A mountain range consisting of thirteen peaks was the entirety of its existence. It was less a small world and more akin to a miniature grotto-heaven.
Yet, within this insignificant mortal world, which even Foundation Establishment cultivators might overlook, Li Fan sensed the emergence of a faint world Heavenly Dao consciousness, and a boy of exceptional purity and innocence.
Perhaps due to the world's small size, reproduction was extremely difficult here, keeping the human population low. The resources within the mountains were virtually limitless for them. With so few people spread across thirteen peaks, everyone knew each other, minimizing conflict. They had ample free time.
Inevitably, the humans here were curious about the world beyond the mountains. But just like the beings of the Star Sea trapped within the High Wall, they could never leave the boundaries of their world.
There was a young boy who, from the day he could walk, often climbed the highest peak in this world. Standing alone at the summit, he would survey his small world, the thirteen peaks stretching before him, before lying down and gazing at the sky.
Li Fan had observed this boy. During his climb and his survey of the world, his mind was filled with various thoughts. But as he lay down and gazed at the sky, his consciousness entered a state of absolute emptiness, his thoughts completely stilled. If Li Fan hadn't been able to sense his life force, he would have thought the boy had died.
Living beings, through their interactions with the world, inevitably develop their own thoughts. Only a select few, either by chance or innate talent, can achieve this state of pure emptiness.
Yet, this state, so sought after by cultivators, was the norm for this boy.
Moreover… the Thirteen Peaks world, despite its small size, had miraculously developed its own Heavenly Dao consciousness. Among the few inhabitants, the boy's daily act of lying at the world's highest point, gazing at the sky, naturally attracted the attention of this nascent Heavenly Dao.
However, the Heavenly Dao consciousness of the Thirteen Peaks world was also in its infancy. It approached the boy out of pure curiosity.
Thus, the boy's soul, like a blank sheet of paper, gradually recorded the imprints of the approaching Heavenly Dao. These imprints didn't affect the boy's nature. He continued his daily ritual of climbing the peak and gazing at the sky. And without his awareness, the Heavenly Dao consciousness grew increasingly familiar, leaving more imprints.
…
Having observed countless people and small worlds, Li Fan had to admit that this was an unrepeatable miracle.
"Part human, part heaven, seemingly heaven, yet truly human. A perfect unity of heaven and man, a man inheriting the wonders of heaven!"
"To observe the Dao of Heaven, to hold the workings of Heaven, that is all!"
This boy, without even a formal name, had inadvertently achieved the perfect state described in ancient cultivation texts, a state others could only dream of. Although his world was small and its Heavenly Dao's development was far inferior to that of the Xuanhuang World, there was no doubt that, for Li Fan, this boy was the perfect candidate for Grand Magus.
The role of the Xuanhuang Grand Magus was essentially to oversee the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao would operate normally, with the Grand Magus intervening and regulating only when necessary.
For Li Fan, he simply needed a puppet to unlock the legacy of the former Grand Magus. The less autonomy this puppet had, the better. However, a puppet without any will of its own wouldn't be able to pass the trials of succession.
This boy's appearance perfectly solved Li Fan's problem.
"At his current state, even after becoming the Xuanhuang Grand Magus, he won't act independently. He'll completely abide by the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's existing operations, ruling through inaction."
"And for the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, a Grand Magus who does nothing is exactly what it desires. Perhaps his compatibility is no less than Master Bai's…"
The more Li Fan looked at the boy, the more satisfied he became. He extended a finger, sending a sliver of light and shadow into the boy's pure, empty consciousness, without disturbing the approaching Heavenly Dao consciousness.
This time, he didn't directly impart all the details of the Grand Magus's Immortal Ascension Realm trial. He merely provided subtle hints and guidance at key decision points. The boy's thoughts were too simple. These subtle nudges should be enough for him to instinctively pass the trial.
"A future Xuanhuang Grand Magus can't be nameless."
"From now on, you shall be called Wuming (Unnamed)."
To preserve Wuming's innocence, Li Fan didn't even implant his own presence within his consciousness sea. Leaving the Thirteen Peaks, entering the Immortal Ascension trial, succeeding as the Xuanhuang Grand Magus, and eventually detonating the immortal artifacts to infuse Xuanhuang with immortal spiritual energy, triggering the birth of the first Heavenly Soul—all would be achieved through silent guidance and suggestion.
This meant that Li Fan would have to coordinate his Dao Integration plan with Wuming's actions. But Wuming's characteristic of ruling through inaction would minimize unpredictability.
"For a considerable time, Wuming's existence will be practically negligible."
"However, if this world, and the ascended Xuanhuang World, still exist after my Dao Integration…" A strange glint appeared in Li Fan's eyes. "With the passage of time, his being merged with the super Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Dao consciousness, Wuming might, through this opportunity, achieve power comparable to a True Immortal!"
It was foreseeable that the Xuanhuang World, propelled by Li Fan's various methods in this life, would likely ascend to become an Immortal Realm. And to achieve unity with the Heavenly Dao consciousness of an Immortal Realm… even True Immortals of the past might not have been capable of such a feat!
By then, his power would surely surpass even that of the Celestial Ark's equalized Star Sea consciousness!
However, the time required would be incredibly long. Only someone as pure and innocent as Wuming, born through such a fortuitous coincidence, could achieve it. If it were Li Fan, his own consciousness would inevitably clash with the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao before long.
Therefore, Li Fan had abandoned the idea of taking Wuming's place from the very beginning.
"I wonder how the position of Xuanhuang Grand Magus will change after Xuanhuang ascends to become an Immortal Realm."
"Will the shackles left by the former Immortal Realm disappear, or will they deepen?"
(End of Chapter)