The process of finding and fusing the Immortal Realm pawns had been too smooth, so smooth that Li Fan couldn't help but wonder if there would be a problem at the final fusion stage. If Sun Piaomiao had indeed left behind any restrictions, then the Medicine King Sect, as his descendants, should be able to bypass them to some extent.
That was just one aspect.
Li Fan glanced at the seven Dao Integration cultivators of the Medicine King Sect.
"Your cultivation might have been considered top-tier in the past, but after millennia, times have changed. You're too weak now, barely capable of assisting me."
"Therefore, I need to enhance your power."
Liu Ruchen asked cautiously, "What did Senior have in mind?"
"Cultivators now devour heaven and earth to cultivate. By harnessing the power of the world, they can wield far greater spiritual power than ancient cultivators." As Li Fan spoke, he revealed the principles of this cultivation method to them.
The Dao Integration cultivators' expressions turned grim.
"No wonder the 'Techniques Cannot Be Cultivated Together' calamity descended. This cultivation method is demonic!" Liu San muttered.
Li Fan scoffed. "What is demonic? What is righteous? In the cultivation world, there's only strong and weak! If the strong say the new method is righteous, then it is righteous!"
Although they disagreed, intimidated by Li Fan's power, they didn't argue.
Li Fan shook his head slightly. "Very well. Perhaps only by experiencing the benefits of the new method yourselves will you change your views."
With a wave of his hand, detailed information about the Heavenly Souls appeared before them.
"Each of you, choose one. I will help you integrate with the Dao using the new method."
The seven cultivators were stunned.
"I choose this one, Crimson Chain," Jiang Yushan said, being the first to speak. As a former warden of the Undying Prison, having killed countless beings, she didn't care about righteousness or demonic practices. She was willing to try anything that would increase her power.
"Good! Excellent choice! The power of Crimson Chain is balanced and harmonious, capable of calming the rampaging killing intent within you," Li Fan praised, nodding.
With someone taking the lead, the other Dao Integration cultivators exchanged glances, abandoning their reservations and quickly choosing their Heavenly Souls.
"There's no time to waste. I'll take you hunting."
Li Fan's spectral wooden sword materialized, enveloping the cultivators. In an instant, they were within the Xuanhuang World.
Even with the sword phantom's protection, they could still sense the faint influence of the world's restriction against cultivating multiple techniques.
"I can't protect you forever. Only Liu Ruchen needs to cultivate the Life-Saving Eternal Scripture. The rest of you can switch to other Dao Integration techniques." Li Fan displayed information on thousands of suitable techniques, each no less powerful than the Life-Saving Eternal Scripture. The sheer number of choices was overwhelming.
"We'll discuss this after your Dao Integration."
"Now, focus."
Li Fan hovered above them, gazing at the sky and casually issuing a command. Dark clouds gathered, and thunder rumbled. A massive vortex appeared in the sky, like a tear in the heavens, crackling with lightning.
Li Fan chanted softly, his voice only audible to himself: "Twisting the Threads of Heaven and Earth."
His words, carrying a false Mandate of Heaven, reached the heavens. Soon, seven blurry figures appeared within the vortex—the Heavenly Souls chosen by the Medicine King Sect cultivators!
Their eyes turned crimson at the sight of the Heavenly Souls. Each figure was like an elixir of immortality, and now there were seven… If not for Li Fan's suppressing power, they would have charged forward recklessly.
Li Fan's expression remained unchanged. As the Heavenly Souls materialized, immortal formations silently sealed the area. The Heavenly Souls, their senses sharp, instantly realized their connection to the world's Source had been severed.
Before they could react, a five-fingered cloud covered them. Li Fan casually pressed down with his palm.
The seven Heavenly Souls felt the weight of the world crush them, immobilizing them instantly. The invisible shackles binding them grew tighter.
Li Fan's fingers curled into a claw.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Heavenly Souls' forms shattered, the sound echoing through the air. Under the immense pressure, they were forced to their knees. Facing imminent destruction, their inherent power surged, attempting to break free. But like waves crashing against a dam, their struggles were futile.
Even lost in their greed, the Medicine King Sect cultivators were awestruck by the sight of Li Fan suppressing seven Heavenly Souls with a single palm.
They only snapped out of their trance when Li Fan barked, "What are you waiting for?!"
Feeling the restraints upon them lifted, they abandoned all reservations and charged towards their chosen targets, unleashing their strongest attacks on the suppressed Heavenly Souls.
Only now, facing the Heavenly Souls directly, did they truly comprehend the immensity of their power. Even though the Heavenly Souls couldn't fight back, even severely weakened by Li Fan's attack, the Medicine King Sect cultivators nearly exhausted their spiritual energy before finally destroying them.
"Even among all the Heavenly Souls, the ones Senior chose for us are definitely top-tier," they realized.
"And even such powerful Heavenly Souls are helpless before Senior…" Their understanding of Li Fan's power deepened.
As the Heavenly Souls were destroyed, Li Fan released the formations' seal. Inheriting the Heavenly Souls' power, the Xuanhuang World's Source power poured down from the vortex in the sky like a cascading waterfall, washing over the Medicine King Sect cultivators. Their auras surged.
Seven newly ascended Dao Integration Immortal Venerables descended upon the Xuanhuang World!
Simultaneously, another phenomenon occurred. The fall of a single Heavenly Soul was enough to shake the heavens. The fall of seven…
A celestial spectacle, similar to the one that occurred after a cultivator's death, illuminated the sky.
The Medicine King Sect cultivators felt an omnipresent, almost tangible malice from the world! And Li Fan, although not directly responsible for their deaths, had manipulated the world's principles and suppressed the Heavenly Souls. He was the true culprit behind their demise!
The world's malice towards him was a thousand times greater than what the Medicine King Sect cultivators faced. His previous favor was gone, replaced by the world's enmity. He was now an enemy of the world, surrounded by its tangible malice, its whispers turning into ferocious snarls.
This was unsettling for the Medicine King Sect cultivators, who had always upheld the belief of healing and saving lives. But returning the power they'd just gained was impossible. They would rather fight the world itself!
Amidst this turmoil, Li Fan, calm and prepared, stood before them, facing the sky and explaining his actions.
The ascension of Xuanhuang would be aided by several forces: the revitalizing energy of the Star Sea, the residual power of other sealed cultivation worlds, and the immortal spiritual energy from the Grand Magus's legacy.
These vast and complex forces were like potent medicine. The Xuanhuang World, in its current weakened state, might not be able to withstand them. Therefore, a catalyst was needed as a buffer.
These Medicine King Sect cultivators, having devoured Xuanhuang's Heavenly Souls, were the catalysts!
Li Fan would channel the revitalizing power into them through various methods. They wouldn't be given the power, but would serve as vessels, as buffers. When Xuanhuang ascended, these Dao Integration Immortal Venerables would fall, returning the power to the world!
External application, internal consumption, a two-pronged approach! The cure was administered, and ascension was within reach!
…
Li Fan's elaborate explanation could be summarized as: "I'm doing this for your own good!"
But his reasoning wasn't entirely fabricated. Even the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao could sense the truth. The current Xuanhuang World was far from its ascended state. The combined power it was about to absorb was almost greater than itself. It truly risked being overwhelmed.
The surging malice suddenly stopped. The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao seemed to be considering his words. After a brief standoff, the malice slowly receded.
To the Medicine King Sect members, it appeared as if Li Fan had single-handedly faced the wrath of the Xuanhuang World and somehow appeased it. Such power was unheard of. Their awe of him deepened.
Having successfully integrated with the Dao using the new method, their power had surged significantly. Liu Ruchen, in particular, not only had his injuries fully healed, but also gained new insights during the process.
Back in the Great Xuan small world, Liu Ruchen reported his findings to Li Fan.
"According to Senior, the next step in the new method of Dao Integration is to defy the world's principles."
"But during our Dao Integration, we devoured Heavenly Souls. What are Heavenly Souls? They are the embodiment of the world's laws, the continuation of its principles."
"Therefore, the easiest way to begin defying these principles is to follow the trail, to find the source of the Heavenly Soul we devoured."
Liu Ruchen continued, "For example, I devoured the Heavenly Soul 'Azure Thread,' which governs the principle of vitality."
"With a specific direction, the world's principles are no longer abstract. Through continuous cultivation and comprehension, we can find the source of these principles. But reversing them is incredibly difficult."
"…It's like trying to lift yourself by pulling your own hair. Without external assistance, it's practically impossible."
…
Li Fan listened patiently. As expected of a sect master, Liu Ruchen's comprehension was impressive. The other newly ascended Dao Integration cultivators listened attentively, their expressions thoughtful.
Finally, when Liu Ruchen finished, they all looked at Li Fan.
"To have gained so many insights on your first day of Dao Integration using the new method… you're quite impressive." Li Fan's faint praise flattered Liu Ruchen.
"However, your thinking is still too simplistic. In the millennia of the Xuanhuang World, only a handful have achieved Longevity by defying the world's principles."
"And it's been a long time since a new Longevity realm cultivator emerged. Why is that?"
"Think about it."
Li Fan's cryptic words left the Medicine King Sect cultivators pondering.
Their days were now filled with cultivating new Dao Integration techniques, solidifying their foundations, listening to the Master's teachings on the Dao Discussion Platform, and sparring with a mysterious, unfathomable, and taciturn senior. This senior, even standing still, was impervious to their strongest attacks, allowing them to freely test and refine their skills.
As for the other Medicine King Sect disciples…
Li Fan looked at a smaller, pink eye that had appeared beside the silver eye. Countless threads, forming a thick bridge, connected the two.
"The power of Blissful Ignorance permeates the entire Xuanhuang World, not just the Council of Five Elders' territory."
"Therefore, one doesn't need to go there to enter the Land of Blissful Ignorance. I simply couldn't find the method before."
"But now, I've sent out nine thousand, six hundred and thirty-two scouts…"
"The Simulated Heavenly Grid, perfectly synchronized with their senses, can use their thoughts to locate the Land of Blissful Ignorance."
The countless threads forming the bridge represented the cultivators Li Fan had sent into the dream world. And within the pink eye were countless Medicine King Sect disciples below the Dao Integration realm!
With their physical bodies under Li Fan's control and the sect master's orders, these disciples remained obedient even within the Land of Blissful Ignorance. And as members of the same sect, they had excellent teamwork and coordination, making their exploration more efficient.
Besides the Medicine King Sect disciples, there were also numerous Great Xuan cultivators within the pink eye, swarming into the Land of Blissful Ignorance, exploring its depths.
The pink eye hadn't deciphered the secrets of the Land of Blissful Ignorance. It had simply created an entrance within the Great Xuan small world using the connection to those already inside.
When the pink eye appeared, Li Fan had hoped for the Blissful Ignorance Celestial Venerable to intervene. Unfortunately, Blissful Ignorance seemed unconcerned with such trivial matters.
Li Fan was disappointed.
"Hopefully, these people will surprise me." He had a feeling that the secrets hidden within the Land of Blissful Ignorance might be even more significant than he'd imagined.
…
Only one pawn remained before he could recreate the Immortal Realm fragment. Li Fan sealed the collected pawns within the Great Xuan small world with immortal formations, instructing the Dao Integration cultivators of the Medicine King Sect to set up the Equal Heavens Ritual in the mortal small worlds, creating the illusion that he was still in Great Qi, busy with the ritual, while he himself remained in Great Xuan.
He sent the Tian Yang Immortal Puppet to the Celestial Ark with his spectral wooden sword, attaching a strand of divine sense to control its actions.
The reason Li Fan didn't go himself was because he had already undergone the Celestial Ark's Equal Heavens Ritual. Although they hadn't elaborated, he suspected that all the participating elders could sense his approximate location. This sense wasn't particularly strong and didn't work outside the Ark, but close proximity would reveal his true location.
The Celestial Ark was still useful to Li Fan. It wasn't time to turn against them yet.
So, he decided to send Tian Yang.
With a thought, the Immortal Puppet expanded hundreds of times in size, lying motionless in the dark void, before accelerating sharply towards the Celestial Ark, its approach emitting no discernible aura, like a massive meteor hurtling towards its target.
The Celestial Ark naturally detected such a large object. Initially, they mistook it for an ordinary meteor and casually sent a beam of light to destroy it. But the light had no effect on Tian Yang. The collision continued, alerting the Ark to the danger.
Several figures appeared, led by Elder Jian Daosheng. With their combined efforts, they slowed the Immortal Puppet's momentum, stopping it just outside the Ark.
"What is that?" Jian Daosheng asked, his expression puzzled.
Without instructions from Li Fan, Tian Yang remained motionless, allowing the Ark's members to examine it. Li Fan's divine sense, hidden within the puppet's Eternal Remnants by immortal formations, observed.
"It seems to be… the corpse of a giant?"
"No, its aura is unusual. And its bones…"
They quickly noticed the puppet's extraordinary nature.
Jian Daosheng, not daring to be careless, sent a message. Soon, the other elders arrived.
As a civilization that had survived since ancient times, their knowledge was indeed vast. They quickly identified the nature of the Immortal Puppet.
"Immortal artifact fragments as bones, True Immortal flesh as skin… Hiss…"
"Is this an Immortal Puppet?" The elders were stunned.
"How did it end up here?"
"There's definitely something strange about this. We must be careful!" They sensed a conspiracy.
"What should we do?" The elders looked at Zhong Daogong.
Zhong Daogong pondered, sending a "Reveal" character towards the Immortal Puppet, attempting to use the power of the True Immortal Seal script to uncover its origins.
Unexpectedly, although dormant, the puppet was protected by a strange force field. Even the powerful True Immortal Seal script had no effect!
This discovery alarmed the elders.
"This…"
The Celestial Ark's greatest strength was their collection of True Immortal Seal scripts. Now, faced with something inherently immune to them, how could they not be afraid?
Zhong Daogong raised a hand to calm them. He stared at the Immortal Puppet with a serious expression, then returned to the Ark. When he reappeared, he held a watery green dagger.
Surrounded by flickering lights, protected by numerous formations, Zhong Daogong cautiously approached the Immortal Puppet, attempting to cut off a piece of its flesh with the green dagger.
Li Fan hadn't seen this dagger when he'd visited the first and second levels of the Celestial Ark's vault. And this object, imbued with some unknown power, was actually slowly penetrating the Immortal Puppet's force field!
But…
Clang!
The dagger struck the True Immortal flesh, the sound like metal on metal. It couldn't penetrate it.
The green light on the dagger flickered as if it had suffered a powerful impact. A look of distress crossed Zhong Daogong's eyes. Knowing it was futile, he quickly retracted the dagger and retreated, wiping the sweat from his brow. He said to the others, "It's definitely an Immortal Puppet. That aura of True Immortal flesh, and its immunity to True Immortal Seal scripts…"
The elders' expressions changed again.
After some discussion, they tried various methods, but none could penetrate the Immortal Puppet's defenses, not even to obtain a small piece of its flesh. They stared at the puppet with frustration.
Then, after an unspoken agreement, most of the elders retreated, leaving only three to guard the puppet.
One day… two days…
Time passed. The Immortal Puppet remained motionless in the dark void. The elders guarding it rotated shifts. The initially smooth transitions gradually devolved into arguments.
Six months later, the elders gathered again near the Immortal Puppet.
"We can't just leave it here."
"Yes, we have to keep guarding it. It came from the Star Sea. If we don't stop it, it might return."
"We can only observe it for now. Bringing it onto the Ark is too risky."
"Indeed, its appearance is far too suspicious…" The elders argued amongst themselves, their gazes fixed on the Immortal Puppet.
Finally, Zhong Daogong interrupted them. "We've made some progress in studying the force field surrounding the puppet in the past six months."
"But clearly, if we could completely analyze the puppet…" Greed flickered in the elders' eyes.
"Bringing it onto the Ark is risky, but I believe it's worth a try. After all, judging by the current situation, only that can break through its defenses."
Silence fell over the group.
After a moment, the elders nodded, reaching a silent consensus.
Working together, like weaving a net, they pulled the Tian Yang Immortal Puppet towards the Celestial Ark.
(End of Chapter)