Li Fan observed his surroundings. The Azure Underworld Pearl's disintegration was like an invisible boulder falling into the fissure, sending ripples through the labyrinthine network of subterranean rivers. A strange energy surged, adding to the area's already abundant vitality, as if the pearl's destruction had activated something. Li Fan sensed a subtle change in the fissure.
"It seems the Azure Underworld Pearl has been releasing its energy for millennia, nearing its limit. Our arrival was just the final trigger." Li Fan sighed.
Mo Rubin, also noticing this, calmed down, his earlier excitement and agitation fading. He looked at the fissure network, finally understanding its purpose: to accumulate vitality and, at the right time, trigger the Star Sea's full revival.
"Such an intricate project couldn't have formed naturally, especially with the Azure Underworld Pearl as a catalyst…" Mo Rubin's mind raced.
"Could this be Brother Xuanyuan's doing? But when?"
"The Azure Underworld Pearl was his most prized treasure, always kept close. Why would it be here… while he vanished in that strange pond?" Confusion and uncertainty filled Mo Rubin's eyes.
"It's certainly strange," Li Fan agreed. "Perhaps the Profound Heaven King wasn't taken that day, but severely injured and fell into a deep sleep. He created this fissure network after awakening. Perhaps that pond in the Xuanhuang World is connected to a fissure here."
"Or perhaps he entrusted the Azure Underworld Pearl to someone else before the attack, and that person has been carrying out his plan to revive the Star Sea…"
"Impossible!" Mo Rubin interrupted before Li Fan could finish.
Li Fan looked intently at him. "Brother Mo, can you tell me who among the Twelve Dharma Kings was the Profound Heaven King's most trusted confidant?"
"Don't say he treated everyone equally. There are always degrees of closeness, even among saints."
Mo Rubin's face hardened. He seemed to want to speak, but instead, he closed his eyes, trying to mask his inner turmoil. Finally, he answered, "If Brother Xuanyuan truly trusted anyone the most, it would be Xing Wuque."
"Xing Wuque…" Information about this Dharma King appeared in Li Fan's mind. Limbless, his face disfigured, always wearing a bronze fanged mask, he rarely interacted with others.
"No one in the Profound Heaven Sect, besides Brother Xuanyuan, knew Xing Wuque's true identity. As you said, there are always degrees of closeness. We, the Twelve Dharma Kings, formed small groups based on our relationships."
"Sun Xingwang and Sikong Lin were always together, speaking in riddles. Gongye Tianzong and Tian Xingke enjoyed each other's company, drinking and discussing various matters. Luo Yichen, Granny Nie, Ji Yuzhen, and Lady San always had secrets to share…"
"But Xing Wuque always kept his distance, never initiating conversations. He always appeared alone. But he always completed his assigned tasks flawlessly and efficiently," Mo Rubin reminisced.
"Like a machine devoid of emotions, living not for himself."
"Perhaps that's why Brother Xuanyuan trusted him the most."
"And Xing Wuque wasn't in the sect when the incident happened," Mo Rubin added, frowning.
Li Fan nodded. "If Xing Wuque truly took the Azure Underworld Pearl, he must have been carrying out the Profound Heaven King's mission all these years. Do you know how to contact him, Brother Mo?"
Mo Rubin shook his head. "Xing Wuque only communicated directly with Brother Xuanyuan. But…" He suddenly looked at the spot where the pearl had vanished. "Perhaps we can use the Reveal character on it again? We might be able to follow the trail…"
"The Azure Underworld Pearl is an immortal artifact. True Immortal Seal scripts likely won't work on it. Besides, it's already gone," Li Fan said, pointing at the lingering ripples.
"Gone, but not vanished. Even among Brother Xuanyuan's treasures from the Immortal Realm, the Azure Underworld Pearl was one of the most precious. It wouldn't disappear so easily."
"It hasn't vanished, but transformed into another form, becoming part of the vitality within this subterranean river…" Mo Rubin declared, regaining his usual confidence. "Use the Reveal character on the river itself!"
Li Fan sensed the boundless subterranean river, understanding Mo Rubin's intention. He focused, writing the character 显 (xiǎn - reveal) in the air. The moment the profound character materialized, it dissolved into the river like ink.
The rhythmic ripples were disrupted, a new, independent wave emerging.
Li Fan and Mo Rubin followed the wave, rapidly moving deeper into the twisting and turning fissures. After thirty days, they finally reached their destination.
"Careful, I sense a living person ahead!" Mo Rubin warned through divine sense transmission.
Li Fan, already protected by his spectral wooden sword, cautiously approached.
At the end of the subterranean river, a lone figure sat, its aura fluctuating, wearing a fanged mask.
"Xing Wuque?" Mo Rubin called out, recognizing the familiar mask.
Li Fan, however, was puzzled. Xing Wuque had lost his limbs, but this figure had all four. Moreover…
…he recognized the clothes. They were identical to Xu Ke's, who had vanished within the fissures!
"Is it Xu Ke?"
"Or Xing Wuque?"
"That explains his fluctuating aura…" Li Fan pondered, not acting rashly.
Mo Rubin, after his initial shock, also noticed the differences between this figure and his old friend.
After observing for a while, he said, "It's… both familiar and unfamiliar. He's in some kind of merged state. Could it be that after all these years, Xing Wuque, nearing his end, used this method to extend his life?"
Li Fan, however, realized that this fusion was dominated by Xu Ke. It wasn't Xing Wuque extending his life, but passing on his legacy.
"As expected of the Child of Destiny, even after being swept into this desolate place by the turbulent astral energy, he still encountered such an opportunity."
"If Mo Rubin's earlier speculation is correct, and Xing Wuque has been carrying out the Profound Heaven King's mission for millennia…"
"…and Xu Ke, following Master Bai's dying wish, has shouldered the responsibility of suppressing the malevolent will of Xuanhuang…"
"…they are quite similar. Perhaps this is why Xu Ke inherited Xing Wuque's legacy." Li Fan pondered.
Mo Rubin shook his head. "This new body is too weak to contain Xing Wuque's power. But we can help!"
He projected a demonic heart towards the figure. As it flew, the heart's ferocious expression softened, becoming a blank face before melting into a viscous gray liquid that seeped into Xu Ke's body.
A moment later, Xu Ke's fluctuating aura stabilized.
"Millions of demonic hearts can not only harm and possess, but also suppress and heal. The Divine Witch World's immortal techniques are truly remarkable." Impressed, Li Fan also projected dozens of golden needles, channeling pure spiritual and soul energy through them, just as he'd done for Mo Rubin.
With the combined assistance of two powerful cultivators, Xu Ke's fusion with the bronze mask accelerated a thousandfold! A process that would normally take decades was now nearing completion in a short time. Xu Ke's aura stabilized.
Li Fan and Mo Rubin waited patiently.
Finally, two lights flickered within the eye sockets of the mask. Xu Ke's body trembled as he saw them.
"Master?!" he exclaimed instinctively, his voice filled with surprise.
His voice was completely different from Xu Ke's, but his words revealed his true identity.
"Hmm?" Hearing the familiar voice utter unfamiliar words, Mo Rubin was stunned, then looked at Li Fan.
Li Fan feigned shock. "Xu Ke? How can it be you?!" He acted as if he hadn't realized it before.
Mo Rubin asked coldly, "You're not Xing Wuque? What have you done to him?" A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. He refrained from attacking only because Xu Ke knew Li Fan.
"Senior Xing… he reached his limit and passed away."
"I found this mask by chance, passed his trials, and inherited his legacy." Xu Ke's voice was filled with sadness.
He explained what had happened. As Li Fan had suspected, Xing Wuque had initially intended to possess Xu Ke, but after sensing the similarities in their lives, he had changed his mind. The fusion became a传承(chuánchéng - inheritance).
"Senior's legacy was too vast. Even though he allowed me to absorb it freely, I couldn't handle it and became unstable…"
"Fortunately, you two helped me." Xu Ke bowed gratefully.
Hearing his old friend's voice coming from this new body, Mo Rubin felt a strange dissonance.
Li Fan asked directly about the connection between Xing Wuque and the subterranean river network.
"Senior Xing's legacy seems to be missing those memories."
"But from some fragmented memories, I can deduce the general idea."
"This network spanning the entire Star Sea was created by Senior Xing, inch by inch, using the power of the Azure Underworld Pearl," Xu Ke revealed, stunning both Li Fan and Mo Rubin.
"The subterranean river network… covering the entire Star Sea… It's hard to believe a single person could achieve such a feat. But even with the memories intentionally erased, the remaining fragments are a testament to his accomplishment," Xu Ke said sadly.
"Ever since receiving the Profound Heaven King's command, Senior Xing has been working on this with the Azure Underworld Pearl."
"For ten thousand years, without rest."
"Even with his exceptional cultivation, using the Azure Underworld Pearl was a tremendous burden. Millennia of continuous use finally pushed him to his limit…"
"…and he passed away here, at the end of the subterranean river, with regrets," Xu Ke recounted, his voice filled with sorrow.
Li Fan remained silent. Although it sounded absurd, considering Xing Wuque's personality as described by Mo Rubin… it was plausible.
Mo Rubin was even more shaken, struggling to speak.
He looked at the end of the subterranean river. "Xing Wuque… he died without completing Brother Xuanyuan's mission?"
Xu Ke nodded. "This is what I'll continue to do for the rest of my life. Having inherited his legacy, I will complete his unfinished work." His tone was calm yet resolute.
Mo Rubin's expression changed slightly as he looked at Xu Ke with surprise.
"Absurd…"
"Setting aside the purpose of this endeavor, the Azure Underworld Pearl is shattered. With your current cultivation, how can you possibly continue expanding the subterranean river network?"
Xu Ke's resolve didn't waver. "Carrying on Senior Xing's will is the purpose itself."
"As for the pearl being shattered…" The mask on his face suddenly shone with a brilliant azure light, identical to the light Li Fan had seen on the Azure Underworld Pearl.
"During his millennia of work, Senior Xing transformed the act of creating the fissures into instinct. He passed this instinct on to me. Even without the pearl, I can still do it!"
"It's simply a continuation of what he started!"
The azure light projected from the mask illuminated the end of the subterranean river.
Before Li Fan and Mo Rubin's eyes, Xu Ke extended the fissure, creating a new section!
However, after extending it less than three zhang (approximately 10 meters), the azure light vanished, and Xu Ke collapsed.
"At this rate, it'll take you forever," Li Fan scoffed.
"As long as I make progress with each attempt, I'll eventually complete it," Xu Ke said with a weak smile.
"As Senior Xing said, the Profound Heaven King's instructions must have a purpose."
(End of Chapter)