After some contemplation, Li Fan suppressed the urge to test [Confine] on the True Immortal. There would be a time for that, but not now. His priority was Dao Integration with Xuanhuang's Heavenly Immortal Soul.
"Besides the Starvation Immortal, I can also test it on the Observer, or even the Grand Celestial Venerable of Xuanhuang. Theoretically, those holding positions appointed by the Immortal Realm should be more susceptible to its decrees."
Li Fan was pleased with his gains: He had significantly improved his Immortal Arrays and acquired a decree-derived True Immortal script character. And all this from a glimpse beyond the barrier. He could only imagine what wonders, and dangers, lay outside.
"As for Jiao Xiu's identity…" He hadn't anticipated that Jiao Xiu might be an orphan from beyond the barrier.
"He must have been very young when he arrived. Such a separation from family…"
"A major incident must have occurred. The force Qin Zhuang represents only found him years later."
Li Fan's expression turned thoughtful.
"Why send a child through the barrier to Xuanhuang?"
"Did they see Xuanhuang as a safe haven? Or is there something here that even those beyond the barrier covet?"
"And more importantly, they seem to be monitoring Xuanhuang, at least enough to know it hasn't been destroyed by the Immortal Ruins. Otherwise, sending Jiao Xiu here would be a death sentence."
A single drop from the sphere that had carried the young Jiao Xiu could create a unique tree immune to Immortal Arrays. The effects on Jiao Xiu himself must be even more profound. That's why Li Fan had used illusions instead of a direct soul search.
"But after so many years in Xuanhuang, he's practically a native. His special abilities seem dormant…" He scanned Jiao Xiu, still trapped within the Myriad Xuanhuang Beings Grand Formation, temporarily abandoning the idea of awakening his potential. The aura Jiao Xiu had emitted during his near-awakening had unsettled him. It wasn't a sense of being overpowered, but a warning, like a predator sensing danger.
"Since he's from beyond the barrier, perhaps I can use him as a scout when I explore the outside."
"His unique identity should stir up enough trouble to reveal valuable secrets."
"Of course, I'll need to extract more information from Qin Zhuang first."
"The Heavenly Sword Sect…" He thought of the sect that had escaped using a world-splitting divine weapon.
"Could Jiao Xiu's origins be related to one of the forces that escaped Xuanhuang?"
"Even if not, there must be a connection."
"After so long, those escaped sects must have grown immensely. I wonder if they still remember their old relatives in Xuanhuang…" His thoughts churned.
The more he learned about the outside, the stronger his desire to explore it. But first, he needed to strengthen his defenses.
"Soon."
"After fifteen years of gentle simmering, it's time to turn up the heat!" He looked at Xuanhuang.
With most of its inhabitants trapped in the illusion array, the world was quiet, recovering at an accelerated rate. And the deaths within the array provided a constant stream of nourishment, albeit weak, but numerous and continuous. Cultivators consumed the world's energy, so Xuanhuang readily absorbed their essence upon death.
Nourished by the cultivators' sacrifice, the returning Small Worlds, the crevice network's life force, and the infinite power of the Star Sea, Xuanhuang grew stronger and more vibrant.
"Its foundation is stronger than in my previous cycle, more than ready for the next stage."
Dozens of figures, Dao Integration realm cultivators from Xuanhuang, emerged from the array. His plan was similar to his previous attempt. He still needed catalysts to buffer the immense power required for ascension. These cultivators were perfect.
Despite their strength, they were helpless against Li Fan, trapped in a dreamlike slumber, manipulated like puppets.
"Without the unfolded Immortal Realm fragment, the spiritual energy from the Grand Celestial Venerable's legacy isn't enough to trigger Xuanhuang's transformation."
"Fortunately, I can now access the infinite power of the Star Sea, more than enough to fuel the initial stages."
"All I need is to inject the spiritual energy at the critical moment, pushing it over the threshold."
"Then, I'll use the Unnamed True Immortal's Leg Bone to temporarily anchor Xuanhuang's momentum."
"After the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm manifests, given my role in its ascension, summoning Ink Slaying shouldn't be difficult."
"Then, I'll use the Xuanhuang World Destruction Transformations, already integrated into the world, to eliminate Ink Slaying's Heavenly Immortal Soul!" As he manipulated the Dao Integration cultivators, he mentally reviewed the process, ensuring there were no major flaws.
He selected one of the cocooned cultivators, bound in golden threads, and placed him within the world-encompassing array, merging him with a node, concealing him within the array's aura. As long as Xuanhuang remained a world, it wouldn't detect them.
"As the Myriad Xuanhuang Beings Grand Formation absorbs cultivators and nourishes the world, their connection deepens."
"These catalysts are subtly integrated through this connection."
"They will aid Xuanhuang's ascension."
"And…"
"If necessary, the illusion array can become a world destruction array. These catalysts, acting as pre-planted nodes, will activate it from within."
"Even an Immortal Realm won't be able to withstand it!" Excitement coursed through him. Through these preparations, his understanding of formations and alchemy deepened. New ideas constantly emerged.
This perspective, treating the world and all its inhabitants as ingredients for formations and pills, perfectly suited him and True Return. His actions aligned with his thoughts, a deeply satisfying sensation.
However, he remained grounded. He knew his seemingly indifferent attitude towards life, influenced by Immortal Arrays and Sun Piaomiao's scripture, stemmed from True Return's power, not his own.
His desire for Dao Integration grew stronger.
"Even a Half-Immortal is fundamentally different from a mortal."
Having planted all the Dao Integration realm "catalysts," he activated the array, concealing all traces. He then looked towards one of the few remaining Small Worlds: the Thirteen Peaks Small World.
After over a decade, Wuming still looked like a child, standing motionless atop a mountain peak, like a statue. The other inhabitants worshipped him from afar,不敢 approach.
Today, however, following Li Fan's subtle suggestion, Wuming opened his eyes. He stepped out of the Thirteen Peaks Small World, entering Xuanhuang.
Under Li Fan's guidance, he had already comprehended Xuanhuang's Heavenly Dao. But stepping into the vast world from his small, isolated home, Wuming was still awestruck. He looked up at the sky, down at the earth, his gaze seemingly encompassing all of Xuanhuang. Seeing the slumbering inhabitants, he wasn't surprised. He didn't even care.
His focus was solely on Xuanhuang itself.
He stood motionless for seven days and nights before finally beginning his journey. This chosen successor didn't immediately initiate the inheritance ritual, but wandered throughout Xuanhuang, observing its mountains, rivers, plants, and wind.
Though still mortal, not following the path of the Legacy Transmitter's new methods, his connection to Xuanhuang's Heavenly Dao deepened with every step. He didn't need special techniques. Xuanhuang itself shortened the distances between his steps. He didn't need to control the wind. It carried him effortlessly.
Cultivators of the new methods needed to devour Heavenly Souls to access the power of the Heavenly Dao. But Wuming, with Xuanhuang's willing cooperation, wielded its power as a mortal. He didn't just control a single law, but all within his perception. It was reminiscent of the Heavenly Dao White's arrival, when Heavenly Souls flocked to him, obeying his commands.
Anyone experiencing this would believe themselves to be the chosen one, destined to become the Grand Celestial Venerable. But only Li Fan, the orchestrator, knew the truth. Xuanhuang was merely responding to him, the true power behind Wuming. If Li Fan wished, Xuanhuang's cooperation would be even more extravagant! After all, his contributions to Xuanhuang's recovery were practically on par with recreating the world!
He watched as Wuming explored Xuanhuang, finally entering the inheritance ritual's illusory realm. Li Fan smiled. Wuming was the perfect puppet. He acted purely on instinct, lacking any personal agenda. Unlike Sun Tianci, even as Grand Celestial Venerable, he wouldn't act out of turn, only allowing Xuanhuang to naturally progress, posing no threat to Li Fan's plan.
"And when I need that spiritual energy, I won't even need to ask."
"Xuanhuang itself will urge him to offer it. It's the Grand Celestial Venerable's duty, after all…" As he pondered, he waited for Wuming to emerge.
Unlike Sun Tianci's trial, there were no complications. A unique rhythm filled the air.
A new Grand Celestial Venerable was born.
Wuming, still appearing as an innocent child with clear eyes, stood motionless for a moment before moving. Li Fan followed discreetly.
Wuming's first destination was the world-splitting vortex at Xuanhuang's southernmost point, a scar left by the Southern Bright Demonic Beasts' departure, a terrifying forbidden zone that hadn't healed in millennia.
Wuming stood before the raging storm, unleashing a beam of white light. The warm light, like a calming melody, soothed the storm's fury. He continued, the white light flowing steadily. Xuanhuang's ancient wound began to heal.
Li Fan watched closely. The white light was Xuanhuang's life force. Normally, it was evenly distributed, but the Grand Celestial Venerable could focus it, accelerating the healing process.
(End of Chapter)