Xuanhuang's self-modification methods were unique. The "Laws Cannot Be Cultivated Together" transformation, which had caused widespread slaughter among ancient cultivators, was the Heavenly Dao's response to their consumption of the world's energy. It had been effective, decimating the cultivator population and plunging Xuanhuang into a desolate era for millennia. Only after the Legacy Transmitter's return, with the intervention of power beyond the Heavenly Dao, did cultivators flourish again.
In a sense, the Heavenly Dao had won its war against cultivators. But the Legacy Transmitter had overturned the result. Since then, the Heavenly Dao hadn't created any targeted transformations. Its passive nature had led most cultivators to lose their fear of it.
Now, observing the changes within Xuanhuang, Li Fan mused, "The tides have turned! From now on, the cultivators will be on the defensive."
"If they have a future, that is."
Perhaps only he knew why the Heavenly Dao had remained passive for so long. Master Bai had sealed a portion of Xuanhuang's malevolent will, rendering the Heavenly Dao incomplete, suppressing its unique "adaptability."
This time, Li Fan had returned the malevolent will, further nourishing the Heavenly Dao, restoring its lost function. It was finally showing its true nature.
Li Fan's mind raced. "Without external intervention, Xuanhuang will develop methods to eliminate cultivators."
"Perhaps the localized anomalies will spread throughout the world. Or even more unique lifeforms like the multicolored cloud will appear…"
Xuanhuang's adaptability wasn't surprising. As a suspected testing ground created by the Immortal Realm, behaving like an ordinary cultivation world would be illogical. He was more interested in how this transformative power worked.
Time passed, and the ancient Immortal Arrays left by the Immortal Realm had long since become useless, their core, the Nine Star Crimson Pearl, vanished.
"It seems these changes stem from Xuanhuang's own unique properties." He looked up, observing with keen interest. Due to his high favor, the Heavenly Dao didn't conceal anything.
The fusion of the Interplay of Truth and Illusion and Immortal Array power allowed him to create countless Simulated Personalities, from obedient avatars to replacements for tool spirits and even Small World consciousnesses, extending his control.
However, despite billions of experiments, he hadn't overcome a crucial limitation: These Simulated Personalities could only follow his pre-programmed instructions. This ensured their obedience, which wasn't a bad thing. But Li Fan desired something more, hoping for unexpected ingenuity from his creations.
So far, none had delivered.
"Like Xuanhuang, adapting to circumstances while retaining its core nature."
"That's what I want."
He connected his consciousness to the Heavenly Dao, seeking the source of this transformative power. He was certain it originated from the Immortal Realm. If he could understand it…
"Even without living beings in the Star Sea, I would have an endless supply of loyal subordinates to explore beyond the barrier!" The thought excited him.
However, he discovered that even the Heavenly Dao itself didn't understand this ability, simply accepting it as an inherent trait.
"To fully understand it, I might need to dissect the Heavenly Dao itself. I'll have to wait for the next cycle." He shook his head regretfully.
The Heavenly Dao, oblivious to its near dissection, thrived under Wuming's restorative efforts, like a rough stone being polished, revealing the jade within.
"The Grand Celestial Venerable is in place. Time for the next step."
"After simmering over high heat, it's time to add more ingredients." Li Fan flew to the center of Xuanhuang. With a thought, the world's spiritual energy surged towards him.
The Heavenly Dao, trusting him implicitly, offered its full support. Xuanhuang's spiritual veins converged on his location. An illusory brush appeared, absorbing the energy like a whale swallowing water, its form gradually solidifying.
With a flick of his wrist, he made a single stroke.
A second sun appeared in Xuanhuang's sky. The world seemed to transition from winter to summer. A unique life force emanated from the character, spreading throughout Xuanhuang. It was the [Birth] character he'd learned from the Profound Immortal Vessel!
Like the rising sun, it revitalized all things. Carefully regulated by Li Fan, its power was perfect, like a potent elixir. He saw countless phenomena manifesting as life force surged throughout the world.
He then channeled more life force from the crevice network beneath the Star Sea. Though both were life force, they were different. The [Birth] character's life force was external and reactive, easily becoming destructive if uncontrolled. The crevice network's life force was internal and gentle, accumulating harmlessly even if exceeding the world's capacity, though its effects were slower.
These two forces, yin and yang, complemented each other, merging seamlessly into Xuanhuang under Li Fan's guidance. The sky seemed clearer.
As the [Birth] character faded and the spiritual energy dispersed, Xuanhuang's millennia of depletion, caused by cultivator consumption, was finally replenished. The world overflowed with vibrant life.
But Li Fan's "pill refinement" continued.
"Strike while the iron is hot!"
Xuanhuang's surging life force triggered changes, the most significant being the formation of new grotto-heavens. Like fruits blossoming from a flower, it was a natural process. But each grotto-heaven's formation diverted a portion of Xuanhuang's power. Li Fan, intending to refine the entire world, wouldn't allow this.
Just as he had done with the Five Elements Great Grotto-Heavens, he annihilated the nascent grotto-heavens, returning their energy to the world. Explosions echoed throughout Xuanhuang.
The Heavenly Dao didn't object, but expressed its approval. It clearly disliked these "parasites," but was unable to eliminate them on its own. It welcomed Li Fan's intervention.
Ignoring the Heavenly Dao's increasingly fawning attempts at connection, Li Fan calmly observed. Things weren't as rosy as they seemed. Xuanhuang's sudden surge of life force had triggered the formation of grotto-heavens as a release valve. But Li Fan had closed that valve. The world was forced to absorb the excess life force, becoming increasingly unstable. It was like adding too many ingredients without controlling the heat, risking a catastrophic explosion during pill refinement.
Of course, Li Fan wouldn't allow this. He would initiate the ascension before Xuanhuang exploded. The current life force, though abundant, wouldn't be enough once Xuanhuang began its ascension.
"Under high pressure, add supporting ingredients." He waited until Xuanhuang stabilized, then went to Luoyan Region, a former part of the Heavenly Law World, now seamlessly integrated into Xuanhuang.
He tapped the ground, and a figure emerged from the hidden Myriad Xuanhuang Beings Grand Formation – one of the Dao Integration realm cultivators he'd chosen as a catalyst.
"A shattered world as medicine, infused into Xuanhuang." As he chanted, his form seemed to grow infinitely taller. He had activated an ascension formation. Instead of using the Nine Heavens Dustfall Finger, he retrieved a world fragment from the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds.
From his elevated perspective, Xuanhuang was the size of a human, and the fragment was like a pill. He carefully pressed it into Xuanhuang. His aura, amplified by the ascension formation, made even the sleeping inhabitants tremble. Even Xuanhuang's Heavenly Dao dared not approach, obediently cooperating, as if remembering an ancient command.
He successfully implanted the fragment, his ascended state collapsing.
"Go!" He pointed at the Dao Integration realm cultivator.
The cultivator exploded, not into flesh and blood, but into a Heavenly Soul-like figure, expanding a millionfold, forming a membrane that enveloped the fragment.
"Transform!" He commanded. Swirling lights, powered by his Immortal Arrays, appeared within the membrane, aiding its absorption of the fragment!
The world fragment, having survived millennia of calamities, now dissolved into streams of light, flowing into the membrane, a mere transit point.
The phenomena accompanying a Dao Integration realm cultivator's death began to manifest, but far slower and longer than usual. As the phenomena persisted, the cultivator's essence returned to the world. When the phenomena finally vanished, the fragment would be fully integrated.
This was Li Fan's method: Dao Integration realm cultivators as buffers, shattered worlds as medicine, nourishing Xuanhuang. He had learned from the Healer, but surpassed him.
Though buffered by the cultivator, this method was still aggressive. The weakened Xuanhuang of his previous cycle wouldn't have been able to handle it. Only after extensive preparation was it ready.
And this was just the beginning. Finding suitable fragments from the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds was challenging. Removing them prematurely could destabilize the Great Wall and even the Star Sea. Timing was crucial. His success this time was due to his past experience.
More importantly, treating world fragments like pills was a feat even Supreme Beings might struggle with. Only with the combined power of True Immortal flesh, blood, and Immortal Arrays could Li Fan achieve this with such seeming ease.
Having completed one, he moved on, tirelessly implanting fragments throughout Xuanhuang. Even before their power was fully absorbed, he could sense the impending changes.
"Xuanhuang is unique within the Star Sea, but it's not all-encompassing."
"Compared to the Star Sea's laws, it has some deficiencies."
"But these deficiencies can be remedied by absorbing these fragments."
"Just like it absorbs Immortal Tools." His eyes gleamed as he worked, stopping only when he sensed Xuanhuang reaching its limit.
"I can continue after it recovers."
"I'll repeat this until it reaches its true limit."
"Then, it will transform."
(End of chapter)