All the flickering patterns on the stone slab subsided, hidden within.
It resembled an ordinary, mundane stone slab.
But Li Fan had witnessed its power. How could he be fooled by its current facade?
"The key is how to activate the slab's power," Li Fan pondered.
The slab in his hand was unresponsive to any external stimuli. Whether it was spiritual power, Source Power Essence, True Immortal flesh, or even the Grinding Wind Disaster, nothing elicited a reaction.
Li Fan could even sense that the slab offered no resistance to these probing forces.
If these forces went further, they would shatter the slab instantly.
"This..." This concerned his Dao Integration and ascension in this lifetime. Li Fan's eyes flickered. He ultimately decided against trying to destroy the slab for now.
His gaze swept over the slab again and again. Recalling its awe-inspiring presence at the center of the strange formation, an idea struck him.
"Could it be that this slab, in its normal state, is indeed just as it appears, an ordinary object? Only when placed within that unknown formation are its mystical properties activated?"
Li Fan looked towards the location of the strange formation, seemingly dissipated after the slab's removal.
"I finally retrieved it, and now I have to put it back?"
Li Fan's expression wavered.
He suddenly missed Mao Bao.
"If I had Mao Bao's replication ability, I wouldn't be so conflicted."
He couldn't simply return the slab. In its near-death state, the little Heavenly Beast wouldn't be able to retrieve it again.
"Currently, the slab and the formation activate each other. They're inseparable. While I can't replicate the slab, I can replicate the formation."
"Even if it's just a small part..."
Li Fan set aside the slab, replicated by Profound Heaven King from the Immortal Realm's Ascension Platform, and focused on the mysterious formation buried deep beneath the Xuanhuang World.
Without the slab, the formation was concealed, but not truly gone.
At least, compared to the "formlessness" of the wall, Li Fan could still faintly sense its presence.
With a thought, countless golden threads shot out, penetrating the area enveloped by the formation. They became Li Fan's sensory tendrils, aiding his perception and analysis.
Within his sea of consciousness, the Dissociation Disc flared brightly.
Not from overload, but from sensing a completely new type of formation. It pulsed with an unusual eagerness and excitement.
Li Fan stood still, transmitting his insights to the Terminal Dissociation Disc.
He then adjusted his observations based on the disc's feedback.
This process repeated.
Even with its core capable of deducing Immortal techniques, the Dissociation Disc struggled to analyze this formation.
Time ticked by. Only three hours remained before the Dao Integration point in the branch simulation.
Li Fan could ignore the simulation's timeline and delay his breakthrough.
But that meant more unforeseen variables.
Within the timeframe of the True Return branch simulation, everything was as Li Fan had personally experienced. The actions of the Legacy Transmitter, the Healer, the Grand Magus, the Starved Immortal, and others were all within his grasp. This allowed him to focus on pushing the Xuanhuang World's ascension without worrying about external interference.
But if he went beyond the simulation's scope…
Anything could happen. The variables were too numerous.
"If I hadn't sensed a certain 'one miss is all it takes' quality to this ascension attempt, I wouldn't be so cautious. With True Return, even if something unexpected happened, my life would be safe."
"If my goal were merely True Immortal, that would be fine. Hundreds of attempts would eventually get me there."
"But I seek Eternal Life!" Li Fan's gaze was deep, his emotions unreadable.
"True Eternal Life! True Immortals die like ants when great calamities arrive; even the Unnamed True Immortal had his leg bone sealed and turned into an Immortal Heavenly Pillar..."
"Those are far from my ultimate goal!"
"Unfettered Eternal Life, free from all constraints. That is what I have striven for!"
With this profound realization, all anxiety and unease vanished from Li Fan's heart.
All distracting thoughts dissipated. Only the purest, most resolute intent to seek the Dao, ascend to immortality, and attain Eternal Life remained.
The Terminal Dissociation Disc sensed its master's will. Its light surged like never before.
Ignoring its limits, it deduced without reservation. Countless formation data points shifted rapidly. Cracks appeared on the disc's surface.
Li Fan disregarded the impending collapse of the Dissociation Disc.
His mind focused solely on comprehending the formation.
Across hundreds of reincarnations, from He Zhenghao's Hundred Meridian Formation Diagram to Zhang Zhiliang's Infinite Law, from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's Heavenly Profound Spirit Locking Formation to the ancient Profound Heaven Sect's Star-Crossing Grand Formation, and even the Immortal array, Profound Primordial Spirit…
From ancient times to the present, from mortal to Immortal, Li Fan had witnessed countless formations. With the Terminal Dissociation Disc, he constantly innovated.
His mastery of formations was unparalleled in the Star Sea.
Although he had never encountered this strange formation type before, it still fell within the realm of formations.
Together with the Dissociation Disc, Li Fan gradually understood its nature.
His eyes flickered, recalling Sun Piaomiao's Dao Refining Medicine King Scripture. "What is a formation?"
"Zhang Zhiliang of the Congyun Sea once said that formations are standardized laws. But in my view, formations are shortcuts to connecting various laws."
"We cultivators can move mountains and fill seas with our mortal bodies because we invoke the power of Heavenly Dao laws. The most basic formations can be seen as tools for this."
"And more profound formations, Immortal arrays... connect, merge, and alter Heavenly Dao laws, transforming the mundane into the miraculous!"
A burst of inspiration struck Li Fan, pushing him to a realm of profound mystery.
"The Great Dao laws of the world are eternal, constantly flowing. Ordinary formations require energy because invoking the power of laws requires an initial push to connect."
"But this formation..."
A strange light flashed in Li Fan's eyes. "It uses the Dao itself as the formation!"
"It bypasses the connection process, utilizing the natural flow of the Great Dao to power its operation!"
"And the Dao is formless. If the delicate balance of this 'Dao Formation' is disrupted, the formation will return to the Dao, vanishing from the world!"
Li Fan's thoughts raced.
Before him wasn't a mere formation, but a supreme technique that, through incomprehensible means, extracted threads of the Great Dao laws and wove them together.
This realization, this direct confrontation with a part of the Dao itself, shook Li Fan to his core.
At this moment, the Dissociation Disc, having been pushed to its limits for so long, finally reached its breaking point.
Countless cracks spread like ravines across its surface.
Ding!
With a crisp sound, the Dissociation Disc shattered!
It dispersed into countless sparkling fragments within Li Fan's soul.
Without the disc, Li Fan's vision blurred.
He could no longer perceive the Dao Formation's true nature.
But there was no frustration on his face.
He shifted his gaze from the Dao Formation to the stone slab.
"If the formation is a manifestation of the Dao, then this slab is the key to activating different aspects of the Dao."
"In fact, this slab itself is nothing special. But the patterns engraved upon it correspond to the specific 'Dao' woven into the Dao Formation."
The surging aura within him subsided, becoming calm.
"A wise man is not inherently different, but adept at utilizing tools."
"Even if I can't fully comprehend the Dao Formation's essence, it doesn't prevent me from…"
"Using it!"
"Using the Dao as the formation..." Li Fan murmured.
His figure flickered, instantly leaving the underground and appearing beneath the Xuanhuang World's sky.
"Using the Dao as the formation," Li Fan repeated silently.
"Transforming mortal into Immortal." Then, with an enigmatic expression, he looked towards the stele within the Nether Race's small world.
The characters representing the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal on the stele, accelerated by Li Fan's multiple methods, were almost fully revealed.
Taking a deep breath, Li Fan used his finger as a brush, without imbuing any energy, simply imitating the characters.
He applied slight pressure, leaving faint marks on the slab.
These marks seemed ready to dissipate at any moment.
Li Fan's focus was absolute. Even though the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal characters were incomplete, it didn't stop him from copying them.
While imitating the True Immortal inscriptions, Li Fan observed the world around him.
To his disappointment, even after completely inscribing the currently known portion of the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal characters onto the slab, nothing happened.
"Does it have to be complete?" Li Fan frowned.
Looking at the remaining Nether Race members in the small world, he considered throwing them into the Unnamed True Immortal's leg bone to fully reveal the characters.
"Or… perhaps it needs to be somewhere else." After pondering, Li Fan held back.
He took the stele to the center of the Star Sea.
"Ascend!"
With Li Fan's intent, True Immortal flesh burned fiercely, fueling the Ascension formation.
Holding the slab aloft, the Star Sea in his eyes rapidly shrunk.
Strangely, no matter how Li Fan ascended, the size of the slab in his hand remained constant!
Initially, it was a negligible speck compared to the vast Star Sea.
But as Li Fan continued to rise, in this interplay of change and constancy, the slab seemed to rival the entire Star Sea in size!
"The projection of the Great Dao, from top to bottom. Whether mortal or Immortal, all can perceive a part of the Dao. But the scenery each beholds is different. The level of one's realm makes no difference to the Dao itself. The perceived Dao doesn't change significantly."
"The only thing that can influence it to some extent is one's own comprehension of the Dao."
"The Dao is like this, and so is the key to the Dao."
Having ascended to the pinnacle of the mortal realm, Li Fan's energy drained at a terrifying rate. Only with the aid of Autumn Water's infinite Star Sea power could he maintain this state.
Holding the slab doubled the energy consumption.
Without the Star Sea's support, he wouldn't last a moment.
Steadying himself, Li Fan, with great difficulty, continued his unfinished work on the slab.
He carved the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal characters!
They were still faint marks.
But this time…
His actions resonated with a similar symbol within the slab.
Or rather, it resonated.
Like when stimulated by the Dao Formation, patterns began to appear on the slab. But not countless flickering patterns, just a single one.
Hum…
As the slab transformed, a corresponding phenomenon appeared in the Star Sea.
A muffled sound echoed from the Star Sea's center, like paper pierced by a pen.
A profound principle of the Great Dao, summoned by the slab, descended upon the Star Sea's center!
It was as if, standing atop a mountain, someone pushed him even higher.
Li Fan felt the Star Sea in his vision converge. Countless lines curled inwards, merging into a single point. His spiritual power, flesh, and even his soul felt as if they were being scorched by flames, burning and churning.
Like metal forged in fire, like sand refined by waves.
Impurities were being purged.
However, the consumption from this refinement was terrifying.
Even with his new cultivation technique, allowing him to regenerate flesh through the Grotto-Heavens, and his mastery of the Boundless Completion Method, ensuring endless source power and an indestructible soul…
He couldn't withstand this level of consumption for long.
Li Fan, sensing the changes within him, made a decisive choice.
The illusory wooden sword unsheathed, carrying the slab as it plummeted at the speed of light.
The phenomenon in the Star Sea paused. Then, in the ensuing silence, a thunderous roar, like the collapse of the heavens, echoed endlessly.
Like ripples spreading from a stone dropped into water, rolling black qi emerged from the Star Sea's center after Li Fan's departure.
Li Fan was aware of the consequences of his ascension attempt in this special location.
But he also knew the Dao Obliteration Calamity's black qi wouldn't spread quickly.
It wouldn't affect his plan to elevate the Xuanhuang World.
He had his reasons for acting here.
"The center of the Star Sea, the pinnacle of mortal potential."
"The combination of these two created the highest point achievable within the Star Sea, besides becoming a True Immortal."
"One step closer to the Dao itself."
"It was this extra step that allowed the 'Dao Key' function of the slab to manifest." Back in the normal Xuanhuang World, Li Fan touched the slab.
The marks had faded.
Just as the Dao comes and goes, leaving no trace.
But his suspicions were confirmed.
"The Dao Formation is formed by extracting threads of various Great Dao laws and weaving them together through supreme methods."
"The slab is the key to activating the laws within the Dao Formation."
"If True Immortal inscriptions are a visual representation of the Great Dao, then the Dao Formation is the deconstruction and integration of countless True Immortal inscriptions into a functional formation."
"Strictly speaking, it's similar to compressing and expanding True Immortal inscriptions to create Immortal Domain fragments."
The slab felt strange to the touch—like metal and wax, cold yet slightly soft. But when squeezed, it felt indestructible.
Li Fan gently stroked it, closing his eyes.
"This Dao Key existed within the ancient Ascension Platform. The ascension of past cultivators must have involved the laws engraved within this key."
"Activating the Dao Key isn't easy. Perhaps the former Immortal Realm had simpler methods. But the most primal, most fundamental method is to inscribe True Immortal characters representing the laws themselves upon it."
"True Immortal characters resonate with the inscriptions within the Dao Key. The Dao Key inscriptions then invoke the corresponding Great Dao laws…"
A perfect cycle formed in Li Fan's mind.
"Like using the correct password to log in and gain access to the Dao Key."
"Then using the Dao Key to invoke the corresponding law's power."
"In the fragile lower Star Sea, the destructive power of True Immortal inscriptions and the Dao itself are practically indistinguishable. But certain special Dao laws are different."
"And the Dao Key happens to contain one of them."
Li Fan's eyes snapped open, sharp and bright.
"Dao Integration and ascension, it all begins today."
…
The final moments of the True Return branch simulation arrived.
Li Fan followed the simulated memories, catalyzing and propelling the Xuanhuang World's transformation.
However, with his foreknowledge, he made a few adjustments.
Within the eighteen bronze figures surrounding the Grand Magus of Tiandu, besides the hidden Grinding Wind Disaster and decaying green aura, Li Fan also subtly placed the Boundless Distance, Instant Arrival Formation at the core of each figure.
Their destination: the center of the Star Sea.
If the Grand Magus dared to appear and managed to suppress the Grinding Wind Disaster and decaying green aura, the Boundless Distance, Instant Arrival Formation would activate instantly, teleporting him to the vicinity of the Dao Obliteration Calamity's nascent black qi.
Given the black qi's sensitivity to 'Immortal' level power, the Grand Magus would have no chance of survival.
Amidst rumbling, Grotto-Heavens, resembling organs of the Xuanhuang World, manifested. Each area enveloped by a ring of light contained new Heavenly Dao laws emerging from the Xuanhuang World's ascension.
The moment these Grotto-Heavens appeared, shadowy figures silently infiltrated each one.
They hid within, comprehending the laws.
These shadows were all threads of Li Fan's divine sense. Besides personally experiencing the nascent laws of the Xuanhuang Immortal Domain, their primary purpose was to induce and detonate the Xuanhuang's destruction at the critical moment.
Combined with the measures he had previously planted within the Xuanhuang World, even if it successfully transformed into an Immortal Domain, it would be overturned at Li Fan's will.
He didn't need to rival the Xuanhuang Immortal Domain's power, but to leverage it against itself.
Everything proceeded exactly as in the branch simulation.
After the Grotto-Heavens manifested, four Heavenly Pillars rose from the corners of the Xuanhuang World. Simultaneously, with Li Fan's incantations, the illusory image of the Faceless True Immortal stele appeared in the center.
Five peaks stood tall, supporting the heavens, a magnificent spectacle.
Next, the Grand Celestial Venerable Wuming appeared.
He integrated the Great Sun Golden Bell, the Primordial Five Elements Disc, and the Grand Void Azure Underworld Lamp into the Xuanhuang World.
Unbeknownst to even the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, a strange power accompanied these Immortal artifacts.
This wasn't just strange as an adjective, but actual entities known as "Anomalies."
Inspired by the Heaven-Defying Arrow, these anomalies were the preserved and refined disharmony generated during the merging of worlds.
Controlled by Li Fan, like targeted medicine, they silently followed the merging artifacts, infiltrating the Xuanhuang World.
Amplified by the three artifacts, the balance of power between the Xuanhuang World and its cultivators shifted.
But this didn't affect Li Fan.
Using the Anomalies, he could even partially utilize the power of these newly integrated artifacts.
However, he concealed this, feigning strain as his figure descended slightly.
Everything was ready.
Next, Li Fan, holding the Decree Jade Token, began to write upon the land of Xuanhuang.
He inscribed the two characters: Creation and Fortune!
Having done this once before, Li Fan's brushstrokes were even more fluid.
Soon, sacred power began to permeate the world.
The four Heavenly Pillars rose further, reaching the heavens. The Grotto-Heavens radiated brilliant light, their laws becoming more divine. The living beings of the land benefited passively, their souls and bodies strengthening rapidly…
Everything from the branch simulation unfolded once more.
Prepared, Li Fan circulated the Heaven Seating Art, transforming the seemingly endless feedback energy into an illusory image of the Xuanhuang World within his dantian.
Having received feedback from the very beginning of the Xuanhuang World's transformation, when the Xuanhuang World reached its limit, the illusory world within Li Fan's dantian was equivalent to thirty-six times the total power of the Xuanhuang World at its ascension threshold.
Even having experienced this once, Li Fan was still awestruck.
The feedback from a complete ascension process far surpassed that of assisting midway.
"This isn't the limit yet."
"The greatest feedback will come after the Xuanhuang World officially ascends to the Immortal Domain."
"I wonder what kind of scene that will create..."
In Li Fan's mind, the Xuanhuang World's ascension journey had reached its destination.
Next, if no external factors intervened…
Its fate would be the same as in the branch simulation.
It would plummet, devoured by the endless Dao Obliteration Qi.
Seemingly sensing its impending doom, the Xuanhuang World frantically sent pleas for help to Li Fan.
After all, he was the one who orchestrated this transformation, its only lifeline.
Without hesitation, Li Fan made exorbitant demands, claiming vast authority from the Xuanhuang World.
Like a contract of servitude, the power he sought far exceeded that of even the Grand Celestial Venerable of Xuanhuang.
Faced with selling the very rope to hang itself, the Xuanhuang World, despite its reluctance, had no choice but to agree under the threat of annihilation.
The transaction between Li Fan and the Xuanhuang World occurred in an instant.
As the ascending Xuanhuang World teetered on the brink of collapse, Li Fan acted.
He steadied the heavens and reversed the tide.
The Xuanhuang World had reached the pinnacle of the mortal realm.
Utilizing his newly acquired authority, Li Fan, his body, spirit, and intent unified with the Xuanhuang World, no longer needed to ascend further.
His illusory figure stood tall, his form encompassing heaven and earth. He donned the black and gold robe once more, a crown of starlight upon his head.
This time, he didn't conceal his features.
Instead, his face was imprinted upon every living being within the Xuanhuang World, whether they were conscious or not.
Even the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao was ingrained with the image of Li Fan, the savior.
Having transformed into a colossal giant, the slab in Li Fan's hand remained the same size.
With a thought, he began to draw upon the remaining wisps of Immortal spiritual energy in the world.
He divided it into three streams.
One stream he used to inscribe the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal characters onto the slab.
The second stream flowed into his body. As a mortal, he couldn't utilize Immortal spiritual energy directly. Upon entering his body, it was absorbed by the scattered fragments of the Terminal Dissociation Disc within his soul.
Countless fragments shimmered like stars. Within each fragment, nurtured by the Immortal spiritual energy, a new Terminal Dissociation Disc seemed to be forming.
He directed the third stream towards the near-death, still healing, unconscious little Heavenly Beast. Immortal spiritual energy seemed to be a potent tonic for it. Even in its coma, it instinctively raised its head, craving the energy.
To Li Fan's surprise, Autumn Water, also a Shape of Life, recoiled from the Immortal spiritual energy.
It was as if this coveted energy was poison to him.
The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao was deeply displeased with Li Fan's use of the scarce Immortal spiritual energy.
But under his overwhelming power, it dared not show it.
As Li Fan inscribed the slab, a vortex appeared in the Xuanhuang World's sky.
Within it lay an endless vista, anchoring the falling Xuanhuang World.
"Condense!" Li Fan commanded silently.
Countless Nether Race members, like ants, were absorbed by the Unnamed True Immortal's leg bone.
The Transformation of Immortal and Mortal characters were finally complete.
Li Fan inscribed the final stroke on the slab.
(End of Chapter)