The brushstroke stirred a tempest, the completed character shaped the world!
Li Fan, mimicking the inscription, successfully carved the complete Transformation of Immortal and Mortal characters, revealed on the Unnamed True Immortal's leg bone, onto the Dao Key slab.
At that moment, something ineffable descended from the vortex in the sky.
In the ensuing turbulence, the Xuanhuang world, and indeed all of existence, seemed to freeze.
Even Li Fan, orchestrating the Xuanhuang World's ascension, was immobilized.
Thousands of lightning bolts flashed across the Xuanhuang sky simultaneously.
With each thunderclap, the Xuanhuang World trembled as if struck by a giant hammer.
Boom, boom, boom…
The Xuanhuang World, already a patchwork of merged worlds, began to fuse further under this immense force.
The Essence Devouring White Mist, marking the boundaries between regions, thinned with each strike, eventually dissipating entirely.
The distance between heaven and earth also shrunk with each thunderous blow.
More terrifyingly, each flash of lightning obliterated a region of the Xuanhuang World. Unable to withstand the immense pressure of ascending to an Immortal Domain, it crumbled into dust.
The resulting voids were quickly filled by the surrounding regions.
…
Changes that would normally take hundreds of millions of years unfolded in mere moments. The Xuanhuang World was being tempered in lightning and fire, its impurities purged.
As the world exuded an increasingly sacred aura, its size continued to shrink.
While immobilized by the world's ascension, Li Fan's thoughts remained active.
He stared at the vortex, sensing the primal, ancient aura of the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal Dao within.
Compared to the characters representing this transformation, the Dao itself was far more incomprehensible, inspiring instinctive awe.
It was under this Dao's influence that the Xuanhuang World could surpass its ascension threshold, gaining the qualification to ascend to Immortal Domain status.
For a cultivator to transform from mortal to Immortal was already incredibly difficult. For an entire world?
Even with Li Fan's extensive preparations and the Xuanhuang World's immense accumulation, the ascension process was fraught with peril, like a small fishing boat tossed about in a violent storm, constantly on the verge of capsizing.
Countless lightning bolts, like hammers from the vortex, struck endlessly.
The Xuanhuang World's bloated form was whittled away.
…
"Something's not right."
"This world's transformation is consuming far too much energy!"
Li Fan sensed something amiss, his expression growing serious.
"Just like my previous experiment…"
In a flash, he recalled ancient records of cultivators overcoming tribulations and ascending.
"No visible tribulation lightning, no influx of Immortal spiritual energy to aid the transformation. Relying solely on one's own foundation to endure the shift from mortal to Immortal. Under normal circumstances, this is impossible."
He heard the Xuanhuang World's terrified cries for help. Weakened by the ascension tribulation, its voice was faint.
Li Fan's interests were currently aligned with the Xuanhuang World. He swiftly made a decision.
Drawing upon the world's remaining strength, he momentarily broke free from the immobilizing aura of the Transformation of Immortal and Mortal Dao.
With a thought, Autumn Water reverted to its azure sword form. Sword light rained down, scattering across the Xuanhuang World. Using the sword as a conduit, it drew upon the infinite power of the Star Sea.
Simultaneously, hundreds of geysers erupted across the Xuanhuang World. Li Fan was diverting the life force from the fissures of the Dark Star Sea.
These two streams of power, like potent elixirs, sustained the Xuanhuang World's precarious existence.
But the lightning within the vortex intensified, flashing so rapidly that it became a continuous violet glow, illuminating the Xuanhuang World below.
As the distance between heaven and earth shrunk, the sky seemed to tilt and press down.
Of the five Heavenly Pillars, only the central one, formed from the Unnamed True Immortal's leg bone, held firm.
The other four crumbled under the immense pressure.
This resulted in a dome-like shape, high in the center and low at the edges.
Seeing that the Xuanhuang World's own Heavenly Pillars couldn't support the collapsing sky, Li Fan narrowed his eyes, his hands forming seals rapidly.
The sleeping little Heavenly Beast, nourished by Immortal spiritual energy, suddenly roared.
Its body flipped uncontrollably.
In an instant, it swelled millions of times, its four limbs pointing upwards, supporting the descending sky like a Heavenly Pillar.
The immense pressure of the falling sky fell upon the little Heavenly Beast. Despite its extraordinary physique and the consumed Immortal Domain chess pieces, it wasn't willing to be used as a mere tool.
A dangerous red glint flashed in its eyes as it struggled, roaring and trying to break free from Li Fan's control.
"I beseech thee, Wooden Sword, Wonder of Heaven!" Li Fan chanted solemnly.
Within the ancient Heavenly Sword Sect's Sword Tomb, the wooden sword enshrined amidst countless blades hummed softly.
With a flash of sword light, it flew into Li Fan's hand.
This wooden sword, created by Master Bai, was the manifestation of the Xuanhuang World's Sword Dao.
During the Xuanhuang World's ascension, this Sword Dao had also undergone a transformation.
Now, in Li Fan's hand, it was infused with a transcendent, supreme Sword Dao.
"Sever!"
With a flick of his wrist, the Wooden Sword, Wonder of Heaven, transformed into a white light, circling the four corners of the Xuanhuang World.
Roar!
The little Heavenly Beast roared in agony as its limbs were severed.
"Haste!"
Li Fan manipulated the Xuanhuang World's power, merging the little Heavenly Beast's limbs into the four Heavenly Pillars.
Imbued with Immortal Domain laws, the Heavenly Beast's limbs possessed far greater resilience than anything in the mortal cultivation world. The sky continued to fall for a while longer. Finally, under immense external pressure, the limbs fully fused with the Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Pillars.
The collapsing sky was finally halted.
Li Fan breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the Wooden Sword, Wonder of Heaven in his hand.
While its sharp, unstoppable Sword Dao could sever the Heavenly Beast's limbs, severing something infused with Immortal Domain laws had taken a heavy toll on the wooden sword.
It crumbled, transforming into shimmering light that dissipated into the world.
The Sword Dao ceased to exist within the Xuanhuang World.
Its natural recovery would take millions of years.
With the support of the Heavenly Beast's limbs, the Xuanhuang World's perilous situation greatly improved.
Although its size continued to shrink, the distance between heaven and earth remained stable.
But the fundamental problem remained.
The world's transformation consumed too much energy. Even with the influx of life force from the fissures and the power of the Star Sea, the consumption outpaced the replenishment.
Li Fan realized that it wasn't that the Xuanhuang World's ascension required more energy than the infinite Star Sea could provide, but that Autumn Water's energy absorption rate was too slow.
Infinite power was available, but untapped.
An idea struck Li Fan.
Bowing slightly, his crown obscuring his expression, his voice resounded throughout the Xuanhuang World: "I summon the Grand Celestial Venerables of all generations!"
His words held the weight of law.
Amidst the tumultuous transformation, figures appeared one after another.
The current Grand Celestial Venerable, Wuming, also rose, taking the final position.
From Wuming onwards, the further back in time, the more indistinct the figures became.
Master Bai's image was still discernible. Before him, only their forms could be seen, their faces blank.
Before these faceless figures stood a form Li Fan instantly recognized, despite its obscured features: the imprint left by Profound Heaven King.
Four figures preceded Profound Heaven King.
Each was more indistinct than the last. The first Grand Celestial Venerable of Xuanhuang was barely an outline.
These eight figures represented the past Grand Celestial Venerables of Xuanhuang. Though gone, their imprints remained within the world.
Heavenly Dao Bai had once returned through Li Fan's Sacred Fetus.
Now, Li Fan, wielding near-complete control over the Xuanhuang World, leveraged its existential crisis to summon all eight Grand Celestial Venerables.
"The Xuanhuang World faces a calamity. I beseech you, Grand Celestial Venerables, lend your aid."
Li Fan bowed respectfully to the eight figures.
Then, he activated the Grand Method of the Supreme Armour.
Seemingly sensing the dramatic changes within the Xuanhuang World, the Star Sea consciousness evaded him, offering no response.
Undeterred, Li Fan imparted the Grand Method of the Supreme Armour to the past Grand Celestial Venerables.
One by one, they joined the ritual to connect with the Star Sea.
Every Grand Celestial Venerable of Xuanhuang was an exceptional individual. The first Grand Celestial Venerable was even a True Immortal.
Though gone, their imprints retained some of their essence. With eight of them performing the ritual, even the reluctant infinite Star Sea was forced to connect.
"Equalize the Heavens!"
Under Li Fan's guidance, the eight figures jointly cast the Equal Heavens Technique upon the Star Sea consciousness.
Boundless starlight flooded the Xuanhuang World.
The stasis caused by the ascension was momentarily broken.
"I beseech the Grand Celestial Venerables to mend the Heavens!"
Li Fan bowed deeply, conveying his intent.
Having channeled the Star Sea's power to aid the Xuanhuang World, the past Grand Celestial Venerables had become akin to Star Spirits.
When the Xuanhuang World resided within the Star Sea, the Grand Celestial Venerable could hold both roles.
But now, even transformed into the Xuanhuang Immortal Domain, how could its Grand Celestial Venerable be subservient to the Star Sea?
…
Li Fan's message was clear.
It also truly served the Xuanhuang World's interests.
The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, having recovered and seeing the promise of becoming an Immortal Domain, cooperated, issuing the command.
Except for Wuming, the other seven Grand Celestial Venerables were manifestations of the world's imprints.
Thus, they offered little resistance, their indistinct forms slowly dissolving.
They vanished into the infinite power of the Star Sea.
Though Star Spirits were immortal, when their vessels ceased to exist, they too faded.
This wasn't a simple dismissal. The Xuanhuang World had completely erased the original imprints of these Grand Celestial Venerables.
From now on, the Xuanhuang World could no longer summon their images.
As the Star Spirits dispersed, the channels to the infinite Star Sea closed.
But the energy drain from the transformation also decreased drastically.
Autumn Water's support was now sufficient.
Having dealt with the seven most threatening Grand Celestial Venerables, Li Fan looked at Wuming.
Wuming, lacking awareness, simply followed the natural flow of the Heavenly Dao.
Now, faced with a crucial decision, Wuming first established the trial for the next Grand Celestial Venerable.
Then, flames erupted from within him.
Like the previous Grand Celestial Venerable, Su Bai, he chose to self-immolate.
As the flames consumed and extinguished Wuming, the Xuanhuang World's ascension finally reached its culmination.
It was about to cross the threshold between mortal and Immortal.
A realization struck Li Fan.
The moment the Xuanhuang World became an Immortal Domain, all agreements between it and him would become void!
They would no longer be binding!
Agreements and contracts existed between mortals.
How could such things bind an Immortal and a mortal?
Inspired, in the final moments of controlling the Xuanhuang World's power, Li Fan summoned the Heavenly Soul, Mo Sha.
In the next instant…
The vortex in the sky vanished.
With a resounding boom, the Xuanhuang World resumed its natural flow.
Rainbow streaks of light appeared throughout the world, pulsating with life.
The compressed Xuanhuang World began to expand rapidly.
In the blink of an eye, the world became vast once more.
Millions of miles expanded in an instant. Even with Li Fan's enhanced vision, he could no longer see the Heavenly Pillars supporting the world's corners after a few breaths.
…
Li Fan witnessed the Xuanhuang World's dramatic transformation.
Using the last vestiges of the world's power, he sensed the Starved Immortal within the Immortal Ruins.
She seemed to have awakened.
But she cautiously observed the newly formed Immortal Domain from afar, choosing not to approach.
Within the Xuanhuang World's Source Dao Region, the Grand Magus and the illusory figure remained asleep.
But the silent illusory figure resumed its chanting.
The sleeping Grand Magus frowned, his mouth moving, also uttering words of Dao teachings.
Their voices met, not amplifying each other, but canceling each other out.
Silence descended.
Outside the Xuanhuang World, the Healer and the Legacy Transmitter had just broken through Li Fan's wall.
They stared at the familiar yet alien Xuanhuang World, stunned.
To Li Fan's surprise, the Legacy Transmission Celestial Venerable's face flickered and shifted, as if something was about to emerge from within.
…
Within the Xuanhuang World, countless changes unfolded as it ascended to Immortal Domain status.
But Li Fan's attention was focused on the Heavenly Soul, or rather, the Heavenly Immortal Soul, Mo Sha.
As the Xuanhuang World transformed from mortal to Immortal, so too did Mo Sha before Li Fan.
Its previously indistinct, ink-like humanoid form gained detail.
It even wore a flowing robe.
Mo Sha's face wasn't composed of normal features, but constantly shifting ink-colored symbols.
Meeting the Heavenly Immortal Soul's gaze, Li Fan's instincts screamed in warning.
Perhaps because he was instrumental in the Xuanhuang World's ascension, Mo Sha, the embodiment of destructive laws, didn't immediately attack.
But this didn't give Li Fan pause.
"Xuanhuang…"
"World Destruction Transformation."
Li Fan silently activated the bombs he had planted within the Xuanhuang World.
The World Destruction Transformation had been terrifying when the Xuanhuang World was a mere mortal cultivation world.
Now, as an Immortal Domain, its destructive power was unimaginable.
The world's inhabitants hadn't yet enjoyed the benefits of its ascension when disaster struck.
A howling icy wind instantly froze time and space. All living beings, without time to react, became encased in ice.
Terrifying lightning bolts rained down from the sky, reducing everything in their path to nothingness. Born from the world, they sought to destroy it.
…
The newly ascended Xuanhuang Immortal Domain was immediately beset by calamities.
The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao was enraged and bewildered.
Even Mo Sha, the Heavenly Immortal Soul, was stunned.
It sensed that these destructive forces were primarily targeting it!
Forgetting Li Fan, Mo Sha attempted to unite with the other Heavenly Immortal Souls to quell the destruction.
"Immortal Descent, All Things Return to the Void."
A chilling voice interrupted Mo Sha.
As if suddenly transported to an unfamiliar realm, the scenery before Mo Sha shifted.
It was replaced by an endless storm of destruction!
Within Li Fan's illusory wooden sword, billions of brilliant stars flashed within his mind.
Each star deduced a part of a grand Immortal array.
Together, they brought the true Immortal array into existence!
Dissociation Disc, Immortal Legion!
Empowered by Immortal spiritual energy, the shattered fragments of the Terminal Dissociation Disc were reborn.
Under the mystical influence of the Immortal spiritual energy, each fragment transformed into a new Dissociation Disc.
Billions of stars shone, the newborn Dissociation Discs like countless True Immortals, radiating brilliant light!
The Immortal Legion Dissociation Disc's deductive power surpassed Li Fan's comprehension.
With a mere thought, it iterated the formation endlessly according to his needs.
He didn't even need to arrange the formation himself.
Droplets of Immortal spiritual energy emanated from the billions of cores of the Immortal Legion Dissociation Disc.
They spontaneously formed the array!
A true Immortal-level formation was born.
Its power dwarfed anything Li Fan had created before.
Even as it formed, the Immortal Legion Dissociation Disc continued to iterate and improve it.
From its inception to completion, it had undergone dozens of iterations!
It truly possessed the power to reduce all things to nothingness.
Previously, even a projection of the Starved Immortal could easily dispel this Immortal Descent, All Things Return to the Void formation.
But now…
Mo Sha was visibly being eroded and weakened within the formation!
"Hm?"
"This Heavenly Immortal Soul is weaker than I anticipated?"
Li Fan wasn't elated, but surprised.
While controlling the formation, he observed the Xuanhuang Immortal Domain.
He noticed several anomalies.
Despite the domain's ascension, the Dao Obliteration Calamity's black qi at the Star Sea's center barely reacted.
It was nothing like its response when a true Immortal Domain unfolded in his previous life.
No new Immortal spiritual energy was generated within the newly formed Xuanhuang Immortal Domain.
It had crossed the threshold of transformation, but hadn't truly become Immortal.
This reminded Li Fan of Profound Heaven King.
"He ascended to immortality, yet lacked Immortal spiritual energy."
"Half-Immortal, Half-Immortal…"
"Could it be that, despite my efforts, I only created a Half-Immortal Domain?"
Irritation flickered within Li Fan.
But he quickly regained his composure.
Half-Immortal was still Immortal.
From Profound Heaven King ten thousand years ago to the current Xuanhuang World, this was the pattern.
Perhaps it wasn't his method that was flawed.
Perhaps the entire path to immortality had been disrupted after the Immortal Realm's destruction.
Sensing the cautious Starved Immortal finally approaching, Li Fan didn't hesitate.
The Immortal Legion Dissociation Disc operated at full power.
Within the All Things Return to the Void formation, Mo Sha, the Heavenly Immortal Soul, was eroded by the endless storm.
As Mo Sha dissipated, an immense power surged into Li Fan.
He finally reached the Dao Integration realm.
But it deviated from his ideal scenario.
Before he could ponder this, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, sensing Mo Sha's demise and realizing Li Fan was responsible, went berserk.
In its view, Li Fan had been a teacher and friend, guiding it from its mortal origins.
Now, facing a world-ending crisis, he had betrayed it.
Enraged, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao ignored the ongoing calamities.
Countless Heavenly Immortal Souls descended upon Li Fan, intent on his destruction.
Within the All Things Return to the Void formation, Li Fan felt little fear.
He used his remaining time to observe the half-ascended Xuanhuang Immortal Domain.
The sun in the sky, the circulating Five Elements power, the protective Azure Underworld Lamp's light, and the four Heavenly Pillars…
Only these places within the so-called Xuanhuang Immortal Domain bore traces of Immortal spiritual energy.
"Perhaps, with time, this Immortal spiritual energy will spread and permeate the world."
"Transforming it into a true Xuanhuang Immortal Domain."
"But..."
"It still can't compare to the glorious Immortal Realm I once knew."
Li Fan sighed.
"Indeed."
"With the Immortal Realm destroyed, how can one become a true Immortal?"
A sense of ennui washed over him.
The All Things Return to the Void formation gradually buckled under the relentless assault of the fearless Heavenly Immortal Souls.
No longer lingering, Li Fan activated True Return.
As True Return took effect, his dejection vanished.
Because its activation felt distinctly different this time.
(End of Chapter)