"What's happening?"
"Is the world-ending calamity, affecting countless possibilities, being reversed in True Return's calculations?"
As Li Fan rapidly activated True Return, the seven characters, "When the real is made to appear fake, the fake becomes real," exploded in his mind, filling him with confusion.
"After achieving Half-Immortal, my displayed lifespan on the True Return panel represents the estimated lifespan of this mortal world. Yet, facing imminent danger, the world's lifespan is increasing instead of decreasing?"
Thoughts raced through his mind.
The [Dao Concealment] zone descended upon the world.
Centered around Li Fan, everything within the Dark Star Sea froze, shifting to monochrome.
But this time, besides Li Fan, another figure remained active within the Dao Concealment zone.
So conspicuous within the frozen world, Li Fan instantly noticed him.
And the figure seemed to be looking towards Li Fan as well.
Their eyes met.
"The… Healer?"
Despite the differences in appearance, clothing, and demeanor compared to the Healer he knew, Li Fan recognized him instantly.
Recalling the sinister Su Bai he saw within Master Bai's Eternal Remnants, he understood the source of his unease.
"Beyond the wall, there's not only the sinister Su Bai, but also a corrupted Healer?"
"How did he…"
He suddenly remembered the "thousand-day agreement" with the Healer within the wall. Forced by Li Fan, the Healer had begun studying the wall to hasten his breakthrough.
"The sinister Su Bai only noticed Master Bai after he partially crossed the wall. But I haven't sensed any Immortal-level fluctuations. Was I detected by the corrupted Healer before even reaching the wall?"
"Is he even stronger than the sinister Su Bai?"
Countless thoughts raced through Li Fan's mind.
Within the frozen Dao Concealment zone, the corrupted Healer continued flying towards him, his movements slowed.
Li Fan saw that the Great Wall of Shattered Worlds at the edge of the Dark Star Sea, beneath the wall, was in ruins, as if ravaged by a flood.
And the formless wall itself seemed to have a breach.
Through this breach, he glimpsed the world beyond.
Unlike the desolate Dark Star Sea, life flourished beyond the wall. But within this vibrant landscape was a stark, unnatural line of emptiness.
Like a path, leading towards an unknown destination.
And at the end of this path, seemingly carved by a primordial beast, Li Fan's vision was cut off.
As if blocked by a towering shadow, a colossal wall!
Without time to think, or to examine the objects within the Dao Concealment zone, Li Fan focused on activating True Return.
He now understood why his displayed lifespan was increasing.
True Return was calculating the scenario where it fell into the corrupted Healer's hands!
"Does reaching the corrupted Healer's current level of power allow him to wield True Return and avert the calamity?"
Li Fan gritted his teeth.
He doubted the corrupted Healer would spare him after seizing True Return.
"The lifespan on the True Return panel is both mine and the mortal world's."
"Since they're not separated in the calculation, it means…"
"As True Return's vessel, I likely can't be separated. I'll be refined into something like the Law Derivation Jade, a mere tool."
A chill ran down Li Fan's spine.
He focused on retracting the Dao Concealment zone.
The monochrome world receded faster than the corrupted Healer could advance.
But the churning mist beyond the Dao Concealment zone unsettled him.
Something terrifying seemed poised to emerge.
"True Return!!"
Li Fan roared internally.
Even if the corrupted Healer could avert the calamity with True Return, Li Fan would never willingly surrender it.
Either the mortal world would be annihilated, or he, Li Fan, would be its sole savior.
He would never sacrifice himself!
The swirling white mist engulfed everything.
As the familiar darkness descended, the tension within him finally eased.
He briefly lost consciousness.
…
After an unknown amount of time, or perhaps just a moment, the Healer, now in black robes, looked at his empty hands, confusion in his eyes.
He frowned, examining the trail of destruction he had left behind.
With a thought, his divine sense swept across the Dark Star Sea.
It paused at the meditating True Immortal in the Immortal Ruins.
He hesitated, then picked up the skeletal Starved Immortal.
He flew beyond the wall, through the long, empty passage.
As he reached the end and looked out, he froze, his grip on the Starved Immortal loosening.
…
Surrounded by boundless darkness, Li Fan's consciousness drifted like a leaf in a stream.
He was in a state between wakefulness and sleep.
Without awareness, he observed his surroundings instinctively.
A distant point of light flickered.
Then, countless other lights ignited, joining the first.
They formed a line, piercing the darkness.
Li Fan's consciousness was pulled towards this line of light, accelerating.
As the light engulfed him, it transformed into countless images, exploding.
Anchored one year prior, at the center of the Dark Star Sea!
"Gasp!"
Like a drowning man surfacing, he instinctively gasped for breath.
He was still reeling from the oppressive presence of the corrupted Healer.
"Hm?"
As his fear subsided, the image of a white line flashing in the darkness appeared in his mind.
"…"
Returning to an anchor point was the ideal time to comprehend the interplay of truth and illusion.
Li Fan suppressed his thoughts, focusing on the power of True Return.
But the image of the white line lingered, and as he replayed the scene of countless lights connecting in the darkness, his understanding of the interplay of truth and illusion deepened at an alarming rate.
He didn't question it, simply immersing himself in this sudden enlightenment.
After a long while, as the image faded, he opened his eyes.
"False, is, also, true."
He slowly spoke these words.
After countless True Return simulations, having personally experienced the shifting of reality and illusion, he finally understood the meaning of those seven characters.
"When the real is made to appear fake…"
"Perhaps it refers to the Dao Obliteration Calamity. Countless timelines, instantly shifting from real to fake, annihilated and vanished. Not into nothingness, but into a state of non-existence, of falsehood."
"The fake becomes real, refers to…"
Li Fan paused.
"The power of True Return, within the false spacetime consumed by the Dao Obliteration Calamity, creating new possibilities!"
"This…"
Even though he had speculated about the limits of True Return's power, he was still stunned by this realization.
"Wait, perhaps there's more."
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He eagerly opened the True Return panel.
Ignoring the four choices presented, he focused on his displayed lifespan.
Seven million, three hundred sixty-five thousand, eight hundred sixty-four years, thirteen days, and seven hours!
(End of Chapter)