"Just like in my previous life."
"So, True Return not only creates new possibilities within a false spacetime, but also resets the entire mortal world to the designated anchor point."
"Such power…"
Li Fan was awestruck.
Especially after witnessing the corrupted Healer and the sinister Su Bai, beings seemingly surpassing even Unnamed True Immortals.
Yet, before True Return, their power was meaningless! Reality and illusion bent to its will.
Based on this understanding of True Return's power, even the corrupted Healer shouldn't be able to move within the Dao Concealment zone.
The only explanation was that Li Fan, as True Return's vessel, was too weak, limiting its effectiveness.
"Weak…"
This stung the Half-Immortal Li Fan. But then he remembered that even True Immortals perished like ants during the Dao Obliteration Calamity. Compared to that, being a "weak" Half-Immortal wasn't so bad.
Recalling his rapidly increasing lifespan upon encountering the corrupted Healer in his previous life, an idea struck Li Fan.
He activated the Interplay of Truth and Illusion.
Having witnessed True Return create a new possibility, his understanding of this power had deepened significantly.
He visualized his Half-Immortal cultivation from the previous timeline.
As he focused, that power descended upon him, amplifying his current cultivation.
Unlike before, where it only lasted briefly, he could now maintain this illusory power for almost the time it took to brew a cup of tea!
He narrowed his eyes, focusing intently, attempting to stack the illusory power again.
He succeeded.
But the mental strain increased tenfold, and the duration of the stacked power plummeted, fluctuating wildly.
"Just replicating my own cultivation is this difficult. I can't imagine creating an entire possibility from nothing…"
Li Fan sighed, looking at the numbers on his panel.
Three times Half-Immortal cultivation. While not quite surpassing True Immortal level, it was close.
But…
Seven million, three hundred sixty-five thousand, eight hundred sixty-four years, thirteen days, and eight hours!
This increase in power only delayed the mortal world's destruction by a single hour in True Return's calculations! A negligible improvement.
"It seems my current power is insufficient to influence this."
A weight settled upon Li Fan's heart.
While True Return could repeatedly reset the mortal world, preventing its complete annihilation, the world's decline was inevitable.
No matter how True Return intervened, the Dao Obliteration Calamity would eventually consume everything.
Like endlessly pushing a boulder uphill, only for it to roll back down each time.
Only those at the level of the sinister Su Bai or the corrupted Healer seemed capable of changing this fate.
But their appearance was too sudden, too illogical.
It completely disrupted Li Fan's plans.
He had intended to use the combined resources of the Xuanhuang World and the Profound Immortal Ark to explore beyond the wall, searching for clues about the Faceless Immortal, Mao Bao, and the Fishing Pond.
But now, everything had changed.
The corrupted Healer, in particular, was a source of unease.
"If the Healer within the wall is detected, the corrupted Healer will instantly descend."
"Has the entire Dark Star Sea been teetering on the brink of destruction all these years? If the Healer hadn't been so focused on reviving the Heavenly Law World, the corrupted Healer would have arrived long ago!"
"And based on his progress in my previous life, he was close to unraveling the wall's secrets. Even without my intervention, after reviving the Heavenly Law World, he would eventually study the wall. The day of his success would be the day of his doom… what irony."
Li Fan's thoughts raced.
He recalled his life as the Heavenly Profound Spirit Locking Formation.
He had spent millennia as the Formation Breaking Disc.
Anchored in the year 2078, the world was desolate.
Only in the year 3024 did sunlight return.
"It seems that, due to the corrupted Healer, the Xuanhuang World is destined for destruction."
"But after the corrupted Healer's attack, the Xuanhuang World, or rather, the revived Heavenly Law World, wasn't completely annihilated. Life returned after a thousand years…"
"The corrupted Healer must have shown mercy."
Li Fan pondered.
Due to the corrupted Healer and the sinister Su Bai, his plans had to change. He couldn't allow the Healer to approach the wall.
"I still don't know the situation beyond the wall."
"In my previous life, within the Dao Concealment zone, I glimpsed the world beyond through the path created by the corrupted Healer."
"It seemed like a normal Star Sea, dotted with life. But something blocked my vision at the horizon."
"Is there another wall beyond the wall?" Li Fan wondered.
"To understand the situation beyond the wall, I should start with that descendant of the Heavenly Sword Sect."
Returning to the True Return inheritance choices, Li Fan chose to accelerate the recharge.
True Return's recharge rate was tied to his power.
Having become a Half-Immortal, choosing this option for the first time, he was pleasantly surprised.
With his realm now displayed as "Immortal," the False Reality recharge was already at 50% upon returning. And after choosing to accelerate, it jumped to 99%!
"The waiting time is significantly shorter."
"But it's still not 100%."
"That 1% is a world of difference!"
If accelerating the recharge brought it to 100%, he could continuously activate True Return, easily escaping even enemies capable of crossing timelines.
But that 1% forced him to wait for at least seven days.
"Until I can achieve instant full recharge, I must remain cautious."
With his increased power, he was encountering increasingly unpredictable beings.
Especially the corrupted Healer, capable of crossing timelines and moving within the Dao Concealment zone, posed a significant threat.
"I wonder if ascending to True Immortal will be enough to stop him?"
The corrupted Healer's cold, familiar gaze appeared in his mind.
Seven days later, True Return was fully recharged. Li Fan silently entered the Xuanhuang World.
His destination: the Divine Repository of Wonders within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters, where the soul of Qiao Sidao resided.
Having endured countless reincarnations while retaining his consciousness, and having deduced the possible cause of the Dao Obliteration Calamity, Qiao Sidao intrigued Li Fan.
"Perhaps he can explore beyond the wall for me."
"But I must also be wary of another Qiao Sidao beyond the wall."
Passing by Master Bai's skull, Li Fan paused.
Having already absorbed its Eternal Remnants, True Return offered no prompt.
He avoided the sinister Su Bai's trial, heading straight for the Southern冥 Sacred Beast Mountain ruin within the repository.
"True Return can create possibilities from nothing, yet it still needs to consume certain objects within these possibilities…"
Li Fan mused.
True Return seemed to sense his thoughts, responding with a mixture of amusement and resignation. But then it fell silent.
Di Sanmo was waiting for him at the Southern冥 Sacred Beast Mountain ruin.
Just like in the previous timeline, he greeted Li Fan respectfully. "Greetings, Senior!"
Although Li Fan hadn't displayed his power, bypassing all the alliance headquarters' defenses and arriving at the Divine Repository of Wonders spoke volumes.
From Di Sanmo's demeanor, Li Fan sensed he had no memories of their previous encounter.
Relieved, he simply nodded, examining the ruin.
As Di Sanmo had said, faint traces of mystical energy lingered.
And within this residual energy, a weakened soul hid, concealed so well that even Li Fan, a Half-Immortal, would have missed it without Di Sanmo's guidance.
The soul's appearance matched Di Sanmo's description from the previous timeline.
Li Fan reached out and absorbed half of Qiao Sidao's life-sustaining energy.
Like a creature clinging to life in a drying puddle, Qiao Sidao's soul trembled in agony as the energy was abruptly reduced.
Di Sanmo hesitated to speak, but remained silent under Li Fan's imposing presence.
Li Fan didn't intend to harm Qiao Sidao.
On the contrary, he was going to save him!
He absorbed the mystical energy, analyzing it.
It was different from the Xuanhuang World's spiritual power, or even Immortal spiritual energy.
But it felt familiar.
This familiarity stemmed from his inherited memories as the Profound Bird in the Fallen Immortal Realm.
Beyond that, he knew nothing about it.
But this didn't prevent him from using the Interplay of Truth and Illusion!
He condensed and contained the energy within his dantian.
After a moment of contemplation, he activated the Interplay of Truth and Illusion.
A wave of power washed over him, and an identical sphere of energy appeared in his hand.
It shimmered with a strange bronze-green light, laced with silver.
While the Interplay of Truth and Illusion was still active, he flicked his finger, injecting the sphere into Qiao Sidao's soul.
Like rain on parched earth, Qiao Sidao's weakened soul visibly strengthened.
After Qiao Sidao fully absorbed the energy, Li Fan deactivated the Interplay of Truth and Illusion, observing the subtle changes in Qiao Sidao's soul.
As he expected, although the effect of the Interplay of Truth and Illusion vanished, a small portion of the generated energy, having been absorbed by Qiao Sidao, remained.
While the amount was small, it was significant.
After a brief rest, Li Fan activated the Interplay of Truth and Illusion again, creating another energy sphere.
When Li Fan produced the first sphere, Di Sanmo assumed it was the energy he had just extracted.
But seeing him produce another after seemingly depleting his supply, Di Sanmo's composure cracked. His usually calm face couldn't hide his shock.
And Li Fan noticed that Di Sanmo hadn't perceived the activation of the Interplay of Truth and Illusion, despite its obvious fluctuations to Li Fan.
"But I can't be careless."
"Perhaps, besides me, others can sense its activation."
"I must be cautious when using this power."
Through repeated use of the Interplay of Truth and Illusion, injecting countless energy spheres into Qiao Sidao, his condition finally improved.
He awoke.
"Uncle San, what's…" Qiao Sidao quickly noticed the unusual situation.
Despite his weakness, he thanked Li Fan for saving him.
Li Fan nodded, continuing his work.
Using materials from the Divine Repository of Wonders, he created a temporary body for Qiao Sidao.
After transferring Qiao Sidao's soul into the new body, he finally stopped.
Repeatedly using the Interplay of Truth and Illusion was taxing.
He stood still, catching his breath, showing no fatigue, while waiting for Qiao Sidao to adjust to his new body.
Within half a day, Qiao Sidao had recovered from near death.
Di Sanmo's efforts had been futile, yet this senior had achieved the impossible with such ease…
Qiao Sidao understood the extent of this person's power.
He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Senior, for saving my life!"
Di Sanmo, still reeling from the shock, trembled slightly.
Li Fan placed his hand on Qiao Sidao's head, sending a strand of his divine sense into his soul.
Facing his savior, and the overwhelming difference in power, Qiao Sidao hesitated, but didn't resist.
He allowed Li Fan to access his memories.
(End of Chapter)