Besides the Immortal Ruins, the other main culprit behind the extinction of life within the walled-off Star Sea was the numerous True Immortal Seal Characters, all crafted by the "What Does It Have To Do With Me Immortal" (He Gan Xian). During his contact with the Star Sea's origin consciousness, Li Fan had sensed its immense hatred for this He Gan Xian.
True Immortals, though they viewed all beings as ants, did not engage in meaningless acts. Replicating numerous True Immortal Seal Characters and scattering them to wreak havoc throughout the starry sky, especially while fleeing from the Upper Realm… Li Fan speculated that this was He Gan Xian's method of comprehending the Dao.
"First, create countless entangled karmic causes using this method. When one can completely detach from these causes, that is when Dao comprehension is complete."
"Sever all connections with the outside world…" Recalling that unrestrained, wild laughter, Li Fan grew more certain of his judgment.
"If my guess is correct, the 'Nothingness' Immortal the Immortal Hunters are after is likely the He Gan Xian I know."
"However, I still can't confirm whether this He Gan Xian is the Faceless Immortal who once saved Heavenly King Xuan's life."
Li Fan had suspected that He Gan Xian and the Faceless Immortal were the same person. This was because the Sacred Emperor's avatar, upon seeing the Faceless statue, had sensed an aura very similar to that of He Gan Xian. Li Fan's main body had felt the same.
Strangely, this thought had only occurred to him upon their first encounter. Now, comparing the two, he felt uncertain.
…
The burly Qian continued to explain the precautions for this hunt to the Immortal Hunters.
"Regarding this 'Nothingness' Immortal, I cannot reveal too much to you."
"His methods of infiltration are unfathomable. He is also extremely sensitive to any connections between his existence and the outside world. If I were to tell you his details, involving so many people would inevitably alert him."
"All you need to do is assist me in weaving a large net. Patiently wait for him to walk right into it!"
The 'Nothingness' Immortal was clearly more powerful than the Absence and Barbarian Immortals they had faced before. The newly appointed Immortal Hunters felt both excitement and apprehension. After all, their previous failure had left a lingering shadow.
"By the way, my name is Qian Ruochang. You can call me Boss Qian. Hehehe…" The burly man revealed his name amidst a meaningful chuckle.
The group was then led directly to participate in the mission. Traveling through the Dao Net, they quickly reached their destination.
"This is…"
"The Myriad Star Graves?"
Unlike the vibrant energy of the various factions within the Shuo Star Sea, a decaying, deathly aura permeated the starry sky ahead. Even from afar, everyone felt instinctively uneasy.
Having been in the Shuo Star Sea for some time, Li Fan was familiar with this region called the Myriad Star Graves. Also a place devoid of life, the Myriad Star Graves differed from the Obliterated Lands. The Obliterated Lands were a result of the Dao Obliteration Calamity, places where even the concept of existence had been erased.
The Myriad Star Graves, however, were star regions destroyed by factors other than the Dao Obliteration Calamity.
The factions within the Shuo Star Sea weren't all natives. They were refugees from countless star regions who had gathered here. The boundless Lower Realm Star Sea, aside from the vast Obliterated Lands, was a mixture of Myriad Star Graves and regions teeming with life. The Shuo Star Sea was one such vibrant region.
Though devoid of life, the Myriad Star Graves were still covered by the Dao Net. But the Obliterated Lands… where the Great Dao didn't exist, the Dao Net couldn't reach.
"Boss Qian, surely the Nothingness Immortal isn't hiding here?" someone couldn't help but ask.
Qian Ruochang chuckled. "A True Immortal wouldn't hide in this desolate Myriad Star Graves. I brought you here to find something good."
Dao Yuan's eyes lit up. "I've heard that deathly Qi has been accumulating in the Myriad Star Graves for millions of years. As the saying goes, extremes meet. It's possible for boundless deathly Qi to give birth to immense life force…"
"You've got some knowledge, kid. But our target this time isn't life force. It's this…"
As he spoke, Qian Ruochang led the group deeper into the Myriad Star Graves. Although the Dao Net still covered this area, it was significantly weaker compared to a normal, vibrant Star Sea. Their progress was hundreds of times slower. At times, they encountered obstacles, forcing them to change course.
Suddenly stopping, Qian Ruochang pointed slightly to the front left. He then slammed the stone pillar he carried into that direction.
All the newly appointed Immortal Hunters felt the Dao Net tremble violently, pulled by an immense force. The tremors were even stronger than those caused by Nangong Fusheng's arrival. Everyone looked at Qian Ruochang with astonishment. They hadn't expected this seemingly affable Boss Qian to possess such terrifying power.
Li Fan, however, was lost in thought. The cause of this phenomenon wasn't that Qian Ruochang was stronger than Nangong Fusheng, but that they had reached a weak point in the Dao Net. The Dao Net, which drew power from the Great Dao of heaven and earth, was significantly weakened in the Myriad Star Graves. The same force naturally caused greater turbulence here.
The stone pillar flew out, churning through the dark, desolate void. Li Fan's senses were sharper than the others. In the darkness, he saw several floating, lifeless worlds accidentally collide with the stone pillar and be pulverized by the immense force. Tiny black specks, almost negligible, flew out from the shattered remains of these dead worlds and drifted along the giant stone pillar toward Qian Ruochang.
Looking at these black specks, Li Fan experienced a sense of déjà vu. They were remarkably similar to the black Qi produced by the decomposition of True Immortal flesh by the Falling to the Mortal Realm!
Li Fan remained impassive, feigning ignorance of their danger and curiously moving closer for a better look. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the differences between these black specks and the black Qi.
Black Qi was a precursor to the Dao Obliteration Calamity. Those who had reached a certain level of cultivation would feel an inexplicable sense of danger upon seeing it.
But these black specks… Li Fan observed them for a long time, feeling only disgust and discomfort, but no ominous premonition.
Qian Ruochang's explanation provided Li Fan with the answer.
"These can be considered the corpses of cultivation worlds."
"Just like after a person dies, their flesh and blood quickly return to heaven and earth, leaving only bones behind."
"These black specks are the most fundamental, purest parts, like the bones of a world. They won't remain in this world for long, so we must gather them quickly." As Qian Ruochang spoke, he continued to churn the void with his stone pillar, collecting fifteen black specks in a short time.
This seemingly simple action seemed to consume a great deal of energy. Qian Ruochang was panting and drenched in sweat, forced to stop and rest.
"You, eat it."
Qian Ruochang sent one of the black specks floating towards Dao Yuan.
Dao Yuan's expression shifted slightly, but he didn't hesitate. To everyone's astonishment, he endured the discomfort and swallowed the world bone.
His expression revealed the torment of swallowing a world bone whole. However, the effect was immediate and apparent.
"I feel like, Brother Dao, you've…"
"Become fainter?"
"Indeed, I feel somewhat blurry."
"This… If you hadn't reminded me, I would have almost overlooked Brother Dao! He's standing right here, yet it's as if he doesn't exist!" Everyone noticed the anomaly and exclaimed in amazement.
Qian Ruochang then explained with a smile, "These world bones are the foundation of the cultivation world, the most fundamental level of the world's mechanisms, the part closest to the Great Dao itself. After consuming them, before they completely return to heaven and earth, you are influenced by their power, like ice melting into water, merging into the world."
"Your human nature is masked by the 'world.' Naturally, you become difficult to perceive through ordinary senses."
Qian Ruochang distributed the world bones to everyone according to the pre-determined assessment order. Li Fan received his early and swallowed it.
The moment the black speck was absorbed, illusions flooded Li Fan's vision. They were scenes from the past of the cultivation world to which this black speck once belonged.
It wasn't a particularly unique story in the Lower Realm Star Sea. A once prosperous world had one day seen a crack appear in the sky. Several figures emerged from it.
Their immense pressure instantly killed most of the world's inhabitants. These figures made no attempt to restrain their power. Or perhaps, they simply had no time for such "trivial matters." They themselves… were fleeing in a panic.
Seventeen figures emerged from the crack one after another. The calamity only ended when the last figure forcibly closed the crack. He seemed dazed in his panic. Glancing at the devastated cultivation world below, ravaged by the True Immortals' power, he shook his head slightly.
With a gentle wave of his hand, he erased all remaining life on the surface, leaving no corpses behind. The cultivation world itself, unable to withstand the pressure, shattered and disintegrated.
As if having done something insignificant, the last figure drifted away.
…
Li Fan awoke from the illusion. This was one of the sources of the countless world corpses in the Myriad Star Graves.
"The Lower Realm Star Sea was never meant for Immortals. When they are forced here, they naturally cause immense devastation to the mortals who are native here."
Li Fan didn't feel any anger or resentment. It was the law of the jungle. Moreover, in the face of apocalyptic calamities, survival was the foremost priority for those fleeing for their lives. As for everything else… it didn't matter.
He calmed his mind, sensing the changes occurring naturally within his body after consuming the world bone. Just as Qian Ruochang had said, like ice melting into water. Through the world bone's connection to the Great Dao of heaven and earth, he was slowly "dissolving" into this starry sky.
"If I were to communicate with the Star Sea now, I might be able to effectively connect with the origin consciousness without the Grand Method of the Supreme Armour."
"Furthermore, I can feel a closer connection to the Dao Net…"
The miniature Dao Net in Li Fan's divine sense shimmered brightly. What was once an illusory projection now seemed partially tangible. Even this small change brought about a qualitative improvement. However, with others present, especially Qian Ruochang, who was suspected to be close to the Unnamed realm, Li Fan refrained from further investigation for now.
"The Dao comprehended by the 'Nothingness' Immortal, the so-called karmic connections, only applies to living beings. He hasn't transcended yet, thus he cannot sever his connection with heaven and earth. By using world bones to submerge ourselves within the Great Dao, we can greatly reduce the chance of being discovered by him." After gathering enough for the new recruits, Qian Ruochang swallowed a world bone himself, but he didn't stop there. Instead, he continued deeper into the Myriad Star Graves.
"Concealment is only the first step of the hunt."
"The second is to prepare traps and weapons capable of severely injuring or even killing the prey." Qian Ruochang's voice turned slightly ominous.
"True Immortals cultivate the Great Dao of heaven and earth, seeking transcendence. The best weapons against them are those that can harm or disrupt the Great Dao!"
…
These words caused everyone present to change color. Li Fan expected Qian Ruochang to talk about the Dao Obliteration Calamity next.
Unexpectedly, it was something else.
He changed the subject, "However, our Dao Net also relies on the power of the Great Dao of heaven and earth. Harming the enemy at the cost of harming ourselves is something we must avoid. But we can find suitable substitutes within these Myriad Star Graves."
"As I just mentioned, in the Myriad Star Graves, the corpses of cultivation worlds have their flesh and blood dissipated, returning to heaven and earth, leaving only bones."
"This power that catalyzes and devours the flesh and blood of cultivation worlds is the weapon we need!"
"The Great Dao, from top to bottom, is a unified whole. Even mortal cultivation worlds are manifestations of the Great Dao."
"The power to revert the Great Dao from its manifested form back into nothingness can also severely injure True Immortals who cultivate the Dao!"
…
Qian Ruochang spoke eloquently.
Lost in thought, Li Fan suddenly asked, "Boss Qian, according to what you're saying, wouldn't this power that dissipates the flesh and blood of cultivation worlds also severely damage the Dao Net?"
The other Immortal Hunters looked at Li Fan with surprise.
Qian Ruochang clapped his hands. "Precisely! But rest assured, the difference between the Dao Net and True Immortals lies in its comprehensiveness and its ability to self-repair."
"Since we are confident in using it as a weapon, we are not afraid of someone using it against the Dao Net!"
"Besides, utilizing this strange power from the Myriad Star Graves is a recent development…"
Qian Ruochang suddenly stopped. He glanced towards the front left, his expression turning serious.
"Watch closely. This is what I meant by the power that digests the flesh and blood of worlds…"
Qian Ruochang abruptly threw the stone pillar from his shoulder. It seemed like a grand gesture, but as it hurtled through the void, it was utterly silent, causing no disturbance. After circling once, it returned.
However, Li Fan keenly noticed that the stone pillar seemed to have shrunk slightly.
(End of Chapter)