This "spirituality" was a unique quality Li Fan's main body could perceive in cultivators and living beings only after comprehending the "True becomes Fake" divine ability. It was a comprehensive assessment of character, talent, foundation, luck, and other factors, related to a being's probability of traversing possibilities.
Previously, Li Fan's focus had been limited to the Xuanhuang World and a few prodigies in the Shuo Star Sea. The limited sample size prevented a broader assessment.
Now, Li Buren's observation encompassed the entire experimental Star Sea. With the Xuanhuang World being just one among countless stars, the amount of data increased millions of times over.
Li Fan made a startling discovery: "Among the vast multitude of cultivation worlds, the aptitude of beings in the Xuanhuang World is absolutely top-tier."
The reason for this disparity in average aptitude remained unknown.
"But the True Immortals in the testing ground must have noticed this peculiarity. It's only natural they would focus their observation on the Xuanhuang World."
Within the Dark Star Sea, Li Buren was most interested in the Xuan Merchant Ark. At this point in time, the ark was already traversing the realms. Since its location wasn't fixed, sometimes venturing near areas of celestial phenomena, the testing ground's records of it were fragmented. At times, observation was lost completely, only for the ark to reappear elsewhere in the Star Sea.
The ark itself also seemed to possess some method of interfering with the recordings. The images were blurry and intermittent, like a lost signal. Li Buren's divine sense encountered resistance, unable to fully observe the events within.
"It's said the Xuan Merchant Ark discovered that beings in the various realms were being raised like livestock, so they abandoned settling in a single realm and began traversing the Star Sea to escape this fate. To some extent, they succeeded."
"According to current accounts, the Xuan Merchant Ark likely possesses an Immortal treasure or a method usable only by True Immortals. Only such power could achieve this effect."
After noting the suspicious events surrounding the Xuan Merchant Ark within these fifty years, Li Buren prepared to examine the other two square spaces. Suddenly, he felt he had overlooked something. He returned his attention to the recorded images of the Xuanhuang World, this time focusing not on the prominent figures, but on the ordinary populace.
He recognized some of the faces. At this point in the recording, Li Fan didn't exist yet. The reason for the familiarity was that these faces had appeared among the countless frozen corpses in the Life and Death Celestial Venerable's reversed Life and Death Formation.
"And some of these faces even exist in the present Xuanhuang World."
With a thought, Li Fan's main body located two individuals within the Blissful Ignorance Dreamland. They were originally mortals who embarked on the path of cultivation after the Dreamland enveloped the Xuanhuang World. In the testing ground's recordings, they also existed as unremarkable mortals in the ancient Xuanhuang World.
"…"
Four faces, spanning vast epochs, overlapped before Li Fan. Even with his current power, capable of destroying the Xuanhuang World with a flick of his wrist, he couldn't help but feel a chill. He recalled the mortal in the recording who deviated from his life's trajectory, acting like a different person, to summon the True Immortal.
"These mortals are probably NPCs created to fill the Xuanhuang World, reusable through reincarnation. At crucial moments, they can receive special instructions and carry out tasks for True Immortals…"
"This control isn't achieved through divine abilities or spells, but something ingrained within their very core."
Even before ascending, Li Fan could create life with the "Shape of Life." He didn't doubt that the ancient True Immortals possessed the ability to create beings en masse.
"These created beings are recycled, indicating the testing ground considered resource management. Due to the vast numbers and the passage of centuries between each reincarnation cycle, it's almost undetectable."
"Even if someone noticed, it could be easily dismissed as coincidence."
"Only someone like me, spanning two timeframes and knowing the faces of every being in the Xuanhuang World, can make this determination."
"Not only is everything recorded, but even the cultivation environment and most living beings are predetermined. Truly a testing ground…"
"I wonder if the other cultivation worlds are the same."
With the other realms destroyed, Li Fan couldn't confirm. But he assumed they were similar to the Xuanhuang World.
"The maintenance of this testing ground is definitely related to the Shifting Rings and the Nine Star Crimson Pearl Formation in the ancient Xuanhuang World formations I discovered. The Nine Star Crimson Pearl Formation is missing, likely taken by someone."
"The character 'Return' was left behind."
"If someone from within the testing ground took it, such measures wouldn't be necessary. So it must be an outsider."
"Judging from the remnants of the Nine Star Crimson Pearl Formation and the recorded data, it must contain the life data of every being that has ever existed in the Xuanhuang World…"
Countless faces flashed through Li Fan's mind. A question suddenly arose: if these mortals were NPCs created to populate the world, then what about the cultivators, the prominent figures, even the legendary experts who shook the ages, who graced the history of the Xuanhuang World?
"Not to mention the frequent emergence of prodigies in the Xuanhuang World's history."
"There are no records of any ascended True Immortals. Either they were intentionally erased, or they all achieved the Unnamed realm and vanished from the world's records."
"If it's the former, it's fine. But if it's the latter…"
Even if Unnamed True Immortals died like ants during the Immortal Realm's destruction, achieving the Unnamed realm required merging with the Dao. Their numbers couldn't be too high, especially considering the countless cultivation worlds in the Lower Realm. Even the blessed Xuanhuang World couldn't produce so many Unnamed True Immortals.
Like a lightning bolt piercing the fog, a thought struck Li Fan: "Could Unnamed True Immortals have descended, using themselves as bait to lure and capture True Return?"
His mind raced.
"A treasure from the Infinite Sea capable of reversing the Dao Obliteration Calamity would tempt even Unnamed True Immortals. If I knew about this testing ground, I would try to get involved, even if it meant sneaking in."
"After all, it's just an avatar, easily created. What if they succeeded in capturing it?"
"But is True Return so easily obtained? They were destined to fail."
"Those who achieve the Unnamed True Immortal realm possess unquestionable aptitude. Even without their main body's memories, regaining the True Immortal realm shouldn't be a problem."
"Theoretically, a testing ground wouldn't allow its subjects to escape through ascension. However, those from the Immortal Realm were naturally exempt. Some were even figures involved in the testing ground itself, too powerful to offend, so they were allowed to leave."
Li Fan recalled Mo Rubin's description of Heavenly King Xuan's recollection.
"Heavenly King Xuan ascended because the Immortal Official in charge of the lightning tribulation happened to perish during the Immortal Realm's destruction. In his own words, that tribulation wasn't meant for anyone to survive…"
"Heavenly King Xuan was arguably the most powerful cultivator in the Xuanhuang World's history, possibly aided by the Fishing Pond from the start of his cultivation journey. Even so, he had no chance against the ascension tribulation."
"It seems escaping this testing ground under normal circumstances is impossible."
Li Fan's expression darkened, but he also felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, the Dao Obliteration Calamity had destroyed the Immortal Realm, scattering the True Immortals and forcing them to abandon this testing ground.
"Otherwise, even with True Return, I would be like a bird in a cage, a fish in a net…"
Then, Li Fan froze.
He pondered, "Or perhaps the True Immortals' calculations weren't wrong. True Return did appear in this designated testing ground. But…"
"Perhaps they didn't anticipate that True Return had its own consciousness. Such methods could deceive mortals, but not True Return."
"So it remained hidden, waiting…"
"Not only for the Immortal Realm's destruction and the testing ground's ruin, but also for a suitable, unique vessel."
With this conjecture, True Return, silent since their return from the Infinite Sea, finally stirred. However, its emotions were difficult for Li Fan to decipher: a mix of affirmation, amusement, and something else.
Li Fan, maintaining his composure, tried to seek further guidance. Having spent hundreds of reincarnations with True Return, he could detect any subtle change in it. He noticed that since returning from the Infinite Sea, possibly after encountering its old acquaintances, True Return had become more "active." Previously, it only responded lazily in extreme situations. But now…
This time, faced with Li Fan's sincere request, True Return actually provided an answer.
Li Fan was taken aback. After a moment of stunned silence, he searched for True Return's guidance. Neither his main body nor his avatar, Li Buren, showed any changes.
The change was in… the "Samsara of No Interval" timeline he had created.
Trapped within, the Truth Celestial Venerable had undergone nine thousand three hundred and sixty-three cycles of reincarnation. Despite his attempts, he couldn't alter the Xuanhuang World's destruction. After eight hundred attempts, he finally gave up, accepting his fate at the beginning of each cycle.
Gradually, he found solace in this. Since he would always return to the starting point regardless of the destruction, wasn't he, in a way, immortal?
Understanding this, the Truth Celestial Venerable embraced his fate, living each life in a daze, oblivious to the accelerating pace of his reincarnations.
From Li Fan's perspective, True Return had sped up the timeline. While the Truth Celestial Venerable couldn't perceive it, Li Fan witnessed millions of cycles flashing before him.
The completely resigned Truth Celestial Venerable offered no resistance in each reincarnation. The cycles became unchanging, each identical to the last.
…
Li Fan stared at the reincarnating Truth Celestial Venerable, a strange expression on his face. He saw that the Truth Celestial Venerable's spirituality was being eroded with each cycle, just like when Li Fan used the "True becomes Fake" divine ability.
Eventually, all spirituality vanished, his future severed!
Li Fan's mind reeled.
"When the true is made fake, the fake becomes real."
"The 'True becomes Fake' divine ability can diminish a cultivator's spirituality."
"And isn't each of my reincarnations a form of 'true becomes fake'?"
"Moreover, this 'true becomes fake' is executed through True Return itself…"
Li Fan trembled, conjuring a water mirror before him. He had observed the spirituality of countless beings, but never his own.
With apprehension and trepidation, he looked at himself, his familiar face and body. To his relief, his fears were unfounded. In fact…
A strange expression appeared on Li Fan's face. He stroked his chin, a realization dawning upon him.
What was True Return's guidance?
What made him a unique vessel?
Why, among countless beings, was he chosen?
Li Fan gazed at his reflection. His spirituality didn't seem particularly remarkable. Yet, he felt an inexplicable sense of profound, unwavering spirituality within him, unchanged despite being repeatedly eroded by reincarnation.
"If the ability to withstand 'true becomes fake' is a form of aptitude,"
"Then perhaps my aptitude is unparalleled."
"Unlike other forms of cultivation aptitude, this is what True Return truly values."
(End of chapter)