The Nothingness Immortal's strength, even among the surviving True Immortals of the Shuo Star Sea, was undeniable. He absorbed the Hill-Guarding Immortal's Projection Dao Bearing technique much more smoothly than Li Buren, showing mostly an expression of captivated enjoyment rather than any real strain.
Compared to Li Buren's makeshift Immortal body, the Hill-Guarding Musings were clearly more suitable for a true Immortal. The Hill-Guarding Immortal's eons of contemplation, while perhaps useless to Li Buren, were an immense boon to the Nothingness Immortal.
In Qian Ruochang's eyes, the aura emanating from the Nothingness Immortal grew increasingly profound, his strength seemingly undergoing a qualitative leap in this short time. This both astonished and envious him.
After an unknown period, the Nothingness Immortal finally emerged from the Hill-Guarding Immortal's vast sea of thoughts.
"Thank you, Senior, for imparting this profound method," he said sincerely. He was genuinely grateful. The Hill-Guarding Immortal had vanished long before the Immortal Realm's destruction. If not for this Hidden Emperor's generosity, he would never have encountered such a wondrous technique.
"The concept of the Dao Net is indeed ingenious. Using Unnamed True Immortals as bones and True Immortals as strings, it can truly create a net of salvation. Unfortunately, too few True Immortals remain. And you wouldn't willingly sacrifice yourselves to become part of the net."
"After the fighting, the remaining True Immortals won't be enough to reach the Dao Net's required strength." Li Fan's voice echoed in the silent starry sky. It sounded subtly different after the transmission, but Qian Ruochang didn't notice, more concerned about the mysterious senior's words.
"This aligns with the Governing Council's concerns. As expected of a senior, you've seen through the Dao Net's weakness." Qian Ruochang was awed.
Li Fan continued, "You can transmit these Hill-Guarding Musings on my behalf. Regardless of their past or identity, anyone willing to leave behind a Dao-bearing projection can do so. The projection's power is no less than the original's. If all surviving True Immortals cultivate this and leave their projections within the Dao Net…"
"There's no need for a fight to the death between the two sides."
Qian Ruochang finally understood the true meaning of the Projection Dao Bearing technique. He felt a surge of excitement, seeing hope for an end to the long-standing conflict. The Nothingness Immortal was even more excited, not only because of the possibility of reconciliation but also because he could transmit the Hill-Guarding Immortal's secret technique.
Even after so many years, the name "Hill-Guarding Immortal" still held immense weight among True Immortals. Especially with Immortal Emperor Tianluo's boastful pronouncements about resolving the Dao Obliteration Calamity and creating an eternal Immortal dynasty, which only worsened the situation, the surviving True Immortals yearned for the Hill-Guarding Immortal who had single-handedly repelled Dao Obliteration.
If the Hill-Guarding Immortal were here, the Immortal Realm wouldn't have fallen. This was a common lament.
And now, he could transmit the Hill-Guarding Immortal's secret technique… What an honor! This was far more appealing than hiding in a World Crossing Profound Coffin and fleeing.
Moreover, combining Projection Dao Bearing with the Dao Net might truly turn the tide, creating an ark of salvation against the devastating Dao Obliteration Calamity!
The Nothingness Immortal was so excited he almost couldn't wait to spread the word.
"Having imparted this method, I've fulfilled the Hill-Guarding Immortal's request."
"What you two sides do next…"
"Hehe, is of little concern to me."
"That's all."
"You may leave now."
Just as Qian Ruochang and the Nothingness Immortal were deep in thought, Li Fan abruptly dismissed them. His words alerted them to something amiss.
"The Hidden Emperor hasn't revealed his true form. And now he's ordering us to leave…"
"Could it be that his true body is here, but he can't reveal himself for some reason?"
The Hidden Emperor's power was unfathomable. The only thing that could restrict him… was probably the Dao Obliteration Calamity!
A thought struck them simultaneously: "Could this Hidden Emperor be using his body as a pillar to support the Dao Obliteration Calamity?"
This wasn't a wild guess. There were precedents in history. However, those Unnamed True Immortals who tried to temporarily block Dao Obliteration were usually consumed by it. Someone shouldering the calamity while remaining active… only the Hill-Guarding Immortal had achieved such a feat!
The Hidden Emperor's next words confirmed their suspicion. "Are you still here? Do I need to personally escort you out?"
"Hahaha, I don't mind stretching my limbs, but I'm afraid the Dao Obliteration Calamity in this Star Region won't be contained anymore!"
The mention of "Dao Obliteration Calamity" caused subtle fluctuations in the surrounding starry sky, evoking a sense of impending doom. This place was already a survivor of the calamity. With these fluctuations, it felt like another catastrophe was imminent.
Their instincts weren't wrong. Their suspicions confirmed, Qian Ruochang and the Nothingness Immortal bowed respectfully to the Hidden Emperor, whose presence had already left Ma Tiande's body, before quickly departing.
As for the sleeping Immortal Hunters… they dared not ask for their return without the Hidden Emperor's permission. Besides, compared to their gains, these youngsters were insignificant.
"The Immortal Hunters…"
"Perhaps it's time for a name change." An image of a lofty figure flashed through Qian Ruochang's mind. That individual had personally created the initial Dao Net. Although seemingly cruel in his ruthless suppression of True Immortals, even the Unnamed, Qian Ruochang knew he still held some affection for them.
Otherwise, he would have ended the conflict long ago. The Governing Council wouldn't have accepted the surrendered True Immortals who had descended to the mortal realm. These seemingly compliant individuals were all harboring ulterior motives, unstable elements.
"Hill-Guarding Immortal. I've heard the name, but I don't know who he is."
"However, if this Projection Dao Bearing technique is real… it would be a great boon to that person, to that person."
Meanwhile, the Nothingness Immortal thought about the True Immortals he could contact first. For True Immortals who had been fighting each other to suddenly cooperate with the Shuo Star Sea… although theoretically the best option, centuries of hatred weren't easily forgotten.
To prevent further unnecessary deaths, he had to act quickly.
…
Lost in their thoughts, the two left the region near the wall. Li Fan withdrew from their minds. Having used the projections' power so frequently, Li Buren was in a dire state, forced to absorb another Immortal Domain chess piece to recover.
The avatar's condition was manageable. The Dao Obliteration Calamity's infiltration was the bigger problem. Not just in the Dark Star Sea, but in three out of ten surviving life-filled square spaces within the testing ground, Dao Obliteration black Qi was appearing.
The fluctuations indicating the calamity's imminent eruption weren't fabricated by Li Fan to scare Qian Ruochang and the Nothingness Immortal. Even with the Hill-Guarding Immortal's power, such fluctuations couldn't be faked.
"A few more times, and the heavens will truly fall."
"Unless I can find an Unnamed True Immortal to share the burden." Thinking this, Li Fan looked at the remaining Immortal Domain chess pieces in the projection space.
"When the pieces gather, the Immortal Domain appears, and the Southern Immortal Heavenly Pillar emerges."
"The pillar's core is the bone of an Unnamed True Immortal. When it appeared in the Xuanhuang World, it almost caused its collapse."
"But within this space, under the Hill-Guarding Immortal's projections, it won't be able to act so freely."
"Since it bears the name 'Heavenly Pillar,' it should fulfill its duty."
Li Fan made his decision.
Everything had two sides. Li Buren's frequent use of the Hill-Guarding Immortal's power had severely damaged his body, but it also made him resemble the Hill-Guarding Immortal more and improved his control over the projections' power.
"I can already suppress living Unnamed True Immortals, let alone a mere bone."
Li Fan knew the risks of borrowing the tiger's might. The Hill-Guarding Immortal was the most powerful being he had encountered. Even having transcended and departed to another possibility, just as the Black Heaven Healer and the evil Su Bai could sense their counterparts, the Hill-Guarding Immortal could likely sense his projections' power being used.
He was willing to take this risk because of the Hill-Guarding Immortal's demonstrated virtue. The projections were left behind to help this world resist the calamity. Using them to suppress an Unnamed True Immortal and strengthen the defenses aligned with the Hill-Guarding Immortal's intentions.
"Besides, the Immortal Realm in the original possibility has been destroyed for millennia. If the Hill-Guarding Immortal still cared, he would have returned long ago."
"If he hasn't appeared until now, he won't appear because of this."
Of course, these gambles weren't the main reason. His true confidence stemmed from possessing True Return. Even if the Hill-Guarding Immortal returned, Li Fan could escape with True Return.
The subtle fluctuations within the Dark Star Sea intensified, like waves crashing against a weakening dam.
"There's no time to lose."
"If I fail, I can always use True Return."
"I've already gathered enough valuable information." Li Fan's eyes flickered.
As Qian Ruochang departed, a crack appeared in his mental defenses, allowing Li Fan a glimpse of the figure behind the Dao Net. Although his identity remained unknown, a faint image remained. With the Hill-Guarding Immortal's power, Li Fan would recognize him instantly if they met again.
Li Fan's main body sent the missing chess piece, the Medicine King Cauldron, into the projection space, leaving behind another object before quietly departing to the Xuanhuang World, ready to activate True Return.
Li Buren sat back in the armchair, watching his body disintegrate, leaving only faint starlight on the chair. He had separated his consciousness from his Immortal Domain body, projecting his divine sense as a Dao Net to manipulate the projections' power.
"The amount of power I can control has decreased again."
"But it's enough to manifest the Immortal Domain within the projection space."
Li Buren made his assessment. Existing as pure consciousness didn't affect him significantly. Without the limitations of a physical body, he felt his perception of the Great Dao sharpen.
The thirteen Immortal Domain chess pieces gathered. Six were already merged into a multicolored form. Now, Li Buren added the remaining six, along with the Medicine King Cauldron as a catalyst…
The Immortal Domain reappeared!
However, unlike its earth-shattering manifestation in the Xuanhuang World, here, under the gaze of the Hill-Guarding Immortal's five projections, it appeared calmly, like an ordinary cultivation world rather than a fragment of the ancient Immortal Domain.
However, the appearance of the Southern Immortal Heavenly Pillar at its center caused a slight tremor. Li Buren even sensed the Hill-Guarding Immortal's projections shifting their gaze.
Within the projection space, suppressed by the Hill-Guarding Immortal's power, the stone tablet couldn't absorb anything, standing silently. Li Buren then tossed the object Li Fan had left behind into it.
This seemingly insignificant act caused a dramatic reaction. The calm stone tablet trembled violently, cracks appearing on its surface as if something was trying to break free!
Floating above the tablet was another bone of an Unnamed True Immortal, brought by Li Fan from True Return's space! The simultaneous appearance of two identical bones triggered a profound change. Ripples spread through the projection space, and the Hill-Guarding Immortal's gaze intensified.
The stone tablet within the Immortal Domain shattered, and the stable space seemed to boil, distorting and blurring. At the center of the countless fragments, the two identical bones were merging!
Unlike the fusion of ordinary Heavenly Treasures, where only one remained unchanged, new tissue seemed to be growing on the original bone!
(End of chapter)