Li Buren observed, seeking traces of the Dao Obliteration Calamity. The Hill-Guarding Immortal, having observed the mountains and seas for over a hundred epochs, was intimately familiar with them. Now, empowered by him, Li Buren sensed a familiar aura on the massive "Hunger" character on the Immortal Ruins.
"Whether the previous Hunger Immortal perished in the Dao Obliteration Calamity or became a pillar to resist it, they definitely had close contact with it."
"Though their body perished, their Dao remained. The current Hunger Immortal discovered this and, tempted by the Unnamed realm, chose to cultivate here, risking great danger instead of fleeing like other True Immortals."
"Actually, it's not that dangerous."
"From an outside perspective, the Immortal Realm has long been destroyed. But from the Hunger Immortal's perspective, less than a day has passed. Moreover, with the remnants of an Unnamed True Immortal as a pillar, if the Dao Obliteration Calamity erupts again, the Immortal Ruins might be safer than other places in this Star Sea."
"If I were her, I would make the same choice."
Although determined to help the Hunger Immortal achieve the Unnamed realm, Li Buren didn't intend to ignore the Dao of Hunger. Capable of distorting time, it was definitely not "weak."
He hid within the "house" representing the Dao of Hunger, observing the Hunger Immortal's growing presence, meticulously recording the entire process.
"If I'm not mistaken, these records will vanish after she achieves the Unnamed realm, similar to True Return's simulations, but with a slight difference. Even with True Return, I can't recall the simulations after the final annihilation."
"But here…"
"If she dies, or if I move on to my next life, before anyone else masters the Dao of Hunger, the records will reappear."
"With the remnants of the previous Hunger Immortal and the complete record of the last one's ascension, anyone with decent aptitude can quickly achieve the Unnamed realm! I don't necessarily need this woman." Li Buren recorded everything dispassionately.
Finally, the "house" of Hunger could no longer accommodate a second person. A profound fluctuation rippled through the world. The second wall Li Buren had created crumbled without warning. Not because the Hunger Immortal attacked, but due to the natural fluctuations from her ascension.
Although his imitation wall could block a cultivating Hunger Immortal, it couldn't withstand an Unnamed True Immortal. Simultaneously, Li Buren felt a portion of his memory erased. However, his mission remained firmly imprinted in his mind.
The immense aura before him reminded him that an Unnamed True Immortal stood there, his target! The ascension process wasn't complete yet. It wasn't the optimal time to strike. Li Buren gathered his strength, ready to attack.
Within the Dark Star Sea, it was as if a massive meteor had struck, unleashing a tidal wave that swept through everything. No remnants in the Star Sea could withstand this immense force. Relics and fragmented realms were swallowed whole, crashing against the wall at the Star Sea's boundary.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The counter-force accumulated beneath the wall for millennia acted as a buffer, stopping some relics and fragmented realms. But many still crashed against the wall. The wall, formed by the Hill-Guarding Immortal's projections, stood firm, unyielding. The colliding objects crumbled to dust, not even causing a tremor. It even contained the fluctuations from the Unnamed Hunger Immortal's ascension.
This reassured Li Buren. The Hill-Guarding Immortal's power was indeed reliable.
Amidst the storm caused by the ascension, Li Buren noticed a subtle change in the "Shape of Life" basin beneath the Dark Star Sea. With his current power, even the slightest anomaly couldn't escape his notice.
"Is it, like me, recording the fluctuations from the Unnamed Hunger Immortal's birth?"
This surprised Li Buren. However, their methods of recording differed. Li Buren recorded everything, while the Shape of Life within the Star Sea basin used the impact of the Hunger Immortal's ascension to rewrite itself, like pressing a finger onto an ink pad, leaving the imprint of an Unnamed True Immortal, preserving information that couldn't normally be recorded.
The long-dormant River of Life within the basin surged, echoing the grand ascension in the Star Sea. Drawing upon almost all its stored life force, a figure corresponding to the Hunger Immortal appeared within the Shape of Life.
"The shadow of an Unnamed Immortal."
"Interesting." Li Buren's mind raced. "According to previous investigations, this Shape of Life was created by Xing Wuque under Heavenly King Xuan's command."
"Although Heavenly King Xuan was exceptionally talented, he was only at the Half-Immortal realm when he disappeared. He shouldn't have possessed such a method. So the key must be Xing Wuque."
"Exhausted, his soul almost scattered, leaving only a broken mask…"
If Xing Wuque were just a native Xuanhuang World cultivator, weaker than even Heavenly King Xuan, he definitely couldn't have created the Shape of Life. But considering that the Xuanhuang World was once a place to lie in wait for True Return, and that Unnamed True Immortals might have infiltrated it in disguise… everything made sense.
"How many of the Twelve Dharma Kings are truly innocent?"
Focused on hunting the Unnamed Hunger Immortal, Li Buren looked away from the shadow within the basin.
The turmoil subsided. The Dark Star Sea had been blessed with the birth of an Unnamed True Immortal. But for her, it might be a curse.
The moment she achieved the Unnamed realm and fully occupied the Dao of Hunger, the remnants of the previous Hunger Immortal lost their power, becoming ordinary matter. The "Hunger" character on the Immortal Ruins dimmed before reappearing, now belonging to the new Hunger Immortal.
Rumble… A faint, world-ending rumble echoed from beyond, caused by the sudden absence of the supporting pillar, the remnants of the previous Hunger Immortal, allowing the Dao Obliteration Calamity to encroach. It was like a hole appearing in an unbreakable dam. Although the hole hadn't penetrated completely, the tide was already surging.
If Li Buren returned the borrowed power of the Hill-Guarding Immortal's projections now, the combined power of the Primordial bone and the five projections could withstand the onslaught. But he didn't move, even resisting the projections' pull.
He hadn't forgotten his target. He was waiting for the perfect opportunity. And the Hunger Immortal didn't disappoint him.
Perhaps inheriting the previous Hunger Immortal's duty, or perhaps acting instinctively in the face of danger, she casually used a portion of her power as a temporary patch against the incoming Dao Obliteration tide, simultaneously transmitting to Li Buren, "Fellow Immortal, you should leave. This place is no longer safe."
Even after achieving the Unnamed realm, she still addressed him as "Fellow Immortal," both out of gratitude for his guidance and because his strange power seemed comparable to her own.
However, his next action shocked her. Her "benefactor" suddenly changed!
Li Buren's body froze, then exploded, transforming into a vast silver Dao Net, fully accepting the power of the Hill-Guarding Immortal's projections. A roar louder than even the Dao Obliteration tide echoed in the Unnamed Hunger Immortal's ears. Within the silver net, she saw a towering figure, vast like the mountains and seas.
Even she, having merged with a Great Dao, was like an ant before him. The figure resembled her "benefactor" but also the legendary figure from ancient Immortal Realm tales…
"The Hill-Guarding Immortal?!"
The Unnamed Hunger Immortal was stunned. At that moment, the mountains and seas crashed down upon her. Only when the tide engulfed her and the mountains loomed above did she snap out of her shock.
Without time to question, she instinctively resisted. Even if he was the legendary savior of the Immortal Realm, she wouldn't surrender!
"Hungry."
"I'm so hungry…" A ghostly voice echoed amidst the tide. It seemed to be the Hunger Immortal's, but also like something from beyond the Great Dao.
The power Li Buren had prepared to imprison her was devoured by her. Facing the might of the mountains and seas, the Hunger Immortal was undeterred. She would devour the mountains and drink the sea, turning everything into sustenance!
Like a giant vortex consuming everything, the Hunger Immortal's form blurred. Even Li Buren's Dao Net body felt distorted by this terrifying pull. The Unnamed Hunger Immortal's power was indeed greater than expected.
But this wasn't enough to turn the tables…
Li Buren's other body, sitting in the armchair, bowed slightly to the five projections. In an instant, more power surged through him, the maximum he could borrow without risking the wall's collapse under the pressure of Dao Obliteration: the equivalent of two and a half Unnamed True Immortals!
The force restraining the Hunger Immortal more than doubled. The previously immense mountains and seas now seemed like mere pebbles and droplets. Their expansion seemed limitless.
The Hunger Immortal's resolve faltered. Her endless hunger was almost sated. More importantly… the pressure from the Dao Obliteration Calamity, which she had casually resisted before, intensified.
The combined pressure immobilized her! As if sensing her weakness, the Dao Obliteration Calamity, like a sentient being, focused its attack on her. The pressure she now faced was many times greater than anywhere else in the Star Sea!
Li Buren also noticed this shift. The increased pressure on the Hunger Immortal meant less burden on the Hill-Guarding Immortal's projections, allowing him to borrow more power. He drew upon the equivalent of three Unnamed True Immortals, unleashing it all at once.
The Unnamed Hunger Immortal, already struggling against the Dao Obliteration Calamity, was trapped like a bird in a cage. Li Buren's Dao Net body transformed into ropes, binding her and slowly "nailing" her to this starry sky.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"No!"
"Great Lord Hill-Guarding Immortal, have mercy!" Realizing his intent, the Hunger Immortal cried out in terror.
Using Unnamed True Immortals as pillars wasn't a secret. The Hunger Immortal had known about it, even witnessing the creation of a pillar during her cultivation. She never imagined she would suffer the same fate!
However, her unwillingness couldn't change reality. The world before her darkened. The starlight and the mountains and seas vanished. She sank into an endless abyss, surrounded by eternal darkness and increasing pressure.
…
The moment the Unnamed Hunger Immortal vanished from the Dark Star Sea, an Unnamed Heavenly Pillar was firmly established. Sensing the persistent whispers of Dao Obliteration, Li Buren returned the borrowed power.
The combined strength of the Primordial bone, the Hunger Immortal pillar, and the five projections of the Hill-Guarding Immortal formed a dam the current Dao Obliteration Calamity couldn't breach. After a few futile attempts, the tide receded.
Li Buren examined his Dao Net body. It was becoming ethereal due to the calamity's proximity. Fortunately, the surge was brief. After a few deep breaths, he recovered.
"The Dao Obliteration tide truly ebbs and flows."
"And it seems unpredictable."
"Within the brief window of a discovered vulnerability, it can suddenly surge."
"As if…"
"It possesses its own consciousness."
(End of chapter)