Chaos's decision drew laughter from the Shuo Star Sea Immortals. However, they were accustomed to his cautious nature.
The white-robed man stroked the black cat on his shoulder and quipped, "Don't worry, Brother Chaos. Once we capture that charlatan Hidden Emperor, a celestial palace within the Primordial Immortal Realm will surely be yours. After all, even if you haven't contributed directly, you've still toiled for us."
The other Immortals echoed his words.
Chaos remained unfazed.
Although [Transformation]'s words were harsh, having spoken publicly, he wouldn't go back on his promise. This was entirely beneficial for Chaos.
If he was wrong and the Hidden Emperor was truly weak, his past contributions would still secure him a place within the Primordial Immortal Realm.
And if they were gravely mistaken…
Chaos began to formulate a plan.
"It's a pity [Inversion] isn't here. Otherwise, we wouldn't be so hesitant," Chaos thought, glancing at the black cat on Transformation's shoulder.
…
Li Fan was unaware of the events unfolding within the Shuo Star Sea.
Since appointing the five Grand Emperors of the Primordial Immortal Realm, he had been engrossed in a new understanding he had never experienced before.
Considering it a long-term investment, he left Chaos and the others hanging, focusing entirely on exploring this new insight.
The source of this understanding stemmed from the [Heaven Seating Art].
Li Fan had assumed this effortless cultivation technique would become ineffective after he reached Half-Immortal. It seemed he was right. Despite assisting numerous cultivators, directly or indirectly, in advancing their cultivation, he hadn't received any feedback whatsoever.
Until his recent appointments.
Only after the establishment of the five Grand Emperors did the Primordial Immortal Realm truly stabilize. It was no longer a mere imitation of the Immortal Realm but a genuine Immortal Domain, standing firmly upon [Upper Mountain].
And Li Fan, the orchestrator of this achievement, felt a sudden enlightenment the moment it was complete. It was as if a stepping stone had appeared beneath his feet, elevating him slightly higher. His perspective shifted, revealing a myriad of new possibilities.
"It wasn't that the Heaven Seating Art had become ineffective, but rather that after achieving the Immortal Path, ordinary feedback was no longer sufficient to propel my progress. Only the creation of an entire Immortal Domain was barely enough," Li Fan realized.
Although his strength hadn't changed, this slight "elevation" altered his perspective. He looked at the Keeper Qiu projection, Jixian, the Boundless Heavenly Pillar, and the others with a newfound understanding.
"A commanding view, effortless mastery," these words surfaced in Li Fan's mind.
After a brief contemplation, he understood the origin of this feeling.
He had spent over a century studying the Keeper Qiu projection, the Heavenly Pillars, and the others. He wasn't completely omniscient, but he was intimately familiar with them.
The feedback from the Heaven Seating Art was based on this foundational familiarity. The feedback from creating the Primordial Immortal Realm had effectively doubled this familiarity, saving him a century of effort.
Li Fan's eyes narrowed.
He examined himself and discovered that it wasn't just his understanding of the Keeper Qiu projection and the Heavenly Pillars that had improved. His knowledge and comprehension of everything he had learned had nearly doubled with this slight "ascension."
Even the Mo Annihilation Myriad Manifestations Dao Net was affected.
This astonishing rate of progress was almost unbelievable. After repeated confirmations, Li Fan had to accept the reality.
"A single inch higher on Upper Mountain represents a complete reversal of heaven and earth!"
"The increase in strength isn't uniform as one ascends. The higher one stands, the more exponentially one's cultivation amplifies!"
"No wonder the gap between True Immortals, even Unnamed True Immortals, and those standing at the apex of the Immortal Realm, like Keeper Qiu and the Four Saint Monarchs, is so vast."
"It's even greater than the differences between cultivators in the lower realms."
"Give me billions of Dao Integration cultivators, and I could overwhelm Eternal Life or even a Supreme Being like the Healer with sheer numbers. But…"
"Even billions of True Immortals combined might not be a match for any one of the Four Saint Monarchs."
Li Fan reflected on his past self, before this realization.
Discounting external forces and considering only his own power, he could now easily suppress his former self from before the creation of the Primordial Immortal Realm.
"The unique nature of [Upper Mountain] leads to unimaginable disparities between True Immortals, and even between Unnamed Ones of the same realm."
"After all, theoretically, even so-called Transcendent powerhouses are still classified as Unnamed True Immortals."
Only by climbing the mountain can one truly appreciate its height.
This was Li Fan's first personal advancement since reaching Half-Immortal, and it had granted him a glimpse into the vast and unfathomable nature of [Upper Mountain].
"It's truly hard to imagine the power wielded by the Saint Monarchs who stood above all Immortals."
"And the Infinite Sea and Upper Mountain themselves…" Li Fan's mind wandered in awe.
After a moment of contemplation, his thoughts returned to the present.
Looking at the Primordial Immortal Realm he had created, Li Fan sensed that through his constant infusion of infinite Immortal Power, it had become a part of [the Mountain and the Sea].
Even severing the connection between the Primordial Immortal Realm and the Infinite Sea wouldn't change this fact.
"So this is the [price]."
"Everything in the mortal world is not on the same level as the Infinite Sea and Upper Mountain. While one can borrow their power through clever means, the consequence is being eroded by their power and becoming a part of them."
"The Immortal Realm was like this. So are True Immortals."
"When the Mountain and the Sea merge, the debt of the Dao Obliteration Calamity will be repaid."
The scenes he had witnessed in past cycles now replayed before Li Fan's eyes. The Dao Obliteration Calamity, the tribulations, all followed this pattern.
"This is the understanding that arose after I truly created an Immortal Domain."
"Although I consider myself to possess exceptional comprehension, the former Immortal Emperors, and even the Four Saint Monarchs, surely possessed talent no less than mine."
"If I can understand this, how could they not?"
"They stood higher, so naturally, they saw further."
…
Li Fan looked upwards.
"That's why they knew this day would come. That's why they strived to climb higher and higher before the Mountain and the Sea merged."
"The lifespan displayed on the True Return's panel represents the lifespan of the entire [mortal world]. It doesn't necessarily reflect the lifespan of the Infinite Sea and Upper Mountain."
"The merging of the Mountain and the Sea is a trend. However, all trends eventually reach their end."
A flash of lightning struck through the fog in Li Fan's mind.
In that instant, he seemed to transcend the mortal world, seeing only the boundless Mountain and Sea.
When the Mountain and the Sea merged, the myriad beings in the mortal world below would vanish along with them.
The tide of the Dao Obliteration Calamity would continue to surge upwards.
The unparalleled powerhouses on the mountainside would frantically climb higher.
"As long as I climb high enough, I can escape the calamity of the merging Mountain and Sea!"
Li Fan, as if standing at the peak of Upper Mountain, looked down at the surging waves below. This thought arose unbidden in his mind.
But then, he couldn't help but wonder, "Just how high must I climb to avoid being consumed by the merging Mountain and Sea?"
"Keeper Qiu, the Four Saint Monarchs?"
"Or…"
"The True Return?!"
In a flash of inspiration, Li Fan thought of the extraordinary treasure that had accompanied him for so long.
This time, the True Return's response was peculiar.
It neither confirmed nor denied.
Its emotions were simply… subdued.
Even this slight negativity from the True Return had a profound impact on Li Fan.
"Perhaps no matter how high one climbs, one cannot escape the fate of destruction."
"Every step on Upper Mountain is incredibly arduous. Having missed the opportunity during its initial formation, catching up now…"
"In the past, when I cultivated within the Xuanhuang World, with the True Return's aid, I was always confident. Given enough cycles, I could grow stronger step by step, from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment, then to Golden Core and Nascent Soul, eventually surpassing even Eternal Life experts. But now…"
"Upper Mountain has stood for millennia. Where do I go from here?"
"Even the projection left by Keeper Qiu is so powerful. What about his true strength? And if Keeper Qiu is so formidable, what about the Four Saints of the Immortal Realm?"
"How can I possibly surpass them?"
Li Fan's gaze grew distant, his mind wandering.
Just as he was about to succumb to despair, the True Return sensed the danger and completely suppressed its emotional fluctuations.
Free from the True Return's influence, Li Fan gradually pulled himself out of this "inner demon."
Despite having experienced a hundred lifetimes, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
Li Fan wasn't a pessimistic person.
He firmly believed that with the True Return, he would eventually achieve true Transcendence and freedom.
But the True Return's emotional fluctuation was merely a trigger. The root cause was the despair and disorientation he felt after finally witnessing the landscape of [Upper Mountain].
The gap between him and the powerhouses standing at the apex of the Mountain and the Sea was simply too vast. So vast that even with the ability to infinitely reincarnate, Li Fan lacked the confidence to close it.
Especially as his strength grew and he approached these powerhouses, the risks he faced inevitably increased, and the external forces he could rely on dwindled.
There were only so many powerhouses between the Mountain and the Sea. The surrounding cliffs were bare, offering no foothold.
How could he cross that chasm, catch up to, or even surpass them?
In the past, as long as he possessed the "Transformations of Truth and Illusion," his greatest trump card and the source of his confidence, he wouldn't be affected by such negativity.
But the current situation was unique.
Even the True Return itself had been affected by this pessimism, which in turn influenced Li Fan.
After suppressing its emotions, the True Return fell silent, as if the previous incident had been a mere illusion.
However, Li Fan's trembling body proved that it wasn't just his imagination.
With immense willpower, Li Fan finally managed to shake off the negativity. However, he knew that the shadow hadn't been completely erased. It still lingered in a corner of his mind, ready to resurface at any moment.
Li Fan closed his eyes, dispelling the gloom, and then opened them again.
What truly concerned him wasn't his momentary loss of control. After all, this wasn't the first time it had happened.
It was the True Return's emotional fluctuation, which was completely unexpected.
"After witnessing the Mountain and the Sea, have I finally glimpsed the limits of the True Return?"
Li Fan paused, a myriad of emotions welling up within him.
There was a time when he believed the True Return was omnipotent. As long as he possessed this treasure, he could overcome any obstacle.
Now, it seemed the time was approaching when he would have to walk on his own.
Li Fan's expression was somber.
He knew that "approaching" still meant a long time, but it was finally within his "sight."
No longer distant.
In response to Li Fan's turbulent thoughts, the True Return seemed to revert to its initial state when he first began cultivating, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.
Li Fan stood motionless, like a statue.
Until a faint ripple from beyond the Great Wall startled him.
The disturbance was so powerful that it almost disrupted the pathway constructed by Li Buren.
Li Fan looked over coldly.
The newcomers were the Immortals of the Shuo Star Sea.
Led by Wuming, a group of True Immortals and Unnamed True Immortals had gathered outside the Great Wall.
"We heard that Senior has rebuilt the Immortal Court with your great divine power. We are filled with admiration and have come uninvited to witness this marvel," the white-robed figure announced.
His voice, filled with an inexplicable charm, dispelled the negativity Li Fan had felt due to the True Return's outburst.
Li Fan even felt a surge of inexplicable joy, as if welcoming a long-lost friend.
Delighted, he was about to beckon the Shuo Star Sea Immortals inside when he suddenly snapped out of his reverie.
"Hmm?"
"What was that just now…?"
"Transformation?"
Li Fan's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"As expected of a long-established Unnamed One. Even I almost fell for his trick."
"Fortunately, I have [Boundless] protecting me. I can ignore any divine ability, regardless of the Great Dao it utilizes."
Despite regaining his composure, Li Fan didn't change his actions. As if still under the influence of [Transformation], he showed no displeasure at their uninvited arrival. Instead, he laughed heartily and welcomed the Shuo Star Sea Immortals inside.
Li Fan noticed several unfamiliar faces among the visitors.
And [Chaos] wasn't among them.
He instantly understood their intentions.
"It just so happens that this Primordial Immortal Realm is newly created and still rather empty."
Having just experienced the True Return's unexpected outburst, Li Fan wasn't in a good mood.
And the Shuo Star Sea Immortals had delivered themselves to his doorstep.
Fate had sealed their doom.
Of course, these True Immortals were still oblivious, still awestruck by the Immortal Domain before them.
(End of chapter)