"I won't hide it from you, Senior Brother. I possess a treasure called the [Beast Taming Wheel], which can restrain the foreign Unnamed Ones. However, its power is limited and can only contain eight of them at most. As for the remaining five, I'll have to rely on your assistance," Li Fan said with surprising candor, displaying the treasure bestowed upon him by Di Sanmo.
Dao Bearer observed the images of peculiar lifeforms within the wheel and nodded slightly. "Indeed, these are the auras of Daos from beyond the heavens. Rest assured, Junior Brother. With me here, these foreign races won't cause any trouble."
Dao Bearer's confidence didn't seem feigned, which piqued Li Fan's curiosity.
"Although you are powerful, Senior Brother, even you might not be a match for all thirteen foreign Unnamed Ones combined. Unless…" Li Fan gestured upwards, implying the departed Keeper Qiu.
Dao Bearer chuckled. "Such a trivial matter doesn't require Master's intervention. Against fellow disciples, restraint is necessary. But against these foreign races…"
"We can resort to any means necessary."
Li Fan's eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands respectfully. "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."
Instead of answering directly, Dao Bearer asked, "Is the one beside my true body your avatar?"
"Senior Brother truly has discerning eyes. This avatar isn't connected by blood essence but by an intangible link between our souls, undetectable by others."
"Then watch closely."
The scene shifted back to the depths of the Shuo Star Sea's Dao Net.
Li Buren and Dao Bearer's true body were locked in a stalemate.
Chaos and Transformation tried to intervene but were blocked by a surge of Dao strings, as if another Dao Net was hidden within the gaunt old man's body!
Even the Boundless power required time to unravel these Dao strings. Chaos and Transformation could only defend themselves.
"Who is this person? How strange!"
"These Dao strings appear to be projections of the Heavenly Dao, but they are mostly his own comprehension. I even sense my own Dao of Transformation within them! How is this possible?!" The two Unnamed Ones instantly noticed the peculiarity of Dao Bearer's Dao, their astonishment deepening.
They were unaware that Li Buren and Dao Bearer, who were previously locked in a fierce battle, were now exchanging friendly discourse. Dao Bearer even began to explain and demonstrate his techniques to Li Buren.
"Junior Brother, watch carefully."
Dao Bearer tightened his grip on the Boundless Rod.
Li Buren sensed the surging Boundless aura emanating from him intensify.
Suddenly, a hundred Dao strings, as if sentient, attacked Li Buren.
"This is…"
"Boundless?!"
These Dao strings bypassed the Myriad Manifestations Dao Net's defenses, even the Boundless Rod itself. If Li Buren hadn't reacted quickly and blocked them with the Dao Sword and Dao Knife, he would have been riddled with them.
"Dao Bearer isn't just empty words. It's a practice of body and will." Myriad Dao strings enveloped him and Li Buren, shielding them from the prying eyes of Chaos and Transformation.
"While constructing the Shuo Star Sea's Dao Net externally, I also embodied it within my own body. Even if one day, the Great Dao collapses and the Dao Net is destroyed, I can become the Dao Net, become the Great Dao itself!" Dao Bearer's voice boomed like thunder.
To Li Buren, the gaunt old man truly seemed to be the embodiment of the Shuo Star Sea's Dao Net, bearing the weight of heaven and earth!
"Senior Brother's Dao Bearer is truly admirable. But this alone might not be enough. With the departure of the Immortals, the Great Dao of this world is already incomplete, and the Dao you embody will be further diminished… And those thirteen foreign Primordial Dao Incarnates, each one is a complete manifestation of a Great Dao. A fully formed infant isn't necessarily stronger than a single powerful arm," Li Buren countered.
Instead of directly refuting Li Buren, Dao Bearer smiled and asked, "What if I embody the complete Great Dao?"
"Observe!"
A seemingly endless stream of Dao strings erupted from Dao Bearer, obscuring the heavens.
The Shuo Star Sea's Dao Net was merely a small, insignificant part of it. Dao Bearer's physical body vanished completely, and Li Buren felt like he was falling into an infinite expanse of stars, surrounded by shimmering Daos.
Although much more obscure than observing the true Great Dao directly, careful contemplation would undoubtedly yield immense benefits.
Looking at this true Dao Net hidden within Dao Bearer, two terms suddenly surfaced in Li Buren's mind:
Inscription Dao Immortal, [Supreme Dao Scripture].
"What he's doing is essentially the same as the Inscription Dao and the Dao Scripture."
"The Inscription Dao Immortal manifests the formless Dao and then translates it, making it comprehensible to others."
"Dao Bearer, perhaps aware of his limited aptitude, chose not to emulate the Inscription Dao Immortal. Instead, he willingly became a [mirror], reflecting the entirety of the Heavenly Dao."
"But becoming a [Dao Mirror] is an extraordinary feat. Aside from requiring a deep understanding of the Heavenly Dao, the most crucial aspect is…"
"The timing. Not to mention the Immortal Realm being shattered and the Great Dao lost in the Dao Obliteration Calamity, even in its prime, many Unnamed True Immortals achieved Transcendence and departed, leaving the Heavenly Dao incomplete. Where did the Heavenly Dao he reflects originate from?" Li Buren's thoughts raced.
As if sensing Li Buren's doubts, Dao Bearer's voice echoed from all directions, "I was once a spirit stone by the Mountain and Sea, nurtured within the Immortal Realm for eons, yet unable to hatch. Even when Master was about to achieve Transcendence and depart, I hadn't gained sentience."
"Later, Master came to the lower realm Testing Grounds and discovered a star region that could potentially aid me. So, he left me there."
A dark, chaotic star region appeared before Li Buren's eyes.
It was one of the countless cube-shaped spaces within the Immortal Realm Testing Grounds. Li Fan had observed this area before and hadn't noticed anything unusual.
The scene shifted, and countless blue lights emerged from the darkness. It was the primordial form of this star region from an unknown time in the past, a boundless azure ocean filling the entire expanse.
And its source was a small mountain, no larger than a hand.
A stream flowed endlessly down the mountain. This stream, seemingly outside the cycle of the world, never diminished.
Over time, it accumulated, gradually filling the entire star region.
Only the small mountain at the center remained unaffected.
Keeper Qiu placed the spirit stone at the spring on the mountain's peak, where it was constantly washed by the stream, eventually transforming into a human form!
…
Li Buren sighed, "Senior Brother, you have such an extraordinary origin!"
"Even as a spirit stone, I reflected the world. All that was lost and gone remained within my past. Except for those who truly transcended, I could recreate them with my mind."
The image of the vast Dao Net vanished, and Dao Bearer returned to his gaunt form.
"It only requires time."
"Unfortunately, time is not on our side," Dao Bearer sighed.
"As you can see, constructing the Shuo Star Sea's Dao Net took me tens of thousands of years. Recreating the entire Heavenly Dao would require tens of millions of years…"
Li Buren pondered and then understood. "If not for the pressure of the Dao Obliteration Calamity, you wouldn't need so long, would you, Senior Brother?"
"Precisely. Ultimately, I only embody the shadow of the Dao, not the true Dao itself. Without Dao Integration True Immortals as pillars, even if I could recreate the complete Great Dao, it would be like a castle in the air, easily dispelled."
"Senior Brother, you needn't be so modest. Reflecting the complete Great Dao is an extraordinary feat, beyond the capabilities of ordinary Unnamed Ones. But I'm curious, what did you mean by resorting to any means necessary…?" Li Buren asked.
"Replacing shadows with Dao, transforming shadows into Dao," the gaunt old man, still sitting cross-legged, said slowly.
Li Buren pondered his words.
"The Dao Paths in different possibilities might vary slightly, but within the mortal world, they are all ultimately governed by the Mountain and Sea. I, a spirit stone born by the Mountain and Sea, can absorb and assimilate these different Dao Paths. And then transform them into the shadows of the Great Dao within my memory," Dao Bearer explained patiently.
"Perhaps due to the influence of the Mountain and Sea, this absorption isn't particularly difficult. To a certain extent, I can even bypass their will."
As if to demonstrate, Dao Bearer tightened his grip on the Boundless Rod. The surging Boundless aura around him intensified fivefold.
Li Buren noticed that the Boundless Rod itself had weakened slightly.
Although it was still [Boundless], its upper limit had decreased.
"This rod must contain a former disciple of a Saint Monarch, the Great Venerable Wuming…"
Dao Bearer shook his head and returned the stolen Boundless power.
The Boundless Rod was restored to its original state.
"The Daos I absorb can be transformed within my body. If those thirteen foreign Dao Incarnates dare to come…"
"They won't be leaving. They'll all become Heavenly Pillars," Dao Bearer declared, sealing the fate of the foreign Unnamed Ones.
Dao Bearer's act of weakening the Boundless Great Dao's upper limit made Li Fan contemplate.
In a way, it was similar to his own [Truth Becomes Illusion] ability, which reduced the upper limit of spirituality.
"However, [Truth Becomes Illusion] directly diminishes existence, while Dao Bearer's innate ability only transforms its nature without erasing it. But perhaps they are both related to the Mountain and Sea…"
"It's fortunate that Keeper Qiu found and enlightened this spirit stone. With Dao Bearer's current moral code, as long as we don't act against his beliefs before him, there won't be any trouble. Otherwise, even without using Keeper Qiu's mark, his innate ability would make him a formidable opponent," Li Fan thought, alarmed.
The power of the Mountain and Sea transcended the mortal world. No power originating from within the mortal world could rival it. Only the Transformations of Truth and Illusion could contend with it.
"Perhaps Keeper Qiu left his mark as a form of surveillance. Otherwise, if Dao Bearer ever lost control, the devastation he could wreak upon the mortal world would be catastrophic."
Li Fan decided that Dao Bearer was an ally, not an enemy.
"Rest assured, Senior Brother. Since you trust me so much, I will never reveal your origin to anyone," Li Fan vowed.
"With your abilities, Senior Brother, I have nothing to worry about. However, it's not advisable to release the True Immortals sealed within the Heavenly Pillars just yet. I fear there won't be enough support, and the Dao Obliteration Calamity is approaching…" Li Fan explained with a troubled expression.
"I understand," Dao Bearer said, far from being unreasonable. "We'll release them after we have the foreign Heavenly Pillars as replacements. When will those foreign Unnamed Ones arrive?"
"Fifty years at the earliest, a hundred at the latest."
Dao Bearer nodded. "That's not too long. Their grievances won't be too great."
Li Fan echoed, "Indeed, Senior Brother is truly compassionate."
The myriad Dao strings obscuring the heavens retracted.
Chaos and Transformation, still on high alert, were stunned to see Li Buren and Dao Bearer standing together like close brothers.
"Senior, what's going on?" Chaos inquired through mental transmission.
"It was a misunderstanding. This is the [Great Net], and he's also my Senior Brother."
Li Buren's words shocked the two Unnamed True Immortals.
They stared at the frail old man, unable to reconcile his appearance with the image of the blue hands.
Dao Bearer didn't bother explaining.
He simply said, "Although you repeatedly thwarted my plans, considering we are of the same lineage, I won't hold it against you."
His words confused Chaos and Transformation, who had no idea what he meant by "same lineage."
But they dared not ask.
Thus, the crisis, or perhaps farce, finally came to an end.
Although some True Immortals had perished, no Unnamed Ones were harmed.
They were merely temporarily sealed within the Heavenly Pillars and could be released at any time.
As for the Immortal Hunters and mortals within the Shuo Star Sea…
They weren't even a consideration for Dao Bearer.
Li Fan now understood his "Senior Brother" somewhat. His definition of "same lineage" was hierarchical.
Those who directly inherited Keeper Qiu's teachings were closest.
Among the Immortals of the Immortal Realm, their importance was determined by their cultivation level.
As for the mortals of the lower realms, they were merely insignificant ants.
"Truly a spirit stone by the Mountain and Sea. Although enlightened by Keeper Qiu and possessing a sense of morality, deep down, he remains cold and unfeeling," Li Fan judged inwardly.
But he showed no sign of his disapproval, addressing Dao Bearer warmly as "Senior Brother."
Perhaps because no one had genuinely addressed him as such since his birth, Dao Bearer was immensely pleased and treated Li Fan with increasing friendliness.
During their conversation, Li Fan learned why a powerful Unnamed True Immortal like Dao Bearer would rely on mortals to maintain the Dao Net.
"Mere mortals could contend with you, Senior Brother?" Li Fan asked incredulously.
"If I used my full power, they would be no match for me. But even in defeat, they could still injure me. That's why I became interested in them."
(End of Chapter)