Unlike Dao Bearer, who summoned a mighty wind from the Mountain and Sea to confront the enemy, Li Fan remained hidden, capturing the fleeing beast projections with the Dao Refining Medicine King Scripture, silently and without a trace.
The foreign entity saw its fleeing parts swallowed by a seemingly bottomless abyss.
As the wind from the Mountain and Sea intensified, the tentacles on its surface thinned.
With a pained roar, the foreign entity was gradually eroded.
Unable to fight or flee, it was truly trapped.
The orange-yellow eye within the sphere flashed with malice.
A moment later, with a resounding boom, the mangled flesh sphere exploded, scattering gore and unleashing a wave of blood-red煞energy that collided with the wind from the Mountain and Sea.
Even this desperate attack shouldn't have been able to withstand the power of the Mountain and Sea.
"Hmm?"
However, after noticing the countless figures within the blood-red煞energy, Dao Bearer hesitated and then reduced the wind's intensity.
The foreign entity, concealed within the myriad figures, vanished.
Dao Bearer didn't pursue it but observed the ghostly blood-red figures. They were all human, their naked bodies and beast-like movements hinting at their tragic fate, treated as mere livestock, lacking even basic sentience.
"Although I knew the beast came from a world ruled by the thirteen Dao Incarnates, a hell for our kind, and I was prepared…"
"…witnessing this firsthand still enrages me." Dao Bearer's calm voice echoed through the star region, momentarily silencing even the wind.
Li Fan, familiar with Dao Bearer, sensed the anger beneath his calm exterior.
He, too, felt a surge of rage upon seeing the countless human figures within the blood-red煞energy.
"They were likely slaughtered and absorbed by the foreign race before fleeing here."
"But for them, death might be a mercy."
Li Fan couldn't imagine his fate if he had transmigrated into such a world as a human. Even the True Return's power might not be enough to escape or change his destiny.
"This creature must be destroyed!"
"You think you can escape our sight by hiding in the stars?"
"This is but a lone island. Without the ability to cross the vast ocean, there's nowhere to run!"
Li Fan poured all his anger into his voice, which boomed like thunder through the merged star regions.
He waved his sleeve, gathering the human figures, checking for the foreign entity while also liberating these tormented souls.
Not by destroying them but by transforming them into streaks of light and sending them into the Primordial Immortal Realm.
There, after a few decades, they would be reborn.
Although not all would be reborn as humans, even as a humble mountain spirit, their new lives would be infinitely better than their previous existence.
"Thank you, Junior Brother," Dao Bearer said, expressing gratitude on behalf of the countless human souls. Although he possessed immense power and countless divine abilities, his expertise lay in the grand forces of the Mountain and Sea. He wasn't as adept at manipulating the lives of ordinary beings. Li Fan's method of reincarnation was something he would need to study to replicate.
However, despite his anger, he wouldn't waste time on these souls.
Li Fan's intervention was a welcome relief.
Li Fan worked efficiently, quickly separating the human souls for reincarnation and refining the remnants of the foreign entity into Dao Pills.
The star region, previously tainted by the entity's explosion, was restored.
"Senior Brother, where do you think that beast went?" Li Fan asked, still analyzing Dao Bearer's Mountain and Sea Wind technique. Having experienced the Mountain and Sea firsthand, he could appreciate its intricacies.
"It can't possibly bypass Master's protection."
"And it's not within my Dao Net…"
Dao Bearer deactivated his technique and scanned the star region, his killing intent undisguised.
But he couldn't find the foreign entity.
"It's good at hiding," he snorted.
"I have an idea. Follow me, Senior Brother." Li Fan led the way.
Dao Bearer followed. They arrived at the edge of the Shuo Star Sea.
Due to the Guang Wu Star Sea's scheme, part of the Shuo Star Sea had been consumed by the Dao Obliteration Calamity, transforming its central region into its edge.
They arrived at the location where Di Sanmo had vanished after traversing possibilities.
After explaining, Li Fan said, "It brought its entire race here in a desperate gamble, only to be defeated and forced to flee through this method."
"But to escape from us…"
Li Fan looked ahead and sneered. "Beast! Come out!"
Silence.
Then, a figure appeared.
Unlike the grotesque flesh sphere, it was a majestic, divine figure: a dragon's body, a qilin's horns, a black tortoise's tail, divine eyes, and vermillion bird feathers…
A fusion of the thirteen Dao Incarnates, though much smaller than its prime, it still exuded an ancient, primordial aura.
Its near-perfect form seemed to embody the essence of the Great Dao.
Even Dao Bearer, accustomed to the Mountain and Sea, was momentarily stunned.
"Calling me a beast…"
"How laughable."
"In my eyes, you are the beasts!"
"Today's defeat is merely a matter of inferior skill. But the Mountain and Sea are infinite. Who knows, perhaps our race has powerhouses capable of crushing you."
"Hahaha! I await that day!"
The thirteen Dao Incarnates' voice was like that of a wizened old man, filled with despair and resignation as his final hiding place was discovered.
Dao Bearer shook his head, too lazy to waste words.
He was about to seal the creature within a Heavenly Pillar when a distant, ethereal voice echoed through the void.
"Unfortunately for you, there aren't any."
The voice arrived, and then its owner.
A figure clad in purple robes, with a face as beautiful as jade, long red hair cascading down their back, and a red mark like a third eye on their forehead.
The moment this figure appeared, Li Fan's hair stood on end. He felt like he was facing a primordial predator, his body instinctively reacting.
However, to his relief, his intuition didn't warn him of danger.
The immense killing intent radiating from the purple-robed figure wasn't directed at him but at the thirteen Dao Incarnates.
Three breaths after their arrival, the merged star regions trembled violently, like a small boat caught in a storm.
Li Fan saw a path, a path through the Dao Obliteration Calamity, appear in the void, leading directly to them.
The mere ripples from this path threatened to capsize the merged star regions.
And in Li Fan's mind, this path perfectly overlapped with the one Black Healer had used to arrive!
The foreign entity had merely forced a small opening through the Dao Obliteration Calamity.
This purple-robed figure, however, had created a grand pathway.
The difference was immeasurable!
"Traversing possibilities…"
"A Transcendent powerhouse?!"
Li Fan was stunned.
As he frantically searched for a plan, the purple-robed figure reached out and grabbed the thirteen Dao Incarnates.
The Incarnates, about to speak, froze, their ancient aura suppressed.
They were pulled and compressed, their forms contorting, their expressions filled with terror. They struggled, but it was futile.
After five breaths, they were flattened into a sheet of paper, a beautiful paper with intricate patterns.
"Here, it's yours."
The purple-robed figure examined the paper briefly, then offered it to Li Fan and Dao Bearer.
With a flick of their finger, the paper floated towards Dao Bearer.
Only then did Li Fan and Dao Bearer sense the Dao aura emanating from the paper. It was indeed a fusion of the thirteen strongest Daos from another possibility, far surpassing the Heavenly Pillars within the Great Wall.
As Dao Bearer received the Dao paper, he and Li Fan snapped out of their daze. They bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Senior."
Facing such overwhelming power, their respect was genuine. Even Dao Bearer, whose loyalty lay solely with Keeper Qiu, was completely awestruck.
Li Fan recalled Di Sanmo's story of a human Unnamed True Immortal slaughtering the foreign Dao Incarnates.
"Could this be that Unnamed True Immortal?"
[Illusion Becomes Reality] had been active since his meeting with Dao Bearer. Although the purple-robed figure was incredibly powerful, Li Fan wasn't worried about being exposed.
And the figure's apparent benevolence put him at ease.
He asked, "Senior, were you the one who…"
Li Fan quickly explained.
The purple-robed figure smiled. "Indeed, it was me."
"But that was a long, long time ago."
Their voice was calm, yet filled with an ancient weariness, even older than the thirteen Dao Incarnates.
Perhaps triggered by Li Fan's question, they continued, "Keeper Qiu received your message."
"However, he's currently occupied, unable to leave the Mountain and Sea. So, he asked us to assist."
"I wasn't inclined to make the trip, but…"
The purple-robed figure glanced at the Dao paper in Dao Bearer's hand.
They chuckled. "It's been a while since I've killed them. I was getting restless."
"They are a rare sight, even within the Mountain and Sea. I almost miss them."
These few simple sentences contained a wealth of information.
Dao Bearer and Li Fan were momentarily stunned before they processed his words.
"Senior, you were sent by Master?" Dao Bearer was overjoyed, his excitement like that of a child receiving a parent's favor.
Li Fan, however, focused on specific words:
"Not within the Mountain and Sea."
"Us."
…
Like thunderclaps, these words shook Li Fan to his core.
He masked his shock and listened as the purple-robed figure spoke to Dao Bearer.
"Normally, we don't interfere in the mortal world."
"But the situation you reported is… unique."
Without needing any explanation, the purple-robed figure's gaze locked onto the Guang Wu Star Sea, beyond the void of the Dao Obliteration Calamity.
"Indeed, interesting," they said with a playful smile. "This trip wasn't in vain."
Dao Bearer remained silent, pondering their words.
Li Fan suddenly asked, "Senior, you mentioned that Master isn't currently within the Mountain and Sea. What did you mean?"
The purple-robed figure was surprised to find another disciple of Keeper Qiu here.
However, seeing no objection from Dao Bearer, they didn't press the matter.
"Exactly what I said."
"You'll understand eventually. Knowing now wouldn't benefit you."
Out of respect for Keeper Qiu, they offered a brief answer. Although it wasn't clear, Li Fan didn't dare pry further.
"I'm pressed for time."
"If you wish to observe, you may follow."
The purple-robed figure waved a hand towards the Guang Wu Star Sea.
Another grand pathway, leading directly to the Guang Wu Star Sea, appeared in the Dao Obliteration Calamity.
(End of Chapter)