The passage appeared out of nothing, birthed from annihilation.
It seemed less a physical entity and more a unique form of energy, forcibly carving a path through the void.
Clad in purple, the figure stepped forward and vanished, reappearing instantly at the passage's far end.
Li Fan and the Dao Bearer exchanged a glance, then followed closely behind. Had they been alone, venturing into this alien starry sky teeming with True Immortals might have warranted caution. But with such a powerful figure leading the way, what was there to fear?
Stepping onto this heaven-reaching path, a strange, novel sensation washed over them, almost indescribable. If one had to name it, it would be "safety."
Living in the mortal realm, perpetually under the threat of the Dao Obliteration Calamity, Li Fan hadn't personally felt much concern. Yet, undeniably, this constant threat had ingrained a primal sense of danger within his body and soul. Years of this had shaped him into a startled bird, perpetually uneasy.
Even with the Calamity held at bay, even with the Unnamed True Immortal's Heavenly Pillar providing support, the underlying dread persisted. After all, what were a few pillars? Even the Immortal Realm had fallen to the Dao Obliteration. Who could guarantee these pillars would last? But within this passage created by the purple-clad figure, this long-held anxiety finally dissipated.
"Even if the Dao Obliteration arrives, within this passage, I will be safe." This thought arose unbidden, a blind confidence, yet not unique to Li Fan. He glanced at the Dao Bearer, who mirrored his sentiment. The ever-present sense of danger, inescapable in the mortal realm, was gently soothed. Li Fan felt an unprecedented calmness. Countless stray thoughts settled, leaving only pure, clear intent.
"What an incredible divine ability!" Li Fan marveled internally. "Unfortunately, this passage isn't permanent, created solely for our journey by the purple-clad figure. It's destined to vanish with his departure. Such power, capable of repelling the Dao Obliteration…"
"Not to mention, witnessing such power firsthand is a tremendous opportunity. The environment this passage creates is something mortals yearn for their entire lives, yet never attain."
"If I could remain here, my comprehension of the interplay of truth and illusion would surely leap to a new level."
As the passage neared its end, a sense of reluctance stirred within Li Fan. He even entertained the thought of returning to his True Self, reliving this life's events just to experience this brief respite again. He seriously considered it. "From my current understanding, even a dozen returns to my True Self wouldn't offer the insight into the interplay of truth and illusion that I've gained in these few moments within the passage."
"Considering that, it would certainly be worth it…"
Li Fan reveled in the passage's tranquility and perfection. The Dao Bearer felt the same. Facing the vastness of existence alone, one could maintain resolve. But presented with sudden shelter, even briefly, that inner sharpness dulled. The Dao Bearer's weathered, resolute face softened.
Perhaps sensing their thoughts, the purple-clad figure's voice drifted over, interrupting their reverie. "Observe, but do not emulate. This is my Dao, not yours. Ultimately, you must forge your own path to traverse the vastness of existence."
Li Fan and the Dao Bearer shuddered, their nascent greed vanishing instantly. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior," they said, having realized how the absolute safety of the passage had fostered dependence, even breeding avarice and possessiveness. These thoughts, suppressed by the profound calmness, now surfaced like burst bubbles.
"The vastness of existence is boundless; only I am the vessel," the figure stated. "To traverse it, an unwavering Dao Heart is essential. Your strength and character are exceptional in the mortal realm, however…"
"You are still lacking."
"Truly troublesome…" the purple-clad figure muttered, then vanished from their sight.
Li Fan and the Dao Bearer exchanged looks, then glanced back at the fading passage, cold sweat beading on their foreheads. The Dao Bearer sighed, "Junior Brother, I finally understand why Master minimizes contact with us. Such protection isn't beneficial."
Li Fan nodded. "If we had stayed longer, I might have refused to leave."
Finally breaking free from the passage's allure, they followed the purple figure's wake. He was incredibly fast, already out of sight. Yet, there was no fear of losing him. The earth-shattering tremors in his wake were far too conspicuous. A passage appearing within the void consumed by the Dao Obliteration was an impossible sight, something the Guangwu Star Sea couldn't ignore. Their reaction was swift. Judging by the immense aura approaching, it seemed the entire Star Sea's elite forces were converging. But against the purple-clad figure, they were insignificant. One capable of traversing possibilities was beyond the reach of any True Immortal in the Guangwu Star Sea.
Following the figure's path, Li Fan and the Dao Bearer witnessed true, unstoppable power. Scattered purple talismans marked the suppressed True Immortals, flattened and subdued. Li Fan discreetly attempted to collect them, discovering they weren't killed, merely imprisoned. He could sense their terror. After a moment's thought, he and the Dao Bearer refrained from interfering, continuing toward the purple figure's location.
The closer they got, the more sealed True Immortals they found. It seemed there was something vital here, worth defending to the death. But their resistance was futile. The difference in power was simply too vast. They hadn't even managed to slow him down. However, this civilization, surviving and thriving amidst the Great Calamity, capable of even fishing within the Dao Obliteration, clearly possessed a hidden strength.
"Senior, do not push us too far!" A furious roar erupted, followed by a violent surge of energy rivaling the purple figure's own power.
Arriving at the scene, Li Fan and the Dao Bearer found a vast, empty void in the starry sky. What was likely a complex of important structures had been completely vaporized. The purple-clad figure examined a glowing orb with interest. Within it, images flickered, figures danced. Before him stood a middle-aged man in tattered robes, despair etched on his face.
"A Dao Chronicle Projection. This isn't something you could create. Did you fish this up as well?" the figure asked calmly, compressing the orb in his hand until it became a brilliant point of light. He then tossed this point towards the Dao Bearer, encasing it in a protective energy similar to that of the passage, allowing him to observe its contents without harm. The Dao Bearer thanked him again, then peered into the light.
Moments later, Li Fan saw his senior brother tremble, sweat pouring down his face as if under immense strain. After a few breaths, the Dao Bearer tore his gaze away, pale and drained. Li Fan was astonished. The Dao Bearer's true form was a spirit stone on the shores of existence, accompanying the Hill Watcher. He had faced the vastness of existence unflinchingly. What could this orb contain to cause such a reaction?
He looked at the Dao Bearer with concern, but his senior brother, seemingly still reeling from the orb's effects, simply handed it to Li Fan, gesturing for him to look himself, then closed his eyes in silence.
Li Fan's curiosity intensified. With his guard up, he peered into the orb.
The point of light in his hand exploded, consuming his awareness. Endless images flowed and shifted. From the absolute nothingness where the Dao didn't exist, to the chaotic void where the Dao was born and grew, to the birth of worlds and the emergence of life. Then, life comprehended the Dao, and the Immortal Realm arose. Eons flashed by. Finally, all things withered, and the end arrived.
From beginning to end, every event, every life, was contained within this single point. It wasn't merely a passive recording. Within the light, the entire lifespan of this possibility, every Dao, every divine ability, every ripple of magical power, was replicated and infused within the orb. To unleash the orb was to face the combined might of countless heroes across eons, their power accumulated throughout the river of time.
The sheer terror of this almost caused Li Fan to drop the orb. The words "Return to True Self" were on the tip of his tongue. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead as he withdrew from the Dao Chronicle Projection. The orb felt infinitely heavy, almost impossible to hold.
"Thankfully, the purple-clad figure led the way. If it were just the Dao Bearer and me, facing this Dao Chronicle Projection... we would have perished."
Li Fan and the Dao Bearer, now with eyes open, exchanged glances, the shock evident in both. They never imagined such a treasure existed within the Guangwu Star Sea. The Dao Sword and Dao Blade paled in comparison, like fireflies next to the moon.
"Fishing within the Dao Obliteration is indeed a viable survival method. Those surviving the vastness of existence aren't just the desperate True Immortals of the end times. There are also those who failed to transcend, attempting to cross existence but were swallowed by it. They may have lost their minds, but their bodies might remain, along with their treasures. This Dao Chronicle Projection… that's where it came from, isn't it?"
The purple-clad figure uprooted the Heavenly Pillars forming the breakwater, gathering the terrified True Immortals trapped within. He pressed his hands together, and a new, purple-wreathed Heavenly Pillar emerged. He set it in place, silencing the roar of the Dao Obliteration caused by the missing pillars. Li Fan noticed that during the brief exchange of pillars, while the signs of the Dao Obliteration appeared, they weren't as intense as within the Shuo Star Sea's wall. Clearly, the purple-clad figure was the reason. His mere presence acted as countless pillars, partially holding back the Dao Obliteration.
The man in tattered robes stared blankly at the new pillar, his ten thousand years of history overturned, his spirit crushed. He didn't answer the figure's question. However, after a moment of silence, he seemed to recover slightly.
He croaked, "Senior is correct. We were fortunate enough to obtain the remains of a Transcendent."
"This was our good fortune, yet…"
The purple-clad figure interrupted, "This is your good fortune. The Dao Chronicle Projection is perhaps insignificant. But that Transcendent's remains… it might have birthed a new Transcendent. Too bad you chose the wrong path."
"Learning from the body, you could have grasped the Dao of that past Transcendent. But what did you do?"
The man looked dazed. After a long while, he whispered, "It's not that we didn't want to comprehend it. We couldn't."
"The remains were like a mountain before us, yet we were within the mountain, unable to see its true form. We tried for many years, but in the end, we gave up and sought a different use."
He expected sympathy, but the purple-clad figure simply nodded coldly. "Even more foolish. Beyond saving."
He lightly touched the man from the Guangwu Star Sea. The man opened his mouth to speak, but then burst like a bubble, dissolving into countless purple lights that were swallowed by the surrounding void. A being at least of Unnamed True Immortal level, erased with a flick of the wrist.
Li Fan and the Dao Bearer felt a chill. "If it weren't for Hill Watcher, this purple-clad figure wouldn't be so lenient."
The figure seemed to have performed a trivial act, quickly forgetting the man. He strode to the center of where the breakwater had been, staring ahead, his gaze seemingly piercing through the vastness of existence and the mortal realm.
(End of chapter)