It seemed to be the era when the Immortal Realm was newly formed, just connected to existence. The Immortal Realm wasn't as boundless as legends claimed; even the Dao Bearer, a spirit stone of existence, could see its edges. But as time flowed, the spirit stone remained unchanged, while shimmering points of light emerged around the Immortal Realm, slowly expanding its borders.
Focusing on each point, Li Fan saw immense power stabilizing its foundation within the Upper Mountain, like laying a solid groundwork. Then, rhythmic waves emanated, spreading life and order throughout the nascent Immortal Realm. These waves rapidly traversed each point of light, causing the Immortal Realm to expand exponentially.
Li Fan recognized these waves: the Primordial Origin Spirit formation! Though he didn't know the complete formation, sensing its aura through the five diagrams he possessed was easy.
And the formation's power to create within the newly formed existence aligned with Li Fan's initial understanding of the Primordial Origin Spirit: to re-establish the fundamental elements and carve a world from the void!
"My initial understanding was correct. I just didn't realize then that the Immortal Realm wasn't born from nothingness, but carved from existence…"
"Though extraordinary, the Primordial Origin Spirit couldn't compare to the power of existence. It required a supreme being to first lay the foundation within existence before it could function."
"Simply put, the Primordial Origin Spirit was a convenient tool for the Three Sages to build the Immortal Realm. They only needed to initially connect the Immortal Realm to existence, and then the formation could handle the rest of the construction. Efficient, stable, and effortless."
Recalling his own experience creating the Primordial Immortal Realm and observing the terrifying expansion of the Immortal Realm in the Dao Bearer's memories, Li Fan was struck by a realization.
"Of course. Given the vastness of the Immortal Realm, if the Three Sages had to personally oversee every expansion, wouldn't they be exhausted? The Primordial Origin Spirit at least automated a large portion of the repetitive work."
"After the Three Sages withdrew from the world, they passed down the formation diagrams, entrusting the task to their successors. This might be why the formation was passed down within the Immortal Realm. However, since it involved the secrets of the Immortal Realm's construction, the most crucial diagrams wouldn't be known to ordinary True Immortals. Perhaps they are with the successive ruling Immortal Emperors…"
The power of the Primordial Origin Spirit, as shown by the Dao Bearer, far exceeded Li Fan's expectations, rekindling his desire to restore the complete formation.
"The Dao Bearer is right. The Primordial Origin Spirit's ability to create and stabilize the Immortal Realm within existence… if refined into a Dao path, it could be a method of traversing existence. It might not be suitable for me, but I can give it to the Immortal within the Dissociation Disc."
"Let it scout the way for me."
Numerous thoughts flashed through Li Fan's mind. Since crossing the Wall and connecting to the Infinite Sea, his power had surged, rendering many of his treasures obsolete. The Dissociation Disc was one such treasure, as was the Heavenly Profound Mirror. They each had unique properties, but they were just two of countless immortal treasures scattered from the Immortal Realm. Even enhanced by the passage of time, they couldn't compare to the truly top-tier treasures of the past.
Not to mention the remnants of entire possibilities, treasures like the Dao Sword and Dao Blade, fished out of the Dao Obliteration by the Guangwu Star Sea.
However, Li Fan didn't discard these "old companions." After all, compared to True Return, there was no fundamental difference between the Dissociation Disc, the Dao Sword and Dao Blade, or even the Dao Chronicle Projection Pearl.
…
As a congenital spirit stone of existence, the Dao Bearer's talent for Dao comprehension was truly enviable. Despite lacking formal training in formations, through observation and deduction, his understanding of the Primordial Origin Spirit formation was almost on par with Li Fan's.
Moreover, the Dao Bearer's perspective was exceptionally high, originating from within existence itself. Thus, he had a more accurate judgment on whether the Dao of Formations could serve as a path of traversal.
After further discussion, Li Fan had to acknowledge the accuracy of the Dao Bearer's insights.
"Perhaps, in that world on the Other Shore, there are seniors who have established themselves through formations," Li Fan said with a smile.
The purple figure's sudden arrival had prematurely unveiled the curtain of existence and the Other Shore. The possibilities it presented filled Li Fan with yearning. However, limited by his current strength, he had to remain within the Wall until he found his own path of traversal.
Thanks to the Dao Return plan and the countless beings analyzing the Dao Chronicle Pearl, Li Fan's comprehension of the Heavenly Daos was progressing at an incredible pace. Sixty years had passed, and the Myriad Manifestations Dao Net, like the population within the Wall-Shuo Star Sea, had grown several times over. It wasn't just about diversity. Infused with the Daos of other possibilities, the Dao Net had become far more stable. Its strands, now crystalline and lustrous, were almost indistinguishable from the pillars sealing the True Immortals.
Combined with the many talisman True Immortals gathered from the Guangwu Star Sea, the Wall-Shuo Star Sea was now truly impregnable. Even if Primordial Possibility collapsed, it could endure for a considerable time.
Despite this clear progress, Li Fan still had no clue how to traverse existence.
The Dao Bearer had cultivated for tens of thousands of years since gaining sentience. His memories stretched back to the creation of the Immortal Realm. The progress he had made in the last century was equivalent to the previous ten thousand years. He was more than satisfied and didn't feel any anxiety about the slow pace.
But Li Fan was different. Though he had lived over a hundred lives, the time actually spent cultivating wasn't that much. Decades of dedicated cultivation and comprehension without tangible progress made him restless. He quickly suppressed his impatience, but it didn't escape the Dao Bearer's notice.
They had shared too much, facing hardship, life and death, and prosperity together. The bond between them, like the Dao of True Return, was an illusion indistinguishable from reality.
Seeing the knowing smile on the Dao Bearer's face, Li Fan sighed. "That purple-clad senior's arrival, while resolving the immediate crisis of the Star Sea, might not be beneficial in the long run."
"I would rather have resolved everything myself. Seeing what is unattainable only breeds frustration."
The Dao Bearer chuckled. "To see a Sage and yearn for their power is only natural. You feel this way, how could I be immune?"
"You seem much calmer than I am, Senior Brother."
"It's only a matter of time, a few tens of thousands of years at most. Insignificant." The Dao Bearer stroked his beard calmly.
"My aptitude is dull; I'm used to exchanging time for cultivation. You, Junior Brother, haven't cultivated for that long, hence the restlessness…" The Dao Bearer hit the nail on the head.
Li Fan didn't deny it. If he truly had to wait tens of thousands of years to comprehend the Dao of traversing existence… he would definitely try some "unorthodox methods" before then. Not necessarily personally. Using others to test the waters was his usual tactic. Doing so within existence was just a repeat performance.
The Dao Bearer seemed to have gleaned Li Fan's thoughts, but he remained silent. Everyone's situation was different, and the methods they employed to face adversity varied. There was no right or wrong, as long as they reached their final destination. All roads lead to Rome.
However, the Dao Bearer worried that Li Fan's impatience would lead him astray, causing him to stumble at the final stage before traversing existence. After careful consideration, he finally made up his mind.
"I tried contacting Master again earlier, but as that purple-clad senior said, Master isn't within existence. He didn't respond."
"This profound technique was personally imparted by Master. Before he left, he specifically instructed me not to teach it lightly…"
Seeing the Dao Bearer's expression, Li Fan guessed what was coming next, his heart filled with joy. He bowed deeply in gratitude.
Even the "Hill Watcher's Jottings" hadn't been treated with such solemnity. The Hill Watcher had simply sealed them within the testing grounds of the Wall, leaving them for anyone with the fate to find them. A technique the Hill Watcher wouldn't teach lightly was undoubtedly invaluable.
"But you, Junior Brother, are not an outsider. One day, when you meet Master and formally become his disciple, he will surely impart this to you as well. But since Master is absent, I will pass it on in his stead." The Dao Bearer explained his reasoning. After a moment of silence, he bowed towards the heavens in respect to the Hill Watcher.
Then he looked at Li Fan and asked, "Junior Brother, have you ever wondered how Master could watch over the sea from his hill, guarding the Immortal Realm for countless eons?"
"When he was first assigned to monitor the changes in existence, his power wasn't particularly outstanding among the immortals. He was probably within the realm of a typical Unnamed True Immortal. To be disrespectful, perhaps he wasn't even as strong as we are now."
"But how did Master manage to transcend the flow of time and the changes in existence? Successive Immortal Emperors fell, yet Master remained on his hill, watching the sea?" The Dao Bearer stared intently at Li Fan.
"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't wondered. When I first read the Hill Watcher's Jottings, besides being shocked by Master's vision and power, my greatest question was about his longevity. But after much thought, I couldn't find any other reasonable explanation. I could only attribute it to his immense power," Li Fan replied.
"Longevity is the cause, not the effect. It's not that he is long-lived because he is powerful, but powerful because he is long-lived." The Dao Bearer spoke each word with gravity.
Li Fan's heart trembled. Longevity had been his long-held obsession. His initial motivation for cultivating was to live forever and enjoy boundless freedom. Hearing the Dao Bearer's words, that the Hill Watcher's cultivation stemmed from his attainment of longevity, he listened with rapt attention.
"Junior Brother, though I am a spirit stone of existence, I am not immortal. Having accompanied Master for so long, before awakening my sentience, the encroachment of existence had already left me cracked and on the verge of shattering."
"Fortunately…" A nostalgic look crossed the Dao Bearer's face. "Fortunately, for countless years, I was the only thing by Master's side."
"Perhaps it was out of habit, but Master couldn't bear to see me shatter and vanish. So he enlightened me, imparting the profound technique of longevity."
"With this technique, my cracks healed, and I no longer feared the end of my lifespan."
A strange look entered Li Fan's eyes. He had assumed the Dao Bearer's survival since the creation of the Immortal Realm was due to his nature as a spirit stone. He never imagined it was due to the Hill Watcher's technique of longevity!
"Junior Brother, you must understand, this technique of longevity is extraordinary. Even within existence, it is unique!"
The Dao Bearer's expression was more serious than ever. "By unique, I mean like a single fruit. Many can partake, but the total amount remains constant."
"However, due to the special nature of longevity, even if shared by thousands, each person still attains it."
"That is why Master was willing to impart this technique."
Li Fan was captivated. The Dao Bearer's description of longevity reminded him of True Return. The interplay of truth and illusion represented by True Return was also unique within existence. Could there be a connection between the two?
Before Li Fan could ponder this further, the Dao Bearer began to explain the profound technique of longevity. As if to prevent eavesdropping, he manifested a vision of existence, surrounding them with a boundless expanse and howling winds, concealing their presence.
The wind howled, but it couldn't drown out the Dao Bearer's every insightful word.
"Master fulfilled his duty, watching over the hill until the end of his lifespan, never leaving his post. Even when the ruling Immortal Emperor and the entire Immortal Realm forgot him, Master held no resentment, remaining steadfast until his final breath."
"Only on the day he reached the end of his life was Master truly liberated. He bowed one last time towards the Immortal Emperor, then fell into the Infinite Sea…"
"Unexpectedly, this changed his fate!"
"Because he willingly sought death, he was reborn!"
As the Dao Bearer spoke, Li Fan saw the bottom of the Infinite Sea. Countless droplets of water, each representing the accumulated weight of eons.
"Was the Infinite Sea already like this back then?"
"What does this represent…?"
While Li Fan was puzzled, a strange sight at the bottom of the Infinite Sea caught his attention. A jade-green fragment lay quietly, surrounded by swirling droplets of water. Droplets that could crush his mind now formed a massive vortex, yet they couldn't even disturb the light emanating from the green fragment.
(End of chapter)