Chapter 1040: Enlightened Grandmaster

The paper figurine suddenly appeared when Li Fan attempted to corrupt the Book of Transmutation with the seven-colored Jade Void Glimmer, which was infused with gray mold.

According to the paper figurine, it was a warning mechanism.

The Transmutation Sect, even after its members transformed into paper figurines, never intended to completely disregard the outside world.

The paper figurines monitor Xuanhuang, and when the perceived external threat level reaches a certain threshold, the warning mechanism is activated. The more severe the crisis, the greater the number of awakened paper figurines.

The gray mold released by Li Fan was still contained by the seven-colored divine light. Therefore, only a slight leakage of its aura was enough to awaken just one paper figurine.

However, after this paper figurine grasped the current state of the Book of Transmutation and the Xuanhuang Realm, did it then awaken other dormant figurines?

Judging by the numerous chaotic fluctuations previously emanating from the Book of Transmutation, the answer is yes.

There seemed to be some restriction, as after a period of deliberation, most of the Transmutation Sect's paper figurines chose to return to their slumber.

Only the paper figurine named "Dan Xuan" remained, fully responsible for communicating with Li Fan.

Carrying the burden of the entire Transmutation Sect's survival, Dan Xuan's identity was undoubtedly extraordinary.

Yet, no matter his extensive strategizing, he repeatedly found himself outmaneuvered and forced to compromise when confronted with Li Fan's constant threats of world annihilation.

This was because Dan Xuan perceived that every time Li Fan's murderous intent surfaced, it was genuine, not an act. Li Fan genuinely didn't care about his own life or the lives of any beings in the Xuanhuang Realm; he was prepared to drag everything down with him.

Faced with such an irrational "madman," Dan Xuan was utterly powerless.

At this moment, sensing Li Fan's dangerous thoughts resurfacing, Dan Xuan promptly reappeared and began to dissuade him.

"You're all dragging your feet when asked to help find someone. It seems your Transmutation Sect doesn't really care about the Xuanhuang Realm after all," Li Fan sneered.

Dan Xuan's paper-like face twisted with a conflicted expression. "Young friend, I have told you many times," he began. "It's not that we are unwilling, but that we are truly unable. We never anticipated the Xuanhuang Realm expanding to such an extent during our slumber."

"There are too many blind spots now. The Book of Transmutation's overall monitoring system has been affected as a result. We can still locate a specific paper figurine if you name it, but to survey the entire realm..."

Dan Xuan swayed slightly. "Unless we populate those newly appeared realms with more paper figurines," he added.

Li Fan feigned an expression of utter disbelief at Dan Xuan's evasion.

"Young friend, I understand your urgency to seek revenge against Dharma King Mo and the Profound Sky Treasure Mirror."

"However, I daresay no one in this world understands the true terror of the Profound Sky Sect better than us elders of the Ten Immortal Sects. If not for the assistance of Grand Master Tiandu back then, we would have stood no chance of victory."

"Their Dao lineage, inherited from the Immortal Realm, is simply beyond comparison to our native cultivation methods here in the Xuanhuang Realm."

Dan Xuan's paper body trembled slightly, as if recalling the might of the Profound Sky Sect from those days.

"To have lost at their hands..."

"It was no injustice. Young friend, you need not dwell on it. Of course, if you are truly set on revenge..."

Dan Xuan paused, then repeated the suggestion he had offered several times before: "Perhaps you should invite Grand Master Tiandu to intervene. The Grand Master would undoubtedly be very interested in the remnants of the Profound Sky Sect."

Dan Xuan's tone remained remarkably sincere, as if he genuinely had Li Fan's best interests at heart.

"I can sense that the Grand Master is still in secluded cultivation within the Xuanhuang Realm. At his level, ten thousand years pass as quickly as a blink. I was fortunate enough to receive immortal techniques directly from him back then, which allows me to speak to him, however briefly. If you are willing, young friend..." Dan Xuan patiently cajoled.

"How powerful can someone be who values wastes like your Transmutation Sect as treasures?" With that single sentence, Li Fan caused Dan Xuan to instantly lose his composure.

However, given his deep cultivation and composure, he quickly regained his bearing. He disregarded Li Fan's contemptuous remarks entirely and continued his persuasion.

"It is normal that we are not skilled enough and failed to inherit the Grand Master's full divine power. However, the mere fact that the Grand Master could contend with King Xuantian and fight him to a standstill is proof enough of his strength."

Li Fan continued to mock. "Yet the information I gathered suggests that Grand Master Tiandu was severely wounded after that battle and has been in hiding, licking his wounds, ever since. He still hasn't recovered?"

"The fact that Yuandaozhou in the Myriad Immortal Alliance has ten years swallowed from it periodically? That's his handiwork."

Dan Xuan was momentarily taken aback. "Has it already been ten years?" he murmured. He then shook his head repeatedly, explaining, "I don't know where you received such wildly inaccurate information, young friend. The Grand Master's seclusion is not due to injury; it's because he is comprehending the Dao!"

"Comprehending the Dao?" Li Fan's eyes narrowed.

"Precisely. The closer one gets to the Immortal Ruins overhead, the slower the flow of time becomes. The Grand Master told us back then that this is a spatio-temporal anomaly triggered by an immortal's Dao comprehension. If one's aptitude is sufficient, they can use this anomaly to deduce the immortal's insights." Dan Xuan's tone carried a hint of wistfulness.

"However, none of the cultivators from our Ten Immortal Sects could meet the requirements for this resonant Dao comprehension. Only the Grand Master..."

"The so-called ten lost years in Yuandaozhou are the result of time flow being slowed to an extreme. That must be the unintentional external influence radiating from Grand Master Tiandu during his Dao comprehension. Before we entered our slumber, the Grand Master's Dao comprehension field only affected less than a year's time. It seems he has made considerable gains in his comprehension over the years."

Li Fan first processed the information from Dan Xuan's words, then sneered, "If the Grand Master is so powerful, and the Xuanhuang Realm is facing imminent catastrophe, why didn't you seek his help? Instead, you all ran away and hid like cowards?"

Dan Xuan instantly fell silent, as if his throat had been constricted, unable to utter a word.

After a long silence, he finally murmured, "Perhaps the Grand Master doesn't care about our lives or deaths. We did try to contact him, but there was no response whatsoever."

"There was no response back then, but suddenly there is now? And you keep pushing me to go find him..."

"You truly harbor malicious intentions," Li Fan declared, his previously extinguished killing intent flaring up once more.

Dan Xuan protested repeatedly, "That was then, this is now! After awakening, isn't it a perfectly normal reaction to try and contact the Grand Master again immediately?"

"Be quiet!"

Li Fan's patience had run out. Under the coercion of the "Wordless Secret," Dan Xuan retreated back into the Book of Transmutation.

"If you change your mind, young friend, call me later. I would never harm you! The Grand Master is benevolent..."

Dan Xuan's words cut off abruptly.

Li Fan suppressed the Book of Transmutation once more, then fell into deep thought.

"Interesting. Regarding the battle between King Xuantian and Grand Master Tiandu back then, both the Profound Sky Sect and the Ten Immortal Sects have their own conflicting accounts."

"Each claimed the other was gravely wounded, while asserting that they themselves had achieved a breakthrough during the intense conflict."