Chapter 1288: Star Sea Chaos

I once followed a faint premonition, hoping to find this person, but all my attempts ended in failure. The Holy Emperor spoke while sensing the nascent winds stirring within the Star Sea.

The Star Sea's recovery and its conflict with the residual True Immortal power would be a protracted process. On a human timescale, this process would likely span over a decade. Before this Star Sea storm reached its peak, he could resume his conflict with Chuanfa at any moment. Temporary cooperation did not imply permanent reconciliation.

His decision to cease hostilities and prioritize the search for the mastermind was influenced not only by their equally matched strength, which made a clear victor elusive, but also by considerations of buying time. The Holy Emperor's gaze inadvertently drifted toward the distant Xuanhuang Realm. The growing number of Foundation Establishment cultivators, aligning themselves with him, were gradually eroding Chuanfa's foundations. The Slate and Ruomu's plan to establish orthodox rule in the Xuanhuang Realm was also accelerating rapidly, aided by the Holy Dynasty's takeover of numerous former territories of the Myriad Immortal Alliance. Delaying the conflict would be advantageous to the Holy Emperor until the Star Sea storm reached its full intensity. Since Chuanfa had initiated the truce, the Holy Emperor readily accepted. Moreover, the 'treasure fishing' operation in the Fishing Pond had not ceased for a moment. Perhaps, during this time, some supreme treasure capable of turning the tide of battle would be reeled in.

With his thoughts racing, he used the Great Star Net to relay orders to his subordinates. As he conversed with Chuanfa, the Holy Emperor drew a drop of blood from between his brows.

Chuanfa let out a soft cough, first repairing his tall crown, which had been severed during their recent battle. Then, a surge of light concealed the minor wounds across his body. Witnessing this, the Holy Emperor mused, "Is Chuanfa delaying to seize the opportunity to comprehend the principle of 'False is also True'?" Despite this suspicion, the Holy Emperor harbored no fear that Chuanfa could grasp it within this timeframe. For the Holy Emperor had a vague premonition that this 'True as False, False as True' technique possessed unique characteristics. It was not something that could be simply grasped through extraordinary enlightenment alone.

As the Holy Emperor pondered, Chuanfa Tianzun, now restored to his original appearance as a benevolent elder with a tall crown, cast a series of spells that enveloped the Holy Emperor's blood in mid-air. The light constantly shifted colors, eventually settling on a pale yellow, strikingly similar to the outer appearance of the Xuanhuang World.

Chuanfa's expression subtly changed upon seeing this. Yet, his hands did not falter; he continued to cast his spell. Within the pale yellow orb of light, the blood writhed violently, as if alive. Then, two protrusions emerged. One pointed toward the Xuanhuang Realm. The other pointed unmistakably beyond the Star Sea, and it spun wildly, ceaselessly, as if the very location it indicated was rapidly shifting its coordinates.

"How can this be..." The Holy Emperor's expression grew serious as he observed Chuanfa's increasingly grave demeanor. He had barely begun to speak when the space around them abruptly turned turbulent. Unlike the storms provoked by the Star Sea's recovery, this felt as if something immense was about to burst forth, drilling up from beneath the very fabric of existence. The Holy Emperor and Chuanfa instantly flickered away, retreating to evade it.

They watched as the rotating protrusion within the pale yellow light orb, containing the blood, gradually came to a halt. It silently pointed ahead. Moments later, faint, almost imperceptible ripples emanated from the location ahead, as if a single drop of water had just fallen. Neither their divine senses nor their eyes could pinpoint a target, yet both the Holy Emperor and Chuanfa knew that something had just descended before them.

Chuanfa's eyes narrowed, a hint of reminiscence appearing in their depths. But then he glanced at the Holy Emperor's blood drop, and a flicker of confusion crossed his gaze.

"Interesting. The true culprit behind the scenes has actually revealed themselves..."

Within the pale yellow orb, the Holy Emperor's blood drop slowly burned away. The protrusion, however, remained steadfastly pointed at the void ahead.

"Immortal Vessel..." Chuanfa murmured softly.

The Holy Emperor also narrowed his eyes. He was, of course, aware of the sword-light message that had previously appeared outside the Xuanhuang Realm. Immediately, a myriad of thoughts swirled in his mind.

"Could a conspiracy truly involving this Immortal Vessel be behind all this?" A shiver ran down the Holy Emperor's spine. "But... the timing of this flying ship's appearance is simply too coincidental." The Holy Emperor gazed ahead, not making the first move.

"The Profound Immortal Vessel is a remnant of the ancient Profound Merchant Immortal Vessel, which has been hidden within the endless ruins beneath the High Wall..." Chuanfa briefly explained the background of the Profound Immortal Vessel to the Holy Emperor.

The Holy Emperor gazed at the magnificent scene before him—the Star Sea's fringe, nestled beneath the High Wall—and was momentarily lost in thought. Having had brief contact with the Star Sea's fundamental essence, he understood its boundless vastness. Yet, precisely because of this, the formidable nature of the High Wall, which tightly sealed off this Star Sea, was even more pronounced.

"We were engaged in a great battle, and they appeared right here..."

"Let this old man see how much the Profound Immortal Vessel has advanced over the years." A cold glint flashed in Chuanfa's eyes. His form remained unmoving; he simply cast a casual glance.

The space ahead, which had rippled from the Profound Immortal Vessel's traversal, slowly settled. Then, as if an absolute freeze had descended, the space gradually succumbed to complete stillness. It was an annihilation akin to the end of the Star Sea, with no fluctuations emanating from that dead zone.

"Chuanfa's divine abilities are truly exceptional." Witnessing this, the Holy Emperor's pupils contracted. His mind raced, contemplating how he would counter such a move himself.

The absolute stillness did not endure. Just before it could fully solidify, a raw, brutal force suddenly erupted. It utterly shattered the frozen domain. The image of the Profound Immortal Vessel flickered and vanished. The power unleashed by the Profound Immortal Vessel did not merely shatter Chuanfa's frozen domain; it also resonated with numerous lingering immortal forces within this part of the Star Sea. Like a hundred converging rivers, these forces surged forth in a torrent.

If the Holy Emperor's previous trap, designed by channeling, had been a mere stream of residual True Immortal power, then what had been stirred now was a roaring river. Already more active than usual due to their conflict with the Star Sea's recovery forces, these residual True Immortal powers, having been drawn by the combined aura of Chuanfa and the Holy Emperor, pursued like wild beasts catching the scent of prey, arriving in an instant. Both were forced to dodge.

Although both had reached the 'Grand Supreme' limit of the Star Sea, they remained highly cautious when confronting these residual True Immortal forces, which could rival the Star Sea itself. Particularly as they were still adversaries despite their temporary cooperation, a serious injury to either would undoubtedly place them at a disadvantage in the coming decisive battle. After all, residual True Immortal power was unlike typical techniques; it was not easily expelled.

Each relied on their unique abilities. The Holy Emperor, leveraging his connection to the Star Sea, could clearly discern the tide-like assault of residual True Immortal power, skillfully dodging it. If, on occasion, a direct dodge was impossible, his starlit robe would shimmer, and the refined source power generated by the fervent prayers emanating from the Great Establishment of the Holy Dynasty would swiftly expel the residual True Immortal power.

Chuanfa's method, however, was quite unique. He once again produced the long arm constructed from countless shattered worlds. Like two sponges, it completely absorbed all the blazing residual True Immortal power. Some of these remnant realms, under the onslaught of True Immortal power, were utterly reduced to dust. However, new remnant realms swiftly replaced them within the arm. It was truly unknown how many such world fragments Chuanfa had amassed over the years.

Seeing Chuanfa and the Holy Emperor resolve the crisis with such ease, the Profound Immortal Vessel, having failed to redirect the danger, once again employed its tactics. A yellowish-brown paper talisman slowly drifted down from the void. It appeared to float leisurely, yet, in reality, it was incredibly swift. The Holy Emperor and Chuanfa had barely registered the talisman's presence when, in the very next instant, it landed upon them. This was the peculiar nature of the paper talisman. Though initially appearing as a single talisman, it simultaneously descended upon both their heads, as if duplicating for each target.

"True Immortal Script..." This thought simultaneously flashed through the minds of both the Holy Emperor and Chuanfa. Soon, they felt the power contained within this True Immortal Script.

First, the Holy Emperor perceived that his connection to the Abyssal Star Sea had been severed. It wasn't that the True Immortal Script directly severed it, but rather the Star Sea's very essence had actively broken the link. The Holy Emperor could even faintly perceive the hostility subtly emanating from the Star Sea just before the connection was lost. What was once akin to a home advantage, where every action was amplified by the Star Sea's power, now felt like being trapped in a mire, with every movement meeting immense resistance. From Chuanfa, whom he had previously considered a temporary ally, the Holy Emperor now sensed intense malice emanating. In an instant, everywhere he looked, he saw only adversaries!

What chilled the Holy Emperor's heart even more was the slow decay of the power support he drew from the Holy Dynasty. While it wouldn't render his abilities immediately unusable, this trend suggested that soon, the Holy Dynasty, like the Star Sea, would transform from an aid into an enemy! The Holy Emperor, who had never experienced anything like this, surveyed his surroundings, his thoughts racing.

"Is this the power of the True Immortal Script?"

"This isn't the residual power commonly found in the Star Sea, but rather a complete True Immortal force..." The Holy Emperor attempted to recall the pattern on the paper talisman he had just seen. He couldn't recall even the slightest detail.

As he desperately sought a way to counter the intensifying hostile forces surrounding him, the Holy Emperor glanced at Chuanfa, who was not far off. Due to the escalating hostility, the distance between them had imperceptibly widened significantly.

Chuanfa's tall crown emitted a silver glow, like white jade. It reflected numerous stone statues of Chuanfa Tianzun, towering over the Xuanhuang Realm. One of these stone statues stepped out from the tall crown. Amidst flashing light, it solidified. The moment the stone statue materialized, it was besieged by all surrounding forces: the Star Sea's power, residual True Immortal forces, and even Chuanfa himself. The stone statue shattered violently. The fierce explosion, caused by the collision of multiple forces, swept across and, upon reaching the Holy Emperor's position, surprisingly shifted its target, surging toward the Holy Emperor. As if it had genuinely encountered an irreconcilable enemy.

The Holy Emperor solemnly neutralized this impact while continuing to observe Chuanfa's actions. As yet another stone statue emerged from the tall crown, only to be jointly pulverized by the combined forces, the Holy Emperor, however, sensed that the power of the True Immortal Script concentrated on Chuanfa Tianzun had weakened slightly.

"Is he using these stone avatars, through a form of feigned death, to mitigate the hostility aimed at himself?" The highly perceptive Holy Emperor quickly grasped Chuanfa's intent. With a thought, a blurred phantom image of the Holy Emperor also emerged from his starlit holy robe. As expected, the moment the phantom was separated, it was immediately assailed by all surrounding forces, including the Holy Emperor himself. Even as the Holy Emperor moved to strike his own fragmented phantom, he felt a fleeting, perverse satisfaction, as if vengeance had been achieved. Though this illusion swiftly vanished as the phantom dissipated, it left the Holy Emperor profoundly shaken.

Both he and Chuanfa had already reached the apex of the Star Sea's power. Yet, under the influence of the True Immortal Script, they were left seemingly helpless. It was only by employing such "dead methods" that the True Immortal Script's influence could be gradually dissipated. They were utterly incapable of confronting it with power of a comparable level.

"Perhaps, after manifesting the Eternal Xuanhuang Realm, and with my comprehension of 'False is also True', I could contend with it."

"As for other means currently at my disposal..." The Holy Emperor quickly reviewed his abilities in his mind, yet found nothing comparable.

Within the Star Sea, a rather comical scene unfolded. Two Grand Supreme powerhouses were, out of thin air, pinned in place by a True Immortal Script. Meanwhile, the Profound Immortal Vessel, which had been lurking in the shadows and observing for some time, finally made another move.

The somewhat disheveled Holy Emperor, however, received a telepathic message.

"The Profound Immortal Vessel seeks only resources for survival within the Star Sea."

"Perhaps, we could cooperate."

The Holy Emperor was inwardly astonished. Seeing that the Holy Emperor remained unresponsive, the Profound Immortal Vessel sent another message: "We can assist your Holy Dynasty against Chuanfa. However, upon completion, we would require a place of refuge."

"Rest assured, the entire Profound Immortal Vessel holds no more than a hundred thousand souls. The Xuanhuang Realm is so vast that our presence would make no difference."

The Profound Immortal Vessel's message was remarkably earnest. This, however, deepened the Holy Emperor's suspicion. Had it not been for Chuanfa's earlier bloodline guidance, which indicated the presence of a potential hidden manipulator on that Immortal Vessel, the Holy Emperor might have been genuinely swayed. But now... The Holy Emperor secretly pondered what the Profound Immortal Vessel was truly after.

"Could it be that they saw Chuanfa and I had reached an agreement, and are now trying to sow discord?" The Holy Emperor considered this almost self-evident.

The Holy Emperor remained silent for a long time. Apparently sensing the Holy Emperor's hesitation, the Profound Immortal Vessel sent another message. This message greatly startled the Holy Emperor.

"Chuanfa is absolutely not to be trusted!"

"Years ago, this individual infiltrated our Immortal Vessel, stealing numerous hidden treasures under the pretense of observation!"

"Though he altered his appearance back then, he couldn't fool us..."

A flood of information followed. This left the Holy Emperor in silence once more.

"If you are interested, use this method to contact us."

The confusion caused by the True Immortal Script gradually subsided. Receiving no prompt reply from the Holy Emperor, the Profound Immortal Vessel had no choice but to leave a secret communication method. Its form completely vanished. The turmoil settled, and the pervasive hostility gradually receded. His connection with the Star Sea was also being restored. However, the Holy Emperor and Chuanfa, having already widened the distance between them, did not move to close it.

"Though they fled, we can still use your bloodline, fellow Daoist, to pinpoint their location," Chuanfa said slowly, looking at the Holy Emperor.

"This Profound Immortal Vessel is quite troublesome, appearing and disappearing without a trace. Can you not track its whereabouts, fellow Daoist?" The Holy Emperor, however, hesitated to draw more blood, asking instead.

Chuanfa chuckled softly. "It seems this Profound Immortal Vessel has indeed made some progress over the years. Its research into the True Immortal Script has reached an astonishing level. While we may consider it a misguided path, I must admit..." Chuanfa gazed out at the Star Sea. "Within this Abyssal Star Sea, it is indeed quite formidable."

"Small, residual pockets of True Immortal power might not be a concern. But if they gather as they just did, then, fellow Daoist, you must be cautious. Should you inadvertently become marked, it would likely require immense effort to cleanse, and might even affect your future cultivation path..." Chuanfa warned.

The Holy Emperor looked thoughtfully at the residual True Immortal power that, though dispersed, had not vanished from the tumultuous area. "Is there truly no way to completely eliminate these forces, other than relying on the Star Sea's own recovery power?" the Holy Emperor asked.

"Fellow Daoist, do you know why my progress in restoring the Xuanhuang Realm is so slow? Finding the right materials is truly harder than finding a needle in a haystack. To remove residual True Immortal power, without becoming a True Immortal oneself..." Chuanfa shook his head slightly.

The Holy Emperor fell silent.

"In truth, I don't have much time left," Chuanfa suddenly remarked. The Holy Emperor was taken aback and looked at Chuanfa. Chuanfa, however, offered no explanation, merely changing the subject: "Fellow Daoist, what are your plans now?"

"To continue pursuing the Profound Immortal Vessel and uncover the true mastermind..."

"Or to engage me in battle?!"

"Just now, the Profound Immortal Vessel must have sent you a message, didn't it?" Chuanfa naturally discerned the reason for the Holy Emperor's shift in attitude.

The Holy Emperor did not conceal it. He nodded and asked, "Fellow Daoist, have you ever visited the Profound Immortal Vessel..."

"Indeed. I also took some things I needed," Chuanfa admitted candidly.

Upon hearing this, the Holy Emperor couldn't help but stare intently at Chuanfa Tianzun. This Tianzun's candor was somewhat unexpected.

"Just as you wish to save the Xuanhuang Realm, I too have principles I must uphold." Perhaps it was due to a long period of solitude, but Chuanfa spoke as if addressing an old friend. "To achieve this goal, one must be willing to use any means necessary."

The Holy Emperor neither agreed nor disagreed.

Chuanfa pointed slightly upwards towards the Xuanhuang Realm, which emanated a faint glow nearby. "Fellow Daoist, have you ever visited the Immortal Ruins?"

"No."

"There resides an Awakened True Immortal. He is one of the primary culprits behind the calamities in this Star Sea. Have you ever considered, even if you defeat me, how you will then guide the entire Xuanhuang Realm to escape from this True Immortal's grasp?" Chuanfa asked. "The Xuanhuang Realm does not have much time left," Chuanfa sneered.

The Holy Emperor remained silent once more.

"I have a way," Chuanfa declared proudly. "To ignore a potentially extinct future for the sake of 'Xuanhuang'—would that truly be worthy of the title 'Holy'?" Chuanfa questioned.

The Holy Emperor's resolve remained unshaken by Chuanfa's words. "If you can find a way to save the world, then naturally, so can I. But if I were to be persuaded and abandon my path like this, how could I face the billions of citizens of the Holy Dynasty?"

Chuanfa let out a derisive chuckle, ceasing his debate with the Holy Emperor. He merely sighed softly, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you simply do not know what I have endured these past years..."

Moments later, Chuanfa spoke gravely. "I never intended to be your adversary, fellow Daoist. Nor do I fear your delaying tactics. If you wish to fight, fellow Daoist, I am always prepared. Everything rests on your decision, fellow Daoist."

The Holy Emperor listened to Chuanfa's words, pondering for a long time, just as he was about to speak. Suddenly, ripples once again appeared in the surrounding space. It was the Profound Immortal Vessel, having left, now returned!

This time, it wasn't a direct True Immortal Script greeting. Instead, it spoke with a sneer: "Truly worthy of the renowned Chuanfa Tianzun; your words are more melodious than your actions. But I wonder when the secret treasures you stole from our Profound Immortal Vessel will be returned? Oh, and by the way, the Xuanhuang Realm has been able to exist safely beneath the Immortal Ruins for so long. Surely, our stolen treasures contributed to that, didn't they!"

The voice emanating from the Profound Immortal Vessel was filled with hatred for Chuanfa. Chuanfa did not refute. The Holy Emperor, listening to these remarks, began to ponder what exactly the "secret treasures" Chuanfa was accused of stealing might be.

Two Grand Supreme powerhouses and an ancient Immortal Vessel now stood in confrontation within the void. The conflict between Chuanfa and the Holy Emperor stemmed from an almost irreconcilable contradiction: Chuanfa's fundamental principles versus the very survival of the Xuanhuang Realm. As for the Immortal Vessel and Chuanfa, they shared a generations-long feud that could not be resolved. Logically, it would have been a wise move for the Holy Emperor to ally with the Immortal Vessel to confront Chuanfa. However, the secret technique that indicated bloodline connection previously pointed to the Profound Immortal Vessel. This had instilled an inexplicable unease in the Holy Emperor, preventing him from making a decision. It wasn't solely based on Chuanfa's secret technique; the Holy Emperor himself had also sensed a familiar aura emanating from that Immortal Vessel. If the Profound Immortal Vessel originated from beneath the High Wall, then why did it seem connected to his own origins? Everything was too perplexing, and Chuanfa's recent words compelled the Holy Emperor, who had previously focused solely on defeating Chuanfa, to consider a broader perspective.

"Elder Gan chose this location well. If you were any further away, even with the protection of the True Immortal Script, it would be difficult for your Immortal Vessel to remain intact." Chuanfa, after a moment, recognized the voice emanating from the