Chapter 1307: True Immortal Power Draws the Enemy

Angry Squid

The array lived up to its name.

The Heaven's End at Hand Grand Array could reduce the vast distance of "heaven's end" to mere "arm's reach." Once completed, this grand array would connect the Xuanyang Realm with the Star Sea Frontier. Even without employing the Wood Sword Soaring technique, one would be able to travel between the two instantly using the array.

It appeared to be a long-distance teleportation array, but that was not actually the case.

Within the Darkest Star Sea, residual True Immortal power permeated everything. The Xuanyang Realm itself was situated at the edge of the Immortal Ruins, where it was subjected to an immense gravitational pull that subtly distorted space-time. The vast distance and numerous uncontrollable factors made it impossible to achieve travel through conventional "teleportation" methods.

Instead, the Heaven's End at Hand Grand Array employed the most fundamental method of travel: it infinitely shortened the distance between the origin and destination, allowing one to arrive with just a single step.

The Grand Profound Minor World was too small to contain this enormous immortal array. Thus, on the Xuanyang Realm side, Li Fan established the grand array in the void outside the Grand Profound Minor World, subsequently deploying a concealment formation around it.

On the Star Sea Frontier side, as Li Fan gradually completed the array's construction, an incredibly mysterious fluctuation abruptly descended, poised to sweep outwards.

However, Li Fan quickly made a hand sign, using the surrounding concealment array to contain it.

The grand array's golden light dimmed, and a two-way passage silently came into being, connecting the Xuanyang Realm and the Star Sea Frontier.

Li Fan stood suspended in the void, taking time to regulate his breath and recuperate.

"'Truly an immortal-grade grand array,' he mused. 'Even with the aid of the Ultimate Disintegration Disc, setting it up was quite demanding.' His accumulated Essence of Origin was completely depleted, and Li Fan briefly found himself in a state of exhaustion."

"'There's still a qualitative gap between the Essence of Origin and true immortal spirit power,' Li Fan thought to himself. Within moments, his internal power rapidly replenished."

He extended a wisp of his divine sense into the Heaven's End at Hand Grand Array, then activated it.

He felt a sudden blur, and the next moment, he was back in the void outside Grand Profound, within the Xuanyang Realm.

Only then did Li Fan slowly return to the Wood Sword phantom.

"'I've established a transport array here,' Li Fan stated nonchalantly. 'Now, traveling back and forth won't be so troublesome.'"

Elder Yin and the others were deeply shaken upon hearing this. With their extensive experience, they naturally understood just how miraculous and extraordinary such a grand teleportation array, spanning the entire Star Sea, truly was.

Long-distance teleportation arrays connecting different regions within the Xuanyang Realm typically required a dozen or more formation masters to work diligently for over half a year. The sheer magnitude of this array, capable of linking the Star Sea Frontier with the Xuanyang Realm, was almost inconceivable. Yet, the Sacred Master had completed it with such effortless ease...

Initially, the four remained somewhat skeptical.

However, when Li Fan invited them to try it, and they stepped through the array, instantly feeling the familiar aura of the Grand Profound Minor World, all their doubts vanished. They were replaced by overwhelming shock and profound admiration for Li Fan.

"'With this single array, the boundless Star Sea becomes an open path. The Sacred Master's abilities are truly comparable to those of a True Immortal,' exclaimed Qiaogong in awe."

"'This array, this array...' Elder Yin murmured, utterly bewildered by the shock."

Li Fan's voice brought them back to reality. "'From now on,' he said, 'this will serve as our transit and supply station for exploration.'"

"'Whether it's the Sea of Relics or the Wall of Ruined Realms, their sheer vastness far surpasses that of a single Xuanyang Realm. Finding suitable ruined realms within them will be no simple task.'"

Qiaogong asked, "Sacred Master, please enlighten us. What exactly is the complexity here? Isn't it enough to simply find one ruined realm to serve as the vital catalyst for Xuanyang's needs?"

Li Fan smiled faintly, extending a hand towards the distant Sea of Relics.

A relic was drawn forth, flying rapidly towards their location.

They could vaguely discern that the relic was a blue and white patterned magic robe. It was already tattered from the ravages of time, and the bloodstains on it had turned black.

"Hmm?"

Even while the flying relic robe was still some distance away, Qiaogong and the others' expressions subtly shifted in unison.

In their perception, the distance between themselves and their companions rapidly expanded as the relic robe drew nearer. It felt as if the world had suddenly grown immense, and their own bodies had shrunk countless times over. Even their attempts to communicate with each other became faint and inaudible.

"'True Immortal power!' They finally realized this was the influence of the True Immortal power imbued within the relic robe."

As the robe drew even closer, the distances separating them continued to expand.

Though standing right beside each other, they could no longer perceive one another.

It was as if they had been isolated by the entire world.

In the boundless void, Li Fan's voice, like thunder, resonated from above.

"'Within the Darkest Star Sea, all realms have been annihilated,' Li Fan's voice boomed. 'However, the very force that caused their destruction—the power of True Immortal Inscriptions—still lingers throughout.'"

"'All the various calamities we encounter on our journey towards the center of the Star Sea are manifestations of this residual True Immortal power.'"

"'The continuous stretch of relics and ruined realms before us also retains this power.'"

"'The power contained within this magic robe is that of a 'Li' character.'"

Their vision instantly returned to normal, and the relic robe changed its trajectory, flying back into the Sea of Relics.

Above their heads, a profoundly intricate "character" shimmered into faint visibility.

"True Immortal... Inscription?"

The others stared blankly at the character above them, vaguely sensing the terrifying power it contained.

"'Li...' Recalling their recent experience of being separated from everything around them, they instinctively used their hands as brushes, attempting to mimic and learn the character."

Unexpectedly, the character suddenly dimmed and dissipated into the air.

Even the memory of it in their minds became indistinct. No matter how hard they tried to recall, they couldn't reproduce it.

"'Too much residual True Immortal power permeates the Star Sea,' Li Fan explained. 'Reckless attempts to study it could provoke dangerous resonance. To properly study True Immortal Inscriptions, a specific method is required.' With a light tap of his finger, a comprehensive technique instantly appeared in their minds."

This was precisely the method Li Fan had learned in his previous life from the Profound Immortal Ark, a technique for researching, teaching, and transmitting True Immortal Inscriptions that was commonly used by the Dao Proving Academy, Immortal Pivot Institute, and Broken Immortal Tower.

The All-Forms Method.

Each True Immortal Inscription is a projection of the power of the Dao. Even a mere approximation, not a true True Immortal Inscription, possesses immense destructive power. If one were to detonate within the Immortal Ark, it would undoubtedly cause irreparable damage. To allow for safe research without triggering the full power of True Immortal Inscriptions, generations of Profound Immortal Ark inhabitants painstakingly developed this method.

Every stroke of the inscription, every movement of the "brush," was deliberately modified to be "similar yet not." A dot was not a true dot, a horizontal stroke not truly horizontal, a downward-right stroke not truly downward-right. When combined, it resembled a character, yet it was not.

It was akin to the most clumsy imitation. True Immortal Inscriptions copied using this method possessed only their form, but their power was reduced by tens of millions of times compared to the original.

Consequently, the impact of True Immortal Inscriptions during research became negligible. Furthermore, when a truly complete True Immortal Inscription was eventually reproduced, the character's energy fluctuations would instantly surge severalfold, serving as an excellent benchmark for verification.

To truly unleash the power of a True Immortal Inscription, one merely needed to remove all modifications at the moment of activation.

It was thanks to this ingenious method that the Immortal Ark's inhabitants were able to research and pass down True Immortal Inscriptions for generations.

Within the Immortal Ark, only those who became disciples of the ruling elders were deemed worthy of learning this method.

Yet now, Li Fan freely imparted this profound method to Elder Yin and the others, without any additional conditions.

Both the All-Forms Method and the 'Li' character.

Both left them profoundly shaken.

If everything Li Fan had taught them previously remained within the mortal domain, then this 'Li' character was undeniably the genuine power of a True Immortal.

In the current cultivation world, to wield such immense power yet not jealously guard it, but instead to teach it to others freely...

Regardless of what conjectures Elder Yin and the others harbored about Li Fan's motives, they were all utterly captivated by his selfless demeanor at this moment.

"'He is truly worthy of the title 'Sacred',' they all mused in unison."

Li Fan's instruction continued.

Using the All-Forms Method, Li Fan once again inscribed the 'Li' character and candidly stated, "'I have never actually seen the 'Li' character itself. I merely deduced the original True Immortal Inscription based on the residual power found in relics that contain it.'"

"'It's like a blind man feeling an elephant; there are naturally errors,' Li Fan sighed with a hint of lament. 'The smaller the error, the more accurately the original power of the True Immortal Inscription can be reproduced. I've managed to deduce this 'Li' character to 98% similarity. However, I haven't been able to make any further progress for a long time.'"

The others stared avidly at the character Li Fan had inscribed.

They held no disdain for it, even though it was merely an approximation.

Just as they immersed themselves in studying, faint, peculiar fluctuations emanated from the distance.

Elder Yin and the others failed to detect them, but a keen glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

"'They're finally here.'"

With a wave of his hand, he concealed both the Wood Sword phantom and the Heaven's End at Hand Grand Array. He then sped off in the direction of the fluctuations.

Before long, two figures met head-on.

Li Fan gazed at the figure before him: it was none other than Zhong Daogong, the Grand Elder of the Broken Immortal Tower!

Zhong Daogong's expression was solemn as he regarded Li Fan, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

Earlier, while on the Immortal Ark, he had detected a familiar power fluctuation that abruptly erupted nearby before vanishing. This had prompted him to investigate.

He had initially assumed it was an outburst of residual True Immortal power from a relic, but to his surprise, the source was actually a cultivator!

How many years had passed since he last encountered a cultivator from outside the Immortal Ark?

Zhong Daogong, unwilling to be careless, spoke, "'Dare I ask, fellow Daoist, why you drew me to this location...'"

Li Fan, however, chuckled dismissively. "'Fellow Daoist, you must have misunderstood something,' he said. 'I was merely instructing my disciples in True Immortal Inscriptions and did not intend to attract your attention.'"

"'I'm surprised to find cultivators still surviving in this Star Sea Frontier,' Li Fan added, his tone filled with feigned surprise and curiosity."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Daogong narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Li Fan while deep in thought.

He keenly noted Li Fan's use of the phrase 'Star Sea Frontier.' Simultaneously, the mention of teaching True Immortal Inscriptions sent a jolt through him.

Uncertain of Li Fan's true intentions, Zhong Daogong refrained from making a direct move, opting instead to continue questioning him. "'From what you say, fellow Daoist, it sounds as if you've come from the depths of the Star Sea. Could it be that civilizations still survive within the Darkest Star Sea?'"

Li Fan sighed. "'Along the entire journey, there was nothing but void. I, too, had believed there were no other survivors in the Star Sea. Yet, unexpectedly, at the very end of my travels, I encountered fellow cultivators...'"

The two exchanged words, each subtly probing the other.

After this initial exchange, Zhong Daogong only learned that the other party hailed from the depths of the Star Sea, but remained completely unaware of the nature, scale, or strength of the world they came from.

It was clear that this cultivator, capable of traversing the Star Sea, was neither naive nor guileless.

Zhong Daogong once again scrutinized Li Fan carefully.

Unable to discern Li Fan's true background, Zhong Daogong suppressed his impulse to directly engage and capture him.

"'Fellow Daoist, you just mentioned teaching your disciples True Immortal Inscriptions. I wonder...' Zhong Daogong changed the subject, continuing his probe."

To his surprise, Li Fan did not conceal anything this time, stating quite generously, "'Star Sea civilizations were annihilated, and residual True Immortal power runs rampant. To survive, one naturally has to harness these forces.'"

"'Thousands of years of research have yielded modest results. Survival is no longer as arduous as it once was.'"

Li Fan's words aligned perfectly with the philosophy of the Profound Immortal Ark. Zhong Daogong nodded, offering no rebuttal.

"'It appears, fellow Daoist, that your homeland's research into True Immortal Inscriptions has reached an impressive level,' Zhong Daogong remarked. 'It's rather shameful to admit, but we, too, have delved into the power of True Immortals for millennia, yet we dared not traverse the Star Sea with such ease, choosing instead to merely huddle in one corner.'"

Li Fan smiled faintly. "'Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be modest. I can sense on your person the...' he began."

"'...distinct presence of True Immortal Inscriptions,' Li Fan finished, his tone unreadable."

Zhong Daogong's expression subtly shifted.

Before Zhong Daogong could speak, Li Fan raised his hand as if wielding a brush and swiftly inscribed a 'Li' character.

"'Fellow Daoist, pray tell, what do you make of this character?'"

The shimmering character floated in the void.

This time, Zhong Daogong could no longer conceal his inner turmoil. He rapidly retreated, observing Li Fan with utmost vigilance.

"'Who exactly are you, fellow Daoist?' he demanded. 'And why do you possess our Profound Immortal Ark's All-Forms Method?'"

"'All-Forms Method?' Li Fan repeated, a look of confusion on his face before realization dawned."

"'Are you referring to the 'Similar-Yet-Different' method?'"

"'That is, of course, the method our ancestors painstakingly researched over generations to analyze True Immortal Inscriptions.'"

Li Fan looked at Zhong Daogong with keen interest. "'Could it be that you, too, know this method, fellow Daoist?'"

More than 'knowing it.' Zhong Daogong's expression became unreadable.

Thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to recall the list of individuals on the Immortal Ark who had been taught this method.

Not a single one showed any indication of having left the Immortal Ark.

"'Could it truly be a coincidence?' Zhong Daogong felt a flicker of uncertainty."

He stared at the 'Li' character Li Fan had inscribed.

"'Astonishingly, it's even more advanced than the Immortal Ark's own research!'"

Upon realizing this, Zhong Daogong's mind was once again plunged into profound shock.

It wasn't merely that the other party's research into the 'Li' True Immortal Inscription surpassed that of the Immortal Ark.

It was also because the other party had so casually displayed such an incredibly precious True Immortal Inscription to a mere acquaintance. One had to understand that every True Immortal Inscription within the Immortal Ark was an absolute secret.

Even he, as the Grand Elder of the Broken Immortal Tower, lacked the authority to casually reveal such information.

"'This can only mean that in this person's homeland, the research into True Immortal Inscriptions has already reached a considerable height,' Zhong Daogong mused. 'The 'Li' character, in particular, must no longer require secrecy there.'"

A thought inevitably surfaced in Zhong Daogong's mind.

"'Fellow Daoist, would you be interested in visiting as a guest?' Zhong Daogong inquired."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan's face immediately showed a hint of hesitation.

Zhong Daogong understood Li Fan's hesitation perfectly, so he candidly offered, "'If you're not at ease, we can also discuss it right here in the Star Sea void.'"

"'My primary desire is to thoroughly exchange insights on True Immortal Inscription research with you, fellow Daoist.'"