Chapter 1310: The Shock of Fate

"I, for one, never lie!"

"And besides... there's no need to exaggerate." Li Fan said with a proud look, disdainfully surveying the crowd.

The Immortal Ship's elders, who had been on the verge of acting, instantly calmed down. They secretly discussed the reliability of Li Fan's words.

Nangong Lie: "One True Immortal Seal Script is worth the sum of all the others? I don't believe such nonsense."

Gan Jingda: "It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't. The civilization this person comes from is no less advanced than our Immortal Ship in the study of True Immortal Seal Scripts... If they were lucky and truly discovered something, acting rashly might cause us to miss out entirely."

Lu Yuzhi: "Indeed, it's too difficult to capture someone alive who possesses a True Immortal Seal Script. We can only strike instantly and kill them. In that case, we must extract as much knowledge from his mind as possible before we act."

"Regardless, this person knows too many of the Immortal Ship's top secrets. We absolutely cannot let him leave." This was a consensus the Immortal Ship elders had long reached, so when Zhong Daogong said this, no one objected.

At this moment, Ai Tianjue transmitted his thoughts: "How about this..."

After a brief exchange, they once again reached a unanimous decision. This time, Jian Daosheng spoke: "Since fellow Daoist is so certain, then we are genuinely interested."

"A value that surpasses the combined worth of more than a dozen True Immortal Seal Scripts... If it's truly as fellow Daoist says, we are willing to pay any price to see its true form."

The other Immortal Ship elders also nodded in agreement.

"I just wonder, what else can you offer? An ordinary genuine True Immortal Seal Script alone won't be enough," Li Fan pressed, his tone alarmingly bold.

Jian Daosheng smiled slightly: "Fellow Daoist, rest assured. Our world possesses the 'Hundred Tales Immortal Record,' inherited from ancient times. It contains the specialties and treasures of cultivation worlds that have already perished in this star sea. If what you say is true, besides that genuine True Immortal Seal Script, we agree that you can also choose three other treasures from it..."

Li Fan didn't seem swayed by Jian Daosheng's conditions, merely muttering under his breath: "'Hundred Tales Immortal Record,' 'Hundred Tales Immortal Record'... I seem to have heard that somewhere before."

Seeing this, all the Immortal Ship elders were somewhat stunned.

Suddenly, Li Fan seemed to realize something, uttering four words: "Xuanzhang Immortal Ship?!"

The words struck the Immortal Ship elders like a clap of thunder. Their aura instantly shifted, and they all became as wary as if facing a formidable enemy.

Sensing something was amiss, Zhong Daogong secretly signaled the other elders to prepare for action, while he himself forced a smile and asked, "What do you mean by that, fellow Daoist?"

Li Fan cupped his hands: "In ancient times, the Xuanzhang Immortal Ship traversed myriad realms. Who didn't know of it? Who hadn't heard of it? I originally thought the Immortal Ship had vanished with the silence of the star sea, but to think it still survives after ten thousand years!"

"If my teachers and the others knew, they would surely be very excited. No, I must quickly tell them this news..."

Li Fan's words made Zhong Daogong's eyelids twitch. He quickly interrupted Li Fan and changed the subject: "You flatter us, fellow Daoist. Since you've recognized us, we won't hide our identities any longer."

"We are indeed descendants of the Xuanzhang Immortal Ship from back then. However, much has happened over these ten thousand years. Although we escaped the calamity of destruction, the Xuanzhang Immortal Ship split into two. We are one half."

Zhong Daogong looked at the somewhat surprised Li Fan and raised an eyebrow: "However, there's one thing I truly don't understand. The Hundred Tales Immortal Record is highly confidential even within our Immortal Ship. How could you, an outsider, know of its existence?"

After learning the Immortal Ship's identity, Li Fan's attitude became noticeably more amicable. He explained to the Immortal Ship members: "To be frank, my homeland, Daqi, has quite a connection with the Xuanzhang Immortal Ship. It was precisely by relying on an immortal artifact acquired through a trade with your ship back then that we managed to survive the great calamity to this day."

"Even now, that immortal artifact continues to protect us. Therefore, the entire Daqi realm has always harbored a sense of gratitude towards the Immortal Ship..."

Upon hearing Li Fan's explanation, the Immortal Ship elders were momentarily bewildered.

Gan Jingda: "Old Zhong, is there any truth to this?"

Zhong Daogong frowned, recalling the Immortal Ship's records.

"In ancient times, the Immortal Ship did indeed complete several transactions involving immortal artifacts. However, according to regulations and customer requests, related data was destroyed after the transactions were completed. The core hub of the Xuanzhang Immortal Ship should have had backups, but during the internal strife back then... this information should now be with the Merchants' Immortal Ship," said Jian Daosheng, the Chief of the Immortal Hub Institute.

"The Xuanzhang Immortal Ship selling immortal artifacts was something only a very few forces knew about back then. Since this person can state it, it should be true..." Nangong Lie said slowly.

"Deeply researching True Immortal Seal Scripts, and having an immortal artifact as protection..." In the minds of the Immortal Ship elders, a powerful cultivation civilization that had existed since ancient times slowly emerged: Daqi.

And at this moment, Li Fan gave them another big surprise.

"Since you are people of the Immortal Ship, things will be much easier."

"The Immortal Ship has always dealt with others honestly in business. I trust that!"

"Originally, I was going to play hard to get, after all, this True Immortal Seal Script is far too precious; it was obtained from the remnants of the immortal artifact's observations of the Immortal Realm..."

Every word Li Fan spoke captivated the Immortal Ship elders.

"Everyone, pay close attention!" Li Fan's voice suddenly rose several octaves.

The illusion of pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing water abruptly vanished, replaced by an endless, sprawling grassland. On the grassland, a solitary rock stood alone.

Suddenly, the earth began to tremble. Vast expanses of green grass, as if stimulated, began to grow wildly. In an instant, they grew to be taller than a human. They even lifted the solitary rock on the grassland from the ground.

An arc of light suddenly appeared in the sky. The seven-colored arc faintly showed images of lightning and thunder, and gathering storms within it. Around the seven-colored arc, many invisible ethereal figures gathered one after another. They converged, seemingly waiting for something.

A streak of pitch-black lightning fiercely struck the ground from the arc. Boom! Boom! Boom! The world was split in two, and deep rifts were carved into space, unable to heal for a long time. On the grassland, the sprawling green grass was ignited. A raging inferno spread rapidly.

The grassland trembled, and beneath the fierce flames, something seemed to be awakening. High above, the invisible figures around the arc of light converged even further towards its interior. They even engaged in disputes, contending for positions. Continuous roars and collision sounds echoed. The storm, having reached its peak, instantly fell silent. Rolling black clouds vanished without a trace.

Within the seven-colored arc, under a clear sky stretching for ten thousand miles, an exquisitely profound character appeared!

At this point, the vision abruptly ended.

The Immortal Ship elders, who had been deeply engrossed, suddenly opened their eyes wide in anger and turned to look at Li Fan.

"What next?!" Jian Daosheng shouted impatiently, completely disregarding his demeanor.

This Chief of the Immortal Hub Institute had already vaguely discerned a glimpse of the True Immortal Seal Script contained within that arc of light, even though Li Fan had abruptly cut off the vision, preventing them from seeing the whole thing. However, Jian Daosheng remained convinced that the power of that True Immortal Seal Script absolutely far surpassed any other True Immortal Seal Scripts he had ever seen! This cultivator from Daqi had not lied!

"How much did you all see?!" Jian Daosheng asked, his voice almost a roar.

"Too fast! He cut it off too quickly! How could such a powerful True Immortal Seal Script be seen clearly in that instant?!"

"No mistake, this feeling of my entire spirit trembling... it's even stronger than the first time I glimpsed a True Immortal Seal Script. Its power is far beyond that of a single character!"

"That scene just now, were those True Immortals from the Immortal Realm contending for the character within that solitary light? Even Immortals had to fight over it... Unimaginable, truly unimaginable!"

"We must acquire it, no matter the cost!"

On the surface, the Immortal Ship elders remained composed, but inwardly, they were in an uproar. After personally glimpsing the profound character within that solitary light, they no longer had any doubt about Li Fan's previous words. Simultaneously, they instantly reached an agreement: they absolutely had to claim this True Immortal Seal Script for themselves!

The Immortal Ship members were already growing impatient, but Li Fan seemed entirely oblivious. He stated solemnly: "There's something I need to make clear upfront. The vision I just showed you came from the memories of an immortal artifact from long ago. It was originally hidden deep within the artifact's imprint, not easily discernible. However, over these ten thousand years, as our Daqi realm has continuously deepened its development and utilization of this artifact, we finally managed to unearth it."

"At that time, the immortal artifact was only recently born and its power was weak. It was insufficient to perfectly record that True Immortal Seal Script. Therefore, what we have reproduced from it is merely a flawed replica..."

All the Immortal Ship elders were deeply knowledgeable about True Immortal Seal Scripts; how could they not understand Li Fan's meaning? Far from being disappointed, they instead felt their trust deepen due to Li Fan's "candid" attitude.

"Fellow Daoist, since our conversation has reached this point, why not visit the Immortal Ship?" Zhong Daogong said in a deep voice, suppressing his inner excitement. "A genuine True Immortal Seal Script, and treasures from the Hundred Tales Immortal Record — you may choose as you wish!"

Under everyone's expectant gazes, Li Fan pondered for a moment before finally agreeing with delight: "I have long heard of the Immortal Ship's renown. To have the good fortune to board it today, I must surely boast to my teachers and classmates when I return..."

The Immortal Ship members all breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. The group, surrounding Li Fan, left the illusion array in the void and proceeded towards the Sea of Relics.

Passing through the Sea of Relics and reaching the outer region, Zhong Daogong formed a hand seal, revealing the hidden Immortal Ship. A trace of disappointment flashed in Li Fan's eyes, perfectly timed, but it was quickly concealed. Upon entering the Immortal Ship, he saw the divine tree floating in the void and became somewhat surprised again.

The elders introduced it to Li Fan: "This is the Divine Life-Transforming Wood. Its main body is said to be a magnificent divine tree rooted beneath the endless star sea, with branches stretching continuously, spreading across countless cultivation worlds."

"Once the divine tree's branches infiltrate a cultivation world, they can absorb the world's vitality, and its roots merge with the world itself. Hence its name, Life-Transforming. It is precisely through this method that the divine wood managed to proliferate to the extent of covering the entire star sea."

"However, these are just legends. No one has ever witnessed the divine wood's main body. Now that the star sea is shattered, who knows if this divine wood still exists..."

The elders' conversation quickly shifted to other sights within the Immortal Ship.

"This three-eyed golden skull comes from the ancient cultivation world of Chenyuan. It is said that immortal True Immortal bloodlines flowed in this world, which is why most cultivators there had three eyes. They possessed extraordinary talents and various incredible divine abilities. However, when the great calamity descended, Chenyuan was among the first worlds to suffer misfortune."

As they talked, they quickly arrived at the very top of the Immortal Ship's divine tree. At the elders' signal, and without avoiding Li Fan, an outsider, they collectively cast a spell. Invisible ripples spread out from the top of the divine tree. Then, a pink flower appeared from nothingness, slowly blooming. It was merely an illusion, not a physical entity, yet faint wafts of fragrance emanated from it. In the center of the flower, a path appeared.

"Fellow Daoist, please!" Zhong Daogong looked at Li Fan.

Li Fan smiled slightly, seemingly without any guard, and walked directly into it. As he strode in, the scene before him instantly changed. Rows of wooden display cases were neatly arranged. They stretched out, seemingly endlessly. In the air, a long, slender arm was continuously arranging these display cases.

When it sensed Li Fan, the outsider, the long arm abruptly ceased its movements. It extended its five fingers, ready to grab Li Fan. Fortunately, the Immortal Ship elders who arrived shortly after stopped the long arm's action.

Li Fan observed the long arm with interest and asked, "It doesn't seem to be alive?"

Zhong Daogong nodded: "Good insight, fellow Daoist. Strictly speaking, this long arm is also a True Immortal Seal Script. However, it is the combined structure of countless fragments of True Immortal Seal Scripts."

"Many years ago, due to a momentary carelessness, the Immortal Ship was robbed. Several supreme treasures within this Hundred Tales Immortal Record were lost. After much painful reflection, we then developed this 'Severing Immortal Arm'."

A hint of smugness flashed across Zhong Daogong's face: "Without the collective permission of the Immortal Ship's Elder Council, no matter how powerful one is, trying to take a treasure in front of this Severing Immortal Arm... is absolutely impossible."

Jian Daosheng also said: "Fellow Daoist, can you discern the profound mystery of this Severing Immortal Arm?"

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, looked for a while, and then seemed to realize something: "The Immortal Ship engraved the structural fragments of the True Immortal Seal Script directly into this space?"

"Are we actually inside the Severing Immortal Arm?"

Zhong Daogong smiled: "Not only that! Even many of the treasures within this Hundred Tales Immortal Record are now entirely a part of the Severing Immortal Arm. To take one, it must be detached using our secret immortal methods."

"Otherwise, one would have to take the entire Severing Immortal Arm with it..."

"Hmph, that is absolutely not something mere mortals can achieve."

Nangong Lie also added: "Not to mention that we old fellows are here. Just this severed arm, which incorporates the power of numerous True Immortal Seal Scripts... it is likely that no cultivator in the entire star sea currently exists who can forcefully move it."

Listening to the words of the Immortal Ship elders, Li Fan merely nodded in approval. Afterward, he leisurely strolled through the secret archives of the Hundred Tales Immortal Record, patiently making his selection.