Chapter 1321: The Darkest Ocean Basin

"The mark must have been left by Xu Ke, but I searched the vicinity and found no trace of him. The True Immortal's residual power grew increasingly violent, and I simply couldn't endure it any longer. Left with no choice, I had to return through the grand teleportation array," Baihua said, still somewhat shaken.

The principle of the Heaven's Edge Within Reach Array was actually different from ordinary teleportation arrays, but its effect was identical. Baihua habitually referred to it as a teleportation array, and Li Fan did not correct her.

He began to sense the current location and condition of the individuals, following the marks he had previously left on them.

Xu Ke and Qiaogong were indeed still alive.

However, Qiaogong's situation was even better than Xu Ke's. Xu Ke's aura flickered erratically, clearly struggling greatly to survive in the aftermath of the True Immortal's residual power. Yet, Qiaogong's state was surprisingly stable, seemingly unaffected by the turbulent stellar energy.

As for Venerable Yin...

The mark left on him had completely vanished.

"Something is indeed strange. With his current strength, he shouldn't have been able to detect my methods. Even if he vaguely sensed something, given my previous actions, he should have regarded it as my protection and not actively removed it."

The fringes of the Star Sea, the Great Wall of Fragmented Realms, and the High Wall were almost entirely unfamiliar territories to Li Fan.

It had always been Li Fan's plan to send these individuals, who possessed great fortune and had survived since the ancient catastrophe, to explore the path. The sudden eruption of the resonating stellar energy merely accelerated this process.

Li Fan decided to leave them be for now. He would question them in detail once they returned.

He understood the personalities of these individuals very well. There wouldn't be any major problems.

"Don't worry, they are all safe and each has their own serendipitous encounters."

At Li Fan's words, Baihua's expression immediately became subtle.

Ignoring Baihua's thoughts, Li Fan handed her another mass of pure source energy. "For now, don't go to the teleportation array until the storm subsides."

"However, under the influence of the True Immortal's residual power, the teleportation array will need maintenance at regular intervals. Otherwise, if it gets damaged, we'll have to make another trip, which would introduce many unforeseen variables. I'm entrusting this task to you."

Along with the pure source energy, he also provided a wealth of information related to maintaining the Heaven's Edge Within Reach Array.

Baihua nodded in understanding and quickly became engrossed in the profound knowledge of array formations. Although it only covered the basic unit structure of the grand array and did not involve its core parts, it still captivated Baihua completely.

After settling Baihua, Li Fan gazed far into the Abyssal Star Sea.

"The impact of the resonating stellar energy will reach the vicinity of the Xuanhuang Realm in about half a month. Just like in the previous life, the entire world will fall into violent tremors."

"It would truly be a pity if such a mighty force were wasted."

Having witnessed the Abyssal Star Sea from a higher dimensional perspective, and personally seen a small world ascend and then fall, shattering into pieces, Li Fan gained a new understanding of the True Immortal's residual power accumulated beneath the High Wall and sealed by the Great Wall of Fragmented Realms.

"The True Immortal power, emanating from the True Immortal of the Immortal Ruins who comprehended the 'Hunger' character, encountered the High Wall's obstruction during its outward expansion. Day by day, it continuously gathered at the foot of the High Wall. This accumulation of True Immortal power created a relatively high ground."

"Because it was merely an accumulation of pure power, it could not maintain stability."

"On one hand, it would fall to lower areas. And on the other hand..."

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, as if seeing the magnificent scene beneath the High Wall once more.

"Normally, this True Immortal power should slowly return into the Abyssal Star Sea. However, for unknown reasons, a continuous Great Wall of Fragmented Realms formed beneath the High Wall, firmly blocking this True Immortal power."

"This created a peculiar stable state. Now, that stability has been broken."

"The True Immortal power poured down like surging floodwaters, slowly flowing into the low-lying Abyssal Star Sea, raising the Star Sea's overall level..."

A flash of insight crossed Li Fan's mind.

Perhaps the rapid recovery of the Star Sea in his previous life was partly driven by this event.

"What I need to do now is to find a way to intercept these floodwaters and temporarily store them."

"To use them when the Xuanhuang Realm ascends in the future."

This was undoubtedly a massive undertaking.

Achieving perfection within just half a month was impossible. Li Fan could only do his best.

The location of the Xuanhuang Realm was very special.

Outside the Immortal Ruins. Due to the presence of the True Immortal who comprehended the Dao within the Immortal Ruins, the Xuanhuang Realm was definitely located near the highest peak when viewing the height distribution map of the entire Abyssal Star Sea.

Moreover, because of its close proximity, it was already slightly elevated relative to its surroundings.

It was like a raised mound of earth around a towering peak.

"Therefore, as if an invisible barrier was added, the Xuanhuang Realm would naturally face much less impact."

"What I need to do is to create depressions and then, as much as possible, divert and accumulate the True Immortal power from a wide area."

Li Fan nodded slightly.

Li Fan had personally experienced the journey of ascension. To climb and approach Immortality, one only needed to continuously stimulate energy and elevate one's own standing.

But as for how to create depressions...

Li Fan was currently clueless.

However, when he had previously overlooked the Star Sea from the heights of the Great Wall of Fragmented Realms and the main control core of the Abyssal Star Sea, he had indeed seen areas within the Star Sea that were lower than usual.

"I'll go take a look first."

Li Fan acted decisively. He first went to Ouyang Tian and generated some more True Immortal flesh.

Seeing Ouyang Tian, whose face was now as thin as gold leaf, Li Fan frowned slightly.

"It seems finding the True Immortal's remains is already urgent."

Li Fan temporarily suppressed that thought. The pure source energy transformed into protective golden armor. The wooden sword's phantom unsheathed, and in an instant, he had left the Xuanhuang Realm, soaring through the Abyssal Star Sea.

As he rapidly flew towards the target area in his memory, he simultaneously perceived the changes in elevation differences.

After the wooden sword departed a certain Star Sea region, Li Fan seemed to sense something.

He returned, paused in the void, and observed carefully.

"This is indeed a natural depression."

"However, if I hadn't seen the landscape from higher and lower perspectives, and hadn't viewed it from an ascending dimension, I probably wouldn't have discovered its unique features."

"It looked no different from other areas in the Star Sea."

Li Fan frowned, and streams of divine sense flew out, splitting to explore various parts of the area.

The results were as he had sensed.

This depression did not seem to show any difference from normal areas despite its lower potential.

He stood there for most of the day, yet still found himself at a loss.

Suddenly, Li Fan realized something.

Controlling his physical and spiritual energy, he flicked his finger and unleashed a sword qi.

It was merely a simulated attack from a normal Soul Transformation stage cultivator, but as the sword qi whistled past, the space it traveled through was actually torn, creating a rift.

Although it vanished in an instant and the rift quickly returned to normal, Li Fan still saw it clearly.

"So that's it."

"This depression has become fragile," Li Fan suddenly understood.

It wasn't just the space itself.

Rather, all conditions maintaining the existence of this space had drastically diminished compared to normal Star Sea regions.

"The Xuanhuang Realm's relation to this place is like the Immortal Realm's relation to the Xuanhuang Realm."

"Perhaps a bit exaggerated, but it perfectly illustrates the difference between these three."

"A Dao Integration cultivator from the Xuanhuang Realm would likely be akin to a True Immortal in this area. Destroying a world with a single glance would require no effort."

Li Fan sensed the fragility of this depression.

"Its potential, high or low, didn't actually differ much from the Xuanhuang Realm. Yet, the manifestation in concrete phenomena was so obvious," Li Fan mused silently.

"What would happen if it were even lower, to its absolute limit?"

A question couldn't help but surface.

Li Fan's thoughts drifted.

However, this place was already almost the lowest point in the Abyssal Star Sea.

Li Fan's question currently had no ready answer for reference.

As the date for the impact of the resonating stellar energy drew closer, Li Fan's thoughts returned to the present.

"With my current understanding, I still can't figure out the exact reasons for the formation of these depressions."

"However, that doesn't prevent me from utilizing them first."

When Li Fan was an official in Great Xuan, he had personally conducted on-site inspections, designed blueprints, and built water conservancy projects to benefit the region.

Now, in his view, the project of guiding the True Immortal power to converge into the depressions was essentially no different from water conservancy construction.

"This depression is a natural reservoir."

"What I need to do is to divert the True Immortal power here!"

"First, I must prevent this depression from absorbing the diverted True Immortal power. Otherwise, it would only cause the depression to rise and disappear..."

"Pure source energy, being insoluble in True Immortal power, is an excellent material."

A glint of light flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

Then, an unending stream of pure source energy, like a long bolt of cloth, erupted from him.

It was just a thin layer, used for isolation.

Under Li Fan's deployment, it quickly covered the entire depression.

Golden light diffused, and the pure source energy dissipated into the darkness. It seemed no different from before.

But Li Fan knew that, compared to before, a qualitative change had occurred here.

"Next, I need to expand the inflow points of this depression as much as possible."

"And simultaneously reinforce the isolating layer at the bottom of the depression."

"The pure source energy is getting a bit insufficient; I'll have to make the You Clan suffer a bit for now."

With a thought from Li Fan's divine sense, all the You Clan members held in captivity in the Great Xuan small world sensed something.

They all awoke from their slumber.

Then, they knelt and prostrated themselves, praying devoutly without food or water.

The pure source energy slowly became abundant again, and Li Fan once more observed the area from an ascending dimensional perspective.

The irregular boundary was not very large.

If it remained at its current scale, the amount of True Immortal residual power it could gather when swept over would likely be extremely limited.

"How should I divert it?"

After some deliberation, Li Fan suddenly had an idea.

The wooden sword's phantom continuously flickered.

Over the next few days, Li Fan set up numerous ascension arrays in the vast stellar space surrounding the depression.

Because the True Immortal flesh was consumed too quickly, Li Fan had no choice but to return to the Xuanhuang Realm.

Ouyang Tian was almost on his last breath, and even the Kun-Qian Bone Hand showed subtle cracks. It was clear that no more True Immortal flesh could be generated in the short term.

However, he had finally gathered enough materials.

The arrays were arranged as planned.

Li Fan sensed the approaching resonating stellar energy and waited silently.

"Currently, I haven't found a way to anchor the state after ascension."

"However, I can cause short-term bursts to form peaks, thereby changing the flow direction of the True Immortal power."

"According to my precise calculations, all the True Immortal power in this vast surrounding stellar space will be diverted here by me."

*Hum...*

As Li Fan anticipated, the resonating stellar energy, like a surging tide and a fearsome storm, arrived as scheduled.

With resolute eyes, Li Fan activated the ascension arrays one by one.

In the Abyssal Star Sea, not far outside the Xuanhuang Realm, a strange phenomenon appeared.

Ordinary people couldn't detect it.

Only peerless experts, ascending to a peak and looking down, might be able to glimpse it from above.

One low mountain after another suddenly rose.

They stood in front of the surging tide of True Immortal power.

Although these peaks quickly fell back down shortly after rising, they nonetheless truly collided with the great tide of True Immortal power.

The low mountain peaks crashed down amidst roars.

And the great tide of True Immortal power, through repeated collisions, changed its flow direction.

All of it surged towards the depression Li Fan had designated.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*

At first, it was just gentle breezes.

But as more and more of the diverted True Immortal power accumulated, the roaring True Immortal power here became even stronger than at the initial eruption point beneath the High Wall.

Li Fan had to retreat into the wooden sword's phantom, using the profound principles of truth and falsehood to evade the influence of the True Immortal power.

Watching this depression slowly fill up, even with Li Fan's disposition, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

"What True Immortals can accomplish, I can now do too!"

"Even if it's a bit troublesome, as long as I master the specific method, I can replicate it countless times in the future!"

Just like how it continued to be obstructed by the Great Wall of Fragmented Realms beneath the High Wall, a vast amount of True Immortal power accumulated in the depression.

Due to the isolation provided by the pure source energy and the natural uniqueness of this location, it did not cause the potential of the space itself to rise; it simply continued to accumulate power.

It was as if another Immortal Ruins was slowly appearing before Li Fan's eyes.

The wooden sword's phantom flickered, now bright, now dim.

The suction force it experienced grew stronger and stronger, as if truly facing the True Immortal of the Immortal Ruins.

Li Fan frowned and steered the phantom, leaving the confines of the depression.

The moment he exited the depression, Li Fan felt the immense suction force gathered within it instantly decrease by more than half.

It was as if the two were not in the same world.

The convergence of the great tide of True Immortal power continued.

Finally, when the depression was completely filled, the overflowing tide began to sweep towards other areas in the Star Sea.

However, with such a large reservoir, the storm's power had been significantly diminished.

Especially since this reservoir also stood before the Xuanhuang Realm, the beings within the Xuanhuang Realm barely felt any of the turbulence it brought.

In this life, the members of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, who had also received a warning message from the Heavenly Venerate of Transmitting Dharma, looked at each other in confusion.

"The tremors mentioned by the Heavenly Venerate haven't arrived yet, have they?"

"This must just be the prelude; the major event is yet to come!"