Chapter 1332: True Immortal Chess Formation

*Angry Squid:*

The Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scroll is simple to use. Like a mirror, it reveals the essence of things on a blank canvas. However, the revelation may not be entirely direct, and further contemplation might be necessary to fully understand it.

"Nevertheless, it's considerably easier than directly studying this gray chess piece," Zhong Daogong remarked, his lips parting as he slowly unrolled the blank scroll.

The scroll unfurled like a long dragon, hovering above their heads.

"Go!"

The gray chess piece slowly drifted towards the Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scroll. The moment it drew near, it vanished from sight. Simultaneously, strange and eerie images began to emerge on the blank scroll, as if it were being painted with various pigments.

It resembled a tumultuous storm of colors, with different hues intertwining, colliding, and separating.

"If it can analyze objects from the Immortal Realm, could this Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scroll also be from there?" Li Fan mused aloud, observing the constantly shifting images on the scroll.

"No, not at all. This Myriad Phenomena Scroll is unequivocally an artifact from the Lower Realm," Elder Jian Daosheng replied with a smile, resolving Li Fan's query. "This scroll was acquired by the Xuanshang Immortal Ark from a reclusive cultivator long ago."

"This cultivator's ancestor was once a renowned direct disciple of the Star Dao Sect within the Star Sea. In ancient times, the Star Dao Sect's influence extended across several neighboring cultivation realms. Their profound techniques were said to control the Way of the Star Sea, even surpassing the Taijia Divine Art that you taught us, fellow Daoist."

Li Fan raised an eyebrow. "How did such a grand and illustrious sect fall into decline?"

"That remains an enduring mystery. Even then, let alone now, there were many conflicting theories without a definitive answer. Some claimed they had provoked true immortals from the Upper Realm, who then unleashed divine retribution. Others suggested the Star Dao Sect had audaciously attempted to refine and control the Heavenly Dao of the Star Sea, only to suffer a backlash from the Star Sea itself."

"In short, for reasons unknown, the high-ranking officials and mainstays of the Star Sea Sect seemed to vanish overnight. The remaining lower-level disciples, bewildered by the situation, scattered like birds and beasts after waiting a short while and realizing the situation was irreversible. Before leaving, they made sure to plunder everything valuable they could carry from the sect."

"In just about a month, this once-flourishing great sect in the Star Sea simply disintegrated," Jian Daosheng remarked with a sigh.

"The Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scroll was a treasure of the Star Dao Sect. It's said that the Tongxing Hall within the sect, where cultivators communed with and comprehended the Heavenly Dao of the Star Sea, was adorned with countless such Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scrolls."

"Whenever the Heavenly Dao of the Star Sea connected with a cultivator, it would leave an imprint on the scroll, much like an invisible ink brush. Over time, these scrolls gradually became a repository, replicating the very essence of the Star Sea's Heavenly Dao."

At this point, Li Fan couldn't help but interject, "Even if it's an engraved representation of the Heavenly Dao of the Star Sea, how could it reveal objects from the Upper Realm?"

While feigning ignorance with his question, Li Fan already had the answer in mind.

Zhong Daogong smiled. "The Star Sea, the Lower Realm, serves as the very foundation of all existence."

"It's where the projection of the Great Dao ultimately manifests. Even though the Immortal Realm is lofty, it's not a baseless illusion. From the bottom up, while one cannot behold its true visage, one can discern the shadow of the Dao."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan appeared as though he were encountering this theory for the first time, his mind visibly shaken as he fell into deep contemplation.

The Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scroll continued to evolve.

It was as if an invisible true immortal was wielding a brush, splattering ink and creating strokes as fluid as dragons and snakes.

Eventually, the storm of colors settled into a single, serene image.

Li Fan's pupils contracted slightly as he gazed at the image above.

It wasn't a hyper-realistic depiction with every detail, but rather an abstract, freehand painting that broadly presented contours.

A towering figure dominated almost half the frame, looking down from above.

Its face was indistinct, and it extended long arms.

Beneath the figure, a chessboard appeared to be laid out.

The pieces on the chessboard were not the gray ones.

Instead, they were distinct and varied cultivation worlds.

What initially seemed like mere clusters of blended colors, upon closer inspection, startlingly revealed countless images of diverse beings in their minds.

These beings were born, aged, fell ill, died, cultivated, and fought within these worlds.

The narratives of these beings, intertwined with the cultivation realms themselves, collectively formed each chess piece on the board.

*Boom...*

After being displayed for several breaths before the group, the Myriad Phenomena Yin-Yang Scroll suddenly appeared to be caught in a strong gust of wind, causing the scroll itself to sway violently. Even the pigments on the canvas were swept away by the tempest.

The image gradually disintegrated.

The gray chess piece slowly re-emerged from the scroll.

"The Myriad Phenomena Scroll's deconstruction has reached its limit," Zhong Daogong stated gravely. Along with the other elders, he carefully put away the Yin-Yang Myriad Phenomena Scroll.

Afterward, they gazed at the gray chess piece silently hovering in the air, a peculiar silence falling among them.

"If I'm not mistaken, this gray chess piece appears to represent a cultivation realm after all life has been extinguished and everything has withered away? And that towering figure must be a True Immortal from the Upper Realm?" Li Fan was the first to break the silence.

No one responded immediately.

After a long moment, Elder Jian Daosheng shook his head and offered his perspective. "While the Myriad Phenomena Scroll reveals the essence of things, its interpretations aren't so straightforward."

"Within the Medicine King Cauldron, it's almost a realm unto itself, capable of spontaneously generating spiritual energy and cultivating medicinal herbs and spiritual plants..."

"How could a world devoid of life possibly achieve that?"

Zhong Daogong concurred. "Indeed. I believe this physical manifestation—this world that is a chess piece—doesn't signify death. Rather, it represents a discarded piece that has lost its purpose on the chessboard, having fulfilled its mission."

As he spoke, he gestured, as if envisioning intersecting lines and falling black and white chess pieces, with black pieces encircling and capturing a group of white ones. These captured white pieces left the board, with no opportunity to return. They had turned gray, no longer participating in the contest between black and white pieces.

"Elder Zhong's explanation seems more plausible." Discussions among the Immortal Ark elders were typically straightforward, devoid of internal maneuvering.

Zhong Daogong's interpretation of the Myriad Phenomena Scroll's image garnered the approval of the vast majority of elders.

"True Immortals wield the pieces, sending them down to the lower realms like pawns."

"If that's the truth, then what is the purpose of this cosmic game? And will there ever be a true winner?"

A greater mystery then emerged in everyone's minds.

"For now, we needn't delve too deeply into matters concerning True Immortals. What we understand is that this gray chess piece was likely crafted by a True Immortal, who refined a world into an artifact. Even without the full blessing of immortal spiritual energy, it can be considered a semi-immortal artifact."

"And it's part of a complete set! If gray chess pieces, which have lost their right to compete, possess such divine properties, it's truly difficult to imagine what the black and white twin worlds still on the chessboard must be like!" Lu Yuzhi exclaimed with a hint of longing.

"Haha, don't forget, the Immortal Realm has long since been annihilated. Even the players might have perished, let alone those still on the chessboard. They likely vanished along with the Immortal Realm itself. Ironically, it is these gray chess pieces, which departed the game earlier, that by fortunate coincidence survived as artifacts."

The Immortal Ark elders buzzed with discussion.

After half a day of discussion, they finally reached a preliminary consensus. Since its essence was a world, they decided to refine it using methods applicable to worlds.

The elders nominated five individuals—Jian Daosheng, Zhong Daogong, and three others—to combine their spiritual energies and jointly refine it. Li Fan, however, was not among the five. To avoid any displeasure from Li Fan, the Immortal Ark elders took the time to explain their decision. Although Li Fan had earned the elders' trust, he had only recently joined the Immortal Ark. The primary reason, however, was his "approaching lifespan limit." If he were to participate now, the artifact would inevitably require re-refinement in less than twenty years, following his demise. And so forth.

Li Fan waved a dismissive hand, his expression unconcerned. He fixed his gaze on the gray chess piece being refined by the group.

*This object is a hidden gambit left by Sun Piaomiao. If any anomaly appears during the refining process, it would indicate that Sun Piaomiao is still alive,* Li Fan mused inwardly.

To his disappointment, however, the Immortal Ark elders' refining process proceeded with surprising smoothness. Soon, the gray hue on the refined chess piece appeared to lighten. However, it did not entirely shed its gray color.

*Has Sun Piaomiao truly perished?*

A fleeting question crossed Li Fan's mind, but he suppressed it for now, choosing instead to inquire about Zhong Daogong and the others' experiences.

"Magnificent! The world's originally rigid and orderly Heavenly Dao felt as though it had been pounded and reforged by a mighty hammer. Such skill is truly divine, absolutely divine!"

"It didn't just forge a single form. It has seemingly forged hundreds of future possibilities. After refining it, one can manipulate it, allowing it to freely shift between these various forms..."

"Er, such transformations would require immense energy. Spiritual energy alone wouldn't be sufficient."

"I tried, and even the power of True Immortal Seal Characters proved inadequate," Nangong Lie stated, his voice tinged with regret.

As if they had acquired a wondrous new treasure, the Immortal Ark elders, filled with delight, meticulously studied the gray chess piece.

"The acquisition of this artifact holds immense significance for our Immortal Ark!"

"It might significantly alleviate our resource issues for a considerable period!"

"Oh, to think such a vital treasure has been hidden so deeply within our Immortal Ark's treasury all this time! If not for Brother Li's reminder, we might never have unearthed it!"

With a mixture of joy and regret, the Immortal Ark elders ultimately decided to transform the gray chess piece into a different form. It was no longer the Medicine King Cauldron, capable of cultivating spiritual plants. Instead, it took on the form most suitable for the current Immortal Ark.

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

It was as if invisible, heavy hammers were pounding the gray chess piece. This initially small object slowly expanded in its spatial structure. It directly covered the Immortal Ark's outer shell. Under Li Fan's watchful gaze, the Immortal Ark appeared to sprout and become covered in a layer of hard, gray keratin.

This keratinous layer not only provided protection, but also continuously supplied spiritual energy and resources to the Immortal Ark's interior.

"Adorned with a world's protective outer shell, our Immortal Ark's defensive capabilities have more than doubled. Its stability has also undergone a qualitative improvement."

"We no longer have to fear that the scattered original power of any True Immortal Seal Character could bring about the Immortal Ark's demise!"

"The ten thousand years of vitality accumulated within the gray chess piece have now been entirely transferred to the Divine Tree."

"The effect is remarkable! For at least a century, barring any unusual circumstances, the Divine Tree will no longer require additional sustenance."

The Immortal Ark elders were all beaming with joy.

At that moment, Li Fan abruptly spoke in a chilling tone. "Everyone, with such a significant gain this time, surely you haven't abandoned your plan to cross the High Wall?"

The boisterous atmosphere immediately quieted. The elders instinctively avoided Li Fan's gaze.

Ultimately, it was Zhong Daogong who stepped forward to reassure him. "You needn't worry."

"Crossing the High Wall is a long-established strategy for us, and it won't change simply because of an abundance of resources. You can rest assured on that."

"However..."

"Naturally, the more preparations, the better. Based on the mutual resonance of these gray chess pieces, there are at least eleven more such existences within the Darkest Star Sea."

"Just one of them has brought near-revolutionary changes to our Immortal Ark. If we were to collect the entire set of pieces..." Zhong Daogong's eyes gleamed with conviction. "What do you think, fellow Daoist? By then, we might not even need external assistance; with just our layered external defenses, we could directly smash through the High Wall!"

"Furthermore, the direction indicated by the resonance is quite clear. At our current speed, traversing the entire Star Sea would take no more than three years at most. Concurrently, this journey wouldn't impede our other ongoing preparations..."

Zhong Daogong's explanation was entirely reasonable.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Fan nodded slightly, indicating his acceptance of the explanation. The slightly strained atmosphere then returned to normal.

"In that case, there's no time to lose. Let's depart at once."

"I too am quite curious about what will happen once we've gathered this complete set of gray chess pieces," Li Fan remarked placidly.

The elders exchanged glances, then convened a brief discussion. They first reached a consensus: "The Xuanshang Immortal Ark certainly cannot be moved lightly."

"Indeed, with its current structural integrity, the Ark isn't yet robust enough to withstand the pressure beneath the High Wall."

"Collecting the gray chess pieces doesn't necessitate all of us mobilizing; that would be cumbersome. It's far more convenient for us to go individually."

"We will use the resonance to command and guide from here. Others will disperse across the Star Sea to collect the gray chess pieces."

"This approach should be more efficient."

"Groups should consist of at least three individuals, to guard against unforeseen circumstances."

"There are seven or eight pieces not far from our current position, seemingly located at the Remnant World Great Wall. We should prioritize collecting those first."

As the elders discussed, Li Fan added in a low voice, "I can also contribute. With the aid of my escape techniques, even traversing the Star Sea would only take a single day."

This time, the Immortal Ark elders had no reason to refuse Li Fan's proposal. Having reached a preliminary agreement, the first mission to retrieve gray chess pieces was assigned to Li Fan, Nangong Lie, Lu Yuzhi, and a fourth elder named Xu Gongding from the Dao Proving Academy.

"First, ascertain the situation. Should you encounter any danger, preserving yourselves is your utmost priority," Zhong Daogong cautioned before their departure.