Chapter 1335: Divine Art Can Equal the Heavens

"A wise person does not stand under a crumbling wall. Constantly exposing our vital Immortal Boat to enemy surveillance is not a wise move!"

"Indeed, while this gray chess piece is a True Immortal's creation, it's not worth us taking such a significant risk."

"Nonsense! This set of chess pieces must conceal a great secret. Opportunities always come with risks; how can we abandon it so easily?"

"It would indeed be a great pity to simply discard it. I have a suggestion: since this unknown enemy can track the gray chess piece, why don't we turn their strategy against them? We could dispatch an elder to wander alone in the void, carrying the gray piece, while we lie in ambush. Once they take the bait, we can capture them all."

"Let's not underestimate the enemy! How can Elder Gan be certain that our supposed ambush won't lead us into an even larger encirclement by them?!"

The elders argued intensely, clearly split into two factions, with neither side able to convince the other.

In the Immortal Boat's history, when similar situations arose, the Chief Elder always made the final decision. Regardless of their prior stance, once a policy was established, everyone aboard the Immortal Boat had to unconditionally support and implement it.

This practice also served to prevent further division within the Immortal Boat.

This time, however, Zhong Daogong, who was renowned for his decisiveness, showed a rare hesitation.

He seemed to be contemplating something, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Li Fan.

"Everyone, please go back and consider this carefully. We will reconvene tomorrow."

As the meeting dispersed, Zhong Daogong specifically asked Li Fan to stay.

"What, Elder Zhong, are you planning a private interrogation for me now?" Li Fan asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Zhong Daogong chuckled softly, undeterred. "My friend, please don't misunderstand. I kept you here because there's something I wish to entrust to you."

Li Fan raised an eyebrow and composed himself slightly. "Elder Zhong, please speak freely."

"I've heard that after being struck by the death qi storm, you only have ten years of life remaining?" Zhong Daogong asked, not directly stating his purpose but starting with a seemingly unrelated topic.

"That's correct. Ten years is just my estimate; in reality, it's likely no more than that."

"However, whether it's twenty years or ten, it no longer matters to me. What concerns me more is whether I will see what lies beyond the high wall before I die," Li Fan scoffed.

Zhong Daogong bowed slightly. "The matter I wish to entrust to you is directly related to crossing the high wall. Before today's council meeting, Elder Nangong and two others privately came to see me."

Li Fan's gaze sharpened instantly upon hearing this.

Zhong Daogong continued, "Friend, do you know what the Immortal Boat truly relies on to cross the high wall?"

"Beyond the high point of the remnant world's Great Wall that we previously showed you. As you saw that day, while it offers a view of the star-sea, it is still an unseeable distance from the very top of the high wall."

"The Immortal Boat's explanation of the plan to me has always been to gather as much power from the True Immortal Inscriptions as possible, then detonate it to shake and 'fish-leap' over the high wall..." Li Fan narrowed his eyes.

"What you say is true. But have you ever considered, my friend, how we could ensure the Immortal Boat's safety amidst the chaotic storm of residual True Immortal power if there wasn't some form of control?" Zhong Daogong smiled.

"Elder Zhong, are you saying the Immortal Boat actually possesses a method to control residual True Immortal power to some extent?" Li Fan was surprised.

"Calling it 'control' might be an overstatement. It's more like... self-preservation."

"Furthermore, each use demands a considerable price. This is precisely why Elder Nangong and his two companions secretly approached me," Zhong Daogong added, his expression inscrutable.

"What... what exactly is this? Does it perhaps even have the effect of extending life?" Li Fan grew increasingly curious.

"It's neither an immortal artifact nor a secret treasure. It is the Equal Heaven Divine Art!" A sharp glint flashed in Zhong Daogong's eyes.

"The Equal Heaven Divine Art?" Li Fan savored the meaning of these four words.

A nostalgic expression appeared on Zhong Daogong's face. "This art is the culmination of ten millennia of tireless effort and wisdom from the elders of the now-divided Profound Immortal Boat."

"It is the Immortal Boat's highest secret, with a confidentiality level even surpassing that of the True Immortal Inscriptions."

"The divine art's efficacy, as its name suggests, lies in the concept of 'equality'! Under its influence, for a short period, all living beings become equal."

"When the tide of residual True Immortal power rages, the divine art envelops us, making us equal to Immortals. If one of us is on the verge of death, the divine art will envelop us, and we will collectively share our lifespans to save our brother!"

"The existence of this art is the very cornerstone upon which the Immortal Boat Elder Council has stood for ten thousand years," Zhong Daogong stated gravely.

"If what Elder Zhong says is true, then this divine art is arguably the most powerful ability I've ever encountered in the star-sea. However, if the Equal Heaven Divine Art is so miraculous, why not apply it directly to the high wall?"

Zhong Daogong chuckled, shaking his head. "Firstly, our so-called high wall has no physical form; it's merely a boundary that confines us. Secondly, even if we could target the high wall, once the Equal Heaven Divine Art is cast, as long as the effect is maintained, no matter the external impact, we would remain at the same 'level' as the target."

"To leap over the high wall, one must naturally transcend it. If we are merely as high as the wall, how could we succeed?" Zhong Daogong sighed.

Li Fan nodded, acknowledging Zhong Daogong's explanation.

"Then, what is the cost of casting this art?" Li Fan continued to ask.

Zhong Daogong stroked his beard and replied honestly, "While the Equal Heaven Divine Art can defy the heavens, it does have its limitations. Firstly, it requires extensive and meticulous preparation. Secondly, because its essence is 'equality,' the more elders capable of performing the divine art, the better. However, the Immortal Boat's talent pool has dwindled, and the number of Elder Council members has remained low for many years. Consequently, the effect of the Equal Heaven Divine Art has been significantly diminished."

"Thirdly, and most importantly, there are side effects. All those who cast the Equal Heaven Divine Art will, to some extent, be influenced by the 'equality' aspect after the 'equal' state concludes."

"Specifically... it manifests as a certain kind of inclination..." Zhong Daogong's voice was low and faint.

Li Fan understood instantly. "So, this Equal Heaven Divine Art is also derived from the True Immortal Inscriptions?"

Zhong Daogong nodded. "Precisely. In essence, the divine art can be considered a True Immortal Inscription collectively inscribed by the elders of our Immortal Boat."

"All the elders collaborate, getting infinitely close to a True Immortal's personal handiwork."

"Because it pertains to the very origin of the Equal Heaven Divine Art, the character 'equality' has become one of the Immortal Boat's top secrets. Thus, it was not revealed to you during our previous transactions."

Li Fan commented, "So, Elder Zhong, you've now revealed everything to me... It seems I have no choice but to agree to your request."

Zhong Daogong waved a hand dismissively, feigning helplessness. "My friend, there's no need to worry. We truly have no way to force someone with peerless escape techniques who is already at death's door."

"This is not coercion, but a sincere request."

"A request for what? Are you finally inviting me to join the Immortal Boat's Elder Council?" Li Fan scoffed.

"That is one thing. Besides that, there is another request," Zhong Daogong replied, his expression unchanged.

Li Fan fixed his gaze on Zhong Daogong.

Zhong Daogong remained composed, offering a slight bow and cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

Then he slowly stated, "I request, my friend, that you take a portion of the Equal Heaven Art back to Da Qi!"

"What?!" A glint of chilling intent flashed in Li Fan's eyes as he abruptly rose, his gaze locking with Zhong Daogong's.

"Elder Zhong, don't jest. Didn't you just state that only members of the Elder Council could participate in casting the Equal Heaven Divine Art?" Li Fan asked coolly.

"I also mentioned that the Equal Heaven Divine Art is essentially a True Immortal Inscription collaboratively written by many. Given our Immortal Boat's extensive research into True Immortal Inscriptions over the years, we naturally possess methods to allow other beings to unknowingly participate in the inscription of the 'equality' character, even if they are at opposite ends of the star-sea."

"However... completing this will still require your cooperation, my friend."

"The number of Immortal Boat Elder Council members is too small, making the consequences of each divine art casting difficult to bear. But if Da Qi were to join in sharing the burden..." Zhong Daogong finally revealed his true intentions.

Li Fan remained silent for a long time.

For a moment, the room fell into complete silence.

Zhong Daogong did not press further, simply waiting quietly for Li Fan's response.

Li Fan's brows were tightly furrowed, his expression indecisive.

"I... need some time to think this over carefully," Li Fan finally stated.

Upon hearing this, a faint, almost imperceptible smile finally appeared on Zhong Daogong's face. "Then, before tomorrow's council, I will pay you a visit."

Li Fan, expressionless, departed directly.

Once he returned to his courtyard and confirmed no one was watching.

Though his facial expression remained unchanged, a storm was brewing within him.

"The Equal Heaven Divine Art? Truly extraordinary. It lives up to its reputation as the ultimate reliance for the Immortal Boat's plan to cross the high wall."

"So, it requires a multitude of beings to collectively cast the art and endure the backlash from the True Immortal Inscription?"

Li Fan sneered inwardly.

"If I could glimpse the true form of the True Immortal Inscription..."

"Why not?"

"However, the Immortal Boat elders possess exceptionally long lifespans. Even including those three unfortunate individuals like Nangong Lie, they wouldn't be willing to equalize their lifespans with all beings of the so-called Da Qi civilization."

"So, what then is the true objective of their divine art?"

Outwardly, he was as still as a statue, seemingly petrified. But within, Li Fan was already quietly formulating a plan.

When it came to comprehension of True Immortal Inscriptions, even the entire Immortal Boat Elder Council combined might not compare to Li Fan, who understood the transformations between immortal and mortal, true and false.

"As long as I can discern the true essence of the 'equality' character, I can interfere and subvert the divine art at any moment."

The next day.

Zhong Daogong arrived as promised.

"My friend, what have you decided?" Zhong Daogong asked, smiling.

"I can agree," Li Fan said, his expression indifferent. "However... when will the Immortal Boat cross the high wall?"

"I require a commitment regarding the precise activation time."

"And I wish to be fully involved in the casting of the Equal Heaven Divine Art."

Li Fan presented several demands in quick succession.

Zhong Daogong agreed to all of them readily, without the slightest hesitation.

This swift agreement, however, subtly heightened Li Fan's caution.

"Then, Elder Zhong, could you please tell me the exact target of this Equal Heaven Divine Art casting?"

"It can't just be for extending the lives of Nangong and the others, can it?" Li Fan pressed, staring intently at Zhong Daogong.

Zhong Daogong replied, "There's no need to trouble Da Qi for the life-extension aspect of the art; our Immortal Boat will handle that ourselves. As for the ultimate objective..."

"We will inform you once you have completed the arrangement of the Equal Heaven Divine Art."

Li Fan stared at Zhong Daogong, remaining motionless for a long time.

After a prolonged silence, Li Fan finally said, "Alright! I agree!"

"Da Qi... even though it was once my homeland."

"But why should I care if chaos reigns after I'm gone!" A savage glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

Zhong Daogong's expression remained unreadable; he offered no reply.

Li Fan did not attend the subsequent Immortal Boat Elder Council meeting.

Instead, he focused entirely on studying the Equal Heaven Divine Art ritual that Zhong Daogong had entrusted to him.

While called a ritual, it was in fact a formation that combined the inscription ceremony of True Immortal Inscriptions, seemingly interwoven with life essence similar to that of the Immortal Boat's sacred tree.

"You simply need to engrave this ritual within a world, and when the divine art is activated, all beings within its scope will automatically be drawn into the ceremony."

"Once the arrangement is complete, our Immortal Boat will sense it. You may then return. At that time, we will absolutely not go back on our word!"

Zhong Daogong's instructions still echoed in his ears.

Li Fan murmured, "It only considers the number of beings involved, not their cultivation level. That certainly simplifies things for me."

"There's no need to set it up in the Xuanhuang Realm; I just need to find a small world with a large population."

He remained on the Immortal Boat for a few more days.

Only after thoroughly comprehending the Equal Heaven Divine Art ritual did Li Fan depart, amidst the hopeful gazes of everyone on the Immortal Boat.

With the phantom of his wooden sword unsheathed, Li Fan returned to the Xuanhuang Realm.

He arrived in a mortal world named Da Qian.

"The Profound Immortal Boat has been isolated in the star-sea for so long that it has lost its grasp on population metrics."

"Three million people already meet their desired target."

Li Fan's spiritual sense swept over the small world below.

"One hundred million. Without any spiritual qi, it's already remarkable that they've proliferated to such a prosperous state."

"I wonder if there will be extra rewards from the Immortal Boat for overshooting their target," Li Fan scoffed, caring little for the Immortal Boat's promises.

He merely wanted to witness the Equal Heaven Divine Art in action.

The ritual was quietly laid out, enveloping the entire world of Da Qian.

Li Fan could faintly sense the unease of the world.

In the air, heavy dark clouds began to gather, but Li Fan's mere gaze dispersed them.

The resistance of the small world was negligible under Li Fan's suppression.

The ritual's setup was completed swiftly.

A subtle energy ripple, like a passing breeze, emanated from the ritual, seemingly indicating that the Immortal Boat, situated at the star-sea's edge, had received the confirmation.

Li Fan, however, was in no hurry to return.

Instead, he first went to Da Xuan.

The four gray chess pieces, retrieved by Venerable Yin and Baihua, lay quietly on the preaching platform.

"Holy Master," they murmured, bowing slightly upon Li Fan's return.

They then followed Li Fan's gaze to the four distinctively shaped items.

With a gentle wave of Li Fan's hand, spiritual energy pressed down, causing the four items to shatter layer by layer.

They were compressed and ground into their most elemental particles.

Finally, their true forms were revealed.

Four identical chess pieces, mutually attracted, floated and spun continuously in the air.