Chapter 1351: Star Sea Disease Life and Death (7k, Please Vote!)

In the Daxuan Minor World, on the Preaching Platform, the Celestial Sun Immortal Puppet stood motionless behind him, eyes closed.

Li Fan sat upright, examining the insights on the High Wall's weaknesses that had been refined by the Simulated Celestial Grid from billions of beings across myriad minor worlds.

“Is it ahead? No, it is truly high! Like a dam for rivers, it soars into the sky! It cuts off our life and blocks our path!”

“The might of the dark High Wall is unfathomable. Without sacred immortal power, how can it be destroyed? Yet, a dike of a thousand miles can collapse from an ant's nest!”

“The body of one, the souls of thousands, the will of billions. A blazing fire, illuminating the gloom.”

It must be said that in the face of a life-or-death extinction crisis, people truly can unleash unimaginable potential. Among these mortals, whose cultivation did not exceed the Golden Core stage, some had indeed vaguely touched upon the truth. Some insights and thoughts even subtly inspired Li Fan after he read them.

But after all, their level was too far removed from the High Wall. Even with billions of such speculations, accumulating and transforming them to unravel the High Wall's secrets would be no easy task. It was by no means an easy feat. At the very least, Li Fan saw no signs of their success in the short term.

But Li Fan was not in a hurry. He temporarily ceased his examination, flicked his finger, and sent a sword shadow that packaged all these useful thoughts to Mo Rubin. “I hope this heaven-defying genius of the ancient immortal cultivation world can truly gain something,” Li Fan murmured, gazing into the starry sky with an unreadable expression.

Although the Celestial Sun Immortal Puppet had been created in this life, Li Fan's deductions indicated that Tianyang alone was not enough to protect him and ensure his successful merging with the Heavenly and Earthly Immortal Souls of the Super Xuanhuang Realm to attain Dao. “Besides those encountered in previous cycles of reincarnation, I must also consider what lies beyond the High Wall…”

Before Li Fan's eyes, the scene from the end of his previous life reappeared: Cat Treasure descending, the High Wall collapsing, and even the Reversion image flickering erratically.

“When the Xuanhuang Immortal Domain is born, will the High Wall still be able to seal off and isolate inside from outside? If unknown forces from beyond the High Wall sense its presence and descend, then I truly won't have much time left.” Based on his experiences in the previous life, Li Fan estimated the buffer time for this. “Plan for defeat before planning for victory. Although it may not necessarily happen, I must be prepared.” “My own strength, particularly Reversion, is the most fundamental. Second is my formation array cultivation, which dominates the Star Sea. Third is Ascending One Finger and Nine Heavens Descending Dust.” “Lastly, there are the numerous True Immortal Seals.”

Within Li Fan's sea of consciousness, the Terminal Disintegration Disk, having completed its task of degrading immortal formations, did not rest for a moment. It was currently deducing a formation array that could be called world-shaking. This array consolidated all the formation array knowledge Li Fan currently possessed, using mortal power to walk the path of a True Immortal!

To enumerate the formation arrays Li Fan currently mastered: Xuanji, Myriad Spirits Return to Count, Desolation, Empty Room Blooming, Immeasurable, and Primordial Square, all originating from the Profound Origin Primal Spirit Grand Array. Inspired by the Ancient Xuanhuang World-Protecting Grand Array, Li Fan independently deduced the simulated formations: Myriad Forms of Beings, Immortal Descent, and All Things Return to Void. Each capable of creation and destruction, their power was no less than that of orthodox immortal formations. Now, Li Fan intended to synthesize all these immortal formations, with the concept of infinite methods as their core, to create an ultimate defensive immortal array!

Li Fan particularly remembered how in the previous life, the Holy Emperor had used the Bright Moon Starlight Grand Array to besiege the central four states of the Myriad Immortal Alliance. Regardless of cultivation level, anyone who stepped inside felt as if they had fallen into an endless Star Sea, trapped and unable to escape. In this life, he also wished to do the same. However, the target Li Fan intended to encircle was the Xuanhuang Realm! Outside the Xuanhuang Realm, he would build another High Wall of formations! “If I can delay all unstable factors for a bit longer… that will be victory!”

The Disintegration Disk pulsed with light, and countless fractal formation arrays generated, combined, and evolved within it. With the foundation of immortal formation degradation, the original barrier between immortals and mortals was broken. The deduction of the immortal array proceeded as Li Fan had anticipated.

“The Primordial Square Grand Array can analyze those who enter by adapting to the situation.” “Using Empty Room Blooming and Myriad Forms of Beings, it can create infinitely illusory yet near-real worlds.” “Xuanji and Myriad Spirits Return to Count can instantly make any adjustments to the array's world…” “Any form of energy, any type of life, has environments it is suited for and not suited for. By combining the essences of numerous immortal formations, it can create an infinite, ever-changing counter-realm tailored to one's weaknesses!” “Using realms to trap people, using realms to kill people!”

Just like Li Fan, who possessed the heaven-defying treasure Reversion, he was still trapped within this world of Xuanhuang and the Star Sea. A hundred lives had already passed, and it was clear that more time would be needed to transcend. The formation array being deduced by the Terminal Disintegration Disk was designed to custom-create a unique Xuanhuang Realm for every future intruder!

Mechanistically speaking, the fundamental principle of this formation array was similar to the endless illusory realms of countless lives that Li Fan experienced after leaving Daxuan, within the Immortal Annihilation Array. However, it was clear that the reality and intricacy of the world constructed by this immortal array were far beyond what ordinary illusions could achieve.

“Using the nightmarish encounters of the Xuanhuang Realm as a blueprint, it can simulate infinite variations of the Xuanhuang Realm…” “This array can be named Bewildering, Xuanhuang Myriad Beings!”

Once its name was set, its intent condensed, and the array was formed. Within the Terminal Disintegration Disk, the constantly flickering light instantly stilled. Then it suddenly burst outwards, forming a perfect spherical orb of light, seemingly composed of billions of fragments. Each fragment showcased world scenes that were similar yet distinct from the Xuanhuang Realm. At the center of these billions of fragmented worlds, the Xuanhuang Realm, surrounded by the High Wall, lay quietly in the heart of the deepest dark Star Sea, emitting a faint glow, it illuminated all the surrounding world fragments. Even Li Fan, the creator of this formation array, was momentarily stunned after witnessing this wondrous sight.

In a fleeting glimpse, Li Fan peered into the worlds constructed by the Disintegration Disk. Even though he had struggled in the Xuanhuang Realm for many years, cold sweat broke out on his forehead at that moment, startled by his own creation. “If I were to accidentally get lost within it, I would probably be suppressed for hundreds of lifetimes.” “Below the True Immortal stage, even if one comprehends the true nature of the world's structure, they would have no surplus strength to break free…” “In a sense, this Bewildering, Xuanhuang Myriad Beings Grand Array is absolutely the High Wall of formation arrays!”

As Li Fan pondered, the fragmented light sphere surrounding the Disintegration Disk slowly collapsed inwards, eventually returning to the core of the Terminal Disintegration Disk. Currently, the Disintegration Disk had only deduced the core part of the Xuanhuang Myriad Beings Grand Array. There was still a long way to go before perfecting all its details. However, even just the array's core was enough for Li Fan to prepare in advance.

“The amount of Essence of Source Energy required to complete this Xuanhuang Myriad Beings Grand Array, which will envelop the Xuanhuang Realm, is terrifyingly vast.” After a quick estimation, Li Fan's brows furrowed. With the current number of Nether race members, no matter how hard they worked, they would absolutely not be able to meet Li Fan's needs. “It seems I need to think of other methods.” “Either reactivate the flesh-and-blood factory breeding methods of mutated beasts, or find an equivalent alternative energy source to the Essence of Source Energy.”

As Li Fan thought this, he split a wisp of his divine sense and sent it to the underground of Daxuan. Since being brought and raised here by Li Fan, the population of the Nether race had tripled. Every day, besides eating, drinking, and sleeping, they prayed to their great Holy Master. Strangely, they did not become weak due to the lack of activity. Instead, they were much healthier overall compared to when they were hiding and evading the Myriad Immortal Alliance's pursuit.

This phenomenon, however, was different from what Li Fan had experienced before. Previously, after being exploited, the Nether race members would become extremely weak. Their lifespans would shorten, and their reproductive capabilities would plummet. Even with slight neglect, there was a risk of their entire race being wiped out. But from the current situation, it seemed the Nether race had broken free from this cursed fate.

Li Fan recalled and compared the differences between this life and the past. “The breeding method, in fact, isn't significantly different. Although I haven't excessively oppressed them and have given them enough rest, the Holy Emperor of the previous life did the same.” “The Nether race members in Daqi also had short lifespans…” “Could it be?”

Li Fan remembered that in this life, he had once used the Dao Pill method to possess a Nether race member, attempting to glimpse the hidden True Immortal Seal within the bloodline of their progenitor Great Heavenly Venerate. “Is it related to this character that involves the transformation between immortal and mortal?” Li Fan couldn't help but guess. “The Nether race was the creation of the Profound Sky King in the past. Their bloodline is the source of Essence of Source Energy generation, and also their original sin.” “Now, their curse has been alleviated…”

Li Fan vaguely understood. “Given the Profound Sky King's temperament, he might not have been utterly merciless in his actions. While punishing the Nether race, he might have left a sliver of hope. If a Nether race member could awaken and discover the secret within their own bloodline, the shackles suppressing them would be weakened.” To confirm his hypothesis, Li Fan immediately acted. The phantom of the Holy Master, which the Nether race devoutly knelt before, silently emitted several faint rays of light, randomly shining into the bodies of several Nether race members below.

As if receiving a divine revelation, these few Nether race members suddenly stiffened. Numerous visions inexplicably surged within their seas of consciousness. Extremely excited, they first kowtowed to the Holy Master's phantom in gratitude, then immersed themselves in the Holy Master's enlightenment. The prayers and murmurs from their mouths grew louder and faster. Like the Nether race member Li Fan had once possessed, their bodies rapidly aged. Some even turned white-haired instantly, transforming into withered bones in a flash. This horrifying scene, however, did not frighten the Nether race members praying nearby. Instead, they felt immense envy, and their devout faith grew even more fervent.

Finally, amidst waves of chanting, all the Nether race members who had received Li Fan's divine revelation burned away their lives and turned to dust in their moments of enlightenment. At this cost, Li Fan acutely perceived that perhaps it was due to the further alleviation of the cursed shackles on them. The remaining Nether race members did indeed become stronger. Not just their physical bodies, but also their souls and comprehension abilities were strengthened across the board. Just like… they were slowly reverting to how the bloodline of the progenitor Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate should have been.

“To be chosen by a True Immortal from the upper realms to serve as the progenitor Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate, how could such a being be weak?” “How could his bloodline be so feeble?” Li Fan narrowed his eyes and continued to spread several divine revelations through the Holy Master's phantom. Given the current overall population of the Nether race, they could still withstand such life-burning enhancements. “However, I still need to be careful to grasp the appropriate degree when loosening their shackles.” “I certainly don't want to suddenly face a revived Great Heavenly Venerate at a crucial moment in this life…” Having suffered a setback once before, Li Fan was naturally extra cautious in this regard.

Next, the Nether race members, slowly reverting to their ancestral and original forms, demonstrated incredible vitality and reproductive capabilities to Li Fan. Their production rate was not much slower than that of the former flesh-and-blood factory creations. And there were no defective products. All descendants born were inhumanly strong. Rather than belonging to humanity, they were more like a race of demonic beasts! As the Nether race's seals gradually lifted, the amount of Essence of Source Energy generated by each of their prayers also increased exponentially. This, to a certain extent, resolved Li Fan's urgent needs.

However, looking at the Nether race members, whose numbers had doubled again in a short time, Li Fan felt a rare and inexplicable chill in his heart. “Under layers of shackles, they already possess such capabilities. If they were in their prime back then…” “They probably wouldn't be much weaker than the legendary insectoids in terms of reproductive ability, and the key is that these Nether race members are all so incredibly strong. It completely defies common sense.” Thinking this, Li Fan silently and appropriately pruned and controlled the slightly bloated population of the Nether race. He only stopped when their numbers seemed satisfactory.

“It seems I'll have to keep an eye on them to feel at ease.” Li Fan split off a simulated persona and quietly embedded it into the phantom of the Holy Master that the Nether race worshipped. He also laid down a layer of the newly deduced Xuanhuang Myriad Beings Grand Array in the area where the Nether race lived. He only stopped after ensuring they were completely sealed off. “Truly, I cannot let my guard down even for a moment.”

The Nether race population was controlled rhythmically, allowing for linear growth. Using the Essence of Source Energy they produced, he constructed the Bewildering, Xuanhuang Myriad Beings Grand Array. Time thus flew by rapidly. Until this day…

Li Fan suddenly looked up, gazing at the sky. The Medicine King Cauldron had finally escaped the Immortal Ruins and was falling from its periphery towards the Xuanhuang Realm. The six-in-one immortal domain fragments within his body emitted increasingly strong sensations. They seemed to be urging him to quickly go and retrieve it. With a flash of sword light, Li Fan was already outside the Xuanhuang Realm. He appeared outside the world, watching the True Medicine King Cauldron, which was growing larger and wobbling in his sight. With a wave of his hand, he directly put it away. He returned gracefully, in one smooth motion. From beginning to end, no one within the Xuanhuang Realm was alerted.

As if sensing Li Fan's suppression from the outside, the True Medicine King Cauldron continuously emitted faint energy fluctuations, attempting to escape Li Fan's control. But it was merely a futile struggle. An outer layer of the Xuanhuang Myriad Beings Grand Array, and an inner layer of the All Things Return to Void Array. Under the deterrent power emanating from the immortal formations, the True Medicine King Cauldron immediately quieted down, standing silently and motionlessly.

Li Fan separated a wisp of his divine sense and entered the cauldron. With practiced ease, he traveled all the way to the True Medicine King Cauldron's core control center. Seeing the emptiness within the control center, Li Fan sneered slightly. He made a grasping motion with his right hand, then clenched his fist. The entire space seemed to twist under this grasp. A blurred figure was directly pulled out by Li Fan just like that!

“Senior, spare me!” This figure was naturally Liu Ruchen, the hidden sect master of the Medicine King Sect. Pulled out by Li Fan, he showed no demeanor of a sect master, immediately shouting in panic! It wasn't that Liu Ruchen was weak, but rather that the methods Li Fan displayed at that moment were simply unfathomable. He had actually traveled all the way without triggering any of the prohibitions within the Medicine King Cauldron, heading straight for the core control center. And he had seen through his hiding method with a single glance…

Liu Ruchen's thoughts raced, wondering which venerable figure among the Ten Sects this person before him truly was. However, Li Fan appeared like an ordinary mortal, without any aura leaking out, making him inscrutable. Only that calm expression and casual glance sent Liu Ruchen's spiritual senses into a frenzy of alarm, leaving his limbs cold. Just as he was about to speak, Li Fan pointed a finger directly at his glabella. An incomparably powerful force surged into his soul like a tidal wave. Originally barely surviving in a severely injured state, Liu Ruchen instantly became on the verge of death, with only a wisp of his residual soul remaining, after this heavy blow.

Under normal circumstances, Li Fan would not use soul-searching methods. But since it concerned clues about immortal realm fragments secretly left by Sun Piaomiao, the Medicine King Sect's patriarch, Li Fan had to be cautious. Countless light and shadows, Liu Ruchen's past memories, flooded in. Li Fan examined every detail, one by one, especially any information regarding Sun Piaomiao, which he treated with great emphasis.

In Liu Ruchen's era, the name Sun Piaomiao already existed only in distant legends. Even after inheriting the lineage of the Medicine King Sect, Liu Ruchen's knowledge of Sun Piaomiao mostly came from a travelogue left by the patriarch. Previously, Li Fan had only heard various things about this travelogue from the mouths of Medicine King Sect members. Now, he read it word by word within Liu Ruchen's memories. Knowing the answer now, looking back at some details in the travelogue, Li Fan indeed noticed some peculiarities.

The travelogue began after Sun Piaomiao established the Medicine King Sect. Without any warning, Sun Piaomiao, as the sect master of the Medicine King Sect, decided to leave Xuanhuang and travel to various realms. One must know that at that time, the Medicine King Sect was newly established, its foundation unstable, with too many complicated matters awaiting the Medicine King sect master to handle. Yet Sun Piaomiao simply left, abandoning a mess and departing without a word. If not for the reliability of his few personal disciples, and the Medicine King Sect's principle of healing the world and saving people, which generally prevented conflicts with other sects, the Medicine King Sect might not have even survived until Sun Piaomiao's return. Sun Piaomiao's sudden departure could certainly be explained by his naturally free-spirited and uninhibited nature. But in Li Fan's view, it was more like he suddenly received some kind of mission and had no choice but to act. One must remember that with Sun Piaomiao's strength at the time, the starry sky was not a smooth journey for him. This could be seen from his encounter with a Star Sea anomaly, where he nearly perished and fell severely injured into the Xiaoyao Realm.

With this foresight, Li Fan meticulously reread Sun Piaomiao's travelogue entries. Logically, as a travelogue, it should record the memorable parts of the entire journey. But Sun Piaomiao said nothing about his own experiences, not even mentioning his past severe injuries. All the writing was dedicated to describing the characteristics of the various immortal cultivation worlds he passed through, as if he were merely an emotionless recording camera, as if fearing that future generations, wanting to revisit those places, wouldn't be able to find these immortal cultivation worlds. “Most importantly, what was the purpose of the 'chess piece' he left behind?” “Since such obvious clues were left for future generations, it shouldn't be that he mentioned nothing about it.” Li Fan carefully reviewed the travelogue, but didn't find what he was looking for, causing him to frown slightly. To ensure nothing was missed, he searched through it again. Still finding nothing, Li Fan began searching through Liu Ruchen's other memories.

Hard work pays off; finally, Li Fan found a possible clue in an anecdote Liu Ruchen had heard in his childhood. This anecdote had only been occasionally mentioned by Liu Ruchen's master, and even Liu Ruchen himself had forgotten it. “Back then, a severely injured guest came to the Medicine King Sect, seeking help.” “His injuries were too severe; everyone in the sect was powerless to save him. Even the patriarch personally examined him and came to the same conclusion.” “Logically, there is no omnipotent medical art in this world. Our Medicine King Sect truly did its best to save him. Unexpectedly, this guest, in his despair, actually began to curse our Medicine King Sect. He even used his remaining strength to frantically attack the Medicine King Sect disciples. While our Medicine King Sect saves lives, we are not rigid fools, so naturally, we had our tempers as well.” “Immediately, the disciples moved to kill him. But the patriarch stopped everyone, came to the dying guest's side, pointed a hand towards the sky, and said something.” “The guest's body trembled slightly, and all his malevolence vanished. He stopped attacking, looked up at the sky, and the ferocity on his face transformed into two streams of clear tears. Then, as if relieved, he passed away.” “The patriarch sighed softly, ordering us to give this person a proper burial.” The young Liu Ruchen at that time, like everyone else who heard this anecdote, naturally asked with curiosity, “What did the patriarch say to him that could so easily resolve his frenzied murderous intent?” Liu Ruchen's master spoke in a somber tone, “Birth, aging, sickness, and death—these are the eternal truths of the Great Dao, unavoidable even for this Star Sea. How much less avoidable are they for you?” “That is what the patriarch said back then.” The young Liu Ruchen, still unable to grasp the weight of these words, simply nodded innocently in agreement, saying, “That's right! If you're going to die, then die, why lose your temper? It serves him right!” But returning to the present, Li Fan could discern a different flavor from Sun Piaomiao's words back then. “At that time, the path to immortality was not yet severed, and everyone aimed to ascend and become an immortal. Sun Piaomiao's words didn't sound like something a Medicine King, who heals and saves lives, would say.” “Instead, they coincided with my earlier conjecture of him being an immortal realm pessimist.”

Li Fan mused secretly, then tried to find more clues in Liu Ruchen's memories. Sure enough, things often come in pairs. Li Fan indeed found another seemingly suspicious past event. Under normal circumstances, immortal cultivation sects would erect statues of their founding patriarchs for later generations to worship. However, throughout the Medicine King Sect, there was not a single statue of Sun Piaomiao. “Master, Master, what did the patriarch look like? How come there isn't even a single portrait?” “Haha, the patriarch said back then, rather than worshiping him, it's better to worship our sect's True Medicine King Cauldron. All our alchemy, saving lives, and healing the world depend on this cauldron! Without the cauldron, there would be no Medicine King, and no future.” “True Medicine King Cauldron, future.”

Li Fan let out a long breath, slowly withdrew from Liu Ruchen's memories, and stood silently in thought. Liu Ruchen's residual soul shivered nearby, not daring to disturb him. “Perhaps it's just my conjecture, but to me, the hints left by Sun Piaomiao are already very clear.” “However, this is provided that I already know the Medicine King Cauldron is very likely a fragment of the immortal realm.” “If my guess is correct, Sun Piaomiao must have hinted at the Medicine King Cauldron's special nature somewhere else. It just wasn't noticed by his disciples, and the information was lost in the river of history.” “If it weren't for my accidental discovery of an anomaly in Sun Piaomiao's relics on the Immortal Ark, this secret would probably have been buried forever.”

Li Fan looked at the Medicine King Cauldron. The Transformation of Truth and Falsehood activated the spiritual energy within his body, splitting off a wisp of power belonging to the World-Saving Longevity Sutra. Li Fan had once cultivated this technique, and combined with his current strength, which far surpassed ordinary Dao-attainment, it was effortless to replicate. Replicating it required almost no effort and was virtually indistinguishable from the authentic World-Saving Longevity Sutra. Under Liu Ruchen's utterly shocked gaze, Li Fan effortlessly broke through the True Medicine King Cauldron's restrictions and, in passing, gained control of it.

“The disciples of the Medicine King Sect have fallen to such a state!” “They failed to save the world in crisis, instead fleeing for themselves…” “Bastards!” Li Fan snorted in anger. To Liu Ruchen's ears, it was like a clap of thunder. Knowing everything about the Medicine King Sect, and speaking with such a senior-like tone… In an instant, a bold guess surfaced in Liu Ruchen's mind. “Senior, are you…”

Li Fan ignored him, simply gripping Liu Ruchen and flashing out of the Medicine King Cauldron. At the same time, with a thought, he directly shut down the Grand Dream Spring Autumn Array within the Medicine King Cauldron. Then, like vigorously shaking a sieve, he shook all the sleeping Medicine King Sect disciples out of it. In an instant, Medicine King Sect cultivators fell from the sky like raindrops. Fortunately, they had already woken up beforehand, sensing something was wrong, and frantically stabilized their bodies. The Medicine King Sect members, newly awakened from their grand dream, were bewildered. As they exchanged words, their gazes gradually locked onto Li Fan, the sole stranger, especially the blurred, almost vanishing figure of Liu Ruchen gripped in Li Fan's hand.

“Sect Master?!” “Master?!” The disciples, elders, and Liu San all exclaimed in shock, glaring angrily at Li Fan. Li Fan, however, ignored the auras locking onto him and continued to manipulate and shake the True Medicine King Cauldron until all the hidden resources of the Medicine King Sect, along with various precious spiritual plants and herbs contained within it, flew out as glowing orbs. Only then did Li Fan stop. He extended his hand, and the All Things Return to Void Grand Array manifested from his palm. It covered the True Medicine King Cauldron. Silently, the Medicine King Cauldron, which could still resist for a moment in the Immortal Ruins, crumbled into dust inch by inch!

“The Medicine King Cauldron!” Witnessing their Medicine King Sect's most treasured artifact destroyed by Li Fan, all the Medicine King Sect members' eyes were filled with fury. They wished to seek revenge and retribution against Li Fan. However, the world-destroying immortal array aura inadvertently emanating from Li Fan's fingertips made them all feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave, freezing them on the spot.