Chapter 1359: Xuantian King's Former Residence

"The Realm of the Supreme...""Is this the realm the Grand Healer claims for himself now?"

Li Fan's thoughts raced. He once again set up formations around the Grand Healer to buy time, while looking at Mo Ruxin nearby.

The Grand Healer's reaction was almost identical to when he touched the "high wall" within the Grand Array of All Beings.

No special aura emanated from him, but Mo Ruxin seemed to have truly seen beyond the high wall, as if he had achieved enlightenment in an instant, tears streaming down his face.

Fortunately, Mo Ruxin was gradually emerging from his state of enlightenment, and his eyes were regaining clarity.

"Let's go!"

Several golden threads shot from Li Fan's hand, instantly flying and tightly wrapping around Mo Ruxin! How similar this divine ability was to those used by the Grand Healer within the immortal array!

Pulling Mo Ruxin to his side, the wooden sword's phantom unsheathed.

Moments later, both had left the range of the Grand Healer's perception.

Mo Ruxin still seemed to be immersed in the lingering aftertaste of enlightenment, lost in a daze.

Li Fan didn't disturb him for now. He continued his journey toward the Xuanhuang Realm while organizing the insights he gained from trapping the Grand Healer in the Grand Array of All Beings.

As the one who set up this monumental immortal array, Li Fan was much more than a mere spectator.

The Grand Array of All Beings was hazy, like a true illusion. Rooted in an immortal-grade formation, it also incorporated a trace of Li Fan's true-false transformation profoundness. Rather than saying everything in the array was an illusion experienced by the Grand Healer, it was more accurate to say that such a possibility—the Heaven Law Realm defeating the Xuanhuang Realm—had genuinely existed in history. However, this possibility only came into being under the premise that the immortal array was sustained. Once the immortal array was broken by the Grand Healer, everything would be annihilated.

All living beings within the array, except for the Grand Healer, had a trace of Li Fan's will integrated into them, including Su Bai, Ni Rong, and others. Even the so-called Heaven Law Realm, Heavenly Demons, and the "high wall" were all composed with Li Fan's intentional admixture. Therefore, Li Fan could experience the Grand Healer's various methods up close and personally. Even the Grand Healer's thoughts and emotional fluctuations could be sensed by Li Fan. This was the terrifying aspect of the immortal array!

It should be known that the Grand Healer had once taught Li Fan the Immortal Scripture of the Grand Healer and the Record of Mending Heaven, making him arguably Li Fan's half-teacher. Li Fan was also well aware of the Grand Healer's various experiences. Whether it was the theoretical foundation or the concretization of divine abilities, with everything analyzed, wanting to replicate them... for the current Li Fan, it was not difficult!

Furthermore, after incorporating the transcendent true-false transformation, the myriad golden needles wielded by Li Fan even surpassed the original, showing a "blue is superior to indigo" effect. The myriad golden threads wrapped around Mo Ruxin seemed to gradually disappear. In reality, they had quietly implanted themselves within Mo Ruxin's body. They remained hidden in a temporary "false" state, kept as a contingency. Not only was Mo Ruxin unaware of this, but it was likely that no one in the entire Dark Star Sea would be able to detect Li Fan's seemingly insignificant yet extraordinary method. When Li Fan had need, the true-false transformation would suddenly activate, causing the myriad golden threads to turn from virtual to real, instantly erupting within Mo Ruxin's body.

"These golden threads, though outwardly appearing as threads, are actually insights into the principles of heaven and earth, and the Grand Dao."

"Although my current strength is still slightly inferior to the Grand Healer, in terms of the depth of insight in this area, I am definitely not beneath him!"

Besides this golden thread divine ability, Li Fan also learned the Grand Healer's method for sealing Heavenly Demons. The technique of the eighty-one golden needles, though different from the Soul Sealing and Realm Substitution used by the Grand Healer in the previous life, shared the same origin. Li Fan had already secretly learned most of it. With a bit more time for comprehension, deciphering it would not be difficult either.

Beyond these two, the Grand Healer's actions as a Great Venerable of All Laws, undertaken to save the Heaven Law Realm, also greatly inspired Li Fan. Especially the final move, condensing the constant paths of all laws and freezing the world's operational power. This even gave Li Fan a nascent idea about the World Soul that was about to merge with the Dao in this current life.

"The Grand Healer is indeed an inexhaustible treasure. It's a pity that the same immortal array probably won't be able to trap him again."

"I can wait until the next life to use the same trick again."

"Using the Xuanhuang beings as eyes, I will completely extract all the Grand Healer's knowledge and foundation gained from that array!"

Nearing Xuanhuang, Mo Ruxin finally fully awakened. He was stunned for a moment at first, but upon realizing his current situation, he immediately wanted to return to the high wall.

Li Fan frowned slightly and locked him with myriad golden threads. Mo Ruxin subconsciously tried to break free but failed, his expression changing. He hadn't expected Li Fan to have such a hidden trump card.

"Brother Mo, calm down."

"You've already had two enlightenments of the high wall. If you still can't break free from its temptation, you might never escape it in this life, forever sinking into it!"

Li Fan's utterly cold words finally jolted Mo Ruxin awake. His struggles slowly ceased. Li Fan, however, did not remove the golden thread restraints.

"Is the feeling of 'once lost, forever lost' still present?" Li Fan asked in a deep voice. Given Li Fan's comprehension, he still hadn't gained any insight from that flaw in the high wall. His current statement was entirely based on the Grand Healer's insights into the high wall's flaw within the immortal array.

Mo Ruxin's expression was somewhat subtle: "'Once lost, forever lost.' That phrase is truly too fitting." He cupped his hands, thanking Li Fan for stopping the enemy earlier, then sighed deeply: "Thanks to you, fellow Daoist, I was able to fully glimpse the secret of the high wall's flaw."

"However, everything I comprehended..." Mo Ruxin paused for a long time before slowly speaking: "...is not something I can see in my current state."

"Hmm?" Li Fan's eyebrows rose.

"I know it sounds convoluted, even incredible. But that's precisely how it is."

"It's an insight that doesn't exist within the Dark Star Sea. Only by using the high wall as a medium can we perceive and understand it."

"And once away from the high wall, even if I have 'remembered' and 'comprehended' it, I ultimately cannot manifest this non-existent thing..." Mo Ruxin's expression was somewhat dazed, and he explained everything he had encountered to Li Fan slowly and with great difficulty, syllable by syllable.

Li Fan could somewhat understand Mo Ruxin's statement. Just as if Li Fan tried to explain the true-false transformation to Mo Ruxin without the Return-to-True state, Mo Ruxin would never be able to grasp or comprehend it in the slightest. He would only regard Li Fan as a babbling deceiver. Because, for Mo Ruxin, the so-called true-false transformation simply didn't exist.

"Touching the high wall allows one to recall this insight. But after leaving the high wall, all insights are completely lost..."

"Isn't that just a moon in the mirror, a flower in the water, utterly useless? It's even worse, because at least one can still see the flower and the moon." Li Fan deliberately showed great disappointment in his tone.

Mo Ruxin pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly: "Not quite. Even if I can't engrave that insight into memory, these two enlightenments have allowed me to convert the form of the high wall's existence into a part that I can understand."

As he spoke, Mo Ruxin lightly tapped his index finger and drew a circle in the air before Li Fan, enclosing Li Fan within it. In Li Fan's vision, Mo Ruxin suddenly vanished. Even the entire Dark Star Sea disappeared from his range of observation. Furthermore, his divine sense, and the golden needle senses he had left earlier, all became ineffective! It was as if a high wall had been erected around him, in all directions, surrounding him completely, obscuring his vision and senses.

"Somewhat interesting."

"A miniature high wall."

However, Mo Ruxin's wall was clearly incomparable to the high wall that enclosed the Dark Star Sea. Li Fan didn't even use his Nine Heavens Dust-Descending Finger. Simply ascending slightly, Li Fan effortlessly stepped over this obstacle with a casual stride.

Mo Ruxin remained in place, unsurprised that Li Fan had escaped so quickly.

"My level of comprehension is still somewhat insufficient."

"If I were given more time, I'm afraid, fellow Daoist, your escape wouldn't be so easy," Mo Ruxin slowly stated.

Li Fan, however, frowned and said: "Brother Mo, your divine ability still seems to lack some crucial elements compared to that invisible high wall..."

"It's precisely this missing element that greatly reduces the power of the divine ability. If you could decipher it, I'm afraid you could truly draw a prison with a mere wave of your hand!"

Hearing this, a flicker of unwillingness and yearning involuntarily crossed Mo Ruxin's eyes. To have his emotions stirred so easily was almost impossible for Mo Ruxin, who cultivated the Immortal Art of Myriad Tribulations Undying Demonic Heart. Its occurrence now only indicated that the secret of the high wall's flaw had truly shaken the very foundation of his mind.

"I possess Return-to-True, so I don't need to worry about its 'once lost, forever lost' characteristic. However, it's currently unknown why I haven't been able to comprehend anything from it. Is the gap in comprehension really this vast? It seems I'll have to return later and continue using the beings of the small world to help me gain enlightenment. Although there might not be much time left in this life," Li Fan pondered silently to himself.

Next, Li Fan asked Mo Ruxin about his future plans.

"Are you going to search the remaining areas of the Floating Starry Sky Grand Array for traces of Heavenly King Xuan?"

"During your enlightenment by the high wall, I already searched the Xuanhuang Realm once more. Unlike the Eye of the Beast and the Spirit Gathering Immortal Ascension, the other parts of the Floating Starry Sky Grand Array might be severely damaged. There aren't conditions for Heavenly King Xuan to be hidden there..." Li Fan said slowly.

Mo Ruxin looked at the Xuanhuang Realm in the distance. At the mention of Heavenly King Xuan again, the wavering expression on his face gradually faded, replaced by the elusive demeanor of the Xuan Heaven Sect's Twelve Dharma Kings he had before. Perhaps Li Fan's self-sacrificing obstruction earlier had further cemented trust.

Mo Ruxin hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke: "I still want to go to one last place."

"However, after ten thousand years, the Xuanhuang Realm has undergone tremendous changes, making it difficult to distinguish for a while..."

"That's easy."

In an instant, a comparative map showing the Xuanhuang Realm's past and present changes appeared before Mo Ruxin.

"Here."

Mo Ruxin carefully distinguished for a while, finally selecting a location. Li Fan's expression immediately became subtle.

"What's wrong?" Mo Ruxin, of course, keenly noticed the change in Li Fan's face.

Li Fan shook his head slightly: "You'll know when you get there."

With a flicker of the wooden sword's phantom, Li Fan brought Mo Ruxin to their destination. It was none other than the small mountain and the Taoist temple where the fishing pond was located! In this life, Li Fan had not activated the fishing pond. He had only forcibly relocated the bell spirit, the Taoist boy Liuli, and others from the temple.

"This place used to be Brother Xuanyuan's hometown."

"It was also the last place he ascended from."

"I didn't expect it to be so desolate now." Mo Ruxin slowly walked into the Taoist temple, observing carefully while sighing.

"It was the last ascension site in the Xuanhuang Realm?" Li Fan was slightly surprised.

"Yes. Back then, Brother Xuanyuan was unusually fond of this place. Whenever we couldn't find him, we would eventually meet him here. I don't know what was so special about this place, or what he experienced here." Mo Ruxin walked slowly, seemingly searching for Heavenly King Xuan's aura.

He walked all the way to the back courtyard of the Taoist temple. After seeing the exceptionally ordinary small pond, Mo Ruxin's pupils suddenly constricted. Then he swiftly stepped forward.

"This..."

"Ten thousand years have passed, and yet this place hasn't changed in the slightest?!" Mo Ruxin's heart trembled, and he keenly sensed the extraordinary nature of this place.

"Your expression was strange just now; were you referring to this place?" Mo Ruxin suddenly turned his head and asked.

Li Fan nodded slightly: "I couldn't destroy this small pond. That's how I realized there was something unusual about this place."

"However, I've searched many times, but I've never been able to find anything strange about it..."

Hearing this, Mo Ruxin looked at the fishing pond again. "The surrounding mountains and rivers have all undergone dramatic changes, yet only this pond water remains as it was. Something must be hidden here..."

"Strange, but Brother Xuanyuan never mentioned any secrets here back then."

Having found the only clue, Mo Ruxin naturally wouldn't let it go. He tried various methods, even personally diving into the water. Yet, he ultimately found nothing. It was as if this was truly just a simple, perfectly ordinary small pond. The secret was right before his eyes, yet he couldn't recognize it. Mo Ruxin's expression couldn't help but become somewhat somber.

"This is Heavenly King Xuan's hometown? What kind of person was Heavenly King Xuan before his ascension?" Li Fan seized the opportunity to ask.

"Brother Xuanyuan's early life was truly very ordinary. So ordinary that when he once passed by me, I didn't even bother to glance at him."

"At that time, I was a direct disciple of the Nine Refinements Temple. And he was merely a minor Qi Cultivator."

"However, no one knew that beneath Brother Xuanyuan's unassuming appearance lay peerless talent. He rose to prominence overnight, relying solely on himself without sectarian resources, becoming the first—and also the last—person to ascend in the Xuanhuang Realm at that time..."

In Mo Ruxin's expression, there was infinite reminiscence. As Li Fan listened to these words, he fell into deep contemplation. Li Fan naturally knew about the fishing pond's existence. But precisely when the fishing pond had come into existence in the Xuanhuang Realm was unknown. After all, the fishing pond was subtly a creation of an unnamed True Immortal, entirely transcending the Xuanhuang Realm. Even in the stone tablets recording the history of the Xuanhuang Realm, there was no information about the fishing pond. All along, Li Fan had subconsciously believed that the fishing pond had suddenly appeared in the Xuanhuang Realm after the Star Sea Calamity descended and the myriad realms were destroyed. But now, it seemed...

"Is it possible that Heavenly King Xuanyuan Hong, a Dharma King of the Xuan Heaven Sect, rose to prominence precisely by relying on this supreme treasure, the fishing pond?" A thought couldn't help but surface in Li Fan's mind.