Chapter 1360: Immortal Artifact Qingming Pearl

Could Xuan Tianwang’s greatest trump card actually be the fishing pond? This was not impossible. After all, Xuan Tianwang, despite having no foundational backing, managed to single-handedly dominate all the brilliant talents of his generation and achieve ascension ahead of everyone else. This truly couldn’t be simply attributed to "extraordinary talent." But if this conjecture were true...

Li Fan couldn't help but recall the stone slab that had attempted to comprehend the Way of Fishing but was instead ensnared, and the cat treasure that had emerged from the fishing pond—seemingly innocuous, yet capable of devouring True Immortals whole. "Could it be that Xuan Tianwang's fate was similar?" As Li Fan gazed at the shallow pond before him, his trepidation surged to an unprecedented height.

The scene then fell into prolonged silence. It wasn't that Mo Rubin was slow-witted, but rather that, without a hint, it was genuinely difficult to connect this pond solely with the Way of Fishing. Although he still hadn't managed to uncover the pond's mysteries, Mo Rubin already regarded it as his last resort, showing no intention of leaving anytime soon.

"Simply waiting here won't do," Li Fan said. After a prolonged silence, Li Fan suddenly spoke, breaking the quiet. "Actually, I have another method that might help us ascertain Xuan Tianwang's whereabouts."

Mo Rubin abruptly turned his head. Li Fan deliberated for a moment before carefully explaining, "I have grasped a portion of the True Immortal Incantation Character 'Xian'—the Manifest character's power. It can materialize and reveal even the most subtle connections between things." He continued, "From the memories of King Ji's remnant soul, I previously learned about the existence of the Azure Nether Pearl..."

As Li Fan spoke, he observed Mo Rubin's reaction. As the Azure Nether Pearl was mentioned, Mo Rubin's pupils indeed contracted slightly, his aura sharply changed, and he instinctively became wary. However, perhaps it was genuinely due to their shared past experiences that sufficient trust had accumulated between them. Before long, Mo Rubin's guard disappeared on its own.

Only then did Li Fan continue: "If the memories I obtained are correct, the cultivation techniques practiced by the Twelve Dharma Kings back then all had an obscure connection with that Azure Nether Pearl." He paused, "I wonder if, by utilizing the Manifest character and this connection, we could trace Xuan Tianwang's whereabouts. After all, this method involves directly confronting the power of a True Immortal Incantation Character, which will certainly carry some risk. Furthermore, what we'd be tracking is merely the Azure Nether Pearl—a treasured artifact of the Profound Heaven Sect—not Xuan Tianwang himself. To avoid any suspicion on your part, Brother Mo, I didn't proactively suggest it earlier." Li Fan looked at Mo Rubin, placing the decision in his hands.

Mo Rubin didn't answer directly. Instead, he suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question: "Fellow Daoist, who do you think that powerful individual was, who laid down golden threads at the breach in the high wall?" Li Fan didn't conceal anything, replying truthfully, "When I trapped him with a formation, I also took the opportunity to probe his identity. He should be a Venerable from the Heavenly Law Realm—a cultivation world that has merged with the Xuanhuang World." With a gesture, he transmitted some information regarding Tianyi to Mo Rubin.

"Heavenly Law, the constant Way, enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven?" Mo Rubin scoffed. "How does that compare to us cultivators achieving the unity of Heaven and Man? What if we even replace Heaven itself... They are merely unenlightened, inferior beings. Although this individual is powerful now, it's likely only due to their accumulation over these ten thousand years." Mo Rubin shook his head, his tone full of disdain.

However, he then looked back at the fishing pond, still offering no reply. Only after standing by the pond for a full seven days, still unable to unravel its mysteries, did Mo Rubin finally shake his head slightly, then state with great solemnity, "We can try."

"The power of the True Immortal Incantation Character is no trivial matter; I'm not confident I can fully control its intensity. Furthermore..." Mo Rubin continued, "If it truly points to this pond, a place capable of swallowing a figure like Xuan Tianwang, then this pond undoubtedly harbors immense danger. We must be vigilant!" "The safety of the Xuanhuang World now rests entirely on our shoulders; we cannot afford to be careless," Li Fan reminded him.

Mo Rubin essentially agreed with Li Fan's point. By the pond at the desolate mountain temple, they made thorough preparations. Only then did they commence the test of the Manifest character.

"When Brother Xuanyuan imparted his cultivation to me, he once mentioned that most of the immortal techniques practiced by us Twelve Dharma Kings originated from True Immortals who ascended from the Divine Witch Realm," Mo Rubin recounted. "Cultivators of this realm resonate their souls with the Great Dao, manipulate it, and even replace it. While their cultivation methods and outward manifestations can appear somewhat bizarre, it is the immortal art that most easily leads directly to the Great Dao. It's said that this Divine Witch Realm is one of the most ancient cultivation realms, possibly even the origin place of human cultivators."

"The Divine Witch people are almost indistinguishable from ordinary humans. It's just that their overall talent is significantly higher; the difficulty for their souls to resonate with the Great Dao is far lower than it is for us. It took me a significant amount of effort to achieve initial mastery of this Immortal Devil Heart Art of Myriad Calamities and Undying. But according to Brother Xuanyuan, Divine Witch people can cultivate it with effortless ease." As Li Fan listened to Mo Rubin's description, his eyes couldn't help but narrow slightly.

Mo Rubin, however, suddenly shifted the topic: "But even True Immortals of the powerful Divine Witch race were no different from ants when the Tribulation of Dao Annihilation arrived. Their bodies rained down, dying unnatural deaths even as they fled in panic... True Immortals are nothing to be afraid of! Come on!"

Mo Rubin let out a low roar, and myriad Ink Hearts surged wildly from within him. They revolved and whistled around him like a terrifying storm. Li Fan glanced at the nearby immortal formation and the wooden sword phantom, ensuring he could escape immediately should any unforeseen circumstances arise. He also glanced at the 400 charge progress on the 'Still True' panel. Only then, feeling reassured, did he solidly write a 'Manifest' character in the air, sending it directly towards Mo Rubin.

Mo Rubin did not resist, allowing the Manifest Incantation's power to envelop his body. Streams of green smoke rose from the myriad demonic hearts. First, they soared straight upwards, then, after seemingly touching the limit of the sky, they began to continuously hover and circle, seemingly searching for a target. Mo Rubin's true form, his face surged with distortion, as if a massive force were continuously rubbing back and forth upon him. "Brother Mo, hold on," Li Fan said in a deep voice, sending several golden threads that inserted into Mo Rubin's body. Since this was a pre-arranged action, it did not provoke resistance from Mo Rubin. Pure spiritual energy and even soul power continuously flowed along the golden threads, helping Mo Rubin maintain his state under the pressure of the True Immortal Incantation Character.

Above Mo Rubin's head, the myriad green wisps of smoke gradually merged into one stream. Then, as if finally having found its target, the green smoke surged, seemingly coming alive. Like a green dragon soaring through the heavens, it suddenly flew downwards. Its flight path clearly indicated its target: directly into the fishing pond! "It truly is so?" Li Fan's heart sank heavily, and he instinctively moved a bit further from the pond. However, what happened next was somewhat beyond his expectations.

Just as the thick green dragon was about to enter the fishing pond, it inexplicably paused slightly. Then it split into two strands. One strand surged into the fishing pond. The other strand, however, soared skyward once more, flying beyond Xuanhuang! "This?" The sudden change left both individuals utterly bewildered.

Mo Rubin reacted swiftly, first following one strand of green smoke and diving into the fishing pond. But as the green smoke entered the water, it vanished without a trace. Mo Rubin couldn't find any trace of the Azure Nether Pearl in the pond, which was clear enough to see straight to the bottom. For a moment, he couldn't help but feel a sense of despondency.

Li Fan, meanwhile, was looking up, gazing at the spot where the other strand of green smoke had vanished. "Brother Mo, what do you think? Could the Azure Nether Pearl have split into two?" Li Fan asked with a frown. "From the Manifest character's behavior, perhaps so. But what if the Manifest character points not only to the Azure Nether Pearl's connection, but also to Brother Xuanyuan?" After a moment of silence, Mo Rubin suddenly suggested, "Since there's no immediate gain from this pond, let's go investigate where the other strand of green smoke led."

This aligned perfectly with Li Fan's intentions. Before he possessed sufficient self-preservation abilities, Li Fan genuinely did not want his true self to directly deal with the fishing pond. This was already true regarding the cat treasure in the fishing pond; now that Xuan Tianwang's disappearance was confirmed to be related to the pond, Li Fan naturally became even more cautious.

The wooden sword phantom carried the two of them, tracing the green smoke's path. Although the green smoke traced its origin swiftly, it was still slightly slower than Li Fan's Supreme Evasion Art. Before long, having caught up to the green smoke, they found themselves waiting behind it.

Mo Rubin's expression was grim, so Li Fan proactively changed the subject. "Besides the Divine Witch Realm, did Xuan Tianwang ever speak of other anecdotes about the Immortal World?" he asked. "To be honest, even though the Immortal Path has been severed for ten thousand years, we cultivators can't help but remain filled with longing and curiosity for the legendary Immortal World."

Li Fan's words pulled Mo Rubin's thoughts back to the past. "Perhaps he had truly been to the Immortal World, or perhaps Brother Xuanyuan heard it from the Faceless Immortal. In any case, Brother Xuanyuan genuinely did discuss matters concerning the Immortal World. We could all tell that he was still very much bothered by the fact that his ascension process was only halfway complete when he was forced back from the Immortal World." Mo Rubin chuckled softly.

"It's said that the Immortal World is a beautiful, sacred realm with infinite resources. After ascending to become an immortal, one no longer needs to worry about the requirements for cultivation. How many resources one can gather depends entirely on personal strength and luck." Mo Rubin continued, "He didn't specify what these 'resources' were. I imagine it's not as simple as immortal spiritual energy. Oh, and one more thing. Have you ever heard of the Ascension Lightning Tribulation?" Mo Rubin asked, his expression shifting.

"Ascension Lightning Tribulation? I've certainly heard of it. In ancient times, before the Immortal Path was severed, it's said that cultivators could only ascend to become immortals by passing the lightning tribulation trial," Li Fan quickly replied.

Mo Rubin's expression was somewhat peculiar: "Back then, I was only a step away from ascension. But ever since Brother Xuanyuan returned, ascension became an illusion. In fact, I've always been burdened by this unresolved issue, deeply regretting the missed opportunity." He continued, "However, when we were alone, Brother Xuanyuan once comforted me. The reason he was able to pass the tribulation and ascend back then was that the True Immortal on the other side of the Immortal World passage—the one presiding over the lightning tribulation's descent—was affected by the Tribulation of Dao Annihilation and suddenly perished... According to the originally estimated intensity of the lightning tribulation, Brother Xuanyuan wouldn't have been able to pass it. In fact, that lightning tribulation was never intended for any cultivator to pass!" Upon hearing this, Li Fan was stunned.

"So Brother Xuanyuan told me not to be overly attached. If I had cultivated a bit faster, perhaps what awaited me wouldn't have been the fate of ascending to immortality, but rather turning to ashes under successive heavenly lightning strikes," Mo Rubin said faintly. "Of course, I'm not sure if this is true, or merely Brother Xuanyuan's way of comforting me. But out of trust in him, I take his words as he speaks them, without insisting on their absolute truth." "Hehehe..."

Li Fan remained silent. The idealized image he held of Xuan Tianwang had already fractured somewhat.

In the ensuing silence, the green smoke from the Manifest Incantation finally reached its destination. It was still beneath the high wall. This time, however, it did not touch the high wall. Instead, it suddenly vanished in an inconspicuous corner beneath the high wall. Li Fan's heart stirred; he already recognized the spot where the green smoke had vanished. It was, remarkably, one of the entry points beneath the high wall that led into the crevasse basin!

"Let's go!" Mo Rubin exclaimed, his expression invigorated, as he plunged downwards, following the path. Li Fan pondered briefly, then followed suit.

The exact same previous experience repeated itself, as their altitude rapidly decreased. They soon arrived at the lowest point of the Star Sea. This place was filled with dormant energy, causing Mo Rubin, a newcomer to this area, to freeze in astonishment. But he didn't forget the purpose of their journey. Closely following the green smoke, they rapidly delved deeper into the winding, convoluted crevasse basin.

Li Fan had known before that the hollowed-out ditches scattered across the Star Sea formed a vast labyrinth. Rashly delving deeper carried the risk of becoming lost. But now that the green smoke was leading the way, and crucially, the target of their pursuit might involve Xuan Tianwang and the Azure Nether Pearl, Li Fan therefore did not hesitate and followed to explore. It even took dozens of times longer than traversing the Star Sea for the green smoke to finally come to a halt.

Li Fan looked at the spot where the Manifest Incantation's connection vanished, feeling somewhat surprised. A complete small azure pearl quietly floated there. The moment he saw the Azure Nether Pearl, Li Fan finally understood the true meaning of the character "Azure" within the phrase "Azure as the vast sky."

Mo Rubin looked at the Azure Nether Pearl, his body trembling slightly. At the same time, his eyes held a hint of bewilderment. He couldn't understand why the immortal artifact Brother Xuanyuan relied on would be left here all alone.

"It seems something's wrong." Li Fan murmured, "How is it that the spiritual essence on this Azure Nether Pearl seems to have completely vanished?" Having seen many damaged immortal artifacts before, Li Fan keenly detected the anomaly within the Azure Nether Pearl. Prompted by this, Mo Rubin also came to the realization.

He flew forward, reaching out to touch it. However, the moment Mo Rubin approached, the Azure Nether Pearl transformed into wisps of azure light. It shattered and vanished without a trace. "No!" So much effort, only to end up with nothing; even with Mo Rubin's mental fortitude, he momentarily lost his composure. He tried to grasp the vanished azure wisps around him, attempting to restore the Azure Nether Pearl.

Li Fan, however, did not make such a futile attempt. Instead, he was pensive: "The aura within this Azure Nether Pearl seems somewhat similar to that of the crevasse basin in the Darkest Star Sea... Similar?" He continued, "I was previously astonished by the sheer amount of energy accumulated in the crevasse, which seemed a bit beyond common sense. Now, it seems it might be related to the Azure Nether Pearl."