Chapter 1376: Unnamed Immortal Bone

Angered Cuttlefish: ...

"Return to Truth!"

As Li Fan silently recited the words in his mind, a layer of mist instantly enveloped everything around him.

However, Li Fan was astonished to discover that the "color" of the nearby Stele of No Words, also known as the Southern Immortal Pillar, could faintly penetrate the mist of "Return to Truth"!

It remained as vibrant as before.

Along with it, the figure of the Immortal Ruins True Immortal beside the Stele of No Words was also vaguely discernible.

The obstruction from Tian Yang and Qiu Shui didn't seem to hold her back for long. This wisp of color in the mist drew closer and closer to Li Fan.

But just as her approach to the Stele of No Words in the Immortal Realm had slowed, her speed in nearing Li Fan also diminished.

Until she came to a complete halt.

The thick mist completely obscured the Immortal Ruins True Immortal. Even the Stele of No Words became indistinct.

"That is..."

Li Fan instinctively turned his gaze towards the Stele of No Words.

He could vaguely see that, in addition to the two True Immortal Seal Characters previously formed on the stele by the Immortal Ruins True Immortal and "White Circle Falling into the Mortal World," a third character was beginning to manifest.

Or rather, countless characters, dense and packed, were appearing on the Stele of No Words simultaneously!

An unspeakable, terrifying impact suddenly erupted from the Southern Immortal Pillar. Although the scene in the Star Sea was no longer clearly visible, the power of this impact could be inferred from the "Return to Truth" white mist, which rippled outward continuously.

"Phew!" Even with the protection of the "Return to Truth" white mist, the instant the countless characters flooded into Li Fan's eyes, his brain felt as if it had been hammered hundreds of times with a heavy mallet.

His spirit was shaken and seethed, his consciousness almost torn to shreds.

Fortunately, at that very moment, the Southern Immortal Pillar itself could not withstand such immense pressure.

With a deafening roar, it exploded into countless fragments!

Perhaps by coincidence, or perhaps due to other factors at play, the largest fragment flew straight towards Li Fan.

It was thousands of times faster than the Immortal Ruins True Immortal's pursuit.

In an instant, it pierced through ordinary space-time and entered the "Return to Truth" white mist!

At the same time, the "Return to Truth" white mist completely engulfed the world.

The moment the fragment entered the white mist, it lost all its speed and luster, simply floating motionlessly at the edge of the mist.

Dazed and disoriented, Li Fan, who had just managed to regain his senses, fell into contemplation, observing his surroundings still shrouded in mist and facing the reality that he had not yet returned to his predetermined anchor point.

After carefully sensing the fluctuations emanating from "Return to Truth," Li Fan cautiously beckoned, drawing the fragment closer to him.

A familiar light curtain burst open. The interrupted "Return to Truth" process resumed.

Scene after scene from his previous life emerged in succession.

Before his consciousness plunged into darkness, Li Fan noticed that the fragment of the Stele of No Words in his hand had vanished at some unknown point.

Anchor point: Year 1, Summit of Jieli Mountain!

Twenty-year-old Li Fan opened his eyes once more.

"Whoosh!"

The end of this simulation and the start of a new life did not bring Li Fan a feeling of being in a different era. The thrilling, incredible events he experienced at the end of his previous life were still vivid in his memory.

It was as if they had also happened in this current life.

Li Fan instinctively glanced at the "Return to Truth" panel.

The charging progress remained at 31.

It was worth noting that at the beginning of "Return to Truth," the charging progress had been at its peak, 400. This clearly indicated just how perilous the end of his previous life had been.

Although he had successfully returned to his predetermined anchor point, Li Fan remained uneasy.

He stepped out of his thatched hut and walked to the cliff edge at the mountaintop, facing the vast sea of clouds.

He stared intently at the "Return to Truth" panel, specifically at something new that had suddenly appeared among his retained items.

...Thigh bone

Before the characters "thigh bone" was a twisted, blurry symbol. Li Fan could not discern its meaning.

But Li Fan naturally knew where this bone had come from.

"The Stele of No Words, the Southern Immortal Pillar?"

"Could this Immortal Pillar actually be forged from the thigh bone of some being?"

Li Fan's mind was profoundly shaken.

The unclear, twisted, and blurry symbol immediately brought to Li Fan's mind the legendary Nameless True Immortal.

This audacious conjecture sparked countless thoughts in Li Fan's mind.

"But now, the most important thing is..."

"...to ensure my own safety."

He casually picked up a stone at his feet, gripped it tightly, and silently recited words in his mind.

The "Return to Truth" prompt appeared.

"Do you wish to consume one available anchor point to replace the bound item: ...thigh bone?"

The moment the prompt appeared, Li Fan inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

"Return to Truth" was not out of control. He still possessed the highest control authority over it.

The appearance of this thigh bone simply meant that he had inadvertently brought along a "stowaway" during his last "Return to Truth" process.

"Even so, this thigh bone of the Nameless True Immortal is truly extraordinary."

Li Fan was secretly astonished.

Since the true origin of the thigh bone was currently unknown, he could only refer to it tentatively as the Nameless True Immortal's bone.

He first chose "No" to keep the Nameless True Immortal's thigh bone.

Staring at the fragment on the "Return to Truth" panel, Li Fan's expression was serious.

He recalled the various events that had transpired at the very end of his previous life.

"That Stele of No Words, also known as the Southern Immortal Pillar, could resist the Calamity of Dao Annihilation to some extent."

"Given its name, Southern Immortal Pillar, it indicates that there were certainly more than just one such pillar in the Immortal Realm of old."

"A thigh bone... Could it be that other Heavenly Pillars were also forged from different bones of the Nameless True Immortal? Or perhaps, from other Nameless True Immortals?" A faint chill ran down Li Fan's spine.

"Initially, the Southern Immortal Pillar was largely unaffected by the Calamity of Dao Annihilation. It was only when the Hunger Immortal infused it with the 'Hunger' character art he had comprehended that it formed a sky-supporting beam of light. Only then could it successfully resist the Calamity of Dao Annihilation. The Stele of No Words seems to possess a supreme divine ability to re-manifest all things as their original Grand Dao laws, displaying them as True Immortal Seal Characters on its surface."

"It was precisely this realization that sparked my inspiration, prompting me to unleash 'White Circle Falling into the Mortal World.' Of course, it wasn't to save the Hunger Immortal's life, as I was already preparing for 'Return to Truth' at that time. Instead, I wanted to uncover the true nature of 'White Circle Falling into the Mortal World.'"

"As expected, 'Falling into the Mortal World' represents a supremely powerful law of the mundane realm..."

Li Fan carefully recalled the character that had appeared on the Stele of No Words in his previous life.

"'Innate.'"

"It's almost on par with 'Creation.'"

"In ancient times, the Dao Engraver Immortal could reveal the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth through True Immortal Seal Characters. But now, beyond the high wall, is it possible to solidify and forge the power of laws into physical objects?"

The shock in Li Fan's heart was even more intense than when he had first learned about the Nameless True Immortal's thigh bone.

"However, it's still uncertain whether 'White Circle Falling into the Mortal World' is truly a product from beyond the high wall..." Li Fan pressed his throbbing temples and took a deep breath.

His thoughts returned to the main subject.

"When the Stele of No Words manifested, it absorbed everything from the Star Sea outside the Immortal Realm, seemingly intending to re-manifest the myriad laws of heaven and earth on its surface and restore the true form of the Southern Immortal Pillar."

"Everything I saw, every event and object in the Star Sea, transformed into threads that cast shadows on the Stele of No Words, confirming this point."

"And then, there was..."

As he pondered this, a strange light suddenly flickered in Li Fan's eyes.

"When 'Return to Truth' activated, the Stele of No Words responded by displaying thousands of characters!"

In that instant, the characters revealed on the stele were far too numerous and complex.

Even with the aid of the Dao Transformation Stone, Li Fan simply couldn't memorize them.

He couldn't even retain a basic impression.

He only vaguely remembered seeing dozens of True Immortal Seal Characters that he recognized, yet they appeared more complete and pure.

However, Li Fan felt neither regret nor pity. He had a premonition that if he had been too greedy and disregarded the consequences, attempting to forcibly memorize all the True Immortal Seal Characters on the entire stele...

...his fate would have been the same as the Stele of No Words in his previous life.

He would have been instantly shattered into countless pieces!

"Though forged from the Nameless True Immortal's thigh bone and hailed as the Southern Immortal Pillar, it still couldn't withstand the thousands of characters manifested by 'Return to Truth'..."

"It evaded the calamity of the Immortal Realm's destruction, only to be buried by its own inherent properties."

While shaking his head in silent warning, Li Fan also developed new thoughts about "Return to Truth."

"Since the Stele of No Words is called an Immortal Pillar, perhaps many True Immortal Seal Characters were once engraved upon it to help the Immortal Realm resist the Calamity of Dao Annihilation."

"This is also why countless insights flooded my mind the moment I saw it. Although the True Immortal Seal Characters on the stele vanished without a trace for unknown reasons, some imprints without form still remained..."

"All things in the world are derivations of the Dao. If one can master all paths of the Dao, one can manifest everything in the world with a single thought. This is what is known as the 'Transformation of Truth and Falsehood'!"

At this moment, Li Fan had not yet chosen the inheritance option for "Return to Truth," remaining a complete mortal.

However, he stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes slightly narrowed.

A powerful aura of pressure instantly surged from him.

In that instant, Li Fan's cultivation returned to the peak of the Soul Transformation stage, founded on the myriad changes of the 'Profound Yellow World-Ending' art.

With a flick of his finger, a meteor shot up from the mountaintop, flying in reverse.

It tore open the sky curtain of the Great Profound Small World, revealing the dim void beyond.

After completing all this, the profound aura on Li Fan's body slowly dissipated.

"My comprehension of the 'Transformation of Truth and Falsehood' has reached a new level."

"Without the aid of 'Return to Truth,' I can briefly replicate my past cultivation level. And in that instant, I can unleash a full-power strike."

"Although this transformation isn't yet sustainable, it's exceptionally significant for me."

Opening the "Return to Truth" panel, Li Fan chose to inherit his cultivation.

In an instant, Li Fan transformed from a mere mortal back to his peak in the Darkest Star Sea.

It was as if he had experienced hundreds of lifetimes of vicissitudes.

"'Transformation of Truth and Falsehood'..."

Li Fan did not stop, but once again savored the entire process of "Return to Truth" activating, realizing, and simulating reincarnation.

Suddenly, another wave of Li Fan's peak cultivation instantly descended!

It was as if he had suddenly merged with another version of himself.

At this moment, spiritual energy surged and boiled within Li Fan.

The ethereal wooden sword was unsheathed, and in an instant, he appeared in the void of the Darkest Star Sea.

His entire power erupted.

Thousands of terrifying transformations manifested and evolved in the darkest starry sky.

They continued unabated for a long time.

The additional layer of cultivation that had appeared on Li Fan quietly receded.

He returned to his normal state.

"I had already touched the limits of the Star Sea, yet with the 'Transformation of Truth and Falsehood,' I can briefly unleash double my power..."

"Moreover, this burst has no side effects. In fact, I can borrow all operational consumption out of thin air, achieving a form of perpetual motion."

Li Fan looked at his hands, feeling utterly astonished.

Even as the creator of this divine ability, he was shocked by its utterly illogical practical manifestation.

"'Return to Truth,' 'Return to Truth'..."

As he silently repeated the words in his mind, Li Fan's gaze slowly became incredibly profound.

"What exactly is 'Return to Truth'?"

"The Stele of No Words, merely by sensing it from the periphery, absorbed and manifested thousands of True Immortal Seal Characters, a number even it couldn't bear. Its fundamental nature..."

Even in his imagination, Li Fan couldn't conceive of the true origin of "Return to Truth."

Li Fan only knew that possessing "Return to Truth" was undeniably his greatest fortune.

"In fact, I don't need to cultivate any new methods or entirely new methods. As long as I continuously deepen my understanding of 'Return to Truth,' I can, with a mere flick of my hand, achieve true Dao annihilation and Dao creation."

"What are True Immortals? What are Nameless True Immortals? Life and death are all within my single thought." Li Fan's heart swelled with emotion and longing.

But fantasies must eventually return to reality.

After a long pause, Li Fan, with a clear understanding of himself, shook his head slightly: "However, this also presents a paradox: without first cultivating and enhancing my own strength and comprehension, how can I truly comprehend 'Return to Truth'?"

"When my strength was low, even if I clung to 'Return to Truth' for thousands of lifetimes, I couldn't have achieved what I can now: briefly manifesting the transformation of truth and falsehood, even if it's only my past cultivation."

"And as my understanding of True Immortal Seal Characters and the Grand Dao deepens, my deconstruction of 'Return to Truth' also gradually increases."

"Return to Truth" is too profound, mysterious, and complex. Even the laws of the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth are merely inadequate tools for interpreting it.

"'Return to Truth' is higher than the highest heavens. To touch 'Return to Truth,' one must first ascend to the Nine Heavens." Some restless thoughts in Li Fan's mind quietly settled the moment this idea appeared.

"It's still necessary to cultivate step by step, firmly grounded."

Li Fan mused, then recalled the reason his past self had decided to prematurely unveil the Immortal Realm.

"Looking back now, in the simulation where I died, my sudden demise was probably due to the combined effect of Ink Kill and the Stele of No Words."

"It was likely a weakened version of the Calamity of Dao Annihilation. After Ink Kill sublimated, it returned to the realm of the Calamity of Dao Annihilation. When the Immortal Realm unfolded, the Stele of No Words also instantly manifested..."

The scene flashing in his mind made Li Fan's face twitch involuntarily.

"I was still a bit too complacent."

"For ancient True Immortals to entrust it with escaping the Calamity of Dao Annihilation, I should have known that the Immortal Realm was by no means simple."

Li Fan sighed softly in his heart.

However, Li Fan did not abandon the idea of absorbing the Heavenly Immortal Soul of Ink Kill.

On the contrary, the characteristic of Ink Kill being able to pose a significant threat to immortal-level beings strengthened Li Fan's resolve to use it as a material for Dao Fusion.

After all, at present, throughout the entire Darkest Star Sea, only the Heavenly Immortal Soul of Ink Kill could truly pique Li Fan's interest.

"Anchor and sublimate the Profound Yellow Realm..."

"The Stele of No Words is too terrifying; I can't consider it for now."

"But... perhaps just one fragment of the Stele of No Words would be enough."

The ethereal wooden sword was ready, and Li Fan had prepared ample protection.

He took out the Nameless True Immortal's bone fragment that had accompanied him through "Return to Truth."