Chapter 1391: Still Truly Turning the Tide

Instantly, countless viscous, multi-colored liquids materialized in the Xuanhuang World. Like trickling streams, they poured into the wound.

As if by a legendary elixir, the torn wound in the Xuanhuang World healed in an instant.

Many multi-colored streams of liquid also scattered into the air and flowed across the land.

Areas touched and illuminated by these multi-colored lights gradually formed vibrant halos. A subtle, sacred aura emanated from within them, making them stand apart, incompatible with the surrounding ordinary regions.

Li Fan continued to chant incantations, maintaining the Xuanhuang World's ascent. He squinted slightly, scanning the luminous halo-regions that had suddenly appeared across the world.

To maximize the concentration of all forces and propel Xuanhuang's sublimation, Li Fan had long ago either destroyed or merged most of the cumbersome Grotto-heavens and minor worlds, bringing them all back into Xuanhuang.

Yet now, just as the Xuanhuang World was about to complete its transformation, new Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands were forming, slightly slowing Xuanhuang's ascent.

These newly formed Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands differed from the Grotto-heavens of old. They were not independent entities that split off after blossoming but rather new "organs" evolved by the world itself.

Li Fan's gaze pierced through the protective halos of these Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands, revealing distinct yet profoundly mysterious unique laws within each.

For example, one new Grotto-heaven gathered and evolved laws related to "sight." Li Fan deduced that if any beings were born or cultivated within this Grotto-heaven for prolonged periods, they would very likely awaken related divine abilities under the influence of its unique laws.

A very few Grotto-heavens, after briefly appearing, transformed into streaks of rainbow light. After choosing their targets, they directly plunged into the beings below. These fortunate, chosen beings were not sleepers in illusion arrays but new lives born since the Xuanhuang World's transformation. Thus, the Grotto-heavens descended from above, walking upon the earth!

The Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands were not isolated. They had subtle connections, some mutually close, others inherently antagonistic.

However, by sensing their underlying connections, Li Fan perceived that their ultimate destiny was to devour each other and eventually unify.

The final Grotto-heaven Blessed Land, which would unify the world, would gather the strengths of all and nurture the extreme. Then, it would split off from the Xuanhuang World.

This process, which might normally take tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of years to evolve naturally, would still occur even against the Xuanhuang World's own will.

"Is this a necessary path for ascending to an Immortal Realm? Is it inscribed in the underlying logic of the Xuanhuang World's existence?" As Li Fan watched the strange and diverse Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands suddenly descend upon the Xuanhuang World, a realization dawned on him.

These changes would only occur after the Xuanhuang World was pushed to the critical point of sublimation and was truly about to ascend to an Immortal Realm.

From the very beginning of the Xuanhuang World's creation, this had been written into its foundation. Even though the Xuanhuang World had always been merely a lower realm, a part of the Sea of Stars, and an ordinary cultivation world, this long-hidden "innate characteristic" finally revealed itself as it prepared to return to the Immortal Realm.

"The Xuanhuang World is a unique world created using the methods of forging Immortal Realms, but with mortal materials from the lower realms. In other words, it can be seen as a downgraded Immortal Realm to some extent..." Li Fan's eyes flickered as he thought of his method of using refined Origin power to replace Immortal Spiritual Qi and operate Immortal arrays.

"Although the Xuanhuang World inherently possesses immortal qualities, its practical manifestation is no different from other ordinary cultivation worlds due to the limitations of its mortal body. Only True Immortals can clearly discern its true nature."

"No wonder the Heavenly Dao of the Xuanhuang World has such a universally disliked personality. It turns out it's like a princess who fell into the mortal world. No matter how well you treat it, even the slightest deviation from its will immediately leads to a cold shoulder, or even a complete turnaround. And no matter how good previous interactions were, if a new powerful figure offers concern, it's highly likely to immediately switch allegiance..."

Recalling his interactions with Mr. Bai, the Saint Master, and the Heavenly Dao of the Xuanhuang World, Li Fan gradually understood.

At its root, it was due to the inherent arrogance of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. No matter how well an ant treated it, it remained an ant. While its attitude might change due to temporary circumstances, its deepest inner thoughts would never waver.

Only an immortal, or even a half-immortal, might earn the Xuanhuang World's true regard.

These innate characteristics of the Xuanhuang World caused numerous sudden changes at the most crucial moment of its sublimation and ascent.

Li Fan merely snorted, observing coldly, "It has a princess's illness, but not a princess's fate!"

All sorts of strange phenomena continued to unfold across the Xuanhuang World.

Li Fan imprinted this dreamlike scene into his mind. Then, involuntarily, he looked towards an insulated blank area in the world where no changes were occurring.

Yuandao Province!

Although the illusory great formation of the Xuanhuang beings did not cover Yuandao Province, it enveloped it. The power of the immortal array permeated, isolating it from the outside world. Later, Li Fan even built a tall wall around the border of Yuandao Province, completely sealing it off.

This was, of course, to prevent the Grand Master from suddenly appearing and causing trouble at the final critical moment of sublimation.

In fact, besides the immortal array and the high wall, Li Fan had also carefully prepared an additional surprise for the Grand Master.

Along the border of Yuandao Province, eighteen bronze figures stood hidden within the illusory immortal array. Only Li Fan, their creator, could perceive the two terrifying murderous intents concealed within them.

The Calamity-Eradicating Wind and the Corrupting Greenery.

The Calamity-Eradicating Wind was collected by Li Fan from damaged immortal artifacts within the Xuanhuang World. Any immortal artifact remaining in the world, more or less, contained some essence similar to the Boundless Mirror.

As for the Corrupting Greenery, Li Fan first discovered it on the Thousand-Eyed Desolate God. It burned away the very foundation of vitality, possessing destructive power no less terrifying than the Calamity-Eradicating Wind.

The Calamity-Eradicating Wind was a special evolution of the Dao Annihilation Tribulation against immortal artifacts, while the Corrupting Greenery was a specific attack against immortal servants!

Two years ago, the constantly feuding immortal ships gradually descended into madness. The Immortal Hub Court, always at a disadvantage and nearing its end, finally chose a desperate gamble, releasing the Thousand-Eyed Desolate God. As the Desolate God rampaged, Li Fan sensed its bizarre aura, a creation from the Immortal Realm, and dispatched Tian Yang to fight and comprehend it.

Tian Yang indeed gained some insights. At the same time, with the substantial support of True Immortal flesh and blood provided by Li Fan, he successfully brought back the attached and corrosive Corrupting Greenery.

Li Fan used True Immortal flesh and blood as a breeding ground to cultivate a large quantity of Corrupting Greenery.

Although the Calamity-Eradicating Wind and Corrupting Greenery were already terrifying disasters for mortals, their destructive effects were even more pronounced against beings of the "immortal" realm!

In the previous-previous life, facing the Calamity-Eradicating Wind, the Saint Emperor and Heavenly Physician were only terrified but still tried their best to stop it. However, the Grand Master, in a panic, fled without hesitation. The Grand Master's reaction clearly demonstrated his level of fear towards the Calamity-Eradicating Wind.

And if the Corrupting Greenery were added...

"Let me see what this Grand Master is truly made of."

The anomaly in the Xuanhuang World gradually subsided.

Besides evolving numerous Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands, four great mountains also rose at the four cardinal points of the world.

The highest peaks of these mountain ranges stood majestically, like heavenly pillars, piercing straight into the clouds.

These four majestic mountain ranges guarded the Xuanhuang World. Once they appeared and took shape, the world, which had been constantly trembling due to being at the critical point of sublimation, seemed to find support and spontaneously stabilized!

"Are these the Heavenly Immortal Pillars corresponding to the Immortal Realm?" Li Fan pondered thoughtfully as he gazed at the four peaks.

The various changes in the world seemed to awaken ancient memories within the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. Even without actively probing, Li Fan could vaguely sense its extreme excitement.

Urged by it, the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable, who had already released all his Immortal Spiritual Qi, moved again.

The Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable extended his left hand, and a small, dazzling golden bell slowly appeared. A strong wind swept through the world, gently lifting the golden bell, causing it to ascend and soar into the nine heavens.

As it ascended higher, the golden bell's radiance grew increasingly brilliant. When it reached the sky, level with the great sun, the dazzling light it emitted even enveloped the sun itself!

*Hum...*

A clear bell chime resonated throughout the world. The light suddenly contracted, plunging the Xuanhuang World into brief darkness. When the light reappeared, only one sun remained in the sky, and...

It was not the same as the original.

"Great Sun Golden Bell!" Li Fan's eyes suddenly narrowed as he recognized this immortal artifact that had replaced the sun in the Xuanhuang World's sky.

As the golden bell transformed into the sun, all beings in the Xuanhuang World felt a profound unease, as if a sharp sword hung suspended above their heads, threatening to fall at any moment.

At the same time, Li Fan felt the "burden" on his shoulders, caused by the true Grand Celestial Venerable's appearance, intensify.

When Li Fan saw that the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable had completed the transformation of the golden bell into the sun, yet his actions continued, Li Fan's expression gradually grew serious.

The second immortal artifact taken out by the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable was a seemingly unremarkable circular disk.

As soon as it left the Nameless one's hand, it transformed into five colors—white, green, black, red, and yellow—and, like Immortal Spiritual Qi, rapidly surged throughout the world.

The various colors in the Xuanhuang World thus became more vibrant. A unique vitality began to be nurtured.

Besides these five colors, Li Fan inexplicably sensed another special, formless, invisible power emanating from the disk, flowing to all parts of the Xuanhuang World.

The illusory great formation he had deployed, which had tightly restrained the Xuanhuang World like shackles, loosened slightly under the impact of this mysterious power.

Conversely, Li Fan's shoulders felt heavier.

"Primordial Five-Element Disk!" Li Fan's eyes narrowed, but he still did not stop the Nameless one's actions.

When the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable took out the third immortal artifact, Li Fan suddenly heard the urgent cries of an infant in his ear.

Li Fan immediately recognized the source of the sound.

Carefree Celestial Venerable.

Li Fan scoffed, ignoring it. With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the sound.

Li Fan naturally knew why Carefree, who had been avoiding the world and acting like a reclusive turtle, would appear at this moment.

The power of the Xuanhuang World and its cultivators had a waxing and waning relationship.

Previously, because the overall strength of the Xuanhuang World's cultivators far surpassed that of the Xuanhuang World itself, even the descent of a true Grand Celestial Venerable had minimal impact on the cultivators of the world.

But now, as the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable continuously integrated immortal artifacts into the Xuanhuang World, with each addition, the cultivators gradually found themselves at a disadvantage.

Indeed: the weight of one immortal artifact surpassed that of billions of living beings!

This was true even for immortal artifacts whose Immortal Spiritual Qi was almost depleted after countless uses!

Nevertheless, there was no doubt that the integration of immortal artifacts was purely beneficial for the Xuanhuang World's formal ascent. Thus, Li Fan continued to let the Nameless one proceed.

At this moment, the third item being dissolved into the world was the Grand Void Azure Nether Lantern.

The ethereal light flickered erratically, its frequency quickening until it seemed to stop completely. In that instant, Li Fan saw the Xuanhuang World flicker along with it. Then, the flame gradually extinguished, and the Grand Void Azure Nether Lantern turned into scattered embers, dissolving into the wind.

"This is..."

It was another superposition of immortal artifact power.

The moment this restriction took effect, Li Fan's figure, standing in mid-air, uncontrollably sank slightly.

Li Fan paid no heed, relaxed his body, and looked up towards the heavens beyond.

The moment the Grand Void Azure Nether Lantern's flame extinguished, or rather, integrated into the Xuanhuang World, Li Fan clearly sensed that the influence of the Immortal Ruins' suction was weakened to some extent.

Not only the Immortal Ruins' suction but also the effect of the illusory great formation acting on the Xuanhuang World was further diminished.

The ascending Xuanhuang World, like a fierce beast, was slowly breaking free from Li Fan's control.

When the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable took out the last immortal artifact, the Purple Qi Dream-Weaving Shuttle, the crying of Carefree Celestial Venerable once again reached Li Fan's ears. However, this time the sound was much weaker than before. It seemed the impact on the cultivators who defied natural laws for longevity was far greater than on Li Fan.

Not only in reality, but in Carefree's Dream Paradise, all cultivators Li Fan had secretly dispatched to investigate the dream's truth and falsehood also heard the same sound. Only Hou Mingwu, who had already delved deep into the 8th level of the dream world, was spared.

Li Fan's expression shifted slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he finally began to slowly communicate with the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.

"Too much is as bad as too little. The nourishment from three immortal artifacts is already sufficient."

"As for the last one, it would be better left for the Grand Celestial Venerable to use as a protective artifact."

"The ascent is imminent; there's no time to digest it."

Li Fan appealed to its emotions and reasoned with it.

The Xuanhuang World, having already devoured three immortal artifacts and being in a state of extreme desire, hesitated at Li Fan's suggestion.

However, the journey to immortality was like rowing upstream: to stop was to fall back. In the very moment of its hesitation, the Xuanhuang World's momentum, which had been like a soaring rainbow, showed signs of slowly falling.

The Heavenly Dao of the Xuanhuang World was instantly jolted awake by fright.

It commanded the Nameless Grand Celestial Venerable to cease sacrificing immortal artifacts.

The noisy infant cries in Li Fan's ear also vanished promptly.

The Nameless one's task was complete; it was now Li Fan's turn.

Having already pre-rehearsed the sublimation with the Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Dao, Li Fan bowed slightly towards the Xuanhuang sky.

A decree jade token then appeared in his hand.

This decree jade token represented the will of the Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Dao.

Holding the jade token allowed him to freely wield all the world's power, just like the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.

He no longer needed to pretend to act on behalf of fate.

Li Fan stepped forward, his body growing with the wind, transforming into a colossal giant towering between heaven and earth within a few breaths.

He was also draped in a mysterious black-and-gold long robe, with a star-studded crown on his head, obscuring his facial expression.

Holding the decree jade token in both hands, Li Fan gently swept it across the Xuanhuang land below.

The earth veins rumbled, and mountains quaked.

In the areas Li Fan swept over, spiritual qi instantly boiled and evaporated completely, forming vast power vacuums.

Then, with the cooperation of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, the remaining Immortal Spiritual Qi in the world was enveloped by the surrounding spiritual power and poured into these vacuum depressions.

Li Fan, embodying the laws of heaven and earth, used the decree jade token as a brush to inscribe "Creation" itself within the Xuanhuang World!

Although his current cultivation level was insufficient to directly mobilize Immortal Spiritual Qi, he could use this method to artificially create special regions, allowing Immortal Spiritual Qi to voluntarily enter them.

This was the most colossal True Immortal Seal Script Li Fan had ever inscribed to date.

It was also only possible to write it with the power of the super Xuanhuang World, which had sublimated to a critical point.

If he relied solely on his own strength, even with the Great Five-Element Grotto-Heaven and the Xuanhuang World-Annihilating Transformation as foundations, he would be instantly drained.

But now, the vitality from the fissures and depressions in the Sea of Stars was continuously being extracted.

The Grand Autumn Water transformed into a blue sword shadow, traversing throughout the Xuanhuang World, evenly infusing infinite power from the Sea of Stars.

Additionally, various other powers, such as fragments of shattered realms, which had been absorbed by the Xuanhuang World but not fully digested, were also brought into play.

Now, combined and superimposed, these powers acted like fuel, igniting the character for "Creation" with a roar.

Creation unfolded within the Xuanhuang World.

The Four Great Immortal Pillars ascended once more, reaching directly into the heavens. The Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands shimmered with flowing light, their inherent laws becoming increasingly sacred. Beings on earth reaped the benefits, gaining strength in soul and physique by leaps and bounds without effort...

Amidst the evolution of various auspicious phenomena, Xuanhuang's ascent continued its rapid, surging progress upward.

What was called "creation" was happening right before his eyes.

Watching the drastic transformation of the Xuanhuang World, which he had personally brought about, and recalling the numerous differences in the world before and after the changes.

And the countless details of his communication with the Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Dao consciousness at each stage.

Li Fan's expression slightly froze.

"Is it Heaven? Or is it man?"

"Heaven and man are no different."

"Heaven gains creation; man can also gain creation."

"Sitting on a mountain can lead to ascension to heaven, sitting on heaven..."

"...can lead to ascension to immortality!"

Countless shimmering characters arranged, combined, and transformed within Li Fan's mind.

They ultimately coalesced into a dazzling cultivation technique.

The Heaven-Sitting Art!

Ever since he had derived the Mountain-Sitting Art into the Immortal-Sitting Art, Li Fan's primary cultivation technique had entered a rather redundant state.

This was because what constrained Li Fan was no longer cultivation level but the bottleneck of major cultivation realms.

No matter how much cultivation he accumulated, it was useless if he couldn't surmount that barrier!

Therefore, Li Fan had almost forgotten about his primary cultivation technique. This, it must be said, was a rather peculiar phenomenon in cultivation.

But at this moment, observing the Xuanhuang World's continuous ascent and transformation driven by the power of Creation, he naturally felt an inspiration.

As if things had fallen into place, the Mountain-Sitting Art was derived and perfected to its next stage.

The Heaven-Sitting Art had long been within Li Fan's expectations, so observing this sacred sight and comprehending the divine technique only caused a slight ripple in his heart.

After all, for him, advancing realms was far more important than increasing cultivation. Having witnessed the infinite power of the Sea of Stars and mastered the Juntian Divine Art, raising his cultivation level was effortless as long as his realm advanced.

Li Fan felt neither joy nor sorrow.

The Heaven-Sitting Art was a cultivation technique Li Fan had derived himself, and he understood it perfectly. Being of the same origin as the Mountain-Sitting Art, with a single thought, he had already cultivated it to perfection.

At this moment, as the Xuanhuang World rapidly progressed on its path to ascending to an Immortal Realm, the feedback power from the Heaven-Sitting Art surged forth like a mighty river.

Having already reached the peak of the Soul Transformation realm, with the bottleneck yet unbroken, any excess cultivation could only be temporarily stored.

Projections of Tribulation Bodies from the Grand Supremacy Sect appeared within Li Fan.

Yet now, Li Fan could vaguely perceive a subtle connection between these Tribulation Bodies and someone in Carefree's Dream Paradise.

"Even if I'm willing to bring everyone to heaven with me..."

"...you are not among those 'chickens and dogs.'"

Li Fan shook his head slightly, his expression indifferent.

The Tribulation Bodies in his dantian shattered inch by inch. Then, under the seemingly endless deluge of feedback power, they astonishingly transformed from Li Fan's shadowy form into the appearance of the Xuanhuang World!

Through countless reincarnations, Li Fan had, if not completely flayed the Xuanhuang World, at least thoroughly scoured every inch of it.

With each world's destruction, everything within the Xuanhuang World was laid bare before Li Fan without reservation.

In this world, when it came to understanding the Xuanhuang World, no one surpassed Li Fan.

Even the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao itself was unaware of the various methods Li Fan had deeply embedded within Xuanhuang's core.

When understanding reached a certain conceptual depth.

Under the mental replication, the illusory image of the Xuanhuang World generated within Li Fan's dantian was identical to the real Xuanhuang World!

Except for the absence of living beings in the illusion, every other detail corresponded perfectly.

What astonished Li Fan even more was that the energy level of this world illusion, formed by the feedback power, was almost perfectly consistent with the Xuanhuang World at this very moment!

This meant that the world illusion formed within Li Fan's dantian, imbued by the feedback power of Xuanhuang's ascension to immortality, could be entirely regarded as another Xuanhuang World.

However, this Xuanhuang World was purely an energy construct!

"This... how is this possible?"

"How could there be so much feedback power?"

Even as the creator of the cultivation technique, Li Fan was stunned by the sight before him.

But he was, after all, someone who had seen great things.

Li Fan quickly regained his composure, his expression not joyful, but gradually turning solemn.

"The principle of the Heaven-Sitting Art is similar to the Mountain-Sitting Art. You benefit from its success; if it advances, I advance with it."

"Now, I've exhausted all my methods, and Xuanhuang's ascent is just a hair's breadth away. It has been sublimating for so long, yet that qualitative change hasn't been achieved..."

"Previously, I couldn't visualize the energy level evolution of the Xuanhuang World during its ascent. But now, based on the world illusion generated within my dantian, I can roughly deduce the changes occurring during Xuanhuang's ascension to immortality."

Li Fan stared at his dantian.

Not long after one world illusion was fully nourished.

A second one astonishingly appeared.

Within a few breaths, thirteen images of the Xuanhuang World had already materialized.

And, judging by the momentum, they showed no sign of stopping.

"Thirteen times the total energy of the Xuanhuang World in its sublimated critical state."

"It's likely hundreds, even thousands, of times the energy of the original ordinary Xuanhuang World."

"Such terrifying energy, yet it's still insufficient to propel the Xuanhuang World to complete its immortal ascension transformation..."

"Could it be that I truly need to fully deploy all the chess pieces left by Sun Piaomiao, and rely on his hidden moves, to recreate an Immortal Realm in the mortal world?"

"Is the difference between immortal arts truly so vast?"

A sudden ominous premonition surged within Li Fan's heart.

And Li Fan's premonitions were always accurate.

When the Immortal Spiritual Qi from the Grand Celestial Venerable's legacy was completely depleted.

When the "Creation" character, deprived of its driving force, slowly dissipated.

The drastic changes occurring within the Xuanhuang World came to an abrupt halt.

The world fell silent for a moment.

Then, something terrifying happened.

As the saying goes, the higher you climb, the harder you fall. Now, Li Fan witnessed the Xuanhuang World personally prove this point.

Desperate, furious, astonished, and fearful thoughts from the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao surged madly towards Li Fan.

It wanted Li Fan to intervene and save it.

But soon, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's thoughts were drowned out by an indescribably massive sound that echoed throughout the world.

The pseudo-immortal heavenly pillars at the four corners of the world collapsed like toys with a thunderous roar.

The sky seemed to be effortlessly sliced open by a sharp blade, and immense black fissures instantly spread across it.

Mountains collapsed, and the earth fractured.

Even under the protection of the illusory immortal array, the beings of the Xuanhuang World silently perished one after another, succumbing to the vibrations of this falling sound.

Countless remedial methods flashed through Li Fan's mind in an instant.

Yet, none seemed capable of reversing this calamitous collapse of the heavens.

If there was still a sliver of hope for Li Fan amidst the world's descent.

Then, as the world disintegrated, the surging black mist that poured forth from the wounds of heaven and earth utterly extinguished any hope Li Fan had.

Like a tsunami, it arrived in an instant, engulfing the Xuanhuang World.

Li Fan vaguely saw True Immortals, who had been comprehending the Dao in the Immortal Ruins outside the Xuanhuang World, fleeing in horror.

Within Yuandao Province of the Xuanhuang World, the Grand Master's illusory figure transformed into a bizarre, blurry light, attempting to escape. However, it was easily submerged by a single wave of the black mist, unable to even put up the slightest struggle.

The boundless, continuous Carefree Dream Paradise also collapsed layer by layer.

All beings who had barely survived in the dream were buried along with it.

The speed of the fall accelerated.

The momentum of the black mist surge became increasingly terrifying.

And beyond this surging black mist, something even more indescribable seemed to be approaching.

Li Fan sighed softly, forced to admit that this ascension to immortality had failed.

"I still miscalculated."

This thought flashed through his mind, and then the Dao Annihilation black mist violently descended.

It completely engulfed Li Fan.

The scene abruptly changed.

Li Fan reappeared, perfectly unharmed, but his expression was incredibly grave.

Current timestamp: Twelve hours before Li Fan's Dao Conjunction and Immortal Ascension.

"It actually failed?"

"All preparations were complete, yet in the end, it was all for naught."

"It seems that merely accumulating quantity can only bring one infinitely close to an immortal."

"To truly transform into an immortal, something else crucial is needed..."

"What could it be?"

Having already used up the 'True Simulation' in advance, Li Fan had little time left in this life.