Chapter 1404: Heavenly Sovereign Skull Secret

Angry Squid

These few wisps of spiritual energy were indeed negligible compared to Li Fan's current half-immortal cultivation. However, they appeared so suddenly and without any warning that Li Fan had no choice but to take them seriously.

After careful scrutiny, Li Fan gradually realized that these inexplicably appearing wisps of spiritual energy were precisely due to the changes that had occurred to He Zhenghao in this lifetime, following his activation of the Sutra Chanting Mystic Sound.

"The generation of spiritual energy originated from the feedback of the Heaven-Sitting Art. And this feedback power would only come from He Zhenghao's increase in strength."

"But He Zhenghao had merely awakened his memories, and his cultivation, so far, had made no substantial progress..."

Through the inexplicable connection generated by the Sutra Chanting Mystic Sound, Li Fan's gaze seemed to instantly pierce through space and time, landing on He Zhenghao. It could be said that Li Fan understood He Zhenghao even better than He Zhenghao understood himself.

In just a glance, Li Fan could see how different He Zhenghao was in this lifetime compared to the past.

"Originally, He Zhenghao was merely somewhat accomplished in array formations. Neither his cultivation talent nor his temperament was considered top-tier."

"But now..."

An inexplicable expression suddenly appeared on Li Fan's face. The strength of He Zhenghao's aptitude in this lifetime was among the highest in the entire Xuanhuang Realm.

Moreover, his temperament had also quietly undergone a change. The He Zhenghao of the past, after enduring various trials in life, had his mind almost entirely consumed by the strong belief of "being content with modest prosperity." His greatest ambition in life was to return to the Heng family in Tianyu Prefecture after achieving fame and success and triumphantly flaunt before Heng Ruoshui. But to strive for a place in this great era of competition, where dragons and serpents rise, as he was doing in this lifetime...

Had Li Fan not personally initiated and witnessed this change, he would have almost suspected that another soul had taken over He Zhenghao's body.

"What caused this sublime transformation?"

"Was it merely those additional memories?"

The current Li Fan possessed too many methods to implant memories so realistically that they were indistinguishable from genuine ones. But to also allow the recipient to achieve an effect of almost life-level sublimation while implanting memories... this was no easy feat.

"Sutra Chanting Mystic Sound." Li Fan's expression slowly grew serious. He did not easily alter the other memory illusions appearing in his mind again. With He Zhenghao as an observation sample, it was currently enough.

"Is it my illusion, or a real change happening to you... Then let me add more fuel to your fire!"

With a slight stir of Li Fan's thoughts, the circular ring binding the Sky Profound Mirror suddenly burst forth with brilliant white light. Analyzing the characteristics of the Sky Profound Mirror, the immortal array was undergoing related evolutions. A moment later...

The Sky Profound Mirror, relying on its characteristics as an immortal artifact, had its various connections within the Xuanhuang Realm forcibly severed by Li Fan!

The Myriad Immortal Alliance was founded upon the Sky Profound Mirror and the Dharma Derivation Jade as its cornerstones. Now, with the disappearance of these two along with the collective disappearance of the Alliance's high-ranking members, the Myriad Immortal Alliance plunged into even greater chaos. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that this colossus, which once governed over half the land of the Xuanhuang Realm, was on the verge of collapse! Perhaps for a short time, due to the Myriad Immortal Alliance's and the Dharma-Spreading Celestial Venerable's past prestige, cultivators could still maintain a certain level of rationality. But it wouldn't be long before chaos and slaughter would swiftly descend upon the lands of Xuanhuang.

The drastic changes in the Myriad Immortal Alliance naturally could not be hidden from the several Longevity Celestial Venerables of the Council of Five Elders. However, Li Fan currently had no time to deal with them.

To prevent the Council of Five Elders from disrupting his "observation," Li Fan flicked his finger, shooting out a sword shadow. The sword energy crisscrossed, traversed the star sea in an instant, and descended into the Xuanhuang Realm.

He lightly drew a line along the original demarcation line between the Myriad Immortal Alliance and the Council of Five Elders. The Devouring Mist barrier at the provincial borders vanished without a trace under the influence of the sword shadow. In its place was a bottomless chasm. Above the chasm, countless sword shadows seemed to proliferate.

All cultivators who saw this chasm would immediately have a thought appear in their minds: Cross the line and die!

This was not a bluffing threat. Rather, it was Li Fan's absolute suppression of mortal life as a half-immortal. Even the five Longevity Mirrors of the Myriad Immortal Alliance had to obediently abide by it!

With a casual wave, he set the stage for He Zhenghao. Li Fan's attention returned once again to the Sutra Chanting Demonic Sound, which had created all these mysterious changes.

After carefully pondering, Li Fan had a realization: "If True Immortal Seal Script interprets the profound truths of the grand dao between heaven and earth through text, then the Sutra Chanting Demonic Sound originating from King Xuantian, and the Immortal Protection Art of Grand Master Tiandu, use sound to analyze the grand dao."

"If one were to make a lateral comparison at the same level, the actual power manifested by the two..."

Li Fan slightly frowned, for a moment unsure of how to judge. The truth was, his understanding of the Mystic Sound system was still too limited.

"Immortal Seal Script originated from the creation of Immortal Ming Dao."

"Could it be that this Mystic Sound is also the work of an unknown True Immortal?" Li Fan couldn't help but frown in speculation.

Although his current knowledge of Mystic Sound was merely fragmentary, its application on He Zhenghao had already sparked Li Fan's infinite imagination regarding this mysterious power.

"Illusions of past memories influence reality."

"Wouldn't the theoretical pinnacle of this be to alter or distort reality by rewriting one's actions within memories?"

"Thus achieving an effect similar to Restoring Truth."

The more Li Fan thought about it, the more astonished he became.

"However, this is merely the theoretical upper limit. Such a divine ability is by no means easily attainable..."

Li Fan's thoughts were interrupted by the fawning, communicative intentions transmitted from the Sky Profound Mirror, which was bound by the immortal array in his hand.

"This junior, Jing Xuan, greets the Immortal Lord."

The voice of the Sky Profound Mirror was identical to the human clone he had dealt with in his memories. It had to be said, it truly lived up to its past as an immortal artifact. Even though it had now fallen to the mortal realm, its discernment remained. It recognized Li Fan's current realm at a glance.

"Jing Xuan..." Li Fan snorted coldly in his heart and ignored the Sky Profound Mirror. The divine consciousness clone within the Sky Profound Mirror even ignored the manifested body of the other party. It flew directly past it, soaring towards the direction of the Museum of Divine Collections.

Jing Xuan's face showed an awkward expression, not knowing how he had offended this Immortal Lord. However, Jing Xuan absolutely dared not offend Li Fan, this True Immortal who had suddenly appeared. Since the other party disliked it, he no longer followed, merely observing from afar, secretly.

Everything that happened within the Sky Profound Mirror naturally did not escape his eyes.

Li Fan's divine consciousness clone, familiar with the path, traversed the Museum of Divine Collections, heading straight for the central location.

Within the Sky Profound Mirror, there were countless treasures. The Museum of Divine Collections, moreover, held billions of artifacts. But the only thing worthy of such importance from Li Fan was the skull of Mr. Bai, placed in the center of the museum.

As if already knowing Li Fan's target, a figure was already standing before the skull, having waited for a long time. It was Di Sanmo, the curator of the Museum of Divine Collections.

Since it was merely a divine consciousness clone, Li Fan, before the skull, did not feel the urgent desire of Huan Zhen to devour it.

Li Fan did not rush to take the skull, but instead looked at Di Sanmo with interest. This old man's face, compared to his own image from thousands of years ago in the Fallen Immortal Realm, seemed to have no changes whatsoever.

"You know I'm here for this?"

Di Sanmo cupped his hands and said neither haughtily nor humbly, "Among the many treasures in the collection, only this one is worth a True Immortal making such an effort."

Li Fan reached out and took out Mr. Bai's skull. He felt no restrictions or resistance, presumably because Di Sanmo had stopped making futile struggles. Silently, he had already withdrawn all defensive measures.

"Do you know the unique nature of this skull?" Li Fan weighed Mr. Bai's skull in his hand and asked.

"This humble one does not know. It is merely the remains of an old acquaintance; meeting it again fills my heart with sorrow. Therefore, I merely kept it safely," Di Sanmo said, very obviously insincerely.

"Aren't you afraid to lie in front of this True Being?" Li Fan's divine consciousness clone said, narrowing its eyes.

Di Sanmo's expression remained unchanged, his aged face seeming to view everything with indifference: "Pain holds no meaning for me anymore. Naturally, I have nothing to fear or dread."

The divine consciousness clone nodded slightly and surprisingly did not press the matter further. It merely said indifferently, "Show me around this Museum of Divine Collections." The skull in its hand had already disappeared.

"Immortal Lord, please follow me. If following the normal tour sequence prescribed by the Myriad Immortal Alliance, then the first stop should be the Era of Derivation and Creation. However, this humble one has a different opinion. Visiting the Museum of Divine Collections should begin with a ruin."

The divine consciousness clone followed Di Sanmo, slowly venturing deeper into the museum. This was a space he had not reached during his previous visit, seemingly not open to the public.

Outside the Sky Profound Mirror.

Li Fan's true body held Mr. Bai's skull, feeling the intensely eager impulse transmitted from Huan Zhen.

It wasn't the first time he had encountered this, but compared to before, Li Fan, who had already ascended to the immortal realm, sensed that Huan Zhen's desire was even stronger.

"Eternal Remnant Thought..."

"What secret is truly hidden within Mr. Bai's skull?"

With a flick of his hand, he first suppressed the Sky Profound Mirror, and under the protection of a circle of white immortal array rings, Li Fan began to attempt to let Huan Zhen devour the Eternal Remnant Thought.

It was somewhat similar to when he had devoured the Heavenly Sun's Eternal Remnant Thought previously. A faint dizzying sensation came over his head, and the scene before his eyes suddenly changed.

"Hmm?"

Li Fan quickly sobered up and looked around.

"It's not like the previous Heavenly Sun Remnant Thought, where I replaced Heavenly Sun's identity and acted within the obsession. Instead, it seems like I'm personally participating, descending?"

It was as if he was still in the void, with darkness all around, vast and boundless. After flying forward for a while, Li Fan suddenly stopped, his gaze sharpening.

Not far away, a figure stood. Li Fan was not unfamiliar with it. Its appearance was precisely that of Su Bai, Mr. Bai.

But at the first sight of the other party, Li Fan's heart began to pound violently. It was strikingly similar to the self-warning that only appeared when facing a life-or-death crisis.

It was as if he had encountered an extremely dangerous, terrifying existence; even though the other party had made no movement from beginning to end, the unease in Li Fan's heart intensified.

"What's going on?" Li Fan was startled and suspicious.

Su Bai was merely a Longevity Celestial Venerable. Not to mention the other party had already perished, even at his peak, Li Fan, who was already a half-immortal, was confident he wouldn't lose to him. So why, in the Eternal Remnant Thought illusion left by the other party, would such a sense of crisis inexplicably emerge?

He silently called out to Huan Zhen in his heart, but there was no response. His divine consciousness clone, moreover, perceived that his true body was still in the void of the Dark Star Sea.

What entered Su Bai's Eternal Remnant Thought was merely a wisp of his own soul and would not truly affect his life or death in reality.

Even having confirmed this, Li Fan's heart-pounding sensation still could not be suppressed.

Gradually, Li Fan finally came to his senses. The strangeness in his heart was not a warning of a life-or-death crisis. Instead, it was an instinctive fear that emerged when facing a high-ranking predator, urging Li Fan to escape as quickly as possible.

"High-ranking? Fear?" Li Fan was startled at first, then felt an inexplicable absurdity.

He himself was now a half-immortal! Su Bai was merely a Xuanhuang Longevity cultivator! How could he possibly feel fear towards him?

With endless confusion and defiance, Li Fan once again carefully scrutinized the "Mr. Bai" before him.

Only then did he vaguely notice something amiss.

Although they both bore the same face, the Mr. Bai in his memories had eyes full of compassion. Just as Xu Ke and the orphans from the dilapidated temple in Ningyuan City had said, Mr. Bai was the kindest and most beautiful person in the world, embodying all the good qualities between heaven and earth. But the one before him...

He had an indescribable malevolence and strangeness. Even though the other party's eyes were still closed, Li Fan seemed to sense the immense killing intent and madness in the other's eyes.

"This difference, what exactly..."

Not far away, the malevolent Su Bai suddenly opened his eyes!

There was no sensation of pain. The scene before his eyes changed, then changed again. Li Fan seemed to have returned to a moment ago.

But only he himself knew... Just now, he had been instantly killed by the malevolent Su Bai!

A drop of cold sweat trickled down Li Fan's forehead.

"Could it be that my cultivation from reality wasn't brought into this Eternal Remnant Thought?"

This thought was the first to emerge in Li Fan's mind. But after a moment of confirmation, Li Fan immediately dismissed it.

"I am indeed in the half-immortal realm, aren't I?"

"How exactly did I die just now?"

Li Fan felt both shock and anger.

"No wonder that phantom remained still for so long; it was apparently a reserved preparation time."

He discovered that in this illusion, all his acquired knowledge and abilities could seemingly be used without hindrance. So this time, Li Fan chose to act first.

"Nine Heavens Dustfall Finger!" A gigantic palm descended from the sky, locking onto the malevolent Su Bai, intending to crush him like an ant.

But just as the divine ability was about to land on him, Su Bai's figure suddenly vanished.

Li Fan was startled, then suddenly snapped back to his senses and quickly looked up. He saw that at some unknown moment, he had become as tiny as an ant, landing on the fingertip of the malevolent Su Bai!