Chapter 1443: Revisiting the Creation Technique

Besides the insights gained from the Great Dao, another extremely difficult aspect of cultivating the Dao Embodiment Technique lies in achieving a delicate balance: how to refine the body through Dao comprehension while simultaneously ensuring it remains unharmed.

Before the majestic Great Dao, a mortal body is an existence even more insignificant than an ant. While one can indeed use the Great Dao's pressure for body refinement, there's also the risk of being crushed into dust by the Dao with a single misstep. This is also why Nangong Hongzhao repeatedly cautioned that cultivating this technique requires extreme care and a step-by-step approach.

In fact, for an ordinary person, without the accumulated experience and insights from mortals who have gradually explored and cultivated the Dao Embodiment Technique from scratch, even taking the first step to begin this technique would be incredibly difficult.

However...

Li Fan was certainly no ordinary person.

Although body refinement was virtually non-existent in Xuanhuang, Li Fan had already begun exploring it. Initially, after obtaining the Celestial Physician Immortal Scripture and combining it with various other texts, he devised a method to activate the body's hidden potential and refine the flesh. He named it the Creation Crucible Technique.

This technique was continuously enhanced as Li Fan's experience grew. The integration of concepts such as the Demonic Beast Furnace, the Flesh Factory, and the Heaven-Mending Record led to several iterations of the Creation Crucible Technique. But due to the inherent limitations of the Xuanhuang world, it was ultimately difficult to achieve the Dao. Therefore, Li Fan eventually turned to ordinary methods of ascending to immortality. This Creation Crucible Technique, with its remarkably domineering name, then stagnated.

"Back then, in the Fallen Immortal Realm, specifically in the Beast Tamer Sect scenario, I received guidance from Mr. Bai while inhabiting the body of Xiao Hei, the Fated Dark Phoenix."

"It was the perfect version of the Creation Crucible Technique."

"However, due to the memory restrictions of the Fallen Immortal Realm, I was never able to bring this perfect technique back. Once my strength rapidly expanded, even surpassing what I believed to be merely Mr. Bai's Immortal Realm cultivation, I became indifferent to this technique. Yet, I now know Mr. Bai's hidden history: he was once infected by Xie Subai, an entity from outside other possibilities."

"Having gained Xie Subai's memories, Mr. Bai's strength might still be that of an Immortal. However, his vision is likely beyond compare to anyone trapped within the primal possibilities. The imprints and projections he left in the world could even deduce the general outline of the New New Method, which confirms this. This suggests..."

"When I first encountered the perfect version of the Creation Crucible Technique, I was greatly shaken, as if I had truly glimpsed the secrets of the Great Dao. This wasn't merely my limited perspective when my strength was low; rather, this technique truly possesses such profound mystery."

"It seems I need to make another trip to investigate thoroughly and use it as a reference."

Five years passed in the Shuo Star Sea. In the Xuanhuang world, however, only a little over ten days had passed.

Li Fan's main body was still pondering deeply, seeking a method to prevent his Divine Sense Incarnation from reflecting the nameless True Immortal and engaging in a direct gaze. Sensing his clone's experiences, his eyes immediately flickered, and a look of wonder appeared on his face.

For Li Fan, the Creation Crucible Technique was a memory from long ago. He never imagined that after achieving the Half-Immortal realm, he would have reason to pursue it again.

"This also proves that my decision to give up at the time, and not insist on obtaining it immediately, was correct. In the Fallen Immortal Realm, the more valuable something is, the harder it is to bring into the real world. If the Creation Crucible Technique is truly as profound as I now imagine, it would probably not be easy for me to bring it out even now."

"I just wonder if my Divine Sense Incarnation method can bypass the Fallen Immortal Realm's memory-forgetting restriction."

When people view the same things under different circumstances, they will arrive at vastly different conclusions. Li Fan wished to re-explore the perfect version of the true Creation Crucible Technique. But since he already knew the extraordinary nature of Mr. Bai and the master of the Fallen Immortal Realm, Li Fan naturally needed to make further preparations.

For a long time, Li Fan had been unwilling to personally step into the Fallen Immortal Realm. Even for the trial illusion to inherit the Xuanhuang Grand Celestial Venerable's legacy, Li Fan had others do it on his behalf. This was because he carried the supreme treasure Huan Zhen, and people from the Immortal Realm seemed to have been waiting there. However, in this life, after Li Fan comprehended the Divine Sense Incarnation method, things changed again.

"Initially, I boldly stepped into the Fallen Immortal Realm out of ignorance. But now, I possess sufficient power to protect myself."

His divine sense contracted, gathering entirely into the miniature Dao net. Then, the Dao net burst forth with myriad lights, and from within it, a new wisp of divine sense emerged. However, everything contained within this wisp of divine sense was fabricated by Li Fan for the purpose of disguise. Though fabricated, it was actually a nearly real world-line deduced by the Dao Transformation Stone. Except for the fact that such a character did not exist, everything else was indistinguishable from reality. It was like putting on another layer of skin over his own identity.

This was Li Fan's temporary solution to reduce the possibility of being discovered by True Immortals within the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Indeed, as soon as this disguised divine sense emerged, Li Fan clearly felt that the scrutiny from the reflected projections of the nameless True Immortals within his miniature Dao net had significantly decreased for no apparent reason. The urgent sense of crisis faded, and Li Fan felt as if he was hidden behind the scenes, concealed in darkness, instantly relaxing.

Of course, this was merely a temporary solution, not a fundamental one. This disguise could still work for now, but in the future, as Li Fan's Divine Sense Incarnation continuously grew stronger, it would inevitably once again attract the attention of the nameless True Immortals within the Great Dao. If one day, the scale of the Great Dao projection within Li Fan's divine sense were to even surpass the Dao net of the Shuo Star Sea, stepping from behind the scenes into the spotlight would undoubtedly attract the gazes of all existing nameless True Immortals. Given Li Fan's cautious approach, he would absolutely not take this step before having absolute confidence in handling such a crisis.

But those were matters for later. For now, after creating a layer of disguise within his divine sense, Li Fan had already entered the Fallen Immortal Realm. It was just as he had expected. This fictional life he created, not having cultivated the Xuanhuang Heart Refinement Mantra, meant that upon entering the Fallen Immortal Realm, he did not witness the scene of Ning Yuan obtaining the Longevity Fruit. Li Fan immediately committed suicide and exited the Fallen Immortal Realm. He then modified the persona of the disguised identity. After again altering the life story, he added Li Fan's own experience of "by chance, comprehending the Xuanhuang Heart Refinement Mantra in the Cleansing Spirit Pond." In the Fallen Immortal Realm's perception, this disguised persona seemed to have truly become another person. Unrestricted by the time interval for entering the Fallen Immortal Realm, he entered it once more. And what he experienced was still the scene of Ning Yuan obtaining the Longevity Fruit!

Li Fan, with ample experience in passing the trials, resolved it in the quickest way possible. Having a long duration left to stay in the Fallen Immortal Realm, Li Fan directly went to the Beast Tamer Sect scenario. Repeating his old trick, while waiting for Mr. Bai to arrive, the Fated Dark Phoenix soared into the sky and appeared before him. The scene from back then was replayed.

Mr. Bai looked him over and shook his head slightly: "My child, why are you practicing so haphazardly on your own?" He then selflessly imparted the true Creation Crucible Technique. Time seemed to stand still. Although he had already reached the Half-Immortal realm, he was still immersed in the mysteries of this profound Creation technique.

"My initial premonition was correct. Even a mortal with no cultivation aptitude whatsoever, by cultivating this method, could gradually transform, advance, and eventually step into the Immortal Realm!"

"That is, if there were no numerous restrictions in heaven and earth, and if the Immortal Realm still existed."

"As for now..."

Li Fan was no longer the Li Fan he once was. Amidst his astonishment and immersion, he occasionally offered comments.

At the same time, outside the Fallen Immortal Realm, Li Fan's main body's divine sense, hidden behind the miniature Dao net, was attempting to glimpse the true Creation Crucible Technique through the synchronized reflection of the miniature Dao net. It must be said that the Fallen Immortal Realm was truly an astonishing creation. Existing in the gap between reality and illusion, even though Li Fan could pass through the countless high walls and star-sea distances of the miniature Dao net, when sensing all the scenes occurring in the Fallen Immortal Realm, it was as if looking through a distorted mirror. Everything he saw and felt underwent a certain deformation. Some parts were even completely distorted. But after all, he truly broke the boundary between the Fallen Immortal Realm and reality. He could gaze into the illusory from reality.

"If I didn't possess this heaven-defying Divine Sense Incarnation method, I would probably need to surpass the strength of the Fallen Immortal Realm's creator to ignore such restrictions."

"A single thought reflecting Xuanhuang, and undergoing endless evolution over countless years to come..."

"The current me is still unable to achieve that."

Li Fan even greatly suspected that the True Immortal from back then must have possessed a supreme treasure like the Mother Stone of Dao Transformation, which allowed him to achieve such a feat.

In the Fallen Immortal Realm, Li Fan's disguised divine sense was personally and truly cultivating the perfect Creation Crucible Technique. In reality, Li Fan, based on his insights, attempted to correct and restore the distorted and blurred parts he had glimpsed. Then he himself began cultivating the Crucible Technique. By comparing the different sensations from his body during cultivation, he recalibrated once more. The Divine Sense Incarnation, leveraging the omnipresent power of the Great Dao, projected the illusory objects existing in the Fallen Immortal Realm into reality. Under Li Fan's persistent efforts, he finally restored the Creation Crucible Technique in reality!

However, Li Fan did not let the divine sense in the Fallen Immortal Realm withdraw immediately. He remembered that Mr. Bai would appear again in the next scene, the Sword Forging of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Perhaps he could glean more secrets from him. Moreover, the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Shuo Star Sea's current Sword Domain were closely related, making it necessary to inquire further.

The main body synchronized the calibrated Crucible Technique to "Ma Tiande" in the Shuo Star Sea. Because that wisp of divine sense was deep behind enemy lines, and the Shuo Star Sea was suspected to harbor numerous nameless True Immortals, Li Fan placed some restrictions on it. The divine sense could not fully perceive everything happening on the main body's side. Nor would the divine sense actively spy on events in the Xuanhuang world through the miniature Dao net. This was to ensure that if things were exposed, Li Fan's main body would have ample time to return to reality.

Although the Shuo Star Sea had a 120-fold time difference compared to the Xuanhuang world, the time flow in the Fallen Immortal Realm was also different from that in reality within the Xuanhuang world. Therefore, after Li Fan completed the calibration of the Creation Crucible Technique, only a little over half a day had passed. In the Shuo Star Sea, less than a month had passed. Everyone's vacation hadn't even ended yet.

And even without the Creation Crucible Technique as a reference, Li Fan's Dao Embodiment Technique had already achieved initial mastery. Within his divine sense, the strings of the Dao net were as thin as cicada wings. They emitted a lustrous, pure white light, illuminating this body. Li Fan seemed to be sitting right in the center of the Dao net, enduring immense pressure. If one were to magnify their mental focus to the extreme, they would see every piece of flesh and blood in this body turning to ash under the pressure of the Dao net. However, almost at the instant of being destroyed, they would re-evolve from the miniature Dao net. This was Li Fan combining the transformation of true and false with the creative function of the Dao net. He was continuously generating and reorganizing all the flesh and blood tissues of this body.

"If I didn't have ample experience, I wouldn't be able to maintain this body's vitality."

"This body refinement technique has just begun to show results. Although it's not as powerful as carrying fragments of the Immortal Realm back then, it's almost comparable to bearing the pressure of an entire cultivation world."

"Ordinary people wouldn't even be able to cultivate it; they'd probably be crushed to death on the spot!"

Li Fan knew that his "initial mastery" was vastly different from "normal initial mastery." However, due to his background of hundreds of reincarnations, Li Fan didn't need to slowly cultivate from the very beginning.

"Normal cultivation methods should be step-by-step and gradual. If one wants to speed up, they would at least need to incorporate numerous heavenly materials and earthly treasures. A simple and crude approach like mine is absolutely not something ordinary people can replicate."

With the Dao Embodiment Technique having just achieved initial mastery, this body was completely revitalized. Li Fan finally understood why the forces within the Shuo Star Sea valued body refinement so highly. Taking this body as an example: compared to his previous weak body, when issuing the same number of Dao net commands, the new body could call upon more than double the Dao net power.

"During the flow of the Dao net, it takes into account the operator's limits of endurance."

"Those with powerful bodies can naturally endure more."

The same weapon became smoother to wield as the body became stronger.

"Moreover, this feeling..."

Li Fan moved his stiff body, temporarily stopping the miniature Dao net's reflection. He slowly paced back and forth, seemingly walking within his courtyard. In reality, he was wandering within the Shuo Star Sea's Dao net.

"It feels somewhat familiar."

Li Fan slightly frowned, closed his eyes again, and carefully sensed. After a few breaths, he finally understood where this inexplicable sense of familiarity came from. The Great Dao's immense pressure continuously crushed and reorganized his flesh and blood. And in this process, the body's flesh and blood naturally bore the imprint of the Great Dao. The miniature Dao net within Li Fan's divine sense and the Shuo Star Sea's Dao net were both projections of the Great Dao. They originated from the same source. Therefore, the sense of familiarity Li Fan cultivated during the cultivation of the Dao Embodiment Technique naturally carried over into the Dao net.

"This is a Sacred Body forged through acquired means."

"Following this method, if refined to the extreme..."

Li Fan's expression suddenly changed slightly.

"Divine Sense Incarnation is a Dao net projection."

"And the flesh and blood of the entire body are molds formed by the continuous crushing and pounding of the Dao net."

"The theoretical perfect limit is to use one's body to replicate all Great Daos between heaven and earth."