Chapter 1462: Supreme Three True Immortals

Whether it was the True Immortal or Qian Ruochang's Dao Network avatar, both largely relied on the power of the Dao.

Facing the Hill Guardian's illusion, whose understanding of the Dao vastly surpassed their own, all their divine abilities and techniques instantly failed.

From Li Fan's perspective, the Dao principles, which were not particularly dense in this annihilated starfield, were instantly drawn to the Hill Guardian's illusion.

It was as if a massive vortex had suddenly emerged in the ocean, claiming absolute priority.

Qian Ruochang and Wuxian were inevitably swept into its influence.

Currently, they merely found themselves unable to control their movements. If they remained in this swirling, distorted Dao for too long, they risked "losing their Dao."

As he watched the two immortals struggle in vain, Li Fan's heart churned.

"Perhaps this is partly because this starfield has suffered a Dao Annihilation calamity and is now in a fragile state. However, the main reason is that the Hill Guardian's true power has reached an unfathomable level. Thus, merely calling upon a fraction of the power from five illusions is enough to instantly suppress two True Immortals!"

While Li Fan was deep in thought, Qian Ruochang and Wuxian, who remained subdued, were already drenched in cold sweat.

They had always prided themselves on being among the most formidable experts within their respective factions.

Yet, they never imagined being so effortlessly manipulated by this mysterious individual!

Their minds raced, both desperately trying to ascertain the mysterious figure's identity.

It was at this precise moment that Li Fan realized he could vaguely perceive the inner turmoil of these two True Immortal-level beings.

This was not like the vague, generalized emotional trends gleaned from the Heavenly Doctor's diagnostic arts.

Instead, it was a succession of specific images appearing within their minds!

While not every scene was perfectly clear due to the fluctuations of their thoughts, this true "heart-peering" ability profoundly shook Li Fan.

It was crucial to remember that the subjects of this "heart-peering" were not mere mortals or weaklings; they were genuine True Immortals! Furthermore, both Qian Ruochang and Wuxian were already on the verge of reaching the Nameless Realm!

"Presumably, before transcendence, all beings are ultimately creations of the Dao. Every action, every thought, every meditation remains bound by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. The clearer one's comprehension of the Dao, the more distinctly one can perceive the changes occurring within living beings through the Dao."

"Whatever is most deeply rooted in one's consciousness creates the most discernible fluctuations. If a powerful entity like the Hill Guardian were to appear before me, and I instinctively called upon Huan Zhen to reopen, I would surely be discovered in an instant. It would be a repetition of the Heavenly Doctor incident."

"No wonder my internal alarm was so intensely strong even before the Black Heavenly Doctor arrived. If I hadn't decisively activated Huan Zhen early on, I fear..."

Feeling a touch of lingering fear, Li Fan did not allow himself to sink into dread. Instead, his immediate and natural instinct was to find a way to prevent his thoughts from being read.

"Being perceived stems from causing disturbances in the Dao. It's like dropping something into calm water; no matter how minuscule, it will create ripples. If I wish to avoid this..."

With the Hill Guardian's illusion lending its power, Li Fan was able to seek a fundamental solution.

He quickly found a method that was currently the most suitable, almost as if it had been tailor-made for him.

"As long as I live, the fluctuations of my thoughts are inevitable."

"The Hill Guardian has observed the sea for a hundred epochs; no matter how many serendipitous encounters I may have, my comprehension of the Dao will never surpass his. The Black Heavenly Doctor, who can traverse possibilities and devour other versions of himself, is undoubtedly superior to me. To attempt disguise in front of such beings... it is exceedingly difficult..."

"The only feasible method is to conceal the fluctuations caused by my spiritual thoughts as much as possible within the macroscopic. Ripples from a single drop of water are highly conspicuous in a small pond. However, in the vast and boundless ocean, minute fluctuations that arise spontaneously rather than from external causes are almost impossible to detect."

"My thoughts shall become divine, projecting a Dao Network!"

A glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes. "The closer the Dao Network I project resembles the true Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, the greater my self-concealment will be. As for my current level..."

Ma Tiande cooperated, deliberately engaging in reverie.

Under the gaze of the Hill Guardian's illusion, at least eight or nine tenths of his thoughts were captured.

"It appears that concealing my spiritual thoughts from transcendent powerful beings is still a distant goal." Li Fan had a very clear grasp of his true capabilities, so he wasn't disheartened.

He refocused his attention on the inner thoughts of Qian Ruochang and Wuxian.

Unlike the continuous scenes he could capture from Li Fan's own mind, what he perceived from these two was intermittent and fragmented.

What flashed through Qian Ruochang's mind were the True Immortals he suspected possessed the combat power demonstrated by the Hill Guardian's illusion.

Their appearances and names were unknown; they were identified solely by their titles and specific deeds.

Qian Ruochang himself had never encountered these True Immortals. He had only heard of them through the Immortal Hunt's highest classified lists.

The three figures Qian Ruochang was most certain about were the clearest to perceive.

The first was Shanhua.

This True Immortal possessed the ability to conceptually twist and transform all detrimental actions committed by the True Immortal faction against the Shuo Star Sea into beneficial outcomes.

This being was active during the early stages of the conflict between the Immortal Hunt and the True Immortals.

The Immortal Hunt frequently suffered heavy casualties and substantial losses. Yet, from top to bottom, the Immortal Hunt always felt as if they had achieved a great victory, utterly oblivious to any crisis. Instead, they grew even more blindly optimistic.

They remained utterly perplexed by the current state of the Shuo Star Sea, which was a direct result of the ongoing war.

Despite all indicators appearing favorable, the reality steadily deteriorated.

Ultimately, the Shuo Star Sea was reduced to little more than a tiny, precarious refuge.

It was only at the eleventh hour, after being enlightened by another, that they finally awoke to the truth.

The 'benefit' of Shanhua was not merely confined to influencing the macroscopic war effort; it also manifested as an extreme threat posed by the individual True Immortal, Shanhua.

After failing to conceptually twist the overall situation, True Immortal Shanhua once ventured forth alone, intending to end the war by his own power. Even when he massacred kin and dear friends in front of the Immortal Hunt members, those influenced by the Dao of Shanhua felt no anger in their hearts. Instead, they cheered and celebrated without end.

It was as though being slaughtered was a profound blessing, a great liberation for them.

Shanhua moved through them as if unopposed, slaughtering at will.

Had he not been stopped at the very last moment, the Shuo Star Sea would likely have long ceased to exist within this starfield.

Having delved this deep into their thoughts, Li Fan couldn't help but frown slightly.

"This True Immortal Shanhua is indeed somewhat terrifying. It is even more domineering than Jiang, the Inheritor's, 'all things are like me' characteristic. At the very least, if 'I' were to slaughter kin and friends, I would instinctively step forward to stop it. But under the influence of Shanhua's power, one would likely only smile and applaud."

"Whenever True Immortal Shanhua is involved, Qian Ruochang's mental fluctuations are exceptionally strong. Clearly, Shanhua left a considerable psychological trauma on the Immortal Hunt."

"Although Shanhua is powerful, the individual within the Immortal Hunt who intervened twice at the last moment to neutralize Shanhua's power seems slightly superior. However, it's as if this person has been intentionally erased; every time Qian Ruochang thinks of them, he subconsciously skips over it, yielding almost no useful information."

"Observing this power, could it be the great hand that suppressed and forged the Dao Network?"

Li Fan then moved on to the next True Immortal.

This immortal cultivated the Dao of Chaos.

The vast majority of the Immortal Hunt's power relied on the Dao Network for manifestation. However, the Chaos Dao principles cultivated by this True Immortal could disrupt the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, reverting it to the obscure and chaotic state before creation.

Wherever this immortal appeared, even if he stood motionless, the Shuo Star Sea's combat capabilities would be severely diminished.

Perhaps because the Chaos True Immortal caused too much devastation to the starfield when taking action, and the True Immortal faction also had their reservations, this Chaos True Immortal had not appeared many times. However, each appearance caused immense trouble for the Immortal Hunt.

As for the final True Immortal in Qian Ruochang's thoughts...

"The one who supposedly crafted the Reverse-Flow Boat?" Li Fan's heart stirred slightly.

The Reverse-Flow Boat was a creation superior to the Profound Coffin of World Crossing among the three methods of evading the world. It could traverse the long river of time and return to the past.

Qian Ruochang's thoughts regarding this True Immortal were also very sparse.

Many considerations flashed by in an instant.

The moment Li Fan captured the thought, he instinctively instructed Li Buren to intensify the usage of the illusion's power.

It was only for an instant, but it was enough to perceive more.

The True Immortal who built the Reverse-Flow Boat was referred to as "Reverse" within the Immortal Hunt.

After the Reverse-Flow Boat was constructed, it became a mystery whether Reverse truly boarded the divine vessel and traveled into the past, especially with the complete disappearance of that bygone group of True Immortals.

However, successive generations of Immortal Hunt members inferred from various clues that this True Immortal, who subtly wielded the power of time reversal, was highly likely still in existence. This conclusion was drawn because, as the Dao Network grew stronger and the Immortal Hunt launched their desperate counterattack, the True Immortal faction gradually found themselves at a disadvantage.

Yet, whenever the True Immortals found themselves in dire straits, they often miraculously managed to avert disaster.

The possibility of an internal mole was ruled out. Combined with what appeared to be other crucial evidence, the Immortal Hunt had now largely concluded the existence of this Reverse Immortal.

"Reverse."

If Li Fan, who had mastered Huan Zhen, still held any interest in a Great Dao law within the heavens and earth, it would undoubtedly be this power of reversing time.

What was the specific difference between it and Huan Zhen's true-false transformation?

More importantly, if Li Fan were to master it, could he return to and anchor himself in the time before year 1?

Alas, this 'Reverse' was truly enigmatic.

Even within the Immortal Hunt, its existence was merely inferred from certain clues. Beyond that, nothing was known.

In contrast to Qian Ruochang's numerous conjectures,

Wuxian's mind seemed far more focused.

All thoughts pointed to a single possibility.

Immortal Mingdao!

From the images that flashed through Wuxian's thoughts, it was clear that he had personally seen the original Dao scriptures left by Immortal Mingdao back when the Immortal Realm still existed.

Consequently, he had an incredibly clear understanding of Immortal Mingdao's formidable power.

Thus, after achieving success in his cultivation, when he was effortlessly suppressed and treated like a plaything, his first thought was that his opponent must be Immortal Mingdao.

"This Wuxian's thoughts also included rumors of Immortal Mingdao's death."

"However, he always dismissed them with disdain."

"Interestingly, Wuxian had also heard of the Hill Guardian's great name. As for why he didn't suspect it was the Hill Guardian..."

"Even with his supreme power, the Hill Guardian would not inflict such cruelty upon the weak."

Li Fan couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

Peering into the True Immortals' minds allowed Li Fan to experience what it was like to be among the strongest beings in the mortal realm.

However, it was not without its drawbacks.

On Li Buren's body, the ancient aura of confronting mountains and seas directly grew increasingly dense.

Simultaneously, countless cubic experimental spaces, including the Darkest Star Sea, emitted faint, rumbling sounds.

It was like a harbinger of an impending great tide.

Utilizing the omnipresent perception of the Carefree Dreamland, Li Fan further detected a wisp of black Dao Annihilation energy inexplicably forming within the Darkest Star Sea.

"The Hill Guardian's illusion is like a mighty flood-control dike. I've only used a fraction of its power, and already, the overwhelming floodwaters have inevitably begun to seep through."

Li Fan had anticipated this outcome, but he hadn't expected the Dao Annihilation to manifest so swiftly.

With a single thought, Li Buren sprang from the grandmaster's chair.

His body trembled uncontrollably as he attempted to break free from the aura of mountains and seas, striving to minimize the lingering effects of the Hill Guardian's illusion.

Without the deterrence of the Hill Guardian's illusion, Qian Ruochang and Wuxian were now able to move.

Yet, they did not depart immediately.

Seeing Ma Tiande's half-smile, they instinctively showed restraint.

After a moment's hesitation, they ultimately bowed in unison.

They believed that a powerful being capable of instantly suppressing them would surely not toy with them without reason.

Concurrently, Qian Ruochang observed the "newly ascended Immortal Vessel" before him, a peculiar glint flashing in his eyes. "His body must have been taken over and controlled."

"Can this Profound Coffin of World Crossing truly transcend worlds?"

Li Fan, controlling Ma Tiande's body, cut through pleasantries and asked directly.

Qian Ruochang and Wuxian were slightly taken aback.

"It can indeed transcend worlds."

Qian Ruochang quickly responded with certainty.

Wuxian added, "It is said that this coffin was crafted from the remains of a transcendent powerful being, which is why it can traverse the boundless sea and reach the other shore. This is also why, at the last moment, I risked everything to rush inside."

"I didn't expect to still fall into such a predicament."

Hearing this, Qian Ruochang sneered, "It's not really a trap. If you hadn't appeared, I truly would have transcended worlds."

Li Fan remained noncommittal regarding their dispute.

Even without the ability to peer into their thoughts now, he could discern a hint of disappointment in Wuxian's heart.

It was likely because he had somehow determined that the 'senior' Li Fan was impersonating was not Immortal Mingdao.

Disregarding the subtle thoughts in their minds, Li Fan merely imitated the Hill Guardian, standing with his hands behind his back and letting out a soft sigh.

"With the great tribulation upon us, what place can truly be called safe?"

"Transcending worlds, transcending worlds. It's merely self-deception, moving from one low-lying place to another."

Qian Ruochang and Wuxian appeared unsurprised by Li Fan's remarks.

"We will eventually find the true other shore," Wuxian said with an unreadable tone.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, with only seven million years remaining, it may not be enough," Li Fan agreed, playing along.

He once again had Li Buren invoke the Hill Guardian's illusionary power, and with a gentle wave of his hand, the Profound Coffin of World Crossing was spirited away.

Faced with Li Fan's blatant appropriation of the treasure, neither Qian Ruochang nor Wuxian dared to show any unusual expression.

From their words, Li Fan surmised that the Shuo Star Sea and the True Immortals might possess more knowledge about the great tribulation in the mortal realm.

However, they might not be aware of the precise timeframe for the mortal realm's demise.

As expected, the mention of "seven million" caused both of them to visibly tremble with internal shock.