Chapter 1481: Tai Shang Leaves the Dao Book

The path Sima Xing attained was Carving. Using himself as a blade, he could carve all things, tangible and intangible, in the heavens and earth.

Initially inspired by the Dao-Inscribing Immortal's method of inscription and combined with Sima Xing's greatest talent, this unique Daoist art came into being.

The reason Sima Xing's Dao attainment ceremony was so grand was that his carved creations could serve as a lower-tier substitute for Dao inscription.

The Four Sage Monarchs of the Immortal World were aloof and supreme. They had never established the Immortal Path or unblocked the Infinite Springs. While their contributions benefited all immortals for countless generations, most True Immortals in the Immortal World had not experienced the ancient era when there were no immortals. To them, the existence of the Immortal Path and the infinite nature of immortal power were simply natural and commonplace. To them, the Four Sage Monarchs of the Immortal World were merely symbols, like deities.

However, the Dao-Inscribing Immortal was the most revered figure among all True Immortals in the Immortal World. This was because the Dao-Inscribing Immortal, with unparalleled talent, observed and fully comprehended the Three Thousand Great Daos. Furthermore, he inscribed and transformed the intangible Daos he had observed and comprehended, bestowing them upon the world.

A voluminous scripture, the Grand Dao Tome, elucidated the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. It is said that almost half of the nameless True Immortals in the Immortal World were born after contemplating the Grand Dao Tome.

Unfortunately, the Grand Dao Tome, which originally floated in the Boundless Star Domain for all immortals to observe, tragically encountered the first large-scale Dao Annihilation Tribulation that erupted in the Immortal World.

It is said that at the moment the great tide of Dao Annihilation descended, every character of the Grand Dao Tome erupted with infinite light. It transformed into continuous belts of light, temporarily holding back the Dao Annihilation Tribulation. This bought the True Immortals below, who were contemplating and comprehending the Dao, a brief time to escape. But being merely a scripture, it ultimately could not withstand this terrifying tribulation. In the end, it was swallowed by the Dao Annihilation along with the entire star domain.

Only a few Grand Dao symbols survived.

Sima Xing was fortunate enough to be born before the Grand Dao Tome disappeared. Through his observation, he precisely determined his own Dao path: to become the second Dao-Inscribing Immortal!

It must be known that although the Grand Dao Tome spanned across the Boundless Star Domain, visible to all immortals, the Immortal World stood atop Mount Shangfang, boundless and vast. The Boundless Domain alone was beyond the reach of immortal power. Very few had the ability, determination, or fortune to truly arrive at the Boundless Star Domain to view the tome. The Grand Dao Tome was like a wall sculpture built into a mountain, immovable. However, if someone could transfer the carved records of the tome, allowing True Immortals in the world to glimpse its true form without personally traveling great distances, that would be an immense meritorious deed!

Sima Xing dedicated himself to this goal. Though without the guidance of the tome, becoming the second Dao-Inscribing Immortal was fraught with immense difficulties. However, Sima Xing's aptitude and luck were extraordinary. Through many stumbles, he spent half his life. Ultimately, he successfully attained the Nameless Realm as he wished. Attaining the Dao of Carving meant there was a successor to the Dao-Inscribing Immortal, naturally causing a great stir in the Immortal World. Numerous Nameless Immortals came to visit, one after another, marking the most brilliant period of Sima Xing's life.

Unfortunately...

The act of Dao inscription was far from as simple as he had imagined. Initially, he could still rely on his memories of contemplating the Grand Dao Tome in the past to carve numerous Dao paths into tangible forms. But as time passed, Sima Xing gradually realized that his success rate in Dao inscription was becoming lower and lower. This was because after attaining the Nameless Realm, his body merged with the Dao of Carving, naturally growing more estranged from other Dao paths.

When he tried to engrave again... he tried, failed; tried again, failed again. It wasn't until he finally gave up completely that Sima Xing recognized the power of the Dao-Inscribing Immortal in this harsh reality. The act of Dao inscription was not something ordinary people could achieve. Unfortunately, after leaving behind the Grand Dao Tome, the Dao-Inscribing Immortal vanished without a trace. This made Sima Xing's desire to ask how to reconcile various Daos an impossibility.

Sima Xing was not someone who would be directly defeated by setbacks. Although he couldn't directly inscribe Dao paths, he could inscribe his own insights and the insights of other immortals. Though it was a step down, he could still benefit the world. In a sense, Sima Xing's ambition to be the second Dao-Inscribing Immortal was actually realized.

“Mount Shangfang?”

“Grand Dao Tome?”

Li Fan emerged from Sima Xing's brilliant remnant memory. Even as a remnant, the memory was incredibly real. Especially with the Grand Dao Tome's blessing within the memory, Li Fan's wisp of spiritual sense became utterly immersed, almost losing himself. Fortunately, as the Dao Annihilation Tribulation drew near, Sima Xing's thoughts surged, allowing Li Fan to awaken in time.

He returned the power he had gathered from the other Heavenly Pillars and the ghostly figures of the Mound Keepers. Under their combined support, the Dao Annihilation Tribulation slowly dissipated into nothingness. However, Li Fan acutely noticed that compared to before, the pressure on each Heavenly Pillar seemed to have increased slightly.

“It seems this method of using the Dao Annihilation Tribulation as a scare tactic cannot be overused. Each use creates a flaw, causing the Dao Annihilation Tribulation to arrive earlier.” However, this was not within Li Fan's immediate concerns. At the very least, before his true self returned in this lifetime, he could repeat this four or five more times, which should be sufficient. Moreover, after experiencing one 'Dao Annihilation Scare,' Sima Xing's mind had been breached. It was no longer as flawlessly condensed as before, allowing Li Fan to inspect it himself with some effort, much like he had probed the Hunger Immortal.

From the memories of Sima Xing, a Nameless True Immortal who had long attained the Dao, Li Fan indeed gained a wealth of extremely valuable information.

“Humans ascend mountains to become immortals.”

“Sage Monarch Lianshan was the first to ascend Mount Shangfang, revealing a path of ascent for all beings.”

“Mount Shangfang and the Infinite Sea. They should be entities of equivalent scale in the mortal world.”

“While immortals occupied the mountain to create the Immortal World, the destiny of the mountain and sea merging also determined the inevitable arrival of the Dao Annihilation Tribulation.”

Li Fan's consciousness had once personally visited the Infinite Sea, experiencing the sea's boundless nature firsthand. And since the mountain was of the same caliber as the sea, it too must be of equivalent, immense scale. “The Immortal World created on Mount Shangfang is boundless, also a form of infinity in a sense.” Compared to the mountain and the sea, True Immortals were no different from ants. Yet, these ants ascended, temporarily trampling the mountain and sea beneath their feet. This almost gave Li Fan an exhilarating feeling that human will could conquer nature.

Besides the Four Sage Monarchs like Lianshan and Guihai, the Dao-Inscribing Immortal was also among those who seemed capable of disdaining the mountain and sea. In Sima Xing's memory, the Grand Dao Tome floating above the Boundless Star Domain was both admirable and awe-inspiring, seemingly seeking to exhaust the principles of both mountain and sea.

“The True Immortal seal script I once glimpsed, including that of Creation, seemed to originate from this tome.”

“Just one or two characters already held such profound mysteries. It's truly hard to imagine how astonishing the complete tome would be.”

Even in the lower realms, legends of the Dao-Inscribing Immortal circulated. Li Fan first learned of his existence from Baihua. The renown of the Dao-Inscribing Immortal and the depth of his influence on the Immortal World were evident. While the Four Sage Monarchs of the Immortal World, and even Duke Shouqiu, might have been stronger, their widespread renown was far inferior. This was determined by the nature of their different Dao paths.

“The Dao-Inscribing Immortal vanished long ago, no longer appearing in the world. Perhaps he has already departed the original possibility.”

“It's logical that his method of inscribing the Three Thousand Daos allowed him to transcend.” At this thought, a hint of doubt arose in Li Fan's mind. Through his interactions with True Immortals and Nameless True Immortals during this period, he had more or less figured out the origins of the Immortal World and the full story behind the Dao Annihilation Tribulation. But now, an unavoidable question appeared before Li Fan.

“The formation of the Immortal World originated from the mountain and the sea.”

“But what is the true connection between different possibilities and Mount Shangfang and the Infinite Sea?”

“From my previous theory of the integration of all selves, it's clear that the mountain and sea were naturally powerful entities of that caliber. Conversely, this implies that even among infinite possibilities, there is only one Infinite Sea and one Mount Shangfang.”

“Perhaps, coexisting between the same mountain and sea is also the theoretical basis for being able to jump between different possibilities.”

After a long deliberation, Li Fan finally shook his head slightly. Without reaching that realm, no matter how much he speculated, he would ultimately be unable to comprehend its principles. However, with the appearance of the mountain and sea, a direction had been pointed out for Li Fan's Dao path, which had previously been shrouded in mist and halted at the Half-Immortal stage.

“Leaving aside transcending the mountain and sea for now.”

“While dwelling between the mountain and sea, to gain powerful strength, one inevitably must draw upon their power.”

“Lianshan and Guihai. These are the titles of two Sage Monarchs, and they also expound the true essence of immortal power.”

“Originally, all was well; True Immortals trampled the mountain and sea underfoot, creating a glorious era. But the problem now is...”

“The mountain and sea are merging.”

From the understanding in Sima Xing's memory, it seemed the Immortal World was built on the so-called Mount Shangfang. When the mountain and sea merge, everything in the mountain plunges into the deep sea. The Immortal World would naturally vanish into thin air along with everything else. Recalling the Dao Annihilation Tribulation he had personally witnessed, Li Fan's heart suddenly stirred: “The Dao Annihilation Tribulation is not as simple as the Immortal World being swallowed by the Infinite Sea.”

“Rather, when the mountain and sea merge, the mountain is no longer a mountain, and the sea is no longer a sea.”

“Perhaps, it's a return to before the mountain and sea existed...”

The fable left by Sun Piaomiao long ago couldn't help but resurface in Li Fan's mind. The mountain and sea argued, and the sea retorted to the mountain: “What does 'originally belonged' mean? Is our infinite lifespan innate?” Li Fan couldn't help but imagine many scenes in his mind.

“Sima Xing said that the merging of the mountain and sea is an inevitable trend. But the key to solving all problems lies in why they merge in the first place.” Li Fan gazed distantly towards the horizon—the direction from which the Black Heavenly Doctor had charged across possibilities that day.

“Perhaps, the true answer to this question lies only in that Great World of the Other Shore, where action takes place.”

“Heavenly Doctor, Su Bai, Dao-Inscribing, Shouqiu...”

“Whether those I've personally encountered or only heard of in historical legends, all might converge there.”

Faces flashed one after another in his mind, and Li Fan couldn't help but take a deep breath, calming his turbulent emotions. Frankly, Li Fan's strength was still far from that of these individuals. But possessing the Treasure of Reversion to Truth, reaching their level one day was a certainty, beyond doubt.

“The key is how to get there.”

“Currently, my idea of using Ink Kill to devour and evolve the Three Thousand Great Daos, integrating them into myself, remains the most suitable for me.”

“Especially after learning of the Grand Dao Tome's existence.”

“It's a pity that the Grand Dao Tome was long ago swallowed by Dao Annihilation. Only a few characters occasionally survived. Otherwise, if I could just devour the tome, I fear I might instantly leap to the realm of transcendence.” Thinking of this, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a touch of regret. A perfect shortcut had been lost.

But then he had another thought: although the true tome had vanished, there might still be some who had seen it in the history of the Immortal World and were still alive today.

“Those who survived the great calamity of the Immortal World back then must be exceptionally strong. There's a high probability they went to the Boundless Star Domain and saw the tome. Such True Immortals, like Sima Xing, are great tonics for me!”

“At the very least, they can save me centuries of arduous contemplation!” A sharp glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

If the Dao Annihilation Myriad Forms he envisioned were to be comprehended by him alone... considering Li Fan's almost infinite expendable spiritual essence, he might be able to achieve it over countless long cycles of reincarnation. But the efficiency would be too low. How could that compare to directly seeking the Dao from immortals, which was so convenient?

Just as in this lifetime, after successively devouring the Hunger Immortal and the Grand Master, he had already begun to weave a preliminary net of Dao Annihilation Myriad Forms. And now, by absorbing the memories from Sima Xing's mind, this net would instantly expand severalfold.

“The theoretical limit for Nameless True Immortals within a single possibility is the merging of body and Dao. To progress further, one must devour their selves from other possibilities.”

“As for me, each form of Ink Kill can reach the realm of a Nameless True Immortal. Within a single possibility, as the Three Thousand Great Daos gather within me, I could potentially grow to a level of strength comparable to Evil Su Bai and the Black Heavenly Doctor.”

“Not to mention...” Li Fan's eyes narrowed slightly: “The limit of each Ink Kill Dao Form is those powerful individuals who have integrated all their selves.”

“What are Evil Heavenly Doctor, Black Su Bai...”

“They are merely dishes on a plate.”

With a cold snort, wisps of Ink Kill black qi covered the Heavenly Pillar that Sima Xing had transformed into, extracting the resources Li Fan needed for his cultivation. Within the Abyssal Star Sea, all hidden worries vanished. Li Fan could finally cultivate in peace, digesting the gains from this period.

With a flicker of thought, an invisible Dao net instantly enveloped the entire Abyssal Star Sea, analyzing and deconstructing all the manifested Daos within the star sea. And the path leading beyond the high wall reopened, continuously drawing upon the more perfected Dao paths of the Shuoxing Sea.

Even a peerless genius might spend their entire life unable to fully comprehend a single Dao path in the world. For Li Fan to comprehend the Three Thousand Great Daos simultaneously, his progress was destined to be extremely slow. He had long been mentally prepared for this. Therefore, he didn't aim for perfection but first roughly established a 'hollow framework'. Even if they were merely extremely superficial outlines, prone to collapse at a touch and incapable of any function now, it would be enough as long as immortals filled them in later.

“First, universalize the Investiture of the Gods...”

“Then, slaughter the immortals in the world.”

As Li Fan's thoughts wandered, the nascent form of the Myriad Forms Dao Net, transformed by Ink Kill, gradually appeared. The three Heavenly Pillars, including the five ghostly figures of the Mound Keepers, were all obscured by the increasingly dense Dao net.

Time flowed by.

When Li Fan's dormant consciousness reawakened, a century had already passed. It wasn't the arrival of the Dao Annihilation Tribulation that disturbed Li Fan, but rather his active awakening after sensing someone's return. The newcomer was none other than the dream power avatar of Di Sanmo Wuyou.

Previously, Di Sanmo had volunteered to find Wan Shiyong. Unexpectedly, he never returned. Li Fan had also asked Di Sanmo's main body, but Di Sanmo had lost all perception of his dream avatar. He only knew that all connection had been severed upon entering the star spatial where Wan Shiyong was located. Originally, it was thought that this dream body of Di Sanmo would never return. Yet, a century later, he rushed back unexpectedly.

It wasn't just the dream body. Even Di Sanmo's main body, upon finally sensing the dream body's experiences over these years, underwent a sudden drastic change in expression. Without hesitation, he sought to meet Li Fan. And the reason that moved this Beast of Wisdom, who had lived for an unknown duration...

“You mean you followed Wan Shiyong to another possibility?” Li Fan's manifested form looked at Di Sanmo, whose two bodies had merged into one, and said in a deep voice.

“Indeed. I didn't actually stay long in that possibility. After understanding the general situation, I quickly returned. I hadn't expected it to be a century later here. Although Ku Ying had told me in advance that such an unexpected situation might occur, the sudden passage of a hundred years still unsettled me...” Di Sanmo's voice was filled with lament.

“Another possibility...”

“What was the situation there?” Li Fan asked contemplatively.

“The Thirteen Archaic Dao Forms all exist. My clan is experiencing a supreme prosperous age,” Di Sanmo said slowly.

“Oh?” Li Fan raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing Di Sanmo. He wanted to discern the truth of his words from his face.

“Isn't that the place you've always dreamed of? Why return? Is it to bring your main body there?”

“Don't worry, I won't stop you,” Li Fan said indifferently.

Di Sanmo shook his head: “Senior, you misunderstand. In the history of that possibility, there was no slaughter by human Nameless Immortals, so my clan has continued to thrive to this day. Although various internal conflicts and struggles occurred, it has ultimately maintained a strong state. However...”

“The Dao Annihilation Tribulation still cannot be escaped.”

“And it's arriving too quickly.” Deeply hidden alarm could be heard in Di Sanmo's tone.

“The Thirteen Dao Forms are struggling to hold on, but I fear they still cannot escape their fate of annihilation. Not much time is left for my clan.”

“So?”

“You want to bring your clan over here?” Li Fan vaguely guessed Di Sanmo's intentions.

Di Sanmo nodded: “Indeed, that's what I'm thinking.”

“Although our current world also suffers from Dao Annihilation, the lower realm's star sea is relatively stable by comparison. At the very least, there's still a long period of safety. If we were to consolidate here...”

Li Fan smiled: “If you could complete the jump on your own, I imagine you wouldn't have come back to find me.”

Di Sanmo did not deny it, stating frankly: “I truly need Senior's assistance.”

“In that possibility, for some reason, the Xuanhuang World does not exist. Therefore...”