Chapter 1493: Mutually Direct Assault on Huanglong

Yanjian Wuming, facing Li Buren's sudden assault, showed no panic despite being imprisoned under the Dao Net for tens of thousands of years; an earthy yellow light merely flashed in his eyes. He stomped his feet, and his form instantly transformed into a towering mountain, standing firm between heaven and earth.

The Myriad Forms Dao Net that Li Buren used to envelop him felt as if it had been suddenly seized by an immense force, creating a momentary stalemate where it could not move. The continuous mountain range that Yanjian had become was so immense that even with the boundless power surging within the Myriad Forms Dao Net, it struggled to completely dissolve Yanjian's form in a short time.

Slightly thwarted, Li Buren wasted no time, swinging his staff down at the aged Yanjian Wuming. This situation was precisely what Li Fan had anticipated. Although he had comprehended the Dao for a century and harnessed the power of Wuji, he had not yet reached the stage of *becoming* Wuji. Against the true powerhouses among the Wuming True Immortals, an instantaneous overwhelming victory might be difficult to achieve. This was also why Li Fan had decided to bring the Wuji Celestial Pillar.

Although Yanjian Wuming was aged yet resilient, he still paled in comparison to the true Grand Dao of Wuji. The Wuji Celestial Pillar plunged directly into the heart of the mountain. The hard rock of the towering range crumbled like tofu upon contact. The earthy yellow light in Yanjian's eyes vanished instantly, like a snuffed candle flame, leaving only profound astonishment.

"This Yanjian's Dao Path, manifested as mountains, seems to be imitating Shangfang Mountain."

Li Buren similarly subdued this Wuming and sent him inside the High Wall. As Li Buren savored the Dao Path he had just grasped from his opponent, he hurried towards the third celestial pillar. With the two supreme treasures in hand, Li Buren encountered scarcely any significant resistance. He successfully captured Buyan, the third Wuming True Immortal sealed within the Dao Net.

Three of the four main pillars were now gone. The Shuoxing Sea Dao Net had lost most of its supporting anchor points. Its suppressive force was greatly diminished, allowing Chaos and Shanhua to move freely within it with little restraint. The weakening of the Dao Net also brought subtle changes to the starry sky of the Shuoxing Sea.

Against the backdrop of encroaching Dao Annihilation, the Dao Net had served as a series of integrated celestial pillars, supporting a crumbling sky. Now, with Li Fan suddenly withdrawing three of these pillars, the starry sea within the High Wall indeed became more stable. However, the Shuoxing Sea itself was undoubtedly on the verge of collapse.

Within the starry sea, life still temporarily persisted. Yet, beyond the starry sea, a shadow seemed to have fallen, and muffled roars, like mountains crumbling and seas surging, echoed periodically. Shanhua and Chaos, the two Wuming, were clearly familiar with these ominous signs. Their memories were deeply etched, causing them to react with intense unease and fear.

Li Buren disregarded their emotions, faithfully executing Li Fan's orders. He proceeded to the location of the last imprisoned Wuming. Shanhua and Chaos could only follow, unable to resist warning: "Something feels wrong. This operation has been far too smooth."

"The Dao Net is about to crumble, yet the Great Net hasn't shown himself. Where could he be?"

"He couldn't have just fled. The Dao Net represents years of his painstaking effort; he wouldn't abandon it so easily. Unless his current objective is even more important than the Dao Net itself?" A thought couldn't help but surface in the minds of the two Wuming.

Li Buren seemed to have guessed their thoughts. He simply paused for a moment before pressing onward. At the location of the final Dao Net pillar, there were no more resisting Immortal Hunters. It was completely silent, with the last remaining Wuming pillar barely supporting the surrounding collapsing Dao Strands. Once this last pillar was removed, the Shuoxing Sea Dao Net would cease to exist.

Li Buren employed his usual tactic, using the Wuji Celestial Pillar to clear the way and dismantle the Dao Net's last defenses. A skeletal figure appeared before him. He appeared to have endured unimaginable torment, and perhaps had been imprisoned longer than the others. This last Wuming sat cross-legged, head bowed, his clothes tattered. Compared to the previous three, he looked utterly wretched.

Li Buren even sensed that the Shuoxing Sea Dao Net had extracted more Dao from him than from the previous three Wuming combined. He alone seemed to bear the cumulative pressure of all the other Dao Net pillars! His body was densely riddled with Dao Strands, a truly unnerving sight!

"Do you recognize him?" Li Buren suddenly spoke, asking the two Wuming behind him.

Chaos and Shanhua examined him carefully, both shaking their heads slightly. "The Immortal Realm is boundless, and countless individuals have attained the Dao of Wuming. It's normal for us not to recognize every one of them," Shanhua explained.

Hearing this, Li Buren pondered, scrutinizing the prisoner before him without rushing to rescue him. With his current comprehension of the Grand Dao, he had discerned the identities of the previous three Wuming with just a glance: Fugui, Yanjian, Buyan... Although these Grand Daos had merged with the Wuming, the Wuming themselves had not transcended, thus naturally leaving faint imprints in the world. It was through these imprints that Li Fan could glimpse their Dao paths. Yet, the individual before him remained completely unknown to Li Buren. A completely unfamiliar, unknown Dao Path.

"Could he be from another possibility? Or perhaps..." Despite his doubts, with two supreme treasures in hand, Li Buren felt no undue fear. With careful vigilance, the Wuji Celestial Staff once more swung down. The last remaining Dao Strands entwined around this prisoner dissolved away.

Just as the prisoner was freed and the Dao Net was on the verge of complete disintegration... A pale, withered hand, however, suddenly gripped the Wuji Celestial Staff tightly. The Dao Strands that had supposedly dissolved suddenly surged forth again from the person before them, scattering in all directions. Although he was mentally prepared, Li Buren's heart suddenly lurched. He tried to control the Wuji Celestial Pillar, intending to withdraw it. But he found the grey stone staff was stuck firmly in the other's palm. No matter how hard he tried to manipulate it, the Wuji Celestial Pillar remained immovable!

Li Buren also noticed that, in the brief moment the prisoner gripped the Wuji Celestial Pillar, faint wisps of Wuji aura began to emanate from his body. An ominous premonition swelled within Li Buren. At that moment, the last Wuming True Immortal suddenly opened his eyes.

"Young friend, why do you destroy my Dao Net?"

A short while earlier, inside the High Wall.

Li Fan, monitoring Li Buren's actions, suddenly felt an inexplicable surge of unease. Startled, he immediately began to meticulously trace the origin of this unsettling emotion. Since embarking on his reincarnation cultivation, his spiritual intuition had saved him countless times. Although he didn't yet know the precise origin of this remarkably accurate intuition, Li Fan had tentatively accepted it as a unique talent, much like his own spirituality which could be infinitely diminished. A spiritual warning surely indicated a significant cause.

Li Fan's thoughts raced, and among countless possibilities, he pinpointed a target. "The Great Net?"

"The Dao Net is destroyed, yet he shows no concern. Is he coming directly for me?" Li Fan couldn't help but feel a wave of absurdity. Although Li Buren had taken the Wuji Celestial Pillar and the Dao Sword & Dao Blade, Li Fan was virtually invincible within the High Wall. Not only did he possess the blessings of the five Shouqiu Phantoms, but he also commanded the entire population of the Primordial Immortal Realm as his soldiers. Unless facing a transcendent powerhouse among the Wuming, Li Fan had no fear.

"This spiritual warning is unlike any before. It's not a fatal crisis, but it certainly indicates a potential threat."

"This suggests that the Great Net's strength should not be underestimated." Li Fan pondered thoroughly, but chose not to "Return to Truth" and flee. He decided to first confront this exceptionally mysterious Wuming.

While he was contemplating, Li Buren had already reached the last prisoner. And as the gaunt old man uttered, "Young friend, why do you destroy my Dao Net?" a blue figure, like a phantom, appeared in the Primordial Immortal Realm without warning. It directly pinpointed the location of Li Fan's true form. The two were less than a thousand zhang apart.

The Primordial Immortal Realm was entirely under Li Fan's control, so he immediately sensed the abrupt intrusion. This only heightened his shock. Without a doubt, the blue figure was the Great Net. But Li Fan had no idea how he had appeared within the High Wall. Logically, with the High Wall as a barrier, any True Immortal attempting to cross would create ripples that would inevitably draw Li Fan's attention. After all, he was now considered a partial inheritor of Shouqiu, holding authority over a large section of the entire experimental ground. Yet, the blue Great Net completely disregarded this rule.

"How exactly..."

Li Fan stared intently at the enigmatic figure before him, not hesitating to unleash his full power instantly. Shouqiu Phantoms, the sealed Celestial Pillars, and even the Myriad Forms Dao Net woven by Li Fan himself — he aimed to instantly suppress the Great Net Wuming.

In the Darkest Star Sea, colossal waves seemed to erupt instantly. Within the Primordial Immortal Realm, the heavens shifted, and the sky tore open. The Heavenly Emperor and Tianhen were alerted by the phenomenon, only then noticing the two figures confronting each other in the Immortal Realm. Seeing someone dare to challenge the majesty of their Creator Father God, the beings of the Primordial Immortal Realm were collectively enraged. Transforming into streams of light, they descended instantly, standing like a dark cloud behind Li Fan, glaring furiously at the blue figure ahead. They waited only for Li Fan's command, ready to swarm and tear the defiant intruder to shreds.

However, the stoic Li Fan's heart was already churning with a storm of emotions. Because he discovered that the power from the Shouqiu Phantoms... had actually failed! It wasn't that the five Shouqiu Phantoms within the High Wall had lost their power. Rather, Li Fan could no longer draw power from them! In just an instant, Li Fan's greatest asset had been inexplicably neutralized.

"Could this 'Great Net' actually be Lord Shouqiu?" As the thought struck him, Li Fan's heart pounded uncontrollably. At this moment, he completely lacked the strength to contend with Lord Shouqiu.

"No, that's wrong. The Great Net's actual display of power is far too different from the legendary Lord Shouqiu."

"He struggled against a group of faded Wuming, locked in a stalemate for tens of thousands of years."

"It absolutely cannot be Lord Shouqiu himself." Li Fan quickly composed himself, rapidly contemplating the reason behind this bizarre phenomenon.

"He usurped my control over the Shouqiu Phantoms."

"He traversed freely, both inside and outside the High Wall." Li Fan's eyes narrowed slightly; he already had an answer. "This Great Net, like me, originated from within the High Wall? And furthermore, he entered the secret space of the experimental ground and obtained Lord Shouqiu's inheritance..."

"However, he isn't from our Darkest Star Sea."

"Rather, he's from another segregated space within the experimental ground." What the blue figure said next seemed to confirm Li Fan's suspicions: "Having received Lord Shouqiu's inheritance, yet engaging in such practices?" he said blandly, pointing at the sealed Celestial Pillar.

Li Fan's thoughts spun rapidly. Since the other party hadn't attacked directly, there was room for negotiation. Regardless, he'd try to extract some useful information first. After all, with Illusionary Truth's protection, he was already in an unassailable position.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the surrounding beings of the Primordial Immortal Realm. Li Fan burst out laughing, "So, it turns out we've had a misunderstanding!"

"Perhaps I may call you Senior Brother?"

The blue figure calmly refused, "I wouldn't presume to."

Li Fan didn't press the matter, changing the subject: "What I'm doing, how is it any different from what you've done, Dao Brother? Both involve transforming Immortals into pillars."

"This practice has existed in the Immortal Realm since ancient times. Even if successive Immortal Emperors were present, they couldn't fault me." Li Fan coldly chuckled, "Using immortal bodies to stave off Dao Annihilation is a great merit."

"Others can. But you cannot. Because you received Shouqiu's inheritance." The blue figure wasn't swayed by Li Fan's sophistry, directly "categorizing" him.

"I cannot... but you can, Dao Brother? Haha, don't be too..."

"Naturally, I also cannot violate it," the blue figure interrupted Li Fan. "But the lower star sea is on the verge of destruction. There's no time left to slowly reason with True Immortals. So I, first, cast myself into the net."

The blue light around the figure slowly dissipated with his words, revealing his true appearance. He was identical to the old man sealed deep within the Dao Net! Or rather, they were one and the same person!

"If I don't lead by example, how can other Wuming willingly follow?" the old man said calmly.

"You!" Only at this moment did Li Fan finally understand. The mysterious Wuming who constructed the Dao Net was, in fact, one of its four pillars! The master of the Dao Net was also its prisoner!

"If you've already obtained Shouqiu's legacy, why did you still need to become a pillar yourself?"

"The Manifested Dao Phantoms should have sufficed!" After a brief moment of shock, Li Fan recovered, narrowing his eyes as he pressed the question.

The old man sighed, "Unless one reaches the transcendent realm, how can even the truest phantom compare to the genuine Grand Dao?"

"Of course, the most crucial issue is that there wasn't enough time. If I had twice the time, perhaps I could have slowly cultivated a sufficient number of Manifested Dao Phantoms." The old man spoke while surveying the Primordial Immortal Realm, "Shanhua and the others certainly didn't exaggerate. This place truly retains the essence of the Immortal Realm." He nodded in approval.

"May I know your name, Dao Brother?" Li Fan asked, cupping his hands.

"Since one learns the master's Dao, one should embody it and carry on its will. My Dao Path is 'Inheriting Dao'." The old man replied solemnly.