Chapter 1508: Daoji Projection Pearl

The pathway emerged from nothingness, born from annihilation. It didn't seem to be a physical entity but a highly peculiar form of energy, forcibly carving a path through the void. Purple-Clad took a step, and his figure vanished instantly, reappearing at the other end of the pathway. Li Fan and Cheng Dao exchanged glances and followed closely. If it were just the two of them venturing into an alien starfield teeming with True Immortals, they might have been cautious. But with such a powerful figure leading the way, what was there to fear?

Stepping onto this celestial path, a unique sensation, unlike anything experienced before, immediately enveloped them. It was almost impossible to describe in words, but if forced to, "safety" would be the closest approximation. Living in the mortal realm, constantly under the threat of the Great Annihilation of Dao, Li Fan himself might not have been particularly concerned. Yet, undeniably, this reality created an instinctive sense of crisis in his body and soul. Years of this constant threat had made him like a startled bird, perpetually anxious. Even though the tribulation of Dao Annihilation had not descended, and despite the support of the nameless True Immortal pillars, the sense of dread persisted. After all, not to mention a few mere pillars, even the Immortal Realm had been destroyed by the Annihilation. Who could guarantee how long these pillars would last? But now, within the pathway opened by Purple-Clad, this long-standing feeling of trepidation finally vanished. "Even if the Annihilation of Dao eventually arrives, with this pathway, I will be safe," such a thought welled up in Li Fan's mind, completely unfounded. It was a blind confidence, but it wasn't just Li Fan who felt it. Looking at Cheng Dao, he was in the same state. The inescapable sense of crisis, always present in the mortal realm, was slowly soothed. Li Fan felt a calmness he had never experienced before. Countless distracting thoughts slowly settled in his mind, leaving only the purest, clearest intentions.

"What an incredible divine ability!" Li Fan exclaimed in his heart. "It's a pity this pathway isn't permanent; Purple-Clad created it just to open the way. As soon as he leaves, it's bound to disappear quickly. Such immense power, capable of repelling the Annihilation of Dao..." "Not to mention that observing such divine power up close is a great fortune in itself. Even the environment created by this pathway is something that countless beings in the mortal world yearn for but can never attain." "If I could stay here, my understanding of the transformation of truth and falsehood would surely advance quickly." As the pathway reached its end and they were about to leave, Li Fan felt a hint of reluctance. He even entertained the thought of restarting his life in the next cycle, repeating all his past actions, just to experience this brief moment again. Li Fan genuinely considered it. "From my current experience, even more than ten consecutive cycles of Reincarnation have not accumulated as much understanding of the transformation of truth and falsehood as this brief time in the pathway." "By that logic, it's certainly not a loss..." Li Fan was immersed in the tranquility and wonder provided by the pathway. Cheng Dao was equally affected. When facing the mountains and seas alone, he might have remained steadfast. But after suddenly having a safe haven from wind and rain, staying inside for a short time slowly eroded his inner resolve. Cheng Dao's weathered and resolute face softened slightly.

Perhaps sensing the thoughts of the two youngsters, Purple-Clad's words drifted slowly, interrupting their musings. "You may observe it, but not learn it." "This is my Dao, not yours. Ultimately, you must forge your own unique path to be worthy of traversing the mountains and seas." Hearing this, Li Fan and Cheng Dao's hearts jolted. The flicker of greed in their minds vanished instantly. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior," the two, having regained their composure, quickly thanked Purple-Clad. They realized that the absolute sense of security they felt within the pathway had, in a short time, made their hearts dependent. It had even naturally given rise to desires such as greed and monopolization. However, due to the extreme tranquility of their minds, these distracting thoughts had only accumulated at the bottom of their hearts, not manifesting outwardly. Now, exposed by Purple-Clad, they surfaced abruptly from deep within, like burst bubbles.

"The mountains and seas are boundless; only I can be the boat," Purple-Clad continued. "To traverse them, a steadfast Dao heart is essential." "While both of you possess superior strength and character in the mortal realm... you are still lacking a bit." "What a bother..." Purple-Clad muttered, shaking his head, and then his figure vanished from their sight.

Li Fan and Cheng Dao exchanged looks. After descending from the pathway, they cast a backward glance. Both were drenched in cold sweat. Cheng Dao sighed, "Junior Brother, I finally understand why Master chose to minimize contact with us." "Such protection is truly not a good thing." Li Fan nodded slightly, "If we had stayed any longer, I might not have wanted to leave at all." Ultimately, the two broke free from the temptation of the celestial path and followed Purple-Clad.

Purple-Clad's speed was extraordinary; his figure was already out of sight. However, there was no need to worry about losing track of him. The immense, mountain-shaking and sea-roaring tremors he caused wherever he passed were simply too conspicuous. A path had inexplicably appeared in the void swallowed by the Annihilation of Dao. How could the Guangwu Star Sea not detect such an anomaly? Their response was swift. Judging by the profound and imposing aura emanating from a distance, it seemed that the entire top combat power of the Guangwu Star Sea had gathered. But before Purple-Clad, they were utterly insignificant. A powerhouse capable of traversing possibilities was certainly not something the True Immortals of the current Guangwu Star Sea could resist. Li Fan and Cheng Dao followed Purple-Clad's path, moving forward and finally experiencing what true overwhelming force meant. The numerous purple talismans scattered around were clearly True Immortals who had been suppressed and flattened. Li Fan secretly tried to collect these talismans but found that Purple-Clad had not killed them; he had merely temporarily trapped them. Li Fan could faintly sense the immense terror in the minds of the True Immortals within these talismans. After some deliberation, Li Fan and Cheng Dao decided not to act rashly for now. They continued to rush towards Purple-Clad's location. The closer they got, the more sealed True Immortals they found around them. It seemed there was something crucially important that they were guarding, something worth defending even to the death to block the approaching enemy. But their resistance was ultimately futile. The disparity in strength between the two sides was simply too vast. Even fighting to the death, they failed to even "resist." However, this was, after all, a civilization that had survived and thrived since the Great Tribulation, even capable of fishing for the Annihilation of Dao. It indeed possessed its own profound foundation.

"Senior, don't go too far!" A furious roar erupted from ahead, followed by violent fluctuations that seemed to rival those caused by Purple-Clad. When Li Fan and Cheng Dao arrived at the scene, they found that the surrounding starfield had been transformed into a vast, absolute vacuum. What should have been a convergence of important continuous structures had been completely evaporated. Purple-Clad was watching a glowing orb in his hand with interest. Within the orb, images constantly shifted, as if countless figures were moving. In front of Purple-Clad, a middle-aged man in tattered clothes wore an expression of despair.

"A Dao Chronology Projection. This is not something you could have created. Did you fish this up too?" Purple-Clad asked lightly. With a gentle squeeze, the orb was infinitely compressed between his fingers, finally reducing to a single brilliant point. Then, Purple-Clad tossed this point of light towards Cheng Dao. As if concerned that Cheng Dao might not be able to withstand the light's immense pressure, he attached a protective force similar to that of the celestial pathway around it. This allowed Cheng Dao to observe the specific contents within the point of light without being affected. Cheng Dao first thanked Purple-Clad again, then looked at the point of light in his hand. A moment later... Li Fan noticed his Senior Brother's body trembling uncontrollably. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, as if under immense strain. After a few breaths, Cheng Dao forced himself to look away, but he remained pale and seemed on the verge of collapse. Li Fan was utterly astonished. One must know that Cheng Dao's true form was a spirit stone by the mountains and seas, accompanying the Tomb Guardian as he guarded the hills and observed the sea. Even the sight of the mountains and seas, he could accept with composure. What could be inside this orb that caused Cheng Dao such a loss of self-control? With a look of concerned inquiry, Li Fan saw that Cheng Dao seemed not yet to have recovered from the side effects of observing the orb. He simply handed the Dao Chronology Projection to Li Fan, signaling for him to look for himself, then closed his eyes to rest, saying nothing more.

Seeing this, Li Fan's curiosity grew. With cautious intent, he looked into the orb. The single point of light in his hand instantly exploded, once again occupying everything around him, including Li Fan's entire mind. Endless light and shadow evolved one after another, like flowing water. From the absolute void where no Dao existed, to the chaotic void where Dao was born and grew, then to the initial birth of worlds and the manifestation of living beings. And then to living beings understanding Dao through themselves, and the birth of the Immortal Realm. Countless years of time rapidly leaped forward. Until finally, all Daos withered, and the end arrived. From beginning to end, everything that happened and every being that came into existence during this period was condensed within this single point of light. Furthermore, it wasn't just a simple projection record. Within the light and shadow, all the Daos, divine abilities, and spell fluctuations that had ever appeared throughout this possibility, from its birth to its destruction, were also copied and integrated into the orb. If the orb were to unleash its power to seek out an enemy, it would mean facing the combined, accumulated attacks of countless heroes over countless years within a single possibility along the river of time! Such a terrifying scene almost made Li Fan drop the orb in his hand. The words "Reincarnation" were almost on his lips. A drop of cold sweat ran down his forehead as Li Fan's mind pulled away from the Dao Chronology Projection. The orb in his palm felt infinitely heavy. For a moment, Li Fan even had the illusion that he couldn't hold it tightly. "It's fortunate that Purple-Clad cleared the way this time; otherwise, if it were just Cheng Dao and me, facing this Dao Chronology Projection, we would likely have perished on the spot." Li Fan and Cheng Dao, who had now opened his eyes, exchanged glances. Both saw the shock in the other's heart. They had never imagined that such a treasure could exist within the Guangwu Star Sea. The previous Dao Sword and Dao Blade were like fireflies compared to the bright moon when set against this.

"Fishing for the Annihilation of Dao is indeed a means of survival. Those who can survive in the mountains and seas include not only the desperate True Immortals of the apocalypse but also powerful individuals who failed in their transcendence attempts, tried to cross the mountains and seas, but were swallowed by them." "Their minds might have been erased by the mountains and seas, but their bodies, and the treasures they carried, have a small chance of remaining. This Dao Chronology Projection, it came from such a source, didn't it?" Purple-Clad then proceeded to dismantle all the pillars forming the dam, one by one, gathering the terrified True Immortals within them. Pressing his hands together, he forcefully compressed them, and a brand new pillar, wreathed in purple energy, was thus born. Purple-Clad erected this pillar here, and only then did the rumbling of the Dao Annihilation, caused by the missing pillars, disappear. Li Fan noticed that even during the brief interval when the pillars were being transformed, anomalies indicating the arrival of Dao Annihilation appeared. However, the commotion was not even as great as what was caused within the high walls of the Shuoxing Sea before. Clearly, Purple-Clad was the reason; simply by standing there, he had, to a certain extent, resisted the Annihilation of Dao, like countless pillars combined.

In the Guangwu Star Sea, the ragged middle-aged man stared blankly at the pillar of the assembled immortals before him. Over a hundred thousand years of records had been overturned in an instant, almost crushing his will. He offered no reply to Purple-Clad's question. However, after a moment of silence, the middle-aged man slowly regained his senses. He spoke hoarsely, "Senior is right. By sheer luck, we acquired a transcendent remnant." "This was originally our great fortune, but we never thought..." Purple-Clad interrupted the middle-aged man. "This is indeed your fortune. That Dao Chronology Projection might be insignificant. However, the transcendent remnant could have cultivated new transcendent powerhouses long ago. It's a pity you went astray." "By taking the remnant as a teacher, you could have comprehended the Dao of past powerhouses. But what did you do instead?"

The middle-aged man's expression was somewhat dazed. After a long pause, he whispered, "We sent it back into the Annihilation of Dao, using it as a vessel. Firstly, to search for other safe places. Secondly, to collect other drifting treasures..." Purple-Clad snorted, scolding mercilessly, "Fools!" The middle-aged man sighed, "It's not that we didn't want to comprehend it. We truly couldn't." "The remnant was like a mountain, right before our eyes. Yet, we were like people trapped within the mountain, unable to see its true form." "We tried for many years, but it remained the same. Out of desperation, we finally gave up and sought new uses for it." The middle-aged man thought this explanation would evoke sympathy from Purple-Clad. But to his surprise, Purple-Clad merely nodded and said coldly, "That makes you even more foolish. Beyond redemption." Purple-Clad lightly pointed at the man from Guangwu Star Sea. The man opened his mouth, as if to say something more. A moment later, he burst apart like foam, transforming into countless purple light fragments, which were then swallowed by the surrounding starfield. A powerhouse, at least at the True Immortal level, was thus effortlessly erased by Purple-Clad.

Seeing this, Li Fan and Cheng Dao couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines. "If it weren't for the sake of the Tomb Guardian, Purple-Clad surely wouldn't have been so amenable." Purple-Clad seemed to have performed a trivial act, quickly dismissing the middle-aged man from his thoughts. He strode to the very center of where the pillar dam had been, gazing straight ahead. His gaze seemed to transcend the mountains and seas, and even the mortal realm.