Chapter 1536: Capture the Great Heavenly Venerate

Trembling with excitement, shaking with agitation, despairing in fear.Ultimately, it disappeared above the mountains and seas, transforming into a bridge.It created a path for its people to travel from the sea into the mountains.

Li Fan meticulously read this passage from the fable dozens of times, attempting to grasp the scene it depicted. However, the fable was vague on details, merely explaining the ultimate fate of this first being.

This was understandable.

The past events of the mountains and seas recorded in this fable were already secrets far beyond the mundane world. If it had also involved things beyond the mountains and seas, then Li Fan would first have to question the fable's authenticity. After all, the fable stated that the first being who looked beyond the mountains and seas ultimately perished and transformed into a bridge, connecting the mountains and seas. Therefore, unless this departed being had come back to life and recorded what it saw, no one else in the world of mountains and seas would ever know what it had truly seen.

In fact, Li Fan wasn't particularly curious about matters beyond the mountains and seas. They were simply too distant from his current reality. Groundless speculation served no purpose and would only add to his worries.

What Li Fan was more concerned with was a particular passage in the fable:"Born from the sea, standing upon the mountain. Therefore, its gaze could extend beyond the mountains and seas..."

"This seems to clarify the path to transcending the mountains and seas," Li Fan pondered to himself.

The past events of this first being, as recorded in the fable, bore a superficial resemblance to the deeds of the two Sacred Monarchs of the Immortal Realm, Lianshan and Guihai, yet were fundamentally different. If one considers the act of connecting the mountains and seas, it seemed to embody the characteristics of both Sacred Monarchs. However, the two Sacred Monarchs were still present within the mountains and seas, unlike the being in the fable who perished and transformed into a bridge.

"If there truly is a connection between them, perhaps it is precisely the existence of the bridge formed by this first primordial being that allowed the two Sacred Monarchs, Lianshan and Guihai, to achieve enlightenment and success countless years later."

"It was also from this corpse, which became a bridge, that the two Sacred Monarchs were able to glimpse the past of the mountains and seas." Li Fan made a reasonable conjecture in his mind.

"Then the author of this fable is truly intriguing. They know about the future apocalypse and primordial antiquity, and also have a deep connection with the two Sacred Monarchs..."

Invisible flames ignited in his hand, completely incinerating the fable.

The fable was indeed not made of any special material; it vanished into nothingness in mere moments. Even though he had verified it once in his previous life, Li Fan still felt a touch of disappointment.

"It seems there are no other hidden secrets."

Although the physical object was gone, the words of the fable remained deeply etched in Li Fan's mind. After careful reflection, Li Fan attempted to deconstruct parts of the fable based on his own experiences.

"If being born from the sea and standing upon the mountain already qualified one to transcend the mountains and seas, then in fact, any immortal after the two Sacred Monarchs Lianshan and Guihai created the Immortal Realm would have met this condition."

"Its essence is the fusion of two paths."

"However, most so-called True Immortals merely achieved enlightenment by borrowing the power of the two Sacred Monarchs. They did not truly comprehend the Dao of Mountains and Seas."

"The culmination of the two paths is transcendence of the mountains and seas."

"In my previous experiences, the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas, the Great Dao of Longevity, and the Transformation of True and False were all existences of comparable power. Doesn't this imply..."

"Cultivating any one of these to its extreme would grant the power to transcend the mountains and seas. So, my previous act of fusing three paths..."

Li Fan shook his head slightly.

From the fable's content, the mountains and seas themselves needed constant integration and adaptation during fusion. Even the Infinite Sea and the Upper Mountain might not be able to withstand the consequences of fusing three paths in such a short time.

"This is also why Huan Zhen was so severely injured this time. I was indeed too reckless before. The fact that I managed to survive after that attempt was truly thanks to Huan Zhen's protection."

"As the saying goes, 'ignorance breeds fearlessness'."

Looking back at his past actions from his current perspective, Li Fan felt both fortunate and a lingering sense of dread.

"What exactly was Sun Piaomiao's purpose in leaving behind this fable?"

"Normally, the content within this fable far surpasses anything in the Xuanhuang Realm. Even True Immortals might not fully grasp the true nature of the mountains and seas. Most cultivators who saw this fable would simply regard it as a mere story and wouldn't overthink it."

"Except..."

Li Fan raised an eyebrow. "Besides me, there's also the one who will tear out a few pages of this fable in the future."

With a thought, an identical book appeared in Li Fan's hand. Li Fan placed it back in its original position within the treasury. Although Li Fan's actions had significantly altered the historical trajectory of the Xuanhuang Realm, he couldn't be certain if the mysterious person who tore pages from the fable would reappear. But necessary precautions still had to be taken. Who knew, it might even bring Li Fan an unexpected surprise?

Having settled the matter of the Mountains and Seas Fable, Li Fan next planned to seek out the Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang. Previously, in the Taiyuan Realm, the immortal formation had already captured a trace of her aura. Even if she deliberately concealed her presence within the Xuanhuang Realm, she could not escape Li Fan's grasp. Her location was subtly pinpointed. Li Fan smiled faintly and took a single step forward. The next moment, he materialized out of thin air near her.

He didn't rush to alert her but first hid in the shadows to observe carefully.

This was a tranquil and unremarkable hilltop within the Xuanhuang Realm. As it was a slightly chilly region, the entire mountain range was covered not by tall trees, but by emerald-green short grass. It stretched continuously, reaching to the horizon, like a celestial grassland that refreshed the mind and broadened one's spirit.

The Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang sat quietly on the hilltop. An easel stood before her. The Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang was slowly capturing the beautiful scenery before her with brush and ink. For a Grand Heavenly Venerable who could instantly search and preserve every scene in the entire Xuanhuang Realm, such an act seemed meaningless. But Li Fan could tell that the Grand Heavenly Venerable seemed to find joy in it. Every stroke was meticulous. Occasionally, she would frown slightly, dissatisfied, and erase the ink to repaint.

A gentle breeze caressed the mountain, and time flowed slowly. Just as the Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang's painting was nearing completion, and a look of pleasant surprise and satisfaction was clearly visible in her eyes... countless corpses inexplicably appeared across the mountains and fields within the painting. Mountains of corpses and seas of blood emerged, with malevolent energy soaring to the heavens. A blood-red moon even rose in the sky. The original fresh and beautiful ambiance was utterly ruined.

"Who's there?!" The Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang, both shocked and enraged, whirled around and scanned her surroundings. Just then, she caught sight of Li Fan's enigmatic, half-smiling expression.

Rationally speaking, anyone able to approach without her slightest detection and arbitrarily alter her painting meant that the strength of this suddenly appearing Li Fan was undoubtedly far superior to her own. If Li Fan were in her position, he would never easily attack such a powerful individual. However, the Grand Heavenly Venerable before him seemed to have lost some reason in her fury over the destroyed painting. She still chose to attack Li Fan.

The smile slowly faded from Li Fan's lips, and he uttered a single, faint word.

"Still!"

In her enraged strike, the Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang instantly became motionless! It was then that she slowly regained her composure. The horror on her face was palpable.

One must understand that as the Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang, she could freely command the power of the entire Xuanhuang world. But now... In front of this person... Her connection with heaven and earth seemed to be severed. Or rather, even with the combined power of the entire Xuanhuang Realm, she was still utterly suppressed by this individual. The Grand Heavenly Venerable was not foolish; she almost immediately recalled the Xuanhuang True Immortal who had inexplicably descended earlier. Only an immortal could possess such power. Compared to a True Immortal, the Grand Heavenly Venerable was clearly not on the same level. Having inherited the duties of the Grand Heavenly Venerable, she knew perfectly well that the so-called Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang was merely an immortal servant acting on orders. Thus, she immediately shed her arrogance, even though the actual age of this True Immortal before her was likely far less than her own.

Li Fan had only frozen her movements; he had not restricted her ability to speak. Upon realizing this, the Grand Heavenly Venerable asked, "Senior, why do you toy with me?"

As her voice drifted out, Li Fan vaguely understood why Mr. Bai had been so obsessed with a mere mortal. Even when he later learned he had been manipulated, he still didn't change his resolve. It was a pity, however, that such tactics were ineffective against Li Fan.

"Xuanhuang's soldiers are risking their lives on the front lines. Yet you, as the Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang, are indulging in artistic pursuits here..." Li Fan scoffed. He utilized the Transformation of True and False to simulate a power akin to the Ink Killing Immortal Soul, which surged into the Grand Heavenly Venerable's body.

Originally, the Grand Heavenly Venerable's expression remained quite calm as she cleverly began to explain, "The Grand Heavenly Venerable's duties are strictly within the Xuanhuang Realm. Matters of distant attacks on Taiyuan are not my responsib—" She was only halfway through her explanation when her voice uncontrollably faltered. The power of the Ink Killing Immortal Soul could obliterate everything. The Grand Heavenly Venerable's connection with the Xuanhuang Realm was not spared either. Even though her body and soul felt no pain, cold sweat profusely streamed down her. Although she had, in fact, already become unwilling to continue her duties as Grand Heavenly Venerable and had begun to seek a suitable successor, actively relinquishing power and having it forcibly stripped away were two entirely different matters. A profound sense of terror, one she hadn't experienced in a very long time, nearly consumed her entirely. Yet, she suppressed her inner dread, refraining from directly begging for mercy. She simply held her ground, explaining one by one why she hadn't gone to the Taiyuan front line. Objectively, her reasons were indeed logical and reasonable. But Li Fan was merely there to cause her trouble, so all her reasons were useless. The process of diminishing her power continued unabated.

Seeing this, the Grand Heavenly Venerable sighed softly. "This junior admits her dereliction of duty. Whatever punishment Senior deems fit, I will accept. I am only concerned that the next Heavenly Venerable of the Xuanhuang Realm has not yet been decided. If there is no Heavenly Venerable to manage the affairs of Xuanhuang, this world might descend into chaos."

"Of course, if Senior has the leisure and inclination to handle the myriad trivial matters of billions of mortals and the Ten Immortal Dao Sects, then I shall consider my words to have been presumptuous."

She seemed truly willing to accept her punishment; she showed no hostility towards Li Fan, even in the final moments before her connection with the Xuanhuang world was completely severed. She simply endured in silence.

This, however, made Li Fan regard her with new respect.

Leaving her with a final thread of connection, Li Fan finally ceased his actions.

"How long have you served as Grand Heavenly Venerable?" he asked, gazing intently.

"Since King Xuantian's departure, it has been 16,342 years," the Grand Heavenly Venerable replied swiftly. "According to the laws of the Immortal Realm, each Xuanhuang Heavenly Venerable's term of office must not exceed ten thousand years. In reality, I have long surpassed my term limit. However, with the collapse of the Immortal Realm, the normal appointment and dismissal procedures became obsolete."

"And I have been slow to find a suitable successor..." The Grand Heavenly Venerable spoke softly, a hint of helplessness in her tone. "Senior, please understand," she continued, "during my tenure, I have always been diligent, ensuring the stable existence of the Xuanhuang world and performing my duties faithfully. The Ten Immortal Dao Sects can all attest to this." Soon, she shifted her tone and began to list her contributions.

"Yet, I see you harbor intentions of leaving," Li Fan said faintly, glancing at her.

This was the most confidential matter in the Grand Heavenly Venerable's heart, yet Li Fan had exposed it with a single remark. The Grand Heavenly Venerable's mind reeled. Her reaction, however, was swift, and she admitted on the spot: "After toiling for ten thousand years, it's natural to feel weary. My duties are complete, and desiring to withdraw is simply human nature."

"Even the First Grand Heavenly Venerable did not serve from beginning to end. Although my actions might seem somewhat impersonal, they are within the rules," she defended herself.

"The First Grand Heavenly Venerable?"

Upon hearing this, Li Fan instantly thought of the Nether Clan people residing beneath Xuanhuang. Because they possessed the bloodline of the First Grand Heavenly Venerable, King Xuantian transformed these Nether Clan members into grotesque, neither-human-nor-ghost-like beings, condemned to dwell eternally with the Dark Sea as punishment. Li Fan speculated that King Xuantian had been deeply angered by the Grand Heavenly Venerable's actions, leading to this punishment. However, Li Fan didn't know what the First Generation had actually done, which prompted his question.

The woman explained softly: "The First Grand Heavenly Venerable foresaw the calamity of the Immortal Realm early and voluntarily transformed from an immortal into a mortal. Within the Xuanhuang Realm, she established an earthly Immortal Dynasty, proclaimed herself empress, and plunged the human world into chaos. Even an immortal who had shed their immortal status was still beyond the resistance of mortal cultivators. Therefore, they could only obediently follow her commands. Although the First Generation was no longer an immortal, she still regarded mortal cultivators as mere ants. She arbitrarily ordered them around and treated them like slaves. At that time, the major immortal cultivation sects, despite their grievances, were powerless to resist. Later, it was by means of the major sects' direct connection to the Immortal Realm that this matter was reported. An imperial decree was sent from the Immortal Realm, and only then did the First Generation show some restraint. However, she merely voluntarily reduced the scope of her earthly Immortal Dynasty, while her behavior remained unchanged."

"Within her Immortal Dynasty, cultivators were treated like livestock, to be slaughtered at her whim."

"After transforming from immortal to mortal, the First Generation's temperament became increasingly tyrannical. She frequently vented through licentiousness. Countless mortals, and even cultivators, could not escape her grasp. Yet, she forbade any mortal bloodline descendants of her own; if a pregnant person was discovered, they were killed on the spot. Only one lineage, by a twist of fate, managed to escape and remained hidden from the world. They only revealed their identity voluntarily after the First Generation's departure."

"Relying on their immortal bloodline, they showed great momentum in establishing a second Immortal Dynasty. Fortunately, other sects in the Xuanhuang Realm united and stopped them in time."

The Grand Heavenly Venerable softly and meticulously recounted the First Generation's atrocities. These were all events not recorded in later history, and Li Fan listened with keen interest.