Chapter 1550: I Am the Father of Xuanhuang

Furious Squid

Nurtured for a hundred years with essence blood imbued with the power of longevity, the Xuanhuang World's inherent vitality had reached an incredible state. Yet, with the grand elixir not yet complete, all this life force lay dormant, unreleased.

Within the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth, perhaps a few beings could sense the ongoing cosmic changes. However, only Li Fan, the alchemist, could truly discern the immense power coalescing within the Grand Xuanhuang Elixir before him.

"They say all living beings are nurtured by heaven and earth, taking the cosmos as their parents. Yet, you have grown to this extent solely through my essence blood."

"In a sense, I have nurtured this heaven and earth."

Li Fan sensed the Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Dao consciousness, which was humbly trying to appease him, and spoke with a smile.

Compared to before, the Xuanhuang World's current efforts to please were less deliberate or artificial. Instead, they came from the heart, stemming from instinct, much like a hungry infant pleading with its parents for milk.

The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao was acutely aware that while the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth contained immense vitality, only at Li Fan's command could this hidden life force erupt and truly be absorbed by the world.

For a full hundred years, it could only observe, not consume, a situation that had nearly driven the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao to its breaking point.

Now, Li Fan had made his intentions clear, showing signs of beginning the final step of alchemy. With him speaking, how could the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao dare to object?

It immediately acknowledged Li Fan's playful remark.

At that very instant, Li Fan vaguely perceived an indescribable, unfathomable connection forming between himself and the Xuanhuang World.

"If one nurtures heaven and earth, then one becomes the parent of heaven and earth."

"The bond has formed..."

"Elixir Activate!"

Li Fan pointed a finger into the air, and in an instant, the entire Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth seemed to fall into absolute stillness.

The rustling of plants, the scuttling of ants, ordinary mortals, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators attaining longevity—

—all, down to mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, and the spiritual energy of the earth's veins,

seemed completely frozen.

In Li Fan's eyes, the spectral cauldron, which had continuously encircled the Xuanhuang World for a hundred years, shattered with a crash. At the same instant, the luminous, pearly white glow encircling the Grand Xuanhuang Elixir erupted.

A moment later, it retracted back into the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth.

In this world of absolute stillness, the ancient Ruomu tree, which had been in decline, was the first to begin thawing. As a new green leaf emerged from its branch, the Ruomu tree began to grow furiously, at thousands of times its normal rate.

As if a time-acceleration button had been pressed on the Ruomu tree, this ancient tree, already towering, tore through the firmament and propped open the celestial canopy.

It ascended infinitely upwards.

The Xuanhuang World did not fall into turmoil because of the tearing of the sky, as heaven and earth also began to grow in synchronization at this moment.

The power of longevity, accumulated over a hundred years, finally permeated every corner of the world. In just a single breath, the Xuanhuang World expanded to encompass the entire Dark Star Sea.

Had Li Fan not mentally intervened and forcibly halted the Xuanhuang World's uncontrolled expansion, it was likely that the next moment, the Xuanhuang Immortal World would have violently collided with the five guardian mound specters.

To other regions within the Dark Star Sea, the appearance of the Xuanhuang Immortal World was exceptionally bizarre. It brutally forced everything that originally existed in the starry sky to merge into the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth.

Rather than covering, it was more like devouring.

Everything that was originally in the starry sky quietly appeared within the Xuanhuang World, leading to various bizarre phenomena that completely defied common sense.

For instance, the sprawling Great Wall of Ruined Worlds, like dark clouds, floated above the Xuanhuang World's fringes. The countless relics from various realms, gathered in the Sea of Relics beyond the Great Wall of Ruined Worlds, were all swept up into the air by an inexplicable force. They then drifted to various parts of the Xuanhuang World with the flow of energy, finally falling like rain.

Originally, at the center of the Dark Star Sea, there was the nascent, bewildered Star Sea consciousness.

Suddenly finding its body taken over, after a moment of bewilderment, it instinctively tried to struggle fiercely.

The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, however, casually swallowed it in one gulp.

The Star Sea consciousness vanished completely, without any power to resist.

To the original Xuanhuang World, the Dark Star Sea consciousness was an unattainable, vast entity. But now, it was merely equivalent to a piece of candy barely satisfying a craving.

Although its size and scope ceased to expand, the internal changes within the Xuanhuang World were far from over.

As the sky grew higher and the earth vaster, everything within the world also underwent a qualitative transformation.

Li Fan sat cross-legged in the air, silently observing everything below.

Xuanyuan Tuo, who had been in a state of sudden enlightenment, suddenly awoke.

He looked around, somewhat bewildered.

No outsiders had intruded or disturbed him, nor had his position changed.

Yet Xuanyuan Tuo had a persistent feeling...

...that the world seemed to have changed in some way.

Perplexed and uncertain, Xuanyuan Tuo instinctively wanted to investigate further with his divine sense. A moment later, his expression drastically changed.

After his divine sense left his body, it could no longer advance even an inch.

It was as if the air was filled with incredibly hard, invisible obstacles, blocking the progression of his divine sense.

"What's going on? What exactly?" An ominous premonition arose in Xuanyuan Tuo's heart.

He tried to rise into the air to search his surroundings and find out what was happening.

Something even more alarming occurred.

At his peak Dao Integration realm, he was actually unable to take flight!

"Have I lost all my cultivation?"

Subconsciously, Xuanyuan Tuo, the Transmitting Dao Immortal Venerable, began to call upon the power of the Golden Implement, the Soul of Heaven and Earth, within his body.

As it happened, it would have been better had he not moved. After one attempt, he felt as if he had crashed headlong into a hard rock, his vision filled with golden stars, and his spirit intensely unsettled.

"How could this be?" At this point, Xuanyuan Tuo finally felt a panic he had never experienced before.

Although the Soul of Heaven and Earth was still there, he could not access it at all!

If the original Golden Implement, the Soul of Heaven and Earth, had been a handy iron rod, then now it was a colossal Heavenly Pillar, whose top he couldn't see by looking up, nor its edge by gazing afar!

Merely seeing it made Xuanyuan Tuo tremble uncontrollably, let alone attempting to lift or wield it.

Xuanyuan Tuo, who prided himself on his vast experience, took half a day to recover and accept this incredible reality.

With his understanding, he could not fully deduce the cause of all these changes. Yet, he vaguely perceived that the enormous Soul of Heaven and Earth within him seemed to be sealed by some power.

Although he could not access it, the power also could not harm him.

But...

The seal was not permanent.

Instead, it was continuously weakening with the passage of time.

"If the seal disappears, and I still cannot control its power..."

Xuanyuan Tuo's expression subtly paled.

A scene seemed to emerge before his eyes: the massive Heavenly Pillar collapsing with a roar, crushing him.

The very foundation of his cultivation had now become a blade that could claim his life at any moment. This immense contrast made it difficult for Xuanyuan Tuo to accept for a while.

However, soon after, Xuanyuan Tuo realized something, muttering to himself: "Could it be that I have grown weaker? Or..."

It had been a long time since he had walked firmly on the ground like a mortal. With somewhat awkward steps, he slowly pushed open the door of his secluded cultivation chamber.

He wondered if it was his imagination, but even this door seemed harder to push open than before.

The grand door swung open, and the sight of a brand-new world entered Xuanyuan Tuo's vision.

This Transmitting Dao Immortal Venerable of the Myriad Immortal Alliance stood motionless, like a stone statue.

Heaven and earth had changed.

Xuanyuan Tuo's reaction was already considered among the best of the Xuanhuang beings.

When heaven and earth recovered from their stillness, most beings found it difficult to adapt to the sudden, drastic changes.

Many cultivators who had been flying plummeted from the sky.

The array formations of various sects all lost their effectiveness.

It was as if heaven and earth had been remade, and everything in the world had been completely reshuffled.

It took a long time for the Xuanhuang cultivators to gradually get used to this brand-new world.

Both cultivators of the old and new methods had their own advantages and disadvantages.

For cultivators of the old method, all their past insights into heaven and earth had become ineffective. Whether it was Dao Integration or longevity, their past realms had all turned into bubbles. They were no different from frail mortals; everything had to start anew.

As for cultivators of the new method, though the heaven-and-earth wonders and grotto-heavens they had devoured were still present, they had undergone drastic changes along with heaven and earth. They had become powers they currently could not utilize at all. They also had to start from scratch and slowly regain control over them. Furthermore, if the sealing power within them vanished before they had grown sufficiently, they would be directly exploded by their own cultivation.

With the expansion of the Xuanhuang World's overall scope, communication between cultivators, who could previously easily contact each other, was also severed.

Besides the fact that their distances from each other were now too great and most flying and communication methods had become ineffective, the most fundamental reason was the various spirits and monsters that appeared on the Xuanhuang land, blocking the way.

These spirits and monsters did not exist in the Xuanhuang World before; they were only generated with the cosmic changes. They were manifestations of the Xuanhuang World's heaven-and-earth power, possessing their own sentience.

To cultivators who had now lost all their means, these spirits were completely unconquerable beings.

Fortunately, some inexplicable rules seemed to restrict these spirits; they only moved within fixed ranges. This prevented the complete annihilation of all Xuanhuang cultivators by the spirits.

But cultivators also keenly observed that these spirits were slowly expanding their territories. It was highly probable that in the near future, there would be a battle between cultivators and these ubiquitous spirits.

Under the threat of life and death, both new and old method cultivators felt immense pressure in their hearts.

"The Xuanhuang Immortal World does not tolerate idlers."

"Giving you a hundred years to adapt is already a great act of mercy from the Grand Lord!"

The one who scoffed and spoke these words was not Li Fan.

Instead, it was a young girl serving by Li Fan's side.

It was precisely the manifestation of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao consciousness!

The moment the elixir formed, under the impetus of the Great Dao of Longevity's power, the Xuanhuang World's Heavenly Dao consciousness finally managed to evolve into its physical form.

Her face was perfectly flawless, without any blemish.

Yet, there was a subtle, unharmonious sharpness in her eyes and tone.

"You cannot be idle either."

"Heaven and earth are newly created; you still need to oversee various areas and constantly reshape them," Li Fan said lightly.

The young girl's expression instantly changed, and she quickly bowed her head, responding: "I respectfully obey the Grand Lord's command."

Originally, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao had addressed Li Fan as "Holy Father." However, Li Fan found it awkward, so he made her change it.

"Indeed, it is easier to change rivers and mountains than to alter one's nature."

After dismissing the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, Li Fan's gaze turned to a certain underground location within the current Xuanhuang World.

This was originally the location of Yuan Dao Continent.

The source of the Ink Kill power.

The Xuanhuang World, nourished by the power of the Great Dao of Longevity, underwent a transformation, as did everything connected to heaven and earth.

The source of the Ink Kill, the Soul of Heaven and Earth, was no exception.

However, compared to the Ink Kill Immortal Soul that Li Fan had previously derived by promoting the Xuanhuang's sublimation,

this Ink Kill of the Xuanhuang Immortal World also underwent an alternative transformation.

Li Fan took a step and appeared beside the Ink Kill's shadow.

Due to Li Fan's special status as the "Father of Xuanhuang," the Ink Kill did not attack him.

However, it still maintained a subtle hostility.

Li Fan, however, was unfazed. He reached out directly and beckoned a cloud of shadows from in front of him.

As the primary orchestrator of the Xuanhuang World's transformation, Li Fan, with the Heaven-Sitting Art, was the greatest beneficiary of the cosmic upheaval.

However, out of consideration for the Mountains and Seas, Li Fan still had not taken the step to become an immortal in the conventional sense.

But the unimaginably immense feedback power was enough for him to ignore the threat of the Ink Kill before him.

With a slight exertion of force, he suppressed the restless Ink Kill into complete submission.

Li Fan squinted, sensing its difference from the Ink Kill Immortal Soul.

"The Ink Kill Immortal Soul is the power of Mountains and Seas fusion."

"But this Ink Kill before me has gained some of the Great Dao of Longevity, while its momentum for Mountains and Seas fusion has consequently diminished."

"Its destructive power to annihilate everything is slightly weaker. But in exchange, it possesses..."

Li Fan, holding a mass of shadow cloud, arrived above the Xuanhuang World's firmament.

The four Heavenly Pillars that originally stood in the Dark Star Sea now stood here.

With the Xuanhuang Immortal World as an incredibly solid foundation, even if these Heavenly Pillars had minor flaws, they were largely sufficient to withstand the Tribulation of Dao Annihilation.

However, they were still some way off from Li Fan's planned Immortal Ark, which would be indestructible through myriad tribulations.

This was only the end of the first phase of the renovation project.

Li Fan was not in a hurry to begin the next phase.

Only when the Xuanhuang World's beings had barely caught up with the pace of the world's transformation, a hundred years later, would the second phase of the renovation project begin.

With a thought, the four Heavenly Pillars emitted rumbling sounds.

This was Li Fan forcibly splitting off a portion of their power for an experiment.

Four spectral Heavenly Pillars separated from their original positions, merging in the center into an incredibly dark broken pillar.

Then Li Fan threw the Ink Kill shadow cloud he controlled towards the broken pillar.

As if sensing enticing food, the Ink Kill shadow cloud, like a wild dog unleashed, frantically attacked the broken pillar.

Countless dense, dark ink spots, like wriggling worms, continuously tried to devour the Great Dao laws condensed within the broken pillar.

Even though it was the result of the Nameless Immortal's enlightenment, this seemingly incredibly solid merged short pillar was vulnerable before the Ink Kill shadow cloud.

It took no effort to devour half of it.

At the crucial moment when the Ink Kill shadow cloud was eating enthusiastically, Li Fan suddenly seized it.

He then ordered the Ink Kill shadow cloud to spit out the "food" it had consumed.

Food already in one's mouth is extremely difficult to give up.

Let alone that which had already been swallowed and digested?

How could the Ink Kill shadow cloud be willing?

It instantly raged, preparing to counterattack Li Fan.

Li Fan chuckled softly, his left hand spreading open, revealing countless overlapping illusions of the Xuanhuang Immortal World.

The Ink Kill shadow cloud, after all, was born from the Xuanhuang World.

The Xuanhuang Immortal World was like its parent, possessing a natural restraining power over it.

And now, in Li Fan's hand, there were thousands upon thousands of its parents!