Chapter 1554: Only One Hand Covers the Bright Moon

If Huan Zhen truly had no independent consciousness, and was merely Li Fan’s own ability, then trust would naturally not waver.

However, various past facts have proven that Huan Zhen possesses an independent consciousness. Therefore, Li Fan’s distrust is entirely justified.

This stems from Li Fan’s inherent nature.

The ability to heed Huan Zhen’s advice and temporarily halt the use of his boundless spiritual power was already a display of Li Fan’s trust in Huan Zhen.

“It seems my spiritual power is extremely important to Huan Zhen. Even in slumber, it had to forcefully awaken to give a warning. This also indirectly indicates that Huan Zhen is indeed severely wounded. Even for such a crucial matter, it only had time for a hasty warning before lapsing back into slumber.”

Pushing this unexpected event to the back of his mind, Li Fan once again turned his attention to the changes occurring in the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.

After comprehending the two major formations—‘Establishing the Tripod, Treading Mountains and Suppressing Seas’ and ‘Spirit Ruin, Myriad Dao Profundity’—Li Fan naturally integrated them directly into the construction of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.

His almost perfectly-rated talent in formation arrays allowed them to seamlessly merge into the Xuanhuang world with virtually no hindrance.

The Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, originally built upon the scattered ruins of the Shangfang Mountain Immortal Realm, now seemed to have sent down countless new roots. In an instant, it transformed from a precarious state to one of much greater stability.

Although the sky remained vast and the land expansive, there was no longer the sensation that it might collapse at any moment.

The inexplicable sense of crisis in his heart quietly faded. Coupled with the effect of the Myriad Dao Profundity formation, which isolated the power of mountains and seas, the beings of the Xuanhuang Realm now had a more suitable environment for enlightenment and cultivation.

Compared to the initial birth of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, the difficulty of cultivation for its inhabitants almost halved, leading to a brief period of rapid cultivation advancement for cultivators.

Within just over ten days, almost all Xuanhuang cultivators saw an improvement of one minor realm. Those with exceptional talent even broke through an entire major realm.

This naturally did not align with Li Fan’s “gradual approach” plan. However, this time, without Li Fan needing to act personally, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, sensing his intent, proactively made adjustments.

As a result, this period of cultivation convenience quickly vanished.

Xuanhuang cultivators naturally perceived this change with great acuity; those who missed out sighed with regret, while those who benefited secretly rejoiced. Some also gained insights, attempting to understand the shifts in heaven and earth to await the next opportune moment.

For a time, countless cultivators across the Xuanhuang land experienced a surge of thoughts, all intimately connected with the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao’s consciousness. The interaction between heaven and man, with myriad subtle threads, actually nourished the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao somewhat, making the transformed little girl appear much more “lively.”

“This is the synergy of heaven and man, establishing the foundation for all transformations.”

Li Fan overlooked the changes within the Xuanhuang world, speaking thoughtfully.

“The emergence of this period of suitable cultivation is beneficial for both the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao and the Xuanhuang cultivators. It can be made permanent.”

“However, the duration of each opening should not be too long, and the intervals between them should not be regular. Everything should be random.”

“Let the cultivators under heaven try their best to fathom the will of heaven…”

As Li Fan pondered, the laws concerning this gift of enlightenment for the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm were already generated and deeply imprinted into the Great Dao of the Xuanhuang world.

Almost all cultivators’ minds were stirred by this miraculous gift of enlightenment.

Leveraging this connection, Li Fan, as the master of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, could thus more easily control and grasp the minds of the Xuanhuang cultivators.

In his vision, streaks of bizarre and colorful ethereal mists emerged from the cultivators’ minds, only to vanish in an instant.

They were endless, ever-changing, and unpredictable.

If they were to condense instead of dissipating, they would likely fill the entire Xuanhuang Immortal Realm in mere moments.

Fortunately, these colorful mists were not corporeal and only manifested for an instant, disappearing in the next moment.

“These are what are called thoughts.”

“Things hidden deep within everyone’s heart, unseen and unknowable to others.”

“Originally, only powerful beings at the level of the Three Sages could glimpse them. However, I have managed to forcefully peer into them by leveraging the connection between cultivators and this world…”

As if discovering a new world, Li Fan’s divine sense wandered through the endless ocean of Xuanhuang cultivators’ thoughts.

“That Zhao Si, his cultivation speed was always behind mine. Yet last time, he actually achieved enlightenment during a great opportunity, not only surpassing me but also stepping into the Golden Core realm. Truly infuriating! He has always been at odds with me; if I keep falling behind, how can I live my life in the future? I must seize the next great opportunity…”

“My decision to conceal my cultivation was indeed correct. During the monster attack, when everyone was in despair, I decisively took action and turned the tide. From today onwards, I, Gao Zhi, will be the undisputed authority in this Barren Python Mountain! I need to find a way to kill all the men and leave only myself to enjoy. Anyway, this Barren Python Mountain is vast and isolated; there’s no hope of getting out in this lifetime. Might as well indulge in pleasure! The only thing I need to worry about is that the surrounding monsters’ strength also seems to be increasing synchronously?”

“Where is Venerable Immortal Chuanfa now? Since that strange change, the world has become too vast. My brothers from the Myriad Immortal Alliance, who used to gather nearby, no more than a hundred miles apart, now I have traveled a hundred thousand miles without finding any trace of them…”

“Hahaha, my feeling was indeed correct, there really is a wondrous item underground. It’s exactly the Sky-Refining Bamboo that I painstakingly cultivated and sought out, but hadn't had time to absorb and refine! Although the world has drastically changed, and the scale of this Sky-Refining Bamboo has expanded more than ten thousand times, transforming from a single isolated plant into a continuous underground bamboo forest, the bloodline connection between us still faintly remains! With this connection, perhaps I can slowly refine it into my body and achieve the Foundation Establishment realm of the new era!”

“Yesterday’s monster siege was barely repelled by our combined efforts. However, food and resources are mostly depleted. How many more such attacks can we withstand? Staying here will likely lead to certain death. It's better to act first, steal the supplies, and flee far away…”

The intentions of countless Xuanhuang beings intertwined. Some were joyful, some angry. Some sorrowful, some fearful.

Though not every inner thought, they wove together an immensely grand inner symphony.

The more Li Fan interacted with these myriad thoughts, the more he slowly became aware of an anomaly within the Xuanhuang world.

It was like a mirror, silently enveloping the Xuanhuang beings from above.

Reflecting all the thoughts of these beings within the mirror.

“Fallen Immortal Realm…” A flicker of surprise crossed Li Fan’s eyes.

This illusory world, which had co-existed with the original Xuanhuang Realm, also expanded in sync with the Xuanhuang Realm’s sublimation and transformation.

However, despite its extraordinary foundation, it couldn't keep pace with the expansion speed fueled by the augmentation of the Longevity Great Dao.

The Fallen Immortal shadowy cloud was currently confined to the area directly above the original Xuanhuang Realm’s location.

As the saying goes, when one attains Dao, even their dogs and chickens ascend to heaven. As the Xuanhuang beings grew stronger, the Fallen Immortal Realm also slowly began to change. While its scale expanded, substantial flashes of light, like streaks of lightning, occasionally flickered within the illusory cloud.

Under the illumination of these brilliant lights, the shadowy cloud grew increasingly solid. There were signs that the boundary between illusion and reality was beginning to break down.

“In the Fallen Immortal Realm, there is only Shangfang Mountain, and no Infinite Sea.”

“However, by absorbing the thoughts of my Xuanhuang Immortal Realm cultivators, some inexplicable change seems about to occur within this Fallen Immortal Realm.”

Li Fan did not allow these changes to develop further.

With a thought, he intercepted all the cultivators’ thoughts within the area covered by the Fallen Immortal shadowy cloud.

It was as if a dam had been built halfway up a river. The cultivators’ thoughts, which served as nourishment, were all absorbed by Li Fan. The Fallen Immortal shadowy cloud visibly halted its transformation process.

The shadowy cloud churned, and thunder roared. It seemed to be provoked by Li Fan’s disrespectful action, filled with extreme rage.

But it had already lost its nourishment. And within the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, a world personally forged by Li Fan, it had no means to contend with him.

Even with countless grievances, it could only boil down to impotent rage.

All the transformations from the Xuanhuang’s sublimation receded. The Fallen Immortal Realm reverted to its original form. Moreover, lacking the support of living beings’ thoughts, its scale was gradually shrinking.

It was almost predictable that in the near future, it would completely vanish!

The Fallen Immortal Realm, once considered a formidable enemy by Li Fan, was surprisingly easy to deal with once Li Fan gained the ability to “observe” and partially control others’ thoughts!

Sensing a mortal danger, the Fallen Immortal Realm did not passively await its demise. Instead, it quickly embarked on a path of self-preservation.

Almost instantaneously, the internal structure of the Fallen Immortal Realm transformed. What was originally an infinite multitude of layered Fallen Immortal illusions, co-existing, now resembled a lotus flower, with numerous petals guarding an inner core stamen.

When external nourishment became insufficient, the outermost Fallen Immortal illusions would voluntarily sacrifice themselves, transmitting their remaining sustenance inward.

This was to ensure the survival of the innermost core region of the Fallen Immortal illusions.

The Fallen Immortal Realm’s voluntary revelation of this secret was something Li Fan had not anticipated.

However, even with the ability to peer into thoughts and having discovered the anomaly of the Fallen Immortal Realm, amidst the cover of countless illusions, Li Fan temporarily found it difficult to discern the true nature of the deepest secret hidden within the Fallen Immortal Realm.

“Interesting.”

“Since you’ve revealed yourself, don’t think of escaping.”

Li Fan let out a cold snort.

He keenly detected that the Fallen Immortal Realm was attempting to transfer to another starfield through the Stargate of the Taiyuan Realm.

How could Li Fan allow it to succeed?

With a thought, the Trans-Stellar Array was completely sealed off.

The two starfields, previously connected, were once again isolated.

As if cut in two, the Fallen Immortal Realm was also severed into halves as the teleportation array closed.

However, to Li Fan’s surprise, this physical division did not truly affect the Fallen Immortal Realm.

The two halves seemed to remain connected, and the core secret area within the Fallen Immortal Realm was slowly transferring through this lingering connection.

“In that case…”

Li Fan simply reopened the Trans-Stellar Array.

Then, he lunged a mighty grab towards the opposing starfield!

A phantom image of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, condensed in his hand, shattered instantly.

On the other side of the starfield, the Taiyuan Realm, and even the surrounding starfield of the Taiyuan Realm—all areas covered by the Fallen Immortal Realm were seized by Li Fan’s single grasp!

Boom! Boom!

As if afflicted by Dao Annihilation, the other side of the starfield plunged into complete silence and darkness due to the absence of a vast expanse of stars. Furthermore, the sudden loss of the Taiyuan starfield severely impacted the stability of the surrounding star regions. Streaks of black energy, like bamboo shoots after rain, emerged one after another.

It was precisely the sign of impending Dao Annihilation!

Li Fan paid it no mind.

The Taiyuan starfield was far from the High Wall; as long as the connection of the Trans-Stellar Array was severed, even if that side were swallowed by Dao Annihilation, it would not affect the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.

At this moment, as he looked at the Taiyuan Realm captured in his hand, a faint smile appeared on his lips. Then, with a fierce slap, he embedded it onto the celestial canopy of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm!

Like a muffled thunderclap, it resonated continuously across the sky.

The Xuanhuang beings simultaneously looked up at the sky, only to be astonished to discover that, at some unknown point, a bright moon had appeared in the heavens!

Due to the immense distance between heaven and earth, most beings found it difficult to discern the true nature of this “moon.”

Only those cultivators who had died in battle in the Taiyuan Realm and then resurrected sensed something, leveraging their faint connection to the Taiyuan Realm.

However, they couldn't immediately confirm it.

Li Fan paid no mind to the thoughts of the Xuanhuang beings.

He stared at the captured Taiyuan Realm on the celestial canopy, and feeling the Fallen Immortal Realm trapped in a desperate, inescapable situation, he let out another cold snort.

“Now I’d like to see where you can escape to!”

Instead of directly confronting the Fallen Immortal Realm, which had become a cornered beast, Li Fan merely trapped it in one isolated corner and blocked its reflection of beings’ thoughts.

Facts proved that without reality as its foundation, the Fallen Immortal Realm was like a flower deprived of nourishment. It gradually withered and decayed.

However, it was, after all, a remnant of an existence that even the First Great Heavenly Venerable had marvelled at.

Although it showed signs of decay, the Fallen Immortal Realm would not completely disappear in a short period.

Li Fan did not have the patience to wait slowly.

“Let me lend you another hand!”

The Fallen Immortal Realm was born from the thoughts of sentient beings and grew from them.

Thus, it could naturally die from the thoughts of sentient beings.

Under Li Fan’s guidance, countless Xuanhuang beings vaguely experienced a terrible nightmare.

In the dream, world-ending catastrophes descended, engulfing everything in the world.

Countless illusory world-destroying tribulations surged skyward, invading the Fallen Immortal Realm.

Though merely nightmares in the cultivators’ minds, within the Fallen Immortal Realm, they could genuinely cause terrifying destruction!

As if eroded by biting winds and piercing frost, the illusory spaces on the periphery of the Fallen Immortal shadowy cloud rapidly withered away in large numbers.

The scale of the shadowy cloud continuously shrank.

Within little more than half a day, only the most core part of the illusions remained, desperately holding on.

However, at this point, Li Fan also discovered that the effectiveness of his Illusionary Dream World Destruction method was greatly reduced.

It seemed this remaining illusion possessed an extremely strong resistance to the world-ending calamities conjured by the Xuanhuang beings’ imaginations.

“The core of the Fallen Immortal Realm is not from the Xuanhuang Realm.”

“But rather… an Immortal Realm that once experienced the calamity of Dao Annihilation!”

A flash of insight gleamed in Li Fan’s eyes; he had discerned the reason.