Chapter 1581: Still Temporarily Awake

Angry Squid:

“In a sense, Solitary Sail was one of the pioneers of the Other Shore. Just the kind who didn't quite make it...”

“No wonder Zi Yi was so cautious about him and even went there in person.”

Li Fan couldn't experience Solitary Sail's complete journey through the Mountains and Seas immersively, but that didn't hinder the digestion process of the Dao Yi swarm.

A single being might not be able to fully comprehend a journey through the Mountains and Seas. However, the Dao Yi swarm multiplies over countless generations, like the Foolish Old Man moving mountains. For them, Solitary Sail's experience, while long, could eventually be exhausted.

His complete remains, drifting through the long ages of Dao Annihilation, slowly dissolved. Only the True Meaning of Transcendence, a solitary sail, like a brilliant pearl, shone forth before Li Fan.

At the same time, two eager thoughts emerged.

They came from the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm and the sleeping Huanzhen, respectively.

Li Fan now had two different choices: first, to place this Solitary Sail upon the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark. This would greatly increase the Ark's safety when traversing the Mountains and Seas. It could be said that with Solitary Sail's protection, Li Fan's attainment of the Transcendent realm with the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark was a certainty.

Second, he could feed it to Huanzhen. There was a certain possibility that Huanzhen would awaken directly from his slumber. If Huanzhen assisted, even if transcendence failed and the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm was completely destroyed, Li Fan could calmly try again.

One offered 100% certainty, while the other was a complete unknown.

Yet Li Fan didn't hesitate much; he directly chose the latter, feeding Solitary Sail to Huanzhen.

The Solitary Sail of Mountains and Seas instantly vanished.

Without its suppression, the once relatively calm Guangwu Star Sea grew increasingly turbulent. The tide of Dao Annihilation drew ever closer.

Li Fan returned to the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, preparing to set sail once more.

After consuming Solitary Sail, Huanzhen's craving temporarily disappeared. However, to Li Fan's disappointment, he did not awaken as a result.

“However, it should be soon.”

Li Fan's mind settled, and a familiar light screen suddenly flashed before his eyes.

He hadn't yet been able to clearly see the flickering characters on it when the light screen vanished again.

After a long period in darkness, the light screen reappeared, repeating the cycle.

This light screen was, of course, Huanzhen's panel.

From the many fleeting glimpses, Li Fan also saw a few lines of fragmented text.

“Name: Li Fan.”

“Virtualization charging prog...”

“Divine Blessing: Transformation at Will, Illusion...”

Unlike the panel that previously displayed detailed information, the current panel was fragmented, with only a few complete lines of text. It couldn't even show Li Fan's cultivation realm or lifespan.

However, compared to before, a new entry had appeared.

“Previously, the Divine Blessing section displayed 'Illusion as Reality' in full. However, since Huanzhen was in slumber, the full 'Illusion as Reality' ability couldn't be used, which was understandable.”

“What is this newly appearing 'Transformation at Will'?”

“Could it be related to the Solitary Sail's true meaning that was just absorbed?”

Li Fan focused his divine sense, attempting to extract information from the fleeting, fragmented light screen.

Huanzhen's current state was still extremely unstable, hovering between slumber and awakening.

It was no longer like before, when any information Li Fan thought of could be instantly relayed back to him.

Therefore, it was extremely difficult for Li Fan to ascertain specific information about this new Divine Blessing ability.

The only good news was that the True Meaning of Transcendence was indeed effective in repairing Huanzhen's injuries.

“If one isn't enough, then two, then three.”

“The Mountains and Seas are so vast, and there are so many Transcendent experts; I won't lack raw materials. I've finally seen hope.”

Li Fan wasn't anxious. He used the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark's final resupply and repair time in the Guangwu Star Sea to fully immerse himself in studying Huanzhen's panel.

When the Guangwu Star Sea had been scoured clean, with no usable resources left, the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark prepared to sail towards the next vibrant gathering place.

Li Fan finally, intermittently, understood the precise meaning of 'Transformation at Will' from Huanzhen.

“'To do as one pleases, traversing the Mountains and Seas. Any method of transcendence can be learned and transformed...'”

Li Fan narrowed his eyes and attempted to activate the Divine Blessing function.

In the past, when Huanzhen was in his complete form, even if Li Fan was just a mortal cultivator, he could activate 'Illusion as Reality' with a single thought. He could achieve a complete and perfect 'Illusion as Reality' state without any side effects to himself.

But now, things were different.

Most notably, activating the Divine Blessing now required consumption.

Just as if he were casting it himself, the moment 'Transformation at Will' activated, Li Fan's expression subtly changed.

His internal power, as if swallowed by a whale, instantly became empty.

If Li Fan hadn't reacted quickly enough, instantly crushing three Xuanhuang Immortal Realm wood carvings for emergency use, he might have been sucked dry into a skeleton by now. While he might not have died, he certainly would have been severely depleted!

This draining force was like an antelope hanging its horns, leaving no trace or warning. Moreover, it only targeted Li Fan's true body.

Other external objects, such as the Grand Heavenly Venerable Immortal Puppet avatar, even the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm itself, or Ink Kill, Dao Yi bugs, and so on, could not provide Li Fan with any assistance.

This was why Li Fan was in such a predicament.

The consumption was immense, and the effect was truly extraordinary.

The Solitary Sail of Mountains and Seas, which had been fed to Huanzhen and had vanished, suddenly reappeared.

Only this time, it appeared within Li Fan!

It was as if it was intrinsically the True Meaning of Transcendence condensed by Li Fan himself, perfectly integrated within him without any incongruity.

“Like my own arm...”

Sensing the Solitary Sail within him, Li Fan was inexplicably delighted. Gazing at the dead end ahead of the Guangwu Star Sea, his figure flickered, and he vanished into the Original Possibility!

And he didn't bring the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark!

However, Li Fan's departure lasted only for a brief moment.

Soon, Li Fan somewhat awkwardly dropped out of the void again. Yet, his face showed inexplicable excitement.

“So that's how it is. Just like in the past, Huanzhen could freely transform Foundation Establishment spiritual items.”

“Now, I can also rely on Huanzhen's unfathomable power to transform into any path of transcendence at will.”

Li Fan, who ventured alone into Dao Annihilation and the Mountains and Seas without reaching the Transcendent realm and without the protection of the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark, should have been instantly swallowed by Dao Annihilation.

However, facing the boundless storms of the Mountains and Seas, Li Fan, though under some pressure, could still barely hold on.

This was precisely by relying on the Solitary Sail transformed by Huanzhen.

Li Fan was as if he had transformed into that Transcendent expert who, countless ages ago, left his homeland alone and journeyed to the distant, unknown Other Shore. Relying on a solitary sail, he traveled alone through the Mountains and Seas.

But Li Fan also knew that this path of the Solitary Sail was not something he had truly comprehended himself, but rather something transformed by Huanzhen.

Most critically, Huanzhen was still in slumber. Not only did the transformation require Li Fan himself to provide the consumption, but how long it could last was also unknown.

Once the 'Transformation at Will' effect vanished, and Li Fan was still within Dao Annihilation, he would likely face nothing but death and the obliteration of his Dao.

Therefore, Li Fan was extremely cautious, merely testing the waters. He quickly returned from the Mountains and Seas to the Original Possibility.

“Ink Kill!”

But not only did he not immediately exit the Solitary Sail state, he also instructed the Ink Kill shadowy clouds to launch an encirclement attack on himself.

Ink Kill faithfully carried out Li Fan's orders, even if the target of the attack was Li Fan himself.

Boundless rolling shadowy clouds encircled Li Fan.

Without any restraint, they went all out, vowing to engulf Li Fan.

“It already had seven-tenths the power of true Dao Annihilation.”

“I'm currently in the dual state of 'Illusion as Reality' and 'Transformation at Will'. Let's see how long I can last.”

A solitary sail illuminated the surroundings. Li Fan sat beneath the sail; though the shadowy clouds were fiercely malevolent, they could not harm him.

After holding on for a full one hundred and three breaths of time, Li Fan noticed that the Solitary Sail's light abruptly dimmed.

A strong wind suddenly rose, and the Solitary Sail rustled, seeming as though it could detach from Li Fan at any moment.

“At this level, it could still last for a while. However, a True Meaning of Transcendence of this intensity would be unable to safely navigate the Mountains and Seas. Moreover, the erosive power of the Mountains and Seas' Dao Annihilation far surpassed that of Ink Kill.”

“The absolutely safe duration is only fifty breaths of time.”

“Under the condition of burning one Xuanhuang Immortal Realm wood carving...” Thinking of this, Li Fan couldn't help but frown slightly.

Even if he returned enough phantom power, it couldn't withstand such consumption.

“Though the ability is strong, it can only be used for emergencies at critical moments.”

“To truly traverse the Mountains and Seas, I still have to rely on the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark that I built.”

The result was somewhat disappointing, but Li Fan had no regrets whatsoever.

Because he had a faint feeling that with Huanzhen's further awakening and his own increasing comprehension of the transformation of truth and falsehood and the true meaning of Solitary Sail,

this conversion efficiency would further improve.

“Ultimately, it's because I haven't mastered the true meaning of Solitary Sail myself, and I need Huanzhen, in his severely injured state, to help me complete the transformation. That's why the consumption is astonishingly large, to the point of being unsustainable.”

“However...”

After another Xuanhuang wood carving burned out, deprived of external support, the Solitary Sail gradually grew dimmer.

Li Fan, however, didn't add more fuel, merely observing the Solitary Sail's changes.

Like an oil lamp running out of fuel, the Solitary Sail transformed from solid to ethereal, its manifested light and shadow growing smaller and smaller.

Ultimately, it persisted as only a tiny speck of light.

But perhaps because he was within the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, where there was no threat from Dao Annihilation outside,

this last speck of light was also unexpectedly persistent.

It endured for a full hundred days before finally extinguishing completely.

“Indeed, I was right. Without the need to contend with Dao Annihilation, the true meaning of Solitary Sail wouldn't dissipate so quickly.”

“Enough for me to slowly comprehend.”

Unlike directly interacting with Solitary Sail before, when Li Fan comprehended this True Meaning of Transcendence, transformed by Huanzhen, he wasn't as deeply immersed. He could naturally maintain an objective perspective, observing everything Solitary Sail had experienced as a bystander.

However, the associated emotional and experiential insights would not be distorted or altered by this.

“Huanzhen's intervention is indeed extraordinary.”

Experiencing the convenience brought by Huanzhen again after so long, Li Fan felt genuine joy.

“The Path of Transcendence is incredibly arduous and abstruse. But compared to the Transformation of Truth and Falsehood and the Grand Dao of Longevity, it is more than just a notch weaker.”

“Within a century, I should be able to comprehend about seventy to eighty percent of it.”

Li Fan's mind was focused on the Solitary Sail in his mind, like a faint lamp, as he thought.

“By then, even if I cannot traverse the Mountains and Seas solely by my own strength, it will certainly be no problem to raise a banner on this Xuanhuang Immortal Ark.”

“A hundred years, just a hundred years, and I will truly transcend and sail towards the Mountains and Seas.”

It was as if he saw the continuous vista of the Mountains and Seas before his eyes, and Li Fan's heart surged with excitement.

“Of course, during these hundred years, besides comprehending the Dao, I cannot remain idle.”

“The Xuanhuang Immortal Ark still needs to be further refined, to minimize its own crevices and increase its stability as much as possible.”

“The Guangwu Star Sea no longer has any value for use. Let's head to the next location...”

At the Ark's signal, the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth once again vibrated with a roar, sailing into Dao Annihilation.

It rode the wind and broke through waves, rushing towards the nearest vibrant star sea.

“I hope to have such gains in the next place as well.”

According to the information gathered in the Guangwu Star Sea, there were a full twelve explored vibrant star seas near it, including Shuoxing Star Sea. The Guangwu Star Sea had communication with all of them.

Li Fan's next destination was the place called Tianlu Star Sea.

Unlike the purely starry sky scenery of Guangwu and Shuoxing Star Seas, the Tianlu Star Sea was traversed by a colossal mountain range.

It was said to have fallen from the Immortal Realm during its destruction.

Countless cultivation worlds, like floating islands, were attached to this colossal mountain range.

“Three nameless True Immortals occupied the three largest peaks of Mount Tianlu.”

“The Tianlu Star Sea's strength is not weak.”

“But it's useless.”

“Submissively become the materials for me to condense the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark.”

Seven days later, the Xuanhuang Immortal Ark broke through Dao Annihilation and descended upon the Tianlu Star Sea.

The colossal Ark body directly collided with Mount Tianlu.

In the world-destroying collision, countless floating island worlds within the star sea were utterly destroyed.

Three furious shouts emanated from the peaks of the mountain range.

However, even before they could reveal their figures, the sprawling Mount Tianlu was already broken in half!

For all beings in this star sea, this was an extremely terrifying catastrophe.

Almost ninety-nine percent of all life perished in this collision.

And those who miraculously survived watched in a daze as Mount Tianlu, which they revered as a god and on which they relied for survival, was roughly dragged into the colossal Immortal Ark.

Afterward, endless light and shadows of Daoist techniques and divine abilities engulfed them.

It was even smoother than the conquest of the Guangwu Star Sea.

With the 'Book of Heaven' formed by the Dao Reckoning Projection, ordinary nameless entities were no match, not even for a single encounter. They were captured by the Xuanhuang Immortals even before they could meet Li Fan face to face.

“Conquer, plunder, to promote the growth of the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm.”

“The 'Heaven-Sitting Decree' fed power back to the Dao Reckoning Projection, providing ample energy, and the conquest efficiency significantly improved. Thus, a positive feedback loop was formed...”

After refining the two halves of Mount Tianlu into masts for hanging the Solitary Sail, Li Fan thought with considerable satisfaction.

The rumor that Mount Tianlu originated from the Immortal Realm was indeed true.

It was even quite ancient, dating back to the Immortal Realm's inception, and carried the aura of the Xuan-Yuan Primordial Spirit formation arrays.

For the Xuanhuang Immortal Realm, it still had a considerable use.

Cleaning up this part of the star sea took another half a year.

After a brief recuperation, Li Fan immediately pressed on, continuing towards the next Yin-Void Star Sea.

In this way, Li Fan spent ten years, virtually flattening all the star seas around the Guangwu Star Sea.

Wherever he went, vitality was extinguished, and destruction reigned.