Chapter 1668: Willing to Be Idle, Not a Saint

The struggle between the two sides ceased, and the water in the fishing pond slowly calmed down.

With Li Fan's power obstructing it, this mountain and sea fishing ground was no longer sealed off. The trajectory of the mountain and sea phantom finally aligned with history again.

Everything that had been on the verge of collapse returned to stability.

Li Fan quietly let out a sigh of relief.

"I almost made a fool of myself," he said with a look of shame in the Other Shore.

"No true sage will appear in the mountain and sea phantom," Shou Qiu said. "But the mountain and sea memory will instinctively manifest everything as it originally was. This means that although this fishing ground is fake, the pulling force it just erupted with is no different from that of a real mountain and sea fishing ground. It is quite impressive that you could contend with it for so long with just an invested thought."

"The mountain and sea phantom seems to be imitating that fisherman," the Lianshan phantom explained. "The more the hooked fish struggle, the more delighted he becomes. But if the prey itself is unremarkable, he will lose interest. He might even abandon it directly."

"It sounds like this Mountain and Sea Fisherman is a true fishing enthusiast," Bai Xiao said, staring at the mountain and sea fishing ground with an inexplicable tone. "But the mountains and seas are already in a state of destruction, yet he still has the leisure to fish across all heavens."

Tai Yi chuckled upon hearing this: "Everyone has their own aspirations. In the Fisherman's heart, there is only the act of fishing. Even if the mountains and seas collapse, he doesn't care, let alone going against the current to save them."

Bai Xiao snorted coldly: "If the mountains and seas truly perish, and this fishing ground ceases to exist, where else can he fish then?"

"Regarding that, he did say something," Tai Yi said, shaking his head. "The mountain and sea fishing ground connects all segments of the mountains and seas. If he can still fish continuously, it means the overall condition of the mountains and seas is far from as bad as it seems. If one day, no fish can be caught anywhere in the mountains and seas, then he will naturally take action."

"What kind of twisted logic is that..."

Bai Xiao, hearing this, was about to speak further but was interrupted by the Lianshan phantom: "Leaving aside that the Mountain and Sea Fisherman is as powerful as us, even if he were just a mortal, it wouldn't be appropriate to impose our will upon him in the name of saving the world. Just like you, if you weren't trying to connect with the stars, even if you secretly spied on the secrets of all beings, we wouldn't force ourselves to interfere with you."

"As it is said, all beings have their own destinies. You cannot force them."

The expression on Bai Xiao's face immediately froze. He sullenly closed his mouth.

Tai Yi, smiling cheerfully, tried to smooth things over: "Do you still remember the Grand Sage Jingfen from the Immortal Realm back then?"

"How could I not remember? That person is extremely petty; wasn't it just because I exposed his true form that he chased me all over the world? After I became a sage, I was so focused on saving the world that I forgot to go back and bother him..." Bai Xiao said, half-jokingly.

"Jingfen, back then, already possessed the potential to become a sage," Tai Yi said lightly. "However, he was naturally undisciplined and unwilling to bear too much. Even the affairs of a single realm were too much for him to bear. So, for all these years, his cultivation remained stagnant. Originally, we would occasionally try to persuade him, but after realizing it was useless, we stopped bothering. If you truly want to chase him down, it's not impossible. Perhaps it could even put pressure on him and help him take that final step. He hides in the real mountains and seas, secretly enjoying himself. If you search carefully, you should be able to find him."

"Uh... on second thought, never mind." As if remembering something, a hint of apprehension flashed in Bai Xiao's eyes, and he said sullenly.

After a burst of chatter, the Other Shore became quiet once more.

It proved that the progress of the memory phantom controlled by Li Fan was among the forefront of all the Sages.

After he stabilized the situation, substantial lights then continuously emerged from the illusory realm. These were all signs that the Sages had completed the main memory network of the mountains and seas.

Li Fan's consciousness returned.

In the phantom Xuanhuang Realm, he was next to orchestrate the demise of the Divine Wood Sect.

For Li Fan, who had long since subdued the Divine Wood, this was naturally even easier.

"It's a good opportunity to turn the Divine Wood's power from overt to covert, making it completely my own."

"As for the members of the Divine Wood Sect..."

"Those who should die will die anyway."

Li Fan's expression was indifferent, and he had already decided the fate of the glorious sect and its millions of cultivators.

Everything unfolded just as it had in the historical mountains and seas.

The Divine Wood was severely wounded by the Desolate God, and news that the Divine Wood Sect was forced to search everywhere for a way to heal it spread like wildfire throughout the Xuanhuang Realm.

Some people's hearts began to stir.

Among them, Ruomu was the most prominent.

As the source of life in Xuanhuang and the ancestor of all trees, the arrival and growth of the extraterrestrial Divine Wood was the first true threat to him.

Unfortunately, he didn't pay attention at first, and by the time he realized its threat, it was already too late. After lying dormant and waiting for so many years, he finally welcomed a golden opportunity.

Thus, he no longer hesitated.

Innumerable mountain spirits and tree sprites, obscuring the sky and sun, arrived from various parts of Xuanhuang. They completely surrounded the Divine Wood Sect.

Hidden among them were many Hedao cultivators tempted by Ruomu's promise of "increased lifespan", as well as rogue cultivators who harbored thoughts of plundering during the chaos.

The Divine Wood Sect cultivators, united in their hatred for the enemy, fought together to resist.

Although there were not many top-tier combatants, the total number of cultivators from Golden Core to Soul Transformation stages was several times that of the invaders.

Moreover, backed by the Divine Wood, as long as they weren't instantly killed, they could quickly recover under the continuous nourishment of life force.

For a time, this great battle was surprisingly evenly matched, making it difficult to distinguish who had the upper hand.

Seeing no opportunity to gain an advantage, many cultivators on Ruomu's side began to retreat.

"As long as the Divine Wood can be uprooted, I will certainly reward all of you with the Fruit of Longevity," Ruomu said, manifesting in human form and continuing to increase the temptation. "This is a true divine medicine, capable of granting one eternal life with the heavens and earth after consuming just one."

A translucent fruit phantom appeared in Ruomu's hand.

At this time, Ruomu was not yet the stooped and terrifying old man image of later generations. Instead, he appeared as an elegant, jade-like young master.

Dressed in green robes, his appearance was as if carved by heaven and earth, perfect and flawless. Coupled with the translucent fruit exuding an aura of longevity in his hand, all the Hedao cultivators present were moved, expressing their willingness to make another strenuous effort.

Thus, the final bloody battle began.

Because Ruomu had fully drawn out the life force of the Xuanhuang Realm to attack the Divine Wood Sect, all other regions were plunged into a bleak winter, frozen for tens of thousands of miles.

Even the circulation of spiritual energy in heaven and earth became sluggish.

Even normal flight for cultivators was affected. With adverse weather conditions, apart from the Divine Wood Sect battlefield, cultivators from other sects generally chose to remain in seclusion.

They waited for the outcome of this great battle.

"My son truly has foresight!" Li Bufan's father exclaimed with emotion. "He usually extends favors everywhere, so now, even with continuous warfare and him not participating, others, out of past considerations, won't say much."

"Unlike the offspring of other elders, who have stayed in the rear for too long and can no longer be held back," he continued. "To quell public anger, they were forced to enter the battle and fight. How could they withstand this terrifying meat grinder? Most of them went and never returned."

"You can stall for a while, but not forever. No, Old Li, you must think of a way. If this continues, even if Bufan can still hide, if the Divine Wood Sect falls..."

"Silence! How could you utter such womanly words!" Li Bufan's father roughly interrupted his wife.

But looking at Li Bufan, his eyelids gently lowered. He had already secretly made up his mind.

The next day, Li Bufan received a talisman from his father. Following his instructions, he quietly arrived at a grotto deep in the sect's back mountain.

After presenting the talisman, he was able to enter. He found that quite a few people had already gathered inside.

They were all, remarkably, familiar faces.

Although most of the Divine Wood Sect elders were willing to fight to the death, they all thought of securing a path to survival for their descendants.

This was human nature.

"Truly, a parent's heart knows no bounds of pity." Li Fan sneered inwardly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

In real history, these second-generation Divine Wood Sect members naturally failed to escape the pursuit.

In the phantom memory, Li Fan didn't mind the trouble and was willing to send them on their way.

After the personnel had gathered, the cave entrance was sealed.

Amidst slight vibrations, the Divine Wood's roots broke through the ground.

The group followed the Divine Wood's roots deep underground, quietly leaving the Divine Wood Sect's territory.

"Hmm, something's wrong?" The leading cultivator's expression drastically changed. "Why aren't these Divine Wood roots stopping even after reaching their destination?"

But it was already too late.

Underground, undetected by anyone, the Divine Wood's roots seemed to gain a will of their own, instantly splitting into millions. They deeply implanted themselves within the bodies of the Divine Wood Sect disciples present.

At that moment, their life force still remained, but they were no different from the dead.

And the Divine Wood Sect's influential cultivators, perceiving that their descendants' auras were safely moving away, no longer had any worries.

They engaged in a death match with the invading enemies.

They even spared no expense in depleting the Divine Wood's fundamental power.

Both sides were fighting for survival, regardless of right or wrong.

Blood qi surged, reaching straight to the nine heavens.

The entire sky of the Xuanhuang Realm was stained crimson by it.

Too many beings had died; if this continued, even if a victor emerged, the other sects would likely take advantage.

Thus, both sides began to contemplate retreat.

It was at this moment that Li Fan, who had been secretly observing and remaining inactive, finally made his move.

With his current cultivation, even without using the mountain-sitting power of the Divine Wood disciples, he could easily subdue the Divine Wood.

Under his manipulation, the Divine Wood suddenly showed signs of decay.

A strong gust of wind swept through, and countless withered yellow leaves, like a torrential downpour, fell from the sky.

This scene astonished both sides, who were locked in fierce combat.

The Divine Wood Sect's side felt their hearts turn cold.

Ruomu's side, however, was reinvigorated. Final victory was within reach; as if injected with stimulants, their eyes turned bloodshot as they swarmed forward.

Under the influence of Li Fan's mysterious hand, the scales of battle had already tipped.

The Divine Wood Sect's defensive line collapsed like an avalanche.

The battlefield transformed from a struggle between two forces into a one-sided slaughter.

"Good, good, good!"

Seeing victory in sight, Ruomu's emotions surged, and he consecutively uttered three "good"s.

Even behind him, his true form's phantom could be faintly seen.

Beneath the earth's veins, Ruomu's roots emerged from all directions.

They tightly coiled around the Divine Wood, which stood as an independent mountain.

Then, they broke through its trunk and rooted themselves within.

"If I can nourish myself with this wood, not only will all my past injuries be fully recovered. Perhaps I might even advance further!"

Ruomu was leisurely envisioning the future, unaware that wisps of sinister power had already entered his body through the Divine Wood he absorbed.

Finally, as the towering Divine Wood collapsed with a crash and turned into decaying wood and flying ash, it marked the end of this great battle.

Ruomu did not break his promise, distributing Fruits of Longevity to multiple cultivators.

After this...

Ruomu returned to the space where his true form resided, contentedly tallying the gains from absorbing the Divine Wood.

However, he was horrified to find that, at some unknown point, a figure was seated on top of his own head!

"Since the Divine Wood is gone, I'll use you as a substitute," Li Fan said lightly.

"Who are you..." Ruomu was about to speak but discovered that he was unable to move!

From Ruomu's trunk, roots spontaneously grew, piercing through the trunk and growing wildly.

In the blink of an eye, Ruomu was replaced.

The Divine Wood Sect was annihilated, and Ruomu regained control of the Xuanhuang spiritual ley lines.

Another established fact was completed, and the mountain and sea memory phantom became even more stable.

Li Fan sat cross-legged atop Ruomu's head, and with its power, he completely controlled the overall situation.

"At this time, Ruomu is far from comparable to its withered state in later generations."

"It is the vital energy circulation hub of the Xuanhuang experimental ground, and can even, with a single thought, fundamentally alter the four seasons of the Xuanhuang Realm."

"It's just a pity that, whether actively or passively, too many Fruits of Longevity were distributed. This led to a tragic outcome in the future."

"However, it doesn't matter."

With a thought, Li Fan perceived the whereabouts of the many longevity fruits Ruomu had bestowed.

"How can the opportunity for longevity be easily given to others?"

"Though your destinies cannot be altered..."

"You can, however, be transformed into my pawns."

Under the infiltration of Li Fan's profound power, the fruits that could grant longevity with the heavens and earth silently transformed into puppet-inducing poison.

Though the consumers were unaware, their every word, action, and even their inner thoughts could be influenced by Li Fan.

Originally, though Li Fan possessed great power, he still needed his own power to intervene and manipulate the Xuanhuang Realm.

But with the implantation of these longevity-realm pawns, no external strong force was needed. A mere thought could subtly change the situation of the Xuanhuang Realm.

Under absolute influence, the overall situation was decided.

In the game of the Xuanhuang Realm, Li Fan no longer needed to personally move the pieces. The game could change according to his thoughts.

Saving worry and effort, next, only the final step remained.

And it was the most important step.

To reenact the scene where the Fate Core captured that unknown divine object.

"Simply reenacting the scene isn't difficult," Li Fan said with a slight frown. "The challenge lies in reproducing the profound fluctuations generated when both sides contended."

Even the Sages observing from the Other Shore would instantly perceive its extraordinary nature upon witnessing the fluctuations.

"To reach the state of mistaking the false for the real, and even deceive the mountains and seas themselves..."

Li Fan slowly recalled what he had seen.

At the same time, outside the illusory realm and within the Other Shore, his true self once again cast its gaze.

He did not ask the Sages for help, but instead began to comprehend it himself.

He recalled how the mountain and sea phantom had previously spontaneously simulated the pulling force of the mountain and sea fishing ground.

"It doesn't have to genuinely exist," he thought. "It only needs to make the mountains and seas believe it exists."

"I can play the role of the Fate Core. And that other one..."

Just as Li Fan was pondering, a faint ripple surprisingly emerged in the deepest part of his heart.

It was extremely subtle, even less significant than the fluctuations in Li Fan's own state of mind.

Yet it was clearly not from Li Fan himself.

"This is, Huan Zhen?"

Li Fan remained outwardly calm, but was actually suppressing his inner turmoil, guessing Huan Zhen's intention.

The Huan Zhen ripple flashed and vanished.

But it was by no means aimless.

"It must have sensed my recent thought."

"Just now..."

"I wanted to perfectly reproduce those fluctuations from back then."

"Does Huan Zhen mean that doing this is dangerous?"