Chapter 1673: Three Saints Overlooked Place

“Xuan... Heh heh, it is Zhoushui now.”

“Now that Zhoushui has taken his rightful place, our focus shifts to the next segment of the mountains and seas.” Saint Taiyi’s voice broke Li Fan’s train of thought.

For the Saints, there was no concept of rest. Traversing the void, serving as bridges, and reuniting the mountains and seas—this was their unwavering pursuit.

“As I mentioned before, after two reunions, we are now in a section of the mountains and seas that stretches for a full 339,800 years. However, our next passage may not be as easy.”

All the Saints understood that Taiyi would not speak without reason, and they immediately listened intently.

“My investigations show that the void ahead has persisted for nearly 100,000 years. If it encroaches further and breaks this limit...”

“The connection between the mountains and seas would be completely severed, making reunion almost impossible.”

“Firstly, we must stand firm and guard the mountains and seas against the invasion of Dao Annihilation, without yielding an inch.”

“Secondly, this time, there is no room for error in our reunion effort. It must succeed on the first attempt. Otherwise, under the void's backlash, even our combined strength might not be enough to withstand the ensuing catastrophe.”

Saint Lianshan gestured, displaying the continuous expanse of the void before the Saints. Its profound depth exerted a pressure far greater than any void they had encountered before. It was as if they were truly there; the Saints' forms seemed tainted by darkness, and they all fell silent.

“Of course, there is good news too. After two reunions, our strength has increased significantly. Furthermore...”

“With over a hundred thousand more years of accumulated power from the mountains and seas, and with our Mountains and Seas Walker among us, we might be able to foster additional Saints to aid our cause.” Just as Taiyi spoke, a brilliant golden light surged from within the mountains and seas, arcing directly towards the other shore.

It was Emperor Taiwei.

This time, he skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point: “With the method of True Spirit Infusion available, I no longer needed to refine the Great Medicine for Reaching Sainthood. Instead, I've focused entirely on the Great Medicine of Sacred Fortune. I've drawn upon the 300,000 years of accumulated energy from two segments of the mountains and seas, including their transformation from void to reality, effectively draining them.”

“And I have refined nine more.”

Emperor Taiwei surveyed the group, then produced nine luminous orbs that glowed with a crystalline brilliance, appearing to possess a life of their own.

“Thanks to the Mountains and Seas Reunion, this batch of Sacred Fortune Elixir is even more potent than before. Consuming it may expose you to the devout thoughts of billions of beings from the Holy Dynasty. Even I stopped after taking two. New Saints, proceed according to your own capacity.” He added, “The next batch will be available in 30,000 years.”

With that, Emperor Taiwei departed as swiftly as he arrived, without waiting for the Saints' reactions.

“He consumed two of the nine, leaving so few for the rest of us,” Baixiao grumbled under his breath.

Taiyi chuckled, “Emperor Taiwei's true body must continually suppress the immense destiny of the Holy Dynasty, making it difficult for him to move freely. That's why his visits are always brief. As for this Sacred Fortune Elixir...”

“Zhoushui, you may take one first.”

Li Fan paused, surprised by the offer. Last time, he hadn't received any of the Sacred Fortune Elixir. How was it that now, with more recipients and a more potent elixir, he was finally included?

The three Saints—Lianshan, Guihai, and Taiyi—were in complete agreement. Since Taiyi had spoken, the other Saints naturally raised no objections.

Noticing Li Fan's hesitation, Taiyi explained, “Although you have now achieved the Grand Dao of Zhoushui, the path itself suffered some wear during its subjugation. Furthermore, you will be responsible for True Spirit Infusion in the future...”

Taiyi gently gestured, and one of the luminous orbs slowly drifted towards Li Fan.

Li Fan felt a pang of shame, but he still consumed the Sacred Fortune Elixir. He closed his eyes and began to absorb its effects.

Li Fan received one, while the other Saints shared the remaining eight. The three Lianshan Saints did not require any. Newly ascended Saints each received one, while stronger figures like Qiejiao and Guiming received half.

Soon after, the treasures provided by Emperor Taiwei had been consumed by the Saints. Indeed, it was as Emperor Taiwei had stated, even with some reservation. The elixir's potency was nearly twice that of previous batches.

As the luminous orb was consumed, Li Fan's sea of consciousness was engulfed by an infinite expanse of light and shadows. His perspective raced, as if he were soaring across an endless land. Everywhere he looked, he saw continuous stretches of fertile soil. All beings lived in peace and prosperity, enjoying an era of tranquility. In their leisure, every household silently acknowledged the Holy Emperor's benevolence. Within the Holy Dynasty, there was no famine or calamity. Everyone was well-fed, well-clothed, and housed. The Holy Emperor's presence reigned supreme, overseeing all. Any corruption or wrongdoing was instantly eradicated the moment it emerged.

This was, without a doubt, a golden age. Only an era of such unparalleled prosperity could forge an elixir potent enough to benefit even Saints.

Li Fan himself had once manifested a Holy Emperor avatar. He naturally knew that such a glorious and prosperous era was entirely built upon the immense power of Emperor Taiwei. Without the Holy Emperor's unwavering suppression, all its splendor would likely decay and crumble in an instant.

“No wonder Emperor Taiwei cannot remain absent for long periods.”

“It is precisely because he constantly corrects anomalies that the Holy Dynasty can truly be called 'Holy'."

A single Sacred Fortune Elixir seemed to embody the collective will of countless citizens of the Holy Dynasty—their life experiences, their very thoughts and aspirations. After death, these flowed like trickling streams, condensed and extracted by the Holy Emperor, transforming into the potent elixir.

Li Fan absorbed it meticulously. Given his strength of will, even such an extraordinary elixir could not truly influence him or instill a genuine feeling of admiration for Emperor Taiwei. Instead, amidst the confluence of countless thoughts, he uncovered something intriguing.

Even in the Taiwei Holy Dynasty, an almost idyllic paradise, not all citizens felt truly content. Some even harbored quiet resentment, feeling that the Holy Emperor's omnipresent rule was too restrictive. Unrealistic and dangerous thoughts occasionally flickered through their minds. Of course, given their capabilities, they were naturally incapable of resisting Emperor Taiwei. Yet this did not stop them from periodically indulging in such fantasies. No being in the Holy Dynasty was aware that every single thought in their minds was, in fact, under the Holy Emperor Taiwei's complete control. Yet Taiwei deliberately permitted these discordant elements to persist. Perhaps it was these "negative thoughts" that prevented the Sacred Fortune Elixir from being overly "sweet," allowing it to be safely consumed.

“Emperor Taiwei is indeed a fascinating individual.”

“But alas, it seems an incredibly taxing existence.”

Li Fan's resolve was unshakable; amidst the converging thoughts, neither praise nor disparagement of the Holy Emperor could sway his core being. He simply observed and absorbed these life experiences, transforming them into insights for his own use.

On the other shore, time passed unnoticed. When Li Fan had fully absorbed the elixir's effects, he suddenly opened his eyes. Only then did he realize he was the first among the Saints to awaken.

“It appears your journey through endless reincarnation has greatly advanced you, Zhoushui,” Taiyi observed with a nod.

Li Fan bowed slightly, then noticed that the true forms of the three Lianshan Saints were no longer there; they had already ventured into the void. Only their ethereal projections remained seated.

“We are proceeding. A void stretching for 100,000 years is no trivial matter.”

“Before the mountains and seas converge, our inability to make progress here wasn't solely due to the immense expanse of this void; there were other reasons. With our strength now doubled, we will test it again. If we can resolve it, excellent. If not, we will reconvene to discuss alternative strategies.”

Li Fan was curious about the nature of this void crisis that troubled even the true forms of the three Saints. However, Taiyi's ethereal projection did not elaborate, instead changing the subject. Pointing once more towards the mountains and seas, he transmitted a message directly to Li Fan: “Zhoushui, you might consider returning to that endless loop of possibilities. As you were digesting the elixir, we reviewed the situation and discovered something that was nearly overlooked.”

This particular message was transmitted privately, intended only for Li Fan's ears. Li Fan was instantly taken aback. He had already subdued even the Mountains and Seas Grand Dao; what more could he have overlooked?

Yet, the three Lianshan Saints would never deceive him on such a serious matter. Li Fan's expression grew serious, and he once again turned his attention to the endless loop. Because his residual Zhoushui power was still suppressing it, the loop had not yet collapsed. Compared to his previous firsthand experience, nothing seemed to have changed.

Using his Saint-level perception, Li Fan meticulously scanned every inch of the area multiple times. Still, he couldn't pinpoint what the three Saints claimed he had missed. Rather than giving up easily or immediately consulting Taiyi's ethereal projection, he began to ponder the matter himself. Scene after scene from his past resurfaced in his mind, as if he were reliving them. This time, however, from the perspective of an outsider.

This time, Li Fan finally noticed a few subtle clues.

“The Grand Dao of Zhoushui should not have perceived the presence of the Saints beyond the other shore. When I was lost in the cycle of reincarnation, it had ample opportunity to escape.”

“Why, then, did it delay its departure? Why did it insist on remaining here, even pulling me into the cycle of reincarnation?”

“Even when it finally sacrificed a part of itself to survive, it only took a small portion of its essence, leaving behind a considerably large shell to maintain the endless loop of possibilities.”

“Without external interference, as long as the Grand Dao of Zhoushui still exists within the mountains and seas, that cycle can persist.”

“So, it was both an escape and a diversion?”

“There must be something Zhoushui was guarding, or something it highly valued!”

Li Fan instantly understood. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he once again scanned the loop of possibilities. Even the three Saints had nearly overlooked it, indicating its extreme concealment. But now that Li Fan understood its value, he approached the task with immense patience. He meticulously explored each of the countless possibilities, no longer merely glancing over them. His mind became fully immersed.

During this time, other Saints began to awaken. Seeing Li Fan still with his eyes closed, they assumed he was still absorbing the elixir's effects and paid him no further mind. Their attention was instead fixed on the three Saints' expedition into the void.

Without a sound, Li Fan spent an amount of time comparable to his previous state of disorientation, meticulously sifting through every single possibility within the endless loop.

Finally, he located his objective. In essence, the existence of all these cyclic possibilities served as a labyrinth constructed by the Grand Dao of Zhoushui to conceal its true purpose. And the reason the Grand Dao of Zhoushui only departed with such reluctance at the very last moment was precisely due to the presence of this object.

It was a seemingly mundane cyclic possibility, a world where everything simply transitioned through the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. On an endless grassland, a lone stone tablet stood. Upon its surface, faint, indistinct markings appeared to be carved.

Li Fan materialized before the stone tablet, reaching out to touch it. Yet, his hand passed through it as if it were a mere mirage.

“Even when I scanned the sky above with my divine sense, I couldn't perceive its existence.”

“Only by physically being here can one witness its form.”

“This stone tablet...”

Li Fan was certain that the three Saints had already visited this place. Even though he couldn't detect any lingering aura from the three Saints, the stone tablet reflected their presence—or, more accurately, their outlines. Li Fan's gaze swept across the dozens of mottled marks on the stone tablet, searching for the impressions left by the three Lianshan Saints.

“Here, and here,” Two fresh marks represented Lianshan and Guihai.

“And...”

“Here.”

An old mark, yet with a newly added stroke, bore the aura left by Taiyi. It was a simple, sparse stroke, yet it perfectly summarized the essence of the three Saints. The lines etched into the stone tablet resembled the Saints' lingering imprints, as if they had been physically present.

“And those dozens of other marks on the stone tablet...”

Li Fan was momentarily awestruck. However, he quickly composed himself. With the mountains and seas being encroached upon by Dao Annihilation, the current three Saints were a far cry from their peak state and power. Their marks could only represent themselves at a particular point in time.

“Nevertheless, anyone capable of leaving an imprint on this stone tablet must be formidable. They must possess at least the strength of Mountains and Seas Saints.”

“Perhaps even from a time before the mountains and seas were severed...”

Li Fan vaguely sensed the aura of other Saints emanating from the other mottled lines on the stone tablet. Surprisingly, most of them were Saints who had achieved their status through the Mountains and Seas Grand Dao!

“This stone tablet must be incredibly ancient. Even Lianshan and Guihai hadn't left any marks on it previously.”

“This dates back to an ancient era, even before Saint Lianshan was born. Only Taiyi existed then.”

“Yet, at that time, Taiyi was still far from his peak.”

Li Fan reached out once more, desiring to touch the lines representing the Mountains and Seas Grand Dao etched onto the stone tablet.

“It seems there are more Mountains and Seas Grand Daos than I had anticipated.”

“However, these ancient Saints had long since claimed them. Consequently, later aspirants to Sainthood had to forge their own paths, either by unifying their myriad selves or by creating new heavens and earths to achieve the Dao.”

At this thought, Li Fan's mind briefly faltered. He suddenly recognized an inconsistency. If so many Saints once existed within the mountains and seas, why were only a handful, like Lianshan, left now? Where had those who left their marks on the stone tablet gone?

“Either they perished in the current timeline.”

“Or they vanished before the mountains and seas were fragmented by Dao Annihilation, which is why they are absent from the current era.”

“It must be the latter.”

Given the current state of the mountains and seas, with the Saints united in their singular goal of saving the world, internal strife or mutual destruction was almost unthinkable. And if they had succumbed to Dao Annihilation, the Saints on the other shore would surely have mentioned it. Yet, it had never been brought up. This implied that these Saints never existed in the current iteration of the mountains and seas. In short, those who left their imprints on the stone tablet did not survive to see Li Fan's birth. In fact, they had perished even before the calamity befell the mountains and seas.

What caused their demise? What power could possibly slay a Saint? A myriad of questions welled up in Li Fan's mind.

Yet, the three Lianshan Saints had merely indicated the stone tablet's existence, without revealing the information it contained. Li Fan knew almost nothing about that exceedingly ancient era. It was genuinely difficult to speculate.

“Even Saints find it difficult to endure indefinitely.”

Just as Li Fan mused on this, faint ripples of energy once again stirred within him.