Chapter 1675: Three Saints Fall Together

The white circle of the Other Shore glowed brightly, enveloping the endless loops.

The Mountain and Sea Boundary Stele was extraordinarily mysterious, standing firmly in place, untouchable. Moving it was out of the question.

However, by expanding the reach of the Other Shore, it could be brought under the protection of the Xuanji Ring.

"Things have their ups and downs, and next, I'm afraid I have some bad news to share."

"As we traversed the Void Realm for ninety thousand years, just before reaching the previous segment of the Mountains and Seas, we discovered that the Dao Annihilation waves were surging chaotically, making it impossible to discern directions. Based on past experience, this indicates that the Mountains and Seas are in critical danger, on the verge of collapse." A few words from the Lianshan phantom interrupted the Saints' gaze.

Everyone present was startled by these words.

"If the Mountains and Seas ahead collapse, causing the Void Realm to spread beyond its hundred-thousand-year limit, our plan to restore the Mountains and Seas will be utterly ruined."

"The immediate priority is to go forth and help stabilize the situation. Only then can we discuss the restoration."

As they spoke, the phantoms of the Three Sages of Lianshan looked towards Li Fan.

Li Fan was feeling curious, but the Three Sages had already revealed the reason, astounding everyone present.

"Our connection to the front has been severed. Either the 'Lianshan, Guihai, and Taiyi' of the previous Mountains and Seas have already traversed and departed, not even leaving behind phantoms. Or..."

"We have all perished."

The four words, "We have all perished," echoed like thunderclaps throughout the Xuanji Ring.

All the Saints wore expressions of disbelief, staring at the Three Sages of Lianshan, seemingly on the verge of speaking, filled with endless doubts.

But in the end, it coalesced into one question: "How is that possible?"

"Life and death are common occurrences. Even the Gods of Creation perished and transformed into the Mountains and Seas. Why would our demise be impossible?" Taiyi chuckled softly.

"It also indirectly confirms the abnormality of the previous Mountains and Seas. If we were all present, the Mountains and Seas would never have fallen into such a crisis of destruction," Guihai analyzed calmly. Facing the prospect of "their own" demise, the Three Sages of Lianshan remained composed.

However, the other Saints in the Other Shore found it difficult to remain calm.

The power of the Three Sages of Lianshan was evident to all.

When traversing the Void Realm, they led the way, forging paths. Then, they served as a beacon, illuminating the way for those who followed.

Without the Three Sages, any plan to restore the Mountains and Seas would have been mere empty talk.

But now, they were being told that the Three Sages had collectively perished?

What kind of power could possibly kill beings as mighty as Lianshan, Guihai, and Taiyi?

"This also relates to the trouble I mentioned earlier."

"The trouble originates from the Void Realm."

"Have any of you ever wondered if our efforts to restore the Mountains and Seas have been too smooth?"

"As long as there are enough Saints, they can act as a rope, connecting the past and future Mountains and Seas. Then, with a little more effort, the Mountains and Seas could be revived. Yet, the Void Realm, which devours everything, showed surprisingly little reaction, allowing us to proceed as we wished."

Lianshan's words caused the Saints' expressions to grow increasingly solemn.

"The Void Realm's engulfment of the Mountains and Seas is a vast battlefield, stretching from the dawn of the Mountains and Seas to the end of time."

"Since it is a battlefield, there are priorities. The gains and losses in one time or place are actually insignificant. Today, the Mountains and Seas may reappear, and Dao Annihilation might be repelled. But tomorrow, the Void Realm can return, and Dao Annihilation will once again devour everything."

"What is truly important..."

"Lies in the Saints."

"The Void Realm originally held a slight advantage over the Mountains and Seas, and with that subtle edge, it could eventually devour them over countless years. However, with the existence of Saints, beings capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Mountains and Seas, this conflict gained many variables. We are, of course, thorns in the Void Realm's side." The Lianshan Sage spoke with great composure, as if stating facts unrelated to himself.

"But even if the Void Realm acted, it's hard to imagine what means could kill all of you simultaneously?"

Baixiao voiced the question on everyone else's mind.

After all, with the power of the Three Sages, they were virtually immune to the encroachment of Dao Annihilation.

Could it be that the Void Realm possessed some other special means?

The Lianshan Sage did not prolong the suspense, stating plainly, "What could kill us..."

"Is only ourselves."

At first, no one understood what he meant, but as their gazes fell upon the infinitely profound Void Realm, it seemed as though something finally clicked.

A chill slowly crept into their hearts.

"Indeed, those who acted must be the Three Sages from the perished Mountains and Seas."

"After being swallowed by the Void Realm and vanishing from existence, they were somehow reborn and descended again, becoming pawns of the Void Realm." Guihai nodded, confirming everyone's suspicions.

"When the catastrophe suddenly struck, and the Mountains and Seas were engulfed by the Void Realm, we were not killed. Instead, we perished alongside the Mountains and Seas. Even if one stands equal to the Mountains and Seas, if the surrounding foundation is completely lost and one is surrounded by the Void Realm, unable to distinguish past from present, even with a thousand divine abilities, the ultimate outcome can only be to be trapped to death."

"But the previous segment of the Mountains and Seas still exists, yet we have already passed away..."

"This should be the only possible scenario."

After Lianshan finished speaking, a complete silence fell over the Xuanji Ring.

The Saints exchanged glances, none knowing how to respond.

Lianshan continued, "We haven't yet directly confronted ourselves in that state, but based on our experiences fighting the Void Realm, those who are revived from the Void Realm should possess power comparable to their original selves. Or rather, they are us. It's just that... they chose to side with the Void Realm."

"It's not just us. All beings from the devoured Mountains and Seas could potentially be resurrected by the Void Realm and used against themselves. This is the Void Realm's method of dealing with the Saints of the Mountains and Seas: using their own ways against them."

"A long time ago, we encountered an old acquaintance whose disposition had completely changed. A single disagreement would escalate into harsh words, leading to a heated confrontation. At first, we didn't understand, but eventually, we had to strike them down..."

"It was as if a passage to the Void Realm had been opened within the Mountains and Seas. Endless waves of Dao Annihilation surged forth with an intensity almost comparable to the initial onset of the catastrophe. Even though we tried our best to maintain our ground, we were struck so hard that we could barely stand. The Mountains and Seas were lost in an instant, and we could only flee in haste."

"Looking back, we later realized that was a method of Void Realm resurrection."

Listening to the account of the Three Sages of Lianshan, Li Fan gradually understood.

If the conflict between the Mountains and Seas and the Void Realm was a continuous war, then the Void Realm they traversed to restore the Mountains and Seas was merely a battlefield where two armies clashed.

Even with the might of the Three Sages, they might charge in and out seven times.

But if they were truly encircled by the Void Realm's endless army, then only death and oblivion awaited them.

This was precisely why the Mountains and Seas had fallen and the Saints had perished under the Void Realm's concentrated attack.

Li Fan could understand this point.

After all, he had personally witnessed how the Mountains and Seas withered at the end of time, and how the last few Saints were helplessly engulfed by Dao Annihilation.

What he had never imagined, however, was that the Void Realm could manifest the devoured Saints once more!

The thought of facing opponents who possessed the full power of the Three Sages, acting recklessly and solely for the destruction of the Mountains and Seas, sent a shiver down Li Fan's spine.

"However, there's no need to worry excessively. The Void Realm's manifestation of revived Saints also requires the use of its own power. It's not inexhaustible."

"Otherwise, these creations alone could wipe out the Mountains and Seas. Therefore, I surmise that the goal of these revived creations is to eliminate Saints who pose a threat to the Void Realm."

"We simply haven't encountered them yet, which is fortunate."

"But since their potential presence has been detected, we must be vigilant and take precautions."

"The mission to restore the Mountains and Seas cannot be halted. As the saying goes, one's gain is another's loss; if the restoration becomes utterly hopeless, we might as well just wait for our demise."

Li Fan finally asked, "The Three Sages were just looking at me..."

"The Mountains and Seas ahead, without us guarding them, are in constant danger of collapse. Someone needs to be sent to stabilize the situation. If we were to traverse and arrive, it might cause the revived Saints to return. With power being so evenly matched, it's hard to say who would prevail. Though we do not fear them, our presence might lead to the complete downfall of the Mountains and Seas."

"Therefore, the ideal person to send would be someone not recorded in the Void Realm's memory. That is, someone who did not exist within the Mountains and Seas that were devoured by the Void Realm."

When the Lianshan Sage finished speaking, all the Saints looked at Li Fan.

Among everyone present, he seemed to be the only one who fit the criteria.

"This..."

Li Fan instinctively hesitated.

What kind of joke was this? They wanted him to save a dangerous place where even the Three Sages had perished?

As if discerning Li Fan's thoughts, the Three Sages added, "The Void Realm's resurrection targets only the original self. You are not on the Void Realm's memory list, so even if you traverse and arrive, you will not trigger its alert."

"You only need to stabilize the collapsing state of the Mountains and Seas first. While you go, we will also be working within the Void Realm to facilitate the restoration. We won't keep you waiting long."

"To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, we will each give you a protective treasure. Even if you encounter a Void Realm resurrection, you'll be able to escape safely."

"You possess the ability to imbue true spirits. If the situation becomes truly critical, we won't force you to go."

With the conversation having reached this point, and under the gaze of the Saints, Li Fan could only nod silently.

Otherwise, it wouldn't align with the persona of a Mountain and Sea Walker.

However, Li Fan naturally wouldn't engage in a life-or-death struggle with any Void Realm resurrection. At the slightest sign of trouble, he would undoubtedly use his 'Return to Truth' ability instantly.

"The previous segment of the Mountains and Seas could collapse at any moment. There's no time to lose; it's best to depart immediately."

"However, you must note..."

"The Mountains and Seas ahead, capable of drawing attacks from Void Realm resurrections, must be incredibly significant. Over countless eons, they might even surpass the three restorations and our current location. With the Three Sages fallen, it's a headless state. It will surely be an unimaginable apocalyptic scenario. Stabilizing the situation will likely not be easy. You must be careful, fellow Daoist," Shouqiu reminded with a solemn expression.

"I'll be mindful," Li Fan nodded slightly, then looked towards the Three Sages.

He was waiting for the promised protective treasures.

The Three Sages, of course, would not break their word. Each projected a streak of light that flew before Li Fan.

The moment the light and shadow appeared, their extraordinary nature could be felt.

What Lianshan presented was a wooden staff.

Its surface was rough and uneven, as if casually plucked from a tree branch.

Yet, an ancient aura occasionally emanated from the staff, indicating that it was far from as simple as it appeared.

Indeed, Lianshan began to explain, with a hint of nostalgia: "This staff was what I used when I first ascended the Upper Mountain. For many years, it has accompanied me, but I haven't used it since. Now you bear a great responsibility and face danger. I give it to you."

Li Fan gently touched it, and the moment his fingers made contact, he felt as if he could perceive the path Lianshan had once walked through this staff.

Endless, vast mountain ranges that had not yet been swallowed by Dao Annihilation.

Li Fan was overjoyed and placed the climbing staff into his spatial pouch. Lianshan's protective treasure was incredibly valuable, and what Guihai presented was no less significant.

It was still seemingly ordinary: an iron shovel.

Yet, it seemed to gather an endless source of power. Just being near it, Li Fan felt his entire body invigorated, subtly relaxing a great deal.

"It was with this very shovel that I forged the path from the Infinite to the Infinite Sea. Now that the Mountains and Seas are merging, this shovel has lost its purpose. It would be a waste for it to remain with me. Take it," the Guihai Sage said calmly.

Li Fan suppressed his inner excitement and accepted the item.

Next, it was Taiyi's turn.

"Those two are quite generous. I, however, don't have anything substantial to offer..."

"I'll give you this little trinket then."

Taiyi said this dismissively, but from his fleeting expression, it was clear that what he offered was far from a mere trinket.

"Don't disgrace it." As expected, after seeing Li Fan put it away, Taiyi couldn't help but add.

It was a stone rod.

Its appearance was impressive; it looked translucent and crystalline, as if carved from jade. But the moment Li Fan touched it with both hands, he sensed an overwhelming aura of blood.

To describe it as a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood would not even capture a fraction of its intensity.

It was as if countless beings had perished beneath the rod.

Even with Li Fan's experience, his expression subtly changed upon witnessing such a gory aura.

Thankfully, he wasn't so startled as to drop the stone rod.

"Who would have thought that the Taiyi Sage, who always seemed so genial and approachable, had walked such a terrifying path of slaughter?" Li Fan mused, secretly astonished as he perceived the countless lingering resentments at the tip of the stone rod, even after billions of years.

A wooden staff, an iron shovel, and a stone rod.

The items gifted by the Three Sages appeared unremarkable, even somewhat crude.

Yet, they were undoubtedly supreme treasures of the Mountains and Seas.

With the wooden staff in hand and the iron shovel tucked into his waist.

And the stone rod slung over his back.

Li Fan cupped his hands in farewell to the people of the Other Shore, preparing to depart and traverse the Void Realm.

"Be careful with everything."

Naturally, no one wanted anything to happen to Li Fan, so they all cautioned him.

"Come."

Before Li Fan could bid farewell to everyone individually, the phantoms of the Three Sages exerted their combined force.

Li Fan felt himself enveloped by immense power,

and he was flung into the boundless Void Realm.

Fortunately, he did not lose his sense of direction.

Instead, he swiftly moved towards a predetermined location.

It was like riding the wind and waves, cutting through thorns and brambles.

Occasionally, Void Realm waves would rise, but they could not hinder him in the slightest.

Within the Void Realm, ninety thousand years passed in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, Li Fan saw where the true forms of the Three Sages were located ahead.

They stood like lighthouses in the darkness, repelling all surrounding storms.

However...

Even with the protection of the Three Sages, Li Fan keenly observed that the activity of Dao Annihilation nearby was far greater than what he had previously seen in the Mountains and Seas.

"It's almost as rampant as at the end of time."