Chapter 1679: Stealing the Machine to Recover the Truth

The furious Cuttlefish: .........

He had been poised to reap the benefits as a leisurely hunter, but now, life had suddenly drained from him, leaving him on a dead-end path. Zeuhui, whom he had long considered an easy prey, had instead become the hunter. Zeuhui's aura was unfathomable, and he clearly had no concerns for his life.

All these changes happened so rapidly and unbelievably so. Even Qeji himself, witnessing it firsthand, was momentarily stunned. He simply couldn't comprehend how Li Fan, already weakened to a near-death state, could possibly turn the tables.

But it didn't matter; Li Fan soon revealed the answer.

"When the real becomes fake..."

"The fake also becomes real."

An ethereal, indistinct murmur, seemingly imbued with magic that could pierce the void, suddenly echoed in Qeji's ears. Although Qeji didn't understand its meaning, he instinctively felt its extraordinary nature. His heart tightened, and he urgently wanted to suppress Li Fan.

But...

Li Fan suddenly stretched out his hands, instantly locking Qeji in place, rendering him immobile.

"Hm?!"

To his horror, Qeji then realized that the opponent's severe injuries were merely an illusion! Furthermore, the power Zeuhui suddenly unleashed was no less than his own. The two stalemated in a contest of strength.

"Could it be that Zeuhui was always hiding his true strength?" A flash of shock and anger crossed Qeji's mind and vanished.

But then, something even more terrifying happened. Only belatedly did he realize that it wasn't that his opponent had concealed his cultivation. Instead...

He had become weaker. In an instant, nearly half of his power vanished into thin air, leaving him with the cultivation of a newly ascended Saint. Such an absurd and bizarre thing was truly unprecedented!

Fear welled up in Qeji's heart, but he quickly suppressed it, desperately trying to find a way out of the impossible situation. He recalled the words Zeuhui had just murmured.

"When the real becomes fake, the fake also becomes real; when the real becomes fake, the fake also becomes real..."

Suddenly, Qeji's body trembled slightly. Recalling Zeuhui's earlier fight with Suijun, he instantly understood something.

"It appears as though all the negative effects of the passage of time have vanished, rendered completely ineffective. In reality, it's about recreating a new self upon a decaying body. In a single thought, it transitions from fake to real. Suijun's power, even the Saints fear it to some extent. Yet, ultimately, it has its limits and consumes energy."

"How can it withstand this endless, spontaneous creation?"

"This is the transformation of 'the fake also becomes real'! And now..."

"My Saint cultivation, power, destiny, and countless years of accumulation—all lost in a single moment. It's so incredible, so unreasonable..."

"The real also becomes fake!"

From the very beginning, there was no Zeuhui Saint, but rather the True-False Saint. In the fierce struggle, Qeji, having unraveled the profound mystery, not only felt no despair but instead, his eyes erupted with unprecedented brilliance. His heart began to pound with a fervor it hadn't felt in a long time. He truly saw a glimmer of hope for himself!

"The Grand Dao of True-False, the Grand Dao of True-False. I never imagined such an incredible Dao principle truly existed in the Mountains and Seas."

"That ancient legend, it was actually true."

"In the land of certain death, there are always great opportunities hidden. Even if True-False is your Dao, I may not be unable to snatch it back!"

Greedy murderous intent burned fiercely in his eyes, like raging flames. Qeji exhaled a long breath, and instantly, millions of streams of light scattered from his body. These were all the forms of luck and destiny he had absorbed and accumulated over countless years: from mortals, true immortals, and even Saints of the Mountains and Seas. It was these foundations that had built his illustrious reputation as Qeji.

But now, all of them were discarded by Qeji! He intended to make one final desperate gamble, using the pure principle of "Steal" to seize the Grand Dao of True-False from his opponent.

"If I obtain True-False..." "Then I will obtain the Mountains and Seas!"

The myriad strands of liberated luck scattered and fled, like dragons soaring in the sky, stirring up turmoil in the void realm. With the loss of all these forms of luck, Qeji's power naturally declined further.

But...

This also allowed him to fully employ the Grand Dao of "Steal" to claim the True-False transformation before him!

Boom boom boom!

"When the fake becomes real..."

As Li Fan chanted again, he suddenly felt his soul tremble. It was as if something cold and intangible had forcefully pierced his consciousness, and it was trying to violently pull something out!

Buzz buzz buzz buzz...

A faint, sharp ringing in his ears gradually began, then intensified, turning into continuous thunderous roars that exploded within Li Fan's mind! Before Li Fan's eyes, a light curtain of "Truth" suddenly appeared, then blurred amidst tremors. Unbearable pain also surged from various parts of his body and soul. It was dense and pervasive, like countless needle pricks and knife cuts. No words in the world could describe the agony Li Fan was enduring at that moment.

Distracted by this, his casting of the True-False transformation was forcibly interrupted! Sensing that his snatching act was effective, Qeji's spirit was invigorated, and he struck while the iron was hot. Even the very origin of Qeji's Grand Dao was now being burned and utilized by him. This was an all-or-nothing move, a "succeed or die trying" situation.

Once the burning of Qeji's origin began, it could not be stopped. Even if Li Fan ceased the "true also becomes fake" reduction, Qeji would still eventually degenerate into a mortal without cultivation due to the gradual dissipation of his origin. Yet at this moment, Qeji showed not the slightest hesitation!

"Even if I lose everything related to Qeji, as long as I can seize the Grand Dao of True-False, I can instantly turn the tables." Driven by this conviction, flames surged around Qeji. The invisible hand, plunged deep into Li Fan's soul, churned with increasing intensity. It vowed to find the trace of the Grand Dao of True-False!

Extreme pain bred anger, and extreme anger bred malice. As he gradually adapted to the pain brought by the "Steal," Li Fan reorganized his thoughts.

"Fake..."

"Real..."

Gritting his teeth, he once again performed the True-False transformation. Fortunately, after countless reincarnations over many years, the execution of the True-False transformation was ingrained like an instinct. Even with his consciousness somewhat blurred, he could still perform it smoothly. Another carving knife slashed down.

But perhaps because Qeji was burning and releasing his origin, and his realm was already falling, the effect this time was far less potent than the first. The flames on Qeji's body before him remained bright, so bright that Li Fan could barely open his eyes.

"Almost there, almost found it."

Qeji's senses had always been acute, especially concerning anything that could be called a "treasure." And the Grand Dao of True-False was undoubtedly among the top tier of treasures in the Mountains and Seas.

"Legend says that when the Mountains and Seas' divine consciousness split, it left behind three contingencies upon facing death. Each possesses the power to overturn the Mountains and Seas. After the divine consciousness fell, the Mountains and Seas evolved independently, yet those three contingencies were never found. Until the proliferation of Dao Annihilation, heralding the star's arrival. The Mountains and Seas' divine consciousness split, and the star devoured the Mountains and Seas. This is one of them. And this Grand Dao of True-False before me..."

The closer he got, the more Qeji could sense its essence. "Vast and boundless, it establishes the foundation of all things; obscurely, it creates transformations of illusion and reality; clearly, it suspends the balance of all wonders..."

"It seems like a divine remnant, capable of shattering the Mountains and Seas, and settling the void stars..."

Even at a distance of tens of thousands of miles, Qeji could perceive some of the grand and profound mysteries of the True-False Dao. Even as the flames surged, his body trembled uncontrollably from excessive excitement. As one of the few mighty cultivators in the Mountains and Seas, Qeji had never imagined he would experience the realization of "if one learns the Dao in the morning, one can die content in the evening." Two streams of clear tears suddenly flowed down, quickly dissipating into the flames of his origin.

Immediately, an even greater greed emerged in his heart.

"Such a miraculous item, I must make it my own!"

Qeji went completely mad, holding nothing back. He utterly ignited all his remaining existence. This time, it was not just his original Grand Dao, but also his thoughts, perceptions, and even his body and soul. All became stakes in his desperate struggle. He struggled with all his might to grasp what he sensed as the Grand Dao of True-False!

"Boom!!"

An unprecedented tremor erupted from within Li Fan's soul. Li Fan's face showed alarm, while Qeji was ecstatic.

"Found it!"

Ignoring everything, Qeji, now just a remnant due to his origin burning out, exerted his last shred of strength. He wanted to rip the Grand Dao of True-False from Li Fan's body and claim it for himself.

But...

Qeji's expression slowly froze. The incredibly bright light in his eyes dimmed in an instant. Although he had touched the Grand Dao of True-False, it remained utterly still.

"How... how can this be?"

Qeji stared blankly, disbelieving and unable to comprehend, yet he tried again with all his might. The result was still the same. After three attempts, there was still no difference. Qeji finally gave up hope. Due to his mistaken judgment, Qeji's life was drawing to an end. Yet his expression gradually became calm.

"To witness this divine artifact before my death, I can die without regret."

"It's just a pity..."

"That I cannot claim it as my own!"

Once more, a gentle, final touch. But ultimately, he could feel nothing more.

Inside Li Fan, everything returned to normal. The previously blurred light curtain of "Truth" became clear once again. As for Saint Qeji, amidst the raging flames, he turned to ash!

Li Fan gently shook his head, trying to banish the sensation of something alien having pierced him. Looking at the Grand Dao Origin Flame before him, he felt a considerable sense of relief at having survived a great calamity. He truly hadn't expected Saint Qeji's power to be so terrifying. Not only could he endure for a long time under the True-False transformation, but he could even sense, and even attempt to seize, "Truth" from within himself! Although he ultimately failed, it still left Li Fan with lingering fear.

"I was still a bit overconfident."

"The True-False transformation is effective against anyone below the Saint realm. In an instant, it can strip an opponent's true spirit, reducing them to mortal dust. But against the Mountains and Seas Saints... The Saints' accumulation over countless years in the Mountains and Seas is simply too vast. Even if they cannot escape the influence of 'the true also becomes fake,' it's enough for them to hold on for a while. In a contest between Saints, anything can happen within that time."

Li Fan took a deep breath. If Saint Qeji was like this, then what about the undoubtedly stronger Three Saints: Lianshan, Guihai, and Taiyi? "Fortunately, the Three Saints currently seem quite virtuous. As long as I maintain my identity as a True Spirit-infused Mountains and Seas traveler, I should be safe."

While pondering, Li Fan didn't forget to absorb the remnants of Saint Qeji before him. Although Saint Qeji had self-immolated, the Mountains and Seas' Grand Dao of Steal still remained. However, it seemed to be merely recovering from severe injuries; compared to the formidable Saint Qeji, these remnants appeared incredibly weak. With a thought from Li Fan, the scattered points of light instantly vanished.

And in the "Grand Dao of Truth's Return to True" section, several characters suddenly appeared. They represented Li Fan's gains from this encounter: Suijun and Qeji. The flowing light rotated on its own, manifesting engravings that returned to "Truth." Third: Suijun, Fourth: Qeji.

Li Fan looked at the increasingly abundant "Grand Dao of Truth's Return to True" section, his heart filled with uncontrollable joy. Suddenly, he noticed that this long string of characters seemed poised to change. Seven-colored light twisted gracefully, like flowing water, showing a tendency to subtly shift. Qeji, currently at the end, moved forward, seemingly intending to take the first position.

"Qeji, Zeuhui, Suijun, Xuanpin..."

"Is this ordered by strength?" Li Fan vaguely perceived the pattern. But then, remembering something, he frowned.

"Let's stick to the chronological order."

"In the depths of the unseen, there is a fixed destiny."

"Chronological order implies profound principles. As for strength... The ebb and flow of strength have no fixed rule. My consecutive victories over Suijun and Qeji today are proof!" Li Fan said proudly and insisted.

As if sensing Li Fan's firm will, the seven-colored flowing light in the Grand Dao of Truth's Return to True paused for a moment. It ultimately reverted to its original state. Everything was subject to Li Fan's will. The flowing light settled, no longer rotating.

Li Fan, however, did not immediately leave the void realm, choosing instead to recover from his injuries first. This battle had been truly fierce. Although he successfully acquired the Grand Daos of Suijun and Qeji, the backlash he suffered was also quite severe. Putting other things aside, just the blows from Shouqiu he endured to deceive the Saints for the act were not light. Not to mention the subsequent battle against Suijun and Qeji, which had drained him almost to the point of exhaustion.

"The breaking of limits and the absorption of true spirits are almost unbearable even for my physique. I can clearly feel symptoms of true spirit loss. It will require time to slowly recover."

"Furthermore..."

Li Fan extended his arms, observing them slowly with a solemn expression.

"Although not obvious, it can still be felt."

"It's as if I'm caught between true and false, neither close nor distant, neither fully existing nor completely illusory."

"This is the price I paid for forcibly using the True-False transformation to fight my enemies. Originally, if things had gone smoothly, I wouldn't have suffered such a severe backlash. However, Qeji's ferocity was far beyond my expectations. I can use severe injuries as an excuse to put off Shouqiu and the Saints of the Other Shore. But these traces probably won't escape the notice of the Three Saints: Lianshan, Guihai, and Taiyi."

"It seems I can't go back in this lifetime." Fortunately, Li Fan had no intention of returning to the original Mountains and Seas to truly report back to the Three Saints.

"I just need to suppress and absorb all the remaining Saints here."

Li Fan sat cross-legged in the void realm, using the True-False transformation to heal his severely wounded body. Perhaps because an external object had once pierced him, it felt as though there was a flaw, making the repairs exceptionally arduous. Li Fan multitasked, taking the opportunity to comprehend the newly acquired Grand Daos of Suijun and Qeji. On both Dao paths, the last thoughts of their previous owners seemed to linger. Leaving Suijun aside for now, Li Fan was a bit more interested in Qeji.

"Vast and boundless, it establishes the foundation of all things; obscurely, it creates transformations of illusion and reality; clearly, it suspends the balance of all wonders..."

"This should be the True-False transformation, right?" After pondering for a moment, Li Fan was slightly startled.

"It's actually more profound than what I've comprehended?"