Chapter 1689: Six Saints Fight Each Other Using Magic

Angry Squid

If crossing the Void Realm was a long ocean voyage, then the infusion of true spirit meant endless supplies.

This made what was originally extremely dangerous become commonplace.

The journey was uneventful and without danger. Soon, the previous section of Mountains and Seas was distantly in sight.

“Currently, it seems the Mountains and Seas ahead are still intact, and the Three Saints should not have fallen yet,” Li Fan and Dao De exchanged thoughts while concealed in the Void Realm, secretly observing the Mountains and Seas for a while. “However, we can already sense the approaching storm, indicating they are in the midst of a fierce battle. We have arrived at precisely the right moment.”

At this time, Guardian Qiu had also awakened from his enlightenment. His aura was profound and unyielding, impossible to fathom, as if one were momentarily seeing the Three Saints themselves.

“I will go first and merge my body with my other self,” Guardian Qiu said. “If the Three Saints’ true forms are too preoccupied to attend to the Other Shore Xuanji, I will suppress the other Saints first.” With that, he transformed into a white streak, piercing directly into the Mountains and Seas ahead.

Li Fan had no doubt whatsoever that Guardian Qiu could achieve this. As Guardian Qiu achieved enlightenment in this life, Li Fan also felt a resonance in his heart. He could only marvel that the stronger one's inherent power, the greater the amplification brought by the 'Return to True' state. With Guardian Qiu's abilities and countless years of observing the Mountains and Seas, his enlightenment had subtly elevated him to a level comparable to the Three Saints.

“If Guardian Qiu had attained 'Return to True' earlier, the Mountains and Seas would have been turned upside down long ago,” Dao De remarked with emotion.

Although Li Fan felt a slight helplessness, he could not deny it. Fortunately, at this moment, the three were united in purpose, indistinguishable from each other. No strange feelings arose in their hearts.

Guardian Qiu's movements were exceedingly swift. There was no earth-shattering sound; in less than half a day, the Other Shore had silently changed hands. Only upon receiving Guardian Qiu's message did Li Fan and Dao De unhurriedly descend upon the Mountains and Seas.

Within the Xuanji Ring, a wondrous sight appeared. It was as if two suns shared the sky; besides the initial white circle, another ring had emerged. This newborn ring was incredibly powerful and domineering. Not only did it unceremoniously seize the dominant position, but it also subjugated all the Saints who were originally within the ring, bringing them under its command. Guardian Qiu was already firmly seated in its core position, leaving vacant seats for Li Fan and Dao De.

“It seems the fierce battle in the Void Realm has reached a critical juncture. The Three Saints have even recalled the power of their lingering projections. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had such an easy time,” Guardian Qiu explained. “After my body merged with my self in this section of Mountains and Seas, I launched an unexpected attack. The Saints of Seizing Opportunity were subdued by me in an instant, before they could even react. For now, I've spared their lives, partly to stabilize the Mountains and Seas. On the other hand... perhaps their power can be used to absorb nourishment from the Xuanji Ring.” In an instant, the three of them had completed their mental communication.

Following Guardian Qiu's words, Li Fan looked towards the marvelous scene of two rings coexisting in the field. Both were Xuanji Rings, but their fates were now vastly different. Although the old ring was still at its zenith, it had lost its seated Saints, and more crucially, the departure of the Three Core Master Saints caused it to subtly show signs of decline. The new ring, though just emerging, possessed a unique and vibrant vitality. Like a newborn calf, it was challenging and threatening the old ring's status.

What surprised Li Fan was that the new and old rings could coexist simultaneously without mutual repulsion. “The core of the Xuanji Rings are all shadows of the divine,” Guardian Qiu explained. “Whether it's what we comprehend or what the Three Saints comprehend, they are merely crude imitations of the true shadow of the divine. In a sense, they originate from the same source and are inherently one. Naturally, there will be no repulsion. On the contrary, it's just like how different versions of us from different time periods of the Mountains and Seas merge when we meet. The new and old Xuanji Rings, through this interaction, will gradually integrate into one. Of course, this is also because the old ring has lost the Three Saints as its masters, leaving it without a head.”

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, slowly understanding: “In my previous life, I comprehended the shadow of the divine by observing the Xuanji Ring, but in this life, it's the reverse. By merging with the Xuanji Ring, I am feeding back the Three Saints' understanding of the shadow of the divine. Undoubtedly, it is much purer and more concrete.”

Guardian Qiu also reminded them: “Below the True God, each has their own insights. What the Three Saints think and perceive may not necessarily surpass ours. It should only be used as a reference; it is still necessary to maintain our own unique characteristics.”

“Guardian Qiu is absolutely right,” Dao De nodded in agreement. Among the three, although he was the weakest in strength and had the least experience, his ability to devise the 'Dao De Splitting Technique' and forge an alternative path to Sainthood proved his comprehension was absolutely among the top tier in Mountains and Seas. Now, having simultaneously gained Guardian Qiu's extensive life experiences and insights into the True and False Grand Dao, his strength was advancing by leaps and bounds every moment, showing the greatest increase in power among the three.

He had particular insights into the process of mutual assimilation after the Dao De split. At this moment, leading the merger of the Xuanji Rings felt effortless.

Under the gaze of the Saints of Seizing Opportunity, the two rings gradually merged. The familiar white circle, representing the past glory of the Three Saints, was gradually and completely suppressed by the light and shadow of the newborn ring. Even though the Saints were still stationed in the Xuanji 'Return to True' state, they knew that some things had already changed.

“Apart from the three initial dominant positions, although the others can still be influenced by unity of purpose, their effectiveness is greatly reduced,” Guardian Qiu stated. “Of course, it's more than enough to achieve our plan. Dao De will oversee the Mountains and Seas, while I and Fellow Daoist Fan will infiltrate the Void Realm. We will act according to the situation.”

The heart-pounding fluctuations emanating from the Primeval Void Realm became increasingly frequent. It seemed the fierce battle of the Six Saints was nearing a critical moment. Li Fan and the others no longer delayed. Leaving behind only two ethereal projections, their true forms jointly infiltrated the Void Realm, carefully proceeding in the direction from which the fluctuations emanated.

“I only have one 'Collapse Mountains and Seas' strike, which can be used at a critical moment. For everything else, I'm afraid I'll have to rely on you, Guardian Qiu,” Li Fan said, clearly aware of his limits. At the same time, he activated countless accumulated true spirits in the Void Realm, covering their surroundings for concealment. The accumulated true spirits layered around them, completely masking their auras. They stealthily moved through the Void Realm.

“Your 'Collapse Mountains and Seas' technique will only achieve its greatest effect if used at the most critical juncture,” Guardian Qiu said. “Just wait patiently. At other times... leave it to me.”

Guardian Qiu's words subtly conveyed immense confidence. As they conversed, they drew closer to the site of the Six Saints' fierce battle.

The accumulated true spirits fluctuated like startled waves. It seemed a colossal entity was stirring up trouble in the Void Realm, causing widespread turbulence. Li Fan and Guardian Qiu advanced with increasing caution, and finally, the Three Saints appeared in their sight.

To be precise, it was Tai Yi and his Void Realm avatar! Tai Yi's expression was serious, no different from what Li Fan usually saw. However, his clothes were somewhat wrinkled, making him appear a bit disheveled, as if he had been pushed into a corner. As for the Void Realm avatar... its physique, appearance, and aura were identical to the main body. However, outside its form, it seemed to be covered by a layer of dim obscurity, making the entire entity appear to be cloaked in shadow. Its face was cold, devoid of any expression. Its eyes held only the main body of Tai Yi, vowing to kill him.

The scene of Tai Yi's battle with his Void Realm avatar was also quite profound. It wasn't just the two of them; two boundless worlds, along with their countless inhabitants, were also involved. The two great worlds merged, with their point of convergence serving as the bloodiest battlefield.

“Guardian Qiu, can you discern the profound mystery?” Li Fan asked.

“That should be... the Grand Primordium Immortal Realm,” Guardian Qiu said suddenly after observing for a while.

“The Grand Primordium Immortal Realm?”

“Of course, it's not the one that once existed in Mountains and Seas. More precisely, it's a replica of the Grand Primordium Immortal Realm, evolved within Tai Yi's body, almost identical to the original. Tai Yi used his power to re-derive the innate creation of the Mountains and Seas... And the beings manifested in this world should be those Tai Yi once killed. They had long disappeared into the long river of Mountains and Seas' history, but precisely because they were slain by Tai Yi, a trace of their imprint remained.”

Upon hearing this, Li Fan's gaze abruptly sharpened, and he couldn't help but recall the Rod of Sentient Beings, Tai Yi's sacred treasure. “Among the Three Saints, he truly is the one with the heaviest karma of slaughter.”

Li Fan looked towards the scene of the Grand Primordium Immortal Realm, which was immersed in battle, and saw many primordial beings emanating peculiar auras. They were essentially manifestations of the Grand Dao. Among them, the four leading and most powerful ones unmistakably emanated the auras of “Grand Beginning, Grand Origin, Grand Purity, and Grand Ultimate.”

“Saint Tai Yi's true nature is indeed extraordinary.” Although the true Saint Tai Yi was remarkable, his Void Realm avatar had perfectly replicated everything about him. The manifested Grand Primordium Immortal Realm was identical to the original. Furthermore, being in the boundless Void Realm, it fought on home ground, with an endless supply of power and no fear of depletion, thus subtly gaining the upper hand in the fierce battle. However, the stalemate continued, and Tai Yi's defeat was still far from imminent.

Li Fan began to search for the figures of Lian Shan and Gui Hai. “We can clearly feel the aftermath of the fierce battle, so why aren't they visible?” Li Fan pondered carefully, somewhat puzzled. Guardian Qiu, meanwhile, looked at a nearby area, his expression growing more solemn.

“When one is within the Mountains and Seas, it is naturally difficult to perceive the Mountains and Seas themselves. These two have already revealed their true forms.”

Guided by Guardian Qiu, the Void Realm scene in Li Fan's vision instantly transformed! In the seemingly empty darkness, countless rapid currents surged. At times they intertwined and collided, at times they were clearly distinct. On the surface, they appeared chaotic, but in reality, they revolved around four core entities. These were Lian Shan, Gui Hai, and their Void Realm avatars.

If Tai Yi's battle with his avatar was the "motion" of an endlessly chaotic battlefield, then the two Saints, Lian Shan and Gui Hai, emphasized "stillness." The four figures stood opposed, each unmoving. Yet, countless undercurrents swirled, transforming into lethal challenges.

Tai Yi's battle was still in a stalemate. But at the site of the two Saints, it had already reached a critical moment.

Sensing Li Fan's confusion, Guardian Qiu began to explain: “The conflict between the two Saints and their Void Realm avatars can be seen as a struggle over their respective Dao traditions. 'Why Lian Shan, why Gui Hai' – these are the reasons why the two Saints reached their pinnacle. But now, this very authority has been encroached upon by their Void Realm avatars. It involves the very foundation of their power's existence, making it far more perilous than ordinary battles! Look there!”

Li Fan followed Guardian Qiu's pointing, and saw that in the struggle, several torrents were being swallowed by other whirlpools. A subtle change in one corner of the battlefield led to myriad, countless transformations, drastically altering the entire war's dynamic. In an instant, it presented extremely violent and infinite changes, causing Li Fan, who witnessed it, to feel slightly dizzy.

“Every subtle change can be seen as a possible evolution of the Mountains and Seas throughout the rushing flow of time,” Guardian Qiu exclaimed with heartfelt emotion, mixed with a strange excitement. “Tai Yi takes the Grand Primordium Immortal Realm as the core for his Dao derivation, while the two Saints, Lian Shan and Gui Hai, clearly regard the entire Mountains and Seas as their own Dao field!”

“However, this is still merely the surface!” Guardian Qiu exerted himself to the utmost, attempting to find the true core amidst the immeasurable turbulence of the battlefield. “The endless transformations of the Mountains and Seas are merely the specific derivations of the two Saints' power. But the origin and beginning of all these changes...”

Even though Li Fan found it difficult to clearly observe the true nature of the battle, he could still discern from the increasingly frequent engulfing struggles that the fighting was intensifying. And occasionally, the mournful cries of the Mountains and Seas reached his ears.

“The Mountains and Seas' foundation of the two Saints has begun to suffer damage,” Guardian Qiu warned. “It's like armor being gradually damaged. Concentrate your spirit, and you might glimpse the true forms of Lian Shan and Gui Hai!”

Prompted by Guardian Qiu, Li Fan's mind calmed. Time seemed to stand still at that moment, as his consciousness rapidly swept through the countless intertwined lines before him.

Slowly, Li Fan wondered if it was his imagination. He subtly felt as if all these turbulent lines before his eyes had come alive. Every subtle change in the lines seemed to represent a... civilization that once existed in the Mountains and Seas!

Throughout the infinitely ancient and vast history of Mountains and Seas, countless civilizations were born and then perished. Each appearance and disappearance of a civilization, though seemingly leaving no trace, subtly resembled invisible blades, leaving ripples on the sea surface and carving folds into the mountains. Both the Mountains and the Seas each possessed a nascent consciousness. They could naturally sense, however vaguely, these civilizations born within them.

“'The Mountains and Seas are formless, dividing and transforming,'” Li Fan suddenly gained an insight. “Since the Mountains and Seas split their consciousness, they have evolved into their current form. Although this is attributed to their own great power and creation, how can we know that the influence of these nascent civilizations was not a factor? Like water dripping through stone or a rope cutting through wood, though the variable brought by each civilization is small, when infinitely accumulated, it is enough to influence the overall trend of the Mountains and Seas! But what is the origin of all these changes?”

Like Guardian Qiu, questions arose inexplicably in Li Fan's mind. Amidst these myriad turbulent lines, he sought an answer tirelessly.

In a trance, he seemed to forget his own circumstances, existing solely as a pure seeker of knowledge.

Constantly permeated by the vast and ancient aura of the Mountains and Seas, Li Fan seemed to truly return to the very beginning of the Mountains and Seas.

The Mountains and Seas fairy tale left by Sun Piaomiao, which he had once seen, surfaced in his mind, word for word: “'In the beginning, the Mountains and Seas were not merged, but mutually isolated. Beings were born in the sea, and their hearts yearned for the mountains, thus prompting the act of ascent. Though this presumptuous act was quickly killed by the mountains, yet... the explorations in the sea continued ceaselessly. Leading to the Mountains and Seas of today. Why Lian Shan, why Gui Hai...'"

A thought stirred in Li Fan's mind, and he seemed to subtly glimpse the true forms of the two Saints, Lian Shan and Gui Hai!

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