Chapter 1692: Virtual Realm Revealed Behind the Scenes

**Angry Squid**

With a single strike, the Three Sages were annihilated, astonishing all present! Although what disappeared were merely the void avatars of the Three Sages, their power was absolutely on par with their true bodies. Now that Shouqiu could instantly kill the void avatars, it meant that...

Even Lianshan, Guihai, and Taiyi were uncontrollably shocked. Although they had already learned that Shouqiu possessed the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion, they never imagined that Shouqiu, empowered by the transformation of truth and illusion, would be so powerful! So, had Shouqiu been acting all along during his countless years in the Xuanji Ring? What then was his true goal?

Just as various doubts arose in the hearts of the Three Sages, they suddenly noticed that Shouqiu's body seemed to become somewhat transparent compared to before. Although the degree wasn't particularly obvious, it didn't escape the Three Sages' observation. "This is..."

"The cost of forcefully employing the transformation of truth and illusion to erase the void avatars?"

"It seems Shouqiu's comprehension of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion hasn't yet reached its peak." Thinking this, the Three Sages' minds became considerably calmer.

However, Shouqiu completely disregarded his own changes. His mind was clear, discerning the myriad figures within the surrounding void realm. At every location, he used the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion to forcefully erase the void avatars that had not yet fully manifested.

"What is real, what is false?"

"The very existence or non-existence of truth and illusion lies in a single thought. It is indeed infinitely profound, beyond the imagination of living beings." As Grand Elder Shouqiu effortlessly annihilated the void avatars of the myriad Sages across the sky, with more ease than squashing ants, even though he personally accomplished all this, his heart was filled with an intensely unreal sense of illusion.

Each activation of "Truth is Illusion" slightly enhanced Shouqiu's comprehension of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion. Amidst countless overlapping shadows, Shouqiu slew and progressed. The Grand Dao was as vast as the heavens, yet after Shouqiu effortlessly slaughtered all the encircling void avatars, he was startled to realize that he seemed to have made no progress at all. The peak of the Grand Dao of Truth remained distant and out of reach. This path of enlightenment truly seemed to have no end.

Shouqiu gave a wry smile and shook his head slightly: "Indeed. If the true wielder were to act, there would be no need for me to go through such trouble, personally squashing each one."

"With but a thought, mountains and seas would simply be overturned."

It seemed the crisis brought by the void realm had been resolved, but Shouqiu did not relax. In the dead silence of the darkness, an even greater storm was brewing. "In the war where the void realm devours mountains and seas, Dao Yan serves as a mere pawn, while the void avatars of the Sages are capable generals."

"And those appearing next..."

"Can be called supreme commanders." Shouqiu felt a premonition, his focus fixed on a point ahead.

The accumulated void realm around him receded. As one diminished and the other surged, the mountains and seas surprisingly revived, exhibiting a vibrant flourishing of life. But whether Shouqiu or the Three Sages looked, the more life the mountains and seas showed at this moment, the stronger the aura of death became! Everything originated from the terrifying storm imminent within the void realm.

If previously summoning the void avatars of the Sages was merely deploying troops, then this moment was truly about accumulating power and momentum. On an almost infinite timescale, the void realm, which was in direct opposition to the mountains and seas, now called upon the vast majority of its power to besiege the current section of mountains and seas, forming a monstrous tsunami. Though the waves had not yet arrived, their palpable pressure was already evident. The mountains and seas themselves gradually distorted because of it!

It must be known that the long war between the mountains and seas and the void realm was almost evenly matched. The void realm held a slight advantage, requiring vast amounts of time to gradually devour the mountains and seas completely. The current contraction of the void realm's battle lines across all time nodes meant that most of its previously accumulated advantages would be lost in an instant. If the void realm wished to return to its original state after the mountains and seas counterattacked and recovered, it would have to pay an infinite amount of time anew. Despite such a heavy price, the void realm acted without hesitation.

Grand Elder Shouqiu seemed to perceive the determination of the master player behind the scenes. "Such decisiveness is truly remarkable!"

"It's a pity, though, that it's destined to be a futile effort."

As the winds gathered for the approaching storm over the mountains and seas, Shouqiu stood with his blade drawn between the void realm and this section of the mountains and seas, single-handedly bearing the ever-increasing, terrifying pressure emanating from the entire void realm. His form rippled like pool water disturbed by a gale, ceaselessly. His body grew increasingly dim and transparent. Like a fading star, ready to be swallowed by darkness at any moment. Yet he remained steadfast, awaiting the arrival of the "supreme commander."

"Given my current physical state, I should be able to hold on for a while longer, to probe further into this one's true nature."

"The transformation of truth and illusion is indeed infinitely profound. However, ordinary beings of the mountains and seas genuinely cannot endure it normally."

"Even if one can render all things false with a thought, one's own self will also be affected."

"And the process of reconstruction of mountains and seas after the 'return to truth' is also a process of one's own self being erased by the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion. But unlike our own recreation, it still requires maintaining one's state and connection with the true self of the previous life..."

"Indeed, the true essence of 'return to truth' is not something ordinary people can wield."

"Though a sword is sharp, a child wielding it will only injure himself. Countless in the mountains and seas and the void realm wish to seize the 'return to truth,' but very few understand this principle."

Shouqiu's thoughts were unprecedentedly calm. After being able to truly manifest some of the power of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion, the last trace of greed and possessiveness for the 'return to truth' in his heart completely vanished. Others were unaware of Shouqiu's transformation, but only Li Fan, hidden in the shadows, clearly knew all this. "Grand Elder Shouqiu's accumulation over countless eons, once he acquired the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion and became unrestrained, created such a grand spectacle!" Compared to the scene before him, Li Fan deeply felt that his previous actions, even if they involved burning mountains and boiling seas, were mere trifles.

"One thing Shouqiu said resonated deeply with me."

"The profundity of truth and illusion has never been about concealment or exposure. Since 'return to truth' is at hand, one should naturally act according to one's heart!"

"In the past, when my strength was low, being cautious and prioritizing safety was certainly correct."

"But now that I have the power to contend with the Three Sages, there's no need to be so hesitant anymore." Under the harmonious influence of the Xuanji Ring, as if he himself had, with a single thought, annihilated the Three Sages' avatars and suppressed endless overlapping shadows, Li Fan's mood surged. It was as if a blocked path had suddenly opened, and his thoughts were vastly different from before. Truly, it was a whole new perspective. Of course, excitement aside, Li Fan did not forget Shouqiu's instructions and remained hidden in the dark, not revealing himself in the slightest.

The pressure from the void realm, having condensed to its limit, suddenly lightened. The accumulated momentum vanished, replaced by a figure confronting Shouqiu. This figure was naturally the materialized avatar formed by the void realm drawing upon most of its power, but what was intriguing was that its manifested appearance was strikingly that of Grand Elder Shouqiu. Stripped of the characteristic dim black shadow that veiled the void avatars, Grand Elder Shouqiu looked at his counterpart ahead and actually felt an illusion of looking into a mirror. It wasn't just a resemblance. Grand Elder Shouqiu could also sense that the shadowy Shouqiu ahead had actually absorbed data from countless versions of himself swallowed by Dao Yan. In other words, it was partly formed by the collective condensation of countless void avatars of Shouqiu.

"There are countless capable individuals in the mountains and seas, so why imitate me specifically?" Shouqiu didn't believe that the being behind the void realm would make a futile effort. Soon, he understood the reason from the subtle connection gradually forming between his own body and the shadowy figure ahead. "If it succeeds in killing me, it can take my place."

"Even if it fails, as long as it holds me back, it can slowly assimilate me through this inexplicable connection."

"This connection, originating from the part of me swallowed by Dao Yan, cannot be severed. If not for the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion protecting me, and my presence within Xuanji, forming a strategic alliance with Fellow Daoist Fan and the spirit of morality, I fear the assimilation speed would be hundreds of times faster, or even more."

"The void realm's supreme commander indeed has excellent methods."

However, this all-encompassing assimilation was merely a minor disturbance casually stirred up by the supreme commander before entering the fray. When the shadowy Shouqiu truly acted, it was an earth-shattering tempest! Dao Yan swallowed endless mountains and seas, reaching the pinnacle of destruction. With a gentle wave, the shadowy Shouqiu manifested the ultimate swallowing power of the void realm. Countless vortices instantly surged around him, and Grand Elder Shouqiu felt as if he were trapped in a muddy whirlpool, almost unable to move. The long-enduring power that could devour mountains and seas was now focused solely on Shouqiu. This was the power of encirclement and annihilation across all timescales, concentrated into the present moment. The longer the mountains and seas had existed, the many times more devastating the destructive power became.

Before these monstrous waves capable of obscuring all heaven and earth, Shouqiu felt as if his past and future were both blocked by the storm. Past memories slowly faded, and in the dimness, the future was invisible. Only his present self remained, struggling to hold on. Instinctively operating the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion to protect his body, even as many memories dissipated, Grand Elder Shouqiu still remembered his mission perfectly clearly. Looking at his other self ahead, Grand Elder Shouqiu attempted to render it false with a single thought. But the effect was not satisfactory. If the Three Sages' void shadows he had previously erased were merely thin sheets of paper, then the shadowy Shouqiu at this moment was formed by countless paper figures, layered upon one another, possessing a corresponding substantial thickness. Although it still couldn't prevent the erasure by the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion, it could endure for a long time! "It's still me; my comprehension hasn't reached the essence."

"Otherwise, no matter how thick the accumulation, it could be instantly cut away."

During the stalemate and contemplation, Shouqiu had already devised a countermeasure. "This plan can slay the supreme commander. Or it might force the mastermind behind the scenes to reveal some of their true nature!" Once the thought arose, Shouqiu did not hesitate in the slightest. "Fellow Daoist Fan, watch closely!" Saying this, he actually let go of all his defenses, allowing the shadowy Shouqiu's erosion and assimilation. If Shouqiu truly possessed the 'return to truth,' he naturally wouldn't give up so easily. Alas... he was merely bait.

"When truth becomes false, falsity also becomes true!" As his body gradually sank into the void realm, Shouqiu proclaimed loudly, resolutely unleashing a "Truth is Illusion" blade upon himself. To sever all things is difficult; to sever oneself is easy! Having sat among mountains and seas for countless eons, Grand Elder Shouqiu had long since understood himself, clarified himself, and known himself. The act of erasing himself at this moment was truly as effortless as a master butcher dismembering an ox. With a single strike, Shouqiu's figure became increasingly transparent. Yet, along with it, the shadowy Shouqiu in front also dimmed! Having not expected the "Master of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion" to choose such a self-destructive method, the shadowy Shouqiu was utterly astonished. But the ripple effect of "Truth is Illusion" had already spread like a landslide. The blade of "Truth is Illusion" seemed capable of ignoring space-time and traversing long rivers. To sever the present Shouqiu was to sever the past Shouqiu, the future Shouqiu, and the Shouqiu swallowed by Dao Yan. The countless overlapping data condensed within the shadowy Shouqiu, originally intended to combat Grand Elder Shouqiu, now became fuel for its own self-immolation. "Outsmarted by its own cleverness!" Grand Elder Shouqiu, seizing the advantage, was relentless, accelerating his own integration into the void realm while mercilessly slashing at himself with blades of "Truth is Illusion." "Since you want to devour me, then I shall fulfill your wish!"

"In my entire life, there is no shameful past!" As he faded away, Shouqiu laughed heartily. Past, present, and future would all turn into nothingness. Shouqiu, however, suddenly remembered his own name. Shengde. Shengde Shouqiu.

Shouqiu's demise was merely a beginning. Like a wildfire spreading through connected camps, like a continuous avalanche. The accumulated strike, crafted by the void realm's power over vast eons, struck empty air. Instead, it turned its own power against itself, as the endless transformations of "Truth is Illusion" spread irresistibly. Like a beam of sunlight, dispelling the darkness, the void realm, like a sky full of dark clouds, gradually became riddled with holes and broke apart. Only now did the Three Sages, watching, truly understand that the so-called void realm was not absolute nothingness. Its existence could still be erased by "Truth is Illusion." The great fire of "Truth is Illusion" continuously burned throughout. The endless dark clouds shrouding the mountains and seas slowly dissipated. The vitality of the mountains and seas returned, and the danger of fusion seemed to be resolved. But for some reason, a greater sense of crisis arose in the hearts of the Three Sages instead. As if by telepathy, they simultaneously looked at a certain spot in the field.

At the site of Shouqiu's demise, strands of thin black threads, like spider silk, quietly emerged. In an instant, they wove into an inscrutable and unpredictable net. The threads appeared from nowhere but rooted themselves in the void, and as they slowly wove, they forcibly halted the void realm's original collapsing momentum. It was as if these threads were forcibly stitching together the void realm's imminent collapse. And not only that. Within the void net, a thin thread abruptly extended, originating from where Shouqiu perished, leading to... someone's hiding place!

The true master of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion could never dissipate so easily. Since Shouqiu had perished at this moment, it meant that the true master of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion was someone else! The so-called Shouqiu was merely a probing chess piece released by them. Although the mastermind behind the void realm suffered a setback, they quickly realized this point. Seizing the remnants left after Shouqiu's demise, they attempted to find the true mastermind! Although Shouqiu was "Truth is Illusioned" and severed in all aspects, the lingering repercussions of his disappearance were still present. The mastermind behind the void realm was following these faint traces, meticulously searching, intending to find Li Fan's whereabouts! Even if accumulations of countless eons were overturned in an instant, it was not yet the moment of defeat. As long as the location of the Grand Dao of Truth and Illusion could be found, everything would be worthwhile. The void net moved synchronously with the extending thread, and wherever it went, space-time itself seemed to freeze. The net grew larger and larger. As if sensing the danger, the reviving mountains and seas paused their growth to avoid its sharp edge. The Three Sages' expressions were grave; while evading, they jointly protected their own safety. At first, this net was only the size of a palm, but in an instant, it had formed a vast, inescapable net, encompassing the entire cosmos!