Chapter 1697: Three Transformations Resolve the Crisis

The Innately Fierce Entities, present in multiple magnitudes, brought not only a more powerful spiritual erosion but also an overwhelming, almost palpable pressure.

It's important to note that each Innately Fierce Entity was capable of inflicting fatal damage on the Three Sages through surprise attacks.

Now, fifteen such entities attacked simultaneously. While not comparable to the siege by thousands of Sage phantoms in the previous life, it instantly made the defenses of Li Fan and the other two precarious.

The pressure generated by each additional turtle shell, ancestral bone, and life-cord multiplied exponentially.

The fact that they didn't instantly collapse already demonstrated the profound depths of their foundations.

Facing such a desperate situation, they harbored no thought of giving up.

Instead, they strenuously sought a way out from the impossible.

“United in spirit, a trinity.”

Li Fan and the other two were slowly compressed into one spot by the attacks of the fifteen Innately Fierce Entities, forming a defensive angle with their backs to each other.

One person's sight was the eyes of all three; what one saw, all three perceived.

One person's will became the resolve of all three.

Influences from various Innately Fierce Entities were simultaneously exerted upon them.

However, at this moment, Li Fan fully embodied his own destiny, possessing Shouqiu's foresight and magnanimity, while also achieving the perfection of morality.

Boundless malevolence assailed them like surging waves.

Yet, leveraging the collective will of the three, he resolved it wave after wave.

Shouqiu and Daode were likewise.

The Innately Fierce Entities gained a fivefold amplification, yet Li Fan's defense also instantly tripled.

Furthermore, as the external pressure continuously increased, Li Fan felt their "united spirit" (同心同德) also becoming invisibly more harmonious and fluid.

He could weave endless cycles of reincarnation using the Grand Dao of Universal Return, while also holding longevity in hand, overseeing mountains and seas. He could also achieve perfect morality, with an inexhaustible source.

It wasn't merely the three of them subjectively uniting their spirits; even the Grand Daos they controlled began to acknowledge each other. Li Fan instantly had a flash of inspiration, and in a lull in the Innately Fierce Entities' attacks, he extracted a large amount of accumulated True Spirits from the Void Realm.

“By Fan, summon Shouqiu!”

His expression was solemn as he pointed outside himself.

True Spirits surged, shimmering with vibrant light, and a phantom figure slowly emerged from within.

Its demeanor and aura bore a strong resemblance to Shouqiu, yet its appearance was eighty percent similar to Li Fan's.

It could be called a Shouqiu-version of Li Fan.

This was Li Fan, using the Grand Dao of Longevity under his command and calling upon infinite True Spirits, to instantly manifest another Sage!

Under normal circumstances, there would never be two Sages following the same path in the Mountains and Seas.

But under the profound effect of their united spirit, the inexplicable influence of the 'True Reversion' inheritance, and the unimaginable multi-layered external pressure, even the Grand Dao of the Mountains and Seas gradually regarded Li Fan, Shouqiu, and Daode as one entity.

Since they were one, there could be no conflict.

As soon as Li Fan's Shouqiu avatar appeared, it joined the trio's defense line.

Still united in spirit, without any gaps.

Its form was as towering as mountains and seas, shielding them from the external wind and rain.

“By Fan, summon Daode!”

Li Fan didn't stop and continued to create his Daode avatar.

As two currents of aura circulated, Li Fan's Daode manifestation strode out.

His expression was a half-smile, half-frown, both righteous and wicked.

Black and white colors rotated around his body, sharing the brunt of the storms faced by the group.

It wasn't just Li Fan. At the same instant, Shouqiu and Daode each also manifested two avatars.

Each corresponding to one of the other two.

In a mere moment, six additional Sages of peak strength appeared out of thin air as assistance.

The pressure they were experiencing instantly lightened.

With their three main bodies as the inner core, the other six avatars formed a surrounding ring.

Wherever the defense line was weak, their combined strength instantly converged there.

Their power reached wherever their thoughts directed.

The result was as if Li Fan and the other two could simultaneously wield nine times their strength.

Moreover, the defense line they formed remained fluid and autonomous, without any awkwardness or flaws.

In contrast, on the Void Realm's side, although their offensive appeared vast and terrifying with a full fifteen Innately Fierce Entities,

they were fighting independently and were merely fivefold replicas.

Once they gradually adapted to the attack of one entity, the threat from the other four replicas also seemed to become less fatal.

Li Fan and the other two, along with their six avatars, cooperated with increasing synergy.

They could even simultaneously neutralize the Innately Fierce Entities' attacks while contemplating and gaining insights into the Dao.

“Actually, if truly pushed to desperation, without resorting to the Grand Dao of Truth and Falsehood, we still have one last desperate move.”

“Just as Daode did before attaining the Dao, we can perform the 'separation of morality'!”

“Each body can do this. This would instantly double our combat strength!”

“However, splitting is easy; achieving perfect morality again would not be so simple. The consequences could very likely be our fall from the Sage realm, or even the shattering of our united spirit, leading to self-destruction.” Li Fan's thoughts churned as he rapidly deduced.

Daode deeply agreed: “But with 'True Reversion,' we don't need to consider so much. First, let's overcome this calamity and observe the changes in the Mountains and Seas!” Shouqiu gazed into the depths of the Void Realm, thoughtfully remarking: “The withdrawal of twelve Innately Fierce Entities will undeniably have a significant impact on the battle in the Mountains and Seas. I have a premonition that the changes in the Mountains and Seas after this 'True Reversion' might bring a pleasant surprise.”

Every insight the trio gained during the battle was shared and circulated among their minds.

In contrast to the Innately Fierce Entities, which were destined to remain unchanged since their appearance in the current world, Li Fan and the others were genuinely growing stronger with each passing moment.

Moreover, the pace of this improvement was incredibly outrageous.

The outcome of this battle was already sealed at this moment.

Unless the mastermind behind the Void Realm introduced further variables.

Of course, even with their united spirit, the trio's power output still had a limit.

Even with Li Fan's envisioned 'morality separation' fission, they would at most reach eighteen Sages of the Mountains and Seas.

If the mastermind behind the Void Realm, like in the previous life, were to summon thousands of Sage phantoms from other time nodes regardless of the cost, Li Fan and the others' defense line would instantly be crushed.

However, in this life, Li Fan and his companions had not shown any signs related to the 'Truth and Falsehood Transformation'.

In the eyes of the Void Realm's mastermind, they were merely Sages who were a bit stronger and possessed slightly more novel methods.

As a rational supreme commander, it would never make such an irrational move.

Thus, after a final assessment of the current situation, it decisively chose to withdraw its forces.

Faster than they arrived, the Innately Fierce Entities and the three Sage Void Realm avatars all vanished without a trace in an instant.

However, this temporary retreat did not mean the Void Realm had given up its struggle for the current Mountains and Seas.

Li Fan keenly noticed that as the three Sage Void Realm avatars departed, the obstructive Dao Annihilation (道湮) ahead became even more profound.

While it couldn't harm powers at the level of the Three Sages, it posed an increasingly devastating blow to ordinary Sages and the Mountains and Seas.

Since they couldn't take this place for now, they would try to hold it back.

After dealing with forces from other time nodes, they would then dispatch a large army to overwhelm with absolute power.

From a certain perspective, the Void Realm mastermind's decision could not be considered wrong.

Unfortunately, when the Lone Star appeared in the world, even the entire Void Realm was engulfed. It was then reset with the activation of 'True Reversion'.

Therefore, it did not know that what it had given up was the very locus of the Grand Dao of Truth and Falsehood!

With the external threat gone, the atmosphere in the field did not lighten.

The Three Sages and Li Fan's trio looked at each other, each with their own thoughts.

Li Fan and the others didn't need to explain their origins.

After resolving the danger of the Three Sages' demise, the Three Sages' divine consciousness they held automatically left their bodies.

Returning to the Three Sages' true forms.

Thus, the Three Sages became aware of all the causes and effects.

However, even now, they found it somewhat incredible that Li Fan's trio had successfully withstood the attacks of fifteen Innately Fierce Entities.

“Three fellow Daoists, what great divine abilities!” Sage Guihai praised, sweeping his gaze across them.

“It was merely luck,” Li Fan said, not batting an eyelid. “After a long and arduous battle, we were at the end of our ropes. Had the Void Realm not withdrawn its forces in time, we would have nearly perished on the spot!”

Shouqiu also smiled: “We must also thank the Three Sages for the gift of their united spirit. Otherwise, we would have had no chance of resisting.”

Daode also nodded in agreement: “If not for this united spirit, we wouldn't have known how perfectly compatible we are with each other.”

They knew their own capabilities.

As the creators of the Xuanji Ring, the Three Sages naturally knew very well that a united spirit could indeed double combat strength. However, it was difficult to achieve the kind of tenfold or more amplification that Li Fan and his companions demonstrated.

However, judging from their performance in the recent battle, the combat strength of Li Fan's trio was no longer inferior to theirs.

It was also not suitable to press them forcefully for answers.

“The turmoil in the Void Realm has not yet subsided. For now, let us first re-link the Mountains and Seas.”

The six looked at each other and for now reached a consensus. They then turned back to face the two sections of the Mountains and Seas, separated by the Void Realm.

Things were different now.

With the Three Sages present in both sections of the Mountains and Seas, and Li Fan's support, even ten thousand years of swallowed time could be easily restored.

Under the combined efforts of the Sages, strands of the Mountains and Seas' cosmic pathways reappeared within the Void Realm.

First, a beam of light pierced the darkness.

Then, myriad rays of light shone brightly.

The Mountains and Seas were restored.

At the instant of this re-linking, the Sages seated on the other shore all felt a surging, boiling aura rise from within them.

They had clearly received immense benefits.

After all, they had gained an additional ten thousand years of accumulation out of thin air, plus the merit of the Mountains and Seas' re-linking.

Their strength, if not doubled, had greatly advanced.

Perhaps the only exception was Li Fan.

He had no presence in this particular segment of the Mountains and Seas, so there was no 'two becoming one' for him.

However, the fluctuations emanating from him were in no way weaker than anyone else's.

Aside from the disguise he created by stirring up accumulated True Spirits, it was also due to the feedback from Shouqiu and Daode's gains.

Although they were still seated within the Xuanji Ring, facing the Three Sages, Li Fan, Shouqiu, and Daode had already formed a cohesive unit.

They could subtly contend with the Three Sages and no longer needed to act as cautiously as before.

However, in this re-linking, it seemed the Three Sages of Lianshan benefited the most. Originally, Li Fan had full confidence when facing them.

But with yet another re-linking of the Mountains and Seas, the Three Sages became difficult to fathom once more.

“After all, they are ancient beings who have existed since the very beginning of the Mountains and Seas’ evolution.”

“Shouqiu’s profound foundation is already unimaginable. How much more so for the Three Sages?”

“The sum total of the Mountains and Seas’ civilization, living beings, and Grand Daos will undoubtedly grow stronger with each re-linking of the Mountains and Seas.”

“Or rather, they are restoring their original strength.”

Li Fan had already anticipated this.

Even so, Li Fan believed that the Three Sages would not be able to discern the true nature of his trio with Shouqiu and Daode in a short time.

As long as they shared the common goal of saving the Mountains and Seas, the balance would not be easily broken.

“The re-linking of the Mountains and Seas has successfully restored ten thousand years of time. This is indeed a great blessing!”

“However, even though the re-linking was successful, why do I always feel that this newly restored Mountains and Seas... is a bit strange?” Baixiao asked suddenly, looking at the newly restored ten thousand years of Mountains and Seas.

Sage Lianshan replied: “It's not your imagination. After all, the Mountains and Seas were separated by the Void Realm for too long. Although past cosmic pathways served as a basis for its reappearance from nothingness, it's inevitable that the current Mountains and Seas will differ slightly from its former self.”

“Some possibilities might cease to exist entirely. While others might become completely unrecognizable.”

“Correspondingly, the entire downstream Mountains and Seas will be slightly affected.”

“However, it will benefit the overall trend of the Mountains and Seas, with no harm.”

Shouqiu suddenly spoke to Li Fan in his mind: “All traces of Emperor Tianluo's past existence have vanished.”

Li Fan was stunned and looked towards the original possibilities within the Mountains and Seas.

In the original Immortal Realm, Emperor Tianluo should have been ruling.

The newly restored Mountains and Seas should have followed past inertia and reproduced all that had happened.

But for some unknown reason, in the newly emerging original possibilities at this moment, Emperor Tianluo was absent. Instead, another Immortal Emperor named Lingxi was present.

The upstream flow had clearly changed course.

This caused the original possibilities to subtly undergo changes.

Li Fan clearly saw that as if cut in two by a knife, it was trending towards evolving into two completely distinct possibilities.

The one growing vigorously was naturally the new sequence of original possibilities that inherited Immortal Emperor Lingxi.

As for the original sequence familiar to Li Fan...

it truly became water without a source, wood without roots. Without the infusion of power from the Mountains and Seas' upstream, it would inevitably fall into slow decay.

“What does this mean?” Li Fan frowned slightly.

He naturally wasn't worried about his trio, born from the original possibilities, being affected by this anomaly.

Those at the Transcendence Realm were already no longer constrained by the possibilities they originated from, let alone those with their current level of strength.

“The Mountains and Seas are restored, yet Tianluo is not among them.”

“Could it be that...”

Shouqiu was also unsure for a moment.

“What the Three Sages said earlier, about not witnessing Emperor Tianluo transcending with the entire Immortal Realm, might not be entirely true.”

“We still need to uncover the truth ourselves,” Daode murmured.

“In the restored Mountains and Seas, there are no traces of Tianluo. What truly happened back then might be impossible to know now. Only by finding the so-called 'opportunity' that Emperor Tianluo sought in the lower realms from an even more ancient time in the Mountains and Seas can we deduce it.” Shouqiu's gaze shifted to the Mountains and Seas ahead.

“If my estimation is correct, it should be within the Mountains and Seas ahead.”

Hearing this, Li Fan was somewhat dazed: “I thought Emperor Tianluo's matter was from the extremely distant past. Who would have thought that for us in the Mountains and Seas, it was merely two or three steps. From the perspective of the entire Mountains and Seas, it's just an insignificant period of time.”

Daode also seemed to fall into thought: “The Tianluo Transformation only occurred at the end of his reign. It is likely that he changed after finding the so-called 'creation'. Indeed, we can glimpse its secrets.”

“However...”

“If it truly was an opportunity to transcend the Mountains and Seas, I fear once lost, it's lost forever,” Daode suddenly said.