Chapter 1701: Invisible Net Descends from the Sky

“Who can distinguish between what is real and what is illusory, and who can truly understand it?”

“Fellow Daoist Fan’s recently manifested world has reached a state where illusion is virtually indistinguishable from reality, transcending mere simulation.” Guardian Qiu, seemingly still absorbed in the simulated scene, couldn’t help but exclaim.

Dao De was also astonished: “The Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood is incredibly profound. It’s not so much a deduction as it is a real world, existing purely within Fellow Daoist Fan’s mind, manifesting and vanishing with his thoughts.”

“Based on the information currently at hand, it is indeed possible that the enigmatic Mountain and Sea Walker is Qiu Tianhui. Their ability to roam the mountains and seas, overseeing the entire situation, suggests they are planning something of immense significance.”

Li Fan smiled. “Let them contend! With our mastery over the transformations of truth and falsehood, we are practically invincible. We only need to proceed systematically to reach the Origin of Mountains and Seas. We might even be able to thoroughly investigate that matter of the split consciousness!”

Li Fan and his two companions communicated secretly among themselves. Meanwhile, inside the Xuanji Ring of the Other Shore, the Saints were also deep in discussion.

They had initially intended to follow the clues to uncover the hidden whereabouts of Qiu Tianhui and his wife’s true forms. To their surprise, their avatars had already vanished.

However, they deliberately left behind two threads of thought, two anchor points.

Though not their true bodies, these still implicated the secrets of the living beings of the mountains and seas.

If these fell into the hands of the Void Realm, the mountains and seas could instantly be plunged into dire peril.

Ultimately, the Three Saints of Lianshan made a decisive choice.

“Regardless, the importance of the mountains and seas ahead is beyond question. Given the Void Realm’s heavy encirclement, our overt counter-attack might provoke fierce resistance. Since we’ve discovered this network they left behind, we can use it to infiltrate.”

“We must suppress and protect these two individuals. Once their safety is assured, we shall launch our counter-attack from the lower reaches of the mountains and seas. With coordinated efforts from within and without, we will break the Void Realm’s siege!”

As the Three Saints of Lianshan spoke, their gaze fell upon Qiejin.

“Qiejin, the chosen one among living beings, you are the only suitable one here…” Qiejin’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded in assent. “I was just hoping to meet them.”

“Once you go, you must maintain your true self and prioritize the greater good of the mountains and seas,” Saint Lianshan instructed, with a hint of deeper meaning.

Then, under the watchful eyes of all the Saints, Qiejin instantly closed his eyes.

The infant body he had possessed suddenly dissipated like a speck of light.

Floating in the void, he struggled against the current, moving upstream along the invisible network of the mountains and seas.

He wavered precariously, progressing with extreme difficulty.

With every segment of his journey, the condensed speck of light diminished slightly.

By the time he successfully infiltrated the mountains and seas ahead, he had become extraordinarily dim, almost indistinguishable from an ordinary mortal.

“It appears the innate rejection of external forces by the Great Dao of the mountains and seas’ living beings is truly formidable. The power Fellow Daoist Qiejin was imbued with has been largely eroded. Upon being reborn into the mountains and seas ahead, it’s likely he will no longer possess the strength of a Saint, effectively becoming no different from a mortal.” Upon witnessing this, all the Saints shook their heads slightly.

“The most crucial factor is whether Fellow Daoist Qiejin can retain his memories. If so, with his capabilities, even recovering from a mortal state would be effortless,” Guiming expressed with great confidence in Saint Qiejin.

“Let’s wait and see.”

Qiejin’s true form remained motionless, like a stone statue, while the other Saints patiently awaited developments.

After an unknown period, as if discerning something, Saint Lianshan suddenly spoke again: “There’s no need to wait idly. Let’s resume the decoy operation. If Qiejin’s mission fails, we will still have a fallback.”

Upon hearing this, all the Saints’ hearts instantly tightened.

Though not explicitly stated, the implication was clear: Qiejin’s mission was very likely to fail, and they needed to make alternative preparations soon. “What did Lianshan see?”

Li Fan also harbored some doubts.

He had once clashed with Saint Qiejin and knew well that his character and tenacity were among the most exceptional of all living beings in the mountains and seas.

It stood to reason that he shouldn’t have failed.

Though doubts emerged, it did not deter the Saints from once again scattering living decoys.

In an instant, stars twinkled, and countless new beings began to gestate.

The recipient of the fortunate choice this time was Saint Baixiao.

He was seen muttering under his breath, a look of ill fortune on his face.

Just then, Saint Qiejin suddenly opened his eyes.

It was unclear what ordeal he had endured, but it had destabilized his true form’s aura. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and his complexion instantly paled. Under the Saints’ scrutiny, it seemed as though his mastery of the Qiejin Great Dao had been severed and diminished!

Such a sudden turn of events instantly startled all the Saints within the Xuanji Ring.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, attentively infusing him with true spirit. Simultaneously, he seized the opportunity to observe closely, checking if Qiejin was merely feigning his condition.

He discovered that Qiejin’s injuries this time were indeed extremely severe, not feigned.

He was even more astonished.

The Saints did not press him but waited until Qiejin had recovered slightly before inquiring about what had transpired ahead.

“How incredibly strange! I clearly traveled upstream into the mountains and seas ahead. Even with a ‘Dao Annihilation’ spanning it, the temporal difference should have been no more than a hundred thousand years. But…” “What I witnessed was a primeval, savage landscape! Mountains and seas were indiscernible, the Great Dao was chaotic… and fierce individuals emerged in droves. It was truly like the fabled Primordial Immortal Realm!” Qiejin took a deep breath, his expression grave.

“‘The Primordial Immortal Realm?’” The Saints were astounded. To ascertain Qiejin’s previous destination, they once again looked up.

Although the mountains and seas ahead were heavily besieged by the Void Realm, the general situation bore no significant difference from their current mountains and seas.

“‘It appears my observation was not mistaken,’ Saint Lianshan interjected.”

“‘Saint Lianshan, what exactly did you witness?’ the Saints hastily inquired.”

“‘It’s not what I saw, but rather that Fellow Daoist Qiejin vanished from my sight the instant he entered the mountains and seas ahead,’ Lianshan truthfully revealed.”

Saint Guihai’s expression also gradually turned grave. “Vast and boundless obscurity, shrouding the sky and eclipsing the sun. It spans across past and present, connecting all mountains and seas. Has our old friend appeared? Wasn’t He…”

“‘How could He be here?’”

“‘The Great Dao of the mountains and seas’ living beings involves the very essence of the mountains and seas. Even we must handle it with extreme caution. If those entities from the Origin of Mountains and Seas were to notice us following clues to their source, intent on devouring them, such a reaction would be entirely expected.’ A murderous glint flashed in Saint Taiyi’s eyes.”

The Rod of All Beings, floating before him, seemed to sense something, inexplicably appearing and looking eager for action.

At this moment, Qiejin finally couldn’t restrain himself and spoke up: “May I ask the Three Saints, who exactly is the orchestrator ahead? And the Primordial Immortal Realm I experienced…”

“‘His name is Suo. He delights in devouring mountains and seas using the power of warp and weft. The scene you experienced earlier must have been the superficial manifestation of the mountains and seas that he consumed whole in the past. Now, he has released it to shroud the current mountains and seas,’ Saint Lianshan clarified for everyone.”

All the Saints of the Other Shore could not conceal their shock upon hearing this.

No one had anticipated that, despite the Saints’ scrutiny, an invisible, vast net had already enveloped the mountains and seas ahead.

The current situation clearly showed that Suo had already claimed it as his own.

“‘Suo has always been timid and cautious, always lurking at the Origin of Mountains and Seas, unwilling to leave any trace for later generations. His sudden appearance now…’ ‘It seems a major anomaly has emerged at the Origin of Mountains and Seas. He finally couldn’t hold back.’ Before Saint Guihai, the Guihai Shovel also quietly materialized as he spoke.”

It was clear that, like Saint Taiyi, he was now truly filled with murderous intent.

“‘Do not panic,’ Saint Lianshan interrupted.”

Saint Lianshan’s expression remained as calm as ever.

“‘We are not in our full power, and Suo…’”

“‘However, he has made an exceedingly rare true form descent. If we were to confront him directly, I fear we would not fare well. We need to plan this carefully over the long term.’”

As Saint Lianshan uttered these words, the Xuanji Ring fell into a profound silence.

A Primordial Saint, having descended in their true form.

Their strength, capable of contending with the Three Saints at their peak, was naturally formidable.

Though all were Saints, their combat prowess was vastly different.

Now, if even the Three Saints, after several counter-attacks, admitted they wouldn’t fare well, the others were likely no match at all.

“To encounter such a formidable being, no wonder Qiejin suffered such a devastating defeat,” Li Fan realized with a jolt.

With unexpected obstacles arising, the Three Saints did not rush into action.

Instead, they once again inquired in detail about Qiejin’s encounter.

“‘After my wisp of an avatar was swallowed, my memories weren’t fully inherited. I only vaguely recall that upon falling into that Primordial Immortal Realm, I seemed to be met with the hostility of the entire world. Every living being I encountered rushed at me without reason, relentlessly trying to kill me!’”

“‘I fought and fled, exhausting all my strength, but in the end, I could not evade that deadly tribulation!’ Qiejin still seemed unwilling to concede.”

“‘Furthermore, the beings that initially pursued me were not significantly stronger than when I first arrived. But as my strength gradually recovered and increased, the power and number of my pursuers also surged. It was as if…’”

“‘…as if my opponent was deliberately toying with me, making me believe there was hope of survival, only to then slowly torment me to death, step by step!’” Qiejin’s face grew increasingly grim as he recalled.

Taiyi nodded. “‘Indeed, that is Suo’s method.’”

“‘Keeping beings on the brink of existence or death — such a state is what fully ignites a living being’s potential. Only then can Suo complete his full consumption this time.’”

“‘It is likely that in order to cope with the crisis, you were forced to employ the means of Qiejin. And you were precisely exploited by him through this method…’”

Only then did Qiejin realize why the Great Dao he commanded had been damaged.

He was both surprised and furious, and with a hint of incomprehension, he uttered, “With my profound mastery of the Dao, how could I still be encroached upon by another?”

Saint Lianshan gently waved his hand, soothing Qiejin’s troubled mind.

He slowly explained, “The Great Daos we command all originate from the mountains and seas. Suo’s greatest skill is to devour mountains and seas. It is merely him taking what is already on another’s plate.”

“‘Does that not mean my injuries cannot be healed?’ Qiejin realized with a start a moment later.”

“‘Not necessarily. Suo’s only concern is the mountains and seas themselves. He consumes Qiejin merely to devour the mountains and seas. Once he has fully grasped the principles of the mountains and seas within it, he will voluntarily expel the Qiejin Great Dao he consumed…’”

“‘If he only consumed and never relinquished, Suo would have become a universal target long ago and wouldn’t have survived until now,’ Saint Guihai reassured.”

Upon hearing this, Qiejin finally breathed a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, his original Great Dao, which he had commanded, had been taken and consumed by another. For its return, he would have to wait until the other party had completed their digestion.

This truly left Qiejin feeling a sense of unprecedented frustration.

“‘I only regret that I was merely a wisp of divine consciousness, a divided manifestation. If my true form had gone personally, it is yet unknown who would have devoured whom!’” Qiejin scoffed.

Despite his words, he remained within the Xuanji Ring. Under the influence of the Three Saints’ unity, Qiejin naturally would not recklessly risk his life.

“‘What Suo seeks must be the living beings of the mountains and seas. We cannot allow him to succeed.’”

“‘But as for how to break this situation…’”

Lianshan cast a glance at Saint Baixiao.

Despite his myriad reservations, Baixiao could only follow suit. Along that network of the mountains and seas, he divided his consciousness and projected it inward.

Whether intentionally or not, Baixiao’s performance proved far inferior to Qiejin’s.

That speck of light had dissipated by more than half even before it officially entered the mountains and seas.

By the time it successfully vanished, only a speck of light, the size of a rice grain, remained. From its appearance, it should have been no different from a mortal.

As expected, it wasn’t long before Baixiao opened his eyes again.

“‘It truly is the landscape of the Primordial Immortal Realm!’”

“‘Both majestic and fierce!’”

However, Baixiao did not suffer the loss of his essence, unlike Qiejin.

This was likely because he had learned from the previous experience and refrained from utilizing his own Qiejin Great Dao.

With lingering trepidation, he recounted his experience to the others: “My experience was quite similar to Fellow Daoist Qiejin’s. The moment I was born, I was pursued by every living being in that world. However, armed with Fellow Daoist Qiejin’s insights, I attempted to conceal my strength during the encounters. Yet…”

Baixiao expressed some helplessness: “That realm seemed to possess complete insight into every aspect of my being. The ferocious entities it manifested were precisely those I could only barely manage by expending all my strength. Realizing this, and to avoid being further toyed with, I voluntarily ended my own life.” The Saints fell silent for a moment.

“‘Let’s try another probe,’ Saint Lianshan said after a moment’s contemplation.”

And so, the sequence of events repeated.

The recipient of the third trial was Fangcun.

Fangcun, however, did not dwell on the temporary loss of his essence, and instead exerted his utmost effort to cope.

His duration of perseverance even exceeded Qiejin’s by several times.

But ultimately, he too was defeated.

Evidently, the longer one persisted, the more of their essence was imperceptibly exploited and consumed.

When Fangcun’s consciousness returned, he appeared to be severely wounded.

His face was ashen, and his breath was barely perceptible!

Li Fan promptly infused him with true spirit.

The Three Saints also each released a surge of aura to stabilize Fangcun’s injuries.

Once his condition stabilized, Fangcun described his ordeal to the others: “Building on the experiences of the previous two Fellow Daoists, I had planned to adopt a different approach. Relying solely on my speed, I would only seize and not kill.”

“‘Initially, it was effective. Although those fierce entities swarmed me from all directions, they couldn’t touch me in the slightest. Without needing to engage in combat, their strength remained at its initial level for a long time. But then…’”

Fangcun coughed softly. “‘They actually gradually mastered my Fangcun Great Dao! Their speed accelerated, eventually becoming subtly comparable to mine. I was then forced to engage them in combat…’”

“‘Naturally, I followed in the footsteps of Fellow Daoists Qiejin and Baixiao.’”

“‘Fellow Daoist Fangcun, to avert the crisis of the mountains and seas, did not hesitate to allow his fundamental Great Dao to be lost. Truly, a model for us all!’ Baixiao remarked, seemingly with some shame.”

Fangcun stated earnestly, “‘In any case, Suo will eventually release it. Compared to a temporary loss, it is far more important to quickly understand his scheme and devise a way to counter it.’”

All the Saints nodded, deeply concurring.

The Three Saints did not undertake further probes; instead, they closed their eyes and began to make deductions.