Chapter 1717: Becoming the Void Realm Lord

Furious Cuttlefish:

The 'Outline of Shan Hai Changes' is the complete compendium of all data regarding Shan Hai, as recorded by Huanzhen.

The 'Abbreviated Rhythms of Starlight,' on the other hand, comprises Huanzhen's observations of the Star hidden behind the scenes.

At the culmination of every cycle of reincarnation, the Lone Star invariably descends, consuming everything. Subsequently, Huanzhen intervenes to turn the tide and reverse all effects.

This has never changed.

However, does every reset by Huanzhen completely affect the Star as well?

Does it constantly return to its starting point, or is its progress merely delayed, still undergoing substantial changes?

This remains unknown.

However, if even the silver glow hidden in the infinite ocean depths can retain some intuition, then the Lone Star, one would imagine, needs no further explanation.

“In my past, I underwent countless cycles of reincarnation and experimentation. The true extent of the changes in the Lone Star is truly concerning. Perhaps this is also why Huanzhen specifically left these two inheritance options.”

“The 'Outline of Shan Hai Changes' serves as the foundation for establishing cultivation paths. Meanwhile, the 'Abbreviated Starlight Changes' serves more as a cautionary reminder for prevention.”

In Li Fan's view, all changes within Shan Hai, even the birth of new gods, are not to be feared. Only the Lone Star poses a genuine threat to him, as he wields the 'Transformation of True and False'.

Currently, Huanzhen can still reverse everything. But should the day come when Huanzhen can no longer sway the Lone Star...

Then all would be irredeemable.

With thoughts swirling in his mind, Li Fan tried to discern something from the pulsating starlight before him.

Unlike the evident 'Outline of Shan Hai Changes,' Huanzhen's record of observations concerning the Star was filled with an unspeakable eeriness.

As the starlight permeated him, Li Fan faintly heard inexplicable murmuring whispers near his ears.

The sky of the Profound Yellow Realm seemed to come alive.

It opened numerous yellow-and-black eyes.

Li Fan naturally observed them.

The moment he met the gaze of one, they too seemed to detect Li Fan's presence. Instantly, all other eyes simultaneously turned towards him.

Furthermore, the eyes on the sky curtain multiplied, growing more and more numerous.

They continuously opened, densely packed, almost obscuring the entire sky.

All of them stared fixedly at Li Fan. The rhythm of the starlight became increasingly elusive.

Sounds reached his ears, occasionally mixed with wretched screams.

And from these sounds, Li Fan surprisingly felt a sense of familiarity.

It was identical to the echoes of the Profound Yellow Mad Heavenly Dao that Su Bai had once sealed and Xu Ke had carried.

Li Fan couldn't help but listen closely.

“Eh! It's you!”

“Somewhat familiar!”

“A mere Dao-harmonizing cultivator, yet you instinctively fill me with dread? Where does this feeling come from?”

“Damn you! Damn you to hell!”

“Why did you harm me! Why are you here!”

“Ahhh, save me, save me…”

“No, I… I am no longer myself!”

Chaos, madness, eeriness, and utter incomprehension.

Li Fan frowned slightly, then suddenly realized something and withdrew from his contemplation of the 'Abbreviated Rhythms of Starlight'.

The pulsating starlight against the backdrop of the Profound Yellow Realm vanished.

But…

The densely packed eyes on the sky curtain, however, did not disappear!

They remained, all staring intently at Li Fan, their eyes filled with mad hatred!

“Hmm.”

Li Fan felt a slight shock in his heart, naturally not out of fear of the maddened Profound Yellow Realm.

Even though he currently only possessed Dao-harmonizing cultivation, he could easily crush this Profound Yellow Heavenly Dao with a single finger.

What truly startled him was that merely 'seeing' the rhythms of starlight during his contemplation could actually influence the reality of Shan Hai. “The Star's records, once observed by the outside world, are capable of altering and distorting reality.”

“This power…”

Li Fan frowned, his gaze piercing through the Profound Yellow Realm to survey the entire Primal Possibility.

Perhaps because the observation occurred within the Profound Yellow Realm, the Star's influence in the outside world was noticeably weaker than within the Profound Yellow Realm itself. However, once it appeared, it did not vanish. Instead, it spread rapidly like some horrifying plague.

The Primal Possibility, already precarious under the threat of Dao Annihilation, now resembled a fading photograph, becoming mottled and decaying.

Meanwhile, the low murmurs from the Profound Yellow Realm continued incessantly in Li Fan's ears.

“I will kill you! Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!”

“Kill me quickly! Please, kill me!”

“No! Don't listen to them! Save me, please! Father!”

“Mommy, save me! I'm in so much pain!”

There were desperate roars from men, mournful cries from little girls, and weak moans from boys.

A thousand sounds converged, interweaving like an orchestra.

It wasn't merely meaningless madness; rather, it seemed to be tainted with memories from past reincarnations.

“Noisy!”

Faced with these noises, a cold glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

Disregarding any past sentiments, his divine sense enveloped the entire Profound Yellow Realm and all areas of the Primal Possibility that had been contaminated by starlight.

And even dozens of surrounding possibilities.

Then, the power of 'Transformation of True and False' was decisively activated.

The wails from Profound Yellow ceased abruptly, and complete silence fell upon Li Fan's ears.

As far as his eyes could see, Shan Hai regained its proper, normal colors.

Void surrounded him, and Dao Annihilation surged, yet Li Fan felt a peace he had never experienced before.

Compared to the extraordinarily eerie pulsating starlight, Dao Annihilation now seemed somewhat benign. The demise of dozens of possibilities was, for the vast Shan Hai, merely the vanishing of a single ripple. However, with the Saints present within the Xuanji Ring, surveying Shan Hai, such anomalies naturally could not escape their notice.

Fortunately, Li Fan, at the first opportune moment, temporarily hid in other possibilities under the protection of 'Illusion and Reality'.

The 'Transformation of True and False' erased all traces, utterly and completely.

The Saints' divine senses searched thoroughly but found no clues whatsoever. They had no choice but to withdraw reluctantly.

“I never expected that merely reading the records of the Star would be so perilous.”

“Although I reacted promptly and severed the Star's contamination, however…”

“I'm afraid its effects haven't been completely erased. In this cycle, a new variable has emerged.”

Li Fan frowned as he calculated, trying to pinpoint where this variable lay.

However, he could not ascertain it.

He had no choice but to temporarily give up.

“Starlight…”

“It seems that completely deciphering Huanzhen's records requires the right timing.”

For now, he didn't attempt to analyze the 'Abbreviated Rhythms of Starlight' further, but instead focused on restoring his cultivation.

Naturally, he still chose the Way of Cycle of the Cosmos.

But the moment he began cultivating, Li Fan noticed something unusual about his body.

“This feeling…”

After a moment of contemplation and realization, Li Fan let out a cold snort and decided to ignore it for now. He simply continued his enlightenment.

Ten years later.

The familiar sensation returned.

If Li Fan so wished, one more step would allow him to ascend to the realm of a Saint.

“In my previous life, it took me nearly three hundred years to cultivate from a mortal realm to a Saint of the Way of Cycle of the Cosmos. In this life, it only took ten years?”

He recalled that it had taken him a similar amount of time just to shed his miasma and achieve a breakthrough back then.

Yet now, he could ascend from mortal to Saint in just ten years. Such speed made even Li Fan, who possessed his past memories, feel a jolt of alarm.

“This is absolutely not due to an improvement in my own innate talent.”

“Rather, it's…”

“It's due to the influence of the starlight's contamination.”

“Aside from the Profound Yellow Realm and the Primal Possibility, have I, to some extent, also become diseased?”

“No wonder, no matter how much I calculated, I couldn't pinpoint where the variable lay. It turned out to be within me.”

Li Fan quietly observed himself but didn't detect the slightest sign of 'fading'.

However, he had become somewhat certain about the fact that he was affected by the starlight's contamination.

Li Fan had not hesitated or shown any leniency when severing the pathological changes in the Profound Yellow Realm and other areas.

But when the affliction was within himself…

Li Fan naturally wouldn't choose to act against himself.

“Interesting. An unprecedented experience.”

Li Fan felt no panic; he could sense that the starlight's contamination was not particularly severe.

Even the descent of the Lone Star could be reversed by Huanzhen.

All the more so for mere distortions brought about by recorded starlight.

“The reason my cultivation talent has undergone such a dramatic change is because, in a sense, I am already a member of the Star's faction. Yet, I am situated within Shan Hai.”

“The stronger I become, the more beneficial it naturally is for the Star to consume Shan Hai.”

“It's as if I am a spy planted by the Star within Shan Hai.”

“The enhancement of my cultivation talent is assistance provided by the Star. While it may not be intentional on the Star's part, it is a natural consequence of the transformation itself.”

Li Fan vaguely understood.

He then realized that the Dao Annihilation Void Realm was also a minion of the Star.

“Since that's the case…”

A thought stirred in Li Fan's mind. He withdrew from his path to becoming a Saint, took a light step, and leapt into the Void Realm.

His body was unprotected by any power; he simply plunged into the endless Dao Annihilation with his pure physical form.

Theoretically, in moments, Li Fan would be swallowed by Dao Annihilation,

consumed without a trace, and forced to restart anew.

However, a bizarre scene unfolded before him.

The power of Dao Annihilation, capable of devouring mountains and seas, upon touching Li Fan's body, seemed to encounter something terrifying.

Not only did it not attempt to devour him, but it also recoiled as if trying to avoid him.

Waves of Dao Annihilation, myriad layers deep, surged like a million mighty armies.

Yet Li Fan strolled leisurely among them.

No one dared to block him, or even question him!

Li Fan's conjecture in his heart was confirmed.

All this was merely because of the faint aura of starlight clinging to his body.

“In that case, it seems I cannot become a Saint in this life.”

“I'm afraid the moment I enter the sight of the Three Saints, they will undoubtedly join forces to eliminate me without question,” Li Fan said with a wry smile.

This outcome was something Li Fan had absolutely not anticipated when he inherited the 'Abbreviated Rhythms of Starlight'.

“I still somewhat underestimated the Star's power.”

“Admittedly, the Star's contamination on my body can be slowly cleansed away using the 'Transformation of True and False'. However, firstly, it's simply too troublesome. It would be better to just restart.”

“And secondly…” Li Fan, standing in the Void Realm, gazed towards Shan Hai in the distance.

“After multiple reincarnations, I've never experienced this perspective before. Perhaps…”

Recalling the birth of new gods in the previous life, Li Fan's thoughts churned, and an idea vaguely formed in his mind.

With a flicker of his divine sense, the Dao Annihilation in the Void Realm unleashed towering waves, tens of millions of feet high, without warning.

They crashed fiercely towards Shan Hai.

Like an emperor personally leading his troops, or a limb obeying a command, the Dao Annihilation not only showed no resistance to Li Fan's manipulation but also seemed immensely excited.

Like soldiers on the battlefield seeing their emperor personally lead the charge.

It unleashed destructive power significantly greater than usual.

Roaring, it swept forth and crashed into Shan Hai.

The Saints of the Other Shore were somewhat caught off guard by this sudden assault of Dao Annihilation.

However, having accumulated rich experience from years of defense, the Xuanji Ring erupted in bursts of white light, protecting the entirety of Shan Hai.

Although Dao Annihilation was augmented by Li Fan's presence, it was still difficult for it to undergo a qualitative change.

For a time, it could do nothing against the rock-solid Shan Hai before it.

“I can summon more Dao Annihilation power from other places. And even the Void Realm avatars of the Saints are not out of reach.”

“However…”

Li Fan sat amidst the Dao Annihilation, his eyes slightly narrowed, not rushing into action.

Though he could now manipulate the power of Dao Annihilation, it was merely because, as an emissary of the Star, he bypassed the true master behind the Void Realm, directly controlling the Dao Annihilation "soldiers" on the battlefield.

But this didn't mean that the true master behind the Void Realm had lost control over Dao Annihilation.

For now, his minor skirmishes in a certain section of Shan Hai were manageable; it was only a small force, and the true master behind the Void Realm might not even notice it.

If he were to forcefully conscript forces from other areas, it might immediately attract the attention of the Void Realm.

Currently, Li Fan was not ready to make contact with it.

“The starlight on me isn't that strong yet.”

“Let's wait a bit longer.”

The Void Realm was merely a vanguard of the Star; before the Lone Star, the Void Realm had no room for resistance.

Even if it toiled for the Star for a long time, its ultimate destiny was still to be swallowed by the Star alongside everything else.

But Li Fan was not the Star; he was merely a 'distortion' tainted by a faint trace of starlight.

Perhaps he could fool Dao Annihilation, but he could certainly not deceive the true master behind the Void Realm.

Of course, this was only true given his current level of contamination. If the changes in Li Fan were to progress further…

Then it would be a different story.

“My actions might seem reckless. But with the 'Transformation of True and False' as my foundation…”

“It's not as dangerous as it might seem.”

“As long as I can ensure that Huanzhen can completely eliminate the starlight's contamination…”

“Then entering the dragon's den might not be impossible!”

“As for the extent of this, it must and can only be personally controlled by me.”

Although it was somewhat regrettable, it was clear that in this life, he wouldn't be able to include Shouqiu and Daode in his alliance.

Even with the blessing of shared principles and aspirations, Li Fan couldn't guarantee that Shouqiu would willingly follow him, align with the Star, and become a 'Shan Hai traitor'.

Shouqiu's character and morality were simply too high.

Li Fan deeply understood this point.

If he were to forcefully drag him into the Star's faction, there might instead be internal strife at a critical moment.

“In this life, let us be opponents then.”

Li Fan looked at Shouqiu, seated in the Xuanji Ring, and chuckled softly.

“Although I can now manipulate Dao Annihilation, the true authority is still controlled by the master behind the Void Realm.”

“But… there might not be a lack of countermeasures,” Li Fan's eyes flickered.

“Mo Sha!”

“Dao Yi Worm!”

As he thought, two wriggling shadows appeared before Li Fan.

The Void Realm tolerated no external objects; Dao Annihilation consumed everything.

The moment Mo Sha and the Dao Yi Worm appeared, they instinctively caused Dao Annihilation to surge.

However, firstly, Mo Sha seemed to share a common origin with Dao Annihilation. Secondly, with Li Fan presiding, Dao Annihilation ultimately kept itself in check and did not truly attempt to devour them.

“Condense!”

Li Fan lightly pointed with his raised hand, and Mo Sha and the Dao Yi Worm merged into one.

Both figures vanished simultaneously.

In their place, countless wriggling black dots appeared.

“Go!”

With another flick of Li Fan's finger, a small surge of Dao Annihilation power, like fierce soldiers, charged towards the newly formed Dao Yi Worm.

Instantly, only one out of a hundred black dots remained.

However, this surviving one had, after all, endured the first wave of Dao Annihilation's assault.