Chapter 262: Heavenly Lord's Illusion and Reality Scheme

Jiao Xiuyuan smiled. "It's quite normal for a fellow cultivator to think that way. After all, for cultivators of our generation, from the Foundation Establishment Stage to the Dao Integration Stage, advancing requires seizing resources and territory. In a sense, all cultivators are potential rivals."

"However..." Jiao Xiuyuan's tone suddenly took on an inexplicable meaning: "The Longevity Realm is different. To attain Longevity, one must defy the principles of heaven and earth. The principles of heaven and earth are the Way of Heaven. To defy the principles of heaven and earth is the Way of Cultivators. By using the Way of Cultivators to replace the Way of Heaven, one can achieve Longevity. Cultivators who can reach the peak of the Dao Integration Stage and glimpse the Longevity Realm all possess their own unique Way. This is because, before reaching that realm, they have already annihilated all potential competitors."

Jiao Xiuyuan calmly described a path of advancement stained with blood.

"For Dao Integration cultivators, different Ways mean there are no conflicts of interest. Furthermore, observing the process of other Dao Integration cultivators defying the principles of heaven and earth, regardless of success or failure, will greatly benefit oneself. That is why they agreed to assist." A hint of mockery appeared on Jiao Xiuyuan's dark face. "Otherwise, inviting multiple Dao Integration cultivators would require an enormous expenditure."

Li Fan carefully pondered Jiao Xiuyuan's words, and after a moment, he seemed to grasp something.

From Qi Refinement to Dao Integration, the mediums required for advancement are, in order: Spirit, Anomaly, Law, Essence, Marrow, and Soul. As a cultivator's realm gradually increases, the resistance from heaven and earth they encounter for advancement also grows stronger. In the initial stages of cultivation, the resistance from heaven and earth was not very strong and could be almost negligible. Conflicts primarily manifested as competition among cultivators.

However, once cultivation reached the Dao Integration Stage, one not only had to vie with other cultivators for the opportunity to sacrifice the Soul of Heaven and Earth, but also had to contend with the Soul of Heaven and Earth itself. The situation had changed.

Ultimately, upon reaching the Longevity Realm, conflicts between cultivators became negligible. It transformed into a struggle between cultivators and heaven and earth.

Although the Dao Integration and Longevity realms were still very distant for Li Fan, they represented the ultimate goal of cultivation in this world. This understanding could provide high-level guidance for Li Fan's future cultivation path. The value of this conversation was no less than one hundred thousand contribution points.

Li Fan pondered for a few more moments, then couldn't help but voice a long-buried question: "Jiao fellow cultivator, if you don't mind my asking, what is your true realm? You seem to know all the secrets concerning the Dao Integration and Longevity realms with such clarity."

Jiao Xiuyuan did not answer. He merely smiled and said, "If fate allows, fellow cultivator, you will know in due time."

Li Fan nodded, no longer pressing the issue.

After the communication ended, Li Fan began to reflect on the information Jiao Xiuyuan had provided.

"The Myriad Immortals Alliance might be seeing the emergence of a new Longevity Celestial Venerable, which has prompted probes from the Five Elders Council," he thought. "This didn't happen in my previous life. Could it be a variable caused by the Great War of Tianling State? That makes sense. After all, this war involved too many parties. In the early stages, over a dozen Dao Integration experts were already fighting each other. It's normal for someone to gain enlightenment in the midst of life-and-death struggles."

"According to Jiao Xiuyuan's judgment, to verify the authenticity of the information, the Five Elders Council will undoubtedly resort to more aggressive measures next. Their objective, it seems, is to force the Dao Integration cultivators to reveal themselves. It appears the total number of Dao Integration cultivators on both sides isn't excessively large. At the very least, the sudden disappearance of some Dao Integration cultivators would be clearly noticeable."

"Hmm... Before this upheaval settles, it's best to stay out of trouble and avoid venturing outside," Li Fan mused to himself.

Over the next period, events unfolded exactly as Jiao Xiuyuan had predicted. Without any warning, the Five Elders Council launched probes across the entire front against the Myriad Immortals Alliance. States near the Five Elders Council almost universally witnessed Dao Integration cultivators crossing over, manifesting strange phenomena that enveloped entire states and displayed their might.

Li Fan, who constantly monitored the discussions among cultivators in the Heavenly Profound Mirror, managed to get a general understanding of the Myriad Immortals Alliance's response before much of the information vanished. Aside from a few states where Dao Integration cultivators appeared promptly to counteract, most states remained unusually silent. They merely activated their defensive formations across the entire state.

Despite such provocation, the Myriad Immortals Alliance did not declare a state of war again. Instead, they strictly ordered all states to activate their grand formations, prepare defenses, and not initiate conflicts lightly. This invisible display of weakness seemed to confirm the veracity of that message.

Whether it was with the aim of hindering the birth of a new Longevity Celestial Venerable, or with the intention of expanding their territory by taking advantage of the Myriad Immortals Alliance's rare internal vulnerability, the Five Elders Council unhesitatingly launched another war.

Or perhaps... it couldn't even be called a war. Because just a few days later, before all Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators had even entered a state of readiness, and before most cultivators had even glimpsed an enemy, the freshly ignited smoke of battle inexplicably dissipated. The Five Elders Council ceased all activities and no longer spoke of war.

This bizarre event not only left Li Fan utterly bewildered, but even left Jiao Xiuyuan somewhat astonished.

However, not long after, under the extensive publicizing by the Myriad Immortals Alliance's official channels, everyone finally understood what had transpired in those few short days, and the truth behind this upheaval.

The Five Elders Council's original war plan was presumably as follows: Dao Integration experts would penetrate deep into Myriad Immortals Alliance territory, seek out the Celestial Venerable who was defying the principles of heaven and earth, and disrupt his advancement process. Other cultivators, led by Spirit Transformation Stage experts, would launch a fierce offensive along the entire border of the Myriad Immortals Alliance. This would provide cover for the Dao Integration assault team. They would focus on attacking states without a Dao Integration cultivator presiding, and ideally, they would seize this rare opportunity to expand their territory.

The plan was perfect. Reality was harsh.

A total of nine Dao Integration experts had secretly infiltrated the Myriad Immortals Alliance territory. They undoubtedly represented an extremely formidable fighting force. They reached Tianyu State in the heartland without being discovered. Perhaps they were even secretly celebrating how smoothly their plan was proceeding.

However, just as they all relaxed, the grand formation activated, and mystic light descended from the heavens, suddenly engulfing them. Myriad Immortals Alliance Dao Integration cultivators, numbering more than twice their own, suddenly appeared around them. Even the Dao Integration Celestial Venerables, who were supposedly invited to assist in defying the principles of heaven and earth, were all present, watching them with mockery on their faces!

By this point, how could these nine Dao Integration cultivators of the Five Elders Council not understand? From the very beginning, this entire situation was a trap! A trap designed to lure the enemy deep in! The talk of a Dao Integration cultivator about to break through and ascend to Longevity Celestial Venerable—it was all false, non-existent. It was all to entice the Dao Integration Celestial Venerables of the Five Elders Council to come and interfere, and then to capture them all in one fell swoop! To tear a significant chunk of strength from the Five Elders Council!