Chapter 506: Long Life Suddenly Without a Trace

Angry Squid

After a long and arduous journey, Li Fan and Senior Sister Zhao were greatly surprised upon their return to the sect. The sect was draped in white, and its disciples wore expressions of deep sorrow. Upon hastily inquiring, they soon learned what had transpired. Fang Dingge, the Sect Master of the Dao Sect and a powerful Immortal Realm expert, had perished.

While deeply shaken, they were also filled with endless doubts. Immortal Venerables were already the strongest beings in this realm. As the leader of one of the Ten Immortal Sects, Fang Dingge possessed unfathomable cultivation and profound accomplishments. Even among Immortal Venerables, he was considered among the very best. How could such a figure simply perish?

As their understanding deepened, the more they felt the absurdity and strangeness of the situation. Not only was Fang Dingge's cause of death a mystery, but his body was also nowhere to be found. Rather than perishing, it was more akin to a disappearance. However, the shattered remains of his life-lamp within the sect served as irrefutable proof of the Immortal Realm expert's demise. Even with countless doubts and reluctance, nothing could alter this fact.

In fact, the public announcement of the Sect Master's death was only finalized after several rounds of fierce debate among the sect elders. Even if they wished to conceal such a significant event, it would be impossible. This was because the deceased Immortal Realm experts were not limited to Fang Dingge of the Dao Sect alone. The Taishang, Heavenly Sword, Du'e, and Beast Control Sects... It was rumored that Immortal Realm experts had also perished within these sects.

This news was utterly horrifying. Although the Ten Immortal Sects strictly enforced a blockade, they couldn't prevent its rapid spread. So many Immortal Realm experts, all perishing at once. Who could have done this?

Li Fan and Senior Sister Zhao immediately thought of the Dharma Transmitter. This was because these deceased Immortal Venerables were precisely the ones who, more than two decades ago, had agreed to unite and assassinate the Dharma Transmitter. Now that they had suddenly perished, the Dharma Transmitter Immortal Venerable of the Myriad Immortals Alliance was naturally the prime suspect.

But this didn't make sense logically. The Dharma Transmitter had not yet ascended to the Immortal Realm. If his combat prowess was truly unparalleled and he could slay Immortal Realm experts while only in the Dao Merging realm, he should have seized the opportunity of such a decisive victory to rally cultivators across the world and overthrow the Ten Immortal Sects. Yet, from beginning to end, the Dharma Transmitter Immortal Venerable only appeared during his initial preachings and at very few other moments. At other times, he was completely out of contact, his whereabouts unknown, shrouded in extreme mystery.

Or perhaps, the Dharma Transmitter himself suffered severe injuries after slaying the Immortal Venerables of the Ten Immortal Sects and was forced into hiding? Even so, he could have informed the Myriad Immortals Alliance of his great feat to boost their morale. But as far as Li Fan knew, the Myriad Immortals Alliance was also extremely shocked by the simultaneous demise of the Immortal Venerables. It appeared they were equally unaware. This event was shrouded in mystery and absurdity from beginning to end.

It took Li Fan and Senior Sister Zhao a long time to recover after learning the news. Could the Immortal Realm, which they had so diligently sought, truly be so fragile? Could one simply perish like that? What distinguished them from ordinary cultivators? Did their cultivation still hold any meaning? Amidst their profound confusion, the two engaged in dual cultivation for several days before finally recovering.

With a calm expression, Senior Sister Zhao slowly said, "This matter is certainly not as simple as it seems. Rather than perishing, I believe they severed their shackles and departed this realm."

"Shackles?" Li Fan, hearing this for the first time, couldn't help but ask.

"It was quite a long time ago. Master once mentioned it to me by chance," Senior Sister Zhao said, her brow furrowing slightly as if she was trying hard to recall. "At that time, I asked Master what true freedom and ease were. I asked if attaining immortality could be considered freedom. Master remained silent for a long time, then sighed and said, 'Heaven locks all beings; no one can escape. Even Immortal Realm experts remain trapped. The Ten Immortal Sects overthrew the Profound Heaven Sect, but they didn't completely overthrow it.' When I tried to ask more, he refused to say anything further."

Li Fan's heart was greatly shaken upon hearing this. "Immortal Realm experts are still not free?" he murmured.

Seeing her beloved's dazed expression, Senior Sister Zhao couldn't help but comfort him. "Their simultaneous disappearance this time might actually be a good thing. At the very least, it suggests that those in the Immortal Realm have the possibility of breaking free from their shackles and truly transcending."

Li Fan thought for a long time before finally nodding. "Senior Sister, when the time comes, we will both attain the Dao and transcend this realm. From then on, we'll be free and unfettered, flying together, leaving behind a beautiful tale in the Xuanhuang Realm."

A blush bloomed on Senior Sister Zhao's face. Moved by emotion, the two resumed their dual cultivation.

The disappearance of the Venerables had an extremely profound impact on the current structure of the Xuanhuang Realm. After the funeral arrangements were completed, the Dao Sect was plunged into a vortex of contention for the Sect Master position. The incident was so sudden that even Fang Dingge himself likely hadn't anticipated his abrupt disappearance. Consequently, no successor for the Sect Master position had been chosen. As Fang Dingge's direct disciple was only at the Nascent Soul cultivation level, how could he possibly bear the heavy responsibility of the Sect Master? After the two remaining Immortal Realm elders in the sect both expressed their unwillingness to inherit the Sect Master position, the numerous elders below began to eye the position greedily. Conflict was therefore inevitable.

Senior Sister Zhao's Master, Zhang Wangshuang, had already broken through to the Dao Merging realm in recent years. He naturally harbored ambitions to succeed as Sect Master. Struggles for power are often brutal. A year later, the dust settled. Zhang Wangshuang, unfortunately, suffered defeat due to a slight lack of internal support within the sect. The Dao Sect Master position was inherited by Ji Changxi of the Tianchen lineage.

While internal sect struggles rarely escalated to lethal combat, significant depletion of resources and morale was inevitable. After Ji Changxi became Sect Master, he did not implement any drastic reforms. Instead, he prioritized recuperation and the restoration of strength. To address the dwindling number of disciples, he also specifically ordered a relaxation of promotion requirements for outer disciples. Furthermore, he mandated a sect-wide grand competition every three years, making the effectiveness of disciple cultivation a crucial assessment criterion.

It was under these circumstances that Senior Sister Zhao, who repeatedly emerged victorious in the grand competitions, gradually became the most brilliant star among the younger generation of Dao Sect disciples. In contrast, Li Fan, with more losses than wins, seemed to fade into obscurity among the common disciples. The most beautiful pearl was only deserving of the strongest hero. Li Fan's mediocre performance and constant presence shadowing Senior Sister Zhao naturally caused considerable dissatisfaction among some of the sect disciples. Many talented young men openly disregarded Li Fan's presence and aggressively pursued Senior Sister Zhao. Even Zhang Wangshuang, who had previously maintained a relatively positive attitude towards Li Fan, gradually changed his demeanor.

Sensing the impending crisis, Li Fan made a swift and decisive choice. On a sunny afternoon, he proposed to Senior Sister Zhao. He offered no rare treasures or peerless magical artifacts. Merely gazing at her with deep affection, he said, "Senior Sister, be my Dao companion. From this day forward, we will walk hand in hand, together seeking immortality."

Without the slightest hesitation, Senior Sister Zhao agreed.