Chapter 574: Life, Death, and Reality as One

It might have been that the Root of Heaven and Earth was afraid of harming the nascent Five Elements Cave Heavens.

Once Li Fan approached the five light clusters, the external suction abruptly lessened. This averted his imminent disintegration. Although Li Fan's body was now only half its original size, he still possessed all his limbs. His entire physique had simply shrunk, resembling that of a child of seven or eight. It was both comical and bizarre. Fortunately, his ability to act remained unimpaired.

Li Fan quietly gazed at the flickering five-colored light clusters nearby. He did not rush to employ secret techniques to devour them. Instead, he observed them meticulously. Amidst the continuous flashes below, the Root of Heaven and Earth "wove" energies and laws of the same attribute onto each of the five Cave Heavens: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. As a result, these recently born, fragile Cave Heavens grew increasingly complete and resilient.

"If this space is considered a womb nurturing life, then the Five Elements Cave Heavens at this moment are like nascent fetuses, just beginning to take shape."

As an existence composed of lines, Li Fan was now far more sensitive to the fluctuating aura of the surrounding laws than he had been in his human form. Witnessing the nascent formation of the Cave Heavens, profound insights flashed through his mind.

In his previous life, when the "Grand Five Elements Cave Heaven," which had been relocated, was ultimately annihilated due to an imbalance of the five elements, Li Fan had personally witnessed the terrifying, almost destructive scene within that black and white vortex. Now, seeing the nascent five elements once more, he compared the two events and discovered a remarkable similarity.

"Creation and destruction..."

"Creation is the beginning of destruction; destruction is the source of creation," Li Fan murmured, as if enlightened.

"By applying the principle of mutual generation and endless flow within the five elements, I propelled the techniques of Ink Kill and Sky Fiend, creating a single style: the Grand Five Elements Annihilation Sword."

"And this principle of creation and destruction..."

In an instant, his thoughts accelerated to their utmost potential. Without any external aid, Li Fan seemed to enter a state of profound enlightenment. He stood motionless and transfixed beside the five-element light clusters, like a solemn statue. Yet, his body was not entirely unresponsive to external stimuli. Whenever a whistling particle flew past, heading towards the Five Elements Cave Heavens and about to pass through Li Fan, who was obstructing its path, Li Fan's body, as if prescient, would execute peculiar, twisting movements, effortlessly dodging the particle's assault in an instant. Once safe, it would immediately revert to its original form. Li Fan, meanwhile, remained deeply immersed in his thoughts, utterly oblivious to his own movements.

Time flowed onward.

Gradually, within the five-colored light clusters, increasingly detailed landscapes began to vaguely appear: oceans, molten fire, forests... Diverse post-natal creations of the five elements began to emerge within the Cave Heavens. It was like a fetus developing over ten months, transitioning from an indiscernible coiled mass to gradually unfurling and assuming the appearance of an infant. Varied scenes continued to evolve within the Cave Heavens. The radiant aura shrouding the Cave Heavens' exterior also began to recede and contract, withdrawing into their interiors. This light acted like a naturally potent tonic; once absorbed, the landscapes within the Cave Heavens accelerated their transformation a thousandfold.

Faint rumbling sounds could be heard. The Cave Heavens themselves began to "grow," expanding outwards. They continued to expand until they gently pressed against other Cave Heavens, at which point they slowly ceased their growth. However, the intrinsic force propelling their growth had not dissipated. Amidst creaking and groaning sounds of compression, the five Cave Heavens merged, forming a natural array, becoming indistinguishable from one another. The Five Elements Cave Heavens were on the verge of official formation.

"Excellent!" At that very moment, Li Fan finally stirred awake. No expression of joy was discernible on his face, which was composed purely of lines. Nevertheless, it was clear that his gains from this experience were substantial.

"That divine ability isn't suitable for use here. I'll consider it once I'm outside!"

"For now, let's focus on the main task!"

Li Fan reviewed the scenes recorded in the Dao Transformation Stone, which he had missed during his state of enlightenment, and nodded subtly. "I was correct in my assumption. The Five Elements Cave Heavens have not yet fully separated from the Root of Heaven and Earth."

"Just like a mother's natural instinct to protect her young, any attempt to devour them will undoubtedly provoke a full-scale attack from the Root of Heaven and Earth. Even a Dao-Integration realm cultivator would likely meet a bitter end here, on its home ground."

"Therefore, my only opportunity lies in that fleeting moment when the Five Elements Cave Heavens detach from their parent body but have not yet manifested in the void above Tianling Prefecture in the current realm!"

Li Fan understood this with serene clarity, devoid of joy or sorrow, as he awaited that crucial moment. For any other cultivator, facing such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that, if missed, would lead to lifelong regret, a certain degree of trepidation would be inevitable, regardless of their mental fortitude. But for Li Fan, who possessed the ability of "Returning to Truth," this was merely another ordinary attempt among countless "infinite" ones. Hence, his heart remained perfectly calm. Like a skilled hunter, he waited patiently and quietly for his prey.

An indeterminate amount of time passed.

The varied landscapes of the distant Cave Heavens seemed to be slowly becoming transparent. Within the Root of Heaven and Earth, only the five interconnected circular outlines of the Cave Heavens remained, suspended across the space.

*Boom...*

The Five Elements Cave Heavens began to vibrate violently. The internal space of the Root of Heaven and Earth also shook incessantly in conjunction. It was as if the Five Elements Cave Heavens were struggling to break free from the confines of their parent body and emerge. In Li Fan's vision, the crisscrossing lines all became somewhat distorted.

"Clang!"

A sound like a snapping string suddenly echoed. Li Fan saw a snapped line seemingly appear out of thin air around the Five Elements Cave Heavens. Although it vanished instantly, he was utterly certain it was not an illusion. True to his perception, a chain reaction of snapping sounds continuously erupted. Above the Five Elements Cave Heavens, countless broken lines swayed briefly before dissolving and vanishing in an instant. The Cave Heavens vibrated even more violently.

"Now!"

In that instant, Li Fan's body completely disintegrated. Twisting, writhing lines, like countless venomous snakes, enveloped and protected the Golden Core in his dantian. They surged rapidly towards the location of the Five Elements Cave Heavens. As if alarming the Root of Heaven and Earth, the fine lines of his body dissolved ever more swiftly as he flew. Yet, this could not prevent Li Fan from steadily drawing closer.

The moment the Five Elements Cave Heavens were finally about to completely exit the space of the Root of Heaven and Earth, cracks appeared on Li Fan's Golden Core. It looked as if the Golden Core might disintegrate at any moment, yet it remained coherent and did not dissipate. Instead, from its fissures, gruesome "tentacles" emerged. Like hungry beasts spotting delicious food, they clawed and thrashed, impatiently surging towards the Five Elements Cave Heavens, now within reach.

These tentacles were also a form of the "Root of Heaven and Earth," not referring to the primordial creation itself, but rather, the "Root of Heaven and Earth" that cultivators worldwide condensed within their bodies, following the Celestial Venerable's new method.