Chapter 1487: Ascending Again in the Immortal Realm

Situ Xing gave a bitter smile. “They say that two tigers cannot share the same mountain. The fact that so many Nameless gathered in one world was already an incredible occurrence. For that group of us back then to gather around a single person, address one another as brothers, and still maintain a stable relationship was even more inconceivable…”

“Especially Luo Yichen and Ji Yuzhen. Those two women were already mortal enemies in the Upper Realm.”

Seeing the interested expression on Li Fan’s face, Situ Xing continued, “Luo Yichen was known in the Immortal Realm as the [Pure Stream Divine Mother]. As for her conduct, it was the same as when she was in the Xuanhuang Realm before meeting Xuanyuan Hong. She liked raising male and female consorts alike. The entire vast star region was filled with those who became her subjects beneath her skirts.”

“As for Ji Yuzhen, her name in the Upper Realm was also Ji Yuzhen. According to what I heard, Ji Yuzhen was originally a native of the Pure Stream Star Region. From a young age, she was influenced by its unique atmosphere of worship and service, and she believed in it wholeheartedly, becoming completely devoted to it. However, by a twist of fate, one day she managed to leave the Pure Stream Star Region and arrived in a star region governed by an ordinary Immortal Ruler. The enormous contrast twisted her state of mind, and from that point onward, her reverence turned into hatred…”

Situ Xing paused for a moment, hesitated, then added, “The memories of my original body in the Upper Realm are somewhat incomplete. What I heard may not necessarily be true. However, there was definitely an unknown entanglement between the two of them. Back then, we were also puzzled as to why these two seemed to harbor such immense hatred toward each other as if they had been natural enemies from birth.”

“Later, Ji Yuzhen awakened her original self-consciousness before anyone else. She immediately attacked and tried to kill Luo Yichen. Fortunately, Xuanyuan Hong intervened in time and stopped her.”

“I still remember Ji Yuzhen’s gaze at the time. Heh…” Situ Xing clicked his tongue.

“I have to admit, Xuanyuan Hong was truly capable. Not only could he maintain a balance between the two women while he was there, but even after he disappeared, Ji Yuzhen and Luo Yichen actually managed to coexist peacefully for a period of time. It was only when they developed different opinions over how to deal with Xuanyuan Hong that their relationship gradually fell apart again.”

“Luo Yichen believed that she was ultimately fated to have no connection with that treasure. Moreover, the Pure Stream Star Region had not yet been affected by Dao Annihilation, but its situation was already extremely precarious. Thus, she chose to return to the Immortal Realm and flee for her life.”

“Ji Yuzhen, on the other hand, chose to follow the clues Xuanyuan Hong had left behind. She firmly believed that Xuanyuan Hong would never simply abandon her.”

Situ Xing gave a bitter smile. “Ji Yuzhen’s stubborn temperament in the Upper Realm was also quite famous.”

Li Fan recalled the countless souls of Ji Yuzhen wandering within the ring-shaped mountain in Dongyong Prefecture. He slightly raised his eyebrows. “Is Ji Yuzhen not dead?”

As he spoke, he waved his hand, displaying the current situation in Dongyong Prefecture of the Xuanhuang Realm before Situ Xing.

Situ Xing was initially startled when he heard this. However, after observing for a while, he slowly shook his head. “Given the cultivation method Ji Yuzhen practiced, it was destined that she would not perish so easily. These billions of divided souls, including the primordial soul hidden at the center, almost all contain memories related to Xuanyuan Hong. She should have deliberately discarded them herself.”

“And Dongyong Prefecture was precisely the place where Xuanyuan Hong returned after ascending, searching for the place where he had encountered her. She was probably thinking of severing all of her feelings for Xuanyuan Hong.”

As expected of a former Nameless True Immortal. Merely by observing the images indirectly displayed by Li Fan, he had already seen through the truth behind the billions of divided souls.

“No wonder every scene I saw within the memories of these divided souls contained Xuanyuan Hong.”

Li Fan now believed Situ Xing’s judgment to some extent.

“Back then, among the Twelve Dharma Kings, how many truly died? And how many deliberately disappeared on their own?”

Situ Xing felt that this senior before him seemed excessively interested in the affairs of the former Xuantian Sect.

“Could it be that he later encountered one of the twelve?”

Thinking this, yet intimidated by the presence of the two Celestial Pillars beside him, Situ Xing still answered honestly, “Well, Sikong Lin probably really died. Due to the influence of the Dao Annihilation Calamity in the Immortal Realm, his original body was annihilated, while his clones also suffered severe injuries. His accumulated injuries were too grave, so there should have been no way for him to survive. As for Zhou Yangli and Cui Zhiyuan, their original bodies were definitely affected as well. But I cannot say for certain whether they managed to escape.”

“As for the others…”

“That is beyond what I can speculate about.”

Li Fan pointed toward the direction of the underground dark river beneath the Darkest Star Sea. “What about you? How did you end up in this state?”

Situ Xing looked somewhat embarrassed. “The consciousness of my original body awakened the latest. Until Xuanyuan Hong disappeared, I had still failed to recover my original consciousness. Back then, I could not understand some of the things happening among us. I continued following Xuanyuan Hong’s orders and carved the [Shape of All Living Beings] beneath the star sea. Moreover, I rarely communicated with the others. Even if they awakened their original consciousness, they could not determine my true identity. They could not even be certain whether I was a True Immortal from the Lower Realm…”

“Not long after I began working beneath the Darkest Star Sea, my original body tragically perished, and I was affected as well. Being able to barely preserve my divine sense from dispersing was already a blessing.”

“From the looks of it, this clone of yours was indeed extremely loyal.” Li Fan examined him as he spoke.

“That is not entirely as you imagine, Senior. In truth, I was willing to remain within that underground dark river of vitality because I vaguely sensed that there were benefits to creating the Shape of All Living Beings.” Situ Xing smiled and did not conceal the truth.

“Benefits?”

“After the destruction of the Immortal Realm, the infinite nature of the immortal power possessed by True Immortals like us was also affected to varying degrees. Those with good fortune might still retain infinite immortal power. But some lost their connection to the Infinite Ocean. I belong to the latter.”

Situ Xing sighed and continued, “By using the Shape of All Living Beings to outline and shape this star sea, while simultaneously helping it recover, I could make use of the authority channel of the Lower Realm Star Sea to reconnect with the Infinite Ocean. At that time, although the Immortal Realm had been destroyed, I would still be a True Immortal. Even if my original body encountered disaster, I would not be affected too severely.”

“Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.”

“The Infinite Ocean was the culprit behind bringing about Dao Annihilation. Even after the Immortal Realm was destroyed, you people still refuse to see reason!”

Li Fan interrupted Situ Xing, his expression gradually turning cold.

Situ Xing was somewhat astonished. He seemed to finally understand why Li Fan did not possess immortal power.

He pondered for a moment before carefully explaining, “It was not the Infinite Ocean that caused Dao Annihilation. Rather, Dao Annihilation occurred because we failed to block the Infinite Ocean. We True Immortals establish a connection with the Infinite Ocean through the power of Lianshan (Interlinked Mountains). As the saying goes, Mountains And Seas are connected.”

“Regardless of whether we use infinite immortal power or not, it would not affect the overall situation of the Dao Annihilation tide.”

“I speculate that the destruction of the Immortal Realm, and the insistence of the [Tianluo Immortal Emperor] on pursuing his own course, absolutely bears the majority of the responsibility.”

Situ Xing’s explanation fell into a blind spot in Li Fan’s knowledge.

Since he could not determine whether it was true or false, he did not directly refute it. Instead, he asked, “I have also heard of the Tianluo Immortal Emperor who governed the Immortal Realm. Before the Immortal Realm was destroyed, he seemed to have undertaken some kind of mad action. What exactly was he trying to do?”

The moment the Tianluo Immortal Emperor was mentioned, Situ Xing’s expression became somewhat strange, much like when he had recalled Xuanyuan Hong.

“The Tianluo Immortal Emperor wanted to completely resolve the threat of the Dao Annihilation Calamity. And his method…”

“It was the plan for the Immortal Realm as a whole to ascend once again. If successful, it would transcend mountains and seas. No matter how the tide rose or fell, it would no longer be able to affect us in the slightest.”

“Hm?”

Li Fan’s expression also became somewhat subtle.

“Either that Tianluo Immortal Emperor was an utterly insane person, or he definitely had something to rely upon. I once heard that the Tianluo Emperor had no shortage of followers around him back then…”

He stared at Situ Xing, wanting to obtain an answer from him.

“In theory, the Tianluo Emperor’s plan was indeed somewhat feasible. Otherwise, I would not have chosen to follow him back then. Unfortunately, judging from the result, he seems to have ultimately failed.”

“However, the reason why it was feasible involved the Immortal Realm Ascension Plan. It was an absolute secret. I did not receive the corresponding information. That secret may have been completely buried along with the destruction of the Immortal Realm.” A trace of regret flashed deep within Situ Xing’s eyes.

Within the Celestial Pillar Space, an eerie silence descended for a time.

“Ascension of the Immortal Realm…”

In his heart, Li Fan carefully savored these four words.

It was indeed far too insane.

No wonder that after learning of this plan, Qing Yin and the True Immortal surnamed Ling, who were stationed within the experimental site space, both believed that Tianluo Emperor had gone mad. In the end, they decided to flee into the distance.

The power of immortals came from the Mountains and Seas. Yet Tianluo Emperor actually wanted to transcend the Mountains and Seas through the power of an entire world.

Even if he had some kind of reliance, this was still far too fantastical.

But for someone capable of ascending to the position of the Immortal Emperor who governed the Immortal Realm, Tianluo was certainly no ordinary person. He must have weighed the matter carefully before making such a decision. At the very least, in his eyes, there should have been a considerable chance of success.

“Even [Truth] might not necessarily be able to surpass the Mountains and Seas. At that time, the Immortal Realm was still trembling beneath the ravages of the Dao Annihilation Tide. What exactly was Tianluo Emperor relying upon?”

Endless curiosity surged within Li Fan.

Unfortunately, this question was destined to remain unanswered for the short term.

“You said that the infinite immortal power was not the culprit that attracted the Dao Annihilation. Then, do you believe that when the Dao Annihilation Calamity occurred, none of the countless immortals in the heavens bore any responsibility?” After pondering for a while, Li Fan guided the conversation back to the original topic.

Li Fan's position was already very clear.

Staring once more at the Celestial Pillar beside him, Situ Xing repeatedly opened his mouth as if wanting to speak, yet he remained unable to answer the question.

Only after a long while did he finally stammer, “It is not only me. I am afraid the vast majority of True Immortals think the same way. And that is indeed the truth. Whether we use the infinite immortal power or not, the Infinite Ocean has always been there.”

“And the merging of the Mountains and Sea is the inevitable trend of the greater tide of fate. If one must truly speak of who is at fault…”

“Then perhaps the birth of immortals itself was a mistake from the very beginning.”

“Ever since immortals were born with the aid of the power of [Lianshan], the approach of the Infinite Ocean was already destined to happen sooner or later.”

Situ Xing also possessed a certain firmness in his convictions.

Facing Li Fan's fierce gaze, he did not change his statement. Instead, he answered frankly.

“You Nameless True Immortals proved the Dao and departed. Do you truly bear no responsibility?” Li Fan suddenly shouted sternly.

With a sweep of his hand, five phantom figures of Lord Hill Guardian appeared and surrounded the area, manifesting before Situ Xing.

“Let us not even speak of using your own body as a pillar. Could you not have done something like Lord Hill Guardian and left behind an phantom inheritance of the Dao?”

The reputation of Lord Hill Guardian was indeed extraordinary.

Seeing the phantom figures suddenly appear around him, Situ Xing was struck as if by lightning.

His body trembled uncontrollably.

After calming himself, he respectfully bowed toward the phantom figures.

Then, after pondering for a moment, he continued, “This matter was already discussed extensively in the Immortal Realm back then.”

“The greater trend of the Mountains and Sea merging is absolutely not something that can be reversed by insisting upon one or two Dao paths. In reality, having one more Dao path or one fewer Dao path supporting it would make no difference on the scale of the vast span of time. It is like the shelter Senior built here with two Celestial Pillars. For now, it may appear safe. But in truth…”

“There will eventually come a day when destruction is inevitable.”

“Perhaps it can be delayed somewhat, but ultimately, it will accomplish nothing.”

“It is impossible to completely deny the path of True Immortal ascension because of this. Moreover, those of our generation who attain the Nameless, the minor transcendence, and even true transcendence, leap above the Mountains and Sea. Perhaps then we will truly be able to find a method to prevent the Mountains and Sea from merging.”

Situ Xing spoke with righteous conviction, his words becoming increasingly rapid.

His gaze was firm, as though this was truly what he believed in his heart.

“Hmph. You place your hopes in an illusory future.”

“Now that the Immortal Realm has already been destroyed, and countless Transcendent True Immortals have appeared, have they found a method to save the world?”

Li Fan countered.

Situ Xing could only remain silent in response to this question.

After a long time, he finally said, “Perhaps, on the other side of the Infinite Ocean, there is a world that has already found a solution.”

“Transcendent True Immortals from countless worlds continuously cross the Infinite Ocean toward the Other Shore, gathering within that magnificent world. By pooling the strength of everyone, they should be able to find a method to save the world. This was precisely the tacit understanding shared by countless Nameless True Immortals at that time.”

“Tianluo Emperor has already demonstrated what the ultimate result of becoming obsessed with a single world would be.”

“Senior, you did not take the path of proving immortality, so it is natural that you do not understand this aspect.”

Situ Xing spoke with great conviction, but his words could not shake Li Fan's heart in the slightest.

There was only one reason.

The cold countdown displayed by [Truth] was steadily decreasing.

It silently proclaimed the final fate of the mortal world.

“Perhaps he is not wrong.”

“The merging of the Mountains and Sea is indeed the true inevitable trend of the mortal world.”

“In the face of the Mountains and Sea, the influence of a single possibility is negligible. How much less could it matter for a Nameless True Immortal who has proven only one Dao?”

“Regardless of what they did, and whether they left behind methods for inheriting the Dao, at most, they could only delay the arrival of the Dao Annihilation Calamity somewhat.”

“They could not change the ultimate outcome of destruction.”

Li Fan suddenly thought of Evil Su Bai, Darkened Heavenly Doctor, and Lord Hill Guardian, who clearly possessed the ability to easily withstand the Dao Annihilation Calamity, yet still drifted away without hesitation.

“The tacit understanding among the Nameless True Immortals?”

“Were they merely seeking their own strength, or had they truly not abandoned this so called tacit understanding in their hearts?”

“Does that magnificent Other Shore world where countless Transcendent beings gather truly exist?”

Countless thoughts flashed through Li Fan's mind.

However, no matter what he thought now, it was impossible for him to reveal even the slightest sign on the surface that Situ Xing had convinced him.

“The lives that the countless beings of this world should have lived disappeared ahead of time because of your excuses.”

“How should this debt be settled?”

“Were they really meant to die?”

With a wave of Li Fan's hand, countless scenes of living beings wailing amid the apocalypse instantly appeared before Situ Xing.