The Xuantian King's greatest trump card was actually the Fishing Pond?
It was not impossible.
After all, the Xuantian King had no backing whatsoever, yet he alone had suppressed all the geniuses of his generation and attained the Dao and ascended ahead of everyone else.
That could not simply be described with the words "exceptional talent."
But if this speculation were true...
Li Fan could not help but recall Stone Tablet that had attempted to prehend the Dao of Fishing, only to be fished away instead, as well as Cat Treasure, who had emerged from the Fishing Pond. It looked harmless to humans and animals alike, yet it could swallow a True Immortal whole.
'Could it be that the Xuantian King met a similar fate?'
Li Fan looked at the shallow pond before him. Yet the caution in his heart had risen to an unprecedented level.
The scene soon fell into a long silence.
It was not that Mo Rubin was slow-witted. Rather, without any hint, it was genuinely difficult to associate this ordinary pond with the Dao of Fishing.
Although he had still failed to uncover the mystery of the Fishing Pond, Mo Rubin had already regarded it as his final lifeline. For the time being, he had no intention of leaving.
"Continuing to wait here is not a solution."
"Actually, I have another method. It may allow us to trace the Xuantian King's whereabouts."
After a long while, Li Fan suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
Mo Rubin abruptly turned to look at him.
After pondering for a moment, Li Fan carefully said, "I have mastered part of the power of the True Immortal seal script character, [Reveal]. The Reveal character can materialize and reveal even the faintest connections between things."
"Previously, from the memories of Dharma King Ji's remnant soul, I learned of the existence of the Azure Firmament Pearl..."
As Li Fan spoke, he carefully observed Mo Rubin's reaction.
When the Azure Firmament Pearl was mentioned, Mo Rubin's pupils immediately contracted. His aura abruptly changed as he instinctively became guarded.
However, perhaps because of everything they had experienced together, sufficient trust had already formed between them.
Before long, Mo Rubin's vigilance subsided on its own.
Only then did Li Fan continue.
"If the memories I obtained are correct, the cultivation methods practiced by the Twelve Dharma Kings all possess an invisible connection to the Azure Firmament Pearl."
"I wonder whether, by relying on the Reveal character, we can follow that connection and trace the Xuantian King's location."
"This method requires directly confronting the power of a True Immortal seal script character, so it will certainly carry some risk. Moreover, what we would actually be tracking is the Azure Firmament Pearl, the supreme treasure of the Xuantian Sect, not the Xuantian King himself. To avoid Brother Mo misunderstanding my intentions, I did not propose it earlier."
Li Fan looked at Mo Rubin and left the decision entirely to him.
Instead of answering directly, Mo Rubin suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.
"Who do you think the powerful figure who laid those golden threads across the flaw in the High Wall really is?"
Li Fan did not conceal anything and answered honestly.
"When I trapped him with my formation, I also took the opportunity to investigate his identity. He should be the Venerable from the cultivation world called the Heavenly Law Realm, one of the cultivation worlds that merged with the Xuanhuang Realm."
With a wave of his finger, he transmitted part of the information regarding the Heavenly Doctor to Mo Rubin.
"The Heavenly Laws are the Eternal Dao. Acting as Heaven's enforcer?"
"How could that pare to cultivators like us being one with Spirit Heaven and Earth? Or even replacing Heaven itself..."
"He is nothing more than an uncivilized and insignificant fellow. His current strength is likely only the result of accumulating power over these past ten thousand years."
Mo Rubin shook his head, his tone filled with disdain.
However, he turned back toward the Fishing Pond without giving an answer.
Only after standing beside the pond for a full seven days, still unable to prehend its mysteries, did Mo Rubin finally shake his head slightly.
Then he said in an extremely solemn tone, "It is worth trying."
"The power of a True Immortal seal script character is extraordinary. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to control it perfectly. Furthermore..."
"If it truly points toward this pond, then something capable of swallowing even a figure like the Xuantian King must contain unimaginable danger. We absolutely cannot lower our guard."
"The safety of the Xuanhuang Realm now rests upon the two of us. We cannot afford the slightest carelessness," Li Fan reminded him.
Mo Rubin accepted Li Fan's reasoning.
At the pond beside the abandoned mountain Daoist temple, they made thorough preparations.
Only then did they begin testing the Reveal character.
"When Brother Xuanyuan first passed his cultivation method to me, he mentioned that the immortal arts cultivated by the vast majority of the Twelve Dharma Kings originated from True Immortals who ascended from the Divine Shaman Realm."
"The cultivators of that world resonate with the Great Dao through their souls, manipulate the Great Dao, and even replace the Great Dao itself. Although their cultivation methods and outward manifestations are somewhat strange, they are among the easiest immortal arts for directly reaching the Great Dao. It is said that the Divine Shaman Realm is one of the oldest cultivation worlds and may even be the birthplace of the human race."
"The Divine Shamans are almost no different from ordinary humans. Their only distinction is that their innate talent is far greater overall. It is much easier for their souls to resonate with the Great Dao than it is for ours."
"Back then, it took me tremendous effort just to get started with the Innumerable Calamities Undying Demon Heart Immortal Art."
"But according to Brother Xuanyuan, members of the Divine Shaman race can cultivate it effortlessly."
As Li Fan listened to Mo Rubin's description, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Mo Rubin suddenly changed the subject.
"But even True Immortals from such a powerful race were no different from ants when the Calamity of Dao Annihilation arrived. Their corpses fell like rain. They even died while fleeing in panic..."
"There is nothing to fear from True Immortals."
"e!"
Mo Rubin let out a low shout.
Countless Demonic Hearts surged wildly out of his body.
They revolved and roared around him like a terrifying storm.
Li Fan glanced at the immortal formation and the phantom wooden sword nearby, ensuring that he could escape immediately if anything unexpected occurred.
He then looked at the Still [Truth] panel, where the charge had already reached 400 percent.
Only then did he calmly write the True Immortal seal script character [Reveal] in midair and send it directly toward Mo Rubin.
Mo Rubin offered no resistance and allowed the power of the Reveal character to envelop his body.
Immediately, wisps of azure smoke rose from the countless Demonic Hearts.
At first they shot straight upward.
After seemingly reaching the very limits of the heavens, they began circling continuously.
As though searching for a target.
Meanwhile, Mo Rubin's face twisted violently, as if an invisible force were repeatedly grinding against it.
"Brother Mo, hold on."
Li Fan spoke in a deep voice as he shot out several golden threads that pierced into Mo Rubin's body.
Since this had already been agreed upon beforehand, Mo Rubin did not resist.
Pure spiritual energy and even soul power continuously flowed through the golden threads into his body.
Helping him maintain his condition under the pressure of the True Immortal seal script character.
Above Mo Rubin's head, the countless wisps of azure smoke gradually merged into a single stream.
Then, as if it had finally located its target, the azure smoke suddenly became alive.
Like an azure dragon soaring through the heavens, it dived violently downward.
Its destination was none other than the Fishing Pond.
'So it really is as I suspected?'
Li Fan's heart skipped a beat.
Instinctively, he retreated a little farther away from the pond.
However, what happened next pletely exceeded his expectations.
The sturdy azure dragon was just about to plunge into the waters of the Fishing Pond when, for some unknown reason, it suddenly paused for a brief moment.
Then it split into two streams.
One stream shot into the Fishing Pond.
The other soared back into the sky once more, flying beyond Xuanhuang.
"What?"
The sudden turn of events left both men utterly stunned.
Mo Rubin reacted quickly. He immediately followed the first stream of azure mist and plunged into the Fishing Pond.
But the moment the mist entered the water, it disappeared without a trace.
Despite the pond's crystal clear waters, where the bottom could be seen at a glance, Mo Rubin was unable to detect even the slightest aura of the Azure Firmament Pearl.
He could not help but feel somewhat dejected.
Li Fan, meanwhile, raised his head and stared at the place where the second stream of azure mist had vanished.
"What do you think, Brother Mo? Could it be that the Azure Firmament Pearl has actually split into two?" Li Fan asked with a frown.
"Judging from what the [Reveal] character script revealed, that is possible. But what if the Reveal character does not only point toward the Azure Firmament Pearl, but also simultaneously points toward Big Brother Xuanyuan?"
"Since we cannot gain anything from the Fishing Pond for the time being, we might as well investigate where the other stream of azure mist is heading." After a moment of silence, Mo Rubin suddenly proposed.
That was exactly what Li Fan wanted as well.
Before possessing sufficient means to protect himself, Li Fan had no desire for his true body to personally deal with the Fishing Pond.
The appearance of a strange existence like Cat Treasure within the Fishing Pond had already made him wary. Now that it had essentially been confirmed that the disappearance of the Xuantian King was connected to the Fishing Pond, Li Fan naturally became even more cautious.
The phantom Wooden Sword carried the two of them as they pursued the azure mist.
Although the mist retracing its origin traveled swiftly, it was still slightly slower than Li Fan's supreme movement technique.
Before long, they caught up to it, only to find themselves forced to follow behind it.
Mo Rubin's expression remained gloomy, so Li Fan deliberately changed the subject.
"Aside from the Divine Shaman Realm, did the Xuantian King ever tell you any other stories about the Immortal Realm?"
"To be honest, even though the Immortal Path has been severed for ten thousand years, cultivators like us still cannot suppress our longing and curiosity toward the legendary Immortal Realm."
Li Fan's words drew Mo Rubin's thoughts back to the past.
"Perhaps he truly visited the Immortal Realm before, or perhaps Big Brother Xuanyuan heard these things from the Faceless Immortal. In any case, he did often speak about matters concerning the Immortal Realm. We could all tell that he remained deeply concerned about having pleted half of his ascension, only to be forced back from the Immortal Realm midway."
Mo Rubin smiled faintly.
"According to him, the Immortal Realm is a wondrous sacred land with inexhaustible resources. After ascending and being an immortal, one no longer has to worry about cultivation resources. How many resources one can obtain depends entirely on one's own strength and luck."
"However, Big Brother never explained exactly what these so called resources were. I imagine they are far more than simply immortal spiritual qi."
"Oh, there is one more thing. Have you ever heard of the Ascension Lightning Tribulation?" Mo Rubin suddenly asked.
"The Ascension Lightning Tribulation? Of course. Back when the Immortal Path had not yet been severed, it was said that ancient cultivators could only ascend and bee immortals after surviving the lightning tribulation," Li Fan replied immediately.
Mo Rubin's expression became somewhat peculiar.
"Back then, I was only one step away from ascension. But after Big Brother Xuanyuan returned from the Immortal Realm, ascension itself became nothing more than an illusion. Ever since then, I have always carried this regret in my heart. I could never let go of missing that opportunity."
"But when no one else was around, Big Brother Xuanyuan once forted me. He said that the reason he managed to survive the tribulation and ascend was because the True Immortal presiding over the lightning tribulation on the other side of the ascension passage suddenly died after being struck by the Dao Annihilation Calamity."
"According to the original strength of the tribulation, Big Brother Xuanyuan would never have survived it. In fact, that lightning tribulation had never intended to let any cultivator survive at all."
Li Fan was stunned upon hearing this.
"So Big Brother Xuanyuan told me not to dwell on it too much. Had my cultivation progressed just a little faster, what would have awaited me would not have been ascension, but only being reduced to ashes beneath endless heavenly lightning." Mo Rubin spoke quietly.
"Of course, I do not know whether that was the truth or merely something Big Brother Xuanyuan said to fort me. But out of trust in him, he spoke it casually, and I accepted it just as casually."
"Heh..."
Li Fan remained silent.
The idealized image he held of the Xuantian King had already begun to crack.
As silence filled the air, the azure mist produced by the Reveal character seal script finally reached its destination.
It was still beneath the High Wall.
However, this time it did not touch the High Wall.
Instead, it suddenly disappeared into an inconspicuous corner beneath it.
Li Fan's heart stirred as he immediately recognized the location where the mist had vanished.
It was one of the entry points beneath the High Wall that led into the subterranean fissure basin.
"Let's go!" Mo Rubin's expression brightened as he followed it downward.
After pondering briefly, Li Fan followed as well.
The exact same experience from before repeated itself. Their relative position rapidly descended.
Very soon, they arrived at the lowest point of the Star Sea.
The silent energy permeating the place left the newly arrived Mo Rubin momentarily speechless.
But he did not forget the purpose of this journey.
Closely following the azure mist, they swiftly advanced deeper through the winding subterranean fissure basin.
Li Fan had already known that the countless ravines stretching throughout the Star Sea formed an enormous labyrinth. Venturing in recklessly carried the risk of being hopelessly lost.
But now they had the azure mist leading the way. More importantly, the trail likely involved both the Xuantian King and the Azure Firmament Pearl.
Li Fan therefore followed without hesitation.
It even took them dozens of times longer than traversing the Star Sea before the azure mist finally came to a stop.
Li Fan looked at the place where the connection created by the Reveal character seal script disappeared, his expression filled with surprise.
A plete azure pearl floated quietly before them.
Only upon seeing the Azure Firmament Pearl did Li Fan truly understand the meaning of the character 'Azure' in the phrase 'As Vast as the Azure Heavens.'
Mo Rubin's body trembled as he gazed at the Azure Firmament Pearl.
At the same time, confusion filled his eyes.
He could not understand why the immortal artifact upon which Big Brother Xuanyuan had relied had been abandoned here all alone.
"Something seems wrong."
"Why does this Azure Firmament Pearl seem to have pletely lost its spirituality?"
Having seen many damaged immortal artifacts before, Li Fan immediately noticed the anomaly within the Azure Firmament Pearl.
After Li Fan pointed it out, Mo Rubin also realized it.
He immediately flew forward, reaching out to touch it.
However, the moment Mo Rubin approached, the Azure Firmament Pearl dissolved into countless strands of azure light.
It shattered and dispersed without leaving a trace.
"No!"
After all their efforts, everything had ultimately e to nothing. Even with Mo Rubin's temperament, he momentarily lost his posure.
He desperately tried to grasp the already vanished strands of azure light, attempting to restore the Azure Firmament Pearl.
Li Fan, however, did not waste his efforts.
Instead, he pondered thoughtfully.
"The aura within this Azure Firmament Pearl seems somewhat..."
"Similar to the subterranean fissure basin of the Darkest Star Sea?"
"I had previously wondered why the amount of energy accumulated within these fissures far exceeded what should have been possible."
"Now it seems that perhaps it is connected to the Azure Firmament Pearl."
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