Chapter 1262-1264 (7.5k+ words)

The information related to the Dark Realm is a top secret of the Wan Xian Alliance. Regarding other details, this Wan Xian Alliance messenger knows very little.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Li Ping didn't take any further action on him.

When the alliance messenger named Jia Su gradually woke up, he had no idea that the secrets in his mind had been thoroughly exposed by the person in front of him.

Still praising, he said, "The Sect Master's divine technique is indeed extraordinary. Even I, when reading it, unconsciously fall into a state of selflessness."

Li Ping chuckled, "If it can be useful to the Wan Xian Alliance, that would be even better. However, can we discuss the proportion of source power submitted each year?"

Before finishing his words, the alliance messenger's expression changed slightly. With a serious tone, he said, "Sect Master, everything is negotiable. Except for the tasks assigned by the Wan Xian Alliance, we cannot afford to be careless."

After hesitating for a moment, the messenger lowered his voice and said, "To be honest with you, originally there were plans to collect more this time..."

Seeing Li Ping's extremely unpleasant expression, as if he might erupt at any moment, the messenger quickly reassured him, "But Sect Master, you have made great contributions now, I'll try to negotiate, and we should be able to reduce some..."

Before Li Ping could erupt, the alliance messenger quickly took his leave.

The anger on the Holy Emperor's face slowly disappeared, replaced by an unparalleled calmness.

Leaving the puppet to continue guarding the followers of the Lingyuan sect, Li Ping returned to the Holy Dynasty.

The profound technique left for the Wan Xian Alliance was indeed a superior method for developing the source power within a cultivator's body. Moreover, it did not leave any hidden dangers.

After all, since it involved the Dark Sea, the Wan Xian Alliance had to handle it with extreme caution and repeated verification.

Li Ping transmitted this technique to the Wan Xian Alliance simply because, as the creator of the technique, he could roughly sense the positions of the cultivators operating this technique. Even the source power cultivated by these cultivators under the influence of this technique could be sensed by him.

The Dark Sea, an endless abyss of darkness, engulfed everything. Even the Dark Clan could only act within the areas they were familiar with.

To find the "spear penetrating through" that the Wan Xian Alliance had driven into the Dark Sea, some means were naturally required.

However, it would take some time for this technique to be widely promoted.

Li Ping continued his previous unfinished plan to enlighten the puppet body with the profound Dao outside the Xuan Huang realm.

After these days of final sculpting, the puppet body had completely met the requirements of the Holy Emperor.

Even each time consciousness descended upon it, an instinctive urge to change the body would involuntarily surge, becoming increasingly intense.

Therefore, Li Ping reduced the frequency of experimenting with this puppet body.

The large amount of transparent crystal collected in the Hongze realm was enough to allow him to escape the attraction of the Immortal Land and successfully fly out of the Xuan Huang realm.

Without informing anyone, under the concealment of formations and the aura of the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao, a silent rainbow light flew towards the sky.

In an instant, it arrived at the edge of the world.

After losing the protection of Xuan Huang, the tremendous suction force from the Immortal Land caused Li Ping's complexion to change slightly.

Knowing about the existence of True Immortal power and experiencing it firsthand were two completely different things.

Only when facing the immense power of a True Immortal, like an endless mountain and sea, would one realize their own insignificance.

Even as the Holy Emperor, one of the strongest figures in the Xuan Huang realm, felt this way.

"The path is long."

The Holy Emperor sighed slightly and sequentially released a rainbow light, counteracting the attraction force of the Immortal Land.

However, the puppet body rapidly flew in the opposite direction.

The radiance of the Xuan Huang realm gradually dimmed, leaving only darkness around.

Different from the darkness of the Dark Sea, the starry sea was a complete and utter silence.

Moreover...

Even though it seemed like nothing existed ahead, the Holy Emperor instinctively sensed that danger awaited him there.

So, decisively, he changed direction, bypassing that particular area.

In the subsequent journey, whenever there was any lingering remnant immortal power that posed a threat to him in the Dark Sea, he could foresee it like a prophet and avoid it in advance.

It was as if he had stepped into this starry sea not for the first time.

With narrowed eyes, the Holy Emperor's puppet body continued to penetrate deeper into the Dark Sea.

He had already sensed the fact that the upper limit of the laws in the starry sea was higher than that of the Xuan Huang realm.

However, his destination was not under the towering walls mentioned in the sword light communication.

Instead, it was a place within this darkest starry sea where new upper limit laws were gestating.

There, the efficiency of enlightenment would be the highest.

The rainbow light traversed rapidly, as if time had lost its concept.

The Holy Emperor gradually deviated from the guidance of his premonition and, following the mysterious rhythms that surged in the silent starry sea, changed the direction of his progress.

Like being in the vast ocean, he found the intense undercurrents beneath the calm sea surface.

The speed suddenly skyrocketed, covering millions of miles in an instant.

The tremendous forces around tore apart even the protective rainbow light, leaving it shattered under the influence of the unknown formidable power.

Li Ping, undistracted, treated the impending crisis as if it were nothing, calmly sensing the profound and strange changes around him in the starry sea, which he had never witnessed in the Xuan Huang realm.

"Destruction and rebirth."

"In the eyes of those in the Xuan Huang realm, this dead silent starry sky is the darkest starry sea. However, within it, vitality is slowly recovering, even though it is currently in the most primitive stage. Moreover, the entire process is too slow, and from the perspective of humans, it is destined to be extremely difficult to perceive."

"But..."

A unique rhythm slowly awakened on the Holy Emperor's puppet body.

It was the unique aura of the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao!

Yes, this time, the Holy Emperor quietly sent the puppet body out of the Xuan Huang realm for enlightenment without letting anyone in the Holy Dynasty know.

However, how could this escape the notice of the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao?

Under its insistence, with a resolute determination and the intention of no return, a strand of consciousness separated and attached itself to the puppet body.

Together, they left the Xuan Huang realm, arriving in the depths of the starry sea.

Different from the purpose of several years ago.

This time, even the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao came for the sake of "learning the Dao"!

Before the ultimate destruction, the upper limit laws in the Dark Sea were about to surpass those of Xuan Huang.

Although Xuan Huang Realm has survived until now, its own strength has not truly ascended over the long period.

Considering the absorption of numerous remnants of immortal realms, despite being occupied by cultivators, it has slightly grown overall compared to before.

However, within the Dark Sea, the newly gestating path of rebirth is naturally one level higher than that of Xuan Huang.

Nevertheless...

For Xuan Huang Realm, observing these newborn entities in the Dark Sea is equally a great opportunity.

Previously, there were no reliable possessed cultivators available, and there was no method to escape the Immortal Land's attraction.

So, even if the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao had the intention, it couldn't be implemented in practice.

But this time, with the presence of the destined Holy Emperor, everything became different.

Li Ping completely handed over the control of the puppet body to the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao.

He was merely an observer, there to sense and comprehend.

Just this simple act would be nearly impossible for any other cultivator in Xuan Huang Realm.

It was like a child who had been indoors for a long time seeing a breathtaking view.

From the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao, Li Ping felt jubilation, excitement, and...

The Dark Sea becoming increasingly bright.

To say it was bright might be an exaggeration.

It was just occasional, scattered points of light.

However, in this originally pitch-black, silent starry sea, they were quite conspicuous.

The puppet body seemed to disappear, and the perspective suddenly zoomed in countless times.

The central area of the entire Dark Sea, not in spatial terms but in the meaning of life, appeared before Li Ping.

Like a faintly pulsating heart, weak yet undoubtedly representing life, hope, and the future.

The Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao and Li Ping arrived at the feet of this heart.

They greedily absorbed and assimilated the revitalizing power of the starry sea emanating outward due to its pulsation.

In an instant, countless scenes flashed before their minds.

There were worlds collapsing, and the stars rising and falling.

There were thriving living beings, blessed by heaven.

There were shadows resembling terrifying beasts, darkly peering and ready to pounce at any moment.

In the countless complex changes and constants, the Dark Sea, after its ultimate destruction, still stood stable and persisted in attempting to burst forth with vitality.

This was not only the original Dao of this starry sea but also an earnest perseverance that could bring tears to one's eyes.

Unable to withstand the vast and pure original Dao meaning of the starry sea, the puppet body began to disintegrate.

However, the consciousness of the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao and the Holy Emperor Li Ping at this moment held no worries or fears.

"Compared to the entire Dark Sea, what is the calamity suffered by the Xuan Huang Realm?"

"The starry sea can revive from its own destruction, and the Xuan Huang Realm surely can too."

Both took advantage of the last opportunity to memorize as many insights as possible.

Li Ping also knew that the original Dao meaning of the Dark Sea was beyond his current ability to explore.

The so-called insights at the moment were more like a blind person feeling an elephant.

What he saw and sensed was just a tiny fraction that he wanted to see and could feel.

Nevertheless, even this insignificant part for the entire starry sea was of great significance to them.

Just as the puppet body was about to completely disintegrate and disappear.

The consciousness of the original reviving starry sea seemed to sense the presence of Li Ping and the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao.

It cast a strand of attention.

However, it was evident that the fragile puppet body could no longer withstand this immense and unparalleled power.

It vanished in the vast force.

However, before consciousness disappeared.

With the help of the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao, Li Ping saw a fleeting, blurry image.

It appeared and disappeared so quickly that Li Ping couldn't be sure if it was his imagination.

The immortal way collapsed, the starry sea perished, and calamity spread.

There was a figure, the face and details unclear, becoming fainter and fainter.

Completely disappearing.

Only his laughter lingered for a long time in this starry sea where calamity was about to spread.

"What does it have to do with me..."

"What does it have to do with me..."

"Hahaha..."

Boom!

The Holy Emperor abruptly returned to reality.

With a grunt, he spat out a mouthful of golden blood.

The sleeping cat, Meow-Meow, suddenly raised its head, flying at the speed of light to the floating blood.

It directly devoured the blood into its stomach.

"Meow! Meow-meow!"

Afterward, seemingly afraid of Li Ping's reproach, Meow-Meow made a few pleasing calls.

Turning distant golden source energy, slowly repairing internal injuries, Li Ping didn't argue with Meow-Meow.

His thoughts were entirely focused on the recent scene.

"That figure..."

The Holy Emperor's heart was full of solemnity.

Whatever could make this starry sea, unforgettable in its revival from destruction, was certainly not a simple character.

The existence lingered in his mind for only a short while, yet it caused a subtle sense of crisis to surge within the Holy Emperor.

Immediately shocked, he forced himself to stop thinking about it.

But soon, the Holy Emperor realized he was overly concerned.

Even without actively trying to forget, the memory of that figure was uncontrollably fading away.

"This situation..."

"It may not be the realm of the rumored 'Nameless True Immortal,' but it seems to be just a step away."

The Holy Emperor carefully tasted the meaning conveyed by the newly revived starry sea.

"If I'm not mistaken, the mastermind behind the various calamities in the starry sea is likely this person..."

The Holy Emperor frowned slightly, attempting to capture the memory that was about to disappear from his mind.

In the end, numerous details slowly faded away.

What remained were only the four words, "What does it have to do with me."

"What does it have to do with immortality." The Holy Emperor looked puzzled.

In the Holy Emperor's seat, Li Ping sat in silence for a long time.

Meow-Meow seemed to sense something, lowering its body and scanning the surroundings, adopting a hunting posture.

Seemingly searching for a presence that made Li Ping extremely wary.

But ultimately, it found nothing.

Meow-Meow became lazy again, sleeping on Li Ping's shoulder.

The Holy Emperor began to digest the gains from this journey into the depths of the starry sea.

Not only him.

Even the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao, due to this expedition, underwent changes that hadn't occurred in a long time.

Like the newly revived Dark Sea, it moistened everything silently, still unknown to people.

But indeed, it was happening.

In the vast world, only a few people could perceive it.

A great opening.

In a teahouse in Holy Capital City, Shiban, who was chatting with someone, had a slight change in expression, looking into the distance.

In the Jyan Life Space, Ruo Mu, who was trimming his withered branches, stared in astonishment at the new shoots emerging from the yellowed branches.

Thousands of miles below the ground, the Ancient Tree of Earth's pulse felt the surging force from the Xuan Huang Realm, unexpectedly intensifying without warning, as if something was brewing. It made him both expectant and fearful.

...

"At the side of the sunken boat, thousands of sails pass; in front of the sick tree, a myriad of trees bloom in spring."

In the Yen Fa Jue Space, Li Fan suddenly recalled these two lines of poetry.

"So, using the Xuan Huang Realm Heavenly Dao to comprehend the starry sea leads to the greatest gains."

"Because the perspective of humans and the perspective of heaven and earth are different."

"Just like back then when I used the Cang Hai Pearl, I comprehended the 'Unseen Killing Intent.'"

"In this world, creating the Holy Emperor's avatar to assist the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao turns out to be unexpectedly fortuitous."

Li Fan was delighted.

Although the connection between him and the Holy Emperor had become very weak.

Due to the massive impact of the starry sea's origin, he still gained some understanding of the Holy Emperor's comprehension with the Xuan Huang Realm Heavenly Dao.

Most importantly, he learned the method.

As long as he mastered the method, in the next life, he could replicate this process.

"The origin of the starry sea's Dao..."

Li Fan repeatedly contemplated the insights that the Holy Emperor had just transmitted.

At the same time, he vaguely sensed the internal and external revival of the Xuan Huang Realm.

"If there were no new Law Cultivators devouring the heavens and earth from within and no Immortal Tombs from the outside, perhaps the Xuan Huang Realm could truly be reborn."

"Unfortunately... it's destined to treat the symptoms rather than the root cause."

While shaking his head slightly, a hint of doubt also emerged in his mind. In theory, the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao could not be unaware of this. The revival power should be accumulating and erupting in the future decisive battle, not rushing to evolve.

For what purpose?

"Hehe, let me watch and see."

The perspective returned to the Great Awakening of the Holy Dynasty.

After sensing the anomaly in the Xuan Huang Realm, Shiban immediately arrived at the Holy Emperor's seat. Seeing the Holy Emperor, who also emitted a mysterious aura, Shiban was instantly surprised.

"Do you know about what happened in the Xuan Huang Realm?"

"No need to panic; it's advantageous and without harm," the Holy Emperor responded.

Shiban's expression relaxed slightly, "I thought the Xuan Huang Realm was facing a great disaster and entering its twilight..."

"What you said is not wrong. The power of revival that erupted due to a momentary enlightenment is doomed not to last. However, for us, it might be a rare opportunity." After a brief silence, the Holy Emperor slowly spoke.

"You mean the Xuan Huang orthodox plan?" Shiban was slightly startled, then quickly understood.

"Yes."

The Holy Emperor nodded, and a microcosmic scene of the Xuan Huang Realm appeared before the two.

Among them, the original part of the Xuan Huang Realm appeared in a glowing yellow.

Since the collapse of the Immortal Dao, the local forces of the Xuan Huang Realm, the Xuan Tian Sect, and the ten Immortal Dao Sects, along with the various realms and worlds captured by the [Floating Starry Sky Grand Array], showed a strange green color.

After the calamity spread and the starry sea collapsed, the remnants of other Immortal Cultivation worlds forcibly stitched together by outsiders appeared in a dead black color.

This was information transmitted by the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao.

It could be seen that the yellow color in the entire miniature scene of the Xuan Huang Realm accounted for less than one-thirtieth.

The green color accounted for about one-tenth.

As for the remaining, it was all vast areas of pitch-black.

At first glance, the yellow of the Xuan Huang Realm seemed to be an anomaly.

But unlike the green and black colors, the glowing color representing the Xuan Huang Realm seemed to have its own consciousness, flashing and spreading continuously towards the surrounding areas of different colors.

From a direct visual perspective, the green and black areas were not pure.

They were mixed with scattered points of dark yellow.

However, in the thousands of years, this erosion in a certain sense had slowed down. It even showed signs of being reversed.

But...

As the recent resurgence of vitality in the Xuan Huang Realm suddenly accelerated, the overflowing yellow color intensified.

"The Xuan Huang orthodoxy..."

Shiban pondered, "Those areas originally belonging to the Xuan Huang Realm need not be mentioned. Everything that happens there is detailed in the Creation Stone Tablet's records. As for those green areas..."

Shiban carefully examined them, "Some are within the range of the tablet's records, while others are not."

"As for those black areas, they are purely blind spots."

Emperor Li Ping said, "If we do nothing, the ultimate fate of the Xuan Huang Realm will be swallowed by the overwhelming black areas. As for the future, these black areas may transform into something else."

"So, we need to take the initiative and deeply integrate the Xuan Huang orthodoxy into these external remnants."

The Emperor's voice was low, but the determination in his words was evident.

"How do we do that?" Shiban became interested.

"Observe the way of heaven, carry out the will of heaven..."

The Emperor spoke slowly, and Shiban listened carefully, nodding occasionally.

After explaining the method in detail, the Emperor's tone became somewhat solemn, "When doing these things, be careful and cautious to prevent the initiator from discovering it."

Although the Emperor did not explicitly mention who it was, Shiban understood his meaning.

Shiban, rarely showing a playful smile, said, "Silent actions are the most effective. With the cooperation and concealment from the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao, that person, even with peerless cultivation, is unlikely to perceive it."

The Emperor sternly warned, "Do not be careless. Even if he is not in the Xuan Huang Realm, be cautious of the various hidden traps he might have left behind."

Shiban nodded, indicating understanding.

"The fewer participants in this matter, the better. It should have been handled by that 若木 (Ruo Mu), which would be the most efficient. After all, as an innate tree spirit, he has a closer connection to the Xuan Huang Realm."

"It's not that I don't trust him, but every move he makes will attract the attention of other powerful beings in this realm. Being too conspicuous as the active party. On the contrary, if everyone thinks you are deeply oppressed by the Creation Stone Tablet, constantly under pressure, they will subconsciously ignore you." Perhaps due to the importance of the Xuan Huang future, the Emperor unusually rambled for a few sentences.

Seemingly speaking to Shiban, yet also perhaps addressing 若木 (Ruo Mu).

"This is what they call 'the darkest under the lamp.' " Shiban agreed with a nod, "Now that I have lost the weight of the stone tablet, making some changes guarantees that no one will associate me with the image of the past."

"Then wait a few days until the Xuan Huang Realm's erupting revival power reaches its peak, then take action. It will be much more effective."

Shiban promptly agreed.

He didn't leave but stood quietly in the hall of the Emperor's seat, watching the miniature scene of the Xuan Huang Realm that the Emperor had changed.

The central light of Xuan Huang continued to flicker like a beating heart, transporting traces of the yellow color to various parts of the Xuan Huang Realm.

Including those green and black areas.

Even though there was a gradual tendency for assimilation within them, under the continuous delivery of powerful revival forces, they could still temporarily maintain their original colors. Slowly, finally, the outermost black areas of the Xuan Huang Realm had subtly absorbed a trace of imperceptible yellow.

"It's time to act." The Faceless Holy Emperor spoke in a deep voice.

Shiban smiled slightly, and in an instant, his figure flashed, creating two identical bodies in the Emperor's seat.

Then, the two became four, four turned into eight, and eight increased to sixteen.

In the blink of an eye, countless identical Shiban figures filled the hall.

"Change! Change! Change!"

All the Shibans simultaneously exclaimed.

In an instant, the Shiban clones transformed into various people with vivid and different appearances, such as a graceful scholar, a hunched woodcutter, a stunning woman, a carefree old man, and more.

Each person's appearance was vividly distinct, yet all originated from the same person.

"I'll go too."

They individually saluted the Emperor, all wearing smiles, and their figures disappeared in the Emperor's seat.

At the same time, in various regions of the Xuan Huang Realm, unnoticed by anyone.

There appeared some special entities.

When they gathered in the Emperor's seat, it seemed crowded. However, once dispersed throughout the Xuan Huang Realm, they caused no ripples.

"Observe the way of heaven, carry out the will of heaven."

"The unity of heaven and man, all changes are determined..."

They chanted softly while heading towards populous cities in various regions.

The Emperor's plan was, in essence, to establish the foundation of heaven with human intentions.

Using Shiban's ability to disguise as any form, he divided into numerous clones and infiltrated the mortal populace.

They would subtly preach the existence of the "Xuan Huang Realm" to all the mortal beings in the Xuan Huang Realm.

Present-day mortals only knew a small part of the world where they lived. They had no special awareness of the Xuan Huang Realm.

The concept of the Xuan Huang Realm itself did not exist in their thoughts.

Establishing the Xuan Huang orthodoxy's first step was to first familiarize them with the existence of the world they lived in, the Xuan Huang Realm.

Of course, this was not a task to be accomplished in a day. It required several years, or even more than a decade, of propagation.

Moreover, to avoid being detected, it required hard work, personally integrating into the mortal communities, using word-of-mouth transmission.

However, with Shiban's strength, even with thousands of clones, accomplishing this task was not difficult.

Individuals, hundreds, or even thousands of mortals might be insignificant, like ants, but when combined, they formed an undeniable force in the entire Xuan Huang Realm.

Once the consensus among the mortal population of the Xuan Huang Realm was achieved, the second step of the plan could be initiated.

With the meaning of "heaven and earth's myriad spirits," they would simultaneously counterattack and besiege the remaining consciousness of foreign cultivator remnants and devour them.

This step required the assistance of Yin Shangren.

As a being with the nature of a world ghost, he had a profound understanding of how to devour world consciousness.

After coordinating with the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao to complete the siege of the remnants of the cultivation realms, the final step was to help the remnants completely integrate into the Xuan Huang Realm.

In fact, most areas of the Xuan Huang Realm had already completed the surface integration.

Only a few regions, due to improper integration, remained peculiar and frequent anomalies.

These entities, resembling "infected wounds," required thorough surgical cleansing – destruction followed by reconstruction.

If the first and second steps could be hidden successfully...

So the third step will inevitably alert the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, and even the Transcendent Beings beyond the starry sky.

At that time, armed conflicts are inevitable.

However, according to the Emperor's statement, as long as the second step is completed, even if the ultimate failure occurs, the situation is irreversible, and no one can turn the tide.

Unless more remnants of cultivation realms are brought in, and another round of dissection and recombination takes nearly ten thousand years.

For Shiban, who hasn't been excited about anything for a long time due to some event, surprisingly, his blood started boiling.

Apart from being able to save the Xuan Huang Realm, the benefits are self-evident if successful.

It will lead to more control over the heavens and the earth, becoming a stronger existence than longevity itself.

For whatever reason, Shiban would not refuse this plan.

More than ten years for him would be just a fleeting moment.

...

In the Emperor's seat.

Li Ping summoned Ruomu.

A true wise man doesn't put all his eggs in one basket.

He naturally wouldn't entrust such an important task of establishing the Xuan Huang orthodoxy solely to Shiban, even though Shiban is trustworthy, and the plan carries low risks.

Though the words were similar to those spoken to Shiban, it was a different way of putting it.

The subject achieving the goal became Ruomu.

And the implanted concept of "Myriad Spirits of Heaven and Earth" became ordinary plants, birds, and beasts in the Xuan Huang Realm.

"You are the ancestor of all living beings. Influencing them subtly should be within your capabilities."

"Establish the meaning of 'Xuan Huang Realm.'"

For Ruomu, this matter was a small affair.

The fact that the withered branches had sprouted new shoots earlier had also rejuvenated his spirit.

Rarely energized, he readily agreed.

"Ruomu, Shiban."

"With just them, it's not enough."

"In the end, I need to personally take action."

"Triple insurance is the only way to ensure absolute success."

The Emperor's thoughts flowed slowly.

"Facing the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is an overt battlefield."

"While establishing the Xuan Huang orthodoxy is a covert battle."

"Comparatively speaking, this covert battle is even more crucial. It's a one-time opportunity; if we lose, it's a complete defeat."

While the Emperor contemplated, his forehead slowly bulged.

In the swelling flesh and blood, a lump kept growing.

Li Ping seemed completely unaware, motionless.

Until nearly half a day later, flesh and blood burst open, and a mass of Xuan Huang aura sprang out.

The Xuan Huang aura surrounded, with a hazy internal image.

It seemed somewhat like Mr. Bai and a bit like Li Ping himself.

"Cat Bao."

The faceless Holy Emperor awakened the dozing Cat Bao.

He pinched its nape, allowing it to reluctantly display its cloning ability.

Another identical mass of Xuan Huang aura appeared in the Emperor's seat.

"Go!"

The Holy Emperor lightly commanded, and these two masses of Xuan Huang aura slashed through the void, leaving the Holy Dynasty small world, flying towards different regions in the Xuan Huang Realm.

They didn't directly integrate into the Heavenly Dao but lurked in secret.

The Holy Emperor coughed lightly; even with his strength, he felt a bit weak temporarily.

The Xuan Huang aura separated from his body could be seen, in a sense, as the Xuan Huang evil thoughts he had swallowed in the past. After his refining and blending with the Saint Dynasty's fortune, it turned into an entity similar to the Xuan Huang fortune.

If he hadn't delved into the star sea and seen the true meaning of the star sea source, it would have been somewhat challenging for him to condense this entity fortune.

"Each entity fortune can merge and govern roughly three regions."

"Let's not talk about the Five Elders for now. If we cover the entire Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, with Cat Bao's assistance, it won't take long."

After a few breaths, the Holy Emperor's aura returned to its peak state.

However, Li Ping knew that this was due to the Saint Dynasty's fortune reserve support, coupled with the feedback from his enlightenment.

If the condensation was too frequent, he wouldn't recover this quickly.

"Integrating Xuan Huang fortune into the world is equivalent to re-declaring sovereignty."

"Even if Ruomu, Shiban, and the others fail, control over the Xuan Huang orthodoxy will still be firmly in hand."

"Of course, if they succeed, that's even better."

In Li Ping's deduction, the battle against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would be best after establishing the Xuan Huang orthodoxy.

By then, dealing with the "heretics" of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would be akin to a home game, where every thought could ignore spatial distance, mobilizing the power of the Xuan Huang Heavenly Dao and bringing down endless heavenly punishment.

Victory could be achieved without expending a single soldier.

Of course, in the cultivation world, strength is paramount.

The key factor lies in the final battle against the Law Transmitter.

The one who knows himself is wise; the Holy Emperor is well aware of his current strength, and there is undoubtedly a noticeable gap with the Law Transmitter.

After all, the opponent has dominated Xuan Huang for thousands of years and gained enlightenment in the depths of the star sea.

He can be considered truly unfathomable.

Although the Holy Emperor has barely reached the limit of the Xuan Huang Realm and experienced the serendipity of the source of the star sea's Dao meaning, he has not truly transformed this serendipity into strength.

"I need more time."

The Holy Emperor felt a deep sense of urgency in his heart.

"Time waits for no one."

Before going to the star sea, he did not have this feeling. But since returning from the star sea, an indistinct sense told him that the time left for him might not be much.

...

Sun Family.

Sun Luyuan circulated his spiritual power, resisting the bone-chilling cold, and walked slowly into the room.

Looking at Sun Tianci, who was sitting on the bed, not crying or making trouble but just silently lost in thought, a feeling of helplessness surged in Sun Luyuan's heart.

Every family has its own difficulties.

Outsiders only know that Sun Tianci was born with Dao harmony and extraordinary dominance, but they do not know that this young man might be cold and indifferent to outsiders because he witnessed his own mother's death from birth.

A natural frigid aura emanated from him, making it difficult for outsiders to approach.

If he didn't naturally possess Dao harmony, he might have starved to death in a few days due to a lack of care.

But no matter how extraordinary, he was still just a newborn baby who needed care.

Several Dao harmony experts from the Sun family had to take turns to help.

"Chi'er..." Sun Luyuan showed a gentle smile, taking out a well-prepared high-quality spiritual liquid.

"Eat something, okay?"

Sun Tianci just shook his head, refusing.

Sun Luyuan felt helpless.

Then he suddenly remembered something and said softly, "I visited your father this time, and when he learned about your birth, he personally created a Dao method for you. Take a look..."

As he spoke, Sun Luyuan transmitted the knowledge of the Dao method created by Li Fan, "Rising Righteousness," to Sun Tianci.

Hearing that his yet-to-be-met father had created it for him, Sun Tianci's icy demeanor showed some signs of softening. Slowly reading through the text of "Rising Righteousness," he seemed to comprehend something, closing his eyes.

Sensing the surrounding environment returning to normal, Sun Luyuan was overjoyed.

More importantly, the profound sense of sorrow in Sun Tianci, seemingly innate, was also slowly dissipating.

"What an uplifting 'Rising Righteousness'!"

"Luo'er must have a solution!"

Knowing that the other party was currently in a state of enlightenment, Sun Luyuan didn't dare to disturb. He simply placed the spiritual liquid gently aside and quietly left.

After using restrictions to seal the room, preventing any disturbances from outsiders, he felt somewhat reassured.

"Tianci's temperament is fine. By staying indoors and disappearing from the public eye, people will forget about him in a few years amid these significant changes."

"At this crucial period of great changes, our Sun family should focus on lying low and preserving our strength."

Thinking of this, Sun Luyuan couldn't help but recall the task assigned to him by the Holy Dynasty.

Since joining the Holy Dynasty, he had lived a very leisurely life. The Holy Dynasty had not given him any compulsory tasks.

The plan to abduct Kong Youxian to the Holy Dynasty, and the interrupted plan to have her as a Dao companion for the disciples of the Holy Emperor, had been put on hold due to a sudden request from Xu Yuan. Now, he couldn't contact her, so the plan had to be shelved for the time being.

This frustrated Sun Luyuan, who had been eager to achieve something and increase his own capital.

Finally, the Holy Dynasty sent him a task, but it was quite troublesome, and he had been unable to find an opportunity to act.

"Yuyu... Is it not a place where they detain serious offenders? What does the Holy Dynasty want by getting involved?"

Sun Luyuan wondered.

Entering the prison was not difficult, but infiltrating it, maintaining constant contact with the outside, was indeed challenging.

"Yuyu operates as a separate system within the Immortal Alliance, independently managed by Law Transmitters. To interfere..."

Although this time the Holy Dynasty did not mention the consequences if the task failed, Sun Luyuan knew that it was definitely a test from the Holy Dynasty.

In Sun Luyuan's mind, faces of various individuals appeared, and he began to consider a list of people who could help him in this matter.

After a long time, he still had no results.

He habitually went to the underground secret room.

His younger brother, Sun Luyao, the Infinite Mirror Spirit, seeing his expression, couldn't help but ask about the reason.

"Brother, I found some information, maybe it's useful."

Sun Luyuan looked at the information his younger brother transmitted, and his tightly furrowed brows couldn't help but relax.

"Perhaps it's feasible."

"I'll give it a try."

Just as he was about to leave in a hurry, he suddenly heard Sun Luyao asking, "By the way, brother, you promised to take me out for some fresh air. When can we go?."

Sun Luyuan hesitated for a moment and replied somewhat vaguely, "Wait a bit longer. The Sun family is still being watched by those people. Taking you out now might result in a situation similar to last time when we were besieged by the Chen family while searching for fragments."

"Let's wait for the storm to pass."

Having said that, without waiting for Sun Luyao to speak, he hurriedly left.

"Okay, I understand, brother..."

Before leaving, he heard his younger brother say so.

However, the tone seemed a bit strange.

But Sun Luyuan didn't think much of it.

The information Sun Luyao obtained from the Tianxuan Mirror showed that a serious offender in the Immortal Alliance was about to be sent to the prison.

However, this person had a special identity, being a direct descendant of Law Transmitter [Sun].

Normally, with such a background, one should not be sent to a place like the prison.

But the crimes he committed this time were quite significant.

It was well known that the Immortal Alliance was organizing the second Rainbow Escape to the stars.

And the Empty Crystal was a key material needed to achieve this goal.

The previous compromise, promising to evenly distribute the spots for this Rainbow Escape among the Immortal Alliance Daoists, regardless of their backgrounds, gave the Immortal Alliance an opportunity to once again emphasize the scarcity of the Empty Crystal.

They began using various means, including fishing law enforcement, to recover the crystals hoarded by major families.

The Law Transmitter named Sun Wanyun, being a direct descendant of Sun, was caught red-handed purchasing a large amount of Empty Crystal privately and was apprehended.

The cultivators in charge of this arrest naturally knew Sun Wanyun's identity. However, they had to put on a show in front of the public. So they had to arrest him, even though they intended to release him quietly afterward.

But within half a day, news of Sun Wanyun's arrest by the ruthless and impartial enforcement of the Immortal Alliance had quietly spread.

People praised Law Transmitter Sun for upholding the laws of the Immortal Alliance, even if it meant going against his own kin.

In this situation, the Immortal Alliance couldn't possibly slap themselves in the face. Moreover, the Empty Crystal was indeed too important. So Sun Wanyun was legally sent to prison.

But as a direct descendant of a Law Transmitter, no one knew when he would come out. Naturally, he enjoyed some privileges in prison.

"This person should be a suitable breakthrough."

"As long as I visit him under the pretext of inquiring about him, and hand over the items given by the Holy Emperor, it should work..."

Thinking this way, Sun Luyuan arrived at the temporary detention place for Sun Wanyun in the Immortal Alliance headquarters.

At a glance, he was a bit dumbfounded.

It turned out that there were quite a few "smart people" who understood the principle of giving timely help in times of need.

The entrance was crowded with cultivators who came to visit, making it lively. One couldn't tell that this was the treatment for an imminent transfer to prison of a serious offender in the Immortal Alliance. This scene seemed quite ironic.

Although sharing the same surname, Sun Luyuan had no blood relationship with Law Transmitter Sun and this Sun Wanyun. They had only met a few times.

The family head of the Sun family, Sun Luyuan, who was exceptionally prominent in the eyes of outsiders, had to line up obediently at the door.

At the same time, in the Sun family's underground secret room.

Li Fan's divine sense mercilessly mocked Sun Luyao.

"I told you long ago, your brother won't let you go. How about it?"

"The reason I took you out before was that you occasionally went crazy, and you were always at risk of losing control of the Infinite Mirror."

"Now, with the help of my assistance, the source of the Infinite Mirror's unrest, the erasure of the wind disaster, is gradually being eliminated, and your performance is becoming more and more stable."

"You, kid, are now a magical treasure, and it's crucial for the rise of the Sun family. How could your brother easily let you go? If something unexpected happens, and you are abducted, what will we do?"

Listening to Li Fan's sarcasm, Sun Luyao remained silent.

The figure in the mirror occasionally distorted, revealing his inner dissatisfaction.

"Senior..."

After a long silence, he wisely asked Li Fan for help.

Sun Luyao knew that the mysterious figure in front of him must not have spoken so much just to mock him.

"Hehe, you've become smarter, young man."

Li Fan chuckled.

As he spoke, he conjured a pair of large hands and reached towards Sun Luyao's head.

Sun Luyao's heart trembled, but he resisted the urge to dodge.

The dark giant hand enveloped him, and suddenly, a phantom was grabbed out of Sun Luyao's body by Li Fan.

With a gentle wave, Li Fan let this phantom float out of the Infinite Mirror and merge with a pile of materials that appeared out of thin air in the secret room.

Before long, another "Infinite Mirror," looking exactly the same, appeared in front of Sun Luyao.

As the Infinite Mirror spirit, Sun Luyao was naturally very familiar with this magical treasure.

But even he couldn't distinguish the difference between the object in front of him and his possessed magical treasure!

With a heart full of suspicion, Sun Luyao flew into this counterfeit item. After discovering that it was just an empty shell, he returned excitedly.

"Senior's methods are truly unpredictable! To be able to replicate even magical treasures and make them so lifelike!" Sun Luyao flattered.

"Hmph, it's just superficial."

Li Fan said very coldly, "You can divide another strand of divine sense and hide it in this mirror. With my skills as a foundation and your blessing, it's more than enough to deceive your brother."

Seeing freedom within reach again, Sun Luyao didn't hesitate at all. Despite the severe pain of his soul being cut, he split a strand of divine sense.

When Sun Luyao's divine sense entered the fake Infinite Mirror, this imitation artifact became flawless.

In a sense, it could be considered a true clone of the Infinite Mirror. Despite appearing as an empty shell, as long as the real Infinite Mirror was still present, it could synchronize any information it probed.

"Senior, can we sneak out now?"

Seeing the fake Infinite Mirror floating silently in the air, Sun Luyao couldn't help but ask eagerly.

"Fool! What do you mean 'sneak out'? This is called 'crossing the sea by feeling the stones, and the sky is high, let the bird fly!'"

Li Fan laughed heartily, transformed into a black line, carried the Infinite Mirror, ignored the numerous prohibitions set up by Sun Luyao himself, and instantly left the Sun family.

Seeing the blue sky above him again, Sun Luyao was exhilarated.

"Senior, where are we going?"

"As mentioned before, searching for the lost Immortal Artifact in the Xuanhuang Realm?"

Even without a physical form, Sun Luyao deeply breathed in the air of freedom. Then, he cautiously asked Li Fan.

"Immortal Artifact... no hurry." Li Fan merely said so.

Seeing the other party not speaking, Sun Luyao didn't dare to ask.

He could only follow the other party and swiftly rush southward in the Xuanhuang Realm.

After seven days, sensing the surging energy fluctuations ahead, Sun Luyao suddenly became alert.

"That is..."

An endless ocean, turbulent water converging towards the center.

Fierce winds howled, making crackling sounds.

The violent storm even tore through space, causing flashes of lightning.

Next to a vast vortex, like a long dragon, was a chain of striking islands.

This distinctive scene instantly revealed to Sun Luyao his current location.

"The Rift Vortex!"

He exclaimed.

Although he had already learned about this natural wonder from numerous pieces of information obtained through the Heavenly Mirror, experiencing it personally was a completely different feeling.

"Such surging currents, such a frenzied and violent wind..."

"How can mere information shadows represent its true intensity?"

Since his youth, trapped in a small mirror without seeing the magnificent scenes of the world, the grand spectacle before Sun Luyao's eyes stirred his emotions. It seemed like he had reverted to his passionate youth.

"Making such a fuss, truly ignorant."

Li Fan made a strange sound, pulling Sun Luyao out of his repeated amazement.

"After marveling, let's get down to business."

With a gentle point towards the Infinite Mirror, Sun Luyao's shadow was instantly drawn into it.

After a moment, the mirror uncontrollably emitted a faint light.

Aimed at the nearby Rift Vortex.

The Infinite Mirror trembled slightly, and countless images cascaded within it like a waterfall.

Li Fan merely squinted, calmly awaiting the changes within.

"Infinite, observe the secrets of the Rift."

"With this grand array as the core, theoretically, the Infinite Mirror should be able to decipher all the hidden mysteries of the world."

"Although it is already damaged, using it to explore the secrets of this [Rift], should not be a difficult task."

"After all, the might of the Rift back then was too enormous. After all this time, the wound it left on the Xuanhuang Realm has not yet healed."

...

While Li Fan contemplated, the Infinite Mirror seemed to have reached its limit.

Cracks began to appear on the mirror's surface.