NOVPUB"At that time, I indeed saw that Immortal open his eyes, it seems he truly is still alive."
"With one glance using the [Hunger] rune to obliterate Xuanhuang, I’m afraid it’s not something an ordinary Immortal can achieve. Having meditated for ten thousand years, and gained insights into the Immortal Way, he’s probably not far from breaking through to the Nameless True Immortal Realm…"
A sudden, intangible pressure arose in Li Fan’s heart.
If what Daoist Baihua said was true, then one day this Immortal would awaken from his enlightenment.
If by that time, he himself had not yet escaped from the Abyss Star Ocean…
He would need to face the ultimate consequence.
In other words, the time he could stay in the Xuanhuang World actually had a limit.
However, as things stood, there was no need to worry too much about this issue.
At least, in the several cycles of reincarnation he experienced, and even after anchoring for over seven hundred years, there were no signs of the Immortal Ruins Immortal awakening.
"However, the obelisks erected by the Sky Alliance in that era began to erupt more and more frequently later on, perhaps sensing the danger of the Immortal’s awakening, and were thus built out of necessity," Li Fan pondered to himself.
"Compared to worrying about the awakening of the True Immortal, what I should be more concerned about is, if I forcibly break free from the attraction of the Immortal Ruins and leave Xuanhuang, or even cross the High Wall, would it awaken that Immortal in the midst of his enlightenment?"
At this thought, Li Fan couldn’t help asking, "Let’s not mention the source of the calamity in the Immortal Cultivation World. What do you think about the invisible barrier that surrounds the Abyss Star Ocean?"
Daoist Baihua fell silent for a moment, then gave an answer that somewhat surprised Li Fan.
"This invisible barrier actually has two possibilities."
"First, it could have been established by beings beyond the Abyss Star Ocean, to prevent the spread of tribulations brought on by the True Immortal Seal Characters."
Li Fan nodded slightly, this matched the conjecture of the King of Mystic Sky back in the day.
"As for the second possibility…"
The tone of Daoist Baihua suddenly deepened, "It is very likely the work of that Immortal Ruins Immortal."
"As I mentioned before, the Immortal Way that each Immortal pursues is unique. That Immortal who seeks enlightenment through the [Hunger] character, to prevent other Immortals from discovering the existence of the [Hunger] character and thus affecting his own enlightenment progress. Therefore, before entering retreat, he took measures to seal off and isolate this star domain from the outside."
The High Wall was set by the Immortal Ruins Immortal?
Li Fan felt a shock in his heart at first, then after pondering for a while, he felt that it was indeed a possibility.
An image of the King of Mystic Sky’s judgment from years past unexpectedly floated into his mind.
Only by breaking through to the Realm of True Immortality could he take the Xuanhuang World across the High Wall.
"The True Immortal that the King of Mystic Sky spoke of, judging by the way he claimed he could reach it soon back then, must refer to the ordinary realm of an Immortal, not the Nameless True Immortal Realm."
"Only someone close to or stronger than the Immortal Ruins Immortal’s strength when setting up the High Wall would be able to overcome it. This makes perfect sense."
"Back when the Immortal World collapsed, survivors fled in all directions. Yet the Immortal Ruins Immortal went straight to the entrance of the Immortal Realm Passage, and after obtaining the Secret of the Famine Rune, he sat down to meditate and seek enlightenment. Such boldness…"
"Is indeed rare even within the Immortal World."
"So for him, setting up a High Wall that sealed off the entire Sea of Obscured Stars might not be an impossible task after all."
Engrossed in thought, Li Fan actually started to feel that perhaps the second speculation was closer to the true nature of reality.
If this really were the case…
"I would inevitably disturb the Immortal Ruins Immortal if I sought to escape from the Abyss Star Ocean."
This was undoubtedly a more dangerous and unattainable venture than confronting the Celestial Dharma Bearer.
However, in the pursuit of longevity and freedom, who would have thought that just upon embarking on the journey, one would discover that both the Celestial Dharma Bearer and the Immortal Ruins Immortal stand as towering adversaries that must be confronted…
What a hopeless predicament!
Most likely, a vast majority of cultivators within the Sea of Obscured Stars would have their Dao heart shattered and their will to progress destroyed in an instant upon learning the truth!
But Li Fan merely narrowed his eyes, without feeling the slightest despondency in his heart.
Whether it was the Celestial Dharma Bearer, or a fairy, even the elusive "Nameless True Immortals"...
As long as they stood in the way of his Road to Immortality, Li Fan was determined to crush them!
"On the Road to Immortality, I walk alone; the impediments of the world leave my will unshaken."
"With one sword strike, I cleave through the day of the starry sea; heaven mourns, earth weeps, immortals are startled."
In his heart, Li Fan slowly chanted with a determined glint in his eyes.
Daoist Baihua, not far away, had no idea what had happened, but she suddenly felt a mysterious change in the aura of the man before her.
It made her feel a slight chill in her heart, as if a great disaster loomed over her.
But this feeling flashed by quickly, and upon closer inspection, it vanished without a trace.
As if it was merely her own illusion.
However, Daoist Baihua understood that with her current "Liuli Body" state, illusions or hallucinations simply could not occur to her.
Therefore...
Daoist Baihua, staring at Li Fan, who seemed harmless and exuded righteousness, increased her wariness by a fraction.
The Deserted Dao Immortal, still too far from their current situation. After pondering for a moment, Li Fan temporarily suppressed various thoughts.
He looked toward Daoist Baihua, who was hidden within the golden light, and asked again, "The Immortal Realm is beyond our current comprehension. Instead, I am more curious about your experiences."
"You are a survivor from the disaster years ago, so why did you appear in the Fishing Pond?"
"What relationship do you have with Taoist Luli?"
Li Fan’s gaze was keen, and the surrounding Array Path seals quietly strengthened once more.
Daoist Baihua glanced imperceptibly around and sighed, "Your guard is truly exceptional."
"In fact, my being in the Fishing Pond was merely a coincidence."
"As I mentioned before, it was against my will."
Daoist Baihua slowly explained, "That day, the survivors from various worlds were gathered, discussing ways to escape from the Star Ocean of the Abyss."
"Unexpectedly, a strange fluctuation came from the void and locked onto me."
"In that instant, I lost consciousness, and when I awoke, I found myself within the Fishing Pond."
Li Fan smiled, "You mean to say you ended up in the Fishing Pond due to sheer bad luck?"
Daoist Baihua’s voice bore some helplessness, "Yes and no. The Fishing Pond automatically searches the starry sky for scattered treasures, and the rarer the ownerless objects, the more likely they are to become targets for the Fishing Pond."
"With my techniques perfected, my body shines like a Liuli lotus hidden in darkness, resembling more a magic treasure than a person."
"I can only say, it was destined, a tribulation meant for me."
"In the Fishing Pond, I do not know how many years I have dwelled. Later, due to a fortunate coincidence, I latched onto a Liuli Wisdom Fruit with similar properties to my own."
"Absorbing a part of the energy within the wisdom fruit, I was barely able to maintain my clarity of mind in the Fishing Pond."
"After that..."
"I sensed a force drawing the Liuli Wisdom Fruit and knew it might be the only chance to escape. So, I was fished out along with the Liuli from the Fishing Pond."
"Hehe, but I hid well. You just never discovered me."
Daoist Baihua said indifferently.
