“ dào yě bù yòng dān xīn ……”
“倒也不用担心……”
"Actually, there's no need to worry..."
shuō zhe shuō zhe ， sì hū shì xiǎng qǐ duō nián qián xiān jiè de jié nàn ， qiǎo gōng jū shì hū de chén mò le 。
说着说着，似乎是想起多年前仙界的劫难，巧工居士忽的沉默了。
As he spoke, it seemed that the Artisan of Ingenious Devices suddenly recalled a calamity in the Immortal Realm from many years ago and fell silent.
“ dào yě bù hǎo shuō ， bì jìng zhuī xún dào zhī gēn de lù tú shí zài xiōng xiǎn wàn fēn 。 jiù suàn shì xún cháng xiān rén ， bú shì yǔ dào tóng zài de wú míng zhēn xiān ， jiù nán miǎn huì yǒu yǔn luò de fēng xiǎn 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì tàn le kǒu qì dào 。
“倒也不好说，毕竟追寻道之根的路途实在凶险万分。就算是寻常仙人，不是与道同在的无名真仙，就难免会有陨落的风险。”巧工居士叹了口气道。
"It's hard to say. After all, the path to seek the root of Dao is fraught with peril. Even ordinary immortals who aren't nameless true immortals united with Dao are bound to face the risk of perishing," Artisan of Ingenious Devices sighed.
cǐ yán jì bì ， liǎng rén zhī jiān zài dù xiàn rù le cháng jiǔ de chén mò zhī zhōng 。
此言既毕，两人之间再度陷入了长久的沉默之中。
After finishing his words, a long silence fell between them once more.
lǐ fán sì hū shì zài xiāo huà zhe zhè yī fān huà ， méi tóu jǐn suǒ ， bù zhī dào zài xiǎng xiē shén me 。
李凡似乎是在消化着这一番话，眉头紧锁，不知道在想些什么。
Li Fan seemed to be processing this information, furrowing his brows as he pondered something.
bàn shǎng zhī hòu ， fāng cái huí guò shén lái ， shuō dào ：“ gāng gāng dào yǒu suǒ shuō ， bù xìn zhě bì jiāng zāo shòu fǎn shì ， jiù shì zhǐ rú guǒ zài xún lìng wài dào zhī gēn de hòu guǒ ？”
半晌之后，方才回过神来，说道：“刚刚道友所说，不信者必将遭受反噬，就是指如果再寻另外道之根的后果？”
After a while, he regained his composure and asked, "What you said just now—that those who doubt the root of Dao will suffer retribution—does it mean that if we were to seek another root of Dao, it would have such consequences?"
“ bù cuò 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì diǎn le diǎn tóu ，“ bù jǐn jǐn huì yǐn qǐ yuán tóu xiān rén de jǐng jué ， shèn zhì huì yǐn dé dào zhī gēn běn shēn de zhèn dàng 。”
“不错。”巧工居士点了点头，“不仅仅会引起源头仙人的警觉，甚至会引得道之根本身的震荡。”
"Exactly," Artisan of Ingenious Devices nodded. "Not only would it alert the source immortal, but it might even cause a tremor in the fundamental essence of Dao itself."
“ yīn wèi ， cóng mù qián suǒ zhǎng wò de zī liào lái kàn ， měi gè dào zhī gēn zhī jiān ， dōu shì xiāng dāng chún cuì 、 dú lì ， qiě pái wài de 。 dāng rán ， huò xǔ zài wú míng zhēn xiān jìng jiè zhī shàng ， hái yǒu zhū dào róng hé de gèng jiā nán yǐ xiǎng xiàng de jìng jiè cún zài 。 bù guò nà quán rán yǐ jīng shì wú duān cāi xiǎng le ， lián yī sī yī háo de zhèng jù dōu méi yǒu 。”
“因为，从目前所掌握的资料来看，每个道之根之间，都是相当纯粹、独立，且排外的。当然，或许在无名真仙境界之上，还有诸道融合的更加难以想象的境界存在。不过那全然已经是无端猜想了，连一丝一毫的证据都没有。”
"Because, based on the information we currently have, each root of Dao is extremely pure and independent, with strong exclusivity. Of course, there may be realms beyond the nameless true immortals where all paths of Dao are fused together, but that's mere speculation without any evidence," Artisan of Ingenious Devices said, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes.
“ ér wǒ zhī qián suǒ shuō de dào gēn jié guǒ lùn ， què shì wǒ men tiān jī yī jiè ， tōng guò yán jiū 、 jiě xī ，【 zǔ 】 de shēn tǐ ， dé chū de jié lùn 。 zài dāng nián yǐ jīng shì suǒ yǒu rén de gòng shí ， yīng gāi cuò bù liǎo 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī àn rán 。
“而我之前所说的道根结果论，却是我们天机一界，通过研究、解析，【祖】的身体，得出的结论。在当年已经是所有人的共识，应该错不了。”巧工居士眼中闪过一丝黯然。
"I noticed that your Life-Sustaining Spirit Essence Technique seems to have traces of this root of Dao," Li Fan interjected.
“ wǒ guān dào yǒu suǒ chuàng ， cāng shēng líng yuán gōng ， sì hū yě yǒu zhe zhè 【 dào gēn jié guǒ 】 de yǐng zi 。” lǐ fán yě shì shí shuō dào 。
“我观道友所创，苍生灵元功，似乎也有着这【道根结果】的影子。”李凡也适时说道。
"Haha, you've caught on. Not only is the Life-Sustaining Spirit Essence Technique like this, but even our cultivation method from the Xuanhuang Realm—defying natural laws to achieve immortality—is in line with the true essence of Dao," Artisan of Ingenious Devices whispered, his tone deep and solemn.
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu yě kàn chū lái le 。 bù guāng cāng shēng líng yuán gōng ， jiù lián cǐ xuán huáng jiè 【 nì tiān dì zhī lǐ ér zhèng cháng shēng 】 de xiū xíng zhī fǎ ， qí shí dōu àn hé dào gēn zhēn yì 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì yā dī le shēng yīn ， yǔ qì shēn chén 。
“呵呵，道友也看出来了。不光苍生灵元功，就连此玄黄界【逆天地之理而证长生】的修行之法，其实都暗合道根真意。”巧工居士压低了声音，语气深沉。
"Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage. Although he hasn't reached the realm of an immortal, he has managed to control upstream cultivators through this method, truly terrifying."
“ chuán fǎ tiān zūn ， cǐ rén 。 suī rán hái méi dá dào xiān rén zhī jìng ， què yǐ cǐ zhǒng fāng fǎ ， shí xiàn le shàng yóu duì xià yóu xiū shì de kòng zhì quán ， dàng zhēn kě bù kě wèi 。”
“传法天尊，此人。虽然还没达到仙人之境，却以此种方法，实现了上游对下游修士的控制权，当真可怖可畏。”
"He may not be an immortal, but he already possesses some of their powers. Just like what I said earlier, either become his disciple or kill him outright," Artisan of Ingenious Devices spoke with great reverence for Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage.
“ tā suī rán bú shì xiān ， dàn yǐ jīng yǒu le bù fèn xiān de quán néng 。 jiù xiàng wǒ zhī qián suǒ shuō de nà yàng ， yào me chéng wéi tā de xìn tú 、 xiū tā de fǎ ， yào me jiù zhí jiē jiāng qí shā sǐ 。” duì yú chuán fǎ tiān zūn ， qiǎo gōng jū shì xiǎn rán shì shí fēn jìng wèi de ， tā qiǎo shēng sù shuō dào 。
“他虽然不是仙，但已经有了部分仙的权能。就像我之前所说的那样，要么成为他的信徒、修他的法，要么就直接将其杀死。”对于传法天尊，巧工居士显然是十分敬畏的，他悄声诉说道。
Li Fan frowned upon hearing this: "So if Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage were to die suddenly for any reason, it might affect all cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm?"
lǐ fán wén yán zé shì zhòu qǐ le méi tóu ：“ nà àn nǐ zhè me shuō de huà ， rú guǒ chuán fǎ tiān zūn yīn wèi mǒu zhǒng yuán yīn bào bì ， shèn zhì kě néng huì yǐng xiǎng dào xuán huáng jiè suǒ yǒu xiū shì ？”
李凡闻言则是皱起了眉头：“那按你这么说的话，如果传法天尊因为某种原因暴毙，甚至可能会影响到玄黄界所有修士？”
Artisan of Ingenious Devices shrugged. "That's not impossible. That's why I say he is extremely dangerous. I even suspect that he may be a reincarnation of an immortal; otherwise, it would be hard to apply this theory so flawlessly."
qiǎo gōng jū shì sǒng le sǒng jiān ：“ hái zhēn bù pái chú zhè ge kě néng 。 suǒ yǐ wǒ shuō cǐ rén jí qí kě pà 。 shèn zhì wǒ dōu huái yí ， tā shì xiān rén zhuǎn shì 。 fǒu zé jué nán jiāng dào gēn zhī lùn ， yìng yòng de zhè bān lú huǒ chún qīng 。”
巧工居士耸了耸肩：“还真不排除这个可能。所以我说此人极其可怕。甚至我都怀疑，他是仙人转世。否则绝难将道根之论，应用的这般炉火纯青。”
Li Fan frowned deeply.
lǐ fán shēn shēn de zhòu qǐ le méi tóu 。
李凡深深的皱起了眉头。
This was something he had never considered before. The difficulty in dealing with Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage seemed far greater than what he had anticipated.
zhè dǎo shì cǐ qián cóng lái méi yǒu kǎo lǜ guò de shì qíng 。 kàn lái xiǎng yào duì fù chuán fǎ tiān zūn de nán dù ， hái yuǎn zài tā kǎo lǜ de zhī shàng 。
这倒是此前从来没有考虑过的事情。看来想要对付传法天尊的难度，还远在他考虑的之上。
"By the way, I noticed that your two guards look exactly like Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage. Is there any hidden meaning to this? Could it be that the ancestor of our puppet realm also looks like him?" Li Fan asked after a while.
“ duì le ， wǒ kàn nǐ nà liǎng zūn hù wèi de zào huà jīn rén ， gēn chuán fǎ tiān zūn zhǎng de yī mú yī yàng 。 zhè dāng zhōng kě yǒu shén me xuán xū ？ nán bù chéng ， nǐ men tiān jī jiè de kuǐ lěi zǔ ， yě shì zhè bān mú yàng ？” guò le huì ， lǐ fán hū de tí chū le xīn zhōng de yí wèn 。
“对了，我看你那两尊护卫的造化金人，跟传法天尊长的一模一样。这当中可有什么玄虚？难不成，你们天机界的傀儡祖，也是这般模样？”过了会，李凡忽的提出了心中的疑问。
Artisan of Ingenious Devices shook his head hurriedly. "Friend, you've misunderstood. The appearance of the ancestor is incomplete and unrecognizable. I designed the golden man to look like Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage because it better aligns with Xuanhuang's Dao."
qiǎo gōng jū shì lián máng yáo tóu ：“ dào yǒu wù huì le 。 zǔ de yàng mào cán quē bù quē ， wú fǎ biàn rèn 。 wǒ zhī suǒ yǐ jiāng zào huà jīn rén shè jì chéng chuán fǎ tiān zūn mú yàng ， kǒng pà yě zhǐ shì yīn wèi ， gèng néng àn hé xuán huáng tiān dào de yuán gù 。”
巧工居士连忙摇头：“道友误会了。祖的样貌残缺不缺，无法辨认。我之所以将造化金人设计成传法天尊模样，恐怕也只是因为，更能暗合玄黄天道的缘故。”
To ensure Li Fan understood, Artisan of Ingenious Devices explained further: "You can see that this puppet uses source energy as its power source but also incorporates many parts. The golden man, however, is purely composed of source energy."
shēng pà lǐ fán bù míng bái ， qiǎo gōng jū shì zhǔ dòng jiě shì dào ：“ dào yǒu kàn wǒ zhè tiān jī kuǐ lěi ， chú le yòng yuán lì dǎ zào zhī wài ， hái yòng shàng le zhū duō líng jiàn 。 dàn shì nà zào huà jīn rén ， què zhǐ shì chún cuì de yuán lì suǒ gòu chéng 。”
生怕李凡不明白，巧工居士主动解释道：“道友看我这天机傀儡，除了用源力打造之外，还用上了诸多零件。但是那造化金人，却只是纯粹的源力所构成。”
"Although the source energy was gathered from practicing Life-Sustaining Spirit Essence Technique, it still bears Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage's influence in the Xuanhuang Realm. To maintain its structural stability, I had to design it according to his appearance."
“ suī shuō shì yóu xiū xíng cāng shēng líng yuán gōng ér huì jù de yuán lì ， dàn shì yóu yú zài xuán huáng jiè zhōng ， zhōng jiū shì shòu dào le chuán fǎ tiān zūn de yǐng xiǎng 。 suǒ yǐ wéi le wéi chí qí jié gòu wěn dìng ， zhè cái àn zhào tā de mú yàng suǒ dǎ zào 。”
“虽说是由修行苍生灵元功而汇聚的源力，但是由于在玄黄界中，终究是受到了传法天尊的影响。所以为了维持其结构稳定，这才按照他的模样所打造。”
These few sentences dispelled Li Fan's doubts.
jǐ jù huà dǎ xiāo le lǐ fán xīn zhōng de jīng yí 。
几句话打消了李凡心中的惊疑。
If Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage were indeed a reincarnation of an immortal, they would need to be more discreet in the Xuanhuang Realm from now on.
rú guǒ què dìng chuán fǎ tiān zūn shì xiān rén zhuǎn shì ， nà me jīn hòu zài xuán huáng jiè zhōng ， kě néng gèng yào dī diào jǐ fēn le 。
如果确定传法天尊是仙人转世，那么今后在玄黄界中，可能更要低调几分了。
However, based on current circumstances, he was already close enough to being an immortal.
bù guò cóng mù qián de qíng kuàng lái kàn ， jí biàn tā bú shì zhēn zhèng de xiān rén 、 yě xiāng chà bù yuǎn le 。
不过从目前的情况来看，即便他不是真正的仙人、也相差不远了。
"Then, what is your stance on joining our Inter-Realm Alliance?" Li Fan asked after a long silence.
“ rú cǐ shuō lái ， dào yǒu duì jiā rù wǒ men wàn jiè lián hé huì ， shì hé zhǒng tài dù ？” yī fān cháng jiǔ de chén jì zhī hòu ， lǐ fán zài dù kāi kǒu wèn dào 。
“如此说来，道友对加入我们万界联合会，是何种态度？”一番长久的沉寂之后，李凡再度开口问道。
Artisan of Ingenious Devices showed no hesitation. "Of course, I can join. With the path to immortality cut off, ascending to heaven and seeking the root of Dao have become mere fantasies. To be able to enroll in this..."
qiǎo gōng jū shì méi yǒu sī háo yóu yù ：“ dāng rán kě yǐ le 。 rú jīn xiān lù duàn jué ， fēi shēng chéng xiān 、 zhuī xún dào zhī gēn ， zǎo yǐ chéng wéi xū wú piāo miǎo zhī shì 。 ér yǒu jī hū néng gòu bài rù zhè wèi ……”
巧工居士没有丝毫犹豫：“当然可以了。如今仙路断绝，飞升成仙、追寻道之根，早已成为虚无缥缈之事。而有几乎能够拜入这位……”
"Red Dust Merciful True Immortal's sect..." Artisan of Ingenious Devices recited with great reverence.
“ hóng chén cí bēi zhēn xiān ……” qiǎo gōng jū shì mǎn huái jìng yì de sòng dú le yī biàn míng hào 。
“红尘慈悲真仙……”巧工居士满怀敬意的诵读了一遍名号。
"...is a great honor. After all, the current calamity has spread across the star system, and a surviving true immortal is an invaluable support for countless cultivators," his eyes filled with admiration.
“ de mén xià ， kě yǐ shuō shì mò dà de róng xìng le 。 xū zhī ， rú jīn jié nàn biàn jí xīng yù ， yī wèi shàng cún huó de zhēn xiān ， kě jué duì shì wú shù xiū shì mèng mèi yǐ qiú de kào shān 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì de yǎn zhōng mǎn shì chōng jǐng yǔ xiàng wǎng 。
“的门下，可以说是莫大的荣幸了。须知，如今劫难遍及星域，一位尚存活的真仙，可绝对是无数修士梦寐以求的靠山。”巧工居士的眼中满是憧憬与向往。
"If we can rely on the power of a true immortal, many plans that were halted due to insufficient conditions should be able to proceed smoothly." Artisan of Ingenious Devices revealed the real reason he wanted to join the Inter-Realm Alliance in his final words.
“ rú guǒ néng jiè zhù zhēn xiān de lì liàng ， dāng nián yīn tiáo jiàn bù zú ér tíng zhì de gè zhǒng jì huà ， yě yīng gāi néng shùn lì shí shī le 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì zuì hòu yī jù huà ， cái bào lòu le tā yuàn yì jiā rù wàn jiè lián hé huì de zhēn zhèng yuán yīn 。
“如果能借助真仙的力量，当年因条件不足而停滞的各种计划，也应该能顺利实施了。”巧工居士最后一句话，才暴漏了他愿意加入万界联合会的真正原因。
To avoid arousing suspicion from Li Fan, Artisan of Ingenious Devices quickly explained: "Back then, we gained so much when researching the ancestor's puppets. The puppet realm was just one of our basic designs."
wèi le bì miǎn yǐn qǐ lǐ fán cāi yí ， qiǎo gōng jū shì lián máng zhǔ dòng jiě shì dào ：“ dāng nián yán jiū zǔ de kuǐ lěi ， wǒ men shōu huò le tài duō 。 tiān jī kuǐ lěi ， bù guò shì shè xiǎng zhōng zuì jī běn de yī zhǒng 。”
为了避免引起李凡猜疑，巧工居士连忙主动解释道：“当年研究祖的傀儡，我们收获了太多。天机傀儡，不过是设想中最基本的一种。”
"You can see that it is powered by source energy, which is the fruit of Dao. If we could utilize the power of the Dao Flower to create a puppet..."
“ dào yǒu yě néng kàn dào ， qū dòng tā yùn xíng de shì yuán lì ， yě jiù shì dào zhī guǒ 。 ér rú guǒ néng dòng yòng dào zhī huā de lì liàng ， dǎ zào chū kuǐ lěi ……”
“道友也能看到，驱动他运行的是源力，也就是道之果。而如果能动用道之花的力量，打造出傀儡……”
Artisan of Ingenious Devices' eyes sparkled with anticipation: "We would surely be able to create true immortal puppets that surpass ordinary cultivators in strength."
qiǎo gōng jū shì yǎn zhōng fàng chū guāng máng 、 mǎn shì chōng jǐng ：“ dìng rán néng chuàng zào chū shí lì niǎn yā xún cháng xiū shì de zhēn zhèng xiān jiā kuǐ lěi 。”
巧工居士眼中放出光芒、满是憧憬：“定然能创造出实力碾压寻常修士的真正仙家傀儡。”
"Though they can't match true immortals, I believe they should be capable of resisting long-lived realm cultivators," Artisan of Ingenious Devices said confidently.
“ suī rán bù néng yǔ zhēn zhèng de xiān rén xiāng pì měi ， dàn xiǎng lái néng gòu duì kàng cháng shēng jìng xiū shì ， yīng gāi wèn tí bù dà 。”
“虽然不能与真正的仙人相媲美，但想来能够对抗长生境修士，应该问题不大。”
He then looked at the golden愿力 encircling Li Fan's fingertips once more. This was the power of the Dao Flower.
qiǎo gōng jū shì xìn xīn mǎn mǎn 。
巧工居士信心满满。
Li Fan nodded slowly and stored the golden愿力 back into his body.
shuō zhe ， tā zài dù kàn xiàng le shǐ zhōng huán rào zài lǐ fán zhǐ jiān de jīn sè yuàn lì 。
说着，他再度看向了始终环绕在李凡指尖的金色愿力。
"Since that's the case, follow me to pay homage to the statue of Red Dust Merciful True Immortal!"
yě jiù shì suǒ wèi de dào zhī huā de lì liàng 。
也就是所谓的道之花的力量。
Artisan of Ingenious Devices felt a flash before appearing in a circular hall.
lǐ fán wén yán ， huǎn huǎn diǎn tóu 。
李凡闻言，缓缓点头。
In front stood a stone statue whose face was indistinct. The aura emanating from it was very similar to the lingering presence on the ancestor's body!
jiāng jīn sè yuàn lì chóng xīn shōu huí jié shēn zhōng ， cún chǔ qǐ lái 。
将金色愿力重新收回劫身中，存储起来。
That was the power of an immortal!
“ jì rán rú cǐ ， nǐ jiù suí wǒ bài jiàn hóng chén cí bēi zhēn xiān xiàng ba ！”
“既然如此，你就随我拜见红尘慈悲真仙像吧！”
Artisan of Ingenious Devices had no doubts left.
qiǎo gōng jū shì zhǐ jué yǎn qián yī huā ， jiù chū xiàn zài yī zuò yuán xíng dà diàn zhī zhōng 。
巧工居士只觉眼前一花，就出现在一座圆形大殿之中。
He followed Li Fan sincerely, reciting the oath with genuine devotion.
qián fāng ， yī zūn kàn bù qīng miàn róng de shí xiàng hè rán chù lì 。
前方，一尊看不清面容的石像赫然矗立。
Almost as soon as he finished his vow, Li Fan felt a connection with the most devout force among all initiates.
ér cóng shí xiàng zhōng gǎn jué dào de qì xī ， gēn duō nián yǐ qián zǔ shēn shàng de cán liú de qì xī ， shí fēn xiāng sì ！
而从石像中感觉到的气息，跟多年以前祖身上的残留的气息，十分相似！
Even more powerful than Daoist Xuanzi, who was previously described as "the most sincere seeker of Dao."
nà dōu shì shǔ yú ， xiān de lì liàng ！
那都是属于，仙的力量！
"Perhaps seeing true immortal power makes one even more devoted and less rebellious," Li Fan thought silently.
qiǎo gōng jū shì xīn zhōng zài wú huái yí 。
巧工居士心中再无怀疑。
But to follow the path where there are already true immortals and become a dog—this was not something Li Fan would do.
xīn gān qíng yuàn ， gēn zhe lǐ fán zhēn xīn chéng yì de sòng dú le yī biàn rù huì shì cí 。
心甘情愿，跟着李凡真心诚意的诵读了一遍入会誓词。
Of course, occasionally using such paths for a few lifetimes...
jī hū shì shì yán wán chéng de shùn jiān ， lǐ fán biàn gǎn jué dào ， suǒ yǒu rù huì zhě zhī zhōng ， zuì wèi qián chéng de lì liàng yǔ zì jǐ lián jiē qǐ lái 。
几乎是誓言完成的瞬间，李凡便感觉到，所有入会者之中，最为虔诚的力量与自己连接起来。
That could be acceptable.
"Actually, there's no need to worry..."
As he spoke, it seemed that the Artisan of Ingenious Devices suddenly recalled a calamity in the Immortal Realm from many years ago and fell silent.
"It's hard to say. After all, the path to seek the root of Dao is fraught with peril. Even ordinary immortals who aren't nameless true immortals united with Dao are bound to face the risk of perishing," Artisan of Ingenious Devices sighed.
After finishing his words, a long silence fell between them once more.
Li Fan seemed to be processing this information, furrowing his brows as he pondered something.
After a while, he regained his composure and asked, "What you said just now—that those who doubt the root of Dao will suffer retribution—does it mean that if we were to seek another root of Dao, it would have such consequences?"
"Exactly," Artisan of Ingenious Devices nodded. "Not only would it alert the source immortal, but it might even cause a tremor in the fundamental essence of Dao itself."
"Because, based on the information we currently have, each root of Dao is extremely pure and independent, with strong exclusivity. Of course, there may be realms beyond the nameless true immortals where all paths of Dao are fused together, but that's mere speculation without any evidence," Artisan of Ingenious Devices said, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes.
"I noticed that your Life-Sustaining Spirit Essence Technique seems to have traces of this root of Dao," Li Fan interjected.
"Haha, you've caught on. Not only is the Life-Sustaining Spirit Essence Technique like this, but even our cultivation method from the Xuanhuang Realm—defying natural laws to achieve immortality—is in line with the true essence of Dao," Artisan of Ingenious Devices whispered, his tone deep and solemn.
"Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage. Although he hasn't reached the realm of an immortal, he has managed to control upstream cultivators through this method, truly terrifying."
"He may not be an immortal, but he already possesses some of their powers. Just like what I said earlier, either become his disciple or kill him outright," Artisan of Ingenious Devices spoke with great reverence for Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage.
Li Fan frowned upon hearing this: "So if Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage were to die suddenly for any reason, it might affect all cultivators in the Xuanhuang Realm?"
Artisan of Ingenious Devices shrugged. "That's not impossible. That's why I say he is extremely dangerous. I even suspect that he may be a reincarnation of an immortal; otherwise, it would be hard to apply this theory so flawlessly."
Li Fan frowned deeply.
This was something he had never considered before. The difficulty in dealing with Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage seemed far greater than what he had anticipated.
"By the way, I noticed that your two guards look exactly like Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage. Is there any hidden meaning to this? Could it be that the ancestor of our puppet realm also looks like him?" Li Fan asked after a while.
Artisan of Ingenious Devices shook his head hurriedly. "Friend, you've misunderstood. The appearance of the ancestor is incomplete and unrecognizable. I designed the golden man to look like Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage because it better aligns with Xuanhuang's Dao."
To ensure Li Fan understood, Artisan of Ingenious Devices explained further: "You can see that this puppet uses source energy as its power source but also incorporates many parts. The golden man, however, is purely composed of source energy."
"Although the source energy was gathered from practicing Life-Sustaining Spirit Essence Technique, it still bears Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage's influence in the Xuanhuang Realm. To maintain its structural stability, I had to design it according to his appearance."
These few sentences dispelled Li Fan's doubts.
If Transmitting Dao Supreme Sage were indeed a reincarnation of an immortal, they would need to be more discreet in the Xuanhuang Realm from now on.
However, based on current circumstances, he was already close enough to being an immortal.
"Then, what is your stance on joining our Inter-Realm Alliance?" Li Fan asked after a long silence.
Artisan of Ingenious Devices showed no hesitation. "Of course, I can join. With the path to immortality cut off, ascending to heaven and seeking the root of Dao have become mere fantasies. To be able to enroll in this..."
"Red Dust Merciful True Immortal's sect..." Artisan of Ingenious Devices recited with great reverence.
"...is a great honor. After all, the current calamity has spread across the star system, and a surviving true immortal is an invaluable support for countless cultivators," his eyes filled with admiration.
"If we can rely on the power of a true immortal, many plans that were halted due to insufficient conditions should be able to proceed smoothly." Artisan of Ingenious Devices revealed the real reason he wanted to join the Inter-Realm Alliance in his final words.
To avoid arousing suspicion from Li Fan, Artisan of Ingenious Devices quickly explained: "Back then, we gained so much when researching the ancestor's puppets. The puppet realm was just one of our basic designs."
"You can see that it is powered by source energy, which is the fruit of Dao. If we could utilize the power of the Dao Flower to create a puppet..."
Artisan of Ingenious Devices' eyes sparkled with anticipation: "We would surely be able to create true immortal puppets that surpass ordinary cultivators in strength."
"Though they can't match true immortals, I believe they should be capable of resisting long-lived realm cultivators," Artisan of Ingenious Devices said confidently.
He then looked at the golden愿力 encircling Li Fan's fingertips once more. This was the power of the Dao Flower.
Li Fan nodded slowly and stored the golden愿力 back into his body.
"Since that's the case, follow me to pay homage to the statue of Red Dust Merciful True Immortal!"
Artisan of Ingenious Devices felt a flash before appearing in a circular hall.
In front stood a stone statue whose face was indistinct. The aura emanating from it was very similar to the lingering presence on the ancestor's body!
That was the power of an immortal!
Artisan of Ingenious Devices had no doubts left.
He followed Li Fan sincerely, reciting the oath with genuine devotion.
Almost as soon as he finished his vow, Li Fan felt a connection with the most devout force among all initiates.
Even more powerful than Daoist Xuanzi, who was previously described as "the most sincere seeker of Dao."
"Perhaps seeing true immortal power makes one even more devoted and less rebellious," Li Fan thought silently.
But to follow the path where there are already true immortals and become a dog—this was not something Li Fan would do.
Of course, occasionally using such paths for a few lifetimes...
That could be acceptable.