“ zhè ge shì jiè ， yǒu diǎn wèn tí 。”
“这个世界，有点问题。”
"This world has some issues."
tiān líng zhōu ， dāng jì hóng dào jià shǐ zhe jù xíng dù chén zhōu pò kōng ér qù hòu ， lǐ fán biàn shī qù liǎo wú xiāng shā jī de gǎn yìng 。
天灵州，当纪宏道驾驶着巨型渡尘舟破空而去后，李凡便失去了无相杀机的感应。
In Tianlin State, after Ji Hongdao piloted the massive Dust-Traveling Vessel away into the void, Li Fan lost his sense of the Voidless Killing Mechanism.
zhè dào wú suǒ wèi ， fǎn zhèng tā zuì chū de mù dì yǐ jīng dá dào ， chéng gōng dé zhī le tiān líng zhōu nèi fā shēng de yī qiè 。
这倒无所谓，反正他最初的目的已经达到，成功得知了天灵州内发生的一切。
It didn't matter much. His initial goal had been achieved; he successfully learned everything that happened in Tianlin State.
cǐ kè tā huí xiǎng zhe gāng gāng jiàn dào de qíng xíng ， xīn zhōng què shì yǒu zhū duō bù jiě 。
此刻他回想着刚刚见到的情形，心中却是有诸多不解。
As he recalled what he just witnessed, many questions arose in his mind.
rú guǒ shuō chuán fǎ tiān zūn xiāo shī bú jiàn 、 yī xīn tiān zūn chū shǒu shì tàn shàng zài luó jí zhī zhōng de huà 。
如果说传法天尊消失不见、一心天尊出手试探尚在逻辑之中的话。
If the Dissemination Heaven Venerable vanished and the Solemn Mind Venerable made a probing move, it was still within reason.
nà me jiē xià lái fā shēng de shì qíng ， jiù yǒu diǎn mò míng qí miào le 。
那么接下来发生的事情，就有点莫名其妙了。
But the next series of events seemed inexplicable.
“ jì hóng dào fā dòng tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn ， shùn jiān jǐn shā yī zhōu xiū shì 。”
“纪宏道发动天玄锁灵阵，瞬间尽杀一州修士。”
"Ji Hongdao activated the Celestial Xuan Locking Spirit Formation, instantly killing all cultivators in the state."
“ zhè shì yī zhǒng biǎo tài 。 zhāng xiǎn zhe suǒ líng zhèn fù gài xià de wàn xiān méng ， yǒu zhe yī shùn jiān miè shā tiān xià jué dà duō shù xiū shì de néng lì 。”
“这是一种表态。彰显着锁灵阵覆盖下的万仙盟，有着一瞬间灭杀天下绝大多数修士的能力。”
"This is a declaration. It shows that under the Locking Spirit Formation, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance has the capability to annihilate most cultivators in the world within an instant."
“ yǐ cǐ zuò wéi wēi xié ， yāo qiú zhào shī jiě tuì qù 。”
“以此作为威胁，要求赵师姐退去。”
"This serves as a threat, demanding that Senior Sister Zhao withdraw."
“ ér zuò wéi cháng shēng tiān zūn ， tā jū rán jiù zhè me lí qù le 。”
“而作为长生天尊，她居然就这么离去了。”
"And yet, as the Everlasting Heaven Venerable, she left without any hesitation."
“ cháng shēng jìng de cún zài ， huì rú cǐ zài yì lóu yǐ de cún wáng ？ chāo tuō zhī hòu ， bú shì yīng gāi ‘ nǐ de sǐ huó ， yǔ wǒ hé gān ’ ma 。”
“长生境的存在，会如此在意蝼蚁的存亡？超脱之后，不是应该‘你的死活，与我何干’嘛。”
"Existences at the Everlasting Realm should not care about the survival of ants. After transcending, shouldn't they be indifferent to whether I live or die?"
hū de ， lǐ fán xiǎng dào duō nián qián de dùn wù 。
忽的，李凡想到多年前的顿悟。
Suddenly, Li Fan recalled his enlightenment from years ago.
“ xiū shì de shù liàng bù kě tài shǎo ……”
“修士的数量不可太少……”
"The number of cultivators cannot be too few..."
“ kàn lái ， què bǎo yí dìng shù liàng xiū shì de cún zài ， duì yú cháng shēng tiān zūn ér yán ， bǐ wǒ xiǎng xiàng zhōng de hái gèng zhòng yào yī xiē 。”
“看来，确保一定数量修士的存在，对于长生天尊而言，比我想象中的还更重要一些。”
"It seems that ensuring a certain number of cultivators is more important for the Everlasting Heaven Venerable than I imagined."
“ dào dǐ shì wèi hé ne ？”
“到底是为何呢？”
"Why is this so?"
gèng ràng tā yǒu xiē zài yì de shì ， dàng tiān líng zhōu xiū shì zài shùn jiān sǐ guāng zhī hòu 。
更让他有些在意的是，当天灵州修士在瞬间死光之后。
What bothered him even more was what happened after all the cultivators in Tianlin State were instantly killed. The anomalies that followed in Xuanhuang Realm.
xuán huáng jiè suí zhī fā shēng de yì zhuàng 。
玄黄界随之发生的异状。
It seemed as if the end times were approaching, and the entire world trembled with fear.
wǎn ruò mò shì jí jiāng lái lín de zhēng zhào ， zhěng gè shì jiè dōu zài chàn dǒu 。
宛若末世即将来临的征兆，整个世界都在颤抖。
All living beings in the world felt an inexplicable dread.
shì jiè zhōng suǒ yǒu shēng líng ， xīn zhōng dōu chǎn shēng mò míng de kǒng jù 。
世界中所有生灵，心中都产生莫名的恐惧。
Even Li Fan, who could always come back to life due to his True Real Technique, was no exception.
shèn zhì shēn huái 【 hái zhēn 】， néng gòu suí shí zhòng lái de lǐ fán yì shì rú cǐ 。
甚至身怀【还真】，能够随时重来的李凡亦是如此。
The contradiction between Xuanhuang Realm and cultivators was so sharp that it seemed irreconcilable.
xuán huáng jiè hé xiū shì de máo dùn rú cǐ jiān ruì ， jìn hū wú fǎ tiáo hé 。
玄黄界和修士的矛盾如此尖锐，近乎无法调和。
Logically speaking, the more cultivators died, the better for the world.
àn lǐ lái jiǎng ， xiū shì sǐ de yuè duō ， duì shì jiè lái jiǎng ， yīng gāi yuè hǎo cái shì 。
按理来讲，修士死的越多，对世界来讲，应该越好才是。
But now, this wasn't the case at all.
xiàn zài kàn lái ， jué duì bú shì rú cǐ 。
现在看来，绝对不是如此。
Why?
zhè yòu shì shén me yuán yīn ne ？
这又是什么原因呢？
After much contemplation, Li Fan still couldn't find a reasonable answer due to missing clues.
fǎn fù sī suǒ ， què yóu yú xiàn suǒ de quē shī ， lǐ fán mù qián méi néng dé dào hé lǐ de dá àn 。
反复思索，却由于线索的缺失，李凡目前没能得到合理的答案。
He thought of the Solemn Mind Venerable he had just seen.
tā yòu xiǎng qǐ jiàn dào de 【 yī xīn tiān zūn 】。
他又想起见到的【一心天尊】。
This was his first time seeing an existence from the Everlasting Realm in person.
zhè shì tā dì yī cì qīn yǎn jiàn dào cháng shēng jìng qiáng zhě de cún zài 。
这是他第一次亲眼见到长生境强者的存在。
She easily blocked Ji Hongdao's Celestial Xuan Locking Spirit Formation attack. Even the Convergence Path powerhouse, Ji Hongdao, dared not look at her directly.
qīng sōng dǎng xià tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn de gōng jī 。
轻松挡下天玄锁灵阵的攻击。
Indeed, she was incredibly powerful and unfathomable.
hé dào qiáng zhě jì hóng dào ， shèn zhì bù gǎn zhí shì tā 。
合道强者纪宏道，甚至不敢直视她。
"The Solemn Mind should be similar to Dissemination; it represents Senior Sister Zhao defying heaven and earth."
què shí qiáng de shēn bù kě cè 。
确实强的深不可测。
"What is the Solemn Mind?"
“ yī xīn ， yīng gāi shì gēn 【 chuán fǎ 】 lèi sì ， dài biǎo zhe zhào shī jiě suǒ nì tiān dì zhī lǐ 。”
“一心，应该是跟【传法】类似，代表着赵师姐所逆天地之理。”
Li Fan frowned deeply.
“ hé wèi yī xīn ？”
“何为一心？”
"The Solemn Mind implies focus and unity."
lǐ fán méi tóu jǐn zhòu 。
李凡眉头紧皱。
"Focus clearly isn't right. Unity...?"
“ yī xīn yǒu zhuān xīn 、 tóng xīn zhī yì 。”
“一心有专心、同心之意。”
Li Fan's gaze tightened as he recalled Senior Sister Zhao's somewhat peculiar words: "It’s a waste of talent to stay in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Why not join me instead!"
“ zhuān xīn xiǎn rán bú duì ， tóng xīn ……”
“专心显然不对，同心……”
Join...
lǐ fán mù guāng wēi níng 。
李凡目光微凝。
"Why me?!"
tā yòu xiǎng qǐ le zhào shī jiě yǒu xiē guài yì de huà 。
他又想起了赵师姐有些怪异的话。
Li Fan seemed to understand something.
“ dāi zài wàn xiān méng zhēn shì qū cái le 。 bù rú jiā rù wǒ ba ！”
“呆在万仙盟真是屈才了。不如加入我吧！”
Recalling the thousands of Five Elders Association cultivators who attacked suddenly, they all had the same expression from start to finish—no command, but their actions were strangely consistent.
jiā rù ……
加入……
Even in the face of death, they showed no fear at all.
“ wǒ ？！”
“我？！”
After their total demise, there was no corresponding anomaly in the sky...
lǐ fán sì hū míng bái le shén me 。
李凡似乎明白了什么。
"Unity... of the masses?"
lián xiǎng qǐ qián lái tū xí de shù qiān míng wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì 。
联想起前来突袭的数千名五老会修士。
Li Fan seemed to have a realization.
tā men cóng shǐ zhì zhōng ， dōu shì tóng yī gè biǎo qíng 。
他们从始至终，都是同一个表情。
"All living beings are born different. In this world, each is an independent individual."
méi yǒu zhǐ huī ， què yán xíng chū qí de yí zhì 。
没有指挥，却言行出奇的一致。
"This is the law of heaven and earth."
shèn zhì miàn duì sǐ wáng ， dōu méi yǒu bàn diǎn kǒng jù 。
甚至面对死亡，都没有半点恐惧。
"What if this law were reversed..."
quán tǐ yǔn luò hòu ， tiān kōng zhōng dū méi yǒu xiāng yìng de yì xiàng chǎn shēng 。
全体陨落后，天空中都没有相应的异像产生。
"You are within me, I am within you. Essentially, we are one."
……
……
Suddenly, Li Fan recalled hearing about entities like 'consciousness conglomerates' or 'unions' before his journey.
“ wàn zhòng …… yī xīn ？”
“万众……一心？”
A vast clan that appeared to have many life forms but was actually a shared perception community.
lǐ fán ruò yǒu suǒ wù 。
李凡若有所悟。
"Perhaps Senior Sister Zhao's path of cultivation is this?"
“ wàn wù shēng líng ， shēng ér yǒu bié 。 zài shì jiān ， dōu shì yí gè gè dú lì de gè tǐ 。”
“万物生灵，生而有别。在世间，都是一个个独立的个体。”
"To assimilate all living beings in the world?"
“ cǐ nǎi tiān dì zhī lǐ 。”
“此乃天地之理。”
Li Fan immediately felt something wasn't right.
“ cǐ lǐ ruò shì nì zhuǎn ……”
“此理若是逆转……”
Senior Sister Zhao had already achieved Everlasting Heaven Venerable, indicating she had successfully reversed the law of heaven and earth.
“ nǐ zhōng yǒu wǒ ， wǒ zhōng yǒu nǐ 。 shí zé yī tǐ 。”
“你中有我，我中有你。实则一体。”
But clearly, most cultivators in Xuanhuang Realm hadn't been assimilated yet.
lǐ fán hū de xiǎng qǐ ， chuān yuè qián céng jīng tīng wén zhū rú 【 yì shí jù hé tǐ 】、【 lián hé tǐ 】 de cún zài 。
李凡忽的想起，穿越前曾经听闻诸如【意识聚合体】、【联合体】的存在。
"Does this mean that the Solemn Mind's reversal only applies to a specific area?"
yí gè páng dà de zú qún ， kàn shì yǒu zhe zhòng duō de shēng mìng zhǔ tǐ 。
一个庞大的族群，看似有着众多的生命主体。
Li Fan guessed.
dàn qí běn zhì ， zé shì gòng xiǎng suǒ yǒu gǎn zhī de gòng tóng tǐ 。
但其本质，则是共享所有感知的共同体。
"Did Ji Hongdao's completion of 'the theorem' refer to the necessary steps for achieving Everlasting Heaven Venerable?"
“ kàn lái ， zhào shī jiě suǒ xiū xíng zhī dào ， hěn kě néng jiù shì zhè ge ？”
“看来，赵师姐所修行之道，很可能就是这个？”
After his brief glimpse in Tianlin State, Li Fan once again saw the highest secrets of this world.
“ tóng huà tiān xià suǒ yǒu shēng líng ？”
“同化天下所有生灵？”
But to truly understand their meaning, he needed more information.
lǐ fán dùn shí yòu jué de bú duì 。
李凡顿时又觉得不对。
Putting it aside for now, Li Fan returned to the Heavenly Judgment State Immortal City and the Celestial Xuan Mirror.
zhào shī jiě cǐ shí yǐ jīng chéng jiù cháng shēng tiān zūn ， dài biǎo tā yǐ jīng chéng gōng nì zhuǎn tiān dì zhī lǐ le 。
赵师姐此时已经成就长生天尊，代表她已经成功逆转天地之理了。
He submitted an application to visit the Divine Treasure Gallery at the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance free of charge.
dàn xiǎn rán ， xuán huáng jiè de xiū shì ， jué dà duō shù hái méi yǒu bèi tā tóng huà 。
但显然，玄黄界的修士，绝大多数还没有被她同化。
This was one of his benefits from衍三十权限等级 (the 30th level of derivation permissions).
“ shì fǒu yì wèi zhe ， yī xīn tiān zūn suǒ nì zhuǎn zhī lǐ ， zhǐ yǒu tè dìng de qū yù nèi ？”
“是否意味着，一心天尊所逆转之理，只有特定的区域内？”
His application was soon approved, allowing him to choose a time within a year for the visit.
lǐ fán yǐn yǐn cāi cè dào 。
李凡隐隐猜测道。
Li Fan immediately chose to go right away.
“ jì hóng dào suǒ yán wán chéng 【 dìng lǐ 】， shì fǒu zhǐ de shì chéng jiù cháng shēng tiān zūn de bì xū bù zhòu ？”
“纪宏道所言完成【定理】，是否指的是成就长生天尊的必须步骤？”
After receiving the message that the guide would come to pick him up and tell him to wait patiently in Tianjin City, Li Fan felt a slight relief.
tiān líng zhōu yī piē ， lǐ fán zài dù kuī jiàn le zhè ge shì jiè de zuì gāo yǐn mì 。
天灵州一瞥，李凡再度窥见了这个世界的最高隐秘。
He wasn't truly idle; he didn't really think about visiting the Divine Treasure Gallery's treasures at the end of his life.
dàn xiǎng yào zhēn zhèng wán quán liǎo jiě bèi hòu de hán yì ， hái xū yào gèng duō de xìn xī 。
但想要真正完全了解背后的含义，还需要更多的信息。
Instead, he was looking for a safe place to hide.
zàn qiě jiāng qí fàng zài yī biān ， lǐ fán fǎn huí tiān pàn zhōu xiān chéng ， tiān xuán jìng zhōng 。
暂且将其放在一边，李凡返回天判州仙城，天玄镜中。
Although Ji Hongdao hadn't killed the young array法师 (array magicians) in Tianlin State after using them, their lives were still in danger. After witnessing the massacre of all cultivators and learning about the secret structure of the Locking Spirit Formation, their fate would not be good either.
fā chū le qián wǎng wàn xiān méng zǒng bù ， miǎn fèi cān guān 【 bó wù shén cáng guǎn 】 de shēn qǐng 。
发出了前往万仙盟总部，免费参观【博物神藏馆】的申请。
The array magicians who couldn’t attend for various reasons would likely be eliminated one by one as well.
zhè shì tā mù qián yǎn sān shí quán xiàn děng jí de fú lì zhī yī 。
这是他目前衍三十权限等级的福利之一。
Li Fan could directly use his True Real Technique to escape, but he still needed some time to wrap things up in this world.
bù duō shí ， tā de shēn qǐng yǐ jīng bèi pī zhǔn ， kě yǐ zài yī nián nèi zì xíng xuǎn zé cān guān shí jiān 。
不多时，他的申请已经被批准，可以在一年内自行选择参观时间。
At least, he had to wait until Xiao Heng and the others came out of the True Cauldron of Medicine King.
lǐ fán dāng jí xuǎn zé lì kè cān guān 。
李凡当即选择立刻参观。
For Li Fan at this moment, there was no safer place than the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
shōu dào le 【 lǐng lù rén 】 mǎ shàng huì lái jiē tā 、 ràng tā zài tiān pàn chéng zhōng nài xīn děng dài de xiāo xī hòu 。
收到了【领路人】马上会来接他、让他在天判城中耐心等待的消息后。
Firstly, the alliance's headquarters had its own defense mechanisms; Ji Hongdao and his companions were unlikely to attack directly inside.
lǐ fán wēi wēi sōng le yì kǒu qì 。
李凡微微松了一口气。
Secondly, it created an illusion: I'm already here in the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, like a turtle in a pot. Why should you be afraid that I'll run away?
tā zhè me zuò ， bú shì zhēn de yǒu xián qíng yì zhì ， zài shēng mìng de zuì hòu guān tóu ， hái xiǎng zhe qù cān guān shén cáng guǎn zhōng bǎo cún de gè zhǒng bǎo wù 。
他这么做，不是真的有闲情逸致，在生命的最后关头，还想着去参观神藏馆中保存的各种宝物。
This undoubtedly made Ji Hongdao and his companions relax their guard, allowing them to deal with other targets first before handling Li Fan.
ér shì wèi le xún zhǎo yí gè ān quán de dì fāng bì nàn 。
而是为了寻找一个安全的地方避难。
...
suī rán tiān líng zhōu zhōng ， jì hóng dào méi yǒu xiè mò shā lǘ ， shàng qiě hái liú zhe nà qún nián qīng zhèn fǎ shī de xìng mìng 。
虽然天灵州中，纪宏道没有卸磨杀驴，尚且还留着那群年轻阵法师的性命。
While Li Fan waited for the guide, in Cangwu Abyss, inside the True Cauldron of Medicine King, Xiao Heng and others were helping Lingen Chang open door after door, removing and burying the corpses.
dàn shì mù dǔ le quán zhōu xiū shì bèi tú lù de cǎn jù hòu ， yòu zhī xiǎo suǒ líng zhèn de zhèn fǎ jié gòu mì mì 。
但是目睹了全州修士被屠戮的惨剧后，又知晓锁灵阵的阵法结构秘密。
Back then, Liu Ruchen sacrificed himself and Elder Huang to prevent the Medicine King Cauldron from falling into the Immortal Wasteland.
tā men de xià chǎng jué duì bú huì hǎo dào nǎ lǐ qù 。
他们的下场绝对不会好到哪里去。
Hundreds of disciples in a deep slumber also contributed their lives as fuel to drag the Medicine King Cauldron out of the abyss.
ér nà xiē yīn wèi gè zhǒng yuán yīn méi yǒu dào chǎng de zhèn fǎ shī men ， xiǎng bì jiē xià lái yě dū huì bèi yí gè gè qīng lǐ de 。
而那些因为各种原因没有到场的阵法师们，想必接下来也都会被一个个清理的。
Looking at his former brothers-in-arms' withered corpses, Lingen Chang's face was filled with unending sorrow.
lǐ fán zì rán kě yǐ zhí jiē hái zhēn 。
李凡自然可以直接还真。
He took all valuable items from them and burned the bodies before solemnly saying: "I will rebuild the Medicine King Sect."
dàn shì cǐ shì hái xū yì diǎn shí jiān lái shōu wěi 。
但是此世还需一点时间来收尾。
Xiao Heng and others exchanged glances and couldn't help but say: "Friend Daoist Lingen, times have changed..."
zuì qǐ mǎ ， yào děng xiāo héng sān rén cóng yào wáng zhēn dǐng zhōng chū lái zhī hòu zài shuō 。
最起码，要等萧恒三人从药王真鼎中出来之后再说。
Lingen Chang interrupted them: "I know. The law of heaven and earth cannot be practiced simultaneously now."
duì yú cǐ kè de lǐ fán lái jiǎng ， shì shàng méi yǒu bǐ wàn xiān méng zǒng bù gèng ān quán de dì fāng le 。
对于此刻的李凡来讲，世上没有比万仙盟总部更安全的地方了。
"So for now, I won't wake up my fellow disciples who are still in a deep sleep or the senior elders practicing the same cultivation techniques as me."
yī shì wàn xiān méng zǒng bù zì yǒu qí fáng wèi jī zhì ， jì hóng dào tā men dà gài lǜ bú huì zài lǐ miàn zhí jiē dòng shǒu 。
一是万仙盟总部自有其防卫机制，纪宏道他们大概率不会在里面直接动手。
(End of chapter)
"This world has some issues."
In Tianlin State, after Ji Hongdao piloted the massive Dust-Traveling Vessel away into the void, Li Fan lost his sense of the Voidless Killing Mechanism.
It didn't matter much. His initial goal had been achieved; he successfully learned everything that happened in Tianlin State.
As he recalled what he just witnessed, many questions arose in his mind.
If the Dissemination Heaven Venerable vanished and the Solemn Mind Venerable made a probing move, it was still within reason.
But the next series of events seemed inexplicable.
"Ji Hongdao activated the Celestial Xuan Locking Spirit Formation, instantly killing all cultivators in the state."
"This is a declaration. It shows that under the Locking Spirit Formation, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance has the capability to annihilate most cultivators in the world within an instant."
"This serves as a threat, demanding that Senior Sister Zhao withdraw."
"And yet, as the Everlasting Heaven Venerable, she left without any hesitation."
"Existences at the Everlasting Realm should not care about the survival of ants. After transcending, shouldn't they be indifferent to whether I live or die?"
Suddenly, Li Fan recalled his enlightenment from years ago.
"The number of cultivators cannot be too few..."
"It seems that ensuring a certain number of cultivators is more important for the Everlasting Heaven Venerable than I imagined."
"Why is this so?"
What bothered him even more was what happened after all the cultivators in Tianlin State were instantly killed. The anomalies that followed in Xuanhuang Realm.
It seemed as if the end times were approaching, and the entire world trembled with fear.
All living beings in the world felt an inexplicable dread.
Even Li Fan, who could always come back to life due to his True Real Technique, was no exception.
The contradiction between Xuanhuang Realm and cultivators was so sharp that it seemed irreconcilable.
Logically speaking, the more cultivators died, the better for the world.
But now, this wasn't the case at all.
Why?
After much contemplation, Li Fan still couldn't find a reasonable answer due to missing clues.
He thought of the Solemn Mind Venerable he had just seen.
This was his first time seeing an existence from the Everlasting Realm in person.
She easily blocked Ji Hongdao's Celestial Xuan Locking Spirit Formation attack. Even the Convergence Path powerhouse, Ji Hongdao, dared not look at her directly.
Indeed, she was incredibly powerful and unfathomable.
"The Solemn Mind should be similar to Dissemination; it represents Senior Sister Zhao defying heaven and earth."
"What is the Solemn Mind?"
Li Fan frowned deeply.
"The Solemn Mind implies focus and unity."
"Focus clearly isn't right. Unity...?"
Li Fan's gaze tightened as he recalled Senior Sister Zhao's somewhat peculiar words: "It’s a waste of talent to stay in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Why not join me instead!"
Join...
"Why me?!"
Li Fan seemed to understand something.
Recalling the thousands of Five Elders Association cultivators who attacked suddenly, they all had the same expression from start to finish—no command, but their actions were strangely consistent.
Even in the face of death, they showed no fear at all.
After their total demise, there was no corresponding anomaly in the sky...
"Unity... of the masses?"
Li Fan seemed to have a realization.
"All living beings are born different. In this world, each is an independent individual."
"This is the law of heaven and earth."
"What if this law were reversed..."
"You are within me, I am within you. Essentially, we are one."
Suddenly, Li Fan recalled hearing about entities like 'consciousness conglomerates' or 'unions' before his journey.
A vast clan that appeared to have many life forms but was actually a shared perception community.
"Perhaps Senior Sister Zhao's path of cultivation is this?"
"To assimilate all living beings in the world?"
Li Fan immediately felt something wasn't right.
Senior Sister Zhao had already achieved Everlasting Heaven Venerable, indicating she had successfully reversed the law of heaven and earth.
But clearly, most cultivators in Xuanhuang Realm hadn't been assimilated yet.
"Does this mean that the Solemn Mind's reversal only applies to a specific area?"
Li Fan guessed.
"Did Ji Hongdao's completion of 'the theorem' refer to the necessary steps for achieving Everlasting Heaven Venerable?"
After his brief glimpse in Tianlin State, Li Fan once again saw the highest secrets of this world.
But to truly understand their meaning, he needed more information.
Putting it aside for now, Li Fan returned to the Heavenly Judgment State Immortal City and the Celestial Xuan Mirror.
He submitted an application to visit the Divine Treasure Gallery at the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance free of charge.
This was one of his benefits from衍三十权限等级 (the 30th level of derivation permissions).
His application was soon approved, allowing him to choose a time within a year for the visit.
Li Fan immediately chose to go right away.
After receiving the message that the guide would come to pick him up and tell him to wait patiently in Tianjin City, Li Fan felt a slight relief.
He wasn't truly idle; he didn't really think about visiting the Divine Treasure Gallery's treasures at the end of his life.
Instead, he was looking for a safe place to hide.
Although Ji Hongdao hadn't killed the young array法师 (array magicians) in Tianlin State after using them, their lives were still in danger. After witnessing the massacre of all cultivators and learning about the secret structure of the Locking Spirit Formation, their fate would not be good either.
The array magicians who couldn’t attend for various reasons would likely be eliminated one by one as well.
Li Fan could directly use his True Real Technique to escape, but he still needed some time to wrap things up in this world.
At least, he had to wait until Xiao Heng and the others came out of the True Cauldron of Medicine King.
For Li Fan at this moment, there was no safer place than the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
Firstly, the alliance's headquarters had its own defense mechanisms; Ji Hongdao and his companions were unlikely to attack directly inside.
Secondly, it created an illusion: I'm already here in the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, like a turtle in a pot. Why should you be afraid that I'll run away?
This undoubtedly made Ji Hongdao and his companions relax their guard, allowing them to deal with other targets first before handling Li Fan.
...
While Li Fan waited for the guide, in Cangwu Abyss, inside the True Cauldron of Medicine King, Xiao Heng and others were helping Lingen Chang open door after door, removing and burying the corpses.
Back then, Liu Ruchen sacrificed himself and Elder Huang to prevent the Medicine King Cauldron from falling into the Immortal Wasteland.
Hundreds of disciples in a deep slumber also contributed their lives as fuel to drag the Medicine King Cauldron out of the abyss.
Looking at his former brothers-in-arms' withered corpses, Lingen Chang's face was filled with unending sorrow.
He took all valuable items from them and burned the bodies before solemnly saying: "I will rebuild the Medicine King Sect."
Xiao Heng and others exchanged glances and couldn't help but say: "Friend Daoist Lingen, times have changed..."
Lingen Chang interrupted them: "I know. The law of heaven and earth cannot be practiced simultaneously now."
"So for now, I won't wake up my fellow disciples who are still in a deep sleep or the senior elders practicing the same cultivation techniques as me."
(End of chapter)