Li Fan spoke with complete sincerity.

"Over the years, in order to find the outstanding heroes of the former Xuantian Sect, I searched from the highest heavens to the deepest underworld. I have practically turned the entire Xuanhuang Realm upside down. I was fortunate enough to discover traces left behind by several Dharma Kings, but I have never found even the slightest clue regarding the Xuantian King. Yet I refuse to believe that, with the Xuantian King's unparalleled cultivation back then, he truly perished..."

Mo Rubin listened quietly, his expression remaining completely unchanged.

"After tens of thousands of years, the situation in the Xuanhuang Realm has become increasingly perilous. It now stands only a single step away from falling into the Immortal Ruins. Had it not been for the many arrangements the Xuantian King left behind back then, the world would never have endured until today."

"The arrangements from back then?" Mo Rubin narrowed his eyes.

"Precisely. The Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation!" Li Fan sighed with deep emotion. "Built upon an ancient immortal formation, it manifests power approaching the immortal level through mortal means. It is just a pity that the formation has long since become incomplete."

Li Fan's expression turned solemn.

"Restarting the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation may be the only way to save the world. This formation is unimaginably profound. Even though it was constructed ten thousand years ago, I still cannot comprehend it."

Mo Rubin let out a cold snort.

"Naturally. It is an inheritance from the Immortal Realm. How could mortal cultivators possibly glimpse its mysteries?"

Li Fan nodded in agreement.

"First, the Ten Great Immortal Sects collectively fled. Then came ten thousand years of slaughter and calamity. Countless inheritances have already been severed. Compared to ten thousand years ago, the standards of formations, artifacts, alchemy, and talismans in today's Xuanhuang Realm have not only failed to improve, they have actually declined greatly."

"If we wish to reconstruct and restore the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation, then finding the Xuantian King is our only hope. But just as I said before, there is not the slightest clue. My lifespan is nearly exhausted. I truly cannot wait any longer. Left with no other choice, I could only awaken you."

Looking at Mo Rubin's contemplative expression, Li Fan continued in a deep voice.

"From the memories within Ji Yuzhen's remnant soul, I also learned of the traitors who existed within the Xuantian Sect back then. Therefore, making this decision required tremendous resolve. I feared entrusting the matter to the wrong person and bringing disaster upon the Xuantian King. That is why I deliberately chose to awaken you here, far away from the Xuanhuang Realm, out in the void."

"During the siege of the Xuantian Sect by the Ten Great Immortal Sects, where exactly were you? According to Dharma King Ji's memories, you never left the Xuantian King's side."

Li Fan's tone gradually became stern.

Seeing that this cultivator from a later age had begun questioning him instead, Mo Rubin showed no anger.

He frowned slightly as memories of the past resurfaced, as though he had returned to the day that changed the fate of the Xuanhuang Realm.

"At that time, I was leading the core cultivators of the Ten Great Immortal Sects into the deepest part of the sect."

Mo Rubin's words were astonishing.

Li Fan's eyebrows twitched, but instead of becoming excited immediately, he quietly waited for him to continue.

Somewhat surprised by Li Fan's composure, Mo Rubin nodded slightly before continuing.

"At that time, Brother Xuanyuan had already realized there were people within the sect whose intentions were impure. They planned to collude with the Ten Great Immortal Sects and carry out treachery."

"Brother Xuanyuan happened to be on the verge of a breakthrough then. Therefore, he decided to play along with their scheme and lure the snake from its hole."

Mo Rubin paused and took a deep breath.

"The plan was originally progressing very smoothly. I successfully gained the trust of the Ten Great Immortal Sects and secretly guided them through the defensive restrictions protecting the headquarters of the Xuantian Sect."

A trace of regret flashed across Mo Rubin's eyes.

"However, those restrictions were originally only meant to delay them. The true killing move was Brother Xuanyuan's strength after his breakthrough, along with the killing formation he personally arranged. Dispelling the restrictions in advance would only lower their guard. What none of us expected..."

"Run!"

The Xuantian King's final transmission echoed once more in his ears.

Mo Rubin unconsciously clenched his fists.

"When I heard Brother Xuanyuan telling me to flee, I knew something unexpected had happened. I immediately accelerated toward the place where his aura had disappeared."

"It was neither our agreed ambush location nor the place where Brother Xuanyuan usually cultivated in seclusion. It was merely the great hall containing the Faceless Immortal statue. Brother Xuanyuan had previously ordered that place sealed away. I have no idea why he appeared there again."

"When I arrived first, Brother Xuanyuan had already disappeared completely. As for that statue..."

Mo Rubin suddenly fell silent.

After hearing Mo Rubin's account, Li Fan's heart trembled violently.

Even so, he deliberately acted as though he knew nothing.

"The Faceless Immortal statue? What is that? Why was it sealed away by the Xuantian Sect? After the Ten Great Immortal Sects unified the Xuanhuang Realm, they erased nearly everything related to the former Xuantian Sect. Even Dharma King Ji's remaining memories seem to contain no trace of this Faceless Immortal statue."

Mo Rubin looked up at Li Fan.

After pondering for a moment, he finally explained.

"The Faceless Immortal was a True Immortal who once saved Brother Xuanyuan's life. When Brother Xuanyuan first arrived in the Immortal Realm, he had not yet condensed his True Immortal body when disaster suddenly struck. Had that Faceless True Immortal not casually lent him a hand, he would probably have perished in the Immortal Realm back then."

Li Fan nodded slowly before asking with obvious confusion.

"In that case, this Faceless True Immortal sounds like a good person. Why then did the Xuantian Sect later order the statue sealed away? It seems they became highly wary of him."

Mo Rubin let out a cold snort.

"A good person? He was not some ordinary person. He was a genuine True Immortal. The same matter appears completely different from the perspectives of mortal cultivators and True Immortals."

"At first, Brother Xuanyuan erected the statue of the Faceless Immortal for two reasons. First, to express his gratitude for saving his life. Second, he hoped to establish contact with this True Immortal whom he had met only briefly."

"If he could obtain the assistance of this senior True Immortal, saving the Xuanhuang Realm would surely become much easier."

As he spoke, Mo Rubin's expression gradually darkened.

"However, Brother Xuanyuan soon realized he was wrong. The attitude True Immortals hold toward mortal beings can only be described as utter indifference."

"The Faceless Immortal casually saved Brother Xuanyuan because Brother Xuanyuan had already stepped onto the immortal path. Although he had not yet condensed his True Immortal body, he was already a genuine Half-Immortal."

"He was one of their own."

"But toward mortal beings... even if it meant saving every living creature in an entire world, even if it required only the slightest effort, the Faceless Immortal was neither willing nor interested in doing so."

Mo Rubin spoke with deep resentment.

"He even turned around and tried to persuade and warn Brother Xuanyuan..."

Mo Rubin's hatred was obvious.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes and deliberately breathed more heavily, pretending to be filled with righteous indignation.

"The gulf between immortals and mortals is as vast as heaven and earth. But regardless, did not immortals themselves ascend from mortal cultivators? To stand by and refuse to save them, to be so utterly indifferent..."

Mo Rubin continued.

"As the saying goes, those who follow different paths cannot work together. After their disagreement, Brother Xuanyuan severed all contact with that True Immortal and sealed away the statue. He even planned to remake all the Xuantian statues throughout the world."

"But before he could do so, the great catastrophe had already arrived."

"From what you have said, it seems very likely that the Xuantian King encountered disaster at the hands of the Faceless Immortal?"

Li Fan's face filled with shock.

"If a True Immortal personally intervened, then even with the Xuantian King's unmatched talent, he would probably have had no chance of survival. No wonder I have searched for so many years without finding even the slightest trace of him..."

Li Fan deliberately put on an expression of sudden realization, followed by one of complete despair.

Mo Rubin frowned and interrupted Li Fan's muttering.

"The Faceless Immortal may have had some differences in philosophy with Big Brother Xuanyuan, but there was no reason for him to strike with lethal intent."

"Moreover, although a True Immortal is powerful, it is absolutely impossible for one to instantly kill Big Brother Xuanyuan," Mo Rubin said with certainty.

"Big Brother Xuanyuan was already a Half-Immortal who had ascended to the Immortal Realm. Before carrying out the plan to lure the snake from its hole, he told us that after his battle with the Grand Mage, he had broken through once again. Even if he had not yet become a true Immortal in the strict sense, he already possessed enough power to cross the High Wall on his own."

Li Fan's heart shook once more.

"Then what exactly was it that caused the further advanced Xuantian King to vanish without a trace?"

Although he spoke those words aloud, another scene involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

In his previous life, at the very end, Cat Treasure had suddenly leaped out, swallowed the phantom of the True Immortal in a single bite, and then instantly carried away the True Immortal from the Immortal Ruins.

The two situations were astonishingly similar.

"Could there actually be some connection between them?"

"But Xuantian's accident happened ten thousand years ago. Combined with my earlier speculation that time may flow differently inside and outside the High Wall, if those outside the wall were truly responsible, then from their perspective this may have happened a hundred thousand, or even a million years ago..."

Li Fan felt something about the idea did not quite fit.

"However, viewed this way, the methods used by the forces outside the wall to hunt True Immortals have indeed advanced tremendously. Xuantian King was not a genuine True Immortal, yet after suffering misfortune he still had enough time to send out a warning. But the one in the Immortal Ruins was already a True Immortal of the Immortal Realm itself. After comprehending the Dao within the Immortal Ruins for ten thousand years, he may even have approached the realm of the Nameless True Immortal. Yet his fate was even worse."

A chill of horror rose within Li Fan's heart.

Faced with Li Fan's question, Mo Rubin could only remain silent.

If he knew the answer himself, then while being hunted by the Ten Great Immortal Sects, he would not have been so terrified and lost, as though he had lost his pillar of support.

"Although I do not know what terrifying existence caused Big Brother Xuanyuan's disappearance, I am certain that he is still alive in this world."

After a long silence, Mo Rubin spoke with absolute conviction.

"Oh?"

Li Fan raised an eyebrow, unable to understand where Mo Rubin's confidence came from.

After carefully considering his words, Mo Rubin continued.

"When Big Brother Xuanyuan disappeared back then, by the time I arrived at the scene, the great hall that housed the statue of the Faceless Immortal had already been destroyed."

"And that statue of the Faceless Immortal..."

"It had actually grown a face."

"The stone statue had fallen to the ground. Its head had been severed by a strike through the air and rolled off to one side. Yet the face on that lonely stone head was identical to Big Brother Xuanyuan's."

Mo Rubin revealed something that left Li Fan utterly stunned.

The image of that scene unconsciously appeared in Li Fan's mind.

"This..."

"What exactly happened?"

Surrounded by layers of mystery, Li Fan was thoroughly bewildered.

Mo Rubin said in a deep voice, "At first, all of us believed that the Faceless Immortal had harmed Xuantian King. But later, during our days on the run, I gradually felt that something was wrong. The reason is exactly what I mentioned before."

"Later, I took the risk of finding the remaining Xuantian statue. I tried once more to contact the Faceless Immortal using the method that Big Brother Xuanyuan had taught us."

Li Fan drew in a sharp breath.

"Fellow Daoist, your actions truly placed your life and death completely aside."

Ignoring Li Fan's praise, Mo Rubin continued.

"True Immortals generally do not concern themselves with insignificant mortals like us. As expected, my first attempt at communication received no response."

"But I did not give up. I continued without interruption for a full three years, attempting to contact him every single moment."

The moment he heard this, Li Fan immediately understood what Mo Rubin meant.

"Even if a True Immortal disdains paying attention to ants, if those ants constantly buzz beside them, the True Immortal would surely become enraged and punish them. Based on my understanding of the Faceless Immortal, he certainly possesses such power."

"But he did nothing."

"It was as though that statue was nothing more than an ordinary stone statue. For three whole years, there was not the slightest response."

"So I concluded that after that day, it was not only Xuantian King. Even that Faceless Immortal had suffered severe injuries."

"As for why the Faceless Immortal's statue mysteriously manifested Big Brother Xuanyuan's face, and even had its head severed..."

Li Fan could hardly believe his own words as he continued.

"Could it be that the Faceless Immortal intervened and helped Xuantian King survive that disaster?"

Mo Rubin nodded.

"That is also why I have always been convinced that Big Brother Xuanyuan is still alive. Although they followed different Dao paths, from what Big Brother Xuanyuan once revealed between the lines, he and the Faceless Immortal actually got along quite well."

"And besides, they were of the same kind. Since there had already been one precedent of him lending a hand, saving him once more would not be impossible."

Li Fan remained silent for a long time.

Only after a great while did he shake his head.

"That is merely your speculation."

"I originally believed that the one who harmed Xuantian King back then was, at most, another Half-Immortal. But if a True Immortal, or even an existence beyond that, made the move, then Xuantian King's chances of surviving would be far too small."

Li Fan sounded somewhat discouraged.

"Speculation alone is simply not enough to convince anyone."

Seeing this, Mo Rubin hesitated for a long time before finally adding in a deep voice.

"It is not merely baseless speculation. The connection between Big Brother Xuanyuan and me, one that exists beyond explanation, tells me that he is still alive."

Mo Rubin spoke only vaguely, deliberately keeping the matter obscure.

Li Fan wanted to press for more details, but Mo Rubin refused to say another word.

"The Azure Firmament Pearl?"

Li Fan could not help making the guess inwardly.

"Very well. Since you are this certain, then I will believe you this once."

Realizing he could extract no more information, Li Fan pretended to ponder for a long time before finally relaxing.

"In any case, I do not have many days left to live. This will simply be my final gamble."

"Judging from your conduct, Fellow Daoist, you are certainly not one of the traitors of the former Xuantian Sect. Perhaps we can cooperate and search for Xuantian King's whereabouts together."

Li Fan fixed his blazing gaze upon Mo Rubin.

"Fellow Daoist knows a great deal about Xuantian King, but you are unfamiliar with today's Xuanhuang Realm. Ten thousand years have passed. Seas have become mulberry fields. The arrangements left behind by the Xuantian Sect may have disappeared along with the changing landscape."

"On the other hand, I have already searched every corner of the Xuanhuang Realm over the years. I can directly lead you to the places most worthy of investigation, greatly increasing the efficiency of our search."

"Furthermore, the remnants of the Ten Great Immortal Sects still exist today. They have become the Five Elders Association and control half of the Xuanhuang Realm. Without my cooperation, even with your considerable strength, you will inevitably encounter many difficulties."

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