Faced with Li Fan's proposal, Mo Rubin did not answer immediately. Instead, he remained silent for a long while, deep in thought.

His gaze rested on Li Fan's graying hair. Perhaps because Li Fan's words were sincere, and because he truly did not have long to live, Mo Rubin finally nodded.

"There is no reason not to."

Li Fan nodded in delight.

"Excellent! With your assistance, Daoist Brother, our efforts will yield twice the results with half the effort."

"In that case, let us first return to the Xuanhuang Realm."

The phantom of the Wooden Sword left its sheath. Li Fan extended his hand, inviting Mo Rubin inside.

At first, Mo Rubin paid it little attention. But after personally entering the phantom's protective range and experiencing its unbelievable speed, his expression finally changed.

The way he looked at Li Fan became noticeably different.

Then, after witnessing with his own eyes how the phantom's protection allowed them to completely ignore the attraction of the Immortal Ruins and descend safely into the Xuanhuang Realm, Mo Rubin could no longer hold back.

"It seems that Fellow Daoist is truly one of the greatest figures of this age."

Li Fan smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"I may stand unrivaled in this era, but I cannot suppress all ages. Besides, no matter how many divine abilities one possesses, lifespan still comes to an end. This divine ability is ultimately inferior to the decree of heaven."

Mo Rubin opened his mouth as if to reply, but ultimately remained silent.

The two had already descended into the Xuanhuang Realm. Mo Rubin silently swept his divine sense across the world. When he saw that the territories had expanded countless times over, along with the towering White Mist Barrier stretching across heaven and earth, even this well-traveled Dharma King of the Xuantian Sect could not suppress the astonishment in his eyes.

After a long while, he sighed.

"If I could not still sense the lingering traces of the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation, I would never have believed that this magnificent world before me was once the ancient Xuanhuang Realm."

"In merely ten thousand years, the world has changed to such an extent."

Li Fan nodded.

"When the world approaches destruction, all changes occur hundreds or even thousands of times faster than usual. I have watched these transformations. They come as swiftly as thunder and as rapidly as light. This is the Heavenly Dao saving itself."

As he spoke, Li Fan casually cast an illusion.

Within the sphere of light, the Xuanhuang Realm was turned upside down. Yin and Yang fell into disorder. The stars dimmed. Mountains trembled. Vegetation withered. Birds and beasts fled in panic. It was the very image of the apocalypse.

At the moment of life and death, the Xuanhuang Realm had indeed produced countless instinctive transformations. Frozen extinction, thermal silence, the reversal of time, heavenly punishment, world annihilation.

Mo Rubin was momentarily left completely spellbound.

At the crucial moment, Li Fan gave a light cough and withdrew the illusion.

A profound sense of loss immediately arose in Mo Rubin's heart.

He vaguely sensed that the vision within the sphere truly concealed the principles behind the evolution of heaven and earth. To any cultivator, it would be an unimaginable treasure.

Unfortunately, Li Fan had displayed it for too short a time. Mo Rubin had not been able to comprehend much.

Moreover, as a Dharma King of the Xuantian Sect and an ancient predecessor who had awakened within the Xuanhuang Realm, his pride prevented him from shamelessly asking Li Fan to demonstrate it again.

"Perhaps after we successfully find Big Brother Xuanyuan and become more familiar with each other..." Mo Rubin thought to himself.

"Of course, the reason the Xuanhuang Realm has become what it is today is not solely because of the changes in the Heavenly Dao itself. The Immortal Ancestor has also secretly intervened."

Li Fan continued truthfully.

"The Immortal Ancestor is very likely one of the Venerables from the former Heavenly Law Realm. After the Heavenly Law Realm perished, he intends to use the Xuanhuang Realm, the only cultivation world still surviving in the star sea, as a borrowed corpse through which to revive."

"The Immortal Ancestor has comprehended the Dao within the star sea for thousands of years. His strength is unfathomable and may already have reached the absolute limit of the mortal realm. I am not his opponent."

"We must proceed cautiously and remain vigilant against him. Any existence that might threaten his revival of the Heavenly Law Realm is something he will never tolerate."

Li Fan sighed as he offered his sincere advice.

"This Immortal Ancestor is actually not a bad person. Unfortunately, he is destined to stand in opposition to the Xuanhuang Realm."

As Mo Rubin observed the fragments of other worlds embedded throughout the Xuanhuang Realm, clearly out of place, he became increasingly convinced by Li Fan's words.

"What a pity..."

In truth, Mo Rubin had held a certain degree of admiration for the man who was said to have destroyed the Ten Great Immortal Sects.

However, after witnessing the present state of the Xuanhuang Realm being dismantled and reconstructed, and after listening to Li Fan's explanation, that already faint goodwill completely vanished.

"Rest assured. We will keep a low profile. Before we find Big Brother Xuanyuan, we will not come into conflict with the Immortal Ancestor."

Mo Rubin continuously scanned heaven and earth, as though searching for traces of something.

After a long while, he frowned.

"It seems the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation really was severely damaged. I can only sense its faint residual aura. Manipulating it is impossible."

"Partly because countless ages have passed, and partly because during the era when the Ten Great Immortal Sects used the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation to capture other cultivation worlds, they fought battle after battle. The formation became increasingly damaged, yet the cultivators of the Ten Great Immortal Sects lacked the ability to repair it. In the end, the formation was completely ruined."

Li Fan spoke slowly.

"At least, according to my investigation, that is what happened."

Seeing the sharp light that flashed through Mo Rubin's eyes, Li Fan shrugged and answered frankly.

"How could those fools from the Ten Great Immortal Sects possibly know how to operate the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation? Unless..."

A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Mo Rubin.

Li Fan subtly stepped back and agreed.

"Then it must have been one of the Dharma Kings who betrayed the sect and revealed the method of controlling it to the Ten Great Immortal Sects."

Mo Rubin frowned deeply, yet did not respond.

Only after a long silence did he shake his head.

"Not necessarily. Perhaps they were captured by the Ten Great Immortal Sects and forced to reveal it under torture."

Hearing this, Li Fan could not help but feel somewhat surprised by Mo Rubin's attitude.

After all, Li Fan knew that the Xuantian King had entrusted the control methods of each subordinate formation within the Floating Across Starry Sky Grand Formation to different Dharma Kings in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Mo Rubin was responsible for the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation, namely the Dark Sea.

Ji Yuzhen was responsible for the Soaring Golden Chains.

Perhaps sensing Li Fan's thoughts, Mo Rubin explained why he had spoken in their defense.

"Back then, Big Brother Xuanyuan once told me that the ones responsible for the Star Locking Golden Chains were Ji Yuzhen and Luo Yichen."

"Among the twelve Dharma Kings, anyone else might have betrayed us. Only those two never would."

Li Fan became thoughtful.

"Within Dharma King Ji's memories, she deeply loved the Xuantian King. As for Luo Yichen..."

Mo Rubin nodded.

"That is correct. After she fell in love with Big Brother Xuanyuan, Luo personally killed all of her countless male companions. From that day onward, she devoted herself entirely to him alone."

Li Fan shook his head even harder.

"The Xuantian King entrusted the same responsibility to those two women. That was truly an unwise decision."

Mo Rubin chuckled.

"Fellow Daoist is overthinking it. The two of them were actually very close to one another."

Li Fan offered no further explanation.

While chatting, the two had already decided where they would first search for traces of the Xuantian King.

Their destination was the Dark Sea.

The journey was almost identical to the one from the previous life. After overcoming many obstacles, with Li Fan pretending to be filled with shock and astonishment along the way, the two finally arrived at the core of the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation.

They were first horrified by the True Immortal corpse lying in the depths of the Dark Sea, as well as the faintly reawakening survival instinct of the True Immortal that had been stirred.

After regaining his composure, Mo Rubin was slightly startled.

"Hm? It seems someone came here not long ago."

Li Fan was inwardly alarmed. He had not expected that despite taking every precaution to erase his traces during his previous visit, Mo Rubin would still detect them.

However, although surprised, he remained calm. Instead, a trace of delight appeared on his face as he hurriedly asked, "Was it the Xuantian King?"

Mo Rubin did not suspect the person beside him.

After all, this place was sealed by the fortuitous immortal formation, the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation. It was not somewhere an ordinary cultivator could force their way into.

"Someone definitely entered this place before us. Although they never reached the very core where the True Immortal corpse lies..."

"One of the cultivators from the Ten Great Immortal Sects died here. They were probably lured inside and then killed by the True Immortal's survival instinct."

"Could it have been Elder Cui?"

The Elder Cui he referred to was Cui Zhiyuan, the other Dharma King who jointly controlled the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation alongside him.

Although he guessed as much, after examining the traces left by the formation's activation once more, Mo Rubin felt something was not quite right.

"It does not look like the formation's restrictions were activated directly. It seems someone forcibly broke through without damaging the immortal formation itself. They overcame technique with sheer power."

"And afterward, they even improved the formation, sealing away the True Immortal's will while preventing outsiders from entering."

Mo Rubin pondered for a long time but could not determine the intruder's identity.

Li Fan naturally noticed his confusion, yet he did not kindly reveal what the Immortal Ancestor had done all those years ago.

Mo Rubin wrestled with the matter for quite some time before finally deciding to set it aside. His first priority was searching the Dark Sea for traces of the Xuantian King.

The core of the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation, shaped like a circular observation chamber, suddenly lit up within the Dark Sea. Countless nearly imperceptible ripples spread outward from it, rapidly sweeping through the endless darkness.

Only after quite some time did Li Fan sense those ripples returning.

Mo Rubin silently waited for the complete search results.

The conclusion was obvious.

The Xuantian King was not within this Dark Sea.

Seeing Mo Rubin frown once again, Li Fan comforted him.

"Then let us head to the next place."

Mo Rubin shook his head.

"I never expected we would find Brother Xuanyuan so easily."

"I simply feel that something is wrong with this Dark Sea."

Li Fan's heart stirred.

"What do you mean?"

"The Dark Sea was formed upon the corpse of a True Immortal. Although the True Immortal has completely perished, it was still a True Immortal. Its methods far surpass anything we mortal cultivators can imagine."

"For example, that spontaneous survival instinct which manifested after sensing living beings entering."

"The power of darkness accumulated here has undergone subtle changes compared to before."

Mo Rubin's expression became rather solemn.

Following his gaze, Li Fan looked toward the endless darkness.

Mo Rubin continued in a deep voice.

"The True Immortal has died, leaving the power of darkness without a master. Yet this power was born from the True Immortal's corpse. It would have remained dormant indefinitely, but a trace of the True Immortal's survival instinct was awakened."

"Perhaps under the influence of that survival instinct, the power of darkness has begun to change."

Li Fan deliberately appeared deeply shaken.

"A True Immortal possesses such terrifying power? What exactly do you mean by the changes in this power of darkness?"

Mo Rubin replied, "It is still difficult to determine. But one thing is certain. Everything is evolving in a direction favorable to the revival of the True Immortal. Even if resurrection ultimately fails, that tendency will certainly remain."

"Do you remember the corpses we saw on the way here? Their life essence had been completely drained, becoming nourishment for the revival of the True Immortal. If this Dark Sea senses lifeforms useful for that revival, it may launch the same kind of attack."

"Fortunately, after being transformed by the Spirit Gathering Ascension Formation, the influence of the True Immortal's corpse upon the power of darkness is much weaker than the influence of the True Immortal's will."

"So the situation is not yet as bad as I feared."

Li Fan nodded in agreement.

"The energy accumulated within this Dark Sea is already so vast. If it were ever to erupt, it could probably engulf the entire Xuanhuang Realm in an instant and turn it into nourishment for the True Immortal's resurrection."

Mo Rubin gazed deeply into the Dark Sea before nodding.

"If left unchecked, that day may truly come."

Li Fan asked curiously, "If, and I mean only if, the entire Xuanhuang Realm were used as nourishment, would it truly be enough to revive this immortal corpse?"

Mo Rubin turned toward Li Fan and remained silent for a long while.

There was not the slightest malice in Li Fan's eyes.

Only pure curiosity toward the unknown.

After contemplating for some time, Mo Rubin answered, "Judging purely by the amount of energy involved, the present Xuanhuang Realm should indeed be enough. After all, it has absorbed so many cultivation worlds, even if they were only shattered remnants after world destruction."

"The life within those worlds has perished, but their origins still remain."

"But even if resurrection succeeds, it would only be an empty shell, a walking corpse. Its true consciousness would no longer exist."

Li Fan slowly nodded.

"Even the body of a True Immortal is an extraordinary existence. If someone could possess it, would they not, in a sense, become a True Immortal in this age?"

Mo Rubin merely smiled at Li Fan's fanciful speculation and did not take it seriously.

After finding nothing within the Dark Sea, the two prepared to travel to their second destination, the Eye of the Heavenly Beast.

"The Eye of the Heavenly Beast can not only observe the star sea, but also monitor the Xuanhuang Realm. It exists independently outside the Xuanhuang Realm, connected only through an incomprehensible mystical link."

"If the Heavenly Beast were still alive, we could travel there directly. But now that it died in battle, reaching it will require considerably more effort."

Mo Rubin explained.

He then brought Li Fan to Nine Mountains Prefecture.

Looking at the nine enormous mountain ranges stretching endlessly across heaven and earth, a trace of sorrow flashed through Mo Rubin's eyes.

Just as in the previous life, they eventually found the White Jade Banner Pole of an immortal artifact within the underground ruins.

"This is..."

"An immortal artifact?"

Li Fan deliberately acted extremely shocked.

Mo Rubin remained unconcerned.

"Its immortal spiritual power has long since been exhausted. Only the shell of the immortal artifact remains."

"But using it to reach the Eye of the Heavenly Beast will not be difficult."

With the White Jade Banner Pole as the central core, Mo Rubin began arranging the formation.

"During my search for the Xuantian King, I also discovered fragments of several immortal artifacts."

"They were all like this White Jade Banner Pole, completely drained of immortal spiritual power. Some had even suffered unimaginably great catastrophes, shattered beyond recognition."

Li Fan sighed as he asked, "What kind of catastrophe did the Xuantian King witness in the Immortal Realm back then? Even the Immortal Realm itself could not escape destruction?"

Mo Rubin's hands paused slightly as he prepared the formation, as though he had fallen into memories.

At that moment, silence filled the air.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.