My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1073: Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable
Previously on My Longevity Simulation...
"Unless I'm wrong, Feng Rui and the rest were truly overtaken by another at some stage."
"Yet, this takeover method stands out as unusual. It even allows the body to be returned."
With a creased forehead, Dharma-Transmitter Jiang remarked.
Li Fan reflected deeply as well: "Still, whatever happens leaves behind clues. That takeover phase inflicted lasting harm on their souls and forms."
"Remnants of the Xuantian Sect Dharma King's soul lingered within them."
Dharma-Transmitter Jiang squinted his eyes: "That Dharma King goes by Mo Rubin? He stands as a truly impressive and praiseworthy presence."
Li Fan simply gave a nod, staying silent on more.
"Memories from the takeover time persist in them. Yet, to them, those happenings were shared efforts after talks with Mo Rubin."
"Regarding Mo Rubin's present location..."
"A year back, he said goodbye and left, disappearing entirely. In thanks for their shared moments, he gifted a few cultivation techniques from the old Xuantian Sect as repayment." Dharma-Transmitter Jiang went on detailing."Likely a trick to cloud our sight. And it succeeded, no doubt; I squandered plenty of effort pointlessly." Li Fan noted with a hint of wry amusement.
"Even so, precisely where has he vanished to? Does the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's Tianxuan Mirror remain the authentic immortal artifact Tianxuan Mirror?"
"I'll look into that aspect." Dharma-Transmitter Jiang stated gravely, "Concerning your clone form..."
"An account must be provided to them still."
Dharma-Transmitter Jiang's dark eyes fixed sharply on the Immortal Puppet Li Fan.
Suddenly, it felt like being drawn into an empty abyss, the Immortal Puppet Li Fan's form gradually swallowed by the darkness.
Within seconds, it faded away entirely from existence.
...
Within the Spiritwood Realm, upon receiving the last visions from the Immortal Puppet's frame, Li Fan gave a faint shake of his head.
The abrupt move by Dharma-Transmitter Jiang came as no shock.
In truth, blaming a Dharma-Transmitter for shortcomings—or accusing falsely—counted as an utterly intolerable severe offense.
A scapegoat needed to step forward.
If just for appearances' sake.
Prior to obliterating his Immortal Puppet frame, Dharma-Transmitter Jiang had relayed a message noting the probe into Xuantian King Mo Rubin would proceed in secrecy.
Findings ought to pass through Dharma-Transmitter Zhou regardless.
"Among Dharma-Transmitters, Jiang seems the sole trustworthy ally."
"Uncovering Mo Rubin's location requires awaiting his probe's outcomes."
Having been toyed with repeatedly by Mo Rubin, a wave of frustration welled up in Li Fan's chest.
More troubling still, Mo Rubin had evaded detection for almost a year now.
While he held sway over the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, he'd tapped the Tianxuan Mirror's immense processing might, surely aimed at the elusive Xuantian King.
Through all that span, no sign of him surfaced.
Had he located the lost Xuantian King already? Or maybe, he hadn't hunted any Xuantian King whatsoever. Rather, drawing on the old Xuantian Sect's arts, he'd slipped free from this shadowed star sea?
For the first time in ages, unease stirred in Li Fan's mind, until at last, Dharma-Transmitter Jiang's probe results arrived.
In Dharma-Transmitter Zhou's secluded mini-world, a fresh Immortal Puppet form handled the task once more.
"The Tianxuan Mirror stays unchanged as the Tianxuan Mirror. However, drawing excessive processing strained the mirror's core essence."
"Numerous capabilities might halt for an extended period ahead."
"On Mo Rubin's location, it opted for silence."
"That said, Jiang consulted the Mirror Holders and the Illusory True Sage's followers, merging three lines of authority to extract past calculation logs from the Tianxuan Mirror by force."
"At last, we've pinpointed a likely endpoint for that Xuantian Sect Dharma King." Dharma-Transmitter Zhou's voice carried an uncommon weight, differing from his typical lightness.
Seriousness etched Li Fan's features as he listened in quiet anticipation.
An outcome demanding harm to an immortal artifact's essence for calculation was plainly no trivial affair.
After a brief silence, Dharma-Transmitter Zhou dropped his tone and uttered deliberately.
"Are you aware that, mirroring the material Xuanhuang Realm, an illusory domain exists within ours?" Zhou posed what seemed an offhand query initially.
Li Fan's pulse quickened inwardly, yet he nodded: “Of course, I know this. You folks in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance term it the [Fallen Immortal Realm].”
“Right, Fallen Immortal.”
“As this immortal plummeted, he spared one final look toward the Xuanhuang Realm. Hence, all worldly elements—from vast peaks and streams to minuscule bugs—mirrored flawlessly into this phantom domain! Such a godly prowess!”
Dharma-Transmitter Zhou exclaimed in awe, his words laced with faint yearning.
“Thus, have you pondered the true identity of this immortal wielding boundless godly might? And the reason for his downfall?”
“Curiosity gripped me indeed. Do you hold the answers?” Li Fan inquired.
“Truth be told, I was clueless before this. Yet, drawing from the Tianxuan Mirror's inferences, we might venture some speculations,” Zhou confessed openly.
“Recall the way to access the Fallen Immortal Realm?”
“The ritual?” Li Fan swiftly remembered that odd ceremony.
It demanded four objects.
A simple hemp robe.
A full head of grain.
A delicate tiny home replica.
A vivid small-scale wagon pulled by a donkey.
These four pieces went into the four space corners separately.
First: orient toward the hemp robe and chant softly:
“Blessings to the Xuanhuang Immortal Venerable.”
Second: pivot to the full grain head and utter devoutly:
“Blessings to the Xuanhuang Heavenly Monarch.”
Third: stare at the tiny home replica, hold breath, and breathe:
“Blessings to the Xuanhuang Supreme Emperor.”
Fourth: focus on the loaded cart.
Conclude with a whisper: “Blessings to the Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable.”
“Often, the solution hides right in the puzzle,” Zhou declared weightily. “This fallen immortal is the [Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable] himself!”
“The hemp robe, grain, home, and donkey cart align exactly with garb, sustenance, dwelling, and travel: the vital four for human survival. All under the Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable's purview!”
“Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable?!” Li Fan's spirit quivered.
“Xuanhuang ties to the Xuanhuang Realm. Celestial Venerable...”
“Might it point to the Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign?”
“But linking it this way leaves me a bit lost.”
“Could a Longevity Realm expert wield such godlike strength?” Li Fan wrinkled his brow, thoroughly baffled.
“No standard Longevity Realm expert could pull off such miraculous deeds. But the [Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable] surely could,” Zhou clarified for Li Fan.
“The Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable isn't a name for one person alone. It's a bestowed rank.”
“Picture a cultivator in a realm merging fully with the world's Heavenly Dao in body and spirit.”
“Until [my heart matches heaven's heart, my intent becomes heaven's intent], then indeed, no worldly thing evades his sight.”
“The Supreme Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable embodies exactly that.”
As Zhou elaborated, Li Fan abruptly recalled his bond with the Spiritwood Realm.
[Translator's Note: "Celestial" and "heavenly" mean the same here for 天 (Tiān). Same for 天尊 (Tiān Zūn): which I've translated as both "Celestial Venerable" or "Heavenly Sovereign," switched for better read, but it's the same one title. That's why Li Fan links Tian Zun (Celestial Venerable) to "Chang Sheng Tian Zun" (Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign)]