My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1092: The Mad Heavenly Dao

"Therefore, Mr. Bai wasn't weaker than the Immortal Ancestor; he merely attained the Dao after the Immortal Ancestor did. On the other hand, if Mr. Bai had transformed the Xuanhuang Realm beforehand, the Immortal Ancestor would probably have been helpless to respond. Regrettably, such 'ifs' remain impossible."

The elderly voice of Old Xu Ke brimmed with profound regret. Li Fan stayed quiet for quite a while, finally letting out a deep sigh in reply. "I see, so that's the situation."

"However..." Li Fan wrinkled his forehead: "Mr. Bai gave his life for the Dao; was it truly so straightforward? The emergence of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma did temporarily safeguard the mortals of the Xuanhuang Realm. Yet, at its core, this served only as a temporary measure."

"Ultimately, mortals continue to be herded like livestock by cultivators; the Xuanhuang Realm still faces grave danger. Since Mr. Bai foresaw events millennia ahead, he surely wouldn't have ignored this outcome. With his nature, how could he leave without any contingency plans and just vanish so abruptly?" Li Fan pressed on, seeking to uncover further mysteries from Xu Ke.

This stemmed from his persistent suspicion that Mr. Bai's demise concealed deeper layers.

To his surprise, Xu Ke simply offered a gentle smile and shook his head: "Both you and I regard Mr. Bai as an all-powerful sage. Yet, in truth, as he himself stated... He was merely an average individual unable to tolerate the suffering of others."

"Starting from his early helplessness amid Miss Liu'er's misfortune and the heartbreaking slaughter of Ningyuan City's blameless residents, up through the frustrations he faced in challenging heaven's mandate. Mr. Bai's whole existence revolved around [Incompetence]. Thus, he never thought himself capable of rescuing all. He merely strived with all his might. And indeed, he poured out far too much of himself."

Xu Ke grew quiet once more: "Do you know what's inside this coffin at my back?"

Li Fan cast a look toward Xu Ke's rear. Examining it more carefully this time, he noticed the stark white coffin linking subtly to the massive stone peak upon his frame. Or more accurately...

Moreover, from this coffin emanated a strikingly familiar presence to Li Fan. It was a presence every Xuanhuang cultivator would recognize without issue. Thinking back to Xu Ke's introduction at their first encounter, where he described himself as "a person at enmity with the world."

"This... is it possible?" Li Fan jolted in shock and sharply raised his gaze to Xu Ke.

Xu Ke's face remained unchanged, holding just a subtle smile. "Mr. Bai received the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's profound favor, almost like an embodiment of the Heavenly Dao itself. He not only soared straight to Longevity Immortal from a mortal form in one leap. He also bore the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's duty to forsake the realm."

"Yet ultimately, Mr. Bai refused to depart. He even joined the New Method outright, engaging in rebellion against the laws of heaven and earth. To the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, this amounted to outright treason. The stronger the Heavenly Dao's initial blessing, the fiercer the retribution for turning against it. This contributed to why Mr. Bai fell to his own invention that defied logic. Prior to that, his strength had already been severely diminished."

Xu Ke tapped the coffin at his back and explained: "Actually, considering the depth of Mr. Bai's Heavenly Favor back then, he couldn't execute the Reversal of Principle at all. The backlash from the Heavenly Dao would have destroyed him before the reversal took hold. Thus... Prior to the Reversal of Principle, Mr. Bai first severed the Heavenly Favor. Then he sealed and contained it."

As though reacting to Xu Ke's statement, the coffin behind him abruptly released a low, thudding noise. A wave of vertigo swept over him, and a visage resembling Mr. Bai's—albeit rather pallid—materialized abruptly before Li Fan. It whispered temptingly, urging Li Fan to aid in unlocking the coffin. Should he succeed, upon reentering the Xuanhuang Realm, boundless rewards awaited him a thousand times over.

Were this any typical cultivator, they might yield immediately and turn into its vessel for liberation, clashing with Xu Ke. But who was Li Fan? Beyond the steadfastness of his determination, his constant caution regarding Mr. Bai alone prevented him from yielding to this ghostly likeness of Mr. Bai.

With a sharp huff, the vision shattered completely. Li Fan snapped back from the hallucination, only to discover Xu Ke eyeing him with icy vigilance, poised to attack at the first sign of trouble. Yet, seeing Li Fan untouched by the deception, the murderous glint in Xu Ke's stare dissipated.

"Sealed Heavenly Favor? What precisely is that?" Li Fan pretended to still tremble slightly.

"The Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's self-consciousness, which clung to Mr. Bai, was torn away by him. After prolonged confinement and restraint, it has twisted into something rather fanatical. Should it break free and reintegrate into the Xuanhuang homeland..." Xu Ke's face grew intensely somber. "A catastrophe far more terrifying than [Incompatible Cultivation] by tenfold would erupt without delay. This explains why, throughout these years—even after Xiao Hei's downfall—I haven't dared stray from this spot even once. The stakes are too high; no errors can occur."

"An enraged Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao?" A strange gleam sparked in the depths of Li Fan's gaze.

"Indeed. I perceive that, in this extended period of containment, the consciousness within has developed increasingly bizarre traits. I genuinely fear that someday, I might no longer contain it." A shadow of profound concern crossed Xu Ke's eyes. "Recently, I've been quietly seeking a fitting inheritor. But I've yet to locate anyone reliable. Fellow Daoist, your arrival here today feels like pure serendipity..."

Xu Ke altered his manner abruptly: "Isn't this heaven's arrangement? I observe that Fellow Daoist's resolve and disposition are utterly exceptional." He regarded Li Fan with genuine intent, his words heartfelt.

Li Fan contemplated in silence, offering no reply.

"Naturally, the duty of restraining the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao proves immensely isolating and hazardous. If Fellow Daoist declines, I would respect that. However, I do have a single plea..." Xu Ke continued.

"Speak freely, Fellow Daoist." Li Fan's demeanor grew serious.

"Should the day come when the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao within this coffin overwhelms me and erases my awareness, please end me." Xu Ke declared solemnly.

Locking eyes with the weathered Xu Ke, Li Fan inclined his head: "Agreed, I give you my word. Furthermore, you don't need to fret over locating an inheritor."

Xu Ke's features stiffened momentarily.

"You might doubt it, but I'm not by myself. I belong to the [Federation of All Worlds]."