My Simulated Road to Immortality Chapter 2260 - 1701: United to Slay the Four Saints (Part 2)

"The Three Saints of Mountain Lian might navigate this safely. However, the other saints residing on the far shore... even the most formidable schemers might not survive this disaster," Lord Guardian Hill declared with conviction.

As their thoughts merged, Li Fan realized that learning became even swifter than the Eternal Life Path when one donned the mantle of a saint.

Although the technique [Efface Mountain Sea] contained Guardian Hill’s insights from countless eras, its fundamental essence remained the transformation between truth and falsehood.

Li Fan had mastered it entirely within a mere century.

Throughout this period, the white radiance of the Xuanji Ring only blanketed the majority of the surviving territories of Mountain Sea.

It preserved the endangered state of Mountain Sea to prevent its collapse, yet it stopped short of truly ending the extinction crisis.

This was a calculated move to maintain the facade that Li Fan was still struggling, thereby preventing the Three Saints of Mountain Lian from crossing over prematurely.

"This deception cannot be maintained indefinitely. The intellect of the Three Saints is something even I find hard to measure. It is possible they have already sensed your possession of Hai Zhen. However, knowing that Hai Zhen cannot be seized—or perhaps believing it is pointless to take—they have permitted you to proceed," Lord Guardian Hill remarked composedly.

"It is best to keep this matter hidden. I shall continue playing the parts of both the True Spirit Infusion and the Mountain and Sea Walker for the sake of reuniting Mountain Sea. The Three Saints will have no choice but to concede and even encourage this path," Li Fan replied after some thought.

"By moving against the flow, consuming numerous saints, and saturating the Great Dao Returns to Truth... I have a feeling that if that grand hall emerges once more within the void, Mountain Sea might be saved even if the reconnection plan falls through. As for the Three Saints..."

"Do not place your full trust in them, yet do not dismiss them entirely," Guardian Hill advised.

"What is the meaning behind that?"

"Until Mountain Sea is reconnected, their path likely remains the same. But once the reconnection is achieved, who can say what will transpire? The ultimate ambition of the Three Saints is likely to return at the moment God perishes and Mountain Sea is divided. Otherwise, even if Mountain Sea reaches its former peak, it cannot compete with the stars."

...

Within the confines of the Xuanji Ring, Li Fan and Guardian Hill shared many insights.

The experiences Guardian Hill gathered over endless epochs, particularly his dealings with the Three Saints, served as an invaluable hoard of knowledge for Li Fan.

Together, they plotted for the upcoming reincarnation.

"You may continue to struggle against the current until I reach the distant shore; you should remain safe until then. But once that boundary is crossed..."

"I may no longer be able to provide you with assistance."

"That is no issue; I have long since grown used to walking this path in solitude. Furthermore, perhaps we shall still find a way to travel together," Li Fan said indifferently.

Inside the Xuanji Ring, three strange ripples of energy cut their conversation short.

Guardian Hill looked over and gave a short laugh: "The Mountain Lian Staff, the Returning Sea Spade, and the Crowds Stick—these three treasures have fully recovered and are fighting to break free."

"While they are blind to our schemes, they can sense something is wrong from the slaughter of the Four Saints. It contradicts the mission given by the Three Saints, hence their desperate urge to leave. However, their fate is no longer in their own hands."

Guardian Hill reached out with one hand, suppressing the three treasures without effort.

Had he not mastered the shifts between truth and falsehood, Guardian Hill might have struggled against them.

But now that the True and False Dao resided within him, no matter how profound these treasures were, they were not the actual Three Saints.

Bolstered by the Xuanji Ring, they were naturally unable to escape Guardian Hill’s containment.

"Time is growing short. Now that the Four Saints are collected, our next task is to unravel the Xuanji," he stated.

"Even though we reconstructed the Xuanji Ring, we relied heavily on the blueprints provided by those three treasures. If the next era lacks those templates, forging the Xuanji Ring from nothing..."

"Even with the power of the True and False Dao, I fear it will not be a simple feat," Guardian Hill said quietly, his gaze sweeping over the white light of the Xuanji Ring that held Mountain Sea.

"Indeed. Without the Xuanji Ring in his possession, Fellow Daoist Faan would likely feel uneasy," Not Forgotten added with a nod.

Li Fan did not argue against Faan’s teasing.

Instead, he narrowed his eyes and said, "The Xuanji Ring is a treasure forged by the Three Saints. Even if I could manifest it from thin air in the next era, I doubt it could evade their notice. I must fully grasp its underlying principles to create a Xuanji Ring that is not a Xuanji Ring."

"Or rather, a Xuanji Ring that is uniquely mine."

Li Fan’s words were cryptic, yet Guardian Hill and Not Forgotten understood his meaning immediately.

"I cannot guarantee success, but we shall give it our all," Guardian Hill said.

Deconstructing the Xuanji Ring proved to be far more difficult than Li Fan had anticipated.

Even with the combined intellect of the three, their progress was agonizingly sluggish.

It was, after all, the primary tool used by the Three Saints to bind others together; it would not be easily dismantled.

Just as they reached an impasse, a spark of inspiration struck Li Fan.

"Perhaps the strength of us three is not enough."

"But what if we enlist every living soul in Mountain Sea?"

"The Xuanji Ring can exert a subtle influence on future generations, but it lacks a true, singular unity of purpose. This may actually be viable," Guardian Hill mused for a moment before nodding.

Not Forgotten concurred: "The collective wisdom of the beings in Mountain Sea is not necessarily below that of the so-called saints. They simply lack the right timing and destiny. If given enlightenment, they might forge a new path and see what we have missed."

Once they reached an agreement, the glow of the Xuanji Ring suddenly surged outward once more.

The light bathed the entirety of Mountain Sea.

In that instant, every soul remaining in Mountain Sea caught sight of the magnificent white halo hanging above.

Although their physical forms did not enter, their spirits and lingering thoughts were effectively pulled inside.

Initially, only the three towering figures of Li Fan, Guardian Hill, and Not Forgotten occupied the white circle of the Xuanji Ring.

Now, however, they were surrounded by a sea of light specks that resembled a vast galaxy.

The newcomers were filled with shock, dread, and excitement.

The air was thick with the sound of their voices.

Not Forgotten frowned slightly at the noise, and Li Fan’s gaze turned cold, while Guardian Hill merely offered a faint smile.

"Silence!" Not Forgotten’s voice thundered, explaining their purpose to every creature present.

Those who were naturally inclined toward the path began to investigate the secrets of Xuanji without needing to be told.

As for those who were indifferent, Li Fan was not concerned about their laziness.

Under the unifying influence of the Xuanji Ring, even the unwilling would eventually find themselves driven to participate.

Slowly, a deep silence fell over the Xuanji Ring.

Myriads of starlike motes drifted through every corner of the space.

Their knowledge, thoughts, emotions, and realizations began to flow together.

Like small streams gathering, they steadily merged into a great river.

Though individual contributions were small, they combined to form a vast ocean of wisdom.

Eight centuries passed, and their study of the Xuanji Ring reached a decisive moment.

"Faan’s brilliant plan has borne fruit; the collective exploration by the countless beings of Mountain Sea has far outstripped what we could have achieved alone."

"This Xuanji Ring was likely forged by the Three Saints by tapping into the natural evolution of Mountain Sea. By using the beings of Mountain Sea to break it, we have essentially found the right key. Our efficiency has doubled because of it."

Guardian Hill’s voice vibrated through the Xuanji Ring.

The space had become significantly more luminous and transparent than it was eight hundred years prior.

Many of the Xuanji Ring’s once-hidden complexities now appeared as clear as glass to Li Fan and his companions.

"So this is how the Three Saints view the Xuanji Ring."

"And yet, one vital core remains hidden from us."

"That is..."

"The secret of single-minded unity."