'As the body transforms into the universe, the mind roams the star sea. Taijia without limits, the spirit wanders. Taijia without change, the spirit transforms. Taijia without emptiness, spirit within spirit...'

Li Fan silently recited the incantation.

Within his field of vision, just as the Holy Emperor had experienced before, the seemingly dark and extinguished Star Sea suddenly lit up with countless specks of starlight.

This time, however, it was different from directly coming into contact with the true will of the Star Sea's source.

With the Taijia Divine Art serving as a translator between the two, Li Fan could distinctly feel that the Star Sea's source instinctively regarded him with a certain degree of goodwill.

Not only had its disdain toward insignificant living beings faded away, but Li Fan even sensed that the consciousness of the Star Sea was listening.

The gap between a cultivator and the boundless Star Sea was unimaginably vast.

Yet through the Taijia Divine Art, that difference was greatly reduced. Naturally, this was partly because the Star Sea was currently in a new stage of recovery after its destruction, while Li Fan himself already stood at the pinnacle of the mortal world within the Star Sea.

Even so, there was no denying that the Taijia Divine Art was an incomparably profound divine ability.

'Only someone whose understanding of the essence of the Star Sea had reached an extraordinary level could have created such a divine art.'

'Perhaps the creator of this divine art had already ascended to become a True Immortal.'

The thought suddenly flashed through Li Fan's mind.

However, he did not forget the purpose of this communication.

Maintaining the Taijia Divine Art, Li Fan wore a solemn expression. He first praised the greatness of the Star Sea and its rebirth after destruction.

Then he described the current lifeless state of the Star Sea, placing particular emphasis on the only remaining source of life within it, the Xuanhuang Realm.

Finally, with complete sincerity, Li Fan pleaded with the consciousness of the Star Sea, asking for its assistance in elevating the Xuanhuang Realm and escaping the Immortal Ruins.

It resembled an ancient emperor offering sacrifices and prayers to Heaven.

After expressing his request, Li Fan fell silent and patiently waited for the Star Sea's response.

It seemed as though he had presented it with a difficult problem. The consciousness of the Star Sea remained silent for a long time.

However, Li Fan could still feel that their connection had not been severed, so he continued waiting quietly.

During his connection with the Star Sea's consciousness, countless insights and realizations concerning the Dao of the Star Sea continuously emerged within his mind. It was as though he had entered the legendary state of unity between Heaven and Man, experiencing enlightenment every passing moment.

What disappointed Li Fan somewhat was that these realizations resembled waves upon the endless sea. Though they arose one after another, they quickly dissolved back into the waters as each wave subsided.

'These are not truly my own realizations. They are merely natural phenomena produced by this special state. As for how much I can ultimately remember, that depends entirely upon my own fortune.'

Li Fan immediately understood.

Immersed within this near-enlightenment state, he had no idea how much time had passed before the consciousness of the Star Sea finally gave its answer.

Immediately afterward, Li Fan was forcibly expelled, and his connection with the Star Sea's consciousness was severed.

The Taijia Divine Art could not be used again for quite some time.

A peculiar summoning ritual.

These two realizations simultaneously appeared within Li Fan's mind.

'It seems the principle behind the Taijia Divine Art is that it consumes the favorability of the Star Sea's source consciousness. This favorability gradually increases over time. Ever since the destruction of the Taijia Realm, no cultivator has used the Taijia Divine Art for ten thousand years. Because of that, the accumulated favorability has reached an astonishing level. That is why I felt as though the Star Sea was listening to me...'

After completing the communication ritual, Li Fan gained a deeper understanding.

'However, all the favorability accumulated over these years has now been completely consumed because of my request. At least during the remaining twenty years of this lifetime, it will no longer do anything that I can take advantage of. Still, that is of no consequence. Since I have already mastered the Taijia Divine Art, when the next life begins, I will once again have another ten thousand years of accumulated favorability to spend.'

Perhaps the ten thousand years of accumulated favorability had truly been immense. Or perhaps the elevation of the Xuanhuang Realm also benefited the Star Sea's overall recovery.

In any case, the consciousness of the Star Sea accepted Li Fan's request and agreed to provide its full assistance in the matter of elevating the Xuanhuang Realm.

The ritual it had transmitted was precisely the method for receiving the Star Sea's support.

'Once the ritual is completed, the Star Sea will directly bestow its great power.'

'Even a newly reborn Star Sea is far beyond what the Xuanhuang Realm, even after merging with countless worlds, can compare to.'

'With yet another source of assistance, the plan to elevate the Xuanhuang Realm has become several times more certain.'

A strange expression flashed across Li Fan's eyes.

'I wonder whether this ritual will still work in the next life.'

After a moment, Li Fan slowly shook his head, rejecting the thought.

'This ritual is essentially nothing more than a signal transmitter. Whether the Star Sea chooses to help still depends entirely upon its own will. Without first establishing communication and goodwill, the Star Sea would probably only regard the signal as an annoyance and respond with anger. Not only would I fail to obtain its assistance, it might even send down calamity as punishment.'

After all of the accumulated favorability had been exhausted, Li Fan once again became no different from any other cultivator in the eyes of the Star Sea.

At the same time, the duration of the Ascension Formation had also reached its limit.

Li Fan immediately rode the phantom wooden sword away, allowing the formation to collapse behind him.

The collapse of the towering peak stirred a few ripples within the center of the Star Sea.

As the disturbance gradually subsided, an extremely faint strand of black qi silently appeared.

It was exactly the same as the strand of black qi that had appeared previously when Li Fan used the Ascension Formation to conduct his small world elevation experiment, causing the small world to fall from the heights and be annihilated.

The only difference was that no small world had fallen this time.

Rather, because this location lay close to where the consciousness of the Star Sea's source was most active, the black qi naturally came into existence.

Compared to the strand later devoured by the Dharma-Transmitter Jiang, this one at the center of the Star Sea appeared much weaker.

However, that apparent weakness was undoubtedly only an illusion.

This strand of black qi steadily grew stronger as time passed.

Wherever it spread, the Star Sea, which had only just begun recovering a trace of vitality, was once again reduced to complete nothingness.

Strangely enough, the consciousness of the Star Sea itself never noticed this parasite-like black qi.

It simply allowed it to continue devouring the Star Sea's vitality, completely powerless to stop it.

Its growth was extremely slow in the beginning.

However, as the amount of Star Sea it consumed continued to increase, its ability to expand likewise grew stronger.

It would likely not be long before this mysterious black qi swept across the Star Sea at an unimaginably terrifying speed.

For now, however, it continued to develop silently.

None of the surviving living beings within the Star Sea noticed anything unusual. Nor did Li Fan, the one who had unknowingly created this disaster.

He had already returned to the Xuanhuang Realm and recounted everything that had happened at the center of the Star Sea to Yin Shangren and the others.

Hundred Flowers sighed repeatedly in amazement, her eyes filled with delight.

"The Taijia Realm accumulated ten thousand years of favorability, only for it all to become a wedding dress for the Xuanhuang Realm. With the Star Sea's consciousness assisting us, the elevation of the Xuanhuang Realm is now within reach."

Yin Shangren remained much calmer.

"While I was searching near the fragments of the Taijia Realm, I also found fragments of another world that can serve as the medicinal catalyst for the Xuanhuang Realm."

"However, because I rashly devoured the Taijia Realm fragment, the stability of the Remnant World Great Wall was affected. We will likely need to wait a little longer until the echoing star force storm completely subsides before proceeding with the next step."

Hundred Flowers became even more delighted.

"Everything is falling into place one step after another. At this rate, in no more than half a year, we can officially begin the plan to elevate the Xuanhuang Realm."

Li Fan smiled faintly.

"It is not quite that simple. Although we now have the Star Sea's assistance, we still cannot lower our guard. The Star Sea's power is like an incomparably potent medicine. Used correctly, it can cure any illness."

"But if used improperly..."

"The body may be too weak to bear the nourishment, bringing disaster upon itself instead."

Hearing this, Hundred Flowers' expression immediately turned solemn.

Using the principles of the Heaven and Man, Li Fan gave the two of them another lesson.

He then assigned each of them a task.

"Xu Ke is still beneath the High Wall. His life force has not been extinguished, so he must have encountered another fortunate opportunity. Since the echoing star force storm was created by you, you should go and bring him back," Li Fan said to Yin Shangren.

"As it should be." Yin Shangren nodded in agreement.

Li Fan then looked toward Hundred Flowers.

"During the journey to the frontier of the Star Sea, both Yin Shangren and Xu Ke gained their own fortunate opportunities. Although you returned safely, you were destined to miss such an encounter..."

Hundred Flowers smiled bitterly. Then, as if she had thought of something, she looked at Li Fan, a trace of anticipation appearing in her eyes.

"Fortunate opportunities do not exist only beneath the High Wall. Go to this location. Perhaps you will find something there."

Li Fan informed her of a location in the Darkest Star Sea, not far from the Xuanhuang Realm. His expression was rather mysterious.

"Remember. Do not be greedy. Your safety comes first. If you are not fated to obtain anything there, simply return."

Hundred Flowers firmly memorized the location Li Fan had given her, then cupped her fists in thanks.

After watching the two of them disappear one after another, Li Fan calculated that the timing was about right. Only then did he leisurely make his way back toward the Xuan Immortal Ark.

The place he had pointed out to Hundred Flowers was a natural "high ground" located outside the Xuanhuang Realm.

Li Fan had passed by it several times while traveling through the Star Sea. Although he had never discovered anything on the surface, he had always felt that some unknown secret was hidden there.

After his brief communication with the consciousness of the Star Sea, Li Fan became even more certain of his judgment.

Thus, he decided to let Hundred Flowers investigate it first.

Among the known high grounds within the Star Sea, whether the High Wall or the Dark Sea, every one of them was filled with danger. Although Li Fan now possessed sufficient strength to protect himself, he still had no intention of taking the lead personally.

Not long afterward, he arrived outside the Xuan Immortal Ark.

He deliberately released his aura.

Very soon, the elders of the Immortal Ark arrived.

They surrounded Li Fan on all sides.

Seeing that Li Fan had returned as promised, they all secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Their expressions then became solemn as they turned to the important matter at hand.

"Fellow Daoist, what did Great Qi say?" Jian Daosheng was the first to ask.

A trace of anger flashed through Li Fan's eyes.

"A bunch of petty schemers. There is no point mentioning them."

Zhong Daogong smiled faintly, his eyes flickering.

"So, Fellow Daoist failed to persuade them?"

"You could say that." Li Fan let out a cold snort. "I already reported everything I witnessed beneath the High Wall to my teacher, yet they still dismissed it."

"My teacher even told me that throughout the Star Sea, there are actually quite a few such high grounds. However, their height compared to the High Wall is like the difference between the peaks of mountains upon the earth and the heavens themselves."

"Trying to cross the High Wall by relying on them is nothing more than a fool's dream."

Li Fan's words caused the expressions of all the Immortal Ark elders to change slightly.

"If one possesses no special methods, then merely relying on elevation is indeed insufficient to cross the High Wall." Zhong Daogong smiled faintly.

"However... Fellow Daoist just mentioned that there are many such high grounds within the Star Sea?" Zhong Daogong suddenly changed the subject. His expression became somewhat serious.

Li Fan nodded.

"Correct. My teacher personally took me to one of them. It was indeed as he said. Although it was somewhat lower than the location atop the Great Wall of Remnant Worlds, one could still overlook the High Wall from there."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Daogong remained silent for a long time.

Apparently communicating with the other elders through divine sense, he finally spoke after quite a while.

"It seems we of the Immortal Ark have truly underestimated the civilizations of the world. Any civilization capable of surviving the great catastrophe until today could never be ordinary."

"They may be powerful, but they are as timid as mice. They do not even possess the courage to make an attempt." Li Fan snorted coldly in rebuttal.

Instead, Zhong Daogong unexpectedly defended the nonexistent Great Qi.

"Fellow Daoist has oversimplified the matter."

"Even with traces left behind by those who came before, crossing the High Wall would still require an entire civilization to exhaust all of its strength. It is not something that can simply be described as making an attempt."

"They have lived peacefully within the Star Sea for tens of thousands of years, and perhaps will continue to survive for many more. There is absolutely no need to gamble everything."

"Of course, Fellow Daoist does not have much time left to live. Wanting to seek the true Dao before death is perfectly understandable."

Li Fan merely let out another cold snort and did not continue arguing.

For a moment, both sides fell silent.

It was Jian Daosheng who finally spoke again.

"Of course, Fellow Daoist may rest assured. Our Xuan Immortal Ark has never abandoned its determination to cross the High Wall. If you wish to fulfill your desire, then cooperating with us is probably your only choice."

Only then did Li Fan seem to recall something.

He frowned and asked, "Why is the Xuan Immortal Ark so persistent?"

"Is it merely because the other half of the Immortal Ark lies beyond the High Wall?"

Jian Daosheng did not answer directly. Instead, he replied meaningfully.

"Before this, the situation of the Xuan Immortal Ark was actually very similar to yours. Now, although another turning point may exist, we have already reached the point where there is no turning back."

"Besides, with the Shang Immortal Ark as precedent, recreating the feat of crossing the High Wall..."

"It is not as difficult as one might imagine."

"Only for our Xuan Immortal Ark," Zhong Daogong added.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes as he examined the elders of the Immortal Ark.

"It seems your Xuan Immortal Ark still has quite a few secrets."

Zhong Daogong merely smiled without answering.

"Since you possess such confidence, why should I be afraid?"

Li Fan spoke in a deep voice.

"I shall spare no effort in helping the Xuan Immortal Ark succeed. Everything I have learned throughout my life in Great Qi was originally not meant to be passed on to outsiders. But now..."

The eyes of the Immortal Ark elders immediately lit up with delight.

"To be honest with everyone, aside from the True Immortal seal script, the Dao I have studied most deeply is formations. Furthermore, I also possess an ancient divine technique that allows communication with the consciousness of the Star Sea..."

Li Fan raised his head proudly as he introduced his abilities.

The elders of the Immortal Ark listened with shining eyes.

"The research Great Qi conducted on the True Immortal seal script. Is the True Immortal seal script [Creation] that Fellow Daoist demonstrated to us last time the highest level among them?" Zhong Daogong asked the most crucial question.

Li Fan immediately put away the arrogance on his face.

"With my status in Great Qi, among all the True Immortal seal script characters I was permitted to access, 'Creation' was indeed the highest."

"However..."

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