Chapter 1544: Capturing the Grand Celestial Venerable

Trembling with excitement and anticipation, then consumed by fear and despair, the first being ultimately dissolved upon the Mountain and Sea, transforming into a bridge, creating a path for its kin to travel from Sea to Mountain.

Li Fan reread this passage from the Fable countless times, trying to visualize the scene. The Fable, however, was vague on the details, only mentioning the creature's fate. This was understandable. The Fable's tales of the Mountain and Sea were already beyond mortal comprehension. If it delved into what lay beyond… Li Fan would question its authenticity.

The first being, having glimpsed what lay beyond, perished and became a bridge. Unless it was somehow revived to record its experience, no one in the mortal realm could know what it had seen.

Li Fan wasn't particularly curious about what lay beyond. It was too distant, too irrelevant to his current concerns. He was more interested in another passage:

"Born in the Sea, standing on the Mountain, its gaze extended beyond…"

"It describes the path to Transcendence," he mused.

The first being's story resembled the legends of the Mountain Joining and Sea Returning Sages, but with key differences. While the being seemed to embody both Sages' characteristics, joining the Mountain and Sea, the Sages were still within the Mountain and Sea, not transformed into a bridge.

"Perhaps this primordial being's sacrifice, becoming the bridge, allowed the future Sages to achieve enlightenment, granting them access to the Mountain and Sea's ancient past." He formulated a theory.

"And the Fable's author… knowing both the distant past and the future apocalypse, with close ties to the Sages…"

He conjured a flame and incinerated the Fable. It wasn't made of any special material and vanished instantly. Though he had already confirmed this in a past life, he still felt a twinge of disappointment.

"No hidden secrets, it seems."

Though the physical book was gone, its words remained etched in his mind. He tried to decipher their meaning, applying his own experiences.

"If being born in the Sea and standing on the Mountain grants the potential for Transcendence, then every Immortal since the creation of the Immortal Realm meets that criteria."

"The key is the fusion of two Daos."

"But most True Immortals simply borrow the Sages' power. They don't truly comprehend the Dao of Mountain and Sea."

"Mastering both Daos leads to Transcendence."

"In my experience, the Mountain and Sea Dao is on par with the Dao of Longevity and the Interplay of Truth and Illusion. This means… mastering any of them grants the power of Transcendence. So, my attempt to merge all three…" He shook his head.

The Fable suggested that even the Mountain and Sea required time to merge. Even the Infinite Sea and the Upper Mountain couldn't withstand the sudden fusion of three Daos.

"That explains why True Return was so severely damaged. I was reckless. I'm lucky to have survived. It was True Return that saved me."

"Ignorance is bliss." Looking back, he felt both fortunate and foolish.

"What was Sun Piaomiao's purpose in writing this Fable?"

"Its contents far exceed the Xuanhuang World's understanding. Even True Immortals might not grasp the true nature of the Mountain and Sea. Most cultivators would dismiss it as a mere story. Except…"

"The one who tore out those pages," he realized.

He recreated the Fable, placing it back in the treasury. Though his actions had drastically altered the Xuanhuang World's history, he wasn't sure if the mysterious figure would still appear. But it was worth a try. It might lead to unexpected discoveries.

Having dealt with the Fable, he turned his attention to the Grand Celestial Venerable. The formation in Taiyuan had captured a trace of their aura. Even if they were hiding within the Xuanhuang World, they couldn't escape him.

He locked onto their location and, with a single step, appeared nearby. He didn't reveal himself, observing from the shadows.

The Grand Celestial Venerable sat on a peaceful, ordinary mountain, covered not by trees, but by a sea of green grass stretching to the horizon. A calming, expansive vista.

Before them stood an easel. They were painting the landscape. For a being capable of instantly recording any scene within the Xuanhuang World, this seemed pointless. But they seemed to enjoy it, each stroke meticulous, occasionally frowning and repainting a section.

Time passed, a gentle breeze blowing across the mountain.

As the painting neared completion, a satisfied smile appeared on their face.

Then, countless corpses appeared within the painting, a scene of carnage, a blood moon rising in the sky, shattering the idyllic landscape.

"Who's there?!" The Grand Celestial Venerable spun around, their voice filled with shock and anger. Their eyes met Li Fan's, his expression a mixture of amusement and disdain.

Logically, anyone capable of approaching undetected and defacing their painting was far more powerful than them. If Li Fan were in their position, he wouldn't attack.

But the Grand Celestial Venerable, enraged by the ruined painting, seemed to have lost their reason. They attacked.

Li Fan's smile faded. "Freeze," he commanded.

The Grand Celestial Venerable froze mid-strike, their expression shifting to shock and fear. As the Grand Celestial Venerable, they commanded the power of the entire Xuanhuang World. But now… they were cut off from it, their power completely suppressed.

They instantly connected Li Fan to the Xuanhuang True Immortal. Only an Immortal possessed such power.

And the Grand Celestial Venerable was merely a glorified servant, a fact they were acutely aware of. They instantly abandoned their arrogance, despite Li Fan's apparent youth.

Li Fan had only frozen their movements, not their speech.

"Why do you mock me, Senior?" they asked, their voice soft and melodious, and Li Fan understood why Master Bai had been so enamored with this mortal, even after realizing he had been manipulated.

Such charms, however, were useless against Li Fan.

"Xuanhuang's warriors are dying on the front lines, and you, the Grand Celestial Venerable, are painting landscapes?" he scoffed, channeling a power resembling the Mo Annihilation Immortal Soul and directing it towards the Grand Celestial Venerable.

Their composure faltered. "My duty is to the Xuanhuang World. The war in Taiyuan is not my…" Their voice cracked as the Mo Annihilation power, capable of obliterating anything, severed their connection to the world.

Though they felt no physical pain, sweat dripped from their brow. While they had been planning to relinquish their position, being forcibly stripped of it was different. A wave of fear, long forgotten, washed over them. They resisted the urge to beg for mercy, instead calmly explaining their reasons for not participating in the war.

Their arguments were logical, but Li Fan wasn't interested in logic. He continued severing their connection to the Xuanhuang World.

The Grand Celestial Venerable sighed. "I understand my failings, Senior. I accept any punishment. But I'm concerned about the next Grand Celestial Venerable. Without someone to manage the Xuanhuang World's affairs, chaos might ensue. Unless, of course, you are interested in handling the mundane affairs of mortals and the Ten Sects." They seemed genuinely resigned, showing no hostility towards Li Fan, even as their connection to the world weakened.

Impressed by their composure, Li Fan stopped, leaving a sliver of connection intact.

"How long have you been the Grand Celestial Venerable?" he asked.

"Sixteen thousand, three hundred and forty-two years, since the Profound Heaven King's departure," they answered without hesitation. "According to Immortal Realm law, the term is limited to ten thousand years. I've long overstayed my welcome. But with the Immortal Realm's destruction, the normal procedures no longer apply. And I haven't found a suitable successor…" Their voice held a hint of resignation, or helplessness.

"Senior, I have diligently fulfilled my duties, maintaining the Xuanhuang World's stability. The Ten Sects can attest to this," they added, quickly shifting to their accomplishments.

"But you intend to leave," Li Fan observed.

The Grand Celestial Venerable was startled. He had seen through their most closely guarded secret. But they recovered quickly. "After millennia of service, I've grown weary. Wanting to retire after fulfilling my duties is only natural. Even the First Grand Celestial Venerable didn't remain in their position forever. My actions, though perhaps unconventional, are within the rules."

"The First Grand Celestial Venerable?" Li Fan remembered the Nether Race, imprisoned beneath the Xuanhuang World. Punished for possessing the First Grand Celestial Venerable's bloodline, they had been transformed into monstrous beings, eternally bound to the Dark Sea. He suspected their ancestor had greatly angered the Profound Heaven King. But he didn't know the details.

The Grand Celestial Venerable explained, "The First Grand Celestial Venerable foresaw the Immortal Realm's destruction and, abandoning their immortality, established a mortal empire within the Xuanhuang World, declaring themselves Emperor and plunging the world into chaos."

"Even without their full immortal power, they were still beyond the reach of mortal cultivators, forcing them into submission. They treated mortals and cultivators alike as slaves, ignoring the protests of the cultivation sects."

"Only after the sects reported their actions to the Immortal Realm, and a decree was issued, did they restrain themselves, though their cruelty continued within their shrinking empire. Cultivators were treated like livestock."

"Having abandoned immortality, their nature grew increasingly depraved, their desires unrestrained. Countless mortals and cultivators suffered at their hands. They forbade any offspring, executing any who became pregnant. Only one lineage escaped, remaining hidden until after the First Grand Celestial Venerable's departure. They attempted to establish a second empire, relying on their immortal bloodline, but were stopped by the combined forces of the other sects."

The Grand Celestial Venerable recounted the First Grand Celestial Venerable's atrocities. This history, erased from later records, captivated Li Fan.

(End of Chapter)