Chapter 1550: The Legacy Transmission's Ancestor

"Attracting good fortune, avoiding disaster, turning misfortune into blessings."

"Within a limited scope, this could be attributed to talent. But I've sensed dangers even True Return missed…" Li Fan's expression was grim. He couldn't shake his suspicions.

"Is this… intuition… connected to my infinite spirituality? What kind of talent is this? Is it related to being a transmigrator?" A series of questions plagued him.

The first stage of the New New Law was "Self as Foundation." He should be closer to achieving this with his growing knowledge and cultivation. But with each new mystery, he felt further away, even disregarding True Return.

He was almost lost in this spiral of self-doubt when a familiar sensation, like rain after a long drought, brought him back: a faint pulse from the dormant True Return. Though fleeting and weak, it was enough to shatter his uncertainty.

"I've lost my way. Talent, cheat, whatever it is… as long as it's useful. I'm still struggling to survive in the river of time. Why bother with its true nature? It only adds to my worries."

"Perhaps one day I'll face this mystery. But by then, I should be… complete, truly myself."

True Return's presence was a reassuring anchor. The self-doubt triggered by the Celestial Demon finally subsided. Even he, having lived countless lives and witnessed the Mountain and Sea's indifference, had been affected.

"So this is the Dao of the Celestial Demon. As long as you haven't transcended the mortal realm, it can trigger your heart demons. And the more secrets you harbor, the stronger they become…"

The Celestial Demon was truly unique, unlike any being he had encountered. The Unnamed One, the Transcendents… their power was simply a matter of scale. The Celestial Demon, however, was a being of pure mechanism. Both powerful and weak, it posed no threat to those with unwavering conviction, even at the Foundation Establishment realm. But it could corrupt even the Unnamed One if they harbored doubts or weaknesses.

"And in this state…" Once a heart demon was overcome, one seemed to gain temporary immunity. He examined the transparent membrane he had extracted from Xuanyuan Tuo.

Like amniotic fluid protecting an unborn child, it had shielded the dormant Healer. Separating them had triggered the Celestial Demon's instinctive attack.

"The Celestial Demon is also a Venerable of the Heavenly Law World. But this… lacks consciousness. And if I remember correctly, the true Celestial Demon is still sealed within the Profound Immortal Ark."

He simulated the Healer's aura using the Interplay of Truth and Illusion and approached the membrane. It quickly enveloped the "Healer."

"Interesting. The Healer's Heavenly Soul Transmigration… wouldn't have succeeded without the Celestial Demon's help. This… incubator…"

He shifted his perspective, observing it as the Grand Celestial Venerable. The protective membrane was like a mirror, reflecting only the Xuanhuang World to those within it.

He checked the dormant Healer, confirming his suspicions.

"Incomplete. Or rather, just a fragment. The Heavenly Soul Transmigration projected their consciousness, but their original body remains hidden somewhere."

"This explains it. The Healer, despite possessing Xuanyuan Tuo, still retained their own body. That's why I was always confused about their relationship, sometimes like a single being, sometimes like separate entities."

"Such complexities… only direct observation of their memories could unravel them."

"In the original timeline, the Healer, sensing the Heavenly Law World's impending doom, forcefully took control of their body and returned, only to find their world destroyed. Though the Heavenly Soul Transmigration was half-complete, their home was gone. The Healer was devastated."

"But they didn't give up. They devised a plan for bodily resurrection, even more challenging than the Heavenly Soul Transmigration, impossible to achieve alone, especially with Xuanyuan Tuo's consciousness still present. They needed help."

"The Celestial Demon, having left the Heavenly Law World long ago, was their only option."

"Thanks to this incubator, and its faint connection to the Celestial Demon's true form, the Healer could locate the hidden Profound Immortal Ark. They freed the Celestial Demon, and together, they suppressed Xuanyuan Tuo's consciousness. The Celestial Demon became the Legacy Transmission, and the Healer returned to their own body."

"Together, they planned to save the Heavenly Law World."

"The next ten thousand years of the Xuanhuang World's history revolved around them. The Ten Sects, the Single-Minded, Truth-Speaking, and Blissful Ignorance Celestial Venerables… all mere supporting characters in their play."

"But with me here, their play won't be staged." He looked at the Celestial Demon's incubator and the dormant Healer, his gaze piercing through time, seeing their original destinies.

The mental turmoil he had experienced while under the Celestial Demon's influence was strangely similar to the turbulence of the river of time. He suspected that mastering the Dao of the Celestial Demon could enhance his ability to navigate the river. Though he didn't understand the connection, he wouldn't hesitate to absorb and utilize it.

The process was surprisingly simple. He simulated the Healer's aura using the Interplay of Truth and Illusion, and the incubator, offering no resistance, was absorbed.

"The Celestial Demon… though seemingly callous, leaving their world behind, they left a part of themselves to aid it in its time of need. Such selflessness…"

"A truly complex being."

As he absorbed the incubator, the Xuanhuang World seemed to… come alive. Previously, he had only perceived its Daos. Now, he sensed its emotions, its subtle fluctuations. And not just the Xuanhuang World. He extended his senses beyond it, to the Star Sea, the High Wall, even Primordial Possibility itself. It wasn't that the Celestial Demon's power rivaled a Transcendent's, but that it had given him a key, opening a new door of perception. He could see this because he was powerful, having transcended Primordial Possibility and faced the Mountain and Sea.

"The Dao of the Celestial Demon… like gaining a seventh sense, perceiving the subtle emotions of the Heavenly Dao. Beneficial for any cultivation path."

"But…" While he could perceive emotions within the mortal realm, beyond it… within the domain of the Mountain and Sea, this power was useless. The Infinite Sea and the Upper Mountain, vast and indifferent, revealed nothing but their own immense presence, their chilling aura even affecting the Celestial Demon's essence within him, the once warm, life-giving incubator turning cold, almost freezing his soul.

He quickly withdrew his senses, and the incubator slowly recovered. He frowned, remembering the Fable.

It described the Mountain and Sea interacting with human-like emotions.

"But a fable is just a fable. An outsider's perspective doesn't necessarily reflect the truth." He reminded himself of this, then, after completely absorbing the Celestial Demon's incubator, confirmed another observation. His adaptability within the river of time had doubled, without any new anchor points. If he had been crawling before, he could now walk, though he didn't understand the reason.

The incubator was gone. Further understanding would require a visit to the Profound Immortal Ark.

But that could wait. He knew the ark's trajectory for the next ten thousand years. The changes in the Xuanhuang World wouldn't affect it.

He turned his attention to Xuanyuan Tuo, who, having witnessed the extraction of the foreign entity from his soul, was now completely subdued, sensing no malice from Li Fan and offering no resistance. He had remained patiently by Li Fan's side throughout the Celestial Demon's mental assault.

"Do you know who your ancestor was?" Li Fan asked.

Xuanyuan Tuo hesitated, then answered, "The Profound Heaven King." He hadn't known this initially, only learning of his lineage after a chance encounter with the Heavenly Profound Mirror.

Li Fan nodded. "I was a close friend of Xuanyuan Hong's. That is why I helped you."

Xuanyuan Tuo was stunned. The Profound Heaven King was his distant ancestor, and this being… was the King's close friend. He felt a sudden surge of respect. "How… should I address you?"

"Call me Ancestor," Li Fan said with a smile.

"Ancestor…?" He hesitated, then, seeing Li Fan's expression, complied.

"Xuanyuan Hong left in haste, unable to explain everything. What was meant to be a blessing became a curse for your lineage." Li Fan sighed, shaking his head.

Xuanyuan Tuo's heart tightened. He instantly thought of his childhood friend, the village madman, Xuanyuan Sheng.

"Please enlighten me, Ancestor," he asked, his expression serious. Though Li Fan appeared much younger, he addressed him with the respect due to an ancestor. He quickly adapted to his new role as a descendant.

And Li Fan's next action, a soft, melodic humming, confirmed he had made the right choice. It was the same mysterious sound he occasionally heard.

"Do you know what this is?" Li Fan asked, stopping after a brief demonstration.

Xuanyuan Tuo shook his head.

"It's a message from your ancestor, guiding you." Li Fan pointed towards the sky.

Xuanyuan Tuo looked in the direction he indicated, his expression confused. A mere message… that nearly led to his clan's extinction? If his ancestor was still alive, why was this message so cryptic, so dangerous?

He looked at Li Fan, who, after a moment of silence, explained the Eternal Silent Void, the river of time, and the cultivators' efforts to save the world. To prove his words, he even gave Xuanyuan Tuo a brief glimpse of the river of time.

Even in his wildest dreams, Xuanyuan Tuo, a mere Dao Integration cultivator, had never seen such a sight. Every ripple, every wave, radiated an aura of utter destruction.

He returned to reality, his face pale.

"Ancestor, you…" He realized that this being… was far more than just a True Immortal.

(End of Chapter)