At this moment, a figure whose face could not be seen clearly appeared in front of him.
"Interesting, who are you?"
Leader Lingyuan almost wanted to vomit blood when he heard this question.
You suddenly got angry and brought me here, and you still want to ask me who I am?
I still want to ask you!
Leader Lingyuan snorted coldly and refused to answer.
"You are confident. It seems that you are not afraid of searching for souls anymore?"
"Cultivation and material creations are indeed different from ordinary creatures."
"But, have you seen this thing?"
The other party said in a serious tone, and a ball of colorful light suddenly appeared in his hand.
Within this ball of light, Leader Lingyuan suddenly felt something deeply buried at the bottom of his memory—something he would never forget, something terrifying!
"Are you crazy!?" Leader Lingyuan's tone was filled with horror.
But when he saw that the other party was unmoved and even tried to bring the colorful ball of light closer—
"If you have something to say, say it properly. If you have something to say, say it properly." Leader Lingyuan compromised instantly.
"It seems that you are no stranger to this [无] technique." Li Fan said lightly.
"Is it possible that fellow Daoist cultivators are also those who fled here from other cultivation realms?" Leader Lingyuan asked tentatively.
Li Fan did not answer, only revealing an enigmatic smile.
Leader Lingyuan had already confirmed this matter in his heart.
After all, as the only possible paradise in this sea of stars, the Xuanhuang Realm was currently relatively safe.
There was no sign of being infected by the word "无".
"This thing is extremely dangerous, fellow Daoist. It would be better to put it away first. Although the cultivators of this world seem very capable of dealing with various calamities, if it breaks out quietly, it may be difficult to handle."
"It's not that I share the same heart as the cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm, but there is simply nowhere else to go."
Leader Lingyuan seemed afraid Li Fan would misunderstand and hurriedly explained.
After hearing this, Li Fan appeared to think deeply.
He then put away the seven-colored light cluster. The fatal and dangerous aura vanished, and Leader Lingyuan's tightly held breath finally eased.
"You are truly ruthless to dare carry such a thing with you," Leader Lingyuan thought secretly.
He immediately expressed his stance wisely:
"Since we are both fallen survivors of the world's end, if you have anything you wish to ask, fellow Daoist, just ask! I will tell you everything I know!"
There was no choice—his life was in the other party's hands.
Leader Lingyuan felt bitter inside.
"Which cultivation world are you from?" Li Fan asked directly.
"I, the layman Qiaogong, come from the [Heaven's Secret Realm]," Leader Lingyuan announced.
"How did you return from the dead?" Li Fan asked the crucial question.
Layman Qiaogong explained calmly:
"Strictly speaking, it is not true resurrection. My original body disappeared many years ago. My consciousness merely resides in this constructed body—the [Heavenly Secret Puppet]."
"Fellow Daoist, you know how dangerous the Xuanhuang Realm truly is. You never know when you will encounter a hidden killer…"
He paused, glanced at Li Fan, and continued:
"For my own safety, I back up my self-consciousness periodically. That way, even if something happens, I can rely on prior preparations to achieve rebirth."
"It's just that this time, the disaster I encountered was far too great." Layman Qiaogong smiled bitterly.
Li Fan nodded but offered no comment.
He continued: "This Heavenly Secret Puppet—if I'm not mistaken—is forged using cultivation itself as material? That's rather unbelievable…"
Layman Qiaogong replied:
"Fellow Daoist, your insight is sharp. In our Heaven's Secret Realm, we call cultivation power [Source Power]."
A trace of nostalgia appeared in his eyes.
"The primal force that advances a cultivator's realm is Source Power."
"Our Heaven's Secret Realm exists atop a shattered immortal-realm puppet. That puppet is what we call the [Ancestor]. By studying its mysteries, we developed weapon-refining techniques far surpassing other immortal realms."
"Source Power was one of our greatest discoveries. Though cultivators across the world practice countless strange methods, all of them can be extracted, refined, and converted into the most universal Source Power."
"Using Source Power as flesh and other materials as bones, one can forge a puppet somewhat resembling the Ancestor."
Layman Qiaogong spoke endlessly.
Li Fan carefully observed him. From his words, it seemed unlikely he was lying.
"You people of the Heaven's Secret Realm truly possessed immense fortune—occupying a puppet from the Immortal Realm."
"In comparison, our Wansheng Realm was rather ordinary," Li Fan said calmly.
"Wansheng Realm? I've never heard of it," Layman Qiaogong shook his head regretfully.
Li Fan was indifferent:
"Back then, immortal realms were as numerous as stars. Now they've all turned to dust. There's no need to dwell on it."
This stirred Layman Qiaogong's emotions.
"Was your Heaven's Secret Realm also destroyed by the word '无'?" Li Fan asked after a pause.
Even now, Layman Qiaogong showed lingering fear:
"Yes. At first, we relied on our artifact techniques to resist. But the infection ability of that mold was simply too strong."
"Even the remains of the Ancestor could not escape its erosion. When the defensive line collapsed, we had no choice but to flee."
"Speaking of which, fellow Daoist, your seven-colored light cluster—does it seal the mildew?"
Li Fan sneered:
"I refined an entire world of cultivators to obtain this treasure. Even so, it only suppresses it temporarily. I must replenish its energy day and night."
"And only a tiny portion is sealed within."
"When catastrophe arrives, no one can stand apart."
Layman Qiaogong fell silent.
After a while, he spoke again:
"Actually, I believe that if not for the immortal ruins above, the Xuanhuang Realm might have survived."
"I've observed traces of disaster here. It once raged violently but was erased by unknown means. The Xuanhuang Realm is filled with capable figures—you must admit that."
"Hmph. No matter how extraordinary, they cannot escape burial beneath the immortal ruins. It's only a matter of time," Li Fan said coldly, disdain in his voice.
Layman Qiaogong said nothing.
"Why, fellow Daoist seems unconvinced?" Li Fan glanced at him.
Layman Qiaogong replied:
"Based on my observations over three hundred years ago, the Xuanhuang Realm was already extremely close to the Immortal Ruins. Yet it has not collapsed under such immense pressure…"
"I suspect there is a force close to Dao Integration protecting it."
"So, I don't believe escape from the Immortal Ruins is impossible."
Make a sacrifice.
"More than three hundred years have passed, and the Xuanhuang Realm must have been somewhat exhausted by the Immortal Ruins. However, it still has not collapsed…" Layman Qiaogong's meaning was unclear.
Li Fan nodded in agreement. "All realms were annihilated, and only Xuanhuang survived. Like you and me, there must be many cultivators who fled from other immortal worlds and came here. However, they all lurked cautiously. This may be due to the blessing of Xuanhuang. I am shocked by the power of this world."
"To be honest with you, fellow Daoist, I know a little about formations. When I first arrived in Xuanhuang, I observed a massive formation vaguely enveloping the entire world. Its energy level was so high that it might rival legendary immortals—comparable to supreme formations. I was horrified and have kept a low profile ever since."
"I don't dare to make the Lingyuan Sect as conspicuous as fellow Daoist!"
Layman Qiaogong smiled bitterly upon hearing this. "It seems fellow Daoist has already done so. They are targeting me!"
After a moment, Layman Qiaogong explained, "The Lingyuan Sect appears to be a large organization, but in reality it is just a rabble. It is not taken seriously by the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance at all. It only exists because Jiushan Prefecture's geographical environment is special—it borders the Five Elders Association, where dragons and snakes mingle. Rather than managing it carefully, they prefer to let the Lingyuan Sect grow wildly."
"At the very least, every time I harvest a large amount of source power, I must hand over a portion."
"I just don't know what happened over the past three hundred years…" A trace of gloom flashed through Layman Qiaogong's eyes.
Li Fan suddenly laughed. "Fellow Daoist, you are frightening yourself. In fact, the Lingyuan Sect prospered greatly during these years. It simply suffered a calamity not long ago. Jiushan Prefecture was destroyed when a Heavenly Venerable Dharma Body suddenly manifested. The sect was merely implicated."
As he spoke, Li Fan projected the scene of the Dharma Body revealing its might for the first time.
Layman Qiaogong glanced at it. His face twitched, and he cried out, "What did you do to make the Heavenly Venerable of Transmission take action?"
"Of course, in a clash between two behemoths, I chose to stand with the Five Elders Association," Li Fan replied calmly.
Layman Qiaogong's face filled with disbelief, followed by anger. "You are utterly confused!"
After a moment, Layman Qiaogong seemed to realize something and said in surprise and uncertainty, "That's not right. I clearly sense that there are still nearly a million people in this world practicing the Common People's Spiritual Energy Technique…"
"Oh, that." Li Fan replied indifferently. "I couldn't bear to see the foundation left by fellow Daoists destroyed in a single day, so I took it over."
Layman Qiaogong was completely stunned. "You…"
After a brief silence, his thoughts raced and everything became clear. "No wonder you found my location so soon after my resurrection…"
"No—had you already discovered my method of resurrection long ago?"
His expression shifted repeatedly.
Li Fan nodded slightly. "Don't worry, fellow Daoist. I have no malicious intent. Otherwise, I wouldn't have spoken so frankly."
"Oh? Then what does fellow Daoist intend?" Layman Qiaogong asked uncertainly.
"Of course, I see that fellow Daoist possesses extraordinary skill and astonishing craftsmanship. Thus, I wish to invite you to join us and work together for a great cause!" Li Fan said solemnly.
He then elaborated on the unity of all realms and the restoration of compassionate and true immortal Daoism in the mortal world.
"There truly exists immortal Daoism?" Layman Qiaogong narrowed his eyes, skeptical.
Only when Li Fan transmitted a trace of golden essence of all spirits did Layman Qiaogong feel inexplicably shaken once more.
"Essence of Source Power?!" he blurted out—using a term different from Daoist Baihua's description.
"Oh? What do you mean by essence of source power? In our Wansheng Realm, this is called the jelly of ten thousand spirits," Li Fan asked with interest.
Layman Qiaogong stared fixedly at the object in Li Fan's hand, as though gazing upon a peerless treasure. "Source power is the primal force that advances a cultivator's realm. The essence of source power is what gives birth to source power—the fundamental force."
"Or, as some cultivation circles put it: realm is the core, cultivation is the fruit. The essence of source power is the essence of the Dao Flower. As for the origin of all things, it is the driving force of existence—the Dao of development."
Li Fan recalled Daoist Baihua's description of the Wine of Ten Thousand Spirits.
That was the portion discarded by the Nameless True Immortal while absorbing traces of the Dao.
"Fellow Daoist's metaphor is quite novel," Li Fan said thoughtfully.
Layman Qiaogong continued staring at the essence of source power, unwilling to look away.
"Is the Dao Flower poisonous?" Li Fan suddenly asked.
Layman Qiaogong froze, then understood. After pondering briefly, he replied, "It is harmless to those who believe. Those who do not will certainly suffer backlash."
"You must understand—the root of the Dao and the flower of the Dao are not powers that cultivators who have yet to ascend can control."
"To wield them, one must rely on an immortal."
"But immortals already exist beyond our comprehension. When they pursue the root of the Dao, they inevitably leave their own imprint. Thus, the flower, fruit, and core of the Dao are all tainted with that immortal's unique essence."
"In the mortal world, flowers root, branch, bloom, and bear fruit. But cultivators like us follow the Dao—seeking cause through effect, tracing all things back to the root of the Dao."
"If one fails to realize this personally, seeks shortcuts, and has not fully comprehended the true meaning of Dao Fruit power, yet rashly pursues the root of the Dao—one can only rely on another's attainment."
"I wonder if fellow Daoist understands what I mean?"
Perhaps because he had seen the true Dao Flower with his own eyes, Layman Qiaogong spoke rapidly and at length.
"According to fellow Daoist, it seems that using the power of the Dao Flower isn't particularly harmful?" Li Fan asked.
"That is natural—as long as you do not pursue other Dao roots in the future," Layman Qiaogong replied.
Li Fan thought briefly, then grasped it instantly. "One root bears one fruit?"
"Exactly. Once contaminated by the power of a Dao Flower, you will almost never escape it for the rest of your life. If you advance further, you can only follow the preordained path, pursuing the bound Dao root in secret. Yet a true immortal already stands upon that road…"
Layman Qiaogong smiled faintly. "Thus, you either become their believer or vassal—or you kill them and become the strongest on that path."
"Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention," he added. "Fruits grow from roots. If the root withers, the fruit also withers. So once an immortal at the source dies, any downstream individual who borrowed their Dao Flower power will perish as well."
"But after all, they are immortals. The probability of their death is far lower than that of us ordinary cultivators."