My longevity simulation

“So, it is not that Mr. Bai was inferior to the Immortal Ancestor; it is simply that Mr. Bai achieved the Dao later than the Immortal Ancestor. Conversely, if Mr. Bai had altered the Xuanhuang Realm first, then the Immortal Ancestor would likely have been powerless to act. Unfortunately, there are no ‘ifs’.”

Old Xu Ke’s aged voice carried a thick sense of regret. Li Fan remained silent for a long time, ultimately responding with a sigh. “So that is how it is.”

“But…” Li Fan furrowed his brow: “Mr. Bai sacrificed his life for the Dao; was it really that simple? The birth of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma naturally preserved the lives of the Xuanhuang Realm’s mortals for a time. But from a fundamental perspective, it was merely a delaying tactic.”

“In the end, mortals are still treated as cattle and horses by cultivators; and the Xuanhuang Realm remains in peril. Since Mr. Bai could deduce events thousands of years into the future, he certainly would not have overlooked this. Given his character, how could he have made no preparations at all and simply departed so hastily?” Li Fan persisted, trying to extract more secrets from Xu Ke.

Because he always felt that there was something hidden behind Mr. Bai’s fall.

Unexpectedly, Xu Ke merely smiled and shook his head: “You and I both believe Mr. Bai to be an omnipotent saint. But in reality, in his own words… He was just an ordinary person who could not bear to see others suffer.”

“From his initial powerlessness in the face of Miss Liu’er’s plight and the tragic deaths of Ningyuan City’s innocent civilians, to the setbacks he endured while attempting to defy the will of heaven. Mr. Bai’s entire life was spent in [Incompetence]. So he never believed he had the power to save everything. All he could do was exert his utmost effort. And he truly gave far too much.”

Xu Ke fell silent again: “Do you know what is in the coffin behind me?”

Li Fan glanced toward Xu Ke’s back. Upon closer inspection now, he realized that this pale white coffin was faintly connected to the towering stone mountain on his body. Or rather…

Li Fan narrowed his eyes and observed for a long time before suddenly understanding. The scene of the entire small world in his eyes inverted in an instant. The earth was above, the sky below. The towering stone mountain on the coffin was like a pillar supporting the entire sky. Or perhaps, the weight of the entire world pressed down upon the coffin.

And from this coffin, Li Fan sensed an extremely familiar aura. It was an aura that no Xuanhuang cultivator would find strange. Recalling Xu Ke’s self-introduction upon their meeting, where he mentioned being “a person at enmity with the world”.

“This… could it be?” Li Fan was startled and abruptly looked up at Xu Ke.

Xu Ke’s expression showed no change, maintaining only a faint smile. “Mr. Bai was favored by the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, nearly equivalent to an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao. Not only did he ascend directly to Longevity Immortal with a mortal body in a single step. He also shouldered the mission of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao to abandon the realm.”

“But in the end, Mr. Bai chose not to leave. He even directly became a member of the New Method, participating in defying the principles of heaven and earth. This was no different from complete betrayal to the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. The deeper the favor from the Heavenly Dao, the greater the backlash suffered upon betrayal. This was one of the reasons Mr. Bai was killed by his own creation that defied reason. Because before that, he had already become extremely weakened.”

Xu Ke patted the coffin behind him and said: “In fact, given the extent of Mr. Bai’s Heavenly Favor at that time, he truly could not perform the Reversal of Principle. Before the reversal could succeed, he himself would have perished from the backlash of the Heavenly Dao. So… Before the Reversal of Principle, Mr. Bai first stripped away the Heavenly Favor. Then suppressed it.”

As if sensing Xu Ke’s words, the coffin behind him suddenly emitted a dull thumping sound. His head spun with dizziness, and a face somewhat similar to Mr. Bai’s, though appearing somewhat pale, suddenly appeared before Li Fan. It used extremely seductive words to persuade Li Fan to help open the coffin. Once successful, upon returning to the Xuanhuang Realm, he would surely receive rewards a thousandfold.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, they might have been convinced in an instant and become its tool for escape, fighting Xu Ke. But who was Li Fan? Leaving aside the resilience of his own will, the lingering wariness he always held toward Mr. Bai alone ensured he would not be swayed by this somewhat eerie version of Mr. Bai.

With a cold snort, the scene before him tore apart entirely. Li Fan awoke from the illusion, only to find Xu Ke observing him coldly, as if ready to strike at the slightest disagreement. However, upon seeing that Li Fan had not been affected by the illusion, the killing intent in his eyes faded.

“Sealed Heavenly Favor? What exactly is that?” Li Fan feigned lingering fear.

“The self-awareness of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao that attached itself to Mr. Bai was stripped away by him. After years of sealing and suppression, it has gradually become somewhat extreme. If it were released and returned to the Xuanhuang native realm…” Xu Ke’s expression was extremely grave. “Fearsome disaster ten times worse than [Incompatible Cultivation] would descend in an instant. This is also why, over these years, even when Xiao Hei fell, I dared not leave this place for a single step. The matter is of utmost importance; there can be no mishap.”

“Mad Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao?” A flicker of unusual light flashed deep in Li Fan’s eyes.

“Yes. I can sense that, during these years of sealing, the Heavenly Dao consciousness inside has grown increasingly strange. I truly worry that one day, even I may not hold on.” A trace of deep worry flashed in Xu Ke’s eyes. “Lately, I have actually been secretly searching for a suitable successor. Yet I have never found anyone I can trust. Fellow Daoist, you arrived here by chance today…”

Xu Ke suddenly shifted tone: “Is this not fate’s decree? I see that Fellow Daoist’s character and temperament are absolutely top-notch.” He looked at Li Fan with sincerity, speaking earnestly.

Li Fan pondered silently, without responding.

“Of course, the mission of suppressing the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao is far too lonely and perilous. If Fellow Daoist is unwilling, I can understand. But I have one request…” Xu Ke said.

“Please speak, Fellow Daoist.” Li Fan’s expression turned solemn.

“If one day, I am controlled by the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao in this coffin and lose my self-awareness, please strike me down.” Xu Ke said gravely.

Meeting the aged Xu Ke’s gaze, Li Fan nodded: “Very well, I promise you. Moreover, you need not worry about finding a successor.”

Xu Ke’s expression froze slightly.

“You may not believe it, but I am not alone. I am a member of the [Federation of All Worlds].”