Chapter 1520: Obtaining the Creation of Longevity

Under ordinary circumstances, judging from the power displayed by the green fragment in the scene, the aged Lord Hill Guardian should have been absolutely incapable of approaching it.

In fact, whether Lord Hill Guardian could even survive in the Infinite Ocean at that time was highly questionable.

Yet perhaps it was the green fragment's own choice, or some predestined fate beyond mortal comprehension.

In any case, Lord Hill Guardian actually arrived beside the fragment completely unharmed.

At the bottom of the Infinite Ocean, the fragment radiated brilliant light, forcibly bringing the surrounding raging vortices to a standstill for a brief moment. Thanks to this, Lord Hill Guardian was able to pass through layer upon layer of obstacles and touch the green fragment.

Afterward, although the vortices resumed their movement, becoming even more violent and turbulent than before, they could no longer do anything to Lord Hill Guardian, whose body was now enveloped in vigorous vitality.

No matter how time passed or how the Great Dao of the world arose and perished, nothing could affect Lord Hill Guardian, who now held [Longevity] in his hands.

This was true and genuine longevity!

Obtaining this Dao alone was sufficient to traverse Mountains and Seas, remaining free from worries for all eternity.

His graying hair and beard turned black once more, while the signs of aging and decay completely vanished from his body. Having regained his youth, Lord Hill Guardian slowly took a step forward and emerged from the depths of the Infinite Ocean without the slightest difficulty.

Wherever he passed, tangible green light gathered into a road stretching across Mountains and Seas.

Even amid roaring mountains, surging seas, violent winds, and monstrous waves, this Path of Longevity remained completely unaffected.

When Lord Hill Guardian returned from the Infinite Ocean, the endless green light along the Path of Longevity also disintegrated, scattering throughout the heavens.

Quite a few fragments were swallowed by the waves and entered the endless possibilities gestating within the Infinite Ocean. Yet Lord Hill Guardian did not care about this in the slightest.

Returning to the familiar place by the Mountains and Seas, where he had remained steadfast for nearly half his life, Lord Hill Guardian once again sat cross-legged as usual, guarding the hill and gazing toward the sea.

Just as he always had.

...

While Li Fan was immersed in the scenes of the past, Inherit Dao's voice slowly reached his ears.

"Master is the true owner of [Longevity]. However, he has no intention of keeping it to himself and is willing to share it with me. This is because of the infinite nature of Longevity."

"Just as the Mountains and Seas are infinite, anyone who obtains Longevity can acquire an inexhaustible lifespan. Even if it were distributed among every living being in the world, each individual would still receive an infinite lifespan."

"The method of ascending to immortality is to connect with the Mountains and Seas. And this wondrous method of Longevity is to establish a connection with Longevity itself!"

"It says: The Mountains and Seas bear all things, the solitary star gives rise to life. Heaven and earth provide the beginning, Longevity brings prosperity and smooth passage. Countless worlds are arranged like a chessboard, and all living spirits illuminate their divine nature. Once the connection is established, one may pursue the Dao to its utmost perfection. Every wish shall receive a response, and whatever one contemplates shall come into being..."

Li Fan held his breath, concentrating with unprecedented intensity. He committed every single word recited by Inherit Dao to memory without missing a single syllable, repeatedly contemplating and savoring its meaning.

On the surface, this did not seem to be merely a description of a divine ability or wondrous cultivation method. Rather, it resembled a poem, one that Lord Hill Guardian had composed and sung while guarding the hill beside the Mountains and Seas.

That ancient, weathered voice crossed the Mountains and Seas, pierced through the passage of time, and reached Li Fan's ears in the present.

Through Lord Hill Guardian's eyes, Li Fan seemed to witness the passage of countless ages across the boundless Mountains and Seas. The passage of time within the illusion felt almost real. Li Fan could vaguely sense it eroding his own existence.

Yet the Longevity Poem, composed by Lord Hill Guardian, firmly protected him, allowing Li Fan to remain unaffected by the suffering brought about by the passage of time.

Movement and stillness, destruction and creation, annihilation and eternity...

Through the countless distinctions between these concepts, Li Fan gradually began to understand what Longevity truly meant.

"The infinity of the sea. The power and momentum of the mountains."

"And there are also [Truth] and Longevity."

"It seems that every one of these mountain-and-sea-level creations represents an unparalleled authority unique to itself. The Mountain Shangfang can create True Immortals in this world, while the Infinite Ocean can cause a True Immortal's strength to undergo a tremendous leap, granting them the attribute of infinity."

"As for my [Truth]..."

"In an instant, it can overturn the Mountains and Seas and return everything to the past. When the false becomes true, even the true becomes false. Everything might be nothing more than a fleeting illusion, or perhaps a single thought can transform it into reality."

Li Fan could not help recalling every instance in which he had used [Truth]. Each time he comprehended the Transformation Between Truth and Falsehood, it seemed remarkably similar to the process once undertaken by the two Sages, Lianshan and Guihai, when they split mountains, opened seas, and created the Immortal Realm.

"In essence, the underlying principles are the same. They all involve creating something out of nothing and opening up a new path. It is simply that the destinations reached by these three paths, cultivation to Immortality, Longevity, and [Truth], are different."

Combining his own experiences, Li Fan began contemplating the Longevity Poem left behind by Lord Hill Guardian.

To his delight, he discovered that the truth might indeed be just as he had speculated. The underlying principles of the three were remarkably similar in many respects. He had already traveled a considerable distance along two of these paths.

Now that Li Fan had embarked upon the third Great Dao, it took him only a little contemplation to become familiar with its principles.

Thus, under Inherit Dao's extremely astonished gaze, a towering pillar of green light suddenly erupted from Li Fan's body, shooting straight into the heavens.

The vigorous vitality bursting forth from it was tens of millions of times greater than everything he had accumulated within the High Wall over nearly a hundred years.

In just a few breaths, it reversed life and death.

The Darkest Star Sea, which had originally been utterly lifeless and shrouded in darkness, with vitality covering only the Xuanhuang Realm and the Archaic Immortal Realm, was no longer dark. Instead, it became filled with brilliant light.

Any living being that caught sight of this green radiance would have its lifespan increased by at least tenfold.

As for those exceptionally fortunate beings who happened to absorb the few fragments scattered when the green pillar of light disintegrated, they had already become what the mortal world called Long-Lived Species.

They would share the same lifespan as heaven and earth, remaining imperishable through countless tribulations.

As for Li Fan...

Although he appeared perfectly calm on the surface, as he stared at the [Truth] panel, enormous waves had already begun surging within his heart.

The age counter, which had previously resembled a countdown to the apocalypse, had now completely disappeared.

In its place was an extremely peculiar green symbol.

It resembled a missing fragment of something, yet somehow possessed a complete set of characteristics of its own. Although the symbol appeared to consist of only a few simple strokes, Li Fan was unable to see it in its entirety.

The mere thought of trying to examine it clearly caused his head to spin violently.

It felt as though he had been drinking for three days and three nights straight, with his stomach and divine soul both churning as if the heavens and earth had been turned upside down.

Li Fan was forced to suppress his desire to investigate further.

However, this discomfort was not what astonished him most.

What truly left his mind in turmoil was the instability of the green symbol and its constantly changing state.

That was right. This green symbol of Longevity did not remain permanently and fixedly displayed on the [Truth] panel. Instead, it alternated with the original age counter.

Both were true.

Yet neither was entirely true.

"Could it be that the true owner of [Longevity] is not me, but Lord Hill Guardian? I have merely touched the threshold of Longevity by following the path left behind after Lord Hill Guardian walked it. If he chooses to close this path, I will lose the ability to possess Longevity."

"It is just like the Primordial Origin Bone, which once followed me as I smuggled it back to the Anchored Point. Although it also experienced the Transformation Between Truth and Falsehood, this was established entirely upon the foundation of my control over everything. In the following life, the Primordial Origin Bone was refined into the Celestial Pillar. It never truly obtained the might of [Truth]..."

"Lord Hill Guardian can freely share [Longevity] with others, whereas I cannot impart the divine ability of Truth and False to anyone. This seems to indicate that he has completely mastered the Great Dao of Longevity, while I have yet to truly master [Truth]."

...

In an instant, countless thoughts surged through Li Fan's mind, completely occupying his consciousness.

He had not even had the time to properly savor the true taste of Longevity.

Immediately afterward, an inexplicable sense of crisis welled up in his heart.

The sensation of being watched, which he had experienced back when the Great Sage Jingfen had observed him, resurfaced once more. This time, although the feeling was somewhat fainter, the instinctive sense of danger surging within him was even more intense than before.

Li Fan understood that now that he had truly come into contact with the Great Dao of Longevity through the wondrous method left behind by Lord Hill Guardian, even the protection of [Illusion Is Also Truth] could no longer prevent the master of the Great Dao of Longevity from sensing his existence.

However, perhaps because Lord Hill Guardian himself was not currently within the Mountain and Sea Mortal World, although he had sensed Li Fan, this sudden intruder, he did not immediately descend.

Nevertheless, Li Fan had a premonition. The moment Lord Hill Guardian returned to the Mountain and Sea World, the first thing he would likely do was appear before Li Fan and investigate the background of this person who had suddenly attained Longevity.

"It seems I cannot stay in this life much longer."

Li Fan sighed inwardly.

From the moment he began cultivating and comprehending this Longevity Poem, Li Fan had already anticipated that his subsequent actions would inevitably attract Lord Hill Guardian's attention.

Yet he had still chosen to proceed.

After all, the Great Dao of Longevity was right within his reach. How many people could resist such temptation?

Moreover, Li Fan had [Truth] as his fallback. He also had the confidence to experience Longevity once before immediately making his escape.

With Lord Hill Guardian liable to return and descend at any moment, Li Fan felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

Yet he did not choose to leave immediately.

Instead, he seized this final opportunity to continue carefully savoring and comprehending the Great Dao of Longevity within himself.

"Actually, when examined closely, there is nothing particularly extraordinary about it."

"It is nothing more than the word, [Longevity]. Yet through its utmost simplicity, it reaches the utmost sanctity. Just like [Truth], Transformation Between Truth and Falsehood lies the ability to disregard everything in the mortal world. These two simple words, Longevity, likewise possess the ability to disregard every calamity in existence."

"Although I do not possess the complete cultivation of Longevity, I am still confident that I can drift through the Dao Annihilation Calamity without perishing. And that is without even mentioning Lord Hill Guardian, the master of Longevity."

In a certain sense, having obtained the fortune of Longevity, Li Fan had already acquired the qualifications to become an expert who transcended the mortal world. However, this power came from another person's gift rather than his own cultivation.

If Lord Hill Guardian reclaimed this fortune, or closed the passage and cut off the possibility of sharing it with others, Li Fan would instantly be returned to his original state.

Although he knew that the Longevity fortune in his possession was only temporary, Li Fan was unwilling to relinquish it for the time being.

Just as the older one grows, the more one fears death, the one who truly possesses something is even more afraid of losing it.

He was holding something weighing ten thousand jin, yet could not bring himself to put it down.

Like a starving man, Li Fan desperately seized every remaining moment to comprehend the Great Dao of Longevity.

He remained remarkably composed. However, Inherit Dao, the one who had imparted the wondrous method to him, was nowhere near as calm.

As though his very essence and spirit had been drained away, Inherit Dao stared blankly at Li Fan, who had suddenly attained the Dao. Several times, he seemed about to speak, only to stop himself.

He was utterly dispirited.

Even the nourishment provided by the fortune of Longevity could not dispel the decline that welled up from within him and spread throughout his entire being.

After a long while, Inherit Dao finally could not hold back any longer and asked, "Junior Brother... have you comprehended it?"

Li Fan nodded slightly. "I must thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. I have indeed gained some understanding."

The last trace of hope in Inherit Dao's heart was completely shattered. Even with his steadfast temperament, he could not help staring blankly, momentarily losing himself.

He even struggled to understand what had happened, falling into self-reproach.

"I have walked this path for who knows how many years, yet I have only managed to vaguely glimpse the shadow of true Longevity."

"I thought that your mind had been unsettled recently because you could not see any hope of transcending the mortal world and were troubled by worries over your lifespan. That was why I imparted the teachings passed down by our master to you."

"Who could have imagined..."

Inherit Dao let out three consecutive bitter laughs.

"You, who had only just set foot on this path, not only surpassed me in an instant, but have already reached the very end?"

He gazed blankly toward the heavens beyond.

"Master, tell me. Is this your special favor toward him, or is your disciple simply too dull?"

Although in this life, the two of them were merely playing the roles of sworn brothers despite being unrelated by blood, Inherit Dao's repeated actions had nevertheless left Li Fan with a rather favorable impression of him.

Seeing him so lost at this moment, Li Fan did not forget to offer some words of comfort while continuing to comprehend the Great Dao of Longevity.

"Senior Brother, there is no need to feel so disheartened. In my opinion, progressing too quickly along this path is not necessarily a good thing."

"For some reason, my compatibility with this path is extraordinarily high. I did not advance one step at a time, leaving a trail of footprints behind me. Instead, I leaped directly from the starting point to the end. Although this was fast, I have left behind not even the slightest personal imprint of my own. If one day Master severs this passage, I will instantly plummet from the heavens. I fear I will not be able to retain even the slightest trace of this Longevity fortune."

"But Senior Brother, you are different."

"First, you have always cultivated the method of [Inheriting Dao]. Following in another's footsteps and imitating them step by step is perfectly in keeping with your Dao path. Second, you have personally walked this path throughout your long years. It is covered with your footprints. Even if Master truly severs the path one day, you can still rely on those footprints you have left behind to preserve a certain portion of the power of the Longevity fortune. You may not be able to exist alongside the Mountain and Sea World itself, but reaching a level comparable to Transcendence should not be difficult."

...

Li Fan patiently offered his advice.

At this moment, it was as though their positions had been completely reversed. Li Fan was now the Senior Brother who had long comprehended the Dao, while Inherit Dao had become the Junior Brother who had only just embarked upon the path of cultivation.

Inherit Dao pondered for a long time before finally realizing that Li Fan's words were indeed true.

His mood immediately improved considerably.

Nevertheless, the frustration in his heart could not be dispelled in such a short time. He could not help mocking himself.

"In my opinion, you are the true disciple of Lord Hill Guardian, Junior Brother. As for me, I am nothing more than an ordinary stone by the Mountain and Sea, fortunate enough to have enjoyed a little luck."

Li Fan smiled bitterly but said nothing more.

Although Inherit Dao was envious, not the slightest trace of jealousy arose in his heart.

Several days passed. After adjusting his state of mind, the atmosphere between the two gradually returned to how it had been before.

There was only one difference. Now, it was usually Li Fan who offered guidance.

And Inherit Dao who listened.

Inherit Dao felt neither ashamed nor displeased by this change.

With Li Fan, a pioneer who had already reached the destination, personally guiding him and explaining the intricacies of the path, Inherit Dao's comprehension of the Longevity fortune also advanced by leaps and bounds.

Moreover, the depth of his foundation was far beyond anything Li Fan could match.

Li Fan, however, was not deceived by the astonishing feat of attaining the Dao in a single moment.

He understood that the reason his comprehension had proceeded so smoothly was undoubtedly inseparable from [Truth].

"Either it was to give [Truth] some face."

"Or he sensed something unusual about me, the master of [Truth], and deliberately allowed me to pass, intending to leave a mark on me."

"Regardless of which explanation is correct, my current situation is extremely dangerous."

Li Fan also slowly raised his gaze toward the heavens beyond.