My longevity simulation

Chapter 960: Eternally Revered Heavenly Sovereign

“The first cultivator infected by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma was also the very person who created it.”

…

Li Fan’s voice echoed calmly.

Master Yin did not argue. He gripped his hair hard, as if the fact caused him great pain.

“How is that possible, how is that possible…” He kept muttering, bewildered and sorrowful.

After a long silence, Li Fan continued slowly, “The Immortal-Mortal Miasma was formed against the principle of heaven and earth.”

“Whoever could create the Immortal-Mortal Miasma…”

“Could only be the Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign. In other words, what stands before us is the remaining bone of a newly established Longevity Immortal.”

“The moment the Immortal-Mortal Miasma was born within him, under the rules set by the new method of the Immortal Ancestor, he thereby attained the Longevity Immortal realm. But at the same time…”

“The rule-force called the Immortal-Mortal Miasma began to run rampant and wreak havoc inside his body.”

“Ordinary men can slay immortals. The power of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma is known to everyone in the Xuanhuang Realm. But I believe that if that Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign wanted to preserve his life, he could have done so. Yet he did not.”

“If he had preserved himself, that would mean he would have again broken the rule he created. Although it would not necessarily lead to the failure of the counter-principle…”

Li Fan paused, as if thinking and deducing.

After a moment he spoke with force, “It very likely left a loophole. The Longevity Heavenly Sovereign could ignore the power of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma.”

“To prevent that from happening, he let the Immortal-Mortal Miasma consume him. It is equivalent to burying himself with his own hands.”

“What resulted was only this: Xuanhuang cultivators, regardless of their cultivation level, from Foundation Establishment up to Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign, all cannot escape the effect of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma.”

Li Fan’s expression was solemn. “But…”

“What significance does this have?”

“In merely a few thousand years, the Immortal-Mortal Miasma has become virtually extinct. With careful handling, cultivators can still slaughter mortals at will.”

“Then why did this Longevity Heavenly Sovereign, for what purpose, sacrifice his life to create the Immortal-Mortal Miasma?”

Deep doubt showed on Li Fan’s face.

This was not an act. It was genuine.

Master Yin was silent.

He waved his hand lightly, and the transparent wall in front of him vanished. He carefully picked up the white rib bone on the ground as if it were a rare treasure, and gently stroked it. Ꞧа𐌽ȪBĚ𝙨

“When I first saw this rib bone, the image of its owner in life seemed to appear before my eyes.”

“What a perfectly handsome face it was. Even all the most flowery words in the world could not describe even a fraction of it.”

“Yet such a perfect person died because he was infected by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma. At that time, I secretly vowed to find the culprit who created the Immortal-Mortal Miasma and caused this perfect person to fall, and then…”

Master Yin gave a bitter laugh. “I never imagined that after all these years of searching, the supposed killer had been right in front of me.”

“And I did not know, I did not know at all.”

Struck to the core, Master Yin coughed up a great deal of blood.

After wiping it away, he gripped the rib bone tightly, veins bulging in his hand.

Watching this, Li Fan suddenly recalled the first time he saw Master Yin.

He had been the same then, in shabby clothes.

He muttered constantly, “I will find you, I will find you…”

Now he had finally found the so-called killer.

But this result was not something he could easily accept.

To have pursued most of his life, and to find that the killer was the victim himself.

What an irony.

“No wonder each time, shortly after he discovered the truth, he would set himself on fire and die.” Li Fan thought silently.

Li Fan also suddenly remembered that in a previous life Su Changyu had come to Yin Yin Island by chance and been taught the “Foundation Establishment Through Oneself.”

Master Yin had acted as he did because Su Changyu tried to save the mortals on the island.

At that time, Master Yin had asked, “Why? Why would you, a cultivator, go to save those mortals?”

Now it seems he was not merely questioning Su Changyu.

He was bewildered by the actions of the Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign who created the Immortal-Mortal Miasma.

Not only Master Yin, Li Fan also could not understand such behavior.

Even if one concedes that someone in the world was noble enough to sacrifice his life to protect mortals…

At least the sacrifice must be effective for it to be meaningful.

From the current state of the Xuanhuang Realm, the mortals are only slightly better off. They are still slaughtered by cultivators at will and cannot protect themselves.

Just like the past cases of Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzhi.

Foundation Establishment cultivators can easily flatten a mortal city.

Compared with the time before the Immortal-Mortal Miasma was born, nothing seems to have changed.

If all he wanted was this…

Then it is not noble, it is foolish.

Li Fan believed that a cultivator who could go against the principle of heaven and earth could never be so simple-minded.

So what was his true purpose?

As Li Fan pondered, Master Yin staggered to his feet, placed the white rib bone against his chest, and carefully put it away.

Li Fan still voiced his question.

Master Yin smiled miserably, “You still do not understand? He did it not only for the mortals of the world, but also for the cultivators of the world.”

“The cultivators of the world?” Li Fan’s body trembled, as if he had realized something.

“After the Immortal Ancestor set the new method that reverses the principle of heaven and earth, all cultivators must practice according to the new method. In theory, from now on, no matter how brilliant or talented a cultivator may be, they can never escape the framework established by the Immortal Ancestor’s method.”

“They are destined to be forever suppressed by the Immortal Ancestor’s rule. From a certain perspective, for Xuanhuang cultivators, the Immortal Ancestor method is invincible.” Master Yin seemed a little unwell as he spoke in fits and starts.

A scene suddenly appeared in Li Fan’s mind.

A white-robed figure sighed to the sky, “Before us, The path to immortality lies ahead, yet it cannot be trodden. for the Dharma-Transmitting Immortal Ancestor stands above.”

“But he, at the cost of his life, created a possibility for Xuanhuang cultivators. A possibility that could threaten the Immortal Ancestor’s method.” Master Yin was stunned for a moment and then continued.

“Both are Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereigns, although his strength and combat power might be far weaker in combat power than the Immortal Ancestor, their realm is actually the same. Since the Immortal-Mortal Miasma could cause fatal harm to him, by the same logic…”

“The Immortal-Mortal Miasma can also severely injure or even kill the Immortal Ancestor.” Master Yin’s voice rose oddly, with a hint of excitement.

“Since the Great Catastrophe, the Immortal Ancestor has almost disappeared from the world. Even after reestablishing the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, he rarely appeared. Who can say there were not factors like this? Because he too feared it. Ha ha!”

Master Yin’s demeanor became gradually deranged.

“He not only found a method for the cultivators of the world to kill the Immortal Ancestor, he also pointed the way to thoroughly destroy the Immortal Ancestor’s order. After all, relying solely on the Immortal-Mortal Miasma to kill the Immortal Ancestor…”

“Although possible, the probability of success is extremely low.”

“But the method he indicated to shatter the Immortal Ancestor order is absolutely workable.” Master Yin, shaken by emotion, spat out another mouthful of blood.

“If the Immortal-Mortal Miasma can become a weak point of the Immortal Ancestor method, then why not create more weak points? As long as there are those who can attain the Longevity Immortal realm and are willing to sacrifice themselves…”

“The cracks in the Immortal Ancestor method will multiply. One day, it will be full of holes and collapse at a single poke.”

Master Yin’s eyes widened in shock.

“As long as there is someone like him, willing to sacrifice themselves…”

Li Fan fell silent.

For all beings in the world to reach such enlightenment…

That was asking for the impossible.

One side offered eternal life and carefree freedom, while the other meant wagering one’s own existence for a vague, uncertain future.

Anyone sane would know which to choose.

But he was not like ordinary people.

Master Yin gave a bitter laugh. “In all the thousands of years of the Xuanhuang Realm, not a single cultivator besides him has ever done such a thing.”

“Damn it all! They all deserve to die!”

Li Fan tried to console him. “Fellow Daoist Yin, do not be so extreme.”

But Master Yin ignored him completely. His gaze toward Li Fan grew increasingly hostile. “What do you know?”

He pulled a pale white rib bone from his robes, eyes full of disdain. “I know that all cultivators in the world are afraid of death. How many of them only began cultivating in the first place because they feared dying?”

“But how can their lives even compare to his?”

“He… he…”

A faint line of blood seeped from Master Yin’s eyes. “He was the original Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign!”

The words struck Li Fan’s soul like thunder.

Even with his usual composure, he could not help blurting out, “What? He was the original a Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign? What do you mean by that?”

Li Fan quickly pressed on.

“What do I mean? Just what the words say. Before the ancient methods perished, he was the final cultivator to attain true Longevity through the power of heaven and earth itself—a True Ancient [Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign]!” Master Yin said slowly, word by word.

“Only the bone of an Ancient Heavenly Sovereign could carry such divine creation.”

As he spoke, Master Yin caressed the rib bone with an almost reverent obsession.

Then, suddenly, his expression shifted to one of cold darkness. He stared intently at Li Fan.

After a tense moment, Master Yin raised his head toward the heavens, his eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.

He murmured to himself, “Besides, he was not like those petty thieves. His longevity was something this world itself bestowed upon him.”

“He could have simply left this place behind…”

Li Fan did not interrupt him. He silently recorded every word that Master Yin muttered.

“Ancient-method longevity immortal… and not just ordinary Longevity either.”

“No wonder he was invincible, whether in the Beast-Taming Sect or the Heavenly Sword Sect.”

“But then… how exactly did he become an immortal of longevity?”

“Could it be that, back then, when he ascended in a single step, he did not merely ascended from mortal to Soul Transformation…”

“But transformed directly from mortal into Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign?”

Li Fan found the thought absurd.

Such progress was unprecedented in all history.

“If that were true, it would be too outrageous.”

“Even if heaven itself favored him, it could not have gone that far.”

“He was not merely heaven’s favored child—it was as though heaven treated him like its own father.”

“Could it be… that in a previous life, he saved the Xuanhuang Realm itself?”

As this thought formed, a strange notion surfaced in Li Fan’s mind.

He froze slightly.

“No… could it be possible?”

He quickly organized his thoughts, yet the suspicion in his heart only grew stronger.

Both were perfect beings.

Both bore concern for all living things in the Xuanhuang Realm.

The Xuantian King had mysteriously vanished.

Years later, another mortal appeared in the world.

He was favored by the Heavenly Dao itself, receiving absurd levels of grace and protection.

Piece by piece, it all connected—forming an answer.

Li Fan could not help but think, “Could it be…”

“Mr. Bai is the reincarnation of the Xuantian King?”

Indeed, the reconstructed skull he had seen bore an identical resemblance to Mr. Bai.

And the reason the world believed the first cultivator infected by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma bore the surname Su…

Was because…

Li Fan recalled what he had witnessed long ago within the Fallen Immortal Realm.

“Doggy was nothing but a defective creation cast aside. If not for Little Bai…”

The yellow-haired Lu Ya had been explaining this to Li Fan before being kicked sharply from behind.

He dusted himself off awkwardly.

Lu Ya hastily corrected himself. “If not for Mr. Bai personally healing him, Doggy would have died long ago.”

Indeed, the title Mr. Bai came from the orphans of Ningyuan City. Upon hearing others call him “Little Bai,” they respectfully changed it to “Mr. Bai.”

Perhaps even they did not know his true name.

And given Mr. Bai’s temperament, even if he realized their misunderstanding, he likely would not have corrected them.

As long as the children were happy.

After all, Mr. Bai was a pleasant name.

“Su Bai…”

“So that was his name.”

“With the ancient path of Longevity Immortal, he defied the very laws of heaven and attained Longevity Immortality anew.”

“I once believed no one in existence could achieve such a thing. I never imagined…”

Li Fan recalled a past conversation between Sun Qi and Sun Liancheng.

“The more one is favored by heaven and earth, the harder it is to defy their laws.”

“The backlash will be that much stronger.”

“To defy the heavens under such circumstances…”

Li Fan fell into deeper silence.

His thoughts churned endlessly until an odd sensation snapped him back to the present.

A strange energy began to surge from Master Yin’s body.

Li Fan could tell something was very wrong—Master Yin seemed on the verge of losing control.

Yet within that frenzy, he also appeared to glimpse countless secrets of the world, as if unraveling the past and future of the rib bone’s original owner.

“Why? Why?”

Master Yin clutched his head in agony. A vertical line appeared at the center of his body, slowly beginning to split.

Li Fan cautiously stepped back.

Master Yin rolled on the ground, writhing in pain. From beneath Yin Island, where countless of his corpses were stored, came a series of explosions.

The earth trembled with faint rumbling sounds.

After an unknown length of time, Master Yin suddenly leapt up, his face glowing with wild excitement.

“I understand now!”