Chapter 505 - 500: On the Legend of Ascension

At the boundary of the Da Li Dynasty’s territory lies the Endless Sea.

The sea domain is vast and boundless, a place beyond the reach of the Da Li Dynasty’s influence.

In the South Sea, it is said there exists an Overseas Immortal Mountain. Throughout history, cultivators have ventured into the vast South Sea searching for the Overseas Immortal Mountain to cultivate and prove the Great Dao.

At this moment, above the coast of the South Sea, a group is flying with sword control, it is none other than Li Fan and his companions.

Their goal this journey is to enter the vast sea domain of the South Sea, only in this way can they escape the Saint’s persecution, otherwise within the borders of the Da Li Dynasty, if a Saint acts, even though the world is wide, they will still find it hard to escape.

From the moment Li Fan stepped out of the capital, Zuo Canglan and Shi Dao Ren had actually already prepared the plan to enter the sea domain.

"Sending you a thousand miles must come to an end, I bid you farewell here." Taibai Sword cupped his hands toward everyone.

"Senior, is there any danger when you return?" Li Fan asked.

"I’m only fighting with the Demon Race’s Great Demon, not involved in anything else, and moreover, do not forget where I come from." Taibai Sword laughed indifferently, he cultivates in the Heavenly White Jade City, even the Saints from those major forces dare not act against him for this small issue.

Li Fan nodded, for the Heavenly White Jade City also has Saints in charge.

"Since it is the case, this junior thanks Senior for your help, if there is a chance in the future, I will join Senior in a sword discussion." Li Fan said, now he is qualified to say this, it won’t take many years, even without the Divine Sword, he can enter the Sword Saint List.

"Looking forward to it." Taibai Sword looked toward Zuo Canglan, "This battle allowed me to see your Breaking Illusion Sword and Great Brightness Sword, it made this trip worthwhile, after returning I also need to retreat for a period of time, now that you’ve left me behind, and will be surpassed by juniors, that’s embarrassing."

As the words fell, the sword aura whistled, alongside Taibai Sword’s voice saying: "We shall meet again."

"We shall meet again!" Zuo Canglan and Li Bai spoke simultaneously.

"What plans do all of you have?" Li Fan asked the others.

"We are returning to the West Sea, Lu Yuan, are you coming back with us to cultivate, or?" Lu Wangji asked Lu Yuan.

"I’m going to cultivate in the South Sea." Lu Yuan replied, Lu Wangji and Yu Dingzhou both smiled, naturally having already guessed Lu Yuan’s answer.

"Little one, you have really caused me trouble, I did not expect to provoke Saints out, now I can’t go back to Yun Meng Swamp." Demon Saint replied, though self-titled Demon Saint, compared to true Saints she is still far inferior.

"Lord Demon Saint’s kindness, this junior will remember." Li Fan bowed, those willing to help this time are giving great kindness, they are opposing the peak forces of the Great Li World.

When the Li Mountain people set out, Li Mountain was already empty, they were prepared for the worst.

"Best not delay, we should hurry on our way." Ye Qinghuang said, the Saint’s means are unpredictable, they do not have much time.

Everyone nodded, Mo Zhantian, Lu Wangji and others bid farewell and left, while Li Fan and the others continued their sword control into the West Sea.

The sea is vast allowing fish to leap, the sky is high permitting birds to fly.

The South Sea is endless, even entering the sea domain, Saints will find it equally difficult to find someone.

Above the sea domain, sword aura cuts through the sky.

"Teacher, about that Kongchen, what happened back then?" Li Fan has many questions in his heart at this moment.

After entering the capital, he discovered many hidden matters from back then unknown to him; the Great Li World is more complex than it appears.

Moreover, why did Lu Changsheng secretly remind him to be careful?

"Many things, in fact, I also am not so clear, but over the years, I can gradually piece together some information."

Zuo Canglan gazed into the distance and said, "Since you obtained the Divine Sword, you must know its origins."

"Yes." Li Fan nodded, "A thousand years ago, the world was in chaos, great fortunes descended upon the world, the Li Mountain ancestors obtained the Nine Swords."

"Da Li... a thousand years ago, this land was not yet Da Li, history seems to have been buried in dust, what truly happened in even earlier eras? What kind of era was it?"

Zuo Canglan seemed to speak to himself, the people on the flying sword were all listening intently, curious as to why the history before the Great Li World is rarely mentioned, as if humanity has only persisted for a thousand years, which is obviously impossible.

"Old Daoist, you tell us, you know more about this than I do." Zuo Canglan said to Shi Dao Ren.

"Heh." Shi Dao Ren stroked his beard, smiling proudly: "I have traveled the world, observing the myriad phenomena, and can roughly infer some things."

"Enough, stop keeping secrets." Zuo Canglan said.

"A thousand years ago, there was likely a world-shattering war, countless top cultivators perished, the world fell into chaos, demons rampaged."

Shi Dao Ren began, "In this South Sea region, I’ve encountered relics, even reached the so-called Overseas Immortal Mountain, piecing together many useful pieces of information, first of which is the cultivation realm..."

"As everyone knows, ordinary people can cultivate to the Seven Realms, which is the limit, above the Seven Realms is the Saint Realm, standing at the peak of the cultivation world, but above the Saint Realm, there should be another realm, namely the Ninth Realm, which perfectly fits the supreme number."

Nine is the supreme number.

"Ninth Realm?"

Li Fan and others showed surprise, in the Great Li World there are only a handful of Saints, and nearly none have seen Saints emerge, much less those above Saints.

"This Ninth Realm should be the Transformation Realm, the so-called Immortal Realm, perhaps refers to this realm, now in this world, there should be no cultivators of this realm."

"Saint Realm is already invincible, Transformation Realm, how strong would that be?" Gu Qingyang asked softly.

Shi Dao Ren shook his head, "Transformation Realm perhaps faces life and death."

"What do you mean?" Gu Qingyang asked.

"Perhaps this world cannot accommodate such existence." Shi Dao Ren said, "I once obtained records from Overseas Immortal Mountain relics, transformation means transforming into Dao, either eternally death or proving Dao to become immortal."

"In our legends, immortals may not be the same concept as the ’immortals’ of ancient times, they believed the Transformation Realm signifies proving Dao, breaking the shackles of the world, ascending to immortality."

"Ascending to immortality?"

Shi Dao Ren’s words shocked everyone, even as strong as they are, this was the first time they heard of the ascension theory.

"Do immortals truly exist?"

And there is the supposed ascension.

Why have they not heard of it?

"Of course, according to relic records, in their era, ascension was also a legend; cultivators after transformation exist eternally in the world, transforming into Dao by transformation."

Shi Dao Ren looked at Li Fan, "You should understand what I mean?"

Li Fan was astonished, his heart shook.

So, the nine swords of the stars, are transformations of the Transformation Realm, eternally existing in the world in this manner?

The so-called transformation inheritance?

"Even in that era, ascension was still merely a legend, whether it truly exists or not remains unknown." Xing Feng said, "Did the relics mention how to ascend and become immortal?"

"They did."

Shi Dao Ren’s expression was solemn, "If one carries the world’s fortune and combines their own Dao, they may have the opportunity for Harmonization Ascension."

Li Fan showed a contemplative expression, seemingly thinking of something, his brows furrowed tightly.

He raised his head, his gaze focused on Shi Dao Ren, "The unification of the world, the imperial fortune, does it represent the world’s fortune?"

"It does." Shi Dao Ren nodded.

"In the Shanzhou region, countless Buddhist sect followers, is that also fortune?" Xing Feng asked.

"Certainly it is."

"Taiping Temple bearing the name world peace, worshipped by the people of Tao State, possessing countless temples."

Everyone was shocked, so were these top forces plotting something?

"Li Mountain Sword Cultivators are renowned, respected by all, therefore the Li Mountain Sword Dao flourishes for a thousand years, this fortune theory cannot be disbelieved." Shi Dao Ren said to the crowd.

"So, did they target Li Mountain back then?"

"Princess Qing Huang in the imperial palace, do you know any royal secrets?" Shi Dao Ren looked at Ye Qinghuang.

"I’ve always wanted to uncover the truth about my father, but the Holy Empress Dowager is deeply evasive, my father is her own flesh and blood." Ye Qinghuang said softly, "Back then, things were certainly not as simple as they appear; Teacher, the Demon Race might be just the surface reason."

Zuo Canglan seemed lost in memory, nodding, "What happened back then was full of doubts, it felt like overnight everything changed; I’ve always suspected the current Emperor Li is part of it, but if the Holy Empress Dowager were involved, she wouldn’t treat you this way. Could it be it’s someone in the imperial palace?"

They all knew, there was another presence in the imperial palace.

"But why?" Zuo Canglan was still puzzled, "Is it because of Li Mountain?"

The previous emperor invited him to act and appointed him as the State Preceptor; at that time, the Da Li Royal Family and Li Mountain did not have a good relationship, for which Li Mountain could not understand him.