“The great tide is surging forth. The destruction of the world can be expected. No one can escape.”

“At most, it is merely a matter of who dies first and who dies later. In a certain sense, our fates are no different from those of the True Immortals who died violent deaths in the past.” Borrowing Ma Tiande’s body, Li Fan let out a strange, cackling laugh.

At the same time, he looked at Qian Ruochang and Devoid Immortal with an exceedingly strange gaze.

The two of them could not help but feel inexplicably uneasy under his scrutiny.

“From your memories, I have seen the cruel conflicts and slaughter.”

“I originally thought that with the Dao Annihilation Calamity having developed to this point, those below should at least have joined forces. Yet I never expected...”

“Hehehe!”

Ma Tiande looked at Devoid Immortal with an utterly cold gaze.

Even though they were merely the eyes of a mortal body, they still caused this True Immortal’s heart to jump inexplicably.

That kind of expression, one that looked down upon heaven and earth, upon all things, and even upon countless True Immortals, was absolutely impossible to fake.

Back when Immortal Emperor Tianluo had toured the various domains, Devoid Immortal had once been fortunate enough to witness him from afar.

Although Immortal Emperor Tianluo had worn a smiling expression, at his core, he was still aloof and looked down upon all living beings.

It was exactly the same as what this mysterious senior before him had inadvertently revealed.

“Watching memories, I...”

Thinking of the inadvertent words that had appeared in the other party’s speech, a bold guess immediately surfaced in Devoid Immortal’s mind.

“Among the governing Immortal Emperors of the Immortal Realm, not all of them remained on the imperial throne until their deaths.”

“Throughout the long history, there were still two or three who retired early, casting off all the burdens upon their shoulders and thereafter wandering freely throughout the world. They were known as the Hidden Immortal Emperors of the Immortal Realm.”

“Could it be...”

As Devoid Immortal’s thoughts raced, Ma Tiande spoke again.

“The True Immortals who once stood at the summit of all living beings have now fallen to the point of being herded and hunted like prey.”

“You have truly disgraced me.”

“What use is there in leaving you alive in this world? Better to dismantle you and use you to resist the Dao Annihilation. As it happens, the pillar of this star region seems to have become somewhat unstable.”

Before his voice had even faded, the power of the phantom of the Immortal Hill Guardian descended once again.

Devoid Immortal’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

He felt as though a pair of invisible hands had seized the Dao path he had cultivated and were simultaneously pulling it apart with tremendous force.

He had originally cultivated the Dao of [Solitude], and had already separated it to an enormous extent from the other Dao paths between heaven and earth. Yet under the effect of these invisible giant hands, he actually felt as though he were being forcibly stuffed back into them.

To him, the Great Dao of heaven and earth was like a vast spiderweb. He had spent thirty thousand years painstakingly severing his connections and finally freeing himself from it. Yet now, in an instant, he was being dragged back to the starting point.

Although his comprehension of the Dao of Solitude remained, if he wanted to escape once more from the entanglement of the countless Dao webs, he would need at least another thousand years to reorganize everything.

What frightened Devoid Immortal even more was Ma Tiande’s words, “Better to dismantle you and use you to resist the Dao Annihilation.”

Although he had yet to attain the Nameless realm, because of the special nature of the Dao path he cultivated, he was like an isolated Dao pillar. In theory, he could indeed be used as a foundation for resisting the Dao Annihilation.

And judging from what he was experiencing now, this ‘Hidden Immortal Emperor’ before him did not seem to be joking.

As he felt his body becoming increasingly ‘heavy’ as it returned to heaven and earth, Devoid Immortal could no longer maintain his composure and cried out in panic, “Immortal Emperor, spare my life! Immortal Emperor, spare me!”

At these words, Qian Ruochang’s expression changed first.

His previous conjecture was completely overturned, and his uncertainty regarding the identity of this mysterious person before him became even greater.

“I have long since withdrawn from worldly affairs.”

“I cannot possibly accept being called Immortal Emperor.”

“The destruction of the Immortal Realm, the governing Immortal Emperors should bear the primary responsibility. Immortal Emperor...”

“Hmph!”

Devoid Immortal’s words seemed to anger the other party even further.

From Qian Ruochang’s perspective, this True Immortal had originally been impossible to see clearly, appearing only as a vague phantom. But now, amid waves of distortion, various parts of his body gradually became clearer.

Yet they did not possess the colors normally seen in the myriad things of heaven and earth.

Instead, they appeared as strange black and white shadows.

“Senior, please calm your anger! Even if this crude immortal body were completely destroyed, it would be useless for resisting the Dao Annihilation.”

“That Shuo Star Sea captured several Nameless existences, yet instead of resisting the calamity, they weave Dao Nets and hunt us down...” Devoid Immortal reacted quickly as well. Before the pressure he was suffering became too great for him to speak, he hurriedly changed his words.

Upon hearing this, the Hidden Immortal Emperor indeed loosened his grip.

But his words remained cold as he reprimanded him, “No wonder you have fallen completely to the disadvantage. After fighting for so long, you do not even know the true purpose of the Dao Net.”

Ma Tiande glanced toward Qian Ruochang.

Qian Ruochang immediately felt his Dao Net exterior plunge into a state of violent turbulence.

The body woven from countless Great Daos actually began to feel as though it were falling apart in a short period of time.

Fortunately, this storm did not last long. After the Hidden Immortal Emperor shifted his gaze away, Qian Ruochang was almost completely exhausted.

Fortunately, he had ultimately survived.

“You explain it to this fool.”

A cold voice rang out.

Qian Ruochang hesitated for a moment. But after meeting the other party’s cold gaze and recalling the helplessness he had felt just now, his heart jolted.

In the end, he still spoke.

“Hunting True Immortals is meant to strengthen the Dao Net. It is not that they weave the Dao Net merely so they can hunt Immortals. Do not think too highly of yourself and put the cart before the horse!”

“When the Immortal Realm was destroyed in the past, countless True Immortals fled to the lower realms in search of another path to survival. During this process, some were willing to become pillars to resist the calamity. Others chose to protect only themselves.”

“There were also those who had become utterly disheartened and wished to flee in search of survival.”

“They were the leaders who joined forces with the other Immortals and proposed the [Three Methods of Avoiding Calamity]. The Mystic Coffin of World Traversal, the Reverse Flowing Boat, and that ultimate method of transcendence...”

“They left completely cleanly, yet dumped an even bigger mess on us descendants!”

There was a hint of resentment in Qian Ruochang’s voice.

“Among those who fled into transcendence, there were no shortage of Nameless figures. If they had taken the normal path of transcendence, they would have left behind remains, phantoms, treasures, and the like, upon which the Dao they had comprehended could have condensed, barely providing something to serve as support. But they did not do so at all.”

“Rather than saying they lacked the ability, it would be more accurate to say that they were unwilling!”

“This place is nothing more than the remnant starry sky they abandoned!”

Qian Ruochang looked at Devoid Immortal and spoke coldly.

Devoid Immortal wanted to refute him. He opened his mouth, but could not think of anything to say.

Because strictly speaking, he also belonged to those who had been abandoned.

“We abandoned ones naturally have to choose to save ourselves.”

“Fortunately, even among the True Immortals of the past, not all were heartless and devoid of righteousness. We joined forces, using Nameless Immortals as the bones and True Immortals as the strings. We wove this Dao Net so that when the heavens eventually collapse, we can leave behind a place where the living beings of this world may have a chance at survival!” Qian Ruochang declared proudly.

“The idea is good. Unfortunately, the net is still too weak.”

Li Fan suddenly spoke, offering his assessment.

This was not an empty remark.

It was his genuine evaluation of the Dao Net woven for the mortal beings of the Shuo Star Sea after seeing the “mountain” that had resisted the Infinite Ocean for a hundred epochs within Lord Hill Guardian’s memories.

If the Dao Net of the Shuo Star Sea extended all the way to the vicinity of the High Wall, Li Fan could completely use Lord Hill Guardian’s phantom to tear a huge opening in it.

Moreover, if the power of the Dao Net came any closer, it would not be impossible to dismantle the several Nameless True Immortal pillars at its core and place them inside the High Wall to serve as pillars.

Li Fan was even genuinely somewhat tempted by the idea.

If other Nameless True Immortals could serve as pillars and resist Dao Annihilation, the power of Lord Hill Guardian’s phantom that he could utilize would undoubtedly increase considerably.

Faced with Li Fan’s ‘belittling,’ Qian Ruochang did not dare to refute him.

He merely said in a low voice, “Although it cannot withstand the tide of ten thousand ages, it can barely provide a place where we can cling to life.”

“It is still better than doing nothing.”

Hearing this, Li Fan was not angry. Instead, he showed some appreciation.

“If the Immortal Realm of old still existed, giving you some portions to fill out the Dao Net would not be impossible.”

“Your method is somewhat crude, but at least it makes use of what would otherwise be useless.”

He had just once again glimpsed Devoid Immortal’s speculation regarding his identity as the Hidden Emperor.

Thus, he continued playing the part.

With a few simple words, he truly treated the True Immortals as ants.

This caused Qian Ruochang and Devoid Immortal to feel increasingly terrified.

If it were merely arrogant words, the two would certainly not have been so frightened. But combined with the strength that allowed him to toy with them as if they were playthings with every casual movement, there was no doubt that this senior had not been exaggerating.

“I remember there was a Hidden Immortal Emperor who seemed to have been just as unpredictable, violent, and tyrannical.”

“After he inexplicably withdrew from the world, the various Immortal Domains even celebrated on a grand scale.”

Before Devoid Immortal could think further, Li Fan turned back and asked, “I remember that before Lord Hill Guardian departed, he once passed down the method of [Phantom Shadow Bearing the Dao] to the world.”

“It is a pity that this method is only suitable for the Nameless realm. Moreover, not every Nameless True Immortal can successfully leave behind a phantom for transmitting the Dao. This Dao Net is indeed more efficient than Lord Hill Guardian’s method.”

Upon hearing this Hidden Immortal Emperor mention Lord Hill Guardian, Qian Ruochang showed no particular reaction.

Devoid Immortal, however, trembled violently in his heart.

Because he could feel that the Hidden Immortal Emperor’s seemingly distant yet lingering gaze had once again fallen upon him.

“Perhaps the two can be combined.”

“The reason only the Nameless can bear the Dao is that ordinary True Immortals have insufficient comprehension of the Dao. Yet among the various immortals, there are very few who share their realizations with one another. But now, something called the [Dao Net] has appeared in this world. Interesting...”

“Have you ever heard of the method of [Phantom Shadow Bearing the Dao]?”

Devoid Immortal’s body trembled slightly, and he hurriedly shook his head.

“I have heard of it. But this junior’s aptitude is dull, and I have no affinity with Lord Hill Guardian’s inheritance.”

“Then watch carefully!”

Within the High Wall, Li Buren’s body suddenly erupted with countless cracks.

These were signs that even the fragments of the Immortal Domains were beginning to be crushed beneath an unfathomably immense pressure.

Meanwhile, Li Buren’s appearance became even more similar to Lord Hill Guardian’s.

Faced with such a perilous situation, Li Buren showed not the slightest trace of fear. He was as composed as Lord Hill Guardian had been when facing the tide of Dao Annihilation.

He took out one of the Immortal Domain Go pieces preserved within the phantom space and used it to repair his shattered body.

At the same time, he poured the entirety of the [Hill Guardian’s Miscellaneous Notes] inheritance he had once received into Devoid Immortal’s body.

Although it was not personally transmitted by Lord Hill Guardian’s phantom, Lord Hill Guardian’s insights were vast and boundless to begin with. Even after being diluted by Li Fan, they remained like a vast ocean, something that ordinary True Immortals found difficult to fathom.

Moreover, Li Buren’s ability to accept the transformation of divine sense into a Dao projection would not be much weaker than that of the Nameless realm.

Furthermore, the transmission itself utilized the power of the phantom left behind by Lord Hill Guardian.

Thus, even if what Devoid Immortal comprehended was incomplete, he would merely assume that his own abilities were insufficient, rather than suspecting that there was a problem with the inheritance itself.

Judging from Devoid Immortal’s current intoxicated and deeply shaken expression, that much was already obvious.

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