Chapter 1734: 成神客

Angry Squid

Zhang Fan, still caught in hesitation, did not notice the change in Xuanyuan Hong's expression.

Truthfully, he was indeed somewhat startled by the sudden revelation of the Dao Annihilation truth of the mountains and seas. But due to his nature, and with the ultimate treasure "Return to True" by his side, for him to stay in this confined space forever was truly something he could not accept. After all, he wasn't like Senior Fisherman, who seemed capable of fishing there for a lifetime.

"Let me think about it some more, let me think about it," Zhang Fan said, unsure of his decision for a moment.

Xuanyuan Hong didn't rush him, but he seemed to have already foreseen Zhang Fan's final decision.

In this world, time seemed to stand still. Fisherman and the newly captured stone tablet, one large and one small figure, always sat and fished. Xuanyuan Hong, on the other hand, spent most of his time intimately with his Dao companion, occasionally coming to check on Zhang Fan. As for the other seniors Xuanyuan Hong mentioned, Zhang Fan hadn't encountered them. He supposed they didn't wish to be disturbed.

There were also living beings here, but their lifespans were incredibly long, with no fear of aging until the destruction of the mountains and seas. And this world itself seemed alive, its size and scale growing day by day. Resources were inexhaustible. In a sense, it could indeed be called a paradise. There should be nothing to criticize.

But...

Ten years passed, a hundred years passed, yet Zhang Fan still couldn't adapt to this place. Even though he lived each day carefree, he always felt constrained.

Eight hundred years later, Zhang Fan finally couldn't bear it anymore. He came before Xuanyuan Hong, his expression solemn.

"It seems you've made up your mind." Xuanyuan Hong had long anticipated his arrival and said with emotion.

Zhang Fan nodded.

"You must think this through carefully. Once you leave here, you won't have a chance to return," Xuanyuan Hong said very earnestly. Zhang Fan couldn't truly comprehend the meaning behind his words. After eight hundred years of confinement, now suddenly free, his heart was like a wild horse unbridled, eager to run wild.

"My mind is made up. I will not regret it."

"Alright," Xuanyuan Hong sighed softly.

"When will you depart?" he asked again.

"Now," Zhang Fan said gravely. "I'm afraid if I stay any longer, my resolve might fade again, and I won't have this determination," he explained.

"Very well. Then I shall see you off. The road ahead is arduous, and there's nothing more I can do to help you."

Accompanied by Xuanyuan Hong, Zhang Fan walked out of that illusory realm. As he once again felt the infinite pressure of Dao Annihilation, a natural fear subtly emerged in Zhang Fan's heart. But at the same time, he also felt a great sense of freedom, like a fish leaping in the vast ocean or a bird soaring in the high sky. He only wanted to let out a loud roar, to vent the comfort in his heart.

Xuanyuan Hong simply let Zhang Fan express himself. Finally, at their farewell, he handed over a jade pendant. "Should you encounter a fatal crisis, this jade pendant can shield you from one calamity. However, it can only withstand one attack. Where you go from here depends entirely on your own fortune."

Zhang Fan thanked him profusely and bid Xuanyuan Hong farewell. He traversed the Dao Annihilation, stepping on waves through the mountains and seas. The place he came from, along with Xuanyuan Hong, suddenly vanished into the mountains and seas.

Inside that world, Xuanyuan Hong, Fisherman, Longevity Guest, and three other figures all looked up in unison. They looked towards the "Return to True" figure and the world of God Slaying Transformation where Li Fan's true body resided. Their gaze swept across, and while they couldn't pinpoint the exact location, they had locked onto the general area. Zhang Fan had been in this world for thousands of years, and his true nature hadn't been fully grasped, but they had a rough idea.

"Actually, Brother Zhang is quite a good person. It's a pity, but it's destined that there won't be a second Zhang Fan coming here," one said. "After all, it's the Grand Dao of Truth and Falsehood; it's not shameful that it broke through the blockade and descended in an instant. Fortunately, I've perfected this world's defenses, so no more 'pawns' will enter. Unless that person comes in person."

"Senior Breaker of Formations, you've worked hard," Xuanyuan Hong said.

Breaker of Formations' gaze, however, never shifted from the direction of God Slaying Transformation. After a long time, he said, as if lost in thought, "Once, it seems I fought alongside him. It's a pity that now I've lost my courage." With that, a wine gourd appeared in his hand, and he drained it in one gulp.

"We once believed that the continuation of the mountains and seas was the will of the Grand Dao. Not just you, but who among us here hasn't struggled to save the world?" another voice asked. "But in reality, reincarnation is the true destiny here. Those who try to break reincarnation are the heretics. Breaker of Formations, haven't you comprehended this yet?"

A voice came, and Breaker of Formations merely snorted and took a few more gulps. "Old Man Forget-Machine, you talk too much. Knowing is one thing; accepting is another. Besides, when we jointly created this sanctuary, there was no agreement that we couldn't go back on it and leave!"

The atmosphere instantly grew cold.

"Ha, it's caught!" It was Fisherman's joyous shout that broke the deadlock. After playfully handling the hooked fish for a moment, he casually tossed it back into the mountain-sea fishing ground. Fisherman stopped fishing and stood up abruptly, joining his old friends. Everyone's gaze instantly converged on him.

"The unchanging is fleeting. The changing is eternal. We are merely residing here, waiting for the opportune moment. If possible, we act. If not, then we continue to rest. Why argue?" Fisherman said lightly. "You should know that we are not the only ones hidden within the mountains and seas, quietly awaiting true variables." Fisherman's gaze seemed to pierce through the undercurrents of the mountain-sea fishing ground, reaching every corner of the mountains and seas. "Even all of us old bones combined probably aren't as strong as one other person," he said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Xuanyuan Hong quickly said, "Senior Fisherman, you're too humble. Although all Saints are equal except for true gods, you were all once divine bodies. If it came to a real fight, there's truly no one you would fear."

"Becoming a god..." These two words seemed to touch ancient memories for everyone present, and they fell silent once more.

"At the dawn of time, in the primeval era, the Saints fought endlessly. Their aim was to seize the fortune of the mountains and seas and obtain the sacred opportunity to become a god. For this, they lost themselves. Just like we did back then. No amount of persuasion was useful. Only by truly becoming a god oneself, experiencing everything, would one gain true understanding. Except for you, young Xuanyuan," Fisherman slowly walked to a suitable spot in the world and sat down again. He grabbed the stone tablet, which had been utterly stunned by overhearing a shocking secret, and pulled it beside him, resuming his fishing.

Xuanyuan Hong gave a wry smile, "Compared to you seniors, I merely have self-awareness. After countless cycles of reincarnation, the change of truth and falsehood finally presents another variable. Let it be. We cannot resist it anyway. It's just that this time, I think there might truly be something different about it."

After a discussion, the Saints dispersed, hidden within the world.

"It's just a bit regrettable for Brother Zhang," one said.

"He truly is a genuine person. I wonder if we'll ever have a chance to meet again," Xuan Tianwang sighed.

Zhang Fan, who had fled far away, naturally knew nothing of these things in that world. He had slowly recovered from the initial excitement of leaving. Though he would never admit it verbally, in truth, he already felt some regret. The dangers and boundlessness of Dao Annihilation were far beyond his expectations. Seeing it was one thing; experiencing it firsthand was another. Simply finding another potential place to reside almost exhausted all of Zhang Fan's strength.

"If Dao Annihilation within the mountains and seas is like this, how much more so in the void outside the mountains and seas?" Zhang Fan grew increasingly horrified. But like an arrow shot from a bow, there was no turning back. Zhang Fan could no longer find his way back, so he could only steel himself and continue forward.

"Fortunately, 'Return to True' still has over ninety uses left."

Just as Zhang Fan was feeling fortunate about this, his expression suddenly changed drastically. "'Return to True' wielder nearby? Cannot be used temporarily? What does this mean?" The shock Zhang Fan felt at this moment surpassed even the sudden revelation of the Dao Annihilation truth of the mountains and seas. From birth until now, carrying the Grand Dao of Truth and Falsehood, he had always believed himself to be the legendary protagonist, the fated one. So even if his "cheat" was discovered, he would always remain safe. He didn't expect to encounter someone with the same template as himself so soon after leaving the 'starter village'.

"What exactly is going on?" Zhang Fan was both shocked and enraged.

But before he could even think, the surrounding possibilities were already engulfed in a sea of flames. Under the fierce burning of intense flames, Zhang Fan was forced to reveal himself. "Fellow Daoist, please wait..." Zhang Fan still wanted to discuss with the other party what their similar situation was all about. However, the other person carrying "Return to True" had no intention of communicating with him. Their offensive not only didn't slow down but grew even stronger. The surrounding flames possessed the power to incinerate heaven and destroy earth. Even the Dao Annihilation waves were momentarily suppressed by the fire. Zhang Fan tried to escape, but he couldn't break through the flame blockade no matter what. "They actually want to kill me!"

Zhang Fan finally realized, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes at the critical moment of life and death. "In that case, don't blame me!"

Having stayed in the sanctuary world for many years without worries of life or death, his cultivation and combat had been rather lax. But after all, there were too many powerful beings around him. What Zhang Fan gained from occasional consultations was fortune and opportunity that others could hardly achieve in a lifetime.

"The wish of the hooked!" Zhang Fan squinted his eyes, his gaze seeming to pierce through the endless sea of flames, finding the person hidden behind the scenes. With his hand as a rod, he cast lightly. The rod fell, and the fish was caught! As if defying all reason, Lin Fan, who had unleashed this boundless sea of flames, was caught in Zhang Fan's hand, his face full of shock. He instinctively tried to struggle, but his body seemed to be bound by countless fishing lines, making him utterly unable to move.

With the enemy instantly captured alive, Zhang Fan hesitated when it came to actually killing him. After all, he had never killed anyone in his life. Moreover, not only was the other party's life and destiny very similar to his own, but even their aura was faintly the same. "There must be some connection between us," Zhang Fan mused inwardly.

Just as he was hesitating, a gust of wind seemed to blow past him. Lin Fan, the hooked one, was incinerated as if by intense flames, turning into specks of ash. Zhang Fan was instantly startled. Before he could react, a streak of pitch-black firelight struck him directly between the eyebrows. "Am I actually going to die here?" Scene after scene from his past flashed through Zhang Fan's mind. There was remorse in his heart, and a sense of profound loss, and anger towards the attacker.

Just as the black flame was about to incinerate Zhang Fan's spirit, a green light flared, blocking all harm.

"Brother Xuanyuan!" Zhang Fan instantly realized. What saved his life was precisely the jade pendant Xuanyuan Hong had given him before their farewell. He had originally thought that with "Return to True" in hand, he would never need this treasure in his lifetime. He didn't expect that after only half a step of his journey, it would already be triggered. Knowing he would never get a second chance, Zhang Fan became resolute.

"Life and Death Separation!" The instant the words fell, Zhang Fan seemed to split into two. One was filled with death qi, like a zombie that had slumbered for ten thousand years. The other was vibrant with life, like an ancient green tree that had lived for ten thousand years. The death avatar fiercely slashed its own head. As the head was severed, Lin Fan, not far away, simultaneously let out a scream. For some unknown reason, his head was also severed. It wasn't just the physical body; even his spirit and consciousness were separated by this linked strike and fell into Zhang Fan's hand.

"Die!" Zhang Fan no longer hesitated; the death qi avatar pointed a finger at the center of his severed head's forehead. The body shattered into pieces, taking the formidable enemy Lin Fan with it. The disappearance of the death avatar did not affect Zhang Fan's actual survival. Endless green energy of longevity nourished him, allowing him to quickly recover from his injuries. The psychological impact of this battle on him far surpassed the physical and spiritual damage.

But he did gain something after all. "Return to True" could now be activated again, and he was temporarily out of danger. And... "I can feel the other party's 'Return to True' power being absorbed by me." Zhang Fan closed his eyes, sensing the growth of a strange energy within his body.

"Senior Fisherman has mentioned more than once that 'Return to True' is truly the change of truth and falsehood, the Grand Dao of Truth and Falsehood. I also privately asked Brother Xuanyuan. This Dao seems to be something only I can comprehend and cultivate. Even a genius like him couldn't glimpse a shred of it. Now, a second one has appeared. And far more than just a second." After slaying Lin Fan, Zhang Fan also intercepted some of his memories. Before encountering him, Lin Fan had already met three other individuals who also possessed "Return to True." Lin Fan had advanced steadily, overcoming obstacles, but unexpectedly fell to him.

"This person also cultivated the Grand Dao of Embers and Silent Fire..." Zhang Fan frowned slightly, then relaxed. "Just average." From the other party's memories, he learned that this Grand Dao was already among the most supreme in the mountains and seas, something ordinary cultivators would pursue their entire lives without success.

"I vaguely knew that Senior Fisherman's identity might not be simple. But I still didn't expect that it might be far more extraordinary than I imagined..." The slow-witted Zhang Fan finally understood what Xuanyuan Hong meant when he said he could never return upon their farewell. But Zhang Fan regretted only for an instant; his resolve quickly firmed up again. "Compared to that eternal life of ease, such killing and plundering... suits me better." Even though this time there was arguably no substantial gain, Zhang Fan felt a faint, irrepressible excitement deep within his heart.

"Let me see just how many more like me exist across these boundless mountains and seas! However many I encounter, I shall slay them. Until... I find the true mastermind!" Even if Zhang Fan didn't yet understand that he was likely caught in a massive conspiracy, he wanted to break free, he wanted revenge!