My Longevity Simulation

"In truth, mere mortals cannot harm me. I merely borrowed their power."

"Still, being able to borrow the power of the Great Sage Jingfen is no small achievement." When he uttered the four words, "Great Sage Jingfen," Inherit Dao’s expression became solemn and reverent, just as it had when he mentioned Lord Hill Guardian.

Upon hearing this, Li Fan’s heart suddenly leaped, and an ominous premonition enveloped him.

Almost instinctively, he activated [Illusion Is Also Truth].

A moment later, Li Fan felt a chill run down his spine. It seemed that a gaze had swept past him from Inherit Dao’s direction. However, it only glanced at him briefly and paid him no further attention.

Soon afterward, the sensation of being watched disappeared.

Inherit Dao, apparently accustomed to this, continued speaking.

He did not notice that beneath his seemingly calm expression, Li Fan’s heart had already been thrown into a storm of tremendous proportions.

"Great Sage... Sage Lord."

"The Fourth Sage Lord of the Immortal Realm, the one who can sense anyone merely by being mentioned?"

'This old bastard nearly got me killed!'

The Sage Lords stood at the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm. Their strength was beyond question, and they could even manipulate the mountains and seas to a certain extent. Even with the protection of [Truth], Li Fan had no absolute confidence that he could escape unscathed before such a powerful being.

How could he not feel lingering fear?

Fortunately, after countless reincarnation simulations, Li Fan had developed extraordinarily keen instincts. When fortune and inspiration struck, he had promptly activated the divine ability [Illusion Is Also Truth], narrowly escaping disaster.

This time, when Li Fan used [Illusion Is Also Truth], he simulated an ordinary True Immortal of the mortal world. Unlike before, when he transformed into a target with special properties, he concealed his own exceptional nature instead. Had he not rehearsed this scenario several times during his previous comprehensions of the Dao, he would not have reacted so swiftly.

'Although [Illusion Is Also Truth] cannot be maintained permanently, transforming into an ordinary True Immortal of the mortal world consumes very little energy. Under these circumstances, I can practically maintain it indefinitely. However, if I want to change the effect of [Illusion Is Also Truth], I will have to wait another twenty-four hours.'

'From now on, I must remain vigilant whenever I interact with that old bastard.'

Li Fan struggled to calm himself and stopped thinking about the Great Sage Jingfen.

He listened as Inherit Dao continued.

"After emerging from that experimental ground, I naturally had to inherit my Master's Dao and carry out Dao Annihilation through my shadow, using it as a vessel for the Dao. The problem was that the surrounding star seas were barren, with life withering away. For a time, I had no idea where to find True Immortals. Fortunately, the Lord of the Sacred Shang happened to tell me that they had a way..."

"The Lord of the Sacred Shang?" Li Fan’s attention was drawn back to the conversation.

"These mortals do possess some abilities. They can actually trace the faint, almost imperceptible connections between True Immortals and the mountains and seas, accurately locating hidden True Immortals amid the vast, desolate, and lifeless star seas. I can do the same, but it would take me considerably more time. Naturally, it is better to have someone else handle the task."

"My luck was fairly good. The first Nameless being I encountered was [Grind]. He was reasonably accommodating and willing to follow my Master's will, leaving behind a shadow to carry on the Dao."

"But as I said earlier, the Dao Annihilation Calamity arrived even sooner than expected. There simply wasn't enough time." Inherit Dao spoke with some regret.

"By the time [Grind] comprehended the wondrous method transmitted by my Master, divided off a phantom, and then used that phantom to carry on the Dao, this Star Sea would probably already have been swallowed by Dao Annihilation. How could the first battle after my emergence from seclusion end so hastily? In an emergency, I had no choice but to enter the prison in person and serve as the phantom myself."

Now that he had gradually grown more familiar with Li Fan, Inherit Dao's account differed slightly from what he had said previously.

Nevertheless, the overall picture remained consistent with Li Fan's assessment of him.

Inherit Dao had originally been a spirit stone at the boundary of the mountains and seas. He was an object from beyond the mortal world, naturally cold and indifferent. However, after receiving guidance from Lord Hill Guardian, he had become bound by certain constraints. Consequently, his actions still remained within the bounds of established rules.

"The results were fairly good. I managed to hold back the approaching Dao Annihilation Calamity, albeit barely. Grind inevitably had some complaints, though. But seeing that I had also entered the prison in person, he could hardly say much more. As compensation, I even built him a Blissful Paradise. He has a clone outside that can indulge in pleasure and vent his frustrations. Among the immortals in the Dao Net, he is practically the only one with such a privilege."

Inherit Dao seemed rather unconcerned.

In his eyes, sacrificing oneself to resist Dao Annihilation and put Lord Hill Guardian's principles into practice was an immense honor.

"However, not every True Immortal in the world is as reasonable as [Grind]. The vast majority are rather uncooperative. Out of consideration for our ties as fellow disciples, I cannot simply attack them directly. I have no choice but to rely on the power of mortals from these Star Seas."

"Back then, I rescued them from the great Dao Annihilation Calamity. As a result, they were deeply grateful to me and obeyed my every command. That was how the Administration Council and the Immortal Hunters came into being. There also seem to be some survivors from within the High Wall..."

Inherit Dao's tone was utterly indifferent.

Li Fan could somewhat understand his way of thinking.

From Inherit Dao's perspective, these ordinary mortals were indeed beneath his consideration. Even though Li Fan had nearly torn the Dao Net apart this time and killed countless Immortal Hunters, Inherit Dao could probably wipe the slate clean simply by exchanging a few words with his senior fellow disciple.

In short, the fellow disciples who shared Lord Hill Guardian's inheritance and the insignificant mortal ants occupied entirely different places in Inherit Dao's heart.

"Even if the mortals are the ones wielding the blades, with the Senior Brother overseeing everything, capturing the True Immortals of the Star Sea should be a simple matter. Then why have I heard that the Immortal Hunters have repeatedly suffered setbacks? At one point, they even found themselves at a disadvantage in battle."

Upon hearing this, Inherit Dao narrowed his eyes.

Li Fan sensed a chill of murderous intent emanating from him, accompanied by a faint, exceedingly subtle trace of greed.

After a long pause, Inherit Dao finally spoke frankly.

"If they were all as strong as Chaos and Benevolent Transmuter, there would naturally be no trouble. The real problem is [Reverse]..."

"Reverse?"

Li Fan immediately recalled the Nameless True Immortal among the True Immortal factions who was said to have crafted the supreme treasure known as the Reverse Flowing Boat. He could not help asking in surprise, "Does a method of reversing time truly exist in this world?"

Inherit Dao's voice grew somewhat grave.

"Although there is no conclusive evidence, that is most likely the case. Hmph. Every time, he manages to turn something rotten into something extraordinary and reverse the course of a battle. How could there be so many coincidences?"

"I tried every possible method, but I could do nothing about it. Later, Reverse disappeared without a trace. Only then did those True Immortals gradually become more obedient."

...

Li Fan fell into deep thought.

'The Reverse Flowing Boat, the second of the three methods of avoiding the world.'

'If the reversal of time were to collide with [Truth], I wonder what kind of scene would unfold.'

Although these thoughts occupied his mind, Li Fan said aloud, "Reverse disappeared. Could it be that he built the Reverse Flowing Boat and returned to the past?"

"Perhaps. It is a pity that I failed to capture him. Otherwise, if I could return to the time when I was still a spirit stone beside my Master and suddenly awaken my consciousness, my Master would surely be delighted."

Hearing such words from the mouth of a gaunt old man was undeniably strange.

Yet they revealed just how profoundly Lord Hill Guardian had influenced Inherit Dao.

Li Fan was at a loss for words, and the two fell silent for a while.

Now that he had finally confirmed that a method of reversing time truly existed in this world, Li Fan could hardly stop thinking about it. He tried to extract more information on the subject from Inherit Dao.

"I don't think such a heaven-defying divine ability should exist in this world. What kind of person is our Master? Even he seems incapable of reversing the flow of time. It is truly difficult to imagine that the Immortal Reverse could be more powerful than our Master."

After a moment of silence, Li Fan shook his head.

"On this matter, I was also once confused. Later, I asked my Master for guidance," Inherit Dao suddenly said.

"Oh? What did Master say?" Li Fan's heart skipped a beat.

He was startled not only because the matter concerned the reversal of time, but also because he had discovered that Inherit Dao could apparently communicate with Lord Hill Guardian at any time.

"Unrelated to the final outcome."

"Even now, I still haven't fully understood the meaning of those four words." Inherit Dao sighed with some regret.

Unrelated to the final outcome.

Li Fan slowly repeated the words in his mind.

Clearly, the final outcome Lord Hill Guardian referred to was the fate of the mortal world a million years later, when it would ultimately be swallowed by the Dao Annihilation Calamity.

'Does this mean that even the power to reverse time cannot resolve this catastrophe?'

Li Fan found it difficult to believe and could not make sense of it despite pondering the matter repeatedly.

However, Lord Hill Guardian's thoughts were beyond what Li Fan could fathom at his current level.

The perspective from beyond the mortal world, between the mountains and seas, might be entirely different from the perspective within the mortal world.

Since Lord Hill Guardian had said those words, there must have been a reason behind them.

Li Fan could only console himself with this thought.

"Master's sacred words truly are difficult to fathom. Junior Brother, there is no need to take it to heart. I do not understand them either."

Hearing Li Fan say this, Inherit Dao immediately felt much better.

Li Fan continued to inquire, "From what Senior Brother says, does that mean you can frequently listen to Master's teachings? If you get such an opportunity again, you must not forget to bring your Junior Brother along!"

"Although I received Master's [Hill Guardian's Miscellaneous Notes], I have never had the opportunity to hear his words in person or see him with my own eyes..." Li Fan's face was filled with envy.

Inherit Dao felt somewhat pleased with himself, though he also felt a little regretful. "It is not as easy as you imagine. Master has transcended the ordinary and roams the world in an unfathomable manner. Moreover, his imprints exist throughout the mountains and seas. It is perfectly normal to send him a message and receive no reply for several hundred years. Although I awakened long ago, I have had very few opportunities to speak with Master."

"That really is a pity!" Li Fan sighed, though inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"But do not worry, Junior Brother. If I receive any news from Master next time, I will certainly bring you along!" Inherit Dao was remarkably loyal to his friends and repeatedly promised to do so.

"Then I thank you, Senior Brother!" Li Fan replied, his face brightening with delight.

...

The interactions between the two fellow disciples were indeed quite pleasant.

Although Inherit Dao possessed unfathomable strength, after being enlightened by Lord Hill Guardian, he had become bound by a set of rules.

By catering to his preferences, Li Fan could naturally handle him with ease.

Gradually, Inherit Dao came to regard Li Fan as the person he trusted most after Lord Hill Guardian.

Li Fan, in turn, benefited immensely from his relationship with Inherit Dao.

The most crucial benefit was the complete projections of the Great Dao contained within Inherit Dao's memories.

Although these projections were not the Great Daos themselves and offered no substantial help in advancing the evolution of Li Fan's Myriad Aspects Dao Net, they were equivalent to unlocking every entry in a catalog of Great Daos that had previously been shrouded in mist.

This allowed Li Fan to follow the catalog and hunt down his targets with precision in the future.

Thanks to their harmonious relationship, Inherit Dao was also quite generous in sharing these complete memories of the Great Daos.

He frequently shared them with Li Fan. frⅇe

However, the complete projections of the Great Daos from the [Yuanchu] possibility were dozens of times more complex than the Great Daos Li Fan had previously glimpsed. They could not be fully comprehended in a short period.

Consequently, Li Fan spent almost all his time by Inherit Dao's side.

As for his clone, Li Buren, he remained outside, helping repair the Dao Net.

With the assistance of True Immortals such as Chaos and Benevolent Transmuter, along with the many living beings of the Archaic Immortal Realm, the Dao Net of the Shuo Star Sea was repaired rapidly.

Meanwhile, with the actual rulers of the two greatest forces near the Shuo Star Sea spending their days discussing the Dao and conversing amicably, this region of the starry sky entered a rare period of peace and tranquility.

This continued until thirty-three years later.

Benevolent Transmuter suddenly came to pay Li Fan a visit.

"News from the Guangwu Star Sea?" Li Fan asked, somewhat surprised.

He had not expected the Guangwu Star Sea to approach him again after witnessing how he had effortlessly seized the Dao Sword and Dao Saber with a single hand.

"What did they say?" Li Fan asked with interest.

Benevolent Transmuter's expression became somewhat peculiar as he glanced at Inherit Dao, who remained seated motionlessly beside Li Fan.

"My Senior Brother and I are not brothers by blood, but we are closer than blood brothers. There are no secrets between us. Speak freely," Li Fan said, waving his hand dismissively.

Benevolent Transmuter then honestly recounted everything, leaving nothing out.

"Stargazer first asked about my recent circumstances. I did not reveal anything. Instead, I pretended that I had fled in panic back then and survived only by sheer luck."

"Afterward, Stargazer unexpectedly proposed that we continue cooperating."

"I rejected him outright. However, Stargazer kept pestering me. It seemed..."

Benevolent Transmuter glanced at Li Fan's expression and lowered his voice.

"It seemed that he was determined to capture you, Senior."

Before Li Fan could respond, Inherit Dao let out a cold laugh.

"Agree to his proposal for the time being and lure him here."

"I would like to see what this Stargazer is truly capable of."

Li Fan pondered the matter for a moment and sensed something strange about it.

There was no such thing as a free lunch.

He had effortlessly neutralized the attacks of the Dao Sword and Dao Saber, then subdued these supreme treasures with a single hand. The strength Li Fan had displayed was undoubtedly far beyond that of an ordinary Nameless True Immortal.

Yet even so, the Guangwu Star Sea, represented by Stargazer, remained absolutely determined to capture him.

Li Fan had no irreconcilable conflict with the Guangwu Star Sea.

"Could they have formed a theory about the method I used to seize the Dao Sword and Dao Saber?"

Since this involved [Truth], Li Fan had no choice but to take the matter seriously.

Judging from the fact that the Guangwu Star Sea could casually produce treasures such as the Dao Sword and Dao Saber, its forces were certainly no weaklings. It was even possible that it possessed powerful beings who had transcended their own possibilities and could travel between different possibilities.

After all, the Dao Sword and Dao Saber had come from another possibility.

"Interesting."

Although Li Fan could simply ignore this True Immortal Stargazer, he could not comfortably sleep with a potential threat lurking right beside him. The feeling of being constantly watched by someone else was even more unpleasant.

Most importantly, Li Fan currently had a powerful Senior Brother standing in front of him.

"Let Inherit Dao test the strength of the Guangwu Star Sea first." A cold glint flashed through Li Fan's eyes.

"Do as my Senior Brother says!" Li Fan ordered in a solemn voice.

Inherit Dao was very satisfied with Li Fan's response.

In his view, such a straightforward agreement was far better than making excuses or hesitating indecisively.

"Rest assured, Junior Brother. As I have said before."

"As long as your Senior Brother is here, I will never let anyone hurt you." Inherit Dao made his solemn promise.

Li Fan showed an expression of gratitude.

At the same time, however, he also had his clone, Li Buren, begin making preparations.

Within the Archaic Immortal Realm, the energy infusion from the Infinite Ocean had long since reached equilibrium.

Now, this continent within the High Wall was no longer very different from the Immortal Realm in Li Fan's memories.