My Longevity Simulation

Trembling with excitement, quivering with exhilaration, and sinking into despair amid fear.

In the end, it vanished above the Mountain and Sea, transforming into a bridge.

Thus, it forged a path for its descendants to travel from the Sea into the Mountain.

...

Li Fan carefully reread this passage from the parable dozens of times, attempting to comprehend the scenes it described. Unfortunately, the parable was equally vague about the details, merely explaining the ultimate fate of this First Lifeform.

Still, this was understandable.

The ancient events of the Mountain and Sea recorded in this parable were already secrets far beyond the mortal world. If they also involved matters beyond the Mountain and Sea...

Then Li Fan would first have to question the authenticity of the parable itself.

After all, according to the parable, the First Lifeform that gazed beyond the Mountain and Sea ultimately perished and transformed into a bridge connecting the Mountain and Sea. Unless this deceased lifeform had somehow resurrected and recorded what it had witnessed, no one else in the mortal world of the Mountain and Sea could possibly know what it had seen.

In truth, Li Fan was not particularly curious about what lay beyond the Mountain and Sea. Such matters were still far too distant from his present circumstances. Speculating recklessly would serve no purpose and only bring unnecessary worries.

What interested Li Fan more was another passage in the parable.

'Born in the Sea, it now stood upon the Mountain. Thus, its gaze went beyond the Mountain and the Sea...'

'It seems to be explaining the path to Transcending the Mountain and Sea.'

Li Fan pondered silently.

The history of the First Lifeform recorded in the parable bore a resemblance to the deeds of the two Sage Lords of the Immortal Realm, Lianshan and Guihai, though there were also significant differences.

Judging from the account of connecting the Mountain and Sea, the First Lifeform seemed to possess the characteristics of both Sage Lords. However, the two Sages were still alive within the Mountain and Sea, unlike the lifeform in the parable, which had perished and transformed into a bridge.

'If there truly is some connection between them, perhaps it was precisely because of the existence of this bridge, transformed from the First Lifeform of the Primordial Era, that the two Sage Lords, Lianshan and Guihai, were able to successfully prove their Dao countless years later.'

'Perhaps it was also by observing this corpse, which had transformed into something called a Bridge, that the two Sage Lords glimpsed the past of the Mountain and Sea.'

Li Fan arrived at a reasonable conjecture.

'Then the identity of the parable's author becomes rather intriguing. They knew of the future apocalypse and understood events from before the Primordial Era. Moreover, they had an extremely close relationship with the two Sages...'

An invisible flame ignited in Li Fan's hand, completely burning the parable.

Indeed, the parable had not been forged from any special material. Within moments, it was reduced to nothingness.

Although he had already verified this once in his previous life, Li Fan still felt somewhat disappointed.

'It seems there are no other hidden secrets.'

Although the physical book was gone, its words remained deeply imprinted in Li Fan's mind. As he carefully recalled its contents, he attempted to interpret certain passages based on his own experiences.

'If being born in the Sea and standing tall in the Mountain already grants one the qualifications to transcend the Mountain and Sea, then in fact, every Immortal who has appeared since the two Sage Lords, Lianshan and Guihai, created the Immortal Realm should satisfy this condition.'

'The essence of it is the fusion of two Great Daos.'

'However, the vast majority of so-called True Immortals merely borrowed the power of the two Sage Lords to attain the Dao. They never truly comprehended the Dao of the Mountain and Sea.'

'The ultimate culmination of the two Great Daos is Transcendence beyond the Mountain and Sea.'

'In my previous experiences, the Great Dao of the Mountain and Sea was on the same level as the Great Dao of Longevity and the Transformation Between Truth and Falsehood. Does that mean...'

'Whichever one of them is cultivated to its utmost limit will grant the power to transcend the Mountain and Sea. Then, my previous attempt to fuse three Great Daos...'

Li Fan shook his head slightly.

Judging from the contents of the parable, even the Mountain and Sea themselves required an extended period of adjustment to achieve harmony during the process of fusion.

He feared that even the Infinite Ocean and the Mountain Shangfang would be unable to withstand the consequences of fusing three Great Daos within such a short period.

'This is also why [Truth] suffered such severe injuries this time. I really was too reckless before. To think that I actually survived after attempting it. Truly, I owe everything to [Truth]'s protection.'

'As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss.'

Looking back at his past actions from his current perspective, Li Fan genuinely felt both relieved and frightened.

'What exactly was Sun Piaomiao's purpose in leaving behind this parable?'

'Under normal circumstances, the contents of this parable transcend the Xuanhuang Realm by far. Even True Immortals might not necessarily recognize the true nature of the Mountain and Sea. The vast majority of cultivators who read this parable would simply regard it as an ordinary story without giving it much further thought.'

'Except...'

Li Fan raised his eyebrows.

'Aside from me, there is also that person who will tear out several pages of this parable in the future.'

With a thought, an identical book appeared in Li Fan's hand.

He returned it to its original position in the treasury.

Although Li Fan's various actions had already caused tremendous changes to the course of history in the Xuanhuang Realm, he could not determine whether that mysterious person who had torn out the pages of the parable would appear again.

Nevertheless, it was necessary to leave behind a precautionary measure.

Perhaps it might even bring him an unexpected surprise.

Having resolved the matter of the parable concerning the Mountain and Sea, Li Fan next intended to seek out the Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable.

Previously, within the Taiyuan Realm, the Immortal Formation had already captured one of her auras.

Even though she had deliberately concealed her existence within the Xuanhuang Realm, she could not escape Li Fan's grasp.

Through some mysterious connection, he had already locked onto her location. Li Fan smiled faintly and took a step forward.

In the next moment, he appeared out of thin air near his target.

He did not immediately alert her to his presence. Instead, he concealed himself nearby and carefully observed her.

This was an ordinary, peaceful mountain in a certain region of the Xuanhuang Realm.

Because the region was somewhat cold, the mountains were not covered in towering trees. Instead, lush green grasses grew across the entire landscape, stretching continuously all the way to the horizon.

It resembled a vast grassland beneath the heavens, a sight that naturally refreshed the spirit and broadened one's mind.

The Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable was sitting quietly on the mountainside.

An easel stood upright before her.

She was slowly recording the beautiful scenery before her with brush and ink.

For a Great Celestial Venerable who could Search through and preserve every scene in the entire Xuanhuang Realm with a single thought, such an activity might seem meaningless.

Yet Li Fan could tell that she genuinely enjoyed it.

Every stroke was executed with great care. From time to time, she would seem dissatisfied with her work, slightly furrow her brows, erase the ink marks, and paint them again.

A gentle breeze swept across the mountain as time slowly passed.

Just as the painting in the Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable's hands was nearing completion, and the delight and satisfaction in her expression became clearly visible...

Countless corpses suddenly appeared without warning across the painting's vast green landscape.

Mountains of corpses and seas of blood. An overwhelming aura of slaughter soared into the heavens.

A blood moon also rose in the sky.

The originally fresh and beautiful artistic conception was completely ruined.

"Who is there!"

The Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable was both startled and enraged. She abruptly turned around and swept her gaze across her surroundings.

Her eyes landed directly on Li Fan's faintly smiling expression.

From a rational perspective, someone capable of approaching her without her noticing, and even wantonly altering her paintings, must possess strength far surpassing her own.

If Li Fan were in her position, he would never rashly launch an attack against such a powerful opponent.

Yet the Great Celestial Venerable before him seemed to have lost her rationality in a fit of rage after her painting was destroyed.

She still chose to attack Li Fan.

The smile gradually faded from the corners of Li Fan's lips. He merely uttered a single word.

"Freeze!"

The Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable, who had launched her attack in a fit of fury, instantly found herself completely unable to move!

Only then did she slowly regain her composure.

The astonishment on her face was impossible to conceal.

One had to understand that, as the Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable, she could freely draw upon the power of the entire Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth. Yet now...

Before this man, her connection with heaven and earth seemed to have been severed.

Or rather, even with the power of the entire Xuanhuang Realm added to her own, she was still being firmly suppressed by this person.

The Great Celestial Venerable was by no means a foolish woman. Almost instantly, she recalled the mysterious [Xuanhuang True Immortal] who had suddenly descended into this world earlier.

Only an immortal could possess such strength.

Compared with a True Immortal, a Great Celestial Venerable was clearly an existence of an entirely different level.

Having inherited the responsibilities of the Great Celestial Venerable, she knew very well that the so-called Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable was nothing more than an immortal servant carrying out orders.

Thus, she immediately put away her arrogance.

Even if the actual age of the True Immortal before her was likely far younger than her own.

Li Fan had merely immobilized her. He had not restricted her ability to speak.

Realizing this, the Great Celestial Venerable asked, "Senior, why are you toying with this junior?"

The moment her voice reached his ears, Li Fan vaguely understood why Mr. Bai had remained so deeply attached to an ordinary mortal woman.

Even after eventually discovering that he had been manipulated, he had still refused to change his mind.

Unfortunately, such methods would not work on Li Fan.

"The Xuanhuang soldiers are risking their lives fighting on the front lines. Yet you, as the Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable, are here indulging in poetry and painting..."

Li Fan snorted coldly.

Using the Transformation Between Truth and Falsehood, he simulated a power approaching that of the Ink Death Celestial Spirit and poured it violently into the Great Celestial Venerable's body.

At first, the Great Celestial Venerable remained rather composed, speaking in a gentle voice as she attempted to explain.

"The responsibilities of the Great Celestial Venerable are limited to the Xuanhuang Realm. The expedition against the Taiyuan Realm is not within my..."

She had only spoken halfway when her voice suddenly changed uncontrollably.

The power of the Ink Death Celestial Spirit could annihilate everything. Even the connection between the Great Celestial Venerable and the Xuanhuang Realm could not escape its reach.

Although she felt no physical or spiritual pain whatsoever, cold sweat continued to pour down her body.

In truth, she had long since become unwilling to continue serving as the Great Celestial Venerable. She had already begun looking for a suitable successor.

However, willingly relinquishing something and having it forcibly taken away were two entirely different matters.

An intense fear she had not experienced for countless years nearly overwhelmed her completely. Nevertheless, she forcibly suppressed her terror and did not immediately cry out for mercy.

Instead, she stubbornly continued explaining, one by one, her reasons for not going to the Taiyuan front lines.

Objectively speaking, her explanations were indeed reasonable.

But Li Fan had come here specifically to make trouble for her. Consequently, none of her excuses were of any use.

His method of weakening her continued unabated.

Seeing this, the Great Celestial Venerable let out a soft sigh.

"This junior knows that she has neglected her duties. Whatever punishment Senior wishes to impose, this junior will accept it. I am merely concerned that the next Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable has not yet been appointed. Without someone to manage the affairs of the Xuanhuang Realm, unforeseen disturbances may arise throughout the world."

"Of course, if Senior has the leisure and inclination to personally manage the trivial affairs of hundreds of millions of mortals and the Ten Immortal Sects, then please consider this junior's words withdrawn."

She seemed genuinely willing to accept her punishment. Until the very last moment, just before her connection with the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth was completely severed, she showed no hostility toward Li Fan.

She simply endured it in silence.

This made Li Fan look at her in a somewhat different light.

Leaving behind the final thread of her connection, Li Fan finally stopped.

"How long have you served as the Great Celestial Venerable?" he asked, staring at her.

"Since the departure of the Xuantian King, it has been sixteen thousand three hundred and forty-two years," the Great Celestial Venerable answered promptly.

"According to the laws of the Immortal Realm, each Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable is forbidden from serving for more than ten thousand years. In truth, I had already exceeded my term of office long ago. It is just that the Immortal Realm was destroyed, and the normal procedures for appointment and dismissal ceased to function."

"And I have yet to find a suitable successor..."

The Great Celestial Venerable spoke softly, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Senior, please judge this junior fairly. Throughout my tenure, I have always performed my duties diligently. I have maintained the stability and continued prosperity of the Xuanhuang Heaven and Earth, fulfilling my responsibilities to the best of my ability. The Ten Immortal Sects can all testify to this."

She quickly changed the subject and began speaking of her contributions.

"Yet from what I see, you seem eager to leave your position," Li Fan remarked indifferently, casting her a glance.

This was the most closely guarded secret in the Great Celestial Venerable's heart, yet Li Fan had exposed it with a single sentence.

Her mind trembled violently.

However, she reacted quickly and admitted it outright.

"After laboring for ten thousand years, it is only natural to grow weary. Having fulfilled my responsibilities, wishing to withdraw from this position is simply human nature."

"Even the First Great Celestial Venerable did not remain in office from beginning to end. Although my actions may seem somewhat inconsiderate, they are still within the bounds of the rules."

She attempted to defend herself.

"The First Great Celestial Venerable?"

Upon hearing this, Li Fan immediately thought of the You Race people beneath the Xuanhuang Realm.

Because they possessed the bloodline of the First Great Celestial Venerable, these You Race people had been transformed by the Xuantian King into their present half-human, half-ghost appearance. They were condemned to accompany the Dark Sea for eternity as punishment.

Li Fan had speculated that the First Great Celestial Venerable must have committed some grave offense that deeply enraged the Xuantian King, resulting in such a punishment.

However, he did not know exactly what the First Great Celestial Venerable had done. Hence, he asked.

The woman explained softly.

"The First Great Celestial Venerable foresaw the calamity of the Immortal Realm long ago. Thus, she voluntarily relinquished her immortal status and descended into mortality. Within the Xuanhuang Realm, she established an earthly immortal dynasty, proclaimed herself its emperor, and plunged the mortal world into chaos."

"Although an immortal had shed her immortal status and become mortal, ordinary cultivators were still incapable of resisting her. They could only obediently submit to her commands."

"Even after relinquishing her immortal status, the First Great Celestial Venerable continued to regard ordinary cultivators as nothing more than ants. She summoned and dismissed them at will, treating them like slaves. Although the various cultivation sects of that era harbored grievances, they lacked the strength to resist."

"Later, the various sects relied on their communication methods that reached directly into the Immortal Realm to report the matter. Only after the Immortal Realm issued an edict did the First Great Celestial Venerable exercise some restraint. However, although she voluntarily reduced the territory of her earthly immortal dynasty, her conduct remained unchanged."

"Within the territory of her immortal dynasty, cultivators were treated like livestock, left entirely at her mercy."

"After descending from immortality into mortality, the First Great Celestial Venerable's temperament became increasingly tyrannical. She frequently indulged her lust to vent her desires. Countless mortals, and even cultivators, fell victim to her depravity."

"Yet she absolutely refused to allow herself to have descendants carrying mortal blood. Whenever she discovered that someone had become pregnant, she would have them executed on the spot."

"Only one branch managed to escape by a fortunate coincidence. They went into hiding and remained concealed from the world. Only after the First Great Celestial Venerable departed did they voluntarily reveal their identities."

"Relying on their immortal bloodline, they showed considerable ambition to establish a second immortal dynasty. Fortunately, the other sects within the Xuanhuang Realm united and intervened in time, preventing this from happening."

...

The Great Celestial Venerable calmly recounted the First Great Celestial Venerable's atrocities, one after another.

These were events that had never been recorded in the historical accounts of later generations. Li Fan found himself listening with considerable interest.