My Simulated Road to Immortality

“I refuse!”

“I won’t let you be lonely from now on!”

Li Fan’s laughter resonated throughout Heaven and Earth.

“Over the years, you have grasped the ‘Unity of Thousands.’ Although I am slow-witted, I have not been idle.”

“I have a move that I would like you to teach!”

In the blinding light of the Immeasurable, Li Fan’s voice came out like a bell.

“Heaven!”

“Earth!”

“Togetherness!”

“Longevity!”

Li Fan’s body was utterly annihilated in the dazzling light.

At this moment, Sister Zhao’s expression changed for the first time.

She was no longer indifferent or controlling but appeared both amused and annoyed: “So that’s why you have been progressing slowly over the years, you’ve been too busy figuring out how to restrain me?”

“We both cultivate through ‘The Ode to the Conjunction of Heaven and Earth,’ and it’s hard to tell who is who. This Heaven and Earth Life indeed poses a threat to me…”

“If your cultivation level was higher.”

A multitude of Sister Zhao looked at the radiance emerging from Li Fan and opened their hands to absorb the white light.

“Brother, stop resisting and let’s merge together!”

Cracks appeared on the faces of her countless bodies.

But the cracks healed quickly, and the white light slowly disappeared into Heaven and Earth.

When Li Fan’s presence was no longer detectable within the Great Taoist Sect.

Everything seemed to stand still.

“Hehe, Brother Li Fan.”

“I really must thank you for giving me such an enjoyable game.”

“It has been ages since I’ve had such an interesting encounter.”

Sister Zhao seemed entranced as she stared at the sky and murmured to herself.

—————–

“The Guiding Immortal Light! It’s the Guiding Immortal Light!”

“Who is it? Who amongst us in Canhong State has caught the eye of Lord Heavenly Venerable so soon?”

“Hahaha, in just one month, three Immortal Sect disciples emerged! Our Canhong State will surely become renowned!”

The noisy voices seemed to come from afar, and Li Fan abruptly woke up.

Looking around in confusion, he saw that his surroundings felt both familiar and foreign.

But in a moment, memories that seemed like a distant past came flooding back.

The Five Elders Organization, Unity of Immortal Sect, Canhong State.

The Guiding Immortal Light.

He was still in that time when he was chosen by the Guiding Immortal Light.

But what was that centuries-long, yet incredibly vivid experience just now?

An Illusion?

Li Fan couldn’t help but look up.

Through the crack in the sky, he could vaguely see a chain of mountains that belonged to the sect.

It was one of the Ten Great Ancient Immortal Sects, the Great Taoist Sect.

At this moment, as if welcoming their new member, countless disciples of the Great Taoist Sect also looked up in his direction.

Different from the illusion, there was a newfound “liveliness” within the Great Taoist Sect.

Not only did each disciple’s expression seem more relaxed and varied – much like an actual person – but they also communicated with each other and engaged in passionate discussions.

Unlike the quiet and still environment Li Fan experienced in the illusion.

While ascending amidst the Guiding Immortal Light,

Li Fan’s body gradually became rigid and numb.

Li Fan felt his consciousness gradually fade away.

“So, this is a Wooden Puppet…”

Li Fan mused.

Subsequently, he disappeared with the wind.

Only a decaying wooden body was left, heading towards the Great Taoist Sect.

The disciples within the Great Taoist Sect, upon witnessing this, reacted differently.

Some were furious.

Some pondered thoughtfully.

Some clapped and cheered.

And some wore a faint smile.

…

There was no sign of the so-called “Unity of Thousands”; where was the “one”?

No one knew who ultimately made the decision.

A ray of white light shot from the crevice, completely annihilating the puppet body.

Next, the Guiding Immortal Light was withdrawn, the crevice slowly closed, and the scene of the Unity-Heart Immortal Sect disappeared between heaven and earth.

Only the monks of the Five Elders Organization who were unaware of the truth sighed secretly.

At the same time, in the Misthaven Ocean.

Li Fan, who was inspecting the reconstruction progress of Misthaven Elysian City where Ten Thousand Immortals Island had once been, was stunned.

“What’s wrong, Lord of the Island? Is there something wrong?”

“I’ll have them correct it immediately!” Gao Yuan repeated.

After a while, Li Fan waved his hand.

“It’s nothing. You are doing very well! Keep it up!”

He inspected everything again with a normal expression, and it was not until later in the day that he returned to his temporary construction residence.

With his surroundings sealed, Li Fan looked solemn.

“Hehe, junior brother. I am really looking forward to meeting you officially.”

The echo of Sister Zhao’s laugh seemed to still be ringing in his ears.

Was it the final message conveyed by that shred of his divine consciousness, or did Li Fan himself hear it?

He couldn’t distinguish between them for a moment.

“Sister Zhao… what an illusion.”

Li Fan tasted all kinds of things that happened in the Great Taoist Sect over the past hundred or so years.

Although some details could not be recalled, most events were as if he had experienced them himself, and they were indistinguishable from reality.

It even gave Li Fan the illusion that he had indeed been Sister Zhao’s junior brother and a member of the ancient Great Taoist Sect.

It’s just that he has reincarnated and recultivated, and after decades, he has finally recovered his memory of those years.

He even had the idea of “recognizing” Sister Zhao sooner.

If he only had one life’s memory and did not have [Even True], he might actually do so.

Li Fan could not help but shiver at this thought.

Even just a shred of consciousness immersed in the illusion woven by Sister Zhao can affect him so much…

No wonder the monks of the Unity of Heart Immortal Sect in the Five Elders Organization are so devoted to Sister Zhao.

Xuan Huang’s Heart-Refining Spell was in motion, turning the occasional “follow Sister Zhao” thoughts into nourishment for the Reverse Cultivation Dao Heart.

After three days and nights, Li Fan finally eliminated the effects of the Unity of Heart Immortal Sect journey.

At least on the surface.

Having completely escaped, Li Fan began to analyze and sort out his gains from this experience.

Without a doubt, his experience in the Great Taoist Sect was fabricated by Sister Zhao.

He may not even know Sister Zhao’s true name.

Yet he did not feel any sense of dissonance in the illusion.

But while it was empty, it was true; while it was true, it was false.

At least, cultivators like Ji Changxi and Mo Zhiran from the Great Taoist Sect in the illusion, were once real.

“The Ode to the Conjunction of Heaven and Earth” and “The Technique of Severing Souls and Illuminating the Spirit” may not be false either.

Unfortunately, like returning from the Fallen Immortal Realm, the details are impossible to remember clearly.

And the various changes of heaven and earth that he had experienced in the identity of “junior brother”.

“So the Immortal-Ordinary Miasma is truly the handiwork of a Heavenly Venerable, not a natural evolution of heaven and earth.”

Li Fan thought of Yin Shangren from Yin Ying Island.

“Could it be that he discovered the trace of this hidden Heavenly Venerable and was finally silenced?”

Remembering Yin Shangren’s inexplicable suicide in his previous lives, Li Fan couldn’t help but wonder.