My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1047: True or False Bluff

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Previously on My Longevity Simulation...
The central four prefectures of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance are revealed to be forged from the main body of the Tianxuan Mirror, creating a mirrored world on the verge of collapse. Amidst this apocalyptic scene, an invisible barrier seals the region, trapping all inhabitants inside. Li Fan goes into hiding and observes reports of a violent struggle within the Alliance headquarters, prompting him to signal his hidden agents to intervene. Although the lockdown is eventually lifted after a period of intense instability, Mo Rubin remains missing and the Tianxuan Mirror’s human clone has vanished, leaving the true nature of the uprising shrouded in mystery.
Li Fan stood in silence above Weidu, his expression unreadable. According to the accounts of the city's mortals, the Tianxuan Mirror clone had vanished on the second day following the disturbances in the four prefectures. Despite a thorough search of the area, Li Fan found no clues left behind. Refusing to accept this end, he narrowed his eyes and journeyed once more to the Hidden Cave-Heaven where he had previously met Mo Rubin. The place was desolate; no cultivator had set foot there recently. "Could it be..." "That Mo Rubin simply absconded with the Tianxuan Mirror?" The possibility suddenly took root in Li Fan's mind. As blue light radiated from the Dao Deviation Stone, Li Fan began a rapid mental review of his entire scheme. This time, however, he detached himself from his own perspective, observing the events through the cold eyes of an outsider. It began with the rescue of Mo Rubin. Then, the act of feigning madness while assuming the identity of Sun Xingwang to earn Mo Rubin’s confidence. Together, they had plotted to coax information regarding the Xuantian King from the Tianxuan Mirror. Every early phase of the plan had appeared flawlessly executed. It was only at the final moment that something unknown had veered off course. ... Images flickered through Li Fan's consciousness in a rapid blur. As he watched his own seemingly perfect acting and Mo Rubin's cooperative performance, Li Fan’s features twitched. Although he had already begun to suspect that he might have been outmaneuvered by Mo Rubin, a small part of him still held onto a shred of hope. Returning to the Spiritwood Realm, he abruptly halted Master Qiaogong’s research and presented the ancient bronze mirror Mo Rubin had gifted him. "A... a realm artifact?" Master Qiaogong’s expression became incredibly strange in an instant. He stole a glance at Li Fan before choosing his words with extreme caution: "Forgive my lack of insight, but this appears to be..." "What do you mean 'appears'? It’s nothing more than a common bronze mirror. Just look at this corrosion; heavens, who knows what hole this was dug out of." The Fang Zaiji of this timeline had not yet experienced Li Fan’s true power, so he spoke with blunt arrogance. "I understand. I appreciate your assistance, Fellow Daoist Qiaogong." Li Fan’s face remained a mask of indifference as he vanished from their sight in a flash of light. "What a nuisance; just wasting our time..." Fang Zaiji began to grumble about the interruption, but Master Qiaogong cut him off. "Lower your voice. The emissary is clearly in a foul mood," Master Qiaogong whispered. ... Deep within the underground secret chamber of the Spiritwood Realm. Li Fan held the small, verdigris-covered mirror, his countenance as cold as frost. "A realm artifact..." "How interesting." With a sharp crack, Li Fan tightened his grip and crushed the bronze mirror into dust. "In all my years of reincarnation, this is the first time I have been truly played for a fool." At this point, despite his reluctance, Li Fan could no longer ignore the truth. Mo Rubin likely never believed Li Fan was the Xuantian Sect’s Dharma King from the very start. Instead, during their time together, he realized Li Fan possessed a level of strength that could be exploited. He had played along, using Li Fan’s Cultivation and resources to liberate the Tianxuan Mirror. Li Fan had been under the pathetic illusion that his performance was flawless. But looking back, there were numerous inconsistencies that could not be explained away by mere mental instability. For example, beyond reminiscing about the past, Li Fan’s speech and behavior were fundamentally different from the actual Sun Xingwang. Then there was the extraordinary mastery of formations Li Fan had displayed at critical moments. And furthermore... "It is likely that contact with the Tianxuan Mirror clone finally stripped away my disguise." The Xuantian Treasure Mirror was, after all, the foundation artifact of the Xuantian Sect. As a high-ranking member of the sect, one of the Twelve Dharma Kings could not possibly be unfamiliar with its nature. "Two figures from the Xuantian Sect conspired to deceive me, an outsider." "Excellent. Truly worthy of the geniuses handpicked by the Xuantian King to bear the weight of saving the world..." "Very good!" Li Fan did not descend into a rage over the deception and the blow to his pride. Instead, he broke into a sudden, boisterous laugh. He finally felt that things had become genuinely stimulating. His endless cycles of reincarnation had caused Li Fan to view the inhabitants of the Xuanhuang Realm with growing apathy. He had come to see them as mere NPCs in a game that could be reset at will. After gathering enough data, he could even anticipate their exact reactions to his words. Even legendary figures like the Heavenly Doctor, the Immortal Ancestor, or the Faceless True Immortal were, in his eyes, just slightly more difficult bosses to overcome. But reality was no game. Just as the Heavenly Doctor had caught him off guard with mind-reading, Mo Rubin, the Dharma King of the Xuantian Sect, had taught Li Fan a valuable lesson. The cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm were not so easily manipulated! They were real, living entities! "No matter. You may have outwitted me in this life, but can you deceive me through every lifetime?" There was no trace of defeat in his voice; instead, a competitive fire burned in Li Fan’s eyes. "Furthermore, this lifetime is far from finished!" With a cold huff, Li Fan shut his eyes and began to calculate his next move. First, he had to uncover the truth of what had transpired at the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters. Even after all this time, the event remained a tightly guarded secret. Without a Dharma Transmitter acting as his spy, Li Fan had returned to a state of total ignorance. He was blind to the movements and intelligence of the Alliance's high command. "It appears I must keep certain channels under my direct control. Depending on others is unreliable." "I still require a Transmitter of my own..." "Fortunately, I have accumulated enough data in this life. I can begin to implement this plan step by step in the future." Having tasted the immense advantages of having an inside source, Li Fan would not simply give up on the idea. However, that was a goal for a future reincarnation. For now, there was no way to dig for information, so Li Fan settled on the simplest strategy. He would wait. Many secrets lost their edge as time passed. While it was an impenetrable mystery now, that would not remain true forever. As the level of secrecy decayed, he could utilize the divine influence of the Carefree Heavenly Sovereign. Li Fan was confident that if he paid a high enough price later on, he could extract the truth from those who had witnessed the event. All he needed was patience. During this period of waiting, however, Li Fan did not remain idle. While the affairs of the Spiritwood Realm continued smoothly, he halted the expansion of the Federation of All Worlds and the spread of the Faceless True Immortal’s inheritance. Until he located Mo Rubin and the Tianxuan Mirror, caution was paramount. Though the specifics of the headquarters incident remained murky, the disappearance of Lu Xichan and the entire Shuo Feng clan suggested that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had purged suspected internal traitors. Many individuals had vanished without a trace. Li Fan began secretly maintaining a record of these missing persons. Simultaneously, he continued to hunt for any potential survivors of that day's events. Five years passed.