My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1071: Asking the Heart Without Guilt

The domain of [All Things Are Like Me] had already enveloped the area. Jiang could perceive that Zhou and the others were speaking the truth.

Consequently, he now found the situation somewhat difficult to reconcile.

He was, of course, aware of the unrest at the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters five years prior. However, that disturbance had been settled quickly, resulting only in a turnover of the Dharma-Transmitters in charge of administration. No lives had been lost.

Since his primary obligation was to safeguard the security and stability of the Xuanhuang Realm, he had seen no reason to interfere.

From his perspective, it mattered little who held the reins of power as long as the functions of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance remained steady.

Ultimately, the members of the Dharma-Transmitter Council were all cut from the same cloth.

However, if remnants of the Xuantian Sect had truly penetrated the Dharma-Transmitter Council and were covertly conspiring to damage the Xuanhuang Realm,

Then the gravity of the situation would be fundamentally altered.

The Immortal Ancestor had tasked him with the vital duty of supervising the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, yet such a massive oversight had occurred. This was undeniably a failure of his responsibilities!

"I will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter," he declared, his expression grave as he gave his word to Zhou, Huang, and Wei.

"Time is of the essence. I ask that you return with me to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters immediately."

Turning toward the Immortal Puppet Li Fan, Jiang added: "Fellow Daoist, you should accompany us as well. Had it not been for your warning, I might have remained completely unaware."

Since it was merely a puppet vessel, Li Fan had no reservations and consented at once.

Dharma-Transmitter Jiang made a casual gesture, manifesting a spatial rift that led directly to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters, and was the first to step through.

Feeling the long-lost but intimately familiar aura emanating from the other side, Dharma-Transmitter Zhou and her companions wore complicated looks.

They took deep breaths and entered the passage one by one.

The moment the Immortal Puppet Li Fan set foot in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters, the sound of three distant bell strikes reached him from the horizon.

"The Great Bell of the Dharma-Transmitters. Those three tolls resonate across the entire Xuanhuang Realm. Regardless of their location or desire, every Dharma-Transmitter must return to headquarters within a single day of hearing that sound."

"It has been quite some time since I last heard its ring," Dharma-Transmitter Wei remarked with a hint of nostalgia.

A similar sense of melancholy was visible in the eyes of Zhou and Huang.

The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters transitioned into a state of emergency lockdown; entry was permitted, but departure was forbidden.

Within the deepest reaches of the headquarters, a circular council chamber materialized out of the void.

One after another, the Dharma-Transmitters arrived, their countenances filled with solemnity.

Though the reason for Jiang’s summons remained unknown to them, the tolling of the great bell signaled an event of massive proportions.

As the chamber filled, low whispers began to circulate among the gathered crowd.

"Look, even Hua has appeared? She’s been lost in that paradise small world she built for nearly a millennium; I haven't seen her in ages."

"It is not just Hua. Even Zhou and those who were exiled have come back."

"When was the last time this many of us were gathered?"

...

The meeting commenced officially once every surviving Dharma-Transmitter in the Xuanhuang Realm had assembled.

Counting Dharma-Transmitter Jiang, twenty-eight were present.

With the addition of the Immortal Puppet Li Fan, the total number of participants reached twenty-nine.

Li Fan cast a surreptitious glance toward Dharma-Transmitter Feng—also known as Mo Rubin.

Strangely, the man showed no trace of apprehension. He displayed neither shock nor panic at Li Fan's presence, instead offering a small nod of recognition.

"How curious," Li Fan thought with a cold internal smirk, returning the gesture.

Dharma-Transmitter Jiang got straight to the point, informing the group of the suspicion that a Dharma King from the Xuantian Sect had infiltrated their ranks.

This revelation immediately sparked a commotion among the Dharma-Transmitters.

"The Xuantian Sect? They were eradicated long before our rise, weren't they? Are they still clinging to us like restless ghosts after all these years?"

"This... bypassing the Heavenly Sovereign's restrictions to possess someone? Isn't that a bit far-fetched?"

"Fascinating, truly fascinating. A perfect specimen to play with, heh heh heh..."

The crowd reacted in a myriad of ways.

Under the collective gaze of the room, Dharma-Transmitter Zhou produced the puppet figurine Li Fan had provided, which was perpetually cycling through the Xuantian Sect’s Cultivation method.

Buzz buzz buzz...

The moment the figurine was revealed, it reacted violently.

Its eyes snapped open as if possessed by life, staring directly at four individuals in the room, including Dharma-Transmitter Feng.

"Before, it only reacted to three. Has another been possessed in such a short span of time?" Zhou felt a mixture of alarm and rage in her heart.

"Fellows, here is the proof!" Zhou announced loudly, giving a brief explanation of how the puppet functioned.

Myriad gazes fixed upon Feng and the other three suspects.

Dharma-Transmitter Jiang’s expression turned grim: "You four..."

Before the interrogation could proceed, Feng cut him off: "I object to Transmitter Zhou’s claims."

"A simple Cultivation technique proves nothing."

"The methods of the Xuantian Sect are derived from the Immortal Realm. I was lucky enough to find several volumes and, out of curiosity, I began to practice them. Is that a crime?"

"After practicing, I found them to be truly exceptional. Consequently, I shared the remaining texts with my brothers."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

Feng spoke with a loud, righteous tone.

He surveyed the room, his eyes burning like torches, showing no shame even though his actions had been brought to light: "Brothers, ask yourselves truly: if an immortal technique were placed in front of you, could you suppress the urge to cultivate it?"

"I doubt many here possess such restraint."

Following his words, an eerie silence fell over the chamber.

The assembled Dharma-Transmitters reflected for a moment and suddenly felt that Feng’s argument carried weight.

Indeed, what was the harm in a Cultivation technique?

Could a person be condemned based solely on the path they practiced?

If that were the case, very few Dharma-Transmitters present would be considered entirely blameless.

Even Dharma-Transmitter Jiang paused to contemplate the point.

"As for the claim that we are possessed by Xuantian Sect demons intending to sabotage the Immortal Alliance..."

After the brief pause, Dharma-Transmitter Feng spoke with renewed passion: "I am prepared to voluntarily submit to the [Dharma-Transmitter's Oath] to prove that my original purpose remains untainted."

He made the declaration with absolute resolve.

"I am also willing."

"My heart has never wavered."

The other three Dharma-Transmitters identified by the Xuantian Sect aura voiced their consent in quick succession.

Li Fan traded looks with Dharma-Transmitter Zhou and the others, a sense of impending dread rising within him.

However, the wheels were already in motion; there was no turning back now.

Under the watchful eye of Dharma-Transmitter Jiang, the trial of the Dharma-Transmitter's Oath began.

Within the circular hall, the Dharma-Transmitters closed their eyes and began chanting incantations.

In the air above, the spiritual projections of countless pioneer Dharma-Transmitters—those who had fallen in battle or sacrificed themselves—began to manifest.

They appeared in massive numbers, nearly filling the entire chamber.

Dharma-Transmitter Feng stood firm at the center of the hall, remaining unshaken under the scrutiny of those countless spectral eyes.

"I, Dharma-Transmitter Feng."

"My founding intent to rescue the Xuanhuang Realm from its trials has never faltered."

"It remains true now, and it shall remain true in the future."

He offered this summary first, speaking with total clarity and conviction.