My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1101: Scheming Against the True Immortal in Secret

"Indeed, I kept the recollection of shattering her form earlier, and while forging her fresh vessel now, I incorporated it..."

"Her face upon that initial awakening—you really ought to have witnessed it."

As Master Qiaogong continued, his enthusiasm swelled further. The source power essence buffer zone's buildup advanced steadily, illuminating the area bit by bit. Now he could distinctly catch the stares from the onlookers. This only fueled his growing arrogance.

"I ought to have realized sooner. Given your ability to duplicate and store your own mind, safeguarding mental reserves of fellow Heavenly Mechanism Realm experts should pose no problem." Li Fan materialized abruptly, his cool voice making Master Qiaogong freeze up right away.

"Those from the Heavenly Mechanism Realm stand as unparalleled masters in crafting artifacts. The Federation of All Worlds desperately requires such skills at present; why would you keep them to yourself?" Li Fan's eyes sharpened with menace.

An uneasy grin was all Master Qiaogong could muster.

"How many more mental reserves of others do you possess? Surrender them all, and I'll overlook it. If not..."

From Li Fan surged pulses of lethal aura, pounding Master Qiaogong's chest with terror. He even felt an unseen colossal grip clamping his throat, almost choking the life out of him. Worse, this squeeze kept mounting.

Trapped like an insect in a snare, he lay powerless to escape, resigned to a futile end. Master Qiaogong recognized this as the might of the Compassionate True Immortal of Salvation and Mortal Compassion. By swearing the federation's vow, he had ensnared himself in the True Immortal's trap. Without exceeding its power, Li Fan, the higher emissary, could wipe him out effortlessly via that link.

Catching his breath after this brush with doom, Master Qiaogong panted heavily, mopped the chill sweat off his brow, and quickly clarified: "Only the key members from the Elder Council, nothing more."

"I escaped so frantically at the time; that's all I managed to grab."

"The darkness power holds deep secrets; when the moment arrives, free them so we can examine it jointly," Li Fan remarked calmly.

Master Qiaogong had little option except to consent. Scarred by Li Fan's earlier intimidation, he acted far more compliantly from then on.

After three days, the golden buffer zone stood complete. Staring at the dense shadows far off, now thoroughly sealed away, the group couldn't suppress another wave of awe at the Compassionate True Immortal's awesome prowess. Mighty as the darkness power was, it paled against a True Immortal.

Despite these safeguards, the darkness power retained a chance of spiraling out of control. Li Fan saw no point in transporting it to the Spiritwood Realm for analysis. Instead, a fresh study outpost emerged right here in the Dark Realm.

Qiaogong had unleashed all four elders from the Heavenly Mechanism Realm. It was then that Li Fan discovered the exquisite female immortal puppet earlier was none other than Shangguan Tuo, the ex-chief elder of the Heavenly Mechanism Realm that Qiaogong had referenced.

Shangguan Tuo had aimed to dominate the [Ancestor] entirely, so she rashly merged her divine soul with its shattered core. Of course, she had secured a mental backup prior. Yet her bold move almost toppled the whole Heavenly Mechanism Realm—a serious offense indeed.

Consequently, the elder council back then dismissed any revival of Shangguan Tuo. They simply stashed her mental backup away securely. Ultimately, as the Heavenly Mechanism Realm faced ruin, Qiaogong smuggled it out.

Li Fan hadn't anticipated that Shangguan Tuo served as Qiaogong's own teacher.

Catching the assembly's looks, Qiaogong's face betrayed no oddity. The remaining three Heavenly Mechanism Realm elders stayed mum about Qiaogong's deed, which smacked of disloyalty to his mentor and forsaking his lineage.

When Li Fan inquired whether Shangguan Tuo desired liberty, she denied it. This stirred Li Fan's interest unavoidably. His eyes shifted to Qiaogong, who shuddered at once and hastened to justify.

"This really isn't connected to me much."

"After all, these are just mental backups. To prevent conflicts between duplicates of myself, this one got restrained in its self-direction and can't fully match a complete self. Solely the chief elder holds the key to lifting those limits."

"Our Heavenly Mechanism Realm enacted this safeguard to stop misuse of widespread mental backups that might threaten global stability."

"For me, though, with the Heavenly Mechanism Realm vanished, such worries don't apply."

A touch of blatant self-satisfaction colored Qiaogong's voice.

"So they rank as lesser citizens in the Heavenly Mechanism Realm. Hence, they bow to you as the higher authority?" Fang Zaiji rubbed his jaw and questioned.

Qiaogong affirmed with a nod. But spotting Li Fan's look, he thumped his chest and vowed: "Rest easy, Superior Emissary. Though they view their rank a notch under mine, their inventive abilities match the originals precisely. United with us, unraveling this darkness power's applications won't prove challenging."

"Very well, it's yours to handle."

Li Fan cared little for the Heavenly Mechanism Realm's inner workings. Provided they advanced his goals, that sufficed. With his directives issued, Li Fan departed solo for the Dark Realm.

Solitary amid the gloom, Li Fan harbored no dread; he merely attuned himself silently to the environment.

"Just as suspected. Within this blackness, the Faceless True Immortal's sway diminishes sharply."

"It won't liberate me entirely, yet for my needs, it functions nearly as a haven."

"From the You Realm's core, I can trigger [Truth] whenever and retreat."

This realization eased the persistent peril burdening Li Fan's mind at last.

"Merely hiding away serves no purpose."

"This lifetime, armed with ample groundwork, I hold strong faith in slipping away unscathed during the Faceless True Immortal's showdown with the Immortal Ruins Immortal."

"What path should I truly take?"

For the first time this life, Li Fan settled into quiet reflection by himself. The enveloping darkness, akin to a vast shield, granted his spirit an unprecedented calm.

"The Faceless True Immortal's essence endures forever in the Xuanhuang Realm; dodging it by steering clear proves impossible."

"Upon hitting a specific level, it will surely catch His notice. That's an inescapable truth."

"Save for discovering a secure exit from the Xuanhuang Realm beforehand."

"Still, True Immortals lurk past the High Walls."

"No way out exists..."

A fierce spark ignited in Li Fan's gaze.

"Against a True Immortal, one's frailty can sometimes prove a boon."

"It permits stealthy scrutiny while remaining overlooked."

Li Fan glanced once more at the abyssal darkness encircling him.

"Similar to this swath of obscurity. Should some entity lurk within, eyeing me, but its might falls far short of mine and offers zero danger..."

"How then would I ever notice it?"