My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1275: Scenes of the Former Immortal Realm

Numerous mirrors materialized, each showcasing Mo Rubin’s visage with an array of expressions.

Concealed behind the dim, indistinct surfaces of these mirrors, they collectively scrutinized the Faceless Holy Emperor present on the field.

Centered on Li Ping, the mirrors formed corresponding pairs. Beams of light erupted from one mirror, projecting onto its counterpart.

The resultant luminous lines acted as corporeal manacles, fastening onto Li Ping.

Manifesting one after another within the mirror realm, these lines resembled ponderous chains, accelerating the process of drawing Li Ping into the "actual" world.

The Faceless Holy Emperor, now fully visible and encircled by manifold mirrors, displayed minimal alarm.

He observed the "lines" adorning his form, both ethereal and substantial, and extended a hand to interact with them.

However, they proved elusive, like spectral apparitions, passing through his palm only to re-bind themselves securely around his body.

"Utterly foolish!"

For reasons unknown, this particular action seemed to ignite Mo Rubin's ire. With a furious roar, the lines that had hitherto shone brightly suddenly transmuted into an inky black.

Sibilant whispers arose from these obsidian chains. Faintly discernible countenances, reminiscent of Mo Rubin, could be seen drifting across their surfaces, emitting mournful cries.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss…"

These ebony chains exuded a dark, erosive potency. In mere moments, the garments adorning Li Ping’s body were entirely disintegrated. Just as they were poised to make contact with his skin, a resplendent golden luminescence suddenly radiated outwards.

A sharply defined golden armor descended with abrupt force, encasing the Holy Emperor’s immense frame, measuring three zhang and three chi, in its entirety.

Beneath the armor's surface, golden light coursed ceaselessly, as though imbued with independent life. This golden effulgence coalesced into a protective bulwark, repelling all corrosive assault from the black chains.

Li Ping thrust forth his right hand, grasped the chains entwined around him, and then exerted a violent tug. The cacophony of shattering mirrors echoed without cessation.

At the center of his chest, a vortex spontaneously formed.

Li Ping propelled the sundered black chains into this vortex.

Boom, boom!

As if fueled by incandescent flames, the vortex flared, emitting a brilliance that resonated through the soul. Concurrently, from the consuming black chains, legions of Mo Rubin’s faces unleashed synchronized, malevolent imprecations.

"So these are the essences of the cultivators you consumed."

As the vortex within his chest continued its absorption of the black chains, the Holy Emperor discerned the genesis of those resentful visages from the torrent of images flooding his consciousness.

"Instead of diligently pursuing the Nine Revolutions Immortal Soul, you chose this aberrant path," Li Ping declared, shaking his head with a hint of regret.

These words appeared to strike a raw nerve within Mo Rubin. His form instantaneously contorted, as if saturated with thick, ponderous black ink.

A rift materialized between him and Li Ping.

It manifested as a mirror, reflecting both the tangible and the illusory.

Mo Rubin and Li Ping stood arrayed on opposing sides of this mirror, confronting each other.

The instant this chasm appeared, Li Ping experienced a profound sensation of Mo Rubin’s disappearance from the other side. What met his gaze was merely a projection, sculpted on the mirror’s opposite facet in accordance with his own existence.

With a mere thought, Li Ping, now shielded by his golden armor, instantaneously materialized a hundred li distant, departing the desolate remnants of the Purple Heaven Sect.

Yet, he soon encountered an exceedingly peculiar phenomenon. The fissure before him had seemingly teleported in tandem, maintaining its precise relative positioning.

Mo Rubin continued to emit a malicious grin from the mirror's opposing side, fixing his gaze upon Li Ping with chilling intensity. It was as though an inscrutable force had inextricably linked Li Ping and Mo Rubin. Irrespective of his movements, escape proved impossible.

Even more unsettling, Li Ping perceived with dawning dread that Mo Rubin’s appearance and aura on the mirrored side were undergoing a subtle metamorphosis. His physique was gradually augmenting, and his facial features were steadily becoming more indistinct.

Mo Rubin was, in essence, transforming into the Faceless Holy Emperor.

"An aberrant path? Truly ignorant and utterly fearless!"

"What is evil? What is righteous? Neither holds dominion. Only immortality endures eternally!"

"The Innumerable Calamities Undying Demon Heart Immortal Art is beyond your capacity to comprehend!"

Mo Rubin erupted in boisterous, deeply mocking laughter. "Now, become me!"

The entities on both sides of the mirror grew progressively more alike. The spatial separation between the Holy Emperor and Mo Rubin incrementally diminished.

At the precipice of completely merging into the mirror’s other side, Li Ping abruptly shed his golden armor.

He directed a cold, penetrating gaze at Mo Rubin across the expanse. "Become me?"

"You presume to possess the ability?"

"I am the Holy Emperor, divinely appointed by destiny."

A celestial golden fortune emanated from the void, akin to an ephemeral tapestry, swiftly weaving itself into an auspicious cloud-dragon robe that settled gracefully upon Li Ping.

The voice of the Faceless Holy Emperor reverberated like thunder from the celestial nine heavens on one side of the mirror.

The resounding echoes propagated ripples even through the fissure that served as the boundary between reality and illusion.

“I am the Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang!”

“Billions of lives are in my hands, I am the source of revival in the Darkest Star Sea!”

“You wish to become me?”

Each utterance from the Holy Emperor struck the mirror fissure like a colossal wave, causing it to churn violently. Faint creaking sounds of stress could be discerned. The world beyond the mirror began to fracture, appearing as though it could crumble at any instant.

“Are you worthy?” Li Ping demanded coldly.

Like a stone thrown into a vast pond, Mo Rubin’s expression finally shifted. He broke free from his imitation of the Faceless Holy Emperor.

Behind Li Ping, Mo Rubin seemed to glimpse a miniature representation of the entire Xuanhuang Realm. Beyond the faint radiance of Xuanhuang, an even more resplendent river of stars appeared to be concealed.

In an instant, the world turned upside down.

The immense pressure of the world descended upon him.

Crack!

The fissure mirror shattered. In a chain reaction, the countless mirrors that sealed the surrounding space exploded into fragments.

Mo Rubin coughed up a mouthful of blood, but his reaction was lightning-fast. Exploiting the chaos from the shattering mirrors, his form became illusory, and he instantly appeared a thousand li away.

“The Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang?”

“How is this possible?”

Disbelief was etched across Mo Rubin’s face.

His expression shifted abruptly again. “This cursed Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao is indeed unreliable. I must depart quickly.”

As he muttered to himself, a towering figure materialized and silently blocked his onward path.

“You have yet to answer my question, and you intend to depart?”

A flicker of apprehension crossed Mo Rubin’s eyes. He let out a cold snort. “What destined Holy Emperor, what Heavenly Dao incarnation, merely a pawn.”

“If you wish to survive, we should cooperate. What do you say?”

“You might possess strength, but you are still inferior to Brother Xuanyuan. Even he fell victim to an ambush and met an unfortunate end. You will surely not escape the same fate.”

Mo Rubin’s words caused Li Ping’s thoughts to waver, and he momentarily ceased his assault. However, after Mo Rubin concluded his statement, Li Ping’s expression underwent a sudden transformation.

He reached out to seize Mo Rubin, but the figure before him dissolved like a soap bubble, scattering into the air. It was merely a feint; the true Mo Rubin had already vanished into an unknown location right under Li Ping’s watch.

The Holy Emperor felt no anger at being deceived.

“A true immortal art is indeed extraordinary.”

“The Innumerable Calamities Undying Demon Heart Immortal Art…”

“No, that is not correct.”

After a brief period of contemplation, Li Ping glanced at Cat Treasure, who was slumbering on his shoulder.

During their brief confrontation, Mo Rubin had apparently not taken notice of Cat Treasure's presence.

Furthermore, the treacherous technique that allowed for imitation and substitution had not registered Cat Treasure at all.

“It did not pique Cat Treasure’s interest. It seems this so-called immortal art is somewhat undeserving of its name.”

Although Mo Rubin had managed to evade pursuit for the moment, he had not truly escaped Li Ping’s grasp. While Mo Rubin attempted to usurp Li Ping’s identity, Li Ping had been subtly ensnaring him within the web of the source power essence.

Even if Mo Rubin had temporarily broken free, by tracing the fractured yet still discernible golden threads lingering in the air, Li Ping would be able to pinpoint his location.

Within his sensory perception, Mo Rubin was still making a rapid escape. Li Ping did not hastily pursue. Instead, he resolved to employ patience, intending to reel in a much larger catch.

“What he spoke earlier is difficult to ascertain as truth or falsehood. However, one thing is certain: he will undoubtedly seek out the Xuantian King.”

“Or perhaps something connected to the former Xuantian Sect.”

“I shall simply wait.”

Li Ping understood that confronting an ancient entity like Mo Rubin demanded immense patience.

Moreover, the recent engagement had provided the Holy Emperor with a clear understanding of the peculiar techniques employed by the Xuantian Sect.

With prior knowledge, the next encounter would not permit such an easy escape.

The residual energy from the recent conflict seemed to have drawn the attention of other formidable individuals. Experts from the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance might soon arrive to investigate, prompting Li Ping to prepare for his departure.

“I did not anticipate Mo Rubin concealing himself within the ruins of the Purple Heaven Sect.”

“According to the records etched on the Stone Tablet, after the Ten Great Immortal Sects annihilated the Xuantian Sect, they scoured the entire realm to eradicate any lingering threats. Every sect, large or small, underwent scrutiny. The Purple Heaven Sect was thoroughly searched at the time, yet he still managed to evade detection.”

“The techniques of the Xuantian Sect, regardless of their potency, are undeniably bizarre and challenging to counter.”

“They diverge significantly from the orthodox immortal path.”

Li Ping mused silently.

His divine sense scanned the expanse of the Purple Heaven Sect ruins, stretching for a thousand miles. The image of the faceless Holy Emperor gradually faded into the air. But in the very next instant, Li Ping reappeared.

“Hmm?”

In that fleeting moment of contemplation, an anomaly registered within his awareness.

His vantage point ascended abruptly, revealing a miniature, spectral map of the Xuanhuang Realm before him.

“This territory is known as Langlang Prefecture, under the dominion of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance. A millennium past, it constituted a segment of the primordial Xuanhuang Realm.”

“The Xuanhuang Realm underwent fragmentation and reconstitution. This very Langlang Prefecture was forged through the amalgamation of disparate cultivation worlds.”

“However…”

Li Ping’s countenance shifted, growing grave.

“A fragment of the original Xuanhuang Realm appears to be unaccounted for.”

Drawing upon his comprehension of the Genesis Stone Tablet’s data and his profound linkage with the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, as he pieced together the intricate process of the Xuanhuang Realm’s dissolution and subsequent reordering, Li Ping apprehended a subtle but distinct sensation: a vast expanse, once belonging to the Purple Heaven Sect, had vanished from the reimagined topography.

Or perhaps, it hadn’t truly vanished.

It persisted, concealed somewhere within the confines of the present Xuanhuang Realm.

“Yet, I’ve been subtly influenced by an unseen force, compelling me to unconsciously disregard its very presence.”

Upon reaching this profound realization, Li Ping’s imposing aura intensified noticeably.

Comparisons between the maps of the original and current Xuanhuang Realm commenced within his consciousness, a continuous process of separation, reorganization, and contrast.

After an extended period, he finally pinpointed another sector that had originally been under the Purple Heaven Sect’s purview.

This area now corresponded to Taihua Prefecture, specifically Mount Taixu.

“What lies within that location…”

Li Ping did not plunge into immediate investigation. His immediate priority was to comprehend the nature of the influence that could affect him.

Visions from bygone eras flickered across his mental landscape.

The Holy Emperor, in a moment of eerie prescience, seemed to grasp a sliver of understanding.

Yet, Li Ping, in a rare display of uncertainty, wavered. He remained suspended in the air for a considerable duration before finally resolving himself.

“Regardless of the ultimate truth, if I lack the fortitude to confront it head-on…”

“How can I possibly safeguard the Xuanhuang Realm?”

The Holy Emperor inclined his head infinitesimally, and his form began to move.

Before long, he reached the vicinity of Mount Taixu.

However, the hidden secret unearthed here diverged subtly from his initial expectations.

Within a profound ravine at the base of Mount Taixu, Li Ping discovered a subterranean chamber, obscured by layers of accumulated mud.

The residual aura emanating from this chamber instilled a disquieting unease, even within him, an incarnation embodying the Heavenly Dao.

A more pressing concern arose when the Cat Treasure, perched upon his shoulder and previously in a deep slumber, abruptly stirred and surveyed its surroundings.

Detecting what seemed akin to a delectable find, Li Ping perceived an overwhelming surge of excitement radiating from the creature.

But, its focus narrowed upon a specific target, Cat Treasure suddenly lost all its prior animation, like a balloon rapidly deflating.

It languidly slumped back into its slumber.

Nevertheless, Li Ping’s attention remained fixed upon the identified object.

“What manner of thing is this…”

It was a statue.

Much like himself, it possessed no discernible face.

Though it appeared as an innocuous artifact, devoid of any spiritual resonance, Li Ping experienced an unparalleled sense of pressure emanating from it.

He had not felt such profound apprehension even when confronting the lingering calamitous energies within the Darkest Star Sea previously.

This faceless effigy seemed imbued with an enigmatic potency.

Li Ping advanced towards it with deliberate steps. Two void-like visages seemed to lock gazes across the chasm of space.

For reasons unknown, a sudden, compelling urge welled up within Li Ping’s heart.

He felt an inexplicable desire to commune with this stoic figure.

Within the ethereal confines of the Derivation Law Jade space.

Li Fan’s spiritual presence experienced a momentary, almost imperceptible, faltering.

The visual feed he had been intercepting from the Holy Emperor clone had deteriorated into extreme blurriness.

However, when the Holy Emperor, through an uncanny turn of fate, rediscovered the stone statue of the Faceless True Immortal concealed beneath Mount Taixu, this connection re-stabilized, becoming sharp once more. This was driven by an instinctual perception of an imminent, life-threatening peril.

Li Fan closed his eyes, focusing his will, attempting to subtly redirect the intentions of his clone.

Although he had succeeded in evading the True Immortal Net once, he could, in theory, evade it again.

However, the prospect of undergoing multiple lifetimes of reincarnation to achieve complete liberation was an arduous and undesirable path; it was far preferable to avoid such a fate if at all possible.

Yet, the resolve of the Holy Emperor proved unexpectedly unyielding.

Perhaps he had perceived something resonant within that equally void-like countenance.

He continued his measured progression towards the stone statue of the Faceless True Immortal.

Arriving before the monument, he came to a complete halt, utterly motionless.

At this precise juncture, despite the Holy Emperor being his own clone, Li Fan found himself unable to penetrate the veil of his clone’s thoughts.

“So, this is the Xuantian Immortal.”

After a prolonged silence, Li Ping managed to ascertain the origin of this peculiar statue from the extensive archives of the Genesis Stone Tablet.

It was none other than the Faceless True Immortal, revered and worshipped by the Xuantian Sect.

Li Ping extended a hand, touching his own featureless visage, his aura visibly fluctuating.

“Fascinating.”

Li Ping remained uncertain whether any genuine affinity existed between himself and this enigmatic Faceless True Immortal.

Nevertheless, he could discern, albeit vaguely, the profound and unusual nature of this statue.

Exercising extreme caution, he refrained from making direct physical contact himself.

Instead, Li Ping deployed an ordinary puppet from the Holy Army, tasking it with relocating the statue into the abyssal void situated beyond the periphery of the Great Qi small world.

There, he meticulously constructed intricate arrays, interlaying them in multiple layers to completely seal the artifact.

Only when the gnawing sense of unease in his heart began to recede did he finally cease his actions.

The extreme caution he exhibited stemmed from a growing certainty, discovered during his recent interactions with the statue, that it felt remarkably familiar.

This sense of recognition wasn't simply because the statue, much like himself, was eerily devoid of a face.

More significantly, the familiarity originated from a distinct impression.

An impression he had perceived from the colossal will residing at the genesis of the star sea, encountered when he was situated at the very heart of the Darkest Star Sea.

“What connection does this possibly have to me? What business do I have with this?”

Amidst a cacophony of unrestrained, almost deranged laughter, a fading figure emerged. This figure bore an uncanny resemblance to the sensation projected by both the statue and himself.

“Could it be the same entity, or are they distinct?”

It was but a fleeting vision, leaving Li Ping unable to ascertain the truth.

“If an opportunity presents itself, I shall venture back to the center of the star sea once more.”

“Should that boundless cosmic will personally affirm it, I believe I can unravel all mysteries.”

This contemplation swiftly crossed Li Ping’s mind.

“Perhaps I could attempt it again. However, the majority of our Voidbright Flow Crystal reserves were depleted during the prior undertaking. Furthermore…”

Li Ping’s gaze returned to the faceless stone effigy adrift in the void, ensnared by intricate formations.

Though it possessed no eyes, it seemed to fix its unseeing stare directly upon him.

“If the perpetrator responsible for that incident was, in fact, this Faceless True Immortal, and if I were to incur the wrath of the star sea's formidable will, then even if only a mere puppet were to journey there, my primary self, here, would likely face repercussions.”

“When juxtaposed against the entirety of the Darkest Star Sea, the Xuanhuang Realm truly resembles naught but a single drop in an expansive ocean.”

An image suddenly materialized before Li Ping’s vision: the Xuanhuang Realm being instantaneously annihilated by overwhelming, raw power.

He felt compelled to relinquish the inclination of his previous thoughts.

Following a prolonged period of silence, the Holy Emperor’s form vanished. Upon reappearing, he positioned another item next to the effigy of the Faceless True Immortal.

It was the sacred relic of the First Origin Sect, an artifact he had previously recovered and secured from beneath the Great Rift Valley within Fuguang Prefecture.

The relic itself appeared unremarkable, yet the remnants of the Grand Mage encased within it, coupled with the latent obliterating wind calamity, compelled even the Holy Emperor to approach it with extreme caution.

The First Origin Sect relic and the statue of the Faceless True Immortal stood in silent opposition across the expanse of the void.

A faint, disquieting premonition began to stir within Li Ping’s consciousness.

Should the restraining formations separating them be dismantled…

A truly devastating cataclysm would undoubtedly erupt right here, on the spot.

“Immortal…”

The echo of the arrogant declaration, “What does this have to do with me?” seemed to faintly reverberate in Li Ping’s ears.

With a cold snort, he initiated the casting of myriad formation seals once more, reinforcing the very prison that held the two entities captive.

These volatile elements, concealed deep within the Xuanhuang Realm, were a constant source of unease, regardless of their location. Only through his personal vigilance and guardianship…