My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1381: Hunting Ink Death in the Present

From the soul search, Li Fan learned that the man before him was named Qin Zhuang.

He had originally been the strongest being in the Changyang Small World of the Xuanhuang Realm.

The Changyang Small World itself possessed no spiritual energy. Only a peculiar blazing sun hung high in the heavens, illuminating the world. Daylight occupied three quarters of every day, and its duration continued to grow longer, as though it intended to scorch and devour every living thing beneath heaven and earth.

Qin Zhuang began as an ordinary mortal. He continuously absorbed the energy of Changyang and developed the hidden potential of his body. After ninety-nine years of cultivation, he completely fused the blazing sun in the sky into himself.

From that day onward, Changyang lost its sun and fell into eternal night.

Just as Qin Zhuang had decided to leave the small world, a mysterious figure came to find him. Qin Zhuang believed his divine strength was capable of destroying heaven and earth, yet before this person, he could not even withstand a few exchanges. After suffering a crushing defeat, the mysterious figure revealed to him the truth about the Xuanhuang Realm, mortals, and the small worlds. He also invited Qin Zhuang to join the allied army in its campaign against the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance.

Qin Zhuang was deeply impressed by the other's bearing and strength and gladly accepted.

What followed was a magnificent and earthshaking war.

This counteroffensive launched by the small worlds was far from the effortless, overwhelming victory recorded in the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance's history.

In the end, one of the Dharma-Transmitters sought help from the Immortal Ancestor. Countless golden threads descended like rain from beyond the starry sky, completely crushing the allied army.

The allied forces were defeated and scattered in every direction. As one of their commanders, Qin Zhuang was suppressed forever in the deepest level of the Nether Prison.

...

Li Fan carefully savored the memories of the man before him.

At first glance, there seemed to be no flaws. Everything originated from the deepest imprints within his soul. Yet Li Fan instinctively sensed something was wrong.

It was not that the memories were fabricated. In truth, the Changyang World in its eternal night state did indeed exist. Li Fan had even personally visited it.

'The problem lies in the mismatch between this body and those memories. It feels as though someone seized another's body and occupied the magpie's nest.'

Having done similar things many times himself, Li Fan immediately detected the anomaly.

Although it was only an instinctive feeling, he trusted his own judgment.

'Since soul searching is useless, I will have to try another method.'

Thinking this, Li Fan casually threw the exhausted "Qin Zhuang," who had nearly collapsed from the soul search, onto the ground.

Qin Zhuang appeared to be on the verge of death. Yet a moment later, he transformed into a streak of golden light and once again shot toward the outside of the Xuanhuang Realm. This time, he was several times faster than before. A faint trace of crimson could be seen within the golden light, showing that Qin Zhuang was risking his life.

The outcome, however, remained unchanged.

The phantom Wooden Sword flashed.

Li Fan caught him once again and hurled him heavily back onto the ground.

"Senior, spare my life. Senior, spare my life..."

Qin Zhuang finally revealed genuine fear as he repeatedly begged for mercy.

"What is your relationship with Situ Yao of the Heavenly Sword Sect?" Li Fan suddenly asked without any warning.

"Hmm? This junior has no idea what Senior is talking about..." Qin Zhuang answered cautiously with a bewildered expression.

Yet the fleeting change in Qin Zhuang's expression at the moment he heard the question naturally could not escape Li Fan's eyes.

Having obtained the answer he wanted, Li Fan wasted no more words. He pressed a finger against Qin Zhuang's forehead.

The Bewildering Illusion Formation enveloped Qin Zhuang.

Li Fan attempted to use the illusion world generated by the formation to glimpse Qin Zhuang's true past.

However, this method, which had worked even on the Heavenly Doctor, failed completely this time.

Within the illusion, Qin Zhuang's every action perfectly matched the logic expected of the strongest expert of the Changyang World. The illusion evolved dozens of different possibilities, yet every outcome remained exactly the same.

Even Li Fan began to question his own judgment.

As Qin Zhuang gradually regained consciousness within the illusion, the fear in his eyes toward Li Fan only deepened.

He hesitated as though he wished to speak.

Yet it was precisely this trace of fear that eliminated Li Fan's doubts.

Instead, it convinced him that Qin Zhuang was hiding an enormous secret.

Li Fan saw clearly that Qin Zhuang's fear stemmed from his worry that this secret would be exposed.

If he truly were only Qin Zhuang of the small world, after every detail of his life had already been exposed, the fear he displayed now would never be like this.

'It seems there is some restriction or secret technique from beyond the High Wall protecting the deepest secrets of his soul. Ordinary methods simply cannot reach them.'

Understanding this, Li Fan looked meaningfully at Qin Zhuang.

"No matter. Let me see just how long you can endure."

Li Fan possessed abundant experience in prying open someone's mouth.

He separated a simulated personality specifically for interrogation and torture.

Then he imprisoned Qin Zhuang within himself and gave him a very thorough welcome.

'Perhaps it is not that he refuses to speak. Perhaps he simply cannot. Either way, let him suffer for a while first.'

Li Fan narrowed his eyes. Watching Qin Zhuang screaming endlessly within that personal hell, his expression remained utterly indifferent.

"Beyond the High Wall..."

After a while, he raised his head toward the heavens beyond the Xuanhuang Realm and fell into deep thought.

From all the clues he had gathered in the past, since the day the great catastrophe descended, a group of refugees had fled the Xuanhuang Realm. Some of them had even likely crossed the High Wall and escaped into the Darkest Star Sea beyond.

"The Ten Great Immortal Sects, including the Heavenly Sword Sect, the demon race of Nanming Sacred Beast Mountain, and Shang Immortal Ark."

"Those are only the ones already known. The Star Sea is vast, and there are countless cultivation worlds. There must certainly have been other fortunate survivors."

"But among all of them, Qin Zhuang seems to be the only one who has returned."

Naturally, Li Fan had no intention of letting him go.

The reaction of the Star Sea origin consciousness when the Xuan Immortal Ark broke through the High Wall had filled Li Fan with deep unease. His vigilance toward what lay beyond the High Wall had reached an unprecedented level.

"But most fear comes from the unknown. If I can uncover even a little information..."

"That depends on how much Qin Zhuang can endure."

Setting the matter aside for the moment, Li Fan began making the final preparations before promoting the Xuanhuang Realm.

The first task was to rehearse the hunt for Ink Death.

Li Fan was now eighty percent confident that he could successfully promote the Xuanhuang Realm into an Immortal Domain.

However, how to eliminate the Spirit of Heaven and Earth, Ink Death, in the shortest possible time still required careful consideration.

Ink Death had always been among the strongest Spirit of Heaven and Earth within the Xuanhuang Realm. After the world's ascension, its strength would certainly increase accordingly.

"But regardless of how much it changes, its essence remains that of a Spirit of Heaven and Earth."

"As long as I know its attributes and weaknesses, I can deal with it accordingly."

After pondering for a while, Li Fan arrived at the Congyun Sea.

He separated a strand of divine sense and sent it toward Ten Thousand Immortals Island.

At the same moment, Hong Xi, the Island Lord of Ten Thousand Immortals Island and a Soul Transformation cultivator, suddenly sensed something and looked toward the sky.

"A Spirit of Heaven and Earth!"

Greed instantly arose within his heart.

Ordinarily, with Hong Xi's cautious personality, he would certainly have gathered several trusted companions to plan together. He might even have invited several Dao Integration Immortal Sages to oversee the operation.

But this time...

"If word leaks out and everyone comes to compete for it, then no one knows who will ultimately obtain the Spirit of Heaven and Earth."

"I have cultivated in seclusion for many years. It is merely a Spirit of Heaven and Earth."

"I alone am enough to slay it."

A trace of pride appeared in Hong Xi's eyes.

Seven days later, after believing he had made sufficient preparations, Hong Xi began hunting the Spirit of Heaven and Earth, Crimson Flame.

This Spirit of Heaven and Earth, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas, turned out to be little more than an empty shell. Under Hong Xi's relentless attacks, it retreated again and again.

The longer the battle continued, the braver Hong Xi became. Every technique he had cultivated throughout his life was unleashed to its fullest, and he fought with exhilarating freedom.

Finally, after an entire day of battle, he completely slew Crimson Flame.

A new Dao Integration Immortal Sage was born above the Congyun Sea.

Standing proudly in the sky, Hong Xi felt the unprecedented power surging through his body, his heart overflowing with excitement.

His mind was filled with fantasies of the wonderful life that awaited him.

Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, his heart skipped a beat.

Cold sweat poured down his back, as though he had just walked through the gates of death.

Hong Xi abruptly turned around and scanned his surroundings.

The world was silent. White clouds drifted lazily across the clear sky. Yet nothing had happened.

Unable to make sense of it, Hong Xi thought it was simply a normal phenomenon after reaching Dao Integration.

He no longer paid it any attention.

What he did not know was that he had truly come within a hair's breadth of death.

Had Li Fan not intervened to stop Inkslaughter, he would already have perished.

Within the Great Xuan Lecture Platform.

Li Fan looked at the ever-expanding mass of blackness that continued to multiply despite being wrapped by countless golden threads. A trace of solemnity flashed across his face.

"As expected of Ink Death."

"It can even corrupt source power essence, a force approaching the immortal level."

"And turn it into its own strength." After studying it for a while, Li Fan could not help but praise it.

After Crimson Flame had been executed, Ink Death, which had descended under orders, had not been destroyed by Li Fan.

Instead, it had been imprisoned and studied.

Li Fan could not help recalling the Heavenly Doctor's guidance regarding the Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword within the illusion formation.

'True annihilation does not exist within the world's own cycle. So called annihilation merely exists to pave the way for rebirth. If you wish to touch true destruction, you must venture into the depths of the Star Sea...'

Yet what Li Fan sensed from Ink Death completely contradicted the Heavenly Doctor's conclusion.

Li Fan had witnessed true annihilation before, and had even personally brought it about.

Naturally, he knew exactly what genuine destruction and absolute nothingness looked like.

What Ink Death produced was almost completely identical.

"It simply carries a few unique characteristics belonging to the Xuanhuang Realm itself." Li Fan pondered thoughtfully.

"Ink Death's power of annihilation is absolutely not something an ordinary cultivation world could produce."

"It is most likely a mechanism that has existed within the Xuanhuang Realm since the moment of its creation."

Li Fan extended one finger through the many layers of golden thread protection.

In an instant, the connection between his finger and the rest of his body was severed.

Moreover, the ink-like intent, writhing like countless crawling insects, attempted to exploit the broken connection and spread even further.

It sought to erode not only his body, but also his soul.

Like peeling a potato, Li Fan continuously shaved away layer after layer of both flesh and soul before finally isolating Ink Death completely.

"What terrifying aggression."

Li Fan frowned inwardly.

"And that feeling when the connection was suddenly cut..."

His expression became uncertain. After circulating the power within his body to restore what had been lost, he extended his index finger once more.

As expected, the finger was instantly swallowed by Ink Death again.

This time, however, Li Fan keenly noticed that Ink Death acted even faster than before.

"The degree of corruption has also deepened."

"Ink Death is learning and improving."

After once again completing the potato peeling style restoration, Li Fan finally withdrew his hand.

"My senses were not mistaken. The feeling of losing all connection after being swallowed by Ink Death is exactly the same as outside the High Wall."

"What exactly is going on?"

Li Fan's brows remained tightly furrowed, countless doubts filling his mind.

Unable to reach any conclusion after prolonged thought, Li Fan decided to first identify Ink Death's weakness.

"Theoretically speaking, the powers of life and death stand in opposition."

"If one wishes to counter Ink Death, then one would require boundless vitality."

With a thought, Li Fan arrived at the great fissure beneath the Star Sea.

He drew upon the vitality contained within it and poured it into the imprisoned Ink Death.

Unexpectedly, however, this vitality seemed to serve only as nourishment for Inkslaughter.

The black mass suddenly surged violently.

The countless golden threads sealing it instantly became dangerously unstable.

Fortunately, several layers of immortal formations still stood beyond the golden threads.

Li Fan calmly added another layer of golden threads, reinforcing the seal.

After charging furiously for a while without breaking free, Ink Death seemed to abandon its struggle.

It no longer expanded outward. Instead, it began shrinking inward.

The blackness grew increasingly concentrated, gradually becoming as deep and unfathomable as the Darkest Star Sea itself.

A mysterious and indescribable aura slowly emerged from within Inkslaughter.

Li Fan's pupils contracted sharply.

"This is..."

Within the golden outlined humanoid void, Li Fan actually sensed an aura remarkably similar to the black mist at the center of the Star Sea.

"The Dao Annihilation Calamity?!"

His heart shook violently. Almost instinctively, Li Fan immediately doubled the protective measures.

At the same time, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

"I previously speculated that the Xuanhuang Realm was likely created by the Immortal Realm as an experimental ground to discover a solution to the Dao Annihilation Calamity."

"But I could never determine what that solution actually was."

"However, if Ink Death is merely a weakened version of the Dao Annihilation Calamity..."

"The Dao Annihilation Calamity merged into the Xuanhuang Realm itself, becoming part of the world's natural laws as heaven and earth continued to evolve."

"When Ink Death strikes, all things under heaven are reduced to absolute nothingness."

"But afterward..."

Several scenes suddenly flashed before Li Fan's eyes.

They were the images from long ago, after Ink Death had extinguished the world, when life unexpectedly reappeared within the absolute void.

"Ink Death's annihilation is absolute, yet life can still be reborn."

"This is the Xuanhuang Realm's own evolved power of resistance."

A sudden realization filled Li Fan's heart.

The way he looked at Ink Death changed completely.

"I was mistaken."

"Although Ink Death manifests as annihilation, its true essence is still the Spirit of Heaven and Earth of the Xuanhuang Realm."

"And since it is the Spirit of Heaven and Earth..."

Li Fan gently pointed toward the center of the humanoid mass of blackness.

"Xuanhuang World Destruction Transformation!"

In an instant, it was no longer merely a single transformation.

Instead, every possible transformation that the Xuanhuang Realm would evolve in a single instant when facing extinction descended simultaneously upon the concentrated blackness.

Countless vortices seemed to appear at once as the black mass churned violently.

Under Li Fan's guidance, countless transformations were actually born from the void itself.

Brilliant rainbow colors emerged from the depths of the black abyss.

Even Li Fan, the creator of this phenomenon, had never expected such a result.

Watching Ink Death's power continuously transform into countless other world destroying transformations, while Ink Death itself gradually weakened and died during the conversion, Li Fan's expression became deeply contemplative.

Only when the blackness was on the verge of completely disappearing did Li Fan withdraw his divine ability, absorbing all of the Xuanhuang World Destruction Transformations into his own body.

"Destruction is the ancestor of life."

"Life is the path of destruction."

"So this... is the contingency plan for overcoming the Dao Annihilation Calamity?"