My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1528: A Spark of Hope to Save the Mortal World

"The Eternal Silence Void Realm?"

This was the second time Li Fan had heard this term from Emperor Taitian.

Although he had lost most of his memories, in Li Fan's impression, Lord Hill Guardian was still an exceptionally powerful figure, one rarely seen in the world. Yet even someone like him had found himself struggling to take a single step forward?

"Just what kind of place is this so-called Eternal Silence Void Realm?" Li Fan could not help asking.

"What kind of place?" Emperor Taitian's expression turned somewhat peculiar.

He gestured toward his surroundings. "Here, there, and every place you have ever seen. In truth, all of them can be called the Eternal Silence Void Realm. Even if they are not part of it now, they are ultimately destined to fall into it in the future. This is the fate of all living beings throughout the mortal world."

Emperor Taitian's explanation only left Li Fan even more confused.

However, this former Immortal Emperor, who had already perished and now existed only as a lingering phantom, seemed intent on speaking in riddles. He continued with words that appeared to have little connection to the matter at hand.

"Back then, I transformed myself into the Reverse Flowing Boat and repeatedly sailed upstream against the River of Time. At first, despite possessing strength that had nearly allowed me to transcend the mortal world, I could barely return to a point three thousand years in the past..."

"Three thousand years might seem like an eternity, but in truth, it is no more than the blink of an eye. With the advantage of knowing what was to come, I indeed made quite a few preparations in advance for the arrival of the Dao Annihilation Calamity. But ultimately, they were all in vain."

"I could save more True Immortals, but I could not save the Immortal Realm."

"Thus, I continued trying again and again, hoping to return to a more distant past and gain a longer period of preparation. As my comprehension of the Dao of Reverse deepened, the limit of how far back I could travel also continued to increase. From three thousand years, to five thousand years, then ten thousand years, and finally fifty thousand years!"

Although Emperor Taitian spoke calmly, the contents of his words revealed the extraordinary bearing of an unparalleled powerhouse.

"Even as the Reverse Flowing Boat became covered in cracks, I never abandoned hope. Until..."

"That day, I finally saw the end of the River of Time."

An endless sense of nostalgia welled up in Emperor Taitian's eyes.

"The end of the River of Time? How is that possible?"

Li Fan's body trembled at his words, his eyes filled with disbelief. Suddenly, a few images flashed through his mind, accompanied by faint waves of stabbing pain. A moment later, Li Fan finally began to understand.

Emperor Taitian continued.

"It was like a mighty river that had appeared out of thin air. No matter how desperately I struggled against its currents while traveling upstream, I could no longer advance even a single step!"

"The Dao Annihilation Calamity?" Li Fan slowly uttered those four words.

Emperor Taitian nodded. "Correct! The Dao Annihilation Calamity. This terrifying disaster does not merely devour our world at the present point in time. It also seeks to erase every trace of our world's past existence throughout history, causing everything in the mortal world to return completely to nothingness!"

"Seventy-four thousand eight hundred and seventy-six years. That was the furthest limit upstream along the River of Time that I managed to glimpse back then. However, it has been a long time since I last set out on another journey. After spending all these years trapped inside this painting, I fear that this number must have decreased considerably..."

Emperor Taitian let out a sigh.

Even as a mere listener, Li Fan could personally feel the overwhelming pressure of this calamity. What could be more despairing than discovering that even reversing time could not change one's fate?

It was as though he had accompanied Emperor Taitian on that journey, personally witnessing the terrifying scenes of the Dao Annihilation Calamity relentlessly advancing downstream, step by step, from the upper reaches of the River of Time.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Li Fan, and he seemed to realize something.

"So, Senior, when you speak of the Eternal Silence Void Realm, you are referring to..."

Emperor Taitian nodded. "Correct. The Eternal Silence Void Realm refers to those places that have already been swallowed by the Dao Annihilation Calamity."

Although he had finally received an explanation, even greater doubts arose in Li Fan's heart.

"If, as Senior says, the Dao Annihilation Calamity has already swallowed everything that once existed, then how did my master, Lord Hill Guardian manage to travel to a place that should no longer exist? Traversing through the nothingness of time itself must surely expose even my Master to the danger of death. What exactly are they risking their lives for?"

Faced with Li Fan's many questions, Emperor Taitian chose not to conceal anything. Instead, he answered them all.

With a sweep of his wide sleeve, a surging river of time, filled with countless fleeting images and shifting lights, appeared between the two of them.

Emperor Taitian extended a finger like a sword and gently slashed through the air.

A small section at the beginning of the brilliant image of the river was immediately erased, leaving only the latter half continuing to surge through spacetime in a strange and mysterious scene.

"Have you ever wondered why, despite the River of Time having supposedly been completely swallowed, we who reside in its lower reaches continue to exist?"

"Without the past as our foundation, can we truly exist independently? For instance, if I were to return to the time when you were still a mortal and kill you directly, would you still be standing before me right now?"

Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.

He had indeed considered this question before and instinctively felt that such a thing should be impossible. However, the fact that the mortal world still existed right before his eyes forced him to acknowledge this possibility.

It seemed that the disappearance of the upper reaches of the River of Time did not directly affect its lower reaches. Only when the Dao Annihilation Calamity truly reached the present would all of spacetime disappear completely.

Emperor Taitian looked deeply at Li Fan.

"In the past, I, along with the many powerful figures of the Immortal Realm and even the three Sage Lords, all held the same belief. Until later..."

"We finally realized that we had been terribly mistaken!"

Emperor Taitian did not explain in detail how the Immortal Realm's immortals had discovered the error in their understanding. Instead, he simply declared his conclusion with absolute certainty, leaving no room for doubt.

He waved his hand once more.

The previously horizontal image of the River of Time suddenly stood upright.

The image rapidly shrank countless times, finally revealing the upstream section that had previously disappeared.

"The foundation of the River of Time still exists. The fact that we are still living perfectly well in this world is the best proof. Its apparent destruction by the Dao Annihilation Calamity is merely an illusion."

Li Fan gazed at the extraordinary scene Emperor Taitian had revealed before him.

A continuous river stretching from the lower reaches toward the upper reaches, radiating a faint blue light, had been contaminated by an unknown darkness.

As a result, it had become fragmented and discontinuous.

"The invasion of the Dao Annihilation Calamity does not proceed in chronological order, from ancient times to the present. Instead, it occurs simultaneously, unfolding at every point along the River of Time. Some intervals of history disappear completely without warning, while others manage to survive, at least temporarily."

"We are currently living within one such surviving interval!"

Emperor Taitian's gaze turned toward the extremely distant past along the River of Time.

"Once again, the same question. The reason we are able to exist is precisely because, within that seemingly all-consuming darkness, there are still people desperately holding on!"

"One day, if every single one of them falls..."

"We too will cease to exist."

"We will not even be aware of how we disappeared. It will be as though we had never existed in this world to begin with. At that point, no matter how powerful someone might be, they will probably be unable to escape the fate of annihilation. Not even Lord Hill Guardian, who commands the Great Dao of Longevity."

Emperor Taitian let out a long sigh.

Li Fan's mind was violently shaken.

As his thoughts raced, he finally understood why Lord Hill Guardian had ventured into the Eternal Silence Void Realm.

It was a rescue mission.

And an act of self-preservation.

"Once this truth was understood, the goal of all the powerful figures throughout the mortal world became one and the same. While maintaining their own existence, they must cross the annihilated spacetime, travel to the preceding surviving interval, and provide assistance to those struggling there. They must repeat this process again and again, ultimately..."

"Returning to the distant past where the Dao Annihilation Calamity can be completely resolved."

"Unfortunately, my time has come. I have the will, but not the strength. Traveling upstream against the River of Time is already the limit of my abilities. Crossing the annihilated spacetime is far beyond what I can accomplish."

Emperor Taitian sighed once more, his expression somewhat forlorn.

The truth revealed by Emperor Taitian far exceeded Li Fan's expectations.

It even seemed that no such knowledge existed within his memories of the past.

His mind was so overwhelmed by shock that he found it difficult to comprehend and accept what he had just heard.

After a long silence, Li Fan suddenly realized something and hurriedly asked, "Could it be that the reason we suddenly awakened back then and gained a correct understanding of the current state of the River of Time was because..."

Li Fan pointed toward the section of the fragmented River of Time before him, specifically the region above where he himself was located.

"Someone came from the future, crossed the Annihilated Spacetime, and came to our aid?" Li Fan's voice trembled slightly.

Emperor Taitian nodded solemnly.

Li Fan gazed at the scene before him. It was as though he could see the magnificent undertaking of countless powerful beings joining forces, striving together to save the River of Time from being swallowed.

His emotions surged, and he found himself unable to calm down for a long while.

Only after quite some time did he gradually regain his composure.

However, once his brief surge of excitement subsided, he stared at the scene before him, and numerous questions once again arose in his mind.

How exactly could one cross the Annihilated Spacetime?

And how could they be certain that returning to the most ancient era would allow them to discover a way to resolve the Dao Annihilation Calamity?

What if countless people joined forces and endured untold hardships, only to discover in the end that everything was already beyond salvation?

What were they supposed to do then?

...

After pondering for a long time, Li Fan ultimately could not restrain himself and voiced the many doubts troubling his heart.

Emperor Taitian's expression turned solemn. "If we do not try, the only ending awaiting us is extinction. Only by making the attempt might we seize that one slim chance of survival."

"We can only hope that those powerful beings in the distant past can persevere until the day reinforcements arrive."

Emperor Taitian raised his hand and pointed toward the heavens beyond.

"You must understand that every individual capable of reaching the Great World of the Other Shore is an extraordinary powerhouse whose might shakes the ages. As for those qualified to cross the Annihilated Spacetime and venture into the Eternal Silence Void Realm, such individuals are rarer than one in a billion. Even without the slightest hope, such figures would still fight desperately to wrest a chance of survival from fate. How could the mere possibility of encountering a hopeless predicament shake their resolve?"

Emperor Taitian's expression and tone had become more solemn than ever before.

"Although you have obtained Lord Hill Guardian's inheritance, and your Transcendence is practically assured, if you continue to maintain your current mentality, you may not be qualified to advance any further once you step onto a greater stage."

"The Great Dao of Longevity can only protect you and allow you to enjoy eternal life and freedom within this realm."

Li Fan looked toward the small section of the River of Time that Emperor Taitian was pointing at and adopted an expression of someone who had received valuable instruction.

"Among cultivators like us, who would not be filled with passion upon hearing of such a plan and willingly devote themselves to its cause? Unfortunately, due to my own fate and circumstances, I cannot participate. It is truly my greatest regret."

"However, you still have a tremendous opportunity!"

"Perhaps your accidental arrival here was also predestined."

As Emperor Taitian continued speaking, his voice gradually faded into a murmur.

His expression became almost fanatical, as though an extraordinarily exciting thought had suddenly occurred to him.

His illusory body, originally shrouded in the aura of death, slowly began to radiate a peculiar and imposing presence.

"Continuing to cling to this miserable existence here has already lost all meaning. I might as well impart to you today everything I have comprehended about the Dao of Reverse!"

"If one day you can travel to the Eternal Silence Void Realm in my place and lend them your strength, then my sacrifice today will not have been in vain!"

Emperor Taitian seemed to have suddenly attained enlightenment.

Brilliant light erupted from his entire body.

His figure gradually drifted into the Reverse Flowing Boat, slowly merging with the vessel itself.

The Reverse Flowing Boat suddenly rose into the air.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it shot straight toward Li Fan.

A moment earlier, Li Fan had been deeply moved by Emperor Taitian's impassioned words, feeling profoundly touched.

Yet now, seeing the Reverse Flowing Boat flying uncontrollably toward him, his instincts immediately urged him to dodge.

Unfortunately, Li Fan was no match for Emperor Taitian.

Even if Emperor Taitian was nothing more than a lingering phantom.

Thus, he could only watch helplessly as the Reverse Flowing Boat flew directly into his body.

Boom!

The River of Time that Emperor Taitian had displayed before him also seemed to crash into Li Fan's mind.

Everything Emperor Taitian had experienced during his repeated journeys upstream through the River of Time now unfolded simultaneously within Li Fan's consciousness.

It was almost identical to the scene in which Li Fan had previously been overwhelmed by his own lost memories.

However, Emperor Taitian had clearly taken Li Fan's "feeble" capacity to endure such an experience into consideration.

As countless fleeting images continuously washed over his consciousness, the many insignificant events and scenes gradually faded away.

Only certain crucial events and Emperor Taitian's insights into the Dao of Reverse remained, settling into the depths of his mind like sediment.

Emperor Taitian's inheritance seemed to resonate with Li Fan's lost memories.

The scenes he had once experienced were stirred into activity, erupting uncontrollably from the depths of his consciousness.

"[Truth]?!"

Amid the countless images, Li Fan seized upon the most important revelation.

He had finally remembered the name he had personally bestowed upon the supreme treasure he possessed.

And the many miraculous abilities of [Truth].

'What is going on? How did [Truth] end up in this state?'

'Not only have numerous functions, including Unceasing Reincarnation, disappeared, but even all the anchor points I previously established are gone?'

Although he had recovered a portion of his lost memories, Li Fan's state of mind did not stabilize as a result.

Instead, it became even more turbulent.

Combined with Emperor Taitian's inheritance, the situation deteriorated further.

Within the Xuanhuang Realm, inside the secret chamber of the Grand Preceptor's Residence, Li Fan's true body had already suffered catastrophic damage under the immense pressure.

His entire upper body had exploded into a mass of blood and flesh.

The aura of Longevity continuously surged from his mutilated remains, desperately attempting to repair his injuries.

However, the turmoil that had suddenly erupted within Li Fan's mind this time had already exceeded the limits of what he could endure by far too much.

Even the Great Dao of Longevity that he upheld seemed incapable of saving him.

"[Truth]! [Truth]! [Truth]!"

Realizing that the situation was beyond his control, Li Fan had no choice but to call out frantically in his heart.

Yet a strangely familiar scene occurred once again.

It was as though [Truth] had not heard him at all.

There was absolutely no response.

Unwilling to give up, Li Fan called out several more times in succession.

The result remained unchanged.

Overwhelmed by shock and fury, Li Fan watched his body gradually being consumed by destruction, and a sense of despair inevitably arose within him.

But in his daze, he suddenly recalled the words Emperor Taitian had spoken just moments earlier.

"Even without the slightest hope, such figures would still fight desperately to wrest a chance of survival from fate!"

His panic gradually subsided.

All that remained in Li Fan's eyes was an incomparably resolute determination.

In that fleeting instant, he had already discovered his own path to survival.

The Reverse Flowing Boat!