Chapter 264: The Real and Fake Situation of the Heavenly Lord

Jiao Xiuyuan smiled, “It’s normal for Fellow Daoist to have such thoughts.

After all, for us Cultivators, from Foundation Establishment Realm to Dao Unification Realm, to advance, we must seize the heavens and earth and compete for resources.

In a sense, all Cultivators are potential competitors to each other.”

“But…”

Jiao Xiuyuan’s tone suddenly took on a mysterious meaning, “Eternal Life Realm is different.”

“To achieve Eternal Life, one must defy the principles of heaven and earth.”

“The principles of heaven and earth are the Dao of Heaven.”

“Defying the principles of heaven and earth is the Dao of Cultivators.”

“To replace the Dao of Heaven with the Dao of Cultivators, one can achieve Eternal Life.”

“Cultivators who can cultivate to Dao Unification Realm Peak and glimpse the Eternal Life Realm all possess their own unique Dao.”

“Because before they reached this Realm, they had already destroyed all possible competitors.”

Jiao Xiuyuan calmly described a bloody path of advancement.

“Combined Dao Cultivators, with different Daos, no longer have conflicts of interest.”

“And observing the process of other Combined Dao Cultivators defying the principles of heaven and earth, whether successful or not, will be greatly beneficial to oneself.”

“That’s why they agreed to help.”

A hint of mockery appeared on Jiao Xiuyuan’s dark face, “Otherwise, to invite multiple Combined Dao Cultivators, one would have to pay a heavy price.”

Li Fan carefully pondered Jiao Xiuyuan’s words, and after a moment, he seemed to understand.

From Qi Refining to Dao Unification Realm, the mediums required for advancement are, in order, Spirit, Wonder, Law, Essence, Marrow, and heaven and earth spirit.

As a Cultivator’s Realm slowly increases, the greater the counterforce from heaven and earth they encounter when trying to advance.

In the beginning of cultivation, because the counterforce from heaven and earth was not that strong, it could almost be ignored.

The conflict mainly manifested in the struggle between Cultivator and Cultivator.

But when cultivation reached the Dao Unification Realm, not only did one have to compete with other Cultivators for the opportunity to sacrifice the heaven and earth spirit.

One also had to contend with the heaven and earth spirit itself.

The situation changed.

Finally, upon reaching the Eternal Life Realm.

The conflicts between Cultivators, instead, became negligible.

It transformed into a struggle between Cultivator and heaven and earth… Although the Dao Unification Realm and Eternal Life Realm were still far from Li Fan, they were, after all, the ultimate goals of cultivation in this world.

This could provide high-level guidance for Li Fan in planning his future cultivation path.

The value of these words was no less than one hundred thousand contribution points.

Li Fan pondered for a moment longer, then couldn’t help but ask the question that had been buried in his heart for a long time, “I wonder what Realm Fellow Daoist Jiao is truly in? You know all the secrets concerning the Dao Unification Realm and Eternal Life Realm so clearly.”

Jiao Xiuyuan did not answer.

He just smiled and said, “If fate allows, Fellow Daoist will know in the future.”

Li Fan nodded and did not press further.

After ending the communication, Li Fan began to ponder the intelligence information provided by Jiao Xiuyuan.

“The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance might see a new Eternal Celestial Venerable emerge, which has prompted probes from the Five Old Men Association.”

“This also didn’t happen in my previous life.”

“Could it be a variable caused by the great war in Tianling State?”

“That’s right, after all, this war involved too much.

In the early stages, more than a dozen Combined Dao powerhouses fought each other.”

“It’s normal to comprehend something between life and death.”

“According to Jiao Xiuyuan’s judgment, to verify the authenticity of the news, the Five Old Men Association will certainly take more drastic measures next.”

“The goal, presumably, is to force the Combined Dao Cultivators to show themselves.”

“It seems the total number of Combined Dao Cultivators on both sides won’t be too high.”

“At the very least, the sudden disappearance of some Combined Dao Cultivators would be noticeably apparent.”

“Hmm… before the turmoil settles, it’s best to protect myself and not go out.” Li Fan mused to himself.

For a period afterward, things indeed unfolded as Jiao Xiuyuan predicted.

Without warning, the Five Old Men Association launched probes against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance across the entire front.

Those states near the Five Old Men Association almost all encountered Combined Dao Cultivators crossing over, manifesting strange phenomena that enveloped the entire state, flaunting their power.

Li Fan, who constantly monitored the topics discussed by Cultivators in the tianxuan mirror, roughly understood the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance’s response before much of the information disappeared.

Aside from a few states where Combined Dao Cultivators appeared in time to counter, most states were unusually silent.

They merely activated defensive formations across the entire state.

Yet, facing such provocation, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance did not again declare a state of readiness for war.

They merely strictly ordered all states to activate their grand formations, prepare their defenses, and not to lightly initiate conflict.

This invisible display of weakness seemed to confirm the correctness of that news.

Whether it was to obstruct the birth of a new Eternal Celestial Venerable.

Or to take advantage of this rare opportunity of internal emptiness in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance to expand their territory.

The Five Old Men Association unhesitatingly launched another war.

Or perhaps… it couldn’t even be called a war.

Because after only a few days, before all the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance Cultivators had even entered a state of readiness, and most Cultivators hadn’t even seen a shadow of the enemy.

The newly ignited smoke of war suddenly and mysteriously dissipated.

The Five Old Men Association lowered their banners and drums, no longer mentioning war.

This inexplicable event not only left Li Fan bewildered.

Even Jiao Xiuyuan was somewhat astonished.

It was only later, after the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance officially and extensively publicized the events, that everyone understood what had happened within those few short days.

And the truth behind this turmoil.

The Five Old Men Association’s original war plan should have been like this:

Combined Dao powerhouses would penetrate deep into the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance territory, search for the Immortal Venerable who was defying the principles of heaven and earth, and disrupt his advancement process.

The other Cultivators, led by Soul Transformation Realm powerhouses, would launch a fierce attack on the entire border of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

To provide cover for the Combined Dao assault team.

The focus of the attack would be on those states without Combined Dao Cultivators presiding over them.

It would be best to seize this rare opportunity to expand their territory.

The plan was beautiful.

Reality was cruel.

A total of nine Combined Dao powerhouses secretly infiltrated the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance territory.

Undoubtedly, this was an extremely powerful combat force.

They traveled all the way to the heartland, Tian Yu State, without being discovered.

Perhaps they were secretly pleased that the plan was proceeding so smoothly.

However, just as they were all relaxing.

The grand formation activated, and mysterious light descended from the sky, suddenly enveloping them.

Combined Dao Cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, numbering twice as many as them, suddenly appeared around them.

Including those Combined Dao Immortal Venerables who were said to have been invited to assist in defying the principles of heaven and earth, all were present, looking at them with mockery!

By this time, the nine Combined Dao Cultivators from the Five Old Men Association, how could they not understand?

All of this, from the very beginning, was a trap!

A trap to lure the enemy deep!

What about a Combined Dao Cultivator about to Breakthrough, about to advance to Eternal Celestial Venerable.

All of it was false, non-existent.

The purpose was to entice the Combined Dao Immortal Venerables of the Five Old Men Association to come and obstruct.

Then to capture them all in one fell swoop!

To tear a large chunk of flesh from the Five Old Men Association!